Tricks and Traps:
With as close as Download Desert, the area formerly known as Teehee Valley, was, the five Kruna Yura trekked there from Beanbean Castle Town on foot and with the aid of a convenient Warp Pipe. The Kruna stepped into a harsh environment baking in dry summer heat and littered with both heavy mechanization and ongoing construction projects. Desert rigs, towers, and even metal pyramids occupied roughly half of the otherwise barren landscape.
In their search throughout the region, the Kruna picked out one of the MAE robots not busy in order to speak with it. However, they soon learned that that construction robot did not have the same access the Patrol Bots had to whatever database held records for Daisy, Andrew, and likely all the other Kruna. With the large amount of MAE personnel and robots in the region, the Kruna managed to find an idle Patrol Bot without much difficulty in an attempt to procure information about their water teammate.
"Warra Jidlaph, Kruna Yura of Water," the Patrol Bot said. "Age, twenty-seven. Height, five-eleven; weight, 166 pounds, fit and athletic build. Hair, brown; eyes, brown. A highly experienced warrior and water wielder with all-around balanced physical capabilities and a tactical approach. Previously a part of Mekarsari's Royal Guard. Last updated location: Isle Delfino, updated three months ago. Current status information unavailable."
"What does that last part mean?" asked Daisy.
"Current status information unavailable?" the Patrol Bot said. "That means that either there is no data available in order to update the current location and status of the person in question, or the server is blocking access to information. Patrol Bots are not authorized to release restricted information to non-MAE personnel."
"But that didn't come out when we asked about Andrew," said Neva.
"That might have been because he was reported missing, maybe?" said Athelstan. "That must not come up if the person is already reported missing, because it would be rather obvious at that point that current information would not be available."
"Or it's restricted, like the robot said it could be," Bowser remarked.
"But why would his be restricted, but Andrew's wouldn't?" asked Ramona.
"Hold on – let's ask him something about somebody else," said Daisy. "Like... Oh, Patrol Bot! Can you tell us about Marut? Marut Kaze, Kruna Yura of Air?"
"Searching..." the Patrol Bot responded. "File found. Marut Kaze, Kruna Yura of Air. Age, nineteen. Height, six-one; weight, 152 pounds, a slim and lanky physique. Hair, black; eyes, brown. Former resident of Nimbus Land. This air wielder is among the fastest physical specimens on the planet, but he possesses mediocre strength and endurance. Still, high power and the ability to stretch said power across a wide-range make for both an offensive and defensive threat. Last known location: Diamond City."
"Again, I don't understand all the emphasis on strengths and weaknesses," said Bowser. "It's like whoever's running this database is treating us all like we're video game characters with all these stats and analysis of physical abilities."
"Patrol Bot, when was the last known location for Marut updated?" Daisy asked.
"Twenty-three minutes ago," the bot replied.
"Okay, so he's obviously still working with Wario at Wario Ware Inc. then," Daisy said. "So we know where Marut is, we don't know where Andrew is, and we either don't know or aren't allowed to know where Warra is."
Neva clutched her head and groaned. "What is going on with all of this?"
"Alright, I've got one more person to ask about," Daisy said. "Patrol Bot, pull up info for Neva Alekseeva, Kruna Yura of Ice."
"Huh? Why me?!" said Neva.
"Just go with it," Daisy hissed.
"Neva Alekseeva, Kruna Yura of ice," the bot said. "Age, nineteen. Height, four-ten-"
"FIVE FEET, DAMN IT!" Neva screamed.
"Neva!" Daisy yelled. "Let the guy finish!"
"The robot finish," said Athelstan.
"Whatever!" Daisy said.
"Height, four-ten," the Patrol Bot said. "Weight, 114 pounds, a petite and thin build. Hair, very light blonde; eyes, blue. This speedy and swift ice wielder possesses an exceptional amount of power and the scope to use it at long range. However, strength and endurance are sorely lacking. Her body is frail and unimpressive, and both her weight and height are well below average. Last known location: Download Desert, Beanbean Kingdom."
