You're in a tavern. Suddenly, the door bursts open and everyone is frozen in place. Everything goes silent. The air is stagnant and your food is rotten. An old stallion tells you years have past, and you've been brought back from stone to fight the medusa that caused this mess.
Previously on Mazes and Medusas,
>You accepted a quest and made your way to Neighagra Falls
>You and Gisela became pirates
>You started exploring the cave behind the falls
Last we left off, you came across a lone chest.
>Archive
http://anonpone.pineapplecomputing.com/mazes
>>25601723
Those fish monsters could very well just return and maul more frogs, and you don't want to be in the room with them when that happens.
That quiet path is probably the way to go.
Even though you just KNOW that something worse is going to be that way.
Just going through this tunnel is putting you on edge.
This whole time, you've been seeing glints on the walls, but you're not sure if they were actual things or just the hallucinogen messing with you.
Jet hasn't been reacting to anything, but you're not sure if he would be able to see them even if they were there.
This might actually be a case of you just seeing things.
You continue down the tunnel.
Just how big is this cave system?! The end can't be too far.
Then again, maybe you made a mistake since the very beginning.
You really hope this isn't a fruitless dead end. You don't think you could handle having to go back and explore those other paths.
Finally, you see the end of the tunnel as it opens up into another room.
As you approach the threshold, you detect a mild scent of vinegar, but something else catches your attention.
For a moment you think you're seeing things again, but when Jet tilts his head curiously and focuses the light straight on it, you're sure he sees it too.
Softshell gasps behind you.
>"That... That has to be it! It has to be in there!"
A metal chest sits on the floor of the room, a few bits scattered around it.
[cont]
>>25601731
Alright, what is it this time?
A lone chest just sitting right there?
It's obvious it's a trap, and you're grateful no one is idiotic enough to just run in there.
But the question now, is how to deal with it?
"Hey Softshell, the thing you're looking for won't be damaged by a crossbow bolt, would it?"
>"The thing I'm looking for should be inside that chest, and I doubt a bolt shot from an ordinary crossbow would be enough to completely pierce through a metal chest."
>"So I've got permission to shoot?" Gisela asks. Softshell nods. "Then everyone get behind me. I'm still seeing spots and I don't want to hit anyone."
Everyone steps behind her as she lines up her shot.
You can see her squint and blink her eyes more than a few times.
That said, even with the drug affecting her, a still chest should be hard to miss.
Gisela pulls the trigger and the wooden bolt shoots towards the chest.
These damn stars block your vision so you couldn't quite see exactly what happened, but when you look, you see the bolt suspended in midair before it even reached the chest.
The vinegary smell from earlier is a bit stronger now too.
>>25601746
Okay either the mimics stepped up their game or there's something else up with that chest.
>>25601746
I'm thinking something else is about to happen now.
Maybe step back to the room's entrance and see what happens.
>>25601746
A barrier? Or maybe some sort of suspension field.
>>25601789
>>25601852
>>25601916
>"What the...?"
Gisela cocks her head and takes a step towards her bolt.
"Wait! Don't get any closer! We still don't know what's going on here. Something might happen, so get back."
Gisela looks back at you before looking back at the bolt.
She rubs her eyes and cocks her head the other way after still seeing the projectile frozen in midair.
Slowly, she takes a step back with the rest of you and you all watch, waiting for something to happen.
Is it some sort of barrier? A suspension field around the chest? Can mimics cast magic that stops projectiles or something?
As you ponder these questions, you watch as the floating bolt begins to... dissolve?
Even with these spots in your eyes you're sure the bolt is getting smaller and smaller, slowly breaking apart into nothing.
After a few minutes, the once frozen bolt is completely gone.
>>25602083
Is there a rock in the room?
>>25602083
Let's hear what the others think.
>>25602083
Shit, that would be unhealthy for anyone caught in it.
>>25602083
At first I thought it was a time-stopping force-field that'd freeze interlopers... But dissolving the dart means it's more dangerous than that.
If we had magic, I'd say try to TK the chest but that's out. Poking it out of the spell-field with a pole probably won't work because the pole will get frozen.
If we only had a big magnet- Of course that could still be dangerous, if the field is being emitted BY the chest itself.
I recommend we capture a few of those fried egg creatures, toss them on the chest, let them suck out the magic to disable the spell.
>>25602112
>>25602161
>>25602189
Whatever's doing that, you want none of it.
If it can melt away a wooden bolt in a matter of minutes, you don't want to think about what would happen if one of you were caught in it.
The chest is fine, but you think that's what's causing this, so that doesn't count.
Maybe. Probably.
To be fair, the bolt is kinda small, so something pony-sized should be able to last longer in there.
Still, that doesn't mean you want to throw someone in there to do some testing.
Without entering the room and not getting too close, you hug the walls to try to get a look around the room, blinking away the spots that keep coming up.
The chest is sitting near what you would guess is in the center of the room. It's like it chose that spot on purpose to attract whoever or whatever saw it.
You do see some rocks in the room, but it's mostly empty. There are no large rocks on the main floor of the room; the bigger boulders rest at the room's edge, right against the wall.
You're drawing a blank.
"Anyone have any ideas?"
>"I could try shooting it some more, see if anything else happens. I'd have to be careful not to run out of shots though, just in case."
>"We could try sending someone in there," Carver suggests. At everyone's expectant look, she adds, "Not me! I mean, I'd go if we held a vote or drew straws or something, but come on! I'm just throwing out an idea! Besides, it's not like whoever goes in has to stay long enough to melt. Just a quick in and out!"
>"It doesn't have to be a pony either," Eve adds. "We could try poking something else in there. Maybe it's just something about the bolt?"
>"We could always just try waiting," Jet says. "We could wait until our magic comes back and everyone's sight is all better, but that means subjecting ourselves to the mercy of whatever is in these caves until then."
>>25602616
How far from the chest did the bolt stop? Could we reach the chest with the halberd? Push it out the room, or maybe just flip it open?
>>25602616
Does Flashbang have any knowledge of how to make her bombs incendiary?
Really, just try to set whatever it is on fire.
>>25602616
I still say huck some blue egg-beasts at it to suck out the magic.
>>25602732
Y'know that's not a bad idea. The only problem would be getting them here.
>>25602727
Flashbang can't use her bombs right now.
>>25602756
Maybe there are more down the other tunnel?
Else send one or two back to grab a couple
>>25602756
You know... Maybe we could attract some down here, if we can somehow let 'em know there's magic present. Maybe we could generate some kinda small magic EMP with some of our enchanted objects. Set off the Halberd, or maybe one of the other Element weapons perhaps.
>>25602938
Maybe our halberd can just straight up break whatever this is? Why not?
>>25603061
It sounds good to me, worth a try because it might do either!
>>25603061
>>25603076
you relize we need whats in the chest right?
The halberd's explosion will most likely damage what ever is in the chest.
>>25602616
Is whatever you need in here important enough to have a disintegration barrier?
>>25602616
I say wait until the unicorns magic is back. Everyone is having problems seeing right now anyway so we really shouldn't push it.
>>25602715
>>25602727
>>25602732
>>25602770
>>25602938
>>25603061
>>25603076
>>25603166
The chest is about 25 feet into the room and the bolt made it about 10, 15 feet into the room before stopping. Your halberd doesn't have that kind of reach.
