City of IF

Idea master · Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:05 am Post subject:

"No need!" IM said. "I'll just pop the trunk open and..."

IM's words were drowned out as the top of the trunk went FLYING. It peeled itself from the car and flew down the street, bisecting a rampaging miner. On the greater upside, though, IM could see that there was, indeed, somebody in the trunk. "Whoever you are, climb into the backseat!"

"Hey, IM, what happens when you shoot people with this gun?" CrunchyFrog was waving his gun about.

"Don't! Stupidium is the antithesis of Idearium. The two, when mixed, detonate. Almost everyone and everything in IF has some Idearium about it, and that gun seeks it out and obliterates it."

IM kept driving. "Hey, which way to Key's palace? Left or right?"

Sasuke · Joined: 04 Jan 2007 Posts: 93 Location: Keron

Sasuke clambered into the back of the car.
"Hey Crunchy, hey D!!" he grinned. Sasuke paused, wondering if this was the right time to ask, being as they were speeding like maniacs through the darkened streets of IF in a fog that reduced visibility to almost zero.
"Hell, go for it." he decided.
"Ummmmmmmmmmmm, D, I've got a bit of a question. Have you ever had a child?"
D looked stunned at such a question. Sasuke stared at D. He wished he'd had more time talking to Kalanna, before being sure enough to ask. He had never met D before their encounter in the cave.

"Where did that question come from kid?" D asked.

Sasuke showed him the emblem inside his shirt, one similar to the emblem D often wore on his own clothing.

"Why is there a Lotus here?" D asked. "Are you trying to imply something?"

Sasuke shrugged. Somehow he couldn't imagine D with a dragon. The Lotus symbol may have been a coincidence after all.

There was an uncomfortable silence.

"The best thing for you to do is talk to Key." said D. "He would have access to birth records and interbreeding, that will answer your question for sure."

Kalanna Rai · Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 2:14 pm Post subject:

Rai drummed her talons on the timbers of the dock, splintering them ever so slightly. "Come on Lebby, this is no time for a long nap. We've got things to discuss...namely why the hell you sent me the message you were in danger." It was true, when her gems had flashed it had been Lebby's last ditch effort to call for help.

"So did I intercept your call to someone else...?" Hearing the shouts and screams coming from beyond the SG's walls, Rai stuck her nose out to investigate. "Oh damn..."

JezSharp · Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 2:17 pm Post subject:

Deep in the many numerous sprawling labs of TI a blonde haired, slim figure in a cream suit and dark sunglasses bent over various bubbling test tubes when a red light began to flash a steady alert.

Someone wants Information from the Tourist Info booth? JezSharp thought in some shock. Silently he moved through the maze of corridors and up some stairs into a small room with a microphone and one way looking glass. Peering through it he saw a large mob waving placards and yelling, ‘Where’s China! We must know! We must kill!’ Frowning JezSharp sat down and turned on the mike,

“Ahem…attention numerous and ahem…important folk of IF, I believe you wish to know where our exalted Mayor has gone.”

With one voice staggered into many separate parts the crowd bayed ‘yes’! JezSharp sighed, he hated mindless violence and the temptation just to knock the group senseless with the special nerve gas placed in the enquiries area was becoming increasingly tempting. Brightening up an idea struck him,

“Ok people listen up, unfortunately I cannot divulge the Mayor’s location…(a chorus of boos began to rise and some began to hammer on the glass)…however just say a hypothetical Mayor had recently entered here and had used the handy portal link to say…ummm…Skiffyville it would be completely inappropriate for me to tell you that.”

And completely incorrect, JezSharp thought with some glee as he watched the crowd rush for the skiffyville portal. Wait is that heavy fog outside?!?

Kalanna Rai · Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 2:52 pm Post subject:

While she watched Rai saw a portal open and dump the rampaging miners into Skiffy. One of them spotted her. "YOU! Where is the mayor! We know he came this way!" Rai shook her head.

"And what moron told you that?" One filthy miner piped up.

"The elf in Tourist Info." Rai smiled. Jez was up to his old tricks again.

"Um folks if you havn't noticed Tourist Info only give accurate Info to tourists." Their faces fell. "However, I can open a portal to China and let you all go through." A massive cheer went up as each of them chanted 'Rai, Rai, Rai' over and over again. The dragoness smiled.

Opening the portal she watched as they glanced around. "Hey this really is Chi..." Then she shoved them all through with a tail sweep. Behind her Lebby groaned and Rai decided it was time to move him...

