Repliforce VTOL <Razor>

========================== Repliforce VTOL <Razor> ===========================

You are in a Repliforce VTOL's Cockpit. Flight stick, controls, and other devices await your command.

====================== Type 'vhelp' for a command list. ======================
Contents:
Ten

Outside> Quick Man suddenly stops the boat and dives into the water with a loud splash the probably everyone can hear. After a long, uncomfortable silence like in the movies, he burst through the surface of the water, wrestling a huge alligator. "Crikey! This 'ere's a biggun, I reckon! Look at the soize of it!" Oh great, now he's shouting out like the Crocodile Hunter. Looks like the lack of being around Tron has finally gotten to him.

Outside> Blast Hornet nods to Firestorm, and giggles as her wasp drone buzz away all the swarming insect from around her. "Well, that's good ta 'hear." She replies, still keeping with her southern accent. "I guess I'll be giving mah new drones a real field testin' now."

Outside> Wildfire Phoenix sighs a little, takes the hand, then starts to get up before she quickly clenches her brother's wrist and gives a hard yank! "Not funny when yer wet!" she says cheerfully.

Outside> Repliforce VTOL <Razor> is carefully guided toward the bayou area. However, the pilot chooses to land outside the bayou, hoping to avoid having the vehicle attract attention. It's just a hop, skip, and jump to the main bayou from where it lands. The pilot doesn't want to miss the action, but would rather the vehicle miss it.

Outside> Alloy is still island hopping. For the record. Dunno how he hasn't run into someone with all this racket going on though.

Outside> Maverick Hunter VTOL <Vorpal> makes its way to descend towards the bayou. Likewise the Repliforce VTOL, it lands outside to a safe spot so no one will be able to find or steal it. However, it is at a different section from Razor. The jet slowly runs out, then it descends to the ground. Clear for exit now.

Outside> A Master speaking like Steve Irwin, and a Sidhe dressed like one. At least Sonic is singing SOMETHING About the Bayou.

"But I learned how t'ae swim, an' I learned who I was, a lot about livin' and a little 'bout love!! Well we fogged up tha' winders in me old Chevy, I was willin' but she wasn't ready! So I settled f'ar a burger an' a grape snow cone, drop'ter off early but I didn't go home! Down by tha' River on a Friday night, A pyramid O' cans in the pale moonlight, talkin' bout cars an' dreamin' bout women. Never had a plan, just a livin' f'ar tha' minute! Yeah, way down Yonder.."

Fluffy continues to sleep through the audatious doggarel.

Outside> Firestorm Phoenix knows is sister and is well prepared for her yank. Spreading his wings quickly, the thrusters hidden with in them come to life and counter the forces excerted on him by Wildfire, "Ha, you can't get me that easily." He then pulls Wildfire completely out and sets her upon more sollid ground. "Hmm, now the quiestion is, do we sit here and wait, or do we wonder around and take in the sights?"

Outside> Fashionable Feline parks his hoverbike on a small land, deciding to take a small break.

Outside> Shield changes into his Armored armor.

Flare Feline hmms as he takes off his headset, or whatever a co-pilot would wear in that thing "All set? What do you think we'll find this time?"

Outside> Alex Reinfield drops Axle.

Outside> Arafina hops out of the Vorpal, peering about quietly.

Outside> Shield marches down the ramp, already in his battle armor just in case.

Outside> Wildfire Phoenix thbts at Firestorm with that beak somehow before she stands up, "Hmph," she dusts herself off a little, (drowns Axle. ;> ) and just glances around, "I'd say wait..."

Outside> The irony of the situation is not lost on Shadow Man... When he makes every effort to conceal himself, it seems the enemy can't find him fast enough, and yet here he is on a fire-engine-red hoverbike, ruthlessly murdering innocent swamp wildlife, and no one could care yes. Perhaps there is some wisdom in the proverb, 'Hide where everyone can you see you, and you will not be seen'.

Outside> Maverick Hoverbike <Muon> is still floating along, By the by, with Sonic in a cargo wagon hitched to be back, Fluffy down the front of her shirt asleep, while she fishes for gators.

Outside> Blast Hornet floats above the ground, not wanting to even touch the soggy turf. It'll wrech her polish! "We can wait here, and Ih can send out lil' Jim-Bob here to scout around, and send back a video feed." She says to Firestorm and Wildfire.

Outside> Job presses down on the accelrator and speeds up the hoverbike. A plume of water is thrown up in the craf's wake as it skimms over swamps riling up the local wildlife.

Outside> From the north, the sound of burning thrusters can be heard long before the Talon comes jetting along just over the treeline. Branches, leaves, and water is thrown in every direction from the force of it's flight which seems to be alittle to fast and reckless. The jetchopper swerves left and right, coming dangerously close to crashing several times. The pilot is either drunk, crazy, or knows what they're doing.

Outside> Rust Ghoul continues to sit idylically in his tree, in harmony with nature. Or some crap like that.

Outside> And Rednecks. Sonic is also fishing for Rednecks. But the bait for the Rednecks is paacked away in the Muon's saddle bags, while the rest of it has a kitten sleeping between the two.. Partitions. . *coff*
Outside> Quick Man suddenly hears the hoverbike and the singing, and leaps back out of the swamp and onto the boat, the alligator forgotten. "Croikey! Sounds like an animal in payne! I'd best have a look!

Outside> Quick Man suddenly hears the hoverbike and the singing, and leaps back out of the swamp and onto the boat, the alligator forgotten. "Croikey! Sounds like an animal in payne! I'd best have a look!" And so he follows the singing.

Ten shrugs. As she speaks, her tone has become serious and determined. "I don't know what we will find, but it should be obvious soon enough." In an effort to stay optimistic, she cheerfuly adds, "But I hope it's pretty!" Then she giggles, although it sounds a little forced.

Outside> Exiting from the Vorpal, before entering the Bayou is Alex Reinfield. He is out of the Drill Armor and into the Blitz Armor, mostly used for wrestling. However, he ponders to himself of the situation, remembering that if this place calls for, he'll switch back to the original armor.

Who's this with him? It's the great, its the all might Met, Axle! Yes, the met that the Maverick, Wildfire, had a hard time. Sad thing is that she is unaware of the metool's prescence. The creature leaps to Alex's arms and he says, "Nice place..." He shrugs, narrowing the optics to look around.

Outside> Arafina is, of course, also with Alex...specifically, just in front of him, carrying a pair of cylinders in her left hand. "So, Alex, which way?" she inquires, peering around. "Or just here?"

Outside> Firestorm Phoenix nods, "Well that works." He then grins at his sister, "Oh don't be like that."

Outside> Shield wasn't asked, but he answers Fina anyways. "I was planning on waiting for a storm to start and head for its center."

Outside> Wildfire Phoenix just smirks at Firestorm. "like what?" she asks with a wink before she continues to look around... "hrm... what a weird place..."

Outside> Ring Redwing perches upon the Razor, since it can only hold a maximum of two individuals. From up here, she can see the surroundings stretch for miles, whee!

Flare Feline chuckles "Well if it's a pendent like all the others, it probably will be. ...just don't push yourself too hard, alright? Be careful, we were nearly killed last time." He begins to head out "I think we should stick together, it's a large bayou and we don't want to get seperated too much. Chances are there'll be other 'forcers here too."

Outside> Alloy isn't destroying any part of the wildlife at all! He's trying to make as little impression in the swampy delta as he can. However, far off, he can hear what seems to be about half a dozen bikes and and hovercraft zooming through the place. Wonderful. .oO(Looks like it's gonna be crowded in here) he thinks morosely to himself as he continues, floating up to about ten feet off the ground and continuing. He doesn't want to get run over by someone who's got nothing but glory and power in their eyes chasing after the next pendant.

Outside> Shadow Man likewise eventually detects the sound on the edge of hearing, even over the roar of his hoverbike - and alters his course to head straight for it, leaving both Robot Masters now converging on Sonic Banshee.

Outside> Fusion Phoenix arrives from the Louisiana.

Outside> Alex Reinfield nods to Shield, "I think that'd be a good idea.." He then sighs, deciding to switch to Delta Armor. "Great...." He then presses the button to his Arm Cannon, he then begins to shimmer into a bright color, converting to the Armored form. The Drill-Arm is flared out, ready to deal with anything in the way.

Unlike Alloy, Axle peers towards one of the plants around, "DIE DIE DIE!!" *ZAP ZAP ZAP*

Alex peers at Axle, "Was that necessary?" He then puts the hardhat on as a helmet.

Outside> Well, you didn't expect Sonic to go to The Little Ole' South an' not go fishin' for some down home boys, now didja?! Sonic pauses in her fishing to change the tune playing in her internal MP3 player. From Chatahooche we go do.. Live Laugh Love! Woooohaw!

Sonic pauses to reach up and unbotton her shirt slightly with a sigh. "Sure is bloody hot in tha'se parts," She drawls to the kitten, as she tugs on her fishing line lazily and then flings it back out again.
Outside> Blast Hornet nods to one of her wasp-drones, presumable 'Jim-Bob'. "Go on now, and see what you can find!" She says quietly, and the little drones buzzes happily, then flies off. It buzzes along, almost as if it were just a natural little bug here. Except it's a foot long and made of metal. Blast Hornet pulls out a small black and white TV screen, and streches out the thin antenna. "Ih really ought to get cable on this thing..." She mumbles, and watches the wasps-eye viw of the bayou.

Outside> Arafina nods to Shield as well. "Works for me. It ain't like I have a better idea." And, so, in her punk gear, she just stands with arms crossed to wait for...something...to happen. Anything, really. And in the meantime: "I need a hobby.)

Ten follows Flare. "Nearly being killed is all a part of what we do. You are absolutely correct, we do need to stick together. If we do so, I know we can survive. I think we have already proved that the two of us are a force not easily taken down. Or up, or left, or right, or in any direction we don't want to go." Another slight chuckle.
Flare Feline nods "Heh, you're right. Let's go."

Bayou

While most people think of New Orleans when they hear 'Louisiana', not the heavy bayou that covers a large part of the delta. Small islands and strips of land are scattered about, providing specks of shelter from hip-deep waters. Alligators, water moccasins, and billions on billions of insects populate this inhospitable place, where no human (aside from the occasional insane, inbred hermit) lives. The plants here grow thick and wild, with no control and only their own insane order.

Fusion Phoenix [Armored] [RF]
Ring Redwing [Normal] [RF]
Axle
Alex Reinfield [Blitz] [MH]
Arafina [Jeans] [MH]
Shield [Armored] [MH]
Fashionable Feline [Sorta_normal] [RF]
TalonZX98 Jetchopper [C]
Shadow Man [Armor] [RM]
Maverick Hunter VTOL <Vorpal> [MH]
Repliforce VTOL <Razor> [RF]
Serena Gilbert [C]
One section of the Bayou.
Blast Hornet [M]
Firestorm Phoenix [Flight] [M]
Job [C]
Wildfire Phoenix [Default] [M]
Quick Man [Derek] [RM]
Repliforce Hoverbike <Alpha> [RF]
Alloy [Standard] [MH]
Maverick Hoverbike <Muon> [M]
[Stealthed] Rust Ghoul [C]

Obvious exits:
Out <O> leads to Louisiana.

Ten has arrived.

TalonZX98 Jetchopper grows closer to the other groups of people, it's over-accelerated roar growing louder by the second. Inside, the pilot hmms as she looks over the display panel. Then a voice, familiar to some as the Shadow Hunter Mem can be heard over a loudspeaker. Whether she meant for that to happen or not can't be told.

"...at's this blinking red dot mean?" She peers intently, taking her focus off driving. "It looks like it's getting closer..." And indeed, the Talon begins to draw near the Repliforce ship, still barreling along at full throttle. This could start the night off with a flare.

Flare Feline steps out of the Razor, along with Ten, and takes a look around. Ick, damp. Oh well. He begins to start taking a look around, thankfully he has keen eyesight, and can maneauver quite well in thick foliage...

Quick Man's boat roars down the river, closing in on the Banshee's hoverbike. He then spots the fishing line in the water, and follows it up to the bike overhead. "Crikey! Looks like a poacher! I'll show them not to mess with..." Dramatic pause. "The CROCODILE MASTER! BANZAI!" He then leaps from the boat, and grabs the fishing line! He's gone insane.

Fusion Phoenix is in an unusual place for a fire bird, in the waters of the swamp itself. Acosional bubbles of gas float up from his position.

Firestorm Phoenix smiles back at Wildfire and then looks to Blast with a chuckle, "Now that would be useful, to pass those long minutes before repliforce or the hunters show up to ruin our missions?"

Alloy just happens to be passing over that part of the river as Quick Man kamikazes after Sonic. Just eyeing Quick as he passes, Alloy remains still, covered by the foliage, and waits for him to pass. It's not as if he'd be noticed by the crazed Irwin-wannabe anyway.

WHAMMO!! Sonic Blinks as the Fishing-line is grabbed, and her bike starts to tug downwards slightly. "Croikey," She mimics, "I've got a reet bugger on me line, Fluffums!" She announces. The kitten opens his eye, then closes it with a yawn. Sonic narrows her eyes, reels a moment or two, and then snorts.

"T'heck with this. I got anather rod in tha' front of the bike!"

With that, Quick Man's current grasp is released, adn the Muon bobs back into the air, disturbing the sleeping cat again.
Jim-Bob, the wasp drone Blast Hornet sent out for surveilance, buzzes around the bayou, pretty much at random. "Well, ah've got the antennae already." She says with a chuckle, and wiggles the appendages on her head."

Wildfire Phoenix just nods a little and folds her arms, "All we can do is waith then..." she says glancing around a little more. "... Hopefully something'll happen soon.

Ether Skunk arrives from the Louisiana.
Ether Skunk has arrived.

Shield mentally sighs. "Actually, I was hoping you /did/ have a better plan. I'm not positive a storm will appear."

Fashionable Feline keeps leaning against his hover bike.

Ten immediately finds that she does not like the bayou! She hates water, and finds that it is everywhere. Moreover, all the trees and stuff prevent her from properly flapping her wings. Ten sounds rather irritated as she says, "Gosh, I already hate this place!"

Firestorm Phoenix nods, "Yup, sit and wait and hope no stupid forcers or hunters decide to try and run us off."

Alex Reinfield shakes his head a bit, "I suggest we head down the path. I'm sure that if we look around and listen, we'll find some sort of sign that weill lead us to the next pendant. Then we'll have to destroy it.."

Axle frowns, "But but.."

Alex peers at Axle, "No." He pats the hardhat, and he grins.

Flare Feline looks back at Ten "Try and stick close to me, I don't much like it either, but we have to examine this place. Try to keep your wings down, they'd likely be prone to be caught in vines and stuff," He draws his claws, and slashes at a few hanging vines that get in his way, as he trudges deeper into the bayou "I wonder how many others are already in here madly searching this place out..."

Fusion Phoenix bubbles as he swims through the swamp... Blup...
Arafina shrugs. "I don't got any ideas. I /never/ have any ideas," she points out. "I'll just follow you guys, 'kay?"

Shield looks to Alex, "Destroy it? That seems very unwise. And I believe Rock ordered us to contain it, not eliminate it."

Quick Man falls into the water with a splash, but luckily, he had his boat set on auto pilot! He turns around, and reaches out to catch the boat. Unfortunately, he ends up slamming his face into the bow, leaving a Quick Man shaped dent in it. Luckily, he gets back onto the boat. He looks up at the hovercycle and yells out. "YE CAN'T ESCAPE THAT EASILY, DAGUMMIT!" HE then guns the moto and speeds off after the hoverbike.

Alex Reinfield sighs a bit, then he nods, "Oh yeah...that's right..Well, do you have any sort of container on you?"

Alloy sighs and decides to settle himself into the crook of a tree nearby, about a dozen feet up from the ground. Maybe if he waits for a while they'll get tired and just go somewhere else.
Blast Hornet watches her drone's eye view on her little black and white screen. Rather boring so far. "They can try Firestorm, but ah've got a new surprise in store to keep 'em off my tail."

Arafina shakes her head. "I ken pick it up on my knife if it would help..."

With an earsplitting ROAR to those near the Razor, the Talon jetchopper rips past only a couple feet away. Then it seems to take a dive straight into the trees and disappears. The engines die out as the transport splashes down and sinks into the water just deep enough to leave an inch or two protruding in the air. There are a few airbubbles nearby moments later and Mem splashes to the surface, burbling and sputtering. "Ack! Coughgurpbleh! Ew! This water is disgusting!"

High above the swamp, a blazing purple shooting star cuts its way across the sky, visible wherever the thick canopy of the swampy trees clears enough to allow view of the sky.

Sonic arches her brows lazily at the yelling, and sighs, shaking her head. She lifts an arm, pops the synthflesh covered console lid, and then taps something out. IN seconds, she shimmers out of view. Kids these days. She resumes 'Sunning' herself, lifting another hand to pop a short button. Lucky for her, she's got her Bikini-Armor on underneath.

Ten draws her naginata, and helps Flare hack away at the vines. "I would imagine quite alot of people will be here. I hope there are many who are on our side."

Shield pulls what looks to be no more than a large foot wide ziplock bag. "I borrowed this from the science labs, it's supposed to have the best protection available for sealing hazardous materials while being portable. I have a suspicion that a portable energy containment system won't work."

Blade Raven flaps along, since he's been doing that for damn near forever, just never bothered to pose as such, but he's doing it. He wishes Solar were out here..

Fusion Phoenixnoticing the light from above, looks up momentairly to track the passing of the purple ball...

Arafina grins. "Good. You carry it," she says, cheerfully. "I'll just chop up stuff for ya, 'kay? It's easier on me."

Shadow Man for one is oblivious to any astronomical phenomenon, since when one is moving at extreme velocity, it's usually a good idea to keep one's eyes on where one is going - and in this case that logic proves correct indeed, as he just narrowly avoids a collision with both the Muon and Quick Man's boat.

Ring Redwing stands guard over the Razor, no one is going to steal this Repliforce jet! Got to make sure that the others will have a ride back when it's all over. Even though she can't pilot it or anything.

Flare Feline's attention is caught first by the Talon, and then by the streak of purple across the sky "Hm, we should keep our guard up. Who knows what we'll find... but for now I think we should follow that... whatever it was that just flew overheard. It's our only lead in this mess of growth right now..."

Alloy looks up for a moment and just happens to spot the trail of lavender light passing over the trees. Curious, he floats out of the small hollow and pokes his head up just above the canopy, being cautious not to reveal himself too much, and takes a closer look. Ahh, he recognises that purple star now. It's Ether.

Job is starting to pick up some contacts on the bike's magscanners. "Looks like I'm not the only one who is searching the swamps for the pendant. Well this should be interesting." Job weaves out of the way of a tree and speeds on through the swamps.

Ten nods to Flare. "Sounds good to me. We shall head toward the purple light!" A slight giggle. "I'll be sure to keep my guard up." Ten keeps her wings folded tightly against her back, and continues to help hack away at any overgrowth that gets in the way.

Alloy sends a radio transmission to Ether Skunk.
Ether Skunk receives a radio transmission.

Wildfire Phoenix nods a bit at her bro, "Yeah send it-.. out.." she says as she peers upward, catching something through the canopy though she can't tell what. "Hrm... someone's here...

Alex Reinfield nods towards Shield and Arafina, "Okay guys, let's move out!" He walks forward, then he pats the Drill-Arm. The blade is already out to pierce anything that gets in the way. He walks through the marshes, while moving his arms to move the bushes away.

Mem mutters some more as she squishes up onto the metal outcropping of her jet and stares up at the hole it left in the canopy of trees. "Maybe that was the wrong button..." She blinks and narrows her eyes, staring for a moment longer. Yep, she sees a shiny purple thing. "Ooo, pretty." The girl smiles up at the sky for a few moments longer, then suddenly falls over for no reason, back into the water. "Aaa! Slippery!" Actually she forgot to stop leaning back, but we won't tell her that.

Arafina turns on both of her energy knives, one teal blade in each hand, and goes merrily a'slicin' through the bushes, whistling. "See? This gets us through quicker."

Rust Ghoul sits in his tree, leaning back against a branch. o O ( This is boring. Maybe I ought to light a fire or something. )

Shield pauses at the light. "Well, that's no storm, but it looks like it's our first clue. Let's follow it," he says, making his way as quickly through the bayou as he can on foot.

Firestorm Phoenix chuckles a bit at Blast, "Oh, I'm not worried about such things, its just hard to hunt for artifacts imbued with the power of stardroids and beat up forcers at the same time..." He then nods to Wildfire, "From what I can tell, theres quite a few people around."

Flare Feline continues onward, in the direction he last saw the light go. He easily shreds vines out of his way, and nimbly maneuavers the terrain. Flare may not like the dampness, but this type of overgrown environment is just what Flare is made to handle. He breezes through it mostly, of course pausing so Ten doesn't fall behind, and so he can scout the area in the meantime.

The glimmering purple streak in the sky shoots off into the distance, but doesn't burn out for but a second- it must not be a shooting star after all. As if that weren't proof enough, it curves back around and shoots back towards the scene, dropping elevation quickly. Soon enough, it disappears into the swampland, and a brief, silent flash later, the light is gone. Yep, for those few who recognized it, it's Ether- for anybody else who isn't familiar with the skunk, it's pretty!

As he leaves the majority of the other searchers behind, Shadow Man pulls his stolen hoverbike hard around and begins to head back in the general direction he came in, patrolling in something like a wide but fairly variant circuit.

Ether Skunk sends a radio transmission.
Alloy receives a radio transmission.

