[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/6W7bqko.png[/img]
[h2][color=FD0000]The Koopa Troop[/color][/h2]
[b][color=FD0000]wordcount:[/color][/b] 1,458 (+3) (+5 + 5)
[b][color=FD0000]Bowser: Level 13 [/color][/b] EXP: [color=FD0000]//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////[/color] (195/130)
[b][color=SpringGreen]Bowser Jr: Level 13 [/color][/b] EXP: [color=SpringGreen]///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////[/color]///////////////////////////////////////////////// (83/130)
[b][color=DeepSkyBlue]Kamek: Level 12 [/color][/b] EXP: [color=DeepSkyBlue]//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////[/color] (192/120)
[b][color=Aqua]Rika: Level 8 [/color][/b] EXP: [color=Aqua]//////////////////////////////////////////////[/color]//////////////////////////////////////////// (46/90)
[b][color=FD0000]Location:[/color][/b] The Under - Termite Kingdom Ruins
[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]

It was a pretty casual trip back all things considered, as the practice dummy like monsters patrolling their fields were still about doing their thing, and presumably keeping the local bug population nice and low as a result. Plus this time there was no dwarven thievery to enrage them.

In contrast, it seemed like their area had been more straightforward than whatever weirdness was vaguely alluded to via puns by Miss Fortune regarding their team’s trip when they caught up, that was for sure.

[color=SpringGreen]”I got a tank!”[/color] was jr’s main input to explain what had happened to them, as if him having to pop open the hatch of it to tell them this didn’t make that obvious in and of itself. Although in his defense, the Kuebiko could be easily mistaken for a tractor, if not for the massive triple barrel gun on the front.

[color=DeepSkyBlue]”His majesty also fought a giant pig, with my enlarging help, so I am afraid I will be sitting this next bout out from in here”[/color] Kamek, who was also in said tank, informed them in a very tired tone.

[color=FD0000]”I punched it right in the snout! That sure showed it who’s boss!”[/color] the King confirmed, ever so proud of this apparently.

[color=Aqua]”Also there was, uh, bugs and stuff I guess. And robots. But you probably had those too?”[/color] Rika concluded the summary of what they had been doing rather less bombastically [color=Aqua]”Which we should probably handle the spirits of before we fight this triangle thing, right?”[/color]

That got some confirming nods from the rest of the troop, except for Bowser who decided that [color=FD0000]”Seeing as the big pig was pretty tough, I think I’ll fuse with it. Get my own big tusks or more root powers or something”[/color] for which he borrowed the Snaktivator from Kamek to do, while Rike as usual borrowed the mimic shaped hat from their reisdent bug queen to do some crushing.

[hider=spirit work]
[hider=For Bowser]Notable spirit consumed:
[b][url=https://i.imgur.com/fL55ok2.jpg]Kingtusk[/url][/b] (mouth)
The front of the host's face has elongated into more of a snout, with a flat, piglike nose. Two large, upward-curved tusks extend from the cheeks right at the corners of the mouth, an extremely tough blend of enamel-layered dentine and wood. Their points aren't that sharp but can cause huge damage when driven into a target with strength. The host's hair is also a little more rootlike in texture, and he has a better sense of smell. This spirit confers the power [b]King's Charge[/b], giving the host armor and a damage boost when charging on all fours. This charge can either trample over enemies or end with a powerful tusk flip that can launch even very heavy enemies overhead and behind the user, where they usually land on their backs. This spirit also confers the weakness [b]Part Softness[/b]. The host takes much more damage than usual if hit in the head, and his tusks can actually break if hit enough by enemies. He must receive an amount of healing equal to or greater 50% or more of his max HP in order to reform a tusk.