"Gee, thanks for crapping all over me, asshat," Neva muttered.
"Never mind that," said Daisy. "When was the last known location updated, Patrol Bot?"
"Ten minutes ago," the bot replied.
"Okay – that's the important part," said Daisy. "Because when I told that one bot who I was right after returning to Mushroom Kingdom, it updated my location right then and there on the spot."
"And we have only been talking to this robot for maybe around five minutes," said Bowser. "And it knows that this is Neva, but it did not update its location for her. So this is essentially telling us that we're being tracked at this very moment, because Neva was already labeled as being here."
"But the robot did not know who I was until I said my name," added Daisy. "And that's when it updated, so I could have been on record for being somewhere else, and that could be why it updated for me and not for Neva. I don't feel like it's the robots themselves that are tracking us."
"So we're being watched, but we don't know how we're being watched," said Neva.
"These Patrol Bots are just keeping tabs on things," said Bowser. "They're secondary. They're not the ones blatantly watching us. Something else has to be."
"We're being watched and analyzed," said Athelstan. "Boy, this is some real creepy stuff going on here."
"I haven't seen anything that could have been watching us," said Bowser. "But my pendant just gives me full-360-degree vision alone, not eagle eyes to go with it."
"Your discussion gives me the impression that you are up to some sort of plot," said the Patrol Bot. "Out of caution, I am withholding answers to any further questions regarding people's data."
"Um, no – we're not up to anything," said Daisy. "Everything's fine. We got what we needed. We just needed to figure out where our friends are. Thanks."
"You're welcome, earth wielder," said the Patrol Bot, turning to march away.
"I can't get over how smart these guys have made their robots," said Athelstan. "I mean, they're miles away from anything not out of MAE. We could be dealing with something more than dozens of steps ahead of us."
"If technology is the be-all, end-all to everything, then sure," said Daisy. "But them having a bunch of gadgets doesn't mean they're better than us."
"Excuse me," a koopa MAE official said on her way over from a nearby construction site. "What exactly are you five doing out here? This location is not a good spot for tourism at the moment."
"We're out here looking for Queen Bean," said Bowser. "We've been told that we could find her in the desert here overseeing some construction projects."
"Oh, yes, yes," said the MAE official. "I did receive a call from Ambassador Buinton notifying me to be on the lookout for a group of elemental wielders in case they needed help looking for just that person. So I'll assume that you're the group she was talking about. Yes, I know exactly where Queen Bean is. Just follow me."
"Excellent," said Daisy. "We're finally gonna get some answers to all of this."
"Great," grumbled Neva. "I can't stand being out in this heat any longer than we've already been. I think my sweat is sweating."
The MAE official directed the five Kruna past several other established mechanized locations and active, in-progress construction sites within Download Desert. At no point did any of the Kruna see or sense any other elemental wielders or other beings of elevated power anywhere in the desert region. They were the odd men out in the sea of MAE personnel and MAE robots. Any utility elemental wielding would have had there, automated technology and machinery accounted for and handled – and at a faster pace too. Advanced drills, bulldozers, cranes, excavators, and plenty more innovated machines outpaced what an equal number of average stone wielders could have done in manipulating the sandy terrain and piecing metal components of varying sizes together. The same applied for all the other landscaping and construction tasks that took place; tasks that fire wielders, earth wielders, air wielders, water wielders, and light wielders also would have taken part in. Though elemental wielders could have done much of the work quicker at first, they would have tired out too soon and too often to match the relatively constant high output of the automated and semi-automated machines.
Interestingly, the koopa MAE official did not lead the Kruna to any of the construction sites. Instead, she led them into a lower part of Download Desert and to a massive, fenced-off sandy pit with piles of metal objects near the corners where tall towers stood. The chain-link fence stretched several dozens of feet in height and then curved inwards near the top, and the doors that granted access inside looked identical to the ones at Beanbean Castle.
