OCT Q4 Z2: The Sky Bound Pillars

[PlatinumSkink]

Naiyo watched as Scion, rightfully seeing the jump over the gap as the challenge... or punishment… that it truly was. Naiyo was satisfied with seeing his apparent lack of doubt as he ran and used those boots to propel himself over the gap…

Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, Naiyo noticed something. An incoming object, a long and thin one with a potential of being quite sharp, was heading in her direction. Transferring the energy of irritation into energy of combat, Naiyo spun around, a determined expression on her as the red-haired girl’s right hand sought out the hilt sticking upwards on her giant metallic fan which was on her back. Naiyo focused on the threat, and quickly devised the way she would dodge when it came close by seeing how…

… it never reached her. Scion blasted it… back? With a pistol? That seemed so physically wrong on so many levels, but yet, Scion was a manipulator of reality. She knew better than to question exactly how that had worked. On the other hand, that projectile would not have hit her anyway. That projectile had simply given away his location. Naiyo was currently assuming it was a “he”, but she really could not tell. Staring up at the taller pillar, there was a shape up there, a black color blowing in the wind, white hair on top. Suddenly, Naiyo realized. People fighting using projectiles would love a battlefield like this with free view and difficulty to reach one another, provided they are capable of dealing with the wind this high up. Well, another reason why this place was suitable for acrobatic fighters. They can dodge those projectiles.

Scion landed, and showed a rather honorable side of himself. Naiyo was rather surprised, this coming from the person that had launched a table at a person who was charging in a completely other direction to knock him unconscious and laughed about it afterwards? Taken, he was rather angry at the time, but…

‘There is no rule saying one cannot do sneak-attacks. Frankly, this is an all-out battle without rules attached. While I won’t, due to my own morals, I cannot properly punish anyone who makes use of such tactics. It is the same way I cannot blame you for learning about your opponents beforehand. That’s just how this tournament has been built. Also, this battlefield is not only very good for people capable of keeping themselves on the stage, it is also most excellent for people who fight using projectiles if they can overcome the trajectory interference from the wind this high up. I didn’t think of that. Sneak attacks may come at any time, from any direction. Derek, I hope you will be able to warn us in case we miss something.’

Naiyo shot a glare at the person up on the pillar. It was too far, she would not be able to speak to the person.

‘Sneak attacks aside, we should not be fighting other contestants until we have defeated the boss! We have no idea what the boss is capable of! Instead of bashing up one another, we should gather up and measure the power of the boss, and then beat it down before we reduce our own fighting potential to a level to which we might not even be able to defeat it at all! Now, I don’t know if that individual there is just another contestant or the boss, but if he’s not the boss then this action is illogical to say the least. So I guess we’ll have to go tell him.’

Now, there are several ways one could get up there. One was by jumping on pillar after pillar in an exceedingly large staircase while dodging a potential rain of spears. Another…

Naiyo gave Scion and his new boots a blank stare.

[Gig225]

ooc=can anyone join this

[Shoryu]

Lal at first had stuck around in the lobby, gleefully waiting for others to step through first and observing everyone, then finally stepped through himself, Finding himself on one of the lowest pillars, He flipped his hand out in an exaggerated Gesture to direct the little glowing critter on his shoulder to shoot off in search of the other contestants. He was likely to be seen frequently but if attacked he'd simply disappear and re-appear elsewhere nearby, He wasn't much of a fight anyway without Lal giving him power to use.

Lal on the other hunched down and blasted his wings down, shooting off that low pillar like a darkly colored streak to land on the side of another pillar, and began rebounding from one to another, this way and that and always higher until After a short while of doing this he Reached the open air and soared his way to the highest pillar where he perched on the edge with a maddening giggle and began to observe his surroundings. The undeniable sounds of thuds, crashing, and booster jets rather amused him as he spied someone a ways down struggling with flight 'Heeeheeeeee... Must be a first timer." He quieted down after a moment and opened his mind to listen for everyone, mostly to make sure he hadn't come here and found only a couple people, thought he was pleased when he found numerous returning thoughts, and some were agitated too. 'Well someone hates heights... Oooh, such language.'

