Chapter 1: CYOA: World of Smash - Setting Sail
Summary:
The legendary Captain Linebeck awakens imprisoned within the depths of Hyrule, trapped by the heinous Yiga Clan. Will Linebeck use his Herculean strength, rugged good looks, or unmatched wit to get himself out of this one?
Notes:
The very first topic of Lost in Smash, spanning 7/11/2023 (9:26:39 AM) to 7/11/2023 (10:58:02 PM)
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/234547-super-smash-bros-ultimate/80505572
Participants Include:
HungryLuma64
Colette-Brunel
jkid101094
MrFuzz111
Already_in_Use
Salmons
Birdbrain
Impossibill
estejor
old_guy
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
CYOA: World of Smash - Setting Sail
#1
"Eyaah!"
Linebeck sat up in a sweat, breathing heavily. As he took stock of his surroundings, he began to calm down; it was just a dream. The same recurring dream that had been haunting him for a while now. Lying on the deck of a ship, bleeding to death... and then BOOM, dies in a fiery explosion. Given he was already dying, the explosion always seemed like overkill.
As he internalized his surroundings, Linebeck sighed with relief; in actuality, he was only trapped in a cage. In the dark. Deep underground. Where it was pitch black. The cell he'd been locked in had a lit torch inside, lighting up the inside of his cell. But what lay outside the wooden bars keeping him contained was a black void.
"Well, well, well..." a voice chuckled.
Linebeck flinched as a figure materialized just outside of the cell, just barely visible by torchlight. It was a man. A pear-shaped man. In spandex.
"Credit where credit is due for finding the entrance, stranger." the man said, "Yes, credit where credit is due..."
"W-Who are you?" Linebeck asked. "Where am I? Why am I in a cage?"
"You stand before the leader of the notorious Yiga Clan himself!" the man said with pride, arms crossed. "The Ganon loving! The Hyrule-loathing! Master Kohga!"
Linebeck gulped. He'd heard of the Yiga Clan; a group of thieves and assassins who terrorized Hyrule. Though he had heard that their leader had died after battle with Hyrule's pre-eminent swordsman. From what Linebeck had heard, he'd fallen into a hole.
"Stunned speechless, eh?" Kohga laughed, enjoying Linebeck's fearful gaze. "Can't say I blame you. You're in the Depths, stranger; the domain of the Yiga. You've trespassed, in fact. Who the heck are you, anyway? Huh? Speak up!"
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Captain Linebeck, famed adventurer!
B. Professor Limeback, famed archaeologist!
C. Dr. Lineback, famed medical expert!
D. Master Linebuck, famed warrior!
E. I don't see how that's any of your business.
Party
1. Linebeck
#5
"I'm Dr. Lineback," Linebeck declared, "Famed medical expert! Studied under the famous Dr. Mario hismelf! S-Say, your posture looks a little off. Maybe you've got a sprained ankle? If you let me out of this cage, I could take a look for you."
"BA HA HA HA HA HA!!!" Kohga cackled, waving away Linebeck's concerns. "Nice try, doctor! But as you can no doubt see, I am in absolute perfect physical condition! How unfortunate for your patients that you should find your way down here of all places; because rest assured, you won't be making any house calls ever again!"
"No!" Linebeck gasped.
"To tell you the truth, I was thinking we'd just let you waste away in this cell for the rest of your life." Kohga said. "But a doctor... could be useful. Instead, now I'm thinking we'll force you to perform regular check-ups on Yiga Clan members!"
"NO!!!" Linebeck cried.
"YES!!" Kohga screamed triumphantly. "We'll convert this holding cell into a clinic, steal medicine and medical implements from all over, and have you administer them to Yiga patients on a regular basis!"
"Someone save me!" Linebeck cried out, gripping the bars of his cage. "Let me go, please!"
"Nobody's saving you, best dispel with that delusion right now, doctor!" Kohga asserted, jabbing Linebeck in the face with his pointer finger. "And even if I was feeling particularly generous, we can't afford to let you go! You know too much! And besides, now that Lord Ganon's run off to who-knows-where, we need all the help we can get."
It suddenly dawned on Linebeck that his pockets were lighter: as in, completely empty. His Phantom Sword, Shield, Bow, Boomerang, Grappling Hook, Shovel, Rupees, and the Phantom Hourglass were all gone.
"Well, I'll have a couple of carpenters we captured sent over to work on the clinic." Kohga said. "Shouldn't take more than a few days for them to get here. I've got some guards stationed around, they'll give you some muddy water and banana skins to tide you over. See you around, doctor!"
"W-wait!" Linebeck interjected.
"Ugh, whaaaaaaaat?" Kohga groaned. "I'm a busy man, got plenty of things to do if we're gonna destroy Hyrule!"
X. Write-in what to say/questions to ask.
Party
1. Linebeck
#12
"Did you know too much potassium is bad for you?" asked Linebeck. "It can lead to heart attacks! I recommend a balance of frosted beyblades with bananas to regulate intense banana cravings."
"Don't be ridiculous!" Kohga scoffed. "I've been on about a 95% banana-based diet for years now, and look at me! I don't know what frosted beyblades are, but if they ain't banana-based, I ain't interested."
"Can I get a balanced meal around here?" Linebeck asked.
"If by "balanced meal", you mean muddy water and leftover banana skins, then you'll be well taken care-of!"
"Have you ever seen a boat explode?"
"No," Kohga said, "I'd happily blow yours up for the entertainment value, make a big event out of it to boost morale, but... we could probably make better use of it than destroying the thing."
"What are your thoughts on talking owls?" Linebeck queried.
"I'm starting to wonder if you're delirious."
"How much am I getting paid?"
"Uh, zilch?" Kohga chuckled. "For a doctor you're pretty thick, huh? Lemme spell it out for you: YOU ARE GOING TO WORK FOR US FOR FREE. FOR LIFE!!!! Get it?! We'll reluctantly provide room and board, of course, but nothing too fancy."
"Since I'm becoming an official Yiga doctor, do I get a uniform?"
"Hmmm..." Kohga appeared to genuinely consider the question. "...Nah. You're more of a prisoner being forced to work on our behalf than a full-fledged Yiga Clan member. No sense wasting precious clothing materials on you. Making these glorious uniforms ain't easy, you know."
"Could I have my...er..."medical equipment" back? It's all pretty unorthodox, but you know a good doctor never reveals his secrets..."
"What, you mean the weapons and tools and other junk?" Kohga scoffed. "What kind of an imbecile do you take me for? You can forget it; those are Yiga Clan property now, and will be used by us in whatever way I deem necessary to destroy Hyrule! Frankly it's kind of surprising that that's what you had on you. I guess I could see the sword being used for surgical purposes, but you'd think there would be some medicine or elixirs or something. But no matter, rest assured we'll find you plenty of medical supplies to work with."
"Are you by chance aware of any sort of razor-toothed red plants with white spots in Hyrule?"
"No, but that sounds incredibly stupid."
"Have you or anyone you know by chance gotten any sort of strange reoccurring dream?" Linebeck asked.
"..."
The uncharacteristic silence made Linebeck shudder a bit. He felt like beneath Kohga's mask, his face must've gotten pretty serious.
"Yeah... yeah, I have, if you must know." Kohga said. "Something about... Ganondorf fighting to protect Hyrule... no, the entire world... from this horrible blobby stuff. And then at the end the blobby stuff gets me and I die!"
"Really? Huh." Linebeck reflected on that. "My recurring dream is that I'm bleeding to death on a ship... and then the ship blows up."
"I can't help but wonder if it has something to do with Lord Ganon's disappearance," Kohga muttered wistfully, taking no interest in Linebeck's ramblings. "We were planning a full-scale takeover of Hyrule, I'd been promoted to being a top general in his army, his second-in-command even, but one day... he announced he was leaving Hyrule. Wouldn't say why or to where. Didn't look himself, either."
"Wait... and you're still serving under him?" Linebeck said.
"OF COURSE WE ARE!!" Kohga screamed, pointing at Linebeck. "The Yiga Clan dedicates its very existence to Lord Ganon! I don't know where he is, but in his absence we'll do as he would do; carry on with the destruction of Hyrule!"
"And what if he never comes back?" Linebeck asked pointedly.
"Then... then we'll find him!" Kohga resolved. "If he isn't back by the time we've finished up here, then we'll expand our operation! Send out search parties! That little steamboat of yours ought to be useful for that! Now enough questions! I've got better things to do than keep you company, you got it?!"
"One last question!" Linebeck insisted. "...Can I go use the bathroom?"
"...I guess we didn't really... account for that." Kohga sighed, looking over Linebeck's featureless cell. "Fine, I'll send a guard over to escort you to a suitable location to... do that. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got plenty of work to do."
With that, Kohga disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Not long after, Linebeck could hear the whirring of machinery coming from behind him. His cage was surrounded by walls on three sides, cutting off his sight in any direction but straight ahead. Eventually a bright light began illuminating the space in front of him as a strange contraption rolled out in front of the cell.
"Alright, let's make this quick." the Yiga Footsoldier operating the machinery grumbled as he pulled a level, raising the bars of Linebeck's cell. "Get on. Now."
Linebeck shuffled onboard the machine and wasted no time looking around desperately for an escape. Aside from the cell, there was one more area lit by torchlight; a platform with the very same elevator he'd used to get down here, with three chests resting beside it. Here was his chance to escape.
"Well, here goes nothing..." Linebeck sighed.
"Wait, what?" the Yiga Footsoldier turned to face him.
"YEEEAAAAAARGH!!!!" Linebeck cried, leaping off the contraption before the Footsoldier could grab him. Linebeck landed on the ground and began hoofing it over to the elevator platform.
"Hey! Stop! We're authorized to respond to resistance with deadly force!" the Yiga Footsoldier cried, struggling to turn his machine around in Linebeck's direction.
As Linebeck reached the platform he could hear the whirring of the machine drawing closer; he figured he had time to relieve just one of these chests of its contents.
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Chest A
B. Chest B
C. Chest C
#22
Linebeck threw open the lid to one of the chest, stuck his mitts in, and withdrew a strange object. It was vaguely key-shaped, and there were various lines running along it that glowed with a fetching green light.
"Thief!" the Yiga Footsoldier cried.
"Takes one to know one." Linebeck rolled his eyes as he dove on top of the elevator, activating the pressure pad that sent the platform moving up.
"There's more guards up there, you know!" the Footsoldier called up as Linebeck rose away. "I hope you're happy, choosing death over saving lives, you selfish sham of a doctor!"
Linebeck began to sweat; he wasn't out of the woods yet. He certainly wasn't prepared to deal with guards, doubly so now that he was without any of his stuff.
Eventually the elevator rose back up into the cave Linebeck had initially found it in; Linebeck hoofed it back through the cave complex he'd been exploring, bursting back out the cave entrance and into the open air. His ship was in sight; he made a mad dash for the shores of Faron, dashing past the pair of Yiga Blademasters who stood guard at the entrance.
"Hey!"
"Get back here!"
Linebeck shuffled along the dock where he'd parked his ship and boarded. He noted with great displeasure that the Yiga had already painted the symbol of their clan - an upside down eye with a teardrop - on the bridge of the S.S. Linebeck.
As Linebeck raced across the deck and threw open the door to the bridge, he was relieved to find that the ship appeared to be devoid of any Yiga. Without missing a beat, he hit the gas and sent the boat hurtling away from shore, having successfully escaped the Yiga.
Linebeck decided he had had enough of Hyrule. He'd only been there in search of treasure for a month or two, but it felt like it had been years. He was more than ready to shove off and go somewhere, anywhere else.
He checked the fuel gauge; less than a quarter of the tank was full. While Linebeck was past the point of prioritizing treasure above all else - adventure was its own reward for him at this point - he did still rely on finding treasure to sell in order to pay for food, fuel, and other expenses. He'd amassed a nice chunk of change while in Hyrule, but that was all in Yiga hands now.
Hyrule checked his sea chart. There were three places he figured he could make it to before running out of fuel: Yoshi's Island, the Nowhere Islands, and Minecraft World.
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Yoshi's Island
B. Nowhere Islands
C. Minecraft World
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
#38 (Final update post of topic)
"Minecraft World it is." Linebeck mumbled to himself, turning the ship's wheel. "Whatever the heck that is."
Linebeck thought back to his little adventure underneath Hyrule; it wasn't the first time he'd been trapped. Thankfully he had managed to escape by way of quick feet and even quicker thinking, but he knew full well he couldn't count on that always being the case.
He thought back to his time with a young lad named Link, who had been the only reason he'd made it out of a certain life-draining temple alive, and how Link had done nearly all of the legwork on their adventure, delving into dungeons and defeating baddies, even saving Linebeck's life. Linebeck liked to think he had developed a little more independence, but perhaps adventuring with a crew would be more sensible.
More than anything he figured he could use a crew member who knew how to fight.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
Notes:
And that's the very first part of World of Smash! Keep in mind that this incredibly short part is not at all emblematic of the usual length of a chapter. It's by far the shortest topic of both World of Smash and Olimar's Alimony. As Crimson put it:
"I realize this is an unforgivably short topic, but for the sake of keeping each chapter distinctly labeled I would like to start a new topic for this next one: [links part 2]"
Going forward, a majority of chapters will be much longer, as they'll expend the full 500 post limit for GameFaqs's discussion board topics. The only time we get short chapters like this is when an arc happens to end early into a fresh topic.
With that out of the way, this was a very simple chapter, introducing Linebeck and an antagonistic force in the Yiga. Obviously due to its much shorter length, there isn't too much to pick apart here other than the fact it's the very first topic. The ending of Olimar's Alimony (which lasted over 4 years mind you) was very bittersweet, so it was a very nice feeling to see World of Smash start up a couple of months later.
Chapter 2: CYOA: World of Smash - Of Mines and Crafts
Summary:
Linebeck sets anchor in Minecraft World, where he soon learns about the rapid and suffocating establishment of the monarchial Cubic Kingdom.
Notes:
Part 2 of World of Smash, spanning from 7/12/2023 to 8/19/2023.
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/234547-super-smash-bros-ultimate/80506284
Participants include:
Already_in_Use
HungryLuma64
Impossibill
estejor
old_guy
Colette-Brunel
SephirothFudge
Salmons
MrFuzz111
jkid101094
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
CYOA: World of Smash - Of Mines and Crafts
#1*
As Linebeck pulled into Minecraft World, a cloud of smoke became visible. After drawing nearer to the shoreline, its source became apparent: there was a giant crimson wall running along the land and stretching just out into the sea, and the entire thing was on fire. What's more, he couldn't help but notice that everything - the land, the trees, even the water - seemed unusually square.
"What in the..." Linebeck murmured as he moved on a little further, finding a point where the ocean opened into an inland body of water that narrowed into a river. There were some buildings visible at the opposite end of the inlet. Linebeck opted to pull his ship towards them - it turned out to be a little three-hut village with a dock to park at on the end - and anchor his ship.
Linebeck sauntered over to the edge of the deck, picked up the ramp, and threw it overboard.
THUD.
"OW!!"
Sploosh!
"...Whoops." Linebeck walked down the ramp and onto the dock, gazing down at the person he'd struck with his ramp, now in the water.
"Well that was pretty rude!" an orange-haired blocky woman complained as she climbed back up onto the dock, fishing rod in hand. "And right as I finally got a fish to bite!"
"Err... sorry about that." Linebeck said. "Didn't see ya there."
"Well who are you, anyway?" the woman asked. "What's your name?"
"Dr. Lineb--I mean, Captain Linebeck, famed adventurer." Linebeck said. "What's yours?"
"My name is Alex."
"Mmm-mmm." Linebeck mumbled, gazing around the place rather than pay attention to her. The little village was located entirely on the water, along a pier that stretched about halfway across the inlet. There was a trio of villagers that were standing on the back porch of their huts, preoccupied with fishing. They weren't paying him much mind. And nearby, looming behind the village, was that inexplicable giant flaming wall.
"...Sorry, what was your name again?" Linebeck asked, refocusing his attention to the block person.
"Alex!" Alex asserted. "Yeesh, if you don't want to do small talk, then don't. I was kind of hoping maybe we could talk, but guess not. I'm gonna go back to fishing."
Alex threw her line out and continued to wait for a bite.
Linebeck had some questions and he figured now was as good a time to ask them as any.
X. Write-in questions for Alex.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
#10
"What was it I wanted to ask again?" Linebeck mumbled, stroking his chin.
"I don't know," Alex said, "Maybe don't ask the person you're gonna ask what you were gonna ask."
"Have you seen any red ninjas anywhere?" Linebeck asked.
"Can't say that I have." Alex said. "Makes me wonder where you came from that you're asking me about red ninjas."
"Do you have any spare boat fuel lying around?" Linebeck said, knowing full well it was a long shot.
"Nope!" Alex said a little too cheerily for Linebeck's liking.
"Who's your favorite LEGO Ninjago Ninja?" Linebeck blinked as soon as the words finished coming out of his mouth, wondering where that came from.
"...What?" Alex furrowed her brow.
"Err... I don't know. Never mind." said Linebeck. "So what do you think about a 95% banana diet?"
"What's a banana?" Alex asked.
"Ooookay." Linebeck decided to move on. "...So am I gonna become blocky like you all too for coming here?"
"Dunno." Alex shrugged. "Doubt it. I've seen some smooth people like you around before, never seen one of you become less... rounded."
"Do you like frosted beyblades?" Linebeck asked before immediately wondering why he asked that.
"Don't know what those are. Are those like these banana things?"
"Have any friends around here?"
"Well, uh... um..." Alex's face flushed red. "I'm... a friend to this village!"
"Okay." Linebeck processed that response. "Have you heard any rumors of treasure to be found?"
"Oh, sure, there's treasure to be found all over the place." Alex nodded. "Might find some in the woods, in villages, under the ocean, underground, pretty much anywhere. And I'm just talking the kind that comes in chests; never mind all the diamonds and gold and stuff you can find underground."
"Ooh-hoo-hoo!" Linebeck chuckled, rubbing his hands together excitedly. "That's what I like to hear! Say, can you tell me about this village? Is there treasure here?"
"Nah, the only thing you'll find around here is fish." Alex said. "And at the rate I catch them, maybe not even that. But anyway, this place is called Backwater Village."
"Backwater... Village..." Linebeck said, nodding as he looked around. The name made sense, at least.
"Yup. Named it myself." Alex beamed. "Built it myself, too. Built it just yesterday, in fact."
"You mean you finished building it yesterday." Linebeck corrected.
"Mmm, nnno, built the whole thing yesterday." Alex counter-corrected. "The villagers needed a roof over their heads and didn't want to live in Sux anymore. Sux is a village a little ways down the river here, for the record."
"...Right. Okay." Linebeck said patronizingly, deciding not to call her out on the obvious lie that she had built the place in a day. It was a dump, sure, but it still wasn't believable that the entire thing could be built in such short time. "So what's going on with that giant wall of fire there?"
"Ya know, that's the question, ain't it?" Alex nodded. "Cropped up about a week ago. Just woke up and there it was; of course, it wasn't as long as it was. Seems like every day or so it stretches just a little farther; it wasn't until this morning that I saw it made its way out into the ocean."
"...Really?" Linebeck frowned, finding this hard to believe. "And why is it on fire? Has it been on fire this whole time?"
"Oh yeah." Alex nodded. "It's made of netherrack; that stuff burns forever. Or at least, the outer layer is. I tried mining inside and found a layer of obsidian on the inside, and you can't break that without a diamond pickaxe. I don't have a diamond pickaxe. And even if I did, that wall's so thick it'd take forever to break through."
"...You mined through the wall." Linebeck said.
"Yup. But only barely." said Alex. "Like I said, couldn't get past the first layer. I tried digging underneath it, but the thing seems to run all the way down to bedrock. I thought about maybe trying to go over it, but even these tall jungle trees around us don't reach far enough up to reach the top."
"And you don't have any idea how that wall got here?" Linebeck frowned.
"Weeeellll... a week ago, shortly before the wall appeared, I did see something kind of strange." Alex said. "See, where we are right here is about as far north as most around here are willing to travel."
"Why?"
"It's... seen as dangerous." Alex said. "People go farther inland in search of where land ends and sea begins again, but they've never found it, and a lot of people don't come back. It's thought maybe it just keeps going forever."
"...What?" Linebeck furrowed his brow. "That's ridiculous. The whole planet is covered in water. Every land mass, even continents if you think about it, are just islands."
"I dunno, maybe you'd be better off talking to a cartographer." Alex shrugged. "They could explain it better. But anyway, a week ago I saw someone running this direction from inland. Never seen the guy before, though he was blocky like me, and he was holding a diamond sword. I thought about approaching him, but I dunno, I got kind of an off vibe. Ended up keeping out of sight and letting him run past. The next morning is when that wall showed up. It's been steadily growing ever since, and always when I'm not around to see it happening."
"That's a little hard to believe, but... okay." Linebeck said, "So... are you or anyone you know the adventuring type perhaps? Anyone who might be up for, let's say, treasure hunting and sailing?"
"Sailing, no." Alex said. "I get seasick. And I'm kind of afraid of the ocean. Terrified, even. But treasure hunting is always a good time. Why, you planning on hunting for treasure?"
"That's right." Linebeck nodded. "You seem to... know the lay of the land better than I do, at least. I hate to take you away from all this exciting fishing you're doing, but maybe you'd want to play tour guide for a legendary captain for a bit?"
"Well that's a pretty condescending way of asking for help, but alright." Alex said, hurling her fishing rod into the water. "I wasn't catching any fish anyway."
"Great." Linebeck said. "Any recommendations on where I might be able to stock up on supplies or tools?"
"It's all around you." Alex said, gesturing all around them.
"What?" Linebeck frowned.
"Here, come over here." Alex said, leading Linebeck to a nearby tree and pointing at it with her fingerless blocky arm appendage. "Go ahead and punch the tree."
"P-Punch the tree?!" Linebeck sputtered in disbelief. "What, you trying to get me to break my hand?"
"Trust me, just do it." Alex encouraged.
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Punch the tree.
B. Insist that she punch the tree.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
#18
"...Fine." Linebeck sighed, throwing a limp-wristed punch straight out at the tree without so much as a windup. His fist connected feebly with the bark.
Crk!
"YOW-OW-OW!!!!" Linebeck cried.
"...Huh." Alex blinked. "Normally wood breaks when people punch it. See?"
Alex gave the block of wood a few swift punches; Linebeck watched in shock and disgust as cracks formed along the bark before it quickly collapsed into a smaller block of wood.
"See?" Alex turned to Linebeck. "You must be pretty darn weak to not be able to punch wood."
"Yeah, or maybe my appendages are just deft and fingered instead of being two graceless blocks of concrete!" Linebeck snapped, his hand still aching. "I've got arms outfitted with elbows and fingers; you've got a pair of battering rams. You're the freak here, not me."
"Anyway," Alex deftly ignored the insult, "Shall we get going?"
"Yes. Yes we shall." Linebeck nodded. "I guess I'll just leave the S.S. Linebeck here for safekeeping... those villagers aren't going to steal it or something, are they?"
"No, they really only care about fishing." Alex said. "Villagers tend to be like that: find a profession and devote themselves to it completely. But me, I'm more of a vagabond."
"Great." Linebeck said. "Well, where do we go to find some treasure?"
"Well, there's some mines in the other nearby villages." Alex said. "Sux is closest, and Wershire is a little farther out than that, but not by much. Which sounds good to you?"
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Sux
B. Wershire
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
#24
"Sux is closer, might as well go there." Linebeck said. "What's it like there?"
"Oh, it's a cozy little village." Alex said. "Great place, great people!"
"Cozy like Backwater Village is cozy?" Linebeck frowned.
"Nah, Backwater makes Sux look huge." Alex said. "It's got almost triple the population."
"Sounds impressive." Linebeck snorted.
"Right?" said Alex, clearly failing to pick up on the sarcasm.
The two walked in relative silence for a couple minutes before the village in question came into view.
"The village is orange." Linebeck observed.
"Built with acacia wood." Alex said. "It's the same with Wershire. Personally, acacia is my favorite type of wood."
"Yes, well, I'd love to discuss the various types of wood with you, but where is this mine at?"
"It's that stone building there that's the entrance." Alex nodded. "Though there's also a cartographer here that might be worth visiting, and... oh! Looks like they built some sort of statue. Funny, that wasn't here before."
"Hello, hello, hello!" one of the villagers said, hurriedly walking up to greet the pair. "Alex, I... see you're back. And you've brought someone with you. Someone round."
"Oh, hey Howard." Alex nodded.
"Ha ha." Howard laughed dryly. "It's Mayor Howard now, actually."
"Mayor?" Alex said quizzically. "The citizens of Sux decided to make you mayor?"
"Ha ha ha." Howard laughed once more without a hint of amusement. "No, I was appointed mayor. By the king."
"Didn't know we had a king." Alex furrowed her brow. "I thought we were an autonomous collective."
"Yes, well, things change. Now we're a territory of the Cubic Kingdom."
"Cubic Kingdom?!" Alex frowned. "I've never even heard of that. Since when?"
"Since that," Howard pointed to the big flaming wall behind them, "Cropped up about a week ago. The king stopped by in person and appointed me the mayor, and explained that everything on this side of the wall is a part of the Cubic Kingdom. Now, er... what was your name again, round?"
"Captain Linebeck." Linebeck introduced himself. "Legendary explorer."
"It's funny, we usually don't get many rounds around here." Howard said, "But just yesterday we got a group of round mercenaries passing through here, on their way to that cesspit known as Wershire."
Linebeck glanced over at a nearby building; a chest was visible through the window. "Hey, what's this place?"
"That would be the mayor's residence." Howard said, "My residence. It's strictly off-limits. No visitors allowed, sorry." Howard turned back to Alex. "I trust you and your friend here aren't planning on getting into any trouble?"
"Nope!" Alex said.
"Great." Howard sighed and walked away, keeping the two within his peripheral vision.
"I didn't get the feeling he liked me." Linebeck said.
"Yeah, he was a little off." Alex said. "Didn't used to be so haughty. Anyway, where we headed?"
A. The Mayor's House
B. The Cartographer
C. The Statue
D. The Mine
E. Wershire
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
#31
"Let's go and see this cartographer you were talking about," Linebeck said, "Maps and treasure go hand-in-hand, after all. Maybe he knows some good spots to search."
As the two made their way over to the cartography building, Alex looked around with a puzzled look on her face.
"Usually it's a little more lively around here." Alex said. "It's so quiet. There's no one out here but the mayor."
"Maybe they're avoiding him." Linebeck suggested.
Alex smirked as she opened the door to the cartography building; there was, in fact, a cartographer inside. Currently in the process of tearing down the maps he had hung on the wall.
"Matthew?" Alex said. "Why are you taking your maps down?"
"Hm?" Matthew glanced over his shoulder. "Ah, Alex! Nice to see you. And I see you've brought a friend."
"Sure did," Alex nodded, "And he has some questions, but what's going on? Howard's mayor, hardly anybody's around, and now you're taking your life's work off the walls?"
"Yes, well... everyone in town is to start working in the mines." Matthew sighed. "No time for map-making anymore. Every citizen needs to help in the mines. Mayor's orders, passed on down from the king himself!"
"But that's ridiculous!" Alex protested. "We didn't even used to have a king! You should just keep making maps!"
"Oh, no, the king and the mayor wouldn't like that." Matthew shook his head. "Not just because they need me in the mines, but also because we're not supposed to cross that wall. Citizens aren't allowed to leave the kingdom. Not that I could cross the thing even if I wanted."
"But that's... that's..."
"In fact, the mayor told me it was best that I get rid of these maps entirely. And I'm inclined to agree. Keeping these things might be seen as treasonous to the crown. Can't have that."
"Is there any treasure marked on those maps?" Linebeck interjected. "If so, I'll take 'em off your hands, old man."
"No, no, nothing like that." Matthew shook his head. "I just map the geography. Or at least I did."
"Well..." Alex sighed, "I was also hoping you could explain to Captain Linebeck about all that land beyond the wall. He didn't seem to believe me that there wasn't ocean out there somewhere."
"Because that's ridiculous." Linebeck added. "You'll never not reach the sea if you walk far enough."
"Well, you'd think that, wouldn't you?" Matthew chuckled. "But nobody has found sea out there... or at least that have lived to come back and tell us about it."
"Well then you must not have walked very far." Linebeck asserted.
"Well, you say that, but I once spent an entire decade riding straight north from here." Matthew said.
"An entire... decade?" Linebeck's eyes widened.
"Yup." Matthew nodded. "Rode a horse for ten years due north in search of where the land ended... eventually I figured if I went any farther I might not live to make it back and turned around. Spent another ten years riding back."
"W-well... even still, there has to be an end to it." Linebeck insisted. "That's just common sense. I've explored enough of the world to tell you that much."
"I don't know, maybe it does end, I guess I won't ever know for sure." Matthew shrugged. "But I tell you.. it was as if the landscape was just... endlessly generating. I get the feeling I could spend a hundred lifetimes traveling north and it'd never stop."
"Was there anyone out there?" Linebeck asked.
"Oh, sure, I'd come across the occasional village. Nothing any different from what you'd find around here. They all kind of blended together. Though as I got really far out, towards the end of my journey, I did start coming across these strange structures."
"What kind of structures?" Alex asked.
"Elaborate feats of architecture." Matthew said. "Most people around here just stick to what's pragmatic. No person needs much more than a bed and a roof over their head. But I came across a tower, a mansion, a temple, castles of different shapes and sizes... I even saw a large ship someone had constructed, just sitting out in the middle of a lake, unmoving, clearly serving no purpose. All of which were completely abandoned by the way, nobody around for miles. And they weren't even old! By all appearances they seemed recently-built!"
"Spooky." Linebeck muttered.
"Mmm... I think I'd like to build things like that..." Alex smiled, imagining the construction of more elaborate works than Backwater Village.
"Anyway, I'm off to the mines." Matthew said. "I'll just toss these old maps into the furnaces, should help smelt a lump of ore or two. See you around, Alex!"
With that, Matthew exited the building, with Linebeck and Alex following soon after.
"You think maybe those things were built by just one person?" Alex asked. "That'd be pretty cool. I'd like to take a look at those structures."
"Who cares?" Linebeck said. "The only thing I'd like to know is if there was any treasure in them. But I'm not riding a horse for ten years to find out."
"Yeah." Alex sighed. "Welp... where to now?"
A. The Mayor's House
B. The Statue
C. The Mine
D. Wershire
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
#36*
"Let's go check out that statue." Linebeck decided, heading in that direction. "From what I can tell from here, it's not much of a statue."
As Linebeck drew nearer, he deduced that he was totally correct; the statue was pathetic. It was just a bunch of nondescript stone squares cobbled together to form the nondescript outline of a person.
"Oh, wow, it really isn't much to look at." Alex admitted.
"Yeah, I mean I couldn't tell you who this is supposed to be." Linebeck said. "For all I know it's a statue of you."
"The craftsmanship of whoever built this certainly leaves a lot to be desired." Alex smiled.
"Yeah, but it's about as impressive in design as Backwater Village." Linebeck assessed. "So I'd say your abilities are evenly matched."
The smile faded from Alex's face.
"Admiring the statue I built?" Howard said, walking up to the two.
"Oh, hello again, Howard." Alex said. "So you built this, huh?"
"That's Mayor Howard." Howard scowled. "And yes, I did as a matter of fact. Isn't it breathtaking?"
"It's certainly something." Linebeck nodded.
"The king suggested that there be a place for the villagers to come and admire him." Howard explained. "I hear those blowhards over in Wershire went and built an entire building to honor him. Well, that's trying a bit too hard to curry his favor if you ask me. This statue I made in the king's likeness seems much more respectable. It has a certain quiet dignity about it, wouldn't you say?"
"You definitely went for the more modest approach." said Linebeck.
"Yes... well, I'll be off, then." Howard said. "As the mayor, I've got countless duties to attend to, as you can imagine. I can't waste too much time conversing with you."
With that, Howard shuffled off in the direction of the mines, entering the building which was its entrance.
"...I've had enough of this statue." Alex said. "Where to?"
A. The Mayor's House
B. The Mine
C. Wershire
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
#43
After watching Howard disappear into the mining facility, Linebeck began to make a beeline straight for the mayor's house.
"Where we going?" Alex asked, speeding up to keep pace with him.
"We're going to go take a peek at the mayor's chest." Linebeck said, decisively throwing the door to the mayor's home open.
"What?!" Alex cried. "Look, I know he's being kind of a jerk right now, but we shouldn't steal from him!"
"Who said anything about stealing?" Linebeck said, lifting up the lid of the chest and perusing its contents.
Inside were some emeralds, a few small nuggets of iron and gold, and a book.
"What's this?" Linebeck said, grabbing the book and opening it. "...Looks like a diary!"
"Captain Linebeck, you shouldn't read his diary!" Alex said, nervously looking out the window. "It's a huge invasion of his privacy!"
"Privacy schmivacy." Linebeck rolled his eyes. "He's obviously hiding something, and I want to know what. Now let's see here..."
Another day toiling away in the fields. I used to enjoy farming, but this is getting old. Is this all there is to life? Hopefully this journal will spice things up a little.
***
Another day, another batch of potatoes harvested. I really can't stand potatoes. I had a watermelon once; it was nice. Too bad we don't grow those here.
***
Well, it's been a few weeks since I last wrote in this thing. Guess it isn't spicing things up as much as I'd hoped. Not like I have much to write about. It's all just work, toil, till the soil. The other villagers don't really have much to say about anything interesting, they've all got the same dreary life. I guess a journal is only as interesting as the life of the person writing it.
***
Alex came by today. That was nice. Told me about this village she visited out to the west, in the desert. She said it was hot as blazes, sand got all in her shoes, and the buildings there were made of sandstone. That sounds at least marginally more interesting than life here.
***
It's been a few months since I last wrote in this. Nothing has changed. I'm so sick of all this back-breaking farmwork, pulling up crops in the hot sun all day. Wish I could take it a bit easier.
***
Huh. I thought we were an anarcho-syndicalist commune, but it turns out we have a king. He showed up in my house in the dead of night. He appointed me as his point of contact in Sux, and said I'd receive rewards in exchange for ensuring the continued loyalty of Sux's residents as well as making regular reports. Sounds pretty sweet. He also said he wants all of the villagers to devote themselves to mining. Said he'd be by every so often to collect what they've dug up. And the best part? I don't even have to do any of the mining myself! I've got this fancy new supervisory gig. Things are looking up!
P.S. There's a big fiery wall outside of Sux. The king said he's starting construction on the thing to mark the borders of the Cubic Kingdom, and that nobody is allowed to cross to the other side. Well, Matthew probably won't be happy about that, but it's not like I ever went that way anyhow.
***
Well, I got my first shipment of rewards for being the contact for this crapsack town. Pretty good stuff. Got some rare ore and gems, even got some gold! I'm the richest person in Sux! And the only one with any political connections! I guess I'm sorta like the town leader. The... mayor, even. Yeah. Mayor Howard. I like that.
***
Well, the townsfolk weren't completely thrilled about becoming miners, kept bantying on about how they didn't even know we had a king, but I warned them that the king would be unhappy if we didn't mine enough materials for him, and they mostly acquiesced. I've also been helping keep the citizens loyal by turning them against the town of Wershire. Blame the Wershirans for their problems. It's a little basic, but it's worked wonders. I also took it upon myself to build a statue in the king's honor, to help boost loyalty to the kingdom, and everyone did seem suitably impressed with my handiwork.
There was one problem, though: the townsfolk would NOT accept the idea of putting little Anthony to work in the mines. Said it was too dangerous for a kid. So rather than deal with the headache of their grousing, I decided to have him keep an eye on Wershire for me. He always liked to run over there and people watch anyway. Seems like the king also paid that town a visit and appointed Mortimer their contact. And what's worse, they're building an entire BUILDING in honor of the king. I wonder how much the king is paying Mortimer. I refuse to allow myself to be outdone. Hopefully Anthony can give me some info to work with to help boost my standing.
***
Well, Anthony did it. The kid got me a real useful nugget of information; in return, I gave him a fresh loaf of bread that I baked myself. He was happy to get it, but not as happy as I was to learn what he told me: the Wershirans seem to be packing provisions. He also tells me that he's heard the townsfolk talking in hushed whispers about the big fiery wall. Currently it hasn't quite reached to Wershire yet, but it's growing at a surprising rate. Anthony says the villagers are concerned about what happens once it envelops Wershire and they're trapped inside.
Putting these two pieces of information together suggests to me that the Wershirans are planning on abandoning Wershire and moving north, which is very much against the king's orders and therefore illegal. Treasonous, even. Now THIS is something juicy I can put in my report! I wouldn't be surprised if the king sees fit to give me yet another promotion! Perhaps I can get transferred out of this dump and put somewhere more suitable for my talents. Someplace like... Port Knocks.
"Wow." Linebeck marveled, after having read the whole thing aloud. "The mayor of Sux... sucks."
"It, uh... it was a disturbing read, I admit." Alex sighed. "Now put his diary back. You're not planning on stealing any of his ore, are you?"
Linebeck considered his options.
A. I am planning on stealing his ore.
B. I am not planning on stealing his ore.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
#50
"Nah," Linebeck said, closing the chest. "Come on, let's get out of here before he comes back."
The two stepped outside of the house and closed the door behind them; in the next moment, the mayor emerged from the mines, saw them standing in front of his house, and hurriedly shuffled over.
"You weren't just inside my house, were you?!" Howard cried.
"Um..." Alex's eyes fell to the ground.
"Of course not." Linebeck deftly lied.
Howard ignored them and opened the door to his abode, stepping inside and checking the contents of his chest before stepping back out.
"Well, I see that at the very least you didn't steal anything." Howard said, "But I found my diary sitting face-down; I could swear I always leave it face-up. Seems to me like perhaps you two went snooping into my private thoughts."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Linebeck played dumb, internally cursing himself for being so clumsy.
Alex stared down at the ground in silence, evidently not skilled at lying.
"...Alex, I think it's time you and your friend leave Sux." Howard said. "You are, of course, free to come back and visit sometime... but please, next time don't bring the round guy."
Without waiting for a response, the mayor turned and entered his house, slamming the door shut behind him.
"Well, that guy's a piece of work." Linebeck said. "Somehow I can't help but feel like I'm not wanted here."
"Well, he wants us to leave, so we'd better leave." Alex sighed. "Besides, we should probably go and warn the Wershirans about what we just found out."
Linebeck considered his options.
A. The Mines
B. Wershire
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
#59
"Alright, we'll head for Wershire." Linebeck decided. "Something tells me our good friend the mayor would have just confiscated anything we found down there anyway."
"Wershire is a little bit nicer than Sux," Alex said. "A little bit bigger, too. Nothing too fancy, it's not Port Knocks or anything, but it's a step up from Sux."
"And two steps up from Backwater Village." Linebeck added helpfully.
The two made their way west of Sux, walking alongside the flaming wall which stretched on for some distance until it had reached its end.
"Looks like it stops there." Alex nodded at the wall. "Stretches from Backwater Village, past Sux, and halfway to Wershire."
"Where would one even get the materials to build that?" Linebeck wondered aloud.
"Well, netherrack comes from The Nether. That's this dangerous alternate dimension with lava and monsters."
"...What." Linebeck blinked. "You mean Hell?"
"I guess you could say that." Alex shrugged. "It's only accessible by way of a Nether Portal. And to make those, you have to have a bunch of obsidian."
"Does obsidian come from Hell too?"
"No, obsidian can be found in this world." Alex said. "But it's pretty rare. It only forms by cooling lava with water, which is doable, but in order to mine those obsidian blocks you'll need a diamond pickaxe. And those are rare. Because diamonds are rare."
"Uh... huh." Linebeck nodded, struggling to process all of this. "Have you ever been to Hell?"
"No, I haven't." Alex shook her head. "I don't know anyone who has, people around here aren't really too keen on going there. I've heard rumors of there being great treasure there, though."
"Eh... I still think I'll pass on The Nether." Linebeck said.
"Yeah... but still. It's crazy that someone would be able to gather enough netherrack and obsidian to build this thing." Alex said, looking back at the wall as they passed by. "And so quickly, too."
The two continued on a little ways, until the town of Wershire came into view; Linebeck judged it to be approximately one-and-a-half times the size of Sux.
"Looks like it's getting late." Alex said, pointing towards the sun setting in the distance. "It's a good thing we made it to town before night."
"What, are you afraid of the dark?" Linebeck asked.
"No, silly," Alex rolled her eyes. "Because of... you know, the monsters."
"...What?"
"The monsters that come out at night." Alex said matter-of-factly.
"WHAT?!" Linebeck cried. "What are you talking about?!"
"You know... Creepers, Zombies, Skeletons, Spiders... the things that come out at night and attack anyone on sight. You can't miss 'em, they're all over the place."
"And you're just mentioning this now?!" Linebeck said, aghast.
"What, do monsters not come out at night where you're from?" Alex asked.
"No!"
"Huh." Alex considered the prospect. "I figured it was just a universal fact of life, that monsters materialize wherever it's dark. Weird. Do you... have monsters at all?"
"Well, sure." Linebeck said. "Various places have monsters to varying extents, but... not to the same extent, it sounds like. Hordes of the undead don't just crop up at night."
"Well, they do around here." Alex said. "That's why around here, everyone is sure to be indoors by nightfall, where the monsters can't get them."
"So there will just be undead hordes roaming around the village at night?"
"And Spiders and Creepers, yeah."
"What's a Creeper?"
"Green spooky guys that get close to you and explode, killing both itself and yourself in the process."
"...Great." Linebeck sighed. "But wait... if monsters show up wherever it's dark, then is it even safe indoors at night?"
"Sure, as long as you have torchlight." Alex said cheerily. "You don't want to leave any dark corners inside a building, so people tend to make sure to keep it pretty well lit."
"You sleep in the light?" Linebeck asked.
"Well, sure, how else would we sleep? In the dark? Wouldn't be safe."
"Are you sure we're not currently in Hell?" Linebeck asked.
"Aww, don't say that." Alex said. "Look, we're here! Isn't Wershire pretty?"
Linebeck took a cursory glance around and came to a swift conclusion.
"It looks pretty much the same as Sux." Linebeck said. "Lotta orange wood. A little bigger. Can't say that I'm into it."
"Oh, those must be the mercenaries Howard mentioned." Alex said, pointing to a group of non-square people standing around in the center of town. "And... oh, there's Mortimer, we should probably tell him about what we found out. They've also got a mining facility over there, if you want to go spelunking for treasure. And it looks like that must be the new building Howard was steaming over."
"Well I'm not going spelunking now." Linebeck said. "I gotta get inside before dark."
"Well, monsters will show up underground regardless, if it isn't well-lit." Alex said. "But sure, we should probably get some rest before that."
Linebeck surveyed the town and pondered where to head first.
A. Approach Mercenaries
B. Approach Mortimer
C. Approach New Building
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
#64
Linebeck and Alex made their way over to the mercenaries. As they drew nearer, one of the mercenaries - notably wearing an eyepatch - glanced up at them.
"Well, hello there, chums!" he grinned. "First time we've seen a fellow foreigner around here! And escorted by such a lovely blocky lady! To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?"
"Aw, shucks. The name's Alex." Alex blushed.
"Captain Linebeck," Linebeck nodded, "Famed adventurer, renowned all across the world."
"Can't say I've heard of you, chum," the eyepatch man said, "But as for me, the name's Zeke. And this here is Pandoria."
"Charmed!" a strange-looking woman in a garish electric-themed outfit said, giving the pair a slight wave.
"Well? What about the rest of you lot?" Zeke said, looking around. "Are you going to introduce yourselves or am I going to have to do it for you? Hey, Magnus! Introduce yourself!"
A muscular man with jet-black shoulder-length hair stopped what he was doing - playing with a small village child - and turned to face the two. "Oh, uh... hey, the name's Magnus."
"Cloud." said a blond man who leaned against the wall of a nearby house, shoulders crossed.
"I'm Ike of the Greil Mercenaries." an indigo-haired man greeted them. "Err... well, formerly of the Greil Mercenaries. Now of... these mercenaries."
"I am the great Leon." an anthropomorphic chameleon informed them. "Leon Powalski. I assume you've heard of me, as has anyone who doesn't reside beneath a rock."
"Byleth." a woman hanging out at the back of the group said. "Formerly of Jeralt's Mercenaries."
"The 'Ashen Demon' herself." Zeke grinned. "You should see her on the battlefield, friends, she's an absolute nightmare. Wouldn't want to have to face her!"
"Hmph. She's hardly the most talented among us." Leon grumbled.
"So," Linebeck said, already pondering which of these impressive warriors he might potentially convince to join his crew, "What's a group of mercenaries like you doing out in a hellscape like this?"
"Going where our talents are needed, naturally." Magnus said. "Fighting's about all any of us are good for, so you gotta go to a dangerous place like this to find people willing to pay for a sword."
"Oh, so you've dedicated your lives to protecting people?" Alex said, clearly impressed. "That's... so selfless! I can't believe I'm meeting real-life heroes!"
"Hardly." Cloud spoke up. "We don't do it out of the goodness of our hearts. We do it for money."
"...Oh." Alex mumbled, a little crestfallen.
"Not that protecting those in need doesn't feel good," Ike chimed in, "But we have to have some way of affording food, shelter, and such."
"Anyway, what are you two up to?" Zeke asked. "Don't suppose you might need some mercenaries?"
"We're on an expedition for treasure." Linebeck said. "Actually, I was just thinking about how it would be good to have some extra muscle around, especially considering how dangerous this place is. I don't suppose I could hire one of you?"
"Oh?" Leon perked up. "Everything has a price, of course."
"Just one of us, huh?" Magnus mused. "Well, as much of a shame as it'd be to break our merry band up, that's the life of a mercenary for ya."
"What's your offer?" Byleth asked, stone-faced.
"Oh. Uh... well..." Linebeck realized he may have gotten a bit ahead of himself. "We'll give you a fair share of whatever treasure we find."
"So you're broke." Cloud said.
"At the moment, maybe," Linebeck shrugged, "But I hear there's treasure all over this place, so--"
"Sorry, but I'm going to have to cut you off there, chum." Zeke said. "I think I speak for all of us when I say that none of us have any interest in working for the promise of potentiallygetting paid."
"Come back with some actual treasure, and then maybe we'll talk." Leon said.
"Yeah, gonna have to agree, sorry." Magnus nodded. "But hey, if you do find some treasure and still want to hire any of us, we'll be over in Port Knocks. Assuming we haven't found work already; you'd think a bigger town like that might have some job offers."
"So I guess Wershire couldn't afford to hire you, huh?" Alex said, gazing at the ground.
"Well yes, but they denied us!" Zeke said. "We came offering their services, but they said they're planning on leaving soon and don't have the provisions to spare on hiring us, so... guess it's time for us to move on."
"The fools." Leon muttered. "Making such a long journey through these lands without hired help? Feh."
"Well, be seeing you friends!" Zeke saluted them as the mercenary group turned and walked off.
"Curses." Linebeck muttered. "I was really hoping to get one of those guys on my crew. They looked so strong. I bet I wouldn't have to worry about any undead hordes with just one of those mercenaries around."
"We'll just have to find treasure first, I guess." said Alex. "But first things first..."
"Yes," Linebeck nodded. "First things first."
A. Approach Mortimer
B. Approach New Building
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
#71
"Let's go see this Mortimer guy." Linebeck said.
"Alright." Alex nodded, heading over to him. "Hey! Mortimer!"
"Hm? Oh, Alex!" the middle-aged man turned to face them. "And you've brought a friend? What brings you here?"
Linebeck took stock of the guy: middle-aged, looking pretty ragged and beaten. He smiled at them, but there was clear sadness in his eyes.
"No time for pleasantries, old man." Linebeck said. "Old Mayor Howie next town over knows you're planning on leaving soon, and he's planning on snitching to the king."
"Wh-what?!" Mortimer cried, wide-eyed. "You... how would you even know--"
"Let us explain..." Alex sighed.
***
"I... I see." said Mortimer. "That's troubling news, indeed."
"So you've met this "king" yourself?" Linebeck asked.
"Unfortunately, yes." Mortimer sighed. "About a week ago. He showed up in my house one night, told me he wanted me to be his contact, same as Howard. Only difference is, he wanted everyone in town to become lumberjacks instead of miners; said he needed us to harvest as much wood as possible. I didn't even know we had a king, didn't believe we had one, tell you the truth; so I turned him down and told him to leave."
"Oh." Alex was surprised. "But you did end up becoming his contact after all... so..."
"Well, the next morning..." Mortimer's lips quivered. "My daughter... little Maggie... she was gone. I couldn't find her anywhere. The whole village spent the entire day looking for her, but she didn't turn up anywhere. I went indoors after dark, and the king came back... said he took her. He said that he'd continue taking people day-by-day if I didn't agree to be his contact, so... I agreed."
"That's horrible!" Alex cried.
"Hmm... do you know where he took her?" Linebeck asked.
"No idea." Mortimer shook his head. "I demanded to know, but he wouldn't tell me, just asserted that she was alive but I would never see her again, as punishment for disobeying him. He left once I agreed to be his contact. Next morning I told everybody in the village what had happened. We all agreed that it wasn't safe to stay anymore, and it'd be better to just pack up and move out of this supposed kingdom before construction on the wall reaches here. The villagers have been doing as commanded, we've been cutting down trees for lumber. He came back the other night; I reported that I had built a church in his honor, he seemed placated by that, collected the wood we'd chopped, and left."
"Well, I guess it makes sense why you'd leave." said Linebeck.
"I really wish those mercenaries would've offered to help you guys." Alex sighed. "Even if you couldn't afford it."
"Oh, they don't know anything about it." Mortimer said. "We didn't see fit to burden them with our troubles, and besides, we don't know if we can trust them. Maybe word would've gotten out. Not that it matters now, knowing the jig is up. We were going to move in four days' time, but... maybe it'd be better to move in three. We're a little low on food supplies, was hoping we could pack away as many crops as we could before the big move, but... I don't know. What do you think we should do?"
A. Proceed as planned, no need to rush it.
B. Speed things up a little, leave the day after tomorrow.
C. You guys need to be ready to leave at the crack of dawn.
D. Leave right now, just pack what you've got and march out into the night.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
#78
"You should leave as soon as you can." Linebeck said.
"I agree." Alex nodded grimly. "It's too late for you to set out now, but you need to get moving as soon as the light hits and the monsters have burnt up."
"I suppose you're probably right." Mortimer sighed. "It's not ideal, but... we can't afford to wait. Who knows when the king will return. You said you were searching for treasure, yes?"
"That's right, old man."
"Come on, he's barely older than you!" Alex whispered.
"Well, you're free to go spelunking in the mines here tomorrow." Mortimer said. "I suppose you can do whatever you like with Wershire, seeing as how we'll not be returning. But it's time to head indoors now. Why don't you two go rest in the back room of the church? There's a couple of beds there."
"Alright." Alex nodded. "Thanks!"
"No, thank you." Mortimer said. "If not for your warning, who knows what might have come of us."
The two made their way over to the church; as they walked in, they found a long room lined with pews, with a large statue up front bearing the likeness of a block person raising a sword.
"So this is the king." Linebeck said. "It's... not much more detailed than Howard's. I still can't tell what this guy really looks like."
"Yeah, but it is more impressive than what Howard made." Alex pointed out.
"Sure, it's... bigger." Linebeck admitted. "And has a sword. And the building around it ain't half bad. Anyway, let's go get some sleep."
Linebeck and Alex walked over to a door at the back of the room, which led into a smaller room with a few beds placed around.
"Hey, Linebeck?" Alex asked as the two settled in. "You've had lots of adventures, right?"
"For sure." Linebeck nodded in smug satisfaction. "More than most. Possibly anyone."
"You've faced a lot of danger?"
"Oh yeah."
"What's the most dangerous danger you've faced?" Alex asked.
"This big squid monster by the name of Bellum." Linebeck said. "But I defeated it."
"Really?" Alex said hopefully.
A. Really, really. Took that thing down, no problem.
B. Actually I had a bodyguard who ended up doing pretty much all the fighting.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
#85
"Yeah, I took it down without too much trouble." Linebeck said, laying back with his arms behind his head. "Only needed a sword to do it. Chopped its tentacles to smithereens before delivering the final blow to its one eye."
"Wow..." Alex marveled. "Captain Linebeck... you're pretty amazing."
"Heh heh," Linebeck chuckled, "That I am, Alex, that I am."
"I mean... if you could take that squid thing down, then you could probably defeat the king and solve all of this, right?"
"W-well..." Linebeck's face fell. "I'm not here to play the hero, I'm here for... adventure. And treasure, to fund my adventures."
"Well, saving Minecraft World by deposing a brutal king would be quite the adventure!" Alex crooned. "And you'd probably get some treasure out of it."
"W-What makes you say that?" Linebeck asked.
"You know that guy I saw about a week ago?" Alex said, rolling over to face him. "The guy that creeped me out? With the diamond sword?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, he showed up right before all this stuff started happening." Alex said. "And that statue Mortimer made in his likeness sure does have a sword. And even though I only saw him from a distance, it bears a pretty striking resemblance."
"That statue bears a striking resemblance to anybody who is square-shaped." Linebeck asserted. "It's not detailed. It looks as much like you as anybody else. I mean, I'm sure I could take him if I had my sword and other stuff, but that was all stolen by those red ninjas I mentioned earlier."
"I can craft you a sword!" Alex said giddily. "I've got enough wood to make one right now, if I wanted!"
"I'm supposed to fight with a wooden sword?" Linebeck scoffed. "Please. Even a seasoned adventurer like me needs a proper weapon."
"Okay, well, then tomorrow we can mine some stone and I can make you a stone sword!" Alex said. "Ooh, or maybe we could find some iron and I could make you a proper iron sword! You would have no trouble then!"
"How about we just go to bed and take things one step at a time?" Linebeck suggested.
"Alright." Alex said, turning over. "Good night, Captain."
"Hmm." Linebeck grunted.
He wasn't looking forward to trying to fall asleep in this bright lighting.
***
"Well, it seems we've been spared a visit from the king." Mortimer said, facing Linebeck and Alex, the citizens of Wershire at his back and already setting off for the north. "You have my eternal thanks for what you've done for us."
"Don't mention it, old-timer." Linebeck said.
"Good luck on your journey!" Alex said. "I really hope you have a safe trip."
"Yes..." Mortimer sighed. "I just hope that... wherever my little Maggie is, she's able to have a decent life. If you ever run into her, could you... no, I don't deserve to see her again. Just... help her out, if she needs it."
"Uh... sure." Linebeck said. "We'll... do that. If we see her."
"Don't worry, Mortimer. We will find her." Alex said emphatically. "We're going to put an end to the reign of the king, find out where Maggie is, and escort her back to you, wherever you wind up. We'll keep going north until we find you."
"Truly?!" Mortimer sniffed. "You would truly do such a thing?"
"We would." Alex nodded. "Captain Linebeck here is a seasoned adventurer who has had countless deadly encounters and came out on top every time! He's fought a huge squid monster! I think he can handle one Minecraftian."
"Oh, bless you, Captain!" Mortimer bawled, lunging forward, wrapping Linebeck in a hug, and sobbing into his chest. "W-We... we're so l-lucky to have you... h-here..."
"Uh... well... I'll... see what I can do." Linebeck said, patting the guy on the shoulder whilst simultaneously pushing him away, "But I don't want to get your hopes up."
"Of course, of course." Mortimer wiped his eyes. "But that you would even attempt such a thing is... well, nothing short of heroic."
"Come on, Mortimer!" one of the villagers called back. "We've got to get moving!"
"Well... farewell." Mortimer said, turning around. "I hope we meet again someday."
Linebeck waved Mortimer off with a feigned smile before turning and glaring at Alex.
"So, I guess we're going spelunking?" Alex said.
"I guess." Linebeck huffed.
"I mean, I can't really think of much else to do at the moment." she said, "Unless you wanted to go to Port Knocks."
Linebeck considered his options.
A. To the mines!
B. To Port Knocks!
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
#91
"Let's head to the mines." Linebeck said. "I'm tired of not having so much as a single Rupee, coin, or G to my name."
"Sure!" Alex nodded as the two made their way inside the mining facility. The open room they stood in had a few furnaces stocked with coal for smelting; in the back center of the room was a staircase leading down into the earth.
"What are these furnaces for?" Linebeck asked.
"For melting iron ore down into iron, gold ore down into ore, and so on." Alex said. "So, ready to get digging?"
"Wait a minute," said Linebeck, "We don't even have any pickaxes."
"Oh, that's no problem." Alex assured him. "I'll just craft us a couple, hold on."
"Craft us a couple?" Linebeck repeated. "We don't have all day for you to--"
Linebeck trailed off as Alex set down a strange wooden box outta nowhere. She then took out the wood she'd chopped from earlier, converted it into wooden planks, and then converted those into two wooden pickaxes.
"How did you do that?" Linebeck asked.
"Do what?" Alex blinked.
"The whole... everything."
"What, crafting?" Alex shrugged as she put away the crafting table. "I dunno, it's not too complicated. Do you not do crafting where you're from?"
"Uh, no. Not like that at least." said Linebeck.
Alex gave Linebeck one of the two wooden pickaxes.
"We're supposed to go mining with a wooden pickaxe?" Linebeck frowned. "Won't we just immediately break the pickaxe?"
"Well, they don't last too long, but we can get some stone out of it." Alex assured him. "And then we can use that stone to make stone pickaxes, which will last us even longer and break things down quicker!"
"Fine. So where do we our digging?"
