[Open] Sunday Strolls

[slowmountain]

Who: A Mountain, Campus and You.
What: Watch your heads, cause someone's not watching their steps. There's destruction afoot.
When: October 4th.
Where: All across campus.

As far as Sundays went, this one was pretty typical, despite the lingering blood moon that persisted well into the morning. If you disregarded that, you could certainly call it lovely. The air held the crisp kiss of autumn's chill, the breeze rustling the fire hued foliage of campus. Eventually the sun's golden rays chased away the moon, bringing with it the deep blue of the sky.

It was entirely possible to forget anything bizarre was happening on such a nice day. Monsters, earthquakes, pssht. Those didn't exist today.

At least not until the first rumble echoed off the edge of campus. And then the next. And the next. And the next. Each one closer, stronger, rattling everything that wasn't fixed in place. The more astute in their panic might have noticed that it was far too rhythmic in its shocks. It was like a heartbeat, or a particularly strong footstep down rickety stairs.

Or perhaps they just noticed that a huge foot had come crashing through the roof of whatever building they happened to be in. Probably a striking detail, that.

The mountains, it seemed, were out for a stroll.



The colossal beast was ambling without a care in the world. The school buildings it was walking over (and through) posed no issue for it. Clearly it was just enjoying the fine Sunday like anyone else would. The mountains it had apparently wandered down from must have looked too boring, or maybe that little wolf thing had been making too much of a racket.

Either way, it was here and it was peacefully walking directly through Smash Academy.

[Open log! You may want to react to the happenings, or help people evacuate! Maybe there's something to be done about the creature? Watch your step! Questions and plotting can be found here! ]

Comments

HOLY FUCKING SHIT EVACUATE

[awakeningwill]

There was at least one good thing about a slow, lumbering mountain about to crush the school. It was that it gave off an awful lot of warning about when it was approaching with its increasingly powerful, footstep-esque earthquakes. And it didn't take more than looking out a window to notice it.

Oh geez. Freakin' crud. It was a walking mountain. The question was, was there enough time to get everyone to safety before it got here? Because it was already far too close for comfort.

Zero was off like a rocket, dashing furiously to the security office. Opening a transmission channel to all security members (and all relevant robots who were tuned to his frequency), he barked, "Get everyone out! The school needs to be evacuated, right now!"

Once he got to the office, he activated the P.A. system, broadcasting the message to the entire school: "There is a mountain walking in the direction of the school. This is not a drill. If you don't want to be crushed, evacuate and get to safety."

No time to say anything more. He was off again, racing through every room and corridor to make sure there was no one left.

EVACUATING KBYE

[feelings_of]

Mesprit was fast asleep in her fish tank, dreaming calmly and soundly. It wasn't until the giant monster's rumbling footsteps knocked the tank off her bed, sending her toppling across the floor into a soggy mesh of water and carpet, that she finally awakened. Stunned at first, all she could do was rub the pain out of the bump on the head she just received.

It was hard for her to make heads or tails of what was happening. So much fear! She sensed so much fear and sadness! What was going on?

Then the P.A. system came on, warning everyone to evacuate.

"E-evacuate?" She blinked, still trying to grasp how she'd gone from dreaming about family and fun to sprawled out on the floor of her dorm. The word "evacuate" echoed in her head, and she obeyed. She floated above the ground and zipped into the halls.

But she found no one. "Hello?" she whimpered. "Hello? People? Where do I evacuate to? Help?"

No one destroys HIS lab but him, dammit!

[trustycrowbar]

"There's a mountain walking in the direction of the school."

...What?!

[Yes, that warning is so direct and earnest and yet so batshit off-the-wall in its message, that Gordon actually has to stand up from his mask readings and ask the PA system for clarification. And as though to answer, the ground itself violently rumbles with what feels like a giant footfall. Glass clatters on the tables. The masks bob in their tubes. This is elucidation enough for him, because a minute later he's out on the campus and squinting at the piece of landscape coming their way.]