after another few moments Lal figured he had a good bead on general locations and slipped back to flop onto his back and 'relax' in the middle of the pillar he was on, which figuring it was the tallest he figured gave him the best change to go unnoticed while he gathered information. Another moment and several of the feathers from his hip wings slipped off, oozing away and forming visual clones of himself, though they had no serious power, he wanted to use them to test the others, get some reactions, and see what happens, ever the playful one he thought he might have some fun before really letting loose on them, and before long the clones all ran off in separate directions. He also found himself giggling madly at the fact it seemed some of the contestants didn't remember that they weren't supposed to fight 'eachother' this round, though certain ones caught his attention more, one even actively wanted to protect another, who seemed to be annoyed at him back, How anime-ish.

[note, he can't infinitely clone himself or anything =P I wouldn't be so cheap as to do that, he just wants to play a little while everyone is trying to find eachother, their not nearly close to boss level xD]

Each of the clones picked a target, and just for fun shape shifted to match that target, while they had no powerful abilities, they were still shifters, still quite nimble and quick, and had use of basic magic abilities, though they were very fragile.

The First to encounter a clone would be Isiir, Being the highest up of the other contestants, where the Isiir Look-a-like would interupt his fall by rebounding off of a pillar and testing the man by pouncing at him like a cat with a resounding "NYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH" and a little electric light show going on around him for effect.

The Next would've been Scion and Naiyo, but their copies had something else in mind, instead Bree would be the next to encounter something landing a bridge between her and the others, which would stretch down out of view first, though it looked remarkably like her, and then the bridge rebounded and launched the copy onto the same pillar where it danced about with a maddened giggle.

Then came Scion and Naiyo, Who's copies popped up first with Naiyo's on one side of the pillar, waving it's arms around and seeming to pretend to be a monkey to get attention, and another would pop up from their side of the pillar, Scion's copy hopping up and clinging to his back with a childish giggle "ooooh, rocket boots. Pretty, Can I take em for a test drive? canicanicanicanicani?" As it repeated the same 2 syllables It's head started to rotate on the shoulders steadily closing in on being upside down complete with popping sounds as it giggled between words.

The last would be the alexis Copy, Zipping down to hover in the air near where she was climbing, giggling madly like the rest as it marveled at it's wings "oooh, lookie, I still have wings, pretty." And promptly Began to 'chase it's wings' by spinning around in mid air while staying aloft.

[Scarletroe]

Isiir stepped back as the spear changed direction and began returning to him.
I wonder why it did that... Oh well, at least it isn't wasted.
After the spear had pierced the rock, he grabbed the tip and pulled it the rest of the way through. As he looked down to inspect his opponents, he noticed Alexis climbing up the pillar behind them. He was so focused upon his inspections that he almost didn't notice a replica of himself attempting to pounce on him. Easily dodging the pounce by jumping to the side, he looked at the copy.
"Might look like me, but it sure as hell doesn't act like me. Seems like a distraction, honestly. Just a stupid trick."
Keeping the copy in sight, he returned to watching the people below, noticing copies of them all, except for one.
"Definately a stupid trick."

[AlexisMaddox]

Alexis didn't notice the copy behind her. Her emotions had flared when the rocks crumbled under her claws and she almost fell, so now the music that kept her emotions in check was blocking out all other sound, calming her. It was only when she had reached the top and turned around to face the other team that she noticed it. The music still playing, the copy had no effect on her.

Doesn't seem to be a threat...

She continued on the path she had planned out, running to the edge of the pillar she was standing on and jumping towards the pillar the two people identified on her list as Scion and Naiyo. She hit the pillar a few meters below the edge, and quickly climbed up onto the top. She looked at the group and their doubles, thinking of ways to tease them. She thought of one and spoke.

"Scion, why are you on your copy's back?"

[kzkskippy]

"Oh great. The hallucination's have already started."
Doppelganger-Bree bounced around her in a circle, prompting a nasty remark from the real Bree, "Oi! You little half wit, I do NOT giggle... in public. No scram you imaginary bouncing bint!"

