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Forgot to fill out the recap!

Last Time: After defeating Malgax and preventing Charmy's dimension from being destroyed, Wade returned to his native dimension just in time to celebrate his 17th birthday! However, he wasn't able to relax for long, due to the fact that the Lenopan impostor had reared its ugly head. But surprisingly, Wade was able to manage the situation fairly well with little to no casualties. Hopeful and optimistic, with a bright path leading into a future where aliens and humans can coexist, Wade was able to clear his name and improve his reputation once more. Now, deciding to accompany Alan upon returning to Michael Morningstar's institute, Wade finds himself trapped in the middle of a turf war between Alan's team and the widespread group of bird-themed vigilantes, otherwise known as the Birds of Paradise!

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Taking what you’ve learned, you head back outside to check on the others. Now that the music’s stopped, so has the fighting. Somewhere amidst the apathy and confusion, both groups seem to have found some sort of common ground with one another.

“Is everyone alright?” you ask.

“Yeah, more or less. Sorry ‘bout that.” Thunderbird apologizes.

“Don’t be. That hypnotic music was a trap meant for you guys. I found a button that controls the speakers under his desk.” you reveal.

“No! You’re lying!” Frightwig shouts while pointing a finger into your chest.

“You can see for yourself, but I wouldn’t recommend pressing it again. Not unless you want to have another round with these guys.” you say, while pointing towards the Birds. Just then, Helen quickly runs back to the mansion, only to return several seconds later.

“He’s right...I saw it too.” Helen admits with a look of shock and disappointment. And it looks like Morningstar’s other students have similar thoughts on the matter.

“I don’t get it. Why would the prof do this?” Manny sighs in disbelief.

“So he’s been lying this whole time?” Tiffany asks.

“Figures. I knew this gig was too good to be true.” Clancy laments while chattering his teeth nervously.

“Sounds to me like your professor is the one working with the Kingfisher.” Thunderbird concludes, seemingly ignoring the conflicting emotions swirling around with the fresh young minds of these mutants.

“Well, at least we agree on something, Thunderbird.” proclaims a manly, yet mysterious voice coming from above. Looking up, you see another winged vigilante descending from the sky, with a bald eagle flying close behind him. As he gets close to the ground, he spreads his cape, allowing the wind to catch in it, and greatly slowing his descent in the process. “This scheme has Kingfisher’s stench all over it.” he proudly states, while allowing the bald eagle to perch atop his arm.

“Another one? Do you know this guy too?” Alan asks you.

“I don’t think so.” you say with a befuddled expression. The bird-themed vigilante shares a similar costume design with Thunderbird, but has opted for a more traditional approach in the way he dresses. When he isn’t in the air, his long, fluttering cape is shortened and draped over his shoulder as a side-cape. And you can’t help but notice the large folding shield on his back. He reminds you of a Golden Age comic hero that’s jumped straight off of the page. His posture, musculature, dramatic way of speaking and larger than life attitude are strangely inspiring.

“You there.” he announces while pointing at you. “Are you the ‘X’ fellow that The Cowl tells me about?” he asks. You silently nod in response. “I thought so. He’s told me a great deal about you.”

(Cont.)

“He has?” you ask.

“Of course. Birdie seems very fond of you as well. I appreciate you taking care of them when they’re away from the nest.” the masked vigilante says, sending his eagle away with a brush of his hand. “Oh, my apologies. Where are my manors? We’ve never been properly introduced.” he laughs. “They call me Challenger, leader and founding member of the Birds of Paradise. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” he proudly states while extending a hand to you.

What do you say?

>”That sounds like a bit of a mouthful. Do you mind if I just call you Challenger?”
>”Is it true that The Cowl is missing? Would you happen to know where he might be?”
>”Would you mind telling me more about this Kingfisher guy? Sounds to me like you guys have got history.”
>”I met someone with your name in another dimension. He was much more lame, though.”
>”If you’re the team leader, how come I’ve never seen you around or heard about you on the news?”
>”Nice to meet you too. And that’s a pretty bird you’ve got there. What’s her name?”
>Write-in.

>>4392328
>”I met someone with your name in another dimension. He was much more lame, though.”
>”Is it true that The Cowl is missing? Would you happen to know where he might be?”

>>4392328
>”Would you mind telling me more about this Kingfisher guy? Sounds to me like you guys have got history.”
>”Is it true that The Cowl is missing? Would you happen to know where he might be?”

Twitter Anon's Votes:

>Nice to meet ya, Challenger.
>Follow me you can tell me more about this Kingfisher guy.
>Transform into Monitor Lizard and track Morningstar by scent.

Anon wants to board Ship and track the scent with Monitor Lizard or Wildmutt.

>>4392563
Add on from last anon:

>”I met someone with your name in another dimension. He was much more lame, though.”
>”Is it true that The Cowl is missing? Would you happen to know where he might be?

Once again, the update will be a late one. I'll do my best to progress the story forward, though.

>>4393271
Forgot to mention that the second Twitter anon supports this post.

>>4392563

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You firmly grasp his hand and shake it up and down. “Nice to meet ya, Challenger.” you respond. “I met someone with your name in another dimension. He was much more lame, though.” you add.

“Ha! Then he probably didn’t inherit my dashing good looks.” he laughs confidently. You're not sure if he thinks your claim about traveling to another dimension is serious.

“Is it true that the Cowl is missing? Would you happen to know where he might be?” you ask. Challenger shakes his head from side to side and crosses his arms.

“Actually, I was hoping you would be able to answer that for me. It’s not like the old boy to go this long without reporting back to me. I fear he may be in over his head.” Challenger grimaces.

“Then we don’t have time to waste. Come with us, and we’ll help you track down the professor. I’m sure he’s bound to have some answers for us.” you state, while slamming a clenched fist into your open palm.

“Give me a slice of that action, old chum. Me and the Kingfisher have unfinished business.” Challenger grins, as he imitates your gesture.

“What can you tell me about this ‘Kingfisher’ guy?” you ask.

“It’s a long story. I’ll explain on the way.” he declares.

Now we just need Julie to summon Ship and...actually, where is Julie?

Right as you get ready to call her, she and Carol reappear around a corner, covered in sweat and panting heavily.

“What happened?! Where’s the fire?” Julie asks frantically.

“You’re too late, Jules. The fight’s over.” Alan proclaims.

“Aw, man!” Carol exclaims, while sliding a hand down her face.

“Where were you two?” you inquire.

“Helen ditched us!” Julie shouts, as she points to the Kineceleran. Everyone’s eyes are on her now.

“Ehehe...my bad. I was in a hurry and they were kinda slowing me down.” she bashfully admits.

“Worst. Tour Guide. Ever.” Carol sighs.

------------------

After Julie summons Ship and orders him to transform into his Freighter Form, you and the others catch Julie and Carol up on the situation at hand. With Alan’s team, the Birds and the girls, you feel more than prepared for whatever may come your way.

“So, Alan’s principal is working with some terrorist that wears a bird suit?” Carol asks.

“The Kingfisher isn’t just any old terrorist, sweetie. He’s a global threat.” Challenger proclaims. “He possesses a vast amount of wealth, near inexhaustible resources and a devious mind that keeps him three steps ahead of us at all times.” he explains.

“...’Sweetie’?” Carol silently mumbles.

“So he’s a bad dude. So what?” Manny shrugs.

“Yeah, I’ve seen X take down guys bigger and badder than him before breakfast.” Alan exaggerates.

(Cont.)

“That kind of overconfidence is exactly what Kingfisher is counting on. He may look like a frail old man, but you should never underestimate him. Whatever he’s planning, I don’t doubt that it spells trouble for you, me, and just about everyone else that lives on this beautiful blue planet.” Challenger broods.

“We’ll figure out a strategy after we find out where Michael is.” Frightwig interrupts. You can hear her heart rate increasing just by mentioning his name. You’re not sure how she’ll react when you encounter Michael, but you trust her enough not to stab you in the back. You just hope that trust won’t be betrayed.

Alright, gotta focus. Tracking this scent while traveling at 500+mph is a bit difficult, but if anyone’s up to the job, Monitor Lizard is.

Roll 1d100, bo3!

Rolled 89 (1d100)

>>4394090
Welcome back Gal!

Rolled 40 (1d100)

>>4394090

>>4394122
Hopefully this 89 is enough

>>4394325
hopefully!!

Rolled 14 (1d100)

>>4394090

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>89

Thankfully, Michael's scent is easy to track, based on the strong cologne that he wore when you have met him. It lingers in the air ever so slightly, being blown about by the harsh winds, leaving a disjointed trail for you to piece back together and follow.

However, you notice that the tracking effort is going a little too well. The once disjointed scent trail is now thicker and more concentrated. Almost as if it was intended for you to follow them.

"What's wrong?" Julie asks, seemingly noticing that you've stopped giving them directions by pointing your tail. In response, you let out a guttural snarl and frantically flap your frills.

"I believe he wants us to stop." Trixy announces.

"You heard her Ship. We're taking a break." Julie says while gently rubbing the floor with her fingers. Suddenly, the sentient spacecraft comes to a screeching halt, nearly throwing everyone off balance.

If this trail is a false lead, then you should take a minute reorient yourself.

You then request to be let out, in the only way you know how. Which is clawing at the ground until they get the idea.

"Okay, now what's he doing?" Carol inquires.

"I think he wants to be let out." Julie concludes. She's surprisingly good at charades.

Your good friend knocks on the floor, signaling Ship to open up a small portion of it, allowing you to crawl outside, while adhering to Ship's exterior. You climb to the top of the spacecraft, take a deep breath and let your senses run wild in a desperate attempt to find the trail once more. A myriad of colors reveal themselves to you as you cycle through the spectrums of light available to you. But right when you're about to give up, a faint, yet familiar scent graces your sensitive nose. You're certain that it's... Michael's hair products!

The shampoo, conditioner and gel that he uses each day has created a mildly sweet scent trail for you to follow. And you're confident that this one isn't a false lead.

Once you've familiarized yourself with this new fragrance, you crawl back inside and continue giving directions to the team.

"Onward!" Challenger shouts. Immediately afterwards, his eagle lets out a loud cry.

----------

Some few minutes later, your Omnitrix begins beeping, signaling the end of your transformation period. And in a flash of golden light, you return to your human form.

"I apologize for the inconvenience, but the Omnitrix must recharge." Trixy states.

"That's quite alright, little miss. I can tell where they're going now." Challenger claims.

"And where's that?" Alan asks.

"The Nest! Of course!" Thunderbird shouts while slapping his forehead with an open palm. "Kingfisher and his boys wanted us away from it. That's what he was counting on."

(Cont.)

"You're right on the money, old chum. I can feel its magnetic pull, even now. It's begging for us to come home and protect it." Challenger dramatically describes.

“Wait, what’s that?” Helen asks. You look outside to see what she’s pointing at, only to find a swarm of hideous bird-like creatures flying towards you with reckless abandon.

“Harpies!” the Emperor shouts.

“Like...the mythical kind?” Carol questions.

“No. More like the ‘mutated lab rat’ kind.” Mockingbird interjects. “Dr. Inca made them from human test subjects.”

“They’re Kingfisher’s answer for what would be left of humanity once he overthrows the current world order.” Challenger grimaces.

Ship fires off all of his weapons in an attempt to ward off the massive flock of overgrown mutants, but he doesn’t seem to make much more than a dent in their forces. Soon enough, you’re completely surrounded by them.

“They’re tearing Ship apart!” Julie screams. Just then, a long, sharp talon tears through Ship’s hull.

You take a moment to analyze your current situation, and out of the corner of your eye, you spot what you think is a flying pirate ship. And from the looks of it, the harpies are coming from there.

“We’ll take care of things here." Challenger states, while turning to face you. "Go down and stop Kingfisher before he gets his hands on...whatever he’s after. We're close enough for you to make it to the Nest on your own from here.” he commands. “We’re counting on you.” he says, now placing a hand on your shoulder.

What do you say? With the Omnitrix still recharging, your options are limited.

>”He won’t get away this time. I’ll make sure of it.”
>”No, I’m staying here and helping you guys. Birds of a feather flock together.”
>”None of us are getting anywhere with these harpies in the way. I think they’re coming from that pirate ship. That should be our next target.”
>Write-in.

Skills, Stats and Inventory:
https://pastebin.com/iEYrGZS1

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Forgot pic

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>>4394122
Good to have you back!

>>4396087
>”None of us are getting anywhere with these harpies in the way. I think they’re coming from that pirate ship. That should be our next target.”
>Have Alan take out the pirate shil while the Bird deal with the harpies attacking Ship
>Set up a mana barrier around ship to keep him safe while the birds deal with the harpies outside

>>4396607
Oops forgot
>When they are done dealing with the harpies ask for info about the nest like it's structure, weaknesses, and what important inside

>>4396087
>>”None of us are getting anywhere with these harpies in the way. I think they’re coming from that pirate ship. That should be our next target.”

>>4396607
>>4396716
>>4397441
Do you guys want me to combine or wait for another vote?

>>4401362
Combine

>>4396607
>>4397441
>>4401762
Roll 1d100, bo3 for barrier integrity, then!

Fingers crossed

Rolled 63 (1d100)

>>4402049

Rolled 68 (1d100)

>>4402049

Rolled 28 (1d100)

Rolling to get the ball rolling. Gonna start writing...

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>68

“None of us are getting out of here so long as those harpies are in the way.” you say, while brushing Challenger’s hand off your shoulder. “Do you see that pirate ship out there? I think they’re coming from there.” you declare as you point out the window, past the seemingly endless storm of mutant birds. “That should be our next target.” you add.

In their time of need, the Birds look to Challenger, but right now, he seems to be considering another course of action.

“Alright. What would you have us do?” Challenger asks while placing his hands on his hips.

“I need you guys to protect Ship and take out those harpies, while Alan goes straight for the pirate ship.” you state.

“Me? I thought you’d want to do it instead.” Alan says with a shocked expression.

“My Omnitrix is recharging, so I don’t have the firepower for something like that. But you do.” you respond.

