Side One, Ep.2 "Double Dog Dare"

[Legendary Sidekick]

Diana rushes to the hole. There is too much smoke to see what happened, and it seems those who can hear are no wiser. Emma's eyes well with tears, though she and Hanako didn't appear to be friendly with each other. Addison says, "The brave fool…"

Before she can say more, Beatrice assures everyone, "She lives. The fire and the fall hurt her body, but her soul did not depart."

 

[Ireth]

Diana

I sigh in relief, looking down through the hole. We should go down there and help the others. But what's the safest way down from here?

 

[JRFLynn]

Jeisera

"We'll find her. She'll be okay!" I firmly say, trying to assure the rest, as well as meself. Crouching near the edge, I'm resolved to go first and scout ahead. "I've got a crazy idea, if you don't mind slobber and sticky fingers."

Reaching into my bag, I pull out some sugarplum chewing gum that Pidge offered as pranks at the festival. Never thought it would come in handy, honestly. Tossing a few in my mouth, I chew vigorously for a minute or two before pulling a thick purple string from my lips. The magic infused threads are surprisingly strong, but I have to work fast before the gum hardens! Folding and pulling once, twice, thrice times, I smack one edge on the ledge, while wrapping the other firmly in hand. I'm hoping the rope will stretch on the way down. Never know with pixie pranks.

"Eh, sorry, can you step on that for me?" I ask Emma Bison, flashing a flimsy smile. It is kinda gross. "Let's go get Hanako, and kick more beast-hind while we're at it!"

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Emma isn't sure what to do. "Um… if that sticky stuff will hold you, will I get it off my shoe?"

Addison says, "You girls can do as you will, but if you'd rather try me rope…" Addy fires her grappler gun into the hole. A meaty thunk is heard. "Uh, I'm pretty sure Hanako didn't land anywhere near where I fired, so me grappler's likely buried in roasted ape meat."

Emma says, "I'll help you hold it."

Beatrice says, "Diana? Jeisera? Shall we go in?"

 

[Ireth]

Diana

I look from Jeisera's chewing-gum rope to Addison's grappling hook, and decide to trust the latter. I sheathe my sword before moving to shimmy down the rope, holding my breath against the stink of smoke, burning wood, and burning flesh.

 

[JRFLynn]

Jeisera

A big smile creases wide, as expected no one likes slobbery gum...maybe roasted apes don't like it either? I reconsider, as this fine lash would make a nicer whip for scaring demon beasties--the infernal thing is also stuck to my hand! So, this is the prank part, I see? Arg, meddlesome Pixies! There better be a way to scrape it off! Well, I'll figure that out once we reach the bottom!

"Nice thinking, Addy." I say, raising a brow. Gingerly taking the rope with my other hand, I follow Diana into this smoke-ridden flame trap.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

((I'll give Ruby and Noma until Monday to roll for the bar brawl, but we can do the bit with Diana and Jei.))
Dark Room

As Diana lands, she sees that Addison was correct: her grappler is embedded in the charred corpse of a cyclape. Breathing is difficult at first, but as the smoke clears the air, it is relatively safe to breathe. Seeing is another issue. The only certainty: Hanako is down here and not far from the end of your rope.

Diana takes one step aside, somehow managing to avoid other corpses or Hanako, who is not a corpse according to Beatrice. She sees Jeisera descend the rope next, but can only see the Huntress as a gray shadow in an orange-gray room. If Jei is speaking, Diana cannot tell. Smoke and darkness distort Jei's shape. At her feet are black blotches with ever-changing shapes. Her eyes cannot be trusted to find Hanako.

And if there are foes lurking here…





((PM's to Ireth and JRF coming…))

 

[Ireth]

Diana

I inch forward through the smoky gloom, peering at the floor for any sign of Hanako. Not being able to trust my eyes is all kinds of unsettling. I hope someone will act as my ears, and warn me if something attacks from behind.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Diana's foot shifts into a body, one that is considerably smaller than the apes. Also, there is a slight rhythmic movement… likely, from breathing.

 

[Ruby]

Fenella

Ooh, this looks dangerous!

 

[Ireth]

Diana

My foot nudges a small body, one that appears to be breathing. I sigh in relief, knowing this must be Hanako. Kneeling, I reach out to check if she's conscious.

 

[JRFLynn]

Jeisera

The smoke stings my eyes as I descend down the rope and lightly drop to the ground, engulfed in smoldering, billowing haze. Silently, I creep around the corpses, trying to meld with the carnage. Then, like a blast, a tumultuous sound reaches me through the fog. My mouth drops, confounded at first. Wincing at the loud, repetitive, drone...no, can't be? That's pure madness! Lost somewhere amid the fire and smoke, someone is snoring so terrible the noise alone could keep even demons at bay! "H-Hanako?" I whisper, as it does strike me as a feminine voice. Reaching for a shape I can't quite make out, Diana jumps—as do I—when she swivels to face me.

