FKJ's Strange Outings

[treemoonflower]

Our story begins in the country side with our "hero" enjoying a dashing cup of lemonade. "Boy I just don't know how this day could possibly be better" he remarks as he leans back in his chair gazing up at the beautiful clouds passing by. " I sure do hope nothing comes along to squelch this fantastic view." continuing to lean back so percaiously and without a care in the world a bee comes along and lands on his hat and with that he's sent tumbling backwards as the chair legs snap. "Stupid bee" dusting himself off he gets up and looks far out to the horizon... " Huh the pretty clouds seem to have left me as well. So be it(shrug)." Striking his signature pose he screams to the heavens " What's next world show me all you have to offer!"



I mostly want to use this to expand the wheels functionality and upgrades as well as really just various thing like idk loot and such mabey the eventual trainer. also to just enjoy fkj a lot.

[Frederic Bourgault-Christie]

FKJ is enjoying his lemonade at a Ranger house in Twanchena. Thus far, FKJ is known only as a masterful saxophonist, but despite his glamour and tremendous skill he's generally been more of an artist for those "in the know". When he begins touring with Noir's band along with Dragon Sound, Annihilation Punk and the Fires of Kahless, this may change, but for now FKJ is just an artist and Ranger enjoying his day, with no outward indication of his membership in Crashing Heavens. The Wheel of Fortune invisibly floats out of the perception of many, though this is not Earth twenty years ago and there are a surprising number of individuals who can see his Stand. As a result, he garners the attention of a passing wood elf here, a minor demon there.

Rangers pass him by, looking for starting tasks like clearing out a warren of Geosplague-infected kobolds, but Hael as a whole is no longer the dangerous place it once was. The men and women here are either retired, old-timers taking a break, or the very young and inexperienced who have yet to seek out tougher assignments on the frontiers of time, space and dimension.

There is a festival downtown, an early autumn festival commemorating the handoff to the Underworld Lizard of the Autumn. The Twanchen imagined that the dying of the leaves and the cold of the planet in the transition to the autumn was the result of a lizard in the underground that was so voracious it suck at the roots of the trees and breathed in the warmth. There are fireworks, with some fireworks dancers physically maintaining contact with spinning and slowly rocketing top-like rockets. Blue, green, red and yellow sparkle along the streets, reflecting off of the buildings. It helps to distract from the fact that a few modern office buildings are beginning to emerge in Twanchena.

As the chair legs snap, the heavyset Slowstone-Man attendant of the Ranger House, standing about twelve feet tall with a deep ash-gray rocky skin comes out. Brownish faint sparks come from his fingers and repair the chair, as he murmurs some ancient language saying "Like and like, like from like..."

The quiet moment is interrupted by a somewhat nasally voice. A gnome, specifically Balst of the planet Bruht and one of the members of the Celestial Six, walks toward FKJ. "Greetings, fellow master of the mind!", Balst offers in an exuberant yet somehow restrained fashion. Following him is an absolutely beautiful, ephemeral woman. She is almost not made of this Earth, and her hair and skin and lashes and fingers all seem to warp and dance, iridescent and colorful. "We heard you were watching the festival!"

The woman steps forward, clearly bashful even as she is excited, and puts both her hands on FKJ's. She states, "Oh, Master Kiwi Juice, it is so wonderful to finally meet you! Your saxophone... it rumbles my melody".


[FN: RE 48, 21]

[treemoonflower]

After proclaiming his challenge to the world he pirouettes around with a smirk." Well well well I didn't expect it to come in the form of a beautiful lady. Salutations yes I am FKJ and yes this is a saxophone thank you for noticing." Seemingly oblivious to her statement I reach past and over the gnome and I clap her hands and attempt to whisk her off into an entrancing waltz. whispering "Madam you positively take my breath away, it would be my honor, NO PRIVILEGE, to have you show me around this local custom" 

[Frederic Bourgault-Christie]

Balst mutters to himself, "Now I know what the phrase 'third wheel' means..."

The woman begins to dance in response. Her rhythm is impeccable. As she begins to move, FKJ has an intense sensation of being elevated and exalted by a piece of music, enraptured by it. It is an intense experience, beyond euphoric. The effect fades slightly when the Wheel of Fortune rapidly passes its hands in front of FKJ's eyes. A moment of interruption helps FKJ to recollect his bearings. There is no malice behind this enrapturing motion, but it is also, well, not exactly natural. His dance partner is not merely woman made of flesh: FKJ can now hear pulsing, thrumming sound and rhythm, kept hidden underneath her - skin? bubble?

She giggles as she continues to waltz. "Now you see why I was given the nom de amour Alluria". Balst nods, "Yes, Miss Alluria, and we've spoken about this". Alluria sighs and says, "Such a fuddy duddy, Master Balst! Master Kiwi Juice was only being a gentleman... weren't you?" With the last two words, her eye flashes playfully. FKJ has a sense of a being at once old and elemental, and very young and precocious. Balst continues unabated, his voice calm and not disruptive but insistent. "I am sure he was, Alluria. But you must gain control over your melody". Alluria replies, "Poppycock. I only wish to bring joy and exaltation to others. And I was hoping to learn from Master Kiwi Juice just as I've learned from you in that regard". Balst continues with the barest soupcon of annoyance, "Humans are surprisingly fragile. Too much joy can be as if a tincture, controlling them. Master Kiwi Juice can take care of himself but not all humans can".

FKJ can now see clearly that Alluria is not even remotely human, or even humanoid. Rather, she is a living melody, not only of sound but also of the higher form of music. Alluria turns back to FKJ. "I myself am new here. As is Master Balst. So I suppose we'll discover this town together!"

However, even through the reverie of a beautiful twilight with a profound and unique woman, FKJ can sense something awry. The streets suddenly seem to be deserted. There are still flashes of fireworks from a distance, but everything is now quiet. A faint mist pours from the streets. The doors seem to suddenly be barred, and the alleyways seem to be gone. FKJ knows he only has a few moments before they will be attacked, and he roars the beginning of the roar of a weapon...

