[vl log] this darkened place

[coronaviridae]

Title: This Darkened Place
Date: 11 January 2004
Players: Hawk, Gameshark, Goofy, Katarina, Rikimaru, Station (logging)
Summary: Station calls a Heartless Gameshark out to fight. He wins--but the battle doesn't go well. In the least.

[InterZone Chatter] Station's codec crackles. "...Gameshark."
[InterZone Chatter] Max Force groans, "Damn drug needle."

[Hero-IC] Tingle says, "Hmm. Hmm. Is this how you talk to the sirs?"

[InterZone Chatter] Heartless Gameshark says, "Station."
[InterZone Chatter] Heartless Nightmare says, "Ah, Station. Just in case you didn't hear, Siegfried is no longer your concern."
[InterZone Chatter] Heartless Nightmare says, "Please, stop addressing that wretched soul."
[InterZone Chatter] Max Force says, "Hello Druggie Nightmare."

[Hero-IC] Wonder Boy says, "Sure is. We're the Heroes of Videoland!"

[InterZone Chatter] Station says, "Yeah, I heard, Siggi-Sans-Heart."

[Hero-IC] Wonder Boy then belches, "Now. What do you need?"

[InterZone Chatter] Station says, "I want to talk to that woman you're callin' your leader, Gameshark."

[Hero-IC] Link says, "...Who the heck?"
[Hero-IC] Tingle says, "One question for you, sir. Is Mr. Fairy here???"

[InterZone Chatter] Heartless Gameshark says, "You do, now... Why would you want to do that?"

[Hero-IC] Paine says, "Speak for yourself."

[InterZone Chatter] Dracula says, "That makes... several of us."
[InterZone Chatter] Heartless Nightmare says, "...Station, so you wish to awaken to your darkness as well? I'm suprised."

[Hero-IC] Wonder Boy says, "...Mr. Fairy? Never heard of him."
[Hero-IC] Commander Keen says, "Me neither."
[Hero-IC] Tingle says, "Wait..I think Tingle has a name..oh yes! Link!"
[Hero-IC] Yuko Ahso says, "Mister Fairy? I don't know anyone like that."

[InterZone Chatter] Station says, "You already met my darkness, SSH. He kept mocking you for losing to bondage guy."

[Hero-IC] Yuko Ahso says, "Oh, Link!...which one?"
[Hero-IC] Katarina says, "Odd. You sound like Yousei."
[Hero-IC] Tingle says, "W-which one???"
[Hero-IC] Paine says, "Reminds me of Tobli. I wanna hurt him already."

[InterZone Chatter] Station says, "I just have a couple of problems with her MO, Sharky. I'd like to bring 'em up with her."
[InterZone Chatter] Faust says, "Hmm."
[InterZone Chatter] Max Force grumbles. "You're coming out of that hole sometime.." *GULP* Sweet power drinks.

[Hero-IC] Wonder Boy says, "We have a couple of Links, floating around."

[InterZone Chatter] Gradius Commander David Burton says, "...Max? Maybe you shouldn't have such a one track mind."
[InterZone Chatter] Gradius Commander David Burton says, "There are /other/ Heartless out there."
[InterZone Chatter] Max Force says, "I'm just starting with him."
[InterZone Chatter] Max Force says, "Then I'll move up to the others."
[InterZone Chatter] Gradius Commander David Burton says, "...Okay, whatever. But a wise combatant doesn't let his enemies pass him by."
[InterZone Chatter] Heartless Gameshark says, "She will see you when she is ready."
[InterZone Chatter] Max Force says, "If theypass me by, I will shoot them along the way."
[InterZone Chatter] Heartless Gameshark says, "Or rather, deems it important enough to do so."
[InterZone Chatter] Max Force says, "As in, the moment Gameshark or Nightmare grow ****s and face me, I'll light them up and make them sqeal like a pig."
[InterZone Chatter] Station snaps, "Gameshark is mine."
[InterZone Chatter] Seifer Almasy says, "Shut it Force. You're an /idiot/."
[InterZone Chatter] Jack the Farmer says, "Tch."
[InterZone Chatter] Faust says, "Hmm."
[InterZone Chatter] Jack the Farmer says, "As if you could, Corey."
[InterZone Chatter] Max Force grunts, "Tell that to me if I get to him first, kid. And punk kid, /YOU/ stuff it.
[InterZone Chatter] Faust says, "Interesting."
[InterZone Chatter] Station says, "--Oh, that so, Trav? Want to pencil me in for an appointment, or d'you think I could get myself moved up in her little schedule by beating the crap out of yo--Jack?""
[InterZone Chatter] Lezard Valeth says, "Peace, Mr. Almasy. He has the right attitude, at any rate."
[InterZone Chatter] Faust says, "Seems more tention between the non-heartless?"
[InterZone Chatter] Seifer Almasy says, "He's still an idiotic loser."
[InterZone Chatter] Seifer Almasy says, "Hell, He's even dumber than /Chicken-Wuss/."
[InterZone Chatter] Station says, "...Jack. Tell me you're just cranky because your cow kicked you or somethin'."
[InterZone Chatter] Jack the Farmer says, "Pff. You couldn't even keep one little farmer safe... How could you possibly stand up to Travis and the rest of us now?"
[InterZone Chatter] Max Force says, "...What was your name again? Oh yes, Seifer. If you have something to say, come say it to my face. *snorts*"

[Hero-IC] Red says, "...that's a bad sign."

[InterZone Chatter] Lezard Valeth echoes, sounding both amused and irritated, "One little farmer?"
[InterZone Chatter] Dual's voice oozes sarcasm. "O-M-G. teh Farmer has turned to the Heartless. All creation is imperiled."
[InterZone Chatter] Heartless Jack the Farmer says, "Go to hell, Corey. And take the rest of the f****** Palace with you."
[InterZone Chatter] Faust says, "Hmm. Another fool has weakened to the heartless, eh?"
[InterZone Chatter] Seifer Almasy says, ".....I am /so/ blowing up his Farm. If I knew where it was...."
[InterZone Chatter] Station's voice hardens. "Damn you too, Jack. I thought you were better than t'give into a little protection racket."
[InterZone Chatter] Lezard Valeth laughs, "Hahahahaha!"
[InterZone Chatter] Station says, "-Gameshark-, answer me."
[InterZone Chatter] Max Force says, "....They made the farmer a druggie!?" Pause..... "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!""
[InterZone Chatter] Lezard Valeth says, "... he's a /farmer/, Mr. Force."
[InterZone Chatter] Heartless Gameshark says, "She will do as she sees fit, Station. I cannot say when she would accede to a request for a meeting."
[InterZone Chatter] Vector the Crocodile says, "Yea, this might cause the price of vegtables to rise."
[InterZone Chatter] Heartless Gameshark says, "And you cannot beat me. Even now least of all."
[InterZone Chatter] Station swears. "You know, you make a -really bad- secretary, Trav."
[InterZone Chatter] Max Force says, "Our economy! They were the good source for the economy!! *is heard sobbing*"
[InterZone Chatter] Alessa says, "Lisa does gardening. I'm immune to your dirty commodity price-gouging, Heartless boy."
[InterZone Chatter] Heartless Gameshark says, "I'm not a !#$*#$!@ secretary."
[InterZone Chatter] Lezard Valeth says, "How coarse, Mr. Cross."
[InterZone Chatter] Station says, "Oh yeah? That sounds about like what you've become to ME. Since when did you take orders from anyone, anyway?"
[InterZone Chatter] Lezard Valeth says, "Mr. Force? You do realise that he probably cultivated marijuana?"
[InterZone Chatter] Max Force says, "..."
[InterZone Chatter] Faust says, "Oh, that is possible."
[InterZone Chatter] Max Force says, "!!!!! *CHI-CHINK!*"
[InterZone Chatter] Faust says, "I suppose this means I'll have to cure /another/ patient, then..."
[InterZone Chatter] Station mimics Gameshark, "Behold the power of my dark mistress of pain, Maleficent! I'm so whipped! I'm so whipped!"
[InterZone Chatter] Sol Badguy just laughs.
[InterZone Chatter] Max Force says, "Why does this remind me of that punk Seifer, Corey?"
[InterZone Chatter] Dark Link just...sighs. "This goes nowhere..."
[InterZone Chatter] Paine chuckles. Just a little.

[Hero-IC] Demi says, "...does that really help the situation, Station?"
[Hero-IC] Tingle says, "Goodness. Tingle has many things to learn in this funny place..."

[InterZone Chatter] Lezard Valeth does the kids-talking-about-something-naughty giggle.
[InterZone Chatter] Seifer Almasy says, "...Punk? **** you Force."

[Hero-IC] Wonder Boy says, "The question you should really be asking is, 'Does it make the situation any worse?' Because I don't think it does."

[InterZone Chatter] Alessa says, "Also, open contest. What's a good name for a sword? No more than three words, and none of this Japachinese crap."
[InterZone Chatter] Max Force snorts.
[InterZone Chatter] Seifer Almasy says, "After this ****'s over, I'm going to kick your ass."
[InterZone Chatter] Max Force says, "If you can, kid.. And little lady, what can this sword do?"
[InterZone Chatter] Wonder Boy says, "The 'Slayer of Stuff'"
[InterZone Chatter] Lezard Valeth says, "Anything that does not mention 'blood', Ms. Gillespie. That is so cliche."

[Hero-IC] Leon Kennedy says, "Everyone gets along so well here, don't they?"

[InterZone Chatter] Dracula says, "Ultimate End."
[InterZone Chatter] Mugestsu, not Dauragon C. Mikado says, "Mister Stabby?"

[Hero-IC] Wonder Boy says, "On this channel....mostly, except at some times. Otherwise, no."

[InterZone Chatter] Max Force says, "Deathbringer."

[Hero-IC] Leon Kennedy says, "That was sarcasm, but thanks."
[Hero-IC] Paine deadpans, "I'm gonna love it here."
[Hero-IC] Cloud Strife facepalms.

[InterZone Chatter] Lezard Valeth says, "Godsmacker."
[InterZone Chatter] Alessa says, "Hm."

[Hero-IC] Gradius Commander David Burton says, "...Welcome to the club lady."

[InterZone Chatter] Agent 3D0 says, "The Victor."

[Hero-IC] Wonder Boy says, "I've been drinking. It's hard to tell sarcasm after a few drinks."
[Hero-IC] Paine says, "I was serious."

[InterZone Chatter] Captain X says, "No. Just... no."
[InterZone Chatter] Station asides, "Angurva."

[Hero-IC] Gradius Commander David Burton says, "...Oh."

[InterZone Chatter] Alessa says, "What's that mean? The last one."
[InterZone Chatter] Dracula says, "The Final Cut, perhaps?"
[InterZone Chatter] Station says, "'Stream of anguish'."
[InterZone Chatter] Alessa *scribble* "That's a good one."
[InterZone Chatter] Link hums. "...Hm, Reaper of the Damned? Oh wait, that's four."
[InterZone Chatter] Faust says, "Hmm."
[InterZone Chatter] Heartless Jack the Farmer says, "Squeaky Mallet."
[InterZone Chatter] Faust says, "Hmm..."
[InterZone Chatter] Heartless Gameshark says, "You're such a @$(*, Station. Don't you have anything better to do than make a fool out of yourself?"
[InterZone Chatter] Max Force says, "They took our farmer and made him a druggie! It struck a blow to our economy! I shall cure him, and will check to see if he really DID produce marijuana."
[InterZone Chatter] Lezard Valeth says, "Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones, Mr. Cross."
[InterZone Chatter] Lezard Valeth asides, "He may not have, Mr. Force, but take a look at commodity prices some time."
[InterZone Chatter] Agent 3D0 says, "Max. Stop talking."
[InterZone Chatter] Lezard Valeth says, "Potatoes, cabbages, and grain are down here. Marijuana is up there."
[InterZone Chatter] Max Force says, "I'll only stop when I get the action of blasting every one of them."
[InterZone Chatter] Alessa says, "And people who live in grass houses shouldn't stow thrones."
[InterZone Chatter] Station says, "Yeah. Make a fool out of -you-, Travis."
[InterZone Chatter] Max Force says, "Ah yes... unfortunately, marijuana is in the list of those grown... Luckily I have my new flame-thrower."
[InterZone Chatter] Heartless Gameshark says, "Thankfully, I am more secure in my position, power, and masculinity than you to not have to act like a little punk."
[InterZone Chatter] Station says, "Gee. And it only took totally kowtowing to a DISNEY VILLAIN to do it."
[InterZone Chatter] Dracula says, "At times like this, Officer Force... I am glad you exist. Go nuts. If you need bigger guns, talk to Doom Marine, Quake Guy, or Raynor."
[InterZone Chatter] Station says, "That's very masculine, yeah."
[InterZone Chatter] Faust says, "Yes. I will also assist in the 'cure', Mr. Force.."
[InterZone Chatter] Max Force says, "Thank you, good man. And as for you Dracula, thank you. I will speak with those three.. Quake Guy and Doom Marine owe me a favor anyhow."

