Side Story For Glory!

[Jeremi]

"Is that a bird? A plane? No, wait, it is a bird da~ don~, and I'm a bit doubtful that it's very friendly da~ don~!"

Don-chan makes an extra-hard swing, causing him to ram mid-air and smack his face into the vulture's beak.

@Jeremi

@Lucky @etcetcetc

​

With a screech the vulture like bird tumbled down to the ground thanks to Don-chan ramming it. Friend or foe it seems like it was taken care of for now.

"Ahahaha! Well, everything seems to be going along smoothly!" Goroh had fit through the pipe with relative ease, and was now taking the ground path. "We should be at our destination in no time!"

@Jeremi @Anyonelol​

As Goroh said that they group could suddenly feel the entire ground...shake. Whatever was causing it seemed to be coming closer from the thicket just next to them. "You just had to say it didn't you?" Mika went into a fighting stance readying herself for whatever came through that jungle.



@Ver @Minerva @dark @York @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Crimson Spartan @Hahli Nuva @Lucky @ShadowCoyote0 @Hida Tomonatsu @Alex Azure @Sark @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @Takumi @Crow @Kaykay

 

[Yun Lee]

"Well, what was I supposed to say, huh? 'This is awful and I hope it gets worse?!'" Goroh still drew his katana, readying for what came out of the jungle. Nothing was ever easy, was it...

@Jeremi @Everyone​

 

[Crow]

"Woooooaaaaah!"

Don-chan was falling as he held Kirby by the feet.

@Lucky​

 

[Hida Tomonatsu]

With a screech the vulture like bird tumbled down to the ground thanks to Don-chan ramming it. Friend or foe it seems like it was taken care of for now.



As Goroh said that they group could suddenly feel the entire ground...shake. Whatever was causing it seemed to be coming closer from the thicket just next to them. "You just had to say it didn't you?" Mika went into a fighting stance readying herself for whatever came through that jungle.



@Ver @Minerva @dark @York @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Crimson Spartan @Hahli Nuva @Lucky @ShadowCoyote0 @Hida Tomonatsu @Alex Azure @Sark @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @Takumi @Crow @Kaykay

"Well, what was I supposed to say, huh? 'This is awful and I hope it gets worse?!'" Goroh still drew his katana, readying for what came out of the jungle. Nothing was ever easy, was it...

@Jeremi @Everyone​

"Woooooaaaaah!"

Don-chan was falling as he held Kirby by the feet.

@Lucky​

"Can you two argue about this later? Something's coming and Don-chan and Kirby are in trouble, so focus!" Makoto barked at them while beginning to dash forward, hoping to get just under the talking drum set and puffball. Someone had to catch the little drum, and given everyone else was bickering while taking up fighting stances... well, not her cup of tea, but she'd be the one to catch them if she could help it.

@Jeremi @Yun Lee @Lucky @Crow​

 

[Crimson Spartan]

"Can you two argue about this later? Something's coming and Don-chan and Kirby are in trouble, so focus!" Makoto barked at them while beginning to dash forward, hoping to get just under the talking drum set and puffball. Someone had to catch the little drum, and given everyone else was bickering while taking up fighting stances... well, not her cup of tea, but she'd be the one to catch them if she could help it.

@Jeremi @Yun Lee @Lucky @Crow​

When Makoto ran forward to catch Don and Kirby Hector also ran forward but only he went in front of her Armads at the ready. He knew something was coming and figured she might be in trouble if whatever was coming proved to be hostile. Hector decided that he was going to make sure that wouldn't come true and hoped that he'd be the first to engage whatever was coming at them. He was an axe fighter after all and loved a good fight. He just hoped she was able to catch them in time.

@Hida Tomonatsu @Yun Lee @Crow @Jeremi @Lucky​

 

[Jeremi]

With the two things currently going on Mika opted to hold steady towards whatever was coming through the thicket. It had to be massive considering the earth itself was shaking and the trees themselves seemed to split in its presence. With the final steps it appeared from the jungle.

