"Oh, that'll be easy," R.D. muttered as he continued attacking Fawful's ship while avoiding as many of the green blasts as possible. He charged up and condensed a ball of energy, and tried to compress it as much as he can. After it couldn't grow any more compressed, he released the orb, launching a concussive force of energy at Fawful. After that, he continued firing off a hailstorm of energy beams.

Alasea shrieked and started slashing away at the bats, flinching slightly with each wound she got. "That's it!" she screamed, stabbing one of her blades into the ground. A field of electricity surrounded the young teen and blasted outwards at the bats.

(Well, Morph, I had me an opening, and now I've lost it...can't really think of a way to enter now. >__>)

Kalmar turned, glaring at Kite as he moved to follow Blazen. "We will finish this later, because regardless of who you think I am, I won't let my only friend walk out of here.. not alone."

He walked out of the house, looking around at the morning destruction that was Italy. He shook his head slowly, stretching in the semi-warm light to keep the chill out of his bones. He eyed Blazen out of the corner of his vision, still watching the area for movement, "I think it's time to move on."

Meta looked up at the tall man who went by the name of Reckoning once again, a few marvellously faked tears twinkling in her eyes. "Would it be too much to say everything?" She said. "I have come to doubt it. Xastra is the one who murdered my brother and father and ransacked my kingdom. He nearly killed me, too, but luckily I could escape from his grasp, together with a few of loyal helpers." She gestured around her. "The great people you see here. My Royal Guard."

"Hmmmm,Kalmar Uverth, i'll have to remember that," Kite said as he walked off, he saw something that caught his eye,"This is...!They're running into a trap!"

Kite ran off towards where Blazen and Kalmar were heading, with Blane in close pursuit.

But by the time Kite had figured it out that there was a trap, it was already too late, as it sprung a second trap he hadn't seen in the beginning.

Diablo, still swathed in his dull gray cloak, watched the two adventurers as they wandered the streets. He knew of Re-Tuul's plan for the Rising Dragon and the Demon Hunter, but cared nothing of it. Re-Tuul could find another. The enigmatic being snapped his fingers, causing a massive dimensional rip to appear in the air before Blazen and Kalmar. And once it had fully opened, it began to spew out demons.

Edited by RisingDragon on January 24, 2007 at 13:10:51.

Once the demons came out, a wall of fire sprouted before and under some. The unfortunate ones who were ontop of the fire were burnt to ashes before the eyes of the watchers. However the wall did not last long. Mostly enough to give everyone a chance to see what happened and get a grip. Blazen was even sure at first.

Though as the wall came down he got ready to fight once more. Steam poured from his pores, rising at his shoulders. The jolts of fire returned around Blazen as he stared at the rip.

Kalmar eyed the dimensional rip with contempt, yet having a full night's rest helped keep his temper in check. He sensed an evil presense before the demons began pouring out of the rip, diverting his attention.

"I grow tired of these annoyances, begone!" he roared as corrupted fire erupted around him, the cement cracking underneath his feet. Suddenly he held out his left arm, holding his arm flat before drawing it back and throwing it out to his side, sending a large shockwave of dark energy at the demons.

The electric field blasted the bats, knocking them away. They swarmed away and reformed into Cackletta, who sneered and gestured, knocking Alasea across the room with invisible gravitational force. "I will not be stopped!" the witch hissed, descending toward Princess Peach, who backed away fearfully.

Just then, a ball of fire and ball of electricity shot past Cackletta, narrowly missing her. "What?" she demanded, swiveling around to face Mario and Luigi, each wielding the Fireband and Thunderhand respectively. "Well...two against one, eh? If that's how it is, I'm ready for you!" She spread her arms, flaring her jagged cape. "I'm going to knock you all the way back to the Mushroom Kingdom!" Their battle was joined in a midst of flashing thunder and fire.

R.D.'s energy orb knocked Fawful back, but still the barrier stood, reflecting the further energy blasts. "Ha!" Fawful laughed. "You are a graduate of stupidity when you think you can break through this barrier!"

"Good thing I flunked Stupid University!" Matt shouted, leaping into the air. He pulled out a long nail of shimmering light from his sleeve, smashing the point into the barrier. "Goldion..." He held out his other hand, and a giant golden hammer appeared between his fingers.

"HAMMER!" He struck the nail into the barrier, amid a storm of energy.

Alasea growled as she pulled herself out of a pile of machinery. "Bitch!" she screamed as she ran back to the aid of Mario and Luigi.

R.D. looked up at the weapon Matt had created and swore.

Here we go again, he thought as he prepared for the inevitable.

===Italy===

Even as the flame wall struck, killing the first row, and the shockwave wiping out the second, the monsters came out of the portal like a horrible flood--undead knights in ragged clothes and black armor, massive winged demons armed with jagged blades, powerful blue-skinned horned beasts crackling with electricity. Many horrors that hadn't been seen on Earth in a long, long time.