Fusion Phoenix looks back down from the purple light, contimuing to search the murky waters. Still, the only thing he has found was a fishing hook, which he took the bait off of, tied the line to a tree root, and tugged twice. .oO(*snicker)Oo.

Quick Man continues following the hoverbike and stuff. His player doesn't know anything about what's going on with Sonic, since he seems to keep missing things. So he's just following, and spouting Steve Irwin-isms.

Alex Reinfield noticing the light, he nods at Shield, "Okay." He then smiles, then he glances around a bit. He then continues to follow the Hunter, hoping that this 'light' will take them off somewhere.

Wildfire Phoenix nods a bit, "Yeah probably... it'd be so much simpler if those Stardroids would just let us have the vision, no one else, I mean why should they get anything?" she asks as she continues to peer about.

Arafina squints up at the light - then watches it double back. "Sorry, that ain't no star," she says, watch Ether approach. "Look, see?"
Ring Redwing continues guarding the Razor. Nuns shall pass! I mean none shall pass!

Sonic Banshee crosses her legs, leaning back in her chair, confident in her invisibility to diinterest whatever it is that's shouting about alligators below. Because as everyone knows, there are no crocodiles in North America, unless in Zoos. Sonic smiles lazily. And really hopes she doesn't have to smack anyone. It would just -ruin- the evening..

Blade Raven spots Ether. Whoo. Of course, he's glad that it's another Hunter besides himself. He didn't want to be out here alone, as he'd rather a Hunter stand a chance of getting this item. He swoops towards where Ether landed at..

Alloy sends a radio transmission.
Ether Skunk receives a radio transmission from Alloy.

Ten suddenly realizes something. "Hey, that loud noise sounded like it could have been somebody crashing! Somebody might need our help! I think it was nearby!" Ten tries to figure out exactly which direction the vehicle crashed in.

Ether Skunk tromps forward through the swamp, at something of a distance from most anybody else here- and as she remains grounded, she makes no more shiney purple light to astound and confuse those on the lookout for signs of the divine. Sorry. She grumbles slightly as her feet sink into the muck of the swamp, as she tucks into her radio and chatters over it...

Alex Reinfield binks, noticing that it is Ether. He then spots Raven as well. He dashes over towards the two, "Hey guys!" He then turns to Shield and Arafina, "Come on." He says rather happily while heading to the other Hunter. "Glad to see you guys."

Flare Feline glances back at Ten "You're probably right... I think it was that way..." Flare heads in some other direction, clearing the path towards where the Talon crashed...

Ether Skunk sends a radio transmission.
Alloy receives a radio transmission from Ether Skunk.
Ring Redwing has reconnected.
Alloy sends a radio transmission to Ether Skunk.
Ether Skunk receives a radio transmission from Alloy.

Out of boredom, Rust pulls a small orb from a hook on his armor - no trenchcoat tonight, not in this muck - and taps a few buttons. He flickers out of stealth for a moment, as he gives it a big lob. However, already camoflagued, and hidden by the natural cloak of night, it'd be hard to spot him.

Shield sighs aloud at this. Once again, Ether Skunk manages to...nevermind. "False alarm then. But at least there's more eyes searching now. He consoles himself with that thought as he joins the newly arrived hunters.

Quick Man is too far gone off the deep end to be disinterested. Also, he's on a new mission now: To keep those ruddy thieves away from some pendant, so he can donate it to a museum! He's MAD, I tell you, MAD!

Axle pops out of the hardhat, then he glances over at Ether. He winks, then he hides back in his hardhat. "Hello." He says while the hollowness of the shell travels.

Carefully getting to her feet, wary of the slipperiness, Mem sighs holds her arms up to get a good look at herself. "I'm all wet and icky and it smells out here and my plane crashed and I wanna go home!" But ofcourse that would defeat the purpose of coming out here. So whimpering abit, she wringes out her hair and clothes best she can before looking all about her. Now comes a familiar question. Which way?

Blast Hornet watches as a bright streak descends on her little black and white screen, and hopes it's the pendant... No, it appears to be a reploid skunk. Jim-Bob, the camera wasp drone, hides up in the trees, and watches Ether Skunk. "Hey, one'a you fiyah-birds... Look at this." Blast says, and holds out her little screen. "You guys recognize who it is?" Blast asks, and the little screen shots Ether Skunk and her surroundings. It's black and white, but it's a skunk, so it's easy to see.

Derek Vasquez has arrived.
Rigger has arrived.

Arafina rather cheerlessly slaps a bug on her shoulder. Mmm, bugs. And she's just showing enough synthetic flesh to attract them - apparently /they/ can't tell the difference without landing, and every time they do, /swat/. She follows Alex and Axle. "I /hate/ swamps now."

Alloy grins slightly as his suspicions are confirmed. It was Ether, which means there's another Hunter here, adding to their chances. Ducking back down below the canopy, he heads in Ether's direction, keeping in amongst the foliage to minimise his chances of being spotted. Hopefully he'll meet up with her and they'll be able to search together. Two pairs of eyes aer certainy far better than one.

Alia has arrived.

Derek Vasquez takes One section of the Bayou..

Ten keeps helping to clear the path using her naginata. "Oh, I do hope we aren't too late! Hmmm, I think I can find a safe place to fly up, and see if I can manage to spot the vehicle from the air. It's risky, but if a person needs our help, I have to do all that I can."

The orb lands in a cyprus tree, remaining there for at least a minute.

Suddenly, a loud explosion rings out from the tree, splinters of wood flying in all directions as the top of the tree bursts into flames.

Wildfire Phoenix snorts, "I fought her a while back... she's nothing to worry about I think..." Wildfire responds. Even if she did get covered in fuel and got lit up... she still beat Ether! Then, of all things, an explosion and fire. Lots of fire. "Eeerr... This could be a bad thing..."

Fusion Phoenix swims slowly through the swamp... bubble... suddenly a tree nearby blows up. . o O (What was that?)

Flare Feline nods at Ten "Alright, I'll keep heading there on foot, watch it. It'll be tricky to fly through all that going up and down..."
Blink blink. Alex urks a bit as he draws his attention out. "What the!?" He hears a loud explosion, then he start to look around towards the direction of where it came from. "Guys! Let's check it out!"

Rust Ghoul sits back down his own cyprus tree, snickering to himself. o O ( Hug a tree, smeggers. )

Firestorm Phoenix shrugs at Wildfire, "I don't know, but I hope we get the remainder." He then eyes the screen and nods, "Yeah, I've seen her before, don't know her name though, she's a hunter I believe." Firestorm looks up as an explosion takes place, "... Blast, send one of your drones in the direction of that explosion, see whats going on."

"Well, who is it then, Wildfire?" Blast Hornet asks, and lets her drone buzz away from Ether Skunk, going on deeper into the dense flora on the bayou. Blast then nods, and sends the other drone she's got buzzing around her head to go check out the direction of the explosion. Bzz!
Job keeps speeding through the swamp, oO(So far nothing... yet..)

Mem continues to look about her frantically, finally throwing her arms up. "Waaaaaaaaa! I'm lost again!" Nevermind that she's never been here before. Rather than let it get to her, the girl does what she usually does. Balancing carefully on one foot she leans to the side and... SPINS. Twirltwirltwirl...thump. When she finally falls over from dizziness, Mem makes sure to check which direction her body points in. "Weee...ahhaha...woah.. Okay, I go that way."

Ether Skunk looks up as Alloy, Blade, and the other HUnters, offering a slight smile to them all... though like Florida, she came out here hoping, just vaguely hoping she'd be on her own this time. The skunk gives them all a little wave of her tail and bounces in her knee-high swampmuck. *splish splash* "Seen anything neato yet, people?"

Fusion Phoenix quickly reaches the blasted tree. Finding nothing supsious THERE, he continues his spiral search patterns.

And, thus, out of one particular section of the swamp.. comes a small boat. A boat thats drifting lazily along, almost casually. Paddled with an air of ease that can be little matched. Three figures aboard, there sits, on in back while two up front. A small, tiny little lamp is attached to the prow of this shallow swamp boat, to keep it from being too lost in the dark and misty bayou of the Mississippi delta...

Arafina reverses her grip on her knife and /swings/ the energy blade at something in the water, by her feet. THen she pulls up the headless corpse of a water moccassin. "Score," she says cheerfully, throwing it over her shoulder before turning to Ether. "No."

Wildfire Phoenix continues to glance at the screen, "Don't know her name..." she says before blinking and glaring at the screen, someone else in the picture.. ".... I know that metool.." she growls a little before she glances away from the screen. "Well either way, keep those drones looking around Blast.. something's bound to show up.

Shield snaps his head around towards the direction of the sound. It's a bit distant, but he can still hear with with his above average hearing. "Looks like we have something else to check out," he says, turning to walk towards the explosion. Unfortunately, it's on the other side of a deeper section of the swamp. "Although this could prove to be a problem," he muses.

Rust Ghoul blinks, noticing the small boat, and the lamp. o O ( A will o' wisp. ) He rolls out of the tree, cloaking tech disengaging as he sinks into the muck. After all, before he was a bounty hunter, he was a guerilla, and scout, with merc groups. His yellow optics attuned to the night, he follows towards the boat with the top half of his head barely visible. That distraction worked well.

Alex Reinfield blinks, then he shakes his head a bit, "No...change that..." He then gazes up towards the small boat that is approaching. He takes a glimpse towards the three figures, and the small lamp. ".........What on eartth?"

Ring Redwing spies the lamp from her vantage point above the Razor and with a quick radio to the other Repliforcer's in the area, flies off towards it, soaring over the swampy vegetation.

Ten finds a clearing where she has plenty of room to spread her wings. Then she flies up to see if she can spot the crashed vehicle from the air. As she said, it's risky, but she still thinks a person might need her help. Just then, she hears a scream. "Huh? Uh oh, sounds like somebody is in trouble!" She calls down to Flare, "I just heard a scream! I'm going to see if I can find where it came from!"

Alloy touches down lightly, his boots are already well-mudded from his earlier trekking. Looking around, he murmurs. "Nothing that's actually relevant to our search..."

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Corporal Ring Redwing transmits, "I see a light floating along the river. Might be a distress signal or something, I'm going to go check it out."

Blade Raven continues to flap along, looking for any signs of one of the other Hunters he knows is out here, besides Ether, since he's seen her already.

Fusion Phoenix is startled as the boat goes over his head. This being the only other intelegent life he has seen, he follows it silently.

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Aerial Division Commander Ten transmits, "Be careful, girl! Be sure to radio if you need any help."

Job starts to slow down the speed of his hover cycle as he keeps up his search for any hint to where the first of the trials for the current pendant will be. oO(Well where to look... it could take ages to search all this place...) Then off in the distance Job spys a light. oO(What do we have here.) Job slows down the speed of his hover cycle and heads for the light shortly he is able to make out the boat and three figures on it. "Looks like found something."

Flare Feline waves up at Ten, and climbs a tree himself to get a good view of the area. He sees various people he can't make out, Ten, Ring, three guys and a lamp... wait a minute... He narrows his eyes trying to look closer "Now what's that..." Hearing Red's radio message, he decides to head closer himself. Who knows what it is.

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Lieutenant Flare Feline transmits, "I'm heading in that direction too. It looks suspicious. Ten, watch yourself."

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] MSE XO Fusion Phoenix transmits, "I'm a bit closer, and it /looks/ to be a boat. I am folowing it."

Ether Skunk sighs softly, turning in a slow circle, looking around the swamp slowly. She keeps her tail arched as high as she can, as it'll just... _SUCK_ if that big floofly length falls into the muck and slime below. She supposes she sees the light of the approaching boat in the distance, being on the edge of the swamp herself... but doesn't recognize it at first, and doesn't pay it much more heed than the light of every other one present.

Firestorm Phoenix blinks and eyes his Sister, then shrugs, "Blast, you see anything yet with those bugs of yours?"

Mem just lies on her side in the water, one arm stretched above her head to keep her chosen direction pointed out. She's still dizzy from that spin so she remains still, trying to get her vision to clear.

Arafina swats some more bugs (with the blade /off/) as she sludges through the swamp, sticking toward Ether once she /locates/ the poor skunk. No need to leave the sleepyhead by herself. And as such, the boat goes ignored.

Quick Man is following the theiving Banshee, gunning his motor. "CROIKEY! He's a fast one 'e is, but I'll- Oooh, shiny." He spies the lantern and turns his boat in it's direction, closing fast. "Shiny gooooooood..."

Sonic remains unseen upon her 'Flying Boat', the Muon's cargo wagon settling in after the near collision, first, with Shadowman, and then after the.. Rather bolluxing perdicament with Quick Man, whom hasn't posed in some time, or else I missed in all this spam. She sighs, as she leans back, lifting her glasses lazily.. Until she takes note. A light in the fog of the swamp. She lifts a hand to draw down her shades, and peers at the Lamplight as the boat that owns it comes slowly drifting down along the river.

As for not singing anyone else, Sonic, like her kitten, is a master in the art of ignorance.

Slowly lifting her arm, she unstealths, and phases into view with a shimmer, then hmms, standing up slowly, and turning to make for the front of her wagon and bike setup. As she barely makes the bike.. Quick Man's boat rams into the hovering vehicle, and takes off the wagon. Sonic turns, and stares. And then groans, slumping into a sit atop her bike.

oO( Vile's going to KILL ME for losing that wagon!)

Fashionable Feline idly stands on his little island in the bayou leaning against the Repliforce hoverbike he borrowed.

Ten looks about for the source of the scream. Finally, she spots Mem. "Huh? Uh oh! Looks like the crash victim is in trouble!" Ten quickly flies down toward Mem.

Blast Hornet watches the tree show up on her screen, and it's a good thing she can control up to 6 of these little wasp drones. "Well, the tree's scortched, but nothing else is there. "Well, someone toasted a tree. Think that could be a sign or something?" Blast asks, and swites back to view the other wasp drone's view(the ther drone that was near Ether she made her flashy entrance) "And I see some crummy old boat. What kinda sign should I be lookin' for? We already saw a shooting star that was just that Hunter ya'll know."

Ether Skunk doesn't look sleepy, actually. She's quite bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in the literal sense of the term- one must wonder just how she managed to make up a four-day sleep deficit in so many hours. She smiles brightly to Arafina and Alloy, before tromping in the general direction of the lights. "Well, come on. If there's somethin' worth notice, the crowd'll see it. We'll find something better if we stick with everybody else... or at least watch everybody else."

The lone boat's light bobbles lightly as the water ripples slightly, the late day's mist and fog making the small boat and its three occumants seem almost ghostlike. It might seem surprising when one of the three figures in the boat leans slightly to the side, and makes a grab at something in the water..

Rust Ghoul pulls a small launching device from subspace, apparently proofed against the muck Rust wallows in. As he swim/crawls stealthily towards the boat, he angles it upwards, and pulls the trigger. With a whisp of smoke following it, he arcs and spirals randomly, nigh-invisible in the night sky. However, after it has gone a good distance, it explodes in a bright flash of color and light, several more bright flashes and loud booms continuing from it. Fireworks. Rust continues towards the boat. False herrings.

Ring Redwing slows as she nears the boat, stopping beside Fusion who is tailing the boat. "Can you make out any of the details of the three individuals on-board?" she asks the Field Medic.

The Shadow Hunter girl remains still now, except for the rythmic rise and fall of her chest as she breathes. No she's not human, but oddly she's programmed to act like one. As for Mem, she's now taking a nap! Yep, the ground was so comfortable that she just sorta dozed off there.
Arafina nods to Ether. "Sure," she says, cheerfully, following the skunk. "You wan' my help?" she inquires. "Like, need a lift or anythin' like that? I will, if you need it - you're still on medleave, y'know."

Flare Feline continues to tear through the foliage. He's a nible feline, thankfully. The claws on his hands and feet make quick work of any vines that get in his way. As he runs and leaps through the trees he slows and lands near Ring and Fusion himself "Hey you two. You're tailing this thing also?"

Job follows the boat on his hovercycle hoping he will not get Prened again like with Florida. The hovercycle now moves slowly over the waters leaving only a small ripple in its wake.

Firestorm Phoenix shurgs, "Mmm, it doesn't feel right, we'll know when the right time comes..."

Wildfire Phoenix nods a bit at her brother, "Yeah really, keep those drones moving Blast. Something will turn up.

Alexis Hastings arrives from the Louisiana.
Alexis Hastings has arrived.

A grumble, as Sonic is then forced to turn, rev up her bike, and then start dribving it. The lights of the people in the boat are a beacon, and she starts that way slowly, driving her hoverbike towards the boat and the people, while all about her otherwise appear to be going absolutely nuts. As for the fireworks, SOnic ponders them a moment, then mutters, "Darned Mardi Gras an' tha' humans celebrating it!" Before she slowly starts dipping the bike downwards towards the boat and the three travellers, murmuring,. " The fates be they, on Charon's barge, floating the Styx for nary a charge.."

Alex Reinfield blinks towards Shield, "I guess we continue to search, ready?" He then turns to both Arafina and Ether, and then he blinks.
Alloy shrugs slightly and follows after the two female Hunters. He chuckles slightly at Arafina's question. "Don't worry Ara, Ether can handle herself." he says as they trudge along. Frowning slightly at their less than stellar progress, he says, "Actually, do -you- want to be carried, Fina? Ether and I could hold you up, I'm sure.

Blast Hornet's second drone pick up more explosions and bright lights, while the first displays the crummy little boat. "Well, Ih've got two different things here. A boat with a lamp, and a bunch of explosions. Think either one might be it? I could /try/ to go for a third camera drone, but when they're outta mah sight, it gets hard to control 'em."

Fusion Phoenix softly replies to Redwing, his head the only thing above water. "Looks like three people, one gut grabed somthing from the water... or droped it into the water... I'll go look."
With that he submerges once more.

Quick Man heads towards the boat with the lamp.

Wildfire Phoenix shakes her head a little, "It wouldn't be explosions..." she says first. "Hrm... keep an eye on that boat Blast... just in case..."

Arafina flicks a finger at Alloy, continuing to sludge through the swamp on her own - slow or not. "Feck no. Go run ahead, if you're so anxious. /Nobody/ carries me."

Alexis Hastings enters the Louisiana.
Alexis Hastings has left.
Serena Gilbert has connected.

Ten descends toward Mem, placing her naginata back into the straps on her back between her wings. The phoenix allows herself to stand in the shallow water, even though she hates doing so. Ten kneels down, and tries to gently shake the girl. With some desperation in her voice, she asks, "Are you okay? Can you here me?"

Ring Redwing's yellow optics glow like headlights, as she tries to pierce the gloom. Cue Superman-esque X-ray vision like special effects. "Okay," she replies to Fusion "Think you can keep up, Flare?" she asks the cat bounding along beside.

Firestorm Phoenix nods, "What Wildfire said."

Ether Skunk glances back towards the others with a blazingly cheerful smile. "I feel great, miss Arafina ma'am!" she chirps. "Thanks again, but I'll be fine." She squints towards the lights and continues trudging, though after a few moments she floats just above the waterline and continues on in a hover. She wonders why she didn't just do this before...

Alloy shrugs slightly. "Just suggesting something. Strength in numbers though, especially with the number of people who seem to be crawling through this place."

Shield nods. "I don't see anything so far that indicates stardroid involvement." Ok, so maybe he's a bit miffed at being so easily fooled by Ether's entrance.

The tiny, creaky little boat rocks a bit as the second figure leans over to grab something. As she straightens up, the 'pilot' pauses to keep it balanced. Then continues his lazy, slow paddling through the misty bayou. A face, hidden in the shade of a night falling, glances back. A flicker of light in the darkness, somewhere beneath dark clothes. And it turns back around, a faint whisper to it's companions.
"I believe.. we are being followed..." And nothing more.

Axle blinks, then he ponders at Alloy. "Well, I say we sink the Mavericks and the Robot Masters down here for the alligators."

Rust Ghoul follows along after the boat, slowly gaining ground. The sly guerilla remains out of sight, however, safely hidden within the swamp's murky waters, and the night fog.

Quick Man then gets a brilliant idea! He reaches into a compartment in his boat, and heaves out a floodlight. You know, one of those giant lights they use to see through fog? Anyways, he then fiddles with the giant bulb, and turns it on, aiming piercing beam of light towards the boad and the three passengers.

Flare Feline chuckles at Red "Don't worry about me, I can maneauver these trees easily enough. You had better be careful yourself, that you don't get tangled in all the vines and stuff." Flare resumes following after the boat from the shore, slicing through the foliage like string.

The shaking motion causes Mem hair to shift around and a large lock slips onto her face. As the back and forth continues, her nose gets tickled and finally a tiny high-pitched sneeze drags her out of her doze. Blinking a couple times, the girl tries to figure things out. "Ara? Where am I? Why am I wet? Ptoie! Why is my hair in my face?" She suddenly notices the hand on her body and the large shadow overhead. Slowly she tilts her gaze upwards, along Ten's body and to her face. Mem blinks again a couple times, takes a deeep breath then SCREAMS. The sound would probably shatter glass.

Blade Raven finally spots the other group of Hunters, and swoops down towards them, not landing, but hovering a bit, "Hrm." He says, "Find anything guys?"

Arafina snaps, "Well hell, I'm not gonna get /carried/. I /walk/." She stands up on tip-toes to try to look around, then goes back to wading. "What's there?"

Alloy looks around at the suprise appearance of Alex nearby. Or maybe there's been some pose discontinuity. Anyway, he replies to Alex's suggestion, "Sounds like a nice idea, but we outta cripple first. Even these gators wouldn't be able to mince 'em without some help."

Fusion Phoenix scours the riverbed for any thing out of place, but suddenly, he must belch up some waste gas. He trys to keep it down, but it erups to the surface near the boat with a sound much like "Pren!"

