R.D. made a low whistle as they drove through the rich suburbs, not liking what he was seeing. "Man, this could get ugly, if we have to steal the Essence out of these places," he said. "We could get the cops on our rears pretty quick."

Matt frowned. He'd rather not resort to theft if need be, but then again, the fate of the Multiverse was more important.

The energy levels spiked as they approached a particular mansion. This one took up the space of two mansions they had previously seen, and had more outlined architecture.

As they neared the particular mansion, the chime sounded once more as Ileyna's hair flared blue again. "Stop the car!" she said suddenly, slightly startling R.D. in the process.

Matt did, with a screech. Good thing no one was behind them, otherwise their car and this one would be in the midst of an intimiate facial conversation.

"This the place?" Hugo asked.

Ileyna nodded rapidly. "It's in there," she said, pointing at the large mansion. R.D. looked at it.

"... of course, it has to be in the biggest of them all," R.D. muttered, shaking his head. "This is gonna be interesting."

They pulled up to the sidewalk. It wasn't one of those drive-through gates that Matt was expecting, but there was an intercom set up near the entrance, where the gate would automatically open once the man inside gave them the word.

"Think they're having a party?" Matt asked, noticing the cars parked ahead of them down the street.

"Maybe? I don't know," R.D. said, "Doubt they'll let us in, though. We're not the fanciest dressers."

"Then how are we gonna get the Essence?" Ileyna asked.

"Beats me. We should probably scope the place out, though."

Hugo strode up to the front gate. "Press the button, Matt."

When Matt did so, a voice crackled through the intercom. "Hello. Please state your name."

"My name's Hugo," the Mettaur said. "This is, uh...what's the address of this place again?"

"750 Burgundy Avenue," the voice answered.

"Yeah. We're the band. I understand there's a party going on that we got hired to play for."

"I wasn't informed about a band being invited to this party."

"You the butler?"

The voice didn't answer immediately, maybe out of momentary surprise. "Yes."

"Look, we got hired to play at 750 Burgundy Avenue. If we don't play, we don't get paid, and we don't get paid, I'm gonna hold YOU responsible, and I don't think your boss wants to find out that the band he hired couldn't get inside the front door, do you?"

Another pause. Then: "Please enter," and the gates slid open.

"I can't believe that worked," Hugo said, and walked into the yard.

"Me neither," Matt said.

"So," R.D. started as he walked with everyone, "What do we do when they realize we're not a band?"

"I'll hold someone up," Hugo said. "That'll give you time to scan the house."

"Resorting to assualt, are we?" Matt asked.

"Do you have a better idea?"

"I think I can convince them that we're not a band." Matt rapped on the door. "Just act cool. Hugo, get ready to play music on command. You still have that ability, right?"

"Yeah. Pick me up, Ileyna. Pretend I'm an object."

The door opened, revealing a crisp old man with tight wrinkles, dressed in a formal suit. Matt smiled wide. "Hello. We're the band."

The butler's eyes darted over the group. "Where are your instruments?"

"Ah, but that's part of the fun. You'll see what they are once we get this act going."

Still wary, the butler stepped aside to let them enter.

Ileyna picked Hugo up only moments before the door opened to admit them entrance, wrapping her arms around Hugo's body and legs and following Matt and R.D. inside the building.

"The party is being held upstairs in the loft," the butler said. "I'll take you in so you can set up your equipment."

"Just take us to the door, we'll figure things out from there," Matt said.

The butler led them up the stairs. Matt moved backwards next to R.D. and muttered, "When I give you the word, break off and have Ileyna home in on the Essence."

R.D. nodded, saying nothing.

They went up a flight of stairs, and then another, shorter set, leading up from the end of the second floor highway, which spiralled around. It opened up into a huge loft that took up the entire third story, decorated with elegant furniture, reflecting a strong red and brown color.

"This is the loft," the butler said. "Please remain here while I find Mr. Hiroshi."

"Don't worry, we've dealt with him before," Matt said. "We'll talk with him."

"Mr. Hiroshi prefers if I introduce guests to him personally," the butler said, and Matt was visibly gripping for an answer.

"Does Mr. Hiroshi prefer you challenging the policies of those he hires?" R.D. said, covering for Matt by challenging the butler. He crossed his arms over his chest. "From what I remember of our past dealings with him, he prefers it when we set up, and not waste his time with frivolous activities when we're supposed to do our jobs. We're not here as guests, after all, we're hear as musicians."

The butler seemed to shrivel just a little bit. "...very well." He quickly took back down the stairs.