“Yeah, and you’ve got that weird voodoo magic thingy to fall back on.” Carol aptly describes.

“Yes, do stop trembling like a pathetic worm.” Malware says with what you believe to be encouragement.

For a moment, Alan looks down at his charm nervously, before gripping it tightly and taking a deep breath. “You can count on me.” Alan declares, not sounding the least bit shaken by this daunting task.

“Good luck, son. I have faith in you.” Challenger says with gusto. Despite Alan’s lack of familiarity with this avian vigilante, he can’t help but smile at the vote of confidence from this strange middle-aged man. And as soon as Ship opens up his hatch, Alan is already diving down headfirst and blasting off towards the floating pirate ship.

“Alright, who’s carrying the Emperor today?” Mockingbird mockingly asks.

“Hey, you don’t have wings either!” the Emperor snaps back.

“Yeah, but I’ve got a grappling hook.” Mockingbird replies.

“Nothing to ‘grapple’ out there, genius.” the mohawk girl snickers.

“Shake a tailfeather, birds. We can’t let the kid outshine us.” Challenger teases in a rallying cry. Just then, the bald eagle on Challenger’s arm hops off and dives through Ship’s hatch before any of the other birds do. “That’s the spirit! Lead the way, Lady Baltimore!” Challenger shouts as he spreads his wings and jumps down after her. The rest follow him soon after.

Now that everyone’s cleared out, you should be free to try something out.

“What do you need us to do?” Julie inquires.

“For now, just sit tight.” you respond.

You close your eyes and concentrate on the flow of the mana field. Specifically, the way it flows around Ship’s outer layer. If you can form a barrier around the entire vessel, you should be able to protect Julie’s pet from harm while the Birds battle the harpies. Keyword: “Should”

(Cont.)

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You’d be lying if you said that you weren’t nervous. The last time you tried something on this scale, you ended up in a coma. Here’s hoping that things end up going better this time around.

You take a deep breath, straighten your fingers, cross your arms and slowly pull them apart. By now, a slightly transparent, purple pulsating force field has formed around Ship, casting a colorful shadow inside the hangar at the same time.

“Whoa…” Frightwig gasps, sounding slightly spooked by your light show.

The harpies notice your construct almost immediately, causing them to claw and peck at it furiously. It puts a bit of strain on you, but the birds help to alleviate the pressure shortly afterward. Their reassuring presence allows you to focus on maintaining the barrier’s integrity, leaving only Alan as the lingering uncertainty in your mind. You begin to wonder if he can handle whatever was on that pirate ship.

Suddenly, a deafening explosion shakes Ship, and nearly causes you to lose focus. As you glance outside the window, you see the pirate ship going up in flames, nearly torn in half and rapidly losing altitude. After seeing this, the harpies retreat en masse and chase after their sinking ship.

It seems your fears were unwarranted.

--------------

After everyone regroups and boards Ship, Alan is met with an insane amount of praise from you and the others. You had no idea that he could do something like that. For better or worse, attending Michael’s school made him more confident and more capable of controlling his powers.

“So this nest of yours…” you interrupt. “What’s it like? Any structural weaknesses or important details, like something that you think Kingfisher might be after?”

“Hmm…” Challenger muses. “The nest is a bulwark of structural integrity. I doubt that Kingfisher could break through its outer walls, even with Captain Crowbill’s help.” he adds.

“He’s gotta be after the ‘Nest Egg’, right?” Thunderbird chimes in.

“What’s that?” Manny asks while scratching the back of his head.

“The Nest Egg is an ancient creature that dwells deep within the Nest’s depths. Every morning, it hatches from an egg made of solid gold, ages and grows rapidly throughout the day, and dies shortly after laying another egg.” Challenger explains.

“Actual solid gold?! Kingfisher would eventually have enough money to buy the planet if he captured that thing. I don’t want to go to Galactic Court!” you exclaim. Having an auction over your home planet sounds stressful.

“There isn’t a doubt in my mind that Kingfisher is after the Nest Egg. He’s crazy enough to think that he can actually pull it off.” Challenger groans. “But rest assured, nothing that Kingfisher has is powerful enough to break through our-”

(Cont.)

“Uh, guys? I think you should see this…” Helen announces. And as you and the others gaze out of Ship’s front view port, you’re met with a grizzly sight.

A giant withered and charred bundle of tree trunks and vines lay strewn across an island in the middle of the ocean. Once a great, sturdy and awe-inspiring nest has now been reduced to ashes and cinders. But the way those roots look is slightly familiar to you. It almost reminds you of how Shinobloom's tendrils looked when Wendy drained your life force.

“Oh shit…” the mohawk girl hisses.

“Who could do something like this…?” Frightwig asks, sounding horrified by the sight of the carnage.

“Our home…” the Emperor whines.

“MY STUFF!” Mockingbird screams in horror, while holding his head in grief.

“...Forgive my impertinence, Birds, but we don’t have time to mourn.” Challenger declares without turning to face his team. “If Kingfisher gets away with that Nest Egg, then he’ll have everything he needs to wage a world war unlike anything we’ve ever seen.” Everyone remains silent for a minute. They remain uncertain of their next course of action.

“...Like hell he will!” Thunderbird cheers, before jumping out of Ship’s hatch and diving down towards the nest. Shortly afterwards, the rest of the birds follow his example, with Challenger being the only one left.

“We’ll meet you down there.” he says, right before spreading his wings and chasing after his comrades.

-------------

As soon as you land, the smell of smoke fills your nose. Your mask’s filters kick in soon afterward, but it doesn’t make the experience any more tolerable. By now, Julie and Carol have already suited up, while Helen and Manny have donned masks of their own.

In the distance, you see the Birds of Paradise engaging a group of similarly themed individuals in mortal combat. The three biggest threats amongst them are getting the most attention from them. The fuzzy, cassowary-like individual is identified by Trixy as “Dagger”, while the one super tall one beside it is identified as the “Beast of the Bush”. However, the scariest looking one is definitely the muscular guy rampaging at the center of it all. His head resembles the head of a toucan, but it is twisted backwards so that the beak resembles a horn. His glowing red eyes and razor sharp teeth don’t distract from his inhuman musculature, but they don’t do anything to settle your nerves, either. Trixy identifies this one as “Rhino”.

Aside from them, you spot a bald dude named “Highlander”, a deranged goth teenager named “Magpie”, and an albino woman named “Mute” with a refined, high class style of dress.

“Whoa...that’s a lot of birds to keep track of…” Julie gasps.

“What should we do?” Carol asks. But before you can respond, Frightig has already taken off, running deeper into the Nest.

(Cont.)

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>”We should trust the Birds and keep moving.”
>”They look like they could use our help out there.”
>”Chase after Frightwig. I’ll join you shortly.”
>”Help the Birds. I’ll go after Frightwig.”
>Transform into an alien. (Which one?)
>Write-in.

Aliens Unlocked:
https://pastebin.com/JVq4NM2t

Skills, Stats and Inventory:
https://pastebin.com/iEYrGZS1

Top 10:
>Big Chill
>Diamondhead
>Zipmunk
>Bloodrush
>XLR8
>Fourcast
>Thriller Whale
>Knuckle Duster
>Hack N’ Slash
>Snapdragon

>>4403053
>>”We should trust the Birds and keep moving.”

>>4403401
+1
Sorry guys my phone broke and am currently posting on my friend phone, trying to get a new phone hopefully later today or someday during the week. So i wont be able to vote or roll

>>4396716
Me

Wont be able to post with my friend phone bout to head home. Just wanted to notify you guys
Good luck

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>>4403401
Writing...

>>4405093
And I'm sorry to hear about that. Hope you manage to get a new phone soon. I also really appreciate your dedication to the quest despite my infrequent updates.

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“We should trust the Birds and keep moving.” you declare. The others exchange worried glances with you, but ultimately, they do not protest. Instead, you and your friends race through the burning field, the air ablaze with smoldering cinders and blackened by smoke that threatens to choke the sky.

As you delve deeper into the nest, you come to find that its interior is far more civilized than you’d initially expected. Each and every facility is held up by a mighty oak tree, and the pathways are carved from a similar material, branching off every which way like gnarly roots. But it's clear to you that the damage done to this haven is extensive. Several tree-houses have been toppled due to a large hunk being carved out of their trunks. Some of them have even withered into dried and decaying logs. You wonder if this could have been Michael’s doing.

But before you can entertain the thought any longer, you see Alan flying ahead of you and approaching a seemingly unconscious man in a light blue bird-themed costume. While most of the Birds’ costumes seem to be made of cloth, this one appears to be mostly made of a flexible, lightweight metal polymer.

“Are you alright?” Alan asks.

The man groans in response, struggling to view the kid before him through the broken lens of his black goggles. “Kingfisher...gotta stop him…” he mutters. “Save the Mother Duck…” he whispers, before slipping out of consciousness and collapsing to the ground. And that’s when you notice the pool of blood forming beneath him.

“I detect multiple organic lifeforms scattered throughout the area. Their vital signs grow weaker by the moment.” Malware reports, while popping his head out of Carol’s chest.

“We’ll stay behind to help.” Julie declares. “The Birds might not need us out there, but they sure as hell need us in here.” she swears. And judging by that firm glare in her eye, you don’t think that you can change her mind.

“Do what you’ve gotta do. Me, Alan, Frightwig, Manny and Helen will go on ahead.” you state. Julie nods with an appreciative smile, and watches you as you and the others descend deeper into the Nest.

For a second, Helen looks back as if she wants to assist them, but a reprimanding look from Manny causes her to reconsider. You honestly thought it’d be the other way around.

---------------

Eventually, you reach an area that appears to be the most heavily affected by whatever’s sapping the life out of these tree roots. The air is thick with rotted wood chips, ash and decay. But out of that black and grey, gloomy interior, you spot a brilliant, blinding ray of golden light illuminating the room.

(Cont.)

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“So much life! So much...power!” echoes a mighty, booming voice. As you get closer, you notice that this man-shaped figure greatly resembles Michael Morningstar! His skin is now glowing, and is as reflective as a polished gold surface. His eyes are slightly glazed over by a wispy substance flowing from them, covering his pupils completely. His hair flows wondrously, almost as if it were caught in a warm summer breeze, despite the fact that you’re most certainly below ground level. “Can’t you feel it? The energy pulsing through the air, causing it to tense up.” he exclaims, seemingly noticing your presence. “It’s as if the world itself is holding its breath in anticipation. It sends tingles down my spine.” he babbles nonsensically.

“...Michael…?” Frightwig whimpers in an attempt to appeal to his sense of humanity. However, he doesn’t appear to be paying attention to her.

What do you do/say?

>”Listen to yourself, Michael. You’ve gone off the deep end. That magic is messing with your head.”
>”Is this how you want your students to see you? Did you ever really care about them?”
>”What do you stand to gain from this? Why are you working with the Kingfisher?”
>”Don’t get too close, Frightwig. He’s not the man that you thought he was.”
>Use your healing magic to restore the Nest's roots.
>Transform into an alien (Which one?)
>Write-in.

Aliens Unlocked:
https://pastebin.com/JVq4NM2t

Skills, Stats and Inventory:
https://pastebin.com/iEYrGZS1

Top 10:
>Big Chill
>Diamondhead
>Zipmunk
>Bloodrush
>XLR8
>Fourcast
>Thriller Whale
>Knuckle Duster
>Hack N’ Slash
>Snapdragon

>>4406015
>Transform into an alien (Thriller Whale)
>”Listen to yourself, Michael. You’ve gone off the deep end. That magic is messing with your head.”
Has this quest always been so slow?

>>4406015
>>”Listen to yourself, Michael. You’ve gone off the deep end. That magic is messing with your head.”
>”Is this how you want your students to see you? Did you ever really care about them?”
If that doesn't work
> Transform into Ghostfreak
>>4406743
It's slowed down lately

>>4406775
I'm going with that. Also, after catching up with all the archives, I'm finally able to vote. Excited to see more.

>>4406743
Yeah, traffic can get low around here sometimes.

>>4407107
It's great to have you!

>>4406775
>>4407107
Taking these and writing...

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"Listen to yourself, Michael. You've gone off the deep end. That magic is messing with your head." you plead.

"Oh, I assure you, it's quite the opposite. My mind is clear. Clearer than it's ever been throughout my entire life!" he proclaims, all while emitting a powerful surge of golden Mana. The tips of his aura lash out, zigzagging through the air until they strike at the decaying roots beneath his feet.

"Is this really how you want your students to see you? Did you ever really care about them?" you ask, grilling him for info. All he needs to do is give you a reason. One single reason to wail on him without restraint.

Then for a moment, Michael looks remorseful. Almost as if your words had struck a cord deep down in his dark, twisted heart. "Why, of course. I love my students." he states.

"I knew it!" Frightwig squeals, before running up to Michael.

“Don’t do it, teach!” Alan yells to her.

The terrifying, yet beautiful Mana leech descends to the ground and embraces the ex-circus freak. But as she buries her face in his chest, you notice the professor wrapping his arms around her tightly, right before a large, creepy grin spreads across his face. "I care for all my prized possessions." he says casually.

"Michael...?" Frightwig says fearfully while trying to pull away from him.

"Poor, sweet Frightwig. You were one of my favorite trophies." he says while chuckling to himself. "Dragging you off the street, feeding you, clothing you, earning your trust…" he lists, while Frightwig struggles to break free from his grasp. "You really made me work for it. And that's why I'll never forget you…" he whispers into her ear. Suddenly, Michael's golden aura envelops Frightwig, slowly draining her of her life force. Her flawless, pale white skin becomes dull grey and wrinkled, and her eyes become sunken as the flesh surrounding her face grows tighter and tighter.

But before Michael can do anymore damage, Helen snatches her from his grasp and brings her to a safe position, while Manny delivers a seemingly devastating gut punch to his professor. For a moment, Morningstar goes flying backwards. But only for a moment. Soon afterwards, his momentum dies down and he begins to hover over the ground while brushing off his sweater.

“Hmm, that tickled.” Michael muses with a cocky grin.