It was massive.

It was scary.

It was.

A man in boxing attire with a crown on his head. Evidently.

He just stood there for a long while lazily batting his eyes. "Uuuh..." Mika looked at the others in the group before turning towards the man. "Are you okay?"

No reply came as the man continued staring at the group.​

@Ver @Minerva @dark @York @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Crimson Spartan @Hahli Nuva @Lucky @ShadowCoyote0 @Hida Tomonatsu @Alex Azure @Sark @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @Takumi @Crow @Kaykay

 

[Ver]

"A fellow boxer, huh? Of all the places to run into someone else like that..." Akihiko said, an eager smirk on his face as though pleased in some capacity by the appearance of the hulking man, if only for the telling boxing gloves he sported.

We're in for it now, regardless of whether he's friend or foe, the young man thought to himself, before stepping forward.

"Hey! Anyone home in there?" Akihiko went on, essentially echoing Mika's sentiment as he tried to get the man to react in any way at all.

@Jeremi @Crow @Crimson Spartan @Yun Lee @Hida Tomonatsu @Takumi @Everybody​

 

[Jeremi]

"A fellow boxer, huh? Of all the places to run into someone else like that..." Akihiko said, an eager smirk on his face as though pleased in some capacity by the appearance of the hulking man, if only for the telling boxing gloves he sported.

We're in for it now, regardless of whether he's friend or foe, the young man thought to himself, before stepping forward.

"Hey! Anyone home in there?" Akihiko went on, essentially echoing Mika's sentiment as he tried to get the man to react in any way at all.

@Jeremi @Crow @Crimson Spartan @Yun Lee @Hida Tomonatsu @Takumi @Everybody​

At the mention of boxing the man seemed to perk up. "RAAGH!" The man uttered turning his attention towards Akihiko. The roar didn't seem to be a threat it was just an exclamation from the weird man towards a fellow boxer.

Mika leaned in to whisper into Akihiko's ear. "This guy's really weeeeird." Though since it was Mika it was still audible enough that the people around them heard her.


@Ver @Minerva @dark @York @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Crimson Spartan @Hahli Nuva @Lucky @ShadowCoyote0 @Hida Tomonatsu @Alex Azure @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @Takumi @Crow @Kaykay @Sark

 

[Crunch]

Geno was clearly wary of the massive man, his palm open and raised towards him like a firearm, but seemed to look between Akihiko and the massive, hippo-esque boxer blocking their path. The puppet sneered, lowering his hand and glancing up at the silver-haired boxer.

"You seem to remind him of someone, Akihiko," Geno motioned to the man's gloves. "He might be challenging you to a fight. Or he's just excited to see another boxer."

"... Or he's just blocking our path for no reason."

Geno didn't know anything about boxers and wasn't even really sure they existed in his world, but a fight is a fight; there's no way to misinterpret a challenge if it was there. Then again, it could be that this very large fellow is simply a confrontational person. For his own sake, perhaps it'd do better for his nature if he stopped eating so much.

Then again, it could be stress-eating. What if this man is just a deeply troubled fellow with no way to properly communicate his woes to anyone else without sounding like a hairless gorilla?

What if he is a hairless gorilla? This is a jungle, after all.

Geno shook his head and focused a steely gaze back on the situation.

@Jeremi @Crow @Crimson Spartan @Yun Lee @Hida Tomonatsu @Takumi @Everybody​

 

[Ver]

"That's the camaraderie between two boxers -- sportsmen, even -- at work. Or so, I'd like to think it's something like that," Akihiko said to Geno in an almost jovially haughty manner, but managed to restrain himself for whatever the group was expecting to happen in just a few moments, preparing for the worst but hoping for the best.

Not letting himself be perturbed by the man's animalistic roar -- after all, Akihiko had faced scarier than a big boy like him before -- the younger boxer raised up his hands, clenched into fists, and slowly approached forward, thinking to himself he probably looked like a tamer approaching a feral animal. Or, maybe he just looked plain stupid.