Job keeps following the boat at a distance.

The light on the small, ghostly shadow of a boat flickers as it bobs with the currents of the water. The figure furtest back stands as one of the three leans down toward the water. The figure stands solemn, statuesque, as a voice rises in a low humming murmer. The words are drowned by the lapping of water along the sides of the boat though the harsh tone carried is evident. A command issued to the others.

"Continue. We have our task to fullfill."

Firestorm Phoenix continues to sit and wait for a real sign, one that he is unmistaken in. "We shall keep waiting, we'll see if any thing concrete turns up."

Ether Skunk squints quietly, pausing briefly, then pointing forward. "Look," she murmurs, indicating the floodlight that Quick Man shines. "There's, ah... more light." She huffs, squinting, before looking up, then reaching back and beckoning for the others to follow still. "Well, damn. Come one, I'm sure we'll see something neat sooner or later..."

Ring Redwing has an easier time maneuvering, since she's much smaller than the other Repliforcers who are also here to hunt. Those vines that do get in her way are parted by her Ring Barrier. She catches a glimpse of hoods and shadows with her Superman-like laser-vision. "They're trying to look like ghosts, whoever they are."

Quick Man continues aiming the large, glaring light at the figures on the boat, trying to see who they are.

Ten's hands immediately shoot to the sides of her head, desperately covering her sounds receptors. She waits for the scream to pass, then speaks in a gentle, reassuring tone of voice. "Easy there, girl. I'm here to help. It looks to me like you were in a crash of some sort. You might need some help."

Shadow Man is, at the moment, nowhere near anyone, including the ghost boat. He's patrolling the Mississippi delta on a stolen hoverbike, going way too fast, with total disregard for the sanctity of the local ecosystem. Occasionally he runs over things, but doesn't seem too worried about it.

Rust Ghoul reaches down to his thigh as me moves seamlessly through the muck, drawing his two-foot long serrated blade. He increases his pace as he moves through the swamp. Scene poser, feel free to judge how close I'm getting to the boat.

Sonic keeps to the air. She heard about the incident in Florida. Like heck she's going to get attacked by alligator people. What is with those three people.. She tilts her head, and hmms, before reaching down. She pops the lflap of a saddle bag to her left, and pulls out a pair of Binoculars, trying to get a closer look at the three on their boat, murmuring to the kitten still asleep in her.. Paticulars..., "Fluffums, I dinn'ae like this. I swear, iffen a vampire leaps out o' tha' quagmire an' says, 'I am going t'ae give yae tha' choice I never had', I'm gonnae -KNOW- this is a bad movie scene.."

"Well, alright then." Blast Hornet replies, and keeps her eyes glued to the screen. The ghostly boat is still there, and the other wander around, and finds no more bright explosions. "I don't see anything new yet. Ih'll tell ya'll when Ih do."

Arafina quite easily jumps about eight feet up, landing back down with a splash. Then another bounce. "I don't see much," she says unhelpfully, legs splattered with swamp gunk.

Unfortunatly, the light.. strikes nothing more than a tree, the boat having just barely managed to slip behind it. Avoiding Quick Man's beam of light, by accident.. or design. Either way, thepilot merely nods it's head as the third - obviously the commander - speaks. And quietly.. begins to paddle a little harder. The tiny boat starting to skim across the water. Trying, of course, to loose that follow...
"As you wish.."

Rust Ghoul narrows his optics as they paddle faster. o O ( A chase, is it? ) Diving under the water, he extends his wrist, and a grapple pierces through the water, blade on the end aimed for the back of the boat. The vampire in the quagmire can't be shaken so easily.

Flare Feline moves at a steady pace along the shore, keeping an eye on the boat just ahead of him. oO(I wonder what their deal is? And where could they be headed? What's down this river?) He shrugs, and keeps moving. There's nothing for him to do right now but follow, until something happens.

Ether Skunk narrows her eyes and squints. "OKay, something is definitely up," she murmurs. "See all of those lights? They're coming together... and following that one." She points to the dim light cast by the lamp of the boat. "I think we just found our heavenly sign. Let's go follow the herd, eh?" The skunk picks up the pace with which she hovers, skimming easily over the water, at a pace fast enough to catch up with the crowd inch by inch and hopefully not yet lose sight of the boat.

Blade Raven enters the Louisiana.
Blade Raven has left.
Job enters the Louisiana.
Job has left.
Job arrives from the Louisiana.
Job has arrived.

Fusion Phoenix notices the hook rushing though the water, and pauses in his persuit, to get closer to the other person aquaticly following the boat...

Ring Redwing sends a radio transmission.

Fusion Phoenix receives a radio transmission from Ring Redwing.

Alloy listens in silence to Ether's speculation. "Hold on a moment." he calls out quietly as Ether makes to follow after the other lights. "Don't approach them too closly. If those lights are Masters or Mavericks, we'll have a full-blown fight in the delta. Just keep back a bit, ok?"

The wailing shriek finally dies out and Mem sits taking deep breaths for a moment. At Ten's calming words, she blinks and looks up at her again. "What? Crash? I dunno what you're talking about." The girl rolls backwards and pushes up with her hands, flippling easily to her feet and getting incredibly wet in the process. Not like she was dry before. "Ickickick!" She combs at her long raven hair and wrings it out again before throwing it all over her shoulders. "Um, well I'll be seeing ya." She waves to Ten, turns and walks right into a tree. Stumbling back, Mem acks and holds her face. Grinning, she glances at Ten as she moves around the tree, "No problem! I'm okay." Then she just seems to disappear, instead of coming out around the other side of the trunk. Spooky.

Wildfire Phoenix simply continues to wait... "hrm.... c'mon...."

Fusion Phoenix sends a radio transmission.
Ring Redwing receives a radio transmission.

[Radio: (C) RF/Hunter-Com] Alloy transmits, "Repliforce? You got some people out here as well?"

Ether Skunk glances back at Alloy and nods, calling out a quick okay before she turns back to the busy busy business of follow follow following. As Alloy suggested, she adopts a pace balanced enough to follow the crowd of folks following the boat, more than the boat itself- trying as best she can to keep sight of both puruers and pursued, however.

"..." a pause as a hint of what was said on the boat reaches her ears. Sonic looks to Fluffy in her shirt.

"As you Wish?" Mutters the Sidhe. "I was wrong. T'is a bad remak o' a love story they're makin' 'ere.." She complains.. Yet continues following. As a loud wailing shriek arises and then dies somewhere amidst the swamp, she remarks, "Sounds like some gators're eatin' good t'night."

Blast Hornet watches as her little drone follows the boat, probaly out of sight to it's occupant. "The three people in the boat seem to be talking, but I can't make out what they're sayin'." She says to Wildfire. "Well, we can either stay here and watch, or try actually going to meet the boat if that's the thing we'r lookin' for. The explosions stopped, and my other drone hasn't seen anything else."

[Radio: (C) RF/Hunter-Com] RF Lieutenant Fusion Phoenix transmits, "Yes, and are any other Allied personel following the boat in the water?"

[Radio: (C) RF/Hunter-Com] Skunkgrunt Ether Skunk transmits, "... maybe."

[Radio: (C) RF/Hunter-Com] Flare Feline transmits, "I'm following it along the shoreline."

[Radio: (C) RF/Hunter-Com] Alloy transmits, "Ether's floating along behind it, but four of us are still on foot and trailing. I don't know about the others."

[Radio: (C) RF/Hunter-Com] Serena Gilbert transmits, "Ah'll be sugah... Assumin' Ah'll get through this swamp."

[Radio: (C) RF/Hunter-Com] RF Lieutenant Fusion Phoenix transmits, "Was it one of ours that just shot a hook at the boat?"

Ten shakes her head, and sighs. "Looks like a red herring. And now I don't know where Flare and the others are. I don't think there's much I can do for that girl. I don't think there's much anybody can do. Well, I'd better try to find the others." Ten wings it again, hoping to find her friends.

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Corporal Ring Redwing transmits, "Well, I'm going to call out and ask them if they need help or anything. From their raggedy clothing they look like poor folk who might be in need. And if they turn out to be hostile I'm sure the three of us can take 'em."

Alas. Rust Ghoul's anchoring hooks.. skim along the bottom of the boat. Causing it to creak even further, but JUST missing actually latching on. No matter, though. The pilot continues to paddle hard, quickly approaching a certain sect of land. The vehicle appears to have NO intentions of slowing down, not now. To run aground, then... or something else? The soft glow of the lantern on front swaying haphazardly.

"Prepare yourselves.." Comes the soft whisper of the pilot to its companions.

Shadow Man actually notices the boat now - and its many followers. But he himself does not care about poachers, even if they are Cyan poachers, and ignores it in favor of continuing his patrols around the area, throwing up great wave crests behind him.

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] MSE XO Fusion Phoenix transmits, "Go right ahead Corporal. I'm here to back you up."

Arafina goes back to slicing up innocent bushes with her beam knives. SLice slice slice. She gets a mosquito one time with a bug-zapper hissing. Good aim, or sheer luck; either one. "I see the light now," she says to Ether, speeding up a bit with some sloshy noises.

Job keeps slows down slightly from the boat wondering what is up. oO(Humm something is not right.)

Rust Ghoul growls as his hook misses, retracting it as he continues to swim along. They've lost him for now...But he'll have to cut their throats when he catches up. And if they're Reploids, he may just eat some brane, too.

Shield hears something on the radio. "Boat? What boat?" He wades out a bit further into the swamp. "Oh, that boat. Doesn't seem particularly important."

Flare Feline narrows his eyes as he hears them talk among themselves, though he can't make out what it is they're saying. oO(I wonder what they're doing... aside from that, I had better let Ten know where I am...) He speaks into his radio as he continues pursuit

Wildfire Phoenix hrms, then nods at Blast, "I say we go after it then.. may as well, I don't want to just stand around here all day...

Ten receives a radio transmission from Flare Feline.

[Radio] You send Ten a direct message: "Ten? You ok? I'm following a suspicious boat down the river shore. It's not too hard to spot, you should be able to catch up."

Alex Reinfield blinks towards Shield, then he grins. He then shakes his head with a distraught expression. "Something tells me that this has been a wild goose chase."

Quick Man suddenly spots something in the water. His eyes widen with glee, and he spots the /BIGGEST/ alligator he's ever seen. "CRIKEY!" He then turns his boat and heads towards it. Upon reaching it, he dives into the water. Cue dramatic pause. Suddenly, a MASSIVE alligator head explodes out of the water, with Quick Man's arms and legs wrapped around it's snout! "DANGER DANGER DANGER! CROIKEY! CALM DOWN GIRL!" Quick Man continues wrestling with the alligator, while on the boat, a red hardhat with a boomerang on the helmet climbs out of a storage compartment dragging a belt of darts. Loading one into it's mouth, it begins firing darts at the giant alligator.

Ten sends a radio transmission.
Ten sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "Um, well, I've finished looking around at the crash scene. I'll try to find you. Um, which direction did you go in after we split up?"

Serena Gilbert is here, twisting through the swamp... or trying to, as she is stuck every so often. She finally gives up and looks at the White Assistbot in her arms. "...Are we clear, sugah?"

The Assistbot scans the region carefully just in case someone is coming up behind Serena... or just in front of her...

Ether Skunk speeds up the pace with which she follows, throwing a small degree of caution to the wind as she zips along, buzzing over the surface of the water and casting up a muddy wake- that purple glow returns, and anybody who has an eye behind them would notice the bright purple light coming in fast from behind. She begins to lift into the trees, zipping in between the various trunks, biting her lower lip... doing her best to keep an eye on the object of everyone's obsession, even if she can't quite see what it is just yet.

Ring Redwing calls out to the 3 individuals on the boat, piercing the sudden silence that seems to have fallen upon the river. "Hello out there! Are you three stranded or something? If you need any assistance, I'd be happy to help out! Although I don't know my direction around these parts but if there's something you folks are looking for or anything else like that, maybe I could help?"

Blast Hornet nods, and lifts a bit higher off the ground. So far, he hasn't gotten a speck of dirt or muck or anything on her armor. "We'll have to move quickly, Wildfire. The boat looks like it's landing on a small island." Blast says, and then buzzes off as quickly as she can in the general direction of her initial wasp-drone, which remains at the scene.

Alloy shakes his head as the chase seems to be gathering pace. "I'll take a flanking point." he mutters to Fina and whoever else might be with them, activating his gravity wells and floating up out of the muddy slush. He picks up some speed and swings out, some distance from teh shore, but still keeping a careful eye on Ether and whatever it is they're pursuing.

Fusion Phoenix approaches the sourse of the grapple, confindent that it is not a friend. . o O (Ok, who is this?) O o .

Wildfire Phoenix nods simply and waves for her brother to follow as Blast leaves, "Lead on, you know the way i'd hope.

Arafina makes odd jumps and hops to try to keep up with Alloy and Ether. The pair of gravity systems kicking in, though, makes her hover startlingly for a few seconds, drifting forward in their wake before landing and making another odd, hovering bounce. "I feel sick."

Somewhere off in the swamp, not too far away, Mem steps out from behind a patch of vines and peers around. "No nothing here..." and keeps going.

Firestorm Phoenix shrugs and follows Blast and Wildfire, "Might as well, I was getting bored anyways."

Shield is a bit slower than the rest...ok, alot slower. He has to trudge through everything, rather than fly over it. Cheeters.

Alex Reinfield follows after Shield, then he yawns a bit.

The metool grumbles, "This is boring..."
And as Sonic continues going, she begins to murmur out something to the cat still sleeping in her 'shirt'. Oh, yes, one feels the need to remention.. she's dressed like Steve Irwin, if he was a New York Street Girl. (isn't Sonic SPEYshull?) Hovering above the boat and it's contents, still following slowly..

"There's na earthly way O' knowing, wither we are going, is it raining, is it snowing, is a hurricane a blowin'.."

Rust Ghoul continues to swim along, unaware of Fusion. After all, he can't see through murky, thick waters, in the dead of night. His seamless black form continues to make its way through the swamp, as the Phoenix somehow spots him and gets the jump on the bounty hunter.

"Do you have it? Make sure it's secure, and safe. It will be time soon."

So speaks the third figure that still stands proudly on the stern of the boat, allowing the others to do their own tasks. The dim light glints off the metal form of this figure, dull, age-old metal that has lost the luster it once held. It's just enough to hint at the individual's form, without revealing much at all. Even the light seems to tease and taunt on this darkened river.

Fusion Phoenix didn't see Rust, he just followed tho hook back in a strait line. But sensing somone close, he speaks through the water. "Ok, who are you?

Rust Ghoul creeps towards the shore as his boots reach mucky bottom, staying low. As his head surfaces, barely visible through the mist, mud clings to his green face, blade still gripped in hand. However, he still has a good amount of distance to cover between the shallows and the shore. He'll let another go in first. As someone nearby speaks, he freezes in place, stopping his movement.

Ring Redwing scratches her hair, "Humm, maybe they didn't hear me or something, but sound should carry over very well on the water and stuff. Maybe we should get closer though." Pouring some more juice, Redwing moves ahead to intercept the small craft and try asking the individuals if they need help again.

Ether Skunk gets a better look of the figures this time around, her collection of glimpses and distant views coming together into something of a fuzzy image. She doesn't speed up, though, continuing on in her moderately swift pace. Any faster, and not only would she run the risk of crashing into a tree trunk, but she might overshoot the croud following the boat. That would be bad- it'd put her in the weapon sights of each and every Maverick, Master, and hunter-hating Repliforcer here. So for now, she hangs back, watching quietly, curiously... eagerly...

The Assistbot beeps at Serena: No one coming. Serena smiles briefly... then...

"Shinka! Muisca Guard! Bluegrass!"

And the White Guard rockets upwards and onwards towards the boat...

Serena Gilbert initiates a gestalt merge.

Bluegrass has arrived.
Serena Gilbert has left.

Shadow Man begins to wonder if he made the right decision, and he high-tails it back to the boat. Quick Man's boat, that is. His fire-engine-red hoverbike rapidly approaches the wrestling pair, quickly coming within visual distance. As it turns out, that's the biggest alligator Shadow Man has ever seen, too.

Quick Man continues wrestling with the alligator, while his hardhat continues shooting tranquilizer darts into it. The beast's struggles are slowly lessening. That is, until Quick Man loses his grip. Immediately, the gator's jaws snap around Quick Man, and it swings him around like a rag doll. "CRIIIIIIKEEEEEEEEYYY!!!!"

Arafina keeps bounding along, dragged in the wake of Ether and Alloy. "I'm gonna hurl," she mutters, physical impossibility aside. She /hates/ being near gravity generators, and that's why. "Can we land? Please?"

Flare Feline looks suspiciously at the people in the boat "Well they're certainly up to something, though I won't be able to see what until they make a move..."

Blast Hornet buzzes along, moving as quickly as she can through the dense growth of the area. Which isn't all that fast, considering how fast she'd be able to go in a straight line. "Wildfire, we'd better hurry. Look's liks something's happening." She says as she briefly glances at her screen, seeing that the main figure is glinting like metal?

All of a sudden, the bayou waters tremble as an earth shattering roar fills the air. It sounds like... well, a dinosaur, more or less, or what people would think one might sound like. A biologist might be able to identify it, but whatever it is, it's loud. So loud that the water ripples. Birds fly from the swamp in droves as the reverberations of the voice echo through the area.

Wildfire Phoenix freezes in the air, following after Blast still, but that roar makes her come to a stop, her booster array holding her aloft. "The heck was that?!"

Fusion Phoenix pokes his head above the water just as the massive voice lets out. Ignoring the reploid in front of him he spins to find the source.

Job slows down as he tracks the boat up ahead. oO(What are they doing now...)

The boat lands, the pilot quietly stepping out of it...

JUST in time to hear the roar. Derek Vasquez, taking his attention off the small alligator they caught, glances back towards the swamp. And all the pretty people following. ".. Err... Alia? Rigger? Know how to swim?"

This here beast has some beautiful chompers!" *chomp* "...And sharp too! Look at it as it chews my arm off!"

Rust Ghoul o O ( Holy Jesus. ) He better get out of the water. Whatever it is, it sounds pissed. He begins making his way towards shore, muddy black form slowly emerging as he nears the island, like a wraith emerging from the swamp fogs.

The earth slowly shatters, accompanied by the shattering roar. Alex blinks a few times. "What on earth?!" He then growls, dholding the Drill-Arm.

The metool blinks a few times, sweatdropping.

The immediate response from Alex is that he grabs to the radio. "<<Hunters, stay together, Immediately! Now!"

Sudden loud noises + Mem = facevault. The sound causes her nearly jump out her skin and as a result throws her offbalance. The girl teeters over and lands square on her face in the mucky water. Burbling, she pushes up again coughing. How many times will she get wet tonite? Keep track and get a cookie!

Ten flies in the direction she believes her friends to be in. Her usual smile is absent, replaced with a look of worry. "Gosh, I hope I can find Flare and the others soon!" Once she hears the roar, she thinks she has a good idea of which direction to fly in. "Oh no! I need to hurry!" (Player's Note: No, I don't know how a bird can smile. Trust me, she can, though.)

Alloy looks back at the figure of Arafina, bouncing up and down disconcertingly. "Hey, you don't have to fly. You can slog along on the ground if you want. It's up to you." Oh yes, revenge for her comment earlier. As the reverberations begin though, he looks around wildly. "What on earth's going on now?"

Ring Redwing is splashed with Bayou water suddenly as the waters roil about and around as she flies to intercept the boat. Wiping moisture from her body, she tries to keep track of her target while the dinosaur-like belt fills the air.

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Corporal Ring Redwing transmits, "Looks like one of the three people on the boat is getting off here. But what was that noise?"

Sonic's eyes flash open wide at the earth shattering road, and she suddenly revs the bike too fast, and nearly goes shooting down into the water. OI! What a problem that would have been! .. Even Fluffy seems to have been brought to stir by the noise. Sonic slowly motors her airial ride upwards, trying to steer away from the water, for she does NOT Like water things, let alone water (and that swimming lesson earlier in this tirade with the wailing boat was enough for her, thankyouverymuch!), and then remarks, "Is that th' grisley reaper mowing? Yes! Tha' danger must be growing, f'ar tha' rowers keep on rowing! An' they cert6ainly are nawt showing, any sign of slowing!"

Alia glances up from tying an elastic around a two-foot long alligator's mouth at Derek's words, jumping at the roar. "...Uh .. yeah, I can swim.. If this is another one of your jokes, I'm feeding you to this gator when it grows up." She peers back at all the people that were following their boat, literally seeing them for the first time. "..Quite a crowd."

"What the heck was that?!" Blast Hornet asks out loud, at the same as Wildfire asks. Blast blinks, and says, "I dunno. I can't see anything with my drones... But someone in the boat is stepping off. So we've seen a shooting star, exploding trees, a ghostly boat, and a big loud noise? What's goin' on?"

Ether Skunk drops back into the water with a splash at the sudden roar, dropping back into a run, her pace certainly slowed. That's.... that's odd. Slicking her ears back as the sound reverberates throughout the swamp, the skunk soon rises into the air once more and resumes following, biting her lower lip.... well, at least it wasn't a water-rippling earth-shaking "PREN" that got roared. She slows on seeing that the boat has landed, still, quiet....

Firestorm Phoenix stops dead right behind his sister. Blinking he brings him self upright, "... Now -that- is a sign. Alright head for that sound, but fly low and slow." Firestorm then lowers himself, the tips of his claws just barely touching the water and he begins to move in the direction of the roar.

Arafina falls when Ether does. "Thank you," she calls cheerfully, jogging off after her with one energy knife (no, she still hasn't put them away) near her head.

