Time has come my friends! A new chapter is upon us! Time for our favorite trio to finally hear each other for the first time. Will it work out like they want it to? We'll find out right now, right after some reviews!
joekeybladeaura: There'll be a checkup at some point soon. Don't you worry about that.
Njistar: If Fanfiction (the website) would let you have pictures in it the answer would be clearer. Being the way it is though you'll just have to wait and see.
P96822: Yeah I tried to make things interesting but there's really not much to be said. Again if Fanfiction allowed photos in the chapters there'd probably be more to talk about.
MiniOsprey: Yeah. That's just how life goes sometimes.
Moobgoobin: Lol. That would be a funny image.
FeliciaBelle: You'll have to be a bit patient with me on that one. I'm still partly planning out the story so I'd have to see where I can fit in a meeting like that.
LunarCouncillor: She definitely did not. The titans would want some anonymity in a group like this, so it's good that Cyborg had a quick response to the slip up.
Guipa: It does feel like that kind of moment, doesn't it. Anyway, I see that I need to clear things up again. The Teen Titans timeline is an alternate version that closely follows the cartoon. Dick is still Robin right now, but that's going to change really soon. There will probably some stuff that mirrors the comics, though I haven't read them so it's kind of a tossup. I'm leaving certain details as surprises for now.
The_Keeper_of_Worlds: Oh don't worry. Chaos cannot be kept at bay for long.
NerdAlert101: Wow. I'm glad you like the story so much! I love all the series involved so I try to do my best. There will be a good amount of IRL meetings I have planned, so don't you worry about that. Also, I can kinda understand what you mean by Alya's character. Personally I like stories where Alya is always on Marinette's side, the ones where she's redeemed, and the ones where she doesn't. I honestly don't know whether she'll be redeemed in my story or not. Anyway, I hope the story keeps being something you enjoy!
With those responses said, let's get on with the chapter! I don't own Miraculous, Danny Phantom, Marvel, or DC. I do own any original characters, concepts, creatures, and places that work their way into the story unless stated otherwise.
Mousegirl15- Marinette (Mouse)
Crashnebula- Danny (Crash)
Nightwing- Dick (Nightwing)
MonkeyKid16- Kim
LadyTigress16- Juleka
QueenBee17- Chloe
GothQueen- Sam
TooFineTuck- Tucker
Babs21- Barbara
BeastMan- Garfield (Beast)
Mr.R0bot0- Victor (Vic/Bot)
CyberPegasus- Max (Pegasus)
PrincessRose- Rose
JazzyTime- Jazz
Mod Only Chat, Miraculous Gamer Guild Server, Chatty
Nightwing has logged on.
Nightwing: Mousegirl15, Crashnebula!
We've got something important to discuss.
Something that could change the server.
Crashnebula has logged on.
Mousegirl15 has logged on.
Crashnebula: Did someone finally warrant the time out chat in your mind!?
Have ghosts invaded the internet!?
Mousegirl15: Take this seriously Crash!
There could be an actual problem!
Crashnebula: I was being entirely serious in that last one, but I digress.
Is everything alright Nightwing?
Nightwing: There's nothing wrong.
It's just something we need to discuss.
A few weeks ago the meat lovers and vegans finally settled their dispute.
They actually ended up agreeing to some tabletop games.
Crashnebula: I actually ended up reading that recently.
Those friends of yours handled the situation rather well Mouse.
Mousegirl15: They are really good at that when they're not being strung along.
Regardless, I don't see what the issue is Nightwing.
There's more to it right?
Nightwing: Indeed there is.
During the talks of DND they mentioned adding VC to the server.
They even requested me to think of it when I talked with them over the matter.
What I'm getting at is, should we implement voice chat in the server?
Crashnebula: I mean I'd be down for it.
It's really Mouse's decision whether she's comfortable with it or not.
We started this partially because she needed a break from everyone and VC would mean verbally communicating with them.
Mousegirl15: Crash does have a point, but I've already forgiven everyone who've apologized so far.
The real issue is if we're ready to have VC in the guild.
Would it change the way we perceive each other?
Nightwing: Good points all around.
I think I have a solution to our problem.
We make a voice chat for moderators only.
That way we can make it blind to normal members and test it out just to ourselves.
From there we decide if VC fits or not.
Mousegirl15: Sounds good to me.
It'd be nice to actually know what you guys sound like now that I think about it.