"Hmm..." Alex walked down a bit to the end of the staircase and surveyed her surroundings. "To the left here it looks like they've got a cave complex running through here. It's well-lit with torches, should go on a ways, but they've probably already mined most if not all the good stuff. To the right it looks like they found a cave complex they haven't explored as much... it gets pretty dark deeper in, but I've got some torches, and there's probably more stuff to find. Or we could just... keep digging down, extend this staircase farther."
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Go left.
B. Go right.
C. Go down.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Wooden Pickaxe
#98*
"If there's anything I've learned after years of adventuring," Linebeck said, pickaxe at the ready, "It's that the deeper into the bowels you go, the better the treasure you find."
The two began working their way through the rock at a downward angle, creating a stairway down deeper into the earth... but not that much deeper. It wasn't long before Linebeck's pickaxe broke to pieces.
"Well, I must say, that's some shoddy craftsmanship." Linebeck shook his head. "Even knowing it wasn't the most durable tool it still disappointed me."
"It's fiiiiiiiiiine." Alex said, whipping out the crafting table. "We've got plenty of stone now for me to make us a pair of stone pickaxes!"
"Great. Using stone to break stone. I guess it makes more sense than wood. Probably."
"That's the spirit!" Alex nodded. "Let me just bust out my crafting table, aaaaaaaaand-"
"Hold on a second." Linebeck's ears pricked up. "Shh. I think I hear something."
Linebeck crouched low and pressed his ear against the stone before him; he could hear the sound of muffled voices. Multiple muffled voices. Someone - or something - was on the other side of this stone.
"Mmm." Alex whispered. "Yeah, those are probably zombies. You can hear them groaning underground sometimes, even when they're not in sight. That's how you know they're in some cave complex nearby."
"Do zombies speak in words?" Linebeck asked, straining to listen. "Because I think I can almost make out complete sentences."
"Hm..." Alex pondered this. "Villagers stuck down in the mines, maybe?"
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Keep digging down.
B. Dig a single square in the direction of the voices, try to get a hole to look through.
C. Turn back and go to the lit cavern.
D. Turn back and go to the unlit cavern.
E. (Written-in)
MrFuzz111: Can we say E: make swords and then B? Because if these are loyalists to the king that decide to try and silence us we’re going to want weapons. Even if they aren’t, the fact that we might run into monsters soon is still a good reason.
Crimson_Squid: [To above] Sure, you could say that.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
#105
"I kind of want to bust a small hole in the wall and see what's going on over there," Linebeck said, "But without any weapons, that'd probably be pretty stupid."
"Ooh, hold on." Alex said, crafting real quick before handing Linebeck a sword. "These stone swords should do the trick."
"I guess that'll have to do." Linebeck said. "But be prepared to run."
Linebeck took a pickaxe and broke a single block of stone, opening their line of sight into a cavern below them, lit by torchlight.
"This place is a dump." a man inside said. "What are we doing out here in the boonies instead of helping crush Hyrule?"
The voice came from a Yiga Footsoldier, who was currently speaking to a Yiga Blademaster. Linebeck could see them, some Yiga tapestries strewn about the cave walls, a couple crates of bananas, and a single chest in the back of the room.
"Because, fool, the magnificent one may be here somewhere." the Blademaster snapped. "The more ground we cover in our search, the sooner we can locate Lord Ganon. Expanding our scope to distant lands also allows us to make use of any technology or artifacts we may find in service of the cause. Glory to Master Kohga."
"S-Sure, but... it's not like there's anything worth using around here." the Footsoldier countered. "This world is so barren!"
"You reveal your own ignorance." the Blademaster said. "The potential that crafting has to assist in our efforts is limitless. Already we've figured out how to produce weapons at a much faster rate than we could in Hyrule, and we're actively discovering new objects to craft. Just this morning I received word that one of our scientists had discovered how to craft rails for a minecart! Not to mention, we need to find that cowardly doctor who made off with our key; it's perfectly possible that he's on this island somewhere."
"Yeah... I guess you're right."
"At any rate... you've been standing around here long enough." the Blademaster said. "Why don't you go and do some more scouting?"
"W-well, it's... pretty dark, and I hear a lot of scary moaning. I think I'd better just do guard duty here. But you could handle a little cave exploration, no problem!"
"Ugh. Fine." the Blademaster said, walking out of view. "I'll go and do a little reconnaissance, but remain alert. No impromptu napping. Glory to Master Kohga."
"Glory to Master Kohga." the Footsoldier nodded.
Linebeck and Alex waited in silence for about a minute as the Blademaster's footsteps grew fainter.
"So are these the red ninjas you were talking about?" Alex murmured.
"Yeah." Linebeck nodded.
"So we're gonna drop in and fight that guy now that he's alone, right?" Alex asked.
"Ehhhhh...."
A. Okay, fight.
B. No, let's turn back.
C. (Written-in)
estejor: C try to open another block that's closer to him before jumping in
Already_in_Use: C, though I'd also bring up the possibility of waiting to see if the footsoldier does decide to do a bit of "impromptu napping" and attack then.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
1c. Stone Sword
#115
"Let's... not do anything yet." Linebeck said.
"You don't want to charge in and vanquish him, Captain?" Alex said. "It's not like one measly ninja should be any match for you."
"Yes, well... better safe than sorry." said Linebeck. "Let's just wait and see if he really does take a nap, then drop in on him from above. Naturally I could just fight him head-on, but I wouldn't want to put you in any danger."
"Aww!" Alex smiled. "Aye aye, Captain."
The two waited for a few minutes, and sure enough, the Footsoldier got down on the ground, curled up in a ball, and began snoring in no time.
"A-Alright," Linebeck's voice cracked, "Let's do this!"
The pair dug their way over to position themselves above where the Footsoldier was napping, prepared a large enough hole to leap down, and... leapt down.
"YEARGH!!!" Linebeck cried.
"Aggghhhh!!!" Alex yelled.
Alex awkwardly and stiffly flailed her sword about, which was about all she could manage on account of her blocky appendages. Linebeck flailed his sword about almost identically despite his physique.
"Agh! OW!! What the-?!" the Yiga Footsoldier leapt up off the ground, having been nicked a few times by the blades. "Intruders! Thought you'd sneak up on me while I was sleeping?! COWARDS!!"
With that, the Yiga Footsoldier clasped his hands together and disappeared in a puff of smoke, beating a hasty retreat.
"We did it!" Alex whooped, reaching up for a high five.
Linebeck turned around and began digging in the treasure chest.
"Ooh hoo... ooh hoo hoo hoo hoo!" Linebeck chuckled.
"What is it?" Alex asked, lowering her arm and walking over to peek inside.
"Diamonds! Gold! And... steel?" Linebeck said, shoveling the valuables into his pockets. "And also a bunch of other worthless-looking junk."
"It's iron." Alex corrected. "And I think I'll just take that 'other worthless-looking junk'. Good stuff in here... cobblestone, gravel, redstone, flint, COAL..."
"Wait, did you say coal?" Linebeck asked. "I need coal to power my ship! Hand it over!"
"Well... it's only a few lumps." Alex said, holding it out. "I was gonna use it to make torches, seems like a more practical use for it."
"...Fine." Linebeck relented. "Gonna need to make a mental note to mine plenty of coal while I'm here, though. But anyway, now that we've looted what's worth looting - hold on, lemme grab some bananas - we'd better get out of here before that guy comes back with his friend."
"I'm sure we could take them even if he did!" Alex said cheerily.
"Uh... yeah. Well, we don't have the time to waste." Linebeck said. "And I don't want them following us, so maybe we should just go back up, fill in those holes up there, and go back the way we came."
"We could..." Alex nodded. "OR we could go and explore this complex. I'll bet there's even more where this treasure came from."
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Turn back and cover tracks.
B. Venture forth into the darkness.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
1c. Stone Sword
1d. Diamond x 3
1e. Gold Ore x 6
1f. Iron Ore x 12
1g. Mighty Bananas x 3
#120
"...Fine." Linebeck relented. "But only because I'm desperate for treasure. And coal."
The two delved deeper into the cave complex, with Alex taking care to set a torch up on the wall every so often.
"To show us the way back," she explained, "And also so we can... y'know, see better. And of course, we--ah!"
From the darkness emerged a single zombie; Linebeck heroically tripped over himself and crawled away from the creature as it went after Alex, who managed to slay the abomination after several strikes with her sword.
"Heh heh..." Alex chuckled. "As long as you have something to beat them back with, a single zombie is never too much trouble. What you gotta watch out for is when there's groups of them, like out in the open at night."
"I see..." Linebeck said, having gotten back up before Alex noticed his time spent on the ground. "You did a decent job, slaying that zombie. Almost as quickly as I would've done it."
"Thank you!" Alex smiled. "And look, we've got a decent haul in this area."
Linebeck followed her gaze and took stock of their surroundings; quite a bit of coal, a decent amount of iron ore, and even a little bit of gold ore. Linebeck didn't know what the mercenary's asking price was exactly, but he figured he couldn't be too far off from having enough to barter with them.
"Alright, so do we keep going?" Alex asked.
A. Keep going.
B. Turn back.
C. (Written-in)
old_guy: C. Noticing the damage on his pickaxe, Linebeck asks Alex to make another one.
After thinking about it, they decide to mine a rest area into the wall that's hidden from view, so the Yiga can't find them while they make more tools. Then maybe leave some ore to smelt while they continue exploring.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe - Moderately Damaged
1c. Stone Sword
1d. Diamond x 3
1e. Gold Ore x 9
1f. Iron Ore x 19
1g. Mighty Bananas x 3
1h. Coal x 12
#128
"We'll keep going." Linebeck decided. "I don't know if this is quite enough treasure to buy them off. Better safe than sorry. Also: make me a new pickaxe."
"Um, sure." Alex blinked. "I guess it might be good to make us a little hidey-hole here, maybe craft a few furnaces to melt that ore you're carrying."
"Melt it?" Linebeck raised his eyebrows.
"Yeah, that's how you make ingots, which are actually valuable and could probably be used to hire those mercenaries. And also be used to craft a variety of things." Alex explained. "There isn't much you can do with just the ore."
Linebeck stood back and supervised as Alex built a hole in the cave wall, placed a torch inside, and set down a crafting table and some furnaces. She took Linebeck's pickaxe, crafted him a new one, and set his ore inside the furnaces alongside some coal to light them.
"Alright, we'll just let those smelt while we explore a bit more." Alex said.
"Sounds good." Linebeck nodded, walking forward and around a corner before stopping dead in his tracks.
Before the pair lay a long, dark, open room. The first thing Linebeck noticed, quite some distance away on the far side of the room. was a set of minetracks with minecarts. The second thing Linebeck noticed, between himself and the minecarts, was a lava waterfall flowing down from the cave ceiling which illuminated the space around it. And in that space was the corpse of a Yiga Blademaster, stuck full of arrows and currently beset by a horde of zombies.
"Hey, look!" Alex said, looking in a completely different direction. "I see some gold and diamond over there."
Twang!
"OW!!" Linebeck yelled, instinctively reaching to yank the arrow that had been fired at him out of his shoulder. "I'm under fire!"
A skeleton notched another arrow whilst the zombies diverted their attention from the Blademaster and towards Linebeck and began shambling towards him.
"Oh, this looks bad." Alex grit her teeth.
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Fight!
B. Turn back!
C. Sprint for the minecarts!
D. Mine the gold and diamond!
Party
1. Linebeck - Slightly Damaged
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword
1d. Diamond x 3
1e. Mighty Bananas x 3
1f. Coal x 12
#135
"A-Alright," Linebeck said, shakily holding his sword aloft. "Let's fight!"
"I don't know if I agree with that plan of action," Alex said, "But if you think it's a good idea, sure!"
Linebeck glanced from the horde of zombies shambling towards him and over to the skellyman, who had already launched another arrow, this time striking him in the side.
A. Attack the zombies!
B. Attack the Skeleton!
C. (Written-in)
Already_in_Use: C. Put Linebeck in a defensive position that puts one of the slow moving zombies between him and the skeleton's direct line of fire. If a skeleton hits a zombie, they'll start fighting each other while Linebeck can focus on rest of the other zombies.
Party
1. Linebeck - Slightly Damaged
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword
1d. Diamond x 3
1e. Mighty Bananas x 3
1f. Coal x 12
#143
Linebeck formulated a plan; a plan so brilliant it might actually work. He decided to begin sidling over to make himself parallel to the skeleton.
"Yow!" Linebeck winced, taking another hit from an arrow.
Continuing on with the plan, he kept himself parallel to the skeleton so that a zombie found its way between him and the pile of bones; the arrow fired by the skeleton struck the zombie, causing the zombie to divert its attention to the skeleton, locking them in fierce combat.
"Great thinking, Captain, making them battle like that!" Alex grinned, clearly impressed. "I'll go finish those two off so we don't have to worry about the winner!"
Linebeck turned his attention to the remaining four shambling zombies that were closing in on him. He began swinging his blade wildly, trying to prevent himself from getting hit. He did manage to land some blows and knock them back, but he couldn't keep a zombie from squeezing a strike in here and there. There were simply too many of them.
Alex, meanwhile, had just finished dispatching the skeleton(the victor) and began running over to help.
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Fight on!
B. Do... something! (Write-in)
C. Retreat to the minecarts!
D. Retreat back to whence we came!
Party
1. Linebeck - Critical Condition
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Diamond x 3
1e. Mighty Bananas x 3
1f. Coal x 12
#156
"Retreat!" Linebeck shouted, turning and scampering back from the direction they came.
"Hm? Uh, okay!" Alex said, stopping short of the zombie horde and turning to follow Linebeck's lead. As she followed him around the corner, she made a point of hopping in their hidey hole real quick and nabbing the smelted ore before hurrying on.
Linebeck didn't stop running until they'd exited the mining facility and were standing back aboveground, in Wershire.
"Okay..." Linebeck panted heavily. "I think... we probably... got rid of them."
"Oh, sure, they probably stopped chasing us before we even got back to that room where the red ninjas were hiding out." Alex said. "Captain, you're really badly hurt..."
Linebeck's face flushed red, somewhat embarrassed by his need to retreat.
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Make up some excuse for why it was best to retreat. (Write-in)
estejor: A and I actually have the perfect bullshit for this one "A true adventurer knows when it's necessary to retreat, there's a difference between sacrificing your life heroically to protect others and wasting it by foolishly trying to keep fighting when you are hurt, why make this world have two heroes less when we still can do more good on the long run?"
B. Say nothing of it.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Diamond x 3
1e. Gold Ingot x 6
1f. Iron Ingot x 12
1g. Mighty Bananas x 3
#161
"A true adventurer knows when it's necessary to retreat," Linebeck declared melodramatically, "There's a difference between sacrificing your life heroically to protect others and wasting it by foolishly trying to keep fighting when you are hurt. Why make this world have two heroes less when we still can do more good in the long run?"
"Wow..." Alex marveled. "That's pretty wise. I guess I should have expected as much from the legendary Captain Linebeck."
"That you should have," Linebeck nodded. "I mean, there probably wouldn't have been much danger in the first place if that cowardly skellyman hadn't got a cheap shot in on me."
"I can believe it." Alex nodded. "But regardless, you are pretty hurt..."
"Yeah," Linebeck sighed, "I guess it's probably for the best that we go and rest until tomorrow. Give our bodies time to recuperate.
"Of course, Captain." Alex nodded.
As Linebeck made his way over to the church, he reflected on how out of his element he was back there. He'd managed to pull off a little quick thinking in getting those two monsters attacking each other, and Alex seemed to be fending for herself alright, but it still wasn't enough. As Linebeck lay down in bed and rested, he couldn't help but reflect on how sorely he needed a proper bodyguard to keep him safe. Maybe not fight for him, per se, but at least to fight beside him. Or in front of him.
***
"CAPTAIN, WAKE UP!!!"
"Agh!" Linebeck gave a start as he sat up in bed. "What, what's going on?!"
Before the words had even finished coming out of his mouth he could smell it: smoke.
"There's a fire!" Alex cried. "Come on, we've got to go outside!"
Linebeck and Alex quickly shuffled out of the church to find that the entire town of Wershire was in flames.
"'Tis a pity, is it not?" a voice sounded out from just behind Linebeck.
Linebeck whipped around to face the source of the voice, and yet he saw nothing.
"W-Who was that?" Alex asked.
"And here I thought to purge the entire village for their impertinence," the voice said, now coming from behind Alex, despite nobody being in sight. "And yet... they have all fled already. Beyond the reaches of yonder wall."
Linebeck glanced over at the crimson wall, which had now extended all the way to Wershire and beyond, blocking passage to the north as far as Linebeck could see.
"Alas... perhaps I was too slow in erecting my fortifications. Or perhaps they received warning from a pair of travelers blowing into town."
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Admit to your wrongdoing.
B. Lie like a dog.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Diamond x 3
1e. Gold Ingot x 6
1f. Iron Ingot x 12
1g. Mighty Bananas x 3
#168
"No clue what you're talking about." Linebeck casually shrugged. "Place was empty when we got here."
"So you say," the voice said, turning its attention to Alex. "And you there. You wouldn't happen to have something to do with those backwater swamp huts that were just past Sux, would you?"
"Uh..." Alex hesitated. "...Wait, were? What do you mean were?"
Linebeck and Alex stood around waiting for a response, but got none; all they could hear was the sound of footsteps shuffling away until they could no longer hear the footsteps over the sound of crackling flames.
"Looks like he left," Linebeck sighed with relief. "I think I made the right call, not admitting we warned the Wershirans. You probably could've stood to lie about that village though."
"He said those buildings were there." Alex mumbled. "Does that mean he...?"
"I guess we could drop by and look at the damage." Linebeck said. "I probably shouldn't leave my ship unattended for too long anyhow. Though I think we really should head for Port Knocks at some point."
"It'd be easiest to take your boat over there anyway," Alex sighed. "It's quite the walk. We wouldn't be able to reach it before sundown."
Linebeck considered where they should go from here.
A. To Sux!
B. To Backwater Village!
C. Back to the mines, to look at those minecarts!
D. Walk to Port Knocks!
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Diamond x 3
1e. Gold Ingot x 6
1f. Iron Ingot x 12
1g. Mighty Bananas x 3
#174
"Better head to the village." Linebeck said. "Especially if we're gonna head to Port Knocks after."
"Right." Alex nodded. "We've got a bit of a distance to walk, so we'd better get moving."
***
Some hours later, after having set out from Wershire, passed Sux without stopping by, and moving on down the river to the swamp, Backwater Village at last came into view.
"No... NO!!!" Alex cried, running forward.
Linebeck trudged back behind her as he took in the sight: the place had been burned down, same as with Wershire. What struck Linebeck most was that some pieces of the buildings were left floating in midair; he chalked it up to the bizarreness of this world.
"He burnt it all down!" Alex shouted, falling to her knees. "And... and where are the villagers?! Did he KILL them all?!"
"Well, there aren't any corpses." Linebeck said, sauntering up behind her. "That might be a good sign."
"...C-Corpses?" Alex sniffed. "What are those?"
"You know, dead bodies." Linebeck said. "Somebody dies, their body is left behind to rot."
"...What?" Alex wiped her eyes. "What are you talking about? When someone or something dies, it disappears in a puff of white smoke. At least around here. The villagers wouldn't leave any trace behind if they died, so... so..."
"Man, this place is weird." Linebeck muttered. "But, uh... if they were alive, say they ran away or were taken somewhere, they might not leave any trace behind either, right?"
"Y-you really think they might be alive?" Alex said, gazing up at him sadly.
A. I can feel it in my gut.
B. Best not get our hopes up.
estejor: B but formulate it more like "We can't really say if they are alive, but we can't say they are dead either, especially when our information is this limited... let's check if the mercs are still in the port, they might know something"
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Diamond x 3
1e. Gold Ingot x 6
1f. Iron Ingot x 12
1g. Mighty Bananas x 3
#180
"Eh, best not get our hopes up." Linebeck said.
Alex gazed back down at the ground and began trembling, clearly trying to hold it in.
"Err... we can't really say if they're alive, but we can't say if they're dead either." Linebeck hastily added. "Especially when our information is so limited... let's check to see if the mercenaries are still in the port, they might know something."
"Alright." Alex sighed, getting back up off the ground.
"It's gonna be a tricky walk back to the ship," Linebeck said, his eyes moving across the floating bits of wood that remained of the docks which led out to the S.S. Linebeck, which was no longer docked here. "Wait... WHAT?! WHERE'S MY SHIP?!"
Linebeck hopped from one floating bit of wood to the next, making his way out to the middle of the river before dropping to his knees atop the furthest-out plank of wood.
"It's GONE!!!" Linebeck cried. "My beloved S.S. Linebeck! He must've destroyed it! How am I supposed to sail now?!"
"Err... Captain?" Alex said, jumping over to his side. "Your ship isn't from around here. Wouldn't it leave a... corpse... if it were destroyed?"
"...There would probably be wreckage, yes." Linebeck said, standing upright and composing himself. He had dropped his facade for a moment, but it was time to re-erect it before it sank in. "Besides, it would be a waste to wreck such a top-of-the-line vessel. Anyone could see that. He must've stolen it for his own nefarious ends!"
"That would make sense," Alex nodded. "So... where do--"
"To Port Knocks!" Linebeck cried, pointing dramatically out to the sea. Anchors aweigh! By which I mean... let's walk. Come on!"
Linebeck hurriedly jumped his way back to shore before realizing he didn't know where Port Knocks was. "So where is this place, anyway?"
"It's to the southeast." Alex explained. "We could probably get there by nightfall if we cut through the jungle... but otherwise I'd recommend heading back in the direction of Sux and taking the path from there, it's much safer. We'd probably want to spend the night there, too, if we don't want the sun setting on us before we reach Port Knocks."
"Oh, but... Sux... you know..."
"Yeah." Alex nodded. "Up to you, Captain."
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Pay Sux a visit, hopefully for the final time.
B. Cut through the jungle!
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Diamond x 3
1e. Gold Ingot x 6
1f. Iron Ingot x 12
1g. Mighty Bananas x 3
#186
"I guess we'll go pay Sux a visit," Linebeck sighed.
"Right." Alex nodded. "By the way... it looks like the wall's expanded out from this way too."
Linebeck turned and looked back at the wall, which now stretched out into the sea as far as the eye could see.
"If he used my ship... used up my fuel... to build that eyesore out into the ocean..." Linebeck clenched his fists.
***
After some more walking, the pair at last found themselves in Sux.
"I don't see anyone around." Linebeck said. "...Howard included. Come on, let's go look at his diary."
Alex sighed.
The two made their way inside Howard's house; Linebeck threw open the chest and took note of the fact that there were more nuggets in the chest than there had been previously. He grabbed the diary and began reading aloud.
Alex came by with some round guy today. I wish I could say it was a pleasant encounter, but they were insistent on snooping around. I hadn't stepped inside the mine for two seconds when I found them standing outside my home, as if they'd just walked out of it. I looked inside, and while they hadn't stolen anything, I'm reasonably sure that they read this diary. I doubt Alex would have done that on her own; it was probably that round guy's idea. I ended up asking them to leave the village. They took off in the direction of Wershire.
***
I had been hoping that the king would see fit to pay a visit last night, but he didn't show up. I did receive some interesting word from little Anthony, however: he says that he saw Alex and her traveling companion talking to Mortimer. After creeping closer to listen in on their conversation, Anthony heard them warning Mortimer that he had better leave first thing in the morning. And now Wershire is abandoned. I fear that my potential promotion and transfer out of this dung heap will be jeopardized now that the chicken has already flown the coop. What valuable information do I even have to give the king now? Alex and the round guy ruined everything! Curse them! Although... perhaps the king would like to be informed about these two meddlers who are responsible for the Wershirans escaping justice. Yes... I think I might just get that promotion yet!
***
I couldn't bring myself to do it. The king showed up last night, and I gave my report concerning the Wershirans fleeing, but I made no mention of Alex or the other one. The king was quite angry to learn that the people of Wershire had flown the coop. He did tell me I did good in giving him my report, but I could tell he wasn't especially impressed with the info I had given him, and I'm sure the prospect of promoting me was the furthest thing from his mind. He left in a huff. I can't help but feel that if I told him about Alex and that undesirable hanging around her, I'd be packing my things for my new post in Port Knocks already. But... I just couldn't bring myself to rat out Alex.
What's more, Anthony came over just now with a report of Wershire; the village was burned to the ground. I guess that is the king's justice. I guess I'll have to come up with some other scapegoat to keep the citizens in check now that Wershire is gone... oh, wait, Wershire's destruction carries an implicit threat against them if they disobey, doesn't it? I doubt I'll even need to say a word to the Suxians, I'm sure they get the picture now. They'll continue following orders without any protest, certainly.
Now that I think about it, I suppose it's clear what would have happened to Alex had I decided to report her to the king. Her friend I couldn't care less about, and while I bemoan my lack of promotion, I can take some satisfaction in knowing that my discretion saved her life. She'll never know it, but were it not for my generosity she surely would have been obliterated. I guess I can be content in knowing I was able to use my power to save an old friend. And besides, I'm sure another opportunity to rise in the ranks will come along at some point.
"Old friend, huh?" Linebeck turned to Alex, eyebrow raised.
"I'd talk to him from time to time, whenever I happened to drop by Sux." Alex said somberly. "So, uh... what now, Captain? Do we talk to Howard and ask for some beds? Or maybe just set out and try our best to get to Port Knocks before dark?"
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Talk to Howard.
B. Go find some beds and rest without asking Howard.
C. To Port Knocks!
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Diamond x 3
1e. Gold Ingot x 6
1f. Iron Ingot x 12
1g. Mighty Bananas x 3
#191
"Let's go and have a word with Howard." Linebeck said.
"Alright, if you think that's what we should do." Alex sighed.
Linebeck led the way into the mining facility, walking down the staircase therein until he came across a wide open room lit with torches and lined with beds. There was a single villager in one of the beds, with Howard standing over him.
"Alright, Matthew get up!" Howard shouted. "Your six hours are up, back to work!"
"Hm?" Matthew opened his eyes groggily. "Right, right. Off I go, then."
Matthew stood up from bed and shuffled over to where Linebeck and Alex stood.
"Oh, hello!" Matthew greeted them with a smile. "I'd love to chat, but... back to work I go!"
Linebeck watched as Matthew walked down the stairwell and disappeared deeper into the earth.
"O-Oh!" Howard's eyes lit up upon seeing Alex. "You're back! I... oh. You're back."
Howard's tone shifted as his eyes drifted over to Linebeck, and his face soured a bit.
"I'm surprised to see you back here." Howard said. "You went to Wershire, right? How long did you stay there, exactly?"
"Long enough to be there when it burnt to the ground." Alex spoke from trembling lips. "Long enough to have an encounter with the king."
"You met him?!" Howard said worriedly. "Well, I'm glad you're alive. You're lucky he didn't dish out the fate that was meant for those traitorous Wershirans."
"H-He burnt down Backwater V-Village too." Alex said, fists clenched.
"'Backwater Village'?" Howard cocked his head and smirked. "Are you sure you're not still talking about Wershire?"
"It was a village I built, upriver from here, in an inlet by the sea." Alex said through gritted teeth. "For Percy, Tom, and Bertha. Because they didn't want to live in Sux anymore. And now the village is burned to the ground, and they're nowhere to be seen. Probably dead."
"So that's where they wound up?" Howard frowned. "Nice of you to build them shelter. I guess that's like you."
Linebeck stood back, arms crossed, and watched as Alex gazed at Howard. He couldn't see her expression from where he was standing, but he could feel the tension.
"Hey, I warned them not to leave, you know!" Howard asserted. "When I found out they were leaving, I walked up to them and tried to warn them that the king might not look kindly on them leaving town, even if they stayed on this side of the wall."
More silence. Linebeck thought about breaking it, but couldn't quite muster the fortitude.
"What, you blame me for it?!" Howard cried. "You think I reported them to the king, is that it? I didn't know this village existed!"
"I believe you." said Alex.
"Good!" Howard shouted. "But you know what? Even if I had reported them, I'd be totally justified! They were traitors to the crown! If they got put to the sword, it's their own fault!"
"Traitors to a king that burns down his own kingdom." Alex shook her head. "Not wanting to toil away in the mines for the rest of their lives and sleep in rotating six hour shifts for a king who kills his own citizens. What horrible people they must have been."
"Hey, you'd better watch what you say." Howard said with a mix of anger and nervousness. "You never know who's listening. He might even be listening."
"Of course, we wouldn't want the king to hear about any treason." Alex said. "Especially not the treason you committed on my behalf."
"I... y-you... I..." Howard stuttered for a bit before shaking his head and chuckling. "Heh. You should really stop reading my diary, it's a huge breach of privacy. But listen: I could have ratted you out, but I didn't. Because I happen to care about you, and didn't want to see you killed. I didn't intend for you to ever find out about it, but since you know: you're WELCOME."
Alex looked away in silence.
"And I'd hardly call what I did traitorous. I just neglected to mention a trifling detail in my report, it's not like I lied or anything."
More silence.
"...Well." Howard cleared his throat. "Was there anything else you needed, or did you just come down here to make a scene?"
Linebeck figured this might be a good time to say something.
A. Politely ask if you can sleep in some beds for the night.
B. Assertively inform him that you will be staying the night in Sux, with or without his approval.
C. Tell him you just wanted to let him know you'll be heading to the town he didn't get transferred to.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Diamond x 3
1e. Gold Ingot x 6
1f. Iron Ingot x 12
1g. Mighty Bananas x 3
#191
"Let's go and have a word with Howard." Linebeck said.
"Alright, if you think that's what we should do." Alex sighed.
Linebeck led the way into the mining facility, walking down the staircase therein until he came across a wide open room lit with torches and lined with beds. There was a single villager in one of the beds, with Howard standing over him.
"Alright, Matthew get up!" Howard shouted. "Your six hours are up, back to work!"
"Hm?" Matthew opened his eyes groggily. "Right, right. Off I go, then."
Matthew stood up from bed and shuffled over to where Linebeck and Alex stood.
"Oh, hello!" Matthew greeted them with a smile. "I'd love to chat, but... back to work I go!"
Linebeck watched as Matthew walked down the stairwell and disappeared deeper into the earth.
"O-Oh!" Howard's eyes lit up upon seeing Alex. "You're back! I... oh. You're back."
Howard's tone shifted as his eyes drifted over to Linebeck, and his face soured a bit.
"I'm surprised to see you back here." Howard said. "You went to Wershire, right? How long did you stay there, exactly?"
"Long enough to be there when it burnt to the ground." Alex spoke from trembling lips. "Long enough to have an encounter with the king."
"You met him?!" Howard said worriedly. "Well, I'm glad you're alive. You're lucky he didn't dish out the fate that was meant for those traitorous Wershirans."
"H-He burnt down Backwater V-Village too." Alex said, fists clenched.
"'Backwater Village'?" Howard cocked his head and smirked. "Are you sure you're not still talking about Wershire?"
"It was a village I built, upriver from here, in an inlet by the sea." Alex said through gritted teeth. "For Percy, Tom, and Bertha. Because they didn't want to live in Sux anymore. And now the village is burned to the ground, and they're nowhere to be seen. Probably dead."
"So that's where they wound up?" Howard frowned. "Nice of you to build them shelter. I guess that's like you."
Linebeck stood back, arms crossed, and watched as Alex gazed at Howard. He couldn't see her expression from where he was standing, but he could feel the tension.
"Hey, I warned them not to leave, you know!" Howard asserted. "When I found out they were leaving, I walked up to them and tried to warn them that the king might not look kindly on them leaving town, even if they stayed on this side of the wall."
More silence. Linebeck thought about breaking it, but couldn't quite muster the fortitude.
"What, you blame me for it?!" Howard cried. "You think I reported them to the king, is that it? I didn't know this village existed!"
"I believe you." said Alex.
"Good!" Howard shouted. "But you know what? Even if I had reported them, I'd be totally justified! They were traitors to the crown! If they got put to the sword, it's their own fault!"
"Traitors to a king that burns down his own kingdom." Alex shook her head. "Not wanting to toil away in the mines for the rest of their lives and sleep in rotating six hour shifts for a king who kills his own citizens. What horrible people they must have been."
"Hey, you'd better watch what you say." Howard said with a mix of anger and nervousness. "You never know who's listening. He might even be listening."
"Of course, we wouldn't want the king to hear about any treason." Alex said. "Especially not the treason you committed on my behalf."
"I... y-you... I..." Howard stuttered for a bit before shaking his head and chuckling. "Heh. You should really stop reading my diary, it's a huge breach of privacy. But listen: I could have ratted you out, but I didn't. Because I happen to care about you, and didn't want to see you killed. I didn't intend for you to ever find out about it, but since you know: you're WELCOME."
Alex looked away in silence.
"And I'd hardly call what I did traitorous. I just neglected to mention a trifling detail in my report, it's not like I lied or anything."
More silence.
"...Well." Howard cleared his throat. "Was there anything else you needed, or did you just come down here to make a scene?"
Linebeck figured this might be a good time to say something.
A. Politely ask if you can sleep in some beds for the night.
B. Assertively inform him that you will be staying the night in Sux, with or without his approval.
C. Tell him you just wanted to let him know you'll be heading to the town he didn't get transferred to.
D. (Written-in)
old_guy: I think we should punch him in the face. It feels right for the moment.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Diamond x 3
1e. Gold Ingot x 6
1f. Iron Ingot x 12
1g. Mighty Bananas x 3
#201
Linebeck walked up to Howard, who turned and looked at him with eyebrow raised.
Linebeck reared back and swung, stumbling in the process and just barely managing to connect with the side of Howard's face. Linebeck nearly fell flat on his face but managed to regain his balance just in time to avoid such humiliation.
Howard staggered back slightly - more in surprise than in pain - and raised his hand to his face.
"...Ow." he said. "Not a very powerful punch... but assault is assault."
"Captain..." Alex shook her head.
"You deserve worse." Linebeck asserted, crossing his arms. "If we hadn't intervened, you'd have gotten an entire village murdered."
"You know, I'm sure assaulting an official hand-appointed by the king would also amount to treason." Howard said. "Consider yourself lucky that I'm feeling generous today. Now I'm sorry Alex, but I must insist that you and your friend leave. You can both consider yourselves banned from Sux."
"As if we'd even want to spend another minute in this dump." Linebeck scoffed, turning round and walking up the stairs.
"Seeing what you've become is gonna make me lose a lot of sleep, Howard." Alex shook her head sadly as she turned and followed Linebeck out of the facility.
"Well... that happened." Alex said. Linebeck sensed that maybe she was less-than-impressed with his punch. "I guess we're heading straight for Port Knocks, then?"
A. Straight for Port Knocks.
B. Actually we're gonna stay the night.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Diamond x 3
1e. Gold Ingot x 6
1f. Iron Ingot x 12
1g. Mighty Bananas x 3
#208 & #209
"No sense staying here." Linebeck said. "Let's head for Port Knocks."
"Well, okay..." said Alex. "...Buuuuut it's at least half the day's sunlight to get there on foot, and we don't even have that much of the day left."
"Well, we'll just have to hoof it." Linebeck decided. "Surely if we run some of the way, we can make it before nightfall, right?"
"Maaaaaaaaybe." Alex said doubtfully.
"Alright, just down this path, then?" Linebeck asked, walking to the north side of the village. There was a path that extended far out into the fields before them.
"Yeah." Alex nodded. "So do we start running now, or..."
"No need to blow through all our stamina right at the start." Linebeck assured her. "We should pace ourselves. Speed in short bursts every now and then."
"If you say so, Captain."
***
Inside his humble abode, Howard began penning the day's diary entry. It was approaching midnight, and he was ready to get some sleep, but he still wanted to take the time to get a log in by torchlight.
Alex and the round oaf came back again today. I don't know what got into her, but she started getting angry with me. Apparently she holds it against me that I did my duty in reporting the Wershirans, as if their betraying the crown means nothing. She also seemed to blame me for the destruction of some podunk village upriver that I didn't even have anything to do with. I suspect this is all the influence of that round fellow she's been traveling with.
Speaking of, the brute actually had the audacity to throw a punch at me. Granted, it was fairly pitiful as far as punches go, but he better thank his lucky stars he's traveling with Alex, because otherwise I'd have reported him to the king for sure. Ah well. I showed him; he's banned from the village for life. Alex is too, though I suppose that particular ban could be overturned should she ever show a little remorse for her actions. I do get the gut feeling that we'll meet again someday; hopefully without that buffoon around.
Howard closed his diary and walked over to place it in his chest; as he did so, he heard the door behind him open.
"O-Oh!" Howard said, turning around. "I didn't expect you back so soon, your majesty!"
"I shall have your report." the king got straight to the point.
"Mm, well... my sources tell me that Wershire was burned to the ground this morning. Was that your doing, your highness?"
"Anything else?" the king said, ignoring the query as he glanced listlessly around the room.
"No, I'm afraid that's it." Howard said. "Otherwise everything is carrying on as normal; the villagers have been diligently mining resources for you, I've been seeing to that. You should find a fair amount of stone and ore and whatnot waiting for you down there."
"Have you seen a pair of strange people around?" the king queried. "A round foreigner in a blue coat and a girl with orange hair?"
"No, can't say that I have." Howard said before hastily adding: "Your highness."
"Very well. Here's your pay."
The king walked over to the chest, opened it, and sprinkled a few more ore nuggets inside. He reached up to close the lid of the chest, but found himself gazing inside at its contents for a bit longer.
"A book." the king said, picking the diary up. "It almost surprises me that anyone from this village can read. What is this?"
"T-That's my diary, your majesty." Howard began to get nervous.
"Truly?" the king smirked. "How quaint. I confess to some curiosity as to what experiences an insignificant peon such as yourself possesses that are worth writing down."
The king opened the diary to the first page. Howard began to fidget nervously as the king's eyes scanned the pages, perusing through his first few entries.
"How drab." the king remarked. "This is even more pathetically uneventful than I imagined."
"Y-y-y-y-your highness, please, these are my very private thoughts." Howard wrung his hands together. "I would humbly ask that you grant your humble servant a little bit more privacy."
Howard's stomach sank as the king continued reading through his passages, betraying not a hint of emotion as he read each passage. Howard couldn't believe this was happening; he silently cursed himself for being careless enough to leave that diary where the king deposited his pay.
After an agonizing couple of minutes, the king concluded his reading. He closed the book, placed it back in the chest, and shut the lid.
"Your majesty, I... I... I..." Howard couldn't find the words.
"I fancy myself a big enough man to admit when I am mistaken." the king said. "It turns out you actually did have some interesting experiences to put to paper. Some very interesting - and very treasonous - experiences."
"T-t-treason?!" Howard sputtered. "No, your majesty, I... I never falsified my reports, I told you no lies!"
"You deliberately chose to omit critical information from your reports." the king said. "Call it lying by omission, if you must. Though I would point out that you did lie to me, just now, when you said you hadn't seen anybody of the aforementioned description. Any way you choose to dress it up, you have committed treason against the crown. And I trust I don't have to tell you the punishment for treason."
"No... no..." Howard whimpered as the king withdrew his diamond sword.
"...On second thought," the king put that sword away in favor of a wooden one, "No sense wasting a perfectly good diamond sword on a worm such as yourself. A wooden sword will be a more slow and painful death, but that does seem appropriate."
"Nooooooo!" Howard wailed, cowering down into a corner. "PLEASE, your majesty! Have mercy!"
The king took a step forward.
"NO!!!!" Howard screamed, body shaking. "Demote me instead! That would be more than enough!"
The king took another step forward.
"Send me to the mines!" Howard pleaded, weeping. "Have me go back to picking crops, whatever! Just please, don't KILL ME!!!"
The king raised his wooden sword aloft.
***
"Yeeeeeeaaarrrgghhh!!!" Linebeck yelled, yanking an arrow out of his leg and tossing it to the ground. "How much longer until we get there?!"
"We're almost there!" Alex said, running past a Creeper and dodging an arrow. "Just a few more minutes!"
"What?!" Linebeck cried, looking around. "Where?! I don't see any sign of civilization anywhere!"
"It's on the other side of this mountain!" Alex said, as they ran toward the mountain in question.
"We've got to climb a mountain?!" Linebeck huffed.
"No, the path runs through it!" Alex said. "Follow me!"
Linebeck continued running as a spider hopped down from the side of the mountain and gave chase. They ran along the path as it ran through a hole in the mountain. Upon entering the inside, Linebeck was astounded to see, off to his right and just off the path, a massive gaping cavern with a steep hundreds-foot drop down to the cave floor. There were various buildings at the bottom, including one especially tall structure that ran all the way up to the roof of the cave.
"What's that?!" Linebeck said.
"I... don't know." Alex said, bewildered. "Used to just be a totally empty, dark chasm. There wasn't anything here last time I stopped by Port Knocks, about a month ago. But never mind that. We're almost there!"
The path opened back out of the mountain and onto a wooden gate that marked the entrance to Port Knocks; Linebeck was relieved to see the line of well-lit buildings before him.
"Not so fast!"
Linebeck and Alex skidded to a stop as a figure materialized before them, seemingly out of mid-air; it was an anthropomorphic chameleon.
"Who goes the--oh." Leon blinked, eyes looking them up and down. "It's you two."
Suddenly a second figure landed on the ground beside Leon, apparently having leapt down from atop one of the nearby buildings: it was Byleth.
"Trouble?" Byleth asked.
"No, it's just the two broke ones from before. What, did you finally find something to pay us with?"
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Yes. Would this diamond, iron, and gold suffice?
B. We're considering it, but we'd like to speak to the other mercenaries too.
Party
1. Linebeck - Severely Damaged
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Diamond x 3
1e. Gold Ingot x 6
1f. Iron Ingot x 12
1g. Mighty Bananas x 3
#214
"We're considering it," Linebeck said, "But we'd like to speak to the other mercenaries too."
"Considering it?" Leon scoffed before breaking out into a laugh. "What makes you think we're even offering you our services for consideration?"
"But... we found treasure!" Alex said. "Didn't you guys say if we got something to pay you--"
"We've already been hired." Byleth said flatly.
"And by someone with deeper pockets than you, fools." Leon chuckled, wiping a nonexistent tear from his eye. "How much do you have on you, anyway?"
Before Linebeck could react, Leon had already skittered up and rifled through his coat pockets.
"Hey!" Linebeck cried, stepping back.
"Heh." Leon smirked. "Three diamonds, twelve iron ingots, and six gold ingots, eh? Might've excepted that offer a few days back, but we're being paid a rather kingly sum now!"
"'Kingly'?" Alex repeated.
"Oh, don't tell me." Linebeck groaned.
"The king himself is paying us quite handomsely!" Leon grinned.
"Aww, WHAT?!" Linebeck complained. "You mean he went and scooped up all you guys?!"
"Hardly." Leon rolled his eyes. "He hired Byleth and me. He turned down those other losers. Clearly he was quite adept at separating the wheat from the chaff."
"Oh. Good." Linebeck sighed with relief. "I didn't really want you that much anyway. Although..."
He turned to Byleth.
"Are you sure you don't want to switch jobs? I can pay you this time!"
"..." Byleth stared at him for a few moments before speaking up. "As Leon said, we're being paid more than you can compete with. And besides... if a mercenary abandons their employer the second someone waves a little money in their face, it won't be long before they can no longer find work as a mercenary."
"Well, fine then." Linebeck shrugged. "Just point me to where I can find the others and I'll hire them."
"They're over at the inn and tavern, probably spending what little they have left on some drinks." Leon said. "I'll bet those hobos would jump at the chance to split that pocket change of yours four ways, so have fun buying the sloppy seconds."
"And be warned," Byleth said, "Our current job assignment is to keep Port Knocks secure. If you cause trouble, we won't hesitate to cut you down."
"Got it." Linebeck nodded as Leon and Byleth stepped out of the way. "Thanks."
"That worries me." Alex murmured as they walked into town. "Those two are really scary. What if the king sends them after us?"
"Not to worry," Linebeck said. "You're accompanying Captain Linebeck!"
Alex looked at him skeptically.
"And besides," Linebeck added, "We're about to have a mercenary or more of our own!"
Linebeck threw open the doors to what appeared to be the inn - a two-story building - and found that the lobby was a tavern. This was the place for sure. In fact, the only patrons occupying the establishment at this hour were the remaining mercenaries in question, all gathered round a large round table in the middle of the room.
"Damn." Magnus swore, peering into his now-empty glass. "There goes the last of the last drink I can afford. Hey, Cloud, do you think-"
"Forget it." Cloud said.
"Ike?" Magnus said hopefully. "Zeke? ...Pandoria?"
"Sorry, chum."
"My wallet is as empty as yours."
"Sorry, buddy."
Linebeck considered his options.
[#215, Crimson_Squid: The idea here is for you to hire them all and add them to your party so that you can spend some time with all of them, see what their character and abilities are like before having to make your final decision at the end of the chapter.]
A. Hire these people.
B. Go sleep on it first.
Party
1. Linebeck - Severely Damaged
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Diamond x 3
1e. Gold Ingot x 6
1f. Iron Ingot x 12
1g. Mighty Bananas x 3
#217-#222
[AUTHOR'S NOTE: I was going to put all of this in the notes section, but decided it represents the actual story enough to be here. After update #214, Crimson revealed that this arc was heavily based around a Minecraft group server he was in where he built a kingdom and similarly played the part of an evil tyrant. He then provided screenshots of the world in which Linebeck's current adventure is based on:]
Crimson_Squid: So this world is based heavily on a Minecraft group server where I was building a kingdom. Here's some screens of various places:
Here's Sux.
The Mayor's house.
Backwater Village.
Wershire ruins.
Path out of Sux.
Shot of Port Knocks' upper level.
old_guy: That's so cool. Were you an evil tyrant in the server too?
Crimson_Squid: [To above] Yes, actually. There was a whole bunch of lore around it that I've been incorporating into this story, right down to the Suxian mayor keeping tabs on Wershire and eventually reporting their plans on fleeing to the king(me), prompting Wershire to get burned down. The Wershirans didn't survive in my game, though.
#228
"So, your pockets are feeling a little light, eh?" Linebeck interjected, pulling up a chair. "Well you're in luck; I happen to be hiring."
"Well hello again!" Zeke grinned at Linebeck.
"Can you actually afford to pay us this time?" Magnus asked. "Because I could really go for at least one more drink."
"See for yourselves." Linebeck smiled, dumping his treasure out on the table. "Diamonds, iron, and gold... split it amongst yourselves however you see fit, because I'm hiring every last one of you!"
"Alright!" Magnus laughed. "Barkeep! Bring me another drink!"
"...I guess that's enough for our first pay installment." said Cloud. "What's our job assignment?"
"To serve as our bodyguards while we search for treasure." Linebeck said. "You'll get... some of any treasure we find along the way, don't worry."
"And we want you to help us defeat the king!" Alex added, pulling up a chair of her own.
The barkeep's eyes widened as he came to deliver Magnus's drink.
"Well, err... maybe." Linebeck frowned. "If we have time."
"Deposing a king is a much higher order than simply acting as body guards." Ike said.
"True," Magnus nodded. "A job like that warrants more pay than this. I mean, even if the guy was a jerk to us, that doesn't mean I'm out for his blood or anything."
"And either way, you should keep your voice down when discussing these things." Ike said. "The wrong person hears that, and there'll be trouble. Leon and Byleth might be set loose on us."
"The king has to be defeated." Alex asserted, more quietly this time. "Captain, tell them what happened with us."
"Well, uh... okay..." Linebeck said, preparing to recount his tale. "It all started when I docked my ship, the S.S. Linebeck, in an inlet just outside of Sux..."
***
"And so then I punched the guy!" Linebeck recounted.
"Oh ho, I wouldn't have thought you had it in you, chum!" Zeke nodded approvingly. "Sounds like the bastard really had it coming."
"Did you knock the dastard out?" Ike asked. "Or at least knock out a few teeth?"
"I dunno, he looks a little skinny for that." Pandoria mused.
Linebeck considered his options.
A. I sent him plummeting to the ground.
B. Actually I kinda whiffed it.
estejor: B but word it like "He was... is? Alex's friend, it wasn't about hurting him, it was about sending a message, didn't work though, his first thought after that was banishing us rather than anything else"
Party
1. Linebeck - Severely Damaged
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud - Operator Mode
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force
6b. Electric Circus
6c. Thunder Doom
6d. Sonic Thunderslash
#233
"Well, you know... not really." Linebeck said. "I didn't hit him hard. He was, or is, Alex's friend. It wasn't about hurting him, it was about sending a message. It didn't work though, his first thought after that was banishing us from Sux for life."
Alex shifted uncomfortably.
"...Sounds to me like you whiffed it." Cloud cut straight through the bullshit.
"Well, Howard said 'Ow' afterward." Alex came to Linebeck's defense.
"'Ow', huh?" Pandoria cocked her head. "That's the kind of thing you say when you get a paper cut, not when you get punched in the face."
"Anyway," Linebeck said, red-faced, "We left town and made our way here. We got stopped at the gate by the green chameleon and the green-haired woman."
"Her hair looked like it had more of a blue tint to me." Alex added helpfully.
"Teal, maybe?" Linebeck mused. "Anyhow, they mentioned they had already gotten hired by the king. Called you losers and said you'd been rejected."
"Aww, what?" Zeke frowned. "That's harsh. I'm guessing it was Leon that was the one who called us that, right? Hmph. Lizard better not come crawling back to us after that."
"Forget about that." Magnus said.
Linebeck glanced over at Magnus, who had been quiet for awhile. He was sitting hunched over the table, chin resting on his clasped hands, glaring down at his glass.
"So let me get this straight. This Howard guy reported Wershire to the king knowing perfectly well that everyone in the town would be killed? Including the children?!"
"Well, I don't think Howard knew for sure that the entire village would be slaughtered." Alex said. "But it does seem as though the king was looking to personally kill all of the Wershirans."
"The powerful are often willing to kill innocents to send a message." Ike nodded. "Even children, if need be."
"I've heard enough." Magnus said. "I'm on board with this king-killing plan."
"Assuming they're telling us the truth, that is." said Cloud.
"Oh, come on, Cloud." Zeke waved away that concern. "These people seem honest. Besides, you were here for our group interview with his royal highness. Does this really seem far-fetched to you?"
"No." Cloud admitted. "It doesn't."
"Group interview?" Linebeck raised an eyebrow. "How'd that go down?"
"He approached us when we were hanging out in the town plaza and said he had a job." Pandoria said. "Took out a bunch of diamonds and showed them off to us, saying that as king he was able to compensate us more than fairly. Seeing those diamonds was enough for Zeke to immediately sign up, but the king wouldn't let him."
"Hey now!" Zeke protested. "You were jumping at the chance just as much as I was!"
"The king insisted that we answer some interview questions beforehand," Pandoria continued, "At first it was basic stuff. What our names were, where we were from, what kind of mercenary experience we had..."
"Until suddenly he drops the big question!" Magnus cried. "'Are you willing to kill ANYONE I order you to? Even children?' Can you believe that prick?! I told him to fuck off right there."
"Yeah, Magnus got pissed and stormed off quick." Pandoria nodded. "The rest of us didn't say anything right away, but I guess the looks on our faces were enough. He pointed each of us out and told us we were dismissed from the interviewing process."
"I can see most of our reactions giving our disgust away." said Ike. "Though I'm surprised he rejected you, Cloud. You're always so stone-faced; I didn't notice very much of a reaction out of you when he asked that."
"It's called keeping your cards close to your chest." Cloud said. "And I'm glad he dismissed me out of hand. Point me at soldiers or other mercenaries, fine. But children? I draw the line there."
"I suppose he wanted the most ruthless of us." Zeke said. "The ones who weren't morally compromised in any way."
The group sat in silence reflecting on this for a bit.
"...Anyway, I'm tired." Linebeck said. "I guess lodgings are upstairs? How much?"
"Ahh, the innkeep's letting us stay for free on account of us helping them out with a little something earlier. Since you're with us, don't worry about it."
"Alright." Linebeck said. "Let's meet back down here first thing in the morning, then we'll head out to... wherever."
"Sounds good."
Linebeck trudged upstairs, Alex following behind, and found himself in a hallway with several rooms.
"Each room has two beds." Magnus said as he walked into one.
"Guess we can lodge in here." Alex suggested, stepping inside one of the rooms. It was sparse; a couple beds, a table, and some torches for light.
"Good enough for me." Linebeck said, flopping down onto one of the beds and turning over, more than ready to sleep.
"...Captain?" Alex said after a minute of silence.
"Mm?" Linebeck grunted.
"I feel like you don't really want to defeat the king." Alex said. "Am I twisting your arm into it? Do you just want to find treasure and be on your way?"
Linebeck considered his options.
A. I promise that we will defeat the king, or die trying.
B. Say something reassuring but noncommittal. (Write-in)
C. Yeah, my arm does feel a bit twisted.
Party
1. Linebeck - Severely Damaged
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud - Operator Mode
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force
6b. Electric Circus
6c. Thunder Doom
6d. Sonic Thunderslash
#241
"I promise that we will defeat the king," Linebeck resolved, "Or die trying."
"Really?" Alex said giddily as she turned over in bed. "Great! Good night!"
"Mmm." Linebeck grunted. He wasn't thrilled at the prospect of fighting the king, but he felt a lot less trepidatious knowing that he had several powerful bodyguards to do all the heavy fighting.
***
Linebeck opened his eyes; he felt great. His body felt rested and ready to start the day! He leaned up out of bed and put his feet on the floor, standing up and walking out of the room after noting that Alex was no longer in her bed. He confidently strode down the stairs and into the tavern, ready to start the day.
"Well, look who decided to sleep in until noon." Cloud said, arms crossed, leaning against a wall. "Usually when people say 'first thing in the morning' they mean sometime in the morning."
The group had all congregated in the tavern and looked bored out of their minds, like they'd been waiting for hours.
"Is it morning already?" Linebeck said in surprise before turning to Alex. "Why didn't you wake me?"
"It seemed rude!" Alex shrugged.
"I was gonna go up and drag you out of bed myself, but she wouldn't let me." Magnus said.
"I see." Linebeck said. "Well... first order of business... let's explore the town."
"Why?" Cloud asked.
"I just got here, I want to do a little sightseeing." Linebeck said. "And, uh... reconnaissance. Gotta find out about the king's whereabouts."
"Aye aye, Captain!" Alex said cheerily.
Linebeck stepped outside and took in the fresh seaside air; this was his kind of place.
"Alright, what are the points of interest in town?" Linebeck asked.
"Well, there's the docks," Alex said, "The library, the blacksmith and stonecutter... and there's two buildings here I actually don't recognize."
"One of them is a cathedral." Ike said. "Recently built to worship the king."
"And the other is a defensive tower." Zeke said, peering up at it. "Look. You can see Byleth standing on top of it... staring at us. With suspicion, possibly."
"You guys forgot to mention the Governor's Mansion." Pandoria said. "That's the big house by the church there."
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Docks
B. Library
C. Blacksmith and Stonecutter
D. Cathedral
E. Tower
F. Governor's Mansion
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud - Operator Mode
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
#248, #249!**, #250, & #253
"Let's head to the docks." Linebeck decided, walking down the steps that led to Port Knocks' lower level.
As he walked along the docks, he marveled at the large ships that were stationed there.
"Wow." Linebeck whistled. "These things are massive. What are these, cargo ships?"
"I don't know." Alex said. "I've never actually seen any ships here before."
"They've been here for as long as we've been in town." Magnus said. "Which is to be expected for a bustling port town like this."
As Linebeck walked under the shade of the wall, his ears suddenly picked up on a really strange noise. Or rather, many iterations of the same noise. Hundreds of iterations of the same noise, even.
"Does anybody else hear that?" Linebeck asked. "It sounds like... hundreds of chickens clucking."
"I hear it too!" Alex said.
"Yeah, there's certain parts of town where you start hearing whatever that noise is." Pandoria said. "The townsfolk tell us it's just the sound of waves, but..."
"But that is definitely not what that is." Linebeck said. "Maybe it's coming from inside one of the cargo ships?"
Linebeck walked closer to the closest ship, but found that the sound was no longer audible; it grew louder as he moved back to the wall.
"Weird." Linebeck shuddered before turning around to head back. "Well, we've seen all we need to see--WHAT?!"
Linebeck's eyes honed in on the sight of the S.S. Linebeck, nestled into a small corner of the port.
"My... SHIP!!!" Linebeck yelled, running over in its direction.
The group made their way on deck; Linebeck looked around and peered inside the bridge, but didn't see anybody on board.
"Tacky paint job." Cloud said, pointing at the Yiga Clan symbol that had been painted over the bridge.
"That was the work of those red ninjas I mentioned." Linebeck said. "I need to check below deck, see if everything's still in order."
Linebeck opened the door to the bridge, stepped inside, and began shuffling down the steps belowdeck. As he stepped down into the hull, he froze in place as he saw four Yiga Blademasters huddled around a table, playing cards.
"Any word on finding a way out of here?" one of them said.
"Nope." another shook his head.
"I was expecting your ship to be... bigger." Ike said as he and the others followed Linebeck down the stairs.
The Yiga looked up from their card game and over at the group for about ten seconds.
"What's up?" Zeke grinned at them.
"INTRUDERS!!!"
The Blademasters stood up from their card game and withdrew their blades.
"You're the intruders, ship-snatchers!" Linebeck said, stepping back behind the four strongmen he'd hired. "Alright, mercenaries, time to earn your pay! Teach these Yiga what happens to anyone who messes with my ship!"
Battle:
Yiga Blademaster 1 - Pristine Condition
Yiga Blademaster 2 - Pristine Condition
Yiga Blademaster 3 - Pristine Condition
Yiga Blademaster 4 - Pristine Condition
"Why don't we hang back?" Linebeck said, noticing Alex had taken out her sword. "Let's just observe and see what these guys can do. It's what I'm paying them for, after all."
