"Last I checked," Meta replied, "horses didn't have eight legs, either." She snickered. "Come on, let's go! Ride, Sleipnir!" She urged her steed. And quickly, the horse accelerated up to a great speed, going for southern Africa.

"C'ya," R.D. said and waved as he and Alasea entered the portal, "Here's to hoping no one headbutts Matt on the other side."

"It'll happen again soon," Hugo said, entering as well. "Either that or he'll fall flat on his face."

After the Mettaur entered the Gateway, Helena turned back to Ristar. "Even if I can't come back, I won't forget you."

The two shared a brief, but strong embrace. Ristar kept his gaze over her shoulder, looking at the Gateway. "Bye, Helena."

She released him. "Bye."

With a wave, she entered the portal.

***

Something happened during the trip.

The group finally spilled out onto soft grass, which was immediately more recognizable than the green found at Flora. Before them was the entrance to a bustling city, surrounded by walls of bleached stone. Within, they could see the town square, not surprisingly centered by a pristine water fountain. Small, green people with round heads and solely black eyes carried on their lives about and beyond this fountain.

With a tremendous huff, Matt lifted his face from the dirt. "I swear to God, if I land like this one more time, I'm gonna-"

He glanced at R.D., and abruptly ceased his sentence.

R.D. was looking at what he assumed to be Matt in horror.

"What the fuck!?"

Matt and R.D. both looked like this, Matt with blue spots and R.D. with red:



Conversely, Helena and Alasea both looked like this, again with different coloring-Helena's head was a strong green, and Alasea's a cool orange:



Hugo, well...looked like Hugo.


Matt just looked at his hands. "...oh, boy."

"What the hell did you do to us!?" R.D. practically screamed at Matt, figuring the Core had done this to them.

"I swear to God, I didn't do anything!" Matt claimed, holding out a hand in exaggerated defense. "I WAS FRAMED!"

"Yeah, usually when Matt fucks up it affects all of us," Hugo added, in a thoughtful posture. "No, it's gotta be somethin' else..."

"Are you positive you didn't do anything?" Helena asked Matt.

"Yes!"

"Well," she concluded, "I believe you."

"This is just great. We don't even have our weapons," R.D. said as he checked his new body. His two Phase Blades were not on him. Alasea checked her own body, finding her short swords absent.

A horrible thought struck R.D. at that moment. His Phase Blades were missing. What else could be missing?

He looked around at the alien landscape and aimed his hand at a large rock. He concentrated with all his might, to create a devastating energy blast.

"..."

Nothing happened.

Well shit.

"... we're fucking screwed if something attacks us."

"You may have lost Luminya, but I-" here Matt asumed the boldest pose his body could make- "can still protect us with my mighty power!"

He pointed his finger at the same rock. "Behold the power of my eternal flame!"

Matt was promptly set on fire.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"I think I've still got all of my weaponry," Hugo said to the others as Matt ran around like a headless chicken behind him. "Guess I'm the only one who can actually do anything right now."

"But there should be a way for us to get back to normal, right?" Helena asked.

"Probably. Once Matt gets the Core workin' straight he can fix us."

R.D. swore and tripped Matt. "Stop, drop, and roll, moron. I did two of those for you, start with the third," he said.

Alasea giggled at the display briefly before grow serious again. "I don't think it'd be a good idea for us to stay here," she said, "Our luck hasn't been all that great."

"Don't you fuckin' trip me!" Matt snapped, sneaking in a kick at the back of R.D.'s heel.

"Are you two ladies finished?" Hugo said. "Because we need to figure out where we are."

Matt stood up, and dusted himself off with no fire to worry about. "Fine..."

R.D. merely dodged the incoming kick, jumping up so the foot swept under him.

"How about we start with the city?" he asked, pointing a thumb towards the nearby town.

Edited by RisingDragon on January 6, 2007 at 22:01:19.

"I dunno, I felt like wandering out into the wilderness," Matt griped. He looked down at his pants. "Damn, I wish I had my jacket. I'd feel a lot better."

"I just hope that whatever we are also lives here," Helena said.

"I blame COMMUNISM!" Matt declared.

"I bet you do," Hugo muttered.

"What is it with you and communism?" R.D. asked.

"Come on! We're not finding anything out just standing here!" Alasea exclaimed.

"FINE!" Matt pointed with his stubby finger. "Back to crazy stupid adventure!"

The group walked into the city, and upon entering, found that it was also populated with creatures like them, as well as a variety of other distinct races. "Least we won't have trouble blending in," Hugo said.

"Well, you will," Matt pointed out. "I don't think Mettaurs are native to this dimension." He folded his hands behind his back. "We will simply claim you are a toy, and I expect you to act like one."

Hugo scoffed. "That's stupid."

"So," R.D. started, musing, "We need to get our original bodies back. Then we need to find out what's plaguing this world and rectify things, and then we need to go about moving on to the next world. Where should we start?"