"This place seems kind of empty, doesn't it?" asked Bowser. "Why would Queen Bean be overseeing anything here?"
"Follow me inside," the MAE official replied. "I'll lead you to one of the watch towers so you can see for yourself."
The great MAE doors pulled apart to open up the caged sandpit, and the Kruna followed the MAE official as she passed through the entryway. Bowser, Athelstan, and Neva kept shifting their gazes in nearly every direction as the group went around the sloping sides of the pit to the base of a tower on the side opposite of the doors. Once at the door leading into the tower, the MAE official made an abrupt stop.
"This went pretty well, I'd say," the MAE official murmured.
"Huh?" Daisy said. "What do you mean by that?"
Ramona shrugged. "Is it sarcasm?"
The MAE official did not respond. She opened the door to the tower and walked in, saying nothing. But before any of the Kruna could follow her in, she slammed the door shut and locked it.
"Um...okay?" said Athelstan.
"That was abrupt," said Ramona.
"I don't like this," said Neva. "She was already looking kind of suspicious from the moment we saw her."
"Everyone in MAE uniform has seemed suspicious," said Daisy.
"Look up!" Bowser called out.
The Kruna backed away from the tower and stared at its observation deck to see the MAE official pointing behind them with some sort of remote device. Before they could turn all the way around to see where she was pointing, the doors out of the sandpit closed and bolted shut. The MAE official put away the remote that she used to close the doors the instant the Kruna glanced back at her.
"Hey – what's the big idea here?!" Neva yelled at the official.
The MAE official pulled out a wireless controller and pressed several buttons in rapid succession. A rumbling then rattled the sandpit and the fencing. Heaps of metal pulled together and assembled from the scattered piles to form a colossal, two-legged robot with a red-eyed head resembling that of a Snifit. The newly formed mechanical body stomped both of its thick legs on the sandy ground just a handful of yards away from the Kruna and let loose columns of steam from its nose, two holes at the top of its head, and its glass underside.
"This is a trap, isn't it," grumbled Neva.
Athelstan frowned. "Wait a minute – how did this happen? We're smarter than this!"
"We actually are," said Bowser.
"Sorry, but you won't get to see Queen Bean today!" the MAE official shouted down. "Don't worry about her – so long as she adheres to MAE guidelines, she can enjoy a productive and fulfilling life in MAE society. You five, on the other hand, will not get that luxury. Instead, you get to do battle against our auto-assembling Desert Battle Droid: Digga-Leg!"
Daisy put her knuckles to her hips and rolled her eyes. "Oh boy."
"How come we have to fight your stupid robot?" asked Neva. "We didn't even do anything!"
"I'm just following orders," the MAE official responded. "And by order of Commander Sydney Buinton, you five elemental wielders must be TERMINATED!"
Digga-Leg trudged towards the Kruna and forced them to scatter and jump out of the way of its accelerating charge. The robot then swiveled towards Bowser and Ramona and rushed at them, but they evaded in time. When it passed by them, Digga-Leg released yellow Digga Drill missiles from a slot in its glass underside. The six Diggas sank into the sand and carved their way at the Kruna with power and speed.
"Oh, straight bollocks!" Ramona shouted.
Each of the Kruna leapt over the seemingly landlocked Diggas, only for them to lunge out of the sand and short hop into the air themselves. Athelstan and Bowser both felt the bodies of the drilling missiles clip into their legs mid-jump, and both those two Diggas and the other ones exploded upon contact with either other pieces of metal or the fence. Blasts of sand flew everywhere as a result, making that portion of the sandpit uneven.
"Any hit from metal is never fun," Bowser grunted as he landed.
"Better the body than its drilling head," said Athelstan.