"I'm thinking it's time to pay Jez a visit." Popping over to TI Rai grinned down at Jez who glanced from unconcious Lebby and back. "Would you mind watching him? I've got other pressing buisness to attend to?"

"What's in it for me?"

"Not getting eaten."

JezSharp · Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 3:04 pm Post subject:

Jez looked at the unconscious Lebby then at the dragon, he’d have time to escape into the TI before Rai could reach him, but she could make rather a mess of the Info street shop. I guess they must have landed on Lebby...perhaps I should send them somewhere more out of the way next timeShrugging his shoulders from behind the screened glass he spoke through the mike.

“Fine, why not, guess that makes things even,” he said evenly. He watched Rai flash a mean smile before turning and flying out into the dense mist. Then he slipped to a corner of the booth and pressed a secret button that opened up a narrow doorway in the wall. Walking through, he stopped to observe the dense mist outside, everywhere looked unusually deserted as well. He dragged the unconscious Lebby through and into the depths of TI, shutting the door behind him. There he laid him out in one of the many spare rooms waiting until he recovered to hear what on IF was going on outside.

Idea master · Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 5:37 pm Post subject:

The car swerved and bobbed eratticaly across the street. Bystanders, if they were in possesion of a single brain cell, jumped out of the way and silently cursed. 'Female drivers.'

Policemen not on the job would say that the car was being driven by drunks. But the females discerned the real issue.

There was a man driving, a man riding shotgun, and at least one man in the backseat. Needless to say, nobody was pulling over for directions.

"Look, is that the Palace over there?"

"No! That's the manor!"

"I swear they look just alike...Hey! MOVE!" IM honked liberally as he drove down the sidewalk on the opposite side of the road.

"Shouldn't this thing have a GPS in it?"

The weapon panel rotated to reveal a directional panel. "++Please state your destination.++"

"Key's Palace."

"++Now taking you to Key's palace. Please hold on.++"

And with that, two rockets on the rear end suddenly flared into life, sending the car and the occupants skyward. A few seconds later, there was a splat of vomit travelling the opposite direction.

Kalanna Rai · Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 5:47 pm Post subject:

Rai had to swerve to narrowly avoid being hit by the flying car full of puking passengers. "Damn drunk flyers!" She shook a massive scaley fist in their direction before realizing who was in the car. Doing a mid air loop she pounded her wings until she was flying above them.

"Do you gentlemen need help...or barf bags at least?" She smiled sweetly the passengers, since it seemed everyone but Crunchy was looking green around the gills, Crunchy was always green. As the rockets petered out Rai watched the car plummet from the sky headed straight for the massive dome that jutted from King Key's palace.

"You know if this was where you were headed you could have asked. I knew a short cut."

Sasuke · Joined: 04 Jan 2007 Posts: 93 Location: Keron

Sasuke was sick of puking. He squeezed out the window on his door and started flapping about in mid-air next to Rai
"Teenage wings, eh?" Rai yelled over the noise of the rockets at the back of the car.

"Yep and there very useful and fast" Sasuke cried proudly, trying to concentrate on keeping up with the car and speaking to Rai at the same time.

Rai soared closer to the car, and called to the passengers.
"Well you guys have two choices! Take a crash course in flying into walls or jump and hope Sasuke or I can catch you"

The passengers instinctively parted company with the car just before it crashed into the dome at the top of the palace. All were caught by dragon and halfbreed dragon, and they glided down towards the gates of Key's palace.

Kalanna landed gracefully, carrying IM and D on her back. Sasuke banked, wobbled, and slammed right into the gates, flinging Crunchyfrog 20 feet along the railings.
"You need to work on your landing." grumbled Crunchyfrog ungratefully, rubbing fresh bruises.

Kalanna Rai · Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 6:26 pm Post subject:

Rai dropped her passengers, she was becoming a regular pack mule, at the gates to Key's palace. With a flick of her tail she pulled Sasuke out of the bent metal bars. "Well I'm off before Key attributes the damages to me. And next time Suke...don't volunteer me for baggage duty."

Winging off Rai knew what she had to do. "It's time to pay a call to Lordy."

LordoftheNight · Joined: 11 Aug 2005 Posts: 5241 Location: Hell

The Daemon Lord in question was bent over a map of IF and its neighbours, studing it intently. As usual while in the mortal realm, it was His human form he wore, and His long black hair fell down over His shoulders. Pale skinned and bare-chested, it was obvious visiters were not on His agenda, though He gave little sign of it.

As His moderator ring let out a single chime, the red rune enlaid across the black gold glowed with a sudden piercing light. Lazily, He reached for the moderators tool, slipping in over His left index finger.

