ARCADE SESSION: REBOOTED

[seppawku]

ask the kobolds if they wanna work together ig?

[1011686]

Yeah we're willing to work together. We have a bird tracker if i recall, whoch should lead us to whoever came through our place, which was probably the same person as whoever came through theirs.

[knux400]

...So, would you be okay with working together? If I had to guess, whoever attacked you is probably the same person who stole Topaz, my bird.
Right, I heard about that when you were talking to Clemont.

Orkahm glances at the other three kobolds.

...I think it would be better if we stayed here for now. We've got some things to discuss. Like, y'know, the whole 'being created' thing.
But I thought...?
Listen, Echo. It takes a while to come to terms with stuff like this. We need to have a family chat about what this is going to mean going forwards. And, uh, no offense, but I think it would be better if you and Trinket weren't here for it.
If you find our things, though, feel free to stop by.
Yeah! You're cool! I like your outfit.

Tamaru simply gives a polite wave.

...Okay, then. I'll let you know if I find anything. Good luck!
Thanks. You too.
 

Echo exits the KOBOLD VILLAGE and checks the BIRD TRACKER. It's still pointing southeast.
 

[victorianflorist]

Go around that out cropping of rock and then continue following the tracker, you're a cat on a mission.

[1011686]

Dang shouldve asked the kobolds what the surrounding area was like, oh well. Continue down the south path. We might come across the base that other tcp came from.

[knux400]

Echo proceeds down the south corridor, where she almost immediately stops and flattens herself against a wall. She can hear Topaz chirping from around the corner, she says, but there's something else, too- a sort of clicky chittering that she can't quite recognize. It's not TCP speech, since neither of you can understand it.

The BIRD TRACKER seems to confirm Echo's observation- it's pointing in the same direction Echo is looking.
 

You may check Echo's status at any time using the /check command, as well as view her skills and items using /skills and /inventory respectively.

[victorianflorist]

/check Echo

[seppawku]

/check Echo!! and our inventory too ig..

[knux400]

You decide to CHECK Echo, telling her to hold position for a bit.
 

Echo is a BAT TYPE TCP. She is currently excited to finally see TOPAZ again, but nervous as to whatever is making that CHITTERING noise around the corner. Echo's health is currently at its maximum of GREAT. Echo's prosthetic arms are at 23% power and will need to be removed soon.

Typing in /inventory echo brings up a new menu, this one with text only.

Echo is currently wearing:
-STEALTH SUIT
-PROSTHETIC ARMS (23%)
-ANKLE HOLSTER
-ASSORTED PINS

Echo is currently carrying:
-BIRD TRACKER
-STUN GUN
-NET
-MULTITOOL

The chirping continues, as does the chittering. You don't speak bird, but the chirping sounds slightly distressed.
 

How should you proceed?

[victorianflorist]

Echo, equip the stun gun and stealth suit. Let's try and scope out the enemy. If they see you, stun 'em.

Once they're stunned, throw the net onto them and tie them up.

[1011686]

Yeah thats a good idea actually. The chittering isnt understandable, so i'd say its pretty probable that you won't be able to communicate to whatever is making that noise. Its unfortunate, but this is the most likely to be safe option we have (other than just going back of course. but i don't think we're doing that). If there's something unexpected around the corner though, like another TCP that you couldn't hear before, hold on stunning.

[Orange Juice Goose]

There is not much to do but equip that gear combination Vic mentioned. Then stealthily creep up, and figure out a course of action with new information.

[knux400]

Echo is already wearing the STEALTH SUIT, but she draws the stun gun from its holster.

She creeps around the corner, and you're able to see into the room ahead...
 

It looks almost like a hoard. You can see Topaz in his cage, but also a sizeable pile of gems and... a giant egg? The creature hasn't spotted Echo yet, and neither has Topaz. The creature looks like it's poking its hand through the bars of the cage reaching for Topaz, but Topaz is having none of it- he keeps moving away, much to the creature's frustration.

After a moment, Topaz pecks the creature's hand and it chitters angrily, recoiling back. These two really don't seem to like each other.

[1011686]

>Get close enough that you feel fairly certain you can hit it, and then shoot it with the stun gun. Also, >EXAMINE (or was it >INSPECT) the creature.