You guys are some of my closest friends.
Crashnebula: Aww!
I think I'm gonna cry!
I'm not at a good point for sharing audio right now.
I'm actually on my phone while waiting on food at a restaurant.
I'll let you know when it's a good idea to try.
Mousegirl15: Take your time Crash!
I say we wait until everyone's prepared before we move forward.
Nightwing: I second that notion.
It appears someone decided to cause a ruckus in the living room.
As one of the only responsible adults in my friend group, I need to go set things straight.
Crashnebula: Alright! We'll wait till everyone's available.
My order's on the way. Gotta go!
Crashnebula has logged off
Mousegirl15: Enjoy your meal Crash!
I totally forgot I was making macaroons!
One hour later
Crashnebula has logged on.
Crashnebula: I'm back!
I had to talk with my folks for a bit, but now I'm ready to try out VC.
Mousegirl15: I'm ready too!
Glad I was able to save the macaroons before they burnt.
Crashnebula: Dang!
The others weren't kidding about your baking skills!
Now I wish I could visit Paris so I could try some of those!
Next time my parents have a conference there I'll see if I can make it.
Anyway, now we just have to wait on Nightwing.
Nightwing: Not really.
I've been here since you hopped back on Crash.
Crashnebula: Well at least you kept your chat open.
So, are we gonna start this up?
Nightwing: Give me a bit.
The first time I've actually tried to make a voice chat for a server.
All the settings I have to do for a moderator specific one make the process longer.
Mod-Only Voice Chat Created
Crashnebula: Alright!
This is gonna be awesome!
You ready Mouse?
You're about to hear what Americans actually sound like.
Hope cartoons didn't give you any stereotypes.
Mousegirl15: I don't believe in judging people by stereotypes Crash.
Plus I've been to America before.
Regardless, I'm as ready as I'll ever be.
Nightwing: No use in delaying then.
Let's give it a shot!
Mod-Only Voice Chat
Mousegirl15: "Bonjour?(1) Sorry! I mean, hello? Is this working?"
Crashnebula: "Hey!"
Mousegirl15: "Crash! Please turn down your volume!"
Crashnebula: "Sorry Mouse! Guess I accidentally turned it up."
Nightwing: "Lady and gentleman, it's nice to finally hear you guys. Not gonna lie you sound exactly like I thought you would."
Crashnebula: "I didn't expect you to sound so formal! What happened to the goofy Nightwing we know and love!? What have you done with him!?"
Nightwing: "Geesh. I was just trying to have some fun with you guys. Still, it's really nice for us to finally talk."
Mousegirl15: "I know right. You guys actually sound kinda familiar, especially you Nightwing. I can't place where I remember it."
Crashnebula: "I haven't really done anything that would warrant an interview or anything. The most I did was find out an endangered gorilla at the zoo was actually a female, and that was only tabloid worthy."
Nightwing: "Let's come back to that at some point Crash. Anyway, I get what you mean Mouse. You probably heard me speak in a press conference or something. My adoptive father is pretty big in Gotham."
Mousegirl15: "Oh my gosh! You're Dick Grayson aren't you!?"
Nightwing: "Heh. Guilty as charged."
Crashnebula: "You mean one of the adoptive sons of Bruce Wayne: owner of the second biggest tech company in the world, Wayne Tech!?"
Nightwing: "That would be me. You a fan or something Crash?"
Crashnebula: "I mean Mr. Wayne is cool and all but I'm not a big fan of corporatism. Tuck on the other hand is a huge tech geek. He's going to flip out when he hears your voice for the first time."
Mousegirl15: "You think Tuck will freak out? You already know that Pegasus is an inventor and videogame designer himself. He'd literally find a way to buy tickets to fly to Gotham just to meet you."
Nightwing: "Wow. Didn't know I had fans here in the chat. Then again it's always Bruce they're more interested in."
Mousegirl15: "It'll be that way at first, but he'll snap out of it and go back to treating you like an average friend again. It's just something that happens in our group sometimes. If you'd rather stay anonymous we can forget doing VC."
Crashnebula: "As much as I'd love to see Tuck's reaction I agree with Mouse on this one. If it makes you uncomfortable we can forget it Nightwing. Or would you rather us call you Dick?"
Nightwing: "One, you can call me which ever you want. Just please don't call me Richard unless you're being serious. Second, I'm not bothered one bit. I'm just worried about some of my friends who may jump on the server. Not everyone is as cool as I am when interacting with fans."