Quick Man suddenly remembers the pendant. He then clasps his fist together and brings them down on the gator's skull, knocking it unconcious. Quickly tying it to the boat, he instructs his hardhat to take it back to wherever he came from. Then he hears the roar. "Crikey! Another! Sounds even bigger, too! I've got to check it out!" With that, he leaps into a tree, and tries to determine which direction the roar came from.

Shield sighs at the roar. "I don't know what it is, but somehow I doubt it's a stardroid either." Nevertheless, he continues trying to catch up with his fellow hunters.

Flare Feline's attention turns away from the boat for now, and over towards the sound of the roar "What in the name of... what on earth was that?" He almost losesh is balance from his perch, but no time to stop now. He continues to move forward in the direction of the roar, something like that isn't natural for here, and as a Repliforcer, he has to discover what it is...

Shadow Man pulls to a stop just in front of Quick Man and his newfound friend, throwing out a huges sheet of water as its turns against the water to slow itself. Shadow Man then simply... faceplams. "Quick San," he says, readying a Shadow Blade with a horrific sound to assist his brother, "that's the biggest damn swamp monster I've ever..." Suddenly, the rumbling behind him starts, and he looks over his shoulder, catching sight of the monstrosity.

"I stand corrected."

Wildfire Phoenix shakes her head, glad she wasn't at the boat, "Forget the boat," she growls, "Find the source of that like quick if you can..." she says still hovering.

Wildfire Phoenix then decides to listen to her brother and follows, "Erm, ya, what he said, but still keep looking with those drones," she calls.

Rigger shifts her gaze back toward Derek, as she'd been staring over her shoulder toward the sound of the roar. She nods quickly however, in reply to the question. "I can swim, though..." Frowning slightly she looks down at the ancient battlesuit she wears. "Might be a bit slow."

Rust Ghoul approaches the trio at the boat. Covered in mud, the ghoul bursts from the fog, blade in hand, yellow optics aglow, and his monstrous maw hanging wide open. "Hand over the pendant!" Oops.

Blast Hornet watches her screen, and flies her second deployed drone around. "I can't see anything yet... You'd think anything big enough to make that noise would be easy to spot? All I can see is wildlife goin' all over the place."

Derek nods his head once, and gestures back towards the old boat he'd 'borrowed'. Glancing aside to Alia and Rigger, preparing to mention something along the lines of 'lets get back to the water' ... moments before Rust Ghoul busts out of the water like a frigging zombie. There is a hiss, and a loud orange glow from behind Derek's back as he holds onto something...
Coin Spinner glowing hot.

The roars fade, their source unknown to all. The only thing that is for certain that they come from further into the swamp, deep in the darkest Lou'siana bayou.

Fusion Phoenix abandons any pretense of being stealthy and launches himself into the air, where he hovers has he shifts into his aerial form

Alex Reinfield blinks a few times, then he shakes his head. ".....Uh huh....A roar....If this turns out like Jarassic Park 200, I'm out of here..." The metool grins at Alex, "Scared?" Alex then nods, "Uh..Yes. Of being chomped down." "Never stopped us before.." ...."...True."

Rust Ghoul staggers backwards several steps as bright, fiery blade comes out. With his night-vision on, it hurts. Shielding his eyes, the 'zombie' staggers backwards, hissing. "Auuuguh, briiiight, briiiight..."

Firestorm Phoenix nods, "Right, Blast, send your drones out ahead, and lets continue in the direction that the sound came from, I think we've finally found the sign we were looking for."

Alia never even had a chance to get out of the boat, still holding onto the baby alligator, which twitches and chirps in her careful grip, glancing back at Derek when he pulls out the Coinspinner. And simply -STARES- at Rust Ghoul. Someone already did that to her today. "...Get back in the boat."

Blast Hornet reaches near the location of the boat, after follow the direction her drone went that was following the boat('cause it looked kinda wierd, and might have been improtant) and peers through the mist at it and the people who had stepped off. "Still can't see any source of the roar, but there's the boat." Blast says quietly, not wanting anyone to here her. Lots of others ought to be nearby. Blast mentally sends her two drone off in what she thinks is the direction of the roars.

Bluegrass flies after the boat... but halts in midair as she hears the roar. A pretty damn HUGE roar. //What the...?// Torn between following the boat and finding out what the roar was about... //Ah hope it's just a cat with a megaphone...// And hurries after the boat...

Wildfire Phoenix nods to her brother, "Good idea... Send the drones thataway," she motions toward where ever Blast was leading them, that being the boat, "And lets just head for the roar... I'd put my money on that. There was a Phoenix at Vesuvius, i've heard, so they're might be a dinosaur or something for this one. Let's go!" she says beofre flying toward the roar.

Rigger shifts her weight once more, moving toard the back of the boat as she looks over her shoulder toward the other two. She'd never exited, and thus, that leaves her in the end of the boat that's still hanging out over the water. "Uh, guys..." she remarks sounding rather unsure, "Time to get going. Leave the gator already, Alia."

Derek waves the glowing Coinspinner.. aka, Fire Cipher... in Rust's face a few more times. Evil! And surprising. He wasn't expecting that. When he gets enough room - he sprints to the boat. Pushing it, and the companions, back into the water and slipping into the boat itself. Paddling hard, for the sound of the roar. And grinning like the devil.If you can't feel alive NOW, you never will!"

Shadow Man pauses for a moment, waiting for a second roar, or to make sure that he actually saw what he thought he did, 'cause there's nothing there now. Nothing seems to be coming... But he was able to tell what general direction they came from, even if only accurate to subcardinal. Pushing less thrust behind his bike than before, so as not to run into anything too unexpectedly, he proceeds towards... He's nowhere near any island whatsoever at the moment, although if he comes to one, he'd just as likely take his bike right over it as go around.

Alex Reinfield blinks towards Shield and the others, he then grabs to the radio, frowning. "I'll be back at the Vorpal.." He then shakes his head, heading back.

Ten would have found her friends by now, but the swamy bayou is difficult for her to navigate through. Even so, she should be hearing the various noises any second now. The Burning Bird of Justice is on the way!

Rust Ghoul grips his eyes. As the boat paddles off, he staggers after it, claw reaching out as he hisses, "The pendaaaaaaaaaant!"

Ring Redwing goes land on the boat, waving rather cheerfully to the occupants on board, "Hello there! Can I help you with anything?" let's see them ignore her now.

Now.. That island looks fishy. And that roar scares the living See-are-ay-pee out of her. But Sonic does not falter. Instead, she begins to whistle a familiar tune heard at the beginning of a certain trilogy fo Dinosaur-Island-Movies involving raptors and all kinds of evil ickle beasties. Fluffy rolls its eyes, crawls out from between her you-know-whats, and climbs to the top of her head, where it can see for goodness knows, all around. Sonic starts a slow descent upon the island.. And ponders resetting her stealth again so she can't be seen.

Flare Feline watches the ones in the boat paddle off in the direction of the roar. And he does the same. On the shore and in the trees anyway. Flare is fast and nible enough to clear a way through the foliage without trouble, and any vines he can't dodge, his claws take care of. That roar has him worried, it was deafening, it just wasn't right.

Alia grabs a broken remains of an oar and flings it at Rust as they're suddenly launched away by Derek, drawing a delighted laugh from the Hunter. "We don't HAVE the pendant, you undead Army Of Darkness reject! Begone, else we exorsise thee!"

Quick Man spies the light of the cipher from his lofty vantage point, and leaps through the trees after it! Spider MAn, Spider Man, does the things a spider can...

Ether Skunk turns to squint in the direction of the roar, eyes narrowed, but she doesn't move... still hovering, inching towards the island, and at last touching down on its shore. Why? Only so she can stand without getting her feet wet. But... she IS on the island.

Fusion Phoenix folows behind the "zombie" figuring him to be the one who shot the hook at the boat, he aproaches him from behind. Putting a hand on the figure's shoulder he asks: "Just who are you?"

Axle has left.
Alex Reinfield takes Axle.
Rust Ghoul deactivates his stealth mode.
Alex Reinfield has left.

Rust Ghoul gets hit in the face by an oar. Thoroughly defeated, he drops to his knees, before crawling back towards the island. "Damn tourists."

Firestorm Phoenix continues to move in the general direction that the roar had come from, looking back every so often to make sure Wildfire and Blast are still in tow.

Wildfire Phoenix's new booster array was rather handy, she was able to keep up with Firestorm a lot better then she was able to before. She simply continues after him, waving a little as he looks back once.

Blast Hornet buzzes along, wondering what to expect in the near future. Whatever made that noise is probaly big, mean, and hungry. At least Blast has remained clean so far.

Alia peers at Redwing, before swatting at her with the rest of the broken oar. "Get off, you'll sink the boat!" Flail. "Get your own!"

Mem gets back to her feet and wipes some mud from her face and shirt. "Bleh! This place is so gross!" Putting her hands on her hips, the girl hmphs and looks around some more. And now she's actually close enough to see most of the others. Rust is the closest person and she calls out to him, "Hey th...ere.." her voice dies out as the creepy bounty hunter comes into full view. Mem just isn't going to get a break! First crashing, then the bird-thing, then mud, now a monster! Instead of running and screaming, the girl just ughs and throws her hands up disgustedly as she walks off in another direction.

Bluegrass continues to follow the boat, until she sees just a island ahead of the boat. //Transferring Weapons energies to rockets and dash jets... Let's go!// The White Guard *ROCKETS* ahead of the boat, determined in reaching it.

Fashionable Feline gets back on his hoverbike to search the bayou of this magical pendant thing. Hopefully he won't encounter Bayou Billy, man was he bad ass with his knife throwing and gator jumping and 4 wheel drive.

Rust Ghoul sits down on the island, tossing a small box infront of him. Flicking a switch, a small campfire rockets up, and he leans against a tree. "Still one more. And that's death's pendant. I better get that freaking thing."

Rigger pales almost visibly as she listens to her radio. A glance is shot toward Derek, before she grabs the radio from her ear and yanks it off once more. Crap. At the least her attention is shifted toward Redwing as Alia begins to scream at her. "Aliiiaaa..." In all her complaining about sinking it, she was doing a good job of rocking the boat literally.

Ring Redwing deflects the oar deftly with one of her rings, "Yow! I was just trying to see if you guys needed any help. No need to get violent about it." She steps back and off the ship quickly. Obviously not wanting to deal with the Psychotic Hunter.

Rust Ghoul glances over his shoulder, narrowing his eyes. "Rust Ghoul. And who are you?" He tosses a small box down on the ground, using a boot to clear a ring out.

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Corporal Ring Redwing transmits, "Nuts. It's only the Maverick Hunters on the boat."

Derek scrambles to keep the tiny boat balanced as Ring Redwing inadvertantly attempts to sink it. Waving his hands, and panting softly - he IS rowing rather hard, and the boat is moving at a good clip - He just huffs: ".. Maybe.. later, armor... for now.. you're going to.. capsize.. my boat, gringo!"

There is a puff of relief when she gets off, the boat picking up speed once more.

Nothing prevents the intrepid explorers from moving further into the bayou. Except that roar. It happens again, louder than ever, the leaves in the trees shaking from the blast of primordial noise from the depths of the swamp. Something is definitely up in the Cajun jungle, no doubt about that.

Sonic Banshee takes pause in the air. Island, Roar, Island, Roar, Island, Roar. Island; a safe place she could probably rest at. Roar: Something hungry that probably eats Banshees and their iron underware for lunch. Island, where the next artifact probably is not. Roar. Where the next artifact probably is, and dangit, it's probably about Mister Hungry's neck. Sonic squints her eues, mutters a Mantra of, 'Dang you, Vile, and your orders to get this thing!', and.. Sigh, grudgingly, starts towards the sound of the roar, since the boaters seem to be heading that way, as well. As she goes, she mutters, sourly, "Iffen I git eaten, I'm gonn'ae come back fra'um tha' pile of Manure whatever t'is that eats me poops out, an' kick Sir Vile's royal derrierre.."

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] RF XO, Colonel transmits, "Situation report, Corporal."

Wildfire Phoenix just gulps a little, pushing her boosters a bit to move up beside her brother. Scared? A little, big brothers are cool for being all protective and stuff. "Loud..." she says as they fly along...

Alloy sets down in disgust as he starts piecing together some clues from radio chatter. Ugh, they've been following their fellow Hunters all this time. Well that's one lead they can discard. But these roars that keep echoing through the swamp...well that might be something. At any rate, he floats up again and starts flying straight towards the river. Oh look, all sorts of people are coming out of the woodwork now. He yells out to the gathering in general from his position above the island shore. "Hands up all Stardroid-related entities!" Yes, he thinks they've been McGuffined again.

Arafina is busily swinging her blades near her own legs. Why? SNakes; she keeps missing. Thigh-deep in water, she's being harassed by mocassins for the simple reason that she's a target that's dumb enough to keep standing in the water. And, eventually, she slips in the muck and falls to one knee with some rather /loud/ swearing.

Fusion Phoenix snarls down at the smaller reploid. "Fusion Phoenix, of Repliforce. What are you doing out here in the middle of the swamp at this time of night?"

Quick Man looks up when the next roar comes, and his sense of adventure/stupidity kicks in. "Croikey! I've gotta check this out!" He then rockets through the trees at near sonic speeds, heading in the direction of the roar.

Job brings his hovercycle to halt as he hears the massive roar split thought the air. "Woah what was that!" Job looks about bot even bothering to bring up his bio scanners with all the life forms in the swamp it be useless. Job gets his act together once more and heads deeper into the swamp but is a slow pace.

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Corporal Ring Redwing transmits, "Sir, Captain Ten, Lieutenants Flare Feline and Fusion Phoenix, and myself are in the Liousiana Bayou searching for the next pendant sir. Captain Ten heard an explosive crash and went to assist. The other three of us were tailing a small boat with a lamp on it. Turns out it was just the Maverick Hunters, sir."

Rust Ghoul flicks a switch, a small campfire igniting from the box. He turns away, and gives Fusion the back of his head. "And what are /you/ doing out here?"

Flare Feline shudders once more. The roar is deafening. And certainly not natural. Which is exactly why Flare continues to pursue it. Continue down the riverbed, he tears a path through, claws going wildly ahead of him to clear away the vines and growth, he advances in the direction of the roar. Who knows what he'll come across deep in the Cajun wilderness. Just as long as it isn't Crush Crawfish with an upset stomach...

Shield sighs again. Purple glowing light was a false lead. Mysterious old boat was a false lead. Chances a stupid animal roaring will wind up the same? Quite good. "But, we have nothing better to do," he laments, heading towards the monster's approximate location whether Arafina is or not.

The second roar doesn't detur Firestorm, instead it only manages to reaffirm he's flying in the right direction, "Blast send a drone out ahead of us and recall the others. We might need them." He glances over at Wildfire and smiles softly, "Nothing we can't take care of together, whatever it may be."

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] MSE XO Fusion Phoenix transmits, "What do we know about a "Rust Ghoul?"

Ether Skunk needs no more convincing. Nothing is happening here, so the skunk rises into the air and begins to shoot into the direction of the roaring- once more rising to a swift pace, weaving in between the trees. Flying through the air, it's likely she glides over the heads of anybody still clustered around the boat, and outdistancing anybody who's slogging through the mud in pursuing the roaring as well- and this time, she seems unconcerned with the possible consequences of her speed. The zippy skunk makes a nice beacon in the air- a glimmering streak of purple shooting towards the direction of the roaring.

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Lieutenant Flare Feline transmits, "Sir, I believe most of us are heading in the direction of a loud roar we heard. I was certainly unnatural."

Alia draws still again at Rigger's hiss, shooting an apologetic look back at the other Hunter, baby gator wiggling in her grip again. "Sorry, sorry.." She stays still for several minutes before glancing at Derek, and leaning forward a little. "Want me to do that?" Being a reploid did have its advantages.

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] RF XO, Colonel transmits, "Understood, keep me advised of any further developments, and stay on your guard."

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Corporal Ring Redwing transmits, "Roger."

Bluegrass *blinks* at that roar. //...Ah'm REALLY not likin' this...// The good ol' Country girl of the Musica Guard falls back to match speed with the boat as she lands on the boat... even as Ringy is chased off. //Ah don't want ta be chased off. Not when this suit needs ta recharge...// She sighs, "Defense Changer Mode Change: Stealth Mode." Bluegrass disappears from sight...

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Lieutenant Flare Feline transmits, "Yes sir!"

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Fashionable Feline transmits, "Even more unnatural than Frost Walrus' empty stomach."

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Broadcast Ocelot transmits, "Rust Ghoul was an ex-Repliforce cadet dat didn't quite cut it."

Blast Hornet flies along, and covers her audials as the roar hits. A bunch of debris fly into her face, and she tumbles downward. Landing in the muck. "UGH!" She says, and forces herself free. "Now I'm all dirty! We had better get this thing, or I'm gonna blow someone up for that!" She says, and buzzes tp catchup to the Maverick Pheonix siblings. And of course, my 'we' she meant 'I'. She nods to Firestorm, and sends one drone on ahead. Iyt can move faster than her, being able to weave in and out of the dense trees far easier.

Arafina makes an annoyed sound, sitting on her rear in the muck and swinging her knife at a rather /large/ something that came to investigate. "Bloody 'ell, I'm outta here," she says, starting to worm her way back to the Vorpal, standing up and limping through the water.

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] MSE XO Fusion Phoenix transmits, "So he's a non-threat civilian?"

Sonic Banshee continues muttering various things about how she doesn't want to get eaten. Whyyyyy? Hmm, dunno, could it be because.. she doesn't want to get eaten? Wow, good guess! .. Still, she continues her travels towards whatever it is that keeps roaring, and, in a mutter, speaks to Fluffy. "Get ready t'ae haul arse t'ae retreatapalooza, Fluffums, if this thing's bigger than Burn Dinorex, Phenominal cosmic powers be demned."

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Broadcast Ocelot transmits, "He also has ties to the Mavericks. Last I heard, dat is."

Like Firestorm, Shadow Man was already headed towards the apparent source of the roar, and this second one serves merely to allow him to make a slight course adjustment, to be headed more directly for the epicenter. He currently knows exactly one thing for sure about it: It isn't a Robot Master. Therefor, as as his hoverbike picks up significant speed - after all, the master of the shadows has no trouble seeing and navigating in even complete darkness - he chucks the Shadow Blade prepared earlier to help Quick Man straight ahead of him, into the unknown distances and once again at the general direction of the source. Almost certainly the deadly blade will impact harmlessly against some gnarled old tree (well, harmlessly except for the tree), but one never knows for sure.

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Captain Phoebus transmits, "We have ties to the Mavericks, kind of. We shoot them, right?"

Ether Skunk enters the Bog Swamps.
Ether Skunk has left.

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] RF XO, Colonel transmits, "If you see attempt, attempt to arrest him. He may be able to provide usfull information on Sigma's plans."

Wildfire Phoenix enters the Bog Swamps.
Wildfire Phoenix has left.
Shield enters the Bog Swamps.
Shield has left.
Quick Man enters the Bog Swamps.
Quick Man has left.
Blast Hornet enters the Bog Swamps.
Blast Hornet has left.
Derek Vasquez enters the Bog Swamps.
Derek Vasquez has left.

Ten manages to find the rather large gathering that is moving toward the roar. "Hmmm, looks like I'm missing some kind of party! Maybe I can find my friends somewhere in that crowd." Ten heads in the same direction as the others, all the while trying to spot her friends.

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] MSE XO Fusion Phoenix transmits, "Understood."

Bog Swamps

Spanish moss hangs down from old oak trees. Thorny bushes stretch their branches out to cover what little land is left. The water now is deeper - neck deep for humans, and chest deep for large reploids. The water itself is brackish and rancid, almost acidic from the ooze and emitting a blood-curdling smell. Besides the leeches, there are no animals in this part of the swamp. They have avoided the stagnant waters, leaving this area over to the heartiest and toughest plants. Gnarled trees block out most of the sunlight with a canopy of leaves, with thick fungus growing in the patches of perpetual shade.

Mem [ShadowHunter] [C]
[Stealthed] Sonic Banshee [Armored] [M]
Derek Vasquez [Normal] [C]
Blast Hornet [M]
Quick Man [Derek] [RM]
Shield [Armored] [MH]
Wildfire Phoenix [Default] [M]
Ether Skunk [MH]

Obvious exits:
Back <B> leads to Bayou.
Ten arrives from the Bayou.
Ten has arrived.
Job arrives from the Bayou.
Job has arrived.
Shadow Man arrives from the Bayou.
Shadow Man has arrived.
Rigger arrives from the Bayou.
Rigger has arrived.
Alloy arrives from the Bayou.
Alloy has arrived.
Alia arrives from the Bayou.
Alia has arrived.
Ring Redwing arrives from the Bayou.
Ring Redwing has arrived.
Bluegrass arrives from the Bayou.
Bluegrass has arrived.
Firestorm Phoenix arrives from the Bayou.
Firestorm Phoenix has arrived.

Ether Skunk is indeed following the sound, approaching the roaring with just as much curiousity as anxiety. From a distance, her bright purple glow amidst all the tree trunks would resemble foxfire, or some similar swampy glow... mysterious. Ooh.

Quick Man leaps through the trees at supersonic speeds and stuff. Booyaka.

Alloy sends a radio transmission to Ether Skunk.
Ether Skunk receives a radio transmission.

Shield could be said to be following Ether, since he's heading in the same direction as her and coming from the same place of origin. However, he's not knowingly following, nor is he any longer in visual sight of her, having fallen back a little bit ago.

