03. [video] Show off

[mech_and_mutt]

I dunno if you guys have seen it, but...

[The feed starts off to the sight of Red reclining in a cockpit chair, with a drone of engines in the background and a passing of clouds in the windows surrounding him. Someone's more than a little bit proud of his airship finally flying again, it seems.]

There's some big new project goin' up by Curti Center, right? Well, back at the festival, I got talkin' with the guy that's settin' all that up. And I don't think he'd mind if I drummed up a li'l excitement in the meantime.

[His usual toothy grin quickly returns to his face.]

Two words: Monster Arena. Go ahead and think back to the biggest, greatest monsters you've gone up against, here or back home-- and keep those memories fresh, 'cause apparently that's what they're gonna be usin' to make the battles! I didn't know we even had that kinda tech here in Vaikuntha...

Now, I know not everyone here enjoys gettin' their hands dirty, but for those of you who do-- Got any awesome fights or big beasties you wouldn't mind givin' another go? I'm sure some of us might get some useful trainin' and experience out of it.

Oh, and speakin' of...

[He tips the camera over to his face, with a focused stare and a more personal and fond grin.]

Keep an eye out for me in the next Dragons match. They're finally gonna be bringin' me out to the field.

Comments

[acapriciousreaper]

A monster arena? Senseless violence for the sake of getting an edge- fun for the whole family, I expect. I'll have to give it a look.

[mech_and_mutt]

You've got some weird tastes, y'know that?

C'mon, let's hear it. You ever cross any big bad beasties you think'd make for a good fight?

[acapriciousreaper]

A few. The place I was born was extraordinarily hostile to life, outside of the single settlement. I'm sure I could provide a fair number of challenging monstrosities to sate the masses. I wonder if they offer a finder's fee...

[songbird_slayer]

Monsters taken from our memories...? Hmmm, I can see the benefit. I think taking a second shot at a creature to come up with a better plan is rather sound.

That, and I'd like to test out my new Holy spell.

[mech_and_mutt]

You got holy? Nice. I've got a fixed-up mecha I'm lookin' to roll out, myself. Maybe we should see if the arena offers tag team matches.

Got any good challenges in mind?

[songbird_slayer]

A few. Another one of the beasts that loaned me the parts I used to upgrade my guitar to a more battle-ready state.

Imagine this if you will: A large lupine dragon that calls the very forces of lightning into his very core... and with a howl, a storm rages down upon all who dare to face it.

Speed. Fury. Precision.

[littlemhigan]

Uh....I mean I've no shortage've fights te tell of, but I ain't sure they're worth sharin'...

[Because Twelve know, Castor certainly tries hard not to think about a good chunk of them most if the time.]

[mech_and_mutt]

C'mon, didn't you say you went on big adventures and had your own little airship and all that? There's gotta be somethin' good in all that!

Big beasties? Dragons?

[littlemhigan]

More'n a few of each, I suppose. Ain't many I'd fancy the idea've starin' down again, and fewer still I'd like te sic on the people here...

One or two dragons though. One've 'em might need a few hands te deal with.

[einspine]

BUT. WHAT IF THE MONSTERS FROM OUR WORLD ARE PERFECTLY FRIENDLY AND INTELLIGENT PEOPLE WHO ALSO HAPPEN TO BE VERY, VERY VULNERABLE TO KILLING INTENT AND COULD TURN TO DUST VERY EASILY?

[He titters and tries to hide his awkwardness behind a smile, but subtlety is not his strong point.]

FRIENDLY SPARS ARE DIFFERENT, OF COURSE! PERFECTLY NONLETHAL TRAINING AGAINST ROYAL GUARDS COULD BE USEFUL... I JUST WOULDN'T WANT PEOPLE MURDERING MEMORIES OF PEOPLE I KNOW.

[mech_and_mutt]

That's... kinda grim, ain't it?

[Frankly, he wouldn't want to see any of his friends out there getting hacked to bits, either.]

But the way he talked about it, I'm pretty sure we're gonna be able to pick what actually goes out in the ring. It ain't like I don't know the difference between you and the skeletons I had to fight when I first came here.

[einspine]

TRUE! IT'S JUST A TRICKY SITUATION, SINCE I DON'T HAVE MANY GRAND BATTLES TO RECOUNT THAT WOULDN'T INVOLVE A FRIEND AND-OR ASSOCIATE.

[He sighs, drooping slightly.]

GRANTED, FRISK AND I DID HAVE SOME INTERESTING BATTLES WITH FELLOW MONSTERS, BUT THEY WERE LESS A MATTER OF BRUTE FORCE AND MORE A MATTER OF WITS AND CHARISMA!

[4got10]

Huh. I've got to admit, it's weird seeing how the monsters I knew back home are the exception instead of the rule. I guess I just got lucky.

[Or at least that's a nice way to think of it, especially knowing what they know now about what could happen to them or who they could have been according to what Frisk told them. Despite all the pain early on, somehow Chara's existence had been lucky.]

I don't have any big fights, but I guess it'll be a nice way to get experience here. It's sounding like the end of all this is going to be a fight, after all.

[Getting used to fighting, to killing monsters will be weird, but Chara knows they'll have to get used to it. To try and detach what that word means to them at this point.]

[mech_and_mutt]

Exception?

[Wait, this was sounding an awful lot like something he'd heard before. Wasn't Papyrus always going on about 'monsters' that kinda... weren't monstrous?]

--hold on, lemme guess. They were friends of yours?

[4got10]

And family. If you’ve met Papyrus, he’s from...a version of my home. He’s even friendlier than a lot of monsters, but he’s a good example!

Honestly, there’s a few that are just like you in the Underground, if you want an idea of how humans define monsters where I’m from.

v i d e o ;

[keymemory]

I am in like an Eggo in the toaster!

[video]

[mech_and_mutt]

[Why was it always so hard trying to make sense of this kid's ideas?]

Who would put an egg in a toaster?

Re: [video]

[keymemory]

No no! Eggo! It's a waffle!

[wind_in_my_ears]

Oh, yeah, I can definitely help!

[Hey, this isn't even the first time he's done this!

Klonoa lists off a few monsters he's fought, providing a rudimentary scribble.

Moos... Boin... Leorina...]

[mech_and_mutt]

[Small and round and cute... a squishy-looking total pushover... --WHOA, okay, now we were getting somewhere.]

Wait, hold up-- what's up with that last one? It looks a bit more... menacing than the others.

[wind_in_my_ears]

Oh. That's Leorina, my friend. She was possessed, and cursed by the king of sorrow.
[Klonoa sends another scribble.]

video 1/3

[studdedcouncilprez]

A device that creates monsters from our memories? That is quite the accomplishment. That would be advantageous to defeat some of the dangerous foes.

[As she says this her mind quickly wanders. Who were the most dangerous creatures that she and the Phantom Thieves faced? Huh...]

2/3

[studdedcouncilprez]

[A flash of memory comes. One of chains and light]

[Her eyes widen and a hand comes to her mouth to mask the gasp.]

3/3

[studdedcouncilprez]

[The moment is over fast and she is quickly brought back to the conversation in front of her and the person she is talking to. No. No they weren't here. And so help her she would never let anybody be subjected to that if she could help it.]

...er... I wonder what the other applications of the device could be. Perhaps it could recreate memories of places, or people?

[mech_and_mutt]

What, like... for people who are homesick?

[It was a nice thought, actually... being able to see the more familiar sky again, or seeing a friendly face or two.

But...]

...I don't know if I'd want that. It'd just feel insulting to see someone who matters to you, and know the entire time that it ain't really them.

Plus, this is an arena, right? Nobody wants to see that...