“There’s my reason.” you blurt out, before sliding open the Omnitrix’s faceplate, selecting Ghostfreak and slamming your hand down onto the Omnitrix’s core. And in a burst of violet light, you transform into Ghostfreak!

And standing alongside you during this trying time is Alan, Helen and Manny.

(Cont.)

What do you do?

>Possess Michael and let the others knock you out.
>Ensnare him with your tendrils and constrict him until he passes out.
>Remove your second layer of skin and toss him around with your telekinesis.
>Remove your second layer of skin and bombard him with energy projectiles.
>Create a combo with another alien. (Write-in.)
>Write-in.

Aliens Unlocked:
https://pastebin.com/JVq4NM2t

Skills, Stats and Inventory:
https://pastebin.com/iEYrGZS1

Top 10:
>Big Chill
>Diamondhead
>Zipmunk
>Bloodrush
>XLR8
>Fourcast
>Thriller Whale
>Knuckle Duster
>Hack N’ Slash
>Snapdragon

>>4407338
>Ensnare him with your tendrils and constrict him until he passes out.
While doing that I'd say to also
>Show off our true form to paralyze him with fear.

And thanks for having me!

>>4407801
+1

>>4407801
>>4407961
Roll 1d100+10, bo3!

Rolled 29 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>4408057

Rolled 55 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>4408057

>>4408340
For my first roll in this quest I'll take it.

Rolled 78 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>4408057

>>4408277
>>4408340
>>4408564
Taking these. Writing...

File: zs_skayr_portrait_by_mimi(...).jpg (50 KB, 600x849)

50 KB JPG

>88

Before he gets the chance to act, you unfurl your tendrils and send them through the ground whilst entering your incorporeal form.Meanwhile, Manny, Helen and Alan keep Michael pinned down with their sustained firepower. Despite the fact that Manny’s blasters are doing little more than pissing him off, he appears to be deathly afraid of being hit by Alan’s flames. After all, he should know better than anyone how much damage that kid can do.

While most of his attention is drawn towards defending against Alan’s pyromancy spells, Helen’s supersonic strikes appear to be throwing him off balance as well. With all of their combined efforts, Michael doesn’t notice your tendrils popping out of the ground and coiling around his body.

As he struggles to break free, you quickly close the distance, while toggling your invisibility on and off in order to make it look like you’re disappearing and reappearing. “Hey Mike, wanna see something really scary…?” you ask. And before he can answer, you peel away your second layer of skin, revealing the twisted and mind bending true form of Ghostfreak.

“No! No, please…!” he pleads. All the while, you cackle to yourself loudly and slowly rotate your head in unnatural, and otherwise impossible, angles. As he struggles to catch his breath, he comes to find that your tendrils have already wrapped around his throat and chest, squeezing and constricting them, as if they were cold-blooded, calculated predators. “Unhand me, you fiend!” he shouts, while attempting to absorb your life essence with his leech magic. However, his attacks do not affect you in the slightest.

“Fun fact, Mike: Ectonurites don’t have any mana for you to absorb. Also, you’re running out of air.” you whisper with a sinister grin. The sheer look of horror and frustration in his face is absolutely priceless.

And out of the corner of your eye, you see Frightwig’s grey, fragile hair tendrils crawling towards Michael. But as soon as they wrap around his leg, Morningstar has a surprisingly violent reaction to her touch. He lets out a shrill scream, before releasing a bindingly massive surge of mana. When you open your eyes again, you see that Frightwig has regained her youth and vigor once more! Somehow, she’d managed to steal her life force back from Michael. It makes you wonder if the only condition for doing so is physical contact. Because if that’s the case…

“Manny, tear a chunk out of that wall!” you demand.

“What? Why?” he shrugs.

“Just do it, man.” Alan snaps. And without further resistance, the young Tetramand mutant grips the decaying bark with all four of his hands and tears a sizable chunk out of it.

“That good?” he asks.

“Perfect…” you snicker to yourself, while dragging Michael over to the hole.

“W-what are you doing?” he inquires.

(Cont.)

“You were a teacher once, Mike. It’s time to put that charitable spirit to good use…” you say, as you cram Michael into the hole that Manny created. And somehow, it produces a similar effect to what happened with Frightwig. The once decaying and rotten wood that permeated the area has become healthy, thick and sturdy. The effect spreads throughout the room, creating a vivid dichotomy between flourishing life and lack thereof. In order to speed up the process, the others join in and cover him in thick, dangling tree roots. And in a burst of golden light, Michael expunges all of the mana and life energy that he had absorbed. However, this phenomenon leaves him looking ugly, decrepit and zombified, much like Frightwig did. His skin grows dull, wrinkled and tight, and the majority of his lustrous hair has fallen out, leaving it patchy and uneven.

By the time you let him go, he groans weakly and struggles to utter even a single spiteful phrase as he slumps to the floor.

>“Wow. You look uglier than I do right now. Go figure.”
>“At least now your appearance matches your personality.”
>”The ‘before and after’ pics are gonna be insane! This is like one of those really scary anti-smoking commercials.”
>”Don’t you ever show your face around us, or anyone else with eyes for that matter.”
>”Class dismissed.”
>Write-in.

>>4408803
>“At least now your appearance matches your personality.”
If he's still able to talk, then try to get some info from him.
>"So what did Kingfisher promise you? The chance to load up on mana? Or was it really something as simple as money?"

>>4408803
supporting >>4409095
with >”Don’t you ever show your face around us, or anyone else with eyes for that matter.” afterwords

>>4409095
>>4409484
Writing...

File: Soggy_Mike.png (843 KB, 1280x958)

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"At least now your appearance matches your personality." you snicker, while timing out early in a flash of golden light, not unlike Michael's. "So what did Kingfisher promise you? Was it an opportunity to load up on Mana?" you ask while kneeling down to meet him at eye level. "Wait, don't tell me this was about money."

"No, you idiot!" Mike hisses. "Do you have any idea how much life force is flowing through these branches? And for what? All so a group of grown men dressed up as birds can use it as a treehouse.”

“Well, when you say it like that…” you mutter to yourself.

“Kingfisher asked for my cooperation in his mission. In return for helping him to penetrate their defenses, I would get the chance to harvest this tree’s energy, as well as anyone else who resisted along the way. But an opportunity to get a fragment of the Nest Egg...now that’s the icing on the cake.” he says while flashing a frail grin. “Legend has it that anyone who drinks the yoke of the Phoenix is granted unmatched physical prowess, boundless knowledge and eternal youth.”

“You think that’s what this Kingfisher guy is after?” Manny asks.

“I can’t think of anything else that he’d risk so much to get.” Alan responds.

“Well we won’t get much done standing around here. Let’s keep moving.” Helen resolves.

You nod to Helen, but not before leaving some parting words with Mr. Morningstar. “Oh, and Michael?” you begin, while placing your hand on his shoulder and squeezing it tightly. “Don’t you ever show your face around us, or anyone else with eyes for that matter.” you threaten.

“You kids can go. I’ll stay and watch Michael.” Frightwig declares.

“Are you sure? He might still have a few tricks up his sleeve.” you state. However, you’re a bit thrown off by the sight of Frightwig wiping a tear from her eye. She must’ve really loved Mike. Seeing him like this must be tearing her up inside.

“On second thought, I’ll stay here with her. Just in case Prof...Michael tries anything.” Helen says, stopping herself from formally addressing her old mentor. While the two girls have a heart to heart, you, Alan and Manny delve further into the Nest’s depths. This treehouse is way bigger on the inside.

------------

After a few minutes of running through this arboreal maze, you decide to whip out your hoverboard and cruise ahead of your teammates. Sometimes you forget how convenient this thing can be.

(Cont.)

File: The_Omen.jpg (375 KB, 652x1000)

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Eventually, you see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel, and you hear the sound of someone screaming frantically as well. But as soon as you enter the room, the three of you are met with a grizzly sight. A man wearing red, leather armor and a green feathered cape is holding a rather sharp looking rapier. And at the other end of his sword is a redheaded woman wearing a short white skirt, yellow rimmed glasses and a white blouse, now stained red. The woman tightly clutches a massive golden egg with her shaking hands, but this too has been pierced straight through by the man’s rapier. And without remorse or the slightest form of decency, the man yanks his sword out of her chest, catching only the damaged egg and letting the dying woman fall to the floor like a ragdoll. All of you are frozen in place, not sure what to make of this scene.

“I suppose Michael didn’t keep you busy for long.” the old man casually remarks, as he shakes the blood off of his blade. “No matter. I’ve got what I came here for.” he says, while raising the punctured egg shell. But it’s what he holds in his other hand that catches you off guard. Is that...Duckie?!

“Uhhh, what’s happening!?” Alan panics. Meanwhile, Manny runs over to the bleeding woman and attempts to assess her situation.

“I bet Challenger told you that I wanted to sell the Nest Egg. That old fool only knows how to think in cliches.” the Kingfisher laughs. “But I bet he didn’t tell you about the medicinal properties of it’s yoke.” he adds, while slicing off the top of the shell and pouring it into Duckie’s mouth. The kid-sized waddling chick can do nothing more than flail around in his arms. “It does wonders for the memory.” he cackles.

All of a sudden, Duckie’s eyes glow red, and her yellow feathers begin to turn pitch black. Kingfisher gently sets her down and backs away slowly, grinning like a madman all the while.

Her bones snap and gnash against one another, as she grows to fit the size and shape of an average human female, albeit a bit taller. Her bill grows to be long, thin and sharp like that of a crow. But instead of looking animalistic, it takes on the appearance of a leather mask, with the eyes being reflective lenses.

“I call upon your name, great and mighty Omen, to punish those who would dare to trespass on your sacred ground!” Kingfisher dramatically shouts.

The tall, dark figure turns her head ever so slightly to glance over at the old man. “While your presence angers me to no end, Kingfisher, the trespass of these flightless rats is much more of a criminal offense.” she says with a clipped and proper accent. Now facing you, she raises her cane and twists the pommel, causing a large curved blade to pop out of the handle. “You will answer for your crimes, vermin.” she hisses, her words dripping with venom.

(Cont.)

The air fills with pitch black feathers, severely limiting your field of vision. But despite that, you can see Kingfisher slinking away in the distance.

“Oh no you don’t!” Alan shouts. But as he attempts to pursue him, a stray bolt of electricity throws him off course. Tracing it back to its source, you see a very familiar face emerging from the feather storm. Is that Cree?!! What’s she doing here?!

What do you do?

>Focus on the weird crow lady should be your first priority. If Kingfisher’s entire plan hinges on her, then she’s probably bad news.
>Go straight for Kingfisher. He’s becoming a real thorn in your side.
>Command your teammates. (Write-in.)
>Call your Multiverse squad for backup.
>Use one of your sword stances. (Water/Fire/Earth)
>Transform into an alien. (Which one?)
>Use one of your Viral Forms. (Which one?)
>Write-in.

Aliens Unlocked:
https://pastebin.com/JVq4NM2t

Skills, Stats and Inventory:
https://pastebin.com/iEYrGZS1

Top 10:
>Big Chill
>Diamondhead
>Zipmunk
>Bloodrush
>XLR8
>Fourcast
>Thriller Whale
>Knuckle Duster
>Hack N’ Slash
>Snapdragon

>>4410285
My answer is going to change depending on whether Kingfisher still has the egg or not.
If he doesn't.
>Focus on the crow lady.
>Have Alan focus on Kingfisher, with Manny distracting Cree.
>Transform into Diamondhead.
If he does have the egg.
>Go straight for Kingfisher.
>Have Alan focus on the crow lady, Manny on cree.
>Transform into XLR8.

>>4410285
Gonna support >>4410738
Although I'm curious if the Omen would get a reaction of us turning into Dropkick

Seeing that Kingfisher still has the hollowed egg shell in his hands, you might as well take him out while you still can. There's no telling what else he might pull out of his sleeve.

Without delay, you slide open the Omnitrix's faceplate and select XLR8 from your Top 10 list. And right as the Omnitrix's core pops up, you slam your hand down onto it, creating a burst of light that envelops the area surrounding you. In an instant, your bones shift and snap, taking on the form of a large reptilian creature with a long, whip-like ringed tail. You've become XLR8!

"Alan, keep the crow lady busy. Manny, I need you on Cree." you demand. Both nod to you in confirmation and prepare to engage their respective targets.

Meanwhile, Kingfisher draws his sword against you.

What do you do?

>Snatch the egg from Kingfisher's hands and whip him with your tail.
>Surround Kingfisher with a powerful whirlwind cyclone by running circles around him.
>Tackle him and slam him repeatedly against the walls in the room.
>Hit him with a devastating bicycle kick!
>Create a combo with another alien.(Write-in.)
>Write-in.

>>4410785
We could go Dropkick instead of XLR8, it's probably fast enough to catch up to Kingfisher.

>>4411197
>>4411200
Guess I had good timing.
>Snatch the egg from Kingfisher's hands and whip him with your tail.

File: a7ba5b37e01733c3eb74e0da2(...).png (418 KB, 1167x1188)

418 KB PNG

>>4410738
Forgot the image

>>4410785
>>4411200
That's an interesting thought. You can always try to combo or switch mid-battle.

>>4411206
Alright, once we whip him away, lets switch into Dropkick and leap into him before he can get up.

>>4411206
>>4411213
Supporting

>>4411213
>>4411237
Roll 1d100, bo3!

Rolled 76 (1d100)

>>4411265

Rolled 63 (1d100)

>>4411265

Rolled 80 (1d100)

>>4411265

>>4411273
>>4411589
>>4412465
Writing...

File: DropkickRed.png (3.46 MB, 3592x3195)

3.46 MB PNG

>80

Before he even has the chance to start swinging his sword, you run up to the Kingfisher and slam your tail into the side of his face, sending him sliding across the floor and forcing him to let go of the Nest Egg. Upon reflex, you catch the egg in your awkward reptile claws and shift your alien form in order to become Dropkick.

Hey, that was pretty easy!