Mousegirl15: "Well if it makes you feel better we can tell you our names. It's only fair since we figured you out. I'm Marinette. You can call me Mari or Mouse."
Crashnebula: "My name's Danny. I go by that or Crash. Just please don't call me Daniel or Dan."
Nightwing: "Nice to officially meet you both. I actually want to have a daughter named Mari in the future so I think I'll just call you by your real name when it's just us Marinette. I'll be doing the same for you Danny."
Mousegirl15: "Aww! How cute! Regardless I'm fine with that. So… what do we do now?"
Crashnebula: "I say we start this off like we started our beautiful friendship. Anyone up for a good game of Doomed? It'd be neat to see how we work together when we don't have to take time to type."
Nightwing: "I'm down for it. It could be fun. How about you Marinette?"
Mousegirl15: "Sure! I just have to finish the update."
Crashnebula: "Sweet! I'll go ahead and hop on!"
Nightwing: "Right behind you Danny! Let's get Miraculous!"
Crashnebula: "You're still trying that? We so have to figure out a better war cry at some point."
Nightwing: Sigh! "Yeah. I know."
Ice Flats, Doomed: The Second Coming
A cold wind blew over the expanse of the frosty world. This seemingly barren tundra was the latest world added in the expansion for Doomed: The Second Coming. Various pieces of loot and mob monsters called this place home. A bird sat on a baren tree as it plucked at its feathers. The creature flew off as a blue spiral of energy popped up in the air.
A warrior jumped out of the spiral, floating above the ground. He had blue skin, pointy elf-like ears, white hair that stuck up in an anime style, and glowing green eyes. He wore black robes with green runes running along them, a white shirt under a silver chest plate, black gloves, white trousers, and black combat boots. Upon his back were two glowing green blades made out of ice. This was Danny's character in Doomed: a sorcerer focusing in ice and spectral damage.
A second individual soon appeared out of the spiral, a grin on his face. He looked like your average human due to his pale skin and long black hair, though the similarities ended at his slitted blue eyes. He wore a black spandex suit that lacked sleeves, a black domino mask, a blue breastplate with a black falcon on it, grey gauntlets, and grey armored boots. Upon his back was a black staff with a dragons head on each end, white and black in color respectively. This was Dick's character, a fighter focusing in force damage and acrobatics. Health bars appeared high in the sky as Danny's character did a knuckle crack animation.
"Whoo!" cried Danny over the VC. "First time I've been to the Ice Flats! This is my zone of expertise." The sorcerer displayed a snowflake in his hand as proof of it. Dick chuckled as he had his character do a shrug emote.
"Don't get too cocky Danny." Advised the Gothamite. "Last time you got cocky like this you let a goblin ambush take you out in the first five minutes." Danny sighed in response.
"You guys are never gonna let me live that down are you?" Nightwing's character did a thumbs down emote in response. "Whatever. Let's just wait for Marinette so we can start kicking some tail." A pink spiraling portal appeared before the duo, sparkles forming in the center.
A whip struck the ground, allowing a female warrior to leap through the portal. She seemed to be some sort of mousefolk with grey fur, pink skin, and the most adorable pink eyes. She wore a red shirt, pink trousers, a black steel breastplate with a pink mouse head logo on it, black leather gauntlets, and beige wrappings around her rodent feet. Upon her hip was a brown belt used to hold her whip and a bone katana that was sheathed in a black scabbard. This was Marinette's character, a rogue focusing in healing and speed.
"Finally updated!" cheered Marinette. "So glad they buffed my Wire Rush ability. I kinda feel like Ladybug with how far and fast I can zoom around the map." The rogue did a kawaii pose emote, a spark launching from her eye as she winked. Dick's character did a thumbs up emoji in response.
"Not bad!" cheered the man. "I'm gonna try to find some stuff so I can swap to shadow damage. I think it fits better than force damage." The sorcerer of the part ran a hand through his hair.
"I'm just glad my hair choice is finally working." Groaned Danny. "It was so annoying always having the hood up because the hair glitched so much. You'd almost think Technus was trying to mess with me in the game." The other characters turned towards his, signifying the others' confusion. The rogue did a shrug animation
"Technus?" asked Marinette. "Who's that? He's not another bully is he?" The sorcerer suddenly waved his hands in defense.