[treemoonflower]

FKJ realizing the imminent danger and enormous sense of chivalry towards this musical woman he pipes up after drawing his sax."Stand back I'll take the lead" then with a crooked smile leans back to Alluria and almost whispers to her, " Unless of course you would prefer a duet my dear?" Keeping an eye on the wheel Fkj plans to try to use the world should thing get too dire or should the wheel land unfavorably making him look silly in front of this woman but for the most part is content to just let fate keep spinning and see what comes of it. And with that he begins to play a slow but alluring melody as if daring whatever is coming to be out of hiding.

[Frederic Bourgault-Christie]

Balst seems extremely distracted by something while Alluria isn't sure what he's talking about at first. Indeed, it's almost as if she's staring at a different reality. FKJ rapidly discovers that his enemy is not intending to hide. In fact, what the enemy has done is create a blind alley. And apparently started up a minigun. All FKJ can see at the moment down the alley is plumes of smoke and what looks like a heavy-set gray knight whose bottom half are made of mist.

The Wheel spins the wheel part of itself and brings up... The Wheel of Fortune. That's not great. It's a part of him that's not mastered. Immediately, FKJ feels his vitality fade. [30% of his health and energy are taken]. In exchange, however, his Stand is stronger... and out of control, making choices for itself. The wheel is locked, and damned if FKJ knows how to change it.

The Wheel begins to dance around the battlefield, appearing and disappearing. In a moment, FKJ is grabbed and is going with it. But what's odd is that, though there seems to be some kind of puff of smoke or sound... they haven't seemed to move. Moreover, Balst and Alluria get more distant.

The minigun begins to barrel down on all three. Tables and pieces of building are being torn apart. FKJ thinks there's only a few seconds to act.

He and Alluria are able to go. They are suffering under the effect of concentrated gunfire that makes it hard to move or act without getting a bullet.

Alluria immediately turns to FKJ and says, "Who are you, sir?" She barely seems to even see FKJ. FKJ also seems to struggle to recall having ever met her. However, she does manage to communicate to him through this kind of inner song, <You seem to be a good man and we both seem to be in danger>. She binds herself between him and Balst, then condenses her form into a kind of iron shape and slips into the ground. This amplifies the armor, health regeneration, and movement speed of Balst and FKJ. She keeps the remainder of her action for reaction.

[treemoonflower]

FKJ clearly at a loss after the wheel being locked screams out "blast this tom foolery, villain I shall make all see threw your cheap parlor tricks." He tries to start playing freebird to try and make everyone see threw what he assumes is some sort of illusory terrain and rally behind his coming symphony.

If he can he also is trying to incorporate  the sound "whoosh" into his song  an attempt to have the noise push bullets out of the way to miss marks and start to clear smoke away.

Before loosing complete control of his stand he desperately tries to convey a need to "Hunt"

[Frederic Bourgault-Christie]

FKJ rapidly finds that, whatever this effect is, it is not an outright illusion. However, freeing Alluria's and Balst's minds helps them at least begin the process of thinking more accurately. All three remain somewhat disoriented, which indicates that the disorientation isn't merely psychologically endogenous to the Crashing Heavens members.

Balst remarks telepathically, <I have very little access to my astral kingdom here. It's like it's been moved far away from me>. FKJ himself notices that his ability to draw on the Ripple is somewhat reduced, though nowhere near as much as Balst's. It's like a different sun operating under different principles, like he's having to get used to eating wood chips.

A harsh-sounding, cruelly-toned (though not discordant) female voice cuts out across the minigun fire, "How in Anu's name do you have this high of a bounty on you without knowing anything about Cycle?"

FKJ is a somewhat unique Stand user, in that his deep thematic connection with his Stand allows him to continue to replicate at least some of his Stand's powers even when it has torn itself from him. The two have been companions for a long time, after all. As a result, he is able to push both some of the smoke and bullets away, while maintaining a moving dance to keep from being hit by other bullets.

The Wheel of Fortune hunts for the minigun user, and rapidly finds it. Since Wheel of Fortune is connected to FKJ, he needs to do something. It flies down and attempts a massive spinning wheel-like punch... but is blocked by heavy armor. The woman firing the minigun has her own Stand, it appears. The enemy Stand turns into a thick smoke and passes through Wheel of Fortune. Wheel of Fortune sees that the woman smiles, then is surprised as FKJ is able to turn around and strike the re-coalescing Wheel of Fortune. It seems as if she didn't anticipate that.

The woman growls and makes a motion. "EAST!", she yells. Suddenly, the buildings all seem to rush toward FKJ, as if the entire area had suddenly shrunk. Alluria manages to rapidly tug both of them away, though it is shrinking the safe space away from the fire.

Balst, meanwhile, swings his scythe Krans into a wooden door on the other side of the encroaching buildings. With the ability of Freebird, he finds himself bursting through a door that had previously become a kind of dimensional flatness. Still, the buildings seem deserted. This at least gives him temporary cover, but that minigun will begin to tear through quickly.

Balst murmurs, "What... is that?" into the darkness. It seems as if something else is coming.

[FN: 3, 129, 132]

[treemoonflower]

FKJ makes a dramatic show on sitting down with his legs crossed."This isn't good my wheel is locked fate is set, the enemy stand seems near untouchable with that blasted smoke and on top of all that I cant seem to catch my DAMN breath. I'm so sick of this nonsense I wish...wait a minute." with that FKJ's breathing slows and then stops as it appears that all color starts to drain from his pallet. his general demeanor as a whole changes as he stands up posing like a sad zombie."without fate constantly changing I feel I am stuck between a minigun and hopelessness. Unless you two have a better idea this is where I make my stand." determination coursing threw him he quickly glares at them awaiting their response.

entering dark hamon (if it wasn't obvious) in an attempt to cut himself off from whatever is effecting him and to catch his advisory slightly off guard hoping that this information on him isn't posted anywhere.