Diablo stood atop the tallest ruins, watching as the battle began. But he soon felt the holy lifeforce of an angel. His eyes narrowed beneath the hood of his cloak, and his hand tightened around his sword's hilt.

Meta looked into Reckoning's eyes, a few moments passed before her reply. "Because he did it in front of my eyes, even announcing his name and authority."

"There's only one guy I know of that would attempt to attack them, Blane, i'm going after Diablo, you help Kalmar and Blazen out..." Kite said using a few runes in his belt to open a dimensional rip that he walked into.

"Right..." Blane said flying off at a high rate of speed towards Kalmar and Blazen.

Kalmar swore as he jumped back, his greatsword appearing in his hands as he moved into a defensive stance. Two winged demons swooped towards Kalmar but he quickly rolled out of the way, cutting the closest one in half with a horrible shriek. Five undead knights and three blue horned demons joined the winged creature, with two more of them joining the group also. He leapt back, drawing the creatures away from the rift.

"Enough!" he roared as corrupted flames consumed his body, his disfigured arm pulsing as his blood red eyes seemed to glow in the morning light. He held his greatsword out with his right hand as three rings of demonic energy circled the blade. He quickly grabbed the hilt and slammed the blade into the ground, a pool of chaotic energy surrounding the emerged blade tip. Four balls of energy appeared, flying upward and toward the crowd, destroying an undead knight, a winged demon, and two blue horned demons.

He yelled out as he rushed at the suprised creatures, slicing through two undead knights in turn but recieved a cut on his leg for it. He quickly spun as he exited the other side of the crowd, his newly appeared energy scythe flying through the air to slice a winged demon's right wing clean off. A terrible shriek cut through the air as it fell, but was silenced as it was impaled on a blue demons horn.

He glared at the remaining demons, two undead knights, a winged demon, and a blue horned demon with a flyer on its horn. He suddenly felt a powerful evil energy, one he swore he had felt before.

He dismissed it as he turned his attention to the demons, reinforcements already adding to his personal play group, "Show me how you would die," he muttered with an evil grin, "and I will aid you."

Edited by Fallen on January 25, 2007 at 18:35:23.

"Well, then, sounds like you'll be needing all the help you can get." Poncho said, finally in eyesight...well, at least to the others. "Sorry, can't help but eavesdrop." The young man admitted, approaching Juno and Meta now, making sure his hat kept his eyes out of sight, to prevent a definite 'no.'

"The last thing I need is another thing to restrict me, and the same should obviously go for you, am I right?" Poncho asked to the group. "Again, sorry for interruptin your pretty conversation, but I do so believe I've found interest in joining your group if you'll have me."

(Woo....that wasn't as dramatically cool as I had originally planed, but whatever. XD)

The barrier dissipated amid the tremendous electricity generated by Matt's conjured energy nail, digging deep into Fawful's miniature ship. Fawful screeched as his damaged ship began erratically flying about, until an explosion sealed the deal, destroying the headgear for good and tossing the minion into the wall.

With sweeping bolts of lightning, Cackletta managed to fend off the plumbers, sneaking in a well-timed shot as Alasea as she attempted to return to battle. "Your pathetic attacks can't defeat me!"

A pulse of white-hot energy smashed into Cackletta, straight from the jaws of Helena, who flared her wings with the attack. The witch smashed into the wall hard, and slid down until landing on the floor. It was enough time for the group to gather together in simultaneous opposition. "The jig is officially up, Cackletta!" Matt said, pointing the Goldion Hammer at the witch.

She looked at Juno. "We can." She said grimly. "I know we can. If we can win is a second thing, but I have hope. Lots of it. And I hope that we can kill him."

R.D.'s left hand ignited with the Godhand attack, as he held the Phase Blade at the ready in his right. "I don't know about the rest of the group," he said to their opponent, "But I'm feeling particularly violent towards you."

Blazen watched as a select few of demons came toward him. He smirked, his clothes and hair turning black. Blazen shot at a mob of demons, dissapearing in the chaos. The demons planned to do what they will with Blazen as they readied thier weapons. However, one of Blazen's fist rose with the weapons and fell with them again. A large wave of heat and fire flew from the mob. A large spike of black fire flew from Blazen and the demons around him burnt.

Blazen emerged, a blade in his left lower arm and one in his right lower leg. More demons came at him, thinking of an easy kill now. Blazen turned around quickly, the blade on his left arm, sliceing the neck of a horned one. The blade on his leg was kicked up to go through the jaw of a knight. He pulled his blade out and cut into the side of its head and it was flown into a wall.

Blazen then pulled out the blades and threw them aside, blood covered. However this wouldn't slow this god down. Blazen kept his back to the chaos behind him before jumping into the air and coming up on a flying demon. He grinned as he back handed it, sending it to the ground, at awesome speed. The demon's crash shook the earth slightly and only for a moment.