"Yes?" Kalanna Rai's face floated into view, the draconic features clearly visible. Evidently she was in the process of travelling, from her constant movement.

"We need to talk," she replied, glancing over her shoulder, almost as if believing someone could follow her even there.

"Is it about...?" He started to ask, but she cut Him off.

"Yes, and it's important. Where can we meet?" The Daemon's black pupils traversed the interior of his chambers, more elaborate than the other mods. One of the many privilages of being Lord High Chanceller - He was able to extend himself a budget from the Treasury purely for interior design. For one thing, the blazing orange that featured so prominantly in all other Council areas was no-where to be found.

"Not here," He replied, unwilling to let her into His inner sactum. Or to let her see the other plans He was in the process of putting into motion. "The Archieves - no-one ever goes there. Not even the few tourists searching the Hall of Legends venture that far into obscurity."

Abruptly He servered the connection, banishing the image from before him. He gazed around the room once more, motioning at various maps and diagrams spread around the walls, which swiftly changed to designs more suitable for a high-ranking offical. Shrugging His shoulders, He willed clothes onto His body, before disappearing in a swirl of dark light.

Kalanna Rai · Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 7:16 pm Post subject:

Rai snapped her jaws in irritation. "This is what I get for dealing with daemons..." Shifting course in mid wingbeat she headed for the Archives.

A few moments later the dragoness, in a semi-human shape, wadered into the massive dusty building. Lordy stepped out of the shadows. "Well? You dragged me away from something important." Rai snorted, it wasn't his life on the line out there.

"Well Lebby has been hit hard by the Dream Chamber, Sasuke has been telling everyone about the Ceremony of Release and the Soul Well, and Masterweaver has managed to whip all the Iderium Miners into a frenzy over China's blood. Why do I get the sense you've planned that." Naturally Lordy didn't reply.

"However, I did bring you this." She tossed a roll of parchment onto the dusty floor between them. "It's not the fake but it's also not the original. A copy is all you'll get from me at the moment. However, what I wanted to warn you about is D-Lotus. It seems that he has a case of amnesia, conveniant indeed. But I warn you Lordy...if he suddenly remembers I'm not going to be the one under suspicion."

"He won't remember." Rai chose to ignore the self-sasisfied smirk. "Was this all you wanted to tell me? These are trivial matters."

"No..." Enclosing them in a bubble of silence the dragon told the daemon the real problem threatening all his carefully made plans.

Lebrenth · Joined: 29 Dec 2005 Posts: 672 Location: Auburn, WA

Lebrenth tosses in his sleep, as though dreaming of a fight. For a moment Jez thinks he sees a pattern, as though Lebby was performing some sort of somnambulant game of charades. The moment passes, however, when Leb props himself up on his face like an inchworm. He stands to get himself something to drink, but stops when he hears Lebrenth mumble. He gets closer:

“World of Warcraft?” Lebrenth mumbles. “That’s a red herring. What happened to the Wuidum... mibbity.”

Then Lebrenth rolls onto the ground with a thump.

LordoftheNight · Joined: 11 Aug 2005 Posts: 5241 Location: Hell

"Three hmm?" The devil-spawn spat. "Why is it always Three - can't they ever use an original curse?" Shaking His head ruefully, He considered the options at hand.

"Hmm....the IFians you mentioned - MasterWeaver," at which point the daemon shuddered, His palms clenching, "Sasuke and D. Is there any chance they're staying together?" At Rai's nodded assent, He smiled.

"Excellent. It seems we already have three perfect...subjects. Though I'd prefer not to use D - someone might notice if he goes missing," He mused. "Regardless - by the time anyone realises, it'll be far too late to stop us."

"Here's what we're going to do - you left Lebrenth with Jez correct? I'll go to him, and try to get him up and about - we can't have people sleeping on the job, no matter what I'm doing in the meantime. You go find our test subjects, and try to steer them in the proper direction."

After a few more moments talk, the pair seperated. Rai shrugged her shoulders, her human form sliping away like water. Great wings burst from her shoulderblades, and the dragon took off, flying back int the direction of the Key's Palace.

The Daemon watched her go with interest. A smile twisted acroos His face, and he knelt, picking the copy of the map up from the ground. Unfurling it, he looked at the areas Rai has marked, before disappearing in a cloud of black smoke.

Idea master · Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 9:53 pm Post subject:

"Ready guys? If it shoots, move it...err...wait. Damn dyslexia."

IM kicked at the door. The door remained firmly shut, and there was a small crunching noise. IM then reverted to hopping on one leg while looking for the proper healing spell. Then, in a fit of revenge, IM turned his blaster to full power and blasted the door.