[...And yes, that's a rocket launcher on his shoulder.]

[golonghorns]

[Joel hasn't got a rocket launcher on his shoulder.

He DOES have a backpack full of weapons, though. And he's holding what appears to be one of those futuristic looking laser guns in his hands.]

Jesus, man - It don't rain but it pours around here.

[Look at that thing. Just look at it. Bloaters were bad but this thing was a whole other level of What The Everlovin' Hell Is That.]

....you thinkin' we need to aim for the face?

The most reasonable course of action: PUNCH EVERYTHING.

[monotreme_101]

Knuckles stood on top of the dorm building.

And stared.

It was a thing of beauty. A mountain given face and limb, sent forth to destroy without thought or reason. He watched it stand on a building and pop it outward like some kind of brick balloon, glass and dust exploding into the air. It had the kind of power he could only dream of possessing - maybe his Super or Hyper forms could compare to something like this. But as he stood here today, he was completely outshone by this behemoth. It made the lake monster look like a tadpole. Hell, it made every Badnik he'd ever faced look like kids toys. Even the Ifrit was a dragonfly in the face of the Colossus.

This school was his home. He wasn't born to guard this place like he had been born to guard Angel Island, but he'd chosen to do so anyway. This was his territory. This was his Island, now. And there was only one way things could play out from here.

He was going to Punch It.

He'd probably die while punching it.

It probably wouldn't even notice.

"....bring it on."

He jumped from the roof and made a mad dash towards it, fists already glowing. If today was his day to die, he'd go down swinging.

[slowmountain]

The lumbering giant, unawares of the tiny red ant's heroic aspirations, simply continued to lumber along. There were some scattering little things down near its feet every once in a while, but when you were the size that this fella was, scattering little things became small background details very quickly. It was Unconcerned and continued along its way one impossibly heavy footstep at a time.

[megabuster]

JESUS CHRIST WHY.

Rock had no idea what was responsible for this latest incursion, but that could wait. The academy and everyone in it were in danger. Before he could worry about fighting the beast, he had to make sure everyone was safe. Dispatching Rush, Beat, and Tango to search and make sure everyone was out of danger. And he went searching for Lucca himself, suited up for battle. Her room, her workshop... Please be safe...

[tempus_fixit]

"ROCK!"

He finds her in the hallways, laser rifle and mallet at her side, and a worried look on her face. She hugs him hard (well, for a human) when she does finally catch up to him.

"I've been looking all over for you!"

Oh. That probably explains why they missed each other.

"We need to get out of here! Let's get to Epoch!"

OH NO STATIONARY CREATURES

[rivalsolarbeam]

Unfortunately, the green house did not have any hookups to the PA system. That was alright though, seeing as the threat was both easily felt and hard to miss through the glass walls of the structure. Which was also an important and unfortunate detail to remember, as glass was truly not as structurally sound as the rest of the buildings the colossus was going to treading through with ease.

Bulba's hose had clattered to the ground forgotten as the Venusaur clambered backwards, sprinting his way down the aisles. "Everybody out!" He called, just in case there was a visitor or two he hadn't noticed slip in that morning. It was easy to go in and out without anyone knowing.

He didn't have enough time or hands to move everything out of potential harm's way, and he knew it. Even if he hated to, priorities needed to happen. That was how Bulba slid to a stop at the end of a particular length of berry bushes, crouching down to scoop up as many of the pikmin he found there into his arms. He tried to shush their squeaks and squirms. "C'mon, c'mon, we've all got to go somewhere else," he told them as he got back up, chirping a whistle for the rest to follow him out. Thankfully, they were more than happy to oblige. It seemed that even they were figuring out that something bad might happen, as their hums were much more quiet and nervous than they normally were.

It wasn't until they had gotten out to the front and through the doors that Bulba realized his actual problem. The pikmin weren't the only sentient ones in there. The piranha plants. No.

"UuuuuUUUGHH," Bulba said, seconds before he could be seen sprinting directly back into the house of glass.