"No. It's a technology ghost that likes to cause trouble through machinery. Kind of the reason I was worried about ghosts invading the internet. You can thank him for Moment 0." Both the rogue and the fighter jerked in shock.
"M…Moment 0!?" cried Dick. "You're telling us that a ghost was responsible for the infamous Moment 0!? The one that both popularized and ended the original Doomed!?" Danny sighed in response.
"Yeah. Phantom had to use my character to battle Technus in the game. GQueen and Tuck were able to help him, GQueen using the Tiki Colossus glitch." The rogue did the point emote as Marinette sounded her interest.
"So you were actually involved in Moment 0." Stated Marinette. "That's actually pretty cool. You didn't have to hide that from us." Danny's character shrugged in response.
"Didn't think you guys would believe me. Anyway, let's get going. I wanna see what this new land has to offer." Both his teammates' characters did the nod emoji in response to his request. The trio took off in their own unique ways as they rushed across the level.
As they explored the biome they came across many interesting encounters. There was an old man who gave them a quest to find a strange fruit, a few goblins dressed warmly that seemed to target Danny specifically, and even a puzzle that Nightwing solved like a seasoned detective. The whole time laughter and calls of warning rang through the new voice chat. It seemed to be going pretty well as they neared where the town should be. They soon spotted a cave that was blocking their way.
"That's odd." Began Dick. "The overworld map doesn't show a cave here. FrostTail Town should be here." Danny hummed over the mic, a thought suddenly crossing his mind. He posted a lightbulb image in the chat as he thought of something.
"It's just like Dustbowl Gulch in the original Doomed!" cheered the halfa. "We have to beat the dungeon in order to unfreeze the town! That is if it is a dungeon." Marinette sounded her interest as her character nodded her head.
"The similarity is still there regardless." Agreed the Ladybug holder. "Either way, let's check it out. Keep your weapons at the ready." The group brandished their weapons as they entered the cave. The sounds of awe filled the voice chat as the team feasted their eyes on the scene before them.
Crystals of different colors and sizes lined the icy cave, a few of them having dinosaur-looking creatures preserved inside. There seemed to be some structures in the walls, a few cavemen stuck as well. They soon came upon a cracked crystal holding one of the dinosaur folk, the object lighting up to be interacted with. The group stood around the object, not knowing what to do. Dick's character made a shrugging emote in confusion.
"Think we should let him out?" asked Dick. "We could just bypass him and keep looking." Danny sounded off his refusal of the idea.
"I say we let the poor thing out." Stated the ghost boy. "I have a feeling this is important. If we skip this we might be looking for hours." There were no objections to the suggestion. Marinette's character did a thumbs up in acceptance.
"Alright." Acknowledged the girl. "I'll do it." The mousefolk approached the interactable, a meter beginning to fill up above her. She did the punching animation, something that was usually used for forcefully opening a door. A cutscene played as the dinosaur creature shivered at its freedom.
"Oh blessed day!" cheered the reptile. "Cold but still good! Kind adventurers, you must help our people! Those bumbling neanderthals unleashed Cryos: Father of Ice Ages!" Danny hummed in response.
"Figured something was off." Stated the sorcerer. "The trees around here weren't suited for tundra environments. I am so acing that test next week." The dinosaur man continued on, not hearing the boy's words.
"If he were to leave this cave, the whole continent will be frozen by nightfall! Please save our village!" A quest appeared on each of the player's screens. It appeared the rewards for the quest included a scroll of ice spells and the fruit the old man wanted them to find. A silent agreement was reached as the quest was unanimously accepted.
The dinosaur man did a dance emote in response. "Oh wonderful! He's converted some of the neanderthals into frost giants, but fatal wounds should return them to their stupid selves. Good luck adventurers!" The being ran the opposite direction, leaving the group alone.
"Looks like we have our mandatory quest." Stated Danny over VC. "Sounds like we should have brought fire weapons. At least I have ice resistance." Nightwing did the shrug animation in response.
"Unless he's fire based and the ice age is a product of him absorbing all the heat." Argued the rich boy. "If I remember correctly your build has a weakness to fire." Danny's character remained in place, seemingly afk. He suddenly groaned in realization, making his character jitter around a lot in frustration.
"Don't worry Cra… Danny." Reassured Marinette. She made her character do a thumbs up emote, her little nose twitching. "I've got buffs that can nullify your fire weakness." Danny sighed in relief as his character finally came to a stop. The group moved forward, now having a marker to follow on their maps.