The whole front of the palace dissapeared. IM smiled casually and began to work his way towards the inner chambers of King Key.

Crunchyfrog · Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 2314

As they made their way, IM, Sasuke, Crunchy and D-Lotus barely had time to compose themselves when they realised more crowds of baying IFians were gathering at the Mayoral Mansion next door. There seemed to be even more than before, D thought...although it was difficult to tell through the fog.

The fog...

"Listen..." he said, suddenly, as IM was fiddling on a security keypad on a door in one of the now exposed rooms in the palace.
"Yeah yeah, I hear it, lots of noise, rabble, shouting..."
"No... LISTEN!!!" Everyone stopped for a moment.
The fog sighed past them, voices whispering within it. A feeling of forboding came over Crunchy and Sasuke. Crunchy's eyes glazed for a moment.
"I never met this Chinaren yet, but is he really such a bloodthirsty mayor?" burbled Crunchy half to himself, half to his companions. "Perhaps we should get rid of him, you know"
"Where did you get that thought from?" demanded D.
"I dont know... Just now...I felt... heard... a voice..." faltered Crunchy.
"EXACTLY!!!!" said D. "Dont give into it." He turned to IM. "This fog. It's everywhere. I would guarantee it came from the Soul Well. It's been here since this morning. We could see it hanging over the city from where we were on the gorge."
"Are you saying that this fog contains escaped souls?" asked IM.
"Possibly thousands of them. And somehow it is influencing whatever citizens are still left here" replied D. "I believe the Exorcised Souls have returned to the City of IF!!!!"

The impact of this statement was shortlived, as the sound of shattering glass could be heard from the Mayoral Mansion.
"Oh heck.." said Crunchy. "What happens if the crowd notice that most of the front of the palace has disappeared?"

Idea master · Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 11:05 pm Post subject:

IM quickly looked through the room he was in. If his memory hadn't failed him, then the button he was looking for would be right about...

Aha! IM pressed the button under Key's rug. A wall slid back to reveal...

"Another wall."

"Yes, but it's one of the walls exported directly from the old aHEM guildhouse. Quickly, touch this briiiiiiiiiiiiccccccccccckkkkkkkkk."

JezSharp · Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 12:09 am Post subject:

Jez continued to check at irregular intervals how Lebby was doing, but there wasn't much change, funny, he seems almost delusional...perhaps I should try using one of my experimental potions... Maybe it would have worked, but the side affects of such potions were relatively untested...still...

As it happened Lebby was spared any such happenings by the red light flashing again. 'Popular today' muttered Jez, irratably, as he left the snug roomy confines of the TI and walked back into the Info Street back room. There through the glass he saw the creepy human form of Lordy.

"Er...hi Lordy...?"

"I hear you have Lebrenth," Lordy replied, not missing a beat, "I came to sort him out." JezSharp wasn't sure whether to trust him, but decided he really had no choice, considering he was in charge of the City's Budget.

"Sure," Jez replied, opening the secret door that led from the public to the private section of the Info Booth, "he's right this way."

Crunchyfrog · Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 2314

Meanwhile....

".......iiiiiiiiiccck!!!!"

THUMP!!!

THUD THUD!!!

SPLAT!!!

"Ugh, what have I landed in?"
"What has who landed in? I can't see a thing. "
"It's pitch black in here.... OW!! that's my toe you're standing on you moron!!!"
"Who you calling a...."
"Ideamaster, do I take it you touched the wrong brick?" suggested D.

The foursome stood in complete and utter darkness.

"Do you have any idea where we are?" ventured Crunchyfrog.
"Will do as soon as I find a lightswitch... Errgh!!! These walls are slimy..." exclaimed IM as he wiped his hands on his clothes. Of course nobody could see him do it, it was pitch black.

"No lightswitches in here, I guess..." said Sasuke, helpfully.
"So does anyone have a light?" suggested Crunchyfrog.

Silence.

*Cough cough*.... *Splutter*... *Sniffle*

And then there was light. Well, not much. A tiny flame about the size of a small candle burned steadily from Sasuke's left nostril.

"Cooooooool!" said Crunchyfrog.
"Shnerfluntblabldahlditlong..." grunted Sasuke.
"What did he say?" asked Crunchyfrog.
"He said Shnerfluntblabldahulditlong." replied IM. "It's obvious. He shan't be able to hold it long. Good grief..."

They looked at their new rather damp and smelly environment.
"So is this the Guildhouse?" asked Crunchyfrog brightly.