“Hmm…” the Omen muses. “Something has changed within you. You’re...different.” she states. And she’s not the only one that feels this way. You feel a strange kind of kinship with her, as well as an unexplainable attraction to this place. It feels as if the Nest were made for you, like you’ve lived here your whole life. Maybe you should move in here with K8-E and the kids! Challenger seems like a reasonable guy.

Just then, the Omen is suddenly bathed in a shower of flames projected from Alan’s hands. All the while, her posture doesn’t change and she does not scream. When the flames die down, she glances over at Alan with a disappointed look in her eye.

“I will not harm one of my own. But you on the other hand…” she declares. But before continuing, she raises her scythe and swings it blindly. At first, it looks like she didn’t accomplish anything with that swift action. However, your opinion quickly changes when you see Alan being blown away by some invisible force. “I will not extend the same kindness to you.” she concludes.

Meanwhile, it would appear that Manny is struggling to catch Cree, as he is completely unable to fly. And when he does get close enough, the drow strikes him down with a bolt of lightning from her Electrokinesis charm.

“Get down here and fight like a man!” Manny shouts right after he collides with the ground.

“I’d rather not.” Cree groans, clearly tired of his antics. Upon closer inspection, you’re sure that this Cree is older than you remember. Could this really be the Cree that you met in that alternate future? If so, what’s she doing here?

“Fine then!” Manny exclaims, while ripping a piece of bark out of the ground and throwing it as a projectile. Cree swiftly dodges this attack, along with the many others that the young Tetramand hurls in her direction immediately afterwards.

But before he gets a chance to throw another, the Omen delivers another air-slash to Manny’s back, sending him flying across the room.

“Do not damage my Nest, you ape.” the Omen hisses. She seems a little cranky, but maybe she can be reasoned with.

What do you say?

>”Why are you letting Kingfisher tell you what to do? You seem a lot stronger than him.”
>”We don’t have to fight. We’ll leave as soon as we catch Kingfisher and his friend up there.”
>”We’re not the ones hurting your Nest. This is all Kingfisher’s fault!”
>”Who, and what, are you?”
>”So...you’ve been pretending to be a cute little duck this whole time?”
>Write-in.

>>4412613
>>”We don’t have to fight. We’ll leave as soon as we catch Kingfisher and his friend up there.”
>"As long as we can get them out, he won't damage the Nest any further. Ain't that right Manny?"
>”Who, and what, are you?”

>>4412649
+1
Also mention how they helped restore the Nest.

>>4412649
>>4413023
Writing...

File: Manny_day.png (454 KB, 845x934)

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“We don’t have to fight. We’ll leave as soon as we catch Kingfisher and his friend up there.” you say while pointing at Cree. “As long as we can get them out, he won’t damage the Nest any further. Ain’t that right, Manny?” you declare.

“Uhh, yeah sure! We’ll take good care of it.” Manny claims with a panicked expression.

“They helped to restore it, you know. Some guy was trying to drain it of its life energy, and without their help, he might’ve succeeded.” you reveal while speaking in Dropkick’s parrot-like tone.

The Omen takes a moment to look around and assess the situation, before retracting her scythe back into its cane. “Hmm, if that’s the case, then I see no reason to continue this fight. I do apologize for the great unkindness that I’ve shown you.” she says with a deep bow.

“But, my lady-” Kingfisher pleads.

“Silence, you worm! I will hear no more of your lies.” the Omen snaps. “I should have known that you were up to your old tricks again. How low must you sink to lay waste to your home?” she asks, grilling him for a sensible explanation.

“Your awakening was necessary for the future of our people. We need you to guide us through these dark times.” Kingfisher claims with a surprising amount of humility.

“And how does striking down an Oracle bring you any closer to the Promised Land!?” the Omen growls, while pointing at the deceased redheaded woman lying in the corner of the room.

“But I-!” he begins to speak once more.

“If you dare to utter one more word, I will cut out your treacherous tongue.” the Omen hisses. But for some reason, Kingfisher doesn’t look as scared as he should be.

“Sorry to interrupt, but who, and what, are you?” you inquire of the Omen.

“I am the great seer that guides the children of the sky. The foreteller of misfortune. I am called by many names, but most find it easier to refer to me as ‘The Omen’. You may do the same.” she gingerly expresses. “My true age is unknown even to me, but I do know that I have lived to witness many a tragedy in my lifetime, and I will certainly live to witness many more.”

“So if you and this Kingfisher guy don’t get along, why did he free you?” Alan asks.

“Kingfisher is fully aware of the fact that I am incapable of harming one of my children, and he often takes advantage of this fact. Should he be attacked by anyone outside of our family, I will be compelled to protect him.” she groans. “However, if he were to be attacked by another winged creature, then that would be a different story.” she hums while glancing in your direction.

“Ohhh! I get it now.” you laugh.

“Oh dear…” Kingfisher frowns.

And without further ado, you fall back on your palms and deliver a devastating dropkick to his chest, sending him crashing into a wall.

“Oops! Sorry about the collateral.” you apologize.

“No it’s quite alright. I am enjoying this.” the Omen chuckles. “Please, continue…” she implores.

Just then, a loud crash is heard from above, and upon looking up, you see an anthropomorphic parrot riding a hovering pirate ship and waving around a white flag. Surrounding him is a sizable flock of harpies.

“It’s time to peel out, boss!” he shouts.

“Well, it would seem that my ride is here.” Kingfisher says with a smug grin. “While I would love to continue this, I must now take my leave.” he states, right before taking to the skies and flying towards the parrot’s ship.

But as you prepare to leap after him, the Omen puts a hand in front of you. “No, let him go.” she suggests.

“What?! I thought you were on our side!” Manny yells.

“I am, but it would be in your best interest to take a few steps back.” the Omen says. “She’s coming…”

Suddenly, you feel a deep rumbling sensation building up, almost as if the air itself was seizing. And without warning, a mighty bolt of lightning crashes down from the sky, splitting the pirate ship clean in half and incapacitating everyone on board. Kingfisher and Cree somehow manage to avoid being hit, but the former is quickly subdued by a familiar punk girl with snow white, spiky hair. It's Storm Raven!

“I hope you weren’t planning on flying away with your tailfeathers between your legs, again. Maybe we should just go ahead and clip your wings already.” Storm Raven hisses, her entire being pulsating with raw energy.

“Storm Raven. So nice to see you. Did you change your hair?” Kingfisher gulps.

“If Challenger wasn’t such a straight arrow, I’d have fried you ages ago.” Storm Raven says while narrowing her eyes at him. “But for now, we’ll have to settle with tossing you in the Slug box.”

“No, please! Anything but that!” Kingfisher cries. You have no actual idea what they’re talking about, but for now it seems like you’re winning.

Out of the corner of your eye, you spot Cree fleeing the scene once more.

What do you do?

>Chase after her. You want answers.
>Let her go for now. She’ll turn up again someday.
>Ask the Omen if she considers Cree to be one of her “children”.
>Send Alan after her. He should be more than capable of handling her on his own.
>Fire a tracking dart at her. You’re curious to see where she’ll go from here.
>Write-in.

>>4413324
>Fire a tracking dart at her. You’re curious to see where she’ll go from here.
>Ask the Omen if she considers Cree to be one of her “children”.

>>4413324
>>Fire a tracking dart at her. You’re curious to see where she’ll go from here.
>>Ask the Omen if she considers Cree to be one of her “children”.

>>4413499
>>4413814
Writing...

(Apologies for the delays)

For now, you decide to fire a tracking dart at the mysterious Drow. You raise your wrist to the air, take a moment to aim and fire a small dart from a miniature barrel that pops out of the top of your gauntlet. The dart buries itself deep within her metallic feathered cape, going completely unnoticed by Cree.

“What was that?” Alan asks.

“I just want to keep track of where she’s going. Something tells me that she’ll be up to no good if I leave her alone for too long.” you explain, careful not to reveal too much about the tracking device itself. Cree has particularly long and pointy ears, so you’re unsure of how sensitive her hearing is.

“So...did we win?” Manny inquires. Looking around, you see a woman lying dead on the floor, a home(and shelter) destroyed, and a group of young mutants without a mentor.

“...I think so.” you respond, sounding slightly unsure of what you should be doing. For now, helping these guys clean up would be a good start.

-------------

After the Birds throw Kingfisher into prison, you and the others stay to help with the relief effort. Miraculously, the Nest begins healing itself after Michael is subdued, its residents still require medical care. Snapdragon and Knucklehead were useful for patching up wounds, but some students needed an extended stay in the Bird’s in-house medical facility. The damage looked much worse than it actually was, so the relief effort didn’t take terribly long.

Eventually, the Birds congregate in the center of the Nest, discussing what their next course of action should be. The mood gets particularly heavy when they get to the topic of holding a mass funeral for their dead. Apparently, that redheaded woman from before was important. She was known as the Mother Hen, and acted as an Oracle of sorts. Now, with that role being left vacant, they have no choice but to find a replacement.

“So...what now?” Helen asks.

“What do you mean?” Manny questions her.

“I mean, we’ve got no headmaster, no guardian, and no home left to go back to. I don’t even know if going back to the institute is the right thing to do. Who would be paying the bills?” Helen inquires. She raises a good point, though. What should these guys do without a guardian to look after them?

What should you do?

>Recommend that Frightwig become the new Headmaster. She’s really proven herself as a reliable guardian on this mission.
>Call Kirby and Hope. They would be perfect for this role!
>Ask Challenger and The Omen if the young mutants can stay with the Birds.
>Contact the Plumbers and see if you can make some arrangements for a personalized living space.
>Write-in.

>>4414578
>>Recommend that Frightwig become the new Headmaster. She’s really proven herself as a reliable guardian on this mission.
or
>Call Kirby and Hope. They would be perfect for this role!

>>4414578
>Call Kirby and Hope. They would be perfect for this role!

>>4414706
>>4414898
Writing...

File: Kirby.png (517 KB, 1280x720)

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“Don’t worry, I know some people who would be perfect for the job.” you say reassuringly. The four of them exchange confused glances before shrugging simultaneously.

---------------

As you load everyone onto Ship and prepare for your departure, the Birds are quick to stop you just in time to say goodbye.

“We can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done for us, old chum.” Challenger says with a warm smile.

“For real, though. You didn’t owe us anything, but you really stepped up today. We don’t forget that type of thing.” Storm Raven expresses with uncharacteristic gratitude.

“Even though birds have a terrible memory.” Mockingbird proudly claims.

“Actually, birds have a surprisingly good memory.” Sparrow states, while popping up out of nowhere. “Did you know that a single pigeon managed to memorize 68% of 1,978 pictures? And even then-” she elaborates, before Storm Raven rolls her eyes and shoves her out of the way.

“Either way, we’re grateful for what you did. If you ever need a place to hang or an emergency vacation, you’re always welcome to come back.” she declares, while initiating an electrified fist-bump.

“I’ll have to hold you to that.” you say cheerfully.

And with that out of the way, you and your friends are on your way back to the Institute. Kirby and Hope should be there shortly, so it’d probably be in your best interest to hustle.

Suddenly, everything stops. Ship stops moving, everyone around you stops talking, and you’re left alone in an eerily silent frozen image of the present.

“Do not be alarmed.” whispers a familiar voice from behind. “I merely wished to speak with you in private.” says the Omen, just barely coming into view out of the corner of your eye.

“What’s up?” you ask in a nonchalant tone. After everything that’s happened today, it’s gonna take more than this to surprise you.

“I received an omen pertaining to your future, and I must say...it is quite bleak.” she groans as she shifts around throughout the Ship. “You hold a massive weight on your shoulders. So massive, in fact, that the future of this very universe depends on you.” she reveals.

“Well, I hate to break it to you, but that’s not really news to me. You see I-” you begin, before she interrupts you by placing a crimson talon over your lips.

“You misunderstand. That is not all I saw.” she states, while turning her back to you and tugging at her cloak. “I witnessed betrayals of trusted friends, heart wrenching revelations, the tragedy of losing loved ones. And somewhere amidst all that...the spark of a long lasting friendship.” she scoffs in disbelief.

(Cont.)

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“You will be tested. But I do not know if you will be the one to save us.” the Omen mutters. She then turns around dramatically and walks through you, as if you weren’t even there. And slowly, but surely, time begins to move again, and you’re left with only one cryptic phrase before the Omen disappears.

“You have been warned.”

--------------

You don’t speak much for the rest of the ride, which seems to concern Julie and Alan, as they quickly notice that you’re acting strangely. You somehow manage to play it off, but you just can’t shake the creepy feeling that The Omen gave you. Now, you’re kinda wishing that her prediction doesn’t come true.

Upon your arrival, Clancy and Tiffany run out to greet their friends after their latest death defying mission. However, they do not recognize the man known as Michael Morningstar. Frightwig takes them aside in order to explain the situation to them, and you get to witness the five stages of acceptance playing out before your very eyes. There were a lot of tears involved, even some from Helen, but you know that they’ll be able to work through it. After all, they’ve got each other.

----------

Kirby and Hope arrive shortly after you do, driving out of a portal in their souped up Rust Bucket and parking right on the front lawn. As Kirby exits the vehicle, he shields his eyes from the sun and takes a moment to examine the people before him. “Let’s see. There’s Helen, Manny, Alan…” he mumbles to himself. “Oh shit, is that Frightwig and Clancy!?” he loudly whispers.

“Move over, I wanna see!” Hope whines as she pushes past her husband. Both of them appear to be sporting matching hawaian shirts and sun visors. They make a cute couple.

All of a sudden, Hope’s eyes practically bulge out of her eyes when she looks in Michael’s direction. “I don’t believe it...” she says in disbelief. “Honey, look! It’s Michael!” she shouts, while shaking Kirby vigorously.

“Oh my god, you’re right!” he laughs, as him and his wife run over to get a closer look at the disgraced ex-Headmaster. “Oh man, Mike! You big damn loser! You did it again! AHAHAHA!” Kirby laughs with tears forming in his eyes. “You actually made the same mistake and became ugly for it. Again!” he shouts, while throwing his head back in laughter once more. Even Hope seems to be getting a kick out of it.

