[ERR vs. STD] The Rise, A PxR Text Adventure RPG.

[The Nonexistent Tazz]

Welcome, one and all, to the Text Adventure I have been inspired to make! Please be aware, updates to it will be sporadic due to Updating something else that I want to give more importance to.

Mods, if this feels more OK towards Fun and Games, please redirect it there, but this is considerably more complex than most F&G stuff.

Rules, because we need them.

0: Obey PxR rules. Please people.
1: 1 Command per set per poster. Our protagonist will attempt to do every command that he sees fit to do. Outside of this, try to keep other posts to a minimum.

...That's literally all I have. Huehuehuehue.


----

You are now...ZETTA.

You are a rather rough individual with a past audacious enough that it would almost prove the old addage that truth is stranger than fiction, if not for the fact that you are FICTIONAL, as is EVERYONE ELSE in the swath of existence that you may interact with. Still stretches the WILLING SUSPENSION OF DISBELIEF to its breaking point, but that's not why you're here.

You are a DITTO, albeit, unlike most, you can actually do a PROPER FACE. You do not yet know the significance of, but as this is the case, you are obviously unrelated to what we will call the SUPREMACY, or for that matter, the OPERATIVES or the REGIME. You have heard whispers of what they are and that they're all jerks in their own ways, but not who they actually are (or in other words, you are clueless as to the ongoing conflict that has just sprouted that we must refer to for clarity's sake). In any case, you are already transformed into a powerful body (one that is human-like), and due to a complicated series of events in your BACKSTORY, you do not currently possess the ability to transform beyond stretching your body in ways that, for the regular human being, is IMPOSSIBLE. You can transform back into a DITTO but you see this as POINTLESS, for now. You have access to other formes (FORMES, with an E) but they are limited to a specific TECHNIQUE due to unfortunate circumstances.

You stand on the outskirts of a massive CITY, known as the CROSSROADS for some reason you don't get. You do not know anything about the CROSSROADS. You are aware it is MIDDAY EXACTLY, though. You wouldn't be here right now, if not for an unfortunate series of events. At the same time, these events have scattered the pieces of an artifact known as a SOULRING here. You need it, BADLY, and you would be willing to do anything to get your hands on the missing pieces. It is of dire importance, even if only for yourself and maybe a 'FRIEND.'

There are four pieces total of the SOULRING-you luckily managed to count. Fortunately, you have managed to hang on to the first piece of the SOULRING, at least. The other three have landed in different districts of CROSSROADS CITY, and you suspect, rather grimly, that their nature-plus the nature of PLOT-has lead to their aquisition by HIGHLY INFULENTIAL INDIVIDUALS.

Fortunately, you are no stranger to MURDERING, ANNIHILATING, or TORUTURING, and you are willing to do ANYTHING, as said, to retrieve the SOULRING parts. It's absolutely vital, more than they'll ever know.

After all four SOULRING parts are retrieved, your task is simple: GET OUT OF DODGE. There is no point in sticking around here, especially during a TIMECRASH. It will get ugly.

Anything can be explained on-demand, for anyone who wants to make a >COMMAND. With all out of the way...

What will you do?


>Check Inventory

Your Inventory is as follows: One OBLIVION'S TOPPER*, One ABYSS*, One STRANGE AEON* (untransformed), One MANTLE OF MANY SPHERES* (all of which you have equipped), One SOULRING PART*, One UNDOER, One UNDOER BULLET, One INFINITE AMMO CRATE (cheater), Three BLANKS, Two SKELETON KEYS, and 30 of the local currency that you found lying around, aka POSTS. You do not know why they are called POSTS.

Any item followed by an ASTERISK is one so bound to your being that it cannot be stolen from you. Anything else is fair game, so don't be foolish.


>Check Abilities

You will ignore any ability given to you by INVENTORY ITEMS for the purposes of this list.

Your abilities include:

A mastery of the PSIONIC ARTS pretaining to TELEPATHY and MIND CONTROL.
A sway over the very powers of DISASTEROUS HAPPENINGS, that both protects you from them and inflicts them upon enemies in extremely destructive manners.
A mastery over most, if not all forms of ARMAMENTS.
Powerful sets of skills known as BIG SCENES, which you may detail on-command for more information.
And, of course, the fact that you are the PROTAGONIST. Even if you are not a PARTICUARILY HEROIC PROTAGONIST, the power of being a PROTAGONIST is incredible.


Finally, on a cap of 20 for max, your stats are as follows:

HP: 20/20
VIM: 12/14
CELERITY: 12/14
IMAGINATION: 13/15
PULCHRITUDE: 17/19.

HP is OBVIOUS. VIM is a measure of PHYSICAL STRENGTH. CELERITY is a measure of SPEED and REFLEXES. IMAGINATION is a measure of CLEVERNESS and INGENUITY. PULCHRITUDE is a measure of PERSONAL CHARM and PERSUASIVE PROWESS. All of these stats are at their normal values; if you are out of any combat situation in a SAFE AREA, you may REST to reset all stat points to these values. The former values are the current values, a measure of your physical ability; the latter values are your CAPS, which you cannot exceed.