Bree tried to brush past, but the freaky little thing kept getting in her way, laughing the entire time. For a moment, Bree was tempted to 'this is sparta' kick the little abomination off the edge. "No, Bree, suicide is not the answer. Just breath. Breath, don't get angry, don't collapse into a murderous rage. Just breath, walk past, and calmly set about killing real people instead of imaginary ones." She caught her doppel by the wrist and very firmly heaved it behind her, before skipping across the bridge it had blocked. Some asshole was about to take an arrow to the brain pan"

[Crazy Scion]

Scion was more then a little disturbed by the copy of himself on is back. Not only was it acting insanely annoying, but when its head turned upside down it caused something to flip inside him. Like a switch clicking Scion's eyes turn a glowing red as he grips the illusion with fierce strength. It became apparent that it was far weaker then him when its arm crackled a bit in his grip. His could see by the creatures structure it was no more then an illusion with semi-magical abilities. Yet it seemed unaffected by his force the things twisting head and creepy smile was screwing with his mind, he becomes focused on it and tune out the world around him. In a span of a moment he swings the creature over his head and slams it into the ground two times, then chucks it at a nearby pillar. As the creature fades he takes in a few deep breaths to calm himself.

Derek in the usual calm, "Feeling alright Scion. I think it's gone so just take it easy."

Scion's eyes change back to there orangish brown, and the glow fades. He takes notice of Alexis and the two Naiyos to his side. He lets her deal with it as he tries to calm himself, then in a restrained anger he speaks, "Someone is messing with us and I don't like mind games. Where ever you are I'm letting you know I'm pissed off."

"There is a strange glowing creature flying around. I bet it might have something to do with this." The watch displays an arrow pointing to a feint glow in the distance.

[Shoryu]

Lal gave a little 'oooooh' sound as he stayed nice and laid back where he was, a mental message drifting over to Scion, the slightly childishly young sounding voice echoing quietly and even calmly in his mind for amoment "Heehee, It wasn't a mind game, It was just a test to see how everyone would react, You surprised me, I didn't think you'd be the one to turn rough... Though i suppose i did over do it with teh exorcist movie style element... nobody responds well to the twisty head thing." Then he clammed up to watch the others through the copies.

Taki on the other hand was having a ball, so many people, so many scents, so much to experience that he'd never seen before, he couldn't help but squee madly and whip around even faster, he happened to start teleporting randomly about, suddenly appearing inches from Scion, blinking wildly with large texture-less green eyes, a high pitched childish voice echoing from him for an instant "ooopsie" He poofed once more and reappeared a few feet away
Heehee, I almost ran into you, that could've been bad... this place is fun." He dissapeared again suddenly, completely at random appeared infront of Bree on the bright she was running across "ACK, I DID IT AGAIN." And unless she ducked may well have ended up hugging her face by accident.

Each of the copies that had been attacked had since dissapeared, though that one was still following alexis, they naiyo clone continuing it's destractions. Though the Isiir Copy took his words personally "Heeeey, That's not very nice, i may be just a copy but i'm not stupid." The electric sparking that had bee collecting around it gave a considerable increase before discharging in the original's direction to try and zap him with it before backflipping off towards one of the lower islands.

[Scarletroe]

"I don't remember saying you were stupid, just the trick."
With those words, Isiir jumped off the pillar before the electricity had a chance to hit him. About halfway down to the pillar where the others stood, his descent slowed. It appeared as if he was floating, but of course he knew he wasn't simply floating. When he was about ten feet from the pillar's top, he dropped quicker, as though something had released it's grip on him. He smiled as he landed, and addressed the group in front of him.
"Hey, how're your doubles doing? Mine backflipped off of the pillar up there, so I'm not sure about him. Anyways, I'm fairly certain they were created by the boss here, so we should go find him. Also, nice reaction time with the spear. Keep it, as a souvenier."
As he finished his sentence the spear shrank back into a toothpick and he tossed it to Scion.
"Of course, I'm not about to give you a weapon."

