I ain't going to re-invent the wheel by explaining what's going on. We need to get as many of you kids to your home worlds as possible. Folks who don't have a home world to go to or who can't get home got t'make some alternate plans.

I'm going t'help as many of you get out of here as I can. I need a list of places that we can get to easily, so, if any of you can tell me whether you can get home without hassle, that would be an alright start.

If any of you can't leave this world, you can tell me that too. We, uh... there's plans bein' made to cover that eventuality too.

[He paused for a moment.]

Remember, survival is everything. Some of you are going to have to make some hard choices. Make 'em and don't look back. Making it through till tomorrow is what counts.

We got less than a month.

Let's get this done.

[Well, it had been about two months. When there was still no stream of words chattering at her through the library, Vianca decided it was time to try one last thing. He had said he was going to go ~find himself~, but honestly what did that even mean when it came to Wheatley? AND SO, a few flyers started to go up around FDC and campus:]





[Maybe you caught the creator hanging some of them up!]

[There were certainly several options for where to explore first, upon waking up. The forest was certainly more than a little strange, considering natural forests had ceased existing completely where Harpuia came from. The floating island up in the sky was even more unusual, and with his flight system still functioning, exploration was probably possible. But the unfamiliar city seemed like the wisest place to start; civilization seemed like the best place to get his bearings, and he was still damaged: finding repair facilities would have to be his biggest priority. Fefnir and Leviathan, if they were around, would likely have the same plan; if they were around, he'd have the best chance of finding them there.

So there are a variety of ways to encounter Harpuia, if encountering Harpuia is something you're jonesing for.

OPTION ONE/AUDIO:

Harpuia didn't have high hopes he could use the secure communication channels he'd used as a Neo Arcadian -- even if he weren't somewhere unfamiliar, he was a traitor to Neo Arcadia now, and could no longer rely on those sorts of conveniences. Instead, he did his best to jack whatever he could. If you have a radio, walkie-talkie, Pokegear, or a cool communicator built into your awesome space helmet, you may just happen to stumble onto his attempts at contact.]

Fefnir...? Leviathan? If you can hear this, answer me. My whereabouts are unknown, but I'm alive. Hello...? Can anyone hear me?

[OPTION TWO/ACTION:

You might spot a hovering green robot while you're out and about in the city. He's kind of hard to miss, on account of the green and hovering thing. Whatever he was doing before he got here clearly damaged him; occasionally, his flight system falters and he bobs ominously. His asking around about robots that look like him has been nudging him slowly but surely closer in the general direction of the school. The closer he gets, the more time he spends on foot, sparks beginning to jump sporadically from the "wings" on his back.]

[The video feed turns on, revealing a huge magenta reploid with a pair of big guns on his back.]

So. I am Fighting Fefnir, the... former general of the Army of Ash Flames of Neo Arcadia, former Guardian of Master X.

I'm still a Guardian though, and that's exactly what I'm going to be doing here! Guarding people. I just talked to some, uh... hands, and I'm now a security officer for this school. If it's good enough for a legendary soldier, I figure it must be good enough for me too.

From what I've heard, this place manages to get into trouble pretty frequently. I'm looking forward to having some challenging fights!

Bessie, Bownessie, Champ, Igopogo, Issie, Kingstie, Nessie, Manipogo, Memphre, Muckie, Selma and Sharlie the pullet-hens are really doing well in their coop, but I was wondering if anyone else wanted to help raise them, dude? I can set up a rotating chicken-caretaker schedule. ⋋(◍’Θ’◍)⋌

Jo-sensei made 90% of helped me make the coop. ( ᐛ )و It's beautiful.

It's not that I don't love taking care of chickens, dude, but I think that taking care of chickens is something that everyone should enjoy. (•ө•)♡ They're all super well behaved and they all know their names and love hugs.