"From one fighter to another... Are you a friend or foe?" He tried to ask again, still intent on communicating civilly.

@Jeremi @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Yun Lee @Crow @Crimson Spartan @Hida Tomonatsu @Takumi @Everybody​

 

[Jeremi]

"That's the camaraderie between two boxers -- sportsmen, even -- at work. Or so, I'd like to think it's something like that," Akihiko said to Geno in an almost jovially haughty manner, but managed to restrain himself for whatever the group was expecting to happen in just a few moments, preparing for the worst but hoping for the best.

Not letting himself be perturbed by the man's animalistic roar -- after all, Akihiko had faced scarier than a big boy like him before -- the younger boxer raised up his hands, clenched into fists, and slowly approached forward, thinking to himself he probably looked like a tamer approaching a feral animal. Or, maybe he just looked plain stupid.

"From one fighter to another... Are you a friend or foe?" He tried to ask again, still intent on communicating civilly.

@Jeremi @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Yun Lee @Crow @Crimson Spartan @Hida Tomonatsu @Takumi @Everybody​

"BLEH! HUHEU HRRM!" The man responded his eyes seemingly drilling themselves into Akihiko's very soul. The man raised his hands seemingly to indicate that he meant no harm, but as he did that Akihiko felt something very warm and sharp across his throat.

"King Hippo, might trust easy, but I do not." A voice spoke as a girl materialized seemingly out of thin air in front of the group.

She looked like a very young girl but there was a maturity in how she held herself, not much different from Akihiko who she currently had one of her weapons pointed at. "Who are you? Why are you disturbing this jungle?"
​

@Ver @Minerva @dark @York @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Crimson Spartan @Hahli Nuva @Lucky @ShadowCoyote0 @Hida Tomonatsu @Alex Azure @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @Takumi @Crow @Kaykay @Sark

 

[ShadowCoyote0]

When he arrived at the jungle with his new comrades, Link silently took in his new surroundings. His champion's tunic was a decent choice for the humid environment it seemed. The animals were quite large, and it's people even larger, judging by the beastly man before them. Comparing him to a Goron would be too easy. He seemed relatively docile, but his partner quickly revealed herself, and she wasn't nearly as trusting. Wanting to avoid any unnecessary fighting, Link went for a diplomatic approach.

"Um..hello! I understand you probably don't get very many visitors, but we mean no harm. We are looking for...a special type of gem, and well, perhaps you and the uh...King, would be willing to help us?"

@Jeremi @everybodg

 

[Crimson Spartan]

With the two things currently going on Mika opted to hold steady towards whatever was coming through the thicket. It had to be massive considering the earth itself was shaking and the trees themselves seemed to split in its presence. With the final steps it appeared from the jungle.

It was massive.

It was scary.

It was.

A man in boxing attire with a crown on his head. Evidently.

He just stood there for a long while lazily batting his eyes. "Uuuh..." Mika looked at the others in the group before turning towards the man. "Are you okay?"

No reply came as the man continued staring at the group.

@Ver @Minerva @dark @York @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Crimson Spartan @Hahli Nuva @Lucky @ShadowCoyote0 @Hida Tomonatsu @Alex Azure @Sark @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @Takumi @Crow @Kaykay

Hector at first prepared himself his body oddly relaxed as he prepared to swing at what was going to come out until the beast emerged. Hector held his stance a moment before deducing that the man was not hostile and so he lowered Armads. He listened to what was said around and was just about to ask about what boxing was until...

"BLEH! HUHEU HRRM!" The man responded his eyes seemingly drilling themselves into Akihiko's very soul. The man raised his hands seemingly to indicate that he meant no harm, but as he did that Akihiko felt something very warm and sharp across his throat.

"King Hippo, might trust easy, but I do not." A voice spoke as a girl materialized seemingly out of thin air in front of the group.

She looked like a very young girl but there was a maturity in how she held herself, not much different from Akihiko who she currently had one of her weapons pointed at. "Who are you? Why are you disturbing this jungle?"


