[IC Board] All the World's a Game - Season II

[WriggleRid3r]

Gensokyo

---

Yamame, laying back on a grassy bed near the entrance to the Dark Blowhole, contemplated on what the Kappa said to her a few minutes ago. If she really did have feelings for this boy Max... if by any chance that this melancholic feeling that is love really existed in her heart... what can she do but feel sick, longing for Max to love her back? And what if he didn't? How broken can she be?

"What is this crazy maelstrom inside my heart?" Yamame groaned. She felt a fever. But how can it be? She could control diseases, sickness bowed to her... all sickness except the sickness of love. She tried to leave, head home, but the longing bound her, back to the grassy bed overlooking the entrance to the Youkai Mountain. "No insanity can compare to this, no turbulence can speak its' magnitude against this. I've never felt so uncomfortable before... but why is it that I long for it so much?"

Yamame forced herself up. It is not right for her to lie around like this; it wouldn't solve anything. She shall see him again tomorrow. And when she do see him... well, that's for her to decide then. For now, all she can do is tame this beating heart.

[SUSTIC]

Gensokyo Near the Kappa Village | Night

Max kept on towards the Kappa Village, and luckily for him... it was in sight. He smiled as he let out a loud 'Woo-hoo!' as he neared the village. However he did continue to think of Yamame, but he still tried to keep his focus on his task at hand. Once he got to the village entrance though something... bad happen. The sound of a few loose gaskets in Steve could be heard as the Ridepod completely came to a halt. It didn't drop the ore though. It was like the whole Ridepod was frozen stiff. Max lightly pounded on the control panel to try and get it working, and it did for a second... Steve set the large chunk of ore down on the ground in front of Max... then the Flashlight cut out... This confused the young mechanic, but when he checked the control panel again he saw the problem...

He forgot to recharge Steve's fuel cells this morning... "Oh... well that is not a good thing... Luckily I'm at the Kappa Village entrance though!" Max said as he hopped out of the Ridepod. "I need to go see Mitori for some help!" He said as he took off running into the village to find Mitori.

[WriggleRid3r]

Kappa Village - Gensokyo

---

Meanwhile in the village, a pink-haired girl was carrying a huge bag of groceries to the largest house in this district of the village. Amongst the other Kappas' black, brown, and occasional yellow hairs, the pink hair of this particular girl was strikingly vivid and colorful, and was easy to spot. Not to mention that she had a giant street sign of a red circle with red diagonal line through slung to her back like some sort of a two-handed weapon.



"I need to go see Mitori for some help!"

Mitori turned to see that Max was frantically looking for her. A distance from him sat his all-purpose drone, Steve, and a large vein of turquoise ore on its' arms. Cobaltine Ore. That kid probably busted the mech trying to carry that heavy thing, and was shouting all across the village like that. It was pathetic, but Max was a cute kid so she didn't mind. In fact, his helplessness made him even cuter.

"I'm here, Max." Mitori comforted Max as she approached Max. "What do you need help with?"

[SUSTIC]

Kappa Village - Gensokyo

"I'm here, Max." "What do you need help with?" He heard Mitori called out.


Max turned around to see Mitori behind him. "Oh hey Mitori! I was using Steve to carry that large ore back to the village... then it just kinda froze up like it always does when it runs out of fuel..." Max replied as he turned to look at the now offline Steve.

"Yeah I kind of was too busy working with the other Kappa that I kind of forgot to refuel Steve. I'm surprised he had enough fuel to make it to the Mines, and back. I'm lucky I made it to the village entrance with it." He said as he let out a little chuckle. "I guess I was just to ahead of myself that I forgot to recharge Steve this morning."

It was obvious that despite him being in a somewhat tough spot he was still pretty optimistic.




Outside Reactor Labs - Sector 4 - Prometheus Labs - London | Dawn

Eve nodded as she looked at Jack. "Very well. Though if I may insist. I wish for you, and Chung to not follow. As if something does go wrong I do not wish to put you both in danger. Regardless of how strong or well trained a soldier like Jack is." Eve replied as Chung sighed in disappointment, but he did nod.