If anybody else out there is a fowl fancier who wants to experience the simple joy of raising hens, contact me. I can hook you up with the chickens of your dreams, dude. Do you know the taste of a farm-fresh egg floating in your tsukimi udon, dude? It's the taste of satisfaction. (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧

[Ian’s video feed has kind of an alarming start, he has a slight sheen of sweat and is trying to catch his breath. He is very clearly standing in front of a door to some sort of maintenance room.]

Hey there! [He's smiling and waving despite being out of breath] Name's Ian Malkovich, and I'm the new maitenance man on the campus. Burnt out lightbulbs, broken air conditioning-- [Suddenly there is a strange, very alien noise from the background] --trapping things in closests, I can handle it.

[He gives a big thumbs up! And then continues on only slightly more seriously.]

And uh, Sam, when you get the chance I could use your help with something. Well, I guess you specifically don’t need to handle it but I figure you’re really the only person I know here that’s decent with a gun and--

[He gets cut off by a loud THUMPING NOISE coming from the door behind him. He jostles with his keys to make sure the door is locked before returning to the recording]

Anyway, I was looking for some spare light bulbs and I found a closet full of these figurine things, and I sort of knocked them over, and this alien looking thing, the jellyfish pinchery kind-- [Ian mimics pincers on his mouth with his fingers] --came to life. They don’t exactly give the maintenance guy the right equipment to deal with that. I've got him trapped in the utility closet but--

[A loud SKRREEEEEEEEE is heard in the background.]

--whenever you get the chance, meet me by utility closet B12. No rush. The door's locked at least.

[Joel is on screen, looking about as happy as he ever does. But there seems to be a few black smears on his face, like soot.]

Lotta folks havin' troubles with these little bugs it seems like.

Not that I'm encouraging you kids to burn the place down? But they go up real good.

I got a flamethrower I can bring around to help out if anyone's got it really bad. But if you've got a lighter and a can of hairspray, that'd work just as well.

[Weaponry you can make in the comfort of your own home!]

Just make sure to have a fire extinguisher on hand.

...and be careful.

It looks like we have some sort of infestation. I can't figure out where the bugs are coming from or, well, what they even are.

[Of course you wouldn't, Flint, you were robotized and don't remember the last time the shadow bugs were here.]

I'll be cleaning them out as best I can. Come find me if you've got an emergency, but it doesn't look like they're getting into food or anything.

-Flint

[Cowman can be found all over the place today, armed with a hose and futilely trying to beat back the invasion.]

[Bip! It's that angel kid you see around sometimes. The one who never takes those leaves out of his hair. He looks a little uncertain about what he has to say, but also keyed up, like he really wants to let loose on his info.]

Soooo... yeah. Yarne's entry sort of reminded me about what happened about a month ago. It's been on my mind, but I think now's the time to let it out of the closet. Or in this case, the basement. Or the bunkers.

You know the bunkers, right? They were used in the Aparoid War I wasn't a part of. Well, deep beneath them is a series of mysterious tunnels with all kinds of weird stuff in them- 'ghosts', Redeads, booby traps, you name it! But me and a few other investigators explored the tunnels a bit and found something pretty weird. They were statues of our friends! And they were so lifelike I thought maybe they were turned to stone. I saw Knuckles down there, and [HE'S BREAKING OUT THE COUNTY FINGERS!!] Midna, and Fox and Bowser Junior and Lucas and Snake and... even me, or so I thought. Actually, it was just Pittoo- he's kind of like my dark and grumpy doppelganger but not. It's a long story! Anyway, there were too many to name in one post, but it was creepy with a capital C. We're not sure what they were for, and maybe that's the creepy part. Also because- hello? They're statues of our friends! And there were a lot, all in amazing detail. Whoever made them had talent coming out of their ears.

Yeah, Hifumi sure wasn't kidding. There were a lot of statues down there. I-I mean! Figurines! Man, I still don't know the difference. Sorry for my ignorance.

[Snake's in his personal quarters, looking about as languid as he typically has been. He's propped back in his chair. Binder's flipped open. He appears to be grading... something. Probably an essay on what everyone learned at the Box Camp. At least the people who went. Anyone who didn't and wrote an essay was probably spouting bullshit.

