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

[WriggleRid3r]

Banished Library - Gensokyo

---

"Know my way?" The mouse smirked. "I crawled around this underground for 20 years! I can find the path to everywhere but the deepest part of this place. The safety however I cannot guarantee. It is a harsh world down here."

'Are you sure we can trust him?' Patchouli whispered into John's ears, standing rather close for comfort to John. 'Remember what happened last time.'

[S121]

Banished Library - Gensokyo | Day

John was a little bothered by Patchouli being so close to him, but he knew she had something important to say to him. After she spoke, John considered what Patchouli said for only a fraction of a second, but it was enough time for him to fully mull over it. John knew what Patchouli saying was true. They just met this mouse, and for all they knew, it could have been a scout for a greater enemy. Of course, they also saved this mouse's life, and the mouse seemed grateful for it. Yuuka didn't have much time left, and they didn't know whether or not Yuuka's degeneration would accelerate. This mouse could easily be exactly what the group needed to save Yuuka as soon as possible, or another distraction. The fact of the matter was, the group needed what this mouse knew. Was the risk worth it? To John, the chances of this mouse helping them outweighed the risks of it being a trap. After taking only a split second to mull over Patchouli's warning, John spoke.

"I know we know nothing about this mouse, but we need him. In fact, he could benefit from us as well. We would be able to clear out some of the creatures that want to kill him, like those.. creatures we just killed. We need a way to quickly get through this library, and he's our chance to do so. Despite the fact that we know nothing about him, I'm going to trust him.", John quietly explained to Patchouli.

After explaining, John turned his head over to the mouse and spoke.

"I know you have no reason to trust us, as we have no reason to trust you, but I'm going to. If you help us quickly get through the library, we'll kill the creatures that want to kill you as we go by, lowering the amount of predators in the area. Does that sound like a deal?", John asked the mouse.

[Zarem]

Helicopter - Nevada

"I'm parting with you guys when we land then. I still have a clean-up to do." The Doomguy said.

[Koishi]

Skies of Nevada

---

"Why are you doing this supposed "Clean up" anyways? More zombies will simply replace those you kill." Hank asked. "Seems a bit pointless."

---

Endless Snow

---

After a long time, Malthael reached a place where the sand ended, but was instead replaced by snow. Ruins passed by him as he floated, along with odd markers. Eventually, he reached a gap where he could not simply float across. His spectral wings appeared, and with a burst of energy, he went through the air with huge amounts of speed. At this point, his journey was almost over. He could go back and put those demon scum back into the Soulstone.

[wonderweiss]

Snake Head
_____________

"Hey, Isaac, where was it again? We're getting close, but I don't know exactly where."


Hollywood Apartment
________________________

After everyone finished, they all pitched in to help clean. The room was spotless in no time.

"Whew, all done!" Aya said. Ocelot was done picking up the leftover dishes.

"Yea... anyways, be ready, Aya. I'll be out soon, 'kay?"

"Okay!" Aya cried with glee. She stepped outside. Meanwhile, Ocelot walked into a room... where Phantom was being held.

"... hey Biometal, ya here? What's Phantom's status?"


Base 4 1/2
____________

Men of Neo-Yakuza were dragging an operative who had failed a missión. It was obvious that he was terrified beyond belief, and the ones dragging him were almost as scared. They walked into an office. A silouhette reveals a rather buff man with a mohawk.

"So, what do we have here?" The silouhette said with a strong spanish accent. The men that were dragging the operative let go and fled.

"Alright, let's get this straight here... I send you on a mission. Simple, right? You were sent to finish the job that the other guy couldn't. You... were to go to Hawaii and start another convention... but what happens? You fail, right? You're on a boat, with... two hundred soldier ranked operatives... and you... get blown up by someone? Tell me, how the hell did this happen? Huh?"

The operative stutters. "I-we were- we had no idea, we hadn't expected a-"

"'We hadn-t expected a-' really? is that what you're going on? You fuck up the misión because you didn't expect someone to try interfere, is that what you're saying, huh?"

The figure paces for a bit. "Oh, oh, I get it... you think this is a game, huh? You expect everything to go dandy just because you have a bunch of soldiers?"

"N-no, that's not at all-"

"DID YOU THINK THIS WAS A GAME?!" He yells. "I am not about to lose control JUST BECAUSE YOU ALL WERE PLAYING FOOTSIES WITH EACHOTHER!!!"

He stops for a second. "... But you know what, that's alright, you know why? You didn't mean it, you didn't expect it, verdad?" He takes a breath. "... there's only two rules... do the misión and don't fuck up. Got it? DO YOU GOT IT?!"

"Y-yes sir!" The operative said.

"Good! Tomorrow, you do the entire thing over. This time, don't fuck up. Got it?"

"Yes sir," The operative said, shaken.

"Good, now get out of my fucking face."