"Oh, okay." Alex nodded.
"Alright, lads!" Linebeck said. "Let's see what you're made of!"
"This won't take long." Ike assured him.
"Don't blink or you might miss it." Magnus grinned.
"Prepare to witness the might of Thunderbolt Zeke" Zeke bellowed, "And his erstwhile companion, the greatest Blade in all the land: Pandoria!"
"Let's just get this over with." Cloud readied his Buster Sword.
The first Yiga Blademaster faced Zeke and raised its sword aloft from afar.
The second Yiga Blademaster dashed towards Cloud.
The third Yiga Blademaster punched the floorboards, causing the floorboards to ripple in Magnus's direction.
The fourth Yiga Blademaster disappeared in a puff of smoke and reappeared beside Ike, sword raised and ready to come down.
Staircase and corner the S.S. Linebeck was nestled in.
X. Write-in what to do.
Already_in_Use: Alright, first real battle of the CYOA, let's go
Ike can obviously counter. I think Cloud could probably Climhazzard to both dodge and counter his Yiga. Someone who's more familiar with Kid Icarus and Magnus can probably come up with something better, but perhaps he just dodge rolls. [...]Crimson_Squid: [To above] Cloud can't use Climhazzard or Omnislash, he has to use Limit Break for 1 turn first. [...]
MrFuzz111: Ah right, Smash treats Braver as the weaker version of Climhazzard, doesn’t it?
Go with that for the dodge and counter instead then, and Magnus… it’s been a while since I played Uprising, is the kick sort of a run in and jump kick or does he stay on the ground the whole time? That changes whether or not it’s a good choice to avoid the floorboards while getting in a hit.Crimson_Squid: He gets airborne.
MrFuzz111: Nice, leap right over those floorboards then.
Impossibill: Ultimate Lightning Fury Slash Max involves Zeke jumping up and smashing the floor with his sword. I don't actually remember how his other arts work. I also don't know if they would damage the boat so I guess I'll ask if that's something we need to worry about before actually suggesting ULFS Max.
Crimson_Squid: I'm sure it'll be fine.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud - Operator Mode
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
#269!
Battle:
Yiga Blademaster 1 - Moderately Damaged/Knocked Over
Yiga Blademaster 2 - Critical Condition
Yiga Blademaster 3 - Severely Damaged
Yiga Blademaster 4 - Severely Damaged
X. Write-in what to do.
"You're wide open." Ike said after catching the Blademaster's blade with his own, following up with a swift slash of Ragnell. The Blademaster took the damage and teleported back to the other side of the room.
Magnus dashed forward and leapt in the air, getting airborne just in time to avoid a small explosion of wood at his feet that sent shrapnel flying.
"Hey!" Linebeck cried. "Don't let them use that attack again!"
Magnus delivered a swift kick into the side of the Blademaster before dropping down right up close to his foe.
"His legs look super strong and all, but I was really hoping to see him swing that giant sword..." Alex said.
Cloud leapt into the air, performing a somersault that dodged his Yiga Blademaster's sword before swinging the Buster Sword down on top of his enemy.
"Here we GO!!!" Zeke cried, gripping his blade tightly as electricity surged through it. "Bringer of chaos! Ultimate lightning fury slash... MAAAAAAAAAAAX!!!"
Zeke had, by this point, already gotten hit with a burst of wind emitted from the Blademaster's sword; but he didn't let that interrupt his theatrics. Zeke leapt up and swung his sword down onto the floorboards, prompting a large insignia made of electricity to appear in the floorboards.
Everyone in the room stood in silence, waiting for something to happen.
"Oh no!" Pandoria facepalmed.
"Did I... miss?!" Zeke cried, aghast.
Suddenly a burst of electricity erupted from the floorboards, knocking over the Blademaster Zeke was facing and moderately damaging every Blademaster present.
"No, wait, there we go!" Zeke smiled.
"Could you please try not to destroy my ship?" Linebeck complained. "And why is she just standing there? Shouldn't she be doing something?"
"I can't just use my powers whenever, it takes time to charge!" Pandoria said. "But I could do a little bit of the fighting now, if Zeke tossed his sword over to me."
"And you!" Linebeck shouted at Cloud. "I'm impressed you're so acrobatic carrying that giant sword around, but it looks like you didn't do as much damage when you hit him with it as you should have!"
"That's because I'm in my Operator stance." Cloud said. "This stance balances my offense and defense. I could switch to Punisher stance and deal stronger attacks, but I'm not very mobile that way."
"Hmm... switch to punisher!" Linebeck ordered.
"Maybe you should leave the fighting to the professionals." Cloud said. "...But fine."
"Are you finished talking?" one of the Blademasters asked.
"I know I am." Cloud said.
The first Yiga Blademaster lay on the floor.
The second Yiga Blademaster teleported over to Cloud, blade raised aloft.
The third Blademaster made a lunge towards Magnus, ready to bring down his blade.
The fourth Yiga Blademaster walked calmly towards Zeke, sword drawn, closing the gap and preparing to strike.
X. Write-in what to do.
Already_in_Use: Ike Quick Draws to take out the Blade Master targeting Cloud. Ideally out of danger now, Cloud Blade Beams Zeke's Yiga as he dodge rolls out of the way. Magnus Sword Swipes to meet his Yiga's own sword, which I would think based on sheer size, Magnus's would win out.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud - Punisher Mode
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu - Slightly Damaged
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Available
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
#276!
Battle:
Yiga Blademaster 1 - Moderately Damaged
Yiga Blademaster 4 - Critical Condition
X. What you said.
Ike dashed forward in a shocking burst of speed, swinging Ragnell and sending the second Blademaster falling over on the ground, writhing in pain.
"You'll get no sympathy from me." Ike said as the Blademaster retreated in a puff of smoke.
Zeke dodge-rolled out of the way of his assailant as Cloud swung his sword, launching a beam of energy at the Yiga; it connected, but failed to finish him off.
Magnus swung his oversized sword at the Yiga, knocking the latter's blade out of his hand as well as knocking the latter across the room and against the wall.
"Urgh!" the Yiga grunted before vanishing.
"Zeke!" Pandoria complained. "You were supposed to toss me the sword so I could show off!"
"Sorry about that, Pandy." Zeke said. "Just didn't feel like getting sliced up."
The first Blademaster got back up and teleported beside Cloud, ready to strike.
The fourth Blademaster punched the ground, sending the floorboards rippling towards Ike.
"If my ship sinks over this, you're all fired." said Linebeck.
X. Write-in what to do.
Already_in_Use: Ike Quick Draws away from his Yiga and attacks the other, getting out of the way of the rippling boards. Cloud can dodge roll his. Magnus can Running Kick to finish off the fourth one, and sure, let's have Zeke give Pandoria his sword and she Lightning Forces the first one.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud - Punisher Mode
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu - Slightly Damaged
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Available
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
#280
Ike used quickdraw on the first Yiga, getting out of the way of the rippling floorboards and dealing some damage in the process.
The Yiga stood back upright after punching the floorboards only to find himself doubled over again, this time because he took a flying kick to the chest. The Yiga coughed and wheezed a bit before disappearing.
Cloud squared up as the Yiga Blademaster beside him prepared to strike.
"Better roll out of the way!" Linebeck shouted.
Cloud attempted to dodge-roll out of the way of the Yiga but failed utterly on account of being in the Punisher stance, for which he was summarily punished.
"What was that?" Linebeck asked.
"I can't really dodge like that when I'm in this stance." Cloud said through gritted teeth. "It's designed purely for offense."
"Pandoria, would you care to do the honors of bringing this battle to its end?" Zeke smiled, tossing her Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher.
Pandoria caught the giant blade and jammed it into the floorboards - causing Linebeck to gasp - and pulled the hilt right out of the blade, revealing it to be some sort of scepter. Pandoria aimed the rod at the Blademaster, unleashing a burst of electricity that finished him off.
"Urgh..." the Blademaster groaned. "This isn't the end... Doctor... Lineback... we will kill you... take back that... which you stole..."
"Dr. Lineback?" Alex furrowed her brow.
"Maybe not," Cloud scowled, "But if you pull this crap again, it'll be the end of you."
"Next time we won't be so merciful." Ike nodded in agreement. "Now go and flee with the rest."
"Glory to... Master Kohga..." the Blademaster coughed before disappearing.
"Well now," Zeke said, turning to face Linebeck with a smile, "How's that for hired help?"
"Pretty good, I'd say," Linebeck said, "If you hadn't WRECKED UP MY SHIP!!"
"None of the damage appears serious." Ike said, glancing around. "No real structural damage. Aesthetic damage, maybe."
"I happen to take my ship's aesthetics very seriously, in case you hadn't noticed." Linebeck admonished him. "I've got half a mind to ask for my money back!"
"I guess you can have your money back." Cloud said. "But that'll be the end of our contract, and the end of any chance of another one between us."
"It was an idle threat." Linebeck rolled his eyes.
"Captain, are you... are you really a doctor?" Alex said, wide-eyed. "Dr... Lineback?"
"Huh? Oh, no." Linebeck chuckled. "I just fed them false information when they had me captured. Anyway... I'm glad to have my ship back, but I really hate to leave it unguarded."
"Eh, it'll be fine." Magnus said, clearly not concerned. "After the beating we just gave them? It'll be fine."
"And regardless," Zeke said, "It sounds like they care more about taking your life than taking your ship. What'd you steal from them, anyway?"
"Some bananas." Linebeck said, withdrawing the bunches from his coat. "The Yiga are obsessed with them. And fine, I suppose we can leave the ship docked here, but I expect you all to help keep an eye out."
The group went back upstairs and exited the S.S. Linebeck.
Linebeck wondered where they should head next.
A. Library
estejor: A knowledge is power and libraries are free
jkid101094: A
Having fun isn't hard when you've got a library card.
B. Blacksmith and Stonecutter
C. Cathedral
D. Tower
E. Governor's Mansion
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud - Moderately Damaged/Punisher Mode
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu - Slightly Damaged
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
#288
"Let's head to the library." Linebeck decided.
The group made their way back up to the upper level of Port Knocks, strolling along the plaza.
"Wait... do you hear that?" Alex asked.
Linebeck pricked his ears up; over the bustling of villagers walking past, he could just barely make out the sound of anguished moaning coming from underneath them.
"That anguished moaning..." Alex said, "I wonder where it's coming from. It sounds... familiar, somehow."
"Probably just some poor sap who can't hold his drinks." Magnus waved the concern away. "Why are we going to a library, anyway? If we want to fall asleep we might as well head back to the inn."
"Because knowledge is power and libraries are free." Linebeck said, fancying himself to sound like a fairly learned man for saying so.
"Having fun isn't hard when you've got a library card!" Alex nodded in agreement.
"Dorks."
As he approached the library, Linebeck took notice of its size: two-stories tall, and the building was fairly long in length. Which made it odd when the group entered the building and saw that while the inside was tall enough to account for the two stories, the room inside was shorter than one would expect; it couldn't possibly account for the full length of the building from the outside. And it was surprisingly bereft of books.
"Ah, good to see you again, Alex." the librarian greeted her. "And I see you've brought many friends!"
"Hello, Joshua." Alex greeted him back. "This is Captain Linebeck, and these are various mercenaries we've recently hired."
"There's only three books here?" Ike said. "Rows and rows of bookshelves, and you've only got three actual books?"
"That is strange." Alex said. "This place used to be crammed with books. Did the library suddenly become way more popular?"
"Let's take a look at them, shall we?" Zeke said, gazing at the book spines. "The Glorious Cubic Kingdom: A Guide, 100 Ways to Show Fealty to the King, and The Great Big World Beyond..."
"Oh, my, that last one shouldn't be there!" Joshua said, hastily hurrying over and grabbing it off the wall. "I'll just get rid of that, in accordance with the king's wishes."
"Uh... okay then." Zeke blinked. "Guess I'll look at the guide to the Cubic Kingdom then."
Zeke pulled the book off the shelf and opened it only to have Joshua snatch the thing from his hands.
"Hey, what gives?!" Zeke frowned.
"I-I'm terribly sorry, sir," Joshua smiled apologetically, "But I'm afraid we no longer allow people to glimpse at the books without paying the price to rent them."
"Price to rent them?!" Alex repeated.
"Yes," Joshua nodded, "It's either 1 diamond, 3 gold ingots, or ten iron ingots to rent a book for the span of a week."
"Again, if we want to fall asleep, we might as well just stay at the inn." Magnus said. "We could sleep for a week there for cheaper than that."
"Something fishy is going on here." Linebeck scratched his chin.
X. Write-in questions to ask Joshua.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud - Moderately Damaged/Punisher Mode
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu - Slightly Damaged
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
#296
"What if I just killed you, huh?" Linebeck asked. "What then?"
"W-w-what?!" Joshua stammered.
"Captain!" Alex gasped, shocked and horrified.
"We might be mercenaries, but we are not murderers-for-hire." Ike asserted. "If you want someone to murder people for you, I think you had best speak to Leon or Byleth."
"Sorry, I... I don't know what came over me." Linebeck shook his head. "Ignore that. Merely a jest! Heh heh heh..."
"A... jest..." Joshua said, calming down. "Right..."
"Wouldn't it be better if it was free for people to learn King-approved information about the world and how to properly swear fealty?" Linebeck asked.
"I imagine many would agree with you," Joshua said, "Perhaps I, too, would agree with you, were it not directly against the king's wishes. I have direct orders from Governor Mattison, who has direct orders from the king, telling us to charge people for books; most of the proceeds are to go to the king."
"What would you say if we couldn't afford the books, but really really REALLY wanted to learn about the Kingdom and how to swear fealty in a King-approved manner?"
"If you're looking for ways to worship the king, I'm sure the priest at the cathedral next door would have a thing or two to tell you."
"You ever hear any kind of... anguished moaning here?" Linebeck asked.
"I'm quite sure I have no idea what you're talking about." Joshua said, looking away. "Perhaps it was just the sound of someone at the bar. Someone who's had a little too much to drink."
"That's what I said!" Magnus nodded approvingly.
"What do you know about the lizard-looking dude and the expressionless teal/green haired lady?" asked Linebeck.
"They're here to guard the town." Joshua sighed. "They provide us safety and stability in equal measure."
"So...You only technically have two books available for rental. How exactly are people supposed to learn the information in these books if only one copy exists apparently?"
"I simply carry out the orders of the king faithfully and to the letter." Joshua said. "Were I to speculate, which I wouldn't, I might think the relative inaccessibility of the information might raise their value."
"So does this King have green eyes? Because he seems awfully jealous of actual books, to get rid of them and all."
"That's borderline treason, sir." Joshua said flatly.
"Did the library have a book on frosted beyblades?" Linebeck asked, summarily wondering why he kept asking about frosted beyblades.
"I'm quite sure it never has." Joshua shook his head.
"Do you have a personal collection of books that used to be in this library?" Linebeck raised an eyebrow.
"A p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-personal collection?!" Joshua stuttered, sweating profusely. "Why, of course not! Perish the notion!"
"You all even realize how stupid is to bend the knee to some idiotic asshole who randomly decided to call himself a king without doing anything to earn that right?" Linebeck demanded. "If calling yourself a king is all it takes to be treated like one I might as well call myself 'His Greatfulness Linebeck XII, Protector of Hyrule and High Emperor of Mankind' and I would automatically outrank that king of yours, meaning you would have submit to me!"
"Well, he... uh... I don't..." Joshua blinked, bewildered.
"Captain, are you feeling okay?" Alex was becoming concerned. "This isn't like you."
"Err... sorry again." Linebeck said, clutching his head. "I don't know why, I just... felt an intense urge to say that."
"...Hmph." Joshua's mouth upturned slightly. "You know... I have heard tell that a group of treasonous travelers bent on deposing the king were in town. There was room for some doubt as to whether that was you, but now I know for certain."
"Damn." Magnus said. "Guess we spoke too loudly at the bar."
"'We'?" Cloud scoffed.
"Does that mean you're gonna... report us?" Alex looked crestfallen.
"No." Joshua shook his head. "On the contrary, it means that I believe I can trust you. You see... this library actually has a secret back room."
"I knew it!" Linebeck said.
"You did?" Alex said in surprise.
"I mean, I could tell from looking at the outside that this room is way too small to be the entire inside of the building." Linebeck said. "From the outside it's like twice as long as this."
'Very astute of you." Joshua nodded. "The truth is, out back, in the alley, there is a ladder that leads to the roof. Up on the roof is a wooden button; you step on that button and it will very briefly open up a secret entrance to a room in the back. There I believe you will find some answers to questions you may have concerning this town."
"I see." Linebeck said. "Well, I guess we're off to go climb that ladder."
"Hold a moment." Joshua said. "The guard tower is right next door. Byleth stands atop that tower most hours of the day, and when she's not up there, Leon takes her post. I can't have you dropping down into the secret room within plain sight of them."
"Well then how do you get in there?" Linebeck asked.
"I haven't been in there since they took up their post a few days ago." Joshua shrugged. "There's really nothing I can do to sneak in... but I suspect at least one of you may be able to divert their attention long enough for the rest of you to sneak in."
"I see." Zeke brought his finger to his chin. "Byleth is very focused, though. And hard to get one over on. Leon, though... what time does his shift start?"
"Two or three in the morning." Joshua said.
"Well, what do you think, Captain?" Alex asked.
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Think up a plan to distract Byleth. (Write-in)
B. Wait for Leon to take his post and distract him then.
C. Something else. (Write-in)
Already_in_Use: [...] thinking about it, this is Minecraft. If Joshua were to temporarily close the Library, are there any windows people would be able to see into if we wanted to just directly break into it?
jkid101094: [To above] You do have a point. Alex has been shown to still interact with the world in a Minecraft way. There should be nothing stopping her from breaking a block or two without the whole building tumbling down.
Already_in_Use: [To above] Yeah, we'd just have to make sure:
A) They blocks we break are easily replaceable
B) No one can see into the library as we do it (especially Byleth, obviously)
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud - Moderately Damaged/Punisher Mode
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu - Slightly Damaged
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
#307
"Can't we just... bust through the wall?" Linebeck proffered.
"Bust through the... wall...?" Joshua repeated.
"Yeah, I guess it wouldn't be too big of a deal." Alex said. "The bookshelves are empty. I'll rebuild them and put them back in place once we're done."
"I suppose... you could do that." Joshua chuckled. "Frankly I'm embarrassed I never thought of it before now. Let me go and lock the door."
Joshua went and locked the front door to the library; afterwards Alex withdrew an axe and opened up a walkway.
The group stepped inside, immediately finding themselves surrounded by fully-stocked bookshelves on all sides. Against the back wall was a podium with an open book lying on it, beside a quill; clearly a work in progress.
"Well, I guess we know where all the books went." Pandori adjusted her glasses.
"Yes, the... king ordered that all of the books in the library be burned. I got given those two farcical tomes in their stead. I couldn't bear to actually do it... treason, I know... but it just isn't right, destroying all of the knowledge contained on these walls."
"So our answers are in these books?" Cloud said. "We don't exactly have time to sit around reading all of these... and I'm not sure all of us even can read."
"Shut up." Magnus rolled his eyes.
"Well, I imagine there are answers to a lot of questions you may have in these books..." Joshua said. "But I was referring to the record I've been keeping on the podium there. Feel free to look through it."
Linebeck glanced at the book cover and read it aloud before continuing on to read the rest.
The Shameful Secret of Port Knocks
Those who glance upon Port Knocks may see a thriving port town, bustling with trade from ships bringing stock from all around the world.
This is but an illusion; in actuality, Port Knocks is a complete and utter sham. Port Knocks sees virtually no imported goods, nor does the Cubic Kingdom at large; the bountiful stocks of goods which can be found aboard 'trade ships' on the docks aren't imported at all. They were grown within Port Knocks.
One might wonder how this could possibly be the case, given that there is no farmland in the town. No space for crops. No land devoted to raising livestock.
The truth is that there ARE such things, and they are located directly underneath Port Knocks. Behind the stone brick walls of the lower level and beneath the cobblestone floor of the upper level lies a dank cave of sorts wherein numerous workers toil away thanklessly, growing crops and raising livestock for the remainder of their natural lives with little to no thanks. This underclass consists of indentured servants working off some unspecified debt to the Cubic Crown, usually as a result of committing some crime; most often failure to pay tribute. It has gotten to the point where some of this underclass of indentured servants have had children. Children who have known nothing except for the miserable existence that has been thrust upon them, trapped within a small space, never having seen any source of light save for the dim glow of the torches that pepper the area.
The reason for this madness? Allegedly the king said he wanted his kingdom to have a thriving port town to show off; whether it is, in ACTUALITY, a thriving port town seems immaterial to him. And so the entire town keeps up this front-facing facade to avoid disobeying the directives of the king. Even if it means living our lives directly above unending misery and toil.
There exists an entrance to this place somewhere within Port Knocks, its location is a closely-guarded and potentially life-endangering secret.
"I... I can barely believe what I'm hearing." Alex gazed at the floor in bewilderment.
"So there's basically an entire prison right underneath our feet." Magnus said.
"Essentially, yes." Joshua nodded.
"...They've had children in there?!" Linebeck scoffed. "But the king's only been here, what, a little over a week?"
"...What do you mean?" Alex blinked. "That's plenty of time to have children."
"You know what, never mind." Linebeck said. "I guess the anatomy of Minecraftians is besides the point. Do you know where the entrance to this place is?"
"No." Joshua shook his head.
"Then how do you even know that there is an entrance?"
"I overheard bits of a conversation that I shouldn't have." Joshua shrugged. "A conversation between the governor and the king himself."
"Well... what's stopping us from just digging through these floorboards and getting there?" Alex asked.
"Someone tried that just yesterday." Joshua said. "A poor villager by the name of Jason who couldn't stand being apart from his treasonous lover anymore. Dug a hole into the wall on the lower level, right in front of everyone. He managed to crack a single block before hitting obsidian. Leon appeared, grabbed him from behind, and marched him into the cathedral. Said that Jason needed to repent before facing his punishment."
"This place is seriously messed up." Magnus shook his head.
"But... this town existed before the king, right?" Linebeck asked. "It is... or at least was... a legitimate port town, wasn't it?"
"Oh, sure." Joshua nodded. "It wasn't exactly thriving - visitors from overseas were rare, the ports were mostly lined up with rowboats Minecraftians had come to town on. Then the king came, woke up one morning to find those giant garish ships sitting in the harbor, and suddenly everyone's working in accordance to the king's demands. I don't think those ships in the harbor can even sail. I think they just float."
"This is completely bonkers." Linebeck groaned.
"Anyway, I'd best go and unlock the front door." Joshua said. "If someone happens along and sees that it's unlocked, it may arouse suspicion. Best we fill this walkway back in with bookshelves.
"Well... where to from here, Captain?" Alex asked as she got to work crafting replacement bookshelves.
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Blacksmith and Stonecutter
B. Cathedral
C. Tower
D. Governor's Mansion
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud - Moderately Damaged/Punisher Mode
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu - Slightly Damaged
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
#314 & #315-#318
"Let's head to the cathedral." Linebeck decided.
"Sounds good." Alex nodded as she finished placing the newly-crafted bookshelves. "Thanks for your help, Joshua."
"No, thank you for doing something about this mess." Joshua said.
"Well, we can't do something until we actually find the king." Cloud said. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about his whereabouts, would you?"
"Hmm... I know that occasionally he very briefly stops by to take reports from the governor." Joshua said. "As for when that will occur, I couldn't tell you."
"Sounds awfully inconvenient." Zeke said. "Surely he must have some sort of base of operations we could pay a visit. Can't be much of a king without a castle, right?"
"I wouldn't know anything about that," Joshua said, "But perhaps you ought to go to the Cartographorium. My brother is the head cartographer there."
"Oh, the Cartographorium!" Alex's eyes lit up. "Of course!"
"The... Cartographorium..." Linebeck repeated skeptically.
"It's the center of Minecraft World's map-making endeavors." Joshua explained. "They've mapped out a fairly large portion of the world. Any newly-built structures - aboveground, at least - will surely have generated on their maps."
"Generated on their maps?" Linebeck blinked.
"Yeah, and they even give you copies of maps for free!" Alex said enthusiastically. "I got a map from there once... but I lost it not long after. I've been meaning to go back, maps make it so much easier to get the lay of the land."
"Well, where is it?" Linebeck asked.
"To the west," Joshua said. "Atop a mountain standing in the middle of the desert. Find Jonathan and tell him Joshua sent you."
"Alright," Linebeck nodded. "We'll... do that. Maybe. Come on, let's get going."
The group exited the library and began walking over to the library.
"I only hope... the king hasn't ruined the Cartographorium." Alex said. "Like he ruined Matthew's life work. The Cartographorium has mapped a lot more than the borders of the Cubic Kingdom, after all."
"Well, even just a map of the kingdom would probably be useful." Linebeck said.
As they stepped in front of the cathedral, Linebeck gazed up at the structure. It consisted of two sections; the first, a tower-like structure with a spire which was the tallest point in Port Knocks. Attached to the tower was a spire-like structure was a stouter, longer, wider structure.
The group stepped inside and into a small square room. On their left was a doorway that led into the stouter building, wherein there appeared to be various pews lined up before an altar at the back of that room.
In front of the group, on the back wall of the room in which they stood, they saw a painting featuring a Minecraftian villager reaching out to touch a giant blocky arm descending from the sky. Next to the painting were two signs.
Touched by the Hand of the King - Artist Unknown
Please refrain from touching the hand of the king.
"I guess people have tried touching the painting?" Magnus mused.
"I don't even want to look at it," Cloud said, gazing skeptically at the artwork, "Let alone touch it. Ugliest painting I've ever seen."
Just then the doors to the left opened.
"Ah, new congregants to add to the flock?" a man in priestly robes said.
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Yes
B. No
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud - Moderately Damaged/Punisher Mode
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu - Slightly Damaged
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
Shot of the cathedral.
Cathedral lobby.
Pews.
#325
"Uh... yes, actually." Linebeck said.
"Right this way, then!" the priest said, opening the door wide and motioning everyone to file inside. "This will be the most packed house we've had yet! The name's Father Mayhew. Come in, come in!"
Linebeck shrugged at the party and walked in first, finding that all of the pews were filled except for the back row.
"Gonna be a tight fit." Magnus said, squeezing in on Linebeck's left side; to LInebeck's right was Alex.
"I'll just... wait back here." Cloud said, leaning against the back wall. "Keep a look out for anything unusual."
"Yeah, whatever." Magnus rolled his eyes. "Too cool to squeeze into a pew."
"People, quiet down, quiet down!" Father Mayhew said to the entire room.
In actuality, the rest of the congregants were all deathly quiet, leaning forward quietly and intently. It was just the party that was making noise.
"What'd he say?" Magnus asked.
"Shhhhhhhhh!" Zeke and Pandoria both leaned over and brought their fingers to their lips, aggressively shutting Magnus down.
"Now, I can already tell that some of you have concerns." Father Mayhew said. "But if everyone could please remain quiet and raise your hands, I'll call on you one at a time and listen to your troubles. Now, uh... how about you first?"
"Father Mayhew," one of the villagers stood up, "My best friend, the former blacksmith, disappeared the other day. I think he was... punished... by the king for failing to pay tribute. Far be it from me to question the judgment of the king, but... I'm really taking it hard."
"Mmm..." Father Mayhew nodded. "I see, I see... well, keep in mind that the king's judgment is both absolute and perfect. I know it hurts to see misfortune befall a friend, but he doubtless deserved it. Now, how about you?"
"I give the king whatever I'm able to spare," one villager said, "But I have so little to give... I'm worried that he may get the wrong idea and whisk me away, like a criminal."
"Worry not, brother," Father Mayhew reassured him, "If you truly are giving the king all you have to give, then you can rest assured you will not face his wrath. Just be sure you truly are giving everything you have to give."
"R-right..." the villager looked down.
"Alright, you."
"Father Mayhew," another villager stood up. "What if I have news of possible treason to report?"
"Then you should report it to myself or to the governor as soon as possible." Father Mayhew said. "How about you hang around after the congregation and tell me what you know?"
"But, Father," the villager continued, "My son, he... he faced punishment. He was disrespectful to the crown, but I'm sure he's learned his lesson. Do you think I could get him back in exchange for this information?"
"Ahhh, brother, what you're suggesting is tantamount to treason." Father Mayhew said sternly, "I'm sure you didn't mean to suggest that you would withhold such information in an attempt to barter with the crown... but one might take it that way all the same. Just tell me what you know after this session, and I'll give my report. Share this information for the sake of doing the right thing, not for the sake of swindling the crown out of justice."
"R-r-right, of course. Apologies." the villager shrunk down in his seat.
"Now, I don't see any more hands raised..." Mayhew said, "Is that it? Nobody else has any concerns to share?"
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Raise hand. (Write-in concern to share.
Colette-Brunel: A. "I have been having dreams about being blown up on a boat. Are there any scriptures that I can possibly look at that might make sense of this?"
B. Keep hand lowered.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud - Moderately Damaged/Punisher Mode
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu - Slightly Damaged
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
#336
"I have been having dreams about being blown up on a boat." Linebeck said. "Are there any scriptures that I can possibly look at that might make sense of this?"
"Heh heh." Father Mayhew chuckled. "Well, that's... certainly different from the troubles we usually hear about in here. I would just counsel you to do all you can to honor and obey our king, and I'm sure everything will work out. And if you're looking for reading, I'd recommend 100 Ways to Show Fealty to the King, which you can find at the library. You can rent the book for a surprisingly reasonable amount. Now, are there any more concerns anybody has?"
Father Mayhew glanced around the room, saw the lack of raised hands, and nodded.
"Alright," he said, "Now it's time to pass around the collection plate. Remember: those who give generously to the crown are sure to receive good fortune. Also, don't forget that the king has promised to pardon one person who is currently undergoing punishment once we reach a certain threshold. Give generously, and we may just pass that threshold, and it may just be your loved one who is pardoned and may go back to being a law-abiding citizen!"
Father Mayhew handed a collection plate to the front row; the villagers began tossing resources in: iron, meat, coal, wood, even a diamond.
"Impressive bit of synergy they've got here." Zeke said. "Directing us to the library to shell out money that'll go to the king."
"And holding the promise of releasing one of the prisoners over their heads?" Ike shook his head. "It's unacceptable. I wonder if he even plans on releasing any of them."
"Even if he did, it's still despicable." Magnus said, arms crossed. "I ain't giving this two-bit monarch so much as a lump of coal."
As the collection plate came down, the denizens of the final pew passed it down without contributing anything: from Ike to Zeke to Pandoria to Magnus and down to Linebeck, who gazed down at the collection plate.
A. Contribute. (Write-in)
B. Pass it to Alex.
C. Steal the diamond.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud - Moderately Damaged/Punisher Mode
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu - Slightly Damaged
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
#343
Linebeck really wanted to steal that diamond - it's not like the collection plate funds were actually going to anything legitimate - but he figured he probably wasn't deft of hand enough to get away with it. And thus, he passed it to Alex.
Alex took the collection plate. As she looked up and realized that she was the final person in the pews, and that everyone in the congregation was staring at her expectantly, her face flushed red.
"Hey!" Magnus whispered.
Alex glanced over at him; he pointed toward Cloud, standing in the back of the room.
Alex got up and passed the buck over to Cloud, who scowled at a grinning Magnus.
"I see that the travelers in town have declined to offer anything to the collection plate." Father Mayhew said with a pleasant tone and indecipherable smile. "Well, that's okay. It's not mandatory, after all."
"Flat broke." Cloud shrugged as he made the walk of shame all the way to the other end of the room, passing the plate to Father Mayhew.
"Well, that's it for today's session!" Father Mayhew said. "Go out and do your best to honor the king!"
With that, everybody got up from the pews and shuffled out the doors; all except for the one villager who had a report to make.
The party made their way back to the lobby; Linebeck kept glancing sideways at the villager speaking to Father Mayhew.
"This place is a sham." Ike said in a hushed tone. "These people are all just being extorted."
"Yeah, it's looking like nobody actually likes the king." Pandoria said. "Except maybe Father Mayhew. I couldn't really get a read on him."
"He's probably getting a nice cut of the action," Cloud said, "Like that bastard from Sux."
Linebeck once more gazed at the painting on the wall, and to the two signs placed beside it. In the painting there was a nondescript villager standing on the ground, reaching up at a big blocky arm reaching from the sky.
Touched by the Hand of the King - Artist Unknown, the first sign said.
Please refrain from touching the hand of the king., the second sign, hung up underneath the first one, read.
Linebeck stared intently at the painting, disgusted but somehow drawn to it.
"Well, where to now, Captain?" Alex said.
"Oh, right." Linebeck blinked, turning to face the group. "Uh..."
A. Do something. (Write-in)
Already_in_Use: A. Wait until nobody is looking, and then touch the hand of the king.
iirc you can hide secret passage ways or doors behind paintings, so maybe something will happen.
B. Blacksmith and Stonecutter
C. Tower
D. Governor's Mansion
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud - Moderately Damaged/Operator Mode
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu - Slightly Damaged
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
#351
Linebeck turned back to the painting.
"Real quick, before we go..."
Linebeck reached out to touch the hand of the king... and found that his hand passed right through the painting.
"What the?!"
"Ooh, looks like there isn't just wall behind that painting." Alex said. "Quick, while Father Mayhew isn't looking; stick your head in and peek inside!"
Linebeck did just that; the group watched, baffled, as Linebeck leaned inside the painting, only his bottom half visible to them.
"There's... a small room back here!" Linebeck said. "With a ladder that leads both further up into the tower and down beneath it!"
"And I'll bet that's our secret passageway down under the city." Zeke said. "Father Mayhew is still distracted, so we should be able to slip in... but do we climb up, or down?"
Linebeck considered his options.
A. See what's at the top of the tower.
B. Climb down under Port Knocks.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud - Moderately Damaged/Operator Mode
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu - Slightly Damaged
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
#356, #357, #359, & #360*
"Alright," Linebeck steeled himself, "Let's climb down. Alex, you stand guard and make sure those two don't come this way. The rest of you, stay close to me, and be prepared to for anything. Alex, you follow behind them once they're all in."
Linebeck climbed into the room and grabbed hold of the ladder, shuffling down with the rest of the party filing after him one-by-one. He found solid footing down in a bunker of sorts beneath the church; there was an iron door with a button beside it.
"Alright," Linebeck said once everyone had climbed down. "Let's see what's behind that door. Uh... you. Press the button."
"...If you insist." Ike shrugged, walking forward and pressing the button; the door opened.
Linebeck sighed with relief and motioned for the group to move through the door, with him bringing up the rear. After Linebeck passed through, the door slammed shut behind them - but there was another button on the outside to grant them passage back the way they came.
The group stood in awe of the sight before them: a dingy, dank mess of a cavern that reeked of farm animals and mold. There were four pins, stuffed to the gills with livestock: one for sheep, one for cows, one for pigs, and one for chickens. There were rows of dirt in which crops were being grown. There were beds strewn about betwixt dirt huts. And most distressingly of all, the place was packed with villagers shuffling about, busily toiling away.
"Welp, this seems to be the place." said Magnus.
"This is horrible." Ike shook his head. "Look, they even have a small child here."
Linebeck turned and looked towards a young villager who was currently preoccupied with feeding grain to the chickens.
"That's... Mortimer's daughter..." Alex said. "Maggie..."
Suddenly a loud wailing could be heard. A sort of anguished moaning. A very familiar anguished moaning.
"Wait a minute, that's the sound we heard before!" Linebeck said, turning to locate its source. "It looks like it's coming from... oh no..."
Bent over a patch of soil, yanking carrots out of the ground and looking absolutely miserable, was none other than Mayor Howard himself.
"Howard?!" Alex gasped.
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Go and talk to Howard.
B. On second thought, let us not talk to Howard.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud - Moderately Damaged/Operator Mode
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu - Slightly Damaged
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
Notes:
#1*
Thus, Linebeck's adventure begins in Minecraft World. Since Minecraft is a constantly updating game, I think it's a little important to note the current version at this point in time (especially since at the time of writing this, I'm pretty sure a few things from MC in Smash are outdated too, such as the texture for Iron Ore).This arc began 7/12/23, which means that the most recent MC version was 1.20.1 of the Trails & Tails update.
#36*
Slight pasting error here, listing Party/Inventory twice at the end of the update. Just using this as a reminder to say that, just like for Olimar's Alimony, any typos and pasting errors are simply going to be preserved.#98*
The very first (chosen) participant write-in of the adventure. As with OA, Crimson will pretty much always allow us to write-in our own choices should we so choose.#249!**
This post marks the first official combat section of the CYOA. While these sections will start out fairly similar to how combat worked in OA, there will actually be some key evolutions introduced later that I'll go over as they become relevant. But for now, I just want to acknowledge how long it's been since a NON-boss battle. In OA, I believe the final combat section that wasn't against a labeled boss was a few topics shy of the halfway point. It was kind of surprising to kick combat off in WoS with one of these, but it does make sense in order to both start off light and provide a relatively safe and easy environment to test out the mercs' abilities, of which there had to be a bit of input from Crimson in how certain mechanics worked during the discussion phase (such as why Pandoria's moves were unavailable, or Cloud's Modes and Limit).#360*
Not about the update post itself, but during the following discussion phase, I asked if the villager NPCs were actually Villagers (as in, the Minecraft Mob), or if they were supposed to be Player Character-esc like Alex and Steve. Crimson stated it was the former.#440**
As a result of the previous write-in, our trip to Port Knocks comes to a bit of a premature close. It's kind of sad to miss out on certain things (Blacksmith, Tower, Nether Portal, etc), but in the end, there's some fun developments this one action ends up creating surprisingly far into the future, so it's fun to look back on. Perhaps it's a shame to miss out on certain things, but the CYOA format lending to these kinds of trade-offs hardly make things feel like a total loss.---
And that's part 2 of World of Smash! I always found it kind of funny how the first world Linebeck got to explore was Minecraft. I remember that during OA when Steve was revealed for Smash, Crimson stated not to expect anything MC related because, as he put it: "what's there to do with Minecraft, really?" I've always liked the atmosphere of how this particular world felt with all its loosely connected small towns (and the little politics within), and I'm sure the fact that it was based off an actual multiplayer MC world lended to that element of this arc. The images were a fun inclusion that few other franchises could provide like Minecraft.
It's also neat (for me at least) to compare the beginning of World of Smash to Olimar's Alimony. The style, feel, and intent is a lot more concise and focused, likely in part because Crimson came into WoS with a large plan already in mind, while OA initially was intended to be a funny CYOA that could've ended on the very first part. And, obviously, because WoS is a sequel to OA and thus Crimson now has over 4 years of CYOA precedent for this adventure and how it's best structured.
Chapter 3: CYOA: World of Smash - Of Mines and Crafts Part 2
Summary:
With a merry band of mercenaries collected, Linebeck and Alex make a move against the king of the Cubic Kingdom.
Notes:
Part 3 of World of Smash, spanning from 8/20/2023 to 10/6/2023.
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/234547-super-smash-bros-ultimate/80542071
Participants include:
Already_in_Use
old_guy
Impossibill
estejor
jkid101094
Colette-Brunel
HungryLuma64
Salmons
MrFuzz111
Disufiroa
Birdbrain
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
CYOA: World of Smash - Of Mines and Crafts Part 2
#1
***
"Ahhhh!" Magnus slammed an emptied mug of rum down on the table. "Someone pour me another!"
Cloud's arm snapped out and grabbed hold of Zeke's arm, the latter of which was reaching over to refill Magnus's glass.
"What gives?" Zeke's one visible eye blinked rapidly in surprise.
"You're not his servant." Cloud said. "Make that oaf pour his own glass."
"He was just doing his pal a favor." Magnus scowled. "What's your problem, you little spike weasel?!"
"Problem is I'm not a fan of assholes." Cloud shrugged, sipping from his mug.
"Alright, let's settle this then!" Magnus said, standing up from the table and grinning wide.
"Fine by me." Cloud stood up as well.
"I bet a gold ingot on Magnus." Ike smiled.
"Whoa, hey, not in here!" Linebeck protested. "No more damaging my ship!"
"Fine." Magnus shrugged. "Let's take it outside, then!"
"...There's just ocean outside." Alex mumbled, sipping uncomfortably from a glass. "Unless you meant abovedeck."
"Fighting abovedeck would also mean damaging my ship in the process, so... no." Linebeck shot the idea down. "I didn't hire you two to kill each other; if you're gonna fight, you gotta wait 'till we hit land, and I want a full refund from both of you first."
"Fiiiine." Magnus groaned, sitting back down.
"Psh." Cloud rolled his eyes.
"Must be pretty strong alcohol. They've only had one glass." Pandoria said, eyeing their empty mugs.
"I don't think that was the alcohol, Pandy." said Zeke.
Linebeck glanced around at the table's occupants, as well as over in the corner, where Mayhew and Hagurd were both passed out, snoring away.
"Let's all just settle down, alright?" Linebeck diffused the situation. "Get to know each other over some drinks. Heck, I can probably think of a few questions I'd like to ask you guys."
X. Write-in questions to ask.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud - Moderately Damaged/Operator Mode
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu - Slightly Damaged
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
#10
"So... what are your worlds like?" Alex leaned forward with wonder. "I've never left Minecraft World, but meeting Captain Linebeck has me wondering about what all's out there."
"Well, we come from the Cloud Sea." Zeke said. "It's an ocean of clouds, that you can swim through... and everyone lives on these giant titans that are big enough to act as these sort of continents for people to live on."
"Whoa..." Alex breathed in awe.
"You're making that up." Linebeck accused him. "I've been all over the World of Smash, and I've never heard of such a place."
"It's pretty far." Zeke shrugged. "I'm sure you're well-traveled, but the world is a vast place. Nobody has been everywhere."
"I come from Tellius." Ike said. "Honestly... I don't think it's anything special. After traveling around and seeing and hearing about other lands, I realize that there's lots of other places like it. A war-torn place where rulers wage battles with swords and sorcery... that describes Tellius, Hoshido, Nohr, Fódlan, Magvel... so many different continents that might as well be interchangeable. But long story short, I did my part to help bring peace to Tellius, and peace means a mercenary's out of a job, so... I took off."
"I don't really care to talk about my home world." Cloud dodged the question.
"That's because it's b-o-r-i-n-g." Magnus scoffed. "I come from a world where mankind is constantly on the edge of collapse thanks to a bunch of gods waging ego-fueled power struggles with each other. Not to brag, but people used to call me the strongest human alive... apparently I was the only one strong enough to fight on the level of the demigods and servants of the gods."
"Sounds like a place that would have plenty of work for you." Cloud nodded sagely. "And yet here you are, having ran far away from your home."
"Yeah, well, things got too intense." Magnus said, managing to refrain from taking the bait. "Used to be there was one nature goddess. Viridi. Then another goddess showed up claiming to be the 'True Goddess of Nature' and they've been having it out since. It was hard enough just dealing with Viridi, but now the place is unlivable. It's not a matter of if you'll die in the crossfire, but when."
"Do you like frosted beyblades?" Linebeck asked.
"I'm pretty sure none of us knows what those are." Cloud frowned. "So you can stop ask--"
"Have you ever dealt with that big fucking nerd Dracula?" Linebeck asked. "He owes me some money."
"...Captain?" Alex blinked in surprise.
"Whoa, check out the mouth on this salty sea dog!" Magnus grinned.
"...To answer your question, no, we haven't dealt with Dracula." Ike said. "I have heard of him though. Vampirism is serious business."
"What's everyone's star signs?" Linebeck asked.
"I don't know what that is." Alex said, gazing down at her glass.
"Yeah, me neither." Zeke shrugged.
"Same." Pandoria shrugged in unison with Zeke.
"Sounds asinine." Cloud mumbled.
"Taurus." Ike nodded at Linebeck, seeing fit to actually answer the question. "The bull. Strong, pragmatic... I like to think it fits."
"Ares." Magnus said. "Born under the sign of the god of war. I think that's probably fitting."
"It's 'Aries'." Ike corrected. "It represents a ram. I don't think the two are connected."
"Whatever." Magnus shrugged.
"Alright, one last question." Linebeck said, withdrawing the Strange Key that was burning a hole in his pocket. "Do ANY of you have any idea what door this key goes to?"
"Nope." Magnus shook his head.
"Sorry, no."
"Couldn't tell you."
"Who's to say it goes into a door, necessarily?" Zeke said with a grin. "Either way, I don't have the slightest idea what it's for."
"I stole it from those Yiga guys." Linebeck shrugged, pocketing it again. "They had it hidden in a chest deep underground."
"I may not know anything about that key," Alex said, "But I'm pretty sure you shouldn't let them get it back. What if it unlocks something horrible? Something they shouldn't get access to?"
"Yeah, maybe." Linebeck said. "Or maybe it just opens the door to their banana stash. Either way I plan on keeping it."
"So, uh... Captain." Magnus said, finishing off another mug. "Just out of curiosity... which of us do you think is the best merc?"
"Hm?" Linebeck raised an eyebrow.
"This seems like a question that'll only cause trouble." Ike said.
"Yeah, I don't know if I need to go playing favorites..." Linebeck said, leaning back in his chair. "And it's not like we've spent all that much time together..."
"Aww, come on," Magnus said, "Think of it as giving a performance review. We need feedback. Tell us who you think is doing the best job so far."
Linebeck considered the prospect.
A. Magnus
B. Cloud
C. Ike
D. Zeke and Pandoria
E. None of the above.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud - Moderately Damaged/Operator Mode
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu - Slightly Damaged
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
#20
"I gotta say, I think the pilot and the scabbard here are doing the best job." Linebeck said, nodding at Zeke and Pandoria. "They were really carrying the team in battle, and they kept damage to my ship to a minimum."
"Really? Damn." Magnus frowned, putting away another glass. "Guess I'll have to find a chance to show you what I'm made of, then."
"I'm disappointed I didn't seem to get much consideration." Ike said. "I thought I did alright."
"Please," Cloud rolled his eyes. "He's just using the performance evaluation to try and make you want to work harder for no extra pay. We're all doing our jobs competently. Magnus excluded."
"I asked him for an evaluation, prick." Magnus rolled his eyes. "Now where's the rest of the booze?"
"We drank all of it." Linebeck sighed. "And now that we're all filled with alcohol, I guess we'd better make like Howard over there and find a corner to pass out in."
"It's still pretty early." Ike said.
"Well, I've done all the entertaining guests I'm gonna do." Linebeck said, standing up and sauntering towards the stairs. "Do what you will, but don't wreck my ship."
Linebeck ascended the steps and entered the bridge, wherein he had a hammock hanging in one corner of the room. He crawled inside and managed to fall asleep without too much trouble.
***
As the morning's rays poured in through the windows, Linebeck rolled out of the hammock and made his way out to the ship's deck; everyone else was still down below, probably sleeping.
Linebeck stretched his arms and let out a big, satisfying yawn; he felt great. A nice, long sleep that left him at a happy medium where he neither desired more sleep nor felt a headache from having slept too much. Mornings like these were rarer as he got older.
Linebeck stood on the deck with his hands on his hip, surveying the sea, taking in the sight of the sun rising over the horizon. After taking in the view for a minute or so, he noticed something small and airborne in the distance, quickly approaching. He squinted and stared at it as it grew nearer, only realizing what he was looking at once it was far too late.
"There you are, Doctor Lineback!" a man cackled as he flew overhead in some sort of glider contraption, leaping off his vehicle and landing on the deck of the ship.
Linebeck's stomach sank.
"Oh, yes!" Kohga laughed. "We meet again! I have to say I preferred staring at you from the other side of your prison cell. That could still be arranged! Why don't you just come along quietly?"
Linebeck took a step back towards the bridge, staring at Kohga, trying to keep his cool.
"I got word from my men," Kohga said, stretching his right arm. "They searched your ship high and low for that key you stole, but no such luck. Which is a shame, because I was perfectly willing to do this without bloodshed. Still am, in fact."
Linebeck glanced down towards his coat pockets.
"I was ready to whoop you and whatever help you had with you before," Kohga chuckled, "But it looks like you're on your own! Tell you what; just hand over the key. Then I'll be on my way and I'll let you be on yours. Sound good, pal? Well? Speak up!"
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Sounds good. (Give Kohga the key.)
B. That sounds less than good. (Prepare to fight Kohga alone.)
C. That sounds less than good. (Scream for help.)
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud - Operator Mode
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
#26 & #27!
"HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP!!!" Linebeck screamed.
Kohga stopped and stared at Linebeck in surprise for a few moments before bringing his hand up to his face, chuckling softy before erupting into a laughing fit.
"Nobody's gonna help you out here in the middle of the ocean, buddy." Kohga said, dragging his finger across his mask like he was wiping a tear from his eye. "I guess I can't blame you; I am pretty terrifying. What else could someone do but tremble and scream for help?"
The first person to come bursting onto the deck was Alex; followed by Zeke and Pandoria, then Magnus, then Ike, and then Cloud.
"Wha?!" Kohga reared back in surprise. "O-Oh, so there's more of you, eh? Well, it doesn't matter. Because your thread's about to get cut, Dr. Lineback, even if I have to cut a few more threads first!"
"Alright, Captain, leave this guy to us!" Magnus said, massive sword slung over his shoulder.
"Uh... right." Linebeck nodded, shuffling back inside the bridge and motioning for Alex to follow him. The two joined Howard and Hagurd in watching the fight play out from inside, peering through the windows.
Boss Battle:
Master Kohga - Pristine Condition
"Five-on-one, is it?" Kohga chuckled. "These cowardly tactics won't protect you from my moves! Check this out!"
Kohga brought his hands together and summoned a giant spiked metal ball overhead, preparing to launch it at someone.
X. Write-in what to do.
Already_in_Use: I'm just going to assume that if we hit him fast enough, the ball will drop over his head and break entirely like in his boss fight.
[...] Ike can Quick Draw, and then everyone else can follow up by whaling on him while he's stunned, like with Sword Swipe and Cross Slash. [...] Zeke can Dreamslasher.Crimson_Squid: Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher is the name of his sword, not a particular move. But I'll just say that amounts to him slashing his sword.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud - Operator Mode
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
#38!
Boss Battle:
Master Kohga - Slightly Damaged/Stunned
Ike shot forward in a flash of motion, so quick that Linebeck blinked and missed his movement. Ike swiftly slashed at Kohga, interrupting the latter's attack and causing the spiked ball to come smashing on the ninja's head, shattering to pieces.
"Did he just... teleport?!" Linebeck cried.
"No, you buffoon." Howard said. "He just dashed forward quickly. Extremely quickly."
Linebeck could sense that Howard was impressed by Ike. Or perhaps frightened by him.
"Guh!" Kohga grunted, falling down flat on his hindquarters as Zeke followed up with a swift swipe of his sword, striking hard against Kohga's gelatinous body.
"Buh..." Kohga mumbled, dazed.
"Well, come on!" Zeke cried. "What are the rest of you waiting for? He's down! Let's attack!"
Kohga continued to just sit there on the ground, momentarily stunned.
X. Write-in what to do.
Impossibill: I think we just go all out
Stone sword, running kick, Ike could probably just slash at him, his named attacks all probably would hurt the boat. Zeke could Overload Thunder Beam.Already_in_Use: [To above] This, though I think Magnus could probably do something a little stronger, like a Sword Swipe. Ike's sword is Ragnell so he can do the same. And Cloud can Cross Slash.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud - Operator Mode
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Available
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
#46!
Boss Battle:
Master Kohga - Moderately Damaged
X. What you said.
With Kohga dazed and confused, the party all ganged up on him.
Ike and Magnus both swooped in, swinging their blades and dealing some damage.
Cloud lunged forward and performed three deliberate slices, forming a kanji of pain for Kohga before leaping back.
Zeke raised his sword aloft, prompting it to begin crackling with electricity. Zeke pointed the blade down at Kohga, thrusting it forward as a burst of electricity went flying across the deck, striking the ninja and continuing on out towards the sea.
"OVERLOAD THUNDER BEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMM!!!!" Zeke shouted dramatically.
Once that attack ended, Linebeck dashed out from his hiding spot, swiped lamely at Kohga with his Stone Sword, and proceeded to beat a hasty retreat back into the bridge.
"O Captain, my Captain..." Cloud rolled his eyes.
"Ungh..." Kohga grunted, getting back up on his feet and shaking it off.
"Whoa." Magnus whistled. "This guy's getting up for more."
"You think a few measly sword swipes are gonna be enough to take me down?" Kohga chuckled. "Not likely! Now get a load of THIS!!!"
Kohga ascended into the air and clasped his hands together, rotating them around in a circular motion as six stone balls began rotating around him.
"Zeke!" Pandoria waved. "Don't forget that I'm standing right here!"
"Of course, of course." Zeke nodded. "Hmm... but do I want to toss it to her now, or...?"
X. Write-in what to do.
Already_in_Use: Could I ask what Magnus's Spinning Vortex does? [...]
Salmons: [To above] I think he swings his sword like a propeller and sucks in stuff, including enemies, since I remember he did something like that when we fought him in Alimony.
Already_in_Use: I see, that's what I was hoping for. Since the balls are stone instead of steel, I'm wondering if he could suck them all in and then break the boulders before they can do any damage to the mercs and/or ship.
Then we could have free range to Aether, Braver, and why not Electric Circus since Pandoria seems eager.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud - Operator Mode
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Available
6b. Electric Circus - Available
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
#55!
Boss Battle:
Kohga - Critical Condition
X. What you said.
"So long, fools!" Kohga cackled as he launched his six stone balls at the group, each of which began to hone in on one of the mercenaries.
Not long after launch, the balls began to divert course.
"WHAT?!"
Magnus was swinging his sword around overhead, creating a wide-reaching suction effect that pulled the balls towards his sword. Kohga, too, began to get pulled in as he levitated abovedeck.
The balls all struck Magnus's sword one-by-one, letting off small explosions against Magnus's blade that failed to even make the warrior flinch as he continued swinging his sword, only putting an end to the attack once Kohga had been struck.
"Gah!" Kohga cried, falling to the ground on his behind.
Cloud leapt up into the air and came down hard on Kohga with his Buster Sword, followed up by Ike crashing down onto Kohga after performing a mid-air somersault.
"Alright, Pandy!" Zeke said, tossing over Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher. "You're up!"
Pandoria caught the blade and thrust it into the deck of the ship.
"HEY!!!!" Linebeck shouted. "I TAKE IT BACK!!!"
As she had last time, Pandoria lifted the hilt up out of the blade, wielding it like a magic scepter. She held the hilt aloft, summoning electricity that was sent crackling through the blade before the blade levitated up out of the deck and flew over towards Kohga, striking him once before boomeranging back around and striking him again on its way back to its spot wedged in the deck. Upon returning home, Pandoria jammed the hilt back in the blade and tossed Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher over to Zeke.
"These mercenaries of yours are quite powerful." Hagurd nodded approvingly. "Makes me think maybe they really could defeat the king."
"Alright, playtime's over..." Kohga said, getting back up on his feet and teleporting to the other side of the deck. "It's been fun toying with you all, but I'm afraid that now it's time I CRUSH YOU!!!"
Kohga teleported up into the air as a giant spiked ball materialized where he had been standing; reappearing on top of the ball, Kohga began rolling the ball forward, taking care to maintain his balance as he and his giant metal ball began rolling towards the party. As each spike imbedded itself into the deck and created its own hole in the wood paneling, Linebeck's eye twitched.
X. Write-in what to do.
MrFuzz111: I don’t think Magnus is going to be able to do much here, but Blade Beam, Overload Thunder Beam and Aether should be able to reach him and hopefully finish him off while Magnus dodge rolls if needed.
Edit: On second thought Braver, I don’t know if Cloud can aim the beam upwards.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud - Operator Mode
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
#60
"Aether!" Ike cried.
"Braver!" Cloud yelled.
Linebeck cowered from inside the bridge and watched as Cloud and Ike leapt up into the air, each coming crashing down and slashing their swords at Kohga. Kohga bore the damage and continued rolling as Ike and Cloud fell down... directly into the ball's path.
Linebeck looked on in horror and disgust as Ike and Cloud got caught up under the ball, crushed and pinned against it.
"Damn..." Cloud grunted as he emerged from beneath the ball and began rolling up.
"That was... a mistake..." Ike mumbled as he followed suit.
"OVERLOAD THUNDER BEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM!!!!" Zeke cried, firing a burst of electricity.
The electricity struck Kohga, its current moving from the ninja into the ball and zapping Ike and Cloud in the process.
Kohga, meanwhile, fell forward, rolling down and getting crushed by the spiked ball before it disappeared in a puff of smoke.
"Ugh..." Kohga grunted, shakily rising to his feet. "Alright, listen up, Doctor! You may have squeaked out a win this time, cowering behind your hired goons, but don't expect me to be so merciful the next time we meet!"
Kohga levitated up into the air and summoned his glider beneath him in a puff of smoke, grabbing hold of the controls and taking off.
"Hear me, Lineback!" Kohga yelled over his shoulder as he flew away. "You'll rue the day you stole from the Yiga Clan!"
"Urgh..." Ike groaned, lifting himself up off the deck. "Zeke, did you really have to do that?"
"Eh... sorry about that." Zeke smiled apologetically. "But, hey, it did run him off!"
"That guy... can take... a lot more abuse... than you'd think..." Cloud breathed, standing up and steadying himself.
"I wonder if this all could have been avoided if I'd done my vortex thing again." Magnus pondered.
"Maybe." Cloud said. "Or maybe it just would have gotten you crushed. But I guess that would have been a better outcome."
The group turned their heads as they heard the door to the bridge open.
Linebeck came shambling out, gazing at the property damage before him. His beautifully smooth wooden deck was no more; now it was littered with various holes where the spikes had broken through the planks of wood.