"Flashbang, are you able to make incendiary bombs?"
>"Not right now, sorry. But yeah, I can make flame bombs. That orb one I did at the zombie was new, but I can make one that just covers the ground in fire easy."
>"How about a cloud of fire?" Softshell asks.
Flashbang thinks for a moment before nodding slowly.
>"I think I could do that. Toss a smoke and ignite the cloud. But still, I can't do anything with bombs until my magic comes back."
"What about getting those blue egg things here? We could toss them in there and have them eat away whatever magic is happening."
>"As far as I know, those things are only by the entrance," Softshell says. "Although we haven't gone through the other paths, we haven't seen any going this way."
"I was thinking maybe we send someone back to fetch some then? Maybe try to lure them to us? I have a magic halberd. If I set it off, they might come rushing towards us."
>"Down a drop, through water, and past fish monsters?" he asks skeptically.
"It's a thought. Hell, maybe instead of attracting the eggs it just breaks whatever spell is taking place."
>"Need I remind you not to damage the contents of that chest?"
"I promise I'll be careful. What's in there that's so important to you anyway? I mean, is it really so important that it needs this kind of defense system?"
>"I can't tell you exactly what it is that I suspect is in there. If what I think is in there is actually in there though, then yes, I think it does warrant this kind of security."
You look back at the chest.
Well, if you want to use the halberd, how do you go about doing so? Get in there and hit the chest? Get in there and hit the ground near the chest? Hit the ground in the tunnel?
Or maybe you want to do something else instead?
>>25603271
Lets poke something nonmagical into the field and then see if we can pull it out.
>>25603271
I say we set off the halberd at the known perimeter of the spell defense by striking the ground there.
>>25603351
this. Just try some simple tests while we wait for the unicorns get their magic back.
No need to waste the halberd charge.
>>25603271
Everyone except Jet is running half blind anyway.
Lets just take our time.
>>25603271
Ask softshell and Jet if they know of any Substance that would let off a Vinegary smell like this.
>>25603271
Just swing the halberd at the shield. Worse comes to worse, it swings clean through it and we lose nothing. Best case it shatters the shield.
Are there any other tunnels in this room? Are there other ways of getting in or out?
>>25603351
>>25603653
>>25603769
What nonmagical items do any of you even have on you?
The Element weapons are probably out of the question. You already saw what happened to a bolt. All that's really left other than armors or bottles are the crossbow itself and Carver's claws.
As far as you know, you're still in the clear to just run tests.
You want to avoid just using your halberd charge if you can help it.
Also, you're not entirely sure what this thing's effect perimeter is anyway.
Sure the bolt got stuck at a certain point, but is that enough to go on?
What if you walk in there expecting the area to be further in than it actually is?
Stretching out a crossbow or claws doesn't exactly give you a whole lot of reach.
Would you just go in and swing at the general area where the bolt stopped?
Hmm...
"Hey Jet, Softshell, you guys know anything that would give off a vinegary smell like this?"
>"Usually acidic substances," Softshell answers. "I've worked with a few acids. They tend to smell like vinegar."
"So the spell itself is what smells like vinegar?"
>"I don't know of any spell that can bring a projectile to a stop, hold it there, melt it, and happen to smell like vinegar."
>"Huh. That's odd, isn't it?" Eve muses.
"What is?"
>"That it stops whatever enters before dissolving it. If it's a magical defense system, why not act faster? Why not just melt away the bolt immediately or deflect it or something? Instead, it just kept it there and took several minutes to eat away at it."
"So what are you trying to say?"
>"I... I don't really know. That it's not magical, maybe?"
>>25603975
Worst case is it grabs and destroys the halberd. We don't know if it's a solid magical shield, but the scent is leading me to believe it's a giant transparent slime.
>>25604093
Yeah, it's a giant slime. Hence my earlier suggestion for fire, even if it's not really viable.
>>25604093
So if it's not magical, then it would have to be a clear substance resting over the chest. We should try cutting into it. Make sure everyone else gets back first, in case it pops.
>>25604093
So, giant acidic slime. How do we kill it?
>yfw its a gelatinous cube thats been successfully rollin sneak checks against us
>>25604324
>yfw its abearthats been successfully rollin sneak checks against us
>>25604354
Pfft, that ain't a bear.
>>25604354
/tg/ I know that's you.
>>25604093
Do we have any alchemical agents which are a base, with which to neutralize the acid? We could throw it at it.
>>25604111
>>25604201
>>25604215
>>25604404
"So it's a giant, transparent slime that's managed to sneak past us by staying still?"
>"It's certainly sounding more and more like that's the case, doesn't it?" Jet comments.
You bring your hoof to your face.
"Damn frog and it's dumb drug blood." You let out a long sigh. "So what then? What do we do about it?"
>"I don't keep any bases on me to fight its acid," Jet says.
You look to Softshell.
>"Sorry, sorry. Acid doesn't fall under the burn, paralysis, poison, or sleep potions I made earlier."
"It doesn't fall under burn?"
>"Hey, hey, I felt fiery burning, so I made one for fiery burning."
"Alright, just checking."
>"So what do we do about it?" Flashbang asks.
"That's the question, isn't it? Anyone know how to kill a slime?"
>"Hit it until it dies?" Carver suggests. "I dunno, that'd probably work."
>"It's hard to cut into something we can't really see," Gisela says. "Get too close and we might just end up walking into it, and I only have so many bolts."
>"So what then?"
>>25604664
Have Eve poke with the rapier until it hits Slime?
>>25604664
Well, the mer-things made it away with a single frog. How about we go get our own and toss it into the slime?
>>25604664
Well can Eve pick it up with her echolocation?
>>25604664
Throw dirt on it.
>>25604664
break off the rapier blade for more bolt ammo.
also once you shoot it a few times the melee guys can just look for the bolts embedded in midair to know where the slime is.
>>25604324
god damn it, yes!
>>25604672
Unless it dissolves the blades, this sounds like a solid plan to me.
>>25604691
To clarify, I mean we should throw the frog full of toxic poison blood into the creature that eats what it touches.
>>25604697
this
>>25604697
>>25604672
>>25604822
>>25604987
"Eve, can you pick it up with your echolocation?"
>"Maybe? I'm not sure. I don't really know what to expect coming back at me."
>"Why doesn't she just keep poking at it closer and closer until she hits something?" Carver suggests.
>"Oh! That's pretty smart!" Flashbang says.
>"Isn't it? It's so simple too. The best plans always are, aren't they? Or maybe that's just cause I came up with it. I do always have the best ideas."
You glare in her direction. You were gonna suggest that. You were gonna show them that you could come up with good ideas.
>"Sounds like a solid plan to me. I doubt it'll melt the blade considering the metal chest seems fine, but just in case, I can always just break it off and get a new one."
Eve draws the rapier and throws a single thrust in the chest's direction.
Nothing.
She takes a pace closer and tries again.
Nothing.
She takes another step closer and thrusts, the blade passing through the threshold of the tunnel into the room.
Eve must have felt something because she immediately withdraws the blade and steps away.
And when you look at the tip of her rapier, you see a small blob of gooey slime before it quickly evaporates away into nothing.
>>25605323
okay... so there's definitely something there
>>25605323
So how do we get rid of all the slime?
>>25605323
Cheeky Carver, stealing my excellent plan.