Also if he can draw his stand back into him so they both dont get hurt while the group gets ready to strike. If not it is all good.

Also Fkj is racking his brain for any information on cycles i don't think he would have any knowledges of it but hes trying.

what is [FN: 3, 129, 132]

[Frederic Bourgault-Christie]

Balst is not sure. Whatever he is seeing has occupied his attention and his intention entirely. Alluria makes an almost plaintive response, "I don't like seeing you drawing in like that, Master Kiwi Juice, but... I think it is what is necessary".

Remarkably, the Dark Hamon works incredibly well. FKJ is drawing upon something more universal and less particular than the electromagnetic radiation of a specific sun.

The Wheel of Fortune seems amplified by the Dark Hamon, the intimate connection between the two once again on display. It continues to exchange strikes with the enemy Stand, but seems to come off better this time. It actually manages to grab the mist when its opponent loses its shape and squeeze it.

The minigun fire stops for a moment. The woman who has conjured the Stand is obviously injured thanks to the Wheel of Fortune beginning to emerge victorious in exchanges. But even more importantly, she is obviously terrified. "That's... that's why there's a bounty on you. What kind of Cycle is that?!"

The fight changes entirely in a moment, however. Something bursts through the building, uppercutting Balst into the sky. There is a shockwave that blows the mist away and almost knocks the minigun out of the woman's hand. Her Stand is dispersed, which leads an even further sense of panic to come into her eyes. "No", she whispers.

The creature that has attacked Balst is revealed. It is a colossal monster, evocative of a giant red oni, only cyclopean with a ring of smaller apparent eyes along the top of its skull, three large sickly yellow horns, and incredibly long limbs with trailing sickly yellow nails and talons. However, upon closer inspection, the monster is in a constant frame of bending backward. This is because it is actually composed of connected veins.

Balst calls out, "I know not what this monster is, but I'm fairly confident that it is in all of our best interests to dispatch it or flee! And I would recommend flight!" Alluria feels differently, but is scared enough of this thing (which seems to represent almost a kind of antithesis to her) that she agrees.

The enemy Stand User manages to calm herself. "The midget's right. That thing's a Bete Noire. A powerful one, too. They crushed my world to dust, they tossed tanks around like they were toys. You don't fight them, you run, you race, you do anything!"

FKJ, in his Dark Hamon state, feels as if he has a kinship with the monster. The two do share a contact of eyes for a moment before it makes another roar.

[treemoonflower]

FKJ now looking more confident in his skin starts to be enveloped in a sort of bitter annoyance. He addresses the stand user first. " You there girl if your world was truly destroyed by these... things then maybe it was for the best that you ran.Your skills need honing and if you are any representation of your people then of course they perished. If you honestly seek the fame that would come of my bounty then conduct yourself in the proper manor, push yourself to the brink of death and laugh in his sickly face knowing your blood,sweat and tears will bring down any who would hand you over to him. Go.Flee. I shall await you true splendor in bliss."

"Alluria I seek to destroy this being not for any reason other than pride.I know not the caliber of you or your companion but I know this,if your hearst are not in this and truly wish to flee then there is no hope of victory. I am no fool and do not wish the deaths of noble people on my hands. I will heed whatever call you make madam."

If we're out of here my only real exit strategy is to force the hermit with the world on us unless balst or alluria have something.(and i'm totally fine with leaving) also being a jojo character i love the fact that talking is a free action. hold up demon lemme give my spiel real quick<3

[Frederic Bourgault-Christie]

The woman growls. "Trust me, jackass, I'd love to leave. But until Strange People reassembles, I can't even try to get out of here". FKJ realizes that if he applies Freebird to her as well she may be better able to fight with them. As it is, she does seem ready to try to face down the creature.

Balst attaches an astral silver to Krans and pulls down to the woman. He uses telepathy to accelerate a conversation. "Madameoiselle..." she cuts him off and says "Madame", aware of the implication of the word. He says, "Pardon me, Madame, but your amoral attack upon us aside, and we will have a conversation, we need to understand what is happening. As quickly as you can". Balst seems to have some of the puzzle pieces himself, and Freebird, as long as it is being maintained, is enabling him to rapidly communicate thoughts, images, concepts and even skills.

The woman explains as best she can with images and ideas. FKJ has an impression of a world with two great super continents. As time went on, humanity there eked out a living as best they could alongside a species of sentient hexapodal raccoon-descended creatures. But after a period where a few major human habitations had cars, and airplanes, technology akin to the 1970s with the very beginning of computers, creatures known as the Bete Noire began to appear. They destroyed humanity's cities, preying upon those survivors who tried to stay. A few great heroes managed to keep humanity alive, but the collapsing of civilization caused people to turn against each other. With almost no fossil fuels, people turned to a power called Cycle. Neither FKJ nor Balst can quite understand Cycle even from the woman, and she seems to be a reasonable user.

Over time, a great race intended to cultivate and then reward and honor great Cycle users was created. At the same time, the President of Neumerica began to call out bounties. The race combined with the bounties.

The woman is here to collect on a bounty that very specifically enumerates FKJ: not only descriptions of height and weight but also a description of his Stand and powers. The bounty puts FKJ as a Veldt Threat, a threat to the entire world.

Her Stand, Strange People, is a complex one. Though the woman, Benatar Collins, doesn't fully understand the nature of the powers, she knows that she can coil space and time into smaller versions (similar to the Ba Gua Map culmination techniques of an entire fictive reality). Balst suspects something to do with string theory, but aside from that he is baffled. What is clear is that this isn't an illusion. What's also clear to Balst and FKJ is that the Bete Noire, even with Strange People reformed, is keeping this reality strand around.

Alluria again lets out a sigh that has the vibrato of a wail even as it is lower in register and calmer. "Master Juice... this creature... it is like me. It deserves at least a merciful end to its existence if we must engage with it. I am here to learn from you. I return the choice to you".