[b][url=https://i.imgur.com/3WSttV9.png]Refined Metal[/url][/b] x2
[i]What kind of metal is this? It's not exactly clear. But what is clear is its abundant value. It's not just worth a lot of currency; it itself can be used as currency. It's ideal material for crafting, highest-quality, and can be used as a substitute for any one metal when making weapons, all of which are guaranteed to be high quality and high durability[/i]

[b][url=https://cdna.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/005/932/152/large/dan-doherty-recore-stinger-01-lrg.jpg?1494809607]Mack FL1-R 'Stinger'[/url][/b]
[i]A small flying corebot that functions as an expedition assistant. Similar to Deep Rock's Bosco drone, it can help out by carrying things or providing light. Thanks to its core, it's self-sustaining, but its energy will be lost and eventually depleted if it takes damage. It has a [url=https://cdna.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/005/932/158/large/dan-doherty-recore-stinger-03-lrg.jpg?1494809619]small rifle[/url] in its rear, but low caliber rounds and low stability mean it can be little more than a distraction under normal circumstances. Most importantly, it can kind of be worn like a miner's cap[/i]

[b][url=https://cdnb.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/004/540/925/large/dan-doherty-bltps-turret-lrg.jpg?1484431809]Machine Turret[/url][/b]
[i]A high-impact slow firing weapon system that's best used on a stationary mount, but can be awkwardly carried by those of enough strength (that are also not too big to use it). It has a limited pool of ammunition of 150 rounds, but can be resupplied[/i]

[b][url=https://i.imgur.com/uTi2mSM.png]Charm of the Vampire[/url][/b]
[i]A charm that boosts the damage of bite attacks and confers a 30% heal for every 13 enemies killed. The person who [url=https://i.imgur.com/bvH3xE5.png]equips it[/url] gains a little fang and a V-shaped hairline[/i]

[b][url=https://i.imgur.com/tTLLDWx.png]C-Foam Tripmine[/url][/b] x2
[i]A very powerful tripmine that, when triggered, will spew globules of freezing, weblike C-Foam in an area of 5 to 7 meters. C-foam will entrap and immobilize any enemy caught in its radius, including bosses, for 5 to 7 seconds. It can be shot to detonate prematurely. It can also be used as a sealant in order to reinforce doors, walls, etc against attack[/i]
[b]Power Stone[/b]
[i]A huge, glittering crystal in the [url=https://cdn.britannica.com/78/170778-131-D35E060F/Reflections-diamond.jpg]classic shape[/url], the size of beach ball. They're very light, and if a bearer is hit too hard, it'll fly right out of the bearer's inventory and soar a distance away. If someone obtains three, that fighter can take on a unique super form for a limited time with a changed appearance and powered-up moves with unlimited usage, though when it runs out two will go flying in different directions while one is destroyed. This one is alien-blood green[/i][/hider]
[/hider]

[color=FD0000]”So. How do I look?”[/color] Bowser asked after the fusion, which caused the others to trade a few glances and for Kamek to offer that [color=DeepSkyBlue]”The tusks look, ah, very regal, sire. Like a second set of horns”[/color] while clearly avoiding talking about the obvious, namely that [color=Aqua]”You've got a pig snout. It looks a little silly”[/color]

[color=FD0000]”What?!”[/color] the King balked, before booping his own snoot and then groaning as he confirmed what Rika had told him

[color=DeepSkyBlue]”I’m sure the fusion will come in handy though, that great beast was quite devastating on the charge after all”[/color] Kamek quickly pointed out, before admitting [color=DeepSkyBlue]”Though perhaps not against such a large stationary target like that one”[/color] referring, of course, to the pyramid.

Somehow that was only the first half of the warping of Bowser’s face that went down, as he foolishly forgot the danger of pedestal items and proceeded to poke the bat floating on one. Admittedly, it could have been worse, because the resulting v shaped hairline and extra pointy tooth didn’t actually do much other than add a few strands to the front of the King’s locs, while the tooth mostly blended in with all the other sharp ones.

The other items consisted of some valuable looking metal, which got shrunken and stashed, along with the giant alien green diamond. Bowser held onto the mine, peering at some very small instructional text scribbled under much larger warning text, and while Rika attached the helmet bot on top of one of her gauntlet ‘heads’, intending to use it as a replacement for her destroyed scout plane.

They got use of the turret by physically strapping it onto Bower’s shell via metal bands made with Jr’s Ferromancy. Mounted atop one of his existing turrets, and with the trigger controlled by a vine, it would give him quite the boost in long ranged fire power. Given that the king wasn’t exactly the best marksman however, the main form of help it would be providing would be adding to the volume he could output.