>>25605323
Just slash the damn thing with the halberd. Cut chunks out of it and excavate until we reach the box.
>>25605323
P O I S O N
O
I
S
O
N
Lets hunt us a frog.
>>25605323
Carver a shit
Sneaky bear bump
vyno
>>25605323
I still thinks it's a bear tbqh lad
>>25605823
just use the water that already has the blood in it. No need to find our own frog.
>>25605323
I'm going to have to agree with the "hunt poison frog, throw frog on acid-slime" plan.
Will poison even do anything to this Gelatinous Cube thing? I'm not familiar with DnD, but from a quick search it looks like trying to capture one of the Dire Toads without being able to levitate it from a distance is certain to get us poisoned more, and if anyone gets too close to the cube (like Eve is) there's a decent chance of getting screwed over pretty badly.
>>25610046
>>25605823
how exactly are we gonna find a frog when we have no iea where they are and all of us except Jet are half blind?
This sucks.
I can't see properly.
I miss my glaive
No one's got any magic.
I'm tired.
Stupid slimes.
My hooves hurt.
I wish I was at home thinking up new puns.
>>25610046
Honestly, I have no better idea
>>25614583
Just keep poking the slime. It seemed to work a little and it will give everyone something to o while waiting for the unicorns magic/everyone's eyesight to come back
>>25605388
>>25605775
>>25615584
>>25610081
"Hey, maybe we can hunt one of those frogs from the other room and feed it to this slime? Maybe the toad poison will do something to it since the slime just dissolves whatever gets caught in it."
>"It means having to fight one of those toads though," Flashbang points out. "If there's even more in there, we might have to fight them too! Do you think we can take them?"
>"It's just a frog," Carver scoffs. "And a fish managed to just go in there and drag one through the tunnel. How tough could they possibly be?"
>"That poison is something to worry about," Eve says. "If the fish eat them regularly, they probably don't need to worry about it, but we do. Between the confusion from the initial exposure and these dumb spots affecting our vision, I could see things getting pretty bad if we take more of it."
>"On that note," Jet starts, "I'm not entirely sure if the poison will do anything to the slime even if we do manage to feed it one of the toads. It's an ooze. And the poison affects your mind briefly then your eyes. It's unlikely the poison will do anything to it."
"O-okay. Just tossing it out there."
Gisela draws her sword.
>"Let's just let 'er rip!"
>"Hey!" Carver whines.
Like Eve before her, Gisela swings, misses, and steps forward before repeating the process.
Finally, she reaches the edge of the tunnel's natural doorway and when she swings, her sword catches the transparent wall of the slime.
Rapidly evaporating slime trails from her sword's arc and a twin trail spews from her sword's ghost hit.
She swings again. And again.
Evaporating slime bits fly and disappear into the air.
Then you see the air in front of her quiver.
The slime walls juts forward and slams into Gisela solidly, sending her skidding along the floor on her back towards you.
Even with these spots in your eyes, you can now see the massive ooze as it squeezes itself into the tunnel, slowly moving towards your party.
>>25616359
>"Let's just let 'er rip!"
I came
>>25616359
Chop it and move back towards the water. If we can lure it in then someone can go round it and get the thing while it's there.
>>25616359
Run while cursing the slime
>>25616403
>it squeezes itself into the tunnel,
Nigga that fat fuck is blocking the whole tunnel.
>mfw we are trying to solve everything and failing miserably
brute force works too you know
>>25616359
I think its time to blow chunksWith the halberd.
>>25616447
Our backs are too the water genius.
>>25616465
see? this guy knows what I'm talking about
>>25616476
wow now we are next to poisoned water and a acidic blob! Good Job!
>>25616496
>lure it into the large area
>no it's to fat
wew
>>25616508
>The blob is just gonna ignore everyone while we try to open the potentially trapped Chest
>>25616508
Whats the point if putting it near the water?
Its not gonna do anything.
>>25616567
>everyone will stay still while we go for the chest
>>25616595
We are in a tunnel. It is between us and the chest. We lure it back into the larger area in the water and someone goes around while the others distract it. That's what I meant. Sorry if it wasn't clear.
>>25616615
Why not just kill the blob?
>>25616630
If the halberd can do so then great. If not, we have to get creative.
>>25616597
>we will be able to easily open the chest and not have it be booby-trapped
>>25616701
>quoting things no one said
>>25616359
>''Let's just let 'er rip!''
>>25616717
>Go for the chest
>"B-but no one said to go for the chest"
wew
>>25616734
THE MEMES BLITZ
>>25616767
>here is my plan to reach the chest
>hur dur implying its not trapped
You seem confused.
>>25616734
>implying Gis doesn't play beyblades
>>25616801
>Lets have one person go to the chest and do nothing with it
what?
>>25616885
They deal with the trap and open it. What aren't you understanding?
>>25616898
>They will 100% deal with the trap and no way they they might accidentally trigger it and get them selves injured or worse while everyone is busy fighting the slime.
>>25616403
>>25616450
>>25616465
>>25616630
"Everyone! Keep your distance!"
You help Gisela up and simultaneously drag her further away from the giant blob.
You can see this fat thing's walls push tightly against the wet walls of the tunnel as it pushes its way closer to everyone.
Despite it being much more visible now that it's moving, looking through it, you can see the chest getting dragged along with it.
It's hard to tell, but you think the chest is inside it towards it's back half.
Shit.
You were hoping to somehow get around it and get the chest when it left the room.
But maybe it's better this way.
You get around it, get the chest, then what?
You didn't see any other exit back when the slime was sitting still.
You'd open the chest and have an even shorter space to get away from it.
At least this way you should still have the rest of the tunnel to move around in, even if it isn't exactly completely safe.
With sword, claws, and rapier, Gisela, Carver and Eve meet the encroaching slime, taking a few slashes and pokes at it before jumping back to avoid its wall slam.
With each hit, more and more ooze spill out from it, evaporating into nothing as soon as it leaves the main body.
You draw your halberd and rush in to swing at it.
But when you were expecting an explosive discharge, the blade passes through its gooey body like any other weapon, cutting deeply and drawing more slime from it.
As you move back, the others getting in hits when they can, you notice that its walls aren't straining against the tunnel as much as when the fighting started.
Either the tunnel is getting slightly wider, or the ooze is losing mass.
The ooze pushes forward still, and you can tell the crossroads are soon to be coming up behind you, splitting off between the fishes' pool and the frogs' room.
>>25616963
>why isn't this plan perfect with no risks whatsoever?
>>25616988
keep cutting down the mass until you can kite around it and back down the safer tunnel.
>>25616988
Well shit, I don't know.
If even: frogs
If odd: water
>>25616988
We got a Yellow Devil situation here. Keep hitting it.
>>25616988
Smack my slime up
>>25617049
>>25617224
>>25617490
>>25617554
"Don't get caught in it! It's getting smaller! Just keep hitting it!"
Eve keeps poking at it, but just like with your halberd, its body isn't quite tough enough to activate her weapon.
Though to be fair, it's not like a blade breaking off and floating around inside it will do a whole lot.
Gisela's sword is easily doing the most work, its twin hits sending ooze bits flying with every swing and not-swing.
Carver is at the greatest risk with her short claws, but she seems to have the combat sense to stay at a safe distance at all times, even when it attempts to slam into her.