When Digga-Leg turned around to face the Kruna, it shot Digga missiles from its nose snout. The seven that came out shot through the air and flew noticeably faster than the ones that tore along the ground. Ramona and Athelstan both got their respective shields in position to block, Bowser deflected one off of a spin inside of his shell, Neva skipped around the two that hurtled at her, and Daisy pulled her Laser Drill Staff off of her back in an Iaido swing that batted the missile that flew at her into the curved top of the fence.
Digga-Leg once more attempted to ram itself into the Kruna, but it missed each one in turn. For as surprisingly speedy as its movement was, the Kruna did not have too much issue maneuvering out of its straight-line rushes. When it felt an ice bullet strike its head, Digga-Leg directed its attention at Neva. The Kruna of Ice stood in front of a corner tower with her Freeze Coil Sniper out and still targeted at Digga-Leg's head. A second, third, fourth, and fifth shot on the robot all did damage, but it did not do enough to stop the robot from rushing at Neva. A timely jump not only got her out of the way but also made Digga-Leg slam into the tower behind where she formerly stood.
"Alright, this is a nice toy and all, but let's just put this to rest before things get stupid," Athelstan said.
Unlimbering his Mountain Hammer from his back, Athelstan focused his stone elemental power through the tool and directed it at the stunned Digga-Leg. He wanted to gain influence over the entirety of Digga-Leg altogether; but after several moments and attempts at manipulating the robot, he withdrew and eased his focus. Baffled, he stared at his hammer in confusion.
"Okay, never mind," said Athelstan. "For some reason, I can't control any of Digga-Leg's metal."
"All MAE products have been optimized to safeguard against stone wielder manipulation of metal components," the official called down from her vantage point in her tower. "You can not control Digga-Leg any more than any other elemental wielder can."
"Aw, that's bull!" Neva screamed. "And I was thinking we could just have Athelstan tear through all this MAE crap!"
Athelstan shrugged. "I can still do this-"
The Kruna of Stone slammed his hammer into the sandy ground, his influence over the sand creating cascading mounds that hurried toward Digga-Leg and pounded its glass underside to broken shards. The massive robot then staggered in place, trying to maintain its balance. Eventually, it toppled over.
"I don't understand the design choice behind glass," said Athelstan. "But in any case, looks like that was the sweet spot!"
"Nice, so, are we done here?" asked Neva.
The MAE official pressed more buttons in rapid succession. "You must be foolish to think that you can wriggle your way out of this so easily."
Digga-Leg stirred and cranked back to its feet, reestablishing its balance through its piston-laden legs. Its head-body opened up above its eyes and put out a large drill. Once its drill locked into place, Digga-Leg transmitted some of its power supply through to the newly revealed appendage. Digga-Leg then angled its drill-head at the ground and burrowed underneath it. Before long, the Kruna could hear grinding and scraping but could not see anything aside from an occasional bump in the sand. No one could tell where the robot was heading, for the mounds popped up at random.
Athelstan made a clipped chuckle and heaved his Mountain Hammer up for a hard, ground-shaking slam onto the sand. His move forced Digga-Leg to the surface right in front of Ramona, sprawled out and stunned. A second Hammer Ground Pound projected a dense fist of sand up under Digga-Leg that bashed it skyward. Ramona cleared out of the way to save herself from the colossal robot's landing and the cloud of sand that kicked up all around as a result of its impact.
"Really, you guys should not have tried to trap us out in a desert," Athelstan said. "For sure shouldn't have tried to trap a stone wielder in a desert. So that's foolish on your part."
"Who is the bigger fool?" the MAE official responded. "The fool, or the fool who follows the fool?"
"Are you acknowledging yourself as a fool?" said Athelstan.
"I'm no fool compared to you!" the official barked.
Now back to standing, Digga-Leg churned up its power output and again made a digging dive into the sand. It did not stay underground for long this time, for it busted out from under it seconds after entering. Its legs smacked Daisy and Neva as it hopped into the air and arced back into the sandy ground. Just a moment later, it lunged out from the sand at Bowser and nearly put its drill-head into his shell. Bowser ducked in time, and Digga-Leg soared over him just to dive under the sand again.