"Okay Eve... I'll be here I guess... What about you Neuman?" Chung said as he turned to Neuman.

[WriggleRid3r]

Kappa Village - Gensokyo

---

How optimistic, Mitori thought. Normal Kappas who forgot to fuel their machines usually either grumbled about for the entire day about their failure or, rarely, went into a fit of rage... Which Mitori would have to use force. But this kid didn't take much about his mistakes. He was almost like Nitori, who didn't care much about fuel since her nanometal drones don't take any fuel, Lady Samehana the now-missing Deva of the Lake, and Mitori herself.

"Okay, let's go get the fuel then." Mitori assured Max like a mother would a child... Even though Mitori only looked a few years older than Max. "Where are the fuel? In your room, right?"

[SUSTIC]

Kappa Village - Gensokyo


"I had an extra fuel tank within the garage this morning. I was meaning to bring it with me, but like I said. I just got too ahead of myself and in turn... I forgot!" Max replied with a laugh, but he did get a serious look back on his face. "I just need your help carrying the fuel tank. It's a little too heavy for me to carry on my own. Back in my world I had the help of my... friend Cedric when it came to Steve... unfortunately though he isn't here..." He said as at the mention of Cedric he got a slight... frown...


Cedric was his boss, and sort of a 2nd father to Max. His real father was sort of distant, but Cedric was more or less the father he never had. Cedric was always there for him at all times... He wasn't here in this world though... but he did have Mitori, and the other Kappa. Mitori though was quite supportive. Kind of like... Cedric. Which he really respected... but it still makes him miss Cedric even more when he thinks about.

"Can we go get the fuel tank now...?"

[wonderweiss]

Groznyj Grad

---

Snake was at the mess hall having himself a meal. He put the cigar to the side.

"So," Otori started, "What is the mission again? We're not detectives."

"We're sticking around until we get intel on where Volgin is," Snake replied "And once we do, we take off from here. We stay here because once we find Volgin or his whereabouts, we can easily cut time. Not to mention the chopper isn't solar powered, ya know."

"Good point." Otori responded. He sat back and chomped at a hardtack. "I don't know why people hate these. These are pretty freakin' good in my opinion."

Gerard set his helmet down. He was still thinking about where that android can get him as far as his son's location. He was silent for some time...

"Yo, Gerard," Otori called. "What's up? You've been kinda silent lately."

"Oh, it's nothing. Just a series of events driving me weary is all"

"No kiddin'. Must be tough for an old man."

"Well, I'll have you know this old man had just done his mission and more fighting an android. All I heard about you from your mission was you trash talking the enemy while you recklessly fought guns ablaze."

"We still kicked ass."

"Well you are lucky no casualties were reported."

Snake looked over and saw someone familiar... A man in a vest and cowboy hat.

He walked over to him while the other two continued arguing. He walked up to him.

"Hey... Aren't you..."

((Btw, referring to snipah))

[WriggleRid3r]

Kappa Village - Gensokyo

---

"Yeah sure, I'll help you out." Mitori said as she hauled her groceries back to the large house known as the Kawashiro House. "I might need Nitori's help too, if it's as heavy as you say."

---

Grojyn Grad - Russia

---

The Sniper looked up from drinking coffee to find a man in a gray leotard and a hairband. "What is it, mate? I was taking a break."

"Hey!"

A big furball that had arrays of weapons and trophies of his hunted prey on his belt walked up to the Sniper, carrying a small bag full of something.

"Rengar." The sniper tipped his hat.

"Where's Sheva? We need to discuss something real quick." Rengar growled, then jerked his sharp thumb at Snake. "Who's the leotard man over here?"

[SUSTIC]

Kappa Village - Gensokyo

"Oh there shouldn't be any need really. The two of us alone should be able to carry it. I mean me and Cedric were able to lift it ourselves back in my world, and Cedric is pretty... old I'd hate to say. So the two of us should be able to lift it with ease. It's just a little too heavy for me alone."