“I can’t believe I thought you were cute when I was younger. This is really just sad.” she scoffs. “I mean, you were rich, reasonably handsome and well learned in the dark arts. But then you just threw it all away.” she adds.

“I know, right!? I guess some things never change.” Kirby sighs. All the while, a very confused and offended Michael just stares at them and angrily grits his teeth.

(Cont.)

“Oh, and we’re calling you ‘Darkstar’ now.” Kirby claims with a smug grin. “That’s right. I just made that canon.” he announces with a thumb pointed at his own chest.

“That...actually doesn’t sound too bad…” Michael mutters to himself.

“Nice to see you again, teach.” Alan greets him.

“Hey, kiddo. Nice to see that you’re breaking in that Pyromancy Charm.” he says with a warm smile. “And you…” he begins while turning to face you. “How come you never call?” he asks, sounding slightly offended.

“Because it’s hard to tell which plane of existence you’re on half the time.” you retort while crossing your arms.

“...Yeah, you’ve got a good point there.” he chuckles. “Come here, smart mouth.” he growls while giving you a gentle noogie. But it proves ineffective with your armor on.

“What is this place?” Hope interrupts.

“You know...I don’t know. You mind filling us in, kid?” Kirby inquires.

>”These guys need new teachers, and I can’t think of anyone better suited to the job than you two.”
>”With Michael gone, these guys are in desperate need of guidance. Think you can lend them a hand?”
>”You helped me out through a really confusing time in my life. Now I’m asking you to do the same thing for them.”
>”I didn’t mean to interrupt your vacation, but at least now you get to live in a castle!”
>Write-in.

>>4415189
>”Sorry for interrupting your vacation but With Michael gone, these guys are in desperate need of guidance. Think you can lend them a hand?”
>"I was wondering if you know anyone that can teach and take over the Institute or if you can? on the plus side if you do, you get to live in a castle."
Ey i'm back guys although i didnt get a new phone and decided to get a laptop but my old phone i.p is no longer banned so i can now vote once again!
Also good job guys you handle the situation pretty well although that warning from Omen sucks especially getting betrayed by a close friend. I'm kinda worried about wendy now

Test,

>>4415189
>>”Sorry for interrupting your vacation but With Michael gone, these guys are in desperate need of guidance. Think you can lend them a hand?”
>>"I was wondering if you know anyone that can teach and take over the Institute or if you can? on the plus side if you do, you get to live in a castle."

>>4415201
>>4415450
Supporting these two.

>>4415201
>>4415450
>>4416199
Taking these and writing...

Also, I forgot to include on of the options for the last update!

The Omen does not see Cree as one of her children, despite the slight bird theme that she's got going on.

File: Tennyson Institute.png (1.78 MB, 1280x720)

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Sorry for interrupting your vacation, but with Michael gone, these guys are in desperate need of guidance. Think you can lend them a hand?” you ask.

“Well...I don’t know. Being a mentor or a tutor is one thing, but being a teacher? I don’t know if I’m cut out for that type of thing.” Kirby bashfully admits, while scratching the back of his neck.

“Oh, don’t be so modest, dear. You’re great with kids.” Hope reassures him.

“If you can’t do it, then I’m open to suggestions. Do you know anyone that can teach or take over the institute?” you inquire. “Or maybe...someone that might want to live in a castle?” you say enticingly.

“...Castle, you say?” Kirby asks, as his ears perk up.

“Oh yeah, you’d have this whole entire property to yourselves. I’d say it’s a huge step-up from the Rust Bucket.” you state.

“I think we should go for it.” Hope declares. “This could be the next big chapter in our lives.”

Kirby takes a moment to look over the young, eager mutants, before sighing deeply. “...When can I start?” he asks with a grin.

You and the others break into a group cheer as you welcome the newest addition to the “Tennyson Institute”. It has a nice ring to it.

But there’s one thing that sticks in your mind. You realize that this family can get much bigger. You know a ton of people that would fit right in here. Whether they’re teachers, students, or freeloaders.

Will you invite anyone? Keep in mind that certain people might decline or put off your invitation until a later date.

>Dr. Animo(Teacher)
>Dr. Viktor(Teacher)
>The Saturdays(Teachers & Students)
>Pyth0n(Teacher)
>Olivia(Student)
>Kevin(Freeloader)
>Wendy(Student/Teacher)
>Charmcaster(Student)
>Wilderbee(Freeloader)
>Ester(Student)
>The Lenopan Trio(Students)
>Rex(Student/Teacher)
>Forever King Jesse(Teacher)
>Nope. You're good with the current roster.
>Write-in.

Or maybe you would like to rename the Institute?
>Write-in.

>>4416544
>>4416544

A lot to unpack, here's my thoughts.

>Dr. Animo(Teacher) - Animo's Redemption Arc is absolutely great and IC i bet he'd love to be the Biology Teacher/School Doc so he can study the peculiarities of everyone here. He'd also hopefully get some much needed friends.
>Dr. Viktor(Teacher) - He's doing his own thing isn't he? Besides for a genius like him i think this may be a bit too low-scale. Personally i'd say let him be.
>The Saturdays(Teachers & Students) - They've got their own thing going saving endangered animals don't they? Let's give them the option when they're interested and have the time but no pressure i think. (OOC i dislike 'em but that's just me.
>Pyth0n(Teacher) - The Hacker lady if i'm right? Wouldn't she also be young enough to be a student? Frankly i don't know much about her so i'm ambivalent.
>Olivia(Student)/Kevin(Freeloader) - Let's be honest, this is a two in one deal. I'd say to invite them as long as they don't have anything on their plate already.
>Wendy(Student/Teacher) - A bit tricky, i bet she would be a great addition, but whether it'd interest her or not is up in the air. I'd say it will take some convincing but she'll like it here.
>Charmcaster(Student) - Simple as can be, invite her. I bet she'd love more magic lessons and people that can call her friends.
>Wilderbee(Freeloader) - I'd say no, he would turn everything into politics with his thirst for fame and i don't see that ending well.
>Ester(Student) - Literal who for me, if someone reminds me who she is i'd appreciate it.
>The Lenopan Trio(Students) - I'd say no just to avoid all the fanboying that they will lead to, this may be a bit cold but i also think they wouldn't add much.
>Rex(Student/Teacher) - Isn't he fighting his own creators currently? I would let him be until his Revenge Arc ends and he can get on with his life.
>Forever King Jesse(Teacher) - Another literal who for me, could use a reminder.
>Write-in. - There's lots of good ideas to be had here, but sadly my memory is shit. Here's the one i thought off though.
>Grandpa (Teacher) - First off, he's a plumber, so he knows the laws and such and can guide people if they want to join the plumbers. Second, he knows more about how the galaxy operates than the most of us so he can teach that. Issue is, we haven't heard from him in ages have we? I hope he's fine.

Or maybe you would like to rename the Institute?
>Y
Tennyson Institute is a bit on the nose. This is part of something else i had in mind, but we really need a blanket name for allies of X. Think (Teen) Titans or Justice League, something to distinguish us as a Faction and not a loose coalition of Goodie Two Shoes that we are.

>>4416544
>Dr. Animo(Teacher)
>The Saturdays(Teachers & Students) although i'm sure they rather do they're own things but they can visit to teach them a thing or two sometimes
>Olivia(Student)
>Kevin(Freeloader)
>Wendy(Student/Teacher) i doubt she will accept
>Charmcaster(Student)
>The Lenopan Trio(Students) they could learn how to live on earth & might make it so that they don't cause any havoc on accident
>Grandpa (Teacher)

I forgot who wilderbee & ester is but i think Jesse is that guy that helped us take out the monster that had the pyromancy charm remember we met him on the train with his forever knight buddy

Also Tennyson Institute might not be a good name but at the moment i cant come up with a good name
How about we combine it like Tennyson justice league (TJL) or Tennyson Teen Titan (TTT) although i'm not sure taking their names a good idea

We could ask the students if they have any ideas (Gal has any other names idea)
Hmm just a thought how about we take kirby & hope then mix it like Kope or hirby
Actually i'm fine with Tennyson if we cant come up with any good names

>>4416721
>>4416648
Wilderbee is the hero we talked with on his talk show with.
Forever night Jesse is a cowboy forever knight we helped out once and he owes us a one time favor.
Ester is that strechy girl from onmiverse that's half alien.
>>4416544
>Dr. Animo(Teacher)
>Olivia(Student)
>Kevin(Freeloader)
>Charmcaster(Student)
>Wendy(Student/Teacher)
>Ester(Student)
>Grandpa (Teacher)

>>4417069
>>4416544
forgot about
>The Lenopan Trio(Students)

>>4417069
Ahh thx
Ya let's invite Ester

>>4417069
Wait so is Jesse the guy that helped us take out the monster with Pyromancy charm while on a train? Or am i thinking of someone else

>>4416741
You can quite literally call yourselves the "X-Men" and get away with it desu. As for unique names, one of the only ones coming to mind is something like "The Ivy League". Or maybe something with the word "Academy" in it.

>>4417286
And yeah, you've got it right.

The votes seem to support the idea of inviting:

>Dr. Animo
>Olivia
>Kevin
>Charmcaster
>Wendy
>Ester
>Grandpa
>The Lenopan Students

>>4416648
>>4416721
>>4417069
>>4417071
Would you guys like more time to discuss things, or should we proceed?

>>4417502
Ha, yea X-Men, is pretty good. Guessing the comics don't exist.

To me it seems a bit weird to invite Ester, mostly since we haven't seen her in a while. Or at least from what we've seen, we haven't seen her since the Incursean invasion, which was a year ago, maybe more now?

The rest to me look good, I feel like Wendy might accept just so she can get out of our parents place.

>>4417502
Looks all good to me
I am Alright with X-men

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>>4417566
>>4417838
I am genuinely surprised that you guys went for it. Works for me though. Writing...

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You’ve got a few people in mind, but the one you’re most excited about is Dr. Animo. He’s been making great progress lately, and you think that this sort of environment would be really good for his mental health. At least, you hope so.

After making a few calls through the Omnitrix’s interface, you’re able to contact the facility that Animo’s housed in. But before you can reach him, you’re forced to sit through the menial process of being transferred from person to person in an attempt to accomplish one simple thing. Eventually, you reach an actual intelligent alien that can help solve your problem. However, once you learn that you’ll have to wait a week for Animo to be cleared for release, you can’t help but feel like your time was wasted. On the bright side, this is definitely happening!

>Dr. Animo(Pending)

-----------

Next, you decide to give Olivia and Kevin a call. They’re most likely together, since they always are, so it’s a safe assumption.

“Heyo cuzzo! How’s it hangin’?” Olivia answers.

“How would you like to join the X-Men?” you ask with a dramatic undertone. And in response, you get a deep gasp and a high pitched squeal. You’ll take that as a yes. And since Kevin isn’t working or going to school as the moment, they should be completely free to leave Bellwood.

Surprisingly, Kevin’s one qualm was the idea of being far from his Mother. But his step-dad reassured him that he would be there to take care of her in his place. And Olivia’s mother seemed to like the idea of her daughter traveling abroad in order to further her studies. So long as she doesn’t learn what she’s really up to.

>Olivia recruited.
>Kevin recruited.

---------------

The next call goes out to your old friend Charmcaster. You haven’t seen her since Aku changed the contents of the past. Fortunately, you parted on good terms, so you’re confident that this should go well.

After the phone rings a few times, Charmcaster answers the phone, sounding frantic and out of breath. “Yes...hello?” she says while panting.

“Charmcaster? I was wondering if you wanted to attend a magic school that I was putting together. I think you’d really like it.” you state.

“Really? Schools were never really my thing.” she groans. Immediately afterwards, you hear a loud crash and a cat screeching. “But anything beats being stuck here.” she whines. “Gimme an address and I’ll pop over and check it out sometime.”

You do as she says and send her the address, as well as a suggestion for a safe place to teleport so she doesn’t end up stuck inside of a wall.

>Charmcaster recruited?

-----------------

Now for the hardest part. You’ve got to somehow convince Wendy to join your school and superhero team. Here goes nothing…

(Cont.)

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“Broooooo, living with your parents fucking suuuucks.” Wendy groans. “I’m slowly losing my mind. I’m sorry, Wade. I might just end up killing one of them.”

Maybe this won’t be as hard as you thought it’d be.

“Well, I’ve got a suggestion if you’re looking for another place to stay.” you propose.

“I’m listening…” she sighs.

>Wendy recruited?

--------------

“A superhero team? Just like last time?” Ester asks.

“Yeah, something like that. It doubles as a school too, but I’m pretty sure that the classes might be optional.” you explain.

“Hm. Sounds fun! I’ve been meaning to head topside for a while now, and hanging around with Seebik all day is getting kinda stale.” she complains. “I might need someone to come pick me up, though.”

“That can be arranged.” you assure her.

>Ester recruited.

-----------------

“What’s this about a school, now?” Grandpa inquires.

“Alan’s Headmaster turned out to be a bad guy, so we got Kirby and Hope to take care of them.” you elaborate. “I was thinking that you’d make for a pretty good teacher. You practically taught me all I know.”

“I’d love to, kiddo, but this trial has been eating up all of my free time.” Grandpa admits.

“Oh, just go with the kid, Phil. You’ve done enough here.” Koba suggests, while cutting into your conversation.

“But I’m expected to-” Grandpa begins, before Koba places a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

“We’ll be fine without you for a little while. Now relax, and go spend some time with your grandkids.” Koba says in a slightly softer tone, while giving him a pat on the shoulder.

Grandpa looks down for a moment, before taking a deep breath and returning his gaze to you. “Looks like my schedule’s all clear.” he says with a smile.

You send him the coordinates and give him some time to prepare. With luck, he should arrive sometime tomorrow.

>Grandpa recruited.

-------------------

“So we get to live with you AND go on missions with you!?” screams one of the Lenopans.

“This is so sick!” another shouts. As they banter and bicker with one another, you make arrangements for someone to come pick them up, since you don’t trust them to travel on their own without getting sidetracked.

