| Shake and Oddity's CYOA |
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On the battle grounds of Romaji Arena The dark arena………damaged and desolate. The only sound emanating from the depressing winds and the breathing of the souls that ventured inside. The party was now standing next to Magus as he stepped forward. Illusions………….yes they are. But Crono and the others are fool’s to think Kefka’s behind them. They are blind to the truth. The child……Janus……….……he was warning us………helping us……….the poetry……….can it be….her? It has to be……. Magus looked at the Arena floor. He had been so intrigued with the crimson-haired enigma that he hadn’t given very close attention to his surroundings. There were three corpses across the Arena floor. He quickly surveyed them, searching for something he did not want to find. Fortunately Schala wasn’t among them. Glenn………. There he was, the blue glow had left his body, Masamune still clasped in both hands. It’s better this way. Magus looked at Crono and nodded towards the remains of Glenn. Crono sighed and nodded back. Magus couldn’t recognize the other two. One was massive, bulging with muscles. The other one was a horrible creature, with knifes for fingers. This one was impressive. Ryu whispered : “I know the others. Zangief and Voldo. Great fighters, especially Voldo.“ Magus was sizing up the pale warrior. He destroyed Glenn and two other fearsome fighters. Could be a challenge…. Magus decided to answer, “ We are the Resistance to Link’s Alliance, and we are here to recruit Sephiroth for our cause.” The warrior’s eyes lit up, conveying curiosity, a malevolent grin on his face. “Ha hah... Hyah ha ha... Har hahahahahaha!! Ha ha.” Magus raised an eyebrow. I wonder if all destroyers behave so foolishly. "The telepathic powers that roam this land have driven away the weeping child, the coward, and the fraud. This power.........it’s enormous. I must find it. You will tell me where to find it.........or die defending that knowledge." The warrior resumed his hysterical laughter. The warrior stopped laughing abruptly and addressed Magus, “You seem like powerful people. Especially you with the blue hair, you seem a lot of fun. Part of a resistance , no less. Hehehehe. You will do fine, as my toy....for today. ” “ I am nobody's toy. Time for my questions. Did you kill these people?“ he pointed at Glenn and the others. “ You call yourself a destroyer. We will see if you earn that title. What is your name and what did you destroy?” Magus said in an attempt at learning more. Crono signaled to Aeris to prepare a mass Protect. I can see where this is headed. “Names do not matter. I am the destroyer of Elru.... However, if you insist.........I am Id..........” With that , the warrior assumed a battle stance. Magus leaped backwards and whipped out his scythe. Aeris released her spell. Crono handled his Katana as Snake disappeared into the Arena stands. Samus put on her helmet and Ryu mimicked the warrior's stance. "My, my, my ,very fluently indeed. Hehehe. You cannot fathom the power within me. I seek out the powerful to destroy. You will tell me where to find them." The warrior spoke as he eyed up Ryu." Like me, you need no weapons to strengthen yourself. You will be the first." Ryu wasted no time and was within range fast as he jump kicked toward Id. Id stepped aside easily but made no offensive move. Ryu kicked and punched with fierceness as Id easily blocked each and every attack. Suddenly Id stopped blocking and just taking the beating. His head didn't even snap backwards as Ryu kicked him high with a mighty jump. "I don't have to defend against this. You have trivial power, white-clad sensei," the warrior said annoyed as his expression turned grim. Samus had taken in position behind the man while Crono stood in front of him on the other side. This guy is dangerous. We need to take him out now. Samus shot her missiles and with a deafening explosion they hit the back of Id, who let out a grunt of pain as he lost his balance, but did not topple over. He grabbed Ryu's arm as Crono ran towards him. With mind boggling ease and speed he threw his helpless body in Crono's direction. Crono ducked as Ryu hit the Arena wall with a loud thump, creating a dent in the solid concrete, as he slid down bleeding from his mouth and the back of his head, leaving a stain of red inferiority. The Protect had done him little good. Id turned towards Samus, "Firing explosives from behind? You're nothing but cheats. " Crono jumped on top of his back as Magus reflected annoyance when he threw away his prepared dark bomb out the stadium exit and ran up to Id with his scythe. Crono had meant to cut his throat with the Katana, but it was now he was up close and personal he understood the raw strength of this man. Id was twisting and turning to get Crono off his back, and Crono was barely holding on. My God....................I have to get away from him. Crono used Id's shoulders and kicked himself of with a somersault to land 15 feet further. Id was blocking Magus' scythe with his arm as Crono saw him trench his right foot in the ground and let his left foot linger back. "Magus! Get out of there ! " Crono yelled but it was too late. Id grinned at Magus as his left leg made a mighty arc towards the wizard's head............ Magus had heard Crono's warning, but he had no need for it. He saw the move Id prepared coming from a mile away, and was holding his scythe with both hands at mid-level to block its path.............. Id's leg didn't even lose a sliver of momentum as he broke the scythe in two and connected just above the wizard's right eye. In a tribute to human reflexes Magus had succeeded in moving his head just an inch before the shin collided with it, therefore protecting himself against a full hit, this was just a graze. But a graze from a being like Id was not to be taken lightly. Magus fell flat on his back as Aeris prepared a Curaga as she had done so many times in the past. The wizard was clinging to consciousness, losing the struggle. Aeris was an expert at keeping a low profile during battle's, avoiding the enemy's attention, as she could give her comrades the edge in a difficult fight. Not this time. "More cheating? You are not worthy of my attention. " Id shouted while he contradicted his own words, going after Aeris in the stands. Samus fired another round of missiles at the warrior, which he swiftly dodged. He was determined to get to Aeris. "Range attacks only!" Crono shouted. "Keep your distance from him. " Following his own advice Crono outstretched his hands as he released the spell he was the master of. "Lightning!" It stopped in his tracks as the white glow shocked Id’s body. The only result was a grunt as he resumed his steady pace in the direction of the wide-eyed flower girl. He reached her and as Aeris tried to run past him, he outstretched his arm and grabbed her by the throat with one hand. He lifted her up as he slowly increased power, a smirk on his face as the beautiful large eyes of Aeris seemed ready to pop out of their sockets. In the shadows of the stands Snake had his PSG1 sniper rifle prepped up and ready to go. He had been forced to hold his fire as Id had been in close combat with his friends , but now Id's head was wide open. It was now or never. The O was firmly pointed at Id's skull. Snake pulled the trigger..........a loud bang echoed of the stadium wall's. Id immediately shifted his body weight incredibly fast upon hearing the sound of the projectile, the bullet ricocheting of the red armor on his shoulder. Samus ran towards him. I need to save Aeris, she won't hold out much longer. Samus' body check was cut short as he fiercely kicked her in the knee with a short and sharp movement from his left leg, just as she put her foot on the ground. Snake watched as his most valued friend fell to the ground with a cry of pain. She was on the Arena floor, her leg bent in a way nature never intended , as her Chozo armor that had always been the source of Samus' resilience in battle was finally broken along with her bones. Damnit, this isn't working. I need to do something . We haven't been able to make a dent in the guy’s armor. We're all dead meat if I don't stop him. Snake stood up and ran from his covert position towards Id. "ID!! Put the girl down NOW! I know the source of the powers you seek." Snake yelled with his deep gruff voice, forcing Id to take notice. Snake's voice always ensured that he had full attention whenever he wanted. Id carelessly threw Aeris over his shoulder as he advanced on Snake, her back making an awkward bend that Snake didn't notice.. Aeris is safe. I am going to point that madman to Kefka, let those two freaks of nature slug it out. You better tell me now, coward." Id hissed. He hadn't seen Snake since the beginning, at first he had thought he left his friends to die. Id detested cowards. Crono nodded to Snake, he understood what he was going to do. "Past Romaji forest lives Lord Kefka. He is the most powerful being alive. I'm positive he is the one you seek. " Snake said while looking the madman straight in the eye. It was logical to assume Kefka's base was located past Romaji forest, but Snake had no way to be certain. This bluff better pays off, or I'm toast. No way I can escape him at this range. Id started to laugh again : "Ha hah... Hyah ha ha......If you lied to me, I will be back for you.............. and your friends. I hope this Kefka is more worthy then you have been." Id looked Snake in the eye one more time with that insane twinkle in his own, and then he sped off into the darkness, leaving half of the Resistance battered and bruised in his wake. Crono rushed over to check on