[Hero-IC] Cassandra Alexandra grunts, "Gas."

[InterZone Chatter] Gum says, "What's a Disney?"

[Hero-IC] Cloud Strife says, "Hmm?"
[Hero-IC] Katarina says, dryly, "Don't befoul your drawers."
[Hero-IC] Tingle says, "Eh?"

[InterZone Chatter] Dark Link says, "Is this meaningless argument going to end?"
[InterZone Chatter] Dracula says, "Excellent. Oh... and say hello to Duke Nukem as well."
[InterZone Chatter] Heartless Gameshark says, "You overestimate things, Station. You take me for a slave, when I am nothing of the sort."
[InterZone Chatter] Angela says, "No, it won;t."
[InterZone Chatter] Max Force says, "Will do."

[Hero-IC] Cassandra Alexandra says, "Idiots. You thought gas would keep me down for long? Didn't you?"

[InterZone Chatter] Bass says, "Keep telling yourself that, Fishy."

[Hero-IC] Link sighs. "I see you're still the same."

[InterZone Chatter] Mugestsu, not Dauragon C. Mikado says, "A wonderful land, full of fireworks, and puppydogs, and candy!"
[InterZone Chatter] Heartless Gameshark says, "Says the robot named after a fish."

[Hero-IC] Sol Badguy says, "I have to ask, why does she still have her radio?"
[Hero-IC] Tingle says, "Who is this loud and strange talking woman?"

[InterZone Chatter] Mugestsu, not Dauragon C. Mikado says, "That, or hell."

[Fac-Palace] Demi says, "I see Miss Cassandra is awake once more."

[Hero-IC] Brock says, "She's not usually like this...whoever you are. She's just not been herself lately."

[InterZone Chatter] Bass says, "Obviously you lost your ability to use phonetics, along with your heart."

[Hero-IC] Cassandra Alexandra says, "And I see you're still a moron Link. Someone who just throws a present at a girl and expects her to fall all over you. Out of everyone here, you're probably the most pathetic."

[InterZone Chatter] Bass says, "Should I send you some kindergarten 'A-B-C' books so you can learn to pronounce words without tripping over yourself?"

[Hero-IC] Link says, "..."

[Fac-Palace] Mario says, "Would someone shut-a her up?"

[Hero-IC] Cloud Strife says, "Oh joy."
[Hero-IC] Brock winces
[Hero-IC] Heartless Maya Amano claps.

[InterZone Chatter] Vector the Crocodile says, "Hey, you know, as long as I know there is one of those Heartless guys on the radio, there's just one thing I want to know. What the hell are you planning to do after you take over every world? I mean, There will be nothing, and then what happens?"

[Hero-IC] Paine says, ".........if someone doesn't shut her up soon, I'm going to stick a Silence Knife in her face. Or come over there and put the Sleepy Shuffle on an endlessly replaying sphere, I'm sure Shinra could work that up."

[Fac-Palace] Link says, "...That was a reminder I didn't need."

[InterZone Chatter] Vector the Crocodile says, "or am I missing something?"

[Hero-IC] Link says, "No Cassandra, You know what I think?"

[Fac-Palace] Demi says, "It is the sort of thing we must expect, I'm afraid..."

[InterZone Chatter] Station says, "I haven't seen anythin' to tell me differently, Travis."

[Hero-IC] Link says, "I think /you/ are the weak one. You let yourself become corrupted."
[Hero-IC] Cassandra Alexandra says, "If you wish for me to shut up, there's an easy way."
[Hero-IC] Link says, "You let yourself get taken over by what, some freaky shadows!"
[Hero-IC] Ryudo says, "What the hell? I take some time off, and suddenly people are resorting the playground taunts that are suddenly causing things to implode."
[Hero-IC] Cassandra Alexandra says, "And I was a fool when i did Link. Saving another is pathetic. It always will be."
[Hero-IC] Paine says, "Yeah, yeah, the magic, I'd rather you bark like a captive dog than bite me in the ass."
[Hero-IC] Cody says, "So actually carin' 'bout people is pathetic, huh?"
[Hero-IC] Link says, "And you call /me/ pathetic?! You'd put yourself above someone else's life..."

[InterZone Chatter] Heartless Gameshark says, "Tell me, Station. How is anything I'm doing now different than what I did for Mother Brain?"

[Hero-IC] Angela says, "And can you save your self?"
[Hero-IC] Link says, "You make me sick!"
[Hero-IC] Wonder Boy says, "I think I represent most of the Heroes when I say. Cassandra. SHUT THE HELL UP!"
[Hero-IC] Link says, "You're weak. You're pathetic. You're the sorriest hero I ever saw."

[InterZone Chatter] Admiral Galcian says, "I believe that 'not a slave' is the phrase you are looking for, Gamemaster Station."

[Hero-IC] Link says, "I can't think of enough crap to say about you Cassandra, I really can't."
[Hero-IC] Yuko Ahso whimpers and just clicks off.
[Hero-IC] Red Wizard says, "LINK."
[Hero-IC] Cassandra Alexandra says, "Wait a second. the /KING/ of taunting himself. the one who pushed Aeris to go and become what she has, is telling me to shut up?"
[Hero-IC] Cassandra Alexandra LAUGHS!
[Hero-IC] Station says, "Wonder Boy, watch your tongue. ALL of you, shut up. That means you too, Cassandra, if I have to come down there and stuff a sock in your mouth to get you to do it."
[Hero-IC] Link says, "...I've heard enough."
[Hero-IC] Link clicks off.
[Hero-IC] Tingle says, "Tingle is disturbed by all this! Goodbye for now! *Click*"
[Hero-IC] Red Wizard says, "Grrrrrraah."
[Hero-IC] Cody sighs...
[Hero-IC] Nana and Popo | Nana says quietly, "Meis? Where is he?"
[Hero-IC] Afgncaap says, "... I wonder why I even /bother/ turning my radio on anymore."

[Fac-Palace] Advisor Red Wizard says, "Okay. Constructive comments people."

[Hero-IC] Wonder Boy HAHS, "She's Heartless, it matters not what I say to her."

[InterZone Chatter] Station says, "I think I already mentioned the dark mistress of pain part, right?"

[Hero-IC] Past Link says, "...Tingle?... the Book of Mudora mentions some guy named Tingle, I think... wonder if it's the same one."

[Fac-Palace] Brock says, "Would it be safe if I went to see her?"

[Hero-IC] Cloud Strife says, "We had a...discussion about this earlier, 'Cass'. Go bother someone else."

[Fac-Palace] Link says, "...Brock? Did you /hear/ her? Until we get those *bleep*ing heartless out of her."

[Hero-IC] Link the Wind Waker says, "What? Tingle? That weird guy that said I was a fairy?"
[Hero-IC] Angela *clicks* the radio off.

[InterZone Chatter] Station says, "And the 'hello, I am Darth Vader, overwhelming force of THE DARKNESS' part..."

[Fac-Palace] Link says, "You shouldn't go anywhere near her."
[Fac-Palace] Brock says, "I know Link, but I can take care of myself if it comes to that."

[Hero-IC] Past Link says, "Not a clue, Link."
[Hero-IC] Nana and Popo | Popo says, "Hey, my sister asked a question. Where is he?"

[Fac-Palace] Brock says, "I want to find out /why/."

[Hero-IC] Wonder Boy says, "We don't know."
[Hero-IC] Meis Triumph offers calmly. "I am here... What's up?"
[Hero-IC] Wonder Boy says, "Or at l.....He's here."

[InterZone Chatter] Heartless Gameshark says, "Yadda yadda yadda... And?"

[Fac-Palace] Link says, "Why? We know why. The Heartless."
[Fac-Palace] Demi says, "While I wish I could say this is an unwilling thing..."
[Fac-Palace] Katarina says, "I am unclear. Did we capture this woman?"

[Hero-IC] Nana and Popo | Nana exhales softly. "I'm sorry about your angels, Mr. Triumph."

[Fac-Palace] Demi says, "I am begining to suspect that this conversion may require some part of those who have turned to be willing."
[Fac-Palace] Link is heard punching something, probably a wall. "It's all the damn Heartless!"
[Fac-Palace] Brock says, "We did. And Link, you're not understanding me. I want to know /why/ she joined them."
[Fac-Palace] Wonder Boy says, "As far as I understand, she got captured by the heartless. Then Morrigan captured her."
[Fac-Palace] Mario says, "Link."
[Fac-Palace] Mario says, "Cool-a your heels."
[Fac-Palace] Mario says, "I'm-a just as mad as you."

[Hero-IC] Tingle says, "*click* Oh, nevermind. I'm interested again!"

[InterZone Chatter] Station snrks. "You haven't done anythin' about the fact I've all but called you a eunuch for servin' Maleficent, of all people. And I bet bein' made of shadows really sucks."

[Fac-Palace] Mario says, "But if you're angry, then-a the Heartless have won."
[Fac-Palace] Brock says, "I think I'll send Morrigan some cookies when this is over."
[Fac-Palace] Katarina says, "So is this a yes or a no?"
[Fac-Palace] Mario says, "Because when-a you're angry, you don't think."

[Hero-IC] Wonder Boy says, "...Welcome back."

[Fac-Palace] Mario says, "And when you don't-a think, you get in trouble."
[Fac-Palace] Demi says, "Miss Cassandra had a... flaw. Something in her that was upset with her sister, from what I overheard. Might they have used that to turn her?"
[Fac-Palace] Link says, "...Look, Cassandra hit a low blow, okay?"

[Hero-IC] Nana and Popo | Popo says, "Are you sure you want to try this, Nana?"

[Fac-Palace] Mario says, "Don't let her bother-a you then."
[Fac-Palace] Cody says, "What she said was she gave herself up 'ta let Aeris go."
[Fac-Palace] Link says, "And thanks to that, I feel pretty damn bad. You heard her. I put my heart on the line, she just chewed it up, spat it out."

[Hero-IC] Nana and Popo | Nana says, "Well, it sounded kinda fun, and it might make him feel better."

[Fac-Palace] Brock flatly. "Get used to it."
[Fac-Palace] Mario says, "Then don't-a give her the opportunity. I lost-a Peach today. I want-a to tear anyone up I can-a.."
[Fac-Palace] Jill Valentine says, "Hey... how badly is this Cassandra hurt, anyhow?"

[Hero-IC] Cassandra Alexandra goes back to laughing, much like she did earlier.

[Fac-Palace] Mario says, "But I won't.a"
[Fac-Palace] Link says, "..."

[Hero-IC] Meis Triumph coughs before offering a simple. "...It's okay. I'm fine right now. Really. As long as I have a sword to fight with, and a reason to fight, I will go on. It's just what Spirit Blacksmith do. Do what?"

[Fac-Palace] Cody says, "She's got a broken arm. Or should, don' know if she healed that 'r somethin'."

[Hero-IC] Ryudo says, "Somebody forgot there medication today... o/~"
[
[InterZone Chatter] Dracula says, "Look at it this way, Station... ...That is not the Gameshark we know. Or so I believe. I don't see Travis Cross going over unless forced... he has always been a Power Monger, but not unless it was on his terms. Much like myself, really..."

[Fac-Palace] Link says, "Geeze, it all started going downhill when I left Hyrule..."
[Fac-Palace] Angela says, "I think I'll turn this off too. If you feel a need to watch me so I don't get kidnapped, I'll stay in the Palace."

[Hero-IC] Nana and Popo | Popo says, "She was wondering about becoming an Angel, at least while your captured ones are away."
[Hero-IC] Heartless Maya Amano layers the laughter with some extended giggling of her own.

[Fac-Palace] Link says, "...I never should have left Zelda."
[Fac-Palace] Angela *clicks* off again.

[InterZone Chatter] Dark Link says, "He is heartless, no longer is he the man we knew."
[InterZone Chatter] Dracula says, "The last we saw of him before this, He Snow Crashed most of Popstar... and then was downed by them... and I thought very injured."