Balst and the woman both turn to you. They speak simultaneously: The woman says "DO SOMETHING!" and Balst says "I admire the mutual chivalry, but our strategy must coalesce now!"

His shpiel may begin.

[treemoonflower]

FKJ seeing the fire in Benatar's eye's build decides to have her stoke her own flames for this fight and opts not to include her in freebird but should he need to he isn't about to let her die over this. " Pick yourself up by your bootstraps and act now as your people should have acted then. Don't relive your past regrets and strive to always be better than yesterday!"

"As for you two I'm not in full control of my stand at the moment so until I regain full composure over my faculties I'm going to start by laying down protective songs. Once we are well established in this fight look for an opening, make one if you have too, then I will unleash the complete wrath of my Wheel of Fortune on this miserable sack of flesh.

"Alluria if at any point you can aid me in my symphony I would be eternally grateful, but by all means be safe, calm and collected and keep victory in your heart. I know we can win this"

"Balst you seem competent,I trust you and your magicks"

KFJ blushes for a moment and swiftly turns back to Alluria."Not to say I don't have full confidence in you too my fair musical masterpiece"

After fumbling over Alluria for a moment FKJ finally faces the creature eyes dead locked he laughs,"This shall be spectacular"

He starts off still drawing off dark hamon and begins to lay down his "spooky aura" to help everyone lock on and make us harder to target.

I would like the stand to play defence but if it wants to try and job on this guy more power to it.

doese starting a new song stop the old one? is freebird still going?

[Frederic Bourgault-Christie]

FKJ's Charisma is indeed supernatural, and it seems to catch her attention. She turns the minigun onto the creature and hisses, "Even if I think we could win in theory... this isn't the right place to make our stand".

Alluria replies, "I'm not the equal of Master Balst, but... I want to soothe this creature". Alluria seems compelled by her empathy for the monster.

Balst corrects FKJ, "Psionics, actually... oh, never mind". Balst assesses. "Either we fight or we flee. Either way, with your help, miss, I may be able to slow the monster down".

Spooky Aura is played. The size of the monster makes targeting less of a concern, but where the targeting may help is finding any weak points that may be in the creature. Making it harder for them to be easily attacked, on the other hand, will help.

The Wheel of Fortune decides that it can actually split the difference. It summons the wheel to its hand, setting it spinning to begin to strike and attack the Bete Noire, but more with feints and tests of the Bete Noire's stance and strength. Doing so acts as a shield to allow it to grant an AC bonus as well.

Unfortunately, even with the amplification of both Wheel of Fortune and the Dark Hamon, the wheel barely even harms the creature. A brief motion of its horns, with a strange snaking stretching accompanied by a scream combining agony and range, bats the Wheel of Fortune away. However, with the benefits of Spooky Aura, Whoosh, and Balst's auras, the Wheel finds itself able to roll along the ground effectively. As a result, it takes little damage, as does FKJ.

Balst has already used his move action and his minor action. But his standard action is still available. He takes the mist that Strange People evoked and tries to coalesce it. The hope is threefold: first, bring Strange People back together, with the hope that this facilitates both fight and flight; second, take the mist and cool it, forming it into an auto-catalyzing trapping set of blocking; third, heal the Wheel of Fortune and thereby FKJ.

Reforming Strange People and healing FKJ works reasonably well. Strange People immediately attempts to regain control of the reality it's created but fails. The Bete Noire makes it so that there is no escape from this nightmare. Luckily, that was a free action. Strange People decides that the Wheel of Fortune is worth supporting. It turns into mist and then forms around Wheel of Fortune, guided by Balst's knowledge to create a kind of pseudo-fusion. The two strength-based Stands go back into using both chunks of mist armor and the Wheel to fight defensively with the monster. This actually works reasonably well: brutal uppercuts and jabs are defended against by the wheel with counterattacks.

Unfortunately, the mist coalescing doesn't work nearly as well. Thick gray snowflakes begin to appear around the Bete Noire, but with a single roar it dashes them away. There's just not enough time for the mist to pinion the creature, and the buildings around are not strong enough. If enough terrain could be altered and reinforced, then it may slow the monster down.

Benatar screams as she backs up, looking for a better vantage point to fire, and strikes with her minigun. Remarkably, she is actually starting to tear into the creature.

Alluria's song resonates with everyone. Through lyrics, she communicates that the damage to the Bete Noire is irrelevant, as it is able to reform itself and regenerate damage taken the moment it can focus. She recognizes that the only chance to defeat the creature is to either make it wish to fade away, or no longer see them, or otherwise pacify it. (Though FKJ thinks that if they can maintain its focus on them and on attacks it may not be able to spur its regeneration). Her form turns into a kind of thick set of iridescent blustery cords, wrapping around the Bete Noire.

When she reappears in the air, her form has slight black and gray impurities in it, and her song has become more frightened, sadder and angrier. There are screams in it now, and a kind of discord. It seems as if the Bete Noire can push back psychically as well as physically.

With all of their efforts slowing down the monster but not really seeming to harm it, the creature bellows. However, interestingly, what Alluria and Benatar both expected to happen with its healing... does so much less. The vein-like strands that make the monster up seem to rupture and shake, then reform, but some of the wounds inflicted don't seem to be fading. In particular, areas that the Wheel of Fortune hit seem to be partially damaged.

Benatar whispers, "It can't be. He doesn't even know Cycle but..." She actually begins to feel some hope, her eyes flashing with a softer expression. Balst can tell that there is a legend on her world that sufficiently powerful Cycle users can actually impose their will onto the Bete Noire and prevent its regeneration.

The Bete Noire grabs a building and attempts to hurl it at Benatar and Balst, swinging it past Alluria and FKJ to hurt them as well. The Wheel manages to cut pieces of the building off, reducing the threat it poses. Balst's mist slows down the projectile, but his active effort to move Benatar out of the way fails. However, Strange People amazingly rushes off of Wheel of Fortune and pushes its master aside. Alluria manages to dance within the building and reappear next to FKJ, pulling him out of harm's way.

