◎ Act 1

[greaterspeed]

[in the room where the Chaos Gate is situated crouches a young, blue Twin Blade. He's far enough to one side to be out of the way, but not enough to be easily ignored. See, Sonic liked to be at the center of attention, it feeds that ego of his and well... He just liked to be social whenever fancy struck him.

What he didn't like was the idea of not being able to defend himself.

The fact that he was still a low level Twin Blade certainly did not help with the whole 'independent' thing. Which has led him to the boy crouching by himself moaning about the indignity of it all]

AAAAAAAUGH! I'm not made for RPGs! I can't do this level thing, got knocked out by a goblin. A MOOK! How does that even happen?? I've taken down giant death robots, angry water Gods, gigantic lasers, more killer robots and even more angry Gods and what happens?

[he throws his hands up in the air in exasperation. A few NPCs take this as a cue to exit the stage] A stupid Goblin knocks me out for an hour!

[silence.

...

...

Then Sonic just covers his face with his hands with a whine, ears folded against his head in embarrassment. In a small, muffled voice;]

I'm sorry, I promise to never do this RPG thing again now can I please go back to being able to beat things up just by jumping on them?

Comments

[greaterspeed]

Humility is for people who can't handle being awesome!

[hi, Mama Knight]

[galaxiapride]

No, humility is for people who hope to become stronger.

[does someone not want dessert tonight]

[greaterspeed]

[he stops in his tirade to give Meta Knight an appraising look]

...

[eyebrow raise] You're one of those dark, mysterious mentor types aren't you? Caliburn's not really dark, but that definitely sounds like something he would say. Aaah, Camelot.

[galaxiapride]

I would have no patience to mentor a... [He pauses, giving Sonic a look while searching for a word that won't offend him... too much] hasty pupil.

[greaterspeed]

[during the pause, Sonic's ears prick forward. Clearly, he wanted to see what the other player would come up with]

I can deal with that. [grin!]

And really, fighting? Something I can do just fine, even when I have to use a sword. It's the whole "And you can't just defeat anything coming at you" thing that's got me bristling. Man, all the things I've been through and I get taken down by a mook. What has my life been reduced to?

[galaxiapride]

Did you try any other approaches other than flailing in its face?

[greaterspeed]

Hey, hey, I may be hasty, but even I know flailing isn't going to work. Do I look like one of Erazor's henchmen to you?

[galaxiapride]

Then what have you been doing?

[greaterspeed]

I've been fighting them like usual! Y'know, hacking and slashing like any guy who's been given two daggers instead of a sword.

[galaxiapride]

Then didn't you change your strategy? Fighting with knives and fighting with a sword are two completely different things!

[greaterspeed]

I did!! But shouldn't I be a bit stronger after all the other enemies I knocked down? I mean... c'mon. Gotta give a guy some credit where it's due, right?

Right?

You believe in fair gameplay, don't you?

[galaxiapride]

[He looks to the side since both are touchy subjects for him.]

I defeated the strongest warrior in my galaxy and yet I am at level one here.

I've always believed in fair play, but life is not so chivalrous.

[greaterspeed]

Sweet Chaos, we're going back to chivalry again? I keep telling everyone; it's got nothing to do with chivalry, I've just gotta do what a Hero's gotta do!

...

[and here's an understanding look] But yea, this place... Talk about leveling the playing field. So not cool.

[galaxiapride]

And just what does a hero have to do? Goodness forbid it involves chasing down the person you think stole your strawberry shortcake. [Why does his voice sound a lot more bitter and full of acid when he says that?]

But perhaps it's for the best. A sudden powerhouse would only break the game, so to speak.

[greaterspeed]

... Strawberry shortcake. Really?

[Sonic just kinda gives Meta Knight that look, like it's Meta Knight who's the crazier one of the two]

Yea, I guess it would. It'd be no fun [If I dropped Sonic and picked up a Shadow that would end up starting at level 22] if someone showed up and flattened everyone.

[galaxiapride]

Trust me, it's not even the most stupid thing he's ever done. [And he's completely serious.]

Exactly.

[greaterspeed]

Well.... It had better have been a darn good cake.

Buuuuuuuut! It still doesn't explain why they're making this leveling up business so difficult for everyone else, y'know?

[galaxiapride]

I wouldn't know.

I for one enjoy the challenge.

[greaterspeed]

Yea, you would be the type to enjoy this sort of 'challenge'.

So how far have you gotten?

[galaxiapride]

My level seems to be going no where, but at least I can beat a monster on my own. [Yeah that was smugness in his voice just now.]

[greaterspeed]

HEY! I never said I couldn't beat a monster! You just assumed--

For the record, I could have totally taken him down if it didn't get the jump on me because I was trying to kick one of those lucky animals. [because races are more important than fights?]

[galaxiapride]

....Wouldn't kicking a lucky animal bring you bad luck?

[greaterspeed]

It would if it were an unlucky animal! [Apparently, this was a part of the game that Sonic could wrap his head around easily]

It's not the reward, it's the thrill of the chase! Those things can do 90 degree turns, racing them is way past cool!

[ 8DDDDDD? ]

[galaxiapride]

Do they not know of retribution? [He sighs and rubs his temples.]

That is unfortunately a sentiment I understand well.

[greaterspeed]

Well, if they were like Chao and you could raise them, I'd think twice but... [they're not. So kicking away!]

How is that unfortunate?