Narrowly avoiding a spear to the face, I throw up my sticky hands. "Sorry ma'am!" When I'm sure she can read me alright, I continue. "Sounds odd, but I hear snoring around here. Close too."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Diana's first clue that this is indeed Hanako is the feel of her very long hair, straight and fine like that of an easterner. Eastern islanders are also known for having smooth skin, but Hanako's flesh is badly burned. Her breathing pattern suggests she is sleeping, as opposed to being knocked unconscious.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Jeisera follows her ears, but for a moment, what little light is emitted from the dying flame reveals an orange-gray figure who seems to be holding a spear overhead with both hands—or something long and narrow and vertical that disappears into to smokey ceiling. In fact, Jei has found the source of the snoring. The shape suggests she is a woman—or a man in a dress, as the size suggests she's definitely not Hanako.

((Note: Jei and Diana found two different sleeping women.))

 

[Ireth]

((JRFlynn, be careful about inferring other characters' actions/reactions. I don't think Jei and Diana are close to each other, judging by LS' note.))

Diana

My eyebrows rise as I realize Hanako is not simply unconscious, but sleeping. Something is very strange here. Still kneeling protectively over the nun, I raise my head and look around, wanting to find out as much as I can.

 

[JRFLynn]

((Goodness, sorry! I'm as confused as Jei is in this scene...))

Jeisera

The smoke was so dense it must be bungling my brain. I had nearly run into something sharp, so I figured it was Dianna...but, Woodsy, was I ever wrong! Truth is, I had rambled off to a lady-man (or a man-lady?), apparently sleeping with her eyes open. A bout of hot air smacked me in the face, blasted by a frightful snore. Blanching, I stay perfectly still, not sure on how to proceed.Friend or foe? That's what I'd like to know.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

As smoke clears and eyes adjust, Diana sees Hanako sleeping peacefully, seemingly unaware of the pain she will likely feel when she wakes. Her kimono is torn and her flesh has patches of discoloration.

Diana sees Jeisera standing near a very tall woman—possibly a seven-footer. Jei sees her too. She isn't holding a spear, but is bound at the wrists. The rhythm of her snore breaks with a "Kh-khahk!" She opens one eye at the center of her head. It is her only eye. She is a cyclops.

When she sees Jei, she whispers, "Help me."

 

[JRFLynn]

Jeisera

Though I was a bit daunted at first by her size, and her one big eye, my hands move for her shackles without hesitation. "No worries lady, we'll get you out of here safe and sound."

 

[Noma Galway]

As Fenella swings her sword (which is what I assume she is doing with that roll?) I sing to give the sword the power of lightning.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

The samurai have difficulty hitting their enemy, but a slash from Fenella's lightning-enchanted sword finishes him off.

The cyclape's fart pops the protective bubble around Fenella…

((Sleeping Gas))

…but when Muziko casts one around JJ, a second bubble appears around Fenella.

((Double Bubble))

After JJ says, "Sometimes you eat the bar, and sometimes, the bar eats you," he clobbers a cyclape with a broken section of the bar. He hits the ape full force—the same who had thrown him seconds ago—and sends the cyclape through a wall.

Only one remains. After being blasted by Pidge's cannon…

…the cyclape crashes behind the bar.

The three-eyed men are rather irate having had their beer spill. They take it out on the ape.

((Riff can roll just to unleash her tangle spell on the ape, since it's charging anyway. Since Riff rolled a 1, she can't possibly fail.))

GM: 1D20 => 7 #Three-eyes
GM: 1D20 => 13 #Three-eyes
GM: 1D20 => 12 #Three-eyes
GM: 1D20 => 7 #Three-eyes
GM: 1D20 => 20 #Three-eyes

After the barkeep finishes him off (by breaking a large bottle of sake over his head), he speaks to the people.

"I know we got the same funny eye as these apes, and I can tell you we're all hearing a voice, but we don't want no trouble. I found if we get liquored up, the voice can't control us. Still… if you can find that yellow-eyed bastard who turned some of my employees and regulars into puppets, I'd appreciate it."

When he finishes speaking, there's an awkward silence—which is suddenly broken by a crash from beyond the wall behind the bar.

((That would be Hanako and five dead cyclapes falling through the collapsed roof, so now both maps are on the same timeline, and all enemies are dead… until more come along, of course.))