@Ver @Minerva @dark @York @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Crimson Spartan @Hahli Nuva @Lucky @ShadowCoyote0 @Hida Tomonatsu @Alex Azure @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @Takumi @Crow @Kaykay @Sark

...

Well shit....

Hector saw the girl who now had a blade to one of his allies but despite this his smirk did not fade. He waited for Link to finish speaking before he spoke himself.

"Heh.... Not bad at all.... Good skill and a healthy dose of suspicion. Good qualities of a spy if you ask me..." Hector speaks calmly remembering the spies he's met due to how Ostia operated its own spy network before all of this happened. He assessed the situation not lowering but also not readying his axe Armads. What Link said was in fact true but would she believe it...? Perhaps so perhaps not only time will tell after all.

'Name's Hector and he's right.... We're after a special type a gem. Seen any weird gems lately...?" Hector spoke calm and causal as ever....like the fact that she had a weapon pointed at one of his allies didn't even phase him. He knew he couldn't show weakness in this situation so he opted to stay calm.

@Jeremi @Ver @ShadowCoyote0 @EveryoneElse​

 

[Jeremi]

When he arrived at the jungle with his new comrades, Link silently took in his new surroundings. His champion's tunic was a decent choice for the humid environment it seemed. The animals were quite large, and it's people even larger, judging by the beastly man before them. Comparing him to a Goron would be too easy. He seemed relatively docile, but his partner quickly revealed herself, and she wasn't nearly as trusting. Wanting to avoid any unnecessary fighting, Link went for a diplomatic approach.

"Um..hello! I understand you probably don't get very many visitors, but we mean no harm. We are looking for...a special type of gem, and well, perhaps you and the uh...King, would be willing to help us?"

@Jeremi @everybodg

"There are no gems here," The girl replied brusquely towards Link.

"Raagh Waugh!"

"At least not any that would gather such a crowd like yours." The laser blade continued to be held firm towards Akihiko's neck.

Hector at first prepared himself his body oddly relaxed as he prepared to swing at what was going to come out until the beast emerged. Hector held his stance a moment before deducing that the man was not hostile and so he lowered Armads. He listened to what was said around and was just about to ask about what boxing was until...





...

Well shit....

Hector saw the girl who now had a blade to one of his allies but despite this his smirk did not fade. He waited for Link to finish speaking before he spoke himself.

"Heh.... Not bad at all.... Good skill and a healthy dose of suspicion. Good qualities of a spy if you ask me..." Hector speaks calmly remembering the spies he's met due to how Ostia operated its own spy network before all of this happened. He assessed the situation not lowering but also not readying his axe Armads. What Link said was in fact true but would she believe it...? Perhaps so perhaps not only time will tell after all.

'Name's Hector and he's right.... We're after a special type a gem. Seen any weird gems lately...?" Hector spoke calm and causal as ever....like the fact that she had a weapon pointed at one of his allies didn't even phase him. He knew he couldn't show weakness in this situation so he opted to stay calm.

@Jeremi @Ver @ShadowCoyote0 @EveryoneElse​

"As I said," She repeated herself. "There are no gems here."



@Ver @Minerva @dark @York @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Crimson Spartan @Hahli Nuva @Lucky @ShadowCoyote0 @Hida Tomonatsu @Alex Azure @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @Takumi @Crow @Kaykay @Sark

 

[Crunch]

"BLEH! HUHEU HRRM!" The man responded his eyes seemingly drilling themselves into Akihiko's very soul. The man raised his hands seemingly to indicate that he meant no harm, but as he did that Akihiko felt something very warm and sharp across his throat.

"King Hippo, might trust easy, but I do not." A voice spoke as a girl materialized seemingly out of thin air in front of the group.

