[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/6W7bqko.png[/img]
[h2][color=FD0000]The Koopa Troop[/color][/h2]
[b][color=FD0000]wordcount:[/color][/b] 2,354 (+3) 
[b][color=FD0000]Bowser: Level 14 [/color][/b] EXP: [color=FD0000]//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////[/color] (144/140)
[b][color=SpringGreen]Bowser Jr: Level 13 [/color][/b] EXP: [color=SpringGreen]////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////[/color] (162/130)
[b][color=DeepSkyBlue]Kamek: Level 12 [/color][/b] EXP: [color=DeepSkyBlue]////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////[/color] (141/120)
[b][color=Aqua]Rika: Level 8 [/color][/b] EXP: [color=Aqua]////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////[/color] (125/80)

& Level 11 Sectonia (holding 5 level up) - (77/110)


[b][color=FD0000]Location:[/color][/b] The Under - Dirtmouth
[hider=warp locations]
[s]
Central hub: Smash City Alcamoth
Accessible locations:
Peach’s castle
Limsa Lominscuttle Town
Lumbridge
Twilight Town
Kosm’s Beach
[/s]
[/hider]
[/center]

Dawn rose above the underground, peeking in through the windows of tomb like buildings that made up dirtmouth, a sight unseen to the ‘heroes’ for several days.

In response, each and every koopa rolled over in bed to shield their eyes from its unwanted glare. That left Rika to rise with the dawn out of some built in military discipline, stretch, yawn, sigh, look to her left to see that the others where indeed still a sleep, and to then, as she had several times at this point, follow their example and lay back down to try and get a little bit of extra shut eye.

In the much cleaner and tinder home across from them. Sectonia had tidied up the place as best as her minions could, but there was only so much you could do to the outside of these abandoned houses in a single night even if your minions were magic. Emerging from her seized ‘house’, Sectonia floated around a bit, looking around to see if any of the others were up. Now was the time to head on over to defeat the guardian of this area or so she thought. So she thought that a few would be up early to do some preparations or something.

The sight of her moving caught the eye of Rika, her internal clock refusing to let her get that extra bit of shut eye, and so she used it as an excuse to give up and go say hello. As a result, a few moments later the door to the hut swung open, revealing the ship girl, and, behind her, the sight of a few tents that the Troop had set up inside of said room as a way to avoid cleaning up like Sectonia had. It also revealed a strange floating shape sat in the wreckage of a safe just sort of sitting on the ground of the home.

[color=Aqua]”Hi, hello! You’re awake”[/color] she noted rather redundantly, informing the queen that [color=Aqua]”The others aren't, they’re having something called a ‘lie in’ which is kinda boring to be honest”[/color]

[color=SpringGreen]”No it isn’t, is nice, gimmy 10 more minutes”[/color] Jr groaning countered her, to which she just shrugged with a look on her face that clearly showed she didn’t get it.

Seeing Rika greet her, Sectonia lazily drifted over. [color=92278f]”Ah, I see… I suppose they do tend to take quite a bit of the beating when it comes to the fighting, don’t they?”[/color] Sectonia said, musing at how the boys hadn’t gotten up yet. [color=92278f]”Still, considering we will be fighting another powerful spirit, it would be best to get prepared. I doubt their ‘lie in’ is beauty rest.”[/color] Sectonia said, letting out a classy lady “oh ho ho” laugh afterwards. 

[color=Aqua]”Is ‘beauty sleep’ another expression”[/color] Rika asked, uncomprehendingly tilting her head to one side [color=Aqua]”Because I don’t see how sleeping makes you beautiful? People mostly look kinda silly while napping”[/color]

[color=DeepSkyBlue]”If you don’t sleep enough you end up with bags under your eyes and such”[/color] Kamek informed her, before grumbling [color=DeepSkyBlue]”Like I’m going to it seems”[/color] as he gave up on getting some more rest. Jr too for that matter, the prince standing and popping Mimi, who he had been using like a soft toy, on his shoulder. Bowser, the heaviest sleeper in more ways than one, apparently was managing to ignore sun and sound just fine. Sectonia wasn’t surprised at that revelation.

[color=SpringGreen]”What was that about powerful spirits anyway? Can we at least have breakfast first?”[/color] Jr asked as he wandered over.

[color=92278f]”Don’t you have some pizzas left over from yesterday?”[/color] Sectonia asked, implying that was what she ate this morning.

[color=FD0000]”Snrk- wuzzat? Pizza?”[/color] came a grunt as talk of food was, rather unsurprisingly, the thing to actually wake the king of the Koopas.

[color=DeepSkyBlue]”Yes yes, we’ll eat, but it may be wise to try and find food again rather than going through our rations”[/color] Kamek attempted to say, but it was far to late, as boxes where already open, and opening slices already in mouths, by the time he had finished.

