Staff Log part 1: The Shaft

dragomorph: The coordinates bring the group to a very Japanese sort of tower, a few stories high.  Sloped roofs tower over a simple Japanese garden in the front that doesn't look like it's been tended for eons.
ZebulonCrispi: Hey, look who's tagging along for some reason.
dragomorph: As pretty as the details are, though, Hiroshi doesn't seem to notice as he immediately moves towards the entrance like a man on a mission.  Which, to be fair, he is.
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby follows, looking also like a man on a mission.
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph slung a medical bag over his shoulders, as he slips some tools in his pocket.
greenmorningstar: Yuta is tagging along as well, though he's hanging back. He's looking at the tower warily; this is probably the first time he's walked into one of these ruins knowing just how dangerous it can be.
DLWriter7: Palom follows behind.  He does not look like a man on a mission because he is 3 feet tall.  He doesn't say as such, but it seems as if he's a bit tired from the walk from the way he is oddly silent about staring at the large ruins.
dragomorph: Hiroshi pauses for a bit.  "Just to let you know.  I see anything indicating you trying to screw with us, I'm not going to be responsible for the consequences... Vriska."  He enters.
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph instinctively glances to Vriska at Hiroshi's comment, but remain silent.
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "Of course you won't! I will be."
ZebulonCrispi: "I'll get aaaaaaaall the glory."
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby: "Do share some with us."
DLWriter7: "...I think he means he's gonna feed you to a blue monster thing.  ...And if he doesn't, I'm setting you on fire."  Palom bounces past Vriska with his tongue sticking out and enters the tower behind Hiroshi.
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska enters!
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby follows in, already wary of this Vriska girl.
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph: Glory or not, the sooner we're finished, the sooner we have one less threat to deal with.
shinigamikitsune: And with that he follows.
dragomorph: The first floor is relatively simplistic, with a series of four bridges over small water canals leading to a central area with a pedestal.
dragomorph:  A key can be seen on the pedestal, frozen in what seems to be a large block of ice.  A locked door can be seen in back.
DLWriter7: Palom naturallysets the ice on fire with his next breath.
DLWriter7: Hopefully, no one expected anything else.
greenmorningstar: Yuta groans. Of course it's puzzles again.
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "Uggggggggh. More of this boring crap?"
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph ran his hand down his face at sudden fire.
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "You have no idea how many stupid puzzles I've had to do out here!"
doesnotlikesoaps: ...oh, no. He's feeling the beginnings of a headache coming on. Maybe he should've just asked somebody else.
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph: I hope that is the correct solution.
shinigamikitsune: He goes to examine the bridges from a distance.
dragomorph: That ice didn't stand a chance, bro.  Puzzle solved.  Hiroshi goes to grab it, and walks over to the door, unlocking it.  Behind it is a flight of stairs.
DLWriter7: "Toldya it was a good idea to have me come along!"  Palom's grandeur has been made suitably obvious, so he very happily continues after.  He will probably be murdered by whatever trap immediately unfolds.
greenmorningstar: Yuta: Just because it worked this time doesn't mean you can just throw fire at everything, you know.
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby is more cautious, so he glances around, checking to see if there are any traps, before continuing on.
dragomorph: Well, if the first puzzle is that simple it can't be that -- oh, okay, this is slightly more complicated.
DLWriter7: "Then I try ice.  But ice was obviously the wrong thing to do there.  Duh."
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph ignored the conversation for now as he notes Barnaby's caution.
dragomorph: The second floor is done up in something like an aquatic theme, with pleasant blue and green tones.  On the east and west walls, two plaques each, depicting various aquatic life.
dragomorph: In front, a place to place four plaques.  Hmm.
dragomorph: Hiroshi stops to think about it.
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska leans against the back wall and waits for the nerds to solve the puzzle.
ZebulonCrispi: This isn't what she signed on for!
DLWriter7: Palom is tempted to cast Thunder and electrocute all four plaques because fish are obviously weak to electricity and therefore the plaques would fall off and reveal switches.  He refrains from mentioning his brilliant brain wave and allows Hiroshi to think, however.
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph: Let's see what's on the Plaques.
greenmorningstar: Yuta nods and moves to the western one to check!