[Fac-Palace] Katarina says, "What in the name of the Devil King is going on?"

[InterZone Chatter] Dracula says, "Covered by Swarms, the next we see him is... this."
[InterZone Chatter] Station says, "Hey, and Galcian got one too. Good for Galcian. You're a slave--an' come on, Drac. I'm pretty sure he rolled over and begged when Maleficent waved power under his nose."

[Hero-IC] Nana and Popo | Popo practically yells, "Hey, don't laugh at her!"
[Hero-IC] Tingle says, "Hmm. Someone would need to explain what is going on to Tingle..."

[InterZone Chatter] Heartless Gameshark says, "Were you in my shoes, you'd have done the same!"
[InterZone Chatter] Harpuia says, "He'd have cramped feet."
[InterZone Chatter] Station says, "No, sorry. Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt."

[Hero-IC] Wonder Boy says, "She's evil, you two. Just ignore her."
[Hero-IC] Ryudo says, "... God. You'd think that swirling vortex of doom thingie would have taste enough to pick some people that DON'T have shrilly laughter."
[Hero-IC] Wonder Boy says, "And...You would be Tingle, correct?"

[InterZone Chatter] Heartless Gameshark says, "But you did, Player. You DID do it. Twice."

[Hero-IC] Link the Wind Waker says, "...is that...yikes, that IS Tingle."

[InterZone Chatter] Shadow the Hedgehog hmphs. "Only weaklings would allow themselves to be seduced by power, enslaved like that."
[InterZone Chatter] Fox McCloud says, "You were weak, Gameshark. Stop trying to equivalize your failings with the rest of the universe."

[Hero-IC] Tingle says, "That voice..."

[InterZone Chatter] Morrigan Aensland says, "Gameshark?"
[InterZone Chatter] Fox McCloud says, "I'm going to enjoy feeding you your own entrails."
[InterZone Chatter] Morrigan Aensland says, "Do you have another puppet to send to me?"
[InterZone Chatter] Morrigan Aensland says, "I'd really like to break someone else right now."

[Fac-Palace] Link says, "Look, if anyone needs me, I'll be in Hyrule. I'm too depressed and angry to think straight right now."

[Hero-IC] Meis Triumph says, "...Sorry, not accepting new people at this time... The thought though, is encouraging though. Thank you, Nana. So, Heartless girls, what's so funny about me? I'm listening. Or you just hiding behind the illusion that you can beat us still?"

[InterZone Chatter] Station says, "And I came back both times, but it kinda looks to me like you don't have the werewithal. She's got you under her heel."

[Hero-IC] Tingle says, "Oh, but my manners! I am Tingle, map-maker and fairy reincarnate!"

[InterZone Chatter] Max Force says, "With a whip."

[Hero-IC] Cassandra Alexandra says, "I hide behind nothing. It is you who are hidding. Hidding behind a barrier that does not let me do what I can do..."
[Hero-IC] Cloud Strife says, "Oh, right. Maya?"
[Hero-IC] Wonder Boy says, "...You don't sound much like a fairy. If you don't mind me saying."

[InterZone Chatter] Faust says, "Such interesting topics!"
[InterZone Chatter] Heartless Gameshark says, "You broke someone, Morrigan?"

[Hero-IC] Ryudo says, "They'll beat you with their middle-school angst! RUN!!! ... Whoever the hell you are."
[Hero-IC] Cloud Strife says, "I'll give you one chance now to tell me where Aeris is."

[InterZone Chatter] Heartless Gameshark says, "Who, precisely?"

[Hero-IC] Cloud Strife says, "Don't blow it."

[InterZone Chatter] Morrigan Aensland says, "Your pitiful little Greek warrior."
[InterZone Chatter] Angela says, "Noise noise noise. None of you say anything. I'll just shut this off and study the Secrets and the Runes."
[InterZone Chatter] Morrigan Aensland says, "Next time, send someone with a little more skill."

[Hero-IC] Tingle says, "I insist! Tingle is! Anyway...is that voice to yours, Mr. Link?"

[InterZone Chatter] Luca Blight says, "Power, huh? Stupid pigs."
[InterZone Chatter] Angela *clicks* her radio off.
[InterZone Chatter] Luca Blight says, "Power isn't something to bow down to. It's a tool. It's /the/ tool, the defining factor in our world."
[InterZone Chatter] Luca Blight says, "Might makes right. Look at this world and tell me any different."

[Hero-IC] Link the Wind Waker squeaks. "Yes."

[InterZone Chatter] Luca Blight says, "It's an idiot who gives up his own will to seek power, because that power is meaningless. But it's a worse fool who gives up power when it's in his grasp."

[Hero-IC] Tingle says, "Oh! Mr. Fairy! It is wonderful to hear from you again! We must meet sometime again!"

[InterZone Chatter] Fox McCloud says, "I like your attitude."
[InterZone Chatter] Luca Blight says, "Power is self-justifying. There is nothing else."

[Fac-Palace] Link sighs "I can't believe I'm letting myself get depressed over this.

[Hero-IC] Nana and Popo | Nana tries to sound cheerful. "Well, thanks anyway. You could maybe call us though if you ever need help getting the fallen Angels back."

[InterZone Chatter] Karel says, "So long as the feast continues....nothing else matters."

[Hero-IC] Tingle | David Jr. "Wha? Is that you, Link?"

[InterZone Chatter] Captain X says, "Indeed."

[Fac-Palace] Link says, "I mean, love's no big deal, right?"

[Hero-IC] Wonder Boy says, "...I'll take your word for it. Anyway, we're under attack by these things called the Heartless. If they capture our people, our people go evil. That's about it."

[InterZone Chatter] Station growls, "So, what's it gonna be, Travis? I haven't seen anything t'indicate you got much out of the deal other than a gimp mask."

[Fac-Palace] Katarina says, "What are you /talking/ about? Why is this woman mocking us, and why is everyone babbling?"
[Fac-Palace] Hawk says, "She's gone heartless. That's why she's mocking us. Simply as that."

[InterZone Chatter] Max Force snorts.

[Fac-Palace] Katarina says, "Did we capture her? I can't be certain but it sounds as if we did."

[Hero-IC] Link the Wind Waker says, "Uh huh."

[InterZone Chatter] Mercury Adept Alex says, "Indeed."

[Fac-Palace] Gaignun Kukai Jr. says, "She attacks morale. Simply said."
[Fac-Palace] Hawk says, "We did."
[Fac-Palace] Cody says, "Yeah, we got her locked up."
[Fac-Palace] Gaignun Kukai Jr. says, "And you people let her do it."

[InterZone Chatter] Heartless Gameshark says, "The ability to wield the powers of Darkness and control Heartless is nice."

[Hero-IC] Tingle says, "Hmm. Sounds like any other thing an evil, evil person would do..."

[Fac-Palace] Jill Valentine says, "You need anyone to keep an eye on her?"
[Fac-Palace] Cody says, "We jus' can't shut her up aside from sedatin' her every now and then."
[Fac-Palace] Katarina says, "What? And /now/ who is speaking?"
[Fac-Palace] Gradius Commander David Burton sighs. "...This Heartless thing is a mess."
[Fac-Palace] Cody says, "I'm headin' back up there soon."
[Fac-Palace] Jill Valentine says, "I'll shut her up."

[InterZone Chatter] Station says, "Oh, great. So power and meatshields. Like you didn't have those b'fore."

[Fac-Palace] Katarina says, "Should I simply turn off the radio machine? It seems to be a constant stream of people's voices bemoaning their fates. Is it /generally/ like this?"

[InterZone Chatter] Shadow the Hedgehog says, "You're little more than a weapon now. A soulless, empty weapon. The fate of all weapons is destruction. I know this allt oo well."

[Fac-Palace] Demi says, "Also, do we know if the other Heartless will come for Miss Cassandra? If she can speak over the radio, certainly she can communicate with them."

[Hero-IC] Tingle | David Jr. "Oh thank God. Since you've been away, it's been-" *the sound is cut off from David's side, then Tingle's voice* "Hmm. David needs to work some more..."

[Fac-Palace] Link says, "Why does she even /have/ her damn radio?"

[InterZone Chatter] Heartless Gameshark says, "Destruction of what, is the question."

[Fac-Palace] Jill Valentine says, "Isn't there any of that... magic stuff you could use?"

[Hero-IC] Ryudo says, "I think the only solution we have here is to kill them all and steal their money."

[InterZone Chatter] Tron Bonne says, "Uh ... Since everyone else seems to be commenting on this, Gameshark, you're an idiot because you like power. There, I've said my bit."

[Hero-IC] Ryudo says, "... Wait. Daydreaming again. Sorry."

[Fac-Palace] Gaignun Kukai Jr. says, "Got an idea, guys."

[Hero-IC] Gradius Commander David Burton says, "...Who are you?"
[Hero-IC] Gradius Commander David Burton says, "The guy talking funny."

[InterZone Chatter] Luca Blight says, "You're all weapons, fool. Every living being on this planet is a weapon to use himself against others, to impose his or her will on those around them."

[Fac-Palace] Gaignun Kukai Jr. says, "Let's walk down there.. following me?"

[Hero-IC] Link the Wind Waker says, "Tingle, put David back on. Please?"

[Fac-Palace] Gaignun Kukai Jr. says, "And we ducttape her mouth shut."
[Fac-Palace] Katarina says, "Sir, please do not think me rude, but who /are/ you?"

[Hero-IC] Sol Badguy says, "...you, the guy who is talking about money."

[InterZone Chatter] Luca Blight says, "If you don't, you're just letting it go to waste. You're useless. Slime on the bottom of my shoe."

[Fac-Palace] Jill Valentine says, "Duct tape will work."
[Fac-Palace] Gaignun Kukai Jr. says, "Which one of us?"
[Fac-Palace] Gaignun Kukai Jr. sounds like a 12 year old, for reference.
[Fac-Palace] Gradius Commander David Burton says, "David Burton, Gradius Defense Force."

[InterZone Chatter] Karel says, "I do not force my will on others. I merely kill them, or let them live."

[Hero-IC] Ryudo says, "The name's Ryudo. And that's got to be the most positive first impression I've ever made."

[Fac-Palace] Link says, "I'm Link, of Hyrule."
[Fac-Palace] Katarina says, "The young one - argh... is it always a babble like this?"

[Hero-IC] Tingle says, "Oh, if Mr. Fairy wishes it! I-" *again, the connection goes to David* "Dammit...""
[Hero-IC] Ryudo says, "It seems I'm not trying hard enough."

[InterZone Chatter] Luca Blight says, "Your will is to kill. An admirable goal, if I should say so. Just less human refuse to mop up."
[InterZone Chatter] Heartless Gameshark says, "It's really quite simple. You will join or you will be swallowed into the shadows. Take your pick, for time is running out."

[Hero-IC] Sol Badguy says, "Its nice to hear someone who's sane around here, Ryudo."

[Fac-Palace] Station says, "That's Gaignun Kukai Jr., Lady Katarina."
[Fac-Palace] Station says, "Most of us call 'im Jr."

[InterZone Chatter] Heartless Gameshark says, "And some of us might not even give you that choice."
[InterZone Chatter] Station says, "Ha. Ha. Ha."

[Hero-IC] Link the Wind Waker whews. "Thanks. Tingle's just a bit...creepy to talk to."

[InterZone Chatter] Karel says, "I only kill the strong. Or the weak, if I require my blade honed."
[InterZone Chatter] Dual says, "So you kill the strong and the weak."

[Hero-IC] Tingle | David Jr. "Ahem. Anyway, just for others, I am David Jr. I...'work' for Tingle and his brothers Ankle and Knuckle. How have you been, Link?"

[Fac-Palace] Katarina says, "Ah, Mr. Station.. alright. Well, I suppose that it is good to hear from you all, but all I have been able to gather thus far is that evidently a princess was abducted. And that there is someone who sounds like a fairy on our public switch-setting. And someone else."

[Hero-IC] Link the Wind Waker says, "Good! I just got here, and the Palace people have been real nice to me! I even met other mes!"

[InterZone Chatter] Karel says, "Only the weak if I require my blade honed, or they get in my way."
[InterZone Chatter] Dual says, "Yes, but you can't say you kill `only' the strong if you also kill the weak under certain conditions."
[InterZone Chatter] Karel says, "The weak are nothing. They mean nothing."

[Fac-Palace] Jill Valentine says, "Hey, is anyone pretty good with.. uh.. technology?"
[Fac-Palace] Gradius Commander David Burton says, "Yo."