The mage sighed, accepted that it would be more trouble than it was worth to try and stop this now, and instead moved on to Jr’s other question, namely about the spirit [color=DeepSkyBlue]”At any rate, to answer your earlier question your young master, we still have one more mask fragment to track down”[/color] 

[color=SpringGreen]”Wait we do?”[/color] jr replied with his mouth full, while his two pokemon kept munching away at their own slices (and his grapple worm a bit of batnip), before asking [color=SpringGreen]”I mean I haven't been keeping track but it felt like we were done, right?”[/color] 

[color=DeepSkyBlue]”It did seem to be the end of the line, which only means it will be tricker to work out where under the world the last one is tucked away. We will need to scour every nook and cranny!”[/color] he declared, which got a chorus of groans from the rest of the troop who had apparently been on the same wavelength as the young boy.

Sectonia groaned too, but more internally as she had more class than that. [color=92278f]”Hmph, I thought we had them all too. I was intending to double check though, I suppose it was a good thing I did…”[/color] Sectonia said, not hiding her irritation of having to go down and explore the rest of the underground. She really didn’t want to have to go through that ‘dungeon’ again…


[color=92278f]”I suppose we should take inventory of what we have either way. Perhaps someone ‘misplaced’ the last one.”[/color] Sectonia said, squinting her eyes.


[color=DeepSkyBlue]”I’m quite certain. There was that great spider we encountered, Asgor simply gave us his, you found one in that repulsive gauntlet, then it was that unnerving pizza fellow, the impostor bee queen, the Necrodancer, the Caretaker, and then finally Robin Good fellow. Eight in all”[/color] Kamek listed off, and at which point Jr wondered [color=SpringGreen]”Wait so did Porky not have one?”[/color] and to which he got a shake of the head.

[color=DeepSkyBlue]”Strangely not … though now I worry who might have the last one. It seems entirely within F’s character to simply be holding onto the last one himself”[/color] Kamek rationalized with a sight

[color=FD0000]”Well I want to beat the snot out of that annoying runt anyway, so works fine by me”[/color] Bowser said, now speaking coherently thanks to food, before remembering [color=FD0000]”Oh and speaking of inventory, I got that weird blob thing out of the safe from the prison”[/color] he jerked a thumb over his shoulder to point out the strange [url=https://i.imgur.com/GgrxPc8.png]formless, seething mass[/url] to point it out before asking [color=FD0000]”Any idea what it is?”[/color] 

Being the residential magic examiner, even though she was only guessing most of the time based on vague hints, Sectonia looked over the strange blobby mass. It took her a bit to guess at what it did as she looked at it for quite awhile. [color=92278f]”From what little I can gather… its some kind of… primordial mass of some sort? It has no shape… Perhaps it copies whatever item it comes into contact with?”[/color] Sectonia said, never having seen an item like this before. She doubted it could duplicate anything, as such an item would lead to some… new conquest plans if she could have two of some ancient artifact… But wait, if it could duplicate anything…

[color=92278f]”Why not see if this can[/color][color=DeepSkyBlue] duplicate a mask shard?[/color]” Sectonia and Kamek said at the same time. For Sectonia, it would be quite the relief to not have to go underground if this worked, although it would also be a bit of a waste of such a powerful item if it could actually copy anything and work…But there would be no way of knowing until it was too late.

[color=SpringGreen]”That’d mean we just need to jump down that pit again and we’re done here? Sign me up”[/color] Jr remarked, to which his papa and sister both nodded agreement.

[color=DeepSkyBlue]”It would make things easier, I suppose”[/color] Kamek admitted. 

[color=92278f]”Well if it works and F had the last piece, it would ruin his plans and that sounds lovely.”[/color] Sectonia said.

[color=FD0000]”Then let's get to it.”[/color] Bowser asserted, casually picking up the item duplicating material and then commanding [color=FD0000]”Kamek, get us a mask fragment and let’s finish this already”[/color]

[color=DeepSkyBlue]”Ah, it's not that simple. I don’t exactly have them all on me, nor do I quite recall which ones we do have. It would be quite a problem to make a copy of a fragment we do have after all. Having 4 top lefts won’t exactly help us after all”[/color] Kamek reminded them

[color=92278f]”Perhaps if we assemble the mask we have, and fit the goop into the last missing piece?”[/color] Sectonia offered.

[color=DeepSkyBlue]”Hmmm. That might well work”[/color] Kamek agreed, before assessing that [color=DeepSkyBlue]”Either way, we need to get all the mask pieces in one place, which means getting everyone in one place”[/color] 
 
[color=92278f]”Well, with that plan set, perhaps we should do some pre fight preparations. Maybe see what items we can get from what spirits we have.”[/color] Sectonia said. She was also thinking about meddling with the respec orb a bit, hm….

