[center][h2][b][color=turquoise]The Cereal Killer: A Good Night's Nightmare[/color][/b][/h2][/center]
[@Lugubrious]

Not too long after Runch managed to fall asleep inside the vineyard he had found for shelter, a loud crack of thunder jolted him back up.He could hear the pitter patter of rain against the rooftop and windows, lightly at first but growing in intensity and frequency. Soon the rain had become a pounding behemoth upon his doorstep and water came leaking in through the cracks. [color=turquoise]"Oh, this does not bode well."[/color] The pirate captain had to interrupt his rest to rush to the leaks. If his shelter ended up flooding, well, he wouldn't even get to meet his next opponent. Darn curse of the devil fruit. Working quickly, he found the leaks as they made themselves known and sealed the cracks with a highly absorbent cereal. One after another he plugged them up and up and up, sealing off more and more liquid death. That's when the door busted open, unleashing the torrent from outside.

[color=turquoise]"Juicy huckleberry!"[/color] His ankles had already been submerged, the water level quickly rising. Considering the lower level a total loss, Runch darted up the stairs to the attic. He sealed off the stairway with an especially large wall of cereal, then breathed a sigh of relief. That relief had been short lived, as the windows cracked against the mighty blows of falling water, and the ceiling began draining like a colander. He had to think fast, or he'd be fish food! [color=turquoise]"Bori bori bowl, dry bones recipe!"[/color] Twisting his body around and raising his arms, a blue-orange dome of cereal wheat formed around the captain, about eight feet in diameter every direction. What was once a deafening downpour had been muffled to a mere light pounding. His dry bones recipe was a strong water repellent, giving him some measure of respite from Mother Nature's onslaught. 

Breathing out another sigh of relief, Bartholomew K. Runch curled himself up, and allowed himself to drift back to sleep...

[hr]

[h3][b]BOOM![/b][/h3]

The ground violently shook, rattling Runch from within his safety dome. [color=turquoise]"BOPPIN' BLUEBERRIES, WHAT WAS THAT?!"[/color] Rushing perhaps a bit more than he needed to, feeling the intensity of the situation in his shaking bones, Runch kicked an opening in his protective dome. What he found was an incredibly wet, but thankfully not flooded, attic floor. Wiping the sweat from his brow, the pirate captain sauntered to the nearest window and stuck his head out, careful not to cut himself on the broken glass. The whole area had seen better days, by the look of it. Oldtown wasn't totally flooded, but even from a cursory glance he could tell that the districts had not been built for such a downpour. Still, that didn't explain what that enormous blasting sound was. Did a building flood and subsequently collapse? No, couldn't be. No building in the area was nearly so large as to make that much of a ruckus...

Well whatever it was, a new day had been born, with new opportunities, and new challenges. Runch would need to start the day off right, with a healthy and nutritious breakfast! He spent about half an hour producing, and devouring, his special energizing and healing cereal. That's when the Cereal Killer's phylactery came to life and spoke in a familiar voice. Runch immediately recognized it as Oren, the man that was on that... Drone, did the journal call it? Right, drone. Oren explained that the college, the folks that had invited all the contestants out to this strange city, had as much of an idea what that explosion was as he did. Well, that was comforting, he thought sarcastically. At least there would be college officials out and about investigating the event, so they were quick to act. Runch had to give them that. The announcer further went on to say that new places were just sort of showing up. It was a bit above his head, so Runch didn't pay it too much mind. As far as he was concerned, that just meant more possibilities to explore and new adventures to be had! Along with these "echoes" were something Oren called "Factions." Runch guessed these were people moving in that were not invited by the College, and Hell, why shouldn't they? The College didn't own the city, they just studied it. The more the merrier, why not?

Of course, then Oren got to the most important information. Well, at least the most pertinent to Runch and the other fighters. Today was round 2 of the tournament, and they had until the end of the day to find and defeat their next opponent. The punishment was not explored, but he hardly noticed or cared. What was truly fascinating was what Oren said about the phylacteries, about how they could call him for advice three times, or link to their next opponent. Such technology! Even the world famous Doctor Vegapunk would be envious of such achievements! With the last of the information imparted to Runch, and to the other tournament fighters he reasoned, the speaker on the heart-shaped device cut out, leaving the pirate with just his thoughts once more.

Calling Oren for advice on how to reach his opponent, or linking to his opponent directly, didn't have such great appeal. With his powers it would be fairly trivial to make a beacon in the sky to signal his position. A literal explosion of flavor, if you will, to draw in whoever he was to fight next. He just hoped whoever he would be fighting next, would have good taste. There was something he could use some help with, though. Placing his hand on the phylactery hanging from his neck, Runch called up the game's face man.

[color=turquoise]"Oren, my pun loving friend! Cap'n K. Runch here! I don't need directions to my opponent, but uh, I would like your perspective on something. Is there anything interesting near my area? Places your college wants to investigate, or stud but hasn't been able to yet? I figure I got all day to get to my fight, and I like to be helpful. Course, getting anything like this journal is a mighty fine incentive! Omnomnomnomnom!"[/color]