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby is already making his way over to the eastern one.
dragomorph: On the west wall, the plaques depect what appears to be a sea snail, or nautilus.  On the other plaque, a pufferfish.
dragomorph: The East wall has a plaque of an octopus and an eel.
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph will examine the indents where the plaques go, glancing for any indictations of what goes where.
dragomorph: They seem to be equal size and depth.
DLWriter7: Like velcro on a sneaker attaching to a piece of toilet paper, Palom trails along behind Yuta due to his innate sense of who is most annoyed by his inane brattiness.
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph: I doubt that any of us are naturalists.
DLWriter7: "They're in order of how dumb looking they are.  I bet the snail is first."
doesnotlikesoaps: An octopus and an eel...hm. He's going to take the eel one off first.
dragomorph: Taken.
greenmorningstar: Yuta frowns a bit when he sees Palom following, but he'll call out to the others. "We've got a snail and a pufferfish over here. Any ideas?"
dragomorph: Hiroshi is thinking hard, but he seems to be slower on the uptake than usual.  Mind, he's got a lot to think about lately.
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby: "There's an eel and an octopus."
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph: What direction are they facing? I suggest we arrange it up on the ground before inserting it.
DLWriter7: Palom: Can't we just not take that much effort and just try all the combinations?  There's only four.  It will take maybe five minutes.
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph: *sighing patiently* there is a chance it would drop a boulder on our heads if we put it in wrong.
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "Who builds a tower and then fills it with puzzles, anyway?"
greenmorningstar: Yuta: Or the wall will open up and a blue monster will pop out.
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby: "Stop complaining and help!"
dragomorph: A surprising number, it turns out.  There doesn't seem to be any special alignment to the plaques.
greenmorningstar: He's mostly joking. Mostly.
DLWriter7: Palom is about to say something about smashing the boulder before it hits, but quiets down at Yuta's suggestion.  "...Fine.  I still say the snail goes first because it's gross."
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "You guys have this one down!"
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "I'll help later."
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "Once we're past all the boring puzzle crap."
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph bites his tongue.
dragomorph: Hiroshi mutters something to the effect of "you didn't seem to mind inflicting that on US."
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby: "I don't think it's in order of how gross it is."
DLWriter7: Palom: No one else has even suggested anything!
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph: Let's see... an eel has no shell, and no legs, a snail has no legs, and a shell, octupuses have many legs, no shell, and the nautlius has many legs and a shell.
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby: "Could be in class order."
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph; or their names... Pufferish, Eel, Nautlius, Octopus.
DLWriter7: Palom: "Really?  What classes did you take to learn about this stuff?  I don't even know what that one is."
DLWriter7: He points at the snail again.
dragomorph: Hiroshi frowns.  "Nautilus..."
shinigamikitsune: The man rearrange the plates, writing down the letters.
shinigamikitsune: or rather tracing it on the ground.
dragomorph: Hiroshi walks over, looking at what he's got.
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph: P E N O.... Pone... Nepo, nope - No... o e - wait... Please call me an idiot.
shinigamikitsune: The man slaps his hand over his face.
dragomorph: Hiroshi scratches his head.  "Geez..."
greenmorningstar: Yuta: What is it?
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph: Octopus, Pufferish, Eel, Nautlius.
DLWriter7: Palom: "He's spelling something.  I think it's Nope."
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph: take the first letters and you get "Open'
dragomorph: Hiroshi sighs.
DLWriter7: Palom beams.
greenmorningstar: Yuta facepalms
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby just. Twitches. It was that easy all along.
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "Fascinating!"
shinigamikitsune: He shakes his head, wondering if he should be annoyed the answer is so simple or that he overthought it.
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "This place is stupid. This shaft better be awesome."
dragomorph: Hiroshi:  Let's just get them in there and move on.
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph grabs the Octopus plates.
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby already has the Eel plate, so he'll just walk on over to the third empty space and set it down there.
greenmorningstar: Yuta will grab the pufferfish.
DLWriter7: Palom would agree with Vriska if he didn't still think she was evil.  He'll just snatch the last one very politely and shove it in.
dragomorph: A click, and the wall slides aside, revealing yet another staircase.
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph reaches into his medical bag, and takes out a flashlight... handy little things they are.
dragomorph: Well.  This is interesting.
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph peers, to get a better look.