The cavern became more beautiful the deeper they traveled. It would seem that Dick's hunch was correct as some areas of the dungeon weren't frozen like the rest of the location. They soon came across the frost giants, massive men of ice with the original neanderthal inside. It turned towards them, the group having got in his line of sight. They drew their weapons as the monster drew closer.
Marinette had her character conjure a small firebolt in her hand as the giant began its attack animation. "Remember what the lizard creature said about fatal wounds! Aim for its torso!" She fired the blast at the monster, dealing massive damage. Danny readied a ghostly blade as he came at the creature's legs.
"Let's knock him over Nightwing!" cried Crash. "Aim for the legs!" Dick ran for the other leg, his staff pulsating with power. They both struck at the legs, causing the giant to topple over. The monster fell on a rock spire, impaling it and sending the ice that held the neanderthal flying through the air.
The giant broke to pieces as experience was administered to the heroes. The neanderthal was freed as the ice encasing him shattered. He suddenly shot up and did a tribal dance. It was clear by the sounds he was making that he was incapable of speech. "You're welcome… I guess." Dick chuckled over the mic.
"I have a feeling this was only the beginning." stated the rich boy. "Let's keep going and finish the dungeon. Thank goodness that quest gave us a proper mini-map to work with." The others sounded their agreement as the group continued on their trek. Dick's prediction very quickly revealed itself to be true.
They ran into two more ice giants as they traveled through the caves. Thankfully Marinette was able to tie them together with her whip so that Danny could get a critical hit, decapitating the ice shells. They were subjected to the neanderthal celebration dance once again, the duo showing off a cooperative version of the emote. "Not gonna lie, I hope they give us access to that emote when the quest is over." Danny made his character turn towards Dick's as he hummed.
"I can agree with you there. I think it'd be a fun emote to play in the guild." Marinette chuckled at the boy's antics. She noticed a marker pop up on her screen, causing her to freak out. She quickly had her character do a cautionary hand waving to the others.
"Look out!" cried the Ladybug holder. Luckily the guys were able to step back as the floor collapsed below them. The three heroes soon found themselves in front of a chasm that separated them from the rest of the dungeon. "I am really glad I took that danger sense skill right now." Dick had his character do the thumbs up emoji in response.
"Nice save!" cried the rich man. "We would have been toast if we fell for that. You're a life saver Marinette." The mouse girl in question chuckled nervously at the praise. Danny looked down the chasm, seeing strange creatures sleeping below.
"Looks like there are ice goblins down there." Informed the ghostly hero. "Whatever we do we need to not fall down there. Even if we defeat them we'd be stuck." The group remained in place, trying to figure out what to do. Marinette seemed to be thinking really hard as she hummed.
On her end she entered a vision similar to when she was fighting Akumas or Amoks with Chat. She saw a plan form as she noticed the cracked ice pillars om the roof and the depth of the chasm. She then saw Danny's character light up in the usual ladybug pattern. "Anyone got an idea?" Danny turned his character towards the others just as Marinette did the point emote.
"Danny!" cried the girl. "Fire a cantrip at the ice spires. Hit them enough and they should fall, creating a path for us!" The ghost hero sounded his understanding as he turned his character back towards the chasm. He charged up a ghostly blast in his free hand, the energy looking similar to one of his actual ecto-blasts.
He fired it at the spire, causing it to crack more. This caused the goblins to stir, but at that point he had hit the spire again. It broke from the ceiling, crashing into the goblins below. This resulted in a massive experience gain and the path being available. Danny cheered in excitement as he had his character do the heel click emote.
"Good going Mari! Follow me guys!" The group rushed forwards as Danny continued to make spires fall from the ceiling. The ice goblins began to make their way up, but they found themselves on the end of a strong attack from Dick. This sent them careening back down as the group continued on their way.
The team finally reached the other side, only a few goblins left at this point. Dick quickly threw a punch that created a sonic boom, sending the rest of the goblins back into the chasm. The ice spires broke as the group was now on the other side, blocking their way back. The group took a moment to wind down from the intense event, Danny being the most vocal with his panting. Dick whooped in excitement as he had his character do a backflip.
"Nice thinking Marinette!" congratulated the rich man. "You got us through that so easily! Of course we wouldn't have even got that far if you didn't say something. Voice chat was definitely a good idea!" Danny hummed in agreement.