"What are we dealing with here – a dolphin?" Neva grunted.
"This is one dry dolphin," said Daisy.
"Then it's time to go dry fishing!" Athelstan hollered, hammering his hammer into the sand once more.
The hit jolted Digga-Leg up out of its burrowing and surfaced it near Daisy. Athelstan pointed his hammer with a spiraling motion to mold the sand in the immediate area surrounding Digga-Leg around the robot's legs. Now captive, Digga-Leg tried to wriggle and force its way free.
"Hey! I'll trap it so that one of you guys can do the hard hitting!" Athelstan yelled.
"I'll do that hard hitting!" declared Daisy. The earth-devoid environment meant that she had to spend time creating earth, which delayed her Crystal Fist formation long enough for Digga-Leg to bust free. However, Athelstan caught the robot again right before it could escape under the sand. Digga-Leg only got loose from the second set of binds after Daisy's heavy Crystal Fist jarred it free and bashed it into one of the corner towers. In addition to the harm Daisy's hit did, the tower crumbled and collapsed on top of Digga-Leg to worsen the robot's damage.
While Digga-Leg recovered, Ramona imbued her Solar Greatsword with light and Neva took aim with her sniper. Daisy reformed the shattered pieces of her Crystal Fist back together to have it ready for a second strike, and Bowser primed his Flare Sword with blazing flames. Digga-Leg displayed extensive amounts of damage around its form when it busted out of the wreckage surrounding it, but it experienced no loss in function. Ramona, Neva, and Bowser fired off elemental bursts from their tools at Digga-Leg to stall it while Daisy and Athelstan approached it. After several light, ice, and fire blasts bombarded Digga-Leg, Athelstan ripped a ridge through the sand to lock one of the robot's legs in place. Daisy then got in a second smashing Crystal Fist hit on the immobilized robot and sent it into the fence behind it. Digga-Leg's weight tore a great hole in the fence upon contact as it tumbled out of the caged arena, but the Kruna were not finished with the robot yet. Digga-Leg rolled out of its tumble to its feet and ramped up its power output even more.
"Uh-oh – I think we made it mad," said Athelstan. "I mean, if it can feel anger, that is. I'm not entirely sure at this point."
"I'll give it one more hit and it'll be sure to calm down," Daisy said. As the other Kruna regrouped with her and Athelstan, she gathered seismic energy into her clenched right hand to prepare her widespread Shotgun attack.
"Why don't you just keep doing Crystal Fist?" asked Neva.
"I gotta mix it up!" Daisy replied. "I can't just use Crystal Fist every time! That gets stale!"
"But you could though," Ramona said.
Daisy paused for a brief moment before giving a hurried reply. "Yeah – you're right." She dispelled her seismic energy the next second and pulled the shattered crystal in the area back together in her other hand to switch to making yet another Crystal Fist.
"Pfft – MASTER persuasion," Neva said.
"I didn't want to just stick to one move the whole time," Daisy said, holding up her crystallized hand. "But punching stuff with this is more fun anyways."
Digga-Leg rushed at them with even more speed than before, reentering the sandpit area. While the other Kruna spread and shifted out of Digga-Leg's line of travel, Athelstan amplified his physical might with his Alkemei Odina and got himself set to swing at the incoming robot. However, Digga-Leg jumped over Athelstan the moment it got near enough for him to attempt his attack. The Kruna of Stone caught nothing but air, and Digga-Leg made a drill-head-first landing a far distance behind him back underground.
The whole sandpit then trembled as Diggas missiles surfaced all over the place and darted along the ground in every direction. While the Kruna were busy evading and jumping off of the smooth bodies of the Diggas, Digga-Leg erupted from the center of the pit and launched itself into the air again. In kicking up sand upon landing, Digga-Leg also jolted some of its Diggas airborne as well. Thanks to the Kruna's collective dodging, shielding, and countering; the Diggas failed to harm them and instead bombarded the piles of metal, blitzed the fences, and blasted chunks away from the remaining towers – including the one the MAE official had positioned herself in.