"Uh..." Magnus blinked. "You okay, Captain?"
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Assign blame to the mercenaries.
B. Do not assign blame to the mercenaries.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike - Severely Damaged
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud - Severely Damaged/Operator Mode
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
#70
"You know what? It's fine." Linebeck huffed, rubbing his temples.
"Really?" said Magnus, pleasantly surprised.
"No. No, it's not fine." Linebeck frowned. "But I guess it's more that ninja's fault than you guys, so... whatever. I'll just have to get the Linebeck fixed at some point."
"It doesn't look that bad." Alex tried to reassure him. "Just gotta... watch where you step a little..."
"Are you kidding?" Howard snorted, emerging from the bridge. "And I thought this ship looked like junk before!"
"Well, enough standing around." Linebeck ignored Howard's comment, marching towards the bridge. "Governor! Where'd you say we're going?"
"The Cartographorium." Hagurd said. "There's a river that we can take inland, into the desert."
"You just have to turn into that same inlet where we first met." Alex said, before her face darkened. "The one where I built Backwater Village. That inlet leads into a river which runs by Sux, past Wershire, all the way out west into the desert. That's where the Cartographorium is."
"If I had known that, I wouldn't have left my ship at Backwater to get stolen." Linebeck mumbled. "Could've saved us a lot of walking around too."
"Sorry." Alex said sheepishly. "I kind of forgot about your ship, and I don't do good with the water anyway... I'm trying my best to pretend like we're not out on the ocean right now."
Linebeck glanced over at her; she didn't look particularly nervous or seasick. But then she sort of always looked the same; her cubic features didn't carry much expression.
Linebeck steered the ship expertly as they moved on into the inlet and down the river, past Backwater Village and on to Sux.
"I can't believe I was ever stuck there." Howard shook his head as they passed Sux. "Port Knocks was much more suitable for a man of my talents."
"I wonder who the king has running Sux now..." Alex pondered aloud.
There was only one person visible walking around town as they moved by: a child.
"Oh, it's Little Anthony!" Alex smiled. "Wait... is he..."
"Unbelievable." Howard shook his head. "They've got a child doing my job."
"A job so easy even a child could do it." Linebeck muttered.
The ship continued on past Sux, past Wershire, until at last the desert became visible on the horizon. Before crossing over into the new biome, however, a structure became visible on land beside the river.
It was a house. A rather extravagant-looking two-story house.
"Ooh!" Alex marveled as they approached the building. "I've never seen such a nice-looking house before! Can we stop and check it out for a minute?"
Linebeck considered the request.
A. Yes
B. No
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike - Severely Damaged
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud - Severely Damaged/Operator Mode
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
#78
"Well... I guess we can make a brief pit stop." Linebeck relented.
The S.S. Linebeck slowed to a stop, allowing Linebeck and company to step out onto land and inspect the house in question.
"Wow." Hagurd marveled. "And I thought my mansion was impressive."
"Now this is the kind of place I should be living in." Howard nodded in approval.
"I didn't know it was possible to even craft a house like this." Alex said, mouth agape as she gazed up at the two-story structure. "Using that oak staircase as an angular roof... with cobblestone trim! The fenceposts with the wood panels to create an awning for the second-story porch... and, ooh! Look at all these decorative cubes of leaves! You can get those by using shears on trees, and... is that stripped wood?! I never would have thought to..."
"I'll admit," Linebeck said, "I wouldn't have thought something so sophisticated could be constructed out of cubes."
Alex ran forward and opened the double doors marking the front entrance; upon entering the place, Linebeck could sense her disappointment immediately.
"Oh, but... the inside is completely empty." Alex said dejectedly. "They didn't furnish it at all."
"All flash and no substance, eh?" Zeke rubbed his chin. "Not much use having a house like this is there isn't even so much as a bed to sleep in. I'd take a room in an inn any day."
"Still... there's a lot of neat construction ideas here." Alex said appreciatively. "It's strange, though... I've walked through this area plenty of times, and I've never seen this house here before."
"Hey!" Cloud called over from around the side of the house. "You might want to come look at this."
The group walked around and found a little garage-like opening in the side of the house which led down into the earth. The passageway was made of cobblestone and lit well by torchlight.
"Well... we should probably see what's down there..." Alex said, looking from the passageway and over to Linebeck. "...Right?"
A. Right.
MrFuzz111: If we go with A, I’m not sure if we should bring Howard and Hagurd with us. If this is some sort of secret resistance base (which would explain why the house is empty but has a secret passage) and we walk in with the mayor and (fake) priest of Port Knocks we’re going to have a hard time explaining ourselves after that first impression. Of course, just leaving them up here is risky too. Maybe leave a merc on guard duty to make sure nothing happens to them or our ship?
estejor: [To above] I think we should leave Zeke and Pandoria, if only to better their odds in case something goes wrong
B. Nah, back onto the ship.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike - Severely Damaged
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud - Severely Damaged/Operator Mode
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
#85
"Alright, you two go... guard the Linebeck." Linebeck said, pointing at Zeke and Pandoria before changing his point to Hagurd and Howard. "And you two... go wait on the ship."
"Sure thing." Zeke nodded and turned around.
"Mrgr... me what to do... see if... bastard..." Howard mumbled as he trudged back to the ship alongside Hagurd and their bodyguards.
With that done, the group made their way down the cobblestone staircase that led a fair distance underground. Eventually they came into a large open room, lined with railways and minecarts. There were signs with familiar destinations written upon them; Sux, Wershire, Port Knocks. Those were the only signs with proper names of locations written on them; others had coordinates. Every single sign came corresponding with two sets of rails; one holding an empty minecart, the other holding a minecart bearing a chest.
"Looks like someone really gets around." Cloud said, walking over to a nearby chest and lifting the lid: empty.
"Wish I'd known this place had this kind of infrastructure." Magnus said, checking another empty chest. "Would've saved us a lot of hoofing."
Linebeck opened a chest near him; mostly empty, save for one red block with the letters 'TNT' written on the front.
"I found dynamite!" Linebeck said, holding out his prize for the others to see.
"TNT is very powerful." Alex said. "And very dangerous. If it gets caught on fire, it'll blow up in a huge explosion. I don't know about you all, but it'd probably be enough to kill me if I got caught in the blast zone."
"Hmm..." Linebeck looked over his prize.
A. Take the TNT.
B. Leave it here.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike - Severely Damaged
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud - Severely Damaged/Operator Mode
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu - Unavailable
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria - Unavailable
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
#91
"Well, no sense leaving it here for the king or whoever to use it instead." Linebeck said, stuffing it in his coat pockets.
"I've never seen gold rails like these..." Alex said, inspecting a patch of gold-and-red rails that were positioned in front of the minecarts before gazing over at the Wershire sign. "I wonder..."
Alex ran over and hopped into the empty Wershire minecart, punching a button on a nearby wall as the minecart began moving forward.
"What're you doing?" Linebeck blinked.
"I just want to see if this leads where I think it does." Alex said as the minecart hit the gold railing and launched forward at incredible speed. "I'll be right baaaaaaaaaaaaa-"
Linebeck and company watched as she disappeared off down a long corridor, rounded a corner, and vanished from sight and sound.
"Hopefully those rails don't take her anywhere too dangerous." Ike said. "Like right into a horde of monsters, or... into lava... or something like that."
"Nah, I'm sure she'll be fine." Magnus dismissed the concern. "Who would bother building all this transportation if it was just gonna kill ya?"
"Well, wherever it leads her, she better be back soon." Linebeck said, checking an imaginary watch on his wrist. "We don't have time to stand around all day."
After a minute or two of standing around, the minecart came back, Alex still in tow and in one piece. As it slowed to a stop, Alex hopped back out and turned to Linebeck.
"It led to a cave in the hills by Wershire." Alex reported. "I even passed by that cavern we were in before, with the ninja's dead body."
"So that rail from before..." Linebeck nodded in understanding. "Alright, well, we've spent enough time here. Let's head back to the ship."
The group made their way back to the S.S. Linebeck, filling the others in on the details.
"So there's a railway leading to Sux?" Howard cocked his head and frowned. "I never knew anything about that. I guess you must've been in the dark too, right, Hagurd?"
"No, I knew about the Port Knocks railway." Hagurd said.
Howard frowned harder.
"The king set them up." Hagurd explained. "He uses them to transport cargo around, as well as a means of moving around quickly aside from the use of Nether Portals."
"So the king built this, then." Alex said, gazing at the house.
"A project of his, to liven up the countryside I suppose." Hagurd shrugged. "It looks extravagant enough, but I guess he couldn't be bothered to put anything in it."
"All style and no substance." Magnus nodded sagely as if he were dispensing wisdom.
"Hollow." Hagurd nodded in agreement. "It makes me wonder if... eh, never mind."
"Never mind is right." Linebeck said, marching towards the bridge. "Let's get a move on, daylight's-a-wastin'."
The S.S. Linebeck plowed on, making its way down the river for a few hours before finally crossing over into the desert. As they continued on into the late afternoon, a desert village became visible to their right. Far, far in the distance, barely visible on the horizon, was a mountain; and on top of that mountain was an obscenely tall structure that reached into the sky.
"That's the Cartographorium." Alex said.
"Seriously?!" Linebeck cried. "It's huge! We don't have to climb all the way up it, do we?"
"Yeah." Alex sighed. "There's a winding staircase that leads all the way up. But maybe we should stop by the village here and see how things are doing."
"Hmm..." Linebeck considered the notion. "What's it called?"
"IIIIIII don't think it has a name, actually." Alex said. "But the people here are really nice! They're always happy to give me food and a bed whenever I show up!"
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Stop by the nameless desert town.
B. On to the Cartographorium!
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
1e. TNT x 1
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
#97
"Alright, prepare to port!" Linebeck shouted as he pulled up to the nameless town and slowed the ship to a stop.
The group stepped out to find a desert village - larger than Sux but smaller than Port Knocks - which consisted of various buildings standing atop of the sand, built of sandstone.
"So what's the deal?" Magnus asked. "We staying here for the night?"
"No, we're not staying long." Linebeck said. "We're just here to glean a little info, try to get an idea of what the king's up to around here."
"Is that all?" Howard chuckled. "Leave this one to me, then. You there! Peon!"
The rest of the group looked on as Howard approached a nearby farmer, taking care to let his robes flap majestically in the breeze to help make an impression.
"Hm?" the farmer glanced up from his work pulling potatoes and faced Howard before looking on at the rest of the party. "Who are all you people? Oh, hello, Ale-"
"We are envoys of the king!" Howard interrupted. "Now tell us, simple farmer: who's in charge around here?"
"In... charge?" the villager repeated.
"Yes, who has the king delegated to oversee operations in this village?" Howard questioned.
"I didn't know we had a king." the farmer said.
"You live in the Cubic Kingdom, and you don't even know that you have a king. Tsk, tsk, tsk." Howard shook his head condescendingly.
"This is the first I'm hearing of any hierarchical governmental institutions around here." the farmer shrugged.
"Hey," a passing villager in a blacksmith's apron butted in, "You think maybe this has something to do with that wall thing Perceval was crowin' on about?"
"Oh, yeah, maybe." the farmer nodded before turning back to Howard. "You know somethin' about a giant burnin' wall?"
"Yeah, that... that's the wall marking the border of the kingdom." Howard tapped his foot impatiently.
"Shor's bones, he says the wall exists!" the farmer cried to the blacksmith.
Linebeck craned his neck and scanned around the horizon; apparently they were far enough inside the borders of the kingdom that the wall was no longer visible to them. This town appeared to be completely untouched by Current Events.
"So he has, he has!" the blacksmith nodded. "Guess maybe ol' Perceval ain't havin' those hallucinations after all."
"Guess so." the farmer nodded before calling over to Alex. "Hey, Alex, did you know about the king and the wall?"
"Yeah." Alex nodded and smiled politely. "The kingdom was apparently established around a week or so ago."
"What?!" the farmer cried. "And nobody told us nothin'?! No delegation sent to inform us?"
"It's a sign of disrespect, is what it is." the blacksmith asserted. "King means to rule over us, but can't be bothered to so much as give us fair notice!"
"Wait a minute, this guy said they're envoys of the king." the farmer said. "Maybe this is the delegation."
"Still, it's a few days too late for me not to feel insulted by--"
"We're not envoys of the king." Howard groaned. "I just said that because... oh, forget it. These bumpkins don't know anything! Let's just get out of here."
"So there are parts of the kingdom the king hasn't even been to." Ike reflected. "Or at least, doesn't seem to exert any real control over."
"I guess it makes sense." Pandoria nodded. "Even if he can move around quick, he's just one guy. Who knows how many villages there are to bring under his control."
"Come to think of it, how large is this kingdom, anyway?" Zeke mused. "We've mostly only been moving along the border of it."
"Now that's a question you'd want to ask Perceval." the farmer said knowingly.
"Who's Perceval?" Linebeck asked.
"The map-makin' guy runnin' the map-makin' place." the farmer pointed towards the tower."
"Alright. Thanks for the information." Linebeck said.
"So what's this king like, anyway?" the farmer asked. "He gonna lead us to a glorious new age of prosperity or somethin'?"
Linebeck considered the question.
A. Under his leadership, this village will be put on the path to a bright new future. (Lie)
B. Actually, he's probably just going to subjugate you.
C. Actually, he's probably just going to subjugate you. That's why we're on a quest to dethrone him. Via violence, if necessary.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
1e. TNT x 1
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
#106*
B. Actually, he's probably just going to subjugate you.
"...What?" the Farmer blinked.
"Oi, he's sayin' the king's gonna be oppressin' us?" the blacksmith asked.
"Someone from this village will be chosen as a delegate to help run things." Hagurd stepped in to explain, "Maybe two people. They'll be responsible for overseeing production as the rest of you are tasked with producing whatever given materials the king requests of you. Mining for things, probably. Chopping lumber, probably not given the environment. Shoveling sand for sandstone and glass, I've little doubt."
"But I like farmin'." the farmer said, gazing down at his potatoes.
"Psh." Howard rolled his eyes.
"The king would have use for crops, right?" the farmer asked.
"Doubt it." Hagurd shrugged. "Port Knocks produces more than enough food, and even if not, there are any number of better places to invest in crop production than a desert."
"But he's gotta have use for a blacksmith, right?" the smith said hopefully.
"Heh. Not likely." Hagurd chuckled. "Frankly I think Port Knocks is producing at least twice as much stock as he actually needs."
The farmer and blacksmith glanced at each other and then looked down at the ground glumly. The group stood there quietly for about half a minute as Linebeck glanced back to the ship.
"Welp... goodbye!"
Linebeck shuffled back onto the deck and with that, the group was moving on down the river.
"I feel like maybe we could have left them with at least some hope." Alex said.
"Yeah, well." Linebeck shrugged. "Can't exactly go around blabbing about us being traitors to the crown and all."
"And besides," Magnus said, "We'll have that king dethroned before he even gets around to subjugating that place."
The S.S. Linebeck continued on its path, eventually managing to reach the base of the mountain that housed the Cartographorium. It was, however, getting late. The sun was setting already.
"So are we gonna climb that thing now, or wait until morning?" Cloud queried.
Linebeck considered his options.
A. A little night hike never hurt anyone.
B. Best to just wait for daylight. Nothing can possibly go wrong.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
1e. TNT x 1
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
#112
"Oh, really?" Hagurd yawned. "It's getting late. I was hoping to get some shut-eye soon."
"Yeah, what kind of fool would go shambling up a mountain in the middle of the night?" Howard scoffed. "Hard pass."
"Stay here, then, someone needs to guard the ship anyway. Possibly from you." Linebeck turned and pointed to Zeke and Pandoria. "You two stay back and watch the Linebeck."
"Aye aye, Captain!" Zeke grinned, clearly relieved.
"It's a good thing, too." Pandoria eyed Zeke knowingly. "You and I both know you'd have found some way to fall off that mountain."
"Alright," Linebeck said, turning to face the mountain, "The rest of you mercs protect me. Make sure I don't get eaten by any zombies, or shot by stray arrows, or whatever. Oh, and, uh, protect Alex too."
"Aww, thanks!" Alex smiled.
"How selfless." Cloud said, probably sarcastically. Linebeck couldn't be sure, though; he said it with a completely straight face.
With that, the group began their ascent up the mountain. Linebeck hoisted himself up over the edge of each block, one-by-one, as Alex effortlessly jumped up alongside him. Cloud, Ike, and Magnus would didn't seem to have trouble with the ascension as they took out various threats: a few zombies, some skeletons, and even a Creeper that came close to blowing up in Linebeck's face.
After doing this for what felt like hours, Linebeck hoisted himself over the final block and reached the summit of the mountain.
"We... made it..." Linebeck huffed, doubled over.
"Yeah," Alex looked down at him and smiled sympathetically. "But that was the easy part. Climbing the tower is what's exhausting."
Linebeck looked up at the tower, reaching high into the sky, and let out a shaky sigh before straightening himself up.
In front of them was the entrance, an open doorway that led into a small room in which a staircase was visible. Linebeck made a show of striding confidently towards the staircase, but stopped when a strange black creature with purple eyes materialized between the group and the tower.
Linebeck made the briefest eye contact with the thing before Alex interjected.
"Don't look at it!" Alex cried, whacking Linebeck's head down with her battering ram of an arm.
"Ow."
"Let's end this quickly." Ike said, crouching down and preparing to use quick draw.
"No, you don't need to!" Alex said quickly, gazing down at the ground. "Endermen are harmless... so long as you don't look directly at its face."
"And if we do?" Cloud queried.
"Then it will attack, and there's no guarantee of safety if it does." Alex said. "These things teleport around and hit you before you even... look, I know people who died looking at these. Let's just resist the temptation to look and walk past, it's completely safe that way."
"I still kind of want to attack it." Magnus said.
"Don't." Alex warned. "It isn't worth the treasure."
"...Treasure?" Linebeck's ears perked up.
"Well, supposedly they drop these... never mind, I don't want to tempt you. Can we please just walk past?"
"Alright, alright." Linebeck assented, moving alongside the group as they went around the Enderman and stepped into the Cartographorium.
Linebeck looked up; a staircase wrapped around the square room, running along and wrapping around the walls, practically as far as the eye could see. But not quite; he could make out some glass far above, where the stairs finally ended.
"You know," Magnus said, "If you two wanted to get a head start, we could hang back, get that treasure, and catch up with you."
Alex sighed.
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Go get that treasure.
B. Abandon the treasure.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
1e. TNT x 1
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
#118
"We've got more important things to worry about." Linebeck said. "Besides... if that thing does manage to kill all or even just one of you, that's a lot of money spent wasted."
"Ugh, fine." Magnus relented. "Can't say I'm looking forward to climbing stairs for the next hour, but whatever."
***
Linebeck had hoped that it would be an exaggeration to say they'd spend the next hour climbing the stairs: it wasn't. An hour had passed, and the party was only halfway up. As he peered down over the stairs, far to the floor down below, Linebeck wasn't sure if his legs were trembling more from exhaustion or fright.
Linebeck heard a horrible, disgusting crunching noise(hardly the first time he'd heard it climbing these stairs) and glanced over to Alex, who was chowing down on steak to replenish her energy.
"Are you sure eating steak won't stop you from being tired?" Alex asked. "It's supposed to instantly give you energy to keep moving!"
"No, it'll just make us lethargic and sleepy!" Linebeck said.
"Also it would take us a lot longer to eat it than the two seconds it takes you." Ike said.
"Also I don't know if I even want to eat steak from one of these blocky cows." Cloud said. "...Could be that our anatomy just doesn't mesh with it. Like dogs eating chocolate."
"Suit yourself." Alex shrugged as she chowed down on more steak. "Once we go up this next flight, we'll officially be halfway up."
"Uggggggghhhh." Linebeck moaned before pricking his ears up. "...Wait. What's that noise?"
The faint sound of voices could be heard; distant and indecipherable at first, but their volume quickly grew louder as the source of these sounds drew nearer.
"...mustn't stop until we vanquish the darkness from these lands!"
"But... one wrong step and we're dead! We could at least slowdown!"
"We cannot! Francesca is still waiting for us!"
"But... but, L'Arachel..."
"Gwa ha ha!! Come on, Rennac! We run 'till we drop! First one to pass out wins!"
"Ugh, Dozla, you raving... wait, I think there's others ahead!"
Linebeck and company watched as three figures wrapped around the flight of stairs above them, making their way down towards them and struggling to come to a quick stop before colliding with them. There were three: an elegantly-dressed woman, a stout bearded brute of a man, and a lithe rogue-ish sort. The former and latter nearly went careening over the edge in their effort to halt their momentum, but the brute grabbed hold of both of them.
"What's this? Fellow travelers?" the woman, apparently L'Arachel, greeted them, unfazed by her near-death experience. "I bid you a good evening, friends! I am L'Arachel, pri--"
"My lady, wait!" the brute, probably Dozla, interjected. "Your secret identity!"
"Oh! Right!" L'Arachel nodded. "I am L'Arachel, humble cleric. My traveling companions here are Dozla and Rennac. I'd love to stay and chat, but my horse is waiting for me, so if you'll excuse us, we must be getting past you."
"Get past them?!" Rennac scoffed. "How?! There's no room!"
Indeed, there wasn't; the staircase was far too narrow for them to move past; it was only one person wide.
"Oh, dear." L'Arachel sighed. "I hate to trouble you fine folk, but do you think you could turn around and start sprinting back down the stairs?"
Linebeck's eye twitched.
A. Fine.
B. No, we are not going to turn around and start sprinting down the stairs. How about YOU turn around and move UP?
C. There must be another way!
HungryLuma64: Perhaps we could ask them why they're here. They might already have something we could use, at least.
Already_in_Use: C. Alex can build a safe platform for either group to wait on while the other passes.
But first we should talk with them and let them know our interests probably align and we might be able to join forces.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
1e. TNT x 1
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
#126** & #127
"Another way?" L'Arachel cocked her head. "Hmm, I struggle to think of anything... and we are in such a hurry..."
"My lady! Should you but will it, I will gladly charge through them and make a path!" Dozla suggested helpfully.
"W-wait!" Linebeck said. "We could, uh... Alex, maybe you could do something! You know, build a thing?"
"Oh, right!" Alex nodded eagerly. "I'll build us a little platform to stand on so they can pass by."
The group stood and watched as Alex took out a few blocks of wooden planks, setting them off to the side of the stairs, laying out enough for the entire party to stand on.
"Alright, get on the platform." Linebeck said, stepping on and motioning for his hired help to follow.
"It's weird that this platform can just float in the air without proper support." Ike observed.
"The more time we spend in this world, the less I question it." Linebeck shrugged.
"Our path is obstructed no longer! We may resume our righteous mission!" L'Arachel cried joyously. "Dozla! Rennac! Prepare to resume sprinting!"
"Nooooooooooo..." Rennac groaned.
"Wait a minute, please!" Alex said. "Travelers from other worlds are pretty rare around here. Could I ask what you're doing here?"
"We are here to carry out the righteous mission given to me by the gods themselves!" L'Arachel announced. "To cleanse this world from the encroaching darkness that threatens it!"
"You mean you're here to defeat the king?" Alex said hopefully. "Great! So are we!"
"Maybe you should join up with us, then." Ike suggested. "We're already on a mission to defeat this evil tyrant ourselves."
"Ehhhhhhhhh..." Linebeck trailed off, not knowing if he cared for that suggestion.
"Oh my, an evil king, you say?" L'Arachel blinked.
"Oh, no." Rennac closed his eyes.
"I wouldn't have thought this land had a king at all, much less an evil one." L'Arachel said.
"Wait... then what have you been doing here, then?" Alex asked.
"We have been delivering justice unto the blighted monsters that plague the land!" L'Arachel said triumphantly.
"...By which she means we've been wandering around fighting every monster in sight night after night." Rennac said.
"Dozla here has been particularly effective at administering justice lately." L'Arachel informed the party. "Rennac, do work harder to try and match his pace."
"Gwa ha ha!" Dozla laughed. "You flatter me with your praise, my lady! Don't worry, Rennac, I'll lend you my axe so you can catch up! Let's swap weapons!"
"No." Rennac said, not even glancing at Dozla.
"Wait, you're saying you've just been fighting every monster in sight?" Magnus said. "Is it even possible to defeat them all?"
"Not as far as I'm aware." Alex said. "They endlessly spawn and respawn in the darkness. It's just a fact of life; we've learned to live around it, if not with it."
"Wait. What is it you are saying?" L'Arachel asked.
"She's saying what we've been doing the past week has been a complete waste of time!" Rennac cried.
"But wait..." L'Arachel said, "You said there is a wicked tyrant threatening this fair land? Then we must act!"
"No, no, no, no, no, no..." Rennac mumbled.
"Rennac! Dozla!" L'Arachel shouted. "Change of plans! Our top priority is no longer the slaying of the night beasts, but rather to depose this unjust ruler!"
"I knew it." Rennac sighed.
"Aww, but I was having such a blast before..." Dozla said dejectedly.
"Fear not, Dozla." L'Arachel reassured him. "You are, of course, free to dismember any demonic force that we should happen upon on the way. Encouraged to!"
"YES!!" Dozla yelled.
"Now, let us be off!" L'Arachel cried.
"Wait!" Alex stopped their leaving an additional time. "You say... the gods have sent you here, to Minecraft World, to... cleanse it of darkness?"
"Well, not so much this world specifically." L'Arachel said. "I meant "this world" as in the entire world. We're going to travel to every sub-world we can, by divine providence, until we've put an end to the encroaching darkness the gods speak of!"
"So you're actually just wandering around aimlessly." Linebeck cut to the heart of the matter.
"I should hardly call a mission delivered by divine providence 'aimless'!" L'Arachel scoffed while Rennac nodded silently at Linebeck from behind her.
"My lady, Francesca still awaits us!" Dozla pointed out.
"Right, of course!" L'Arachel nodded. "Fear not, friends! We shall deal with this king in short order! You can leave this mission to us and consider it as good as settled!"
"We're probably still going to continue our 'mission' to defeat him." Cloud said.
"Very well!" L'Arachel said. "Then we shall forge ahead and meet up with you later, after you've concluded your business here! Oh, I just hope Francesca will be able to hold out until we reach the ground level... it's still such a long way, and we've already spent so much time talking..."
"Wait, my lady! I've an idea!"
Dozla withdrew a giant battleaxe and swung it at the wall, instantly obliterating two blocks of wood and creating a person-sized hole in the side of the tower.
"Look!" Dozla said, pointing to a small pool of water that was just barely visible in the moonlight far, far below them. "We can get down there even faster than if we had never stopped sprinting!"
"Oh, gods be praised!" L'Arachel cried joyously. "Great idea, Dozla!"
"Oh, no. No, no, no." Rennac stood back and stood firm. "Absolutely not. I am going to walk down the stairs and meet up with you down where we left Francesca. Or better yet, go on ahead without me."
"What are you talking about, Rennac?" L'Arachel said. "Enough wasting time with idle banter. Jump!"
"I told you, I'm not--"
"Gwa ha ha!! Don't be so timid! Just aim for the water!"
Dozla grabbed Rennac and shoved him out of the hole before diving out after him, with L'Arachel leaping out of the tower right after.
The party stood and gaped at the person-sized hole for a few moments before Linebeck broke the silence.
"Well..." he sighed, "Guess we'd better keep moving up."
"Do you think they could actually defeat the king on their own?" Alex asked hopefully as the group continued ascending the stairs. "They seemed very capable!"
"That's not the impression I got." Cloud said. "That woman seemed way in over her head to me."
"Yeah, and I wouldn't bet on that Rennac guy sticking around." Ike said. "He's definitely looking for an opportunity to leave. I don't feel too good about L'Arachel's chances in a group of three, let alone two."
"I dunno, that Dozla guy seemed pretty strong." Magnus said approvingly. "Anyone who can swing an axe that size around would be tough to beat."
"Yeah, sure, maybe he keeps her from getting killed by zombies." Cloud said. "But they just took off only just having learned about the king's existence two seconds ago! They don't even know what he looks like, or where to find him... didn't even think to ask us for any leads. Those idiots didn't even stop to figure out where they're going before running off."
"Hmm..." Alex processed this information, surprised at how negative some of their responses were. "What do you think, Captain?"
Linebeck considered the question.
A. I think they're doomed.
B. I think they've probably got it handled.
MrFuzz111: Sarcastic B. Hopefully we catch up with them in time later.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
1e. TNT x 1
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
#134
B. I think they've probably got it handled.
"I agree!" Alex smiled. "I'm glad you think so. But still, I guess we should still do our part to help, huh?"
Alex failing to pick up on his sarcasm made Linebeck feel a little bad about snarking instead of giving a straightforward answer.
"Huh. I kinda thought he was being sarcastic." Magnus said..
"He was being sarcastic, idiot." Cloud said to Magnus; he pursed his lips upon realizing he'd caught Alex in the crossfire with that insult.
Alex blushed and hung her head in shame.
Oh yeah; Linebeck was definitely feeling bad about opting for sarcasm.
The group moved on upwards for another hour or so before at last reaching the top; the stairs came up into a room with a glass floor, glass walls, and a tall glass ceiling. Nestled in a few of the corners were a bed, a chest, and a cartography table. On the far side wall was an array of maps hung up on the ceiling, each hung up on a different cube and combining to form one single supermassive map that showed the layout of an unfathomably large amount of land. Sitting in a desk, writing something down, was a Villager who glanced up at them upon their arrival.
"...Oh, Alex." the Villager nodded at her. "It's you."
"Hello, Perceval." Alex smiled.
"Did you lose your map again?" Perceval cocked his head and smirked.
"Well... yes, actually." Alex's face flushed red. "But that's not why we're here."
Perceval got up and walked over to the chest.
"Wait, you had a map?" Linebeck asked.
"Yes, but I accidentally dropped it in lava." Alex sighed. "It's a long story. Well, it's not actually long. But it embarrassing."
Perceval walked over to Alex and handed her a map he'd grabbed from the chest.
"There you go." he said, "That map covers the breadth of the land all the way from here to Port Knocks. But if you didn't come for a new map, what brings you here. And who are all your friends?"
Linebeck decided to step in and account for the group.
A. Joshua sent us. *wink*
B. We're on a mission to depose the king and we need you to help us find him.
C. We are envoys of the king and we are here to verify your subjugation.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
1e. TNT x 1
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
#139
B. We're on a mission to depose the king and we need you to help us find him.
"Really?" Perceval's eyebrows shot up. "And what makes you think that I would help you depose him?"
"We spoke to Joshua." Alex said. "He said to seek you out for help."
"Mmm." Perceval nodded. "Well, I'm no fan of the king either. That wall of his prevents us cartographers from mapping any additional unmapped territory."
Perceval gestured out the glass walls; in the distance Linebeck could just barely make out a line of light stretching across the horizon. No doubt the flaming wall.
"Has the king been here before?" Alex asked.
"Well, over a week ago, someone I'd never seen before came up here and took a map." Joshua recalled. "This was before the wall went up, and before I'd heard tell of this king or the so-called Cubic Kingdom. It was only after the fact that I heard a description of the king and realized it must have been him."
"And he didn't try to subjugate you at all?" Linebeck asked.
"No." Perceval said. "As far as I can tell, this region has been almost completely untouched by his influence. I've spoken to people from the nearby villages about it when they came up here. I declined to speak about it with the strange trio that showed up here just an hour or so ago; I imagine you ran into them on the way up?"
"Unfortunately, yes." Cloud nodded.
"What did those other guys come up here for, anyway?" Ike asked. "Did you give them a map?"
"Sure, I gave them a map." Perceval shrugged. "Though as far as I could tell they didn't even know about the services we provide here. They seemed to have just run all the way up just to see what was up here."
"I can believe it." Cloud nodded.
"Well, how about it?" Linebeck got the conversation back on track. "Can you help us find the king or not?"
"I believe I can." Perceval nodded, walking over to the large map sprawled across the wall. "Come closer for a moment."
Perceval brought his nub up to point at a square-ish blob sitting amidst a patch of green which was itself sitting amidst the desert.
"This artificial structure wasn't on the map as little as two days ago. Sometime since then it's generated on there, signifying that something has been built, or is being built, on this site."
"...Generated on the map?" Magnus frowned. "You mean you didn't draw it?"
"...Draw a map?" Perceval blinked confusedly. "I don't know how cartography works where you're from, but--"
"Yes, yes, Minecraft World is very strange." Linebeck said flippantly. "So you're saying the king's probably there, huh? And where are we, exactly?"
Perceval moved his arm over ever-so-slightly, gesturing at another patch of green just up the river. There was an artificial structure depicted on the map which Linebeck supposed would resemble the Cartographorium from an aerial view.
"That close?" Linebeck cocked his head. "But that's..."
"Right over there." Perceval finished his sentence, gesturing towards the glass wall off to their side, out to the west.
Not so far in the distance, light was illuminating some kind of stone structure that was being built into the side of a mountain.
"That structure is currently incomplete, but I could swear it looks a little more complete each time I look over there." Perceval said. "I believe the king is actively building a castle, and so long as the project is under construction you should be able to run into him there."
"Got it." Linebeck nodded. "I guess that's as good a lead as we could have hoped for."
"Thanks for the help, Perceval!" Alex said appreciatively.
"No, thank you for trying to put a stop to this." Perceval said. "If this king isn't deposed, the art of cartography is going to be as good as dead around here."
"You'll be sent to sweat in the mines for sure." Linebeck nodded knowingly. "Forced to abandon your life's work. That's what happened to what's-his-face."
"Matthew." Alex said.
"Mm, sorry to hear that." Perceval sighed. "Matthew was one of the best cartographers in the trade."
"I doubt we have the time to stand around and talk about map-making." Cloud said. "We should get going."
"Right." Linebeck nodded. "Thanks for the help, map man. I guess we're off to go descend seventy-thousand flights of stairs."
"The trip down is a lot easier than the trip up." Perceval smiled.
***
"He was right." Linebeck admitted as the group reached the base of the mountain. "It wasn't half as horrible going down as it was going up. With both the stairs and the mountain."
"Well, I'm beat." Magnus yawned. "Can't wait to get back to the ship and get some shut-eye. Even if it is hard wood paneling shut-eye."
"You want to sleep? Now?" Cloud asked. "We know where the king is, and he's not far. We should march down there right now and attack. And if we approach in the cover of the night, he probably won't even see us coming."
"That may be true," Ike said, "But I can tell you firsthand that a well-rested army fares much better than one that isn't. We're better off sleeping in and attacking in the day tomorrow."
"So that he can see us coming?" Cloud said. "And have more time to prepare?"
"So we don't go wandering into any traps because we were too sleep-deprived to see the signs." Ike said. "So we don't succumb to exhaustion when we need our strength the most. So we don't get our heads lopped off because we were just a bit too groggy to block a strike in time."
Linebeck rubbed his chin. Ike made some good points; plus Linebeck very much wanted to crawl in his hammock and pass out.
A. We attack tomorrow!
B. We attack tonight!
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
1e. TNT x 1
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
#147
"Yeah, we'll attack tomorrow." Linebeck decided. "We need our rest, especially after all those stairs."
Cloud frowned but did not protest.
"Welcome back." Zeke greeted the group as they boarded the S.S. Linebeck. "How did things go?"
"We know where the castle is!" Alex informed him. "It's not too far down the river."
"We'll be storming the castle tomorrow." said Linebeck. "So you'd better get some sleep."
"How'd guard duty go for you?" Magnus asked.
"A skeleton wandered nearby and started firing at us." Pandoria said. "Took care of it without any trouble."
"We also saw a group of people descend down the mountain and go running off to the west, slaying monsters as they went." Zeke said.
"Guess they survived the fall." Linebeck said, shambling off towards the bridge. "I'm going to bed. You'd all better do the same; I don't want my life in the hands of half-asleep mercenaries!"
Linebeck crawled into his hammock and wasted no time in passing out.
***
"I'm sorry, Jolene."
Linebeck lay there on the deck of the ship, gazing up at the sky as he bled out. Laying across from him he could sense the presence of a specter from his past, come to enact her revenge upon him. But she was in the same situation as him; unable to do anything but lie there and await her death as an automated voice over the intercom count down to their demise.
3. 2. 1.
***
Linebeck sat up from his hammock in a cold sweat. He'd had the dream where the ship explodes again; that much was to be expected. But this time it had the element of Jolene, which only added to the terror of it. The fact that Linebeck apologized to her only made it more bizarre; he couldn't imagine saying that unless he was begging for his life. But in his dream he sounded sincere.
"Eugh." Linebeck shuddered.
He got up and made his way over to the ship's wheel, putting the ship in motion and sailing down the river. He could see the rest of the group through the window, awake and on deck. Judging by the sun's position in the sky, he'd slept in 'till noon. Linebeck regretted nothing.
"Good morning, Captain!" Alex greeted him as she entered the bridge. "I feel ready to take on whatever the king has to throw at us! I think you made the right call, letting us sleep."
"Maybe." Linebeck said. "Though I can't help but feel like there was no right call, and that either choice would have led to its own set of drawbacks."
"Well, either way I think we're gonna be fine." Alex said assuredly. "Especially with L'Arachel and her band around to help out."
"Mm-hm." Linebeck nodded, not convinced.
The S.S. Linebeck continued along down the river, drawing close to the castle. The structure was even taller than it had been the night prior.
"Captain, look! Up there!"
Linebeck followed Alex's gaze and peered up on the structure; he could make out a figure standing at the very top, placing blocks down as he stacked the building higher and higher. As the ship drew closer, the figure stopped in its tracks and turned around, facing in their direction.
"He's spotted us." Linebeck observed.
From what he could see of the rest of the group on deck, they'd noticed the king's presence as well. Eventually the king turned around and resumed his project, stacking blocks higher and higher.
The S.S. Linebeck continued on down the river, passing by a non-blocky horse tied to a tree(Francesca, no doubt) before later coming upon a fork in the river; one path led out in front of the castle, the other led into a hillside cave.
"That... probably would've made good place to hide our ship." Linebeck sighed. "But I guess there isn't much point in being stealthy now."
Linebeck moved the ship on down the river, bringing it to a stop a little ways out in front of the mountain which bore the castle.
"I see we're not going for the stealth approach." Magnus said as Linebeck and Alex emerged from the bridge.
"We gave up on the 'stealth approach' when we approached in broad daylight instead of at night." Cloud shrugged.
"Fine by me." Magnus grinned. "Let's get in there and bust some heads, yeah?"
"Yeah, you all go do that." Howard said. "I'll just hang around here and wait for you to return. I'm sure you've got this under control."
"Yeah," Hagurd yawned, "I'll hang back to. Maybe catch a nap."
Linebeck assessed the situation; he wasn't about to charge into that castle without his full gang of mercenaries at his side, so Howard and Hagurd would have to be left on the ship alone.
A. Let them stay on the ship.
B. Nope, they're coming along whether they like it or not.
MrFuzz111: Hagurd honestly seems fairly trustworthy if only because we’ve promised to fulfill his wish of getting to see the world, but Howard would probably steal the ship and sail out of here without a moment’s hesitation. B, but maybe craft them some stone swords at the bare minimum if not something better.
…Speaking of which, I know that Alex’ resources weren’t tracked but do we have an opportunity to craft better gear for her and Linebeck? Armor, an iron sword, basically anything that can help the two of them out?
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 3
1e. TNT x 1
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
#151, #152, & #153!
"Yeah, no, you guys are coming with us." Linebeck said.
"Hm?" Hagurd grunted.
"Don't be a fool." Howard said. "We're not fighters. We'd only get in the way! It's better that we-"
"Not happening." Linebeck waved away the thought. "No way I'm leaving the Linebeck for you to run off with. Alex, do you think you could craft them some swords?"
"Sure." Alex said, withdrawing the crafting table and getting to work.
She produced two stone swords, one for Hagurd and Howard each, before then producing two iron swords and handing one to Linebeck.
"Had a little spare iron I figured now's the time to use." Alex said.
Linebeck nodded and took the sword.
"Alright, let's get moving. Mercenaries, out in front!"
The group made their way off of the Linebeck and began the short trek over to the castle entrance; far above them, the king continued to toil away at building the structure, paying them no mind. Despite the castle's size, it possessed only a single entry point; a narrow doorway which was only one block wide.
"Stop." Ike said, holding his arm out. "Look there."
The crew followed Ike's gesture to the floor of the entryway; it looked a little out-of-place.
"Everyone, clear a path." Ike said, gesturing for everyone to move away before holding his hand out to Linebeck. "Toss me some bananas."
Linebeck reached into his coat pockets and threw a banana bunch Ike-ward; Ike in turn tossed the bananas over to the floor of the entryway. As the bananas reached their destination, the floor was pushed down beneath their weight.
In an instant, an arrow went whizzing past, flying through the doorway and out into the desert beyond the castle.
"Trap." Ike said matter-of-factly.
"That's a pressure plate." Alex observed. "...Huh. I never would have thought of using one to rig up something like that."
"So... is the trap disarmed now?" Linebeck asked. "Can I have my bananas back?"
"No way of knowing." Ike shrugged. "The trap might reset if you take the weight of those bananas off, so... no, those bananas are lost to you now. Keep an eye out moving forward, everyone."
Linebeck sighed and followed behind as the group made their way inside, taking care to step over the pressure plate before continuing on. They stepped into a large open foyer with a wide staircase in the center that led up to the second floor.
"...The joint's completely empty." Linebeck said, looking around.
"Just like that house back in the plains." Alex nodded.
"Yeesh, you build a castle, you'd think you'd bother sprucing the place up a bit." Howard said, looking around.
"Well, it looks like the path ahead is pretty straightforward." Magnus said. "Come on, let's head up those stairs."
"...Idiot." Cloud muttered.
"What'd you say?!" Magnus snapped, turning to face Cloud.
Cloud already had the Buster Sword withdrawn; he swung it before Magnus could draw his own blade, sending a beam of energy flying towards the base of the staircase, snapping a tripwire and setting off a series of explosions. Once the dust settled, the center of the staircase had been blown to smithereens, a crater left in its wake; they'd have to sidle up the left and right sides of the staircase.
"...Huh." Magnus blushed.
"This is insane!" Howard cried, eyes darting about. "Is this castle really so full of booby traps?! Let's turn back."
"It'll be fine, Howard." Alex tried to reassure him. "We've got several powerful fighters on our side. Plus L'Arachel's group might even be here already!"
"Something tells me they're not." Magnus said. "Hard to believe they wouldn't charge headfirst into any traps."
"In any case, let's keep moving." Zeke said, beginning to ascend the stairs. "I'll take the lead. I'm not afraid of a few traps."
"Maybe you should be." Pandoria murmured. "You and I both know you've got suck luck."
The group watched as Zeke began trudging up the stairs; the mercs followed one-by-one, followed by Alex, followed by Hagurd.
"After you." Linebeck said to Howard, making him walk out in front.
The group made their way up the stairs, which led up into a room which opened into a hallway. Linebeck brought up the rear as the group rounded a corner and continued on down the hall.
Suddenly Linebeck felt the floor beneath him give way. Before he knew it, he was plummeting straight down, staring up at the hole in the floor where he'd stood. As he fell, the hole was covered up by stone; indeed, the entire passageway through which he was falling was actively being filled up as he fell through it, eventually landing in a pool of water which broke his fall.
Linebeck climbed out of the water and surveyed his surroundings. The first thing he noticed was standing in the middle of a well-lit cave. The second thing he noticed was a chest nestled in a corner of the room. The third thing he noticed was a large glass container which contained two Yiga Blademasters, two Yiga Footsoldiers, a L'Arachel, and a Dozla, all of which had been sitting glumly on the floor of their container but now sat up alert at seeing Linebeck.
"It's Dr. Lineback!" one of the Yiga cried.
"My lady, is that not one of those freaks we ran into before?" Dozla said.
"Why, Dozla, I do believe you're right!" L'Arachel nodded. "Salutations, friend! We currently seem to be trapped inside this strange box. Do you think you could find a way to let us out?"
"Uh..." Linebeck began to respond but would not be given the opportunity to complete his sentence.
"Oh, he won't be letting you out." a voice chuckled from above. "In fact, he'll be joining you!"
Linebeck craned his neck upwards and watched as a familiar anthropomorphic chameleon materialized into sight on the ceiling above him. Linebeck watched as he finished filling in the last few holes, now having fully replaced the passageway Linebeck fell through with solid stone. Having concluded with that, Leon grew bored of hanging on the ceiling and dropped down to the ground, standing between Linebeck and the glass container. Linebeck fell back on his ass in surprise.
"Y-Y-You..." Linebeck stammered, facing Leon but crawling away from him. "You're that... guy!"
"It's Leon." Leon scowled. "Leon Powalski. You really are just destroying any lingering vestige of mercy I may have had for you, huh?"
"Excuse me, err..." L'Arachel spoke up, stopped, and turned to face one of the Yiga. "What did you say his name was, again?"
"Dr. Lineback." the Yiga responded.
"Excuse me, doctor!" L'Arachel called out. "I believe that creature there is an agent of darkness! I think it would be for the best if you let us out so that we could deliver justice unto him!"
"Pssh." Leon rolled his eyes. "None of you are getting out of there. Allow me to show you what's in store for you."
Leon reached turned around and pulled the lever lying in front of the container; in response, the floor beneath the captives began to shift beneath them, moving them to the right as a sort of conveyor belt.
"What manner of witchcraft is this?" said L'Arachel.
The person sitting furthest on the end - a Yiga Footsoldier - gazed curiously at a strange portion of the container that he was being moved onto.
"Whuh...?"
As he crossed over a certain point, four pistons jutted out at once all around him: one below, one from the left, one from the right, and one from above. The Yiga's body was immediately crushed and compacted into a perfect cube bearing a red spandex pattern reminiscent of the Yiga's uniform. The cube continued on into a small nook at the far right end of the container, disappearing from sight.
L'Arachel, Dozla, and the remaining Yiga cried out in fright, immediately leapt up, and ran to left side of the container, jogging in place and banging on the glass.
"LET US OUT OF HERE!!!" the remaining Yiga Footsoldier screamed.
"Heh heh heh..." Leon grinned wickedly. "Now they understand the reality of their situation."
"W-Why?" Linebeck stuttered, rising to his feet. "Why would you do that?"
"To break their spirits, obviously." Leon said.
"No, I mean... why have a contraption that turns people into cubes?!"
"Oh." Leon considered the question. "I'm... not entirely sure. You'd have to ask the king. Not that you'll get the chance."
Linebeck trembled as Leon withdrew his beam sword.
Boss Battle:
Leon Powalski - Pristine Condition
"You're the one leading that little ragtag group of traitors up there, right?" Leon asked, gazing up at the ceiling. "First I'll kill you, then I'll pick off the remaining stragglers one-by-one, and then the king will be so pleased that he'll give me a big fat bonus. Maybe even make me his head general or something. General Leon Powalski... has a nice ring to it."
Leon adopted a battle stance, crouching down, clearly preparing to lunge at Linebeck.
"I believe he is going to lunge at you with that strange weapon of his!" L'Arachel called out, completely unhelpfully.
X. Write-in what to do.
MrFuzz111: It’s just a glass container, right? Sidestep his lunge and then use the stone pickaxe to break the container open so we can get some backup. [...]
Already_in_Use: I'm a bit worried that dodging and mining will count as two actions.
Could I ask exactly how big the container is, and if the lever is by the center of said container? I'm considering an idea where we could use that lever to activate the TNT since it's currently "on" and blow a hole through it. I just want to make sure the lever is close enough, and the container large enough that we won't hurt them with the explosion. [...]Crimson_Squid: The container is long but narrow, probably at least twenty or so cubes long but only a few wide. One cube of empty space between the lever and the container.
Already_in_Use: That actually sounds perfect then. Since everyone inside is trying to stay as left as possible (and assuming the lever is center against the broadside), nobody should be hurt, and the TNT could be perfectly placed between the lever and container. [...]
Already_in_Use: If we're going with it, I think I should probably clarify that Linebeck of course would dodge-roll Leon and towards the lever, since I realize I don't think I mentioned that.
Crimson_Squid: Dodging, setting the explosives down, and pulling the lever seems like a lot of actions to do in one turn but I will allow it this once.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. TNT x 1
1f. Iron Sword - Pristine Condition
#166!*
Boss Battle:
Leon Powalski - Pristine Condition
X. What you said.
"Eyah!" Linebeck fumbled around in his coat pockets for something to defend himself with before stumbling around Leon as he lunged for Linebeck.
Linebeck continued to stumble forward past Leon, struggling to maintain his balance as he made his way towards the lever. He meant to withdraw a sword but his hands found the block of TNT as gravity began to win out; he dropped the TNT in front of the glass container as he fell onto the lever, knocking it in the other direction, stopping the conveyor belt and activating the TNT in one fell swoop.
BOOM!!
The explosion obliterated a solid chunk of glass from the container, just barely failing to catch Linebeck in its range.
L'Arachel, Dozla, and the Yiga came running out of the opening.
"You see, Dozla?" L'Arachel said as they ran by Linebeck. "I told you the gods would not forsake us!"
"Gwa ha ha! Right you are, my lady!"
"Are you kidding me?!" Leon cried. "Ugh, fine! I'll just slaughter you all!"
Leon withdrew a blaster and pointed it as the group as they made a beeline for the chest nestled in the far corner of the room, backs turned to the chamelon.
X. Write-in what to do.
jkid101094: Make like Darth Vader and go for his hand with our sword. With any luck we'll either cut it off or at least divert his aim.
Crimson_Squid: But which sword?
MrFuzz111: Good question, actually. If we’re mostly just trying to distract him rather than deal a whole lot of damage than stone would be fine, but if we’re trying to actually cut his hand off then that should be iron.
Already_in_Use: [...] I'll say Iron since I don't think Leon is likely to ever really join our side. [...]
HungryLuma64: I'm fine with the iron sword attack.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Pristine Condition
Allies
L'Arachel - Pristine Condition
Dozla - Pristine Condition
Yiga Blademaster - Pristine Condition
Yiga Blademaster - Pristine Condition
Yiga Footsoldier - Pristine Condition
#176!
Boss Battle:
Leon Powalski - Slightly Damaged
X. What you said.
Linebeck heroically lunged forth with the heroic intent to lop off Leon's arm, heroically swinging his Iron Sword in a heroically unskilled manner that resulted in his wrist heroically bending at a suboptimal angle that did not give his heroic strike nearly as much power as needed to heroically remove one of Leon's limbs.
"Gah!" Leon winced as Linebeck's sword scraped along his arm.
Leon's finger pulled the trigger but his aim was suboptimal; he let out a series of six blasts, one hitting Dozla, one hitting a Blademaster, one hitting the Footsoldier, and three hitting nothing of substance.
"Here we are!" L'Arachel beamed, pulling her staff out of the chest. "Fear not, Dr. Lineback! You have our power behind you! Justice will surely be done!"
"Time to teach that lizard a lesson!" Dozla chuckled, withdrawing a massive battleaxe.
"Do we attack the doctor?" the Yiga Footsoldier asked, pulling out a bow.
"No." one of the Blademasters said, pulling out a long blade. "Our first priority is to avenge Johnson!"
"REVENGE!!!" the other shouted, pulling out a long blade of his own.
Leon winced as he gazed over at the five additional foes that were now armed and ready to fight him. Leon disappeared from sight.
"My lady, he vanished!" Dozla cried.
"What manner of sorcery is this?!" said L'Arachel. "Where did the ruffian go?"
X. Write-in what to do.
Already_in_Use: I don't think Linebeck really has any particular item or ability to sniff him out, so I think he should just tell everyone to be quiet, listen closely, and prepare to dodge-roll.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
Allies
L'Arachel - Pristine Condition
Dozla - Slightly Damaged
Yiga Blademaster - Slightly Damaged
Yiga Blademaster - Pristine Condition
Yiga Footsoldier - Slightly Damaged
#182!
Boss Battle:
Leon Powalski - Slightly Damaged
X. What you said.
"Alright, everyone," Linebeck said, "Nobody make a sound, just listen closely and prepare to dodge."
L'Arachel opened her mouth to respond but just barely thought better of it; Linebeck's allies waited and listened, but could hear no sound.
Suddenly, from the ceiling above came six shots; three hitting Linebeck, one hitting Dozla, and one hitting both of the Blademasters.
"Gah!" Linebeck cried, staggering backwards and falling into the pool of water as Leon vanished from sight.
"He crawled up there and we couldn't hear a thing." a Yiga Blademaster shook his head.
"Good going, Lineback!" the Footsoldier shouted. "Your plan failed!"
"You appear to be injured, doctor." L'Arachel said, raising her staff aloft. "Allow me to heal you."
Linebeck could feel his wounds subside considerably, but not entirely.
"Thanks." Linebeck huffed, standing up at the edge of the pool.
That plan failed; but what else could he do? Dozla had taken to slashing his axe around in the air wildly, as if that was going to accomplish anything.
[#183, Crimson_Squid: [Quoting the above line about Dozla] To be clear, this is not a hint, this is just Dozla being a dumb brute.]
X. Write-in what to do.
estejor: Yell "You know, for someone who boasts about being an amazing merc you feel closer to a coward with a weapon, it's clear you wouldn't have been worth my money if you had stayed with the crew, they are clearly better than you, I'll give props to Byleth tho, she is a genuine menace unlike you, lizardface"
Look, Leon has always been all ego, no substance, he is asking for this, maybe it will enrage him enough to make himself a visible targetguydude21: Pretend to have forgotten his name already
MrFuzz111: [Quoting the two above] Combine these together, instead of Lizardface call him Larry.
Party
1. Linebeck - Slightly Damaged
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
Allies
L'Arachel - Pristine Condition
Dozla - Slightly Damaged
Yiga Blademaster - Moderately Damaged
Yiga Blademaster - Slightly Damaged
Yiga Footsoldier - Slightly Damaged
#191
Boss Battle:
Leon Powalski - Severely Damaged
X. What you said.
"You know," Linebeck said, "For someone who boasts about being an amazing merc, you feel closer to a coward with a weapon. It's clear you wouldn't have been worth my money if you had stayed with the crew; they're clearly better than you. I'll give props to Byleth though, she's a genuine menace. Unlike you, Larry."
"Larry?!" Leon cried, realizing his mistake too late.
The Yiga Footsoldier shot an arrow towards the source of the voice.
"Argh!"
Leon materialized in front of Linebeck, beam sword raised and poised to strike, halted in his assault by a pair of arrows sticking out of his back.
Linebeck scurried away as one of the Blademasters swung his sword, sending a gust of sharp wind piercing into Leon. The other Blademaster teleported beside the chameleon, slashing him with his blade.
Dozla ran over and swung his axe, but Leon managed to dodge it before disappearing once more.
"How unfortunate." L'Arachel shook her head as she healed her retainer. "We could have ended it right there, Dozla."
"Apologies, my lady." Dozla said. "But he is wielding a sword."
Linebeck breathed heavily, terrified of the prospect of Leon managing to hit him this time.
X. Write-in what to do.
Already_in_Use: [Quoting "Leon materialized in front of Linebeck, beam sword raised and poised to strike, halted in his assault by a pair of arrows sticking out of his back."]
Are the arrows per chance still visible?
Crimson_Squid: [To above] ...
Already_in_Use: Aim for the arrows before he pulls them out
Party
1. Linebeck - Slightly Damaged
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
Allies
L'Arachel - Pristine Condition
Dozla - Pristine Condition
Yiga Blademaster - Moderately Damaged
Yiga Blademaster - Slightly Damaged
Yiga Footsoldier - Slightly Damaged
#202***
"Look!" Linebeck shouted as the pair of arrows made their way over to the walls before wrapping around and hanging from the ceiling. "The arrows!"
"Damn!" Leon swore as he reached over to pull the offending projectiles out; it was too late.
Two more arrows found their way to his side, followed by two strong gusts of wind.
Leon fell from the ceiling and landed on the stony ground with a sharp THUD.
"Leave the rest to me!" Dozla shouted, shuffling up hurriedly.
"Ungh..." Leon groaned, twitching on the ground as Dozla scuttled up. "No, WAIT!!"
Dozla swung his mighty battleaxe down hard, vertically cutting into Leon's flesh and partially splitting his body in two.
"Urk... Gkk... Gak!" Leon, still alive, could do little else but lay there writhing and making noises which conveyed his suffering.
"This isn't over yet." one of the Blademasters said, walking over and picking up Leon's not-long-for-this-world body. "We have yet to get revenge for Johnson."
"REVENGE!!!!" the other Yiga shouted in unison.
The Blademaster walked over to the container and carelessly tossed Leon through the hole and onto the conveyor belt. The Blademaster turned and pulled the lever, activating the conveyor belt.
"N... Ngh... I..." Leon was only able to get these three syllables out before being crushed and compacted into a cube.
Linebeck looked on in horror as the Leon Cube - a slick futuristic pattern of purple with a touch of green as its pattern - moved along the conveyor belt and disappeared from sight.
"Kee hee hee, that'll learn him!" the Footsoldier giggled. "But, uh... what are we gonna do about Dr. Lineback?"
The Yiga Blademaster that turned Leon into a cube turned and looked from Linebeck to L'Arachel and Dozla, considering the question.
Suddenly a muffled voices could be heard from nearby: everyone turned to look over as Alex dug into the cave from above with pickaxe in hand. One-by-one everyone from Linebeck's group filed into the cave from the makeshift stairway they had descended down from.
"Hmm... leave him for now." the Blademaster decided. "We must go and report to Master Kohga."
The other Yiga nodded, and the three of them vanished in a puff of smoke.
"More Yiga?" Alex said, gazing around the room. "And... L'Arachel! Captain, what happened?"