"Hate to destroy his self-esteem," Matt muttered, "but it's neccessary." Now to search for the Essence. "Ileyna, can you feel the Essence up here? Tell me quick, and try not to have your hair flash, it's very distracting."

"My hair flash?" Ileyna said, cocking her head to the side. It seemed she was rather unaware of what her hair did when she detected the presence of Omega Essence.

"Time is of the essence, Ileyna," R.D. said, getting her attention again.

"Oh! Um... yeah. Its around here somewhere. Below us."

"Below us?" R.D. said, looking towards the floor. "So, one of the lower levels. Alright," he said, looking back at the girl. "Let's go find it."

"Okay," she said, turning and handing Hugo's inert form to Matt.

Edited by RisingDragon on October 21, 2008 at 20:19:51.

"Good luck," Matt said, taking Hugo and watching them go.

As R.D. and Ileyna moved back down to the second floor, the bottom of the staircase was blocked by someone, and they almost collided. "Oh!" she said. "Excuse me, I didn't see where I was going." R.D. was at face level, so she focused on him first.

A very familar she...a she with long brown hair, sharp green eyes, and that lifting voice he had heard before.

"It's okay, R.D. said, stepping back slightly, having yet to look at her. "It's no... problem."

R.D. caught a glance at her face, and the world seemed to stop, causing him to falter with his words. Ileyna, not realizing the problem, tugged on his hand said, "R.D., let's go."

"Ah, yeah, hold on," he said, moving out of the girl's way and walking past. They turned the corner, and R.D.'s mind began to race, the world speeding back up.

There's no way that could be her. Its impossible.

A few moments later, a more terrifying thought came to him.

Oh shit. She's going upstairs!

As the girl passed Ileyna, another spike of Essence energy coursed the air. It was...coming from her!

Luckily, Ileyna had turned the corner when the spike hit her, causing her hair to flare blue once more, sounding with a chime. She spun around, eyes wide. She looked up at R.D., whispering.

"R.D., she has some!"

"What?" R.D. said, incredulous. He looked back around the corner, watching her ascend the stairs and disappear from sight. "Oh, man, this could be bad."

"You probably don't remember calling me," Matt said. "You must be pretty busy and forgot."

"I'm VERY organized," the Asian man said, his curt tone drawing the attention of everyone in the room by now. "And I don't remember hiring you at all."

This wasn't good. R.D. and Ileyna needed more time to find the Essence...time for the secret weapon. "There was a song I did for you. I'll do it again right now for everyone in the room, so you can jog your memory."

"I don't think-" The man became distracted as the brown-haired girl entered the loft proper, her eyes settling on the boy in the white jacket.

Matt tapped Hugo on the head. "Hugo? Play the song."

"Oh, God, you're not seriously going to do it again, are you?" the Mettaur said, as someone gasped.

"Play the song!"

Hugo let out a loud groan, and as he was set down on the ground, his helmet flipped up, revealing an unfolding set of speakers.

Edited by The Helldragon on October 21, 2008 at 23:42:51.

"Come on, Ileyna," R.D. said, turning away from the young woman in the white dress. "We need to find that first piece of Omega Essence."

"But, R.D., that's the only piece that I feel right now."

"..."

R.D. put his hand against his forehead. This was going badly. "Okay, let's go back up. We need to talk to Matt, and quick."

R.D. walked out of the corridor at a brisk pace, making his way up the stairs, Ileyna following closely behind him.

"... not seriously going to do it again, are you?" R.D. heard Hugo said.

"Play the song!"

Please don't let Matt be doing something stupid, he prayed as he doubled his pace.

OOC: Song and dance reference here.

The speaker cried, "Ho!" Matt threw out one arm.

"Ho!" Matt threw out the other one.

"Ho!" He lifted them both in the air. A hip-hop beat played as he jaunted about on one point, mouth happily wide, swinging his raised hand about, with his other on his hip.

"Please shoot me," Hugo muttered to himself.

Matt landed, legs wide and hands to hips, and thrust his hips foward and to each side with each solid beat of the chorus. Back to the dance-"Tonto, jump on it, jump on it, jump on it!"

Another series of hip thrusts, as Matt shot a completely focused grimace of concentration at the horrified Asian Man. "Kemosabi, jump on it, jump on it, jump on it!"

Yet again, this time glaring at a young woman who couldn't even contain her shock. "Custer, jump on it, jump on it, jump on it!"

Now at R.D., probably to his utter surprise and disgust. He hadn't noticed the girl yet. "Apache, jump on it, jump on it!"

Matt lifted his arm and whooped. "Wowowowowowowowowo~!"

Then, to top it off, he raised both fists, and thrusted his pelvis boldly at the entire gathering. "A-hoonga hoonga hoonga hoonga!"