[InterZone Chatter] Shadow the Hedgehog says, "I made a promise... A promise to bring hope to humanity. That means destroying worthless creatures such as you."

[Fac-Palace] Gradius Commander David Burton says, "I fly a Hyper Space Fighter. I know a few things."

[InterZone Chatter] Luca Blight says, "The weak are irrelevant. Filth to wash out of this rag of a world."

[Fac-Palace] Jill Valentine says, "I've got something down here you might want to see."
[Fac-Palace] Gradius Commander David Burton says, "...Down where?"
[Fac-Palace] Jill Valentine says, "I thought it could be altered to use on the Heartless."

[InterZone Chatter] Station says, "So show me, Travis. I haven't seen anythin' to indicate you got something out of this deal. Show me this power of darkness $%#^."
[InterZone Chatter] Luca Blight says, "The weak die under the feet of the strong. That's how the world works."

[Fac-Palace] Gradius Commander David Burton says, "I can probably have the GDF take a look at it."
[Fac-Palace] Jill Valentine says, "Research and Development."

[InterZone Chatter] Luca Blight says, "Hope to humanity, huh? Hu hu hah hah!!"

[Hero-IC] Tingle | David Jr. "Well, that's good to hear. I'm /still/ pushing around that stupid tower thing...I wish Knuckle would actually help do it. It's /his/ studio!"

[InterZone Chatter] Luca Blight says, "Humanity doesn't have hope. Humanity's never had hope. The only hope is for it to go away."
[InterZone Chatter] Karel says, "Destroy me? All who have tried, have failed. Do not expect to succeed."
[InterZone Chatter] Tir McDohl says, "Joy. The rantings of another madman."

[Fac-Palace] Gradius Commander David Burton says, "So uh...Who are you, miss?"
[Fac-Palace] Katarina says, "You fly a... erh, I'm a swordswoman. This is over my head, I believe."

[InterZone Chatter] Luca Blight says, "Humanity is a mass of ticks that need to be stomped out."
[InterZone Chatter] Cless Alvein says, "Who's this one?"
[InterZone Chatter] Faust says, "Hmm...these conversations seem to be going in circles..."
[InterZone Chatter] Shadow the Hedgehog says, "I'm the ultimate life form. I cannot fail."
[InterZone Chatter] Ryudo says, "Rabbit digs hole. Rabbit hides in hole. Rabbit comes out of hole. Wolf eats rabbit. We get the damn point already. You might want to try being concise there, fella."
[InterZone Chatter] Faust says, "Ultimate, eh? I wish I had a chance to study you..."
[InterZone Chatter] Karel says, "The ultimate life form? Hardly."
[InterZone Chatter] Link the Wind Waker says, "That's not nice to say. YOu should fight to protect those who can't do it for themselves!"
[InterZone Chatter] Luca Blight says, "Why? So they can infect this ailing world with their brooding weakness?"
[InterZone Chatter] Luca Blight says, "You should thank me. I put them out of their misery."
[InterZone Chatter] Faust says, "Hmm."
[InterZone Chatter] Cless Alvein says, "Some men are weak in one sense, and strong in another."
[InterZone Chatter] Dual says, "This dialogue is weak. You guys are awful off-script."

[Hero-IC] Link the Wind Waker says, "Uh huh. Wait...are you guys still on the Great Sea, or did you move your tower?"
[Hero-IC] Ryudo says, "Huh."
[Hero-IC] Ryudo says, "Are those guys like this all the time?"
[Hero-IC] Cless Alvein says, "To varying degrees."
[Hero-IC] Ryudo says, "This is... like... twenty four solid hours of sitting in church a day."

[InterZone Chatter] Link the Wind Waker says, "Exactly!! Just because you can't fight doesn't mean you aren't good! Orca and Sturgeon were both strong, Orca with his muscles, and Sturgeon with his big head!"
[InterZone Chatter] Luca Blight says, "And how did they use them, worm?"

[Hero-IC] Ryudo says, "With your arms and legs tied like a pretzel, and your nose in your mouth."
[Hero-IC] Tingle | David Jr. "Well...Tingle mapped our coordinates. /Finally/! Er, anyway, we are on the great sea. I believe Holodrum and Labrynna are around here..."
[Hero-IC] Cless Alvein says, "Wait... I thought you meant the one screaming about being strong and killing the weak. Or am I wrong?"
[Hero-IC] Ryudo says, "They're all the seem to me."

[InterZone Chatter] Link the Wind Waker says, "I'm not a worm. I'm Link!! ANd Orca taught me how to fight, while Sturgeon taught me about the world, and how to sail, how to climb, how to...he taught me a lotta things! He even tried to teach me math....it was really boring."

[Hero-IC] Cless Alvein says, "Not much for debates?"

[InterZone Chatter] Shadow the Hedgehog says, "I know what it's like to hold the fate of a world in your hands. To have power enough to destroy everything. To loathe the weak and imperfect. ... It brings nothing in the end! The power of chaos flows through me, I know it's darkness like I know my own body! And I know what misery and futility it brings!"

[Hero-IC] Link the Wind Waker says, "Holodrum? Labrynna? You mean...the lands beyond the Great Sea? Like where Zunari was from?"
[Hero-IC] Ryudo says, "You say 'power', I say 'sharp pointy things that kill'."

[InterZone Chatter] Faust says, "Oh, I've heard that before..."

[Hero-IC] Ryudo says, "What's the difference?"

[InterZone Chatter] Tir McDohl says, "...By the Rune of Beginning, I don't think I've heard anyone rant this inanely for months."
[InterZone Chatter] Rouge the Bat says, "Yep, that's Shadow alright."
[InterZone Chatter] Luca Blight says, "Miserable? Futile?"
[InterZone Chatter] Karel says, "Then the world you had the power to destroy was weak."

[Fac-Palace] Katarina says, "I.. am going to be turning off the radio for now, I think. If something is needed, I will have it with me."

[InterZone Chatter] Station repeats, impatiently, "Well, Travis? You all talk and no fight like usual?"
[InterZone Chatter] Shadow the Hedgehog says, "I do not deny this."

[Hero-IC] Tingle | David Jr. "Yes, those. Maybe I can finally get off this island and go treasure hunting like my dad used to!"

[InterZone Chatter] Luca Blight says, "Ha ha hah hahh!! I'm not miserable. I live for the electric feeling of my blade cutting through entrails."
[InterZone Chatter] Shadow the Hedgehog says, "You live like a beast."
[InterZone Chatter] Luca Blight says, "And you're a beast who pretends not to."
[InterZone Chatter] Link the Wind Waker says, "...you sound scary, Mister."
[InterZone Chatter] Faust says, "I believe a certain samurai ghost type person I met in Videoland once said, "Overconfidence is the greatest enemy""
[InterZone Chatter] Shadow the Hedgehog says, "I know exactly what I am. But I made a promise. And I will keep it. I will bring hope to humanity."
[InterZone Chatter] Luca Blight says, "Good! Good! Be afraid of me, kid. I'll eat you up."
[InterZone Chatter] Link the Wind Waker says, "Nuh Uh! You won't eat me up! I'm strong too! I just like to help people too, and fight evil monsters and stuff!!"
[InterZone Chatter] Luca Blight says, "What's your name, kid?"
[InterZone Chatter] Ryudo says, "With all this talking, you could probably make your enemies die of boredom. Without even raising a sword."
[InterZone Chatter] Heartless Gameshark says, "No rest for the wicked, I see. You rush so quickly into the darkness, Station. Come, then! Come to the confluence of Chaos in the world of the Crystals!"
[InterZone Chatter] Link the Wind Waker says, "Me? I'm Link! Link the WInd Waker!"
[InterZone Chatter] Station mutters something to himself about a thesaurus.
[InterZone Chatter] Luca Blight says, "Link the Wind Waker. Good to know. I'll look you up sometime."
[InterZone Chatter] Ryudo says, "I hardly find anything with that many C consonants very menacing."
[InterZone Chatter] Faust says, "Hmm."
[InterZone Chatter] Luca Blight says, "We can talk, have some cake, I'll kill your family. We'll have a good time."
[InterZone Chatter] Paine deadpans, "Ego /and/ obliquely-named challenge fight locations. Fun."
[InterZone Chatter] Heartless Gameshark says, "Come now, Station. You know that if I was obvious about it people would swarm to me."
[InterZone Chatter] Link the Wind Waker sounds defiant now. "You won't hurt Grandma and Aryll!"
[InterZone Chatter] Heartless Gameshark says, "Everyone wants a piece of this action, but they have to get in line."
[InterZone Chatter] Station deadpans. "Tightbeam."
[InterZone Chatter] Heartless Gameshark says, "That's no fun."
[InterZone Chatter] Faust says, "That sounds nice, Mister Ranter. I'll keep you in mind in case you wind up in a hospital bed."

[Fac-Palace] Link sighs. "...C'mon Link, get outta this depression."

[InterZone Chatter] Tir McDohl says, "If he has been so good to give you his name, do you not at least owe him yours?"
[InterZone Chatter] Shadow the Hedgehog says, "I have no time for these games."
[InterZone Chatter] Heartless Gameshark says, "Besides, any punk can tap a tightbeam if they know one is coming."

[Fac-Palace] Wonder Boy says, "...Stop telling yourself to do so. Just do it...."
[Fac-Palace] Wonder Boy says, "Or are you talking about a different Link?"
[Fac-Palace] Link says, "...Look, it's not easy, okay?!"
[Fac-Palace] Link the Wind Waker says, "What's wrong, Older Me?"
[Fac-Palace] Link sighs. "...You wouldn't understand."

[InterZone Chatter] Luca Blight says, "Sure."

[Fac-Palace] Wonder Boy says, "Course it is. Just scrunch all that depression into a little ball, kill something, and go on your way."
[Fac-Palace] Link the Wind Waker says, "Sure I would!"

You head for Aldi Sea - Temple of Fiends.
Aldi Sea - Temple of Fiends

Swamp and mountains pepper the forests as one travels north of Coneria, an abandoned palace resting on the border of the Western Sea. This ruin, which seems to emanate evil, is the Temple of Fiends, the nexus of evil power in the world. Dark passages lead into the castle, which is simply made, long since reduced to a single complete floor, a dark Crystal resting in the center, beckoning adventurers forward. It has become the home of many undead creatures, and was the base for Garland, the man who would be Chaos.


Contents:
Gameshark [Heartless]
Obvious exits:
[S]outh leads to Aldi Sea - Kingdom of Coneria.

[InterZone Chatter] Luca Blight says, "I'm King Luca Blight. Remember that name."

[Hero-IC] Tir McDohl says, "...."

[InterZone Chatter] Heartless Gameshark says, "How apropos."

[Hero-IC] Tir McDohl says, "*****."
[Hero-IC] Wonder Boy says, "*****?"

[Fac-Palace] Link says, "...It's a dating thing. Or lack of, rather. It seems like everyone I try to ask out turns me down."
[Fac-Palace] Jill Valentine says, "Wait, wait. There's more than one Link?"

[InterZone Chatter] Luca Blight says, "Life's funny that way, huh?"
[InterZone Chatter] Cless Alvein says, "Do you know who that is?"

[Fac-Palace] Link says, "And then Cassandra just...Well, you heard what she said to me."
[Fac-Palace] Link the Wind Waker says, "....dating? What's that?"

[Hero-IC] Tingle | David Jr. "You still there, Link?"
[Hero-IC] Prince of Planet Aries: Alex Kidd says, "...Tir?"
[Hero-IC] Link the Wind Waker says, "Uh huh!"
[Hero-IC] Tir McDohl says, "*****."

Gameshark
=============================== --Gameshark-- ==================================

Before you stands a young adult male who appears to be in his early twenties. His true name is Travis Cross, but to the populace of Videoland at large, he is more commonly known as the Dark Gamemaster Gameshark, God of Cheating. He stands about 6 feet tall, and appears to have a slender build, weighing no more than about 155 pounds at a glance.

An aura of dark charisma can be felt among his finely chiseled features. Two thin black eyebrows frame a pair of greenish hazel eyes, below which extends extends his slightly short nose, the end of which comes to a small pudge at the tip. Travis' lips are full colored a light crimson tinged with chocolate. Pierced through is right ear is a small silver hoop earring, inset with a small emerald which twinkles in the light.