"Good has won out over evil, naturally." L'Arachel said, raising her staff aloft to heal Linebeck.
"...Great, now can someone actually explain what happened?" Cloud asked, looking over at the container.
"Well..." Linebeck sighed.
***
"And then I split him open with my axe! Gwa ha ha!" Dozla laughed. "And then those red laddies tossed him in to the trash compactor and made him a cube!"
"Oh, that's disgusting!" Howard shuddered.
"Yeah, that's pretty messed up." Magnus nodded. "This king's gonna have a lot to answer for once we find him!"
"I'm just glad we were able to find you after you disappeared like that." Alex said, clearly relieved. "Though it sounds like you were doing just fine on your own! Quick thinking with that TNT!"
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Confirm that it was, indeed, your own quick thinking that saved the day.
B. Admit that it was a complete accident and you're lucky you're not dead.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
Allies
L'Arachel - Pristine Condition
Dozla - Pristine Condition
#211
"Yeah, I pretty much saved everyone." Linebeck grinned, arms up, hands clasped behind his head. "Thanks to my lightning-fast thinking, the king is down one of his lapdogs."
Alex gazed at Linebeck in quiet awe.
"What a hero." Howard rolled his eyes.
Cloud gazed over at the container and took notice of the iron door on the left side, with a button on the wall beside it. He walked over and pushed the button: the door opened.
"Seems more like a waste of that TNT to me." Cloud criticized. "You could've just freed them with the push of a button."
Linebeck's face turned slightly red as he processed this information.
"Well, still. It's pretty impressive, what you did." Zeke said. "I can't help but feel bad that we weren't here to protect you, what with that being... you know, the entire reason you paid us."
"Well, don't say that." Pandoria whispered. "You might talk him into wanting a refund!"
"Well, I suppose I can't really expect that you'd be able to predict the chameleon would get the drop on me like that." Linebeck allowed. "But still... I can't help but feel like you could've gotten here quicker."
"Sorry." Alex gazed down. "If I had something stronger than a stone pickaxe..."
"Oh, please." Howard scoffed. "You're lucky we got here as fast as we did. If that idiot lizard hadn't replaced the hole you fell through with a completely different material from the rest of the flooring..."
"We wouldn't have known where you went." Magnus finished the thought before turning to L'Arachel and Dozla. "But anyway... weren't there three of you guys earlier? What happened to the mopey guy?"
"Oh, I imagine Rennac is combing through the castle as we speak in search of us." L'Arachel said. "Wondering where we could possibly have gone. Dozla, let us go and find him and put his mind at ease!"
"As you will it!" Dozla nodded enthusiastically.
The two began sprinting up the stairs, but stopped as Alex called up:
"Hey, wait, shouldn't we stick together? You know, join forces?"
"Hm?" L'Arachel blinked as she gazed down at the stairwell at them. "...Oh. Yes, I suppose there would be no harm in that. Should make things a little bit easier. I trust you have no objections to this arrangement, Dozla?"
"None at all, my lady!" Dozla cried. "Though I suppose it would probably mean I get less blows in on this king..."
"Very well, you may tag along with us." L'Arachel said. "While under my command, you will surely be granted divine protection!"
"Oh, has there been a change in leadership?" Hagurd yawned. "I zoned out for a bit there."
"I'm still the Captain here!" Linebeck asserted. "We're just... tolerating their company for the time being."
"Come, move quickly!" L'Arachel called from further up the stairwell. "The gods look favorably upon those who make haste!"
The group shuffled up the stairs after them, coming back out into the hallway they had been walking in and resuming their path up the castle, ascending a set of stairs and making their way down another hallway.
"Come to think of it," Ike said, "I'm surprised you two didn't set off those traps at the front entrance when you came in here."
"We almost did!" Dozla laughed.
"Yes, but that's what I have Rennac in my employ for." L'Arachel said. "He's an expert in the fields of spotting traps, sneaking around, picking locks, that sort of thing."
"A thief." Ike said.
"By entering himself into my service, Rennac has devoted himself fully to the cause of righteousness!" L'Arachel defended him. "As if I would entertain a person so blasphemous as a 'thief' in my employ. He simply has leftover skills from before he turned over a new leaf that hold some value for me."
"Right." Ike said, clearly unconvinced.
The group rounded a corner and came upon the end of the hallway: at the far end there was a chest nestled into the corner, and off to the side of it, a stairway leading further up.
Linebeck's treasure senses were tingling.
A. Pilfer the chest's contents.
B. Ignore the chest and continue on.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
Allies
L'Arachel - Pristine Condition
Dozla - Pristine Condition
#217
"Obvious trap." Linebeck scoffed, despite feeling an urge to open that chest. "Forget that, let's keep moving up."
The group ascended the stairs, coming into another long hallway, this one lined with chests nestled into the walls on the left and right sides, all along down to a staircase on the opposite end.
"This has gotta be the worst castle of all time." Magnus complained. "It's just a bunch of empty hallways and stairs with the occasional trap thrown in, there wasn't any thought put into making this place presentable or livable!"
"I think it's more just about how impressive it looks on the outside." Hagurd said.
"Well whatever the case, I ain't falling for any of these traps either!" Linebeck asserted. "Wonder why some of the chests are open, though..."
"Oh, I suppose Rennac must have gone through here." L'Arachel shrugged. "Perhaps only some of these chests were traps, and he opened these chests in search of us."
The group ascended the next set of stairs, leading out to another hallway with another staircase at the far end. This one, however, featured a door halfway between each set of stairs; and no sooner had the group stepped into the hallway did the door open.
Rennac's head poked out of the doorway, first looking down one end of the hall before turning and gazing down the end where the group stood. Upon sighting the party, he winced and immediately ducked back into the room.
"Rennac!" Dozla called.
"Rennac!" L'Arachel called, running over. "Rennac, it is us! No need to worry!"
The group made their way into the room, where they found Rennac standing amidst a bunch of opened chests.
"Oh, it's you." Rennac sighed. "L'Arachel. And the old man. What a relief."
"Fear not, Rennac!" L'Arachel beamed. "Your search for us is at an end! We were briefly captured, but thanks to the blessings of the divines and Dr. Lineback here, we managed to escape. No doubt you've been turning the entire castle over in search of us."
"Oh, gee, that's... swell." Rennac nodded. "Fantastic. Couldn't be happier that you two are safe, I was just beside myself with worry."
"You really mean it, Rennac?" Dozla sniffed, wiping a tear. "Sometimes I get the feeling you might not care for me."
"Whatever could have given you that idea?" Rennac rolled his eyes before noticing that Linebeck was staring at his coat pockets.
Those coat pockets looked to be brimming with contents.
"Admiring my coat, are you?" Rennac eyed Linebeck. "You must have an eye for quality."
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Demand to see what's in his pockets.
estejor: A "Ah, I see you been collecting things to help your friends while trying to find them, don't be shy, show them"
B. Let him keep his secrets.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
Allies
L'Arachel - Pristine Condition
Dozla - Pristine Condition
#221
"Ah, I see you've been collecting things to help your friends while trying to find them." Linebeck pointed at Rennac's coat pockets. "Don't be shy, show them!"
"What I've got in my pockets are none of your business, old-timer." Rennac flashed Linebeck a scowl.
"O-Old timer?!" Linebeck squeaked.
"You went and pilfered all the loot in the castle, didn't you?" Alex shouted. "Do what the Captain said! We might need some of that stuff for the fight against the king!"
"Finders keepers, rectangle." Rennac smirked at Alex.
"R-rectangle?!" Alex squeaked.
"Look, pal, this is a group effort!" Magnus stepped in. "Give us some of that loot!"
"Why, so you can afford a haircut?" Rennac scoffed. "A tempting offer, but no."
"Wha-?!" Magnus brought his hand up to his hair defensively. "Shoulder length was a deliberate choice!"
"Oh, come now, Rennac." L'Arachel said. "So you've deprived a wicked tyrant of some of his resources. That's all well and good. But it simply won't do to hog all the spoils to yourself!"
"Listen, L'Arachel, I still haven't seen so much as one paycheck from you." Rennac said. "So I need this stuff just to make all the traipsing around with you worth the--"
"Is that what this is about? Money?" L'Arachel rolled her eyes.
"Yes!" Rennac cried. "EVERYTHING is about money! Don't you know anything?!"
"Rennac, you'll be well-compensated once we complete or mission and return to Rausten." L'Arachel assured him. "It's not like they're going to take it all for themselves. Just show them what you've found."
"...Ugh." Rennac groaned and opened his coat pockets, withdrawing the goods: some gold, some iron, some diamonds, some emeralds, and some Lapis Lazuli.
As Linebeck gazed upon the bountiful treasure he considered his options.
A. Demand a share.
B. Let Rennac keep his loot.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
Allies
L'Arachel - Pristine Condition
Dozla - Pristine Condition
#235*
"Give us some of that loot." Linebeck said before turning to Alex. "You could craft some stuff we could make use of with it, right?"
"Sure!" Alex nodded. "A diamond sword would give us an edge in battle, that'd only take four diamonds. Ooh, and a diamond pickaxe would be great for digging through things really fast... and it'd be great for getting past the obsidian in that wall. That'd need three diamonds. And diamond armor would really help protect--"
"Absolutely not." Rennac said. "I'm not giving you enough of these diamonds to make armor out of. If L'Arachel absolutely insists-"
"And I do!" L'Arachel chimed in.
"...Then I'll toss you a few diamonds for a sword or pickaxe or whatever." Rennac sighed. "But that is it. That's all the charity you're gonna get, so don't ask for more!"
"Okay..." Alex said, "Which is it going to be then, Captain? I'll craft whichever for you."
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Diamond Sword
B. Diamond Pickaxe
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
Allies
L'Arachel - Pristine Condition
Dozla - Pristine Condition
#241 & #242
"I'll take the pickaxe." Linebeck decided.
Rennac ruffled through his coat pockets and tossed Alex a trio of diamonds.
"Since the sword takes four diamonds, and we had the option," Linebeck said, "I think maybe you should gi-"
"Not happening." Rennac shut him down.
Alex took out her crafting table and got to work, making Linebeck a diamond pickaxe before outfitting Howard and Hagurd with a couple of stone swords.
"You don't actually expect us to fight, do you?" Howard asked.
"Yeah, I'm not really... great at physical activity." Hagurd stared blankly at his blade.
"You're safer going into a fight with a weapon than without one, right?" Alex shrugged. "This way you'll be able to do something to defend yourself."
"Hmph." Howard shrugged and accepted his fate.
"Hmm... maybe if I wave it around in the air front of me, he'll stay away?" Hagurd mused.
"Hey, what's this room for, anyway?" Magnus asked, looking around. "What are those things?"
He pointed to a pedestal with a floating book atop it and some sort of strange contraption.
"That's a book." Cloud said. "Can't say I'm surprised you haven't seen one before."
"Oh, shut up."
"Well the device is a brewing stand." Alex said. "Clerics use them. Father Mayhew probably has one. They can be used to brew potions. I'm sure that the king was using an invisibility potion back in Wershire. The table with the book, though... I've never seen one in-person, but it must be an enchanting table."
"Enchanting table?" L'Arachel said. "One for light magic, anima, or blasphemy?"
"Supposedly they're used to power up tools and armor." Alex explained. "I... don't know how they work. I don't really know how the brewing stand works, either. But if the king has these here, then..."
"Then black magic is surely afoot." L'Arachel nodded grimly.
"Great. So the king's gonna have magic too. Why not?" Linebeck sighed, before thinking of something and turning to Rennac. "Wait... did you pilfer any potions or magic-y stuff? Got any invisibility potions?!"
"No. I didn't." Rennac smiled wryly before muttering: "If I had any invisibility potions I'd have used one the second L'Arachel showed her face again..."
"Rennac, quit mumbling to yourself." L'Arachel ordered. "In any case, it seems we've done all there is to do here. Let us carry on!"
The party made their way out of the room and ascended the staircase at the end of the hallway, leading to yet another hallway with a staircase on the opposite end.
"Rennac!" L'Arachel shouted, charging down the hall. "Warn us if you see any traps!"
"Well, I can't warn you if you go running off before I even have time to inspect our surroundings." Rennac pointed out. "...But this floor looks all clear. Let's keep moving."
The group moved up another few floors, all of which seemed empty and relatively unimpressive. After their third additional staircase from this point, the group stepped up into a large, high-ceiling'd room with a tall chair sitting on the far end. Occupying the chair was a rectangular man in a goatee, cyan shirt, and blue pants. Standing beside him was Byleth, gazing at the group with cold eyes.
"You rushed me." the king said, clearly displeased.
"...Is this the throne room?" L'Arachel said, gazing around. "I have to say, this really has nothing on Castle Rausten."
"Quite so, my lady. Quite so." Dozla nodded sagely. "Those massive iron double doors that lead into the throne room, with the lion's head door knockers... 'tis a thing of beauty!"
"Indeed." L'Arachel nodded. "To have a nondescript staircase just lead up into the throne room like this... at the very least there could have been some sort of arch or--"
"You rushed me." the king repeated. "I was barely able to finish the throne room in time. I had supposed that you would come, but I thought that it would have taken you longer than... bah. No matter. This castle isn't suitable for me. I'll build another, and let this one be a prison, or a watch tower, or a factory, or... something."
"We shan't give you the chance, foul villain!" L'Arachel yelled. "I, L'Arachel, under the blessings and protection of the divines, shall strike you down and bring peace and prosperity to all of--"
"Quiet." the king said, holding an arm up.
"I beg your pardon?!" L'Arachel cried. "I won't be--"
"Shut up." the king huffed, withdrawing a crossbow and aiming it squarely at her.
Rennac couldn't help but grin slightly as L'Arachel opened her mouth to speak, but struggled to resist the urge despite being flustered.
The king stopped and gazed at the party in silence for a few moments, eyes scanning from person to person before resting on Hagurd.
"Oh, Hagurd." he said. "With a sword. If you're being held against your will, now's the time to come running over here."
"I apologize, King Steve." Hagurd said, visibly nervous. "But I... really need a vacation."
"I see. So you have betrayed me. That is a shame." the king nodded. "It shouldn't be too difficult to find someone else to take your job, though I doubt they'd perform it as well."
"I-I'm h-here, too, your maj-err, Steve!" Howard corrected himself. "I have p-p-personally guided these people here to you! You should n-n-never have cast me into s-servitude!"
"...Who are you?" the king cocked his head.
"THE MAYOR OF SUX!!!" Howard yelled. "MAYOR HOWARD!! THE GUY YOU THREW IN THE LABOR CAMP UNDER PORT KNOCKS!!!"
"Oh... I vaguely remember you now." Steve scratched his head with the side of his crossbow.
"It's far too late for you to beg for forgiveness now," Howard said, doing his best to seem imposing. "I won't accept any desperate bargains you might make to get me to rejoin your side... but I would hear them out."
"Unbelievable." Linebeck said. "Wait, no... pretty believable."
"Oh, please." the king chuckled. "You know, productivity in Sux is up since I replaced you with that child. I suppose that means you were terrible at your job."
"Agh!" Howard cried, outraged. "That's it! Everyone... attack!"
Steve sat and gazed expectantly at the group as Byleth tensed up; they didn't attack.
"What are you all doing?!" Howard cried. "Get him!"
"I want to kill him as much as the next guy, but not under yourorders." Magnus said, gazing at Linebeck.
Linebeck shook his head to signal not to attack yet.
"Seems like we're all still in a talkative mood, then." the king said. "Well, I'm sure you're just dying to know more about me, right? That's understandable. Out with it, then. Ask away."
X. Write-in questions to ask the king.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
Allies
L'Arachel - Pristine Condition
Dozla - Pristine Condition
Rennac - Pristine Condition
#247 & #248!
"Really? Steve?" Linebeck smirked. "For such a mysterious guy you have a really basic name."
"It's a flawless name." Steve said, matter-of-factly. "Though I'd prefer to be addressed as King Steve. Addressing me solely by my name, sans title, that's an offense worthy of death."
"Where exactly did you come from?" Linebeck asked, ignoring that threat. "How did you establish your power?"
"I come from Minecraft World." Steve said, gesturing around them. "From far, far north, where the land runs on and on forever. As for your second question... establishing power isn't difficult when yours is the only creative mind around. All these uncreatives, milling about the villages, performing their little tasks day in and day out... it's easy to establish power when nobody has the will or the capacity to stop you."
"What's your ultimate vision for the 'Cubic Kingdom'?" Pandoria asked.
"A world filled with my creations." Steve fantasized. "A world of my own making. A world which I have crafted. A world of unbridled creativity, in which I can build freely without having to worry about accumulating the resources for my projects myself."
"Do you plan on expanding your kingdom to parts of the world that aren't made of cubes?" Ike asked.
"I plan on expanding to the north, where Minecraft World does not end." Steve said. "In the long-term, I'd like to rule over all of it, if possible. That is why I came down here, where the land meets the sea. In the event that I were to somehow run out of territory to occupy... perhaps I would consider replacing the rest of the world with cube-based topography."
"Why are all your buildings so fancy on the outside but empty on the inside?" Magnus asked.
"I... I... I simply haven't gotten around to decorating the insides yet, okay?!" Steve shouted, quite flustered. "There's always more to learn... even a true vistionary such as myself hasn't mastered every aspect of crafting!"
"Have you had weird reoccurring dreams recently?" Linebeck changed the subject.
"No." Steve shook his head. "The only reoccuring dreams I have are the ones in which I establish the Cubic Kingdom and rule for all time. And those dreams are quickly becoming reality."
"What happens if a vampire bites a zombie?" Linebeck asked.
"An absurd question." Steve said. "A vampire would never bite a zombie, for they lack good blood. Obviously."
"What do you think of the Yiga?" Linebeck asked. "The red spandex wearing dudes that've cropped up around here?"
"As round as they are, they have no place in the world that I would create." Steve said, before adding. "At least... not without some adjustments."
Steve flashed them a strange look and pointed to the side of the room: two cubes had been deposited on the floor next to a hole in the wall, transported up from below. They were the Leon cube and the Yiga cube.
"Why are you turning people into cubes?" Cloud asked.
"Because it's the only way they'll have any place in the Cubic Kingdom." Steve shrugged. "Those Yiga... given how much of them are crawling around the place, and how uniform they all look, I can make a genuine building material out of them! Looks aesthetically pleasing, too. The rest of you, though... I imagine you'd be fairly garish-looking, and it's not as though I can mass-produce you. Perhaps I'll display your cubic corpses in some sort of trophy room."
"Hey, Byleth, you hearing this?" Magnus asked. "You don't want to be turned into a cube, right? Come fight with us!"
"I have a contract to fulfill by defeating you." Byleth said flatly. "Once you all lay dead on the floor, I'll be taking my leave of this land."
"I've agreed to grant her passage out of the Cubic Kingdom." Steve said. "The lizard wished to stay longer, and I'd have let him, though he'd need to leave eventually as well."
"We've already dispatched of Leon easily." Linebeck flexed. "Why not just surrender now?"
"You expect me to surrender because you dispatched of a pawn?" Steve said, casting a bemused glance in the direction of Leon's cube. "Please. Don't think that I'm not fully capable of doing to all of you what you did to him."
"Have you seen any other unique visitors like us around here?" Zeke asked.
"No, I suspect you might be the only rounds inside the Cubic Kingdom, Yiga excluded." Steve mused. "How fortuitous for me that you would all be gathered here, to be converted into a much more aesthetically agreeable form."
"Why the ruthless approach?" Alex asked. "Do you really care about the suffering you're putting people through?!"
"They should be grateful they're being allowed to exist and help with my projects." Steve shrugged. "I can't say I care much about the feelings of these uncreatives."
"Well, you're not the only one who's built things." Alex said through gritted teeth.
"Oh, really?" Steve chuckled. "And what have you built?"
"Backwater Village." Alex said. "But someone burnt it down."
"...Oh, you mean that trio of swamp huts by Sux?" Steve recalled. "Well, of course I burned that travesty to the ground. Disposed of those backwoods hillbillies occupying the huts, too. Better to just remove that entire embarrassment. I had been wondering who built that eyesore."
Alex's face turned a very deep shade of red as she stared at the ground.
"How willing are you for a diplomatic resolution?" Linebeck asked as a last-ditch effort to avoid a fight.
"Not at all!" Steve smiled. "I hardly see the need for it; it's not as though I can't simply kill you all."
"But..." Alex protested, "Don't you think you might gain a little more respect if you proved to everyone you were fit to rule in a more diplomatic approach?"
"Respect? Respect from who?" Steve scoffed, gesturing at Howard and Hagurd. "These worms, who never built anything worthwhile in their lives? From you, whose best efforts produced an even more pathetic village than what your average villager is capable of? Your 'respect' isn't important to me, what's important is that everyone works to gather the resources for my projects."
"Do you like frosted beyblades?" Linebeck blurted out for some reason.
Steve let his crossbow rip, somehow firing three arrows at once; one that hit Linebeck, one that hit Dozla, and one that Rennac swiftly dodged.
Party
1. Linebeck - Slightly Damaged
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
Allies
L'Arachel - Pristine Condition
Dozla - Slightly Damaged
Rennac - Pristine Condition
Boss Battle:
Steve - Pristine Condition
Byleth - Pristine Condition
"He... he shot me!" Linebeck cried. "Before we'd formally finished asking questions!"
"Enough of your ridiculous questions." Steve said, standing up and instantly changing into a full set of diamond armor, glowing with a mysterious aura.
As the party readied for battle, Steve and Byleth both withdrew a bottle, drinking its contents and vanishing from sight.
"Oh, great." Linebeck sighed. "More Leons."
"On your guard, friends!" L'Arachel cried. "Today, we triumph over evil!"
X. Write-in what to do.
Birdbrain: [Quoting the portion where Steve equips armor and then turns invisible.]
Uh, Isn't Steve supposed to be visible even if he drank an invisiblity potion if he's wearing a full set of armor?
Crimson_Squid: [To above] ...
Salmons: This might be the only time we can surprise them, since they think they're invisible.
Linebeck mines some blocks with his diamond pickaxe.
Magnus uses spinning vortex on Steve, keeping him in range and hitting him too if he gets close.
Cloud uses limit break.
Ike uses quick draw on Byleth since she has a long ranged sword.
Zeke uses his Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max on Steve, hopefully with a direct hit because of him getting sucked in by Magnus, which probably guarantee a knockdown.
Party
1. Linebeck - Slightly Damaged
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
Allies
Alex - Pristine Condition
L'Arachel - Pristine Condition
Dozla - Slightly Damaged
Rennac - Pristine Condition
Howard - Pristine Condition
Hagurd - Pristine Condition
#271!
Boss Battle:
Steve - Slightly Damaged/Blowdown
Byleth - Slightly Damaged/Blowdown
X. What you said.
"...Your armor and crossbow are visible." Byleth spoke up.
"Wh-!!"
"As is my blade." Byleth said, invisibly gazing down at her sword.
"I... I didn't realize..." Steve's invisible eye twitched.
Ike flew forward, possibly discounting Steve as a threat due to the severity of this blunder, choosing instead to focus on the one who seemed to have her act together; Byleth backflipped out of the way of his attack.
"She dodged?!" Ike was stunned.
"Rennac! Dozla!" L'Arachel cried, gesturing dramatically with her arm forward.
"Gwa ha ha!"
"Ugh. Fine."
Rennac performed an acrobatic leap towards Byleth's sword, withdrawing a dagger and swiping where she would have stood; she dodged.
Dozla swooped in with his mighty axe, delivering a swift and decisive strike that cut through the open air where Byleth had been standing a split second ago.
"Gah! I missed!" Dozla lamented.
Alex swooped in and swung her blade, managing to nick Byleth in doing so; she quickly ran away after getting her blow in.
"You both missed?!" L'Arachel yelled from across the room. "How is that possible?"
"A thousand pardons, my lady, but she has a sword, and I have an axe." Dozla said. "The weapon triangle does not favor me, I'm afraid!"
"Well then what's your excuse, Rennac?" L'Arachel turned to the thief.
"I don't know, she's fast." Rennac shrugged. "I'm hardly built for sneaking, not for fighting. What do you expect?"
Byleth swung her sword, slashing at Dozla with her whip.
"Gwa ha ha! I've been hit!" Dozla laughed.
"Yes, I can see that, Dozla." L'Arachel nodded, raising her staff aloft. "Fear not; you are under my protection, as well as the protection of the gods!"
While that noise went on, Cloud stood still, concentrating so that he could break his own limits.
"What, you're not going to do anything?" Magnus scoffed. "Fine. Guess I'll pick up your slack!"
Magnus moved closer to Steve and began swinging his sword overhead, creating a vortex that began pulling the tyrant closer.
As he began sliding across the floor, Steve tried firing his crossbow, but the triple volley that came out was sucked up in the vortex, each arrow smashed to smithereens by Magnus's blade. Steve winced, turned, and began running in the opposite direction to prevent himself from getting sucked in, managing only to stay in place as he hoofed it.
Satisfied that he was not currently in very much danger, Linebeck turned his back to the battle and began mining some stone from one of the walls, not boring all the way through to the outside but creating a nice little cranny in the wall.
"I've got him stuck!" Magnus cried. "If only Cloud could be bothered to do anything..."
Cloud continued his meditation, refusing to have his limit break be broken by this feeble mockery.
"Alright, looks like I'm up, then!" Zeke flashed a toothy grin, Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher in hand. "Ultimate Lightning Fury Slash... MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAX!!!!"
A tremendous burst of electricity surged through Zeke's sword as he leapt into the air and slammed his blade into the ground; a surge of electricity went flowing across the floor, catching Byleth and Steve in its wake and seemingly knocking both over.
"Seems like things are going pretty well." Howard observed from a far corner of the throne room. "We might just survive this after all."
"Yeah, I think they probably have this covered." Hagurd nodded. "I wonder if I could catch a quick nap..."
X. Write-in what to do.
[Some general discussion on whether or not taking out Steve first might spare Byleth under the logic of her losing her sole employer.]
Already_in_Use: [...] Are we on an upper floor of the castle? We could have Linebeck mine the blocks from underneath one of them and possibly buy some more time alone with the other.
Crimson_Squid: [To above] You are on the upperest floor of the castle.
Already_in_Use: [...] Linebeck mines the floor from underneath Byleth and immediately fills up the hole in the floor after she falls. Hopefully this will give us at least another turn alone with Steve. If the floor is more than one block thick and Linebeck realizes he can't easily do it, then maybe build a quick stone casing around her if he has time.
That leaves the prone Steve. Eruption, Magnus' Giant Tower (whatever that is. Sounds powerful), Cross Slash, and Overload Thunderbeam (Also sounds strong).
Party
1. Linebeck - Slightly Damaged
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe
1g. Stone x 10
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud - Operator Mode
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Available
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
Allies
Alex - Pristine Condition
L'Arachel - Pristine Condition
Dozla - Pristine Condition
Rennac - Pristine Condition
Howard - Pristine Condition
Hagurd - Pristine Condition
#285!
Boss Battle:
Steve - Severely Damaged/Regenerating
Byleth - Moderately Damaged
X. What you said.
Linebeck dashed forward and began mining at the floor beneath Byleth.
"What are you doing?" Byleth frowned.
Linebeck sent her falling down to the floor below(to the bottom of the last staircase the party had ascended) and covered the floor back up immediately after.
"Now, everyone attack the king!" Linebeck cried.
Rennac swooped in, slashed at Steve, and jumped back.
Dozla dashed forward, striking Steve hard with his axe.
Alex made sure to give Steve a hearty slash before putting some distance between them.
Cloud jumped forward and slashed thrice upon the king's armored form.
Magnus dashed forth, taking advantage of his own momentum as he swung his blade in an arc over his head, bringing it down hard onto Steve.
"Fear not, doctor!" L'Arachel said, raising her staff in Linebeck's direction. "The divines ordain that I heal you!"
"Great." Linebeck nodded. "Please do that every chance you get."
"Overload ThunderBEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM!!!!" Zeke cried, blasting electricity out of Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher at Steve.
Ike raised his sword overhead besides Steve and brought it down hard in a flaming explosion.
"You two!" Linebeck said, pointing at the villagers in the corner. "Do something, while he's down!"
"Fine." Howard said, charging forward. "This is for not transferring me to Port Knocks!"
"I don't really have much ill will towards you," Hagurd said as he sped-walked forward, "But I really need a vacation."
The two Villagers swung their swords around without any sense of aim or purpose, each nicking Steve before hurrying back to their corner.
"It's clear to me that I've underestimated you," Steve said as the armor floated up off of the floor, "I won't be doing that again."
A bottle materialized from the armor; the group watched as the liquid disappeared from the flask, evidently being drunk.
"BYLETH, WHERE ARE YOU?!" Steve shouted. "Hurry up and get up here!"
X. Write-in what to do.
Impossibill: Linebeck blocks the stairs, Magnus can use Spinning Vortex again, Ike could use Eruption, Cloud could use Omnislash, and Zeke can finish with a Dynamoc Sparksword. This seems like overkill a bit, but if he's alone we shouldn't let him regenerate. I thought about Pandoria using a special, but there's still a chance we'll have to keep fighting Byleth even with Steve down.
Salmons: [To above] If we can, we should make Cloud switch to punisher mode for his Omnislash. Would make sure that Steve goes down, if he has a totem or something.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
1g. Stone x 10
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud - Operator Mode/Limit Broken
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Available
6b. Electric Circus - Available
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
Allies
Alex - Pristine Condition
L'Arachel - Pristine Condition
Dozla - Pristine Condition
Rennac - Pristine Condition
Howard - Pristine Condition
Hagurd - Pristine Condition
#294!
Boss Battle:
Steve - Moderately Damaged/Regenerating
Byleth - Moderately Damaged
X. What you said.
In response to Steve's call for help, Linebeck shuffled over to the room's entrance and began placing all of his stone blocks around the stairwell in an effort to block Byleth's passage.
"Absolutely asinine." Steve groaned.
The sound of a sword beating against stone could be heard from below; Byleth didn't have a pickaxe, it seemed.
"I'll keep him from running around and using that crossbow of his!" Magnus said, swinging his sword around overhead, summoning his patented vortex. "The rest of you move in and attack!"
Cloud, Zeke, Alex, Rennac, and Ike all moved in, ready to launch their respective attacks and put an end to Steve; Steve had other plans.
The group watched, stunned, as Steve put on a pair of wings and blasted off across the room with a firework rocket, swooping towards L'Arachel.
Dozla jumped in the way as Steve withdrew a glowing diamond sword and swung hard; slashing Dozla and lighting him on fire. Dozla tried to slash at Steve with his axe, but Steve was in and out too fast for that.
"Gwa ha ha!" Dozla laughed. "Seems I've caught on fire."
"Dozla!" L'Arachel cried. "I'll heal you, but do try to put that blaze out."
"There's no water around, my lady! But worry not; I'll happily grin and bear it!"
"Insane." Rennac shook his head.
At last, Byleth managed to break through; leaping up from the staircase and quickly dashing over to the king's side.
"Alright, you've had your fun, gotten a rise out of your superior." Steve said. "But now it's time to put an end to this."
X. Write-in what to do.
Salmons: I think we should go on the attack on Steve, since he's still regenerating. We might be able to take him down here if everything goes right.
Magnus should spinning vortex to limit steve's options.
Cloud and Ike should use Climhazzard and Aether to hit Steve out of the air when he uses his Elytra or just hit him if he doesnt for some reason.
Linebeck should face off against Byleth, just to keep her away from our Steve killers. Linebeck has had experience protecting against whiplike tentacles, so he should be able to do this here.
Zeke and Pandoria should use Electric Circus on Steve. Hopefully it's enough to kill Steve. Or maybe attack Byleth and let our allies handle Steve.
To Steve, this should look like the same thing we did last time. No reason for him to not Elytra again.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud - Operator Mode/Limit Broken
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu - Slightly Damaged/Burning
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Available
6b. Electric Circus - Available
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
Allies
Alex - Pristine Condition
L'Arachel - Pristine Condition
Dozla - Slightly Damaged/Burning
Rennac - Pristine Condition
Howard - Pristine Condition
Hagurd - Pristine Condition
#304! & #305!
Boss Battle:
Steve - Pristine Condition/Regenerating
Byleth - Critical Condition
X. What you said.
"Kill the healer first!" Steve commanded. "Focus all of your attacks on her!"
"Take out the leader and the rest shall fall, is that it?" L'Arachel cried. "Well, you're probably right to think so, but I enjoy divine protection!"
"And my protection!" Dozla said, squaring up in front of L'Arachel.
Byleth took a step toward L'Arachel, but stopped short as Linebeck got in her way.
"H-H-heal me when she hits me!" Linebeck called back to L'Arachel, sword hand trembling.
"What is this sad attempt at heroics?" Howard shook his head in disgust.
Byleth swung her whip sword at Linebeck.
"Eep!" Linebeck squeaked, just barely blocking the attack.
Byleth continued swinging her flail around, with Linebeck swinging his sword about in a wide arc haphazardly to try and defend himself.
While that was going on, the mercs Linebeck hired to defend himself left Linebeck to it and focused their attention on Steve.
Steve pulled out his crossbow, but Magnus began swinging his blade overhead once more.
"Ugh. Enough with that attack!" Steve sulked angrily as Cloud and Ike closed in.
Steve took to the air once more; Cloud and Ike each launched their own airborne attack, but Steve quickly withdrew his sword to trade damage with each before being sent back to the floor.
"Argh!" he cried, still struggling against Magnus's vortex.
Suddenly Steve decided to stop struggling against the current; Magnus looked on in surprise as Steve allowed himself to be pulled close. A moment before he was to be pulled directly into the sword, Steve began placing obsidian blocks down all around Magnus, fully sealing him away at incredible speed.
Cloud nodded appreciatively.
"You've got this, Pandy!" Zeke said, tossing his blade over.
"I'll finish him off right here!" Pandoria nodded, hurling an electrified blade Steve-ward; it struck him before boomeranging around and striking him again, successfully depleting the tyrant of all his health.
Steve withdrew a small totem and wiggled it mockingly at the pair before tossing it to the side.
"Hey, what the hell just happened?!" Zeke frowned.
Meanwhile, Byleth managed to get a couple of sharp slashes in on Linebeck.
"ARGH!!!" Linebeck cried out in pain. "HELP!!!"
L'Arachel raised her staff aloft and healed him.
At the same time, Alex, Hagurd, Howard, and Rennac all took advantage of Byleth being distracted to swoop in and strike her from behind. Rennac's particularly stylish dagger twirling contrasted nicely with the stiff, graceless swings from the Minecraftians.
Byleth staggered back, hunched over slightly, evidently on the verge of defeat.
"This is not over yet!" Steve assured her. "Trust me, we are still more than capable of crushing these worms."
"I know." Byleth said with a surprising amount of confidence in her tone.
Suddenly thirteen figures materialized amidst thirteen separate puffs of smoke.
Master Kohga stood in the middle of the room with eight Footsoldiers and four Blademasters behind him.
Linebeck froze up, as did the rest of those present.
"That's him, Master Kohga!" one of the Blademasters said, pointing at Steve.
"You this so-called 'king' I've heard about?" Master Kohga asked Steve through gritted teeth. "I hear one of your lackeys killed one of my lackeys. Do you know anything about that?"
Steve stared at Kohga in quiet disbelief.
"Master Kohga, look!" a Footsoldier shouted, pointing to the corner. "Johnson's over there!"
Kohga trudged over to the corner where the Leon and Yiga cubes had been deposited. Bending down and picking up the Yiga cube with trembling fingers, Kohga stared intently at the object in his hands for several moments. Once he was done with that, he spirited the cube away in a puff of smoke.
"Why..." Kohga shook his head, turning around to face Steve. "Killing a Yiga is bad enough, but why disgrace them like that?!"
Steve looked around at the Yiga in silent bewilderment. Or perhaps fear.
"Well, I believe he said he wanted those cubes to display in a trophy room." L'Arachel spoke up.
"What."
"Actually, no, he only wanted us and that other cube for the trophy room." Alex chimed in. "He said you ninjas would be better used as crafting materials."
"WHAT?!" Kohga yelled as gasps rang out amongst the Yiga.
Steve's eyes darted around the room.
"Well..." Kohga chuckled ruefully. "It looks like it's our lucky day, boys. Not only are we going to crush Dr. Lineback and take back what was stolen from us... but we're also going to get revenge for our fallen comrade!"
"REVENGE!!!!" the Yiga screamed in unison.
"Kill the blockhead first!" Kohga commanded. "Then we'll deal with the rest!"
X. Write-in what to do.
Already_in_Use: Alright, so considering Kohga's made it clear he'll want to attack us if they can actually succeed in taking out Steve, it may be best to let them duke it out amongst themselves while we recuperate and determine how to deal with Byleth (since the Yiga don't seem to know she's with the king yet). Since she's in Critical Condition with thirteen entirely new enemies, I think it might actually be possible to reason with her if we want to give that a shot.
This is going to sound convoluted, but bare with me.
Linebeck asks all our allies not to attack Byleth unless she makes a move. He'll then make a proposition to Byleth: If she's going to keep fighting, she's certainly going to get killed by us or the Yiga. If she follows what Linebeck says, she'll get to live [yadda yadda yadda multiple paragraphs of convoluted ideas, don't worry it's not important]
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike - Moderately Damaged/Burning
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud - Moderately Damaged/Burning/Operator Mode
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu - Moderately Damaged/Burning
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Available
6b. Electric Circus - Available
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
Allies
Alex - Pristine Condition
L'Arachel - Pristine Condition
Dozla - Moderately Damaged/Burning
Rennac - Pristine Condition
Howard - Pristine Condition
Hagurd - Pristine Condition
Master Kohga - Pristine Condition
Yiga Blademaster - Pristine Condition
Yiga Blademaster - Pristine Condition
Yiga Blademaster - Pristine Condition
Yiga Blademaster - Pristine Condition
Yiga Footsoldier - Pristine Condition
Yiga Footsoldier - Pristine Condition
Yiga Footsoldier - Pristine Condition
Yiga Footsoldier - Pristine Condition
Yiga Footsoldier - Pristine Condition
Yiga Footsoldier - Pristine Condition
Yiga Footsoldier - Pristine Condition
Yiga Footsoldier - Pristine Condition
#311!
Boss Battle:
Steve - Severely Damaged/Regenerating
"Hey!" Linebeck said, waving down Byleth. "You! Hear me out!"
Byleth shot Linebeck a wide-eyed glance.
"Alright, listen, nobody attack her unless she makes a move!" Linebeck said to the others before turning to Byleth. "If you keep fighting, you're definitely gonna get yourself killed, whether by us or the Yiga. Probably the Yiga. But I have a plan, and if you follow along, we'll talk about letting you join us and--"
"Byleth, we have a contract!" Steve shouted. "Ignore him; I've got a plan. Come protect me, and I guarantee you, I shall not let so much as a single arrow strike you! We shall emerge victorious yet; but I need you to trust me!"
Byleth quite literally leapt into action, landing in front of Steve and standing between him and the Yiga.
Linebeck's plans had been laid to ruin; but he figured he could at least take advantage of the distraction by freeing Magnus while Byleth and Steve confronted the Yiga.
"Hm?" Kohga grunted. "So she's one of your lackeys too, right? Fine! Kill her too!"
As Magnus climbed out of his obsidian shelter, the Yiga let loose; arrows and piercing gusts of wind all went flying towards Byleth as the latter swung her blade about in a fury, intercepting and deflecting an impressive amount of the projectiles coming her way; but not all of them.
An arrow pierced Byleth's neck, stopping her defensive maneuver as yet more arrows struck her body. Byleth sputtered up blood as she turned and gazed back at the king, who had taken advantage of the distraction to mine an escape hole in the wall.
"You've served your purpose. Worth every material!" Steve called back as jumped out of his escape hole, successfully escaping his near-certain doom.
Byleth fell to the ground with an unceremonious thud, the life fading from her eyes.
***
"Hey!" Linebeck said, waving down Byleth. "You! Hear me out!"
Byleth shot Linebeck a wide-eyed glance.
"Alright, listen, nobody attack her unless she makes a move!" Linebeck said to the others before turning to Byleth. "If you keep fighting, you're definitely gonna get yourself killed, whether by us or the Yiga. Probably the Yiga. But I have a plan, and if you follow along, we'll talk about letting you join us and--"
"Byleth, we have a contract!" Steve shouted. "Ignore him; I've got a plan. Come protect me, and I guarantee you, I shall not let so much as a single arrow strike you! We shall emerge victorious yet; but I need you to trust me!"
Byleth quite literally leapt into action, landing in front of the staircase leading down and hoofing it out of the room, the sound of her footsteps quickly disappearing as she sprinted away from the battle.
"Wait... what just happened?" Linebeck blinked, looking around.
"Hey, why am I back in here?!" the muffled voice of Magnus could be heard from within the obsidian fortress, now completely intact.
"I guess this is what they mean by deja vu," Alex said, looking around. "Except Byleth..."
"What is this?!" Steve cried, looking around in a panic. "I JUST jumped out of here! Why am I... ARGH!!!"
Steve withdrew his pickaxe and turned around to start mining again.
A Yiga Blademaster teleported over and caught the pickaxe with his blade, impeding Steve's mining attempts.
"FIRE!!!!" Kohga cried.
As the Yiga began unleashing their volley, Linebeck shuffled over to the obsidian fort and once more cleared an opening for Magnus.
"Oh! I do believe I'm getting a message from the gods!" L'Arachel said, closing her eyes for a moment. "It seems... we have done all that we were ordained to do, and now divine providence would have us retreat!"
"Aww, but I barely got to... ach, as you wish, my lady." Dozla relented.
"Well, that's surprisingly sensible of you." Rennac sighed in relief. "And here I was about to leave you behind."
"Oh, quit joking around, Rennac." L'Arachel said, raising a staff to heal Ike. "A final parting gift, friends, and some advice: perhaps you had best retreat as well!"
With that, L'Arachel, Dozla, and Rennac bolted down the stairs.
"Yeah, what are we still doing here?!" Howard cried. "Let's bail, while those ninja guys are distracted!"
Steve bore the brunt of many projectiles, still standing but not long for this world. He tried running, but everywhere he went a Blademaster poofed in front of him and knocked him back. Even an attempt to dig straight down proved fruitless as a blademaster knocked his pickaxe away.
"This is ASININE!" Steve yelled. "Alright, fine, I'll lend you my creative talents, just-"
"We're not accepting applicants!" Kohga cried, summoning a spiked ball overhead.
Linebeck felt someone tugging on his coat sleeve; he looked over and made eye contact with Alex, who looked from him to the exit.
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Slip away.
B. Get the final hit in on Steve first. (Write-in)
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike - Slightly Damaged/Burning
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud - Severely Damaged/Burning/Operator Mode
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu - Severely Damaged/Burning
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Available
6b. Electric Circus - Available
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
Allies
Alex - Pristine Condition
Howard - Pristine Condition
Hagurd - Pristine Condition
Master Kohga - Pristine Condition
Yiga Blademaster - Pristine Condition
Yiga Blademaster - Pristine Condition
Yiga Blademaster - Pristine Condition
Yiga Blademaster - Pristine Condition
Yiga Footsoldier - Pristine Condition
Yiga Footsoldier - Pristine Condition
Yiga Footsoldier - Pristine Condition
Yiga Footsoldier - Pristine Condition
Yiga Footsoldier - Pristine Condition
Yiga Footsoldier - Pristine Condition
Yiga Footsoldier - Pristine Condition
Yiga Footsoldier - Pristine Condition
#318 & #319
Linebeck motioned for everybody to retreat down the stairs as more projectiles went hurtling at Steve.
Howard was first to run away, followed by Hagurd, and then Ike, Cloud, Zeke and Pandoria, Magnus, and then Alex. Linebeck looked back at Steve and the Yiga in time to see Kohga send a spiked ball hurtling at Steve.
Steve began feebly trying to place some blocks in front of him defensively, but the spiked ball smashed them to bits.
"NO--
Steve disintegrated into a white puff of smoke as the spiked ball crushed him utterly; bits of his armor and inventory went flying out onto the ground as Linebeck turned and beat a hasty retreat.
As he ran down the staircase, he could hear the Yiga erupt in shouts and laughter above.
"REVENGE!!!" they yelled.
The group hurried down the series of staircases and hallways, eventually managing to make their way out of the castle, running towards the S.S. Linebeck.
"What about L'Arachel and the others?" Alex asked, looking around. "Where'd they go?"
"I don't know, but we're not sticking around to search!" Linebeck said as he dashed on to the deck and made his way to the bridge, before hastily adding, "I'm sure they'll be fine."
Linebeck manned the helm and pumped the gas, causing the S.S. Linebeck to lurch forward as it began flying down the river, quickly putting the castle behind them.
***
"Alright," Linebeck said, "It looks like this is where most of us are gonna have to go our separate ways."
Linebeck stood aboard the deck of the S.S. Linebeck. Hagurd stood behind him; the rest all stood in the ruins of Backwater Village, on the dock Alex had just newly reconstructed.
"But first thing's first; I'm gonna want to keep one of you mercenaries on board. Safety in numbers and all. And don't worry, I'll pay you well; so who's it gonna be?"
"You tell us." Cloud said.
"The choice is yours." Ike nodded in agreement.
"Hate to see our merry band grow smaller, but I suppose that's life." Zeke shrugged.
"Consider this a performance evaluation." Magnus said. "Let's see which one of us you were most impressed by."
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Magnus
B. Ike
C. Cloud
D. Zeke and Pandoria
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Magnus
2a. Magnus's Giant Tower
2b. Sword Swipe
2c. Running Kick
2d. Quickstep Explosion
2e. Spinning Vortex
3. Ike
3a. Ragnell
3b. Eruption
3c. Quick Draw
3d. Aether
3e. Counter
4. Cloud
4a. Buster Sword
4b. Blade Beam
4c. Cross Slash
4c1. Omnislash
4d. Braver
4d1. Climhazzard
4e. Limit Break
5. Zeke von Genbu
5a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
5b. Stratospheric Thunder
5c. Overload Thunder Beam
5d. Dynamic Sparksword
5e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
6. Pandoria
6a. Lightning Force - Unavailable
6b. Electric Circus - Unavailable
6c. Thunder Doom - Unavailable
6d. Sonic Thunderslash - Unavailable
Allies
Alex - Pristine Condition
Howard - Pristine Condition
Hagurd - Pristine Condition
#330***
"I'll take the two-for-one package." Linebeck nodded at Zeke and Pandoria.
"I think that means us." Pandoria whispered to Zeke.
"I think so too." Zeke murmured back before turning to face his mercenary companions. "Well, it's been fun, chums, but it looks like we've been hand-selected by the captain here. Can't say I won't miss the lot of you."
"It's been a lot of fun traveling together." Magnus nodded with a smile. "Can't say I agree with the captain's decision, but I'll respect it."
"Would you have chosen you? You got trapped in a box." Cloud pointed out before adding to Zeke and Pandoria, "Wouldn't mind running into you two again. Either way... bye."
"Safe travels." Ike nodded. "Just... try to remember that function is more important than flashiness."
"I don't see the two as being mutually exclusive." Zeke said. "But... sure. Noted."
Linebeck watched as Zeke and Pandoria stepped onto the deck before turning his attention to Alex.
"You know..." Linebeck said, "I could use someone of your talents on my crew."
"Oh, I'm not talented." Alex smiled, gazing at the ground. "Seeing Steve's handiwork has shown me that. But I'll get better!"
"I'm sure." Linebeck nodded. "So...?"
"I... think I'm gonna have to pass." Alex sighed. "There's a lot of stuff to do around here. I've got to go and let the people of Sux and Port Knocks know they're liberated, I gotta go get Maggie from under Port Knocks and find Mortimer so I can reunite them... and it doesn't seem like the Yiga are going anywhere. Someone's gotta keep an eye on them. Maybe even fight them."
"Alright." Linebeck sighed. "I understand. Be careful out there, kid."
"Hey, she's still got us around to help out!" Magnus said. "No need to worry too much."
"Really?" Alex said in surprise.
"Sure, we got nothing better to do." Magnus said.
"Speak for yourself." Cloud spoke up before adding: "Well... yeah, I guess I'm not in a rush to go anywhere."
"As long as you can provide some food and shelter," Ike said, "And/or some pay to help us get by... I would be happy to lend you my sword."
"Well... consider yourself an honorary member of my crew, then." Linebeck said.
"Okay!" Alex beamed. "Come and visit sometime, Captain!"
"Maybe one day!" Linebeck shouted over his shoulder, turning to head for the bridge.
Howard opened his mouth to say something to Linebeck, but ultimately decided against it.
"Oh, and I completely refilled your engine with coal!" Alex shouted after him. "Just a little parting gift!"
Linebeck smiled as he headed inside and made for the steering wheel, setting off into the ocean; Zeke, Pandoria, and Hagurd entered the bridge soon after.
"So, where we headed next?" Zeke asked.
"Not sure." Linebeck shrugged.
"A nice island, I should hope." Hagurd said.
"Eyah!" Linebeck cried, not expecting to hear that particular voice. "Hagurd?! What are you doing here?! Am I gonna have to turn around?!"
"You promised to take me to a nice tropical island, remember?" Hagurd raised an eyebrow. "I want a vacation. That's the entire reason I decided to betray the king."
"Oh, right." Linebeck furrowed his brow. "Alright, guess I was gonna end up going to one of two islands next anyway. Yoshi's Island or the Nowhere Isles are the only places within a day's travel of here. Well, those and Hyrule. But I'm not going back to Hyrule. And it's not an island anyway. So."
"Well which of the two are we going to, then?" Pandoria asked.
Linebeck considered the query.
A. Yoshi's Island
B. Nowhere Isles
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
Allies
Hagurd
#338, #339, & #340 (Final update post of topic)
"We're headed for Yoshi's Island." Linebeck decided.
"Sounds good." Hagurd nodded appreciatively.
"Can't say I've heard of it." Zeke shrugged.
"What or who is a Yoshi?" Pandoria asked.
"Who knows." Linebeck shrugged; he actually did know, but he didn't particularly feel like explaining.
The S.S. Linebeck continued on, reaching the wall in a matter of minutes before slowing to a stop, allowing the bow of his ship to come within mere inches of the barrier.
"Alright," Linebeck said, emerging from the bridge with diamond pickaxe in hand. "This baby should be able to make short work of even this monstrosity."
Linebeck walked up to and along the bow and swung away with the pickaxe.
Zeke, Pandoria, and Hagurd stood back and watched as he cleared away one layer of netherrack and three layers of Obsidian before striking open air.
Surprised, Linebeck peered inside the wall and gazed around; it was an open hallway, lit with torches, with obsidian - probably only three layers - on the opposite side.
"It's HOLLOW!!" Linebeck shouted. "I would've thought there'd be, like, twenty blocks of the stuff to get through!"
"I'm not surprised." Hagurd nodded. "He was always bad about finishing the inside of things. Plus obsidian isn't exactly easy to come by, even with a diamond pickaxe; this way he could dramatically cut down the number of resources needed to build this thing."
"Trusting that nobody would actually manage to dig more than three layers deep to reveal the sham for what it is." Zeke nodded.
"A whole lotta bark, and not all that much bite." Pandoria said, gazing up at the wall.
"Well, I'm not complaining." Linebeck said. "Less work to clear a path."
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
Allies
Hagurd
***
“This is… insane…” Rennac panted. “I demand we turn around and get out of this death pit of a cave, or I quit!”
“Oh, Rennac, hush.” L’Arachel said from atop Francesca. “The literal and figurative light at the end of the tunnel is right THERE. I can see the town from here!”
“Easy for you to say,” Rennac snapped, “You don’t even have to RUN!!”
“Do you need me to carry you, Rennac?” Dozla asked. “I could sling you over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes! Wouldn’t be a problem!”
“Don’t touch me.” Rennac huffed.
The three burst out into the light, standing before the gated entrance to Port Knocks. Standing between them and Port Knocks was a familiar swordsman.
“Oh, it’s you guys.” Ike cocked his head. “Didn’t really expect to see you again…”
“Yes, it is I, L’Arachel!” L’Arachel announced. “I have come to procure passage across the sea! Please stand aside so that we may pass.”
“…Yeah, fine.” Ike shrugged, stepping to the side. “If you want a boat, you should go talk to Alex; she could probably build you one.”
“A custom-built ship?” L’Arachel mused as she passed by. “Yes, that does seem rather fitting, given my station.”
“And how do you intend to pay for an entire SHIP?” Rennac chuckled ruefully. “You still haven’t even paid ME.”
“I told you, Rennac, you’ll get your due once we return to Renais.” L’Arachel said. “And I shall simply tell our shipwright to send the bill to Castle Renais.”
Rennac snorted.
The group made their way through the upper level and took the stairs down to the port, which housed some looming ships.
“That one should suffice,” L’Arachel said, nodding towards the largest ship in the harbor. “A custom job would be more fitting, but it would also be more time-consuming. Perhaps it would be better to simply purchase this one.”
“’Tis a beauty, for sure, my lady.” Dozla nodded sagely. “You sure know how to pick them out!”
“She just defaulted to the biggest ship in the harbor.” Rennac said. “A ship that is also far too large for the three of us to operate on our own. We’d need something much more modest.”
“Wait… is that L’Arachel?!”
L’Arachel looked over to see a familiar-looking Minecraftian standing beside a pair of familiar-looking brawny swordsmen.
“Ah, we meet again!” L’Arachel greeted her. “I didn’t know you were a shipwright!”
“I’m… not.” Alex said confusedly.
“But I’ve received explicit guidance informing me that you are!” L’Arachel asserted.
“We told the guy at the gate we need to cross the ocean, and he said to talk to you about it.” Rennac translated.
“Oh, well, I COULD help you with that, yeah.” Alex nodded. “Just let me… oh, excuse me a moment.”
A Minecraftian in plain clothes hurried up, handing off apples, meat, and other foodstuff to Alex.
“Okay… I’ve gathered everything you asked for.” the Villager sighed, hastily adding: “Have fun, safe travels, see you later!”
“Hold on a second!” Magnus shouted as the Villager turned to leave. “Let her go through the supplies first.”
Alex rifled through the materials for a few moments before looking apologetically over to the Villager.
“Sorry, Mayhew…” she said, “But we’re still a little short on supplies. More than a little short, actually. We’re going to need at least twice this.”
“But… but it was already pretty hard to get all of that together!” Mayhew whined.
“Better get to work then.” Cloud said. “We plan on leaving tomorrow, and we won’t be happy about it if we end up having to postpone our plans.”
Mayhew sighed, turned around, and hurried off.
“Sorry about that.” Alex said. “Like I was saying, just let me set down a Crafting Table and I’ll build you your boats real quick.”
“Great!” L’Arachel smiled. “Something similar to this big one here, except smaller. Yet grander, at the same time. Small enough for three, but grandiose enough for ten thousand. Oh, but we’re in a hurry, so the quicker you can construct it, the better!”
“…Oh. I wouldn’t know where to begin building a SHIP.” Alex said apologetically. “And besides… I don’t think those ones actually function, the king built those for show. But I can build you a couple of rowboats! They’ll get you where you need to go!”
“…Oh. Rowboats.” L’Arachel mumbled.
Using her crafting table, Alex crafted a pair of rowboats in a matter of seconds and plopped them down at the edge of the docks, ready for use.
“…ROWBOATS?!” Rennac cried.
“Come now, Rennac.” L’Arachel chided him. “Beggars cannot be choosers. Show a little modesty and graciousness. Thank you for your most humble of offerings, shipwright.”
“Um… you’re welcome…” Alex said.
“But… but… the horse…”
***
“Master Kohga!” one of the Blademasters said. “It appears that Dr. Lineback and his companions have escaped!”
“Yes, I… I can see that, yeah.” Kohga nodded, gazing down at the staircase which connected the throne room to the rest of the castle.
“Should we give chase?”
“Eh… that battle was pretty tiring. think we’ve had enough excitement for one day.” Kohga dismissed the idea. “Let that thieving doctor run as far as little legs can carry him, sail as far as that little steamboat can sail him… he’ll NEVER escape the all-seeing eye of the Yiga Clan!”
The Yiga Blademasters and Footsoldiers surrounding Kohga erupted into applause.
“Yes, yes… we’ve had our fill of revenge today. Time to sit back, relax, eat a few dozen bananas, and bask in the glow of my accomplishments.”
“GLORY TO MASTER KOHGA!!!”
“Well, that’s what I’M going to do, of course.” Kohga clarified. “The rest of you have a lot of work to do! Scout the entirety of this castle and put it on lockdown. Should make for a halfway decent hideout for us. As for me, I’m heading back to Hyrule. Can't leave Sooga to lead the war effort by himself. You know the drill; scour every inch of this land for anything we can use in the war against Hyrule.”
The Yiga all saluted as Kohga began making his way down the stairs. The Blademaster from before shuffled down after him.
“Master Kohga.” he said. “A report: the machine that took Johnson from us is down in the basement of this castle. I assume that you would have us destroy it?”
“Well, naturally.” Kohga nodded sagely as he began peeling a banana. “Our revenge for Johnson wouldn’t be complete otherwise.”
“Of course.” the Blademaster nodded. “I’ll send word to have the machine obliterated at once.”
“Wait!” Kohga said with a mouthful of banana. “Mm… don’t just blow it up… smk… all at once. Get some of our… unf… scientists together and have them disassemble it piece-by-piece. There’s technology there… ulp… we could make use of. It’s not just Zonai tech we’re gonna need to master if we want to destroy Hyrule, you know.”
“Brilliant, Master Kohga!” the Blademaster bowed deeply in respect as Kohga withdrew another banana. “You truly are even wiser than everyone says!”