[color=SpringGreen]”Oh, oh, we got a bunch of spirits from the prison didn’t we? I almost forgot about those”[/color] Jr asked, which got a nod from Kamek, and then a groan from Rika because it meant she was on hat duty again.

[center][hider=For the Troop]Items obtained:
[b]Souls[/b] x2860
[i]These motes of energy are hard to define, let alone understand, but they represent something quintessential--and valuable. They're accepted in lieu of currency most everywhere, but those who horde them tend to gain great power, surrendering them to their killers upon death[/i]

[b][url=https://i.imgur.com/WWhm3IA.png]Common Soul Gem[/url][/b] x3
[i]A magic crystal that can contain the souls of medium and weaker creatures killed by a weapon capable of trapping souls. It can then be used to enchant gear, or restore depleted enchantments, after which it's destroyed.[/i]

[b][url=https://i.imgur.com/MXKHyMD.png]Old Spice[/url][/b] x2
[i] An old spice with a pungently sweet smell. Restores a large amount of the user's MP. It is made by mixing various fermented ingredients. Because of its sharp smell and often unsavory brewers, it has been prohibited in some regions[/i]

[b][url=https://i.imgur.com/35r6bAC.png]Constrained Heart[/url][/b]
[i]Scientists being what they are, they weren't content to study the ** we found out there. They had to understand it, change it, improve it. The military being what it is, they always allowed it...provided the results were useful to them. On use regenerates health per second for 5s and grants 2 Stacks of defense-boosting Bulwark while heal is active. 3 uses, resets on rest[/i]

[b][url=https://i.imgur.com/0bVsfEh.png]Fish[/url][/b] x3
[i]A freshwater species with pallid, almost stony-looking scales, a jagged jaw, and big, peering eyes. Once killed (or just dropped, which will asphyxiate them after a few seconds) it will become a fish morsel, which can be cooked and eaten to provide some satiety. Can be thrown in a pot with corn to make fish tacos, or with any monster meat to make surf 'n turf[/i]

[b][url=https://i.imgur.com/qYo1B8p.png]Centipede Whip[/url][/b]
[i]A small Bondling of the Child, trained not to leech the wielder's Breath. This living weapon is worn, rather than wielded, and it delivers fast attacks that scale well with dexterity. If used to deliver a spinning attack, its lashes can deal some serious knockback[/i][/hider][/center]

The resulting pile of things was rather unpleasantly alive, though it became less so as the fish rapidly expired. After being a little disturbed, Bowser shrugged and said [color=FD0000]”Bonus snack I guess”[/color], before promptly starting to roast the the fish 

[color=92278f]”Hmm… The souls seem like they are interesting. But the other items… they really are unpleasant.”[/color] Sectonia said, agreeing with the troop. Seeing Bowser roast the now dead fish with his fire breath was mildly amusing though. 

[color=92278f]”Why is everything alive down here as it were? Is this all part of the guardian’s plan for this area or something?”[/color] Sectonia questioned looking at the other treasures.


[color=DeepSkyBlue]”Given it is locked in a sealed box, and possibly in a dream if we need a catcher to attack it, I’m not sure if it has a plan. The strange thing that was the Guardian of the endless blue certainly didn’t I’m sure, nor that big dragon”[/color] Kamek noted, intentionally leaving his king’s doppelganger out of that list even though he mostly still fit it.

[color=SpringGreen]”This one’s also made of rocks, so it's less gross than the other stuff at least”[/color] Jr said, poking the strange centipede with the butt of his paintbrush a few times before picking it up, resulting in it grappling his wrist.

There was a brief moment of panic before everyone realized that the stone centipede was just sort of chilling there, and was entirely willing to be removed to boot.

[color=SpringGreen]”Still pretty weird”[/color] Jr concluded. 

Sectonia absently nodded with the young koopa, agreeing this place was just weird in general. They had found a few interesting trinkets, but only a couple that were useful and not outright disgusting. Well either way, Sectonia decided to grab a handful of spirits to see exactly what they could do. From what she could understand, they were both a currency item, and could grant some bits of power if she had enough? Although she wasn’t sure if that would lead to any… physical changes or not.

The troop ended up pocketing the rest of the items, savory or not, before having some toadies pack up all their camping equipment. With that, they were all set to go, and the first thing on the agenda was getting all the mask fragments together. Fortunately, while the team was all over, and the fragments with them, the handy dandy link pearls meant solving that issue would be easy as pie, with Kamek radioing out and checking in with everyone, and requesting they meet up back at the stagstation, seeing as he knew they all knew where that was, and informing them about their plan to use the item replicating mass to fill in the missing piece of the mask based puzzle.

He also mentioned the items they had just gotten, just in case someone really wanted a rock centipede or a strange healing heart.