[PlatinumSkink]

Naiyo had intended on abusing Scion’s rocket boots to go up to the thrower of the spear and initiate communication. But… something happened first.

Naiyo was watching Scion when suddenly, out of nowhere, a complete copy of him showed up from seemingly nowhere and clung to his back. There was only one thing that could be. The act of another contestant, or the act of the boss. It didn’t matter how childish it acted, one way or another, this was an attempt to attack… probably. Naiyo was about to draw her fan and shove it off Scion, but it would appear he had everything under control. He grabbed the copy’s wrist, bashed it into the ground and then threw it away. Naiyo, slightly surprised over how easy that seemed to have been, darted her eyes to the side. Just as she had thought.

There was a copy of Naiyo there, too. But… it was just… jumping around, and made noises as if was imitating a monkey, all the time with a very stupid expression. It… looked like it was having fun. But… Naiyo had never had fun that kind of way. The mere image of it made her freeze as her right hand was held at the hilt of the fan on her back. She had never seen such a version of herself. There was no threat in the movements of the copy. It was just… playing. Playing in a way that Naiyo had been unable to do since she was less than half her current size. It was just… having fun. She could not attack it. It showed no evil will, and somehow… Naiyo felt she wanted it to continue. Even in all the awkwardness, it was the complete opposite of how she was now. She was now the prim and proper Captain of the Disciplinary Committee at home, and had to do all to be a role-model. This… was the exact opposite. In a weird way… Naiyo was fascinated. She knew it was a fabrication of some opponent, but… at least until it did something offensive…

‘Naiyo, you should stop it.’ Sighing to herself, Naiyo spoke to her copy while referring to the playing girl with her own name. ‘You are creating a very awkward mood. What do you think people would think of you if they saw you playing like that? There is modesty that should be upheld, and you are clearly not a child. Stop acting like one.’ What are you doing, Naiyo asked herself inside her mind. Trying to lecture the opposite to become like you? That’s just plain foolishness. You enjoyed lecturing yourself, didn’t you..? ‘Also, if you keep jumping like that, your skirt will eventually be caught by the wind. And that would be an embarrassment to both of us.’

Meanwhile, on the scene, a girl appeared. A dark, centipede or scale like tail which top opened up to two threateningly impressive tips who together almost seemed to shape the hungry jaw of a dragon was extruded out of the back of the girl. Out of her back, two small but similarly themed secondary tails appeared to be placed. They were placed the same place were wings would have been imagined to be placed. Her dark clothes and other assets seemed to carry an unnatural and alien theme to her being, and yet she seemed otherwise to be a normal human with the short, dark-blue hair and a young girl in every sense of the word. Behind her, a copy of her was spinning around chasing her own tail… or other tails? The copy certainly was failing. In the other direction, the spear thrower had jumped down to their level, revealing himself to be an equally young boy… hey, were all entrances to the sky-pillars very young? Was it just that younger people were more acrobatic and more at home in the sky? Naiyo felt herself awkward as she was no exception to that rule of young.

The young man took command and made the guess that the doubles were made by the boss. Indeed, that was the logical conclusion, if they had appeared around all people. Seems like that spear had plainly been a… test for reaction. This person liked playing with people. Naiyo eyed him disapprovingly, but went with it.

‘Indeed. Until the boss is taken out, we should…’ … There was a large, black glowing slightly green, long fuzzy furry animal-like strange being that had appeared literally out of nowhere next to Scion, then it teleported back again, and then away. It had been… the same creature that had swallowed the entire lobby earlier in the competition. There was no doubt about it.

‘That’s… the boss. He was working for the hosts earlier. And now he’s testing us himself. Everyone. Avoid being eaten, at all costs. He can change his size and the size of his jaw almost freely. He swallowed the entire lobby before. I have no idea how to hurt him, as I was… um… unable to. Do not think about attacking from within his mouth. It doesn’t work.’ She might have stated the obvious, but this was the case. She now turned her eyes towards her own copy. Guess she’d have to do something about this being first…