“True.” Kohga nodded in agreement. “With our numbers, all this nifty technology, and this powerful noggin of mine, it’s pretty much only a matter of time until Hyrule’s nothing but ashes.”
Notes:
106*
You might've noticed the chosen option restated at the beginning of this update ("B. Actually, he's probably just going to subjugate you."). In actuality, the previous update's chosen option almost always heads the subsequent update, as a way to confirm exactly what was ultimately selected for the participants. For this condensed version, those headings are usually the only things I omit from each update, as their purpose is already filled by me bolding the selected option.I included it here since it was used to imply Linebeck actually answering in such a way without writing the dialogue for it.
#126**
One of my favorite aspects of these CYOAs taking place within the general Smash sphere is all the fun ways you can utilize the crossover aspect. The Rausten trio from Sacred Stones ceaselessly battling the undead hordes of Minecraft is a very fun one in particular that sticks out to me because it befits their characters so much. Plus, I'm happy to see Sacred Stones repped at all.#166!*
Here's something completely new from OA, a status description for Allies! Crimson took a page from Fire Emblem in that they're essentially Green Units: characters who fight independently on our side. Back in OA, characters like these usually would have either joined the party to be controlled, or if not, could still help out despite not being listed. In the latter case, it could be a little difficult to fully keep track of everyone, and because of that, I don't believe they would ever be put under any sort of danger that wasn't very explicit.With an ally listing here in WoS, Crimson can incorporate a ton more protagonist-aligned characters without inflating the amount of thought and effort required to make battle plans (if you'll remember in OA, there were times we had 12+ party members). And because the allies are clearly listed along with their health, they're able to be more active parts of the back-and-forth. They're allowed to be targeted and even die, of which we won't have a reason to blame anyone but ourselves should we not account for their safety.
The Ally section is a great addition imo, and I believe somewhat of a necessary one as well. Battles have historically drawn less in-the-moment participation (as they require a good amount of planning, and often incur a lot of risks that some participants might not want to feel responsible for). The Ally section allows more characters to be introduced without expanding our options and decisions too much.
#202***
Crimson later reveals that the intended way to have dealt with Leon's invisibility was to use the pool of water to splash him, of which then we'd be able to track his movements. However, as you might've been able to tell from the previous response, it hadn't occurred to him that the arrows would've been a viable solution as well. I think me and some of the participants had a good snicker at his reaction when I initially asked the question about the arrows.Also, we have our first named character's death, and oops! It's a Star Fox character! Given a previous running joke that developed among the participants back in OA, I was very curious to see what was in store for Leon. Turns out, fate was not kind to him. But will this mean anything in the future...?
#235*
There was a very slight amount of discussion on whether to craft a Diamond Sword or Pickaxe, but the reason Pickaxe won was a mixture of Linebeck's sword skills seeming subpar, and a Pickaxe allowing for more creative solutions in the future. Somewhat important to note due to this item lasting a long time. I may talk on it more later as Linebeck's moveset and combat utility becomes more fleshed out.#330***
And thus, the very first crew member(s) of the adventure are chosen!Y'know, thinking back, it's a bit ironic that our first choice was a XB character, as I remember quite a few times in OA us generally having a huge lack of knowledge for the series as a whole. Magnus gave them the most competition due to his surprisingly helpful moves, but ultimately Zeke and Pandy won out due to the intrigue of them being a 2-for-1 deal with an interesting battle mechanic.
---
And that's part 3 of World of Smash, concluding the "Of Mines and Crafts" arc! You know surprisingly enough, one of my favorite parts about this arc was how the MC characters were characterized: Alex, Steve, and even all the Villagers. Given that they're (famously so) blank slates, what Crimson came up for them was very fun. I only really wished some had more screen time (Steve) or a more prominent role played (Alex).
At the end of the topic, Crimson shared a TON of behind-the-scenes info that I couldn't hope to detail with my limited character limit. Check out post #348 here: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/234547-super-smash-bros-ultimate/80542071?page=34
Chapter 4: CYOA: World of Smash - Yucking It Up on Yoshi's Island
Summary:
Linebeck, Zeke, and Pandoria arrive at Yoshi's Island, where a forgotten debt springs up and obligates the captain to a treacherous journey across the island.
Notes:
Part 4 of World of Smash, spanning from 10/7/2023 to 12/29/2023.
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/234547-super-smash-bros-ultimate/80587494
Participants include:
estejor
Colette-Brunel
HungryLuma64
Disufiroa
Impossibill
Already_in_Use
jkid101094
MrFuzz111
Salmons
Birdbrain
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
CYOA: World of Smash - Yucking It Up on Yoshi's Island
#1
Linebeck gently stewarded the S.S. Linebeck through the sea, moving through the ocean as the ship made its way towards Yoshi's Island. As his hands rested upon the handles of his ship's wheel, he felt a brief moment of bliss; until some muffled shouting rang out from belowdeck.
Linebeck let go of the wheel and made his way downstairs.
"The game is up, villains!" Zeke shouted. "Thought you could sneak aboard, eh? Nobody gets one over on ZEKE VON GENBU!!!"
Linebeck recoiled in fright; some Yiga must have stown away! He crouched down and crept down the stairs, taking a peek inside the room. Hagurd was snoozing in one corner; Zeke and Pandoria were pointing and yelling at the wall in another corner.
"Now, taste the power of my ultra-secret-special-deluxe technique: the EYE OF SHINING JUSTICE!!!"
Zeke hunched over and began convulsing as Pandoria did her best to mimic his movements.
"Eye of Shining Justice..." Zeke said through gritted teeth, hand over his eyepatch. "The time has come at last for you to reveal your true power and bestow upon us your... no, no I'm not feeling this one, Pandy."
Zeke and Pandoria dropped the posing and turned to face each other.
"It was overly wordy." Pandoria nodded. "Something more to the punch... I'm also not sure I should be doing what you're doing."
"But synchronization is everything!" Zeke cried. "You know that!"
"Yeah, but... I don't have an eyepatch." Pandoria said. "It doesn't make sense for me to be covering my eye like that. Plus it means my hand's all smooshed up against my glasses..."
"Alright, well, we'll workshop it later." Zeke shrugged. "Let's practice our introduction."
"Ooh, that's my favorite routine!" Pandoria nodded eagerly.
"Alright, from the top..." Zeke said, taking some time to find the right pose before spinning around 180 degrees and shouting: "Behold the mighty... Zeke! Von! Genbu--oh, C-Captain!"
Pandoria followed Zeke's gaze and gave a start at seeing Linebeck staring down at them from halfway down the staircase.
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Nod approvingly.
B. Shake your head disapprovingly.
C. Continue to stare and say nothing.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
Allies
Hagurd
#10
Linebeck looked from Zeke's eye to Pandoria's eyes, then centered his vision betwixt the two of them and gave a single, approving nod.
"Oh, do you approve?" Zeke grinned. "I'm glad. I was worried you'd say we were being too loud or something."
"I can appreciate a little showmanship." Linebeck said, turning around and slowly ascending the stairs, stopping a little before letting his foot fall upon each step in an attempt to look cool. He hoped it worked.
Not long after resuming his post at the wheel, an island came into view in the distance. A set of tall mountains reached high into the sky, with clouds floating atop(one with buildingson it!); this was Yoshi's Island.
As the S.S. Linebeck drew nearer, something began rising from the water in the distance; a large blue sea monster bearing fangs that were almost as fearsome as its furry eyebrows. And it was making its way towards the ship.
"Oh, for the love of..." Linebeck groaned. "HEY!!! ALL HANDS ON DECK, NOW!!!!"
Linebeck heard the shuffling of footsteps behind him as Zeke and Pandoria hurried up.
"What's the matter?" Zeke asked.
"We're under attack!" Linebeck cried. "Man the cannons! Err, cannon."
"We have a cannon?" Zeke raised an eyebrow.
Linebeck pressed a button on his dashboard; a large cannon-esque mechanism sprung up on the deck of the S.S. Linebeck. It clashed horribly with the aesthetics of the rest of the ship.
"Hurry up and start firing, before we're hit!"
"Erm... sure thing." Zeke nodded, rushing off with Pandoria right behind.
Zeke walked over to the cannon and looked it up and down.
"Zeke, you don't know how to operate that!" Pandoria said.
"No, but... Captain's orders." Zeke shrugged. "But where is this so-called sea monster at?"
Zeke gazed around, catching sight of the sea monster off the side of the ship that lacked railing.
"Oh. Yeah. That thing's pretty big." Zeke frowned. "Alright... here goes."
Zeke pushed a button on the base of the cannon, launching a cannonball straight forward, landing some distance away off the bow of the S.S. Linebeck.
Linebeck pulled open one of the windows of the bridge and shouted: "Are you serious?! You have to AIM the cannon!"
"Uh... let's see here..." Zeke's cheeks flushed red as he felt around; he found out the cannon could be manually rotated by rotating the gear at its base.
Zeke bent down and began tugging on the gear, moving the cannon around to face the sea monster before pushing the button.
The cannon fired, heading in the right general direction but coming completely short.
"TILT THE CANNON UP!!!" Linebeck shouted.
Zeke did so, finding that the cannon was surprisingly flexible; he fired again, this time launching a cannonball that completely sailed over the beast.
"Let me try!" Pandoria said, firing three shots, attempting to reposition every time to correct her aim. They all missed miserably.
"Hrmm..." she frowned. "Yeah. Sorry, Captain, but I think Zeke and I might have terrible aim!"
Linebeck sweat profusely as the sea monster drew quite close.
X. Write-in what to do.
Colette-Brunel: [...] have Lineback fire the cannon at the monster since he actually knows how to use it supposedly.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
Allies
Hagurd
#17
"Argh!" Linebeck groaned, running out of the bridge and onto the deck. "Let me see that!"
Linebeck began tending to the cannon, taking care to aim it just right as the sea monster came dangerously close.
"Well?" Linebeck huffed. "Don't just stand there! Take the wheel!"
"Errrrrr, okay!"
Zeke and Pandoria went running off into the bridge while Linebeck aimed his shot and fired; the cannonball came a lot closer than either of their shots, but it still missed. And there wasn't time to ready another as the sea monster closed in, opening its maw.
"EVASIVE MANEUVERS!!!" Linebeck yelled. "GET THE SHIP OUT OF THE WAY!!!"
"Right!" Zeke said, turning the steering wheel hard right; far too hard.
The ship turned extremely hard, making a 360 degree turn and practically remaining stationary in so doing.
"Gah! Give me the wheel!" Linebeck shouted, running into the bridge.
As Linebeck shoved Zeke aside, grabbed hold of the wheel, and began correcting course, the sea monster brought its fangs down on the ship, scraping all along the side of the hull as the S.S. Linebeck sailed away.
The monster shuddered, evidently displeased by the taste and/or texture of the ship, and receded back into the ocean.
Linebeck stood at the wheel, steering the ship in silence, staring forward.
"..."
"..."
"Well... uh..." Zeke cleared his throat. "Apologies that didn't turn out better, Captain. I realize this isn't the best first impression your new crewmates could make."
"The three of us will strive to do much better moving forward!" Pandoria asserted.
"The three of you?" Linebeck raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you mean Hagurd? He's not part of my crew, he's just hitchhiking."
"Oh, I guess you still haven't introduced him yet." Pandoria said to Zeke.
"Oh, right!" a wide grin spread across Zeke's face as he reached into his coat pocket. "Captain Linebeck, I present to you: the most adorable member of your crew: TURTERS!!! Behold!"
Zeke thrust his hands out into Linebeck's face, palms-up, holding some sort of tiny turtle.
Linebeck stared at the creature for a few moments.
A. Bask in the glory of Turters.
B. Insincerely compliment Turters.
C. Question the need to have a tiny turtle on the crew.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
Allies
Hagurd
#23
"Oh. Oh, wow." Linebeck said, getting a good look at the spectacle before him. "Yeah, that's... that's really something!"
"Right?!" Pandoria squealed giddily.
"Turters here is our beloved pet, as well as the mascot of Team Zeke!" Zeke proudly proclaimed. "He's been our steadfast companion for years now. We've been in quite a lot of scrapes together!"
"Well, that is definitely the most adorable thing with a shell that I have ever seen." Linebeck nodded appreciatively. "And I've seen lots of things with shells!"
"Right, well. Now that introductions are out of the way, I'll put him back in his pocket!" Zeke said, stowing the turtle away. "He prefers being in there."
"Well, thanks for showing me your pet turtle." Linebeck said in all sincerity. "For a brief moment there, I was able to forget about the fact that my ship just sustained even moredamage."
"Sure, but... I'm pretty sure the damage was pretty much just aesthetic." Pandoria pointed out. "It didn't sink its teeth too deep into the ship, just peeled a lot of the paint off and scraped the wood!"
"'Just' aesthetic?" Linebeck repeated. "You can't just... Ugh. Never mind. We're approaching the island now. Prepare to disembark. And go wake up Hagurd."
Zeke and Pandoria disappeared belowdeck as Linebeck pulled the ship up against the sole shabby little dock that extended from the shoreline. Nestled next to the dock was a cozy little beachside village consisting of various huts. The most striking thing about the village was a wooden structure built in a ring around it; a curious bit of decoration. Recently installed, since that hadn't been there the last time Linebeck had been to the island.
"So, we're here, are we?" Hagurd yawned as the group stepped off the Linebeck and headed towards the village. "I was hoping for more of a tropical island resort vibe, but this doeslook like a place I can just kick back and relax in..."
"Yes, well, the deal was you'd get a one-way trip, just so you know." Linebeck said. "Don't expect us to ferry you around anywhere else."
"Yeah, sure, that's fine." Hagurd smacked his lips sleepily. "Thanks for holding up your end of the bargain."
"It's a cozy-looking little village here, isn't it?" Zeke nodded. "Charming aesthetic. Nice weather. Great views."
"I wouldn't mind staying here for awhile." Pandoria agreed.
"Yeah, well, don't get too comfortable." Linebeck said. "I doubt there's all that much treasure or adventure to be had here, so I don't plan on sticking around long. Maybe we could... grab a bite, restock on food... but then we're outta here."
As the group got nearer, they could see various anthropomorphic dragon things - which Linebeck recognized as Yoshis - milling about the place. As the group drew nearer, the Yoshis all stopped to stare at Linebeck in shock and anger.
"Oh..." Linebeck frowned. "Oh no."
"What's going on?" Zeke asked. "Why do they look so pissed off at us?"
"Mmm... I don't think they're pissed off at us." Hagurd said, pointing to a nearby billboard.
Posted on the billboard were various parchments depicting various faces which greatly resembled wanted posters. On a poster just left of center of the billboard, next to a poster bearing the image of some sort of cowboy, was a sketch that greatly resembled Linebeck.
"Oof." Linebeck tugged at his coat collar. "I didn't think they'd find out."
"Find out what?" Zeke asked.
"You know what, never mind, time to go." Linebeck said, turning around. "Back to the ship everyone."
"STOP RIGHT THERE, VILLAINS!!!" a nasally voice echoed out across the village.
Linebeck turned back around and watched as a lanky man in purple overalls leapt on top of a nearby hut. He also wore a cape, which billowed dramatically in the breeze.
"The Sage of Shadow is here to bring you to justice!" the Sage of Shadow cried. "Alongside my sidekicks..."
"Nino!" a young green-haired girl burst out of one of the nearby huts, wielding a tome in hand.
"Manny!" a young stout lad wielding a slingshot cried, standing off to the side of the village.
"And most importantly..."
The group watched as some sort of railcart came wrapping around from the opposite side of the wooden structure, stopping in front of the group; it seemed to be bearing some sort of catapult, operated by a man with a repulsive red pompadour.
"GROOSE!!!" the man announced himself. "Inventor of The Groosenator!"
"Except the Sage of Shadow is definitely the most important member of the group!" the Sage of Shadow corrected him. "But anyway... don't move! Surrender yourselves immediately or face the swift, shadowy wrath of justice!"
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Surrender.
B. Make a run for the ship.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
Allies
Hagurd
#23
"Oh. Oh, wow." Linebeck said, getting a good look at the spectacle before him. "Yeah, that's... that's really something!"
"Right?!" Pandoria squealed giddily.
"Turters here is our beloved pet, as well as the mascot of Team Zeke!" Zeke proudly proclaimed. "He's been our steadfast companion for years now. We've been in quite a lot of scrapes together!"
"Well, that is definitely the most adorable thing with a shell that I have ever seen." Linebeck nodded appreciatively. "And I've seen lots of things with shells!"
"Right, well. Now that introductions are out of the way, I'll put him back in his pocket!" Zeke said, stowing the turtle away. "He prefers being in there."
"Well, thanks for showing me your pet turtle." Linebeck said in all sincerity. "For a brief moment there, I was able to forget about the fact that my ship just sustained even moredamage."
"Sure, but... I'm pretty sure the damage was pretty much just aesthetic." Pandoria pointed out. "It didn't sink its teeth too deep into the ship, just peeled a lot of the paint off and scraped the wood!"
"'Just' aesthetic?" Linebeck repeated. "You can't just... Ugh. Never mind. We're approaching the island now. Prepare to disembark. And go wake up Hagurd."
Zeke and Pandoria disappeared belowdeck as Linebeck pulled the ship up against the sole shabby little dock that extended from the shoreline. Nestled next to the dock was a cozy little beachside village consisting of various huts. The most striking thing about the village was a wooden structure built in a ring around it; a curious bit of decoration. Recently installed, since that hadn't been there the last time Linebeck had been to the island.
"So, we're here, are we?" Hagurd yawned as the group stepped off the Linebeck and headed towards the village. "I was hoping for more of a tropical island resort vibe, but this doeslook like a place I can just kick back and relax in..."
"Yes, well, the deal was you'd get a one-way trip, just so you know." Linebeck said. "Don't expect us to ferry you around anywhere else."
"Yeah, sure, that's fine." Hagurd smacked his lips sleepily. "Thanks for holding up your end of the bargain."
"It's a cozy-looking little village here, isn't it?" Zeke nodded. "Charming aesthetic. Nice weather. Great views."
"I wouldn't mind staying here for awhile." Pandoria agreed.
"Yeah, well, don't get too comfortable." Linebeck said. "I doubt there's all that much treasure or adventure to be had here, so I don't plan on sticking around long. Maybe we could... grab a bite, restock on food... but then we're outta here."
As the group got nearer, they could see various anthropomorphic dragon things - which Linebeck recognized as Yoshis - milling about the place. As the group drew nearer, the Yoshis all stopped to stare at Linebeck in shock and anger.
"Oh..." Linebeck frowned. "Oh no."
"What's going on?" Zeke asked. "Why do they look so pissed off at us?"
"Mmm... I don't think they're pissed off at us." Hagurd said, pointing to a nearby billboard.
Posted on the billboard were various parchments depicting various faces which greatly resembled wanted posters. On a poster just left of center of the billboard, next to a poster bearing the image of some sort of cowboy, was a sketch that greatly resembled Linebeck.
"Oof." Linebeck tugged at his coat collar. "I didn't think they'd find out."
"Find out what?" Zeke asked.
"You know what, never mind, time to go." Linebeck said, turning around. "Back to the ship everyone."
"STOP RIGHT THERE, VILLAINS!!!" a nasally voice echoed out across the village.
Linebeck turned back around and watched as a lanky man in purple overalls leapt on top of a nearby hut. He also wore a cape, which billowed dramatically in the breeze.
"The Sage of Shadow is here to bring you to justice!" the Sage of Shadow cried. "Alongside my sidekicks..."
"Nino!" a young green-haired girl burst out of one of the nearby huts, wielding a tome in hand.
"Manny!" a young stout lad wielding a slingshot cried, standing off to the side of the village.
"And most importantly..."
The group watched as some sort of railcart came wrapping around from the opposite side of the wooden structure, stopping in front of the group; it seemed to be bearing some sort of catapult, operated by a man with a repulsive red pompadour.
"GROOSE!!!" the man announced himself. "Inventor of The Groosenator!"
"Except the Sage of Shadow is definitely the most important member of the group!" the Sage of Shadow corrected him. "But anyway... don't move! Surrender yourselves immediately or face the swift, shadowy wrath of justice!"
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Surrender.
B. Make a run for the ship.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
Allies
Hagurd
#32
"YEEEEAAAAARRGH!!!!"
Linebeck turned and made a run for it, moving as fast as his legs could carry him as he made his way towards the dock.
BOOM.
Linebeck stopped in his tracks as a large explosion took out the little pier he'd docked the S.S. Linebeck at; thankfully his ship seemed to remain intact, but he had no way of reaching it, sans swimming.
"What in the--"
Linebeck turned round in time to see the Sage of Shadow toss a Bob-omb in the air before smacking it with a tennis racket; sending it hurtling straight for him.
"Eep!" Linebeck cried, sidestepping out of harm's way as the Bob-omb exploded.
"F-Fire!" Nino cried, raising her hand and thrusting it forward, sending a small ball of flame flying toward Linebeck.
Linebeck had the reaction speed to duck; but he did not have the reaction speed to dodge the projectile Manny launched at him via slingshot.
***
"Ungh..." Linebeck sat up, rubbing his aching forehead; he could feel that a knot had formed there. That kid with the slingshot must have knocked him out.
Now he was sitting inside a jail cell; not the first time he'd found himself in such circumstances. And judging by the lightness of his pockets, he was guessing he'd been stripped of all his belongings.
"Finally awake, are you?"
Linebeck looked up to find Zeke and Pandoria gazing down at him from the opposite side of the cell.
"They... they didn't lock you up, too?" Linebeck asked.
"We're not the ones with our face on a wanted poster." Zeke frowned.
"You didn't... try to put up any resistance or anything?" Linebeck cocked his head. "Just let them pick me up and toss me in a jail cell, no questions asked?"
"What do you expect us to do, cut down an entire village?" Zeke asked. "For apprehending a wanted man? Sorry, chum, but we're not barbarians."
"They said they're gonna put you on trial tomorrow morning." Pandoria informed Linebeck. "They didn't say what for, though."
"What exactly did you do?" Zeke asked.
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Admit to your past misdeeds.
B. They don't need to know that.
Party
1. Linebeck
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
#40
"I..." Linebeck sighed. "Well, let me start from the top. It was a while back, maybe a few months. I was on my way to Hyrule, and I'd exhausted my food supplies, and I hadn't eaten anything in the better part of a day, and it was still going to be at least another few hours until I got to Hyrule, so... I made a pit stop."
"We've been pretty hungry on our longer treks." Pandoria nodded sympathetically.
"Right, well, a guy's gotta eat." Linebeck said. "And I happened to dock by this village, and there just so happened to be a giant pile of fruit inside a storehouse. I think it was right there."
Linebeck pointed towards a nearby hut.
"So you stole the Yoshis' food, is that it?" Zeke frowned.
"IIIIIIIIIIII skimmed a little off the top." Linebeck said. "All I did was take a little. You wouldn't even notice, the pile hardly got any smaller!"
"How much is a little?" Pandoria asked.
"Just what I could fit in my tiny, tiny pockets." Linebeck reassured her. "And what I could carry in these tiny, tiny arms. They're unusually short, you know. I know I look lanky, but my arms don't really match the length of my torso. Or my legs, for that matter. So believe me when I tell you that I hardly stole any fruit!"
"So our Captain's a criminal." Zeke sighed dejectedly. "And apparently not a very competent one; why would you come back after doing that?"
"I didn't think they'd know!" Linebeck said. "I hung out in my ship until after everyone went to sleep, grabbed some fruit, and sailed off before morning."
"That must've destroyed your circadian rhythm!" Pandoria gasped.
"It did!" Linebeck nodded solemnly. "Took me weeks to fully course-correct and start sleeping at normal hours again."
"Perhaps a guilty conscience had something to do with those sleepless nights?" Zeke said hopefully.
"Eeeeeeeeehhhhh, yeah, sure, probably." Linebeck cleared his throat. "Anyway, I didn't think they'd even notice the fruit was gone. And even if they did, I didn't think they'd figure out it was me who took it! And even if they did, I didn't think they'd remember me, entire months later!"
"You know," Zeke said, "I can't help but feel like you're coming across as less than sympathetic here. From what I've heard while you were unconscious, these poor Yoshis have more than enough trouble to deal with already."
Linebeck opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted by the approach of the purple caped man.
"Well, well, well..." the Sage of Shadow shook his head as he sauntered over. "Thought you could escape the Sage of Shadow, did you?"
Linebeck squinted up at this man, studying his face and clothes. He could deduce two things: this guy was a complete poser, and also a complete stranger whom Linebeck did not recognize whatsoever. He probably wasn't even worth talking to.
A. Write-in questions to ask the Sage of Shadow.
B. Eh.
Party
1. Linebeck
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
#45
"Have we met somewhere before?" Linebeck asked. "You don't look like you're from around here, at least."
"You may not have formally met with the Sage of Shadow." the Sage of Shadow said. "But the Sage of Shadow has seen you before. Also the Sage of Shadow has only been on Yoshi's Island for a few weeks."
"Who are you, and why are you called the Sage of Shadow?" Linebeck asked. "And if you're the Sage 'of Shadow,' does that mean there are other sages?"
"The Sage of Shadow is Waluigi." Waluigi informed him. "And Waluigi is called the Sage of Shadow because Waluigi was hand-selected to save the world. And save the world Waluigi did!"
"What are you talking about?" Pandoria asked.
"When the world was on the brink of ruin," Waluigi said, "When everything was about to be devoured by the plasm... Waluigi was there to save the day. Waluigi saved the world, and will continue to do so, even though everyone's memory was-a-wiped and nobody thanks Waluigi for his heroism."
"Oh, so he's off his rocker." Pandoria murmured.
"Riiiiiight." Linebeck nodded along with Waluigi, not even trying to hide his disbelief. "Can I have your autograph?"
"Mock Waluigi all you like." Waluigi shrugged. "...Though you should be asking for Waluigi's autograph. Everybody should."
"Why are you here with the Yoshis?" Zeke asked.
"Waluigi has sacrificed much in his duties as the Sage of Shadow." Waluigi informed them. "Waluigi has lost friendships and time to the need to protect the world. Waluigi wandered far and wide until he happened upon those in need of the Sage of Shadow!!"
"How did you meet your three side-kicks?" Pandoria asked.
"The side-kicks showed up to Yoshi's Island." Waluigi shrugged.
"Okay, but why?"
"Waluigi doesn't know sidekick's life stories." Waluigi waved her away. "Sidekicks are meant to assist Waluigi and witness his deeds, not the other way around."
"You look like you would make a fine orchestra conductor." Linebeck said for some reason.
"Waluigi would make a fine anything." Waluigi nodded in agreement. "Waluigi is number one!"
"Where did that tiny, blocky-looking man go?" Linebeck asked.
"You mean Hagurd?" Zeke said. "He's lying on the beach. Asleep. As you might expect."
"Why is me taking just a teensy, near unnoticeable amount of food so bad after all?" Linebeck defended himself. "You blew up an entire pier!"
Waluigi looked around before spotting a nearby Baby Yoshi waddling by some distance away; bending down and reaching out with his grotesquely lengthy arm, Waluigi's hand descended down and clamped down on the Baby Yoshi's head and lifted it up, like a claw picking up a stuffed animal.
"The Yoshis have big appetites, as well as babies to feed." Waluigi said, dangling the Baby Yoshi in Linebeck's face.
Linebeck gazed into the Baby Yoshi's eyes, which were halfway shut and very disinterested-looking.
"The Yoshis work hard to gather fruit, and you swoop in and take it?!" Waluigi cried, dropping the Baby Yoshi and allowing it to waddle away. "Such heinous actions must be met with justice. Shadow justice."
"There wouldn't happen to be a group known as the Yiga here, would there?" Linebeck changed the subject.
"Never heard of them." Waluigi said.
"They're like these evil ninjas in red spandex." Linebeck clarified. "You haven't seen anything like that?"
"No, but Waluigi wouldn't be surprised." Waluigi sighed. "Just one more problem for the Yoshis to add
to the pile... right on top of you."
"What did you do with my stuff?" Linebeck asked.
"Waluigi didn't do anything with your stuff." Waluigi shrugged. "The village elder took all your things and put them away for safekeeping."
"Have you had any reoccurring dreams recently?"
"Justice never sleeps." Waluigi asserted.
"Why do you kinda look like someone who also kinda looks like someone else?" Linebeck studied Waluigi closely.
"Waluigi doesn't look like anybody else!" Waluigi cried. "If there was someone else who bore a strong resemblance to Waluigi, then he would definitely be cramping Waluigi's style! Not the other way around!"
"What are those red, sharp-toothed plants with white spots called again...?" Linebeck asked.
"You mean Piranha Plants?" Waluigi asked, withdrawing a potted Piranha Plant of his own.
"Yeah, those things." Linebeck nodded. "Horrible monsters. Makes me wish I had some hedge clippers."
Waluigi's face contorted in shock and disgust as he quickly put away his precious pet Piranha Plant.
"Hmph." Waluigi gazed at Linebeck with a sour look. "Got any other questions? Waluigi needs to get going."
"Do you like frosted Beyblades?" Linebeck asked whilst wondering why he kept asking that.
CLANG!!!
"Eyah!" Linebeck cried, falling backwards.
Waluigi had reached into his pocket, withdrew his tennis racket, and swung it hard against the bars in response to Linebeck's query.
"The Sage of Shadow has better things to do." Waluigi asserted, tromping off.
"What a rude person." Linebeck shook his head as Waluigi disappeared from his line of sight.
"Yes, well, stealing food from cute innocent animals isn't exactly a kind thing to do either." Zeke frowned.
Linebeck could sense that Zeke was none too pleased with him at the moment.
A. Make an excuse. (Write-in)
B. Snap back. (Write-in)
C. Apologize for your actions and resolve to do better.
D. Admonish Zeke for speaking to his captain like this.
E. Gaze awkwardly at the ground.
F. Assure Zeke that Yoshis aren't all that innocent.
Colette-Brunel: F. Because Yoshis evade their taxes.
Party
1. Linebeck
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
#55
"Hey, Yoshis aren't actually all that innocent." Linebeck said. "They eat creatures whole and alive! They use their own eggs as projectile weapons! And I'm pretty sure they're total tax cheats!"
"That all sounds pretty hyperbolic, if not outright false." Zeke said. "Are you sure you're not just trying to make excuses?"
"I guess in his defense, he did risk his neck to save a bunch of people being ruled by an evil king." Pandoria pointed out.
"I guess that's a good point." Zeke conceded. "Maybe we're being a bit quick to judgment."
"But then again," Pandoria pondered, "He was trapped inside by that wall, just like everyone else. It's not like he had much choice."
"Oh, right." Zeke nodded. "I suppose that puts his supposed heroics into question, doesn't it?"
"But on the other hand," Pandoria continued, "He had a diamond pickaxe to mine through the wall with. He could've gotten out."
"Yes, he could have-"
"Oh, but wait!" Pandoria slammed her fist into her palm, like she'd remembered something of great import. "He only got that pickaxe at the end. And it's not like he knew the wall was so hollow at the time."
"Damn." Zeke sighed. "Yeah, that really does put things into perspective, doesn't it? Still have to say our captain's character is seeming pretty dubious."
"I'm still here, you know." Linebeck said.
"Right. Well..." Zeke sighed. "I guess there's nothing for it but to wait until your trial tomorrow."
"We've been informed that it will be quite short." Pandoria said. "And that very little in the way of preparations will need to be made. In fact, they said there's not even any need to give you a lawyer. So... maybe that's a good sign?"
Linebeck slumped over.
"Well... try not to worry too much over it." Zeke said hesitantly. "I'm sure it'll all work out sooner or later. I doubt your sentence will be too harsh."
"I dunno." Linebeck groaned. "They really might eat me. Or pelt me to death with eggs. Or make me perform their fraudulent taxes."
"Yes, well... we're going to go get some rest. Do try and do the same." Zeke nodded farewell to Linebeck before walking off.
Linebeck sat on the ground, worrying for his fate as the sun began to set. After what was at least four minutes of serious self-reflection, he noticed some movement at the edge of the village; a dog emerged from the brush, complete with a duck perched on its shoulder. It was sniffing along the ground for a bit until it looked up and spotted the Yoshi village, pointing forward.
Just then a man in cowboy getup stepped forth from the brush. Linebeck recognized this as the same cowboy who had taken center stage on the wanted poster over him.
The man withdrew an orange-and-grey firearm and aimed it at an orange Yoshi that was walking by Linebeck's cell, blissfully unaware of the danger.
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Duck and cower.
B. Yell to the Yoshi to duck and cower.
C. Scream to the village that there is a cowboy in our midst.
D. Shout to the man that his dog is adorable.
E. Shout to the man that his dog is uniquely ugly.
F. Warn the dog that there is a duck in its midst.
G. Wait and see what happens.
Party
1. Linebeck
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
#63
"BEHIND YOU!!!" Linebeck screamed at the Yoshi. "DUCK AND COWER!!!"
"Wah!" the Yoshi cried in surprise and fright, failing to respond properly to Linebeck's command but recoiling in response to the yelling.
A shot went off; the Yoshi was struck in the side, immediately collapsing onto the ground, bleeding.
"Owowowowowowowow!!" the orange Yoshi cried out in agony.
Linebeck could hear the sound of panicked cries and shuffling footsteps, even catching sight of a few Yoshis herding some baby Yoshis indoors as the cowboy walked towards the bleeding Yoshi, stopping in front of the body to glance at Linebeck.
"Evenin' to you, sir." the cowboy smiled widely and tipped his hat as he lifted one leg and rested his foot on the Yoshi's wound, tapping it repeatedly and causing the Yoshi to squirm. "Normally if'n I miss the vitals I'd blame my own sloppy shootin'. But I reckon this one was more a natural result of your own intervention in the situation. Also, I think you meant 'duck and cover'."
"A-A-Are you going to shoot me?" Linebeck stammered.
"No sir." the cowboy said happily. "Ain't much fun shootin' fish in a barrel, 'specially when they ain't even got no water to swim around in. Just floppin' around in place, struggling to breathe. Besides, this here Yawshi's good to me either way. Dead or alive don't matter none."
With that, the cowboy reached down and began dragging the still-squirming Yoshi away, heading back in the direction of the brush from which he emerged.
"FIRE!!!" an angry voice shouted from just outside Linebeck's field of vision.
Linebeck watched as a fireball went sailing towards the cowboy, striking him square on the chest. The cowboy dropped the Yoshi and stumbled backwards, quickly patting his chest to put the flames out. He glanced over and ducked as a slingshot pellet went sailing overhead, then sidestepped a Bob-omb.
"Overload THUNDER BEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-"
The cowboy rolled out of the way of a burst of lightning and retreated back into the brush as several Yoshi eggs went sailing by him. The dog and duck disappeared after him; soon after a large bomb was catapulted towards the brush, reducing the foliage to cinders; but the trio was already gone.
Linebeck watched as Zeke, Pandoria, the quadrio of human snipers, and several Yoshis gathered around the orange Yoshi.
"Hmm... take him back to his hut." a green Yoshi said. "He needs to recover in bed. And bring him some fruit."
A purple Yoshi launched its tongue out at the Orange Yoshi, bringing the latter into its mouth and walking away with puffed-out chipmunk cheeks.
Linebeck shuddred in revulsion.
The crowd dispersed, but the green-haired girl who declared herself as Nino stuck around a bit longer, walking over towards Linebeck.
"I heard you try to warn that Yoshi." Nino informed him. "I'll make sure the village elder is aware of that before the trial."
Linebeck processed this information.
A. Thank her for that.
B. Ask her to help you bust out.
C. Ask why you should care about what the village elder thinks.
D. State regret that you warned the Yoshi; if he hit its vitals it would have been a more merciful end.
Party
1. Linebeck
#67
"Thank you." Linebeck sighed with some amount of relief.
"You're welcome!" Nino smiled slightly at him. "Sleep well!"
With that, she ran off. Linebeck wasn't thrilled about sleeping on the leaf bed atop the sand sitting in the corner of his cell, but he was pretty tired. It wasn't long before he drifted off into sleep.
***
Linebeck suddenly awoke to the feeling of something tapping him. Linebeck opened his eyes wide to find that the stout kid with the slingshot was currently poking him with a stick.
"...What are you doing?!" Linebeck asked, more than a little annoyed. "What do you want?"
"Dunno." the kid - Manny, as Linebeck recalled - shrugged, still poking him with that infernal stick. "Woke up, got bored, settled on doing this. Still kinda boring."
Despite this uncomfortable encounter allegedly being boring, Manny continued to thrust that stick into Linebeck's side.
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Grab the stick and snap it in two.
B. Grab the stick and start poking the kid.
C. Tell the kid to buzz off.
D. Roll over and attempt to resume sleeping despite the poking.
E. Ask the kid what is wrong with him.
Party
1. Linebeck
#74
Linebeck rolled his eyes and rolled over, hoping to get out of the little gremlin's reach. Unfortunately, the kid was able to lean in and poke Linebeck in the back.
Poke.
Poke.
Poke.
Poke.
Poke.
Poke.
Poke.
Poke.
Poke.
Poke.
Poke.
Poke.
Poke.
Poke.
Poke.
Poke.
Poke.
Poke.
Poke.
Poke.
Poke.
Poke.
Poke.
"You're boring." Manny informed Linebeck before getting up and running off.
"Persistent... little brat..." Linebeck grumbled as he prepared to drift off one more.
***
In what felt like minutes, Linebeck was woken up and let out of his jail cell. The sun was beginning to rise over the ocean: it was dawn. The Sage of Shadow and his cohorts - along with Zeke and Pandoria - were escorting Linebeck down to the beach, where the village's Yoshis had already gathered.
Linebeck looked to the sea, planning a possible escape in his head; except his ship was nowhere to be seen.
"W-wait!" he cried. "Where's the S.S. Linebeck?!"
"Is that what you named it?" Groose snorted. "Don't worry, "captain", I just took that baby on a little joy ride and hid it in a nice, cozy spot where you'll never find it."
Linebeck's mouth hung agape in shock and outrage as he looked over at Zeke and Pandoria.
"We did try to stop him." Pandoria said. "You know, with words. They insisted it was necessary to prevent your escape, and that they'd give it back, completely intact, after you serve your sentence."
"Sorry." Zeke sighed.
Linebeck shook his head in disgust as the group led him out on the beach, standing in front of the mob of Yoshis, being made a spectacle. He was stopped and told to stand in place once he reached the point where the tide started moving in and out beneath his boots.
The Yoshis chattered amongst themselves before they fell into hushed whispers.
"Here comes the elder!"
"When's breakfast?"
"Everyone be quiet!"
Linebeck watched as the crowd cleared a path for a green Yoshi - the same from before, the only green Yoshi in the village - made his way past the crowd, stopping between Linebeck and the group.
"Alright, let's get this over with quick." the Yoshi groaned. "Captain Linebeck, you stand accused of the crime of stealing fruit from the village. How do you plead?"
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Guilty.
B. Not guilty.
C. Somewhere kinda in-between.
X. Written-in
[Commonly shared consensus to ask for a lawyer first.]
Party
1. Linebeck
#80
"Lawyer." Linebeck said.
"Lawyer?" the green Yoshi chuckled. "We don't do that here. There's only two people who matter here: the defendant and the judge. That'd be you and me, respectively."
"Lawyer." Linebeck reasserted.
"You're your own lawyer, okay?" Judge Yoshi rolled his eyes. "Now, do you plead guilty or not guilty?"
"Lawyer." Linebeck said, stone-faced.
"You know what? Fine. FINE." the Yoshi looked over towards Zeke and Pandoria and motioned for the latter. "You there! Yes, you, with the foggy glasses. You came with him, right? You're his lawyer."
"Oh! Uh...I don't really have any formal training with that sort of thing." Pandoria said.
"Don't care, none of us do, you're his lawyer anyway." the Yoshi asserted.
"Um... okay..." Pandoria said, sheepishly shuffling over next to Linebeck.
"Does your client plead guilty or not guilty?" the Yoshi asked, clearly losing what little patience he had.
"Um..." Pandoria looked to Linebeck for an answer.
A. Guilty.
B. Not guilty.
C. Kinda-sorta halfway.
D. Kangaroo court.
Party
1. Linebeck
#90
"This is kangaroo court!" Linebeck cried.
"What?" the Yoshi blinked.
"This trial is a sham!" Linebeck said. "You've all got no proof, no evidence of any kind, I've been assigned an attorney with neither formal nor informal training, and I'm pretty sure I should have some kind of a jury!"
"Okay, look, here's what's going to happen." the Yoshi sighed. "I'm going to make it very clear to you where you stand, and then I'm going to ask once more whether you're pleading guilty or not guilty."
"Do what you must, Judge Kang A. Roo." Linebeck said.
"Some time ago, you docked that same ship of yours in this village and spent some time here, regaling us all with tales about "The Legendary Captain Linebeck" and all the monsters you've defeated and all the people you've saved. We offered to let you stay the night in the village, and you accepted."
"That sounds nothing like me!" Linebeck said unconvincingly before turning to Pandoria. "Tell them that sounds nothing like me."
"That sounds... nothing... like my client." Pandoria said, even more unconvincingly.
"Well, by morning half of the fruit in the storehouse was nowhere to be found." the Yoshi said.
"...Half?!" Pandoria whispered to Linebeck. "I thought you only took what you could carry.
"It's possible I was stretching the truth a little." Linebeck whispered back. "And it is also possible that I made multiple trips back and forth."
"You weren't anywhere to be found either." the judge continued. "Or your ship, for that matter."
"Well hold on a second!" Pandoria said. "That actually isn't proof of anything! Sure, Linebeck might have left by morning, but that's just the life of an explorer who knows no home but the sea! Anyone could have taken that fruit! One of the Yoshis in the village could have eaten it!"
"Yes, there would appear to be some doubt, wouldn't there?" the Yoshi nodded sympathetically. "Except I left out the best part of the story! The part where you woke the whole village up in the middle of the night by firing your cannon into the ocean, whooping and hollering with a big pile of fruit sitting on the deck of your ship."
Linebeck raised his eyebrows in surprise; this was news even to him.
"You did what?!" Pandoria hissed.
"I... I honestly don't even remember doing that." Linebeck mumbled. "Man, I must've gotten even more drunk."
"You were drunk?!"
"And then as everyone in the village started running over, you took off in that ship of yours, nearly crashing into a large rock, and sailed off out of sight." the Yoshi concluded. "And every Yoshi here bore witness to it. So with that in mind, how do you plead?"
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Guilty
B. Not Guilty
C. Still only partially guilty.
D. This is still a kangaroo court.
Party
1. Linebeck
#104
"I plead kangaroo court!" Linebeck cried before turning to Pandoria and whispering "Tell him I plead kangaroo court."
"Seriously?" Pandoria frowned. "I reeeeaaaaaaally think you should just own up to it."
"I don't even remember doing that last part!" Linebeck said.
"But you apparently remember doing the other parts!" Pandoria hissed. "You probably just got too shitfaced to remember that last bit!"
"Where would I even get the booze?" Linebeck asked. "The Yoshis don't have any alcohol!"
Linebeck immediately regretted bringing this point up. He had booze, and she could probably guess that.
"Well, we all drank booze on your ship after leaving Port Knocks." Pandoria whispered. "You probably had some on your ship!"
Linebeck knew this, of course; he also knew where he got that ship booze to begin with, but he wasn't about to admit that. Or dwell on that train of thought any further.
"Are you two done yet?" the Yoshi asked. "I hope your lawyer there is convincing you to plead guilty."
Pandoria gazed pleadingly at Linebeck; Linebeck stood firm and shook his head.
"He... he pleads kangaroo court, your honor." Pandoria hung her head and sighed.
"Really." the Yoshi nodded, processing that fact. "You're really going to pretend like you're the victim here, even after we all saw you sailing off with our fruit. Wow. As if we don't have enough to deal with. Hunters trying to shoot us, tourists trying to gawk at us, Koopa Troop airships flying around overhead... and now we've got to deal with trial-dragging thieves, too. Well, I was going to sentence you to picking fruit for the rest of the day..."
Linebeck and Pandoria's mouths hung agape.
"But for refusing to take accountability for your actions, I'm extending your sentence. You are to pick fruit for the rest of the day as well as tomorrow, in order to atone for your crime."
Linebeck processed that information.
A. Graciously accept the sentence.
B. Condemn this cruel and unusual punishment.
C. Try to get a lighter sentence by playing the kangaroo court thing off as a joke.
D. Bemoan your fate and weep openly.
Party
1. Linebeck
#114
"I graciously accept the sentence." Linebeck declared.
"My client graciously accepts the sentence!" Pandoria declared.
The Yoshis erupted into applause all at once, breaking out into a chant.
"Fruit!"
"Fruit!"
"Fruit!"
"Fruit!"
"Yes, that's what all that stuff before was. Gracious." the elder Yoshi rolled his eyes. "Linebeck, your belongings are in a chest in my hut. The tall one, in the center of the village there. You may retrieve your things before you begin collecting fruit. In fact, I insist that you do; because you're gonna get yourself killed if you wander off defenseless."
"K-Killed?" Linebeck stuttered, glancing over to Zeke; he was glad he still had his hired help.
"Yes, and you... oh, well would you look at that." the Yoshi pointed up and behind Linebeck. "Looks like we've got some danger headed this way now."
Linebeck turned to find that a small fleet of airships was descending down towards them.
The entire population of the village gaped as the airships - three in total - drew close. A small shelled figure confidently strut out to the tip of the bow of the largest airship, letting out a high-pitched little cackle.
"That looks just like..." the Yoshi elder mused. "Hm. Must be Bowser's brat."
"Alright, listen up!" Bowser Jr. shouted after finishing with his evil giggle. "I was sent by Papa - I mean, Lord Bowser - himself to adopt every Baby Yoshi I could find and give them a nice, loving home with the Koopa Troop! So... we're taking them. So hand them over and stay outta our way!"
"...Dang. I don't have any eggs to hit the little curtain climber with." the elder Yoshi grumbled, looking around.
"Kamek! Morton! Lemmy! Go grab us some Yoshis!"
A magikoopa riding atop a broom swooped down from Bowser Jr.'s ship with a burlap sack in hand, scooping up one of the Baby Yoshis before anybody could even react.
Immediately afterwards, a brawny-looking Koopa with a star painted on his face and a tiny Koopa bouncing atop a star-patterned ball descended from above.
Linebeck looked on as the Koopas began sowing chaos; Morton smacked Yoshis aside with a hammer as he searched for one of the babies, while Lemmy summoned balls that smacked onlookers away. Each one managed to locate a Baby Yoshi and hurl them up to Kamek, before continuing on in their search.
The Yoshis ran about in a panic, flailing about and trying to get between the Koopas and the Baby Yoshis.
"Protect the children!" the Yoshi elder shouted over the panic.
"Fear not, Yoshis!" Waluigi cried. "For the Sage of Shadow and his sidekicks are here to put an end to these villains!"
Waluigi withdrew a Bob-omb and lobbed it at Lemmy; Lemmy deflected it with a bouncing ball, sending it hurtling back at Waluigi, making direct contact with his chest and blasting him across the sand.
Manny took to peppering Morton with his slingshot; the Koopa continued on swatting Yoshis to the side in search of the babies, tanking the fire whilst barely flinching. Eventually he got fed up and used his hammer to send a Yoshi flying straight into Manny.
Zeke was attempting to blast Kamek out of the sky with Overload Thunder Beam, but the magikoopa was too fast a target for Zeke to land a hit against.
Nino, however, did manage to land a hit in; Kamek quickly patted his robes to quell the flames before turning round and launching a geometrical blast at Nino, taking her out in a single hit.
Watching the chaos unfold, Linebeck caught sight of Groose sprinting back towards the village; the village where all of Linebeck's belongings were located.
Linebeck began to run to grab his stuff, but in so doing he tripped and fell face-first in the sand. Scrambling to his feet and looking over, he saw that he had tripped over a red Baby Yoshi.
"There's one baby left!" Bowser Jr. shouted from above, after watching his minions secure five of them. "Down there, by the sweaty old guy!"
Morton, Lemmy, and Kamek shifted their attention towards Linebeck.
A. Leave the baby Yoshi and get your inventory back.
B. Pick up the Baby Yoshi and perform evasive maneuvers.
Party
1. Linebeck
#123
Linebeck reached down and reluctantly scooped up the Baby Yoshi.
"THE SWEATY GUY TOOK IT!!!" Bowser Jr. screeched from above, stomping about in place. "GET HIM!!"
Linebeck's knees shook as he watched Lemmy and Morton approach him, ducking to avoid a ball that Lemmy sent flying at his head.
BOOM!!!
An explosion rang out overhead; Morton's airship had suffered a direct hit, courtesy of the Groosenator.
"Ha HA!!" Groose laughed, patting his catapult contraption. "And that's just a taste of what this baby can do!"
Lemmy and Morton turned their attention away from Linebeck to gawk at the destruction.
"THEY HIT MORTON SHIP!!!" Morton bellowed.
"Time for round two!" Groose cried, launching another bomb at Morton's ship; with two large holes in its hull and flames that were spreading quickly, things weren't looking good for it.
"Linebeck! This way!"
Linebeck turned and saw Zeke and Pandoria running in his direction.
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Continue heading on towards town to retrieve belongings!
B. Get behind Zeke and let him do the fighting on your behalf.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a. Red Baby Yoshi
Allies
#131
"I... I must get the baby Yoshi to safety!" Linebeck declared, running back towards the village to retrieve his belongings.
"Okay... then we're right behind you!" Zeke said, running after Linebeck.
Meanwhile, Groose fired a third shot at Morton's ship. This one did the deed; Morton's ship began careening forward, descending down towards the sea. Morton and Lemmy watched with rapt attention as the flaming ship went crashing just offshore.
"MORTON DEVASTATED." Morton fell to his knees.
"There, there, Morton." Lemmy said, patting him on the shell. "It was an ugly-looking ship anyway."
"FIRE THE CANNONS!!!" Bowser Jr. screeched. "Destroy that lame machine! And Kamek! Get up here!"
Just as Linebeck made his way inside the village elder's hut, the side of Bowser Jr.'s ship let loose a cannon volley upon the village.
"Guh!" Groose dove off of the Groosenator just as a cannonball crashed into it.
A cannonball struck the side of the elder's hut; Linebeck turned to run as the roof of the structure began to cave in, dropping the Baby Yoshi on the ground as debris fell on top of Linebeck and pinned him down.
"Linebeck!" Zeke shouted. "Are you aAARGH!!!"
A cannonball struck the ground beside Zeke and Pandoria, throwing them clear in the blast.
A few more cannonballs rang out, striking some other buildings and fully destroying the wooden track that had been built for the Groosenator.
"STOP FIRING THE CANNONS!!" Bowser Jr. commanded as he swooped down to the center of the leveled village, riding beside Kamek on the latter's broom.
"Do you have to yell so loud?" Kamek complained. "And so high-pitched? When your father was your age, his commanding screams were far more pleasing on the ears."
"Cram it, Kamek!" Jr. said, hopping off his broom and approaching where Linebeck lay, pinned under roof.
"Nice try, old man. I'll be taking this!" Bowser Jr. scooped up the Baby Yoshi that was chilling on the ground in front of Linebeck.
"Ungh... are you alright, Pandy?" Zeke asked, sprawled on the ground.
"Yeah..." Pandoria said, similarly sprawled. "Is Turters alright?"
"Sure, he's..." Zeke sat up and began feeling his pockets. "...Turters? Turters?! Where are you, boy?! I can't find him anywhere!"
Bowser Jr. tossed the Baby Yoshi up to Kamek, who stuffed it in a burlap sack.
As Bowser Jr. prepared to jump back up on the broom, he noticed something crawling along the ground below him.
"Oh, cool!" Bowser Jr. said, bending down and holding Turters up in the palm of his hand. "It's like a mini Koopa!"
"It's just a turtle." Kamek rolled his eyes.
"Well I'm keeping it as a pet!" Bowser Jr. decided.
"What?!" Zeke and Pandoria cried in unison.
Bowser Jr. leapt back atop Kamek's broom, and the two soared back up to Bowser Jr.'s ship.
"No!" Zeke yelled. "You can't! Turters!"
"Morton! Lemmy! We're leaving!" Bowser Jr. shouted.
Lemmy waved his wand and summoned a ball that smacked into Morton and sent him flying towards Lemmy's ship; Lemmy for his part bounced up from his own ball and grabbed onto his ship's anchor, scrambling up on deck.
The airships absconded, making their way back from whence they came, up towards the mountains.
"Turters!!" Zeke wailed in agony. "TURTEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERS!!!!"
As the ships disappeared from view, the Yoshis made their way back to their destroyed village.
"They got all of the children!" one Yoshi bemoaned.
"What are we going to do?!" another cried. "Where are we going to sleep?!"
"Useless..." Groose lamented, striking the ground with his fist. "Couldn't even... defend the village! Should've aimed for the main ship first! Stupid!"
"All those poor Yoshis, ripped away from their parents..." Nino gazed at the ground dejectedly.
"I've never felt less secure in the powers of my slingshot." Manny said forlornly.
"Now is not the time for sulking!" Waluigi shouted. "People of Yoshi village; the Sage of Shadow - with his sidekicks in tow - shall rescue every last one of your Baby Yoshis from Bowser Jr.'s clutches! You have nothing to fear; if the Sage of Shadow can save the entire world, he can save a few Baby Yoshis too! Come on, sidekicks! Let's-a-go!"
As Linebeck lay face-down in the sand with a pile of debris pinning him down, listening to the sounds of footsteps shuffling off out of the village, he found his thoughts occupied by his belongings; he hoped that his stuff had managed to survive the cave-in.
Soon Linebeck felt the debris being shifted off of him; once the weight was lifted, he rose to his feet and faced the village elder.
"About your sentence," the Yoshi chief said, "I was thinking... maybe instead of picking fruit, you could go and rescue the Baby Yoshis instead."
"Do you really need me to do that?" Linebeck asked. "Seems like those other guys are already on the case."
"Yeah, but... I don't think they'll make it very far." the Yoshi said. "In fact I wouldn't be shocked if they're already dead."
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Agree to go on this epic quest.
B. Point out that doing this is a much greater ask than two days of picking fruit.
jkid101094: [...] B then A.
C. Opt for picking fruit instead.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a. Red Baby Yoshi
#138
"You know," Linebeck said, "Asking me to risk my life traveling across the island and fighting invading baby-snatchers is a much bigger ask than picking fruit for a couple days."
"Hmm..." the Yoshi chief considered the statement.
"Well, we're going regardless of whether you do." Zeke said, walking up. "We've gotta save Turters!"
"That's right!" Pandoria nodded. "We won't rest until Turters is back safely in Zeke's coat pockets!"
Linebeck raised his eyebrows; they were going to go regardless of their captain's orders? Clearly their loyalty had wavered given recent revelations.
"If you help, we'll give you fruit." the Yoshi chief decided. "You can completely restock your ship's food supplies, this time with our consent."
"Yes, well..." Linebeck cleared his throat. "I'll lead the charge on this epic quest, of course. Fear not; we shall have the little Yoshers back in no time."
"Good." the Yoshi nodded. "I'm getting too old for this stuff. So it's good I won't be having to travel alone."
"Y-You're coming?!" Linebeck said in surprise.
"Well, yeah." the Yoshi rolled his eyes. "I've been saving babies since the rest of these Yoshis were babies. Since you were just a snotty teenager."
Linebeck considered the prospect.
A. Agree to let Yoshi tag along.
B. Tell this old-timer to stay home so he doesn't miss his 5pm bedtime.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
Allies
#147
"Alright, fine." Linebeck said. "I guess you can come along. But try not to be too much of a burden, old-timer."
"Psh." the Yoshi rolled his eyes and shuffled through the debris that was once his hut, pulling out a chest and dropping it on Linebeck's feet.
"Agh!" Linebeck yelped in pain.
"Here's your stuff." the Yoshi said. "You're gonna need it."
"So we're traveling to the top of those mountains, eh?" Zeke said, peering up. "Good thing those mountains aren't too far from here. Shouldn't be more than an hour or so getting there."
"Well, we can reach the base of the mountains easily, sure." the Yoshi said. "But they're steep. Practically completely vertical on this side. If we want to actually get up them, we have to take the mountain path that's on the opposite side of the island. So what we're gonna have to do is wrap around, travel from here through the Flower Fields, past the tropical resort town, through the jungle, and then up the mountain path."
"R-Resort town?" Linebeck said nervously.
"Tropical resort town?" Hagurd yawned, stretching his arms back as he walked up. "That sounds like the place to be. This village was nice enough, but... well, you can see for yourself. Mind if I follow you to this resort town?"
"I guess." Linebeck shrugged. "B-But, uh... we don't have time to go to some resort town. We've gotta save those baby Yoshis! Any second wasted at a resort is a second that could make all the difference in their fates!"
"Well nobody said we're going to spend much time in the resort town. Heck, I could hardly stand to look at the place." the Yoshi said. "But we are going to have to pass by it."
"So I'll just split from the group then." Hagurd said. "And spend the rest of my natural life in the lap of luxury!"
"Yeah, sure, whatever." the Yoshi turned to face the other villagers. "Alright, everyone! Don't worry; we're off to go save the children! While I'm gone, just focus on rebuilding the village and picking plenty of fruit as their bribe for helping us!"
With that, the group made their way out of the village, walking towards open fields that were visible in the distance.
As Linebeck walked alongside the Yoshi, he couldn't help but feel like he should ask some questions.
X. Write-in questions to ask the Yoshi.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
Allies
Yoshi
Hagurd
#151**
"How long have you been doing this?" Linebeck asked.
"Doing what?" the Yoshi said.
"I dunno, saving... babies? You said you've been doing it before."