She looked like a very young girl but there was a maturity in how she held herself, not much different from Akihiko who she currently had one of her weapons pointed at. "Who are you? Why are you disturbing this jungle?"
​

@Ver @Minerva @dark @York @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Crimson Spartan @Hahli Nuva @Lucky @ShadowCoyote0 @Hida Tomonatsu @Alex Azure @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @Takumi @Crow @Kaykay @Sark

"...!"

Geno was quick to tighten his posture as soon as he heard the girl's voice suddenly spoke out of thin air. Like a shell-shocked soldier hearing a gunshot, the star warrior raised an open palm towards the source of the sound, his hand shifting apart into little more than wooden plates that would reveal a smoking gun barrel embedded within his arm.

Geno's dull wooden eyes took a few moments to register the girl's face and voice. They widened once he'd put the pieces together in his mind, though fittingly, he didn't find it necessary to lower his arm cannon.

"... Shelke? You're alive? But, you--"

The memory was hazy and unclear, as he'd been confined to the sidelines during that battle, but Geno couldn't help but remember the last image he'd seen of that great battle before he'd blacked out along with Mallow.

... Shelke jumped in the way of the blast blocking it with her beam sabers. The ensuing impact caused every to fall backwards and as the dust settled, Shelke was nowhere to be seen ...

There was silence between them. The girl has blades, and the puppet has guns. Of all the people from that incident for Shelke to announce her grand return to, Geno was just about the last person that needed to know that information. If only that cyborg guy were here, he'd probably drop his moody act to be happy about something for once.

"Are we going to do this 'hold our weapons at each other' thing a second time?" Geno blurted out, motioning to the space between their weapons with his free hand, but gestured his gun hand to Akihiko. "Ease off his throat. We're not here to cause any trouble. I just... I do not recall much from that battle, but my memory doesn't fail me - I saw you jump in front of a laser and get vaporized to save all of us."

"What are you doing in a jungle with this fellow?" Geno motioned to King Hippo.

@Jeremi @Ver @Crimson Spartan @Whoever


​

 

[Jeremi]

"...!"

Geno was quick to tighten his posture as soon as he heard the girl's voice suddenly spoke out of thin air. Like a shell-shocked soldier hearing a gunshot, the star warrior raised an open palm towards the source of the sound, his hand shifting apart into little more than wooden plates that would reveal a smoking gun barrel embedded within his arm.

Geno's dull wooden eyes took a few moments to register the girl's face and voice. They widened once he'd put the pieces together in his mind, though fittingly, he didn't find it necessary to lower his arm cannon.

"... Shelke? You're alive? But, you--"

The memory was hazy and unclear, as he'd been confined to the sidelines during that battle, but Geno couldn't help but remember the last image he'd seen of that great battle before he'd blacked out along with Mallow.



There was silence between them. The girl has blades, and the puppet has guns. Of all the people from that incident for Shelke to announce her grand return to, Geno was just about the last person that needed to know that information. If only that cyborg guy were here, he'd probably drop his moody act to be happy about something for once.

"Are we going to do this 'hold our weapons at each other' thing a second time?" Geno blurted out, motioning to the space between their weapons with his free hand, but gestured his gun hand to Akihiko. "Ease off his throat. We're not here to cause any trouble. I just... I do not recall much from that battle, but my memory doesn't fail me - I saw you jump in front of a laser and get vaporized to save all of us."

"What are you doing in a jungle with this fellow?" Geno motioned to King Hippo.

@Jeremi @Ver @Crimson Spartan @Whoever

The otherwise emotionless girls would eyes widened in surprise when she heard a familiar voice. "...Geno?" A travelling companion from a quest that seemed so long ago. Finally she relented her beam sabers vanished as she put the hilts on her hips. "I could perhaps ask you the same thing but...my answer is that I don't know. I thought I had died only to find myself among. It doesn't matter. What is this about gems?"

"Uh not to be that gal but," Mika walked up. "Aren't we on a s-e-c-r-e-t mission? Maybe they work for...them?"