DLWriter7: Palom waits for someone else to go in first.  It seems wisest that way.  Probably the old guy.
dragomorph: The floor is wood, and composed of several different colored tiles.  A serpentine strand of ivy weaves along the ground, one end connected to either side of the floor.  Statues line the sides of the room.
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "Argh!"
greenmorningstar: Yuta continues hanging back, because that's what casters do. Not that he's exactly a caster, but still.
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby: "Stop complaining already. You didn't help earlier."
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph: No doubt rigged if someone steps wrong.
dragomorph: That said, you can see the stairs on the other side.
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "That's because I'm up to my horns in gratuitous puzzle bullshit!"
shinigamikitsune: Rudoph: and why is this is blindingly familiar?
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "Anyway, we OBVIOUSLY need to follow the plant weave."
DLWriter7: Palom: "You should go first and demonstrate."
greenmorningstar: Yuta, in the meantime, will try to figure out if there's any pattern to the colors.
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "I have a better idea!"
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph: What/
dragomorph: Hiroshi suddenly has a bad feeling about this.
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby carefully steps over to the statues, making sure that he doesn't trigger anything.
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska picks up Palom and holds him in front of herself like a human shield.
ZebulonCrispi: Then, begins following the ivy.
DLWriter7: Palom: "Why would you ever ask -- AUUUUUGHHHHH!"
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph: What - are you mad, woman?!
DLWriter7: Palom is momentarily disoriented and shoots a fireball at one of the statues by accident.
dragomorph: The statue shoots one back!  OH SHI --
doesnotlikesoaps: One of the statues which, by the way, Barnaby is inspecting.
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "Your fault!"
DLWriter7: Somehow, incredibly, the next ten fireballs he shoots all avoid hitting the person behind him.
shinigamikitsune: The man quickly reaches to yank both Vriska and Palom back.
ZebulonCrispi: BLUH!
doesnotlikesoaps: He ducks almost immediately.
dragomorph: FIRESTOOOORM fireballs!  Eeeeeverywhere!
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska drops Palom as she gets pulled out of the way.
ZebulonCrispi: And proceeds to dodge like a bro.
DLWriter7: Palom is left to fend for himself defenseless and alon -- oh wait no he's a mage.
dragomorph: Hiroshi ducks.
DLWriter7: The ice that spikes up all around him melts as each fireball hits but he' only gently roasted around the edges when he's done.  "VRISKAAAAA!!!!"
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "Well done!"
dragomorph: Each statue only fires one fireball per retaliation, but you probably don't wanna do that again.
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby is already activating his Hundred Power as he dodges, his body enveloped in a blue glow.
greenmorningstar: Yuta seems to have gone missing.
shinigamikitsune: Once she's clear, Rudolph moves along the ivy to where Palom was. "You all right?" He asks, before shooting a glare back at Vriska and... "Where's Yuta?"
dragomorph: Hiroshi blinks from his position against the wall.  "Huh?"
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "We learned an important lesson!"
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "Don't panic and shoot the statues for no reason."
DLWriter7: Palom: "NO.  The lesson is AIM BETTER WHEN SHOOTING FOR STUPID TROLLS."
greenmorningstar: A few seconds later, Yuta reappears exactly where he was before, looking annoyed. "Can we not accidentally kill ourselves here?!"
dragomorph: Hiroshi is beginning to think this is a pretty terrible idea!
dragomorph: But he follows the ivy himself.  Carefully.
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "My plan was totall working!"
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "You're the one who shot at the statues like a moron."
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby: "What plan? I didn't see anything there."
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph: Don't use people as shields. Now can we continue on without blatent disregard for other people's safety?
DLWriter7: Palom is too busy screaming to notice Hiroshi or pay attention to Vriska.  "You're the one who picked me up without saying anything!  Not that you shoulda picked me up at all!  The only plan was walking!"
shinigamikitsune: He starts to raise his voice.
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby: "Can we get on with it?"
doesnotlikesoaps: He sounds a little tense.
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "Yes! Let's all get going past this stupid floor."
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "Gog."
shinigamikitsune: Then he sighs, and checking to make sure Palom wasn't injured, he follows the Ivy.
dragomorph: Hiroshi would note that "blatant disregard for others' safety" is Vriska's motto in life, but just makes his way over to the other side.