While you can technically have stats with maxes of 0 without dying, this is extremely bad as this makes any task requiring even a slight use of that stat impossible and cripples you in other ways. The exception is, of course, HP. If you have 0 HP, current or max, you are DEAD.

As before, any questions on any of these can be asked at any time with a >COMMAND.


>Check BIG SCENES.

You don't need to allcaps stuff, but it helps. in any case, you check your BIG SCENES.

First are your SEQUENCES, which are specific maneuvers that have proven and powerful effects. You currently have sixteen total, 4 for each branch. Each higher level of a technique forces a greater cooldown on when the next can be used-a turn for EACH LEVEL, so a Level 1 SEQUENCE can be used every other turn, while a Level 4 SEQUENCE can be used only once every five. However, as should be obvious, later sequences are stronger. Most only deal damage, but a few do additional effects. Finally, you cannot spam a sequence over and over; if you use one sequence, the family that sequence is in will be logged and you must use a different one. You have four, though-shouldn't be too bad. Do note, however, that they operate off of different STATS.

1: Mind Killer/2: Dreambreaker/3: Ego Eater/4: Oblivion. STAT: PULCHRITUDE
1: Disaster Master/2: Gaia's Wrath/3: Calamity Trigger/4: This is it. STAT: IMAGINATION
1: Smashforme/2: Items On/3: Wombo Combo/4: Final Destination. STAT: CELERITY
1: Saltwater Strike/2: Seven Seas/3: Whirlpool/4: Bottomless. STAT: IMAGINATION

The last set of sequences, for the record, does not in fact involve water at all. Anything else can be gleamed by asking about it.

You currently have 0 in all RITUAL COMPONENTS, so you will skip CLIMAXES, which require them, until you accrue a source for them. Unless asked. You want to keep to what could be immediately relevant.


>Assess current situation

There is quite frankly nothing between you and the CITY's outer limits. You do not know about the CITY of CROSSROADS at all, apart from the fact that 3 ENTITIES in POSITIONS OF POWER have taken hold of SOULRING PARTS, and that it is governed by a series of Moderators and Administrators, headed by a being known only as HKIM.

Your sensory information detects no obvious entities nearby to AMBUSH you. You DO sense a greater scope of threats WITHIN the city, including a few that well OUTPOWER your formidable abilities, but this does not concern you, yet. You are more than competent enough to OUTMANEUVER these entities, or that failing, PERSUADE them into making sure they do not kill you, should you run afoul of them.

You also get the feeling that, while not already present, entities from YOUR PAST may show their faces around here...More specifically, ENEMIES. If you spend too much time here (no matter how cautious you are) they WILL come to find and kill you. While this is harder than it looks, if they succeed, this is GAME OVER.

...You are annoyed by all the standing around. You know what you have to do. It's just a matter of doing it. That being said, you feel considerably more open in letting people decide their actions, on the condition that they are not COMPLETELY CONTRARY TO YOUR STATED GOALS. If so, you will let those people know that THAT KIND OF INTELLIGENCE WOULD HAVE FLUNKED KINDERGARTEN.

Now, the all-important question...

What will you do?


----

Location: Crossroads Outskirts: City Gate
Time: 12:00 PM
Time Spent: 00:00:00

Zetta's Stats:
HP: 20/20
VIM: 12/14
CELERITY: 12/14
IMAGINATION: 13/15
PULCHRITUDE: 17/19.
BIG SCENE COOLDOWN: Ready!

INVENTORY:
POSTS: 30.
Equipped: OBLIVION'S TOPPER* x1, ABYSS* x1, STRANGE AEON* x1, MANTLE OF MANY SPHERES* x1,
Stored: SOULRING PART* x1, UNDOER, UNDOER BULLET, INFINITE AMMO CRATE, BLANKS x3, SKELETON KEYS x2.

Other entities: N/A

Goals:
Obtain all other SOULRING PARTS, at ALL COSTS, in the FASTEST TIME POSSIBLE.

Find 1st Soulring Part
Find 2nd Soulring Part
Find 3rd Soulring Part



----


>...

[EmeraldSky]

While I can understand the reasoning why this would be a good fit here, it may be better off in Fun and Games, so I'll move it there for you.

[The Nonexistent Tazz]

Thanks for the relocate.

[Sir Sivelos]

This is my territory now. Mwahaha.

This looks fun though. I don't have the time to respond now, but I'll definitely keep an eye on this.

[Steven_Six]

Holy what huh wow

Well then. IF THIS WERE ON OUR SIDE I MIGHT PARTICIPATE.

[Neo Emolga]

I'm guessing this is a everyone controls the same one character kind of thing?

[AWA1997]

This looks interesting, but I'm just going to sit back and watch for a bit once the ball starts rolling.