Unfortunately, its next attack is much more successful. It fires its tendrils out in a cloud. Benatar and Strange People manage to continue to find cover. Balst is rocked and tossed hundreds of feet back. Alluria can't act in time with her distraction. FKJ's automatic parry deflects some of the tendrils but he will still have to act.

FKJ's reaction to the tendrils [Alluria made him not have to respond to the building] and then his own action. He has control of Wheel of Fortune again, and it can spin.

OOG: Generally speaking, a bard can maintain a song while casting a spell. I'll have to write the relevant Merits down. In your case, you may have a special ability to stall a second song or maintain a first song, especially if you have Lingering Song and Epic Lingering Song as Merits. That would come about from the nature of your saxophone, the ability to sing while playing, etc. Spooky Aura is a spell and not a song, so you can cast it while maintaining the spell.

[treemoonflower]

As soon as whe wheel regains functionality have it spin

Amused merely to see Alluria's new found discord turned into what he imagines, a heavy metal woman, he quickly shrieks on his sax casting "Kacklang" on himself and Alluria.

For his action he will use his last 3 songs (freebird,Spooky Aura and Kaclang) in a "combo song" acoustic assault on the creatures scenes to try and keep him either distracted or subdued.

My stand will ,no matter what it lands on,use a buzzsaw attack after I do my song.

[Frederic Bourgault-Christie]

KaClang does not come rapidly enough to protect FKJ. He is partially ironized as he does it but he is still thrown back like Balst and badly injured. (He is now at 25% of his health with 42% of stamina and 48% of energy remaining).

The wheel spins and lands on Cups, then the color wheel spins to 35 Black. Alluria and FKJ can choose from health regen, stamina regen or enhanced Endurance.

The burst of sound basically creates a screeching metal cacophony that still somehow pumps the blood. Initially, the sound seems too weak to rise above all of the noise of the battlefield; however, when Alluria amplifies it, bursts of melody begin to strike the creature, making it recoil. It actually grips where its ears would be and bellows.

The Stand then throws the buzzsaw wheel. The initial slash bashes the Bete Noire back. Tendrils are cut. Then, the wheel lands on the Devil. Psychically assaulting the Bete Noire's creativity actually seems to harm it on an essential level. When the Devil's voices begin to appear in FKJ's mind, FKJ maintains his sense with the aid of Alluria and knows what he must do. He is now able to choose the next place the wheel lands and have it be immensely amplified.

[treemoonflower]

For cups regen choose health.

Fkj screams back a mental assault at the demon as well as aloud" WITNESS THE POWER OF THE SUN!" reverting back to normal hamon in the process.Imbuing his stand with the energy in the hopes that a physical attack will disrupt his chi enough to make his body stop regeneration completely.

[Frederic Bourgault-Christie]

FKJ and Alluria begin to regenerate. At the end of his turn, FKJ is at 38%. (Alluria's training under Wisp means that she shares her own health regen increases with those she is Tethered to).

The Wheel suddenly turns to the Sun. FKJ's Stand is now gleaming, faint rivulets of golden power flowing from it.

Balst telepathically wonders if the conventional Hamon is appropriate for this battle. The upside, though, is that Alluria shares FKJ's buff, and the flowing sun removes the change she had from the Beast. She's still not sure if she understands it, but she is beginning to get a better intuition.

Balst is at this point focused on giving the team the ability to either escape or more successfully fight. His analytical Gnome mind is thinking step by step. He communicates to Benatar, <Can you have your Stand focus on adjusting space as you did earlier?> Benatar indicates that she can. Balst then begins to invoke Terra Optimus. Though it is exhausting without access to his astral font of energy, he is able to mentally shock himself, enduring the loss again of his people, just to perform the effect.

Normally, the rising of a great rock wall would struggle to contain the beast. But as Benatar yells "WEST!", the buildings from that side push in, pinioning the creature. The mist then begins to coalesce, forming thicker and thicker strands as it did earlier.

Benatar puts her minigun on a tripod and has it continue to fire at the now-immobile monster. She then begins to throw these spinning discs at the creature. She is clearly straining to do this, focusing on getting what she needs. The bombs stick into the monster, slicing through the thickening mist, and create cutting explosions with flares like an industrial welding torch.

Alluria now attempts to become a sunsong, penetrating through the creature from all sides, relying on the song of FKJ to push her about. Amazingly, the monster seems to be starting to collapse. It roars again, but this time the agony is more primal, more harrowing.

Unfortunately, the creature itself does not seem to be entirely prevented from acting. Again, the body ruptures and shifts, and again, the wounds seem to heal. It begins to push back against the Terra Optimus. Its tendrils reach out to parts of the building and try to grab and pull the creature up and away.

The Wheel of Fortune is able to rocket in now and launch its disruptive effect. The creature, as is common with the foes Crashing Heavens is fighting recently, has a highly unorthodox chi flow and structure. But the Wheel is still able to strike. However, it does seem that the Ripple does not prevent the monster's regeneration. The melting power that he has released with the Sun can harm the creature, but to little avail as it can regenerate.

Benatar begins to despair again. She says, "It's just like with Morris Cee..." Balst makes the issue plainer. "Your Ripple power, Kiwi, hurts the creature, but it can regenerate through it. Your Dark Hamon seems to actually prevent its regeneration, but you're not mastered enough to use it. We seem to be in one of those dreaded catch-22s".

The creature suddenly seems to understand something. Its tendrils go slack. FKJ sees what is happening: it is attempting to get some spools out to begin to tighten them. They begin to rocket for FKJ and his Stand, while others slash out to keep Benatar, Strange People, and Balst away. Alluria can aid both of their reactions, but is waiting to do so to see what the creature is up to.