But something is apparently amiss. His dark skin is even darker, almost ebon in its tint. His formerly short black hair falls back behind him in shoulder-length dreadlocks, tightly woven. He wears black pants and a shirt, partially covered by a black trenchcoat, the edges of it tattered and floating around him in the air regardless of the wind or lack thereof. The center of the black shirt is emblazoned with a red and black insignia, a heart surrounded by thorns in an X pattern. The same symbol is also on the back of his trenchcoat. His silver Holocomputer is still clamped to his right arm on its bracer, as are his Justifier and the Frontier Phaser on his belt, bracketing the Viper Pro Grip Gamepad. Finally, his feet are clad in black leather boots.

============================= --Without Heart-- ================================
[Fac-Palace] Wonder Boy says, "Yes, there are many Links."

[Hero-IC] Tir McDohl says, "It's Luca Blight."
[Hero-IC] Link the Wind Waker says, "...Wash your mouth out, Mister!!"

[Fac-Palace] Jill Valentine says, "Hey, don't take it personally. She seems a little... well, I don't think she means it."

[Hero-IC] Tir McDohl says, "Do any of the Seikishidan know where Nanami is?"

[InterZone Chatter] Faust says, "Hmm, a name. I'll have to keep that in mind, too..."

[Hero-IC] Link the Wind Waker says, "Huh? Oh, you mean that mean guy that said he wanted to kill my family?"
[Hero-IC] Tir McDohl says, "Yes, I mean him."
[Hero-IC] Cless Alvein says, "Who's this Luca Blight? No, I don't..."

[Fac-Palace] Wonder Boy says, "And Link. Quit your whining. If anybody should be whining about relationship problems, it should be me."

[Hero-IC] Cloud Strife says, "Oh, right. Tir."
[Hero-IC] Wonder Boy says, "...Haven't seen her around lately. Ask Adol though. She has a habit of pestering him."

[Fac-Palace] Jill Valentine says, "Hey, at least any person you've ever considered dating isn't a shuffling corpse in a deserted city."

[Hero-IC] Tir McDohl says, "Great."

[Fac-Palace] Cody says, "....ew."

[InterZone Chatter] Luca Blight says, "So, kid. Maybe I'll hurt your family and maybe not. Maybe I'll come at night. Maybe I'll look up your friends and kill them instead."

[Hero-IC] Cloud Strife says, "What part of the phrasing of my message gave you the impression that attendance of my 'pep talk' was optional?"

[Fac-Palace] Wonder Boy says, "....That's pretty bad, I'll have to admit."

[InterZone Chatter] Luca Blight says, "Maybe I'll just throw a dart at a map and burn a place to cinders instead."

[Hero-IC] Station clicks his radio off.

[InterZone Chatter] Luca Blight says, "In the meantime, have a good night's sleep. Growing boys need their rest."

[Hero-IC] Wonder Boy sighs, "He's going to threaten to put your balls in a vice. That's all. It's not worth it."

[InterZone Chatter] Cless Alvein says, "Out of curiosity, do you have anything /better/ to do than torment children?"

[Fac-Palace] Jill Valentine says, "'Ew' is about right, yeah."

[Hero-IC] Cloud Strife says, "Well, I was going to do something a little more original this time. Either way, the general sentiment stands."

[InterZone Chatter] Faust says, "Pedophilia. A very bad mental disease."

[Fac-Palace] Station says briefly, "Gone to fight Gameshark. Back later."
[Fac-Palace] Cody says, "I'd suggest somethin'...but I ain't exactly someone 'ta ask fer relationship help either."
[Fac-Palace] Brock says, "Be careful Station."
[Fac-Palace] Jill Valentine says, "Be careful."
[Fac-Palace] Wonder Boy says, "Whup his arse, Station."
[Fac-Palace] Cody says, "Be....what they said."
[Fac-Palace] Jill Valentine says, "We don't need another corrupt Gamemaster running around."

[InterZone Chatter] Luca Blight says, "Swine. Don't you dare accuse me of that! I'll hang you from a tree by your tongue!!"

[Fac-Palace] Ryu says, "Station. Just for the record, you aren't allowed to lose."
[Fac-Palace] Link says, "Look Wonder Boy. Every time I think I've found the one, I'm wrong. I thought it was Zelda. It wasn't. I thought Yuko was, she wasn't. Cassandra, same deal."

[InterZone Chatter] Faust says, "Hmm. Very interesting."
[InterZone Chatter] Cless Alvein says, "And the answer to my question is clearly 'no.'"

[Fac-Palace] Brock sounds like he almost was going to say something.
[Fac-Palace] Jill Valentine says, "Hey, Link?"

[InterZone Chatter] Alex Kidd says, "...Mr. Jack?"
[InterZone Chatter] Station's signal desynchs.

[Fac-Palace] Link says, "..Hm?"
[Fac-Palace] Station says, "I won't lose. I won't go Heartless."
[Fac-Palace] Jill Valentine says, "You want to go out for a drink? I'm about to, and you sound like you need one. I'll pay."
[Fac-Palace] Station's radio clicks off.

The Temple of Fiends is indeed the confluence of Chaos in the lands of the Crystals. For those who can see, they would realize that the power of the Crystals is ever so slowly being drawn and sucked into here, and fed to Chaos itself. The travels of the Light Warriors will eventually end here, but that is something to happen far in the future.

For now, a dark man stands in the shadowed central shrine of the Temple, gazing upon the Orb of Darkness. Bats fly high in the dark heights of the room, the gentle cacaphony of supersonic shrieks echoing eternally. Travis does not move, eyes fixed upon the dark glimmering depths, watching as the light of even the Crimson Anarch is drawn to the orb and swallowed up... And waiting for his opposition.

It had once been said, that even in the greatest of extremity, even in the deepest of nights and darkest of storms, there would always be light in the darkness. Now, in one of Videoland's darkest hours--no matter how its heroes mock at the Heartless, most of them KNOW that this is a threat greater than any they've faced--that eternal promise of light seems a little dim. The interior of the Temple of Fiends seems like an apt metaphor for the overall world at this very moment.
Or so Station sees it. With a soft hiss of cloth on cloth, the once-fallen Gamemaster steps into the shrine. His eyes are drawn--as the shrine was designed to draw them--to the Orb in the center of the room, their usual fiercely bright gray appearing sapped of light by that Orb he gazes on.
At last, when he has seen his fill of the Orb, he raises his eyes from it, to the Heartless standing opposite him. He does not say anything; all the puffery and fire he had over the radio is gone. In its place is simple, cold determination, as he watches his once-rival. And somehow, though it doesn't show in his eyes, Station feels very small in his common white duster; little more than the tiniest point of light in this darkness.

Travis smiles as he notes the arrivial of his Lightside opposite, and turns to face Station, his hazel eyes seeming all the more bright in the deep shadows of the room. "You feel it, don't you, Station? The tug of the Darkness at the strings of your heart?" He slams the butt of his weapon on the polished obsidian floor, and the large doors behind the Light Gamemaster swing shut, slamming with a dreadful finality before shimmering slightly. "Why did you come here, Station?"

Though normally, his paranoia makes him nervy and prone to jumping at loud noises, Station doesn't even cringe as the doors slam. Nor does he look back; the little tingle at the back of his neck tells him that they will be locked. Instead, he raises a hand, resting it lightly on the GunCon at his hip. His mouth is set in a hard line as he stares at Travis, gray eyes cold and steely.
At last, he says softly: "Always have, Gameshark. Always have, and always will." He removes his hand from the GunCon, letting it fall to his side. "...I'm just gettin' better at not listening when it calls." When Gameshark asks that last question, Station allows himself a twitch of a smile.
"You Heartless took my friends. You took my mount. And as a final insult, you took my rival, an' replaced him with--this. I'm getting a little angry at the presumption."

"How predictable, Corey. You never change." The Shadow that calls himself Gameshark continues to stand there, an expression of mild amusement on his face. "Do you pity my new state, Corey? Do you feel loss?" His face becomes less amused and more intense, then, as he clenches his other hand into a fist. "People mock my now-damned existance every day. I made choices, and gave up so much when I was dragged into the darkness. And even then, Popstar was destroyed, despite throwing myself to the wolves for you fools!"

He lets out a frustrated noise as he turns away, looking back into the Orb of Darkness as his tattered trenchcoat billows out. "I'm stuck, Station. Now I'm an advocate of the Darkness, a Heartless... It's a wretched life, but I have NO CHOICE now!"

"Careful, Gameshark," Station warns, softly. "Last time you thought that, I left you for dead on Halo. Though I don't think that quite matters anymore, hey?" He falls silent as Gameshark's amusement wanes, and once more, he shifts his hand to his GunCon once more. Almost as if he feels threatened...but he doesn't draw, and doesn't seem quite ready to.
"Pity you?"
The bright Gamemaster's expression grows a measure darker, and he frowns now. "A part of me always pitied you, Travis," he finally says, frankly. "And this...doesn't make it any better. I know you'd give anythin' up for power, always have...I guess I just didn't see it as clearly as I do now."
Then--then--he draws the GunCon, keeping it low to his side. Most of his fury has ebbed away at this sight, and he's left with a lingering sense of...emptiness. "So y'mean to tell me you didn't go willingly?" he continues, quietly.

Travis breaks his gaze from the Orb of Darkness, and looks up into the black heights. "No, Corey. You never change. You always were a killer. A killer in an innocent boy's body. My only mistake was forgetting that. No, Station, I didn'y go willingly... But at the same time, yes, I did. It's never so simple as a yes or no. You know me well enough for that. If you think I bartered my soul for simple power, you're mistaken. I'm not an idiot... but I'm stuck too far in now, Corey."

He turns again, looking to Station and affixing his gaze upon his opposite once more. "I'm not insane... That's how it seems though. I can't turn back, Corey. I have to carry on... What will you do? What CAN you do? You only have two choices, really. It's not like the old days where we could live and let live. Our plans are in motion. All you can do is join us... Or fight. I, who once manipulated the flow of the forces of Videoland... Am now caught up in it."

There is the softest of clicks as Station's grip tightens on his GunCon. His jaw works slightly as Gameshark says those words, but--at last--he nods at the assessment. His grip relaxes, but he does not reholster the GunCon. "I thought so," he says, simply. "I knew when I told you that a Snow Crash might be needed that I screwed up." Here comes the moment of truth. He looks down at the Orb of Darkness, trying to put his feelings into a cogent form. "I think that's the only time I've regretted tellin' you to go off yourself."
He looks back at Travis, eyes hardening. "Though it's not really any different than the old days, is it, Trav? Live an' let live is what we told people in polite company, what we did to keep Dual off our backs because of his damn insistence that somehow we're special an' outside the cycle of life here. He wasn't here during the old days; he didn't know how things worked then, and he's got these crazy ideas in his head that he dictates how they work now."
Bringing the GunCon up, Station sights on Travis's head, bracing his wrist with his opposite hand. His voice is level; his eyes are flinty. "Well, Travis," he continues, congenially. "I'm gonna have to go with 'fight' on this one. As long as they have you, I'll be bound to fight, or die t'stay out of their hands." A click, as he cocks the GunCon. "Or you do. An' I know you Heartless aren't any more immortal than any of us."
He pauses, and his voice softens just a fraction: "Say the word, Travis, and I put you out of your misery."


"You know I can't let you do that, Corey."

The Cheater bows his head, looking into the black depths of the floor... But is it so different than any other darkness here? "For a decent price, I've banned kindness from my heart... The spirit of all truth and beauty, pawned for my desire..."

Darkness surges around him, violet lambent lightning crackling around him as the shadows begin to... move. "You have to fight, Corey. I can't die. I can't live... But you're not one of us yet. And if you don't... You will be." The Crimson Anarch spins, Travis moving into a battle stance. "Let the Darkness bear witness to our struggle."

All about the room, dozens of eldritch yellow eyes open, and forms melt from the darkness... Floating purple robed Heartless with staff and steeple hat, hulking armored beasts carrying shields emblazoned with three-eyed wolves heads, black spheres trailing black tendrils, bearing gaping maws... All of these manifest, and look on silently as a dark observer to the imminent conflict.

If there is a moment that Station feels fear, it is now, as the Heartless step out of the darkness. He knows now that there is no turning back--either he will win here, or he will fall. And if he falls, he will die, because he will not allow himself to be claimed by the Heartless. He has a momentary madness of pressing the muzzle of the GunCon to his own chin and ending it that way--but that would be giving up too early in the game. He has more confidence than that.
So he looks neither to the left nor the right as the Heartless step out of the shadows, keeping his eyes and gun trained on Gameshark. "Then I cry your pardon, Travis," he says, quietly. "You've fallen a lot father than I thought you would." Now is not the time for honor, not when both their lives hang on the line. As he makes an end of speaking, Station pulls the GunCon's trigger, firing a burst of energy that's all the brighter in the depth of the darkness.