[The Nonexistent Tazz]

I honestly expected one command from y'all even given the low number of posts. But whatever.


Holy what huh wow

Well then. IF THIS WERE ON OUR SIDE I MIGHT PARTICIPATE.

Well, let's put it another way! Zetta isn't on THEIR side.


I'm guessing this is a everyone controls the same one character kind of thing?

Yes indeed.


This looks interesting, but I'm just going to sit back and watch for a bit once the ball starts rolling.

I quite frankly think the only way to get the ball rolling is a >COMMAND.


>...

[pokemon trainer Felix]

> look around crossroads

[Steven_Six]

WAIT WE COULD GET HIM TO HELP THE ZOROARK INTERVENTION

//LAUNCHING DITTOKILLER.exe
>Review Items(Effects)
//In other words, we don't even know what most of these fancy things do. Always make sure you read descriptions and such, dammit.

[The Nonexistent Tazz]

> look around crossroads

You observe the CITY of CROSSROADS and specifically this AREA. You are on the outskirts, nearby a CITY GATE, which is manned by a MINUN, who seems terribly average. You can tell from the sign above that this leads into a section known as the F&G DISTRICT.

You resist the urge to even think about a joke made by replacing that AMPERSAND with, well, AMPERSAND minus MPERSAND. You believe it has already been made anyways.

Just from impressions, you do not seem to be near FACTORIES or HIGH RISES so you suspect this might be a place for GAMBLING or other PARTY-LIKE FEATURES. You don't quite know. You can see NEON LIGHTS ABOUND, though, so you can take a guess.


WAIT WE COULD GET HIM TO HELP THE ZOROARK INTERVENTION

//LAUNCHING DITTOKILLER.exe
>Review Items(Effects)
//In other words, we don't even know what most of these fancy things do. Always make sure you read descriptions and such, dammit.

Zetta rejects your DITTOKILLER.EXE! He is here for his own reasons and you will not magically shove other motives upon him! Plus, he doesn't know anything about the SUPREMACY or the INTERVENTION anyways! Too early!

As for your check command...

OBLIVION'S TOPPER: A simple gray topper. It's meant for someone rather famous for his TRIANGULAR SHAPE, but he had donated it to 'you' after a convenient arrangement. This hat is well-worn and one of the few things you really like. On-use, with a 30-minute cooldown, you may attempt to DOMINATE any entity of choice by entering their mindscape and screwing up their memories. Barring SIGNIFICANT POWER DIFFERENCE, you will almost always succeed. The DOMINATED effect only goes away upon the expiration of either you or the entity afflicted, or a 3rd party intervention by an EXTREMLY STRONG PSIONIC. You may alternatively go for a weaker mode of fire that launches ORCHID FLAMES, which interfere with the code enough that it can inflict BURN even to FIRE-IMMUNE ENTITIES, which incurs a 10-minute cooldown. In both uses, bonuses are derived from PULCHRITUDE.

This hat is the best thing since sliced bread.

ABYSS: Your replacement left arm, a fist of flaming Indigo and ancient runes. You keep it under a glove for the most part, only unveiling it for FIGHT SCENARIOS. This is for good reason: This hand's abilities are off the chain. Posessing power over the COSMOS and OBLIVION, it is one of your primary go-to weapons in combat scenarios. It can also morph into a variety of forms, limited only by size (nothing bigger than yourself) and your IMAGINATION. This extreme flexibility incurs PENALTIES to IMAGINATION and CELERITY dodges. This weapon runs off of IMAGINATION. Oh, and don't worry-unless you WANT it to burn something it will not burn whatever you grab with your left arm.

STRANGE AEON: A heavily modified Burial Blade (http://bloodborne.wiki.fextralife.com/Burial+Blade), or rather, one which, through machinations that are not relevant to this game, was infused with the powers of DEATH and the COSMOS. It may shift between a long curved sword, which can be wielded in one hand (letting you use ABYSS simultaniously), or you may shift it to grab hold of a two-handed SCYTHE. In both forms, a proper application of force can create a sword beam made of COSMIC energy, which almost nothing resists (or is weak to). Favors fighting at range and skill over brute force, and thus scales off of CELERITY. The blade glows an unusual Indigo color whenever the sword beams are triggered.

MANTLE OF MANY SPHERES: A mantle. It is normally gray, inert and uninteresting. However, when activated (which will be during combat), its interior changes to patterns of the stars and Indigo runes light its surface. As you could expect, this has power over the COSMIC, but also the MENTAL, giving you extraordinary combat options. It naturally is mostly a defense, and gives bonuses to PULCHRITUDE and IMAGINATION defense, though it can also be used for attacking normally. It runs off of PULCHRITUDE.

You are a sucker for COSMIC ENERGIES, if only for reasons of NOT BEING RESISTED. You are one of the very few people who CAN resist it naturally, as an added bonus, so why not? That being said, you do not have a heavy preference for any particular power outside of that.