"Understatement of the month! After we're done here we should definitely implement voice chat into the guild!" Marinette chuckled in embarrassment, still not entirely used to hearing people compliment her after the incident. The group found more obstacles in their path, from puzzles that left them confused to frost giants and ice goblins that blocked their way. Marinette did her best to keep her frustration in check as she groaned over the mic, her character's face seeming to mirror her emotion.
"That last trap was a doozy." Sighed the baker girl. "Having those goblins gang up on us felt like facing the Sapotis. On their own they're weak but in large numbers they pose a real threat." Danny sounded his interest as he had his character turn towards Marinette's own avatar.
"The Sapotis?" asked the ghost hero. "I read on the Ladyblog, back before the incident, that they were akumatized children that could multiply. When did you have to fight them?" On her side of the call Marinette began to freak out due to her slipup. With an encouraging rub from Tiki she took a deep breath.
"Back when they were first akumatized I was sleeping over with Alya. I helped babysit them from time to time but they wouldn't listen to me. I had to defend myself from their pranks without hurting them, and that was difficult in and of itself. Thankfully Ladybug brought in Rena Rouge to help deal with the situation." Dick hummed in response to the excuse, leaving Marinette worried that he didn't buy it.
"Maybe I should start offering some self-defense training to more people in the guild." Pondered the man. "Sounds like you could use it when an Akuma or Amok gets too close for comfort." Marinette sighed in relief before shaking her head.
"I think I'll be good. I usually try to avoid Akuma attacks when I can help it, but I'll definitely keep your offer in mind." Dick sighed as he nodded his head on his end.
"Door's always open Nettie. Same goes for you Danny, 'cause don't think I've forgotten about your bully situation." Marinette chuckled at the nickname assigned to her while Danny groaned at having his personal issues brought up again. A rumbling in the cave suddenly caused the trio to go on high alert. They saw a faint glowing light at the end of the hall, putting them on edge.
They approached the room, only to be met with the same cutscene, but separate. Each member came across a spot where a flower was growing out, the spot being warmer than the rest of the cave. All of a sudden the flower began to freeze over like the people as a shadow loomed over them. The heroes looked up to see a massive black mammoth with glaciers where its tusks should be. The heat was being absorbed into the snout, causing the glaciers to glow red.
"Cryos is an elephant!?" asked Danny. "Are they serious? A dragon would have been much cooler." Cryos looked towards the group, his trunk glowing in anger at the sight of them. Smoke came out of the nostrils, causing their respective avatars to back away a bit.
"One that's a mammoth Danny." Corrected Dick. "I also think Marinette was right in assuming the monster's element." The group found themselves reunited as Cryos let out a roar. "Scatter!" The mammoth suddenly let out a massive torrent of flames, the group dodging just in the nick of time.
"Fire and ice?" asked Marinette. She was proven right as Cryos began to pull in more heat, causing spiky glaciers to form mid-air. Her character did her best impression of her alter-ego as she spun her whip in an attempt to break apart the ice falling towards her. "Look out from above!" Dick quickly had his character run away, but Danny chuckled in response to the attack.
"I have the Cloak of Cryomancy." Stated the ghostly hero. "Ice attacks heal me and give me a temporary attack boost! I can get in close and hit him with spectral damage!" Danny flew straight into the attack, seeming to phase through it as damage he received in a previous fight healed. Having hit a target, the glacier broke apart and dissipated in intense heat.
He pulled out a spectral blade and slashed at the boss, striking him in the trunk. This seemed to do a good amount of damage as the beast performed a recoil animation. Danny laughed in success, only to let out a yelp of fear as he made his character dodge out of the way of a fireball lobbed by Cryos. Dick took the opportunity to get in close and hit the beast with the force side of his dragon staff. The attack connected, but it left him wide open for a stomp attack.
"Dick!" cried both of the young heroes. His character lost half of his health as he was sent flying back towards a wall of icy spikes. Marinette quickly used a recovery move to wrap her whip around his ankle. Thankfully it was just in time as she saved the man from being knocked out of the fight. The trio regrouped behind a stone pillar as Cryos launched a flame torrent at them.
"What're we gonna do!?" cried Danny. "We're sitting ducks right now! One hit from that fire and even my buffs won't protect me." Marinette tried to get a better look at the situation, only to have to buckle behind the pillar to avoid another blast. She jerked as she saw some ice fall in front of her.