Idea master · Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 10:09 am Post subject:

"No, this is the passageway to Key's inner chambers. I don't remember them being so...slimy though. Let me find my normal spell book..."

IM rummaged a bit in his robes, then pulled out a small book. "Sasuke, could you bring your nose over here?"

There was a small shuffling, a cry of 'watch it, that's my foot,' and then, there was light. A small orb of light hovered over IM's head, and with a gesture, the orb split into four other orbs. Then the group examined where they were, and they almost wished they hadn't asked for any light.

The walls were covered in green slime. If there had been no slime, they the walls would have been lined with corpses. A tunnel lead them onwards where there were odd skittering noises. IM pulled out his gun. "Well? Shall we?"

JezSharp · Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 3:09 pm Post subject:

Jez was careful not to let Lordy see the full size of the TI...actually he was very careful Lordy should see as little of the TI as possible given it was only supposed to consist of a few underground laboratories and not a riddled maze of complex tunnels and rooms, hidden behind panneled doors, that ran beneath the chaotic city overhead.

Quickly he led Lordy to Lebby who was still lying unconcious upon the floor,

"He keeps waking up and muttering about 'World of Warcraft and some Weedum stuff', sounds rather delusional to me," said Jez as he stepped back to let Lordy examine the stricken Lebby, "I wasn't quite sure what he needed, I thought about a dosing him with a reality drug made by creating an antibody to some of the more exoctic fantasy forest plant life - but I don't quite know what side affects that may have...is there an easier way to cure him?"

LordoftheNight · Joined: 11 Aug 2005 Posts: 5241 Location: Hell

The daemon gave an elaborate shrug, and knelt, examing Lebrenth's prone body. Taking hold of the Skiffy moderator by the chin, he pulled the unconcious body upwards, and dangled it off the ground. He peered at the rapidly fluttering eyelids of the illusion given form, before turning to face Jez.

"To be honest, I was just going to hit him until I got a reaction. I do have better things to do with my time afterall." Before Jez could raise a protest He continued. "Your way does sound more practical and effiecent. Less fun though."

"It will take some time to prepare," the elven moderator explained, but was cut off with a wave of the Chancellor's hand.

"Take your time - he's not going anywhere." Returning His gaze to Lebreneth, He stared for a few moments longer, before allowing the counciller to drop to the floor. "Do you know what happened?"

D-Lotus · Joined: 21 Oct 2004 Posts: 3717 Location: Hollywood, USA

Meanwhile, in a clammy tunnel, four shuddering figures huddled together as they walked. The dripping slime uncomforted them.

"Are you sure you know where we're going?" asked Sasuke, who was having problems cramping his slight wings below the tunnel ceiling. He had ceased his flame; instead, four revolving light orbs led the way.

"Of course," said IM, averting Sasuke's gaze, "I've been here thousands of times."

D and Crunchy ignored the doubtful reassurance, focusing instead on what was ahead of them. The slime, green and viscous, was resuscitating unclear memories in D's mind.

"I remember something about this tunnel." said D, clasping the bridge of his nose as he tried to remember. The tunnel walls had been constructed with cheap mortar, in a circular shape- like those of sewers. It certainly smelled like that. As they walked, their eyes searching beyond the orbs, the smell began to subside.

"See? I told you we'd be getting out of here." IM said smartly, as the signs of an expanding route increased. But D-Lotus' memory told him otherwise. There was something sharper in the air, that he could almost identify. Suddenly, they reached a large open area surrounded by high rocks, over which iron crossbars acted as a ceiling. You could observe a large chair above looking into the cage-like arena. D-Lotus was suddenly overcome by the memory of the arena, and he urgently grabbed IM's arm, but it was too late; Crunchyfrog was already staring beyond.

"Oh, Dear God." he whispered without averting his eyes.

From behind the shadows, a giant slug emerged. It was wearing an enormous saddle over its back, and it brayed pathetically, yet terrifyingly. Slime dripped from its body as it slid into the middle of the arena.

"Ethereal Fauna..." gulped D, as the monster, one of Chinaren's GREEDy creations stumbled forth. "That accounts for her disapearance."

IM waited no longer- he pulled out his gun and shot at the creature. The creature reared on its hind suckers, in agony, but then it began advancing towards them again.

"It doesn't have enough Idearium in it to harm it enough!" yelled Sasuke, who seemed nervous, due to the flying limitation that the bars on top of them created. He'd probably be nervous anyway, all of them were.

"Crap..." murmured IM.