SOULRING PART: Part of an ANCIENT SOULRING. While not terribly powerful, it's terribly rare and its effects nearly unseen in all of the worlds: The ability to take the local ether and generate it into an ARTIFICIAL SOUL. This is where your real plight begins: You lack a SOUL. It is not as horrible as you may think it is but you feel somewhat empty at all times, not to mention the powers that SOULS can naturally bring, including perhaps the most important of all: the coveted RESPAWN. If you die, you die for good. However, the ability to RESPAWN would take care of that, which given your ULTRA-LETHAL life, is ALMOST CERTAINLY FOR THE BETTER. You need a SOUL to RESPAWN, however.

By the way: SOULRING PARTS are HUGE. You are NOT hiding them easily, but fortunately your HAMMERSPACE INVENTORY can take in objects of its size. (weight is not a problem for you at all for non-equipped items).

You notice 3 glass orbs on the SOULRING PART you possess. They seem to be showing events in other places...SEEMS. You are not entirely sure if this is WORTH YOUR TIME.

THE UNDOER: You would desire the ability to RESPAWN, but this marvelous contraption will do until then. Also known as THE GUN THAT CAN KILL THE PAST, this marvelous weapon takes the form of a seemingly simple revolver with a double-long barrel bent back at the firer. It would seem fitting of a joke, but it's not. It can serve two functions. First, if you die, then this will trigger as a DEAD MAN'S SWITCH to FIRE AT YOU with the REVERSED BARREL, which will KILL YOUR PAST. This gives you a SINGULAR respawn at an earlier SAFE POINT. You have it set to this mode. The alternative, however, is to STRAIGHTEN THE BARREL to use the UNDOER to fire upon an enemy; this will KILL THE FUTURE of the enemy attacked, which, on top of the serviceable BULLET, will amount to INSTANT DEATH that CANNOT BE UNDONE BY ANY MEANS.

There is one drawback, however...

THE UNDOER BULLET:...And that is extremely limited ammunition. Your INFINITE AMMUNITION CRATE, detailed below, cannot generate UNDOER BULLETS. They are RARE to the point of basically being PRICELESS, and even without the UNDOER to unlock their TRUE POTENTIAL they are works of art and, to the unawares, sell for high prices. In other words: You only have ONE instant-death bullet or ONE pseudo-respawn, and they are MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE. You are unlikely to receive more.

INFINITE AMMUNITION CRATE: For everything else (except the ABYSS, which already had INFINITE AMMO), this exists. It is a box of limitless AMMUNITION that you may reload any other weapons you find with. It is compatible with almost ANYTHING, so no worries. You will still need to RELOAD, however, as this is not an INFINITE AMMUNITION CLIP.

BLANKS: In case things are getting too hot to handle. BLANKS, which take the form of BLUE SHOTGUN SHELLS, can be used to automatically stop ALL INCOMING ATTACKS and STUN ALL INCOMING ENEMIES. Perfect for making a break for it or getting a pause in a relentless offense to turn the tide. These cannot be created with the INFINITE AMMUNITION CRATE, and must be found/purchased.

SKELETON KEYS: Marvelous contraptions that can unlock anything, and we do mean ANYTHING. However, they permanently morph into the key that can open that door and ONLY that door (if any other doors are opened by that same key, count it as luck).

POSTS: MONEYMONEYMONEY

And that's everything. Wow, that took a while for just looking at stuff.

The Guard over at his post is waving at you, attempting to get you to come closer.


----

Location: Crossroads Outskirts: City Gate
Time: 12:00 PM
Time Spent: 00:00:30

Zetta's Stats:
HP: 20/20
VIM: 12/14
CELERITY: 12/14
IMAGINATION: 13/15
PULCHRITUDE: 17/19.
BIG SCENE COOLDOWN: Ready!

INVENTORY:
POSTS: 30.
Equipped: OBLIVION'S TOPPER* x1, ABYSS* x1, STRANGE AEON* x1, MANTLE OF MANY SPHERES* x1,
Stored: SOULRING PART* x1, UNDOER, UNDOER BULLET, INFINITE AMMO CRATE, BLANKS x3, SKELETON KEYS x2.

Other entities:

F&G Gate Guard: Waving you over. [N]


Goals:
Obtain all other SOULRING PARTS, at ALL COSTS, in the FASTEST TIME POSSIBLE.

Find 1st Soulring Part
Find 2nd Soulring Part
Find 3rd Soulring Part

[crystalcat]

I may as well join now that this game has started up a bit. Didn't want to give the appearance of it being active without the reality of community interest.
>Walk over and talk to the guard.

[W32Coravint]

> Walk over and talk to the guard. If you don't know what the "F&G" in "F&G District" stands for, ask him what it stands for.

[Steven_Six]

//Since everyone's in agreement, i shall change my command to continue OPERATION: SELF-EXPOSITION.