"Hang on!" cried Dick, stopping Danny's panicking rant. He looked up as he tried to get a good look at the situation. Apparently the roof was cracking from the shots of heat being released. They were running on a hidden time limit. He squinted his eyes as he looked between the ceiling and Cryos.
Suddenly, in a manner similar to Marinette, he began to see things in a gray color. Three huge spires of ice hanging from the ceiling glowed black, a blue falcon symbol appearing in them. He then looked to Cryos, the same thing happening to him. He finally focused on the tusks of the mammoth, noticing that there was heat radiating from a slash Danny left when he attacked the trunk. He snapped his fingers as he suddenly got an idea.
"We can't attack him directly without getting severely hurt." Began the man. "The roof is acting as a time limit, but it can also be the key! We hit the ice spires like we did with the first puzzle…" Marinette seemed to get it as she gasped.
"Making sure they fall on top of him!" cried both Marinette and Dick at the same time. Danny looked between the two, very confused in as he could not follow along with the strangely déjà vu experience. His character mirrored his expression as he tilted his head.
"Uh… what now?" asked the ghost boy. A torrent of flames nearly hit him, causing him to move his character forward slightly. "Never mind! I'll just attack the ice spires." He readied a spectral attack, keeping his eye on the cracking spires as Cryos unknowingly moved into place.
The ghost warrior unleashed hi attack, hitting the crack on the ice. This had the desired effect, hitting the massive mammoth atop its head. It suddenly underwent a dizzy animation as it wobbled back and forth. "Now!" Dick and Marinette nodded as they rushed forward.
"Aim for his tusks!" cried Dick. "They must be where he keeps the excess heat for his flames! If we break those he won't have access to his fire attacks!" Marinette sent him an "okay!" as they approached the still dizzy boss monster. They both struck at the same tusk multiple times, trying to break the weapon.
Cryos awakened too late as one of his tusks shattered. The mammoth roared in utter agony as it unleashed another torrent of flames. It hit Marinette's character with the attack, only for it to do less damage than the stomp did to Dick earlier. The duo on the ground quickly ran across the arena, forcing Cryos to have to chase after them. They quickly got him into position, allowing Danny to take another shot at one of the spires.
It hit its mark, the same events as before transpiring. The duo quickly got to work, Danny joining in this time as they struck at the beast's glacier tusk. It shattered like its twin, causing Cryos to roar in agonizing fury. It stumbled back a bit, as if it were defeated. Danny cheered as he laughed tauntingly at the monster.
"Is that all you've got!?" asked the ghost boy. Marinette and Dick both facepalmed in response to Danny's question. The answer to said question became very obvious as massive blades of flame extended from where the tusks once were. A crystal heart became visible on the beast's chest as he turned from black in color to crimson. Danny sounded his understanding as the beast causally snorted a small flame.
"Danny… You jinxed it!" cried Dick. "Never ask the big bad if they have any more! They always do!" The scolding would have to wait as Cryos suddenly rushed at them much faster than it did before. Danny quickly became airborne again, quickly realizing the state of the roof.
"I'm sorry, but we need to focus! Our time limit just sped up! We need to make this next attack count! We need to hit that crystal heart!" Marinette went into deep thought as she tried to come up with a plan. The group had to dodge yet another charge, Cryos ramming into the wall this time. Marinette finally got an idea as she watched the mammoth buck upon impact.
"That's it!" cried Marinette. "Guys, we have to keep making him charge! Once he hits the wall below the last spire, we topple him over. Kind of like the dragon snapping turtles in Privateer's Bluff!" Dick nodded as he watched Cryos turn towards them.
"It's all we've got left!" agreed the man. Cryos sucked in with its trunk before getting ready to charge once more. "Let's start dodging! As in right now!" The trio split just in time, forcing Cryos to skid to a halt.
The beast tried to lob even larger balls of fire at the group, but Dick held out the fire end of his dragon staff. "Secret Art: Great Flame Absorption!" The dragon head glowed as it suddenly began a sucking motion similar to Cryos' own ability. The fireball became a swirling vortex of flames, becoming absorbed into the staff. It glowed hot as Cryos prepared another charge.