[treemoonflower]

Fkj very put off that his main source of power isn't working as planned starts feeling very bashful and reckless in his skin."Damn Damn damn I didnt want to stay in that state all day. It feels so.. moody and unfun, like someone who enjoys drowning or gazing off the peak of a tall skyscraper. It's so suffocating but at the same time so refreshing." FKJ shivers slightly.

For his reaction fkj is not about to wait and see what this guy is up too so as the tendril come rushing at him and his allies he screams" Wheel of fortune..THE WORLD" he wants to stop time for everything but him and Balst hoping that those extra six or so seconds will help him establish more of a plan either way he communicates to Balst"You do what you can with this time I'll help the others." As he runs off as fast as he can to move Alluria out of the way and sends his stand to move Benatar out of the way.

He also takes this opportunity to have the wheel spin once more in these few seconds if he can.

[Frederic Bourgault-Christie]

The creature is slowed enough that FKJ is able to activate The World's effect. Remarkably, his keen eyes notice that the creature still moves, albeit slowly, under the effect of The World, as does Balst, even before FKJ excludes him. Balst's status as an Astral Lord makes his limited ability to act in temporally altered environments logical, but what does the Bete Noire have to do that? Still, with the slowed time, FKJ figures out the creature's plan. It seems to have deduced the importance of breath to Hamon, and was going to attempt to both crush and strangle FKJ.

Balst decides that the Ripple's damage may indeed be sufficient to at least allow them to escape. He begins to use Metapsychic Refraction, working off of the Ripple pouring off of FKJ and the unique properties of the sun here, and sets a number of light lances to begin to melt the creature the moment time returns to normal.

The World's duration is exceedingly brief here. FKJ has managed to push up to about fifteen seconds in his training, but in this environment, he can only do about two. Still, moving away takes Alluria with him, as Alluria was in fact intending to push FKJ out of the way. Wheel of Fortune, on the other hand, deals with the real threat that Benatar faces, and pushes her aside.

Alluria, with reaction prepared, moves to synergize with Balst. She carries the shared Sun power that she had with FKJ with her and puts it into Balst, along with adjusting her Overcharge to amplify Balst and her Tether to move Balst into a better position while providing a slight stun to the Bete Noire.

The Wheel ka-chunks along and lands on the Hanged Man. Affecting the weakened creature, it begins to prevent its ability to regenerate.

When time begins its normal, because Balst, FKJ and the Bete Noire all return to normal time, their initiative resets. This means that the creature is first to act. It begins to attempt to pull itself into buildings. But doing so causes it to cut through boiling heat.

Normally, the creature would obviously begin to regenerate. But, with the power of the Hanged Man, it cannot. So it then attempts to go for what is obviously a Hail Mary on its part. Its tendrils open and it begins to try to fully engulf each of the nearby targets, clearly attempting to consume them. Balst's reactions are too slow to get him out of the way, but the coalescing fog and Alluria's motion slows it down enough to allow the two to leap out of its range. Benatar backflips while Strange People actually manages to slip through the buildings it has itself shifted and settle throughout the monster in its fog form. Gray fog mixes with red and yellow tendrils. Adjusting the environment one more time, it shifts to an environment that is effectively entirely akin to FKJ's Dark Hamon.

The beast's tremendous wounds no longer heal. More Ripple is poured into it. The dying power of the Sun and the Cups are spent. As the monster roars, it explodes into a kind of flash of pixel-like lines.

The isolated environment is now quiet. It is still Anbar-Xio but with none of the people.

Strange People reforms. It moves over to Benatar as Benatar says, "Strange! Come over here right now!" She screams at it. "What were you thinking?! You can't do something like that!"

Balst looks about at destroyed buildings. FKJ is badly injured, Alluria is still regaining her form, and he needs medical care. He says, "Madame Collins, we have much to talk about". He snaps his fingers and begins to sprinkle some dust.

Then his gnomish brow furrows. "...Odd".

He performs the action again.

He then rushes up and grabs her by the collar. Though much shorter than her, he is surprisingly strong, and she is in no place to fight back. "What have you done?!"

It seems as if they are not out of the woods just yet.

[treemoonflower]

FKJ after comically chatting up Alluria saunters over. "what she has done is thoroughly embarrassed herself, I mean honestly in this day and age who would use a minigun. A beautiful woman such as yourself should be more tactful if your chumming the waters for hot single bounties such as myself.I mean really a minigun is so uncouth,so blunt, so so ... what's the matter Balst?"

[Frederic Bourgault-Christie]

Benatar rolls her eyes, though a faint blush is still detectable. "I'm married, punk", she responds with a sarcastic edge.

Balst snarls, "I'm astrally cut off. I can't get us back. At least I can draw some energy now, but we're somewhere else".

Alluria turns around and looks. She waves her hand gingerly. FKJ can tell that she is deep in the irony of seeing that they are so close to home and yet so far, as if they are staring at passing people through a stainglassed window in a dungeon.

Benatar pushes Balst back. "I didn't do it. All I knew was that Strange People detected a string that matched a bounty. That's it. You fell in here".

Balst says, "Explain, woman, I am losing patience".

Benatar grits her teeth and makes a high-pitched yelp of frustration. "I don't have time to get you idiots up to speed. Look. When I make a little snare for people with Strange, it's like a sinkhole. I always dig down to them or drag them with me. And I always come out the same place. If you're really from another world, I have no idea how you get back. I don't even know where I am anymore. So I'm going to go back to my husband and my group. If you're not going to turn yourself in and give me the bounty, you can stay with us for a little bit, but then you gotta break. I'm not the only one who wants El Presidente's bounties, and a lot of them won't care about collateral damage. You're all walking death sentences".

Alluria puts her hand to her head and moans like a diva. "Oh, my, stranded in a strange world". Benatar sneers. Alluria then walks for a moment, looks about and thinks. He turns to FKJ. "Master Juice... I didn't expect that time with you would turn out so unusual, but Ms. Collins is in need of medical care". Indeed, as FKJ reassesses his erstwhile enemy, it's clear that Wheel of Fortune did real damage. "Her group may need help too. It sounds like this world needs help".

