[h3]Jason[/h3] [i][b]The Pool (D2)[/b][/i] [@Guy0fV4lor] [hr] Using his Tremor Sense as a kind of impromptu MRI, Jason was able to find the position of an unusual organ within the creature’s body, but other than that it seemed to be a normal, if significantly larger, lizard… The other slime accepted the legs with gusto, but it didn’t seem to understand the significance behind such a gesture. As Jason conversed with it, it seemed to draw back somewhat from his touch. It still retained a bare minimum of contact, however, in order to respond. [i]Not Me many idea Me not know. Almost too much. But eat Big? Big like-- BIG COMING VERY BIG HURT ME ME GO![/i] This time the other slime did jerk away, and quickly began flopping away. It wasn’t clear to Jason at first, until he heard the rolling noises behind him. Was that red slime Asura? But who--or what--was the big blue monstrosity behind him!? [b][[You, Ed, and Asura will now be in a new Party unless you just ignore them. They're close enough you can see/hear most of what they're doing.]][/b] [hr] [h3]Rain, Orchid, Digbie, Mourningstar, Oberon, Orochi, Ardur[/h3] [B][I]Flame of Chaos (D2)[/I][/B] [@Old Amsterdam][@Lucius Cypher][@King Cosmos][@CriticalHit][@Gardevoiran][@floodtalon][@ReusableSword] [hr] [quote=System:Mourningstar] Skill Gain! Mana Slice I! A slashing wave of projected mana--essentially, a Mana Orb that has gained the Slashing property. It consumes the same amount of MP as a Mana Orb spell of equal rank, and moves faster, but its damage is split between Slash and Non-Elemental Magic. Resistances and Defenses of the target will apply for each type. [/quote] Mourningstar made use of her new skill to send a wave of magic, shaped like a crescent moon, at Goblin #3 as he hefted his rock one more time. As she cut open his throat, he dropped the rock and pressed both hands to the wound with a gurgle. He began to stumble away, not dead but not able to take his hands away from his throat for the moment. At the same time Mourningstar felt Oberon’s Shield I envelop her--which worked out well, as at that moment Orchid’s torch came flying through the air. The flames and heavy wood smashed into the Wisp, once again dropping her to the ground. The Shield held against the actual impact--but not against the flames! With an angry pop and hiss they washed over Mourningstar’s body, the heat unbearable even for those few seconds. [quote=System:Mourningstar] [color=red]WARNING![/color] Your HP is low! [/quote] While this was happening, Rain was getting to her feet. Oberon offered her healing, at the same time attempting to analyze her even though his skill, like Mourningstar's, wasn't entirely suitable. [quote=System:Oberon] You used Magic Analysis II! Skill effectiveness reduced to 30%. This is a Monster. You have scanned this type of Monster before, effectiveness increased to 35%. Fanged Lizards are capable of Magic. This Lizard has one unusable semi-magically oriented skill, and one unusable spell skill. [color=red]This one is unusual, like Orochi.[/color][/quote] Digbie, on the other hand, showered the Dire Rat in sparks that began to catch upon its fur. As it smoldered with one of the most rank smells one could imagine, he hefted it with a battlecry and let the disgusting corpse fly. On the other side of the battlefield, Ardur grabbed a wooden splinter and attacked the downed Crispy. The Goblin had screwed his eyes tightly shut, but the pixie managed to stab his bugsticker through the thin flesh. As he did so, however, the flame-touched goblin spasmed wildly--had he already overcome the paralysis!? “ARRGH! CRISPY GONNA MAKES YOU ALL PAY!” The caster shoved his green palm at Ardur, whom he could only detect because of the direction of that last attack thanks to the damage to his eye. Still, however, his Fireball was still fully functional. Ardur was too close to avoid him--luckily, the Pixie still had his Shield up from before. As the magical projectile hit him point-blank, he was blown backwards head over heels. He could feel the heat as if on the other side of a window, unpleasant to say the least but not harming his flesh. Once it was done, though, as his shield faded his grass and spidersilk clothes began to catch the embers…! Meanwhile, Digbie’s projectile crashed into the goblin with the pickaxe just as he was getting ready to attack the others again. Mourningstar now tackled the same goblin, knocking the green demihuman to its rump. Rain lunged at it a moment later, biting and tearing with her fangs, and Oberon fired a Mana Orb at it from a distance. In seconds, the group had brought down the first