[givemeyouranswerdo]

The flower princess was already there, and as she saw Bulba rushing in to the greenhouse, she forewent her original plan of getting away from the destruction to make sure he was okay.

"Bulba! What are you doing?!" she called out, rushing into the greenhouse after him.

BURNINATING THE COUNTRYSIDE

[vela_nova]

Blaze was NOT about to stand by and let some... mountain sized... unstoppable monster... trample on her second home. Regardless of the calls to evacuate, she stood ready to fight. Although how to even harm this thing was the real question...

[shiest_sunbeam]

It's okay Blaze, you weren't alone and not by a long shot was Ronnae going to stand by and idle about. This was a scenario she was all too familiar with and she lived for this! Always looking to keep Azeroth from falling from world ending disasters was a lifetime job and she was ready to go in full gear.

That's why you'd see a fully armored someone crashing hard into the earth near her, leaving a crater in the impact's zone. For a moment you get to see her as she takes leverage of the situation.

Was that the new engineering teacher? Why yes, it really seemed like it. You know except for being armored up and wielding two giant swords seemingly larger than her and yet it didn't seem to hold her back at all.

Ronnae did notice Blaze nearby and looked over. "Hey, you okay? You didn't join the evacuation?" Which possibly meant she could fight, and while she didn't want put anyone in danger, she knew they'd need to team up with as many capable fighters if they wanted to even attempt to keep some of the school intact.

WHAT A DICK

[iamtheeggman]

Eggman was perfectly safe and sound in his new hidden base. What did he care if the academy was totaled? He could just watch the destruction from the safety of his base.

Now, if someone wanted to call and beg him for help, or if someone or something he cared about was in danger, that would be another matter entirely...

[slowmountain]

Oh look at this dumpster full of missing robots.

Oh, it is a pancake now.

[babylonmechanic]

Wave had no idea how much use she would be in battle against... THAT, but at least she could do her job. As a member of the security team, she went to work coordinating the evacuation effort.

[will_be_god]

Damnation, it was that thief from the mall. But perhaps she could be asked to put those annoying tendencies to good use. "You!" Cyrus shouted as he approached, "we must protect the library! Aid me in saving the ancient tomes within."

[magicdancer]

Shantae was simultaneously horrified and excited by what was happening. Horrified because of the destruction, but excited that she had the chance to take on a monster like this and show her stuff. This thing was toast.

Shifting to Harpy form, she took off to the sky to figure out whether the beast had any weak points to speak of. Come on, where can she hurt you...

harpy squad how could i resist

[lovesthepain]

Shantae wasn't the only one with the idea of looking for weak spots. As high of a priority as evacuation was, assessment of the situation made it clear that anyone who could fly was better put to use against this behemoth. Doubly so for Harpuia -- searching out vulnerable points and striking with rapid precision was his specialty.

Harpuia pulled up near Shantae, sizing up the massive creature they were both targeting. "I'm with the school," he called out. Proper introductions could wait until this thing was taken care of. "Do you know how to damage this thing?"

[givemeyouranswerdo]

Daisy may have prided herself on her ability to kick butts, but this... This might have been a bit too big of a butt for her to kick. She joined in the evacuation, ready to get out of the line of fire and let the big guns go to work.

[will_be_god]

Cyrus passed her going the opposite direction, and grabbed her sleeve. "We must spare the library this onslaught. Come with me and grab what you can carry".

[rivalthunderbolts]

Well shit.

Jolt was more than ready to fight, especially after this thing decided to stomp all over his place. But some things were more important, and as he ran to join the battle, he whipped out his phone and started firing off texts to his brothers, to Green, and to Riwane. Gotta make sure everyone's okay...

[birdlady]

And along the way, princess birdbrain literally ran into him, because she was too busy gawking at the colossus to look where she was going.

[will_be_god]

HOLY SHITTING ARCEUS WHAT IS

Well, that was Cyrus's internal reaction. His external reaction, on the other hand, was impassive and almost detached.