The Mexican Ninja blinks as someone ELSE lands on their boat. And immidiatly dissapears. Mmmhmmm... just idly shaking his head, and having neither the will or time to boot off the free loader, he just paddles. Not like it makes much of a difference, weightwise.

Though Derek does smile at Alia, and wink again: "What? and have a lovely lady, such as yourself, do this menial task? Hrmph. Don't insult me, love."

The boat does slow to a quick glide, though, as Derek pulls his paddle out of the water. Hearing the soft hiss. And blinking quietly. ".. I think we went and crossed the tracks. So to speak."

Job ugs as the stench. "Smells like I dunno what! Maybe Punk's gym socks..." Job's hovercyles hovers above the swamp waters and moves along at a fair speed deeper into the swamp keeping out of the muck below. "Show... your self my friend... on second thought maybe not."

Flare Feline continues deep into the bog. The growth is getting really thick, and hard to move through, even for him. He opts to slow down a bit, instead of rushing through, so he doesn't trip up in anything. Going face first into bogwater would NOT be nice...

Ether Skunk sends a radio transmission.
Alloy receives a radio transmission from Ether Skunk.

Mem is ofcourse, randomly wandering around, just happening to head in the same direction as everyone else. What a coincidence. Ether's light display catches her attention, "Oooo, pretty lights," and the girl begins to follow that now.

Firestorm Phoenix ughs and suddenly wishes he could turn off his ofactory senses, "I'm glad I don't have a gag reflex..." He continues to move in the general direction of the roar.

Sonic Banshee is still on the Muon. She just got tired of posing 'Do' all the darned time. So. Sonic steers the Muon towards the roaring, travelling even further into the swamps. Fluffy, atop her head, is getting unsettled by the noise. And when -FLUFFY- gets unsettled, then ya -KNOW- somethin's wrong. Thanks to the spanish moss and the trees, Sonic is forced to slowly maneuver the bike and it's hovering self lower. Despite this.. She still gets her fair share of additions to her Crocodile Hunter meets Buffy the Cheerleader outfit. "If I see any snakes tha' size of tha' bloody Osprey," mutters the Sidhe, "I'm out of here."

Wildfire Phoenix nods at her brother a little, coughing once or twice, "Gyuh... ewww.." she wimpers a bit before things begin to thicken, "I think we may have to start walking..." she says before coughing. "What a horrid place..."

Rigger clutches the edge of the boat with a hand, as her other lifts to clap over her face with a slight choke. Squinting as her eyes begin to water in reaction, she mutters, "I'm glad I skipped dinner now... Eyuck." Gulping in an effort to get the sickly feeling that was creeping up her throat back down. "Shoulda brought the helmet to this thing, I knew it."

Blast Hornet follows what she hopes is the direction of the roar, looking at the old moss-ridden trees. "Ugh... I hate this place. Too much mud. Why couldn't we go somewhere less digusting?" Blast Hornet says, and buzzes along with two phoenix's(phoenixii?), fitfully trying to remove some of the muck from her previous fall. Without success.

Alloy sends a radio transmission to Ether Skunk.
Ether Skunk receives a radio transmission from Alloy.

Ether Skunk sends a radio transmission.
Alloy receives a radio transmission from Ether Skunk.

Ring Redwing backs off the boat, but follows after the Strider and Maverick Hunter as they row deeper into the swamp. Unaware that she's lost track of her Repliforce Companions. She hesitates as they row into the Bog Swamps. The place does seem rather closed in and well.. smelly. Giving a shrug, she continues plowing on. Using her Ring Barrier to divert the sludge as best as possible.

The swamps here seem almost primordial. Trees and vines choke out all but a few river paths...you all, coincidentally, end up on the same path. Everything here looks alive, but the vibrant feeling of life that normally accompanies a swamp is stagnant here, the scent of death heavy in the air. It's possible that this place has never been explored... even in this late age.

Alloy sends a radio transmission.
Ether Skunk receives a radio transmission.

Alia waves the hand not holding the baby gator lightly. "And people say chivalry is lost!" But she quiets as the little reptile goes perfectly still, looking around quickly. "..God ...This place stinks. But that goes without saying.." From a pocket somewhere on her person is pulled.. a normal hanky, offered to Rigger, as she shuts off her own sensors that register scent. "Whoever the hell jumped on the boat, siddown. And please don't jump off suddenly.."

Bluegrass is suddenly glad she is wearing a facemask. The smell must be awful... She also notices the Boat slowing down. //It must be mah weight as Bluegrass... Best help speed this boat up...// "Musica Guard Power Down." The Stealth systems comes off as Parts rearranges into White Assistbot. Serena couches down and grabs the Assistbot, as she becomes... *naturally quiet* (not invisible. There is a difference)

Bluegrass demerges.
Serena Gilbert has arrived.
Bluegrass has left.
Serena Gilbert activates her stealth mode.

Ten finally manages to spot Flare Feline. She uses her radio to let him know that she is there. She also continues on toward whatever destination everybody is headed toward.

Ten sends a radio transmission to Flare Feline.
Ten sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "I see you!"

"I'm gettin' this strange sense of Deja Vu," Comments Sonic, as she drives the bike even lower still, catching sight of the various people about her. "Except f'ar all tha' other folks around here this reminds me of.." "mew." EXACTLY!! Tha' first time me an' Hitsuke opened up all tha' boxes at tha' very back of the Maverick Kitchen's fridge that were dated '2001'!!" .... ....

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] MSE XO Fusion Phoenix transmits, "Crap, Rust is going leagl on me. On what grounds can I pull him in?"

Flare Feline takes the route of climbing through the trees for the most part. With his agility and claws on hands and feet he's able to avoid having to trudge through the putrid swamp. Flare unfortunatly can't shut his smell sensors off, but at least he's a feline based reploid, not a canine. He pauses at a radio transmission, looks back and waves at Ten, before continuing on. There's SOMETHING in this place...

Firestorm Phoenix frowns, "We'll keep flying as long as we can... Just remain low, try staying as close as you can to the water below and keep your wings tucked in as tight as your flight systems allow." He then notes others as they emerge from one channel into the main one, "And now the fun begins..."

Ether Skunk's swift pace slows as the foliage grows thicker, murkier... smellier... she drops back down to the ground, that bright purple light winking out briefly. She begins not so much flying, or walking, as she does hopping- flying through the air when she can, slogging through the mud when she must. The latter she's particularly unhappy about- getting her tail all soaking wet and such. Yuck, yuck, yuck. Yet still, the skunk perserveres... to where? She doesn't know. Without the roars to lead her, she's just plodding forward.

Alloy was following after Ether indeed, and flying along the river seems like the most sensible option. Yet...he doesn't see the boat that's carrying two of his allies for some strange reason. Oh well, at any rate, he's trying to catch up to Ether, but it isn't likely that he will.

Ten receives a radio transmission.
[Radio] You send Ten a direct message: "Good, I see you too. Be careful now."

Blast Hornet buzzes along, and peers around as the paths seem to merge into a single way to move ahead. Blast Hornet readies her weapons in case they become needed. "Guys...?" Blast asks to Firestorm and Wildfire. "We're not alone..." She says, and she looks around to see a few others.

Ether Skunk sends a radio transmission.
Alloy receives a radio transmission from Ether Skunk.

Shield doesn't smell the stench, his suit is airtight and his sense of smell dismal. Poor Shield continues to lag behind the people who can fly or took vehicles. He's condemmed to slowly fight for every foot of ground he takes.

Shadow Man ducks low to avoid the increasibly difficult branches, but continues on his hoverbike as far as he can... Actually passing the tree where his own blade is now stuck, he manages to yank it out on his way by. The need for speed forces him down the path of least resistance whenever there are few or no alternative routes, and soon he finds himself surrounded with some of the reploids he spotted before, not to mention a few more. Red eyes dart from one to the other, those not taking an extra effort to remain hidden at least, and the blade is heald at the ready, while his other hand retrieves something from his left pocket, just in case... "Damn Hunters," he mutters to himself, but clearly loudly enough to be overheard.

Job mutters. "This place smells as bad as Raccoon city did! What next more zombies?" Job glaces about at the mass of other seekers nearby. oO(Well this should prove to be a challenge.) Job checks the gear he brought with him and makes sure he has all his gear still. The hovercycle moves on making ripples in the water from its wake.

"Here, Alia. Take the paddle for a bit. I'll light our way.."

Comes Derek's quiet words, as he idly passes the paddle to the reploid. He'll need a free hand to act as lantern in this hellish dark place. Though.. his face does twist, at the smell. A hand dipping beneath his vest, to pull out a green scarf. And lightly toss it to Rigger. Casually stepping over the new woman-... new woman that appeared on his boat. Blink. "... Hola. Try not to rock the boat."

Thats all thats said to the woman's sudden appearance. Who says Derek can't cope? Either way, he moves to the prow of the shield. Slowly. And then? .. holds up Coinspinner. The fire cipher sparking a bit, then beginning to GLOW. Brightly. Little embers flickering away from it's edge, debris instantly incinerated by insane heat.

Alloy sends a radio transmission.
Ether Skunk receives a radio transmission.

Wildfire Phoenix nods a little, pulling in her wings though she stays quite near her brother, "Yeah okay.." she says giving her boosters a bit more gas as those wings fold back ever so slightly. The phoenix flies a few feet above the water, keeping her brother in full view as best she can. Idly she glances around the channel as they meet up in the main one with... others... "...Oh this is perfect..." she mutters.

Quick Man stops as the trees become too thick to jump through, and pulls out a small yellow cube with a string on it. Pulling the string, he drops the cube into the water, where it expands into a raft. HE hops down onto the raft, and pulls out a paddle. He then paddles onward, barely noticing all the other people.

For those exploring this dark, fetid swamp, clues aren't far behind. There's something alive here, that much is clear. Though infrared will show only scant heat in the area, you know it exists... you can practically feel it in your bones. Something is coming, cause you've intruded on its home... and even though you can't see it or hear it, you know it's not very happy.

Rigger gives a prompt, quick nod to Alia as she reaches to grab the handkercheif with a look of utter relief. It's quickly and carefully tied around her face, like some old western criminal might have done. But it cuts the smell, which is something she's *very* glad for. The second handkercheif comes a little unexpected, and late, but she nods slightly in thanks none the less. Hey, a spare is always good, right? Right. Hands free once more, she shifts to grab the wrench affixed to her hip. It wasn't much of a weapon, but it was hers.

Ring Redwing waves to Ten as they all meet up again somehow. Magically? Who knows. "What was that crash that we all heard awhile ago, Captain Ten?" she inquires curiously. Her Ring Barrier allowing her to keep moving forward steadily. "Any idea what that roar was?" she adds.

Alia turns back to Rigger briefly to hand her the baby gator. "Hold onto this." She had no problems taking over the rowing, shifting places on the boat to begin paddling just as well as Derek had, at an even, albeit quick pace. "We're probably going to have company soon, guys.." Not a good thing. But she wasn't too worried.

Serena Gilbert is also wearing a Marti Gard <SP> Costume. ^_~ It's just not my desc.

Mem pops out of the dense foilage on a small outcropping only a few feet away from the boat with Derek and the others. "Now where am I...?" The girl peers around and is drawn to the glow of Coinspinner. Notice a pattern anyone? "Hey there! Where are we?" She calls out hoping these people aren't monsters.

"Pheee-wwheewe," Utters Sonic, softly. "Whatever tha' 'ell it is, it stinks just as bad as th'am boxes at tha' back did, too." Comments Sonic, "Although I'm pretty sure tha' Stew hasn't got any relatives.." Sonic lowers the bike's flight patter once more, now skimming over the water slightly. And as they go further, Fluffy, gets even more agitated. "mew." he announces, ears laying back, and entire body springing into a mass of fluff, fuzzing out end on end.

Ether Skunk keeps on trekkin'... though slower with each moment as curiousity gives way to doubt and doubt gives way to fear. She doesn't like the lurking presence of Unhappy Big Things.... but still she plods on, often whipping her katana out to quickly cut any foliage that gets too close in the way. Each swing of the blade makes a bright *FLASH* of purple, for those still paying attention to the skunk's ghostly light.

Flare Feline senses something, for sure. Lucky for him he was created by a man who knew felines very well, and programed Flare with a certain instinct. And right now that instinct is blaring like an alarm in his head oO(...this is not a good place to be...) continuing further, he finally leaps out of the trees and lands feet first into the muck, and takes some steps forward. Whatever it is, it's close. His kitty sense are tingling... he has a bad feeling about this place...

Blast Hornet flies along low, and hopes she doesn't end up in the mud again. "This place is strange... I can't put my stinger on it. And my drone just sees more and more swamp up ahead."

Ten shrugs at Ring Redwing. "We'll talk about it later. For now, we need to focus on finding out what is going on here." With a smile, she adds, "Oh, and by the way, I'm a Commander." The smile doesn't last long, as the eerie feeling of the swamp quickly begins to affect Ten.

Quick Man is paddling along, when he finally notices... "DEAR WILY WHAT DIED IN HERE?!"

Firestorm Phoenix sighs, he's getting a bit scared himself, unsure of what they're going to find, but he puts up and air of total confidence, both for the sake of Wildfire and because of the things that Byte told him. So he flys on, ready to face whatever is out there... and hopefully it won't scream pren.

Although he remains unaffected by the smell, having switched off his olfactory sensors, even an android like Shadow Man is not immune to the sudden... Feeling that overwhelms them, that something here is alive, and pissed off at his presence. But he remains unalarmed, making the logical assumption that the feeling comes from being surrounded by enemy reploids. He knows plenty about 'bioscience', as a expert in a variety of toxins and poisons, but that particular knowledge isn't going to help him in the least here.

Derek leans forward a bit more, peering into the gloom. Coinspinner's superheated edge hissing softly, embers still lazily drifting away from it. A testament to the heat, of course - is the occasional flame that licks along it's edge, the entire blade glowing white hot. It's on FIIII-YAHR, baby. Derek glancing back, with a soft frown. Three women. Damn. Thats three he's gotta keep safe... and get their phone numbers. Strider Balance is the only thing keeping him ont he boat, now...
Which is when Mem calls out. Blink. Derek hefts a hand to his head, and calls back: "Buenas noches, bella. I have no clue."

Serena Gilbert smiles at Derek. "See to ya as well, sugah." She moves up to Derek, "Ya must tell me ya name... during... other things sugah." She winks at him. //Nice body. Possibly a Athlete. Hope he is as good in private stuff as well...// With that she also takes a oar and starts rowing.

Being slowed down by the increasing density of the swamp foliage, a slight twinge of worry makes Alloy's forehead crinkle in a frown as the sense of something approaching grows stronger. He's felt this sort of emotional influence before. "Wonderful, deja vu? Oh yes." Landing gently on the shores, he decides to progress on foot, a little less haste might be a good idea.

Rigger looks down as she's handed.... A baby gator. It peers up at her with pleading, reptilian eyes. The light catches in it's water-slicked eyes, highlighting the false tears that alligators are known for. Let me gooo, let me goooo. That's what all good baby gators with rubber bands around their mouths want, right? ...A shifty glance is cast toward Alia, then toward the gator again as she debates. "...Y'know, I think we might have some 'bait' for whatever it is..."

Job looks about pulling his sheild off his back. "I don't like this at all, there is something out there. I can see it on thermo. I doubt its happy with all of us either." Job is now on full alert for what ever might come.

Alia's rowing doesn't stop, though she does blink at the help from Serena before glancing back at Rigger. "Aw, it'll be okay. I'd rather keep it than let it go in this lifeless place. Whatever's out there would probably -eat- it; nothing else is around but us and plants." Bait? Her little baby gator as BAIT?
Despite popular belief, Alia could defend herself.

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] MSE XO Fusion Phoenix transmits, "If I bring Rust Ghoul in for questioning, what are the chances that we would lock him up afterwards?"

Sonic continues to travel along, looking at the water. "It's worse than Harpoon's grog," She remarks. .. She gets an idea. "Hey, ya dinnae suppose I could get drunk off it, d'ya, Fluffy?" "mew." Remarks the kitten. It ain't going near enough to the water to find out, in other words. It clings to Sonic's head, crouching down against Sonic's skull, claws clinging to the synthflesh, tail standing straight out, the tail frizzed like a pipe cleaner. Hark!! .. Something wicked this way comes... And it's got somethign Evil terrified as heck.

Ring Redwing nods and then the full effect of the gloom and doomy swamps falls on her, "Gee, it sure is creepy here..." she says in a much more subdued fashion. It comes out as a weak whisper that she isn't even sure she heard herself. The lack of conversation and the tense bog silence following that roar is starting to play tricks on her mind. She glances about concernedly, expecting something to jump out of the shadows at any moment.

Mem blinks in confusion and she calls back. "My name's not Bella! It's Mem! And if you don't know where we are, who does? Are there any more monsters around here? I saw some weird swamp thing back there," she points behind her, because it's back.

Ether Skunk accidently inhales a mosquito.

Suddenly, the swamp decides to not toy with your emotions. Another roar fills the area, this time from right in the midsts of the traveling parties, and something... something hideous... rises from the swamp. A full fifty feet long, the green and brown shape rises like lightning from the depths, where it kept a silent eye on the noisome intruders. With a swift action, it latches onto the first intruder it sees: a hoverbike bearing a violet Robot Master, though its bite could quite possibly tear the Master in half as well.

Bayou misses Shadow Man with his Nawlins Reckonin attack.

Rigger smirks toward Alia, giving a slight shrug. As her radio continues to frazzle and beep with a name that sounds much like her own, she frowns slightly. Shifting the gator to one arm, she reaches down to slip the earbud back in. May as well keep in touch. ...Course that idea's blown to heck as the monster surfaces. O.O; "...Better it than us, Alia."

The Fire Strider glances back as he's approached by Serena... and can't HELP the Devil's grin on his face. Bowchickabowwow... Ahem. An eyebrow quirked, a head tilted to show off the best of his features as he gives the southern sweetheart his best vivid brown eyed wink. "I agree, love... why don't we start a little- AH!"

Unfortunatly, Derek's groove is interrupted - by a big ol' monster. Growling angrily, Derek prances away from the prow, back to the rear of the boat. Yelling to Alia and Serena: "Row!! Get out of it's range!" Even while his legs flex. Wait for it...
o/~ Nerp chika nerp-nerp. o/~

Wildfire Phoenix almost wrecks into her own brother as someone... or something happens behind them. "Storm!" she yells at him pointing back at it chomping down on a hover bike, or something. "We got serious company!'

Ether Skunk is distracted from her impromptu mosquito snack by... the much larger thing that could make a snack out of HER. She freezes in place for now as she whirls to face the creature, holding the blade before her, watching- good. It's not her it's eating. But any moment, it could come straight for the skunk, and so she remains ready, antigrav field charging around her...

Serena Gilbert waves a little at Alia, "Serena Gilbert, UN Elite Security Officer. Nice ta meetcha. Ah had hope it was under better circumstances." And continues to row.

Quick Man looks behind him at the giant monster, and rows like hell! The water sprays behind him as he paddles away at cartoon-like speeds!

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] RF XO, Colonel transmits, "High, he is a wanted fellon."

Blast Hornet lets out a startled sound as the huge shape rises up ahead, and nearly takes another spill inot the mud. "Well, that's why my drone never saw it! It was under the muck." Blast Hornet hangs back, and looks at the beast. "I dunno what it is, but it certainly is ugly. And loud. And stinky. And ugly. "What do we do, strike it, or wait for it to eat everyone else?"

Job hits the reverse on his hovercycle and jets up and backwards as well. "Look at the size of that thing!" Job looks about for a possible way by the critter while its busy with something else.

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] MSE XO Fusion Phoenix transmits, "Any outstanding warents?"

Flare Feline was right. Oh why did he have to be right. He leaps back up into the trees to get a better look at the swamp thing. Whatever it is, it's monsterous. oO(Cripes, has this thing always been here?) He watches for now, as the beast strikes out at what looks like a Robot Master. "This is probably going to turn really bad, really quick..."

Alloy looks around wildly as he hears the bestial roar once again. Well, this is feeling like Papua New Guinea all over again. He leaps into the air once again, and starts heading back out onto the river. At least there's more than ten feet of visual range out there.

Firestorm Phoenix oh craps as the monster rises from the water, "Get back now!" Firestorm grabs his sister as his jets kick into full gear throwing both of them quite a distance away quickly. He then turns and eyes the monster that they have happened upon, "Oh this is so not good."

Ten is right about to reply to Ring Redwing, when the roar suddenly mnakes doing so impossible. The appearance of the monster nearly causes Ten to scream, but her great courage holds out. Ten circles back momentarily to (hopefully) stay out of the thing's range, while speaking on her radio.

"Alia, Hunter dispatch," The pink-shirted Hunter replies evenly, immediately reversing her direction on rowing.. which, with Sarah's rowing the right way, spins the boat around a good deal before she beigns rowing again, to get -quickly- out of that .. thing's range.

Y'all remember the Banshee's doggarel singing? T'aint NOTHING in the WORLD that has a tune to it that's like the -howl- of fright that erupts from her form at sight of the beast of the Blue Bayou. "AAAAIIIAAAAACK!!" Fluffy's fur goes SHOOTING out in a vicious fluff, as Sonic Suddenly -SWERVES- in flight, trying to avoid becoming the next snack of the ichorous beast. Her forceful swerve takes the bike flying for a set of trees, and she very nearly hits them, save swerving away at the last minute. Still.. THWACK! CRUNCH!! .. she tail lights them, as she comes to a stop. Sonic then -STARES- at the beast, as it tries to eat Shadow Man.

Wildfire Phoenix would usually protest being spirited away so fast by her brother, but considering the size of that.... thing she doesn't care! No instead she helps her brother get moving, her own boosters turned on fully.