The operative ran out quickly as another man walked in.

"Vaas, how're ya doin', mate? Coulda' been easier on the poor guy, ah?" It was Bambi 'Buck' Hughes.

"Shut up Bambi, he messed up, he got yelled at. I can't kill him, but do you have any idea how hard it was not to?"

"Well, if you take that into consideration, you were being quite nice, eh?"

Vaas looked up at him. "... don't you have a job to do, Bambi?"

"Buck," he said,"remeber? It's Buck. I'll get back to it, just thought I'd stop by to see an old friend."

He started walking back out. "By the way, clean up on isle nine, someone left a trail o' piss." He walked off laughing. There really wasn't any, but it was just his dark sense of humor.

[Zarem]

Helicopter - Nevada

"Maybe so. But I still got a job to do." The Doomguy answered back. "And if that is so, then maybe I should just head for the source instead."

[Koishi]

Helicopter

---

"Well you were already there five minutes ago." Hank said. "Science Tower's where they came from. They're already spread too far for simply eliminating that to make a difference."

[Zarem]

Helicopter

The Doomguy sighed for a moment. "Well, seems like I'll head back to HQ then. They would probably also know what I've found out."

[Koishi]

Skies of Nevada

---

"HQ?" Sanford asked. "Who's?"

[WriggleRid3r]

Banished Library - Gensokyo

---

"That sounds like a great deal." The mouse squeaked. "My name is Phio."

---

Greater Silicon Valley - California

---

A dark red motorcycle gutted through the war-hardened roads of Greater Silicon Valley. San Jose, center of American military technology, was bombarded by the China during the Ameri-Chinese war of 2030s. The rubble of the city was rebuilt into former glory, called the Neo Silicon Valley, while lack of funding prevented small parts of the city to remain as a ruin. This ruin, called Greater Silicon Valley, was the home of violence and crime, a sort-of unfit ghetto.

Vi stopped her motorcycle in front of a particularly shabby-looking building, marked with obscene graffiti and dried blood. This was obviously a source of violence, but why is Vi here? She stepped out, her helmet undone, revealing her pink hair flowing in the dark night atmosphere. She donned her giant Hextech gauntlet on both her hands, and wore a tight black suit designed for agility and durability. She wound for a punch and broke through the building's wall to find that there was nothing inside. The criminals inside had run away.

"Dammit." Vi spat on the ground as she kicked the ground. Dust cloud rose up at the site of her kick and settled back down, revealing a small paper. Vi picked up the odd piece of paper to find that it was a photograph. The photograph displayed a faint sight of blue ponytail in a chaotic scene.

Jinx.

"Run as fast as you can, you bitch." Vi swore to the Jinx in photograph as she clenched her fist. "In the end, there will be nowhere for you to run to."

[S121]

Banished Library - Gensokyo | Day

"My name is John Yakumo, Spartan Designation Number 117. It's a pleasure to meet you, Phio.", John said as he held out his hand for Phio to shake it.

[WriggleRid3r]

Banished Library - Gensokyo

---

"Nice to meet you." Phio smirked as he shook John's hand. "And you, milady?"

"Patchouli Knowledge."

"You mean, THE Patchouli Knowledge?" Phio gasped.

"Yes." Patchouli fidgeted. "Is there a problem?"

"You... you can't possibly be the daughter of Elion Knowledge?" Phio gulped and went on.

"Elion Knowledge... that is my father." Patchouli answered, to which Phio panicked and ran about wildly. "What's wrong?"

"I can't believe it... the Creator's daughter... is from the surface..." Phio shuddered and shrunk into a corner.

"The Creator...?" Patchouli rose her eyebrows.

"Yes, the Creator, Elion the Mighty Archmage who created the Underworld several thousands of years ago! Surely, as a daughter of Elion, you must know of his legend!" Phio shouted fanatically.

"...this deserves an investigation." Patchouli looked over to John, then to Phio. "Can you take me to whoever taught you that?"

"Of course! We'll head over to my village right away." Phio nodded. "I need to head there anyway, to grab some snacks for the journey."

[S121]

Banished Library - Gensokyo | Day

John looked at Patchouli and spoke.

"Do you want me to come with you, or should I fly everyone else down here?", John asked Patchouli.

[WriggleRid3r]

Banished Library - Gensokyo

---

"I'll be fine on my own." Patchouli said. "Do bring everyone down here. Seems like we're safe for now."

[S121]

Banished Library - Gensokyo | Day

"Understood.", John said to Patchouli as he nodded and looked up to the hole in the ceiling.

After speaking to Patchouli, John activated his thrusters and flew back up to the floor above. After a few seconds, John emerged from the dark hole and gently landed on solid ground, taking care not to damage the floor further than he already had.

"The coast is clear. It's too far to drop down, so I'm going to carry everyone down. Who's first?", John asked the group.