Troops Come Marching In

[stringmods]

It's finally tournament time, which means it's time for the cavalry to move on out. When the rescuers make their way to the abandoned factory that had been named as the entrance by Q, it's rather easy to spot where their destination was. In fact, they were greeted with the appearance of extremely out of place grecian columns and ancient-looking ruins, complete with a large set of stairs leading downward; there might as well be a big neon sign with arrows pointing downward and the caption "HEY EVERYONE!! HERE IT IS!! ENTER THIS DUNGEON!! WIN FABULOUS PRIZES AND LOOT!!!" It's a rather alarming testament to just how powerful rumors are in this town, if the Junes saga wasn't indication enough.

Reiko, a member of the Seven, awaits them at the entrance with her Jack Frost standing at her side, clutching two strange objects in her hands as every assembles.

"I took a look around inside before you got here," she began, a matter of fact tone to her voice, though it was still light despite the gravity of the situation. "It's something else in there! Looks like they've set up some kind of maze inside... You'll have to get through it if you want to find the others deeper inside.

"You'll split up into two groups to get through it; Eikichi, Rock, Kotoha, Ruri and Yosuke on one, and Nano, Shinjiro, Lucas, Lucina and Billy on the other. It'll make it easier for you to get through undetected, but be sure you stay together with your groups, OK?"

She moved forward with the devices in hand, handing one off to Ruri and the other to Nano. "These are courtesy of Q-- they'll teleport you and any others in a short radius back outside here, but they're one time use only. Make sure to only use them once you've found all of the others, OK?"

Once she'd handed them off, she stepped back out of the way of the entrance, her Jack Frost following at her side. "I'll stay out here and watch your back; if you need anything, you can contact me or Q over the CommLink. Good luck! And try not to get anyone killed!"

Comments

NEXT ROUND | CHARM (MIND, ALL)

[stringmods]

Well that had been an...interesting round. Taking out their glasses again, the twins began their stock-footage routine.

"CONDITION!" Eros raised his hands to the left.

"RANDOMIZATION!" Anteros raised his hands to the right and you know the rest and so on...

"END RESULT!"

Everything poofed away and disappeared again, as they removed their glasses and casually placed them in their pockets.

"Sweet we don't have Persona, heheheheh. Let's give our powers a little whirl!"

"Time After Time.."

[40% charm spell!
NUMBERS: 2, 9, 3 & 7
> RURI IS CHARMED!
> KOTOHA IS CHARMED!
>> AND HER POKEMON TOO!
> YOSUKE IS CHARMED!
> EIKICHI IS CHARMED!
> MEGAMAN IS CHARMED BUT IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER!]

"So hey, what do you guys think about standing down and singing praises about us?"

[unbroken_chain]

Kotoha raises one hand.

"Oh! I've been in a musical before! I can sing! Tesla, keep the beat!"

At her command, the UFO start to emit a funky beat. Kotoha quickly clears her throat before launching into a song.

"They all ended in failure.
There may be other days as rich and rare
We couldn't share.
And made me believe you've got more thrills to spare

You're so puppy-like.
I would give it all - I would sacrifice
When you wanted to fight but decided to hide behind a wall.
I write a letter each and every day

FOREVEERRRRRR
You make it easier when life gets hard
We are already on it.
To an island where we'll meet

You're so puppy-like.
I would give it all - I would sacrifice
When you wanted to fight but decided to hide behind a wall.
I write a letter each and every day"

(she came up with it just now)

[flyonadog]

"...but I can't stand down, thanks to your genius interpretation of the rules laid out!"

Not quite an expected charm response, but Rock tried.

[bakegarasu]

Don't mind Otoha he's just going to stand here and look confused/embarrassed.

[electricyousei]

The problem with Ruri liking you is she's even LESS likely to put up with your bullshit than usual as she wants her friends to grow past that. And while her player is no song writer, imagine a song accenting that even though the pair are idiots, with poor fashion sense, that are too dense to understand the concept of negotiation, she's MODERATELY CERTAIN they aren't child molesters.

And this is not done to a cheery beat.

EX: Ruri Version http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It1UpXDCOts
ACTUAL VERSION http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_HgF0kdmqY

[deathboss]

Eikichi begins to sing and...