Instantly Travis is on the move, spinning the scythe forward and taking the impact on the energy blade, ricocheting the bright spark off into the darkness ineffectually as he quicklens his pace, sweeping forward to bring the blade up above his head. "Pardon granted, Corey." Red energy flashes as he spins then, twisting around in a circular motion to sweep the blade towards Corey's legs.

Corey goes for the tried and true method of leaping above the scytheblade and forward, his feet barely clearing the crimson sweep of the Anarch. As he falls back to the ground, he flips the GunCon in his hand, lashing out for a point-blank smack with the pommel to Gameshark's dredlocked head. "Good," he grates, as he does.

The pistolwhip strikes Travis in the head solidly but oddly, the amount of resistance one would expect from smacking a person in the face like that... simply not there. Recoiling from the hit as his face reforms from the strike, Travis pivots, shifting his grip as he swings the weapon at Corey like a bat, trying to strike him with the blunt staff section instead of the blade.

Usually, there'd be an exchange of insults here; Corey and Travis's battles have, historically, been as much about their psyches at war as anything else. Now, though, Station has no desire to hurl insults at his fallen nemesis. THAT kind of fight has gone out of him entirely, even if he's still going to fight like a demon for his survival. The lack of resistance from smacking Gameshark across the face throws off his rhythm; he hits the ground, drawing his hand back and glancing at the GunCon briefly, mystified. The Crimson Anarch's staff hitting him across the ribs wakes him up though; it's all too solid, and provokes a grunt and gasp of pain from the bright Gamemaster. He staggers to one side, recovers, and feints high with the GunCon. The real blow is a kick to Gameshark's midsection, trying to send him back a few feet.

One would expect Travis to try to block with the Crimson Anarch, but he doesn't. The weapon is instantly dropped, dissipating into darkness as he turns and twists in unnatural fashion, using his shadowy body to advantage as he defies physics to reach out and grab at the extended limb and try to use it to throw the Light GM. "I've picked up a few new tricks."

That was a surprise. Station's grabbed by the ankle and thrown, crashing into the floor amidst the watching Heartless. Funny, this is like Halo, too--just substitute in the Heartless for the Flood. Corey's not sure which is creepier, but doesn't have much time to think about it. He kips back to his feet, holstering the GunCon and drawing Chrysaor. Crocea Mors...is not on his belt. He ignites the saber with a flick of his wrist, the golden glow suffusing the blackness and lighting the area around him. He does not reply to Gameshark, just takes a slash at his chest with the saber. He's careful to sidestep, trying to keep OUT of range of any more such tricks.

Gameshark tries to twist out of the way, but with nothing to block with, that doesn't work so well. As the weapon bites into his shadowy form, it trails small bursts of light, along with a shriek of pain as he falls back. "It won't be so easy, Corey!" Black energy erupts around him, ensconcing his hands as he raises them and begins throwing gobbets of green flame towards Station.

Station grits his teeth, biting back a reply. One of the bursts of flame bites into his right shoulder, burning skin and clothing alike; he nearly bites clean through his tongue holding in a yell of pain. But after that one that gets through--he doesn't let the rest, twirling the blade with all the grace of the Jedi he so admires and deflecting the fireballs away from him. At last, he's able to unclench his teeth, and takes a strangled breath. Taking Chrysaor's pommel in both hands, he steps forward, and drives the blade point-first for Gameshark's he--where his heart SHOULD be.

Gameshark doesn't even move out of the way as the weapon bites into his chest, grunting in pain as it runs him clean through... But after a wince of pain, he steps forward, running it deeper through his body as blackness still crackling around his hands. "Station... You can't strike what is no longer there..." He brings his hands forward, and they suddenly burst out with violet lightning, striking out and about as the weapon sizzles in the Cheater's chest.

There's a moment there where Station's eyes widen--in horror. Even if he knows Gameshark is made of shadowstuff, it doesn't really hit home until the fallen Gamemaster does...-that-. A brief cry escapes him, and he goes reeling back, trying to free Chrysaor from his nemesis's chest. Too late, though; the lightning strikes him and he goes down on one knee, crying out in earnest now. Somehow, he manages to keep his hands on Chrysaor, even as he's electrocuted, the rest of his muscles jittering with little tonic shivers. At last, he musters the strength to haul back on the sword...and loses his grip on the pommel. It drops, the blade winking out, and rolls away into the darkness. Station falls on his hands and knees, panting through seared lungs for breath.

The blade goes ignored by Travis, the hilt scattering somewhere else as he staggers forward to stand before the Gamemaster who made a mistake. And when you're fighting someone like Gameshark, one mistake can be too many. Looking down to Corey, Travis manifests the Crimson Anarch, and brings one end of the staff down under Corey's chin, gently pushing it upwards. "You're running out of weapons, Corey. What will you use next? What can you fight me with now?"

Station looks up reluctantly as Gameshark pushes his chin up, his teeth grit, blood running from the corners of his mouth from his bitten tongue. He takes a quick and strangled breath, gray eyes defiant as he glares up at Gameshark. He gives no answer--instead, turning his head aside a moment to cough and spit up a gobbet of blood. Then he looks back up at his nemesis, eyes bright with rage. But no hatred--simply...rage.

Gameshark smiles, looking down at the wounded and pained Corey. "Yes, Corey. Give in to the anger. Let the darkness grow in your heart... And open it to us." He steps backwards, the staff vanishing once more as he crosses his arms. "It is only a matter of time, Corey. It is... Inevitiable."

This reminds Station of a movie. He almost chokes on an inappropriate hysterical laugh, before dropping his head and closing his eyes. His hands, on the floor of the shrine, clench into rictus claws...before he heaves himself to his feet. He tosses his head back, meeting Gameshark's eyes...and there is no pain, no fear, and no rage in his own gray eyes now. Gameshark might recognize this--was almost bound to. "...nah," he croaks. "I told you I'm not falling for that a third time." He holds out his hand to one side in a gesture he learned from the movies--

And while he doesn't have the Force, /something/ throws his saber out of darkness and into his open hand. Quick as a flash, he ignites it once more and throws himself toward Gameshark, slashing the saber across his nemesis's body in a fast, deep cross-strike.

Well, that was new. Travis leaps backwards in an attempt to dodge, but nothing can stop the slashing blade from slicing through his shadowed form with a large burst of light, screaming out in anger and pain as the strike lays his body open, to reveal... darkness. Gradually, the massive wound closes, and Travis stumbles back into an ornate column, stopping as he gasps, regaining his balance. "So be it, Corey."

Black energy gathers in his hands once more, running up his hands with seething power, distilling and focusing the darkness into an obsidian blade. Travis lifts the black weapon, and strikes forward with the shadow blade. "You could have made this easy for yourself and given in... But as usual, you continue to DISAPPOINT ME!"

Station is ready for it this time. He watches as Gameshark goes stumbling back; watches the shadows gather form to produce a dark blade for his equally dark nemesis...and he smirks. As Gameshark strikes, Station steps back and to one side, bringing up Chrysaor two-handed to block. He slides his photon saber along the blade of shadow, toward the crossguard--and SHOVES hard, trying to send Gameshark stumbling back off balance. "Cry your pardon, Travis," he says, simply. "You know me--can't do anything the easy way."

Gameshark, weakened from loss of... whatever it is that Heartless are made of, can't keep up with the sudden surge of power and strength that the Furious Angel possesses... Maybe he could before his transformation, but he hasn't had enough time to get used to the drawbacks and benefits of his new form yet. He slams into the same column he pushed himself off of earlier, and growls. "You think that will save you in the end, Station? FALL ALREADY!" He brings his hand up, and flings the blade towards the approaching Gamemaster of Light in an attempt to ward him off... Buy him time... Something.

Station is too close now to simply avoid the strike, and give Gameshark time to run. Nor can he take it through the chest--even if he is in that place just beyond physical pain now, he's getting better at not abusing the hell out of himself. And, a dim part of him reminds, he can't afford to risk death here. He needs to be strong. So as the blade comes flying toward him, he lashes out a hand--and catches it.

It's a bad catch. It's a very bad catch; he grabs it by the blade, slicing up his palm and nearly severing his thumb and little finger as he does. But he doesn't even wince as his blood flows onto the blade. He tightens his hold on to it, barely breaking his stride toward Gameshark--and he thrusts his wounded hand, and the shadow-blade toward Travis.

"Take it. I won't strike down an unarmed enemy."

Gameshark looks Station in his unyielding, implacable eyes, and then flicks his emerald eyes to the blade, then grins as he reaches his left hand out towards the weapon...

Which abruptly evaporates as Travis drives his right hand towards Corey's chest in a knifehand strike. "Except I'm never unarmed, Corey. Hold still, this will only hurt a moment."

CRUNCH. Corey gets a look that can only be interpreted as 'oh #$@&' in those gray eyes as Gameshark drives a hand INTO his chest. He knows exactly what this means, and for a moment, he panics.

// I asked myself, was I content with the world that I once cherished? //

It HURTS. It gets past his defenses, cutting right to the core of the Furious Angel--to his very heart, it could be said. He gasps, an unformed cry in his bloody throat. His wounded hand gropes for the GunCon. Maybe he had enough time, if he couldn't get Gameshark off, he could at least deprive the Heartless of another Gamemaster--

// Did it bring me to this darkened place to contemplate my perfect future? //

His hand is just too mauled, though; he can't even close his fingers in a good grip, and the abundant blood flow leaves the GunCon's grip too slick to hold even with a whole hand. Tears spring into those gray eyes; tears of pain, and rage, and betrayal. It can't end like this--he won't go like Aeris and Cassandra did, like Jack, like Maya Amano, like the Guardian...or even Gameshark, in pain and fear and the darkness. He cannot go like this. He cannot die, and he cannot lose his Heart.

// I will not stand, nor utter words against this kind of hate...losing sight of what and who I was again! //

All these considerations flicker past in less than Gameshark's required moment. There's enough air in his lungs now for a defiant cry, a wordless yell. He brings Chrysaor up as he gives that yell, the blade flashing bright there in the dark as he slashes it across Gameshark's extended arm, his chest--his throat, his opposite shoulder. It's a powerful strike, a desperation strike--if only it works.

Rage, rage, against the dying of the light!

The blade cleaves clean through Travis, separating him clear in two with an explosion of bright, eye-searing energy. His hand leaves Station's chest, dropping back harmlessly as the Cheater's face is locked in a soundless scream of pain and surprise. The concussive explosion seems to emanate outwards, light glowing and shining in a pinpoint candle through the darkness, flanked by rotating orbiting violet points. Time seems to slow, vision distort as a keening noise begins to emanate through the temple, the Cheater evaporating into the darkness as the light begins to fade and disperse, leaving the host of Heartless who bore witness to the struggle behind...

But they too, begin vanishing, popping out of existance with bursts of shadowy darkness. The massive exit door also shimmers, and unlocks, leaving Station free to go as the darkness becomes quiet, still, and (relatively) benign once more.

I will never change my mind...

I will leave it all behind...

[Fac-Palace] Station gives a wordless cry of pain.
[Fac-Palace] Yuko Ahso says, "...corey?"
[Fac-Palace] Jim Raynor says, "STATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1"
[Fac-Palace] Brock says, "...Station? ....Crap....This is /not good/"
[Fac-Palace] Hawk swears, "Damnit. Station. Move through the pain. Where are you?"
[Fac-Palace] Katarina says, "What?"
[Fac-Palace] Brock says, "....Can we get a bead on 'im?"
[Fac-Palace] Katarina says, "What in the bloody hell is going on?"
[Fac-Palace] Rikimaru says, "It would appear that Sir Michael's battle with Cross is going poorly."
[Fac-Palace] Ryu growls. "This is why I don't like the Gamemasters going out on their own for these duels... They all pull stunts like this all the time. Someone at the Palace, trace Station's radio... Now. We don't have a second to spare if Station has been beaten by Gameshark."
[Fac-Palace] Tails says, "No idea. There was just this cry of pain, and everyone started crying out or something."
[Fac-Palace] Jim Raynor says, "if theyc onsume another GM..."
[Fac-Palace] Hawk says, "Station and Gameshark were fighting. Station screamed, most of us can tell it's Station because he does it a lot, and now we're all starting to get worried."