You do your part, although the ooze's body doesn't seem to be enough to set off your halberd's built up charge.
It lumbers forward mindlessly, and you can see that it is no longer pushing against the tunnel walls, though it isn't nearly enough space to squeeze through yourself without getting caught in it.
Finally, you reach the crossroads.
"Everyone, turn here!"
They obey your order and run down the new tunnel for a moment, making space between themselves and the giant ooze.
Looking back, you watch as the ooze continues down the tunnel.
For a moment you think that it'll keep going towards the pool and just ignore you, but once its forward edge lines up with the new tunnel, it starts moving in your direction again.
It's almost like it's strafing, but this faceless, directionless monster doesn't really have a forward, you guess. All sides of it are basically its forward.
And as it moves towards you with its new face, you can see that the metal chest in it is now hugging one side of the wall, though you doubt you can reach it with your weapon.
Behind you, you can hear the croaking of several toads and the splashing of water.
>>25617774
Oh god are the toads normally hostile?
>>25617774
If the halberd doesn't work on the slime then we should blast the toads instead.
Blast the toads.
>>25617774
Let's hope the room is big enough for us to avoid the toads.
>>25617774
If the tunnel widens out into a frog-pond, tell everyone to scatter to the sides, face away from the blob and shield their faces. Then strike the ground THROUGH the blob with the halberd to set it off, and dive into the pond to wash off the acid. Hopefully we can get back out before the toad-venom takes us.
boop
>>25617774
hit the ground just a hair in front of the slime.
It's a halberd of explosions.
>>25617880
>>25618066
>>25618240
>>25620257
You check behind you.
The tunnel continues and curves slightly this way and that.
You don't have a direct line of sight to whatever room the toads hang out in, but judging from the noise it can't be too far.
Not to mention you doubt the fish traveled that far, that fast while dragging a battered toad body the entire way.
"Everyone go further in the tunnel and find some cover! Stay away from the frogs if you can!"
>"Hey, hey! What do you think you're doing?!"
"I have an idea to trigger my weapon. I don't want anyone caught in the blast."
>"Just run!" Carver yells at him. "Trust me, you don't want to get caught in the attack."
She's the first to get away and the others follow in tow.
You give them a few moments. Hopefully they're in the clear.
The monstrous ooze crawls closer and closer.
Halberd in hooves, you swing your weapon at it with a heavy overhead strike.
The blade cleaves into its thick, gelatinous wall, and you drag the weapon further down its gooey body.
You force the blade down until it hits the hard floor underneath the slime, and you watch as magic spews forth inside it.
In an instant, the internal explosion sends a hail of globs of goo flying past you.
Whether from the blast or just the slime's nature, the head-sized blobs quickly evaporate as they pass.
You feel some bits slap against your armor, but they evaporate just as fast.
Finally, the blast subsides.
The ooze still remains, but it lost a huge amount of its mass.
It's now about half its size, ample space between its now stressed walls and the tunnel walls.
The chest remains inside it, just at the edge of its side.
Mindlessly, the saggy ooze marches on towards you. It's smaller now, but still large enough to fit a few ponies inside it.
>>25621488
okay, have everyone who flies fly over it and start poking it from the other side, if it's mindless it will follow the newest sensation and follow you back the way you came and prevent the unicorns from being sandwiched between slime and frogs.
>>25621488
circle around it now
>>25621488
I agree, get someone behind it to reverse it's direction.
bulb
STANDING HERE
>>25621515
>>25621624
>>25622307
You shout back into the tunnel.
"IT'S CLEAR! Still need some help though!"
Hopefully they didn't get caught up in anything back there.
For now, you take to the air and fly over the ooze.
It bulges and stretches, trying to slam into you from below, but you easily outspeed its grasp.
You drop down to its other side and poke at it with your now empty halberd.
Despite its weakened state and stressed-looking walls, it still somehow holds together.
Frankly it looks almost ready to collapse or tear or break.
You slash at it again and this time it looks like it's reversing its direction to chase you back the other way.
Hoofsteps echo down the tunnel and through the giant ooze you see your party, unharmed, running towards you.
"Eve, Gis, Carver! Fly over it and help me lure it away!"
Three sets of wings spread open and they fly over it, leaving all the flyers on one side and Jet, Flashbang, and Softshell on the other.
The four of you poke and slash at it some more as you slowly back closer to the intersection.
>"GRAAAAH!"
Gisela delivers a powerful double slash at it and it looks like that was the breaking point.
Slime spills out from the gash, evaporating into a clear mist.
The ooze quivers and for a moment, you think it's just going to collapse entirely.
But instead, it splits.
Like a cell dividing or play dough being pulled apart, the large ooze splits in two, the one closer to you containing the chest.
Where before it looked to be the size of a small room, the two oozes now look to be the size of a cart, able to fit maybe two ponies inside it.
But while it lost a huge amount of mass from the split, it gained a considerable amount of mobility, and it's walls look to be in much better condition.
The one with the chest crawls towards the four of you hungrily, but you hear a pair of screams as the other ooze leaps closer to the grounded ponies on the other side.
>>25627736
fucking unicorns getting all screamy just because they don't have any magic.
>>25627736
Have Carver help the cry babies on the other side.
>>25627736
Slash at the one nearest us. Should have less health now
>>25627736
send one over.
It can eat a maximum of two at a time, so have two groups of three so there's always someone able to free anyone who gets grabbed.
>>25627736
Fine let's go help the others.
>>25627771
>>25627793
>>25627802
>>25627825
"Carver! Help them out!"
Carver flies far outside of its reach, almost to the ceiling of the tunnel, before crossing over it to help the unicorns and earth pony.
Taking that level of precaution, she's almost like an entirely different fighter without her armor.
She drops herself between the ponies and the ooze and the screaming subsides.
You kind of want to call out Flashbang and Softshell for being such huge babies.
Ha. Ha ha. Those losers. Can't handle a little paralyzing, brain-numbing fear.
...
You're making yourself sad.
>"Blitz, focus!"
Your attention snaps back to your fight and you just barely react to the ooze slamming itself into you.
The heavy hit sends you backwards but you manage to at least stay upright with a flap of your wings.
It moves towards you at a surprising pace given its previous speed. Where it once moved at a slow crawl, it now moves at a decent jogging pace for a pony.
Eve flies in and thrusts her rapier into the ooze, but with seemingly little effect, the monster wraps itself around her hoof, threatening to take the rest of her.
On the other side of the field, it looks like Carver is having trouble getting any solid hits in, the even more mobile slime chasing everyone down.
>>25628377
Drag Eve out and go help Carver.
>>25628377
Chop at the bit holding Eve. Y'know, without hitting her.
>>25628377
they already have 4 on the other side they should be able to keep it preoccupied for now at least.
Get Eve out and focus on nuking getting our slime down quickly.
Its probably gonna divide again.
>>25628466
>>25628492
>>25628573
You chop at the slime's body, wary of hitting Eve, while Gisela wraps her arms around Eve's torso to pull her out.
With a wet, suctiony pop, Gisela pulls Eve free and she takes to the air to avoid falling onto her back.
"C'mon, let's get this one down quick!"
>"What about Carver and them?" Eve asks, freeing herself from Gisela's grasp.
"There's four of them. I trust them to keep it preoccupied until we deal with ours. They should be able to avoid getting caught by it."