"Oh, right." the Yoshi nodded. "Heh. I'll have you know that back in the day I saved a whole heaping helping of babies. I even traveled with a baby in a red cap on my back, who needed my help saving his brother, a baby in a green cap. And do you know what those babies' names were?"
"Mitch and Fitch?" Pandoria guessed.
"Mario and Luigi." the Yoshi said proudly.
Zeke, Pandoria, and Hagurd stared blankly at the Yoshi whilst Linebeck's eyebrows raised far up on his forehead.
"The Mario and Luigi? The Super Mario Bros.?!" Linebeck cried. "You've gotta be kidding!"
"Nope!" the Yoshi said with pride. "
"Who are Mario and Luigi?" Zeke asked.
"They're a couple of famous heroes." Linebeck said. "Well... Mario's a famous hero, at least. Luigi's pretty well-known too, but from what I hear he isn't nearly as heroic. I relate much more to Mario, myself, naturally. But wait... if you saved them when they were babies, that means you're... the Yoshi?"
"Yup." Yoshi nodded with a look of smug self-satisfaction.
"Wow." Linebeck gazed at Yoshi in awe and terror. This was the Yoshi; the most legendary and powerful and horrible of them all. He was glad Yoshi was on his side. "Who's the worst enemy you've fought?"
"Bowser himself." Yoshi said, adding crossed arms to his aura of smugness.
"You fought BOWSER?!" Linebeck cried. "The almighty Koopa King himself?!"
Zeke and Pandoria exchanged glances and shrugged.
"The same." Yoshi grinned. "Whupped him when he was just a little brat, like that son of his is now."
"Unreal." Linebeck shook his head in a stupor.
"So he beat up a child?" Hagurd interjected. "Even I could manage that much."
"Yeah, but you don't know what Bowser is." Linebeck said. "From what I hear, he's a fifty-foot tall fire-breathing dragon with a wingspan of thirty feet. Even the baby version would have to be pretty terrifying."
"I didn't even mention the best part." Yoshi continued. "Kamek - that magikoopa lackey of his - used magic to grow Baby Bowser up to the size of a mountain. He was tromping around the island, coming over to crush us and the castle we were holed up in. Had to fend him off with nothing but eggs."
Linebeck shuddered at being in the presence of this demon.
"If you're so impressive, then how come you couldn't stop the Yoshi babies from getting stolen?" Pandoria asked.
"Hey, I'm old!" Yoshi snapped. "The oldest Yoshi on the island! And they got the drop on us! Besides, I didn't have any eggs on hand. If I had, rest assured that all of their ships would be lying in the ocean."
"What's the deal with them wanting your children anyway?" Hagurd asked.
"I don't know!" Yoshi said. "I don't even know why Bowser stole Baby Mario and Baby Luigi back in the day. I know why poachers or the resort staff might want them; trophies, pets, livestock, clothing material, petting zoo fodder... but I'm not sure what the Koopa Troop would want with them."
"What kind of dangers might we have to worry about?" Zeke asked. "Other than what we've already seen, of course."
"Well," the Yoshi said, "They're hardly any threat to me, seeing as how I'm an old hand at this, but I'd say the natural island wildlife is the most likely thing to wind up killing you. Piranha Plants, Chomps, Tap-Taps, even the Dayzees..."
"Have you by any chance seen any red spandex-wearing, banana-loving ninjas around?" Linebeck asked before hastily adding: "That's a serious question, by the way."
"Uh, no." Yoshi said. "No, I haven't. Hopefully they don't show up; we've got enough to worry about without ninjas coming after our bananas."
"What's your favorite fruit?" Pandoria asked.
"Watermelons." Yoshi licked his lips.
"How acquainted are you with that 'Sage of Shadow' guy and his three side-kicks?" Linebeck asked. "What do you know about them?"
"I know the 'Sage of Shadow' is a delusional tryhard named Waluigi who's desperate for attention and thinks he can get it by playing at being a hero." Yoshi said. "I don't really know the others that well. But for one reason or another they all found their way here and saw fit to try and protect the village. The other Yoshis buy into the hero act, but I can tell they're just a bunch of weaklings."
"Who was that cowboy dude who attacked before the Koopas showed up?" Linebeck asked.
"Poacher." Yoshi said. "I don't know what his name is, but I know it's not the first time we've been attacked by him. Had run-ins with him and his pets a few times over the years."
"Years?" Linebeck said. "He's been hunting here that long?"
"Eh, I don't think he's been here the whole time." Yoshi said. "We've lost a few good Yoshis to him, though. In fact, he took out two of the last three surviving Yoshis from my baby-rescuing days; a real nice Purple Yoshi and a Light Blue Yoshi with a nasty temper."
"Did the Yoshi that got shot survive?" Linebeck asked.
"He's still holed up indoors." Yoshi said. "Luckily the hut he was in was one of the few that didn't get leveled. That Orange Yoshi is my last surviving buddy from the old days. He'd probably have come with if he didn't get injured."
The group continued on in silence for a few moments. Linebeck was hoping the Yoshi would acknowledge his own role in the Orange Yoshi's continued survival: and acknowledge his role Yoshi did.
"Nino told me you warned him." Yoshi said.
"Did that factor into Linebeck getting such a light sentence?" Pandoria asked.
"Nah." Yoshi shrugged. "Figured likely as not it was just an act you did in the hopes of getting leniency, so I gave him no credit whatsoever for it. Still don't!"
"Do you know of any Yoshis who might be interested in sailing as part of a crew?" Linebeck asked. "Might be one less mouth to feed."
"Yoshis hate sailing." Yoshi said, gazing at Linebeck suspiciously. "What would you want with one, anyway? Looking for an endless supply of eggs to fry up?"
"N-no, of course not." Linebeck looked away.
"Wait. Everybody stop." Yoshi said, coming to a halt.
The group came to a standstill; they had just reached the edge of the Flower Fields, and now found themselves being approached by an anthropomorphic flower.
"You youngsters just sit back and let me handle this." Yoshi said.
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Sit back and let Yoshi handle this.
B. Tell Yoshi he'd better not be planning on hurting that adorable flower.
C. Tell Zeke he'd better hurt that adorable flower.
D. Walk up to the flower and make contact.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
Allies
Yoshi
Hagurd
#157
Linebeck hung back and watched as Yoshi began slowly walking towards the flower.
"Hello, friends!" the flower called out as it drew near, speaking in an absolutely angelic voice. "My name is Dayzee! Would you like me to sing a song for you?"
"A song, huh? That sounds nice..." Linebeck said, already feeling like a weight was lifted off his shoulders.
"Absolutely precious!" Zeke smiled.
"Ohmygosh it's so cute!" Pandoria squealed. "Please sing for us!"
"By all means, sing." Hagurd yawned. "A lullaby would be phenomenal."
"Aww, you're all so sweet!" the Dayzee said. "Okay, here goes..."
"HNGH!!!"
The group's eyes moved over to Yoshi, who let out a loud grunt as he leapt forcefully into the air, arcing up above the Dayzee's head.
"HAH!!!"
Yoshi came crashing down towards the Dayzee; once Yoshi's weight fell upon the Dayzee's head, the flower was immediately crushed and disintegrated into a flurry of petals which blew away in the wind. In a matter of seconds, there was no sign that any anthropomorphic flower had ever existed at all.
The rest of the group's jaws dropped in shock and horror as Yoshi got up off the ground.
"Whew!" Yoshi said, clapping his hands together. "That takes care of that!"
"Why did you CRUSH it?!" Linebeck cried.
"Hm?" Yoshi blinked. "Oh, dang, you're right. I should've eaten it; could've gotten an egg out of that. Kind of a waste just doing a ground pound. Ah well. Next time."
"N-no, I think he means," Zeke said, "Why would you kill such a beautiful, innocent, harmless creature?!"
"Harmless?" the Yoshi repeated, stifling a laugh. "Buddy, that thing was about to sing a song that would make us all fall asleep!"
"Good!" Hagurd said. "All the more reason to mourn its death!"
"You killed it because it was going to sing us a lullaby?" Zeke said in disbelief.
"Yes." Yoshi nodded. "I killed it because it was going to sing us a lullaby. A lullaby that would make us all fall asleep; and it would continue singing that lullaby until more Crayzee Dayzees showed up. And they'd all join in and continue singing the lullaby and keep us snoring away until we all die, and then they'd absorb the nutrients from our corpses. Those things are nothing but sirens with petals. Don't let the cutesy act fool you."
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Let the cutesy act fool you and admonish Yoshi for this unprovoked act of villainy.
B. Thank Yoshi for bailing them out of that one.
C. (Written-in)
MrFuzz111: C: “What is WRONG with this island?!?”
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
Allies
Yoshi
Hagurd
#167
C: “What is WRONG with this island?!?”
"Heh." Yoshi grinned. "Yeah, you off-islanders don't know how easy you have it. I'll bet even Mario himself would struggle to survive a full lap around the island."
"Hmm... the Nowhere Isles might have been preferable to this." Hagurd said.
"It's almost enough to make a man reconsider his quest to save his turtle." Zeke said. "Almost... but not quite."
As the group walked on, Linebeck spotted a something sticking out amidst a patch of flowers; a skeleton, with a bow and quiver of arrows lying on the ground beside it.
"Oof. Looks like someone got flower'd." Linebeck said, peering down at the remains.
"Ha ha!" Yoshi laughed. "A hunter, by the looks of it. Got what was coming to them!"
Linebeck was many things, but he was not above looting a corpse. And the Yiga had taken his bow; he bent down to pick the weapon up, but found that it broke apart in his hands.
"Guess our skeletal friend has been here awhile." Zeke said.
The group continued on for a bit before coming upon a single green pipe. They stopped in their tracks upon seeing a Shy Guy poke his head up out of the pipe before fully climbing out. Yoshi held his fingers up to his lips, signaling for the party to be quiet.
Three more Shy Guys popped out one-by-one, not noticing the party's presence.
"I can't believe we got shipped out all the way out here." one Shy Guy said. "I miss the Mushroom Kingdom. This place is way too dangerous."
"I had an uncle who was posted out here back in the day." another said. "...He got eaten by a Yoshi."
"Bowser was right to abandon it back in the day." a third said. "The Koopa Troop should never have tried occupying it again."
"Eh, everything's gonna be fine." the fourth Shy Guy said. "We're in the least dangerous part of the island, even. Just so long as we don't wander off too far from base, there's nothing we... have to..."
The Shy Guy turned his head and noticed the party's presence; the Shy Guys recoiled and cried out in fright.
"Finally." Yoshi said, rubbing his hands. "Gimme a second and I'll have us some eggs for self-defense!"
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Let Yoshi eat the Shy Guys.
B. Categorically forbid Yoshi from eating the Shy Guys.
C. Interrogation first, eating second.
D. Interrogate the Shy Guys and forbid Yoshi from eating them.
E. (Written-in)
Already_in_Use: E. Interrogate, with eating used as a threat and punishment for noncompliance
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
Allies
Yoshi
Hagurd
#174
"Wait." Linebeck said. "We can get information out of them. Don't eat them unless they don't comply."
"E-E-E-Eat us?!" one of the Shy Guys stammered.
"You're not in charge of me." Yoshi huffed, but stayed his tongue.
"Now, if you don't want to get eaten, you better answer quick." Linebeck said, doing his best to sound intimidating. "What do you guys want with the baby Yoshis?"
"W-well..." one answered, "Lord Bowser wants Yoshis in the Koopa Troop."
"What?" Yoshi snorted. "As if any self-respecting Yoshi would join up with Bowser."
"Well, he's tried forcibly recruiting adult Yoshis," another Shy Guy said, "But they wouldn't stop resisting. So his plan is to get some babies, raise them to be loyal members of the Koopa Troop, and use them to defeat Mario."
"Diabolical." Yoshi shook his head.
"Huh." Linebeck nodded. "That sounds like it could work, maybe."
"Follow-up question:" Hagurd said, "Do you know of any faster route to the resort town that's on this island?"
"Sure, there's-AIIIEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!"
Yoshi launched his tongue out, grabbing hold of each Shy Guy and gulping them down one-by-one, until he'd laid four green-spotted Yoshi eggs.
Hagurd opened his mouth to complain that he hadn't got to ask his question, but thought better of it.
"We weren't done with the interrogation!" Linebeck protested.
"Yeah, well, I was hungry." Yoshi said. "Besides, we were in desperate need of eggmunition. Now hold on a second while I take a look inside this nest."
Yoshi hopped up on top of the green pipe and disappeared down it.
Linebeck exchanged glances with Zeke and Pandoria, who looked perturbed by Yoshi's display of gluttony.
In but a few moments, Yoshi re-emerged from the pipe, now with a total of six eggs in tow.
"Ahhhhh..." Yoshi sighed contentedly. "Alright, nest is cleared out. Let's get going."
Yoshi hopped off the pipe and began walking forward, eggs bouncing along in perfect synchronization behind him.
Linebeck, Zeke, Pandoria, and Hagurd continued on behind Yoshi, staring at the creature in fear.
"...What?" Yoshi asked, turning back to them. "Why are you all looking at me like that?"
"...Can I ask you a question?" Linebeck spoke up, curiosity getting the better of him.
"FINE. You can ask one." Yoshi groaned.
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Is it possible for you to live off an all-fruit diet instead of eating sentient creatures alive?
B. How is it that those eggs are able to just bounce around behind you in lockstep?
C. If you use those eggs as projectiles, then does that mean you're sacrificing your own babies just to use as ammo?
D. How do you differentiate between which creatures are food and which aren't?
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
Allies
Yoshi
Hagurd
#185
"Yeah, that is pretty weird, now that you mention it." Zeke said. "I suppose... there's already babies in there. Pretty quick turn-around."
"What? Pfft. No." Yoshi rolled his eyes at the notion. "It takes weeks for a baby Yoshi to fully develop inside the egg. There isn't so much as a Yoshi fetus in there yet."
"But that doesn't make any sense!" Linebeck protested. "Those eggs shouldn't be able to move around like that!"
"The eggs have a consciousness of their own." Yoshi said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"WHAT?!"
"Alright, let me dumb it down for you." Yoshi sighed. "When Yoshis lay an egg, the egg itself is its own life form. A life form with its own consciousness and personality, whose purpose is to nurture and protect the Baby Yoshi until it's ready to hatch. Like an older brother. Over the course of weeks, the Baby Yoshi Fetus comes into existence and grows into a full-fledged Baby Yoshi. The egg husk - the older brother - keeps the Baby Yoshi protected inside the egg, providing nutrients all the while. And once the Baby Yoshi is finally ready to hatch, it breaks through the shell, rendering its older brother a lifeless husk in the process."
The rest of the group listened on in stunned silence.
"Of course, I don't plan on keeping these eggs around long enough for the Baby Yoshis to start developing," Yoshi continued, "I'm sure they'll all be used up pelting enemies long before then. Like so."
Yoshi held his hand out; the first egg in line happily bounced up into his hand, seemingly overjoyed at being held by Yoshi. Yoshi aimed the egg at a Piranha Plant in the distance and hurled it with all his might; the group looked on as the egg smashed against the Piranha Plant, exploding into chunks of shell as the Piranha Plant withered and died. Five eggs remained.
"And... there goes one of the older brothers." Pandoria shook her head, appalled. "Do they... feel pain?"
"I dunno, probably." Yoshi shrugged. "I'd have to think they wouldn't be very good protectors if they couldn't feel pain. There's a reason we have the ability to feel pain. But no more questions!"
Before the group could reflect on this disturbing revelation for too long, their attentions were drawn by the sound of a chorus of voices some distance ahead. Upon hearing the sound, the party's fear and disgust melted away into calm and bliss.
"What is that glorious noise?" Linebeck grinned. "Let's move closer."
"Oh, now that is nice..." Hagurd said, blinking slowly, eyelids heavy.
"Oh, we'll move closer, alright." Yoshi said. "Close enough for me to get those Dayzees in my sights."
"You sure there's not enough time for a quick nap?" Hagurd mumbled, stumbling closer to the source of the sound.
"I admit, I'm feeling pretty tired myself." Zeke nodded in agreement. "We never did get a chance to rest after all that craziness back in the village. Might do us some good."
"It is dangerous to go adventuring while sleep-deprived!" Pandoria helpfully pointed out.
"Oh, this is just pathetic." Yoshi groaned.
As the group drew nearer to the source of the sounds, they spotted a group of four Dayzees huddled around a green-haired girl who was utterly and hopelessly passed out, sprawled on the ground.
"Alright, stop. This is far enough." Yoshi said. "If we go much closer than this, none of us will be able to resist their song. And then we'll all wind up like Nino there. And then we'll never wake up again!"
"Yeah, you guys... go ahead and do that..." Hagurd said, curling up on the ground. "I'll just... snnnnk..."
"Oh!" one of the Dayzees said, noticing Hagurd's fall. "Looks like we've got another one! And we're about to get four more!"
"YAY!!!!!!!" the Dayzees squealed in delight.
"Honestly, I think it's probably fine." Zeke said, smiling drearily. "For all we know, that Yoshi made up all that stuff about these flowers trying to kill us. They seem friendly enough to me."
"Yeah, he probably made up all that stuff about the eggs too." Pandoria agreed. "Let's all just get some much-deserved rest, yeah?"
"Wow." Yoshi snorted. "You're all lucky that I'm here."
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Get some much-needed beauty sleep.
B. Insist on saving Nino.
C. Insist on leaving at once, before the group falls prey to the Dayzees.
D. Throw something at the Dayzees. (Write-in)
Salmons: [...] with one of Yoshi's eggs.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
Allies
Yoshi
Hagurd - Sleeping
#204
Linebeck stumbled over towards one of the Yoshi eggs, lifted it up, and threw it at the Dayzees.
The egg did not strike true, smashing against the ground next to the Dayzees, who jumped in surprise and scarpered off.
"Well, that's some aim you've got there, Captain." Yoshi remarked dryly. "I was going to take them all out myself, but I guess taking none of them out works too."
"Whoa... I just..." Zeke mumbled, shaking his head. "I can't believe I almost just fell for that! Hagurd! Hagurd, wake up!"
Zeke lightly tapped Hagurd's slumbering body with his foot.
"Ngh?" Hagurd grunted, eyes drearily opening. "Oh, right. Back to this hellscape."
The group made their way over to Nino, who was herself beginning to stir.
"Time to get up, kid." Yoshi said. "You done goofed."
"Mm? What happened?" Nino said, getting up off of the ground.
"You failed big-time, is what happened." Yoshi explained. "Got yourself caught dead to rights by a bunch of Dayzees, like a sucker. How'd you let that happen?"
"O-Oh..." Nino frowned. "Well, I was struggling to keep up with the others... I was already falling behind, when I heard a cry out for help. The cries were coming from this adorable flower creature. I walked over and asked what was wrong, and it began singing this wonderful tune, and I just... passed out, I guess."
"Yeah, those are the Dayzees I've warned you about." Yoshi said. "I told you guys about them several times, didn't I? And somehow you still wind up falling into their trap."
"I know. I'm really sorry!" Nino hung her head in shame.
"Yeah, I'd be pretty sorry if I were you, too." Yoshi nodded. "You're just lucky I was here to keep you from becoming plant nutrients."
"Thank you, Yoshi!" Nino cried. "I'm sorry, I won't let it happen again! I swear!"
Linebeck couldn't help but notice he'd been apportioned absolutely none of the credit in this exchange.
A. Point out that it was you who saved her from the Dayzees.
B. Point out that you, Zeke, and Pandoria also deserve thanks.
C. Refrain from squabbling over the petty details and allow Yoshi to take the credit.
D. Sarcastically say that it was Hagurd who did all of the heroics.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
Allies
Yoshi
Hagurd
#210
Linebeck decided to keep his lips sealed.
"Well, I'd tell you to go back to the village and wait for us there," Yoshi sighed, "But you'd probably just get caught by Dayzees again. I guess carrying your weight won't break my back."
"You mean..." Nino blushed. "I-I can walk just fine, but thank you!"
"Figuratively, not literally!" Yoshi shouted back as the group continued on.
"So... Nino..." Linebeck turned to her. "I saw that you managed to get a hit in on that wizard where Zeke couldn't."
"He was performing highly evasive maneuvers!" Zeke interjected.
"Yes, I've always had pretty high accuracy when it comes to slinging spells..." Nino smiled.
"Spells?" Yoshi said, enunciating the last 's'. "Plural?"
"W-well... I suppose I only know one spell." Nino corrected herself.
"You also got taken out by just one of Kamek's little shape blasts." Yoshi said. "That's some shockingly low constitution you've got there, kid."
"Yes, I know." Nino sighed. "I'm weak. Back when I was fighting in an army our tactician had to always have other soldiers around to protect me."
"Playing babysitter, huh?" Yoshi nodded. "I can empathize with them."
"But..." Nino huffed, suddenly filled with vigor. "I'm going to get better. I'll keep getting fighting experience until I get stronger. I'll learn more spells. I'll graduate to becoming a full-fledged mage, or maybe even a dark mage! And from there, I could become a Sage or a Sorcerer! Learn how to use staves, or powerful dark magic... and one day... one day, I'll be the strongest spellcaster in the world!"
Linebeck, Zeke, and Pandoria regarded the girl with surprise.
"Psh." Yoshi rolled his eyes. "Settle down, kid. You just nearly got killed by a few flowers."
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Say something encouraging to Nino.
B. Say something discouraging to Nino.
C. Tell Yoshi to shut up.
D. Say nothing.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
4. Nino
4a. Fire
Allies
Yoshi
Hagurd
#220
"Oh, shut up." Linebeck rolled his eyes.
Nino's eyes widened as Yoshi turned and scowled at Linebeck, but didn't say anything.
"Anyway," Linebeck cleared his throat and turned to Nino, "You've got to be pretty talented, landing a hit in on that wizard like that. So maybe you're already partway there."
Nino gave Linebeck a nervous smile before seeming to realize something.
"So, um..." she said, "You're coming along to help us save the Baby Yoshis? That's pretty selfless of you!"
Zeke and Pandoria raised their eyebrows and nodded, their opinion of Linebeck rising considerably as they considered this prospect.
"Hardly." Yoshi snorted. "It's in place of his fruit-picking sentence. Plus we offered to stock his ship full of fruit if he helped out. Though so far I'm not seeing why I shouldn't have just gone it alone. Oh, and Groose is the only one who knows where his ship is hidden, so it's not like he can leave the island without helping us."
Zeke and Pandoria pursed their lips and nodded, their estimation of Linebeck brought back down to reality.
"Wait... Groose is the only one who knows where my ship is?!" Linebeck cried.
"Yup." Yoshi nodded. "And for all we know he'll die before we catch up with him, if he isn't dead already."
"Then what are we doing sauntering through fields of flowers?!" Linebeck shouted, picking up the pace and speed-walking with a surprising degree of form and technique. "Anchors aweigh! We've got to get moving and save Groose! Move quickly!"
Linebeck led the charge as the group sped-walked through Flower Fields, working out their calves and glutes. They kept that up for about twenty minutes, before being rudely interrupted by a hail of gunfire which expertly shattered each and every one of Yoshi's five remaining eggs.
The party stopped in their tracks as a familiar cowboy-esque man emerged from some tall grass nearby, alongside a dog and a duck. Yoshi shot the man a death glare as he came sauntering over.
"Mornin', partner." the cowboy said, tipping his hat at Linebeck with a wide grin on his face. "Yesterday I find you holed up in a cell, captured by Yoshis. And now I find you leading a Yoshi - and others - on an expedition across the island? I guess that makes you a fair bit more interesting a fella than I'd initially suspected."
"...Who are you, anyway?" Linebeck said after the group regarded the cowboy in silence for a few moments.
"Oh, well that's mighty rude of me, ain't it? I plumb done forgot to introduce myself." the cowboy said, "The name's Zapper. Nathaniel Emmanuel Samuel Zapper, in full. Now, would you do me the honor of furnishin' me with your personage, partner?"
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Captain Linebeck
B. Dr. Lineback
C. Nunya. (Business)
D. Say nothing and try to look intimidating.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
4. Nino
4a. Fire
Allies
Yoshi
Hagurd
#229
"Dr. Lineback." Linebeck declared.
Yoshi gazed at Linebeck with disbelief, clearly unimpressed by this chosen moniker. Nino looked confused. Zeke and Pandoria looked pleased.
"Doctor..." Zapper mused, "Can't say I would have taken you as a licensed medical professional by lookin' at ya. 'Course, you could also just have received any old doctorate from an institution of higher education... but I s'pose it don't make much difference anyhow. Do you know why I'm here, doctor?"
"You're here to kill Yoshi." Nino said, visibly angry. "Because you're a poacher."
"Now, little lady, that term is a pejorative." Zapper said, raising a finger. "I myself would much prefer to be referred to as a tradesman."
Linebeck looked the guy up and down; he couldn't help but notice that certain parts of his ensemble looked particularly garish. His gun holster, for instance, was bright yellow with some black markings here and there, which in no way complemented the rest of his outfit.
"Admiring the ol' gun holster, are you?" Zapper smiled, giving it a pat. "Pichu leather. Skinned it myself!"
The group shot him a quizzical look; nobody here knew what a 'Pichu' was.
Zapper withdrew a knife from a sheath strapped to his belt; the sheath, too, looked odd; it was blue, and seemed to have a scale-like quality to it.
"The sheath is made from Zora." Zapper flashed Linebeck a grin. "...They've got this fish-man kinda deal going on. Shot this one while it was swimming away underwater. Difficult shot to make, I tell ya."
Linebeck raised his eyebrows; this guy wasn't just killing beasts or Yoshis, he was a full-blown murderer.
"And as for my boots," Zapper said, looking down at his differently-colored footwear; one was purple, and one was light blue. "...Well, maybe that's a story for another time."
Yoshi was furiously crinkling his brow harder than Linebeck would have thought physically possible.
"So... you shoot things to make clothes for yourself?" Linebeck asked nervously.
"Haw haw haw!!" Zapper guffawed. "You're a funny man, doctor! No, most of the game I hunt ain't for me; it's for my clients! My skills are well-regarded and widely-known. I get people reaching out from time to time with requests. I take on some, turn down others. But lemme tell ya, Yoshis are always a hot commodity."
"And you want us to hand over this Yoshi so you can kill him and make a few bucks?" Zeke frowned. "Can't say I love his company, but that still seems pretty messed up!"
"Well, I've got plenty of clients who would pay well for some dead Yoshis, sure." Zapper nodded. "But I've got one real hum-dinger of a client that's offerin' a fortune for some live ones! So rest assured, friends, I'd much rather not put one between your Yoshi buddy's eyes! Whether or not I have to really depends more on him that anyone!"
"I'm not going with you." Yoshi said through gritted teeth. "And I'm not letting you walk off to go shoot some more Yoshis, either."
"Oh, hush, lizard." Zapper waved him away before turning back to Linebeck. "Now let me be perfectly honest with you, doctor, in the spirit of cooperation and fair trade. A scant few moments ago I was hiding in the tall grass over yonder, ready to plug you and your hombres all full of holes and be done with it. But then I thought: it'd be a mighty shame to just up and kill so many people when they might well be willin' to bargain!"
"We are not bargaining with you!" Nino shouted.
"Hush now, girl." Zapper said, maintaining eye contact with Linebeck and withdrawing a purple rupee from his pocket. "Now look here, Dr. Lineback. This here's fifty Rubees; they're the currency in a far-off land called Hyrule. Y'all don't look like you've ever been 'round there, but let me assure you, this here's enough money to make each and every one of you set for life. Y'all know what coins are? From the Mushroom Kingdom? Exchange rate is millions for a single Rubee. Pg? Billions. Bells? Trillions. And all y'all gotta do is look away as I put a couple holes in that there lizard's legs. I'll be on my way, and the rest of you will never want for money again!"
"As if we'd let you murder a person - even that guy - for money!" Pandoria scowled.
"Well, I mean..." Hagurd looked to Linebeck. "Sounds like we're talking go-on-vacation-for-life money. Maybe we ought to consider it. It's just one Yoshi."
Yoshi looked at Linebeck and raised an eyebrow.
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Sold!
B. Try to get Zapper to raise the price.
C. Turn down the offer because fifty rupees is nothing.
D. Turn down the offer because it's morally wrong.
E. Attack! (Write-in)
Salmons: E. Tell him that we want to inspect that rupee, see if it's legit. Then grab his gun when we get close enough. In that struggle, Nino uses fire, Zeke uses Sonic Thunderslash. It's apparently available, and it seems to be Zeke's fastest attack.
Already_in_Use: [To above] I want to try something like this, considering we know he's trying to scam us and maybe we can play into that somehow, but I wouldn't think he'd let us get so close to his gun like that. It's just kind of difficult knowing how to approach this seeing as he's basically Gun: The Character, and we know how strong guns are from OA. This could go bad fast.
And in spite of saying that, I just thought of an idea that may be stupid enough to work: Instead of Linebeck asking if he can check the Rupee, have him act like he really REALLY fell for the scam, drooling at the prospect of becoming a trillionaire. Have him act so excited he can't help but run up to him like he's possessed by greed exclaiming "gimme gimme!" But instead of grabbing for a Rupee, he grabs at gun last second, where Zeke and Nino can attack during the struggle.
Something to give Linebeck a reason to get within grabbing distance without Zapper being privy of the reason (hopefully) seeing as we're supposedly falling right into the trap he set up.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
4. Nino
4a. Fire
Allies
Yoshi
Hagurd
#244** & #245!*
"T-Trillions?!" Linebeck cried, rubbing his hands together, literally and figuratively salivating at the prospect.
"Seriously?!" Zeke scowled at Linebeck.
"You're going to..." Nino's facial expression shifted from surprise to outrage.
"Can't say I'm surprised." Yoshi smirked ruefully.
Hagurd nodded approvingly.
"Gimme, gimme!" Linebeck cried, speedily sauntering up to Zapper and making like he was grabbing for the rupee.
"Well, well, well..." Zapper grinned. "Looks like the good doctor knows a good deal when he-"
Linebeck lunged for the gun instead, yanking it out of its holster.
Boss Battle:
N.E.S. Zapper - Severely Damaged
"What the-?!"
Linebeck lunged backwards to put some distance between himself and the poacher; his movement was cut short as he felt some force prevent the gun from moving any farther back. Linebeck gazed down at the strange orange pistol; sticking out of the bottom of the grip was a cable that stretched from the bottom of the gun over to Zapper's Pichu holster.
"Nice try, doctor." Zapper smiled wide. "But my gun's plugged in!"
Linebeck stared at the gun blankly for a moment before pain manifested itself in his left leg.
"Yow!" Linebeck cried, shaking off the dog that had just saw fit to bite him. As he did that, the duck swooped by, pecking him in the fingers; Linebeck recoiled and dropped the gun.
Before the gun could even hit the ground, Zapper yanked on the cable and sent the weapon flying back towards him, spinning the thing around like a lasso briefly before gripping it in its hand.
"Fire!" Nino cried.
Zapper's right shoulder was struck by the flaming projectile, prompting him to hurriedly pat it and put the fire out.
Zeke swooped in and swung his sword hard, landing a solid blow in that sent Zapper staggering backwards into the tall grass which surrounded the party. Zapper's dog and duck followed suit, ducking into the foliage and obscuring themselves from view.
"So..." Zapper said, his voice coming from somewhere to the group's north, before reappearing to the west. "That's how y'all want to play it, then? Not even gonna give me a count?"
"Alright, l-look..." Linebeck said. "You're hurt. Just leave, and we won't be forced to attack you further."
"Hee!" Zapper's voice rang out from somewhere to the south before reappearing in the east in the next breath. "I was prepared to put up a fair and honest fight, despite it bein' three-on-seven. But if y'all ain't gonna exhibit honorable fightin' conduct then I reckon my tactics may have to get downright roguish in nature."
"This is bad." Yoshi said, eyes darting about the place. "But now we've got no choice but to fight. Running will just get us bullets in our backs."
X. Write-in what to do.
Already_in_Use: [...] this may just be a coincidence, but I don't see what else we have to go off of:
"So..." Zapper said, his voice coming from somewhere to the group's north, before reappearing to the west. "That's how y'all want to play it, then? Not even gonna give me a count?"
"Hee!" Zapper's voice rang out from somewhere to the south before reappearing in the east in the next breath. "I was prepared to put up a fair and honest fight, despite it bein' three-on-seven. But if y'all ain't gonna exhibit honorable fightin' conduct then I reckon my tactics may have to get downright roguish in nature."
Given the order of where his voice is coming from, he might be moving in a counterclockwise direction, meaning we might want to target north. Nino's got Fire too, so burning his potential cover could also help.
I'd say have Nino shoot fire within the grass northward. If there's any sort of reaction, Zeke can Overload Thunder Beam(?) there, else attack towards the west.
I'm not sure what Linebeck can do without anything ranged. We could have him charge eastward sword in hand to cover more bases, but that seems a little risky to me. [...]jkid101094: Instead of attacking, Linebeck should use his sword to cut down some of the patches of grass.
MrFuzz111: [To above] I like this plan, between this and Nino burning it let’s try to get rid of his cover as possible.
Party
1. Linebeck - Slightly Damaged
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
4. Nino
4a. Fire
Allies
Yoshi
Hagurd
#251!
Boss Battle:
N.E.S. Zapper - Critical Condition
X. What you said.
A shot rang out; a hole was blown in Yoshi's torso, sending him falling down to the ground, clutching his midsection and trying to stop the bleeding.
"OW!!!!" Yoshi yelled, writhing on the ground.
Nino summoned a fireball and sent it hurling towards a patch of grass to the north, audibly striking something within.
"YOWIE!!!!" Zapper cried, standing up from the grass - now with flames spreading around it; and hurriedly patting down his outfit to quell the flames.
"OVERLOAD THUNDER BEAM!!!!"
Zapper quickly ducked down back into the tall grass; Nino's fire burned down the northern patch of grass, leaving no cover in its wake. The destroyed patch of grass comprised roughly an eighth of the ring of tall grass which encircled the party.
"Y'all ever heard that the most dangerous game to hunt is man?" Zapper's voice echoed out to the southeast. "Well, in my humble opinion, that's nothin' but a steaming load of bullpuckey. Man's easier to kill than most. Clearly the fella what spouted the aforementioned nonsense never went up against a Queen Metroid. Or an Emperor Bulblax. But I have, and I can tell ya that man is some of the easiest game you're liable to ever find."
The duck soared out of the grass to the west, encircling Nino and delivering several swift pecks to the head before swooping over towards the grass to the east.
"Agh!" Nino cried, clutching her bruised head. "That really hurt! I don't think I can take much more..."
"Shoot, I might say that literally every form of wildlife native to this here island is harder to bring down than man." Zapper's voice could be heard to the southwest. "See those Chomps grazing a little ways away?"
Linebeck looked off in the distance; there were, indeed, some rather large Chomps hopping about some distance away. They were far, though perhaps not far enough for comfort.
Linebeck used his sword to hack away at the northeast patch of grass. There wasn't anything hiding there, but he figured that the less space for the cowboy to hide, the better.
"As good a guess as any, I suppose." Hagurd shrugged.
"I ain't never managed to bag one of them Chomps before." Zapper said sadly from the west. "My shots just ricochet off of them. They're tough customers. Y'all, though? Y'all ain't gonna be tough to bring down. One shot's all I need. And don't worry about your lizard friend; I didn't hit nothin' important. Just guts is all; he'll survive. Can't make any promises for the rest of you though."
Suddenly the dog came bursting from the southern grass, hurling its body at Nino's legs and knocking her to the ground before dashing to the western brush. She appeared to have been rendered unconscious.
"...She's down already? From that?" Pandoria blinked.
"Eh, guess she's a bit of a glass cannon." Zeke sighed. "Not everyone's as scrappy as us, Pandy."
"...Weakling..." Yoshi grunted from the ground.
X. Write-in what to do.
Party
1. Linebeck - Slightly Damaged
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
4. Nino - Incapacitated
4a. Fire
Allies
Yoshi - Incapacitated
Hagurd
#258!***
Boss Battle:
N.E.S. Zapper - ???
X. What you said.
Linebeck lunged towards the northwest patch of grass and swung his sword hard, revealing there to be nothing inside it.
In the next moment, Linebeck was on the ground, grasping at his midsection, trembling in pain. A hole had been blown clear through him.
"AIEEEEEEEEE!!!!" Linebeck wailed. "I-I'm hit! I've been SHOT!!!"
"Oof." Hagurd winced.
"That's it," Zeke cried, "I'm putting an end to this! Ultra lightning fury slash..."
The dog came bounding out of the western brush whilst the duck came flying out from the east. Both made for Pandoria, delivering a swift bite and series of pecks, respectively. Both disappeared to the south.
"Agh!" Pandoria yelped, despite sustaining no apparent damage. "Yeesh, that hurt!"
"Poor you!" Linebeck cried.
"MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAX!!"
Zeke slammed his sword into the ground, prompting sparks of electricity to go flying up out of the western patch of grass.
"YOW-OW-OW!!!!"
Zapper fell out of the brush, collapsing onto the ground, zapped unconscious.
Before anyone could react, the dog and duck burst from the brush; the dog grabbed Zapper's collar by the maw, dragging him away from the scene. The duck, for its part, grabbed Zapper's shirt with its feet and flapped its little heart out, helping to quickly drag him away for some distance. It wasn't long after that a giant Chomp fell from the sky, crashing down into them unceremoniously and leaving a giant hole where they had been.
"Great, they've spotted us. I'm... nngh... getting out of here..." Yoshi panted, struggling to his feet with some difficulty and shambling away before calling back: "Run, you idiots!"
In the distance, a Chomp turned towards the group and leapt high up into the air without a moment's hesitation. Linebeck craned his neck upwards to see the black ball ascend over them, casting a shadow around them as it began to descend from above.
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Try to get up and run.
B. Beg Zeke and Pandoria for help.
[With the common addendum to tell Zeke/Pandoria to help Nino too.]
C. Beg Hagurd for help.
D. Close your eyes and accept your fate.
Party
1. Linebeck - Incapacitated
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
4. Nino - Incapacitated
4a. Fire
Allies
Yoshi - Critical Condition
Hagurd
#267
"HELP!!!!" Linebeck cried, laying forlornly on the ground, limp and pathetic. "DON'T LEAVE!!! SAVE ME!!! And, uh, the other one, too!"
As Hagurd ran off after Yoshi, Pandoria hurriedly picked Nino up in her arms whilst Zeke bent down and hoisted Linebeck over his back like a sack of moldy mushrooms.
The pair made off after Yoshi and Hagurd, managing to clear the area just in time to avoid getting crushed underneath the Chomp.
"Ohhh..." Linebeck moaned. "Ohh, I'm bleeding... that is pain. That is pain. Oof. I think I may be dying. I'm bleeding out. Make sure everybody knows I died heroically saving innocent creatures everywhere from a ruthless killer."
"I won't spend a day lounging at the resort without telling someone of your heroism" Hagurd solemnly promised.
"Don't talk like that." Zeke said to Linebeck. "You're going to be fine! The next stop is this resort town, right? I'm sure you can hold out until we can get you some medical attention."
"Nngh..." Nino grunted, arousing from her unconscious state. "My body... aches all over..."
"This is pathetic..." Yoshi huffed, trudging along through the fields like a trooper. "I'm shot, and I still don't need someone to carry me! What's your excuse?"
"I'm sorry..." Nino sighed. "I guess I was pretty pathetic in that fight..."
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Agree that Nino was pretty pathetic.
B. Agree that Nino was pretty pathetic but point out that that just means her potential is boundless.
C. Assure Nino that her contributions were considerable.
Already_in_Use: C unironically. She's got a 100% track record hitting Zapper,
D. Suggest that Yoshi carry somebody.
Party
1. Linebeck - Incapacitated
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
4. Nino - Incapacitated
4a. Fire
Allies
Yoshi - Critical Condition
Hagurd
#283
"Hey, don't listen to that guy. You... you hit him both times." Linebeck pointed out. "You've got a 100% track record. Yoshi didn't hit him once."
"Oh..." a smile spread across Nino's face. "Well, I guess when you put it like that..."
"That's because I got shot from the jump!" Yoshi snapped. "And I'm still walking on my own two feet, unlike you couple of babies!"
"Hmph." Linebeck turned his attention away from Yoshi and allowed himself to be carried over Zeke's shoulder for some more distance.
"There it is." Yoshi puffed after a few minutes. "We're here. The worst place on the island."
With some difficulty and pain, Linebeck shifted to get a view of the place. The resort town looked much the same as it had the last time he'd visited; various huts scattered about the place, a clinic, a ferris wheel looming over a small collection of other rides, a petting zoo, the hotel and spa, and of course, the large indoor tiki bar. Linebeck got a sinking feeling as he gazed upon the neon sign advertising that bar. He'd really hoped to avoid having to actually go into the resort town, but he needed the medical attention.
As the group approached, a couple of beefy-looking blue-skinned individuals with impenetrable shades and yellow tufts of hair began to head over.
"Oh geez. Guards." Yoshi muttered. "Alright, someone else is gonna have to do the talking. This place has pretty tight security."
With that, Yoshi allowed Zeke, Pandoria and Hagurd to pass him by, hanging out in the back, almost hiding behind Zeke.
"Sorry bub, but authorized people only past this point." one of the guards said.
"Well, I... err..." Zeke struggled to think of what to say in response.
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Explain what happened and stress the need for medical attention.
B. Stress the need for medical attention, but lie about what happened for some reason. (Write-in.)
C. Assert that you are authorized.
D. Assert that you need medical attention, and that Zeke will not hesitate to clear a path if need be.
Party
1. Linebeck - Incapacitated
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
4. Nino - Incapacitated
4a. Fire
Allies
Yoshi - Critical Condition
Hagurd
#289
"We were attacked..." Linebeck croaked from behind Zeke. "...by a poacher! Two of us shot! We need medical attention NOW!"
"One moment." one of the guards said, stepping away and putting some distance between himself and the group.
He withdrew a walkie-talkie and held it up to his mouth, talking into it at a volume too low for the group to hear. An angry voice could be heard shouting from the walke-talkie, though Linebeck couldn't make out the words. The guard put the walkie-talkie back in his pocket and walked back over.
"Alright, you've been authorized." the guard said, nodding at the other guard. "I'll escort you all to the healthcare facility. Right this way, please."
"...Oh. How reasonable." Zeke smiled, following after the guard, Linebeck swaying in the breeze behind him. "I was worried they wouldn't let us past."
"I don't like it," Yoshi said, "I don't trust this place or anybody who chooses to be here. The second we're patched up enough to leave, we need to leave."
"I don't get why." Pandoria said. "Looks like it's probably the safest place on the island."
"No, no, we should heed the Yoshi's wisdom." Linebeck said hastily. "I'm sure he has his reasons; let's get healed and vamoose, we got other things to do."
The guard continued to lead on quietly.
"Well, I'm not injured, and this is my destination, so... I think I'll just go enjoy myself." Hagurd said, beginning to wander off. "Good luck with... everything."
In a blur, the guard lunged towards Hagurd and picked him up with one hand, holding him firmly in place as Hagurd struggled to escape for two seconds before giving up.
"Look, I've really been looking forward to relaxing here." Hagurd said. "Could you please let me go so that I can enjoy myself? I just want to go sleep on the beach or something."
"You're going to the clinic." the guard said. "You aren't authorized to go anywhere else, bub."
"But I'm not even injured!" Hagurd protested. "I just-GACK!!!!"
The guard had squeezed Hagurd tightly with his massive ham hands, evidently doing some damage.
"Now let's go and get that patched up." the guard said.
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Let that one slide; we're in no condition to fight.
B. "They'll have to patch YOU up when we're done; Zeke, ATTACK!!!"
Party
1. Linebeck - Incapacitated
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
4. Nino - Incapacitated
4a. Fire
Allies
Yoshi - Critical Condition
Hagurd - Moderately Damaged
#295*
Linebeck decided that it was better to play it safe and keep his mouth shut.
The guard opened the door to the clinic and led the party into an open room with lots of available seating - none occupied - with a single person lounging at a desk, feet resting lazily atop it.
"These people are in need of healing." the guard said. "They're to be given the full treatment. Fassad's orders."
"Fiiiiiiiine." the woman drew out her sigh as the guard left the building.
Though it hurt to do so, Linebeck turned to get a good look at her; she was a gorgeous woman with long blonde hair and gray-blue eyes, wearing a skimpy sleeveless white dress and robe. She was notably also wearing thigh-high red boots with a huge white-and-red hat.
"Well, don't just stand there gawking." she said. "Drag your sorry behinds to the back room there, and find a bed to lay down in."
"Apologies." Zeke nodded. "Right away, miss...?"
"You can call me Doctor Whyte." she smirked. "Now hurry up, before I get pissed. You don't want me healing you when I'm pissed."
The party dutifully made their way through a door in the wall behind Dr. Whyte, entering a wide open back room with some plain-looking hospital beds strewn about the place.
"Alright... I'm setting you down now..." Zeke said, laying Linebeck in one of the beds while Pandoria did the same for Nino. "Sorry for any pain this might be causing."
"Rest assured, it is causing me pain." Linebeck winced.
Free of their charges, Zeke and Pandoria each hopped in a bed of their own. Yoshi climbed into one of his own accord, as did Hagurd.
"This is the part where we spend forty minutes wondering when the doctor is gonna show her face again." said Pandoria.
"You think it'll be that long?" Hagurd said hopefully. "I guess she can wake me up when she gets here."
"Alright," the doctor said, throwing the door open, entering the room with a large scepter in hand. "I guess it's time for me to heal your injuries. But of course, nothing heals the body quite like a bit of beauty sleep..."
Linebeck watched as the woman raised her staff up.
***
"...Ngh?" Linebeck sat up in bed suddenly, surprised at his having apparently been unconscious.
The first thing he noticed was that sitting up was surprisingly pain-free; looking down at his torso, he could see that his wound had been completely healed, like he'd never been shot at all.
The second thing he noticed was that something heavy, restrictive, and uncomfortable was hanging from his neck; looking down and feeling around at it, he could tell he was wearing some kind of metallic collar.
"Oh, feel free to take that collar off now."
Linebeck looked over to see Dr. Whyte leaning coolly in one corner of the room, smirking at him. The others were still unconscious.
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Take it off.
B. Leave it on.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
4. Nino
4a. Fire
Allies
Yoshi
Hagurd
#306
"No." Linebeck said in defiance.
She sighed, apparently quite disappointed with this outcome.
"Not until I get to a mirror." Linebeck said. "I want to see how I look in this thing first."
"Absolutely stunning." Dr. Whyte nodded sagely.
"Really?" Linebeck said hopefully.
"No!" she said with a laugh that featured a snort. "You look like even more of a joke than when you walked in here, you sad old sack of bones."
Linebeck stewed on that comment as the rest of the party began to stir.
"Hm? What happened?" Pandoria said, reaching up to find the collar around her neck.
"What is this?!" Yoshi shouted, reaching up to remove the collar. "Get this thing off of-"
As Yoshi began tugging on the collar, the device let loose a surge of electricity, prompting Yoshi to cry out in pain.
"You see that, old man?" Dr. Whyte chuckled. "That's the fate you avoided. I would've preferred to hear you crying out in agony, but I'll settle for the lizard."
"So you knocked us unconscious and put shock collars on our necks?" Zeke frowned. "How'd you manage that?"
"Simple sleep spell." Whyte shrugged. "And, I do believe I hear the sound of heavy footsteps. Seems you're about to get a visit from the boss. How enviable."
In the next moment, the door to the room swung open; a portly mustachioed man stomped into the room before stopping in place and taking them all in, fists clencehd and resting on his hips, posing like he was in a position of great authority.
"Mario?" Linebeck tilted his head.
"That's not Mario, you idiot!" Yoshi snapped.
"So, you are the ones who were in need?" the man said, stroking his mustache. "For the medical services which you have been provided, you will be working at the resort indefinitely in order to pay off your debt."
A. Object to this arrangement.
B. Say there's no need for that; you can pay.
C. Offer to trade him Yoshi in exchange for freedom.
D. Accept this arrangement and ask when and where to report for work.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
4. Nino
4a. Fire
Allies
Yoshi
Hagurd
#314
"Alright," Linebeck said, "When and where do we report for work?"
The man withdrew a large remote and flicked a switch on it; immediately afterwards, everybody received an electric shock from their collars, a chorus of voices crying out in brief agony until suddenly the pain subsided.
"What are you doing? Do you think you can fool the great Fassad?!" the man, Fassad apparently, shouted. "Nobody ever agrees to work without being convinced by a few zaps first!"
"Try that again and I'll show you what it feels like to be shocked." Zeke said, gripping Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher.
Fassad casually flipped a switch, prompting Zeke to get hit with a particularly painful bout of zapping; this one stronger and more prolonged than before. Once the pain subsided, Zeke was visibly quite hurt, and struggling to maintain consciousness.
"Holly! Heal him up quickly." Fassad said afterwards. "He won't be a good worker like this."
"Mm? Yeah, sure." Holly said, smirking at Zeke as she raised her staff aloft, healing his pain.
"Alright, workers! Listen up!" Fassad yelled. "You all work for me now! You will do what I say, when I say! But I do not have time to babysit you constantly, so you will find ways to make yourself useful! Customer service! General upkeep! Make sure you are always busy working to make me money! And do not dare bother any of Paradise Resort's guests with your problems! I suggest you do not attempt to run away, either!"
Fassad looked around, studying each person's face for any signs of lingering defiance. After giving Linebeck's face a good look-over, his eyes lit up with recognition.
"Hey!" Fassad shouted. "You're the guy who stole drink from the bar! Barrels of the stuff!"
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Deny, deny deny.
B. Acknowledge wrongdoing and apologize profusely.
C. Claim he's confusing you for your twin brother, Captain Linebeck. You're Dr. Lineback.
D. Drop onto your hands and knees and prostrate yourself before him, begging forgiveness and pledging your life to his service.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
4. Nino
4a. Fire
Allies
Yoshi
Hagurd
#322
"Oh, you must have mistaken me for my twin brother, Captain Linebeck. A legendary adventurer known for having a less-than-thorough understanding of property rights." Linebeck said as convincingly as he could manage. "I'm Dr. Lineback(not a medical doctor, to be clear) and I assure you, I would never take any alcohol from you. I'm as sober as they come."
"You expect me to believe such obvious lies?!" Fassad cried. "You are now nothing more than a dog. MY dog. And you WILL come to heel."
Fassad flipped a switch on the remote.
"YEEEEEEEEOOWWWWW!!!!" Linebeck cried out in pain, as the rest of the group winced watching it.
"Again." Fassad said, flicking the switch.
"YYYYYYYEEEEOW-OW-OOOWWWWWW!!!!!" Linebeck writhed about in pain.
Holly Whyte snorted a bit as she laughed.
"Once more, to make the lesson stick." Fassad said, flipping the switch a third time.
"YEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAARRRGGGGHHHH-"
***
Linebeck opened his eyes. Passed out again. Sitting up in his bed, he could see that his allies were no longer in the room with him.
"Finally up, are you?"
Linebeck turned to see Dr. Whyte leaning against the door.
"You'd better get up and back to work, unless you want Fassad to zap your lights out again."
"Ugh..." Linebeck groaned, hopping down from the bed. "What am I supposed to be working on? He barely gave us any direction!"
"Like he said, it's not his job to babysit you." Holly shrugged. "And it sure as hell isn't mine. Better go figure it out, "doctor"."
Linebeck made his way towards the door, stopping in front of Holly, waiting for her to move. She stared at him for a few seconds; moving almost imperceptibly fast, she jabbed Linebeck in the gut with the butt of her staff before moving out of his way.
"ACK!!!" Linebeck doubled over, feeling he was about to cough up some blood; but no blood came. In fact, he already felt better.
"Well?! Get MOVING!!!" she shouted. "Unless... you wanted to stick around and work as my assistant...?"
"N-no..." Linebeck said, shuffling for the exit. "I'll go... trim the hedges, or something."
Linebeck stumbled out of the clinic and looked around the place, pondering where he should go. There was the bar, the petting zoo, the ferris wheel and the surrounding rides, the hotel and spa, and some huts that looked rather similar to the ones in Yoshi Village.
A. Bar
B. Petting Zoo
C. Ferris Wheel
D. Hotel and Spa
E. Huts
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
#329
Linebeck made his way over to the hotel spa. As he did so, he passed by various guests who looked like they were having a grand old time; a Rito, a family of Toads, plenty of human unremarkables. Linebeck briefly considered begging one of them for help, but thought back to what Fassad had said earlier.
And do not dare bother any of Paradise Resort's guests with your problems!
Linebeck figured it'd probably be best to avoid getting shocked to unconsciousness again. Especially if it resulted in him being back in that madwoman's care.
Linebeck approached the dual hotel and spa; a magnificent five-story building with a sign that read 'Relaxation Hotel' out front.
"No points for creativity." Linebeck mumbled.
Outside the hotel was a gorgeous display of foliage; palm trees, shrubberies, and flowers lined the perimeter of the hotel. And tending to the plants, currently pulling up some weeds, was the same boy from Yoshi village. Now complete with electric shock collar.
"Oh. It's you." Linebeck said, strolling up. "The little boy who harassed me while I was trying to sleep."
"I'm not a little boy, I'm a grown man!" he asserted. "And the name's Manny. And you'll have a lot more to worry about than me poking you with a stick if you don't start looking busy. Here, switch with me; I'm bored pulling weeds anyway. I'll have you pull the weeds instead, and I'll water the flowers!"
"You'll 'have' me pull them?" Linebeck frowned. He did not care for this child talking like he was in charge.
"Come on, hurry up!" Manny said as he withdrew a watering can.
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Let it slide and pull the weeds.
B. Snatch the watering can and water the flowers.
C. Ignore him and walk inside the hotel.
D. Stand there and ask Manny how he wound up here.
Already_in_Use: D, and then following up with A or C depending on if he's nice or bratty respectively in answering
E. Tell the kid he has no authority over you and to watch his tone.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
#338
"How'd you wind up here, anyway?" Linebeck asked.
"I got bored with the whole 'saving Baby Yoshis' quest and decided to take a quick break." Manny said. "Snuck in and rode some rides, then security nabbed me and next thing I know I'm being forced to work off my 'debt'. I'm guessing something similar happened to you. So quit asking me questions and pull some weeds already!"
Linebeck ignored the little mutant and stepped inside the hotel; the lobby was fairly visually appealing, easily a four-out-of-five star hotel judging solely on this large room.
"Yes, hello, sir!" a man standing behind a desk waved Linebeck over. "Can I help you? I-If I can be of assistance in any way at all, just ask!"
Linebeck looked the man up and down. He was fat, had a mustache, a round nose, and a pair of pointy ears.
"Are you... Mario?" Linebeck asked.
"What? No. I'm the concierge. You can call me the Concierge." the Concierge explained, his eyes moving down to the shock collar around Linebeck's neck. "Oh... you're just one of the workers."
Suddenly the man's eyes bulged out of his sockets as he glanced over into one corner of the room; Fassad was reclining in a chair, sipping some coffee, reading from a newspaper.
"So what are you in for, The Concierge?" Linebeck asked.
"Never mind that!" the Concierge said hurriedly; Fassad looked up in their direction and raised an eyebrow. "Quickly, get to work, find something to do and stop talking to me!"
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Tell the Concierge you're here to take over for him.
B. Park yourself by the front entrance and begin greeting guests.
C. Ask the Concierge for some recommendations on what work to do.
D. Turn around and walk back out of the building.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
#345
Linebeck hurriedly moved over to the entrance and took it upon himself to greet the guests walking in.
"Hello!" Linebeck waved awkwardly at a Goron who sauntered in; the Goron flashed him an awkward smile in turn and shuffled away towards the staircase in the center of the lobby that presumably led up to the rooms.
Linebeck shrugged it off; probably in a rush to use the bathroom or something. He turned his attention to the next guest; an anthropomorphic giraffe in striking duds.
"Welcome to... to... Relaxation Hotel!" Linebeck said, barely managing to remember that unmemorable name. "Enjoy your stay!"
"I'm enjoying it a lot less, having to look at that awful getup you're in." the giraffe said. "The whole beaten-up sailor look with some sort of avant-garde metallic collar? Those styles don't match, sweetie. They clash. Hard. Please don't make me look at you again."
Linebeck blinked in surprise watching the giraffe walk off; the rudest anthropomorphic animal he'd ever met. Hopefully the third time would be the charm. A wealthy-looking Bob-omb couple walked in alongside their son, with luggage in tow. An opportunity to get a nice tip if Linebeck ever saw one.
"Welcome to Relaxation Hotel!" Linebeck said, crouching down and grabbing for their bags. "Please, allow me to carry your luggage to your room!"
"Oh, goodness, no." the female Bob-omb in a frilly pink hat rebuffed him, shuddering.
"Here," the male Bob-omb in a top hat gave Linebeck a single coin. "Take this and leave us alone, if you don't mind."
"Was that guy a hobo?" the little Bob-omb asked his parents as they walked away.
"Possibly, son, possibly." his father replied. "Either way he definitely would've tried to swipe something from us."
Linebeck didn't even bother turning around to watch them walk away; he was gazing at the coin in his hand and strongly considering a career change when a loud voice rang out from behind.
"What do you think you are doing?!"
Linebeck turned to find Fassad standing before him, gazing up at him with his eyebrows furrowed to the point of grotesqueness.
"I was just... working as a greeter." Linebeck explained.
"I specifically told you not to bother the guests!" Fassad cried, snatching the coin from Linebeck's hand. "I'd punish you on the spot, but that would be bad for our reviews!"
"Well, I'm just not sure what kind of work I should be doing around here." Linebeck attempted to justify himself.