As Gameshark dissolves into light, Station staggers forward, pressing a hand to his wounded chest. He goes further to sag to one knee, gray eyes shining in the blinding light with unshed tears. That was too close. That was...too close. He was literally seconds away from having gone with Gameshark into the darkness, and...
The emotional barriers Station's been keeping between him and the world since the fall of Popstar break down entirely as the shrine falls back to silence and darkness. He had forced Gameshark into this fight because of his rage, his need to get the edge off--and it had nearly gotten him killed. He had not been afraid when he came here, had known fear only for the last few seconds of the fight, but now he was afraid.
Now he was desperately afraid, because he had been standing on the edge of the abyss this whole time, and only now, in that last moment of light, saw how close he had been to falling in. If--if--if he had hesitated a moment more in striking with Chrysaor; if he had succumbed to his fear, that would have been the end. He would have gone gleefully to free Cassandra, to join the victorious army slaughtering all who resisted, making prisoners and Heartless of the rest, looting by right of the sword...and thanking his dark god to the sounds of battle.
Deactivated, Chrysaor clatters from Station's numb fingers to the floor of the shrine. His other knee falls--and then he falls forward, resting his forearms on the floor and burying his head in them. The last of his defenses crumble, and there in the dark, he begins to cry.

[Fac-Palace] Tails says, "He's Station! He's gotta win! Or at least get away, right?"
[Fac-Palace] Hawk says, "He'll be right, I'm sure. No matter what people might say about Station, he's a survivor."
[Fac-Palace] Yuko Ahso says, "Doesn't mean he doesn't need help!"
[Fac-Palace] Tails says, "I mean, Gameshark... He's a bad guy. Of course he's gonna get eaten or something. But Station's different, and he's good, so he'll be okay. Mhmm. Besides, he's got about...everybody on this channel ready to jump out to help him if he needs it."
[Fac-Palace] Hawk says, "I know that, Yuko. But I'm just saying that he'll be all right."
[Fac-Palace] Ryu says, "Better safe than sorry. I think it's a bad idea to go /anywhere/ alone when Heartless are involved. It is proven to be a stupid thing to do... It should be done only in last resort, not first resort."
[Fac-Palace] About a minute later, Station can be heard sobbing for breath...or perhaps just sobbing.
[Fac-Palace] Tails says, "..erm..."
[Fac-Palace] Hawk says, "It's Station against Gameshark. It goes beyond Heartless, I think."
[Fac-Palace] Rikimaru says, "Sir Michaels...? Is that you?"
[Fac-Palace] Hawk says, "Station. Tell us what's wrong, if you can?"
[Fac-Palace] Brock says, "Or where you are."
[Fac-Palace] Katarina says, in her best 'listen to me' voice, "Where are you, Station?"
[Fac-Palace] Hawk says, "That'd help as well, Station."
[Fac-Palace] Station audibly takes another half-minute to regaining his composure, choking and half-sobbing into the radio. "...ih...I...th-the Shrine, Aldi Sea..." He swallows hard, and goes quiet again.
[Fac-Palace] Brock says, "....I don't know where that is."
[Fac-Palace] Rikimaru says, "I do."

Rikimaru arrives from Aldi Sea - Kingdom of Coneria.
Rikimaru has arrived.

Gameshark escapes into a warp zone.
Gameshark has left.

[Fac-Palace] Tails says, "In the Adventure lands."

Hawk arrives from Aldi Sea - Kingdom of Coneria.
Hawk has arrived.
Katarina arrives from Aldi Sea - Kingdom of Coneria.
Katarina has arrived.
Goofy arrives from Aldi Sea - Kingdom of Coneria.
Goofy has arrived.

[Fac-Palace] Ryu says, "Whoever is going... Be sure to let us know what happened as soon as it happens."
[Fac-Palace] Brock says, "Right. I'm really edgy about leaving Kanto at all. Otherwise I'd go help."
[Fac-Palace] Hawk says, "Will do. I know where it is, I'll be going there."

The central shrine of the Temple of Fiends--the one that holds the Orb of Darkness--that was so lately disturbed by the battle between a pair of Gamemasters is now quite silent. The Orb pulses placidly, sucking in any light incident upon it...and the only sign that anything happened at all are few spatters of blood here and there on the shrine's walls. And Station...
As the commotion kicks up on the radio, Station uncurls from his kneeling position on the floor. He struggles to get control of himself, wiping one blood-smeared sleeve of his duster across his eyes. Then he swallows hard, and gets to his feet. He leans down to pick up Chrysaor with his whole hand, the other tucked against the gaping wound in his chest.
"...too close," he says to himself shakily, as he limps toward the shrine doors. "...that was too close..."

Rikimaru drops wordlessly out of a portal, the shadows concealing his arrival nicely. Sword in hand, he scans the area swiftly for signs of Gameshark, before relaxing marginally and returning his blade to it's scabbard. Making his way over to Station, he scrutinizes the wound and makes a summary quickly, noting, "You look like shit, Sir Michaels." With the opening 'greeting' out of the way, he produces a small white jar with a red cross on it, unscrewing the cap and offering it to Station with a terse, "Drink."

And among the various people racing to the scene is... the noble lady Katarina, who is tromping through the muck and marsh on the way up from where the portal dropped her off. "Damn," she curses beneath her breath, looking behind herself to make sure that the real ultimate power of Goofy is still following behind her. "Why can't anyone ever have fights near the entrance?"

And one of the first to rush in to save an old friend, is Hawk, the thief. And no, he's not actually here to steal Station's wallet, no matter what you may think. Hawk soon rushes into the shrine, past the shrine doors, both his daggers unsheathed and ready to slay some Heartless Gameshark. He looks around. Blood, Blood, Blood, Blood, Bloody Station, Blood, Blood, Bl...wait, back a few. Bloody Station. He sighs, running towards him, nodding towards Rikimaru. "Gameshark doesn't seem to be around. I think you may have won, Station." He then nods, "Yeah. Drink that. I should have some chocolate somewhere, or maybe a honey drink. I'm sure they'd help a little bit, until we could get you back to the Palace."

Goofy is tromping after Katarina, clanking, and clomping, "I think it's a rule, Miss, you gotta do it all the way in or not do it at all. That way, you have to think before getting into a fight so you don't get into any needless ones.", he says mindlessly.

As Rikimaru shows up, Station--well, he can't startle. There's not enough energy and paranoia left in him for him to jump. So instead, he gives the ninja a pathetic, damp-eyed look. He doesn't bicker about the drink, though; he reaches with his free hand--which reveals the severity of the wounds to both it, and his chest.
The former is mauled, two parallel scores of near bone-depth across the heel of his palm and the bases of his fingers. His pinky and thumb are the worst off; it looks like he caught a sword, and would have severed both if only he'd clamped down a little harder. The chest wound...is right over his heart. There's only one thing THAT can mean, and the fact that Station is not urGoth and laughing his head off at this very moment can only mean it failed.
He pauses, realizing the mauled state of his own hand, and drops it to his side with a hiss. Clipping Chrysaor to his belt, he reaches with the whole hand to accept the jar from Riki's hands. He knocks it back without protest. Surprisingly, he does not have words for anyone who's arrived to 'rescue' him. Maybe all his focus is going into not collapsing.

Katarina turns her head to say in complaint, "Well, it's almost as if they place these things so that people will get assaulted by monsters on the way! I'd think it was a defense feature, but they must find it inconvienent to get their on their own, so -- oof!" That 'oof' came from the Grey Imp that leapt out of a tree to jump on her head! Having knocked Katarina into the sludgy marsh, it looks at Goofy, beady little eyes squinting.

Rikimaru
Within the shadows of the area, a figure seems to coalesce. Approximately six feet in height (6'0), the figure is male and appears wholly at home in the darkness. Lean of build, he is just shy of being whipcord thin in stature. His hair is kept in a short, brushy cut, and is a somewhat sickly shade of bone white. Underneath that are a pair of glitteringly dark eyes, the right of which has a vertical scar running from just above the eyebrow to down on his cheek. It does nothing to detract from the intensity of his gaze, however, which is piercingly bright and focused. If one could see, similar scars of training litter his body, concentrated mostly on his upper torso and lower arms, but with lesser amounts scattered across him from hairline to toe.

The garments of this pale specter are stark, unrelieved black. Black slippers, the soles made of a tough yet silent hide while the tops are covered in black-hued steel plate that runs up his calves, adorn his feet. Tucked into them are black hakama, slightly loose on him for best movement and covered from just under his knee to down on his feet in black steel guards. A light long-sleeved black tunic goes over his upper body. Over this, is a heavier tunic that consists of blackened chainmail mesh and light leather, the leather covering his back and most of his front, with the area around his throat, under his arms to his waist, and along his upper arms covered in the dark steel mesh. Fingerless gauntlets of black fabric encase his forearms, with more of the darkened steel covering the backs of his hands and down his forearms. A simple silken mask, snug against his face, covers the lower half to the nose, tugged over it and secured. A final touch to his outfit is a single, black-wrap hilted katana slung over his left shoulder, the scabbard oiled and meticulously tended.

A Forest Imp pops up in front of Goofy, but he simply runs over it with his usual style, trips, accidently kicks the creature in the mouth, and then goes sailing straight towards the Grey Imp, threatening to crash into it, "Yahahahahaoooiiee!!", he screams.

Hawk raises an eyebrow, looking over Station's injuries, not having had the time to look them over before. He ain't no priest, or a medic, but he knows bad wounds when he see's them. He then says the thing you shouldn't say, "****, you're in bad shape, Station." He reaches into his pocket, pulling out a small candy, all wrapped up. Quickly unwrapping it, but waiting for Rikimaru's drink to be finished before he does anything else. Then, when it is, he looks at Station, "Open your mouth to take this. Won't be as good as some things, but you don't really have to do anything to make it work. Just keep it in your mouth."

And Goofy and Katarina are still trying to get there. That's what you get for not being a 1337 ninja.

Rikimaru frowns as he examines the damage, "That will take more than a single healing potion to mend." He glances to Hawk, "We require two long, strong sticks or staves to make a stretcher. He should not be forced to walk." He promptly begins pulling what looks like spare clothing and begins tearing it into long strips.

Already, though, the effects of the healing potion can be seen--Station's wounds are beginning to knit together, clots forming and torn tissue healing over without scar. He offers the jar back to Riki mutely; some people liked to reuse them. To Hawk, he holds out his mangled hand--no longer looking so mangled--for the candy; apparently, no matter how hurt he is, it's beneath his dignity to just stand there and be ministered to.
Even if the thought of requiring a stretcher does make him cringe on behalf of his wounded pride.

Katarina says, "Blorb." Mostly because there is an imp on her back, and those suckers can be a little heavy. However, the small grey demonic-looking creature looks up in comical horror before it suffers the ultimate indignity - crushed between a skinny noblewoman and a clumsy dog-man! The noise is sort of like what would happen if you threw a cabbage at a wall, really hard.

Party has gained 8 XP and 4 GP!

[Fac-Palace] Rikimaru says, "We have found him. His wounds are severe... and his attitude does not suggest success. Make ready a bed, he will need treatment immediately upon our return."

Hawk grins at Station, handing him the candy. "Just keep it in your mouth, and it'll work. You'll be fine, don't you worry." He then quickly nods at Rikimaru, "Right. I'll get right on it...in fact...." He trails off, quickly reaching into his pocket, withdrawing a long spear, it fitting in there through the mysteries of an RPG. He simply raises an eyebrow, "Still wonder when I got this off Lise. Must of accidentally picked it up." He then shrugs, turning around, before stabbing it into the ground, moving the spear quickly to the left after it's stuck. He's just getting rid of the spear point, that's all. Then, placing that on the ground, he turns to Rikimaru, "I'll get the other one as quick as possible." He then dashes outside, looking for a big long stick. Then, thankfully, he notices Katarina and Goofy, he shouts out to them, "We need a sturdy, and long, stick for a stretcher! Do any of you have one?!"

Is that a spear in your pocket, Hawk, or are you just happy to see Station?
...
Habba.

Victory for the good guys. "Ouwcch! Good thing someone broke my fall, hayuck!", he hops up to his feet and dusts off his armor with his big..hands. "Gwarsh, are you okay, miss?", he asks her.

Once Hawk's handed the candy over, Station's happy enough to pop it in his mouth and keep it there. He remains standing just as he is otherwise, hands hanging at his side, his demeanor almost palpably weary and broken down. You try fighting your nemesis to a standstill, nearly getting your Heart ripped out, and then crying out all the emotion you'd been holding back for four months and see if it doesn't wear you out.