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Aerial Division Commander Ten transmits, "Oh... my... gosh! Everybody, don't get too close to that monster! Fall back to a safe distance!"

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Lieutenant Flare Feline transmits, "...I hear ya..."

Shadow Man is indeed the violet master for once, due to the effects of the swamp's dim to negligable lighting on his normally blue armor. Fortunately, he was prepared for exactly this sort of thing, and kicks off of his Hoverbike... Leaving it to be Swamp Monster food, although perhaps a bit high in iron for its liking. Suddenly submerged in the water, Shadow Man decides that he's not going to take that lying down... He liked that hoverbike. An insanely agile leap springs him right back out of the water, and he attempts to land on the beast's head and bury the retrieved Shadow Blade in its skull. Very bad, very quick? Oh yes.

Rigger glances momentarily at the other two women, as they begin tossing names. Her own is given if only as a means of distraction from the thing snacking on people. "Rigger, Hunter mechanic, medic, and technician. Also sucidial idiot to be here in the first place..." The gator is placed down in the boat so she can grip her wrench once more. There weren't any more oars to work with after all.

Shadow Man strikes Bayou with his Generic Melee attack.

Ring Redwing's wide yellow optics widen even more as something does indeed jump out of the swamp. And that something is a big green and brown hideous thing to boot. Unlike Ten, Redwing does scream. Thankfully, Ten's orders over the radio bring her to her senses abruptly. She immediately flies away from the obviously hideously powerful thing.

Mem is cut off right as she finishes her sentence, ending on the monster part. She just stares at the utterly massive creature from the Black Lagoon. "...why me?" At this point, her fragile little psyche can't handle this stress any more so it's time to call in someone who can. Or rather, time to get serious. Static builds all about Mem's form, a swirling ball of electricity forming. Within, her body appears to change--clothing replaced, hair becoming spikey from the static, and her cute expression turns into a cocky smirk. The bad girl is here to play. Mem remains hovering slightly off the muddy ground, surrounded by her shield of yellow electricity and watches the others risk their necks first.

There is a quick blink of light as an invisible skin-tight barrier forms around Mem.

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Corporal Ring Redwing transmits, "Wh-what in the world is that?"

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Aerial Division Commander Ten transmits, "Must be more tricks of the, um, pendant masters, or whoever."

Blast Hornet decides to hang back for now, and ducks behind a tree. Watching the beast, and waiting for the right time to strike. Or the time to run, whatever. Hopefully, whatever it is will decide to leave her along as long as she leaves it alone. Hopefully.

Derek's balance is almost lost, comming THIS close to being tipped into the water. He catches hold, though, pulling himself upright as the boat begins.. to spin in circles. If Derek weren't afraid of cutting the top of his head off with the Coinspinner, he'd facepalm about now. He glances down to his femme crew, and points in a singular direction. "Near the bend! Get PAST it. Ah, madre..." Muttering vague curses, the latino lover Strider moves to keep the beast in his sight. Coinspinner still hissing in his hands, the angry flame still occasionally licking along the blade. And Derek - trying his best not to tap anyone onboard with it. What a mess.

Shield hears the latest roar and somehow manages to speed up, even though he was going as fast as he thought he could be. He still can't see it, and is forced to rely upon its roar or other people's screams.
Serena Gilbert stops rowing at the sight of the creature. "...No time ta flirt, sugah. Let's do the gettin' out of here, while the gettin' good!!!" She rows harder than ever before. //Ah shoulda stayed as Bluegrass... Now the only way Ah can become her is if I can trust them ta keep mah secret...//

Ether Skunk sheaths her sword and reaches behind her, switching the handheld blade for a glowstick-sized tube of metal instead. She presses the button on the tube, and it promptly juts out into the length of a javelin; the skunk whips it around to hold it before her, ready to throw the thing if the Bayou BEast so much as LOOKS in her direction. No chance in hell she's going to get close enough to cut it open with her katana...

Sonic spews out a course of violent Gaelic curses at the beast with no name, then, deciding that perhaps that it'd be best to sneak by the blasted thing while it's busy trying to eat people. So, thoughtfully, she lifts a hand, keys in her stealth pattern command, and vanishes from sight. .. The Muon suddenly begins to slowly putter it's way towards the beast, trying to eek out a way to sneak by it, while it's rider is unseen.. Fluffy, meanwhile, is now frozen in 'Halloween cat' pose. Sonic's got a lovely hood ornament!

Firestorm Phoenix takes up a defensive position near his sister, he's not about to let this thing get anywhere near her.

Alia did -not- make the boat go in circles, just take a slight detour. She sticks her tounge out at Derek as the baby gator begins crawling around in the boat; the Hunter content to try to direct the boat in the PROPER direction, using Serena's .. enthusiasm to .. move the four of them closer to that thing? .. Not quite, actually, just hoping to slip on by. "Specify next time, sweetie, which direction you want." She was armed.. though it was doubtful a laser pistol would do much to that .. thing.

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] MSE XO Fusion Phoenix transmits, "For what crimes is Rust Ghoul charged?"

Wildfire Phoenix isn't about to let that thing touch her either, it's been in this bog for who knows how long! "I really hate this place.." she mutters to her brother, hovering near him as she eyes the place where that... thing is.

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Captain Phoebus transmits, "The greatest trick of all is that you can recieve it."

The Shadow Blade impacts with the creature, merely bouncing off the armored scales. Now that it's in the open, it's clearly visible... an alligator, the mother of all alligators, it would seem. Larger than a Tyrannosaurus rex, this creature is nearly impossible to fathom. Its mouth opens in a furied roar, it obviously the source of the earlier sound, and it lashes out once more for the offending Robot Master.

At the same time, the flying Mavericks and Maverick Hunters, as well as one of Repliforcers, get near the trees, and this swamp begins to take on a more hideous tone. Branches and vines begin to whip out toward those that flew up and away from the monstrous gator, entangling and damaging those who cannot avoid the swinging vines.

Bayou strikes Sonic Banshee with his Evil Trees attack.
Bayou misses Wildfire Phoenix with his Evil Trees attack.
Bayou misses Firestorm Phoenix with his Nasty Vines attack.
Bayou misses Blast Hornet with his Nasty Vines attack.
Bayou strikes Ten with his Evil Trees attack.
Bayou misses Alloy with his Evil Trees attack.
Bayou strikes Ring Redwing with his Nasty Vines attack.
Ring Redwing is temporarily disoriented by Bayou's Nasty Vines attack.
Bayou strikes Shadow Man with his Nawlins Reckonin attack.
Shadow Man falls to the ground, unconscious, due to massive systems damage.

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Fashionable Feline transmits, "I heard he's a jaywalker. Bust him up for that."

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Captain Phoebus transmits, "You have a good ear for hearing the latest news, Fashionable."

Flare Feline is glad he stayed in the trees. If the last pendent challenge told him something, it could be that this thing is guarding something. Flare works his way around the creature through the trees to see if he can find something behind it, something that looks suspicious, anything.

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Fashionable Feline transmits, "Well I heard it through the grapevine."

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Captain Phoebus transmits, "The grapevine?"

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Fashionable Feline transmits, "Or was it the intraweb?"

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Captain Phoebus transmits, "Ahh."

Mem chuckles to herself at the efforts of the others to escape and even more so at Shadow Man's pathetic attempt to attack. When the jungle seems to come alive, she gets alittle more sober, glancing around to make sure she isn't a target as well. But since she wasn't, the girl just laughs. "Ehehehehe. That's what you get fools. This pendant will belong to us."

Ring Redwing is trapped firmly in the flying vines, the slimy vegetation lashed firmly about her rings, trapping her in place, and nearly knocking the stuffing out of her.

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] MSE XO Fusion Phoenix transmits, "Seriously. What can I pull him in on... ohhh the old stand by! Tax evasion!"

Ten is taking a moment to fall back, while tryign to keep her optics on the monster. Big mistake! Ten doesn't even see the vines coming up to entangle her. This time, she can't stop herself from screaming as the vines begin to encircle her, trapping her. "AAAAAH!"

Rigger grasps the edge of the boat once more. For her part she's just trying to stay down, out of the way, and not capsize things at all. One hand reaches out to keep the baby gator in place, though. So Derek doesn't trip on it. "Wish I could remember how a gator's eyes work. I do know how their jaws work, though. Strong on the downward, weak on opening." Frowning slightly, she looks at the others. "Anyone remember to bring some rope? Lots of it?

Job now he has the location of the beast down he starts to plot his next action. oO(Well the risk should be worth it. While its distracted I'll speed by.) Job revves the Hovercycle's engin as he plots his route past the massive critter. "One for the money, two for the show, three to get ready and four to go!" Then Job sees a number of the others get hammered by the vines and makes notes to keep free of the trees and the vines about him. Job kicks his cycle into gear. Heading to go around the monster and past it.

WHAMMO!!!!! As if Babe Ruth just hit a pop fly, the Muon suddenly FLINGS!! into the air, and crashes into the water, slamming against a bunch of trees, The Bike then begins to burn quite nicely. Whatever was riding upon it comes to the surface, coughing and sputtering and splashing. A mewl of pitiful nature from somewhere nearby causes Sonic to turn her stealth off just so she can find the kitten, who, mewling amidst a bunch of pond water, is swum to, and scooped up. Sonic then grumbles about water on her short and shorts.. And stares up at the huge alligator in disbelief. "Aw, Fudge."

Moving desperately quickly to try and get out of the thick foliage, Alloy yelps and panics as the trees seem to come alive and try to attack him. Throwing caution to the wind, his ribbon-whips extend from his back, shooting out to slice vines and branches which try to grab him, all the while moving as quickly as he can to reach the river again. Bursting out of the thick swampy fauna with leaves and mud plastered to his armour, and one or two bits of vine still wrapped around his leg, although they were severed and aren't gonna hurt, he starts back down the river, deciding that safety /is/ in numbers. Hopefully he'll encounter the others in the boat somewhere along this river.

Ether Skunk falls back and retreats several steps as Big Mama Al lashes out at the crowd gathered, ducking behind a tree and doing her best to avoid it. With a grunt, she leans out to survey the damage, and see just who got hurt.. damn. As far as she's concerned, an attack any of the Hunters is a hostile gesture- and she leaps out from her hiding place with a most terrified "AIIIEEEEEEEE!" ... supposedly, it was a battle cry, but Ether's vocal processors have other things on the mind than suicidal valor. With a mighty throw, the skunk heaves her javelin forward; a lash of bright purple light drives the weapon towards the Alligator, faster, harder than a physical throw could manage. If this thing manages to hit- well. It's gonna sink in deep. But then again, with a creature so large, deep is relative.

Ether Skunk misses Bayou with her Steel Rain attack.

Serena Gilbert proceeds to row a damn bit faster, "Yes, sah, Captain, sah!" She says to Derek, "And may Ah add ya have a fine ass too, sah!" With her quip in place, Serena works on what Derek said... Getting away from the Godzilla wannabe.

Firestorm Phoenix blinks as vines come out of no where and begins evasive manuvuers, his blades pop out and begins cutting down vines. He then notices Nix and grabs ahold of her again jetting up and out of the way of the nasty things attacking. "This is not good, we're going have to fight." With that he lets go of Wildfire and begins to glow, his battle armor phasing into existants.

".. Maria Santas, nos preserva almas pobres.."

Speaks the Fire Strider, idly crossing himself as he spots the Mega-Gator. He glances down, once at the struggling baby alligator - letting Coinspinner's light die. Alligator. BAAAAD idea to have big, bright, shiney lights. He glances back to his crew, pressing a finger to his lips: "Shh!! Silent running. You want more of that.. or /THAT/??" Here, Derek gestures up to the clinging vines. And, without warning...
Smiles. Oh, this is dangerous. Deadly. Destructive. And utterly insane. WHATTA RISK! It's the perfect bet. Cosmic, undeniable power, the ability to protect his family... his friends... in exchange for something that he enjoys doing as is? Mother preserve us. Glancing back to Serena, and laughing before winking: "Not too shabby yourself, my beauty."

Firestorm Phoenix changes into his Heavy armor.

Blast Hornet lets out a frightened shriek as her cover from the beast, a tree, begins to whip viney-tentacle-things at her. And Blast again lands in the mud. "Ugh!" She says, and rises up. "Stupid tree!" She saya, and tries to get as far away from any trees as she can in the close-knit boggy growth. She pulls herself up out of the mud with her wings, and loads some explosives into her launcher arm. "Ok, no more I said someone was gonna get blown up fro knockin' my pretty booty into the mud, and I will!" She shouts, and launches a series of flashing bright and loudly crackleing fireworks at a few nearby trees. "Take that you overgrown weeds!"

Undoubtedly Shadow Man recieves the brunt of the attack, and for obvious reasons. As the creature reels forward, he's flung off of it, and left to the same fate as his hoverbike - the gator's massive jaws slam down on him mercilessly, teeth that are hardly comparable to razors but still sharp enough to get the job done instantly piercing through a leg, arm, and neck, while at the same time cracking his light ceramic armor. Aside from these four specific wounds, his structural integrity is not badly damaged, but no matter how strong your armor may be, a severed neural column is going to be the end of you.

Blast Hornet misses Bayou with her Fireworks attack.

Quick Man suddenly stops paddling, and turns to see what it was. And his eyes glisten with joy as he spies a gator even bigger than the one he found. You can almost see the drool forming in his mouth. "CRIKEY!" Shouting his warcry, he paddles back in the direction he came from, towards the gator.

Alia frowns at the baby gator. "If this thing ends up being -that- thing's baby, one of you three kill me, hm?" Perfectly serious, yes. At rigger's words, she waves at the tangled, knotted, disintigrated spool toward the back. "Rope's no good." She falls quiet quickly, eyes narrowed slightly, still rowing, but as quietly as she could.

Wildfire Phoenix nods at her brother, "Sure are..." she says as her rail guns come over her shoulders to rest against her front. That and her wings catch fire. "Now come'n get me... stupid vines.." she mutters as her eyes glance around quickly.

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Captain Phoebus transmits, "...Sheesh, look it friggin up."

Serena Gilbert eyes Alia, "Ya got it, sugah." Row row your boat away from the monster... Scream Scream... Life just became a Nightmare...

Sonic Banshee just stands there, sopping wet, with Fluffy in her arms, staring at the giant gator in shock and disbelief. Let everyone else around her attack the danged thing. She ain't giong near it if she doesn't have to. Nuh-uhn. Sidhe No Likey! "He don't like his mather, don't look like his father, I'm tellin' ya, folks, there's somethin' in the water!" She announces to the cat as she tucks it back into her shirt, and turns to start wading -AWAY- from the beast. .. Well, at least, until the gets the idea that maybe she could sing to it to try and soothe it. Give her a second; 'Music Hath Charms to Sooth the Savage Beast' usually hits Sonic after a moment..

No, not yet, not yet...now Shield finally makes it to where he can see what's going on, and he's not too happy with what he sees. "That...is not normal," he remarks concerning the hostile foliage. A giant dinosaur alligator isn't /that/ unusual to Shield, all things considered. But trees aren't supposed to attack people. Drawing his energy saber and extending the blade, Shield begins to stomp towards his fellow Hunters to stand beside them. "Ether, are you alright?" he asks, approaching her while keeping an eye on the ivy and another on the beast.

She's a psycho."
Shield puts his guard up.

Quick Man finally reaches the gator, than leaps into the air and lands on it's back. He then proceeds tooo.... hug it. Yes, he's hugging the giant death machine. "Oooh, you're the biggest bestest awwigator in da whole wide world! Yes you are! Yes you are!" He's gone insane.

Flare Feline is still trying to see if he can find anything suspicious behind the beast.

The giant gator roars as it tosses Shadow Man like a rag doll, the remains of his bike still lolling from the Cretaceous beast's mouth. Its primitive mind feeling the scattered rain of the skunk's attack while it shakes the bike free. Unable to whirl around fast enough, it takes the opportunity begin to swing its massive tail at the skunk, the serrated armor on the beast almost like razor blades as it swipes through the air. But more importantly, as Quick Man latches onto it, the threat becomes more immediate, and the beast rolls in the water.
As for the vines, they continue to whip and wave through the air, lashing out at any foolish enough to remain near or attack them.

Bayou misses Blast Hornet with his Nasty Vines attack.
Bayou strikes Firestorm Phoenix with his Nasty Vines attack.
Firestorm Phoenix is temporarily disoriented by Bayou's Nasty Vines attack.
Bayou strikes Quick Man with his Bayou Gator attack.

Rigger purses her lips into a tight frown as Derek begins to act like his usual self once more. Shooting an annoyed look at Serena, and then back toward Derek, she mutters, "Can it wait till after we know we'll survive?" She remarks dourly. She's all for keeping quiet though, which she does while lifting the handkercheif to her mouth again.

Quick Man suddenly feels like he's in a washing machine, and decides he likes his other gator better. He then lets go and scrambles away as fast as he can, which is pretty damn fast.

Firestorm Phoenix erks as he's grabbed up by some vines and they begin to squeeze, "Crap." Is all he as he trys to fight against the vines.

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] RF XO, Colonel transmits, "He is a suspected Maverick, in the least."

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Captain Phoebus transmits, "How suspected?"

Mem continues to hover and look smugly around at the people dumb enough to attack the gator head on. She just shakes her head at Quick Man as he disappears under the water.

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Fashionable Feline transmits, "Why don't you just get a ride armor then start crushing him until he admits what he's done?"

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] RF XO, Colonel transmits, "Or a suspected Maverick ally, that should be enough to detain him."

Wildfire Phoenix blinks at her brother, and those vines, "Hey let'em go!" she yells as she flies for him, both hands lite with heat and fire then she tries grabbing both, basically trying to lite them up and rip them off, "Leggo!"

Flare Feline sees nothing behind the creature for now. Well, a pendent is irrevelent. This thing is attacking his friends, and Flare's done enough standing around and watching. He stays in the trees where he has an advantage. He raises his hand, palm blaster open and begins to form a fireball "Time to burn, swamp thing!" He spins and hurls the ball of flaming death at the creature. As it sails towards it, another thought hits Flare's mind. Swamp. Swamp gas. Swamp gas + Fireball = Kaboomies. Whoops.

Wildfire Phoenix misses Bayou with her Phoenix's Aura attack.

Ether Skunk almost faints dead on the spot as the beast whirls on her, wheeling about and fleeing outright, before screetching to a halt, bending forward, hiking her rump, and then her tail. "BACK OFF!" she howls. "OR I'LL SPRAY YOU!" Despite her bravado, Ether is trembling like a dead leaf in a chill autumn breeze... until she notices.. that she still lives. SHe lifts her head and peeks back, to see the gator going after someone else! Aha! It worked! The skunk turn back towards the beast and, convinced she's scared it off towards other targets, begins to gather her next attack. Hands raised overhead, she gathers licks and waves of ambient heat and light- taking several long moments to muster a blazing fireball that shines like the sun in the dark swamp atmosphere. With another squealy battle cry, she throws the sphere forward- as it leaves her hands, it dissolves into a blazing, firey beam that cuts through the dank air, moving to singe the nasty beast. Mmm. Fried alligator.

Ether Skunk strikes Bayou with her Incandescent Force attack.
You miss Bayou with your Pulse Break attack.

Serena Gilbert nods once at Rigger, "All right, sugah." Row. Row. Ignore the little boat... full with young nuble girls... and a horny Strider.

El Jugador Azul just continues to watch the alligator as he and his crew quickly begin to part ways with the gator, further down the river. He glances aside to Rigger, smiling quietly, and giving a wink: "Ahh huuh... I think we can slow down a little, now. Don't want to disrupt whatever else is down there, waiting for a snack. Stay away from shore... those vines, they don't look like amigoes to me." Coinspinner begins to glow a dull orange, once more - nothing more than a light. Hot as a frying pan, right now. Derek keeping the power down, to not pull up that giant gator. It was.. doubtful... his little boat could survive the wreck. None the less, he eventually begins moving towards the front of the boat again. Leaning down to murmur in Serena's ear as he passes: "Switch out with Rigger, love. We'll need all the rowing power we have. Keep an eye out back while I light the way.."

Sonic continues to stare onward at the giant beast as it thrashes in the water! Jeeemany CHRISSMASS! "Vile wants tha' demned pendant sa' much let HIM Face tha' ruddy thing!" she remarks, loudly, before she eyes the gator. As it starts to roll.. well, what'd I tellya? The idea starts to come to mind. Hey, hey, her job is singing, and what does singing do to big beasties? Wby, it's supposed to put them to sleep! Sonic eyes the giant beast, and taking a breath, starts to sing...
"Music grow s in tha' rose, rock an' tha' rain an' tha' blowin' snow storm. Everything seems t'ae sing, everywhere I go. I say one, two, play me do, let me sound as sweet as yew, play me wide, play me long, let me be yer song.... "

Sonic Banshee strikes Bayou with her Sonic Shriek attack.
Bayou is temporarily disoriented by Sonic Banshee's Sonic Shriek attack.

Blast Hornet dodges more of the vines, and deosn't end up in the mud this time. She decides to give her new upgrade to her drones a real test, and sends out half a dozen of her wasps. They buzz loudly and fly around her, flying so quickly as to create a buzzing shield around her. "Well, time to give my drones a field test..." She says to herself, and then flies directly towards the head of the massive gator, and decides to provide a nice distraction so everyone else can attack, or run, or do wahtever. She buzzes her wings loudly and flies around the gators head. "Look, A Distraction! *BZZZZ!!*" It might be a bit suicidal, but it'll give her fellow mavericks a chance to attack the beast.