CHARM CANCELED

[stringmods]

"STOP HIM!" The two brothers covered their ears, as blood began to pour forth. While the other songs seemed to have calmed them, the false security was nothing that was Eikichi's 'attack'. For humans it was just annoyance. For certain demons, it could spell their doom.

Besides, not everyone was a fan.

> Charm effects nullified!

As the twins continued to cover their ears, there was enough time to look at the wall and maybe figure out a way through...

UNIQUE SKILL | QUAKE DRILL (GROUND)

[flyonadog]

Thank goodness for being able to quite literally tune things out, even if they were helpful... "Good job, Mister Michel!" Rock grins, and able to move once more, he revs up the drill on his arm and shoves it into the ground, directing a tremor in the twins' direction. Hopefully the wall didn't go through the ground as well!

UNEFFECTIVE (...?!)

[stringmods]

At first the attack seems to have worked somewhat as the twins let out a small protest as they both fall from the quake. However the joy is short-lasted as they dust themselves up.

Looks like most of the attack was absorbed by those floating heart wall.

The twins then, in a very mature manner, extend their hands and blow raspberries at all of them. All's fair in love and war.

WALL ANALYSIS!

[electricyousei]

Ruri shakes her head a bit and frowns very very slightly, then turns to the wall and sighs, activating her computer and all its scanning powers.

"Omoikane. I need a way through that wall that doesn't involve firing the gravity blast cannon at this area. Let's analyze it together."

Her persona appears behind her as well as she and her computer join it in trying to figure a way past the stupid thing.

SCAN RESULT

[stringmods]

It arrives second-last remaining in family, Yet then circles obediently. And while it is upfront in the vicinity, It stands second in destiny. The answer to this riddle will give you this door's true key.

[electricyousei]

"If this wall is defeated by love I'm going to need aspirin."

[deathboss]

"I have no idea what's going on, but if it's something needed to open the wall, then it's definately love, chica."

[stringmods]

The twins stared at both of them, jaws open wide.

"How did you--"

[deathboss]

"You're posers," Eikichi said quite frankly without a tone of emotion, forgoing the irony of him of all people saying that. "You're just both two momma's boys trying to pretend to be tough so that your dad is proud of you. Trying to hard never helps, you know that right?"

[stringmods]

"Our mom thinks we're cool..."

[unbroken_chain]

Kotoha doesn't even say anything in response to that, just covers her mouth with one hand and stares at them with something like pity.

...no, scratch that, it is pity.

Her Pokemon get in on the act as well. Even the Magnezone.

[bakegarasu]

"I've seen the 'tough guy' act before. You don't pull it off well."

And with that, Otoha summons Yatagarasu for another Skewer.

[electricyousei]

"This is the stupidest thing I've heard in...."

There is a pause and Ruri just shakes her heat.

"Maybe a week. Some days I hate this place."

She sighs and looks at the two.

"You do know that every other word out of your mouths has been love right? Wouldn't making the way past your defenses something like pi to the 827th be smarter?"

[stringmods]

It causes them to puff up in anger that can only be describe as childish tantrums as they nearly effortlessly dodge the Skewer attack.

"Hey! We are NOT stupid! If your theme is love, what else would you put, huh?!?!"

[unbroken_chain]

Kotoha gestures to Tesla and points at Anteros before replying.

"Tomatoes. Aren't they also called loveapples?"

The words practically drip scorn, and as she finishes speaking Tesla launches a Thunder Wave at the indicated twin.

[electricyousei]

"Well, if I was dealing with standard humans I may code it as 01101100011011110111011001100101. That really wouldn't work against be, but I'm going to assume you are working defense as opposed to seeking out people based on compatability with your strategy. Tomatoes also work, perhaps arranging roses in a way that would put the red one on top of all others could also be an idea."

She shakes her head.

"If you'd like to stop fighting and we can discuss ways of working this out I'd be happy to comply."

[flyonadog]

"And I thought Dr. Wily was prone to the obvious," Rock mumbles as he shakes his head, then revs the drill on his arm up for another round of localized quaking, as it worked to a degree before.

"I'd advise taking Miss Ruri's advice," he adds, a bit louder.