>Lenopans recruited.

----------------

You consider calling the Saturdays, but you figure that they’re busy doing their own thing these days.

(Cont.)

On another note, something that the Lenopans said got you thinking. Should you, K8-E and the kids move here too? It’d be a much bigger living space, and there would always be babysitters available. On the other hand, that would require you to leave Bellwood. Are you willing to make that kind of decision?

After all LA is a long way from Bellwood.

>Go home and discuss the topic of moving with K8-E and the kids.
>Remain in Bellwood. It will always be your home.
>You’ve got a few things to take care of in Bellwood, first. But once you’ve got everything squared away, you’re moving into the mansion.
>Write-in.

(Apologies for the delays, bit this was a lot to prepare.)

>>4418103
I'm a bit split on this. But I'm leaning towards mansion. First reason is that Bellwood is in good hands, tons of really strong heroes protecting it. Second is that we can get there pretty fast with XLR8 and Bloodrush. And lastly, building up our own group is important, giving us more of an actual presence, like one of the guys above was talking about.

It's all good Galvan, take your time.

>>4418103
>>Go home and discuss the topic of moving with K8-E and the kids and see if they're okay with it.
>You’ve got a few things to take care of in Bellwood, first. But once you’ve got everything squared away, you’re moving into the mansion.

>>4418118
+1
Once we get the loose ends solved and K8-E and the kiddos permitting, i'd say it'd make sense. Though lets just make sure to still keep up with the events of bellwood since it seems to be a hotspot for trouble.

>>4418118
+1
Well then since we are gonna likely move in to the mansion, i'm kinda concern about our identity being exposed by like the leno trio
Maybe i'm just overthinking it

I just realized our secret identity is X & now we started a group called x-men
This may have not been a smart choice as people/enemies may think we X run this group

>>4419213
I figured we'd be going on missions with them anyways, so it wouldn't really be much of a secret.

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Before you prepare to leave, you decide to inform Kirby of the students and staff that are on their way over.

"So, let me get this straight. You went and invited a bunch of people off the top of your head and told them to move in without asking me?" Kirby asks.

"This mansion is empty, Kirby. There's more than enough room for them to move in and stretch their legs." you state with your arms crossed. "Besides, we could use a base of operations. With everyone in one place, it'll be super easy for us to mobilize at a moment's notice if some new threat rears its ugly head." you propose.

"Well, I guess there's no harm in it. Give me a list of the people you invited, and I'll take care of things." he says while producing a notebook from his bag.

"Speaking of taking care of things, what did you guys end up doing about Michael?" you ask.

"Oh, don't worry about him. Hope's dealing with him as we speak." he laughs, seemingly taking delight in Mike's suffering.

"As long as he doesn't get free, I don't care what you do with him." you sigh. "And by the way, some of those guy's might need a ride here." you add.

"I'll see what I can do about sending a few portals over. I just need some time to get situated here." Kirby explains.

"That's understandable." you respond.

"Wait...why are you on this list?" he asks, as he brings his face closer to the paper.

"Because me and the missus are gonna be moving in after I get a few things squared away. Hope you know how to childproof a mansion." you say while turning around and walking away. "Take care, Kirby. I'll be seeing you soon."

You can only imagine the dumbfounded and grief stricken look that must be plastered on his face right now.

-----------

When you reach the courtyard, you see Alan hugging Julie and Carol goodbye. The hug between him and Julie lingers for a good, long while. But he breaks it when he notices you approaching him.

"I just wanna thank you guys again for what you did. It's nice to know that you've got my back." he says with a wide grin.

"You've been there for me every step of the way. I'm just returning the favor." you say, returning his affection.

"We've all got your back, Alan." Julie reassures him.

"Yeah, even Mal likes you!" Carol exclaims with a goofy grin.

"I do not despise you." Malware states, while popping his head out of Carol's back. That's mighty high praise coming from him.

"It just sucks that you guys are leaving already. We didn't really get to hang out much, aside from beating up bad guys." Alan complains.

"Sorry, but I've got some summer courses to finish for college credit." Julie sighs.

(Cont.)

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"And my Dad's making me go to his stupid private beach house for vacation. I'd much rather hang out with you guys." Carol groans. You guess rich people have their own problems too.

"Well you'll probably be seeing me again much sooner than you think. After I settle a few scores back in Bellwood, I'll be moving in with you and the others." you reveal.

"For real!? That'd be sick!" Alan excitedly exclaims. "What about you guys?" he asks the girls with high hopes.

"You know I'd do anything for you guys, but I just can't see myself joining a superhero team. Most of this stuff goes way over my head." Julie bashfully explains.

"I'm with Jules in this one. I don't think I could do this every day like you guys." Carol agrees.

"Well, the offer's always open if you change your minds." Alan proposes.

And with that, you say your goodbyes, board Ship and chart a course back to Bellwood.

-----------

After the girls drop you off, you remove your suit and spend a few minutes walking home in order to avoid suspicion. If K8-E gets on board with this moving plan, then you won't have to do so much sneaking around. Everybody wins!

But before you can even get halfway through the door, EN and ML-E nearly tackle you to the ground as they race to meet you at the entrance.

"Wade's here!" they shout.

"I swear, you guys are getting heavier by the day." you grunt, while struggling to walk with them clinging to your legs.

"Hello, dear. How was your day?" K8-E asks as she rapidly whisks a bowl full of cake batter.

"Alan's Headmaster turned out to be a bad guy, so we had to chase him down and stop him from enacting some super evil plot." you lazily summarize.

"Oh dear, that sounds horrible. Who's going to take care of them now?" she asks with a voice full of genuine concern.

"I called Kirby and Hope, and they said that they would be fine with taking over as the Headmasters of the school." you explain, as you pry the kids off of your legs and send them off to go play.

"Are they finished with their vacation already?" K8-E inquires, while pouring the cake mix into a molded pan.

"They weren't, but I think they liked the idea of living in a mansion." you chuckle. "And speaking of living in a mansion…" you say suggestively as you lean over the kitchen table. "How would you feel about moving?"

K8-E freezes in place, seemingly thrown off by your random question. “Moving? Moving where?” she warily asks, while placing the mixing bowl on the table.

“The mansion where Alan and the others attend school. I invited a ton of people to live there, like Ollie, Kev, and Grandpa.” you say, counting your family and friends on your fingers.

(Cont.)

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“A mansion?” K8-E laughs in disbelief. “Where is it located?” she asks.

“Los Angeles. It’s a bit far from here, but I really think it would be good for us.” you suggest, as you gently stroke K8-E’s hand.

“Well…I suppose we could use a bigger house for the kids to run around in.” she reasons. “But then they would have to transfer schools.” she sighs.

“Well it’s already a school, so that shouldn’t be too much of an issue.” you state.

“That’s not what I mean. They’d be leaving their friends behind and moving somewhere completely unfamiliar to them.” K8-E explains. “I’m not sure how they’ll react to all this. ML-E and EN were just getting comfortable.”

“I know it’s a big change, but this is better for all of us. It keeps all of us together, and I won’t have to worry about protecting you all the time.” you say.

“You don’t have to worry about protecting me all the time.” she giggles.

“Yeah, well you can’t make me. I’ll always worry about you and the kids. You’re my weakness.” you say while kissing her hand.

“I don’t want to be your weakness.” she whispers while gently stroking your cheek. “I want to be your source of strength, too. Don’t you think I worry when you throw yourself headfirst into danger every day?” she inquires. “No matter what happens, you’d better make coming home to me your top priority. You are mine and mine alone. Do you understand?” she questions you with a stern glare, now tightly gripping your face with her claws.

All you can do is silently nod in response.

“Wonderful. So long as you understand...my home is wherever you and my children are. I do not share any particular attachments to this city, but I will need time to make arrangements for a transfer.” she suggests.

“You’re the best.” you state whilst staring deep into her amber colored eyes.

“How long do we have?” she asks with slightly flushed cheeks.

“I won’t leave until I’ve settled a few things here in Bellwood. I’m not sure how long they’ll take, but I’ll give you an estimated time once I’ve done some digging.” you respond.

“Don’t forget about my sister’s wedding. We can’t leave before then.” K8-E quickly reminds you.

“I didn’t forget. But I should probably go out and rent that tux, soon.” you silently mumble to yourself.

“As long as we’re on the same page.” she says, while leaning in to give you a kiss. “I’ll discuss this with the kids. In the meantime, you can tend to that ‘business’ that you mentioned earlier.” she adds, before disappearing into N8’s room. You just hope that the kids won’t hate you for this.

(Cont.)

Now, what will you do with the rest of your day?

>Investigate The Cowl’s disappearance.
>Report your location transfer to the Vigilante Corps.
>Confront Lieutenant Steel about his involvement with Elena and the Forever Knights.
>Visit the Metahuman Research Center and try to help the patients being held there. People like Shiva need to be put under control before you can leave.
>Call Darcy Drew and request a press conference in order to promote your new team.
>Go on patrol and bust as many bad guys as you possibly can in a single day. You’re about to set a personal record!
>Write-in.

>>4419649
>Investigate The Cowl’s disappearance.
>Confront Lieutenant Steel about his involvement with Elena and the Forever Knights.
Wasn't he going to do some investigating into Steel and Elena? If so we could knock both of those out.
>Report your location transfer to the Vigilante Corps.
We should also let the Vigilante Corps we're going to be moving soon. Get them ready for that change.

>>4419797
+1

I would like to help the people in the metahuman research Center but i'm not sure how we'll be able to do it

>>4419944
Yea that's how I feel right now too. The best thing I can think of doing at the moment is getting in touch with people like Animo, Viktor, and Azmuth. Maybe we could figure something out as Grey Matter, but it's not an assured thing.

>>4419649
>>Investigate The Cowl’s disappearance.
>Confront Lieutenant Steel about his involvement with Elena and the Forever Knights.
>Report your location transfer to the Vigilante Corps.
>Visit the Metahuman Research Center and try to help the patients being held there. People like Shiva need to be put under control before you can leave.

File: AC_(292).png (361 KB, 1280x720)

361 KB PNG

First and foremost, you need to investigate The Cowl’s disappearance. And you know just where to start.

You remember him saying something about wanting to investigate one of Steel’s facilities. You’d bet one million taydens he’s somehow involved in all this.

“Trixy. Can you help me find Steel?” you ask.

“Certainly. One moment, please.” she responds. You just hope your partner is still in one piece when you find him.

-------------

Fortunately, Steel was picked up by a facial recognition search when he passed a surveillance camera. The Time-Out facility that he’s currently in is heavily guarded and constantly monitored. The only question is, how will you go about this?

>Distract Steel while your beetle drone scopes out the facility.
>Infiltrate the facility using one of your aliens. (Which one?)
>You don’t have time to waste. Bust through the front gates and tear through the facility until you find The Cowl.
>Be upfront with Steel. You know what he’s up to, and you hold the upper hand.
>Write-in.

Aliens Unlocked:
https://pastebin.com/JVq4NM2t

Skills, Stats and Inventory:
https://pastebin.com/iEYrGZS1

Top 10:
>Big Chill
>Diamondhead
>Zipmunk
>Bloodrush
>XLR8
>Fourcast
>Thriller Whale
>Knuckle Duster
>Hack N’ Slash
>Snapdragon

>>4420682
>Be upfront with Steel. You know what he’s up to, and you hold the upper hand.
There's a chance they don't have The Cowl, plus we might as well try to keep our relations up.

>>4420682
>>Be upfront with Steel. You know what he’s up to, and you hold the upper hand.
>Distract Steel while your beetle drone scopes out the facility.

>>4420993
+1

As soon as you see an opportunity, you hop onto your hoverboard and release your beetle drone into the air. Meanwhile, Steel’s boys are too distracted by you flying through their airspace to notice your spy bug crawling through a vent and entering the facility.

In a panic, they all train their weapons on you and bark orders to one another as they take defensive positions.

“Relax. I’m not here to pick a fight.” you reassure them. But they don’t seem to be convinced by your words at all.

“Stand down.” Steel commands as he walks onto the helipad that you landed on. “X. If I knew you were visiting, I would’ve prepared some refreshments. You’ve caught me with my pants down here.” he admits with a disarming smile.

“Well that’s not something that I wanted to think about...” you groan.

“What’s this now? Just because you own the planet, you think you own my facility too?” he chuckles, his words practically dripping with venom and sarcasm.

“I decrypted the Red Pill’s drive. You know, the one you tried to have him killed over?” you say with biting sarcasm. “I know that you’ve been in contact with Elena and the Forever Knights. I also know that you’ve been recruiting villains into your ranks. What’s that all about?” you inquire.

By now, Steel’s rubbing his hand down his face and sighing heavily. “I know what this looks like, and it’s not what you think. After Evo-Corp rose from the dead, Validus used all of her resources in order to bolster relief efforts worldwide. The world is still hurting from that frog invasion, and things are only getting worse with these new mutants and metahumans running around.” Steel grumbles.

“And that doesn’t sound suspicious to you?! The lady was putting nanites in people’s food! Who does that?!” you shout.

“Evo-Corps products have been checked by those new nanite scanners, and they’ve been cleared by the FDA, the PSO, the NSC, the NHRQ, and even OSHA!” Steel responds.

Dammit! Not OSHA…

“The problem here isn’t Validus.” he loudly states. “The problem here is that you just can’t accept the fact that YOU weren’t the one to save the day this time.” he declares, while pressing a finger into your breastplate. You don’t dare move, lest you risk the possibility of Steel getting caught in the crossfire.

“You can’t be everywhere at once, hero. Validus and the Knights are offering us a chance to defend ourselves without relying on you or some other dangerous kid.” he proclaims. “Just see for yourself.” he states, as he gestures towards you with a wave of his hand.

And as soon as you turn around, you’re met by the familiar face of a villain that nearly destroyed the city. You now stand face to face with Blast Shadow.

(Cont.)

He doesn’t appear to be particularly antagonistic towards you, but that’s what scares you the most. His expression almost seems...empty.

Your drone should have some results shortly. What do you do?