Immediately he set about gathering those things from his apartment that were most valuable--the partially constructed Red Chain extraction machine, and blueprints thereof, his computer, and some of his books. As an afterthought, he retrieved some spare clothes.


The library! The library would have to be spared, as much as possible. Sending Gyarados and Weavile away with the items from his apartment, he took his remaining pokemon the opposite direction.

[raw_angel_power]

On the way, Cyrus ran into Pit. The young angel had the same urgency blinking in his eyes that others who were aware of the seismic damage being done to the campus did. Well, unless you were Cyrus, I guess.

"Do you need me to carry anything?" he asked in a hurry. The only thoughts marching through his mind were to get everyone out of harm's way, and FAST. "We need to get out of this building!"

[planking]

There's a giant monster.

And it's stepping on the school.

Nope, Flint definitely does not get paid enough for this.

Fuck this shit, I'm out.

[will_be_god]

Oh, there was that dog again. And that strange man. And they were running away.

Another strange man with another dog was going the opposite way, back towards the school. "You there!" he shouted to Flint, "assist me!"

[yournewcaptain]

A monster? Giant monster? Destroying her school? NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!!

Marine stomped toward the colossus, pointing a wrench in its direction.

"NO! BAD MONSTER!! You already went and spilled my bucket of screws on the floor! Is Captain Marine going to have to make ye SWAB THE DECK?"

She kept ranting and raving at it until she was practically underneath its feet. And she still didn't move.

[slowmountain]

The beast did not notice Marine in the slightest, which did nothing for stopping its casual Sunday stroll.

Good news for Marine: the foot coming directly for her did not actually hit her in anyway.

Bad news for Marine: it landed very close, leaving her subjected to the incredibly pleasant sensation of being caught in the middle of an earthquake's aftershocks. Please be careful.

So LATE

[pitticus]

Sure, that monster was pretty huge, but was he any huger than Hades? That guy's larger than... the underlife.

PROMPT A: GET OUT OF THE WAY!

Pit knows he'll have to deal with the hulking beast sooner or later, but his heart's compass points in a different direction: protect those who can't protect themselves. Buildings were being stomped flat, and so were students! It was a good thing he just came back from the stadium, so he's battle-ready with his favorite bow. Without sparing a thought toward where he was going, he shoots off in the direction of the colossus's eventual footpath. If anyone was in immediate peril, it would have to be there! And at the same time, he can continue to encroach upon the enemy until he's close enough to land blows, ensuring everyone is out of its prompt trudge zone.

PROMPT B: BOSS FIGHT

Once he gets there, he'll do anything he can to reach better vantage points (higher, further) so his arrows can be more effective at landing on targets other than its stocky legs. His initial strategy is a long-range barrage of arrows in an attempt to locate some kind of weak spot. It's hard to navigate when it's buildings tall and you're five feet small. Ish. But the tops of untoppled buildings might prove to offer some leverage... If only he could fly! Or at least locate some jump pads... dude just climb up its fur

goodnight sleep tight

[slowmountain]

It'd been stabbed. It'd been kicked. Ants had punched it, burnt it, shot it.

Killed it.

After the collective blows the academy had laid upon it, the colossus fell, its sorrowful cries of confused pain echoing through the air, shaking mortals to their bones. It was a plea of why, why was it falling to the ground? Why was it to die? The earth groaned its lament as the beast stirred its foundations with its fall, claiming all that was beneath it into mountainous resting place. It's spirit would not see another day, but it's corpse would lay there until it became a true mountain itself.

As the dust settled, tendrils of darkness emerged from the mossy depths of the colossus. They writhed and twisted in the air like violent serpents, seeking a place to belong. Without an obvious answer, they bunched together- briefly taking the shape of something smaller in the air- and shot away amongst the rubble.

The beast was slain, the campus was partially in ruins, and a hollowness where a reward for effort should have been.

The moon grew larger still.