>"And there's enough of them to pull each other out just in case," Gisela says. "Focus on finishing this one off!"
Gisela divebombs at the slime, slashing the sword as she pivots and slides along the ground.
The move reminds you of the dragon's charge attack back on Smokey Mountain.
Her sword cuts a gash through the slime and the second hit reopens it just as its walls reform, sending more goo spraying into the air.
You follow up with a swing of your halberd and Eve follows with more pokes, though she's more careful to keep her distance.
The ooze adopts a sagging look again.
It quivers for a moment before leaping at the three of you, the chest inside it weighing it down slightly.
All three of you leap backwards out of its jump range, Gisela taking a swing in front of her.
The tip of her sword cuts into it, but as the slime continues its arc, the sword's second hit cleaves from deep within it.
It's walls burst and thick globs of goo begin to rain down, but before they even reach the floor, they evaporate, leaving nothing of the slime as the chest inside it hits the ground with a heavy thud.
Taking a look at the other half of the fight, it looks like the ponies are starting to get tired from running around.
With each hop, the tireless slime gets closer and closer to engulfing one of them.
>>25628849
It's stabbing time!
>>25628578
Heh.I would have thought Gis was Han.
>>25628849
Time to get its attention.
>>25628849
time to take the other one down.
>>25628849
half down, half to go. go help them
>>25628889
>>25628971
>>25629042
>>25629203
Almost done.
Time to take the other one down.
The three of you rush towards the others, weapons drawn.
The slime hops from one pony to another, the lack of the chest inside it allowing it even more mobility.
It's actually almost comedic, watching this clear jelly bounce around while ponies run in fear, another pony trying to chase it down.
Seeing your approach, Jet, Flashbang, and Softshell run towards and past you for safety.
The ooze chases, jumping right into your path.
With a beat of your wings, you all manage to avoid it, and somewhat fortunately, it seems to be ignoring the ground-bound ponies in favor of you.
It jumps at Eve first, but with its surprising speed, all she can do is fly back to avoid it.
Next up is Gisela and just like with the slime before, she swings early before backing away, letting the ooze move into the phantom swing, spraying slime into the air as it takes the solid hit.
It quivers for a moment before leaping square in your direction this time.
>>25629442
AAAAAAAAAAA
STAB
SWING
SOMETHING
>>25629442
Pant the halberd and let it impale itself. Should slow it down enough for the others to hack it.
>>25629639
>Pant
*plant
>>25629602
Very useful post
>>25629442
Just finish the motherfucker already
>>25629602
>>25629639
>>25629953
Oh no.
Gotta do something!
You raise your halberd at it, hoping it'll just impale itself on your weapon.
The ooze's walls jiggle madly as it sails towards you.
You brace yourself, ready to catch it.
It's time to end this.
Gravity takes its hold on the creature and your halberd's spike pierces through its wall.
It drives itself deeper and deeper onto your weapon.
Perhaps too deeply, as its amorphous body continues to sink downwards over you.
Like the crossbow bolt and rapier pokes, it seems piercing attacks don't have much in the way of stopping power against this thing.
Your eyes widen as the ooze's body engulfs you, its slimy texture smothering your face and covering your body.
You can't breathe.
Its slow-acting acid doesn't eat away at you immediately, but you can definitely feel an unnatural burning crawling its way across your unarmored face.
Worse still, it must have some sort of paralyzing agent as well because you're starting to lose feeling in your body, your face and limbs just starting to go numb.
>>25630151
Fuck. Try to get out and hope our friends will save us before we die.
>>25630151
wiggle
>>25630151
RIP AND TEAR
>>25630151
CLOSE YOUR EYES CLOSE YOUR EYES CLOSE YOUR EYES
>>25630151
What a sticky situation.
>>25630227
Now's not the time for puns Anon, we'll get acid in our mouth.
>>25630245
>Can't even make puns.
Game over, we're dead.
>>25630151
On the plus side, with us inside it it'll definitely be slower now!
>>25630245
Yeah.
I mean I've heard of feeling the burn, but this is ridiculous!
>>25630151
I guess we could at least make an attempt at swimming in it or something to poke our head out and breathe. Most actions are probably going to be futile though, so one of the others will have to save us.
>>25630297
I suppose we could grab the halberd and try burying it in the ground. The slime would either have to stay still and get beat on or move and drag on our anchor, which might pull us out.
>>25630167
>>25630227
>>25630257
>>25630266
>>25630328
Even though you can't speak, or even open your mouth in case any of it gets inside you, your mind is racing.
This is certainly a sticky situation!
You've heard of feeling the burn, but this is ridiculous!
Come on, think of something! Can't choke now!
You can still move, but it feels like the ends of your hooves are missing.
You blindly punch out, hoping to pierce through a wall.
It feels like you're swimming in thick sludge until your hoof meets some pressure, like something stopping you from pushing any further.
That must be the wall!
You take your halberd and thrust outward, and you can feel it break through into open air.
You wave it around, trying to find ground, and when it hits a hard surface, you try your best to bury it.
Between the halberd anchor and your own weight holding it down, hopefully the others can take care of it much more easily.
The slime jiggles around you once, then twice, and you can feel your halberd being pulled away from you.
It's your lifeline right now, you have to keep your hold on it!
You feel the slime jiggle even more and you think it's actually getting thinner around you.
There's another tug on your halberd and keeping your hold on it, you can feel yourself getting pulled with it.
You feel your head breach the ooze wall and you gasp, taking a huge gulp of air.
Your body slides out before dropping onto the floor, the gooey bits all over you quickly evaporating.
Your body is still numb and hot and you can't quite move fully, but you open your eyes to see Eve gripping the other end of your halberd, having just pulled you out, while Carver and Gis combat the ooze.
It looks like they got some good hits in while you were inside it, and with one final attack from both of them, the slime bursts, evaporating into nothing.
>>25630782
Probably worth taking the time to thank Eve and spend some time recovering from the slime's effects.
Meanwhile, the rest of the party can check out the chest's contents.
>>25630782
Thanks for the save. Can you point me to them so I can see what they pull out of the chest?
>>25630782
that sure was a sticky situation
>>25630782
"Phew, thanks for pulling my ass outta that thing! I'm sorry I was such a stick in the mud. It just had such a deep personality that I became immersed! Fortunately it seems that I passed the acid test."
"Now, let's see what's in this chest..."
>>25631095
We already used that one. Gotta be more creative, Anon.
I would get up, but that slime was honestly pretty stunning.
Being inside it really took my breath away.
>>25630782
A shame we had to kill it.
We were really jelling!
>>25631153
>>25631158
>>25631197
How much longer until everyone gets sick of us and just throws us into the jaws of the next monster we see?
>>25631225
>Blitz was later found dying, several different weapons embedded in his back
>his last words were "I th-thought it was p-pretty punny"
>>25631250
At least Carver and Eve seem to understand that's how Blitz deals with stress.
It's make puns or break down in a panic.
>>25631328
>Blitz started to cry while making puns when we first entered the cave
Oh man
What's in the box bump
>>25630821
>>25630907
>>25631153
>>25631158
"Heh. Thanks for the save, Eve."
>"Of course. Can you stand?"
You try, but your limbs and wings are feeling pretty shot. You can lift them somewhat, but the numbness is strong enough that you think you'd just immediately fall over.
"I don't think so. That slime was pretty stunning."