Sasuke · Joined: 04 Jan 2007 Posts: 93 Location: Keron

"Wait, the mushrooms!!" cried Sasuke.
"What about the mushrooms?" replied Crunchyfrog.
"The mushrooms we took with us from the caves. They help you see through deception, right? So they'll be packed full of Idearium. C'mere Crunchy" Sasuke said. "How many mushrooms do we have left?"

As D and Crunchy took out all the mushrooms from their pockets and counted them, Sasuke stretched his wings trying not to let his claustrophobia come to the surface.

"Around, ten" Crunchy answered.

"Perfect."
Grabbing D and Crunchyfrog, Sasuke lifted them both and hurtled along, flying just below the cage ceiling.

"Errgh, slow it down, please Sasuke" moaned Crunchy as he puked again. Flying wasn't his thing.

"No time!! Throw the mushrooms at the beast!!" ordered Sasuke. "D can get a shot at it... This may be our only chance..."
As the mushrooms made contact with the slug they started to dissolve in the slime, fizzing and making the beast squeal.

FLASH!!!! KABLAAAM!!!

A single shot fired from D's Stupidium gun vapourised their foe.

Xansta · Guest

"Right," said Xansta. "My newfound flaming ability seems to be acting strangely as well." The flames shaped themselves to look like the cloth of a yellow, orange and red dress. The fashionably flaming frock flattered Xansta's figure. She twirled fetchingly.

"Hey, weren't you male yesterday," said Masterweaver.

"Probably," said Xansta. "I'm either male or female depending on the number of stars I count. The switches can be disconcerting, so I avoid counting stars whenever possible. Sometimes, it just happens, though."

"What gender were you in your former IF life?"

Xansta thought about it intently. "I don't exactly remember," she said at last. She climed the spiral stairs back to street level. "We need to investigate this fog more closely," she said heading towards the quietest part of the fog.

"Wait," called out Masterweaver as he hurried to catch up to her, "don't you think that's a little dangerous?"

"Maybe," Xansta grunted as she found that the fog seemed to be pushing back. She reached a point in her struggles where she appeared to be leaning into a tornado by looking at her combustion-inducing clothing. Masterweaver a few feet behind her moved to the side to avoid the licking lace. He, too, seemed unable to penetrate the fog any further.

With a loud crack and a bright flash, Xansta staggered through the invisible barrier. Her flames no longer burning brightly seemed rather to have become simple clothing. She got slowly to her feet, examining herself inquisitively. "The fog apparently removed my flaming ability," she said wonderingly.

"Don't leave me out here in this hostile fog," pleaded Masterweaver.

"Seems I have little choice," said Xansta. She turned and headed deeper into the fog. A trap door opened underneath her and after a fall, slide and a tingling sensation, she found herself in some sort of palace or castle dungeon.

D-Lotus · Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 7:29 pm Post subject:

Dealing with the danger in such an interesting manner, D couldn't help a tinge of sadness taking over. Ethereal Fauna had been a friend before her monstrous conversion.

But such thoughts were interrupted by a voice, coughing and mumbling. The shadow of a hunchback stood against the arena wall. He stared in from above and moaned.

"We're sorry for the damage. Is Key around?" asked IM after his hurried apology.

The unknown IFian only moaned again, giving no sign of his intentions...

Idea master · Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 7:34 pm Post subject:

IM was now minorly shaken. "Okay guys, hang on a second. I'm going to try opening a portal..."

IM tapped his fingers together and a spark of magic appeared, hovering, doing nothing just yet. He pinched the spark and tugged, pulling it into a line, then rotating it into a disk. Finally, he spun the disk so that it became a sphere of pure magic, blue and white colored.

That is, it looked like that to any mage trained to see magic.

"IM? Could you do the portal thing today please?" D was impatient to say the least. All he saw was fancy hand movements.

IM bent his thoughts towards Key, and then let loose the sphere. What he got wasn't what he wanted. He got a Key-compass.

"What is that thing?" D asked.

"It's a Key-compass. And Key is...just up ahead, hopefully. Come on." IM held the compass in one hand and his gun in another and bravely led the group onwards.

He didn't even think about his ancient spellbook that he had accidently dropped back in the battle with the Fauna Slug...

JezSharp · Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 4:05 am Post subject:

"Do I know what happened?" Jez asked incredulously, "Rai just dropped him here unconcious and flew off...Anyway I guess I'd better start preparing the potion...you're welcome to stay of course, but I'm guessing you have more pressing concerns at the moment..." Jez's eyes narrowed, "has this got anything to do with the sudden appearence of thick fog over the area?"

