PPU Adventure #1

[Elfie]

*leaving Bass and Anima behind, Elfie begins making his way to the traps ahead*

Elfie: To spring, or not to spring...

*activating his thermal googles, Elfie realizes he's already in the middle of the trip-wire trap*

Elfie: Really should've turned those on earlier...
Voice: Stay where you are!
Elfie: Stay where you are! You are! Are!
Voice: *hesitantly* Hello!
Elfie: Hello! Hello! Lo!
Voice: What the hell?

Elfie: You can come out, but if you do I'll shoot you.
Voice: You really aren't in a position to negotiate.
Elfie: Nonsense. I need to trip the wire to activate the explosives. Until I do so I'm quite dangerous.
Voice: Yes, but I can detonate the remote explosive.
Elfie: No you can't. You're too close to the explosives or you would have already done so.
Voice: Maybe I wanted to make a deal.

*a clinking sound is heard on the ground around where the voice is coming from*

Elfie: Then perhaps you should've checked to make sure I wasn't getting myself out of your little tripwire trap and - *a loud explosion rocks the room* - tossing a grenade in where you are hiding to trigger all the explosives in the room.

Elfie: You okay there, friend?

Voice: *looking around frantically* You'll have to do better than that.
Elfie: *appearing with a gun at his neck* I think I just did. Now get everyone out where I can see them.

[AnimaStone]

Bass awakens enough to pull the sword out of his body and toss it away. It lands with the handle just touching the still unmoving form of Anima. The sword begins to glow with a low blue light that extends no more than two feet on each side. Anima's body begins to stir. His hand grasps the sword tightly, and his legs stand him up. He walks towards the exit of the mansion, but before he makes it there, the sword glows a little brighter, just enough to illuminate a translucent purple wall that encircles the courtyard's only exit in a ten-foot ring. Pinata and some of the others are looking at Anima.

PINATA: You know what's making this so creepy?

SCYTHE: What?

PINATA: I just realized that Anima's eyes have not opened this entire time. Whatever he's doing, he's doing it blind....

SCYTHE: Or it isn't him that's doing it at all.

Scythe looks at the sword, which has begun to glow even brighter.

[piñata]

*Behind him, Piñata hears a twig snap.*

Piñata: Mriswith don't make mistakes like that. Who's there?
Voice from the trees: An old friend. I Apparated here because EM was the only place I could thoink of that would still help me. But I guess EM doesn't exist anymore.
Piñata (drawing his lightsaber): I'm not your friend, Aratar.
Aratar: We're on the same side. You know you can still trust me.
Piñata: I know no such thing. I know you didn't overtly betray us during the dream walker crisis (OOC: That's something I have planned for a future Conclave adventure, which will have us teaming up with Aratar, but it's in the distant future so don't worry about it too much yet), but after that you were still the same old Aratar.
Aratar: Yes, but I left the Dark Lords to their own devices and struck out on my own. If you hadn't left to go after me, The Conclave would have won the war.
Piñata: I came back in time to see what your end game was. The enemy might not have been under your command when they won the war, but they won it based on information you provided them.
Aratar: I love the Conclave, or the idea behind it anyway, as much as anyone. Whether you believe me or not, I'm truly sorry it had to suffer such an ugly fate.
Piñata: Bullshit.
Aratar: It was a disagreement with Morbaruk and Omeguz that caused me to leave in the first place. It was also because of their actions that I defended myself by attacking Damithor.
Piñata: You had ample opportunity to explain yourself while we were chasing you through that Furby.
Aratar: We don't have time for this right now, Candybag. The Spear of Destiny has been stolen.
Piñata: We know. That's why we're here.
Aratar: You mean they got the piece that was here, too?
Piñata: What do you mean, "too"?
Aratar: The piece I was safeguarding was also stolen. By a man named Bane. He seemed to be in league with the Dark Lords -- one of the Forsaken was with him.
Piñata: The Forsaken have been freed again?
Aratar: Yes. And Lanfear is none too happy with me.
Piñata: Serves you right. This Bane fellow -- what'd he look like?
Aratar (pointing at Krotos): Like a younger version of him.
Piñata: Just as I thought. That's Zeles, Krotos's son. He's being controlled by an evil spirit, whose name happens to be Bane. Bass tried to absorb Bane into himself, where his willpower would be able to control Bane, but apparently he only got part of Bane's essence, and the rest escaped when Zeles did.
Aratar: So Bane's in two places at once?
Piñata: Yes. He's here right now, probably talking to Bass inside his head, and he's pulling Zeles's strings whereever he is.
Aratar: You know I have to come with you. It's been foretold in prophecy.
Piñata: You've used prophecy to help you commit some pretty grievous atrocities. I don't particularly like the way the word sounds coming from you.
Aratar: All right, but the fact remains that you can't hurt me. Put that thing away.
Piñata (stowing his lightsaber): Fine.