Job zooms by the monster on his hovercycle as it is busy with its other play mates. oO(I hate to do this but attacking that monster is crazy! Better to avoid and keep on searching. Never fight if you can get another way out.) Job pilots his craft on ahead trying to keep his optic peels for any more threts.

Blast Hornet projects a forcefield around herself.

Ten calms down and realizes that she can escape from the vines quite easily. She is right about to activate her fire systems, when another thought suddenly occurs to her. If she isn't very careful, she will end up setting her friends on fire too, not to mention being hurt somewhat herself by the blazing vines! Very carefully, Ten uses her control over her power to burn the vines away without endangering herself or her friends in the process.

Alia is rather glad that they've taken the boat instead of the air, watching the flyers get entangled quickly. Her rowing slows, however, though still moving forward, away from the trees and shore as best as she could. Amazingly, the slim Hunter was still rowing perfectly fine even now; though she flinches at the horrible singing from Banshee. Sometimes having really good hearing ... is bad. "Don't toss the baby gator, either." A warning to Rigger /and/ Serena. So far it's been completely silent aside from occasional wiggling, and hopefully it stays that way.

Alloy skims along the surface of the river, definitely not touching it, wondering where everyone is now, when suddenly the enormous gator bursts out of the foliage right in front of him and sends up a huge wave of water. Pulling to a stop, he watches it roll and realises it's got something, either in it's jaws or attached to it, but he doesn't have time to look more closely before Ether's attack lances out of the forest an strikes the alligator. "Whoa! Watch where you're firing, dammit!" he shouts, more out of annoyance than real anger. He floats up and away from the water's surface though, to make sure he's out of reach if it tries to grab him and out of the line of everyone else's fire. Then he begins charging his internal capacitor. Well, his best ranged weapon isn't much, but it's all he's got.

Mem's emerald gaze shifts to the small craft floating away down the river bearing a few passengers. She grins. They're so.. unsuspecting and helpless. It's impossible to resist. Lifting one hand, the raging torent of static about her body begins to channel into that arm before it explodes forth in a violent jagging bolt of lightning. It streaks rapidly through the boggy mist, well-aimed for the hull of the flimsy boat. "You can't leeeeeave~"

Serena Gilbert nods and leaves the rowing (hopefully Rigger can pick up the slack) and heads to the front of the boat peering through all of the darkness...

Shield wants to facepalm. "Ether, what are you /doing/?!" he shout/whispers at her when she taunts the beast. "Stop trying to get us killed!" Shield is neither attacking the beast nor the swamp, he's purely on defensive right now.

As the two heroes fire energy weapons at the great monster, the creature roars in anger. Wheeling about, it swings its tail at them, trying to knock them out of the air. The swampwater, though fetid, does not light, but at the sight of flames, these vines begin to withdraw.

The sonic shriek appears not to serious affect it... scary.

Bayou misses you with his Bayou Gator attack.
Bayou strikes Ether Skunk with his Bayou Gator attack.

Quick Man is running across the water, away from the alligator, when he spies the crushed Shadow Man. He reaches down as he rockets by, and grabs him to get him out of here as well.

Quick Man retreats from the area swiftly, outdistancing all pursuit and parting shots.

Rigger hears the whisper between Derek and Serena. So naturally she begins to wriggle back in the boat, closer toward the side that Serena is currently on. A hand is held out expectantly in silent request for the oar. She can pull her own weight, no problem there.

Quick Man enters the Bayou.
Quick Man has left.

Serena Gilbert nods and leaves the rowing (hopefully Rigger can pick up the slack) and heads to the back of the boat peering through all of the previous darkness...

Ether Skunk turns to look at Shield. "What? You saw what it's tryin' to do! It's tryin' to kill-" *THWAP* "AAIIIIEEEEEEEEE!" With a howl, the skunk is knocked HARD by the blow of the Alligator's tail, slammed clean into the air. If she didn't slow her rapid flight with a burst of antigrav, she might come to an uncomfortable landing on striking a tree. With a grunt. she falls to the earth, doubled-over in pain as she clutches at the massive dents and rends that mark the impact of the gator's tail. For a moment, the skunk is incapacitated, kneeling in the muck.

Flare Feline expected a counterattack, and leaped forward to another tree across from him. He's relieved the fireball didn't affect the swamp in a bad way. He grins "Seems it doesn't like fire eh? Well then, let's see how it lies this!" He clutches his fist, charging it with firey energy. No pulling punches, he's blasting that thing with his most powerful attack right now. This isn't some stupid cartoon series where you gradually use slightly more powerful attacks. Flare forms a rather large and bright fireball in his hands. Target locked. Fireball!!! KA-POW!

You miss Bayou with your Flare Pulse attack.

Backing off carefully, she raises her rings up to ward off any other sudden incoming blows from either the alligator or the violent swamp and it's vines. She looks around for Ten and Flare, wondering what to do next. They are the superior officers after all.

Ring Redwing finally extricates herself from the clinging vines. Backing off carefully, she raises her rings up to ward off any other sudden incoming blows from either the alligator or the violent swamp and it's vines. She looks around for Ten and Flare, wondering what to do next. They are the superior officers after all. 0-reposed for those who are logging.-0

Firestorm Phoenix's phoenix pop out from his forarms and he begins to cut away at them and with Wildfire's aid, he manages to break himself loose from the vines. Grumbling, Firestorm looks around himself and grumbles, "This swamp is really starting to annoy me. Lets take it out, destroy everything untill nothing is left moving." He himself takes a bit to gather himself back up.

Ring Redwing puts her guard up.

"Play me down on tha' ground, song comes singing fr'aum tha' midnight places, raise me high in tha' sky, song comes driftin' through. I say one, two, play me do, let me sound as sweet as yew, play me wide, play me long, let me be yer song.... "

Sonic continues to sing, though her song seems not to have effected the giant beast. Nevermind that it'll probably just tick the beast off worse. And, well, since the thing appears to be distracted by everyone eeeeellllllsee.. Sonic keeps singing to try and calm it as she.. starts to creep for it's direction, hoping to skirt around it while it.. Plays.. with everyone else.

"PLay me high, play me low, play where tha' wild wind's blowin', play me wide, play me long, play me far yer song. I say one, two, play me do, let me sound as sweet as yew, play me wide, play me long, let me be yer song.... "

Shield runs over to Ether's side and kneels down beside her. Yes she's a pain but she's a comrade. "Ether, are you ok? And this is why you don't try to tick off things that size!" He can't do first aid, so for now he just makes sure neither vine nor gator approaches either of them. "How badly are you hurt?"

Wildfire Phoenix shakes her head a little, "It's the pendant doing this prolly bro, we can get it this place'll be fine..." she says before glancing toward the Gator. She ponders, "But what should we do now? Head on into this bog?

Derek continues to peer forward, letting Coinspinner act as a light. Quirking a brown eyebrow.. when he notices how much these things DON'T like the heat. One can almost hear his Devil's Grin SHINING. He pours in a bit more heat, the blade glowing a medium orange now - embers starting to lazily drift away. Thats when, of course - he hears Mem. Glance back. AH! Feces. Thinking quick, Derek yanks out.. his pack of cards. Eh?
But it's not just ANY pack of cards! It's the silver edged, razor sharped fighting cards. To be used in all forms of cardly games, from poker to black jack.. and to slice a person into tiny bits. Or to use the metal edges to bounce the static to a null. Thus, in a flurry of reds and blacks, with a blue backing and silver glitning in the air.. the entire deck is flung behind. The static charge striking it, and bouncing from metal edge to metal edge before dissapating. The cards lazily floating back to the water... And Derek goes back to lighting the way. Deeper into the swamp... smell's not so bad, once you get used to it. Kinda like Mexico on a rainy day.

Alloy watches in horror as the gator moves far faster than he expected, swatting Ether out of the air. Bugger attacking this thing. He streaks down, presumably past Flare, and approaches Ether, kneeling beside her as Shield says his piece. "I /told/ you..." he mutters, but keeps his peace, waiting for Ether to reply.

The gator roars again, furious that it is being so annoyed. Turning its attention from the feline, it snaps at the giant insect, mind flashing back to deep stored racial memories of insects naturally large enough to eat. The sight of the gator snapping is horrifying, the form lifting right out of the water, lightning fast in this action. It knows well how to hunt.

Meanwhile, vines begin to snake toward Shield and Ether, threatening to evelop them both in their folds.

Bayou strikes Shield with his Nasty Vines attack.
Shield is temporarily disoriented by Bayou's Nasty Vines attack.
Bayou strikes Blast Hornet with his Nawlins Reckonin attack.
Blast Hornet's forcefield collapses.

Ether Skunk coughs in a rattly manner as Shield nears, before opening her mouth and flashing him a bright smile. "Never *HACK* felt... felt be-*COUGH*-tter!" she mumbles, standing shakily. Most everything between her knees and shoulder are battered and broken, armor plates shook loose, cut open.... she grunts quietly as she looks towards the others, wrinkling up her nose. "I appreciate the concern, guys, but I'm fine... eh?" She looks up as the vines lash out at them, before howling a quick "LOOK OUT!" and throwing herself into the mud.

Serena Gilbert lifts up her Assistbot, The Assistbot's eyes glows, at least partially cutting through the darkness. "Nothin' behind us sugah!" Naturally not seeing Derek's trouble with a little Shadow-Type Hunter.
Job retreats from the area swiftly, leaving him open to pursuit or parting shots from Flare Feline, Ten, Bayou, Wildfire Phoenix, Ether Skunk, Sonic Banshee, Alloy, Ring Redwing, Firestorm Phoenix, and Blast Hornet.

Flare Feline fistshakes at the monster. It doesn't seem to like fire, but it's armor seems to be too tough. He'll have to change that. Doing something that is probably VERY stupid, Flare leaps down from the tree, aiming to land ON the beast, hands first. As he veers towards it, a wave of fire is emitted from his plam blaster, and with that enhancement, he prepares to tear into the creature with his firey claws once he lands.

You strike Bayou with your Flame Claw attack.

Alia doesn't pause her rowing, glancing once back at the shifting positions. Whee. "Nice card trick, amigo," the Hunter murmurs under her breath, aiming their progress to get -around- that gator without being seen. Other than the glowing cipher and the occasional conversations, the boat was running mostly silent. Their forward motion hadn't stopped yet for very long, for better or worse. And soon, with luck, they'd slip right by.

"Tch." Mem clenches her fist and frowns slightly after the boat. Stupid Striders always messing with her fun. "Whatever. Run you losers." That's telling em. Lowering her hand, the girl settles down on the ground and shifts her weight to one leg, placing her hand on the tilted hip. The static field builds again and soon her entire body is sheathed in a protective field as she returns to watching the gator battle.

Rigger dips the oar she'd taken over into the water silently. While not something she did often, she knew how to twist an oar on the instroke, and then again on the out so that it causes hardly a sound in the water. She is still wary of the gator, if only for not knowing how long it's tail might be beneath these murky, fetid waters. "If that was the guardian... Should be up ahead somewhere, hopefully. If not..." If not she didn't want to think about something that large *really* existing.

Ten flies up from the retreating vines. A few flames are still coming off of her body, and she is looking ready for battle! Smirking slightly, Ten says, "You know, I prefer my salad cooked! It's best when well done!" With that, she points a palm at the gator-monster. Flames gather in ehr palm, and form a small fireball, which goes flying toward the monster. Good thing Ten didn't wait any longer to attack! The sight of the snapping gator is quite startling, and would have probably thrown her aim way off!

Firestorm Phoenix growls, "I don't care if it is the pendant, destroy everything." His hands come together over his head as a fireball begins to form, "Blast, fall back and fight this thing from a distance." Firestorm throws his hands forward, unleashing a large fireball at the nearest tree.

Firestorm Phoenix misses Bayou with his Phoenix Flame attack.
Bayou successfully deflects an attack randomly.

Ten strikes Bayou with her Flame Palm Blast attack.

Ring Redwing isn't sure what to do, so just keeps backing away from the Swamp monster, besides she's pretty badly injured from all the flying vines. Keeping her rings in front of her defensively, but not running away either. The others are attacking the beast though.

Blast Hornet continues to buzz around the beasts head, and tries to get out of reach of it's massive jaws. While her forcefield was a good idea, distracting the big beast was definatly not. Her protective wall of wasps is useless against the massive beast, and all of the drones explode as they're crushed. She manages to survive, and drops down towards the mud. She weakly buzzes away, and really really REALLY hopes this thing has a short memory span, and she limps away.

Sonic Banshee continues to try and creep past the giant gatorbeast, slogging through the muck and the mire, to head for.. some place.. behind it. Yes, seems like a good idea to her. And she sings as she does so. Why? because she might get lucky. Ahahaha. Yeah, right. Sonic, and Luck. Have you ever heard of that before? Nope, never. Ahaha.
"Headed down tha' road I'm goin' round an' round, walkin' through tha' light an' through tha' free an' easy land! All I want is t'ae know how tha' world goes round.."

Sonic pauses as she creeps along, and keys in her stealth mechanisms again. As she vanishes from sight, she starts to half-wade, half dog paddle, still trying top get around the beast, but now, nothing more than an un-seen, singing force.

Shield is amazed at the speed of the vines as the home in. He manages to slash a great deal of them as they try to encircle Ether, and most of the ones coming after himself as well. However, several get past his defense and begin to squeeze him. Hard. "Urgh," is all that can be heard above the creaking off his armor. But Shield doesn't give up, he begins blasting the vines with ice shards, either freezing and shattering or outright severing them as fast as he can.

Wildfire Phoenix just blinks at her brother, shaking her head a little. She didn't really see a need to start burning down the entire place... she figured the pendant would just be farther in... get it... all the weird stuff stops... "Hmmm.." she glances back toward the Gator.

Ether Skunk hops to her feet as the nasty vines past, tottering in a somewhat unstable manner, but still staying upright... on seeing Shield ensnared, though, she lets out a muttered curse to herself and raises her hands over her head once more- like before, gathering the nearby heat into a glimmering fireball. "SHIELD!" she calls out. ".... UM... KEEP... HANGING THERE! YEAH!" Not like he can hide while he hangs, and so the skunk goes ahead and lets loose the next firey blast straight into the trees over her head, trying to fry the source of the vines that tangle her comrade.

Ether Skunk strikes Bayou with her Incandescent Force attack.

Serena Gilbert sniffs the air... and attempts to force down the urge to throw up, "...And Ah thought the swamp itself was bad..."

Alloy looking over Ether's wounds with worry, is nearly caught unawares by the vines again, but his ribbon whips are still extended, so they slash around at the vines coming his way, even if they're not actually aiming at him. Turning to Shield as he starts getting ovewhelmed by vines, Alloy moves quickly to sever the vines wrapping themselves around Shield, well away from his body of course, wouldn't want to accidentally hit Shield while he's flailing around.

The gator roars, sinking back down into the swampwater, and the trees descend, limbs now striking at everyone who remains to fight, from Skunk to Phoenix. Only a few people escape the wrath of the bayou.

Bayou strikes Ether Skunk with his Nasty Vines attack.
Ether Skunk is temporarily disoriented by Bayou's Nasty Vines attack.
Ether Skunk falls to the ground, unconscious, due to massive systems damage.
Bayou strikes Wildfire Phoenix with his Evil Trees attack.
Bayou misses Firestorm Phoenix with his Evil Trees attack.
Bayou misses Ten with his Evil Trees attack.
Bayou misses you with his Nasty Vines attack.
Bayou strikes Alloy with his Evil Trees attack.
Bayou misses Ring Redwing with his Evil Trees attack.
Ring Redwing deflects Evil Trees from Bayou.

"Gracias, amiga." Comments Derek to Alia, grinning back. Then looking forward again, towards - the mountain of mud. And the smell of corpses. Frowning quietly, he whispers back: "Ready yourselves, love. I don't think I can save all of you at once."
He turns back forward, leaning down to glance at the water. Coinspinner still burning orange in his hands, looking for shore. So he doesn't break a hole in the bow. "... Pull up hours, loves. We'll glide in."
Look! It's Derek's Angels! Serena! Rigger! Alia!

Ether Skunk manages to fry some of the trees, but in her distraction, she takes a limb to the head. *BONK* Little Beats flutter around her head, and with a little giggle, the skunk drops into an unconscious, battered heap, still on the ground.

Flare Feline feels the roar from atop the beast, no need to hear it. Sensing the impending doom upon him he takes a chance and leaps straight up into the air, and veers towards some trees that didn't start to break and fall. Taking a stable foothold once more he breathes a sigh of relief. And takes a look around to see if anyone's hurt, and if anything else comes up...

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Corporal Ring Redwing transmits, "I can't take much more of this? What's the plan, Commander?"

Wildfire Phoenix gets SMACKED by one of those trees, at that point she goes spinning around and splashes into the murk head first in a hiss of steam. Nothing else happens at first but she eventually surfaces, coughing, hacking, and sparking a little. "Owww...." she splashes around a little, water is not her best environment. HELP!

Derek Vasquez enters the Sheltered Nest.
Derek Vasquez has left.

Rigger slides the oar out of the water one last time and slips it back into the boat where it belongs. Nice and safe so they can get out again. She's glad for the kercheif around her face now, though it's obvious she's still frowning in distaste. "No need to worry too much about us," she remarks toward Derek with a shrug. "No one's died from these chases yet. I should know." She should have died, twice over.

Rigger enters the Sheltered Nest.
Rigger has left.
Serena Gilbert enters the Sheltered Nest.
Serena Gilbert has left.

Sonic Banshee continues to sing, and wade. So far, her invisible, 'can't see me, can't eat me', idea appears to be working. As she comes close to the thrashing, she suddenly falls silent. NOT because little miss stealth and infiltrate has been hurt or KO'd.. But because it suddenly dawned on her that if she's SINGING, it might HEAR her. She continues to swim past the gator and on..

Sonic Banshee retreats from the area swiftly, leaving her open to pursuit or parting shots from Flare Feline, Ten, Bayou, Wildfire Phoenix, Ether Skunk, Alloy, Ring Redwing, Firestorm Phoenix, and Blast Hornet.

Alia silently lifts the oar out of the water and sets it down inside the boat; still close at hand, picking up the baby gator again, which simply blinks. Seems it's getting used to being picked up by now. A quick grin to Derek; not all of them -needed- saving at once. She could hold her own for a little while, at least.

Alia enters the Sheltered Nest.
Alia has left.

Firestorm Phoenix erks as trees descend upon him. Jets go to full burn and he streaks straight up, avoiding the evil trees. When the attack is done he notices Wildfire and jets down towards her, grabbing hold of her arms and pulling her up out of the muk. Clinging tightly he flys after the others, "Hold on Wildfire, looks like whatever that was has had enough."

Blast Hornet escapes any further retribution from the beast and it's forest, but is still here. The pendant hasn't been found, and Blast isn't done yet. She's not giving up after only one hit, that'd be wimpy and stuff. Although she's not going to be a pretty sight when she ends up in the medbay.

Wildfire Phoenix blinks a bit and holds onto her bro a bit. The boosters over her body attempt to fire off a bit before they stop. A bit clogged up. "Darn it.." she muuters, "C'mon.. we gotta find that the pendant.." she says.

Mem hmms, her interest in this matter quickly waning. These pathetic losers aren't doing anything to this giant swamp beast. Perhaps she should look elsewhere. A glance is given after the boat again. Ah, hell, why not? Striders need some buttkicking for last time anyways. Turning, Mem slips quickly into the trees and begins to quickly yet silently race after Derek and his friends. Ninja skillz, booyah.

Sonic Banshee just.. continues swimming, now in silence, and stealthily invisible, attempting to get behind the bloody Alligator and head for whatever the heck it MUST be protecting, because yannow, if it's fighting THIS badly, it's gotta be protecting something! .. Kinda like Sonic gives anyone who goes near her double-dip Choco-mint cookies Kain adn Able on a stick..

Job having avoided the monster and the chaos realted to it Job lets out a sigh. "I was lucky that time." As Job moves along now at a slower pace he spots the boat and its lack of occupents. He pulls his hovercycle along side it and hops off . Heading off after Derek and firends.

Ten shakes ehr head to clear it. Just in time, too! She sees the trees coming at her again, and her friends! Ten manages to avoid the vines this time. Looking around, she realizes that as long as those trees are around, her friends are in danger. Ten begins to look angry, and the flames coming off of her increase. Ten then flies right at the trees, the flames blossoming into a fireball around her.

Shield cuts himself free just in time to see Ether get knocked out. "Ether!" he shouts, looking for the gator to draw it's attention away from her. But the gator seems to have disapeared. "Look after her," he shouts to Alloy as he lands with a wince, then chases after the gator.

Alloy similarly was about to turn back to see what that over-sized alligator was doing, but gets whapped by several tree limbs, severaly denting and tearing up his tin-pla...err, armour. He shouts as he gets whapped about, then falls over backwards into the mud as the limbs finish their assault. "Ouch." he groans as he moves painfully, trying to get back up on his feet.

Sonic Banshee enters the Sheltered Nest.
Sonic Banshee has left.

Ether Skunk is down in the mud, mmhmm... she's fairly inactive when she's down.

Alloy just stares at the sky, struggling to to get up as Shield yells out to him. "Sure...thing." he murmurs. "If I can look after myself as well..."

Flare Feline quickly looks around. Well everything seems fine, for the most part. Some people are injured, but nothing looks too serious. For now there's the greater mystery of what exactly are going on in these swamps. He seems some Hunters and others heading off in one direction, and he decides to follow for now, seeing nothing else of interest here.

Blast Hornet crawls her way out of the muck, the beast gone. "Firestorm... Wildfire... A little help here?" Blast says weakly.

Shield enters the Sheltered Nest.
Shield has left.