Blazen then turned to the ground, headfirst. A spere of fire surrouned him as he divebombed into the earth to create another quake, but splitting the ground at some points. Some land based demons fell into the abyss made by the splits. Blazen then jumped out of the crater he created and spun to hit a horned demon, spinning its very head, and screwing it off.

Blazen then landed and turned his foot in a full circle tripping the knights around him. Blazen pounded the ground again as he did earlier, sending the knights into the air, in ashes. He then spun quickly, holding both fists out to send the armor they wore into other demons, to daze them at best.

"It's...it's not over yet!"

With a puff of smoke, Cackletta appeared next to Princess Peach, and grabbed her, launching into the air toward the roof.

"Princess!" Matt shouted, bending his knees in preparation to launch upward.

"I wouldn't do anything if I were you!" Cackletta said, drawing a gangly finger near Peach's throat. "One wrong move and your precious princess will be no more!"

"Damn it!" Matt growled, lowering his hammer. He couldn't risk using the Core what with Peach so close by-God knows what would happen if it backfired. His other hand fell on the strong neck of the dragon beside him-Helena was ready to attack but Matt's touch managed to keep her at bay, though she did growl.

"Now the process is complete!" Cackletta said, gesturing toward the machine that held the Beanstar. The beam around the artifact dissipated, and the Beanstar floated toward the witch's hand. "Now that I know for sure that this is the original Beanstar and not some copy sealed in the vault to delude me, I can finally take over Beanbean Kingdom!" Her grin spread wide across her face as she eyed the Princess. "And after that, I think I'll conquer Mushroom Kingdom next!"

"You won't get away with this!" Peach shouted.

"Oh?" Still grinning, Cackletta caught the Beanstar. "And why's that?"

"Because they'll defeat you!" Peach answered, talking about the group below.

"You really think they're that strong?" the witch asked. "Even now, when there's no hope left and the fate of the Beanbean Kingdom rests on their shoulders?"

"Yes!" the princess shouted. "They're out last hope, but I believe in each of them, and the whole kingdom believes in them too!"

Matt's eyes widened. Oh, FIZZLE! "Princess!" he shouted. "Stop talking!"

"Too late!" Cackletta laughed, as the Beanstar began to shine a brilliant green. "Her words of hope are just what I needed to activate the Beanstar!" She suddenly extended her arm, dropping the princess. "Here, you can have her!"

Mario ran foward and made a mighty leap to catch Princess Peach in midair, landing solidly on the floor. But it was too late-already the Beanstar's glow began to engulf Cackletta, infusing her with power. "Yes...YES!" the witch raved, raising her arms. "The power...the POWER!"

"Oh God damn it," R.D. said, seizing the Second Cipher energy and creating two plasma bursts with it. He slammed the two bursts together and fired off one gigantic shot straight at Cackletta.

The Beanstar's awesome power was apparently enough to deflect R.D.'s attack. It got worse quick-it became readily apparent that Cackletta was growing in size due to the power.

"Get outta the way!" Matt shouted, as he pushed Helena away. Mario and Luigi did the same with the others, narrowly avoiding Cackletta's foot as it came down with a tremendous impact.

"First Beanbean Kingdom..." With a tremendous noise, Cackletta burst through the roof of Woohoo University, sending shards of metal and rock spiralling to the floor. "Then Mushroom Kingdom..."

She stood up straight, now looming over fifty feet tall, and raised her hands to the sky, proclaiming in a deep, booming voice: "Then the WORLD! EEYAH HA HA HA HA!"

Covering Helena defensively, Matt lifted himself from the prone dragon, craning his neck upwards. "...we're boned."

"Well, we need to think of something, Matt," R.D. said, also a bit scared of the monstrosity before them, "And we need to get the others out of here."

"Everybody GET OUT!" Matt shouted. He bolted toward the doorway, followed by Helena.

R.D. nodded, and the group quickly followed Matt and Helena.

Once outside of Woohoo University, the group was met by a startled Hugo and the Toads under his ward. "What the fuck's goin' on?!" the Mettaur demanded, pointing his pickaxe at the colossal Cackletta.

"Cackletta activated the Beanstar," Matt explained. "And we gotta stop her before she destroys the whole damn kingdom!"

"How the hell are you gonna take that down?" Hugo asked.

Matt paused for a minute, thinking. A smirk slowly spread over his face. "In the most awesome way possible." He made a big gesture. "All right, people, here's the plan! I want ALL of you to take the car and get the hell outta here as fast as you can! I'm gonna get some major fucking reinforcements and I don't want any of you around when that happens, got it?"

Mario understood, and Luigi certainly did, as he ran toward the car immediately, eager to leave. Matt kneeled before Helena. "Helena, I'm gonna need you to stay like that a while longer, okay? I need you to follow the car and help protect everyone." He scratched the side of the dragon's head in a small show of affection, and then stood up again. "R.D....you gotta help me out here, this is gonna take a bit to pull off."

Alasea joined the others quickly, sparing a single glance back at the two teen powerhouses.

"So, how are we doing this?" he asked Matt, keeping a wary eye on Cackletta.