Kalanna Rai · Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 11:13 am Post subject:

Rai had been about to go hunting for IM, D, Crunchy, and Sasuke, when one of her gems flashed alarmingly. "Someone's using my tunnel." Rai didn't know who had found out about her secret tunnel from the old aHEM guildhouse to Key's Palace but they'd not only be traveling very close to Chinaren's arena, and Rai Corp.'s Deathmatch ring, but also close to her Hoard.

She flashed to Jester Park as fast as she could, scooting past an irate Dinranwen, and let herself into the guildhouse without a sound. Traveling down to her Hoard she slid in past that into a room where horror upon horror had happened...all thanks to a pencil called Stubby and a strange teleporter/cloning chamber.

"Well it's not my passage they're using...it must be the other one. I should never have let Key have that wall." Stepping through her private passage Rai noticed the signs of a battle that had recently taken place. "Looks like they ran into Flauna...oh and isn't IM getting careless."

Reaching down Rai picked up the spellbook IM had dropped, leafing through it causually. "Humm, naughty boy. Where did you get the Seven Curses of Dralico." For a moment Rai uttered several draconic curses before slamming the book shut and tossing it into secure magical storage. "I'd better hang onto this. Who knows what would happen if a mortal attempted to use this."

Walking confidantly down the tunnel, tracking them by IM's magical aura and Sasuke's odd half-dragon scent, Rai shook her head. "Oh I'm going to give them a piece of my mind. Next time they use anything from Jester Park they'd better make sure they've got a guide...or at least a how to use manual."

D-Lotus · Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 6:31 pm Post subject:

Suddenly an oppressive feeling took over D-Lotus. It was as if he could feel something creeping down the tunnel behind them. Perhaps this was part of his powers, as IM had mentioned? The more memories he regained, the more he felt in control of himself.

"I think we better start moving, guys." D said, accelerating his pace.

"Why?" asked CF.

"I have a strange feeling that someone is following us. I don't know who, but considering the slug we just met, this could be it's mate." D extrapolated.

"Trust him." IM spoke without doubt. He had heard of D's 'sleuth senses'. As they all began walking steadily and quickly, the tunnel began compressing. The ceiling wasn't getting any lower, but the width of the tunnel soon forced the foursome to walk in a line, one after the other. Sasuke was complaining about his wings again. At one point, the width stabilized, but the height began shrinking, until all four were forced to crawl on their knees. At this point, the tunnel started heading upwards. The crawling was tough, and everyone shouted encouragement to one another. D still felt like he was being followed, and whatever it was, it was catching up. Finally, the walls turned into hard aluminium walls, and they found themselves dragging their bodies through sheets of hard plated metal.

Sighting some light, IM scrambled as well as he could towards it. He punched in the light's general direction and more light streamed forth after a brief clattering sound, as of a lid falling to the ground. IM pulled himself out tiredly, and fell to the floor in a thump. The others followed him and soon they were all contemplating a giant, deserted kitchen. They had just crawled out from some old, inactive vent. Sasuke stretched out his wings happily.

"Where do we go?" asked Crunchy.

dinranwen · Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 7:27 pm Post subject:

((*Dinranwen popping in Hangover for the first time, realizes exactly what it is.*My, this isn't what I thought it was. I'll join, and look I have great opening. Yay me!))

An very irate frazzled and ruffled Din was standing in front of an open window in the Jester Park Mod office when Rai came flying through ruffly shoving her aside, and tearing her already tattered cloak even further.

"Hey!" Din cried to the tail end of Rai as began to swing behind the dragoness. Why was her co-mod in such a rush? And where was Rai going anyway?

Too frazzled, frayed, and frustrated to even care what would happen to her in Rai's precious treasury room, Din stormed into the door barely catching it before it slamed with a loud bang.

Catching a glimsps of Rai's departing tail, Din vainly try to yank her hood over her face. Her efforts were in vain. Her hood was in the same state as the rest of her cloak, more hole than fabric. To make matters worse, Din suspected that with the tears her cloak was doing more harm than it helped hid her face.

Giving up with a frustrated toss of her hand, Din lifted up the hem of her dress to reveal her patent leather no heel boots and ran after her co-mod.

Forgetting to look where she was running, Din lifted her head a minute or two to gaze in front of her. Snap! she thought, as she dug her heels into the floor. But she was too late, she was already skidding across the too slippery floor and was sliding...sliding. Smack! Right into Rai's hind leg.

Landing her backside, Din rubbed the tender areas she probably just permantly bruised.