"I'd rather not have to depend on Hugo for all our combative needs," Matt remarked. "Once I figure out how to access the Core in this form we can get back to normal. In the meantime, let's avoid a fight and start looking around."

Something in the sky caught Helena's eye. "...what's that?"

It crashed into the water fountain with a great surge of energy, resulting in an explosion.

"Holy crap!" Hugo snapped, as more energy objects smashed into the ground from the sky, causing a great panic.

Within not too long an amount of time, Meta, Shujou, Sleipnir and Gilgamesh had reached southern Africa, where they would search for any 'good guys' that would be part of Meta's plan.

Unusually calm, R.D. looked as the energy rained down on the city. "Do we have bad luck or something?" he asked Matt.

He looked around, growing serious as an explosion happened dangerously close to them. "I don't know about you, but I feel we should get as many people out of here as possible."

The initial volley of explosives ceased, but the crowd wasn't done panicking-crazed, bean-like creatures suddenly emerged, attacking the crowd and doing their best to cause disarray.

"Damn it, we can't even do anything!" Matt swore.

"Look!" Helena shouted, pointing north. In the long distance, the city made way to the proper grounds of a huge, elaborate castle, which was being bombarded by the same energy blasts.

"It's a diversion!" Hugo realized.

"Should we split up?" R.D. asked, picking up a stray metal rod.

"I say we go over to the castle and find out what's going on," Matt said.

"Are you stupid again?" Hugo snapped. "I'm the only good fighter right now and you want to get involved in what's happening up there?"

Matt pointed at Hugo. "Yes, and let me tell you why. Because I assure you that once we reach the castle some major plot point will happen which just so happens to allow us to gain our bodies back and set us on a course to defeat the thing we need to beat in this world."

Helena sighed. "Matt, I don't think that's how things work."

"That's how they work in AMERICA."

Helena arched an eyebrow. "...America?"

"Never mind."

"Hopefully," R.D. said, referring to the 'plot point', "It's not like Matt's been wrong yet. Let's hurry up and get this done. I'm already tired of being a mushroom."

With that, he started leading the group up towards the castle.

As they made their way toward the castle, the occasional enemy snapped at them, but they were quickly silenced by a blast from Hugo's pickaxe. The going got thicker as they continued on, until a brief moment where they were at the main gates, barricaded to prevent enemy forces from entering.

"Now how do we get in?" Matt asked.

"Well," R.D. began, "We could tie a rope to you, you can light yourself on fire in front of the guards, and while they're distracted and have opened the gate, the rest of us can run in and pull you in with us."

Edited by RisingDragon on January 7, 2007 at 20:35:58.

"Not only do I NOT want to light myself on fire, we probably shouldn't mess with the gates while they've got those monsters invadin' all over the place," Matt said.

Visibly reluctant, Helena suggested, "...let me try and see if I can become a dragon."

"You sure that's a good idea?" Matt asked. "I don't want you to-"

"Matt." Even with her simple eyes, Helena's glance was full of the grace and developing strength of her normal body. "Just let me try it."

He sighed. "Fine. R.D., think of a backup plan. And NO, it cannot involve setting myself on fire."

"Alright," R.D. said, looking at the walls and trying to figure out how to get over them.

Matt walked Helena a distance away from the others, and they stood there for a few tense moments.

"...I can't do it," she finally said.

"Oh," came Matt's reply.

She glanced at him with an empty smile. "You'd think I'd be happy for that."

"It won't last forever."

"I know."

He adjusted his glasses. "Still...you're cool however you are."

They didn't look at each other, but Matt's face felt hot, so he had to wonder if it was the same for her.

Edited by The Helldragon on January 8, 2007 at 0:47:37.

Kalmar watched Blazen's brutal assualt before being smacked aside by the creature's giant hand. He flew and hit a nearby wall, grunting in pain as he slowly rose to his feet. He stared coldly at the demon, watching the creature seem to smirk at him.

The Demon Hunter roared in outrage, "I've had enough of this!" He bolted toward the demon, his weapon vanishing as he concentrated energy into his right arm. The creature attempted to drive Kalmar into the ground, but he quickly grabbed it with his powerful hand and moved it.

The fist slammed into the ground behind him as he drove his own fist into the demon's knee. The creature cried out in pain as it faultered, stumbling to one knee from the impact. He quickly turned, slamming his elbow into the demon's chin, sending it reeling in pain.

Kalmar summoned his shortswords, rising into the air while he stared at the demon. The creature, having recovered from the attack, glared back at the man. A small ring of fire formed on the ground around him as he held his shortswords at his sides.

Suddenly, the ring of fire shot upwards, reddish-black flames consuming both Kalmar and the demons unlucky enough to be inside the Demon Hunter's circle. He roared loudly, flying forward as the corrupted fire of the tornado flowing around him. The man's platinum streaked hair flew as his blood red eyes beheld contempt for his ex-wife.

The creature roared in defiance, standing it's ground as it watched her ex-husband's attack.

Edited by Fallen on January 7, 2007 at 22:25:31.