[AnimaStone]

From up ahead, Anima's arm rises into the air.

PINATA: (to Aratar) That means to be quiet.

ARATAR: What? Who is that guy? Why are we listening to him?

PINATA: Long story. Just shut up.

Anima is closely observing the purple wall. His nose is only inches away from the wall, but Anima is careful not to let himself touch the wall. As his body draws closer to the wall, its outline seems to solidify and gain a definite location and position.

SCYTHE: (whispering) You know what? His eyes still aren't open.

At that moment, Anima straightens back up. He grips the sword with both hands and slashes it in a great overhead sweep, straight into the wall. The sword blazes blue as it connects with the wall. The wall splits down the middle. Anima motions to the group to go through the now open door.

However, before they reach the door, the purplish sludge reforms into a figure directly in front of Anima. The figure is taller than average for a human, about seven feet tall, and appears to have several guns and swords attached to its belt. Its darker purple hair appears to be about shoulder length, falling mostly over the eyes. The figure appears to be a man.

THE GRAPES: Foretel, you know that you have no authority here.

Anima's mouth opens, but it is not Anima's voice that issues out.

FORETEL: Why not? Is it not my land? Is it not my realm? Is it not my very own Castle? If anyone has authority over the wild lands here, it is I.

THE GRAPES: But you are no longer King. I sent pestilence upon your land, and your land withered. Your authority is broken.

FORETEL: You know as well as I that the physical body is only a shell. You yourself have grown impossibly since your physical death.

The Grapes open their mouth in a grim grin.

THE GRAPES: But I am no longer the same person.

FORETEL: That is agreed upon. You never were the same person after you got the notion into your head to betray me.

PINATA: (whispering to Scythe) You know who those Grapes look like? The great traitor of eM. Mononoke86.

While the group is watching the verbal battle unfold, though, they do not notice the mriswith stealthily sneaking up behind them.

[SuperBassX84]

-=As Bass fully regains consciousness, Bane makes him aware of the entire situation around, save the bit between Aratar and Piñata referring to his control of Zeles=-

Bass: Wonderful...just wonderful. Anima is possessed by Foretel and the Mriswith are...shit...

-=Bass quickly leaps to his feet, unsheathing the Guardian Blade and cutting the legs off of a Mriswith in the process. He attempts to contact a member of the group mentally as he covers the few hundred yards between them, aware of the conversation between Anima/Foretel and the Grapes=-

Bass: I hope one of them is attuned enough to me to hear it. Between the Force and Essence, I hope it's enough...c'mon...hear me!

-=As he nears, he senses the Mriswith drawing their weapons, preparing for the strike against the almost wholly unprepared 'Clavers=-

[AnimaStone]

The Grapes issue a deep, booming laugh.

THE GRAPES: Betray you? BETRAY you? Me, betray YOU? You truly are becoming senile, old man. For one thing, I never owed you any allegiance. For another, you were fading already. I just helped along the process slightly.

FORETEL: Helped it along slightly? You killed me, Mononoke. You severed my tie to the land. You know as well as I what severing a King's tie to the land does.

THE GRAPES: I apologize. Perhaps you are not a scientist. I was acting on a popular scientific theory. Maybe you've heard of it? It's called the theory of natural selection.

FORETEL: In my infinite kindness, I will overlook this fault of yours. But as you know, the King does not give anything for free. Let us pass now and I will consider your debt paid.

The Grapes laugh again.

THE GRAPES: Let you pass? Without collecting what is rightfully mine?

Anima's left hand instinctively darts behind his body.

THE GRAPES: Just give it back to me. It's all I want from you. Then you can go. Just give it back to me.