>Review BIG SCENES(Effects)

//And as i have a PHD in odd logic, i have a stupid question. If you fire the undoer to kill the future of someone who also has an undoer, when their undoer fires to kill their past, would that revive them from the impossible revival? By killing the past, they kill the bullet that killed their future, right?

[The Nonexistent Tazz]

Note: Not all posts will be in-order, some orders rearranged for purposes of ordering properly.


//Since everyone's in agreement, i shall change my command to continue OPERATION: SELF-EXPOSITION.

>Review BIG SCENES(Effects)

//And as i have a PHD in odd logic, i have a stupid question. If you fire the undoer to kill the future of someone who also has an undoer, when their undoer fires to kill their past, would that revive them from the impossible revival? By killing the past, they kill the bullet that killed their future, right?

You already did that earlier!

Perhaps you mean 'Inspect SEQUENCES?' You're only taking one set of them at a time, mind.

As for your question, which Zetta can totally notice by the way, you are 99.999% positive that you are the only one in existence with the UNDOER at the present time. There is only ONE UNDOER and it is made with UNIQUE COMPONENTS that cannot be replicated by any means. That being said, should you attempt to KILL YOUR PAST after having your FUTURE KILLED through the DEAD MAN SWITCH, you will be successful...BUT, the instant you reach the point in time when your future was killed, you will instantly DIE as you no longer have any time beyond that point. In other words, you can, but you won't last long.


I may as well join now that this game has started up a bit. Didn't want to give the appearance of it being active without the reality of community interest.
>Walk over and talk to the guard.


> Walk over and talk to the guard. If you don't know what the "F&G" in "F&G District" stands for, ask him what it stands for.

You walk over to the GUARD at the GUARD'S POST. The MINUN GUARD is wearing a cap and something of an officer's uniform, and has badges displaying, well, a CROSSROADS predominantly. You suspect he or she (you can't tell gender at a glance with most POKEMON) is low-ranking enough to not be a MODERATOR or any higher city power. Your high PULCHRITUDE allows you to notice that the MINUN GUARD is eyeing your face rather suspiciously. He/she quickly drops this after a second has passed, however.

"Welcome to the Crossroads," says the MINUN GUARD in a voice feminine but rather low for such a small creature. She seems mildly irritated at something. "We need identification papers for anyone moving into the city right now, for any reason, dangerous times. Are you visiting for the day or are you staying overnight?"

She proceeds to cough into his arm and away from you. You notice a YELLOW FLUID where she coughed on, too yellow to be merely natural mucas.

As for the truthful answer to the MINUN GUARD's question, it's unlikely you're not going to be staying here for some time barring a windfall of fortune giving you all three pieces before the day is out. There might be benefits.

You are about to ask about the F&G thing when you notice the CITY MAP within her GUARD BOOTH. It displays a street map of the CITY, and indicates you are entering on the SOUTH section of the city into the GENERAL DISCUSSIONS QUARTER, FUN AND GAMES DISTRICT. You have literally no idea why it's named that, of all possible things, because you're definitely not entering an AMUSEMENT PARK. The other districts are OTHER CHAT DISTRICT, the MEDIA HALL, and the GROUPS AND CLUBS DISTRICT.

Aside from that, there are four other areas:

NORTH is the POKEMON DISCUSSIONS QUARTER, housing the GENERAL POKEMON DISCUSSION, the NEWEST POKEMON GAME DISTRICT, the PREVIOUS GENERATION DISTRICT, and the OTHER POKEMON GAMES DISTRICT.
EAST is the POKEMON RPG QUARTER, consisting of the ANIME-STYLE BATTLING LEAGUE, the GOTTA CATCH 'EM ALL DISTRICT, and the POKEMON ULTRA RPG DISTRICT.
WEST is the CREATIVE QUARTER, consisting of the ROLEPLAY STAGE, WRITER'S DESK, ARTIST'S EASEL, and COMICS CENTRAL.
Finally, in the CENTER is the COMMUNITY BOARD, hosting COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS, the POKEMON NEWS CENTRAL, the SUGGESTION/QUESTION BOX, and the WELCOME LOBBY.


"If you need a map, they're over in the Welcome Lobby, digital interface and such, teleportation pads includ-" The MINUN GUARD coughs into her arm again just before she could finish that sentence. "If you're not visiting you'll need to go there to get arranged and such...It's just a straight shot from here, just keep going north."

You have literally no idea what's going on with these NAMING CONVENTIONS, but you take the information to heart.

The CITY MAP is considerably more detailed than what you have gleamed, but you will not remember the information any more specific than the DISTRICTS. To get an idea of where to go in the city, you will need a CITY MAP.

"If you're here to visit, sign the form there...If you're here to stay for at least one night, I'll need to do a quick search for the more full forms, OK?"

You nod. Your goals have been updated: You must get into CROSSROADS CITY and obtain a CITY MAP. Any means are acceptable.

Now, what will you do?