She rolls her eyes, but she still has a reluctant grin on her face.
"Being stuck inside it really took my breath away. I just couldn't help but be immersed--"
She cuts you off with a kiss to your lips.
O-oh...
You close your eyes, savoring the feel of her lips against yours.
After a few moments, she breaks away and smiles at you sweetly.
>"Feeling better?"
"Y-yeah... I do."
You hear a set of hooves run towards you and you see Jet, worry in his eyes.
>"Are you okay?!"
Without even waiting for an answer, he begins looking you over.
"Yeah," you tell him anyway. "I don't think the acid kicked in, but the paralysis definitely did."
>"Softshell said he has potions for that. I'll go get him."
Jet runs back to Softshell, who's standing by the chest.
>"Everyone stay back!" he yells, and the others back away. "Forgive me, but this is very important to me."
After a last check to make sure he has space, he turns to the chest.
He places both hooves on the metal lid and with a heavy shove, he opens it.
It's a tough angle, but already you can see what must be several hundreds of bits.
He ignores them though, digging deeper in the chest and dumping countless bits onto the ground.
Then you watch as he pulls out a set of greaves, both pieces emblazoned with a trio of apples.
But he tosses that aside and keeps digging, this time pulling out what looks like a small cannon, three balloons etched onto its side.
Again he tosses that aside and continues searching.
He gasps, and with a grin, you see him pull out a book before quickly stashing it away.
The damn spots in your eyes blocked your view of the cover, but you could've sworn it was a copy of Equestrian Psycho.
>>25633256
Y'know.
Things happen in caves.
Ponies fall down.
Sometimes they don't get up.
Would be a shame if that happened to Someone with a book.
Nah but seriously lets rub our damn faces all over those harmony weapons.
>>25633256
*wah wah*
At least we're approaching endgame ... or tripping really hard on toads. One or the other.
>>25633256
We need to negotiate for the greaves and small cannon!
>>25633256
>>25633256
>>25633256
Ask him why he wants that book.
>>25634347
To be fair, who wouldn't want that book?
>>25635413
Course not, it's just the greatest book of all time.
>>25633256
Well, that's convenient. Since he just tossed the greaves and cannon aside like that, maybe he won't mind us collecting those. Wouldn't mind some bits either if the book is really all he cares about. Otherwise we'll need to at least negotiate for the weapons.
>tfw hero is tired of us and is rushing the plot along by giving us two weapons out of nowhere.
>>25636783
YOU GET A HARMONY WEAPON!
AND YOU GET A HARMONY WEAPON!
EVERYBODY GETS A HARMONY WEAPON!
>>25636783
it's over guys
Clearly it's time for Flash to learn to punch.
And Carver gets a cannon she can shoot herself out of!
>>25637396
>demomare
>not getting the cannon
What are you doing
>>25633256
That lucky MOTHERFUCKER
>Equestrian Psycho
>Reward 777 bits
>>25633256
I hope we cancheckout the book
>>25633830
Negotiate for what? He just threw them aside. We can take them as payment.
I really think those might not be real. Toad blood and all that. We could ask?
Does this mean no more going around Equestria?
Are we not going to Baltimare?
>>25643246
Depends on what else we need. Fancy weapons alone aren't enough.
>>25643276
Maybe we can learn how to friendship rainbow our enemies?
>>25645203
Weaponized puns when? So far only Gis is damaged by them. Then again, only Gis and Eve have reacted to them.
>>25645236
We haven't had a whole lot of opportunity to use words to our advantage when we're fighting.
Most of what we've fought have been non-sapient monsters.
"Nice knives, nerd!" was a good one, at least.
>>25633256
That better not be the Killer Collectors Edition
>>25646757
Anon, only 11 of the 22 copies of the book are the collector's edition.
What are the chances that this one just happens to be one of those?
>>25646794
1 in 2
>Sunshine will be re-named if we ever see him again
>>25633298
>>25634347
>>25636744
>>25637887
You clench your teeth.
That... that book.
You need it.
You always knew you needed it, but dark thoughts suddenly crossed your mind over what you'd do to get it especially since it's right in front of you.
But no, those are just thoughts.
If you're getting that book from him, you're doing it through more... legitimate means.
Gray fur blocks your view and you look up to see Jet with a potion in his mouth.
Apparently your focus on the book was so intense, you missed Jet retrieving the potion from Softshell.
>"Here. Drink up."
He helps pour the liquid into your mouth and already you can feel its effects take hold as feeling returns to your once numb limbs.
Jet and Eve help you to your hooves, but it's largely unneeded; save for warmness from the acid, you feel fine.
You walk up to Softshell and he turns his bag away from you defensively.
"Soooo... What's so special about that book you got there?"
>"Nothing, nothing. At least, it shouldn't concern you. It's, uhh, an alchemy book. It teaches the secrets to, umm, creating potions of youth and... and resurrection!"
[cont]
>>25649229
"Whoa. Sounds cool. Hey, uh, do you mind if I check it out?"
>"No," he states as he glares at you. "I mean, no, you are not allowed to look at it."
That hard stare, the way he said it, and the way he's clutching his bag tells you he's serious about not letting anyone else near it.
"Then... then what about the rest of the stuff? Is it okay if I look over those?"
>"Sure, sure. I got what I wanted, I don't care about a pair of boots or some tube. The bits we can split."
Your gaze passes over to the supposed harmony weapons
The boots are a two-piece made only for the hind legs. The plate boots go all the way around the legs and up to the knee, and it looks like the horseshoes underneath are thick and heavy.
The boots are smooth and simple, little to no decoration on them other than the trio of apples on the outside of both pieces.
The cannon looks simple and comical, and you'd almost call it out of place. It's painted a bright blue and has a trio of balloons etched onto its side.
You're not even sure how to wield it. It looks like it could be strapped to an arm, to the torso, or just held, but you're not even quite sure how to load or fire the thing.
>>25649245
Anything for anti-petrification hm?
>>25649245
Sounds like AJ's weapon is for bucking, and perhaps Flashbang could figure out how to work Ponk's, given her experience with explosives.
>>25649245
I'd imagine the cannon would be best held with magic, assuming it can be gripped during firing.
>>25649245
Alright, that was easy. Boots would probably match Carver well, and the cannon would probably supplement Flashbang.
Don't suppose Jet or Flash's magic might be recovering by now?
>>25649292
>>25649381
>>25649463
>>25649765
>"Dibs!"
Carver comes running over, but instead of taking the boots like you expected, she immediately starts trying to toy with the cannon.
Slightly thicker than her forehoof but just as long, she ties the strap around her arm.
>"How are you supposed to use this thing?" she asks, looking it over. "I don't see a button, or fuse, or lever, or anything!"
She maneuvers her arm around, pointing the weapon at several ponies in the process.
"Hey, careful with that! You could blow someone's head off!"
>"Calm down, I don't even know how it works."
"That's even worse!"
You rush over to her and force her armed arm down.
>"Hmm, maybe it doesn't fire?"
She starts waving and swinging her arm around like a club.
"Please no."
>"I-I don't think this is for me," you hear Flashbang say.
You turn and see her wearing the boots, but it looks like she's struggling to move.
You don't even think it's the boots' magic. Flashbang might just be too physically weak to wear them.
"How about you two just switch?" You're getting tired of this.