Anima's left hand slowly moves from behind his back. His arm rises slightly and extends outwards towards The Grapes, the back of the hand facing upward. A small red gem is visible in the center of the glove that covers the hand.

PINATA: (thinking) Funny. I never noticed that before.

THE GRAPES: Good. Give it back. Just like that. You stole it from me, and now you give it back. Good.

[piñata]

*Piñata gets a funny look on his face suddenly. He turns around, lightsaber already drawn and ignited. As the first mriswith becomes visible behind him, the two halves of its body fall slowly in opposite directions.*

Scythe: I thought only Bass could sense them.
Piñata: He's contacting me telepathically or something. Giving me their locations.

*Another mriswith becomes visible just in time for everyone to see its head separate from its body.*

Scythe: Good thing for Bass you're so strong in the Force.
Piñata: Compared to some people, I might as well still be an apprentice.
Aurora (activating her own lightsaber): Who trained you, anyway? What you were taught probably decided what you've been teaching me, but it never occured to me to ask before.
Piñata: I was Morbaruk's first apprentice. Get the one on your left.

*Aurora swings her lightsaber out to the left, slicing open a mriswith. Its death howl echoes around the courtyard.*

Piñata: Forking drama queen.

[AnimaStone]

The Grapes reach out a hand to the gem on Anima's hand. Just before they reach the gem, Anima's hand jerks out of the way.

FORETEL: Silly, silly Mononoke. You never could recognize a feint. That's why you never were my best general.

Anima's eyes open. A huge blast of blue light bursts forth, completely smothering The Grapes. The Grapes shriek in pain and turn away from the source of the light.

FORETEL: I gave you a second chance already, you know. When you lost to Genocide Heart's forces, I spared you. Not this time. You have failed me for too long now.

Anima's arms raise the sword high above his head. With a swift, arching downward slice, Foretel's sword tears into The Grapes. The Grapes give off one last cry, then fall silent and vanish. Anima's eyes close. The sword ceases giving off light. Anima's body falls to the floor.

[piñata]

*As Piñata, Aurora and Bass destroy the last three mriswith, they see Anima strike down his enemy before falling to the ground. Piñata gestures to a random crew member from Basurake who doesn't seem to be doing anything.*

Piñata: Get Secole, now!

*The crew member salutes and takes off running. When he gets back, a beautiful, elegant woman in white healer's robes is accompanying him. She immediately goes over to Anima and starts checking for vital signs.*

[Elfie]

*marching a long chain of Mriswith back to the camp*

Elfie: What'd I miss?

*looking around*

Elfie: Right...

[AnimaStone]

Anima slowly stirs and opens his eyes. The eyes are only very slightly red, and Anima's body shows signs of pure exhaustion.

ANIMA: ...Water. Need water.

Anima looks at Elfie and the chain of mriswith, then at Pinata, then up at the rapidly clearing skies.

ANIMA: What... the hell... happened? Why are we not leaving?

Anima's hand brushes the sword. Anima gasps, then looks troubled.

ANIMA: I sense... that Foretel has left this sword. But I do not sense... them... either. What... happened?

[SuperBassX84]

Bass: Well, from the time you passed out back in the study, it went as follows:

1. I hacked up the Grapes, only to have them go hydra on me.

2. You went gonzo and flipped on 'em.

3. We appeared back in the study. You and the Grapes had a conversation, then all hell broke loose.

4. The Grapes started messin' with everyone.

5. You touched the sword and started sleep-walking.

6. More convo between you and the Grapes, except you were possessed by Foretel or something.

7. We killed Mriswith.

8. You started hacking at the Grapes with the sword, death shriek, and here we are.

And that, Anima, is a comprehensive list of everything that transpired since you went out in the study. Help at all?

[AnimaStone]

Anima stares somewhat blankly at Bass.

ANIMA: No, seriously. What happened?

[SuperBassX84]

Bass: Nevermind. I think now would be an exceptionally good time to retreat. The Grapes have retreated, or at the very least afforded us an opportunity for escape, and I'm beginning to like the idea.

[AnimaStone]

ANIMA: Uh... yeah. Let's do that.

Anima slowly gets on his feet, only to collapse back onto the floor.

ANIMA: Any help I can get would be appreciated. I need to get into a mana generator, fast. I'm losing energy at a troubling rate.