I hate you so much sometimes, Hugo thought.

Edited by The Helldragon on October 22, 2008 at 0:11:45.

R.D. stopped at the top of the stairs, dumbstruck at what he saw. When Ileyna came up, R.D.'s hand shot back, covering her eyes and surprising her.

"Don't look," he said to her under the commotion. "It... isn't pretty."

Matt, if I have to use Chaos Control to save our asses here, you are so getting your ass kicked.

Wedo smiled, "Anytime you'd like to start..."

Andaras charged at him and swung his axe, but Wedo swung out of the way. Seeing his opportunity, he swung his scythe at Andaras, but Andaras was quick to block with his axe. They both leapt back. Wedo grinned and ran towards him swinging.

Andaras saw it coming. Instinctively, he brought his axe up to defend his face while Wedo continued his assault. Slash upon slash upon slash continued with no sign of his relenting. But Andaras waited patiently with his defense until he finally saw an opening.

He swung his foot out and knocked Wedo to the ground. His axe drove towards Wedo's face, but Wedo rolled out of the way and got to his feet. Andaras continued to press his own assault--being careful not to show the opening that his opponent had shown. None of his blows hit as Wedo was able to roll away from every single one. But Andaras was driving him back into the side of Fass's house.

"You're not too bright are you? Your buddy's doing a better job with Bhiksu than you are with me. You haven't even hit me once!" exclaimed Wedo.

"I suggest you look around you," Andaras replied.

"Huh? Whadd'ya mea-"

Andaras swung his axe at one of the supports, bringing down a sizable chunk of the house (though not the majority) down on top of his opponent.

"One down," Andaras sighed.

Aram's sword cut down at the downed bald man, cleaving through the air, only to strike the ground as he rolled out of the way. The bald man kicked his foot out at Aram's leg, right behind the kneecap. The attack connected, and the knight stumbled, dropping down onto one knee. Twisting around uncomfortably in his armor, Aram swung the King's Sword of the Heavens out behind him, parrying an incoming blow. He stood and continued the battle, blocking another strike with his shield and countering with a thrust.

The thrust was deflected with a quick snap of the bald man's wrist, his bastard sword knocking away Aram's weapon. Aram swung out with his left arm, punching the man in the chest with the shield and knocking him back, following up with an overhead vertical slash. Again the attack was blocked, and the bald man shoved him back.

Aram grit his teeth behind the helmet, only as the bald man's gauntleted fist smashed against the side of it, knocking his head to the side and removing the full helm completely off of his head, exposing his shaggy black hair and stubble-covered face. Aram suddenly flung his left arm to the side, dislodging his shield and tossing it to the side, allowing him to take hold of his sword in both hands. His blows became faster and harder, and the bald man was hard-pressed to keep up.

Eventually, though, he saw an opening, and knocked the knight's sword back and swung at an exposed part of Aram's shoulder through the armor, the sword flashing downwards. Using the momentum of the deflected sword, Aram performed a tricky maneuver, and brought his weapon back around behind him, catching the attack with his sword.

"It seems I have the advantage," the bald man said to his opponent, respectfully. "I'm afraid that this battle has come to an end."

"You're right," Aram said, eyes flashing dangerously. "I'll see you in hell."

The man's sword was suddenly pushed upwards as Aram swung his weapon, and the bald man's eyes widened in surprise before freezing in place, as the King's Sword of the Heavens passed right through his neck. The bald man slowly teetered to the side before falling, his head separating from his neck and bouncing across the ground, the exposed wound spurting blood across Aram's armor before it hit the ground.

Aram swung his sword downwards, flinging the blood off of it onto the ground.

The Asian man attempted to form more coherent words but could only manage a sputtering, "How DARE you!"

"I don't think it worked!" Matt said. "Quick, use the smokebombs! You have those, right?"

"What makes you think I have smokebombs?!" Hugo snapped. "You didn't even ASK me if I had smokebombs!"

"Then use something else!" Matt said. "We need a distraction!"

The windows along the walls of the loft shattered as white blurs charged through them. The gathered party arose in screams as thin cards were held to their throat by the strangely armored knights that had crashed through the window.

"What the hell?!" Matt shouted, as someone else flipped into the loft from presumably the ground. As he landed, he glanced across the room, pushing his blood-red glasses back into position.

"Ileyna, hide!" R.D. said urgently to the girl, and with a frightened squeak, Ileyna ran back downstairs. Quickly, R.D. ran over to Matt, stopping beside him.

"You certainly know how to crash a party," he muttered to Matt once there. "Didn't I warn you about doing weird things back on Khalis?"