DLWriter7: Luckily, the statues are not actiated by sound waves, just heat waves.  He will continue to rant incoherently for some time until someone hits him over the head or something equally insidious.
DLWriter7: Before grudgingly following after Hiroshi.
greenmorningstar: Yuta puts his hand to his head as he also follows the ivy. However, he will try to distance himself from Vriska since he is kind of the second youngest here.
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby follows as well, making sure to stay as far away from Vriska as possible.
dragomorph: For the record, the higher up you get in the tower, the more a feeling of anticipation for the reward.  You wonder if it's just psychological.
dragomorph: And on the next floor is oh son of a bitch.
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph: ...son of a fishmonger.
dragomorph: Perhaps ordinarily, this would have just been something of an inconveniencing maze.  Maybe some little monsters.
dragomorph: Certainly not the really obvious blue thing you just saw pass by, thankfully not noticing you lot.
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby: ...oh, hell.
dragomorph: Hiroshi is crouched low on the stairs, looking pale.
DLWriter7: Palom shuts up.  "....You know that disappearing thing you just did?  Can you cover all of us?"
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska grins.
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "Here we go."
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "This is the fun part."
dragomorph: Another one, different looking, passes.  Seems like there's more than one.
dragomorph: Hiroshi bites his tongue at Vriska's suggestion.
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph breathes lightly, and then looked at Vriska as if she's insane.
greenmorningstar: Yuta lets out a breath, looking worried. "Yeah, I can. I don't know if it will work against them, though."
dragomorph: Hiroshi mutters.  "They seem a little less observant than the normal ones.  Maybe that'll make it easier to sneak past..."
DLWriter7: Palom edges as far away from Vriska as he can while glaring daggers.  "We could send her out to try it first."
dragomorph: Hiroshi mutters.  "Palom, you are aware she'd probably just find a way to divert them to us, right?"
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "I could probably handle one, but........"
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "It's probably a bit much to take on all of them."
dragomorph: A third passes.  They all seem to be going in the same direction.
shinigamikitsune: The Doctor quietly examines his kit for anything of use.
DLWriter7: Palom sticks his tongue out and mutters under his breath.  "Hah.  Like you wouldn't be murdered, too."
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph: If we had some way of marking them... we could keep time how often they pass.
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph: And sneak behind them, since they seem to be going the same way.
greenmorningstar: Yuta: So should we all go, or just one? It might be harder to run if we're all in a group.
DLWriter7: Palom: "It's kinda up to what you think isn't it?"
greenmorningstar: Yuta sighs. "I said I could isolate us all, but that will leave us trapped until I break it. We'll have to be ready to run if it turns out they can destroy it from the outside."
dragomorph: Hiroshi:  Better than going in completely exposed, I guess.
dragomorph: Hiroshi:  Just a question:  Can we see them in... whatever it is you do?
dragomorph: The first troll passes by as he asks.
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph has been examining the trolls as they passed by. "I think that's the first one..."
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby: "Any suggestions for when something happens?" Helps to be prepared, after all.
DLWriter7: "Run really fast.  Nothing works against them."  Palom sounds mildly annoyed about this.
greenmorningstar: Yuta: ...I can make it so we will. But even if we couldn't, I'd be able to tell if it started attacking.
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "Noooooooothing?"
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "You're just saying that because you've never managed it."
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby: "We get the point."
dragomorph: Hiroshi:  Can we just get going?
doesnotlikesoaps: Finally. He's ready to move if anyone else is.
DLWriter7: Palom: "I make fireballs and ice and lightning and turn things into pigs and frogs and statues and poison them and put them to sleep and earthquakes and tornados and everything cool and awesome.  All you do is use little kids as shields."
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph: Let's. I think there's just three Onis.
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph: We move after the third passes.
dragomorph: Number two passes by again.
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby: "Can we please not get into an argument now?"
doesnotlikesoaps: He sounds all too tense.
dragomorph: Hiroshi is vaguely amazed the damn onis haven't noticed them by now.  He seems to be in a bit of a cold sweat.
DLWriter7: "I thought we were always in one."  Palom crosses his arms and sticks his tongue out again.  "I bet you haven't even found a better rival than me yet.  Bleehhh."
dragomorph: Hiroshi:  Palom, seriously, can... can it wait?
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph glares at them briefly as he tenses, ready to move.
dragomorph: Annnnnnd #3!