>”What’s the matter, Blast? Global terrorism wasn’t paying well enough?”
>”What did you do to him?”
>”So you’d rather use villains to do your bidding than rely on trustworthy heroes?”
>”Elena and the Knights are using you, Steel. You have no idea what they’re capable of.”
>Write-in.

Aliens Unlocked:
https://pastebin.com/JVq4NM2t

Skills, Stats and Inventory:
https://pastebin.com/iEYrGZS1

Top 10:
>Big Chill
>Diamondhead
>Zipmunk
>Bloodrush
>XLR8
>Fourcast
>Thriller Whale
>Knuckle Duster
>Hack N’ Slash
>Snapdragon

>>4421582
>”What did you do to him? People like him don't just switch sides.”
>”Elena and the Knights are using you, Steel. You have no idea what they’re capable of.”
>Have Trixy do a subtle scan of Blast Shadow, checking for any abnormalities or nanites.

>>4421582
>”What did you do to him? People like him don't just switch sides.”
>”Elena and the Knights are using you, Steel. You have no idea what they’re capable of.”
>Have Trixy do a subtle scan of Blast Shadow, checking for any abnormalities or nanites.

>>4421582
>>”What did you do to him? People like him don't just switch sides.”
>>”Elena and the Knights are using you, Steel. You have no idea what they’re capable of.”
>>Have Trixy do a subtle scan of Blast Shadow, checking for any abnormalities or nanites.

>>4421870
+1

"What did you do to him? People like him don't just switch sides." you state, while walking around Blast Shadow and inspecting him. He doesn't seem to mind that either.

"The Doc brought out the good in him. I didn't see it, but The Doc did. Deep down, even amoral men like Blast Shadow have some good in them." Steel proclaims.

Who the hell is "The Doc"?

By tapping on the temple of your helmet, you shut off your suit's speakers so no one but Trixy can hear you. "Trixy, I need you to do a subtle scan on Blast Shadow. Check for any abnormalities, implants or nanites." you demand.

"Very well." Trixy responds. And by tapping your temple once more, you reactivate your suit's speakers.

"Elena and the Knight's are using you, Steel. You have no idea what they're capable of." you say.

"No, I do know. That's why I'll be giving them my full support at tomorrow's rally." he declares. "I know you and me have had our differences, but I truly do wish that you can come. Just so we can show you what we're willing to do to help those in need." he says, in a much softer tone.

Steel thinks he's helping the world by teeming up with these bozos, which makes things much more complicated.

Just then, Trixy displays the results of the scan on your HUD display. No implants. No nanites, but there was some sort irregular brain activity going on. Well actually, the problem is that there's a severe lack of activity going on for someone that's supposed to be conscious and fully aware of his surroundings. How strange...

By now, your drone sends his final report to you as well. And surprisingly, The Cowl is nowhere to be found in the facility. But judging from the empty capsules that your beetle collected, he was definitely here at some point. So the question still stands: Where is he now?

What do you say?

>"Sure, I'll come to your stupid rally. If only to keep an eye on Elena and the Knights."
>"I'm not gonna show my support for a bunch of Larpers and a literal mad scientist."
>"If I'm in the area, I'll pop in and see what you guys are up to."
>"Enough of the pleasantries, Steel. I know The Cowl was here. Now tell me where you're holding him."
>Just leave in silence. You've got nothing left to say to this man.
>Write-in.

>>4422352
>"I know you have good intentions but I'm not gonna show my support for a bunch of Larpers and a literal mad scientist."

>>4422352
>"If I'm in the area, I'll pop in and see what you guys are up to."
I think trying to keep relations up with them is still the best play. I want to ask him about The Cowl, but chances are he broke in, got whatever he needed, then left and went missing after leaving the place.

>>4422482
And Steel seems like he's actually trying to get a bit friendlier with us. Which is more than what we can say for the start of this season.

>>4422482
+1
I'm suspicious his brain activity is not normal maybe a bit of mind control or brainwashing
Be neutral... for now

>>4422482
>>4422860
Writing...

You’re still suspicious of Steel, but he seems like he has good intentions. You’ll also have to look into the matter of what he’s done to Blast Shadow. Something about this whole situation just rubs you the wrong way.

“If I’m in the area, I’ll pop in and see what you guys are up to.” you vaguely answer with a shrug.

“That’s good enough for me.” he says while taking a few steps back, giving you room to summon your hoverboard and take off towards the skies. As soon as you’re out of sight, you recall your drone and absorb it back into your suit.

Judging from the evidence that your beetle brought back, The Cowl came here for something and left soon afterwards. So like it or not, these empty capsules are the best clue that you have.

After closer examination, you notice that there’s still some chemical residue clinging to the inside of the capsule. This must have come from his utility built. Maybe if you figure out what’s inside, you might be able to get a lead on this cold case.

“Hey Trixy, can you scan the contents of these capsules? I think they might give us an idea of where The Cowl went.” you request.

“It certainly is possible for the chemical residue to have left a faint trail after clinging to his suit. However, considering how much time has elapsed, I am unsure of how helpful or accurate my readings will be.” Trixy admits.

“Just try your best. In the meantime, I’ve got a call to make.” you state, as you steer your board towards a nearby rooftop.

-----------

After being put on hold for several minutes, you are finally connected to a representative of the Vigilante Corps.

“Thank you for calling the Vigilante Support Center. This is Jordan speaking. How may I help you?” he says in a proper, and rehearsed, tone.

“Hi, Jordan. This is X, and I-” you begin, before you hear an audible crash and some fumbling.

“Sorry about that, Mr. X. I’m a huge fan, by the way. I hope we didn’t offend you by putting you on hold.” he says, sounding slightly out of breath.

“Nah, it’s cool, man. I was just calling to let you know that I’ll be transferring to another state next week.” you declare.

“What? Seriously!?” he asks, sounding more unprofessional than he did before. “...Might I ask why, sir?”

“Well, I-” you begin speaking once more.

“No, you’re right. That’s totally unprofessional. I’m so sorry.” Jordan blabbers on. “I’ll report your transfer notification right away.”

“Thanks, Jordan. If you need anything else from me, just contact me on my open comms channel.” you say.

“Yes, sir!” he shouts enthusiastically. Presumably much louder than he should in an office setting.

“Wade, I’ve discovered what The Cowl had been using these capsules for.” Trixy announces.

(Cont.)

“Great. Let’s hear it.” you encourage.

“The first capsule appears to house a thick, dark blue powder that’s used as a fast acting depressant. Conclusion: They were filled with knockout gas.” she states.

“That makes sense for him to use if he was infiltrating the base. What about the others?” you ask.

“The contents of the remaining two capsules appear to be identical. The thick lining of the capsule tells me that the liquid that was once housed inside had highly acidic properties. This material is much easier to track, but once again, this task is made difficult by the high speed winds passing over Lieutenant Steel’s Time-Out facility.” Trixy contemplates.

“So even Monitor Lizard would have a hard time tracking him down, then.” you groan.

“Our chances of locating The Cowl would be significantly higher if you expanded the scope of our search. Might I suggest involving Olumar and Slate in your investigation?” she suggests.

You wonder if that’s such a good idea. Summoning Slate wouldn’t require you to make a pitstop, but he is the family dog. If your kids are taking the big news hard, they’ll need some comfort from your golem dog.

Olumar, on the other hand, isn’t necessarily essential to your kid’s emotional integrity, but you’d have to stop home to pick her up. And that could get awkward real quick.

This feels like a stupid thing to worry about. What do you do?

>Summon Slate and pick up Olumar so that they may aid you in your search.
>Summon Slate from your totem.
>Go home and pick up Olumar as discreetly as you possibly can.
>Try to track The Cowl down on your own. You’ve got a ton of aliens with superhuman senses. One of them should be able to find him.
>Write-in.

Aliens Unlocked:
https://pastebin.com/JVq4NM2t

Skills, Stats and Inventory:
https://pastebin.com/iEYrGZS1

Top 10:
>Big Chill
>Diamondhead
>Zipmunk
>Bloodrush
>XLR8
>Fourcast
>Thriller Whale
>Knuckle Duster
>Hack N’ Slash
>Snapdragon

>>4422960
>Transform into Big Chill and pick up Olumar.
I'm pretty sure Big Chill is faster than Ghostfreak.

>>4423209
+1

>>4422960
>>Go home and pick up Olumar as discreetly as you possibly can and transform into monitor lizard

>>4422960
>Transform into Big Chill and pick up Olumar.

>>4423209
>>4423233
>>4423568
Writing...

File: Olumar2.jpg (300 KB, 1434x1920)

300 KB JPG

Ultimately, you decide to drop by your house and pick up Olumar. No one should notice if she’s gone for a few hours, and your kids might require Slate’s presence if they don’t like the idea of moving.

------------

Once you get close to your home, you hop off of your hoverboard and transform into Big Chill without ever touching your watch. A little while ago, you realized that you should be able to transform into aliens without going through the usual process. If it works when you’re switching from one to another, the same principle should apply in similar situations. But while this is true, you find the feeling of slamming your hand down onto the Omnitrix core to be extremely satisfying.

As you get closer to the ground, you activate your intangibility and phase through the wall closest to the living room. And while you’re more difficult to spot in this form, you’re grateful that none of the kids are nearby when you do this. When you spot Olumar’s lamp, you grab it as quickly as possible and vacate the premises with haste.

“Brrrr! I swear, if one of you kids touched that thermostat…!” Olumar growls. But as soon as she pops out of her lamp, her face lights up the moment she sees you. “Oh~ Master~! Only you could warm my heart with such cold hands.” he purrs, while wrapping her slender arms around your neck. Frankly, you’re surprised that she can even touch you while you’re intangible.

“What’s all this about? Are you finally taking me out for a night out on the Undertown?” she asks suggestively.

“Maybe later, Blue. I need your help with something.” you request in Big Chill’s hushed and raspy tone.

“Whatever it is, I shall do my best. I live to serve, after all~!” she says with a seductive wink. By now, you’ve grown very used to Olumar’s flirting.

----------

Over the course of the next few minutes, you inform Olumar of the situation at hand. During which, she listens quietly and attentively, never interrupting once.

“So your friend is missing, and you require my services in order to find him?” she inquires.

“Yep, that’s the short version. Do you think you can use your magic to help me out?” you ask.

“That depends. Do you have something that he might have had on his person in your possession?” she asks while touching a finger to her lips.

“I’ve got these capsules that came from his belt. Would these help?” you question, while brandishing the capsules from the Omnitrix’s matter storage unit.

(Cont.)

“Those should do just fine!~” Olumar hums. She takes the capsules from your hand and then proceeds to rattle them around in her hand while chanting some sort of incantation. And by drawing some sand from her lamp, mixing it in with the capsules and blowing into it, she somehow creates a glittering trail of golden sand that shoots out of her hands and flies off somewhere in the distance. “There’s your hint, Master. You’d go better catch it~!” Olumar suggests in a cheerful tone.

Roll 1d100+10, bo3!

Swapping to a faster alien might decrease the DC.

Aliens Unlocked:
https://pastebin.com/JVq4NM2t

Skills, Stats and Inventory:
https://pastebin.com/iEYrGZS1

Top 10:
>Big Chill
>Diamondhead
>Zipmunk
>Bloodrush
>XLR8
>Fourcast
>Thriller Whale
>Knuckle Duster
>Hack N’ Slash
>Snapdragon

Rolled 96 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>4424449

>>4424449
>>4424556
I think Big Chill will work just fine.

Rolled 22 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>4424449
>Switch to Bloodrush
He's our fastest airborne alien i think

>>4424618
He does poorly in daylight, and it's still day out.

Rolled 87 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>4424449
>>Switch to Bloodrush

>>4424449
I'm fine with bloodrush, his tracking ability might help

File: Megawhatt1.jpg (51 KB, 640x480)

51 KB JPG

>>4424556
>>4424618
>>4424868
GOD DAMN! A roll like that deserves a reward. Writing...

File: bloodrush_by_artmachband1(...).jpg (73 KB, 774x1032)

73 KB JPG

>106!

That glittering trail is moving awfully fast. You’d better switch to Bloodrush.

“Um, Master?” Olumar beckons. “It’s getting away from us.”

In an instant, your physique and bone structure shifts drastically, transforming you into Bloodrush without much effort on your part. And without further delay, you flap your wings and dive forward with enough speed and force to create a sonic boom. You’re careful to hold Olumar’s lamp with your needle-like legs, but you’re a little worried that her mischievous side will get the better of her during this chase.

At some point, the glittering dust trail goes straight down, right into the heart of Downtown Bellwood. You follow close behind, pausing to hover mid-air and firing yourself downward as if you were a living bullet. The resulting sonic boom thunders and echoes in your ears, but you’re just grateful to be looking away from the sun. Flying below the cloudline should help.

As you glide alongside a neighboring skyscraper, you can see a mass of office workers clambering away from their desks in order to get a closer look at you. But your focus is solely drawn towards that pesky tracking spell that Olumar cast. Even when it goes through construction sites, busy streets, bustling shopping districts and crowded tourist attractions, you’re careful to stay right on it’s tail, flawlessly bobbing and weaving between buildings, obstacles and general obstructions.

Being faster than a fighter jet, yet more maneuverable than a hummingbird, Bloodrush seems to have been a perfect fit for a task like this. Sometimes you forget how reliable the classics can be.

After a few minutes, you notice the trail getting more and more faint, until it stops right behind a red-headed business woman wearing high heels. The dust that you’d been chasing now appears to be stuck to her shoes, leaving a barely perceivable glitter in her footprints.

Curious about this new development, you descend upon the woman, landing right before her and raising your nose to the air. Shrieks of both fear and amazement fill the air, but you drown them out in order to focus on the peculiar scent surrounding the woman.

“W-what do you want?” she asks fearfully.

“There’s something odd about this one, Master.” Olumar chimes in. “I just can’t put my ‘finger’ on it.” she playfully states, before poking a finger through the woman’s chest.