Ring Redwing cringes under the impact of the trees, but her Ring Barrier manages to hold for the moment. Her 'heart' is still beating really really fast though. She's still somewhat banged up from the initial barrage. Thankfully, her systems are starting to repair since she didn't use a drop of fuel. She wonders if Ten is alright, since Flare seemed able to avoid the attacks pretty well with his feline agility.

Wildfire Phoenix can't even fire her boosters, so she isn't very sure how she'll help Blast out if she can't fly, "Yeah hold on Blast.." she calls before letting go of her brother to just flap her way over.

Firestorm Phoenix blinks as he notices Blast, "Crap, Wildfire, you ok? I need to help Blast down there." He lowers himself down, finding a spot to set Wildfire down and then grabs Blast up out of the muk. Looking her over, "I'm not sure if I can do anything or not."

As Ten flies into the foliage with flaming fury, the alliteration gods have a heart attack and die. And the trees aren't too happy either. One of the large trees swings a branch, swatting out at the phoenix.

Mem is, for the moment, forgotten, as the greenery seems to be more focused on other things..

Uranus misses Ten with his When Trees attack.
Ten successfully deflects an attack randomly.

Job mutters as he can't find the trail of those who left the boat but he knows they will have to come back for it and he can wait. After all he has all the time in the world. Job leans back on a tree and scans about the area. "Well they have to come back sometime and when they do I'll be waiting for them."

Blast Hornet looks around. "Well, looks like we luck out on this pendant." She says regretfully. "I can't fly... You guys'll have to carry me back. I got crunched for NOTHING!" She says, and cringes in pain. Sparks fly from her body, and a few small bits fall off. "Hopefully I'll be in one piece for the next one..."

Ether Skunk oozes some mechfluid into the mud. But... for the most part, she continues to lie still and unresponsive. The little BEats that flitted about her head have since departed, for the record.

Mem is following the boat. Following, following... through the trees and into the nest thingy they disappeared into. She pauses on the outside for a moment, wrinkling her nose but dives through anyways.

Mem enters the Sheltered Nest.
Mem has left.

Ten sees the tree branch coming at her. By now, the thought that these trees have attacked her friends has made her quite angry! She becomes a blur as she draws her naginata with incredible swiftness, and blocks the attack. Flying upward to try to avoid an immediate follow-up attack, she points a palm at the tree, and sends forth another small fireball.

Flare Feline said in his last pose he was following the hunters deeper into the swamp. And he still is. There's something screwy going on in these swamps, that's for sure.

Ten puts her guard up.
Ten misses Uranus with her Flame Palm Blast attack.

Job looks about again and checks out the contents of the boat and ehs as he heads someone else moving about. "Humm what to we got here." Job starts to track after the sounds that Mem has made moving through the underbrush. "Prehaps its not too late yet."

Firestorm Phoenix frowns as more seem to disappear, "Wildfire, take care of Blast, I think its safe now. I'm going to head off in the direction I've seen others vanish into." He then stands up and takes off in the direction he's managed to see several others vanish into.

Ring Redwing puts her own pain aside for the moment, and lands to check Ether Skunk and see how the Hunter is doing. Well, it doesn't take the jury-rig skill to tell that Ether is KO'd. Ring ponders whether or not to move Ether in this state. But she can't very well just let her lie there.

The fireball hisses harmlessly in a pool of water as the tree it's aimed at almost seems to bend out of the way... Of course, it bends back just as quickly, and Ten is right in its path.

As Firestorm and Job slog through the marshes, a few dozen vines spring up in their paths and wave threateningly.

Uranus strikes Ten with his When Trees attack.
Ten falls to the ground, unconscious, due to massive systems damage.

Wildfire Phoenix nods a little and glances over Blast, "lets see.." she says shaking her head, "Going to need to get you back to base.... but..." she flips a small welding tool out of her forearm and tries to patch up Blast as best she can, "This'll have to do until we get back.."

Firestorm Phoenix frowns as the vines get in his way. Deciding not take any chances, he backs off a ways and then just sits theres.

Alloy struggles to his feet, open wounds sparking and the dented armour and limbs restricting his movement. "Urgh..." he lurches over to Ether, and kneels before her, forgetting any danger from trees or vines or giant alligators for now, and checks her more carefully. "Geez, you're even worse off than I am, Ether." he sighs, looking at the river and the ripples left behind as the boat with his fellow Hunters continues on after the gator. "Good luck." he murmurs, before turning back to Ether. "All right, let's see if I can get you at least moving, so we can get out of here." His left arm pod emits some noises, but the welding torch refuses to emerge from the damaged limb. He looks at it in disgust for a moment before switching to the one in his right arm, which obediently pops out and lights up, focusing the flame to a fine point, before he starts runnign lines of solder over some of the wounds he can patch over here. Others he uses gravitic influence and sprays a light-weight patching substance over, forming a covering which will hold together until Ether can be taken back to base.

Alloy effects some minor repair work on Ether Skunk.
Alloy takes out a medical scanner and scans Ether Skunk.

Job optic gives away no emotion as he brings up his sheild and morphs his free hand into its arm cannon form bringing his Arc Welder online. The glow from the arc welder lights up the area around him as watches the vines for any sudden moves.

As if springing from the ground wasn't sudden movement enough. The vines continue to wave at Job, occasionally lashing out but not hitting. Firestorm is left alone..

Flare Feline grunts as some vines get in his way. Now when did that happen, they sure came out of nowhere. Well Flare has no time to waste on some plants, he quickly draws his claws and tears into the jumbled mess. Titanium claws, vs planty vines. Unless they're some sort of super-vines, they'll likely not stand up long against it.

You miss Uranus with your Cat Scratch attack.

Ten isn't expecting the trees to be so quick! As the branch comes at her, she doesn't react in time. The hit caves in her armor, making a huge, absolutely nasty dent in her armor! It also sends her flying a loooooong distance! Finally, she lands on a large patch a ground elsewhere, pieces of her going flying in different directions. Even in her unconscious state, Ten still grips her naginata, the warrior refusing to release her trusted weapon even in unconsciousness. When she finally wakes up after getting some repair work, she will learn that she successfully protected her friends. Knowing that will make it all worth it to her.

Ten puts her guard down.

Job does not flinch but powers down the arc welder to see what sort of effect it has on the vines. oO(Humm lets see here.)

Ether Skunk is quiet for several moments after Alloy effects some minor repair work upon herself... though she does shift and squirm slightly. After a moment, she opens her optics, the pools of blue casting a hazy azure glow over the nearby swampmuck, and turns her head, just slightly, to look up at the vague fuzzy outline resembles Alloy. "Hggghkk," she complains. "Ghhhklrpt... uhhh.." Her head flops back, and she goes limp once more, squeezing her optics shut tight. This is not a happy skunk.

Some of the vines near Flare are sliced, but nothing actually is cut off. For all the fact they're plants, they somehow seem to be angry, and lash out at the feline.

As Job's welder powers down, the vines continue to lash at him, sometimes missing him by mere inches.

Job brings up his sheild again and laughs. "What do I got to lose if I push on!" Job takes several steps foward trying not to flinc as the vines whiz by him.

Blast Hornet enters the Bayou.
Blast Hornet has left.

Firestorm Phoenix sighs, "it seems I've found the correct path, but have been barred from moving further, it would seem I have failed yet again." He continues to sit there though, hoping against hope that he'll be let through, though he knows he will not.

Flare Feline has been nimble all night, he hasn't lost his touch yet. Seeing that blades along do little against the vines, Flare heats up his palm blaster and tears into the vines that way, leaving wakes of fire behind him as he tears through. There's something going on ahead of them that the bayou doesn't want them to get at. Which makes the cat all the more determined to get there.

You miss Uranus with your Flame Claw attack.

Ring Redwing hears a thunderous crash as Ten is blasted by the viscious attack by the bayou trees. "Commander Ten!" she calls out, and since Ether seems to be in capable hands at the moment, she rushes to the fallen phoenix instead. She hopes she won't have to lift Flare out as well. One reploid larger than herself to lift is bad enough already.

A slot opens in Alloy's right arm pod, since that one seems to be working properly, and he pulls a small data cable from it, plugging it into a diagnostics port on Ether's body somewhere. Hey, he's looked up the schematics for the robotic Hunters, he knows this stuff. As his own systems interrogate Ether's for a proper diagnostic, he winces at the returned information. "Ouch...your vocal synthsizer is damaged...hang on, let me see if I..." he breaks, concentrating on trying to reprogram some of Ether's systems. A software jury-rig, if you will.

The vines part, just enough for Flare's attack to not strike any of them. Moving quickly, the vines whip in again, once more blocking the way and cracking at Flare with their tips.

And as Job pushes on, the vines move to wrap around him as well..

Uranus strikes you with his Vine Lash for 15 units of damage.
Uranus strikes Job with his Vine Lash attack.

Ten is just lying there.

Firestorm Phoenix shakes his head as the other reploid foolishly pushes forward.

Ether Skunk glllrks and mrrks and hghs and makes other unhappy, gutteral noises, wincing noticably; after a moment, she manages to rasp in her own voice, though a little shaky, "Okay, okay.. it's... it's fixed..." Aside from her speech, though, she has not yet made an effort to move, remaining limp where she lies.

Wildfire Phoenix sighs a bit, then glances toward her brother... "Hey..." she says waving at him, "C'mon, we may as well go... We probably won't be able to get it..."

Flare Feline grunts and winces as the vines finally nail him. It's not enough though to stop him. Though he can easily tell they're not normal vines, with the large dent in his armor they left. Growling, he's had it, if he can't strike them with his claws, he'll just have to go blasty on them. He charges up another fireball in his hands and hurtles it at the entire mass of vines. Take that you creepers!

Job lets out a cry and powers up his Arc Welder and starts slashing at the vines. "I'm not Licked yet you hellish plants! I WILL NOT BE STOPPED!" Job bellows as he hacks and slashes trying to break free and move deeper on.

You miss Uranus with your Flare Bomb attack.

Job strikes Uranus with his Arc Welder attack.

The viens don't like being attacked. No they don't. And they have a nice friendly way of showing it, too. As the vines lash out toward Job and Flare, nearby trees almost seem to lean in toward each of them...

Uranus strikes you with his When Trees for 56 units of damage.
You fall to the ground, unconscious, due to massive systems damage.
Uranus strikes Job with his When Trees attack.
Job falls to the ground, unconscious, due to massive systems damage.

Ring Redwing manages to lift Ten with a small amount of difficulty. The Phoenix is a few feet larger than her, but Redwing has enough reploid strength to lift trucks and hopefully Ten doesn't weigh more than a truck. She glances back to see how Lieutenant Flare is doing. After all, Redwing would never abandon a fellow Repliforcer no matter what.

Firestorm Phoenix looks to his sister and shakes his head, "No, I will stay untill it is over."

Ten is picked up. She still hasn't dropped the naginata.

Wildfire Phoenix coughs a little, then shrugs, "Well alright, but I have to get out of here, my systems don't like the water sloshing around in'em..." she says wandering over to just give him a snug, "I'll see ya whenever then.."

Firestorm Phoenix nods and hugs his sister, "Alright, take care."

Wildfire Phoenix nods once and then starts treking out of this... ...mess.

Flare Feline prepares another attack, but is too slow. Seems his luck finally ran out for tonight as the vicious trees bear in on him. One in particular swings out of nowhere, and impales him directly in his midsection, the foul piece of wood sticking out the back. Fuel and sparks go everywhere as Flare is thrown back, waaaay back and lands in the swampy muck with a huge hole in him. He of course, isn't moving.

Wildfire Phoenix retreats from the area swiftly, leaving her open to pursuit or parting shots from Uranus, Ten, and Ring Redwing.

Job is ripped to shreds by the force of the vines as he truggles still hacking and slashing untill his body finally gives out under the massive amout of damage the vines are inflicting on his systems. Job lets out one last shout of defiance at fate. The battered form of Job falls to the ground with a thuds to the ground in a mess of the vines still clutching his sheild.

Wildfire Phoenix enters the Bayou.
Wildfire Phoenix has left.

Ring Redwing winces as Flare too falls victims to the viscious trees. Quickly, she first lifts Ten over to a rather concealed area and sets her down as gently as possible. Hopefully no more monsters will suddenly show up and attack them now. That done, she runs over to Flare and with a greater amount of difficulty lifts Flare up and brings him over to place next to Ten. She then radios the current situation to Headquarters and then settles in to wait, guarding the bodies of her fallen companions.

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Corporal Ring Redwing transmits, "This is Corporal Redwing. I need assistance immediately. Commander Ten and Lieutenant Flare are both out of comission and I can't carry them out of the Louisiana Bayous by myself."

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Captain Phoebus transmits, "I'll be right there!"

Firestorm Phoenix continues to sit and wait, if for nothing else than to see who emerges with the pendant.

Alloy nods in satisfaction. Most of the other systems in her body are barely holding together though, it seems. No more flying for the skunk today. Indeed, it seems she won't even be walking for a bit either, since her neural cord seems to be partially sliced. There's nothing he can do about that, and nothing suitable is still functioning for him to even attempt to divert signals to her limbs. He detaches the data cable, which automatically retracts into the arm pod. "Good news and bad news, Ether." he says, trying to make some light of the situation. "The good news is you're alive. "The bad news is- urgh." he winces slightly as his own injuries flare up a bit. "You're probably not walking for a few days...and I can't carry you out of here. I think we're gonna need some backup." he grimaces slightly as he starts talking into his radio. Damn it's good, it'll probably outlive him.

Ether Skunk mumbles quietly. "I can walk, I can walk," she mutters quietly, giving her feet a little wiggle to demonstrate. "But to be honest, I don't feel like going anywhere right now. Just... just go on without me, I'll get out of here when I get sick of the smell." She gives a heavy sigh and slowly, carefully rolls onto her back, closing her optics once more and assuming as comfortable a position as she can, hands clasped over her battered and torn tummy.

Flare Feline lies there. With a hole in him. Woo.

Ten lies there, with a very bad dent in her. Yowza!

Job lies there mangled by vines but seems to be in stasis lock of some sort and twitches a few time.

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Commander Templar transmits, "On my way."

[Radio: (A) Repliforce] Corporal Ring Redwing transmits, "Thank you. *transmit exact coordinates, which probably won't be accessible until the lock on the Bayo lifts.*"

Alloy lets his arm drop, and rests back in a kneeling position. Shaking his head, he replies, "You know I won't just leave you. We don't know what's still around." Of course, he's not really in a position to do much to stop whatever might come, but that's beside the point. He looks around at the scene wearily, noticing for the first time the Repliforcers. The KO'ed Repliforcers. He decides to make another radio for them as well, since they all seem to be unconscious.

Ring Redwing continues to watch over the prone Repliforce bodies, watchful and waiting for help that is on it's way to arrive.

Firestorm Phoenix sits and waits. see? small.

[Radio: (C) RF/Hunter-Com] Alloy transmits, "Hey Repliforce...*wince* You've got some troops out here who're gonna need a lift."

Ether Skunk squeezes her optics rather tightly shut and twitches... she manages to slowly lift her head, then sit up to a seated position, and at last opens her eyes and looks towards Alloy. "How bad are you hurt?" she murmurs, quiet.

Alloy blinks and looks back to Ether as she asks the question. "Oh...I'm still upright at least." He tries to grin, but the large gashes in his chest armour exposing his internals and the similarly huge dents in his armour are a bit of a giveaway.

Ether Skunk nods quietly to Alloy, giving him a brief look-over, before looking down at herself, taking a moment to appraise her own injuries. After a pause, she slowly drags herself to her feet, wobbling a little unstable; she falls back to lean against a tree and sags against it.. if it tries to attack her again, well. Them's the breaks, bucko.

Job lays there with one thought locked in his sub concious. I failed again. His battered body lays there tangled int the vines that felled him. One vine wrapped around his neck is still clasped with his hand where he has attempted to pull it free. Meanwhild his hoverbike sits there on the ground near the boat that Derek Vasquez and his angels had used, a mute witness to the current happenings in the swamp.

============================= Cassandra Paradox ==============================
Message: 23/21 Posted Author
The Next Clue! Wed Jan 23 Scorpio
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Rigger sits up rather straight as her hand begins to withdraw from the hole. Expression blank, impassive, utterly neutral she just sits there a moment. Haste and hurry gone almost completely. Strangely, a pendant begins to appear around her throat. Light dances along it, expanding outwards to form images even as she begins to speak:

"Golem golem, shining so bright. Won't you light my candle tonight? Stone walls, hard as granite, please heed my calls."

The images the pendant creates is of what looks to be a Temple of sorts from the outside, its in abusy metropolitan area judging by the streetways and bustle of people walking on the sidewalks. The image zooms into one of the large windows, and inside is a chamber, with a young boy on the podium reading from a scroll, and a large group of people situated in rows of chairs listening intently. An elderly gentleman sits behind the young boy on the Podium, smiling.
==============================================================================

Phoebus arrives from the Bayou.
Phoebus has arrived.

Flare Feline is lying on a ground next to Ten with a huge hole in him, yay!

Ten is lying on the ground, unconscious, with a huge dent in her.
Job is a little further on near a boat and a parrked hover cycle trapped in a tangle of vines and out cold.

Alloy and Ether are conscious and ambulatory. Slightly. Go them.

Ring Redwing is watching over the bodies protectively. Nuns shall pass! I mean none shall pass!

Ether Skunk drops to her knees as the next vision comes, the skunk biting her lower lip and waiting it out... when it passes, she blinks her eyes open, then looks to Alloy with alarm. "Someone... someone got the next pendant..." Sitting up once more, the skunk turns towards the deeper recesses of the swamp and stares into them with wide eyes, waiting...

Phoebus is heading into the bog. Still female. And she has a flashlight shining around and a bigaft cannon in his other hand. She seems to be looking for downed forcers. Yay!

Stealth Nekojin arrives from the Bayou.
Stealth Nekojin has arrived.
Templar arrives from the Bayou.
Templar has arrived.

Ten keeps lying there.

Job is a little further on near a boat and a parrked hover cycle trapped in a tangle of vines and out cold.

Alloy doubles over as the vision plays out, burning itself into his memory. Uncurling himself, he looks exhausted from the day's events. "Rigger...by the looks of it." He grins in triumph, well, when he isn't wincing in pain.

Sonic Banshee arrives from the Sheltered Nest.
Sonic Banshee has arrived.

Flare Feline is lying there still. Not like he'll do much moving with a huge hole in him

Ether Skunk pauses... she looks back to Alloy, eyes wide, tail limp. "Ri... Rigger?" she stammers, seemingly incredulous... before gritting her teeth, whirling around, and SMASHING her fist against the tree she leans against. SHe sinks back to the mud below, to her knees, and curls up miserably, wrapping her arms over her head.

Job little ways from the boat and a parrked hover cycle trapped in a tangle of vines and out cold. Looks like he attampted to push on too hard and the vines mangled him.

Ring Redwing spies the flashlight shiny in the darkness. She calls out to Phoebus and blinkers her own wide yellow optic laser-eyes to draw the Repliforce rescue team's attention. Over here! <Howie>Blahnkerin' laghts. Gar har har!</Howie>

Sonic Banshee is moving away from the next, like a bat out of h*ll. Or a Maverick who's got to go home and explain just what happened to the hoverbike she approaches and starts dragging through the water after her as she wades. She's stealthed. And doesn't appear to have a pendant, to anyone who might see her. All that one CAN see, is a badly damaged, nearly scrap hoverbike slowly draggign through the swamp towards the entrance.. being detailed every so often by a pitiful mew..

Sonic Banshee enters the Bayou.
Sonic Banshee has left.

Stealth Nekojin hovers in, a couple of stretchers floating in behind him as he lands. "Ahoy ahoy, rescue committee for Hunters Alloy and Ether Skunk. Did I come at a bad time?" He looks around and grimaces, "Oy. You people certainly did a number on each other..."

Alloy just laughs slightly, throwing his arms out and leaning back as he lands on his back in the mud. *splat* "Ohh, I need some time off."

Ether Skunk looks up from her curl, glancing towards Stealth. She wrinkles up her nose and lifts her head quietly, and using the tree for support, manages to pull herself to a stand. "I can walk on my own," she mutters, voice dripping.

The unmistakable screech-scream of Repliforce dropship engines fills the otherwise comparatively quiet area. Moments later, the dropships fall down to a hovering altitude of about 30 feet, and deploy Marines and MSE. The Aerial escorts that brought the dropships here join the effort, flying patrols. Templar's leading the Marine detachment, as the area is sweeped, fortified, and cleared of downed personnel.

Alloy looks around as an unfamiliar voice calls out. He looks at the new Hunter upside down, then slowly recognises him as one of theirs. "Ahh, yes. Stretcher'll do nicely." He sighs, sounding rather carefree at the moment.

Stealth Nekojin nods to Ether, "I'm sure you can. But from the way you're wobbling on your feet, I think it'd be better if you take a lie-down and get some rest while I get you back to base, ma'am." He wanders over to Alloy and crouches down, lifting him up carefully and heading over to the stretchers.

Flare Feline is picked up and transported out of there by good ol MSE gumbies. Gumbies have the true power in this world, dar-haaar!

Ether Skunk pauses, turning to direct a baleful look in Stealth's direction. Normally, the skunk is overjoyed with new recruits- she loooves meeting new people. But it's clear that something is off, something is different about her, as she grits her teeth and makes her way over to one of the stretchers, dead silent.

Ten is picked up by some gumbies, and carried into one of the ships. She'll be well-cared for, and transported back to the base.

Alloy murmurs "Ow, easy there..." as Nekojin lifts him onto the stretcher and he speaks into his radio.

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