"Idiot!" Fassad clutched his rolled-up newspaper in his hand before giving Linebeck a good whack on the head with it. "Go outside and pull some weeds! Now!"
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Go outside and pull some weeds.
B. Categorically refuse.
C. Lodge a complaint with Fassad concerning Manny's attitude.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
#352
Linebeck sighed and turned around, hustling outside the door and returning to the snot-nosed brat who ordered him around.
"Sounded like you got in trouble." Manny said, tending to some azalea bushes. "Should've just done what I told you, and you would've been fine. Now go and pull those weeds."
"You can't give me orders, you little punk!" Linebeck snapped, bending over to begin plucking weeds. "We're both just dogs being forced to slave around to avoid getting zapped by our collars! And outside of this, I am a ship captain."
"A ship captain, huh?" Manny yawned. "That's nothin'. I used to be the mayor of an entire town. Try pulling rank once you've actually held political office, alright?"
"Mayor." Linebeck rolled his eyes. "As if anybody would elect some child to govern them. If you're gonna lie to me, kid, at least make it believable."
"I'm not a kid!" Manny shouted. "I'm a homeowner, for Serena's sake! Yeesh. You're even grouchier than Octavian."
"Whatever, kid. Just keep your trap shut so I can focus on pulling weeds." Linebeck said, doing his best to yank the buggers out of the ground. It was exhausting.
"Geez, old-timer, you're getting all sweaty already!" Manny observed. "You've barely pulled three weeds! You know, one time I slept in for a whole month, and when I stepped outside Smashville was covered in weeds! I went around yanking them up for twenty minutes or so. Never even broke a sweat. Did get bored of it pretty quickly though."
Linebeck did his best to ignore the boy's ramblings as he focused on his work; twenty-three weeds and an aching back later, he had finished with his weed pulling duties.
"Well, that killed all of two minutes." Linebeck said, cracking his back. "I'm outta here. Got to find other work to do. Keep watering the flowers, kid."
Linebeck pondered where to head next.
A. Bar
B. Petting Zoo
C. Ferris Wheel
D. Huts
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
#359
Linebeck decided to make his way over to the bar.
"Alright, I'm through watering. Where we going?" Manny asked, following behind.
"Well, I'm going to the bar." Linebeck said. "But you're clearly not of drinking age, so you're not coming with."
"For the last time, you geriatric, I'm an adult." Manny said, quietly picking a stick up off the ground. "You keep forgetting that. Are you going senile or something?"
Linebeck rolled his eyes and continued on towards the bar, opening the front door and walking inside(making a point not to hold open the door for Manny).
Linebeck stepped in and took a quick survey of the place. There was a bartender behind the counter, a few patrons sitting at said counter on high stools and drinking booze, along with some patrons sitting at tables and eating food; some with children.
"Good news, squirt." Linebeck said. "They allow kids. Now we just need to find you a booster seat..."
Manny said nothing; instead he took to poking Linebeck in the back with the stick he'd found.
Linebeck walked up to the counter and locked eyes with the bartender; a tall, beefy redheaded man with a minimalist outfit that showed off his washboard abs. And sure enough, around his neck was a shock collar.
"Cheers!" the bartender said, handing one of the patrons a drink before addressing Linebeck in a bit of a cockney accent. "Come for some work, eh? I've got the bar covered. Kitchen's in the back; there's a couple of other jokers back there helping cook the food. We could use some help cleaning, doing the dishes, and so on."
Linebeck looked from Reyn to the door that lead to the kitchen in the back.
A. Assert yourself as the new bartender.
B. Head for the back to clean the dishes.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
4. Manny
4a. Fishing Rod
4b. Net
4c. Watering Can
4d. Shovel
4e. Slingshot
#368
"Alright, fine. Dish-cleaning duty it is." Linebeck said, heading for the back door, Manny still following from behind and poking him in the back.
Walking through the doors, Linebeck stepped into a monochrome kitchen with a whole lotta grey appliances taking up space within. Typical kitchen fare. Zeke and Pandoria were frantically preparing food.
"Alright, I've got two orders of Fassad Fish Fingies prepped!" Zeke said. "Pandoria, I need two plates!"
"We're all out!" Pandoria said. "And I need a bowl for this Fassalad!"
"Well, there aren't any clean ones." Zeke said. "And we're out of silverware too! Damn!"
"Guys!" a black-haired woman in a midriff shouted, entering the kitchen. "They've been waiting on those Fassad Fish Fingies for forty minutes! And... oh. New workers? Better get on those dishes!"
Zeke and Pandoria looked over at Linebeck, relief awash on their faces; not for his sake, but for the sake of those dishes.
"Glad you're awake." Zeke nodded. "Now, uh... if you don't mind, we really need some clean dishes."
Linebeck sighed and made his way over to the sink, where a giant pile of dishes was towering before him.
"So..." Manny said, finally ceasing his jabbing. "Which of us is washing, and which of us is drying?"
"I wash, you dry." Linebeck said, grabbing a rag and getting to work.
In as little as two minutes, Linebeck and Manny managed to get two plates and a bowl clean.
"Pretty slow dish washers, but as long as someone's doing it." the woman said walking over and taking the plates.
"Don't worry, Sharla." Zeke said, dumping his Fassad Fingies on the plates she held out for him. "Now that we're fully staffed, we should be able to start making a little bit of headway."
"Yeah, well. Let's just hope Fassad doesn't stop by here for dinner." Sharla said, taking the Fassalad from Pandoria and hurrying back out the door.
"So, Linebeck," Zeke said, striking up a conversation whilst rummaging through a fridge. "Good to see you up and walking around after that nasty bit of zapping Fassad put you through. What did he do that for, again? Do you remember, Pandy?"
"I think he said something about Linebeck stealing a bunch of alcohol." Pandoria said.
"Right." Zeke nodded. "I suppose that must have been the drink we finished off on the sea outside of Port Knocks, huh?"
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Deny ever having stolen booze; clearly Fassad mistook you for someone else.
B. Admit that you stole the booze and it was the very same booze you'd given to them, and that you shouldn't have stolen it.
C. Admit you stole the booze but claim the booze they consumed was different, non-stolen booze.
D. Argue that in hindsight it was perfectly fine to have stolen the booze given the sort of operation being run here.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
4. Manny
4a. Fishing Rod
4b. Net
4c. Watering Can
4d. Shovel
4e. Slingshot
#376
"Hey, you've seen how things are run here." Linebeck said. "Don't get hung up on having drunk stolen booze now that you've seen who it was stolen from."
"Yes, when you phrase it like that I guess it's not worth getting hung up on." Zeke said, though he still seemed a bit reticent.
"I mean, it's not like he knew that at the time..." Pandoria mumbled.
"Well, in any event," Linebeck expertly changed the subject, "I hope you all don't plan on sitting around toiling away for Fassad for the rest of our lives."
"Of course not!" said Zeke. "We just need to figure out a way to get these shock collars off of us! Oh, that reminds me... we may have an ace in the hole on that front. Pandoria here? She's immune to the shock collar."
"Immune?!" Linebeck's eyes widened.
"Yeah, I'm not really as prone to feeling pain from electricity as the rest of you." Pandoria said. "Honestlyyyy, it's a little invigorating."
"Hm." the gears in Linebeck's head began to turn. "I was thinking about maybe just making a run for it."
"Earth to old man," Manny said, "We'd still be stuck with these collars around our necks. Although... maybe that wouldn't be so bad. I've known animals who wear collars as fashion statements."
"The Run Away plan would involve finding some way to get these things off eventually, obviously." Linebeck rolled his eyes. "The point is to get outta dodge; outta range of that guy's remote."
"Well, I don't think I'd have any problem taking Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher and beating Fassad with it," Pandoria said, "Buuuuuuuuut I guess he's also got those guards and that healer with him, so maybe it's not that simple."
"Hmm... fight or flight..." Linebeck mused. He'd always been partial to flight himself.
"Well, no need to come to any decisions quite yet." Zeke said. "We've got some orders to catch up on first."
The group got to work; Linebeck got the dishes spotless while Manny removed any trace of moisture from them. Zeke and Pandoria, meanwhile, put out a veritable buffet of orders. After a couple hours of hard labor, the group had managed to fully make up lost ground and had some breathing room.
"I'm boooooooooored!" Manny complained. "Can't we go scrape gum off the sides of the ferris wheel cars or something?"
"You're encouraged to leave at any time." Linebeck said.
"Well, you've had a couple hours to think about it." Zeke said. "What's the plan?"
"Well..."
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Sneak out the back door and make a run for it.
B. Take the fight to Fassad.
C. Bide our time a bit longer and get the lay of the land.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
5. Manny
5a. Fishing Rod
5b. Net
5c. Watering Can
5d. Shovel
5e. Slingshot
#384
"We'll hold off a little longer before committing to anything." Linebeck decided.
"Alright." Zeke nodded. "We'd join you, but we can't exactly leave the kitchen unmanned. Especially now that we're reaching dinner time."
Suddenly the door flew open; a strange orange creature in an apron, chef's hat, and shock collar waddled in.
"I'm baaaaaaaaack!" he cried, looking around. "But Chef Kawasaki does not share a kitchen with others! Out, please, all of you!"
"Well, guess we're coming with you, then." Pandoria said.
After getting shoved out of the kitchen by Chef Kawasaki, the group made their way out of the restaurant; it was getting dark out.
"Alright, where to?" Zeke asked.
A. Petting Zoo
B. Ferris Wheel
C. Huts
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
5. Manny
5a. Fishing Rod
5b. Net
5c. Watering Can
5d. Shovel
5e. Slingshot
#390
"Let's head for the huts." Linebeck decided.
The group made their way towards the authentic Yoshi villager-built huts that were nestled in the far corner of the resort. As they made their way over, they passed by an impressive dock that stretched past the shoreline; a few smaller boats, some yachts, a seaplane, and a cruise ship were all parked there.
"Ooh, one of those water planes!" Manny whistled. "You know what, I'll catch up with you guys later. I think I'll go do some 'routine maintenance' on that thing."
"I doubt they'd let you get close." Pandoria said, pointing towards the various security guards standing watch over the docks.
"Hnnngh." Manny hung his head dejectedly.
The group made their way over to the huts; a small group of buildings which looked near-identical to the ones in the village of Yoshis across the island. Tourists were gawking about at the huts, some even taking it upon themselves to put their grubby mitts all over the buildings.
Linebeck read a sign posted in the center of it all: AUTHENTIC YOSHI VILLAGE. NO TOUCHING OR FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY FOR BASIC-LEVEL GUESTS; PREMIUM-LEVEL GUESTS MAY DO AS THEY PLEASE.
"This place is designed to squeeze every last gold piece out of people's pockets, eh?" Zeke said, glancing about the place. "I wonder if there's any actual work for us to do here."
"Well, that guy's doing work." Manny said, pointing towards the roof of one of the nearby huts. "Looks kinda fun, being up there."
Linebeck looked up to see Hagurd squatting on top of one of the roofs, sweating and hurriedly tying loose plant material in bundles in a futile attempt to repair the thatched roof of the hut. As he did so, children were actively hurling rocks at the roof, putting fresh holes in it.
"Yah!" a little Toad yelled, throwing a rock that created a hole in the roof where Hagurd had just made some fresh repairs.
"Your aim is terrible!" a little Bob-omb, the same Linebeck had seen in the hotel, scoffed. "Watch this."
The Bob-omb picked up a stone(somehow) and hurled it roof-ward, hitting Hagurd in his side.
"Agh!" Hagurd cried out, doing his best to ignore the assault and continue with repairs.
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Tell the kids to buzz off.
B. Pick up a rock and hurl it at the roof and tell Hagurd he missed a spot.
C. Pick up a rock and hurl it at Hagurd.
D. Ask Hagurd if he needs assistance.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
5. Manny
5a. Fishing Rod
5b. Net
5c. Watering Can
5d. Shovel
5e. Slingshot
#398
"Need help up there?" Linebeck called up.
"Hm?" Hagurd peered down over the edge of the roof. "Erm... yes, actually. There's a ladder around back you can climb up on."
The group made their way up the ladder and onto the roof one-by-one; Hagurd gave them a quick demonstration on making repairs before they all got at it.
"How long are we supposed to be working this shift, anyway?" Linebeck asked, leaning right to avoid getting pelted in the head with a pebble. "We do get to sleep, right?"
"We get to sleep at midnight." Hagurd sighed, ducking to avoid projectile fire. "That's when everything closes for the night. And then we have to get up at five AM to start work. Did you doze off when Fassad explained all this to us in the clinic?"
"You could say that..." Linebeck muttered.
"Oh, right." Hagurd nodded. "Well. We sleep in the hotel."
"Really?" Linebeck's eyebrows raised.
"Yeah. We each have to find a broom closet to sleep in." Hagurd said before getting struck by a pebble. "Hngh!"
"Oh. Should've known."
"I don't mind tight sleeping quarters." Hagurd sighed, a rock grazing his shoulder. "But five hours of sleep?! I'll be dead from exhaustion in a few days!"
"Hey, they're about to have all the holes fixed!" the little Bob-omb observed. "Stop aiming at them and make some more holes!"
The Bob-omb and the Toad child got to work peppering the roof of the hut with ammo, creating a whole new fresh set of holes in need of patching up.
"What's with these little psychopaths?!" Zeke cried, frantically trying to make repairs.
"There's two of them, and five of us!" Manny said. "We can beat them!"
The group got to work, repairing holes as fast as the brats could make them. They kept that up for about twenty minutes until the kids' parents emerged from inside one of the huts.
"My, what a quaint living space." the Bob-omb's mother said. "Could you imagine living in such a thing?"
"Good heavens, no." the Bob-omb's father laughed. "It's just a single room!"
"Without air-conditioning or plumbing, even!" a rather extravagant-looking Toad chortled. "Come on, Burat T.! We're going back to the hotel!"
"But daaaaaaaaad..." the little Toad whined.
"You too, Bub!" the Bob-omb's mother said.
"Awww..." Bub said dejectedly, throwing one last pitiful pebble that missed the roof completely.
Linebeck saw movement in his peripheral vision; Manny had reached into his pockets and withdrawn his slingshot.
A. Stop him from assaulting those children.
B. Let him assault those children.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
5. Manny
5a. Fishing Rod
5b. Net
5c. Watering Can
5d. Shovel
5e. Slingshot
Allies
Hagurd
#406
"Don't." Linebeck said, reaching out and grabbing Manny's arm.
"What?!" Manny cried, struggling to be free of Linebeck's sweaty grip. "Eww, let go of me! They're getting away!"
Linebeck managed to hold onto Manny's arm long enough for the kids to get out of firing range before Manny's arm slipped away. Manny withdrew his watering can and used it to wash the Linebeck off of his arm.
"They're just kids." Linebeck said. "Even if they are brats."
Zeke nodded approvingly.
"Also, you might have got us zapped all night long." Hagurd said. "So, thanks for stopping that from happening, Linebeck."
"I wasn't gonna really hurt them all that badly! Just a smidge of retributive justice..." Manny grumbled. "They wouldn't even know who hit them."
"Well, things are quieting over here." Hagurd said, gazing about at the now-empty huts. "Guess I'm out of a job again. Let's go seek employment elsewhere."
The party made their way back down to the ground, contemplating whether to head for the rides or the petting zoo.
A. Rides
B. Petting Zoo
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
5. Manny
5a. Fishing Rod
5b. Net
5c. Watering Can
5d. Shovel
5e. Slingshot
Allies
Hagurd
#413
The group made their way over to the petting zoo, and before even getting close two things were immediately apparent.
The first: there were only two pens in the thing. One with a monkey(shock collar and all) sitting in the dirt, gaping up at the long line of people outside the fencing of its pen.
The second: that long line of people couldn't care less about the monkey. They were all waiting for a turn to interact with the creatures in the other pen: a trio of Yoshis. One red, one Blue, and one green. All outfitted with state of the art electronic subjugation machines 'round their necks.
As the group drew near, they could see that the Yoshis were each preoccupied with giving rides to guests; children and adults alike.
"Higher!" a child laughed. "Higher, higher!"
The Red Yoshi the whippersnapper rode leapt into the air, kicking his feet with all its might as it struggled to gain a little more altitude. He looked exhausted.
"Come on, do the tongue thing!" a man riding atop the Green Yoshi - the Yoshi - whined, pounding on Yoshi's head with his fist.
Yoshi's mouth opened and his tongue went flying out, reaching to a repulsively long length.
"Alright, time's up!" one of two guards posted at the entrance to the pen shouted. "Off the Yoshis, all of you!"
The guards monitored as the guests each got off their respective Yoshi, and three new guests were permitted entry(but not before handing the guards payment) and mounted their steeds.
"Well, looks like Yoshi got stuck with the worst job of any of us." Zeke said.
"I think getting pelted with rocks would be a contender." Hagurd said, feeling his own toiling labor was being undervalued.
"I doubt they even get to switch to any other jobs." Manny shuddered. "Stuck doing the same exact thing, hours on end, day after day... eugh. I'd go insane."
"I feel bad for the monkey, too." Pandoria sighed. "...But I guess it's getting an extended break, so eh."
"Yeah," Linebeck sighed. "I guess even Yoshi probably shouldn't have to--"
"HEY!!!" one of the guards shouted at them. "Don't just loiter! There's nothing for you to do here, so go find something to do somewhere else!"
"Welp, that's that, then." Linebeck immediately turned around and began leading the group away. "Guess we'll have to find work at the rides."
As the group shuffled away, Linebeck looked back over his shoulder at the pitiful display. Perhaps he had time to try and convey a quick message. But only one.
A. Signal to Yoshi that you'll get him out of there soon.
B. Signal to the monkey that you'll get him out of there soon.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
5. Manny
5a. Fishing Rod
5b. Net
5c. Watering Can
5d. Shovel
5e. Slingshot
Allies
Hagurd
#418
Linebeck locked eyes with the monkey and brought his hand up to his neck, pointing at the collar and interlocking his fingers before bringing them apart, then flashing the monkey a wink, a grin, and a thumbs up.
The monkey stared at Linebeck curiously.
The group made their way towards the small group of rides in one corner of the resort. Blinding neon lights flashed all around the set of three rides that were present: a ferris wheel, spinning cups, and a small wooden coaster. Each ride was full of occupants, with a small line in wait for each.
As the group passed by the coaster, they spotted an ape wearing shades and a bandanna working on the tracks. Every time the cars full of guests would come near him, he'd shuffle out of the way before swooping in and hammering down rail spikes that had come loose with the vibrations from the cars. His head turned toward the party as he took note of them.
"You dudes coming to work?" he said, scratching around where his collar was. "Check out the ferris wheel; I'm sure those guys would love a break from that job!"
"Uh... thanks." Linebeck said as the group made their way over to the ferris wheel.
The ferris wheel was centered and supported by a metal base lying on the ground; kneeling on the ground at either side of the base were a pair of brawny individuals, pushing hard against the base. One was an old goron with an eyepatch; the other a huge, ripped human man with blue hair.
Off to the side of the ferris wheel was a control box for the spinning cups ride; operating a lever inside the box was Nino.
"Oh, it's you!" she said, noticing the party's presence. "And Manny! You're okay!"
"I wouldn't say that." Manny said. "But it's good to see you're safe, Nino."
"Are you guys here to take the next shift?" the blue-haired man called over, breathing heavily. "We really need the rest!"
"Sure, we'll take care of... whatever it is you're doing." Zeke blinked at the strange display.
"Holding the ferris wheel down!" the Goron said. "So that it doesn't - AACK, MY BACK - topple over. Ohhh, my back is about to give out. Come and take over quick, I can't hold this any longer!"
The Goron let go of the base, grasping at his back in pain. The party gaped up in surprise and fear as the ferris wheel began to slowly lean over.
"HURRY!!!!"
Zeke and Pandoria sprinted over to the Goron's side of the base and pushed down with all their might, managing to bring it back to center.
As a result of the sudden re-centering, one of the ferris wheel gondolas above them began to shake a little too precariously; the guests inside were about to be dumped out if the gondola weren't steadied.
"Better do something fast, or it'll be on our heads!" the Goron groaned.
X. Write-in what to.
Already_in_Use: [...] Best I can think of is handing Manny's fishing rod to Zeke and having him hook the gondola to try and stabilize it. Hopefully it'd be like Isabelle's fishing rod in Smash that can hook things like Bowser without snapping.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
5. Manny
5a. Fishing Rod
5b. Net
5c. Watering Can
5d. Shovel
5e. Slingshot
Allies
Hagurd
#424
"I've got an idea!" Manny said, excitedly fishing the rod out of his pockets.
"Oh, I see! Linebeck, cover for me!" Zeke said, letting go of the base and snatching the fishing rod from Manny's hands as Linebeck lunged for the base and threw all his weight on it.
Zeke reared back and cast the line as best he could, hooking the side of the gondola and tugging on it hard to provide a counterbalance to its momentum; the gondola evened out, the crisis averted.
"Whoa-ho!" one of the two guests riding it exclaimed. "This... seems like maybe it's not safe."
"Of course it's safe!" the other said. "It's a three-and-a-half star resort, they wouldn't operate rides like these without adhering to safety standards!"
Zeke finagled the hook off the gondola and reeled it back in before handing the fishing rod back to Manny.
"I... I could have just done that myself." Manny grumbled, taking it back. "I don't see why you had to be the one to do it."
"Whew, really thought we were all gonna pay the price a second there." the Goron sighed with relief.
"Well, now that that crisis is averted," the blue-haired guy said, "Think you could let me off now?"
Hagurd, Manny, and Zeke moved to the other side of the base, working opposite Linebeck and Pandoria. As the two previous workers shuffled off, Nino struck up discourse with the party.
"Sorry I couldn't keep up back there." Nino said to Manny. "You guys were moving so fast, and I stumbled and fell over, and-"
"Don't worry about it." Manny interrupted. "Actually, I felt pretty bad once I noticed we'd left you behind."
"Uh-huh." Linebeck said. "And when was that?"
"Just before reaching this place." Manny said. "But the Sage of Shadow said there wasn't time to go back and that you'd probably find your own way, and then I got sidetracked by the attractions here, and... yeah."
"Hmm..." Nino reflected. "Well, I hope the other two are alright."
"Well whether they are or not, we're not alright." Linebeck said, already feeling the burn. "We need to get out of here. And I really don't want to have to spend another day doing hard manual labor. This stuff makes picking fruit seem downright relaxing in retrospect."
"Do you have a plan yet, Linebeck?" Zeke asked.
"Not quite."
"Well, let's go over what we know." Hagurd panted. "This place closes at midnight, where all the workers are going to have to find some broom closet to sleep in for only a few hours before morning."
"None of the other workers seem to enjoy being "employed" here any more than we do..." Linebeck mused.
"We know that I'm functionally immune to this shock collar." Pandoria said. "But Fassad can zap you all to unconsciousness, maybe even death, at the flip of a switch on his remote."
"So knowing all of that," Linebeck pondered, "What's the best approach here?"
A. Write-in a plan of action.
Already_in_Use: Alright, so Pandoria is definitely the key here. I think the most clear cut way to solve this is to find a way to have Fassad single out Pandoria to make some sort of example out of her similar to what happened to Linebeck. She'd pretend to be affected, only to lunge at the remote and either manage to pull it away from him, or to halt its use long enough that the party and any other employees we gather can get the jump on him, Holly, and any guards.
I'm thinking that we use the free time at midnight to collect some employees and let them know about and join in our plan:
Among the workers, we spread the rumor that Pandoria has been really badmouthing Fassad behind his back. Ideally, Fassad will catch wind of this, take it personally, and decide to punish Pandoria for it himself. He targets solely her to try and make an example, she plays along to get close to the remote, and as soon as she lunges for it, the party and all the workers dogpile all nearby threats, though prioritizing Fassad until the remote is no longer a problem.
B. Eh, I got nothin'.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
5. Manny
5a. Fishing Rod
5b. Net
5c. Watering Can
5d. Shovel
5e. Slingshot
Allies
Hagurd
#431
"Alright," Linebeck said, "It's clear that Pandoria here will be the linchpin of the plan. We'll need to find some way to make Fassad single her out, make an example of her like he did to me. Then she'd pretend to be shocked, and use the element of surprise to get the remote away from him."
"I like it!" Pandoria nodded approvingly. "But how are we going to get him to single me out?"
"Easy." Linebeck shrugged. "We just spread some rumors among the workers that you've been bad-mouthing Fassad real bad."
"And then we... fight Fassad and Dr. Whyte and all of the guards ourselves?" Nino asked.
"Well, I'm thinking we take advantage of our free time at midnight to spread the word." Linebeck said. "I'm sure the other workers here are itching for a chance to escape."
"Seems like a solid plan." Zeke said. "One question, though. Is there a particular place we want this all to go down in? Where do you want Pandoria working when Fassad comes over to zap her?"
Linebeck stroked his mustache in contemplation.
A. Hotel and Spa
B. Tiki Bar
C. Huts
D. Petting Zoo
E. Rides
F. Clinic
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
5. Manny
5a. Fishing Rod
5b. Net
5c. Watering Can
5d. Shovel
5e. Slingshot
Allies
Hagurd
#435
"We'll do it here." Linebeck said. "Maybe we can take advantage of our surroundings or something. I don't know. But we're definitely not doing it in the clinic, with that psycho doctor."
"Sure, why not." said Pandoria.
"I guess the rest of us will disperse around the resort and fill the other employees in on the plan." Zeke said.
"Hopefully none of them give us away." Hagurd muttered.
"I truly doubt that would happen." Nino shook her head. "I'm sure they're all as eager to escape as we are. And I don't think Fassad inspires very much loyalty."
"Guess we'll just have to cross our fingers and hope for the best." Linebeck shrugged. "I doubt we could take on all those guards alone."
The group continued on with their shift of keeping the ferris wheel's movement from tipping it over as the number of guests around grew sparser and sparser. Eventually, Fassad's voice could be heard ringing out from a loudspeaker.
"It is now midnight. Resort functions will be closing until five in the morning. Guests: have a pleasant stay! Employees: get up on time!"
"Finally!" Hagurd cried, letting go of the ferris wheel and hurrying over in the direction of the hotel. "See you all in the morning!"
"I guess it's... safe to let go of the ferris wheel now?" Zeke said, as the group gently let go of the base.
The ferris wheel wobbled for a bit before settling in place, refraining from tipping over now that it wasn't in motion.
"This place is a death trap." Pandoria shook her head. "Let's go some broom closets to sleep in."
***
"Alright, so you understand your part in the plan?" Linebeck asked.
He'd just had the worst night's sleep of his life folded up in a tiny supply closet that was already packed with supplies, and he was eager to get the heck out of this place. Walking beside him was the portly concierge.
"Sure, sure," said the Concierge. "Tell him that green-haired woman's been spreading nasty rumors about him. But, uh... what rumors exactly?"
Linebeck considered the question.
X. Write-in rumors to about Fassad.
Already_in_Use: "In private, he likes to use his own shock collar on himself and act like a dog."
Colette-Brunel: [To above] I'll vote this if there's a bit in there about how he barks and whimpers for Holly lol.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
5. Manny
5a. Fishing Rod
5b. Net
5c. Watering Can
5d. Shovel
5e. Slingshot
Allies
Hagurd
#444** & #445!
Linebeck leaned in and whispered the relevant rumors into the Concierge's ear.
"O-oh. the Concierge's face reddened. "I see. I... just hope he doesn't shock me just for telling him that. He's the type to lash out aimlessly like that."
"What's one shock in exchange for freedom? Anyway, remember: tell him she's over by the rides." Linebeck called back as he hurried out the hotel doors, turning his attention towards looking busy with the foliage outside.
After sweating under the morning sun for twenty minutes or so, a pair of loud noises erupted from inside the hotel.
"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!" a coarse voice bellowed.
"AIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!" a shrill voice shrieked.
Linebeck gawked as Fassad came bum rushing through the doors of the hotel, charging off in the direction of the ferris wheel, nearly mowing over some guests on the way over.
Linebeck abandoned his labor and followed behind Fassad at a safe distance.
Fassad screeched to a halt some distance in front of Pandoria, who stood at the base of the ferris wheel.
"YOU!!!" Fassad roared, face red and fuming. "I DO NOT LIKE SHOCKING MYSELF!!! I DO NOT LIKE TO ACT LIKE A DOG!!! AND I WOULD NEVER ACT SO SUBMISSIVELY TOWARDS THAT WITCH!!!"
It was still too early in the morning for many of the resort's guests to be out and about, but a few onlookers began to gather around and behold the spectacle.
Pandoria's recoiled in horror as she stammered: "Y-y-you heard about that?!"
"AHA!!! YOU CONFESS!!!!" Fassad reached into his pockets and withdrew the remote control. "Now I am going to punish you so thoroughly you'll never open your filthy mouth again; assuming you survive, that is!"
Fassad flipped a switch on the remote; Pandoria immediately cried out in agony, falling forward toward Fassad and convulsing on the ground.
"Again!" Fassad bellowed, flipping the switch.
Pandoria let out another cry, convulsing quite convincingly as she slowly inched her way closer to Fassad.
"You're still conscious?! TAKE THIS!!!!"
As Fassad flipped the switch for a third time, Pandoria leapt up and lunged for the remote, snatching the thing and quickly putting some distance between herself and Fassad.
"What the-?!" Fassad blinked rapidly. "How can you even-"
Pandoria quickly scanned the remote, located a button labeled 'Unlock', and pressed it.
Linebeck felt a wave of relief wash over him as he felt his shock collar unlatch itself and drop to the floor; no longer was he bound by the shackles of indentured servitude!
"YEAH-HAH!!!!" Linebeck whooped, rushing in beside Pandoria. "I did it! My plan worked!"
Linebeck looked around as the others emerged from their posts one-by-one; Zeke, Hagurd, Manny, and Nino all joined Linebeck and Pandoria in surrounding Fassad. What's more, Reyn, Sharla, Max, and Bludo arrived on the scene to lend their support. Off in the distance, Linebeck spotted a portly figure running out of the hotel and off into the jungle.
"Sir!" one of the three guards posted in the area called out as they ran up, ready to fight for their employer.
The redness had vanished from Fassad's face as he calmly surveyed the mutineers surrounding him.
"Heh. Stupid idiots." Fassad shook his head, withdrawing a walkie-talkie and speaking into it. "All personnel report to the rides area IMMEDIATELY. You too, Holly!"
The party looked around as a bunch of guards and a cranky white mage began closing in.
"Okay!" Linebeck said. "Anyone who stands a chance against a guard, focus on them! The rest of us will take Fassad!"
"Right!" Zeke cried as he turned to face a pair of guard alongside Pandoria.
"We'll keep these guys off your back!" Reyn said, wielding a large metallic shield and using it to knock an approaching guard back. "Just get rid of that guy, alright?"
Boss Battle:
Fassad - Pristine Condition
Linebeck looked around to take stock of who was free to fight with him: Nino, Manny, and Hagurd. Linebeck did not find this backup to be particularly impressive.
"Not exactly the dream team, are we?" Hagurd smirked, easily reading Linebeck's countenance.
"I guess this is about what I should have expected." Linebeck shrugged. "Ah well."
"We're more than enough to take on some fat old guy." Manny assured him.
"We were at his mercy, wearing those shock collars." Nino said. "But without any fancy technology or guards to protect him, this should be easy. Even for us!"
"You must be even bigger morons than I thought." Fassad shook his head. "Fine, then. Come and get your beating so I can stick these collars back on you, and you can get back to work."
"...Why isn't he more afraid?!" Manny complained. "He's outnumbered!"
"You're the leader, aren't you?" Fassad said, ignoring Manny and turning to Linebeck. "I guess you've earned the first beating."
X. Write-in what to do.
Already_in_Use: Since he seems to be targeting Linebeck, I'd say just have him prepare to dodge-roll while Nino and Manny attack from afar with Slingshot and Fire. Might be smart to scout out what he's doing.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
4. Nino
4a. Fire
5. Manny
5a. Fishing Rod
5b. Net
5c. Watering Can
5d. Shovel
5e. Slingshot
Allies
Hagurd
#453!
Boss Battle:
Fassad - Slightly Damaged/Burning
X. What you said.
"Five hours of sleep isn't nearly enough!" Hagurd cried, the irony lost on him as he rushed in and swinging his sword at Fassad.
Fassad easily dodged the attack as he moved in towards Linebeck and reared back; Linebeck dodge-rolled out of the way as Fassad threw a punch at the captain.
"Bah! Coward." Fassad shook his head.
Manny and Nino each fired a projectile of their own at Fassad; Manny's slingshot pellet hit him in the eye whilst Nino's fireball set the side of his coat ablaze.
"Argh!" Fassad stomped about in place, hand over his eye. He reached into his coat pockets and withdrew his walkie-talkie. "HOLLY! Where are you?! GET OVER HERE!!"
"I'm coming, I'm coming." a lackadaisical voice could be heard coming through the device. "You're all the way on the other side of the resort. Takes a while to walk over there."
"Do not WALK!!!" Fassad screamed, shaking the walkie-talkie furiously in both hands. "RUN OVER HERE!!!"
"Keep your XXL pants on, alright? I'll be there soon."
Linebeck took a moment to look at the battle unfolding around them; Zeke, Pandoria, and the other enslaved workers seemed to be keeping the guards at bay, at least for the moment. What's more, the now-freed Yoshis were arriving on the scene; Linebeck caught sight of Yoshi ground-pounding onto a guard's head.
Fassad had noticed the Yoshis' arrival too; he looked at them with a scowl before turning his frown over to the curvaceous white-robed figure who was slowly approaching off in the distance.
"Uukee-kee!"
Linebeck's ears picked up at the high-pitched squeaking; he looked down to find the little monkey from before crawling up his pants leg and up onto his shoulder.
"Uukee-kee!" the monkey screeched.
"Eugh, gross!" Linebeck recoiled. "Get off my shoulder!"
Linebeck reached over to grab the monkey, but it had already leapt off his shoulder and shuffled over to the base of the ferris wheel.
"So, you can dodge a punch." Fassad said, turning to Linebeck, ignoring the flame that still burned on his clothes. "But let's see you dodge THIS."
Fassad adopted a rigid stance, squaring his legs and leaning down towards the ground, kicking the dirt with one foot, resembling a bull.
"UUKEE-KEE!!" the monkey screeched, jumping up and down at the base of the ferris wheel, waving its arms at Linebeck. "UUKEE-KEE!!!"
X. Write-in what to do.
MrFuzz111: Well then if he wants to bull charge, let’s give him something to charge at. Bait him into hitting the base of the ferris wheel and roll out of the way again, letting him knock it off balance and potentially on top of him. If it looks like it isn’t going to fall in the right direction have Manny use his fishing rod to pull it as long as he either has enough line to do it safely or can get out of the way. Nino… can try to avoid getting squished and use Fire if the plan doesn’t work, I guess? I feel like there’s a good chance this just oneshots him at which point we’re in the clear until Holly gets here and we have to deal with her if she doesn’t just decide to leave because her employer’s dead.
Party
1. Linebeck
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
4. Nino
4a. Fire
5. Manny
5a. Fishing Rod
5b. Net
5c. Watering Can
5d. Shovel
5e. Slingshot
Allies
Hagurd
#461
Boss Battle:
Fassad - DEAD
X. What you said.
Linebeck stared at the monkey, scratching his chin, until at last two of his brain cells rubbed together and hatched an idea.
Linebeck scurried over in front of the base of the ferris wheel, ready to lure Fassad over.
The monkey nodded approvingly at Linebeck before leaping out of the way.
"This will learn you!" Fassad cried, lunging forward and bum rushing Linebeck with all the strength and speed of a stampeding bull.
Linebeck tried to dodge-roll, but there was no avoiding the bull; with a great burst of strength and speed, Fassad surged forward, trampling Linebeck underfoot.
"GACK!!!" Linebeck writhed on the ground, instantly incapacitated by the crushing weight which had trampled him.
Fassad went slamming into the base of the ferris wheel, sending the entire thing teetering dangerously in the opposite direction, threatening to tip over onto the mob of guards and disgruntled workers that were duking it out.
"Gah! No! My Fassad Wheel!"
The monkey swooped in, grabbed Linebeck's coat collar, and dragged him out of the way with considerable difficulty.
Meanwhile, Fassad leapt into action, throwing his weight hard on the wheel's base to provide a counterbalance. However, with nobody on the opposite side to evenly distirbute the weight, the wheel was now tipping dangerously in Fassad's direction.
"Eep!" Fassad let go of the base as the ferris wheel leaned over, dangerously close to falling over.
The wheel came to a stop, ready to fall back in the direction it came. Fassad breathed a sigh of relief.
"Aww, that's no fun! I want to see it tip over!" Manny whined, casting his fishing rod at the wheel; the hook caught onto one of the gondolas. With a mighty pull, Manny made all the difference; the wheel continued to tip over, groaning as the thing broke off its support.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAA-"
Fassad's screams were cut short as he was caught under the mighty wheel; bystanders screamed and ran for cover as the wheel hurtled forward, rolling through the resort town, onto the beach, and into the water, going out a fair distance before finally stopping and falling over on its side, disappearing beneath the waves.
Everyone stopped and stared out at the ocean as the water settled; Fassad did not resurface.
"Welp, no point in sticking around now." Holly Whyte said, having finally arrived. She turned around and began casually strolling in the direction of the docks.
"So the boss is... dead?" one of the guards said. "I guess there's no point in fighting."
"Linebeck!" Zeke shouted, running up to rejoin the party alongside Pandoria. "Are you alright?"
"Never... better..." Linebeck croaked from the ground. "Say, where'd that monkey get off to?"
Linebeck leaned up and looked around; he spotted the monkey standing outside the resort, at the jungle's edge, gazing right back at him. The monkey brought his hand up to his neck, pointing at where the collar had been and interlocking his fingers before bringing them apart, then flashing Linebeck a wink, a grin, and a thumbs up. With that, the monkey turned around and disappeared into the jungle.
"Whew! Nice to finally have that collar off of me!" Yoshi said, walking up to the group. "I sent those other two guys back to the village. I guess freeing a couple Yoshi captives means this wasn't all a total wash."
"So this means... we're out of a job?" one of the guards said.
"But... but I've got two kids to feed!" another lamented.
"And you even got a head start on destroying this eyesore!" Yoshi nodded approvingly, pointing to where the ferris wheel had once stood. "Great! Now if we could just level the rest of this place..."
"W-wait!" Hagurd spoke up. "You don't mean you want to destroy all this, do you?"
"Well, yeah." Yoshi said. "This place is a nightmare. Except the huts. We'll probably move some Yoshis back out here, restore it back to what it was. But... later, I guess. We've still got babies to save. In the meantime, these guests can pack up and go home."
"But... but... this is a luxury resort!" Hagurd protested. "It'd be a waste to just do away with it!"
"Well... it's not like it's going to be functional now, anyhow." Zeke said. "The management's gone, and good riddance. These rides aren't safe for people to be on. There's no longer any indentured servants to run the restaurant or hotel. It's ruined one way or another."
"Not if it gets new management!" Hagurd asserted. "I've got experience running seaside towns. I'll run this place. I'll keep all these guards on as my staff."
"Hmm... no, I think it's probably better to just not have a big neon tourist trap on the island." Yoshi said.
Listening in on the dispute from his vantage point on the ground, Linebeck considered his options.
A. Side with Hagurd.
B. Side with Yoshi.
C. Some other third thing. (Write-in)
X. Write-in what to do.
Party
1. Linebeck - Incapacitated
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
4. Nino
4a. Fire
5. Manny
5a. Fishing Rod
5b. Net
5c. Watering Can
5d. Shovel
5e. Slingshot
Allies
Hagurd
#470
"Hagurd's right." Linebeck said weakly. "It'd be a waste to get rid of all this."
"Yes, exactly!" Hagurd nodded eagerly. "And rest assured, nothing like what Fassad did with his workers here will be happening again! You and your Yoshis could even stay here for fre-err, well, at a discount, anyway."
"Whatever." Yoshi rolled his eyes and turned his attention towards the jungle. "It's a terrible idea, but I've got bigger things to worry about. Let's get moving."
"Are you alright to walk, Linebeck?" Nino asked, gazing down at the crumpled-up captain with concern.
"Nngh... nothing a little bedrest won't be able to cure, I'm sure." Linebeck said. "But, uh... I don't think I'm in shape to be trekking through a jungle right now. Or even stand."
"Hmm..." Zeke rubbed his chin. "Where'd that healer get off to?"
"Oh, Hylia, no, not her." Linebeck coughed. "Absolutely not. I just need bed rest."
"Well, we don't have time for bed rest." Yoshi said. "We've wasted enough of it here already."
"Well... guess I'll carry you, then." Zeke said.
Linebeck was not pleased by the assault on his dignity this represented, though he did like the idea of not having to walk. Still, he wondered if Zeke was really the best choice.
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Zeke
B. Yoshi
Party
1. Linebeck - Incapacitated
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
4. Nino
4a. Fire
5. Manny
5a. Fishing Rod
5b. Net
5c. Watering Can
5d. Shovel
5e. Slingshot
Allies
Yoshi
#479
"Wait," Linebeck said, "You shouldn't have to carry me when I could just ride on Yoshi here."
"I don't..." Yoshi started to rebuff Linebeck, but quickly reconsidered. "You know what, fine. Whatever gets us moving faster. It's not like I'm not used to carrying babies across the island."
Yoshi walked over to where Linebeck lay and crouched down; Linebeck leaned over and hoisted himself on top of Yoshi's shell-saddle.
"Alright," Linebeck said weakly, "Let's ride."
With that, the group began walking in the direction of the jungle.
"Farewell, acquaintances." Hagurd called after them. "Thanks for all the... stuff you, uh... you know. Hope you drop by sometime!"
"Mark my words, letting him keep that place running is gonna blow up in our faces." Yoshi grumbled. "Maybe not yours, you'll probably be long gone, but certainly those of us staying on the island."
"Trust me, Hagurd's good people." Linebeck said. "He won't do anything corrupt."
"Uh-huh." Yoshi rolled his eyes. "What are you, childhood friends or something?"
"Nah, only known him for a few days." Linebeck said.
"Unbelievable."
"Ehh, It's hard to see him doing anything especially villainous." Zeke chimed in. "I wouldn't worry about it."
"Hmph." Yoshi grunted.
As the group forged through the foliage, they suddenly heard a high-pitched wailing noise coming from somewhere nearby, a little ways off their path.
"Sounds like something - or someone - might be in trouble." Nino said. "Should we go investigate?"
"No, we should just keep putting one foot in front of the other until we get the babies back." Yoshi asserted.
The shrill lamentation continued.
"Could be one of the others." Manny said.
"I doubt either of them is capable of producing that noise." Yoshi countered.
Linebeck considered his options.
A. Insist on investigating.
B. Nah, keep moving forward.
Party
1. Linebeck - Incapacitated
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
4. Nino
4a. Fire
5. Manny
5a. Fishing Rod
5b. Net
5c. Watering Can
5d. Shovel
5e. Slingshot
Allies
Yoshi
#484**
"We should go see what it is." Linebeck said.
"I agree." Nino nodded. "If it is one of the others, and we just left them in distress..."
"Fine!" Yoshi snapped, turning to move in the direction of the noise. "Let's go see what this noise is. But I'm telling you, it's not Groose or the 'Sage of Shadow'."
The party made their way through some foliage until coming out into a clearing, where a portly man lay on his hands and knees in the grass, bemoaning his fate.
"Just like I said." Yoshi nodded.
"Huh. Guess you were right." Manny said. "It's just that concierge. I thought it was the sage guy for sure."
"Wuh?!"
The Concierge's neck snapped in the direction of the party. Upon taking stock of them, he scuttled along the ground towards them on all fours before getting up and clasping his hands together.
"Please! I need your help!" he cried. "Oh, won't you agree to help a poor soul in need?!"
"Well... maybe." said Zeke. "But we can't agree to help you without knowing what you need first."
"My ship!" the Concierge cried. "The ship I came here on! I landed it right in this clearing before getting taken captive at that resort. And now, it's... it's gone!"
"Oh, I guess that was you I saw scurrying out of that hotel." Linebeck nodded, thinking back to the confrontation with Fassad. "Guess you didn't want to stick around and help fight."
"I'm a thinker, not a fighter." the Concierge said. "Trust me, I wanted to help, but I would only have gotten in your way, so I bravely resisted the temptation."
Linebeck could immediately see this fraudster for what he was; game recognize game.
"You will recall, however, that I was crucial to the success of the escape plan." the Concierge pointed out. "I put my neck on the line; literally! I got zapped just for telling Fassad the rumor! So, if anything, I'd say you owe me. So won't you agree to lend me your aid?"
A. Agree to lend him your aid.
B. Tell him he's on his own.
Party
1. Linebeck - Incapacitated
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
4. Nino
4a. Fire
5. Manny
5a. Fishing Rod
5b. Net
5c. Watering Can
5d. Shovel
5e. Slingshot
Allies
Yoshi
#488
"Yeah, fine." Linebeck said. "Maybe we'll run into the ship on our way or something."
"Yeah, sure, whatever." Yoshi threw his hands up in the air. "Let's just take every pit stop and detour possible, why not?"
"Well, it's better than just leaving him to die out here." Zeke said.
"W-What do you mean?" the President grew wide-eyed.
"This island is a vicious hellscape with man-eating plants and who knows what other nasty stuff." Linebeck informed him. "Shock collars aside, that resort town was the only place so far I wasn't fearing for my life."
"Man-eating... plants..." the President processed this information.
"Among other things." Yoshi said flippantly. "Long story short, you'll definitely die if you delve any deeper into the jungle alone. So I guess you'll have to tag along at their insistence."
"W-wait!" the Concierge cried. "Listen to me! I am the President of Hocotate Freight!"
The group stared at him blankly for a few moments.
"What's that?" Pandoria broke the silence.
"It's a deep space, long-haul shipping company." the President said. "Highly valued, net worth through the roof, yes, very big. We even almost made it onto the Hocotate Herald's Top 500 Hocotatian Businesses list!"
"...Okay." Manny shrugged. "So?"
"So as the president of such an esteemed corporation, I'm extremely important. Not the kind of person who should be stranded on in a jungle on an island with no way back home. Many livelihoods depend upon me; indeed, the entire Hocotatian economy may well depend upon my swift return home!"
"Um..." Nino blinked. "Yes, well, we already agreed to-"
"I'll make it well worth your while, rest assured!" the President said. "Having a powerful and fabulously wealthy man such as myself owe you a favor is no small thing! So, you see, it's in your best interest to recover my ship as soon as possible, and to protect me from any and all harm in the meantime!"
"Fabulously wealthy, eh?" Linebeck scratched his chin. "That could be useful..."
"Yes, I suppose it could, but regardless we already agreed to help you." Zeke said. "So you don't need to keep trying to convince us. It doesn't matter whether you're rich and powerful, we'd lend you our aid all the same."
"Althooooouuuugh," Linebeck cocked his head to the side. "I can't help but wonder why moneybags over here would have found himself enslaved to Fassad in the first place."
"T-That's not important." the President said, evidently flustered. "Let's just get going."
"Hmmmm..." Linebeck squinted at the President suspiciously.
A. Demand to know.
B. Let it slide.
Party
1. Linebeck - Incapacitated
1a.Strange Key
1b. Stone Pickaxe
1c. Stone Sword - Slightly Damaged
1d. Mighty Bananas x 2
1e. Iron Sword - Slightly Damaged
1f. Diamond Pickaxe - Slightly Damaged
2. Zeke von Genbu
2a. Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher
2b. Stratospheric Thunder
2c. Overload Thunder Beam
2d. Dynamic Sparksword
2e. Ultra Lightning Fury Smash Max
3. Pandoria
3a. Lightning Force
3b. Electric Circus
3c. Thunder Doom
3d. Sonic Thunderslash
4. Nino
4a. Fire
5. Manny
5a. Fishing Rod
5b. Net
5c. Watering Can
5d. Shovel
5e. Slingshot
Allies
Yoshi
The President
#494 (Final update post of topic)
Linebeck decided not to press the issue further, giving Yoshi an opportunity to divert the conversation to his preferred subject.
"Alright, no more wasting time." the lizard agreed with the President. "Let's get moving."
The party made their way through the jungle, making a path through dense foliage as the sun rose higher in the sky, eventually reaching a position which indicated it was around noon. Conversation had been relatively sparse, with most vocalizing consisting of Manny humming and singing random tunes to Linebeck's considerable annoyance.
"Bleargh..." the President reached up to wipe sweat from his brow, but his hand smacked against his suit's helmet. "This is taking too long. Why does it have to be so hot? I knew I shouldn't have skimped on the temperature control features..."
"It may be hot, but at least it's humid!" Pandoria joked.
The President scowled in her direction before turning his attention to Linebeck riding atop the Yoshi right beside him. The President glowered at Linebeck with barely-concealed jealousy.
Suddenly the President added a stumbling quality to his steps, as though he were greatly struggling to keep moving forward. His breathing grew louder, melodramatically loud, and he made a big show of wiping his helmet as if there were sweat on it.
"I see what you're doing," Linebeck murmured, leaning in towards the President. "You're putting on a pretty good show, and it might even work... except I'm actually too weak to walk, and we've already seen that you can manage, so... you're gonna have to keep hoofing it, sorry. But I applaud your efforts."
The President smirked at Linebeck for a moment before fully committing himself to the bit, wheezing and sucking in breath between clenched teeth.
"I-I'm not sure... I c-c-can go on..." the President sputtered. "This... may b-b-be the end of m-me..."
"Oh no!' Nino cried, worried. "We'll just have to stop and take a break, then! Do you think there's any water nearby?"
"There's no time... for that..." the President said, pausing to loudly gasp for air. "But... I can't keep moving... on my own..."
"Oh, please." Yoshi rolled his eyes. "I've got a carrying capacity of exactly one, and one baby is plenty. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other, el Presidente."
"P-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-please..." the President stammered.
Linebeck couldn't help but find the length of that stuttering to be a bit gratuitous; he would've stopped at three or four P's. It was an otherwise compelling performance, but that little burst of melodrama might give the game away.
"Yeesh, sounds like you're about to drop dead." Manny said.
"He's really struggling!" Pandoria agreed. "We've got to do something!"
"Do you want me to carry you?" Zeke offered, fully buying into the President's distress.
"Y-yes... if you could just... crouch down a moment..."
Linebeck looked on as Zeke got in front of the President and crouched down; the President hopped up on top of Zeke's shoulder, riding piggyback atop him. The President turned to look down at Linebeck with a shit-eating grin spreading wider and wider across his face.
"Unbelievable." Yoshi shook his head.
"He's good." Linebeck muttered. "I really thought that last bit would have been too much, but he did it."
"Nino I already know is naive enough to buy it, but the rest of them?" Yoshi whispered back. "Pretty pathetic."
Shortly thereafter, the group came out into a clearing. The first thing they noticed about the clearing was that strange, fuzzy spore-like creatures with eyes were floating about the place. The second thing they noticed were the pits in the ground scattered all about the place.
"Hm?" the President grunted from his perch atop the Zekenator, reaching out to touch one as it floated by. "Looks like a Honeywisp..."
"STOP!!!" Yoshi shouted. "Do NOT touch that!"
The President stopped just short of brushing it with his fingers and looked down at Yoshi inquisitively.
"Let me guess." Zeke sighed. "These adorable, seemingly harmless creatures are actually deadly abominations that will kill us all."
"Oh, so you can figure that out." Yoshi sneered, looking up at the President piggybacking on Zeke. "Those are Fuzzies. Whatever you do, do NOT touch one of them."
"That just makes me want to touch them." Manny said, excitedly jumping in place.
"Touch Fuzzy, get dizzy." Yoshi said matter-of-factly.
"...What?"
"You touch that thing, you become disoriented and any hope of walking in a straight line flies out the window. You'll be stumbling about all over the place. So like I said: touch Fuzzy, get dizzy. Get dizzy, traipse right over one of those pits and fall in and slowly waste away. Come on, take a look."
Yoshi led the group towards one of the pits at the edge of the clearing; the thing went straight down fifteen or twenty feet. At the bottom was a pile of bones that appeared to be vaguely Yoshi in origin. Decayed mushrooms were scattered about the remains.
"Poor bastard." Yoshi shook his head. "Let's look at another."
Yoshi led the group over to another pit, this one with a Shy Guy inside. The remains appeared to be somewhat fresher judging by the appearance of the Shy Guy's clothing; it was impossible to tell, but the remains inside the robes probably hadn't rotted to bone yet. What's more, the mushrooms covering this set of remains were alive and well.
"What's with the fungi?" Manny asked.
"Well, see, Fuzzies require a living animal to serve as a host in order to reproduce." Yoshi explained. " To accomplish this, Fuzzies will try and get creatures in a vulnerable position where the spores can be implanted without issue. These pits here are shallow enough that you'd probably survive the fall, but deep and steep enough that you couldn't get back out. So one Fuzzy will bump into you, sacrificing its life to make you disoriented and cause you to fall into one of these pits here. Then another fuzzy will come down and slowly disperse its entire being onto you, carefully covering your body with spores that will, over the course of a few intensely agonizing days, grow from your body and persist off your nutrients until every last scrap of flesh has been sucked from your remains. Then the mushrooms wither and die. But before they die, they use the last of their remaining nutrients to spawn a Fuzzy or two."
"This really is the worst island, isn't it?" said Linebeck.
"These poor things suffered for days?" Nino shook her head. "At least the Dayzees put you to sleep first..."
The party looked out across the fielding, watching as a dozen or so Fuzzies drifted about all over the place. The foliage around the clearing was impassably dense; the only way through the clearing was through.
"If it were just me on my own, I could probably maneuver around them without too much issue." Yoshi said. "But carrying this overgrown infant? That makes things harder. Plus I doubt the rest of you are agile enough to safely get through on your own. We gotta get rid of these things."
X. Write-in how to get rid of these things.
Already_in_Use: I'd ask Yoshi if it's a good idea to burn them with Nino's Fire. If we can't or shouldn't burn them directly, maybe we could use the fire to generate hot air to raise them out of the way (using Manny's Watering Can to control the spread if we need to.
Notes:
#151**
["So he beat up a child?" Hagurd interjected. "Even I could manage that much."]lmao. Hagurd is great. I'm very thankful for the whole kidnapping plot turning him from (presumably) a very minor character into someone who gets to stick around and further develop certain things about the plot.
#244**
The write-in I had the previous update (and its result here) is probably one of my favorites I've written. If you've read OA, you know that adding a gun to the equation really raises the stakes. Throughout OA, and now WoS, I've kinda wondered if I've become a lot more safe in my decisions and write-ins, but this was a time I decided to suggest something very risky and was confident it could work. And it did! I don't know, stuff like this is part of the reason why I love the CYOA format.#245!*
In post #246, Crimon details Zeke and Pandoria's main gimmick:"Just in case there's still any confusion as to how that system works: when a battle begins, none of the moves are available. But each time Zeke lands a hit in with one of his moves, the first of Pandoria's moves becomes available. If Zeke lands a second hit, the second move becomes available. And so on until all four are available. However. Once Zeke uses any of her moves, we're back down to having 0 moves available and you've got to start racking up hits with Zeke again. It functions basically like it does in XC2's battle system in that way. Pandoria's moves also do not carry over into future fights; once a battle ends, you're back to square one."
#258!***
This post marks the end of the Zapper battle, and I have a few things to say on it.Repeating a sentiment that came up once or twice for OA, reading these CYOAs can often feel a lot different from actively participating in them, and battles are a huge point to this. The fight against Zapper lasted literally only two turns, but felt a whole lot longer in the moment mainly due towards the anticipation of waiting and hoping that the suggested plan end up working and doesn't get anyone killed.
Second, I kind of love Zapper. Pulling(/Inventing) an antagonist from DUCK HUNT of all series was a very creative and unexpected pull, and the contextualization that he's a poacher who doesn't care for the sapience of animal or animal-like characters commonly found in VGs is a great idea. I feel that, usually, one-off retro characters never get more than tertiary party member roles with little/no importance. Making his boss battle reminiscent of Duck Hunt was super cool too. I'm not sure if I just got lucky, or if my plans trying to appropriately track him was the correct way to solve his fight, but the fact he had a gun, ambiguous targets, and was hidden away, makes him one of the scariest bosses in either CYOA despite his critical lack of constitution.
#295*
You might've recognized the healer here as Holly Whyte from Bravely Default. I think it's worth noting her existence, as she has possibly the loosest (but still valid) connection to Smash of any character in either CYOA. In both OA and WoS, franchises can only appear if they exist to some degree in Smash, from entire characters to even a single Spirit. Nothing Bravely Default was in Ultimate when it initially released, however there was a Spirit Event for BD2 years later in 2021, thus making the series valid to appear in the CYOA. When I first learned of who she was, I had thought the rule might've been broken until I looked it up and found the Spirit Event.#444**
The plan, execution, and result against Fassad and his resort is one of my favorite sequences in the CYOA so far, similar to my 244 note.#484**
If you read OA, you'll know that I was very happy to see this person was all but confirmed to be who I had already guessed he was back at the hotel.---
And that's part 1 of the Yoshi's Island arc! As you could already tell, the gimmick of the setting is Yoshi's Island itself being a completely messed up place for those who aren't native to it. I think it was mentioned more than once in OA by Crimson that he never really did anything with Yoshi or Yoshi's Island, and I got the impression it was something he'd do a little differently given another go around. Here in WoS, Yoshi's Island gets its own arc (or at least, a more prominent one than what smaller bits where there in OA). Yoshi himself has a very distinct characterization that I'll talk more on later.
Elsa_Jay on Chapter 3 Fri 18 Jul 2025 03:13AM UTC
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Already_in_Use on Chapter 3 Tue 22 Jul 2025 05:37AM UTC
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