Benatar laughs bitterly. "Yeah. Yeah, you nuts sound like the Red Rider's culties. Talking about 'hope' and all that crap. Look. Hope gets you killed. You think you're bad because you took out a Bete Noire? Great. Back before The FUBAR, people dropped a few of them. But they just kept coming. There's just the race, and scavenging, and the road. That's it".

Balst shrugs. "You are free to think that, miss. I used to think much the same way. I can assure you, whether you see it or not, it is a cognitive error. But at the very least, we can exchange medical care and other expertise for some information and provisions, can we not? Your group surely could use that".

Benatar seems to realize that. She points to the south and says "Follow me". As she points to the south, the city slowly seems to transition into something else. FKJ can see fully fledged buildings eerily begin to transition into increasingly blasted husks.

Balst takes stock of their current provisions. While some of the dimensional pockets and space-increasing items are malfunctioning, between, Balst, FKJ and Alluria, they still have four health potions, six mana potions, six stamina potions, enough rations to last them three months (in hyper-caloric form), the equivalent of $100,000 in gold coins and tradeable gems, a nine millimeter sidearm, eight clips for that sidearm, four compasses, a hatchet, a backpack, two tents, four sleeping bags and four sleeping pads, a water purifier, flint and tinder, a few sets of spare clothes, some needles, enough IRMSS nanobot kits to keep the team healed for some time, four flashlights with high-density and conventional batteries, spare batteries, a survival radio, four multi-purpose tools, four survival knives, two canteens, ten emergency blankets, four whistles, a packed first aid kit that includes enough supplies for about ten people and some epinephrine and other basic medicine, enough medication for Balst for a month, a can opener, three gas masks, a package of surgical masks and surgical gloves, five rolls of duct tape, and some nanofoam that can be used to make some other tools.

OOG: For the moment, FKJ is operating at half his normal Affinities. All Supernatural stats are reduced a full rank down to their Superhuman equivalent; all other are knocked down two full levels - e.g. FKJ is at High Human Strength and Endurance.

Before the use of any abilities or medical care, the team is in this condition:

FKJ – 52% HP, 28% stamina, 25% energy
Balst – 72% HP, 12% energy, 55% stamina
Benatar – 38% HP, 48% energy, 48% stamina
Alluria – 80% HP, 68% energy, 79% stamina

Benatar will need some medical care soon, as she has some odd internal damage.

[treemoonflower]

"What a Bizzare Adventure this is shaping up to be" with a huge grin Fkj glances off in a random direction as if addressing some unseen audience befor snapping back to reality.

"Fret not my plucky current companions for while the wheels of fortune is always turning all we can do is press onward to better(or worse) days." Fkj begins walking off while giving this small talk then looks back at his group then Benatar.

"Oh yeah her, ummm well I guess she does need healing" He saunters over to her while doing little hops and skips until he is right next to her." OK hold perfectly still this might hurt" he starts by wiggling his fingers dramatically inches from her body starting from her feet to her head. All the while giving quick mhm's and oh,oh no's. Then he quickly claps both hands on her ears and says" Here I go" and gives her forehead a very delicate smooch then quickly retreats. "Well i've done all I can if any of you want to take a crack at it be my guest. I never really liked the healing arts not my cup of tea"

"HMM well once we get her squared away the real question is how to go about our next course of action I myself tend to give up completely and let fate take the ....wheel. However i have been told when working with others that's often tiresome and irrational. I'm all for pushing forward but i will leave the... ugh planning and logistics to you Balst you seem to enjoy that."

[Frederic Bourgault-Christie]

Benatar seems to be taken in by the idea that FKJ can heal her. She winces and says, "Fine, but hurry up", as he feigns helping. When he's done, she makes a move to swing at him. "Did you not hear that I'm married?! Asshole!" She says more calmly, "I haven't even heard your name out loud. I mean, what's your real name? It ain't French Kiwi Juice".

While Benatar gets angry, Balst nods. He and Alluria begin with their medical experience. Balst may have become a tank, but he was once a psion healer. However, the unique nature of the harm Benatar has endured and the danger of the environment they're in causes Balst to rush slightly. He still manages to use some injections, then form Alluria into a kind of sonic scalpel, removing damaged tissue from the inside and allowing it to heal. From this, Benatar is brought up to 67% of her maximum health.

They've stopped near the edge of what was once a 19th-century style Chinatown-like area, though it's hardly recognizable anymore except for the remnants of a jade-colored archway of a gate that reads "Kor-----wn." The wood has rotten, broken glass has been harvested, and buildings have been looted down to their materials. Benatar is leading them into what begins as an expanse of scrubgrass, with the number of trees in immediate sight being countable between all of the fingers of the traveling party. Past that, the scrubgrass fades into outright desert, with a blasted beigeish yellow sand. Between Balst and Alluria's skills at dowsing and wilderness survival (far from exemplary but at least reasonable), they detect that there are a few underground deposits of water along the way, but the last easy-to-access water source is a small stream slightly away. Balst says, "We have some water on us, but the less we dip into our reserves, the better. Madame Collins will need some to insure that she maintains her recovery". Alluria, Balst and FKJ all thanks to their mystical training require less water than if they were ordinary people, but they will still need to keep drinking.

OOG: I should note that, aside from anything like a Cure [X] Wounds or other out-of-combat appropriate heal effect, there's also obviously the potential for healing from the Stand and his Acupincture skill. But I'm guessing FKJ was being facetious. [Yes you confirmed in FB but just wanted to note for the record].

[treemoonflower]

"Madam I am offended at the prospect that you dont believe I have told you the truth to my name. Of course my name is French Kiwi Juice it would be absurd if it wasn't."