of this motley green gang. Goblin #1, however, was still in the fray. He had seen Digbie throw the rat, and now turned to the other youngling with his Gnarled Stick raised in both hands. “What you doin’, you dumb!? You s’posed ta kill da OTHER monstas!” [b][[Orchid's Target for her attack is Orochi, I'm gonna let Critical respond to her attempted sword thrust on his own.]][/b] [hr] [h3]Ash, Naji, Scott, Danny, Reoth[/h3] [i][b]Nearby the Pool (D2)[/b][/i] [@Rune_Alchemist][@ghastlyInc][@CollectorOfMyst][@Duthguy][@Kangutso] [hr] As Naji yelled even louder at the lizard, it paused again--but not as long as last time. By the time it got ready, however, Ash burst onto the scene. At her threatening display, the leashed Lizard drew back under one of the nearby rocks, but it did manage to hiss back. It kept its mouth open, as if emphasizing its fangs, making itself look more threatening. As Ash stopped looking directly at it to address Danny, it narrowed its jaws somewhat, but still kept up a drawn out, low volume hiss as its slitted eyes darted between all the unusual monsters around it… As Naji bit into the goblin, smelly, bloody, and raw, he found the last bit of his strength helped along by desperation. Skin tore, muscle was pulped by his chewing, and fresh, hot blood spilled over his tongue. A thoroughly disgusting experience, but there was nothing even left in his stomach to vomit. And after the first few mouthfuls, the incessant beeping in his head seemed to stop...he still felt horrible, but for the moment it was tolerable. And the more he ate, the better it seemed to get, but just how much of this could he really stand? And why was yet another Fanged Lizard approaching to eye him with that unreadable face? As Reoth approached the starving pixie, he could hear what was going on between the Wisp and the other Lizard, which apparently seemed to be leading this “pack.” They were...speaking? Like him? Meanwhile, Danny's attempt to observe the leashed lizard only told him what he could obviously see. It was a lizard--normal by most standards, no unique markings or colors like Ash and some of the others he had seen--and it was of the usual size for the monstrous reptiles. It looked like it might have taken a beating from the goblins at some point, but those scars on its scales had healed or been replaced by new skin. The leash around its neck was simply a rawhide strip, probably made from the skin of some other creature the goblins had slain. Then a noise dinged in his head. [quote=System:Danny] Your observations have granted you a new skill! Skill Gain: Monster Analysis I! At this rank, gain basic biological information through active observation of another Monster. [/quote] [hr] [h3]Edward[/h3] [b][i]Pool Party (D2)[/i][/b] [@Searat] [hr] As Ed’s rational mind and caring spirit won the battle over his bestial instincts, he refused to attack the human-like Pixie. Taking a good long look at himself in the pool, he wondered who he really was in this new world--just a Dire Rat, a monster like all the others? Or could he, once more, be the person he wanted to be? Only Ed could make that decision. Only he could choose which path he would follow--man, or beast? But despite this uncertainty, he had at least made the choice to spare an innocent creature. He could, perhaps, take solace in the fact that this poor Pixie might live, and overcome its suffering-- And then a rapidly rolling red ball of gelatin flattened it. [b][[You, Asura, and Jason will become a new Party unless you all just ignore each other. They’re both within sight of you and you can hear/see most of what they’re doing.]][/b] [hr] [h3]Asura[/h3] [b][i]Joining A Pool Party (D2)[/i][/b] [@Kazemitsu] [hr] Hitting the Pixie was disturbingly similar to hitting an animal--like say, a squirrel or opossum--with one’s vehicle. A familiar crunch and everything. With the dead pixie slowly digesting inside him, however, Asura would find it difficult to continue rolling at top speed. Doing so while eating, after all, would normally make one nauseous, right? As he called back at Momma Slime, she made no reply--but if the truth were known, she had rolled past Ed because her mass was too large and going to fast to make such a split-second stop. The two living pinballs continued their helter skelter until they suddenly went over a rise in the rocks--and now down below them were two more slimes, one of which both Asura and Momma recognized… [b][[You, Ed, and Jason will become a new party unless you all just ignore each other. They’re both within sight of you and you can hear/see most of what they’re doing.]][/b]