DLWriter7: Palom: "Fine!  Let's just go."
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska goes!
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby's already rushing off as soon as the third Oni passes.
greenmorningstar: Yuta moves, staying in the middle so he can see both ways.
dragomorph: Hiroshi follows, mouth dry.
shinigamikitsune: He runs after, heart racing like mad.
DLWriter7: Palom follows them all, too annoyed to be very scared.
dragomorph: They don't seem to be noticing them.  Now and then they'll stop and turn and look, but they don't see you through the isolation.  Thankfully.
doesnotlikesoaps: He kinda feels a bit foolish for activating his power now. Still, it'll last for five minutes, so hopefully...
dragomorph: It's a tense movement, moving like that.  It doesn't help that the path is rather windy, though at least with them moving like that the right way is highlighted.
dragomorph: Eventually you see an offturn that must lead to the other side of the room.  Take it?
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby peeks in first. There had better not be a trap in here...
dragomorph: You can make out the other side of the wall; it looks like a bend or two and you'll be there,.
DLWriter7: Palom peeks in from underneath him and whispers.  "Are we going or not?"
doesnotlikesoaps: "We're going in. Watch your step." He steps inside.
dragomorph: Well, it seems to be all right!
dragomorph: ...except around the first turn it turns out someone put a spot of nightengale floor.  Which squeaks.
doesnotlikesoaps: Oh, crap.
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph: Damnation...
dragomorph: The tereteras seem to stop.  Oh sure, they notice that, but not everybody talking?
shinigamikitsune: He glances to the others as he searched his bag for anything.
DLWriter7: Talking is a free action.  Palom freezes in place.  ...Palom also freezes a layer of ice over the squeaky spot.
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "Oh good."
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby stays completely, totally silent.
greenmorningstar: Did someone say isolation was needed, because Yuta is going to go ahead and isolate them in an area that will lead right up to the bend. "Just go already!"
doesnotlikesoaps: And he's taking off like a shot towards the other side.
dragomorph: Hiroshi books it as well.  Oh God oh God.
DLWriter7: Palom slides across the floor expertly and then runs for his life.
shinigamikitsune: Ruolph ran after Hiroshi, stumbling a bit on the ice, as he clutched his bag to keep it silent.
greenmorningstar: Yuta runs as well, although he's slightly distracted with keeping the isolation up.
dragomorph: You can see the Onis congregate on the other side of the isolation, looking around trying to locate the sound's source.
greenmorningstar: Once they get to the end, he'll break the isolation briefly to reform another one that will lead them down the next stretch!
greenmorningstar: Or just to the end if the end happens to be in sight.
doesnotlikesoaps: Come on, come on, keep going, keep going...
dragomorph: One of the Onis checks the floor patch, but again can't see you guys.  Coast is clear, and you reach the stairs.
ZebulonCrispi: To the stairs!
DLWriter7: Looks like it's relatively clear sailing to the stairs.  Palom stops at the foot, wisely, as always, waiting for someone else to go first.
doesnotlikesoaps: Once he gets to the stairs, he pauses to catch his breath before going up.
dragomorph: Hiroshi is shivering visibly, but he continues up.
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph pants heavily as he follows, giving a glance back.
greenmorningstar: Yuta breaks the isolation completely once they get to the stairs, continuing to follow along. He's secretly glad they can't seem to see through his isolation if it's on the people they're chasing...
dragomorph: The last floor.  A shrine sits on the far wall, with a mirror, a sword, and a jewel -- and a treasure box in front.
dragomorph: Hiroshi:  Is that...?
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby takes one step closer, then stays there, his eyes darting around so he can take in every detail.
DLWriter7: "That wasn't too bad!"  Palom cheerfully makes his way towards the treasures.  He is very familiar with the concept of invaluable riches being stowed away at the top of towers or the bottom of dungeons.
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph breathes out, and reaches out to stop Palom.
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph: It might be... warded or trapped.
doesnotlikesoaps: "Don't--"
dragomorph: Hiroshi looks around.  "There doesn't seem to be..."
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "Yeah, this is too easy."
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "Nobody puts this many puzzles in front of a treasure and then leaves it in the middle of an empty room."
dragomorph: Hiroshi grits his teeth.  He can practically hear the thing calling to him.