----

Location: Crossroads Outskirts: City Gate
Time: 12:01 PM
Time Spent: 00:01:00

Zetta's Stats:
HP: 20/20
VIM: 12/14
CELERITY: 12/14
IMAGINATION: 13/15
PULCHRITUDE: 17/19.
BIG SCENE COOLDOWN: Ready!

INVENTORY:
POSTS: 30.
Equipped: OBLIVION'S TOPPER* x1, ABYSS* x1, STRANGE AEON* x1, MANTLE OF MANY SPHERES* x1,
Stored: SOULRING PART* x1, UNDOER, UNDOER BULLET, INFINITE AMMO CRATE, BLANKS x3, SKELETON KEYS x2.

Other entities:

F&G Gate Guard: Awaiting Response to Visitor or Non-Visitor question.[N]


Goals:
Obtain all other SOULRING PARTS, at ALL COSTS, in the FASTEST TIME POSSIBLE.

Find 1st Soulring Part
Find 2nd Soulring Part
Find 3rd Soulring Part

Enter CROSSROADS CITY
Obtain a CITY MAP

[Steven_Six]

>"I'll probably be here a while... And, uh, are you OK?"
(While pretending to listen, go over effects of Smashforme sequence family)

[W32Coravint]

> Ask the Minun what happened to her to give her those... weird coughs.

[The Nonexistent Tazz]

>"I'll probably be here a while... And, uh, are you OK?"
(While pretending to listen, go over effects of Smashforme sequence family)


> Ask the Minun what happened to her to give her those... weird coughs.

"Oh, just some flu." The Minun said. "There's always cures and it always passes...Are you one of those weird types who wants this stuff?"

Zetta swiftly decides for you that, no, he is NOT one of those types. "No thanks."

"Ah, yeah, some weirdos come here just to catch it. It's annoying to others, though, like me...Bluh, Neo and his stupid PSGs, throwing around plague like candy...Mph, better than the..." The Minun mutters as it dips under its desk. You fail to catch what this FLU is better than.

Scanners suddenly go off above your head, and monitors blink to life, only noticable by the faint glow above. "Sorry, just added precaution! Intruders and liars are getting into the City all day..."The Minun says, looking at the screens. Her eyes kind of fall into a more angered pattern-she doesn't like what she sees.

"...Alright then, if you're staying for more than one day, just fill this out and take it to the Welcoming Center, there's a place for it inside, again, straight shot..." The MINUN GUARD says as she lays out the forums. They're those kind of double-sheeted ones that leave an imprint on the back of the page-one for her and one for you.

It's odd enough that she hasn't asked to hand over your weapons (granted, they are CONCEALED), but the tone of voice she has taken has basically confirmed a suspicion all to itself: She is almost certainly not going to let you through the gate willingly, for whatever reason. You may have to prepare yourself for force...

Meanwhile, you review your Smashforme Sequences, preparing for battle. In short: the limited transformation powers you do possess are both extremely temporary and limited to this technique, but unlike other Ditto, you have perfectly memorized (and can thus morph into) any of the ton of Super Smash Bros characters from all rosters from all four games and Project M-up to four at once, in fact, splitting to do the job, or morphing into a new character to do so.

Level one is a simple, quick beatdown by a four-man squad which then morphs into a one-man fusion with no real regards to technique. Level two, ITEMS ON, makes your four-man self get crafty with surrounding elements and will INCREASE DAMAGE if COPIOUS GARBAGE or HANDY ITEMS are lying around nearby. Level three, WOMBO COMBO, has you use your advanced skills to shove an opponent (or opponents) into a recreation of the legendary Wombo Combo itself. Finally, level four, FINAL DESTINATION, has you morph into a singular combo entity to unleash their combined final smash on the targets.

...SPEAKING OF BATTLE, you decide to also review your BATTLE SYSTEM. It is reasonably simple. Once engaged in a BRAWL, you will automatically do checks for who goes first in the fight (as per TURN-BASED BATTLE rules). If your CELERITY is highest or you have obtained ADVANTAGE, you will move first; otherwise the enemy does so. Ties go in your favor automatically due to your BATTLE-HARDENED NATURE.

As for your OPTIONS, your BRAWL MENU's commands are: BRUTALIZE (your basic attack), BIG SCENE (guess), BRAVE (An aytpical command that you haven't seen many others use; waste a turn this turn, but gain a second action next turn. You can spend up to two turns doing this, but you cannot use BRAVE or any other action in the same turn); BRACE (Defend command), BRANDISH (Use an item), and BACKSPACE (run).

This, of course, assumes the enemy honestly needs your input. For TRIVIAL encounters with only WEAK enemies in non-excessive amounts, Zetta can INSTANTLY KILL ALL ENEMIES to end the encounter. (If you want a peaceful resolution you'll need to make checks). STRONG enemies always prompt a use of the BRAWL, and then weak enemies become non-TRIVIAL. Weak enemies in EXCESSIVE NUMBERS can also become equivalent to a STRONG ENCOUNTER.