Daisy and Athelstan got set to try and smash Digga-Leg with what could possibly be the final attack considering how battered the robot was. However, their attention got diverted to the tower that leaned over the indents Digga-Leg's missiles had drilled and blasted away. The MAE official inside could do nothing to save herself, and she collapsed along with the tower itself into the sand. The remote for Digga-Leg flew out from the crash and skidded to a stop alongside the fence.
The distraction granted enough time for Digga-Leg to execute another move. It powered up its drill-head with an electric charge and pounded it into the ground to lace the sandpit with electric jolts. The Kruna could do little to protect against the random, unpredictable nature of the attack. Bowser, Ramona, and Neva all sustained violent shocks, and whatever stray Diggas that got hit exploded on contact. After the electric attack ceased, the tracks through which all the shocks had spread in the sand fused and hardened into branching streaks of fulgurite reaching out from the epicenter of the electric attack.
"We gotta finish this now, Athelstan!" Daisy urged as she glanced at the three downed and ailing Kruna. "Get that thing locked down while it's vulnerable!"
Athelstan nodded and waved his hammer at Digga-Leg, ensnaring both of its legs in sand. Using exceptional speed in her approach, Daisy rushed ahead and struck Digga-Leg with the Crystal Fist she had maintained throughout the robot's previous sequence of attacks. That hit was too much for Digga-Leg to endure in addition to the damage it had accumulated throughout the battle. Not only did Daisy's hit devastate the robot's head-body, but it also ripped it off of its legs. Daisy dispelled her Crystal Fist upon landing and watched Digga-Leg's drill-head-body ricochet out of a few tumbles along the ground and off of the fence to a dead stop. With a hefty exhale, Daisy trotted towards Neva.
Just mere moments after Daisy turned away, Athelstan activated his Odina again and dashed past her with his hammer up and ready to strike. Confused, Daisy turned back around and saw Digga-Leg's drill-head-body roll at them and then lodge its drill into the ground to unleash one last rushing attack. Athelstan stopped his momentum when he saw that the enemy started accelerating by way of its drilling. It all came down to Athelstan timing his swing to land a strike on the Digga-Leg Core, for it made no deviation in its path and only sped up as time went on.
The baseball stance setup and the golf-like motion Athelstan swung with delivered the hit into the tip of the incoming robot's drill and overpowered it altogether. His monstrous force transmitted through the drill and rocked the Digga-Leg Core to so hard of a degree, it dismantled upon contact in an explosive manner and sprayed in every direction in front of him. Aside from its separated legs, Digga-Leg now lay scattered in hundreds of mangled pieces. And suddenly, the sandpit became quiet.
"That was just unnecessary," Athelstan said with a twirl of his hammer.
Daisy gave Neva an Ultra Mushroom and tried to get the wailing ice wielder to calm down from Digga-Leg's electric shock. Athelstan went to go give Ultra Mushrooms to Bowser and Ramona once he noticed how long Daisy was taking with Neva. All three of the Kruna Digga-Leg's electricity had jolted experienced a severe amount of trauma that took an extended period of time to get up from even after ingesting recovery items. In the time it took Bowser, Neva, and Ramona to feel at least somewhat better, the MAE official never rose from the wreckage of her tower.
"I can not believe how crazy that thing was," said Neva.
"My gosh – tough first enemy!" Ramona cried. "That escalated way too much and way too quickly!"
"We can't stay here and dwell on it," said Daisy. "We gotta get moving before somebody sees what happened here."
"Aren't we still locked in?" asked Neva.
"Not after Digga-Leg tore that hole in the fence back there," said Bowser.
"Are we going back to the Bullet Blitzer?" Athelstan asked.
Daisy shook her head. "Let's hurry back to Beanbean Castle first and thank Sydney for trying to kill us."