Good thing he can bullshit real well.]

Huh. Last time I was going to say something, I was getting hit on by a woman - and not in the good way. [It's true. Last time he was on the network, Eli was beating him down for being drunk. He's amazingly sober this time around.]

I've got some good news for my students. [He waves some loose papers back and forth.] These aren't half bad. I'm beginning to think you guys are actually listening.

[A pause.]

Bad news is. If you didn't show up to that outing and you turned something in anyway, you're not getting any credit for it. Because you weren't there. I guess your punishment is that you have to eat a panel of a box. If you have any questions about what that's like, go see Captain Falcon and Instructor Aran. I'm sure they can tell you all about it.

[He can too, but he's not going to.] Next paper's going to be on the evolution of boxes and their advancements over time. [In short, come to another class of Boxes 101 where Snake pretends to be this guy named Pliskin and spouts random crap for forty-five minutes to an hour.]

( HELLO ELIZABETH HELLO )

[GENERAL ACTION]
There's a newcomer at Smash Academy. He's dressed strangely, with tattered clothes and a long, flowing red cape that is similarly torn at the edges. He's spending the day wandering around and getting to know things around this place. He's bound to be anywhere you want him to be.

No matter what time he's approached, he seems bothered about something, be it his predicament or the unfamiliar modern commodities that he has a hard time understanding. Feel free to approach him and HELP A GUY OUT.

Well, I should have seen it coming. I have no one to blame but myself. I chose to come back to this school of my own volition. I should have expected that it was only a matter of time before everything went completely horrific and confusing.

Sure, I've seen plenty of journal entries bemoaning the use of technology to control others against their will, but I believe we're forgetting the most important thing of all! Aren't we?!


THE CAMPUS IS A MESS! AGAIN! That odd, misshapen student exploded, and I know the detestable Eggman isn't going to do a thing, so who's supposed to clean this up?! I'm the Student Affairs Admin, it's not my job!

[Byrne doesn't exactly know how to handle the emotions he has right now. Too much of his life has been marred by betrayal: betrayal from the Spirits, the Demon Lord, and from himself. He knew falling in love was a bad idea - he knew that getting close like that would only lead to ruin, because it would make him vulnerable, it would lead to more conflict within him. But he had dared to stick around, to betray his logic and allow himself to fall in love. And now...

Well, let's say he had destroyed many NPC robots after the fact. And there's a constant burning rage within him now. He doesn't need to attempt to atone for his past anymore. It doesn't matter if all his life is just going to be one insult after another, one large betrayal. Is this his punishment for leaving behind his destiny?

All he can think of is revenge. There's a cold gaze as Byrne faces the screen, a bright rage filling the yellow of his eyes. He sits with his gauntlet in plain view, making no jokes about this.

His words are calm, no shouting, but still full of passion.

Why is this public? Because he wants everyone to know how pissed he is.]

I will kill you, Dr. Ivo Robotnik.

[Action]

Somewhere in the early afternoon, those floating around the math and science building will find someone actually paid the gravity bill this month.

Everything that had been floating weightless in the hallways suddenly falls to the ground: books, pencils, students, pokeballs, beakers, feathers, bowling balls...

[Video]

Ugh, thank god that's over. I don't think I need to say it, but the weightlessness problem in the science building has finally been fixed. I'd like to apologize to anyone who landed on their head, or anything likewise important.

...In a related note, paging the custodial staff. There are a... few bits of broken glass in the chemistry and potions lab.

[And by "a few" he means "roughly a square acre, covered in dangerous unknown substances." Might want to bring an antidote or two.]

Greetings, Smash Academy. It's been a while since I've looked upon your rolling campus.

You've been slacking! The grass in the main quad is brown. A year ago, the lawns were so green, the color nearly burned my eyes. I'll give you a pass, considering the harshness of this past winter.