In any case, surprisingly, the forms do not seem too bad. You need your name, age, date of birth, gender (you will write male as you don't think of yourself as very feminine), a password (for purposes of safety), your primary email address (you'll probably give them a proxy as a safeguard), a...captcha check (?), a referrer to know who sent you (if any), your preferred Timezone (what) and your species. Your used to paperwork like this, and after reading through the usual smalltext with reasonable speed, you detect no signs of falsehood on the legal markings of the documents-this looks completely legitimate despite the Guard's barely-concealed suspicion of you.

You can start working on this or interrogate the Guard. Or kill her. You could probably just jump over the GATE, there do not appear to be any defensive systems in place. You can jump pretty high, your record is roughly the roof of a two story building.


----

By the way: On other entities, here's a quick checklist of faction tags for the future.
-[N] is Neutral. They have no pre-existing alliances that are relevant to you OR that you know of. The default.
-[A] is Allied. They will be happy to lend a hand in whatever way they can.
-[H] is Hostile. They are your enemies, and you must pacify or kill them.
-[R] is Rampant. They are enemies to EVERYONE and are basically psychopaths. They cannot be reasoned with, kill on-sight. ALL factions will attack these guys.
-[PAST] is the HAUNTINGS OF THE PAST that are AFTER YOU. They will come to TAKE REVENGE FOR YOUR MORALLY DUBIOUS ACTIONS. They cannot be reasoned with, but they are also excessively powerful so killing them is going to be extremely difficult-you may just have to BACKSPACE.. They will appear once certain temporal thresholds have been reached. Assuming that they are not somehow ALREADY HERE. They are not always part of the same faciton, by the way.
-[BOSS] is a BOSS, natch, and can be of any faction, even [A]. These are naturally extremely tough enemies. There are subtypes of boss. It would be unwise to make enemies of these guys if you can help it.
-Other tags will appear as you find them, particuarily the FACTION TAGS, which will indicate where one's allegiances lie, if you can detect them. (Your high PULCHRITUDE will ensure this for the most part.)


----

Location: Crossroads Outskirts: City Gate
Time: 12:01 PM
Time Spent: 00:01:30

Zetta's Stats:
HP: 20/20
VIM: 12/14
CELERITY: 12/14
IMAGINATION: 13/15
PULCHRITUDE: 17/19.
BIG SCENE COOLDOWN: Ready!

INVENTORY:
POSTS: 30.
Equipped: OBLIVION'S TOPPER* x1, ABYSS* x1, STRANGE AEON* x1, MANTLE OF MANY SPHERES* x1,
Stored: SOULRING PART* x1, UNDOER, UNDOER BULLET, INFINITE AMMO CRATE, BLANKS x3, SKELETON KEYS x2.

Other entities:

F&G Gate Guard: Hiding Hostile intentions. Waiting for you to sign the papers. [H]


Goals:
Obtain all other SOULRING PARTS, at ALL COSTS, in the FASTEST TIME POSSIBLE.

Find 1st Soulring Part
Find 2nd Soulring Part
Find 3rd Soulring Part

Enter CROSSROADS CITY
Obtain a CITY MAP

[W32Coravint]

> Fill out the form while staying alert for anything suspicious from the guard.

[crystalcat]

>Surreptitiously prepare ABYSS for battle. Otherwise, fill out the forms.

[Steven_Six]

>Yeah, let's just act normal for now. A simple Minin shouldn't be too hard unless there's a Plusle nearby for Plus/Minus Sp. Attack boost... Also, go over Mind Killer family of BIG SCENES, unless a battle starts, in which-case, focus on fighting.

[The Nonexistent Tazz]

> Game: Revive from the dead.

WE AREN'T THE DANCING DEAD YET

Save that groovy grave for later!


>Yeah, let's just act normal for now. A simple Minin shouldn't be too hard unless there's a Plusle nearby for Plus/Minus Sp. Attack boost... Also, go over Mind Killer family of BIG SCENES, unless a battle starts, in which-case, focus on fighting.

The Mind Killer SEQUENCES (seriously learn the lingo) are reasonably simple: Telepathic psionics used to wreck mental gorilla. The First state is just some mild, mindless havoc. The 2nd form, Dreambreaker, tactically removes all trace of any Hopes and Dreams the target has, crushing them under despair. Ego Eater, the 3nd form, is the elimination of all mental limiters to make people go insane in a sudden frenzy of barely-contained feelings-this may cause a brief BERSERK state.

The 4th and final form, OBLIVION, works differently. A PULCHRITUDE check is made: If the enemy's pulchritude is higher than yours, you will merely deal damage, and damage subpar for its rank at that. However, if you win out, then for one turn plus every increment of 4 your PULCHRITUDE is higher than the targets, that enemy will fall under your (complete) control by way of overlaying a fierce passion for your well-being and servitude to you. IF there are no more enemies on the field, then they will gleefully commit suicide or allow themselves to be slain by you, or do anything you ask of them. Useful. Do note, the control lasts much longer if you are out of combat.