[Cucoo5]

Middle of the Sahara Desert

A lone figure hiked through the heat of the desert sands that spanned as far as the eye could see.
It was a woman wearing a purplish black cloak with strange markings on it and gold trim.



She was heading for what appeared to be a massive tower that reached up to the heavens from a massive crack in the earth.



The ominous storm clouds loomed in the distance around the structure.

"I can't believe...The Dragon's Table...why is it here?" she whispered to herself. "This does not bode well...Perhaps I can get some answers after a quick visit." She continued to soldier on through the sands of the desert.

The Tower seeming to become more prominent and larger the closer she got.

[WriggleRid3r]

Kappa Village - Gensokyo

---

"Right." Mitori nodded as she led Max to the Kawashiro House.

---

Kawashiro House was a large house that shouted steampunk all over. Strange machines went off in one place, then in another. The gears around the house shifted and moved slowly. A pile of scrap metals made a heap of mess on another side of the the garden. This house's front garden was in a disarray, but then again, so were every other Kappa house garden.

"Let me drop these groceries off and then help you." Mitori said as she heaved the groceries up. "Nitori! I'm home! At least come out to greet me once in a while!"

A muffled grunt returned. Nitori. Max has only seen Nitori twice: once when Max first came to Gensokyo, and another time two days later when Nitori took Steve and upgraded it. Since then, Nitori hasn't come out of her room... or maybe she did, it's just that Max hasn't seen her while she was out.

[SUSTIC]

Kappa Village - Gensokyo

"Okay I'll be in the garage getting things ready." Max replied as he quickly ran off to the garage without saying another word. He wasn't trying to be rude, he was just focused on his task... a little too much.

As he opened the door to the garage the place was pretty dark... Max felt... odd as though something or someone was watching him from inside the darkness that is the garage... if one were to look closely... they can see the silhouette of a man... wearing a cloak... the only thing truly visible... was a single... glowing... yellow eye... staring back at Max from the other side of the dark garage. Max didn't move a muscle, he just stood there in a defensive stance. His hand on his Bell Trigger... just in case whoever this intruder is... decides to attack...

[wonderweiss]

Groznyj Grad

---

Snake smirked.

"Can't have been that long. Only been four months. It's me, Snake. From Australia."

[WriggleRid3r]

Kawashiro House - Kappa Village - Gensokyo

---

Mitori unpacked the groceries into their respective places: Cucumbers and other vegetables in the refridgerator's top shelf, meat on the bottom, dry ingredients like spices and butter in the pantry. The house, at least the interior, was kept tidy thanks to Mitori's cleanliness. If Nitori was... Well, EVE could probably clean the entire house anyway.

"Are we ready, Max?" Mitori hopped into Max's garage to find that Max was in a standoff against a shade with yellow gleaming eyes. Mitori sensed danger.

"Contact Nitori. Now." Mitori whispered, so silent that neither the shadowy creature nor Max could hear it, to EVE's surveillance system. Then, she grabbed the handle of her street sign on one hand, slowly walked next to Max, and asked the shade.

"Who are you and what do you want?"

[Cucoo5]

Dragon's Table Approach

The wind howled through the chasm below the path that the woman now walked. Faint torchlight could be seen from where she was radiating out from various windows and battlements above. The shadow of the tower loomed large. She brusquely made her way to the path that spiraled upward around the chiseled spire.
Looking upward the woman sighed. "Well it could have been worse, I could have been fighting my way up this..."
She then made her way upward, her cloak billowing from the strong winds. She held on to them tightly as the breeze had a sharp bite of cold to it.
The lone woman climbed ever higher. The path was long.

The path passed through carved arches with ornamental gargoyles in the shape of dragons.

The path passed weathered battlements. Some still had torches lit that merely flickered and played in the wind that did sneak past the ancient glass guards that sheltered them.

The path continued upward.