DLWriter7: "You hate puzzles.  Why do you want there to be more?"  He stays put reluctantly, though.
dragomorph: Nothing seems to be happening...
dragomorph: Hiroshi grits his teeth.  "That's a chance I'm going to take!"  And then he bolts for the chest.
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "I just don't want the treasure to get destroyed by a trap after all this!"
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph starts and runs after Hiroshi. "Wait!"
doesnotlikesoaps: Oh, hell, here they go. "Wait!" he shouts, running after Rudolph and Hiroshi.
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska is OK with this strategy!
ZebulonCrispi: She does not shout after them.
dragomorph: Hiroshi dives to the chest, flinging it open.  He's got it!  He's got...
DLWriter7: Oh wow it wasn't him this time.  Palom does not chase and watches with interest.
DLWriter7: "He's gonna get eaten by a monster, isn't he?"
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph hopes not!
decepticonaf: And suddenly, in a flash of light, (Link: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4b/Supernova_%28comics%29.jpg)Supernova appears. "PUT IT DOWN!"
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "Hey!"
DLWriter7: Palom: "What."
dragomorph: Hiroshi shields his eyes, holding the shaft.  "What --"
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph shields his eyes. "What?"
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby: "...really."
greenmorningstar: Yuta: "Wha--"
DLWriter7: Palom: "This is the dumbest ending to an adventure ever."
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph: Who... are you?
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby: "More importantly, how did you get in here?"
decepticonaf: He raises a fist toward Hiroshi. "That /wasn't/ a request. Do it now."
decepticonaf: "That's not important!"
dragomorph: Hiroshi clings to the staff piece.  "No way!  Why the hell would I do that?!"
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "You're one of those human superheroes, aren't you?"
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "Very clever, waiting until we've done all the work before trying to take the treasure for yourself!"
DLWriter7: Palom: "Wait, I got it!  He's working for the blue monsters!  He's the boss!  We gotta kill him!"
decepticonaf: "Do you have any idea how dangerous that thing is? I won't ask again! Put it back!"
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby: "We should hear him out first, then decide what to do."
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph looks torn, the shaft is needed, and Hiroshi is desperate, but something didn't feel right.
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "But here's the thing, and I don't think you realized this: I decided to come along, and I never give up on treasure."
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska throws down the fluorite octet.
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph: Barnaby is right - we should hear him out.
ZebulonCrispi: She's getting better at controlling the outcome - a 59, which gives her some kind of double-ended spear.
dragomorph: Hiroshi shakes his head.  "I don't care how dangerous it is!  We need this!"
decepticonaf: "It's the last thing you need!" And he acts on his implied threat, a forceful laser blast coming from his fist, aimed right for Hiroshi.
DLWriter7: Palom seems to be on Hiroshi and Vriska's side, judging from the way his staff is beginning to glow.
doesnotlikesoaps: Oh, hey Hiroshi, hope you like being princess-carried. That's what Barnaby is doing right now.
ZebulonCrispi: While Supernova is distracted by attacking her allies, Vriska fires a bolt of lightning out of the blue end of the spear!
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph wished that people who pop up with warnings actually explain themselves! But right now, he' dodging, pretty nimble for a middleaged man.
DLWriter7: "Hey!  No one uses magic on him but me!"  Palom swings his staff hard and arrow after arrow goes flying in the direction of the superhero.  Mysteriously, the ones that miss vanish into the ether before striking anything.
decepticonaf: The lightning connects, but Supernova's definitely not down for the count from just that. In another flash of light, he teleports behind Vriska aiming a kick at the back of her head.
ZebulonCrispi: the kick hits squarely, sending Vriska tumbling to the ground! But she's sturdier than she looks.
ZebulonCrispi: In a heartbeat she's back on her feet, shooting a stream of fire from the red end of the spear.
dragomorph: Hiroshi seems a bit shell-shocked by the sudden turn of events.  But he's still got that staff piece like a boss.
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby: "Are you okay?"
dragomorph: Hiroshi nods wordlessly.