Aeris. Her entire neck was black with bruises. Thank God, she is still breathing. Could have spinal damage.........we should only move her carefully. " Check on......Aghhhhhh............Ryu...........Snake." Samus was gritting her teeth, biting through the pain of a broken leg. She knew that leg wasn't going to be the same ever again. Not if she didn't get intensive treatment in a healing room soon, this bone wouldn't heal on itself. She was suffering from multiple fractures, she felt it. In the back of her head lingered some hope that Aeris could heal it, but she didn't even know if the poor girl was still alive. Snake headed to Ryu. He didn't look good. His eyes were open, and the minute Snake looked into them death was staring right back. He had seen the lifeless gaze of fallen soldiers enough times to be sure. Ryu was gone. Snake kneeled down and moved his hand towards Ryu's face. I've done this too many times. "Snake thought . He closed Ryu's eyes and said his goodbyes. You were with us too short, kid. Too young to die, but this war doesn't have mercy on the young. Or the inexperienced. You should have stayed the hell away from him. But you had passion, kid. Too much. Another needless death against an enemy we know nothing about and we didn't need to fight. This wasn't the Alliance. At times like this I don't know what I'm doing here... "Ryu's gone." Snake said clearly, confirming the thoughts of everyone. "He probably died on impact. " Snake walked over to Samus. "We'll have you out of here in no time, Aran. How's the leg?" " I don't think it looks like a leg anymore, Snake, but I can manage. " Samus grunted through the pain, flashing her bravest smile. "I can't believe Ryu's gone." Crono was checking on Magus. “Magus seems to be alright. Just out cold." Snake was tearing a piece of wood from the stands. "We can use this to make a stretcher, Crono. We should get them back to the flyer and set up camp." Snake said determined. If I was wrong, that maniac can come back any time. We have to move. 2 hours later, at the campsite. Snake and Crono are sitting around a fire, 5 tents around them. A bit behind one of the tents a wooden cross is sticking out of the ground, 3 yards of freshly shoveled sand in front of it. Samus is in one of the tents with Aeris, and Magus has gone to check around camp. "Another man down, Crono. What are we doing here?" Snake asked him. "We needed reinforcements , Snake. We still do. Sephiroth and Schala would have been assets." Crono said. "Would have been? You're giving up? " Snake asked. Crono answered him. "We could do without Ryu, but Aeris and Samus are in no condition to fight. Aeris can't feel anything below her shoulders , she can't even cure herself. I think she may be paralyzed, Snake." "I think so. But I don't like doing nothing. I can go ahead and locate Kefka's base. We need to know that anyway." Snake said while taking a puff from his cigarette. "Otherwise I say we just try and cross the Karat mountains to the Modarn sector. It's a hard journey, and harder with the wounded we have, but we can ask Mario for help once we get there. But that means abandoning the mission." "I think we should either rest here and continue or chance our luck and check Romaji forest for anything that could help us. Me and Magus could do it, while you guard the camp site. " Crono said. Meanwhile Magus was frantically searching for his younger self. If he had been right......... The mission was looking very bad right now. Magus was determined now that he was here, he wouldn't leave, whatever Crono decided. Not without Schala. Since he was here and he saw the forest where he and his sister used to practice their magic, and the Arena she had taken him to when he was 5 years old, (and he later would fight himself) the poetry he and his sister enjoyed when they stayed up late in the dark without their mother knowing they were there, he knew he wouldn't leave her behind. Not again. Suddenly Magus heard a sound. He turned around and looked at the image of Janus Zeal, Alfador following. Janus looked wounded, his tunic stained with blood, a single line dripping down from his eyes. He was swaying from side to side, he felt down to one knee as he said: "This is goodbye, Magus. Farewell......... ". Janus Zeal and Alfador slowly vanished, revealing nothing but thin air. Magus looked on with a sad expression. After all these years..............I finally come here....and now..... .......I have ruined my life's destiny....... ----------------------------------------------------------- Choice 2: What should the party do? 1: Try and cross Karat with the wounded to ask Mario for help. 2: Let Snake locate Kefka's base. CHOSEN 3: Rest up for a day and continue further. 4: Let Magus and Crono enter Romaji forest while Snake guards the wounded. ( as agreed in a former choice) Back Home |