Ahem. My name and title is General Guy, General of the Shy Guy Army from Toad Town's Toy Box, under the control of King Bowser. I was a student at the high school many years ago, but now I'm back to serve as your Student Affairs Administrator. I plan to get my new office set up post haste. If you need anything, come visit me there!

[Private to Bowser]
H-hello, King Bowser, sir! I've returned. If that's alright. I didn't tell you, but it wasn't because I forgot. It was a surprise! So... surprise, sir?

...Oh. There.

[As with her last broadcast, Aquenda has to back up from the camera before she's satisfied with how she looks on the monitor. At least it was a lot faster to get the feed going this time...]

Ah, er, yes. Hello again! Still I am unfamiliar with these devices. But, I think, after what just happened... this technology is better than the rest of it. I was lucky to have had somebody to help me. Him, a human, and me, a tauren, working together even here... I hope everybody else was able to... to, ah...

[She snaps her fingers a few times, looking to the side.]

...Co...compensate? Working together, that word. Doing that even in a stressful time, even with differences, is important, I think.

Still, I wish I could have done more to help. Being separate from all the elements like that, it made me feel a little weak. My strength is from them, so when I cannot speak with them... aah, I really must see this city's elder shaman! Where can I find them? Very thank you.

[HEY GUESS WHO LOOKS TO BE IN A TERRIBLE MOOD. That's no surprise, although she looks like she's in worse condition in usual. Has she even slept in the past week?]

One thing after another. Floods, a week of hell at that atrocious hotel, and now my home has been completely remodeled.

[She seems... anxious about something. Often glancing to the side, rubbing her face, or just shifting in her seat. If someone's particularly observant, they might notice the light from her laptop reflecting off the largest jewel in her necklace in a peculiar way. A scratch?]

...Forgive me if I'm not sociable lately. I don't want to talk unless anybody has some sweets on hand.

You know the ones. They'd make things a little more tolerable. Perhaps.

[So it's been a few days and the rain simply has not let up. Stairwells look more like waterfalls, The lake has swollen so much that it's started encroaching in on the parking lot and beyond, and the school's drainage pipes are near their bursting point. Some, unfortunately, already have reached that point. Ew.

Miraculously, the school's electricity and subsequently the network is still working... barely. Rick's video feed opens up with some static, the imaging going on and off, a blurr of a bird's eye view of some of the hallways... or more accurately, a core's eye view. His voice even sounds a little more garbled than usual, background sounds of perpetual rain and water gushing every which where aside...]

Man, that is lookin' dangerous. [The video feed blips in and out and seems to settle in the school's boiler room. It's flooded pretty badly, and of course Raiden is up to this torso in it, desperately trying to fix bursting pipes.]

Like this guy, what he's doin' looks pretty dangerous.

[OH... CRAP IS THAT WHEATLEY? Raiden looks surprised--wait, this looks like the green one.] Hey... shouldn't you be som--[Raiden is suddenly and none too gloriously spit in the face by pipe, complete with GGBLGBGBGLLBGGG sputtering sounds.]

For all we know those could be eel infested waters. Electric eel shark hybrids! On steroids.

What?! You're lying. There's nothing down here. [WAS THAT A SHADOW... he honestly wouldn't put it past this school...] Why don't you actually be some help and turn on a light or something?

Can do, but don't say I didn't warn you--they're attracted to the light. Probably. [Behold, Rick has a flashlight. It unfortunately only helps illuminate a small area in front of Raiden. Another pipe bursts behind the soaked blonde and he finally throws his hands up in the air, making a big, frustrated splash. It looks like he's been at this for hours, to no avail.]

That's it! Hey, if you're broadcasting to the network...?

[He sloshes up to Rick, peering up into his big green robot eyeball.] Someone send an actual plumber down here! I'm not qualified for this! This is too much.


[[LMAO EDIT: For all intents and purposes, Rick will effectively be acting as a telephone for Raiden, and only able to translate replies into audio.]]

Dad. We need to talk.