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph sees that Hiroshi seem to be shocked, and starts pulling him towards a corner, away from the bulk of the fighting.
greenmorningstar: Yuta's standing back, watching the ensuing fight and ready to isolate anyone who looks like they're about to get hit. He's not sure if he trusts the newcomer, but hell if he's going to let any of his partymembers die here.
doesnotlikesoaps: He sets him down, then runs off to join the fray.
doesnotlikesoaps: As a note, he's still glowing blue, but three minutes have passed already. He'd better make this count.
decepticonaf: The stream of fire is easy enough for Supernova to dodge, even without teleportation. He fires some laser blasts in return.
dragomorph: Hiroshi lets himself be pulled.
greenmorningstar: Isolation go! Vriska, I hope you don't mind being boxed for a bit.
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "HEY!"
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby is already aiming a kick towards Supernova. Clearly, the time for explanation is past.
DLWriter7: Palom's arrows probably missed in all the teleportation.  Another wave of his staff and lightning bolts are raining from the, uh, ceiling towards the highest thing in the room.  Coincidentally, that is the flying superhero.
greenmorningstar: Since the danger has passed and Supernova is probably distracted enough by all of this, Yuta goes ahead and breaks the isolation for Vriska so she can move out of the way or attack or whatever.
dragomorph: ((Ordering time!  Vriska, Barnaby, Palom, Yuta))
dragomorph: ((Vriska))
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska charges directly into the fray as soon as the isolation breaks! It's stabbin' time, the other thing that magical double spears are good at.+
decepticonaf: Supernova teleports again, like the cheating cheater that he is. Again, he answers with laser blasts.+
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska blocks the lasers by spinning her spear around really fast! If it works in cartoons, she can do it.
dragomorph: ((Barnaby))
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby skids to a stop when his kick misses, then rushes towards Supernova again for another one, this time to his stomach. As a note, he still has some time left.+
decepticonaf: This time, the kick connects! Supernova stumbles back, then quickly rushes forward, aiming a punch at Barnaby's gut.+
doesnotlikesoaps: Welp, there he goes, skidding backwards again. The wall may need repairs soon after, but Barnaby is not down for the count yet. He staggers to his feet.+
dragomorph: ((Palom))
DLWriter7: Arrows and lightning didn't work, so the answer is clearly freezing the guy solid. The nice thing about being a mage was that it wasn't always obvious who was casting the spell.  Palom has taken refuge in a corner - Besides, who could ever punch such a cute kid?
DLWriter7: +
decepticonaf: The funny thing about freezing a guy in a block of ice is that it's not very useful when the guy in question can teleport at will. There isn't any retaliation, though. Maybe he doesn't realize it's Palom's doing. Or maybe he really /can't/ bring himself to attack a 5-year-old. Who knows?
decepticonaf: The fight does seem to be wearing on him. He's started breathing heavily.+
dragomorph: ((Yuta))
greenmorningstar: Yuta's going to take the obvious route this time and attempt to isolate Supernova directly, waving his hand as he tries to set up the box.
decepticonaf: A simple enough thing to dodge, though Yuta is also spared any retaliation. Dammit why are half the people here kids. This plan wasn't very well thought out at all. :| +
dragomorph: ((Vriska))
ZebulonCrispi: While Supernova is focusing on box boy, Vriska heroically shoots him in the back with lightning like the heroic hero she is.+
decepticonaf: So heroic! It's no shock that the attack leaves him disoriented for a while, open for another attack.+
dragomorph: ((Last round!  Everybody))
doesnotlikesoaps: He only has a few seconds left. With one last burst of power, he rushes towards Supernova and brings his leg up for an adrenaline-and-Hundred-Powered kick.+
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska flings the spear as a flaming lightning javelin! +
DLWriter7: Palom will make himself useful and complete the set of fire, lightning, and ice by surrounding Vriska's thrown spear in a hail of ice spears.  +
decepticonaf: Supernova hits a wall. Hard. This time, he doesn't get up again after the attack. He just stays slumped against the wall, not moving.
decepticonaf: No, wait, that's not quite right.
decepticonaf: His shoulders are shaking.
decepticonaf: "Dammit, why? Why won't you stop? You don't understand...."
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph finally stands up.
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby: "What don't we understand? The least you could've done was explain first."
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph: Then Tell us. You can't assume we know what you do.
dragomorph: Hiroshi has been watching.  He's still gripping the staff part.
decepticonaf: "You won't listen! You can't! You--"
decepticonaf: "This isn't over yet. We'll stop it."
DLWriter7: Palom: "This is what bad guys always say when they're beat.  You shouldn't listen."
decepticonaf: And with that, he disappears in one final flash of light.