>"But I want the cannon arm!"
"Carver, just trade already!"
She tosses her head back and sighs exasperatedly before undoing the strap. Flashbang crawls out of the boots and the two switch.
While those two fiddle with the other item, you go back to Softshell.
"Does that fancy book of yours have anything on anti-petrification?"
>"Hmm? Anti-petrification isn't anything terribly special. Most alchemists should be able to make something like that. The hard part is getting the ingredients for it."
"What do you need?"
>"Some magetallow, waterroot, barkskin, other stuff. That's all easy access stuff though. What isn't as easy to get is the blood of a creature that has the power to petrify."
"Like a medusa?"
>"Sure, sure, that works if you can get it. Ideal even. Much stronger and can make way more vials. I was thinking cockatrice or basilisk, though, and those are typically found in the Everfree."
>>25649765
>>25649463
While you consider your next plan of action on the grand scale of things, you decide to check back in with Carver and Flashbang.
Much stronger than Flashbang, it looks like Carver can wield those boots just fine.
She swings her legs a few times and gives the air a few test kicks to get a feel for its weight.
Impatient to see what they could possibly do, Carver runs up to the tunnel wall.
>"What better way to break in a new pair of shoes than to use them?"
>"WAIT! STOP!" Eve's voices rings out through the tunnels. "We can't test them out in here! We don't know what they'll do! For all we know, either one of them could cause a cave in!"
Slowly and suddenly very wary, Carver drops her hind legs.
Flashbang, for her part, stopped fiddling with the cannon.
It looked like she was also trying out different ways to hold it, unstrapping it from her hoof and holding it with both hooves.
>"Hey, how's your magic feeling," Carver asks. "Can't you hold it with that?"
>"Oh! Umm..."
Flashbang focuses and you can see her horn glow pale green with her returning magic as she lifts the cannon.
Seeing her, Jet tries his magic and you watch as he tosses his dagger into the air before catching it. And ever curious, he runs the glowing blade across his foreleg, the cut immediately closing with the work of his magic.
>"Excellent, excellent! I suppose that means you have access to your bombs now?"
>"I should, yeah."
>"Then unless there is anything else you folks want to do in here, we can poof out."
>>25650215
Beam us up, Scotty.
>>25650215
Can we take the chest with us? Would be easier than stuffing our pockets.
>>25649807
>''Dibs!''
>>25650215
Yeah no fuck those weird fish things.
>>25650215
Let's make like a tree, andget outta here.
>>25650255
This too
>>25650243
>>25650255
>>25650321
>>25650385
"I am so ready to finally get out of this place."
>"What about the chest," Gisela asks. "Can we just take the whole thing with us instead of stuffing our pockets?"
Flashbang looks to Softshell, who answers for her.
>"It would be a rather garbage effect if it teleported you out of an area while leaving everything else on you behind. Just make sure someone's carrying it while they poof."
>"I got it then," Gisela says.
The dumped bits are returned to the chest and with a huff, Gisela hefts the heavy metal chest into her arms.
>"Whenever you're ready," she grunts.
Flashbang nods and corrals everyone together into a tight group.
She drops a bomb in front of everyone and with a flash of her horn, the balls pop open, releasing green smoke around everyone.
The green cloud wreathes around, first until you can't see the cave walls anymore, then until you can't even make out the others right next to you.
The echoey dripping and splashing of the caves shifts into much louder crashing of falling water.
The cloud dissipates and you find yourself in the cabin of Softshell's ship along with the others.
Everyone's belongings are still on them, as is the chest in Gisela's talons, and resting right where you left them inside the ship, you see the rest of everyone's belongings that was initially left behind.
The lake and falls reflect the orange glow of the setting sun.
>>25650795
WOOO
HOOFBUMPS
>>25650795
Well, that could have gone a lot worse than some toad poison and acidic jelly to the face.
>>25650795
YEAH WE GOT THE BOOTY
I gotta call it here and head out for the night, boys.
Sorry about yesterday and the nothing today.
>>25650944
>>25650795
Mission successful. Wonder if the bonus exp leveled us up?
>>25654900
>inb4 she beats the medusa and never ever ever lets Blitz hear the end of it
>>25654900
Needs a shit-eating grin/10
>>25657048
>Shit eating grin
>Picture is not from Rising
šmh
>>25657104
ok then
this is bump
A STARVING BEAST
>page 10 in under 40 minutes
Shit
>>25650849
>>25650889
>>25650919
Gisela drops the chest with such a heavy thud that you wonder if it damaged the floor of the ship at all.
Several bits fall out and clink against the floor.
Everyone stares at the chest, then at each other, grins growing on their faces.
"YEAH!! WOOOO!"
>"WE DID IT!"
>"There's so much money!"
>"We made it out!"
>"We got the rest of the weapons too!"
>"ARRGGH! WE MADE IT OUT WITH THE BOOTY, BOYS!"
"Aaarrrghhh!"
You and Gisela hook your elbows together trot around in a circle in a fit of glee.
It's awkward and silly, but among the cheers of everyone else, it seems like the only way to celebrate.
You got the weapons, a ton of money, someone with a copy of Equestrian Psycho you can st--
You mean... an alchemist who knows his way around potions and could probably make petrification cures.
Yeah.
>"Thank you, thank you for your work! Once we get back to shore, we can split the chest and I can sign you off for the quest."
Oh man, all that loot on top of the quest reward?
That's almost unreasonably great considering all you really took was toad poison and some jelly. Granted, the unicorns were out of commission the entire time, but still.
Things could have been worse.
Almost like the universe agreed with you, the ship suddenly rocks, throwing everyone off-balance and onto the floor.
The ship rocks back into place and you look out the window.
White water falls as a massive beast breaks the surface of the lake.
The first thing you see is a massive, spined turtle shell almost, but not quite, twice as large as your entire ship.
Its scaly, spined arms and legs break the water, and you can see large black claws at the tip of its webbed hands and feet.
A long, torn fin runs along the back of its neck to the top of its head, ending in the creature's sharp beak.
You see several harpoons stuck in its shoulder and an anchor pierced through its lower jaw, the chain rattling by its cheek as it swims.
The dragonturtle lets loose a powerful roar.
>>25659998
HOIST THE MAINSAIL
>>25659998
Hey Carver! Guess what!
>>25659998
FIRE THE CANON PRIVATE FLASHBANG
>>25660021
"SOFTSHELL! GET US OUT OF HERE!"
>"On it! On it!"
Softshell staggers back onto his hooves and makes his way to the wheel of thee ship.
He fusses about with various buttons and levers and switches.
The ship rumbles as its anchor is pulled back into it, and you hear tarp unfurl before the ship juts forward.
The ship speeds forward as fast as it can back to shore, but the mammoth dragonturtle keeps pace.
Everyone holds fast, but you watch as the beast pulls away from the boat.
For a moment you think it's just going to swim away and leave, but that's wishful thinking.
It comes careening back and rams into the boat with its hard shell.
You hear its spines scrape against the side of the boat, and the hit nearly lifts the vessel out of the water.
>"Can't you go any faster?!" Flashbang cries.
>"It can only do so much!"
>"Come on!" Carver shouts to your party. "We've got all of the harmony weapons! This is a great target to see what they can do together! And I'm just itching to see what these new ones do!"