A note: On ties, the Defender wins.


> Fill out the form while staying alert for anything suspicious from the guard.


>Surreptitiously prepare ABYSS for battle. Otherwise, fill out the forms.

You keep your eyes halfway towards the guard as you fill out the forms. Your penmanship isn't nearly as neat as a result but, surprisingly, the Guard, though watchful, fills you in the whole way through with nary a quibble. You are still prepared for a fight even as you hand in the form to the MINUN GUARD.

For purposes of sanity, you decide to speed this along a bit and tactically decide to NOT shoot the guard while her back is turned on the grounds that, should legality even remotely come up, it will be beneficial to act as if you were only fighting back in reasonable self-defense and weren't presuming things that 'may have not been' (definitely were) the case. She feeds the form into a MACHINE. You haven't put on any FALSE information beyond proxy emails, by the way. After a few minutes, the machine DINGS, and the MINUN GUARD pulls something out of it.

"Here y'are. Just take it to the Welcome Center, up the main road. I'll open the gate. Cheers." She says, barely failing to contain her contempt. Of course, your ears catch this stuff.

"Thank you." You respond.

The MINUN GUARD turns again, opening up the gate.

You see resistance on the other side: More 'Electric Rodents' as they are commonly called. Pikachu, Raichu, Pulse and Minun, Emolga, the odd Dedenne or Pichu, but the whole lot of the family was there.

They are a WEAK ENCOUNTER and you have INITIATIVE. You detect tehir hostile intentinos as they're lined up just outside the gate and are pointing weapons at you. What luck, too-all on the same level, easy for one horizontal attack to kill them all. They're just about to fire.

You quickly remove the glove on ABYSS, and use it to, in essence, make a GIANT SWORD to cut down part of the gate and the whole lot of them before they get a chance to pull their triggers. The last look on the faces you see is surprise as their ambush fails them and they die of being sliced in half.

You have slain (approximately) 29 ELECTRIC RODENTS through your quick thinking. Minor MEMORIES OF CONFLICT emit from them, their last thoughts. These are your source of EXPERIENCE-Collect enough (500 to start) and you may gain an additional point for your stats, including HP, OR an additional SEQUENCE. You unlock CLIMAXES through finishing sets of SEQUENCES, as well. MINOR enemies only drop 1 apiece; MAJOR enemies may drop far more. Violence isn't the answer all the time, by the way: successful DIPLOMATIC RESOLUTIONS also get benefits.

You point ABYSS at the MINUN GUARD. She mutters a rather fowl word of surprise. You smirk. It appears she is definitely aware of her odds, at least.

You've killed the guards so fast the gate hasn't even opened yet. Heh. It stopped midway through, but you can see enough inside thanks to the hole ABYSS carved. The guards within apparently hadn't thought of you getting further. There appears to be a storm drain of some kind, lining the path between, and a second gate. You may just need to destroy that, or get the MINUN GUARD to open it for you.

"Muk-Snot Scum...!"

You turn towards the MINUN GUARD after assuring there are no further entities left alive. You're going to have to deal with her-either through death or through coersion. As a note: Going the nonviolent route is generally harder. You can instantly kill her, though, and can certainly destroy the SECOND GATE if this is an issue.

What will you do?


----

Location: Crossroads Outskirts: City Gate
Time: 12:01 PM
Time Spent: 00:01:30

Zetta's Stats:
HP: 20/20
VIM: 12/14
CELERITY: 12/14
IMAGINATION: 13/15
PULCHRITUDE: 17/19.
BIG SCENE COOLDOWN: Ready!

INVENTORY:
POSTS: 30.
Equipped: OBLIVION'S TOPPER* x1, ABYSS* x1, STRANGE AEON* x1, MANTLE OF MANY SPHERES* x1,
Stored: SOULRING PART* x1, UNDOER, UNDOER BULLET, INFINITE AMMO CRATE, BLANKS x3, SKELETON KEYS x2.

MEMORIES OF CONFLICT: 29/500.

Other entities:

F&G Gate Guard: Angry at you. Hostage. Can Open second gate. Held at Abyss-Point. [H]
Dead Rodent Squad: Very dead. Formerly Hostile. Have odd badges.
Second Gate: Obstructing the path. Can be destroyed. Doesn't have a faction because it doesn't think.


Goals:
Obtain all other SOULRING PARTS, at ALL COSTS, in the FASTEST TIME POSSIBLE.

Find 1st Soulring Part
Find 2nd Soulring Part
Find 3rd Soulring Part

Enter CROSSROADS CITY
Obtain a CITY MAP

[Steven_Six]

>As omnicidal as we are, we need to make SOME FORM of attempt of making a good impression. Our past knows we are omnicidal, and they will follow the carnage. So, we shall simply threaten, with intent to kill, but we will not go through with it all.

"Open. The. Gate."

Oh, and in a crazy Self Exposition continuation, let's go over NOT ACTUALLY DO the Disaster Master sequence family.