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska: "Meh."
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph: Damn it!
dragomorph: Hiroshi slowly gets to his feet.
dragomorph: "Let's just go," he says.  "We need to get the two parts united."
greenmorningstar: Yuta lets out a sigh. "What was up with that?"
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby's power runs out then, and he sighs. "Right, that's done and over with," he remarks. "Still...do you know why he followed us in?"
DLWriter7: Palom raises his staff in the air, oblivious to any misgivings the others may still have.  "We did it!  And we barely even had to touch the dumb blue things!  I think that was a pretty good job!"
shinigamikitsune: Rudy: I want to see if I can read into it more... he seemed sincere. Are you all right Hiroshi?
dragomorph: He nods.  "He said it was dangerous.  But it can't be any more dangerous than letting those things take over the city, right?"
DLWriter7: Palom scurries over to Hiroshi and the shaft.  "If something goes wrong, it's gonna be his fault for not explaining things at all, anyway.  The most important thing right now is to get rid of those things!  We shouldn't worry too much."
dragomorph: He nods.  "Yeah..."
greenmorningstar: Yuta: No way. If those things take over, we're all done for. It would just be a city of blue monsters!
DLWriter7: Palom: "Everyone knows red monsters are cooler, anyway.  ...Oh, can we take the mirror and that other stuff with us, too?"
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph: Let's debate this when we're out of here... and why not? they may prove useful, just look out for traps or curses.
dragomorph: They're primarily decorative.  Might be worth something, though.  No traps, thank God.
ZebulonCrispi: Vriska's lifting something because damn if she's getting out of here without SOME kind of treasure.
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph: Why does this whole trip seem familiar?
DLWriter7: Palom beams.  "OK, everyone come stand around the treasure chest and we can talk about it outside!"
dragomorph: He walks over, still gripping the staff piece.
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph joins the group, obviously turning over the events in his mind.
doesnotlikesoaps: Yes, thank God. Barnaby picks up the mirror. This may have some use yet.
greenmorningstar: Yuta obligingly joins the group.
DLWriter7: Was that everyone?  That was everyone.  Except Vriska.  Who doesn't count.  But while she's lifting the gem, Palom supposes he has to take her with it given that she's holding on to it.
There is a shining light from the sky even though there's still obviously a ceiling.  A shaft of light opens up, and without warning, the entire group, treasure chest, mirror, sword, and jewel included, seems to jump straight up into the air.
DLWriter7: They land right outside the entrance to the tower.
dragomorph: Hiroshi has no idea what the hell just happened.
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby, meanwhile, feels a little light-headed. W-What was that?
shinigamikitsune: The good doctor's breath hitches as he found himself on the ground, looking slightly puzzled.
DLWriter7: Palom dusts his hands off.  "I hope no one forgot anything, cause you're going back up the tower alone.  Let's go home!"
greenmorningstar: Yuta is also... not entirely sure what the hell just happened. But uh, okay.
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph: If no one objects, I will take the box, it may have a clue.
dragomorph: Hiroshi:   Sure...
greenmorningstar: "Let's just go find the people with the other part already."
dragomorph: Hiroshi:  Yeah.  The sooner we can do this, the better.
DLWriter7: Palom clears his throat.  "'Thanks for helping us not have to crawl back down three floors, Palom!  Your magic is so cool and amazing.'  Oh, no, it's my pleasure."
doesnotlikesoaps: Barnaby: "Yes, let's." He gets up and brushes himself off. Thank God, his boots are okay.
DLWriter7: "Where's the other group, anyway?"
shinigamikitsune: Rudolph: It was an impressive spell, child. *He means it*
dragomorph: Hiroshi:  They should be at some other set of coordinates.  Hopefully they haven't encountered any trouble.
dragomorph: Hiroshi seems to be regaining his confidence.
greenmorningstar: "Then let's go." In a bit of a rush to be done with this? Maybe. Although he will pause to pick up that sword since no one else seems to want it, and it'd be a waste to leave behind.
DLWriter7: Palom pauses.  "...Hey!  Where's my loot?!"
DLWriter7: "Sheesh, it's like I didn't solve an entire floor by myself or something."
DLWriter7: He has of course gained the most valuable treasure of all: 'Don't throw fireballs at weird statues.'