[Shifter55]

Okay, with only 23% charge remaining, you are going to have to do this fast. See if you can get behind the creature and run at it and give it a solid punch, make sure you position your wings so the force is like that of a sharp bank while flying, to minimise injury.
From there, see if you can open the cage, or failling that, grab it and flee.

[Orange Juice Goose]

Our view is a bit limiting, we see only a single not-topaz creature, please note & avoid taking action if you can sense anything else.

If that is the only strange creature, aim your taser directly at the foe, and tell them "Don't move! You've taken my pet." or whatever your wording for that is

[knux400]

Echo says there's just the one creature in the cave, and so you proceed with your original plan. You tell Echo to aim the stun gun at the creature and give it a chance to end things peacefully.

Don't move! That's my bird you're messing with!

The creature doesn't seem to understand Echo's words, instead responding with angry chittering. It makes a move towards Echo, but before it can get anywhere, she fires the stun gun...

...and misses. You're not sure if it was the creature moving too quickly, Echo's reluctance to fire the weapon, or the low power of her prosthetic arms, but in any case the shot sails right over the creature's shoulder and zaps harmlessly against the wall. Seeing this as an act of aggression, the creature charges towards Echo, screeching and hissing. You reach for the keyboard to tell Echo to do something else, but before you can even hit the first button, Echo leaps into the air and flies away from the creature. You get a brief glimpse of the previous room as she pulls a quick U-turn and flies straight into it again, punching it square in the face.
 

It starts to get up again, but Echo nails it with the stun gun before it can do anything. It lays on the ground, convulsing slightly. It seems unhurt (unhurt by the stun gun, that is, you're sure Echo's punch will leave a hell of a mark) but it won't be going anywhere for the next few minutes.

You EXAMINE the fallen creature, and are met with... this. It's not a pretty sight, to say the least, and there's no way that's a TCP.
 

All that's left in the area are Topaz, the pile of gems, and the large egg. What now?

[MarxzVulpez]

Wow, I guess they got a little bat-ered, she knocker-ed it right out of the park, and the consequences will probably echo around in their head for a bit
So let's first snag the Bird, then maybe throw the net over the thief? if not, let's at least see what else we're able to carry, also Check Echo and make sure the arms aren't wearing on her too bad (unless i'm mistaking what the 23% is for)

[Orange Juice Goose]

Bird can probably be released from the cage, which will result in less strain on the arms.
Maybe put the net on the Bunny just to be safe, but leave its belongings alone for now.

[knux400]

Echo throws the net atop the fallen creature. It's still laying there, twitching every so often- you've probably got a few minutes before it can move again.

You tell Echo to free Topaz and grab whatever else she can, and Echo does so. As she opens the cage, you realize Topaz has been in there since you spawned him, and being a canary, you have no idea how he'll react to suddenly being in a wide open space, and with how big these caves are, it would be nearly impossible to find him again if he were to fly away, and...
 

Echo breaks your train of thought, Topaz sitting calmly atop her shoulder. She's wearing the CONDUCTOR HAT the creature dropped (the same one you made for her earlier- it must've taken that from your base as well!) She says she can either take the PILE OF GEMS or the GIANT EGG- she'll have to come back for whichever one she doesn't take.

You take a moment to CHECK Echo.
 

Echo is a BAT TYPE TCP. She is relieved to have TOPAZ with her, but also curious as to the nature of the EGG. Echo's health is currently at its maximum of GREAT. Echo's prosthetic arms are at 16% power and will need to be removed soon.

You ask Echo how her arms are doing- she explains that they haven't started to make her feel tired yet. Once the internal battery drains, the arms are designed to run directly on the health of the TCP itself. Once that starts happening, the TCP will feel tired, and continued use after that will begin to drain health. The battery recharges on its own whenever it's not in use- how exactly that happens is beyond her, but if she takes the arms off, they should be ready to go again in about ten minutes.

She doesn't actually need the prosthetic arms to carry the egg or the gems- the main purpose of them is just to give her proper hands that can grip things- but she doesn't exactly have anywhere to put them, either. She says she'll be okay carrying something all the way back to the base if she heads straight there, with time to maybe drop the other item off somewhere close by first.

What should she do?