“Blue, what the hell!?” you shout, only to realize that a web of glowing cracks and fractures have begun to spread throughout the woman’s body. She goes into a panic and looks at herself in horror as tiny pieces of her flesh begin to flake off and harden.

Just then, her entire image falls apart and crumbles to the floor, revealing the form of a tall and well built middle aged man standing in her place.

(Cont.)

“Aw man…” he curses. The man wears a gray, tight fitting turtleneck and a pair of comfortable looking black dress pants. But the strangest thing about him is the mask that he wears. It’s eerily similar to The Cowl’s, but with white stripes crossing through it. “Hey kid, didn’t anyone ever tell you that it’s rude to stare?” he asks while using his arms to cover his fully clothed body. And that’s when you notice the various weapons that he has equipped on his person. A crowbar on his back, a knife strapped to his thigh and a peculiar looking gun placed on his hip.

>You’ve discovered The Finch!

What do you do?

>”You’re one of the Birds, right? What’s your relation to The Cowl?”
>”Olumar, how’d you do that? Better yet, WHAT did you do?”
>”Why were you pretending to be a woman?”
>”You wanna tell me why you’re so heavily armed in the middle of town?”
>”If you’re thinking of causing a scene, just don’t. It won’t go well for you.”
>"I've got some questions that I need you to answer. Do you mind if we go somewhere quieter?"
>Write-in.

>>4425653
>"I've got some questions that I need you to answer. Do you mind if we go somewhere quieter?"
>”You’re one of the Birds, right? What’s your relation to The Cowl?”
>”Why were you pretending to be a woman?”
>”You wanna tell me why you’re so heavily armed in the middle of town?”

>>4425653
>>"I've got some questions that I need you to answer. Do you mind if we go somewhere quieter?"
>>”You’re one of the Birds, right? What’s your relation to The Cowl?”
>>”Why were you pretending to be a woman?”
>>”You wanna tell me why you’re so heavily armed in the middle of town?”

“I’ve got some questions that I need you to answer. Do you mind if we go somewhere quieter?” you politely ask.

“Well…” he begins, while rubbing the back of his head. “I would, but my schedule is really jam packed today and I-” he rambles. But before he gets a chance to finish, you grab him by the arms and sly up to a nearby rooftop with this mysterious man in tow.

“Whoa!” he shouts.

“You’re one of the Birds, right? What’s your relation to The Cowl?” you ask, while dropping him onto the hard concrete. As soon as you mention The Cowl, his eyes widen and his muscles tense up.

“If you’re asking if I’m part of that Boy Scout group, the answer’s no.” he says as he dusts himself off. “And as for me and The Cowl, we go way back. I mess around a little, he busts me for it. It’s kind of our thing.” he chuckles lightly.

“So, why were you pretending to be a woman?” you inquire.

“Oh her?” he laughs. “That lady worked at a nearby bank, so I thought I’d take her for a spin.” he nonchalantly answers. This guy has no problems with casually admitting that he was preparing to commit a crime. Does he not know who you are, or is he just a huge idiot?

“Is that why you’re so heavily armed in broad daylight?” you growl, while narrowing your eyes.

“We live in crazy times, my friend. I’d have to be just as crazy to leave home without my trusty crowbar.” he explains, as he removes it from his back and runs a hand along its sleek, black exterior. “But enough about me. Let’s talk about you.” he states.

“That’s not what this is. And you still haven’t told me while The Cowl’s scent is all over you.” you demand.

“You wanna find out? Try and catch me, then.” he proposes, while brandishing what looks like a crimson hair from Bloodrush’s body. And in an instant, the strange man builds another shell around his body, forming the exact shape of the alien that you’re currently using.

He’s spreading his wings and preparing to take off! What do you do?

>Hit him with a supersonic tackle.
>Tangle him up in your wings.
>Spit your blood at him and use it to bind him in place.
>Get Olumar close enough for her to try that thing again.
>Let him go and follow him from afar.
>Swap to another alien.(Which one?)
>Create a combo with another alien. (Write-in.)
>Write-in.

Aliens Unlocked:
https://pastebin.com/JVq4NM2t

Skills, Stats and Inventory:
https://pastebin.com/iEYrGZS1

Top 10:
>Big Chill
>Diamondhead
>Zipmunk
>Bloodrush
>XLR8
>Fourcast
>Thriller Whale
>Knuckle Duster
>Hack N’ Slash
>Snapdragon

>>4426798
>Spit your blood at him and use it to bind him in place.
Blood web!
>Get Olumar close enough for her to try that thing again.

>>4426798
>>Spit your blood at him and use it to bind him in place.
>Create a combo with another alien. (Write-in.)
After that we transform into Goop and bind him ourselves

>>4426798
>Spit your blood at him and use it to bind him in place.
>Get Olumar close enough for her to try that thing again.

>>4426893
>>4427760
Roll 1d100+10, bo3!

Rolled 88 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>4428041

Rolled 91 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>4428041

Rolled 58 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>4428041

>>4428656
Nice

File: Very impressive.gif (275 KB, 500x281)

275 KB GIF

>>4428242
>>4428656
>>4428755
Man, these fucking rolls! Writing...

>101!

Before he can even take off, you hack up a blood clot that’d been nestled in your stomach and spit it out as a projectile. The blood clot is roughly the size of a human head, and flies faster than any normal human could possibly pitch.

Once it impacts the impostor’s chest, the blood clot spreads out, latching onto any physical surface nearby, effectively entangling him as if he were trapped beneath a dragnet. He desperately struggles and claws at the adhesive material binding him in place, giving you the opportunity to fly over to him in an instant.

“You think you can do that thing again, Olumar?” you ask.

“Just watch me~.” Olumar giggles with a flash of her sharp canines. And before he even gets a chance to react, the big blue genie shoves a finger through the new shell that he painstakingly made, causing it to break apart and shatter like the last one.

“Damn, you’re quick!” he shouts involuntarily.

“Tell me what I need to know!” you retort, causing him to flinch back in fear.

“Okay, okay! You win.” he cries while raising his hands up as far as the blood web allows him to. “I actually ran into The Cowl not too long ago.” he admits. That must be why his scent is all over him. “I tried to banter with him, like usual, but he was different this time around. More focused and robotic.” he quickly recalls. “And when I got closer, he attacked me on the spot! How rude is that!?” The Finch exclaims, sounding deeply offended. Normally, this wouldn’t be an uncommon occurrence if a villain walked up to a vigilante.

“He attacked you? Did he say anything at all before or after?” you inquire with narrowed eyes.

“Not a peep. Even after I took a couple of jabs at him.” The Finch chuckles lightly. “Like I said, the whole thing was seriously weird.”

“Hmm…” you quietly hum. “Where did this take place?” you add.

“Warehouse district. On the corner of Warner and Havel.” he describes. You know where that is.

“Looks like we’ve got another lead, Master.” Olumar grins.

“If you’re looking for the guy, I know where he is.” The Finch announces.

“Why not lead with that then?” you ask, sounding exhausted by this back and forth.

“I had to figure out what kind of guy you were, first. Get to know you a little.” he shrugs. “But if we’re doing this, you’ve got to cut me loose.” he proposes.

His heartbeat doesn’t say that he’s necessarily lying, but you’re unsure of how accurate that method really is.

What do you do?

>Cut him loose and let him lead you to The Cowl.
>Leave him wrapped up in the blood web and allow him to guide you towards your destination.
>Leave him there and alert the authorities to his location. You’ll find the Cowl on your own.
>Coerce him into giving up his location.
>Write-in.

>>4428980
>Leave him wrapped up in the blood web and allow him to guide you towards your destination.
If he's telling the truth and is actually helpful we can let him go after.

>>4428980
>>Leave him wrapped up in the blood web and allow him to guide you towards your destination.
>"Once we verify the destination is correct we'll set you free."

>>4429419
>>4429496
Writing...

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You narrow your eyes at the obviously shady man, cut the bottom of the web and roll him up into a cocoon. “Once we verify the destination is correct, we’ll set you free.” you declare.

“Man, you’re a wet blanket. I can see why you and owl boy are friends.” he groans. And with that, you scoop him up with your needle-like legs and place Olumar’s lamp on your back. The blood web should prevent her from falling off.

---------------

As you soar through the air, overlooking the run-down warehouses littering the docks, you notice that The Cowl’s scent is becoming stronger with each passing ocean breeze that brushes past your nose.

“Land down there.” The Finch points towards a specific building. You honestly don’t know when he got his arm free, but you’re more preoccupied by the dreadful beeping sound filling your ears. Seems like your belt is about to time out.

Without delay, you swoop down and break into a reckless divebomb, and right before you reach the ground, you spread your leathery wings wide, allowing the wind to get caught in them, and breaking your momentum in the process.

“Geez, pal! You trying to give me a heart attack or something?” The Finch shouts.

Without responding, you roll The Finch onto the floor, just before timing out in a flash of golden light.

“So, where is he?” you ask while looking around. Just then, you notice a large shadow looming overhead, growing larger and larger with each passing moment.

“Heads up!” The Finch screams.

Looking up, you see the blurred figure of The Cowl descending upon you. The sun’s brilliant rays peek past his impressive musculature, blinding you to his exact position and putting you at a bit of a disadvantage.

And with a speed just as blinding as the sun’s radiance, he swings his heel down mid-air. In an attempt to crash it against the side of your head.

(To Be Continued...)

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>Elsewhere

Soaring high above the Western Desert of Egypt, Cree grits her teeth and clenches her tired muscles in order to endure the sun’s rays beating down on her back, and the harsh winds whipping away at her skin. And these arid conditions were no less brutal to someone trapped in a full suit of armor. But by sheer force of will, Cree had managed to stave off exhaustion, dehydration and heatstroke, despite Mother Nature’s lack of mercy towards someone so pitiful.

Finally, her vision began to blur and her strength began to waver. The last morsel of strength that she’d so desperately clung to was now slipping through her fingers, leaving her body along with the tiny glimmer of hope that she had entertained.

With the harsh winds pushing her back, Cree sank lower and lower, wobbling and seemingly unable to fly in a straight line, until finally, she collapsed into a broken heap. Her breathing grew heavy, and her mouth was practically devoid of moisture at this point. She could barely breathe, let alone speak, at this time. And as the endless waves of sand slowly worked to bury her body, she began to wonder if she was even capable of dying with the Charm of Resurrection embedded in her chest. Death would be a courtesy at this point. An immortal life of suffering terrified her more than her slavery to Adwaita or Kingfisher.

But right before she could close her eyes, she spotted a pale white pedestal standing in the distance. Unsure as to whether this was an illusion or a mirage, Cree cast aside her skepticism and desperately crawled towards the object. As she got closer, she felt as if she’d gained a second wind, a glimmer of hope within her tragic tale. When she reached it, Cree grabbed hold of the pedestal and used it to prop herself up.

Now squirting and struggling to remain conscious, Cree’s eyes practically bulge out of her head as soon as she notices the impression within the pedestal. The Eye of Wadjet. A symbol that was considered sacred in ancient Egyptian culture. Without delay, Cree brandishes a piece of archaic jewelry, perfectly matching the shape of the impression. The eye was lined with gold, while the majority of it was composed of lapis lazuli. Even now, Cree couldn’t help but admire its beauty.

She then wedged the eye into the pedestal, sliding it all the way in and rotating the dial sideways. At first, nothing happens. The disappointment is so crushing that Cree lets go of the pedestal and collapses to the ground once more, clutching the sand in anger.

Suddenly, a fierce rumbling sensation wells up beneath her feet, and the golden shifting sands begin to part, as a massive pyramid rises up from below! And along with it, a dried up spring, a decrepit city, and a derelict palace emerges before it.

(Cont.)

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Once more, she forces herself back to her feet, flaps her wings and takes flight towards the ancient structure. Fueled by anger and frustration, Cree summons the last of her strength and channels it into a powerful lightning bolt, conducted by her Electrokinesis Charm. With a sharp battle cry, the jagged beam of energy tears through the pyramid, creating an opening for Cree to infiltrate, without having to explore the structure and decipher its riddles. She has no such time for games.

As soon as she enters, a wave of relief washes over her. The inside of the pyramid is cool and well protected from the elements. But she knows that she won’t last long if she stopped to smell the roses. Brimming with regret and genuine curiosity, Cree proceeds deeper into the tomb, dragging her feet with each and every step.

Eventually, after wading through sunken hallways and sand filled catacombs, Cree discovers a peculiar and grandiose sarcophagus. It’s golden layers and overly decorated appearance hints towards royalty. Or maybe they were well loved. Either way, Cree was pretty sure that this was the one that she’d been searching for. Or at least, the one that she’d been “sent” to search for.

Inching closer and closer to the resting place of this great being, the strange writing on the side of the sarcophagus comes into view. It reads: “Here lies Horus: The Rightful Heir and Great Defender of Egypt”.

Cree scoffs at the self important description, opens her cloak and rips the Charm of Resurrection out of her chest. Her wounds should be sufficiently healed enough to keep her alive. But with her first death, it would seem that Adwaita’s curse was broken. She was finally freed from her dark fate, only to have another cast onto her by that filthy old man. "Now if only I could find a way to get out of this wretched suit of armor and slit Kingfisher’s throat in his sleep." she thought with a devious grin.

“This had better work…” she growls, before jamming the Charm into an open slot within Horus’ sarcophagus. Suddenly, a pillar of blinding white light erupts from the pyramid, engulfing everything in its wake.

(To be continued)

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That'll be it for this thread. I still need to update a bunch of pastebins and commission more art. Now that things are starting to slow down at work, I hope to be able to update more often and get back to running sessions every now and again. I'll keep you guys abreast of the situation, and as always, I couldn't be more grateful that you've stuck around this long.

On another note, I'm glad to see a few new players too. How's everyone liking the quest so far? Any questions, concerns, predictions about the story or any of its character? Let me know on here, and feel free to contact me on Twitter. I've had a few enlightening conversations on there over these past few weeks.

The next thread will be up either Thursday or Friday. Until then see you next time!

>>4430296
I've been really enjoying it, and I'm looking forward to more, thanks for running!