To that King Hippo seemed to take umbrage as he roared at Mika stomping a few steps closer to her only to be stopped by Shelke. "I know what you are implying. We do not work for them, the scientists. When the... melding happened we fought their creations back as best we could. The jungle gave us some cover but then..." Shelke turned around like she had heard something but found nothing there. "There is something worse stalking these woods an-"

Again she turned around weapons ready to see what caused the rustling.

A beaver like creature emerged from the undergrowth looking around confused.



@Ver @Minerva @dark @York @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Crimson Spartan @Hahli Nuva @Lucky @ShadowCoyote0 @Hida Tomonatsu @Alex Azure @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @Takumi @Crow @Kaykay @Sark​

 

[Yun Lee]

Goroh couldn't help but laugh as the beaver showed up. "Man, what timing!" He crouched down, grinning at the creature. "Hey there, little buddy! You that big evil roaming the forest?! Ahahaha!!!"

@Jeremi @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Ver @Crow @Minerva @Hida Tomonatsu @Crimson Spartan @ShadowCoyote0 @Everyone​

 

[Ver]

"Wha--?!"

Akihiko froze in his tracks as a strange girl, identified by Geno as "Shelke," suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and in the blink of an eye, a weapon was right at his neck, catching him off-guard as he was only able to stand there, not moving a single muscle as he could only hope she wouldn't do something she'd regret.

Even though it wasn't impossible for the young man to summon his Persona without an Evoker at this point, never mind that he did have it on him for whenever he needed, it still required a deep amount of concentration, and he was certainly not concentrated here. But then, it probably didn't matter either way; he had learned quite a while ago that the laws that governed his own world didn't apply here. No Dark Hour, yet he was free to use his Persona as he wished, and everyone else -- even those who didn't even know what a Persona was -- was able to see it. Any movement on his part would be to forfeit his life from his perspective.

Fortunately, it seemed that Geno of all people was able to at least assuage the girl's suspicion, at least for the time being. Still not daring to move from where he stood, his body tensed up, Akihiko uneasily glanced back at the puppet. "Friend of yours? And... did you say a second time?"

At least he could say it wasn't personal if this is how the girl greeted just about anyone.

And then a beaver showed up.

@Jeremi @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Yun Lee @ShadowCoyote0 @Crimson Spartan @Crow @Takumi @Hida Tomonatsu @Everybody​

 

[Jeremi]

Goroh couldn't help but laugh as the beaver showed up. "Man, what timing!" He crouched down, grinning at the creature. "Hey there, little buddy! You that big evil roaming the forest?! Ahahaha!!!"

@Jeremi @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Ver @Crow @Minerva @Hida Tomonatsu @Crimson Spartan @ShadowCoyote0 @Everyone​

The only thing the beaver had time to do was look up at Goroh before something massive devoured it whole.

It roared right in Goroh's face showing off it's wide assortment of very sharp teeth.

Mika pointed towards the beast. "Pretty sure it's that thing."

"Run," Shelke had seemed quite stoic before but when the monster revealed itself she sounded almost panicked. "Run!" Hoping that the others followed her lead she darted into the jungle.

"Raagh!" King Hippo exclaimed like he was beckoning the rest to follow.​

@Ver @Minerva @dark @York @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Crimson Spartan @Hahli Nuva @Lucky @ShadowCoyote0 @Hida Tomonatsu @Alex Azure @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @Takumi @Crow @Kaykay @Sark

 

[ShadowCoyote0]

So, the puppet was familiar with girl named Shelke. It seemed like a fight had been avoided...but then a beaver showed it. It was actually kind of cute...until it was devoured whole. Link feared for the safety of the group, as he had never seen a beast like the one before them. It's teeth were giant, it's scars were deep red, and it looked hungry.

But he didn't run. He had a lot of combat experience under his belt, and above all else, he was adaptable. He quickly shot an arrow aimed towards the left eye of the beast before taking out the Master sword and a shield. He stood his ground, waiting for the monster to make it's next move. "C'mon, get away from it! Get to safety everyone!"

@Jeremi @Crimson Spartan @Yun Lee @everybody