Katarina twitched a couple of times, and then clambers up out of the marsh - her cloak filthy with marsh-juice as well as imp-juice. "Euuuugh," she says, with an expression of complete and utter disgust crossing her dirtied face for a moment. And then she spits out a small frog. "... let us never speak of this again."

Rikimaru grabs the overturned throne from Garland's time in this place, and sets it up, guiding Station over to it. "Rest for now." He continues tearing strips until he deems it enough, then starts weaving them together carefully, making a stretcher-like affair and sliding one of the poles through one side. "I require the other pole before I can complete this..."

And Hawk gets no response! Damn Imps, detracting all attention from him. Anyway, Hawk shrugs, supposing he didn't shout loud enough for Kat and Goofy to hear him, so instead, he starts looking around for a big strong stick. Small stick, long but thin stick. Thick stick....which is very short. All kinds of sticks, except of course, for the type needed. He shrugs, and continues to look around outside the shrine. There's got to be some kinda big long thick stick around here, after all.
Goofy blinks, and blinks again, "Gwarsh, Alright miss, I'll keep it see-ee-crit.", he even raises an index finger to his lips and says, "Pinky swear.", must be why he can't count.

Once more, Station doesn't have it in him to resist. He lets himself be guided over to the throne, before sitting down with a huff of a sigh. He immediately curls in on himself, resting his elbows on his thighs, lacing his fingers before his head, and bowing it.

[Fac-Palace] Jim Raynor says, "I have an idea, its a bit insane but might work vs the Heartless."
[Fac-Palace] Samus Aran says, "Spill."
[Fac-Palace] Jim Raynor says, "We get Guts Man and Guybrush to start singing at them."
[Fac-Palace] Samus Aran says, "..."
[Fac-Palace] Hawk says, "..."
[Fac-Palace] Hawk shudders.
[Fac-Palace] Rikimaru says, "... Sir Raynor? I am revoking your speaking priviledges."
[Fac-Palace] Alucard says, "..."
[Fac-Palace] Jim Raynor says, "What? It was just an idea and I'm turning in before I get any more wacko ideas."

Goofy follows after KAtarina, carefully, which means he only stumbles and makes loud noises instead of falling into someone like, say, Katarina or something like, say, Station's injuries.

Hawk then grins, finally spotting what should be a good enough stick, Hawk jogging towards it, picking it up and weighing it, before tapping it to make sure it isn't hollow or anything, and then running back towards the shrine. However, at the entrance, he turns to look at Katarina and Goofy, still in the distance. He tries to shout out once again, "YOU TWO! SPEED UP IF YOU CAN! STATION'S BADLY WOUNDED!" He was shouting that out, loudly. Yes indeed. Hopefully they'll hear him. He then dashes back in the shrine, running towards the throne, stick in hand. He breathes deeply, nodding at Rikimaru, "I've found one. It should be good enough." He places the stick down on the ground.

Rikimaru accepts the stick with a nod of thanks, then slides it through the other end of the woven cloth, finishing the makeshift stretcher. "Now to create a portal out of here. Do you happen to have the ability to do so, or shall I?" While he asks this of Hawk, he is helping Station onto the stretcher, carefully monitoring the wounds in case they decide to spring open and start gushing blood or something else inconvenient like that.

Katarina says, lifting her voice, "We're hurrying! Is he being attacked?" There shouldn't be anything else in the temple to eat Station or anything like that. Well, Creeps, perhaps, and maybe an Ogre/Creep alliance. However, the marshy ground begins to give way, and Katarina pauses to wring some stinky marshwater out of her cloak.

There's only so much that can be said about how obedient Station's being. As Rikimaru lays a hand on him again, the injured Gamemaster raises his head, gray eyes cloudy, before rising carefully and moving over to the stretcher. He sits down there, a little of that stubborness lingering--he's not going to lay himself flat out right yet, no.

Hawk shakes his head at Rikimaru, "I don't...but I don't advise you would either. I think it would be best if we got him to a proper, stable warpzone. He's in bad shape, and Warpzones sometimes have the tendency of opening up in the air. Which can hurt." He moves to help Rikimaru move Station onto the stretcher. "But...you're more experienced than I am. I'll leave it up to you. Goofy and another Hero...Katarina, I think, are arriving. They might have a better idea."

Goofy winces and covers his big floppy dog ears with his hands. God, he is so dopey looking. He is rather slow, however, so he says, "If you can go faster, you don't need to make me hold you back.", he pauses, and then offers Katarina an elixir, "If you're hurt, you can use this, hayuck1"

Rikimaru rolls his eyes slightly at Station's stubbornness, but doesn't comment. He nods to Hawk, "Normally I would be worried. Fortunately, however, there is a way to create a stable warp that will not drop us. I will link the exit point of the warp created to the local warp inside the Palace for this world. It will take me a little time to make it stable, so I leave guiding the others within and keeping Station safe to you." Hawk's last point of wisdom receives a nod, "If they have a better idea in mind, then using that would be wise. I will prepare anyway, just in case." Rising to his feet, Rikimaru moves off a little to a clear space, and begins focusing, preparing for the task at hand.

Katarina blinks a couple of times. And the little lightbulb appears over her head as she accepts the elixir, looking up into Goofy's big, dopey eyes and saying, firmly, "Thank you very much. We will repay you." And then she begins to hustle over towards the temple, calling out, "Can he drink?! Is he conscious!?"

Goofy is big, is dopey, is looking straight at Katarina, and as she flees for Station, he stands still for a few more moments, blinking, and blinking again. Is it possible KAtarina is going to give it to Station? But he gave it to -her-, she can't pass it on! It wasn't a 'give' command, it was a 'use' command! Well maybe it was Give. Goofy isn't very dexterous. He follows a bit after the lady.

Station just sort of sits there mutely, drawing his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them. He keeps his head low, occasionally seeming to nod off for a moment or two before snapping back awake again. One of these times, he actually raises his head, glancing around the shrine as if expecting Gameshark to pop out of the woodwork and go for his heart again. When that does not happen, he bows his head once more and hugs his knees a little tighter.

Hawk simply nods in return to Rikimaru, "If you say so. I'll take your word for it." He then dashes outside, exiting the place, but not going very far away from the doors, "He's conscious...barely. He's badly hurt. We're going to transport him back to the palace, but it might take a little bit of time. So any help would be appreciated." He yells all that, of course. And then he waits.

Katarina continues up into the temple. She has the grail, dad! SHE HAS THE GRAIL! And then she comes upon Station, as he lays there, half-dead and looking like he wishes he was most of the rest of the way. "Station," she says, crouching down beside him - ignore her marshy smell, that wasn't her idea. "This is... an elixir. If I understand correctly, it will heal you. Do you want it?" For all she knows, he may have a moral imperative against healing items.

With the way Station's been chugging healing items tonight, the poor boy's going to be addicted. He raises his head as Katarina comes over, and gives her a slight nod as she offers the elixir. The less time he spends on his back, the better; and apparently, Riki needs him stable before hauling him through a portal.
Well, something needs to be stable, and Station's brain is no longer working due to massive blood loss.

They are addictive, why else would Goofy and Donald drink them all the time? It's because they need MORE to get the BUZZ. Why do you think you need to graduate to higher levels of healing items such as hi-potions and elixirs? Yeah, yeah, you think it's okay once you start out on potions or tonics, but soon you'll be chugging down the hi-potions and the megatonics, and then soon the megapotions until you're taking ELIXIR, DRUGGIE!!! Potions won't be able to give you the buzz for long, oh no, oh no, you'll soon realize to heal all your hp, you're gonna need the heavy duty drugs. "Gwarsh, will he be okay?", Goofy says. Just look at him, it's worse than a dope addict.

Use Healing Items. Don't Let Healing Items Use You.

Katarina then looks at the fluid in its cute little bottle, before looking at Station and handing it over. "Erh... I'm not sure how it's used." Where she's from, you put healing items on the wounds, but this isn't a Big Gulp sized elixir; it must not be wasted!

Station has been everywhere from the Final Fantasy zone to the Sonic zone. If there's a healing item, he's probably seen it in use or used it himself. Granted, due to performance worries, he did not try healing in Vice City. He accepts the elixir from her hands with a nod, and uncorks it before, well, chugging like a fratboy of yore. Next time, some part of him thinks, we're doing the usual 'walking him #$^@beat' routine.

Rikimaru completes his preparations, and looks to Katarina, "It is meant to be drunk, from the appearance of it." Turning to face a conveniently empty space, he goes through his normal portal chant, albeit with a bit slower pace due to the complexity of what he is attempting. As always, the appropriate hand motions are made, since what he's chanting IS a hand motion list, ironically. Nine small blue flames surround the area he is focusing on, each turning into a kanji as it is named. "Rin. Pyo. Toh. Sha. Kai. Jin. Retsu. Zai. Zen." Finally he brings his hands together, then pushes them palm-out at the circle, announcing, "Kuji-no-In!" The circle of kanji becomes a circle of blue flame once more, with a purple-and-gold portal hanging within it.

Goofy watches Station chug it proudly, like a pusher to a someone going at it for their first time. Which obviously isn't the case for Station, but Goofy is proud that his elixir came in handy and it shows. He's so sunny he's creating his own gravitational pull.

Katarina looks over at Rikimaru as he babbles his crazy jap-speak. Why, back during the war, he would've been put in a camp for that kind of talk! But it does generate some kind of portal, and Katarina says quietly to Station, "Do you need help?"

And Hawk simply watches as everybody does their stuff. His part in this little scene is basically over, time for the others to do things. He will stick around, though. I mean, somebody has to carry Station through. And he's probably stronger than Katarina (And he's a chivalrous male who won't let females carry weight when he could do it for them) And Goofy is just....Goofy. Leaving Riki and Hawk to carry the things. He then nods at the Portal, "I'll get one side of the stretcher, when you're ready."

As before, Station offers the drained elixir flask back to Katarina as he's finished with it. When she asks if he needs help, he licks his lips--looks away from her, giving a slow shake of his head. No, he doesn't need help. Or rather yes, he desperately needs help, but that's all psychological so he's fine now really!

Rikimaru quietly says, "Just grab the stretcher and carry him out. I will be last, for when I go the portal will close. Take him swiftly to the medical bay." He remains concentrating, holding the warp zone he created steady by sheer force of will.

Goofy shouldn't be the one to carry him out. Unless you want to kill Station with accidents. Goofy instead marvels at the portal. It's just so amazing!
Hawk then quickly nods, grabbing one side of the stretcher, before nodding at Katarina, "If you would, could you please take the other end...not trying to insult Goofy...but I hear he doesn't exactly have the best of luck, when it comes to slipping and stuff."

Katarina doesn't listen to all of this macho BS - she goes right to punching Hawk in the gut until he throws up blood! By which she means, she crouches down further (after pocketing the flask) and slides her arms underneath the Gamemaster's legs and back. And then, with a deep breath... hoist! Up he goes. She then says, puzzled, "Stretcher? Do you mean a pallet?" to Rikimaru. While Station is obviously rather heavy, she doesn't seem to be struggling to hold his big ol' gamer butt up.
Hopefully, this won't make an artery rupture and squirt right into her face. If it does, though, Goofy has a chance to waste a PHOENIX DOWN!

wtf. Station blinks as Katya goes and PICKS HIM UP. Just like that. He shifts a little, putting an arm around Katya's shoulders by reflex alone to stabilize himself. Fortunately, he has been chugging so many healing items that he is now rather closer to the full end of his HP bar, so his once-messy wounds are now more oozy and scabby than messy. But he's not sure what to think by the fact he's being carried by a girl.

Hawk shakes his head, sighing. "..." Then he shrugs, and grabs the other end of Station/the stretcher, so he can at least say that he was being lifted by a guy and a girl. And then... he just waits for the the girl to move, which he'll move in time with, so as to not cause Station any undue harm. I mean, elixirs aren't perfect. Look at Cloud after he got dropped into the Life stream, elixir wouldn't of helped him there, no siree. *sage nods*

Katarina looks at Hawk a bit strangely as he lifts up Station's feet, and then... starts to move towards the portal, going a bit slowly due to the ]100lbs of Gamemaster in her arms.

Somewhere along the line here, and perhaps to spare himself the embarassment, Station's body just gives out on him. He goes limp rather suddenly in Katya's arms; though there's no sign of distress. He's just...asleep, all at once.

Comments

[remliel.livejournal.com]

Mmmm... that was a very cool RP. :D