"Well if were spending some time resting it might as well be lively and enjoyable." With that he starts whistling a rather upbeat tune in addition to doing slight toe taps and finger snaps. FKJ at this point is basically going to keep a song of regeneration going until she is well enough to travel then maybe a little longer just to keep the mood up while they begin the travel.

(while im sure Alluria and Balst are picking up on the song FKJ reasons that he may have taken his joke a little too far and now cant let on that he can heal so for the most part he is just "keeping spirits up")

while whistling and and pacing around the perimeter of their current spot he is also keeping a constant eye on the horizon all around as well as just watching the wheel keep spinning,his favorite pastime.

[Frederic Bourgault-Christie]

Benatar is aghast. "So... he's really a gnome, that chick is really... whatever she is, and your name really is... All right, fuck it, diff'rent strokes".

Balst nods. "Indeed. Ms. Collins, I know that you are eager to return to your group, but putting aside the risk that we are stumbling into another trap of yours, we have just engaged in battle. A small rest would not be amiss".

Balst gives FKJ an indication that it's not a bad idea to keep some secrets. A knowing nod manages to communicate the idea that, say, a post-apocalyptic world might make healers a premium commodity, and thereby a target.

As long as FKJ is using his song, Balst similarly surreptitiously distributes a little bit of nanotechnological healing. He sets the IRMSS to only give a small dose, so that it effectively increases the base regen rate. Alluria adds her own voice as they travel, trying to keep morale up as well as health.

Approaching the stream, the group finds what appears to be a nice access point. The stream is low and flat here, making it a little hard to fill up the canteens, but it also makes it flow fast and fresh and the water is neatly filtered with little risk of fish... activity. Balst uses the nanospray to lay down some fishing line away from the site of Benatar, as she cleans herself. Unfortunately, the fish don't seem to be biting with what little in the way of bait that they can find. But the group is still able to relax, regaining some stamina and health. Balst attempts to meditate in spurts, which unfortunately decreases how much he can regain in paranormal power.

After about eighty minutes, the radio begins to crackle. Out of curiosity, Alluria turns it on. Coming through the radio is a clear voice, certainly broadcasting nearby. The voice is smarmy and smooth, yet has not-so-subtle menace in it. "Glad to see you folks got what you needed from our stream! Now, we're far from unneighborly, but we'll still need ya to compensate us for using our space. So why don't you empty out your bags and we'll see what you've got? Careful, no tricks now".

OOG: At the start of this encounter, the team has

FKJ – 72% HP, 38% stamina, 25% energy
Balst – 82% HP, 18% energy, 65% stamina
Benatar – 64% HP, 58% energy, 88% stamina
Alluria – 94% HP, 68% energy, 99% stamina

[treemoonflower]

well hearing that fkj keeps up his basic showmanship but begins to use super tap is his moments to give an aoe mp restore then yells with a VERY amplified voice. "No tricks what kind of near Apocalypse is this. Why I never tricks are the very meaning to life,if there was one. I mean really no tricks have you ever herd of such a thing guys. This man must clearly be either a fool or a simpleton...no never mind clearly an idiot because both of those at least would enjoy a good trick."

FKJ is hoping to either warm this guys spirit or just keep talking until maybe someone can locate him or the super tap finishes. also assuming that this is a base man spins the wheel and sends his stand high up in the air to see what he can see.

[Frederic Bourgault-Christie]

The radio is silent for a few moments. Then it once again crackles back on, again with a clear message. There's the chuckling of what sounds like at least three men. "Okay, pal, you are definitely funny. And you dress funny too. Hey, guys, think we need a jester?!" After a moment, the mirth cuts off. "Don't particularly like being called a fool by trespassers, though. But you made us laugh, and that's something that ain't worth nothing. So, we'll cut ya a discount".

Balst and the rest of the team are still unsure as to what to do. FKJ realizes, though, that they could possibly manage to get out of this situation without a fight if he offered Balst's services for trade. The men here are likely bandits that have taken this stream and charge rent for those who need it, but the group may not have the resources for another fight, especially one that isn't going on on their terms.

The Wheel of Fortune scans. The men seem entrenched and prepared. He's not sure what they're doing, but it's making it hard even with an aerial view to see. Still, he thinks he sees three men in trees and one on a rise in the landscape laying prone amidst a thick patch of a clover-like plant.

[treemoonflower]

I communicate telepathically to Balst remain calm and recuperate.

i want wheel of fortune to investigate as much as he can about the prone guy in the clovers.and start spinning

continuing as loud as possible" My dear friend I meant no malice with that fool comment it was merely a verbal jab to get those funny bones rattling and see if you had any scence of humor at all. You see much like yourselves my and my associates are downtrodden entertainers just looking to scavenge stream to brush to maybe city here or there spreading laughter and good tidings to the masses in this barren landscape .I'm currently afraid that we are down on our luck as well being in between successful gigs right now hence the need to scrounge your ever beautiful water like the low lives i'm sure you run into so often. while we cannot offer you much in the way of material wealth we can entertain and brighten your spirits. Of course we would have to ask our normal rates for the show.(a brief pause)actually for you and only you I offer this once in a lifetime rate of 75% off just for you for being so gracious with your water. What do you say?"

[Frederic Bourgault-Christie]

The Wheel lands on Pentacles. The enemies have their Willpower lowered. They do not seem to notice.

Once more, the radio goes silent and there is a pause. This one is somewhat lengthier. The men reply. "You know, we have been feeling kind of down. But while it's not a bad idea, I still think we want to take a look at your supplies. If you're really broke, we can let it slide, of course".

Balst can attempt a psionic invisibility when they empty the supplies. and perhaps FKJ can attempt a hypnosis or some kind of glamour spell, but they really do seem to be hell bent on seeing the team's supplies. Entertainment probably isn't worth too much here.

Benatar has her Stand use a kind of sign language to communicate, <Guys, these kinds of bandits don't fuck around. Even if you give 'em a show, they might kill us in our sleep. And I guarantee you that they've noticed me and... your melody friend. You know, a bunch of guys alone in the wilderness>.