With all that out of the way, they were ready to go, just in time for Overhard to give them a heads up as to what was going on.

[color=SpringGreen]”Alright, see you guys on the other side”[/color] Jr said as he hopped into the tractor tank, and snapped shut the hatch, before revving up the machine, raring and ready to go. Rika meanwhile finished filling her grizco blaster’s primer tank with her own saliva and slotted the cylinder onto it, while Bower just cracked his knuckles and got ready to throw down.

Just as explained, the caretaker’s first mode of defense was its big mechanical tentacles, which immediately started blasting at them. Rika and Jr both got moving, the ship girl using her shot slowing vision to evade fire while Jr backed up the metal attacker while spraying retaliatory fire back at their foe.

Bowser wasn’t nearly as evasive, and so he was very thankful for Primrose’s defense buff, and some overhealing provide vines Jr had provided before taking command of his tank. That and his little mecha mit shield let him withstand the initial barrage, but none of those were much help when the tentacle decided to slam forwards to try and skewer him with its four pronged tip. 

Fortunately, he’d just had a bit of practice with something just like this, and so instead of being gored by the 4 prongs the king just barely managed to grab a pair of them in his claws.Monster and machin struggled against each other till the king got a good grip, and then pulled and pulled, till the mechanical limb was ripped from it’s socket, flailing on the ground for a few seconds till it went still.

[color=FD0000]”That the best you’ve got?!”[/color] the king, just a bit out of breath, taunted, just in time to find himself facing down giant walls of energy that someone had forgotten to mention where going to be an issue.

As the king scrambled to run out of the way of the blasts, and Jr had to do some of the best driving of his life to weave between them while avoiding running any one over, Rika handled them with far more ease. 

This was mainly because she could go over them, the ship girl dodging the first, and then squeezing her feather fall rune to launch herself clear over the top of the seconds. The tiny wings on the back of her rigging gave her just enough thrust to help her buzz over the wave as it slipped under her, after which she took a leaf out of Miss Fortune’s book, and also went for a mount of the machine.

Her grappling hook shot out, attached, and then pulled her atop it, where she proceeded to scramble over to a different vent from the one the cat girl was clawing up. Once over there, she promptly gave it five barrels of fun, hammering 4 disruption gobs and several rapid fire blasts of electric goop into it, really gumming up the works, and debuffing the machine’s damage output by 20% for 30 seconds in the process. 

Rather than simply flee with her glowing cotton tail between her legs when the shredders came however, she instead left them a parting gift, dumping out a shocker swarm from her hangers, and also summoning her cloister striker. The very tough shellfish didn’t have to worry too much about the cutting attacks of the shredder bots, particularly when it proceeded to summon a whirlpool around itself. The resulting swirling vortex spun the drones around, either tearing them apart, smashing them into the cloister’s shell, or leaving them soaked through and thus extra vulnerable to the electric swarm Rika had left behind.

As that dance of elements played out, the ship girl grappled too one of the tentacles, and used it to swing across the electrically charged platform below, only avoiding being blasted to bits by friendly fire due to her shot slowing sunglasses and her little wings giving her just enough extra air controle to weave between them.

[color=SpringGreen]”Rika!”[/color] came a panicked buzz in her ear as she landed, coming from one of the sources of that near friendly fire accident, which proceeded to tell her to  [color=SpringGreen]”Call in that you’re going to do that next time!”[/color]

Over in his tractor tank Jr got a sheepish [color=Aqua]”Sorry”[/color] and [color=Aqua]”will do”[/color] from Rika, before focusing back on the fight. The vehicle he was in certainty was fun, wheezing around at impressive speeds, turning practically on a dime, and laying out a whole heap of fire power, but the Prince was getting a bit frustrated at his lack of options.

Options that the blinking red ammo and fuel reserves constantly reminded him that they had been wasted by the [color=SpringGreen]”Dumb plants!”[/color] that had infested it.

Still, when he did manage to stop power sliding across the dirt and got to line up a shot, the triple barrel cannons laid waste to anything in front of them. He just wished things would stop moving and stay in his line of fire.