"Din! What in the world *((well actually it wasn't world that Rai said, but hey this is a pg site now.)) are you doing here? Go back to the office right this minute young lady." Rai said begining to shove Din across the floor with a spare talon.

"Where have I been?" Din foamed standing up and straigtening her cloak. "Where I have been?!? I have spent the last ten hours warding off a group of mass murders who tried to bore me to death with tales of RL, Manic Miner Rebells who are frantically looking for Chinaren's immediate demise last I checked. I had neutralize a batch of stupidum that manganed to mix with the Local Jester Park Cotton Candy and then tried to consume everything it touch into obvilion. Had to manage the mass panic as even the Lab rats freaked out at the sight of untangiable mist that seems to be made of out Dead Souls. Was forced to cram L.A.N.D.I. in a box because he declares himself as the new mod, tries to kill me, and turns out to be the leader of rebelling clown group who are trying to take over Jester Park. Clowns, that I have spent btw pelting with ordinary cherrie pies because they managed to get a hold of the Storygame Cherrie Boomer 2000 Factory. And you ask me where I have Been!" Din finished panting nearly screaming now.

"Where have you been instead of in Jester Park where you could have helped me?" Din accused waving a finger at Rai, "I am only a half-shadow you know, there's not much I can do against the armies of Jester Park."

"I have been busy okay." Rai said raising an eyebrow at Din's rantings and not lossing her cool for a minute. "Now go back and play with the clowns dearie, it's not safe here."

"No." Din said setting her foot down with a slam. An effect which was ruined by what Din stepped in....ewww, gross just what was in this tunnel anyway? "This time I'm not crawling back to safety like a scolded child. I am no coward you know."

"I am not arguing with you. No go back before I spell you back there and chain you to you chair."

"No, you are going to take me with, and willing too." Din said pulling her cloak tight against herself as if it could actually protect her from what could be ahead. "Or I am going to tell everyone where your Real Lair is."

"You wouldn't dare."

Din raised an eyebrow, "Try me."

Idea master · Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 7:35 pm Post subject:

IM looked at his compass. It was pointing east and upwards. "He's upstairs, for one. I, however, am hungry."

Thus saying, IM began to look about the kitchen for any food. Hmm. A few chocolate cake mixes, a little bit of flavoring, some eggs, some butter, and chocolate chips. While IM magically levitated and mixed the ingrediants, he began looking for some milk, or possibly rum. Maybe some Grog, Gungle Juice, or Old Stoat Reserve.

The ingrediants had become a huge mass of cookie batter, which seperated itself into dozens of tiny balls. Those balls began to heat up and cook outwards in all directions, then cool down and assume a smaller, more rigid form. Then they all flew onto a large but previously unnoticed plate.

"Anyone care for some spherical double chocolate chip cookies?"

JezSharp · Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 8:51 am Post subject:

"Oh that's a sea of dispensed souls who've escaped and are spreading anti China sentiment about the city...I think China may have gone into hiding."

"Really..."said Jez in a voice infused with deep thinking, "well I'll only be a few minutes so you are welcome to stay and watch."

"Wouldn't miss it," Lordy replied, a malicious grin touching the corners of his mouth.

It did indeed take four minutes, then Jez returned carrying a white ceramic jug filled with a light purple liquid with the aroma of damp moss, it looked as though pieces of grass had lived their for some time. Slowly Jez gently pouredthe mixture down Lebby's throat and stood well back looking anxious.

Kalanna Rai · Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 8:53 pm Post subject:

Rai looked at Din, grinning nastily. If she's going to threaten me well then...this changes things a bit. She set off briskly down the tunnel.

"Fine, fine, follow me. I do hope you can handle it though."

Idea master · Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 9:56 pm Post subject:

After having throughly sampled his newest creation and saving the other five dozen cookies for later rations, IM led the way towards the upper floor of the eastern wing, where Key was said to sleep, if he got any sleep at all. The stairs were wider than Key, which was saying a lot, and the door showed signs of recent renovation. Key was putting on pounds again.

IM carefully opened the door and peeked in. Barely a second later, he screamed and ran away from the door, holding his hands up to his eyes. The compass rolled to the floor, and D picked it up, reading it carefully. "Key is in there or beyond there somewhere. Judging by IM's reaction, we'll have to be blindfolded. I'll go in there, no sense in everyone dying. Do we have some cloth?"

There was a scuffle, and IM held up a hank of cloth. D put it on tightly over his eyes, took a deep breath, and went in.

"There goes a brave man," Sasuke said.

"A brilliant detective," IM said through stifled screams and sobs.

"I wonder if I can clean his house out when he's gone?" CrunchFrog mused.