>"But I don't even know how to fire mine or if I need to load it at all or--"
"And mine's out of charge! I spent it back in the cave!"
>"But something has to happen! Right?"
Carver looks at you like even she's not sure, but you can see in her eyes that she wants something to happen.
>"She's right," Eve says. "Something -has- to happen! How are we going to take out a city-destroying medusa if we can't take out a turtle?"
>"Yeah!"
Filled with confidence, Carver flies out, fully geared. With the new addition, you can already see her flying abilities have been greatly stunted.
But she uses that extra weight to come crashing down on the turtle's back, delivering a hard stomp with Honesty's Greaves.
There's absolutely no damage to the shell, and it didn't look like anything special happened. You think the turtle shuddered?
>"Defend the ship!" Softshell commands. Eve flies out.
>>25660376
Fine, get out there.
>>25660376
Oh, lets go smack it head. Maybe Flash can try loading the canon with something first.
>>25660376
That's totally doing internal damage to it.
>>25660376
Use the Crossbow with the dragon bone bolts.
>>25660487
Fucking this!
Use the damn crossbow for once.
>>25660376
Flash could try loading the cannon with a bomb.
As for ourselves, the dragon crossbow and bolts should be on the boat, so we can grab and use that. One of its eyes would probably be a good place to aim for. Its face, neck, or someplace else that isn't the shell if not the eyes.
Maybe we can see Jet & Flash's tag move for real this time, too.
>>25660376
Shoot them big eyes.
>>25660403
>>25660415
>>25660487
>>25660518
>>25660521
>>25660644
"Flashbang, maybe try loading something into it first?"
>"I did!"
To prove it, she tilts the cannon over and several bombs drop out of it. She replaces one of them in the cannon and points at the turtle, but she's struggling to make anything happen.
She gives it a shake and a smack, but it doesn't seem to be working.
Of course, give the unimaginative one the weapon with no instruction manual.
Maybe... maybe that's it? Maybe just like her bombs, she's just gonna have to think outside the box with it?
Both Carver and Flashbang have been trying to figure it out like a conventional cannon. Maybe it works with unconventional methods.
"Keep playing with it. Try to treat it like your bombs. I'm gonna head out there, but I'll see if I can come up with something to help you. As soon as I do, I'll be sure to let you know."
>"What about me?" Jet asks. "All I've got is this dinky little knife that I can't do anything with from here."
"I'll... I'll try to come up with something for you too. Sit here, help Flashbang. I'll get back to you. Come on, Gis, let's get out there."
You grab your dragonshark crossbow and fly out, Gisela following. You feel bad about leaving them behind, but you meant what you said about going back for them.
And maybe what Jet said is right. Maybe he -should- be using something else...
The turtle snaps you out of your thoughts with a low growl.
Eve is flying around snapping the rapier on various parts of its body while Carver angrily stomps on its back.
You load a dragonbone bolt into your crossbow. It's about time you used this.
The eye should be a great target, but its size combined with all this movement makes for a tough shot.
You fire, and the heavy recoil almost sends you falling into the lake.
The bolt misses the eye, but the absurdly powerful shot breaks a scale on its head clean off.
>>25660791
Fuck, this thing has shit bigger than damn swords embedded in it. We either need a lot of firepower, or just outrun it.
>>25660791
I can't think of a better use for the dragon bolts than this. Keep firing. Stay on the side of it furthest from the boat.
>>25660791
Maybe the cannon needs to be loaded with magic.
>>25660920
>almost
>>25660791
Keep firing
>>25660791
We'd really need to hit an eye or perhaps the spot that now has a missing scale to really do something here, but without better aim I'm not sure how to make it work. Maybe if Carver can kick its head, it'll be stunned for a bit and we can use that moment to make another attempt.
>>25660791
If it's like a giant turtle, maybe try aiming for where the flesh meets the shell? Heck, try loading one of our good bolts and aim for the throat. We aren't gonna get much benefit from the water element, but it should still be powerful.
>>25660899
>>25660947
>>25660970
>>25660883
>>25660905
>>25661188
You load another dragonbone bolt.
You can't think of a better way to spend the special bolts than here.
You try to line up another shot. You really need to hit this thing's eye, or at least that spot on its head. You'd like to get at its throat too, but its lower half is submerged in water.
There's too much movement to get a really clean shot, and you're not that great of a marksman to even begin with.
"Carver!" She stops her stomping to look at you. "Kick its head!"
She flies over and does a vertical spin into an axe kick square on its head. Why? You don't know. Probably to look cool.
Again, there's no external damage, but the huge beast does look stunned for a moment.
You take the shot.
It's another miss, but this time the bolt embeds itself deep in its cheek, just below and past the eye. Cheek scales splash into the lake.
Eve thrusts the rapier at its neck where flesh meets shell, causing the beast to shake in an attempt to get everyone off of it.
Carver almost loses her balance and quickly flies back onto the boat before she's sent sinking down the lake.
You're going to need some serious firepower to take this thing down.
Like a rocket, something shoots from the side of the ship and explodes against the beast's shell.
Did Flashbang...?
You look over and see smoke trail out of the cannon, but the looks on Jet and Flashbang's faces seem disappointed. It looks like it was just used as a barrel. It's more than nothing, but it can't be what the weapon does.
Let's go over the problems.
You aren't a good enough shot to fully utilize your own crossbow in this situation.
Flashbang can't think of a way to activate Laughter's Cannon.
Eve can certainly make her way around the turtle, but the rapier doesn't seem effective here.
Jet can't do anything with Kindness's Dagger.
Honesty's Greaves do seem to have some effect.
You have all six harmony weapons. Why isn't anything happening? Is this really their extent?
>>25661566
Sounds like we needa spark.
Think friendly thoughts?
>>25661566
We need more dubs to activate the book.
We're going to need some serious trainingif we survive
>>25661566
>queue flashback of friendly interactions we had with our team
>>25661805
It's like a reverse training montage!
>>25661566
Uh, I guess we need to recount moments when our team members have lived up to their respective elements
Eve in the lighthouse, stuck by us when we most needed it.
Carver during the training session.
Gis giving up her rewards from the dragon so we could have more
Someone else got one for Jet and Flashbang?
>>25661845
>tfw we're the element of puns
>>25661881
Magic's the copout element anyway, we don't need to think of one for ourselves.
>>25661845
Jet is really nice and kind like, all the time.
>>25661881
Puns are magic anon
>>25661845
Laughter is sort of whacky and creative, right?
And didn't people want to try giving the rapier to a magic user after we saw Showtime using it?
Jet could pass as loyalty and Eve could pass as kindness.
>>25661916
>Jet being disappointed Gisela didn't hurt us when we woke her up.
Yeah no he is shady as fuck.
He only became "good" because he worships Blitz.
He Certainly isn't kind all the time..
>>25661845
Flashbang is the element of laughter becauseshe is a joke.
>>25662059
Ouch.
Fuck I don't know about this element stuff.
Eve's really kind, and loyal too.
Jet's nice too, in a different way, but he's pretty loyal also.
Gis has been generous more than anything else.
Carver seems like a decent fit for honesty? She can't lie for shit, at least.
That would make Flash laughter though, which I'm not sure fits.
>>25662119
Maybe we just have to make everything fit.
Laughter doesn't really fit Flashbang now, so maybe we have to make it fit her somehow? Maybe that'll get the cannon to work too.