"Squeaky Taunt!" cried Marinette as she activated her species' main ability. Her character suddenly began squeaking in an unknown language, a bubble with mouse based symbols signifying harsh insults. The ability seemed to work as Cryos suddenly turned his attention towards her. She stayed in place as the beast lowered its tusks in in preparation to skewer the rodent that dared to insult it. Marinette dodged the attack, forcing the mammoth to ram into the wall. Dick slid between the beast's hind legs as he prepared the other end of the staff.
"Release!" Upon crying this command the force dragon head unleashed the power behind the massive fireball that was absorbed earlier. This sent Cryos falling onto his back, the beast wriggling in an attempt to roll back over. Danny struck the last ice spire, sending it crashing towards the beast. Cryos began to get up, something Danny would not allow as he flew over the top of the falling glacier.
"Spectral Assault!" cried the ghost hero. A multitude of ghostly hands began to strike at the spire, forcing it to go faster. "ORAORAORAORAORA…ORA!" The others had no time to groan at their companion's reference as they watched the spire crash into Cryos, shattering his crystal heart along the way. A silent pause filled the air as they watched him wriggle.
Suddenly a cutscene began to play, causing the trio cry out in victory. Cryos suddenly exploded, unleashing a wave of heat over the icy lands. The land glowed bright as the curse was lifted from it. Some areas remained snowy and covered in ice, but the rest of it was now melted and resembled a volcanic area. The group came out of the cutscene to find the dinosaur man from earlier doing the neanderthals' victory dance.
"You did it!" cried the lizard creature. "You actually did it! Thank Pyros and Frosma! Cryos is no more!" The group couldn't help but chuckle at the creature's excitement.
The dinosaur suddenly did a coughing emote before changing to a natural standing pose. "The people of this land are forever in your debt. Should you need anything in our fair town, I'm sure you will be met with the warmest of welcomes. May your journeys be fruitful, brave heroes." With that they the mission complete banner appeared overhead.
"Yes!" cried Danny. "Completing a dungeon in one day! A hard one at that! We are the best team in the world!" Dick chuckled in response to the ghost boy's goofiness.
"I wouldn't go that far, but we did a great job." Stated the Gothamite. "Especially you Nettie. That was some great strategizing there." Marinette nearly fainted from the attention she was getting, only for Tiki to rub her neck therapeutically. The Ladybug wielder giggled as she nodded her head.
"I only did so well because we worked as a team." Denied the Parisian heroine. "Either way, I say voice chat is a critical success. In spite of Danny's cheesy anime reference." Danny cried out indignantly as Dick laughed hysterically at the burn. He wiped a tear from his eye as he nodded.
"I second that. I feel like we've grown closer thanks to this. I say we begin working on some vc's tomorrow. All in favor." The trio yelled "I" at the same time.
"Alright then." Chuckled Danny. "Motion carried." The sound of a mug lightly banging against a desk sounded over the mic. "Maybe I should get an actual gavel to bang for moments like this." Marinette chuckled at her friend's goofiness.
"Regardless, let's pick up our reward and hop off Doomed." Suggested the Parisian. "I have a commission for a new client nearly complete and I'd like to get it done tonight. I can still talk though. Unless you guys would rather keep playing instead of just talking." Dick sounded his interest as he adjusted his mic.
"You do commissions Nettie?" asked the rich man. The bakers' daughter hummed in confirmation. "That's so cool! How much would it be for you to make me a new jacket?" Marinette blinked in surprise before shaking her head.
"You don't have to do that Dick! I'm always happy to do free work for a friend." Dick sounded his denial, posting a gif of a waving finger in the text part of the chat.
"Not happening Marinette. I am more than capable of paying for a new jacket. Just like you'd do a freebie for me, I'm happy to pay and support a friend." Danny sounded his interest over the chat as a scooting noise was heard.
"Me too!" cried the ghost boy. "I can't pay as much with it being imported, but I'm still happy to use some of my allowance for a swanky new look!" There was silence on Marinette's end, only for the sound of light sobs to be heard. "Oh my gosh did we do something wrong Dick!?"
"No Danny." Reassured Dick. "Marinette's just really happy right now. At this point in my life I can tell the difference between a happy cry and a sad cry. Just give her a moment." Danny wanted to say more, only to hear a sigh from Marinette.
"Thanks for that Dick." Huffed the bakers' daughter. "I'm fine Danny. Hearing people be so supportive is much different from reading it online. How about we talk about what you guys are wanting specifically before we even begin thinking about a price." There was a hum of agreement from both boys.
"I can agree with that." Stated Danny. "Even if I can't afford as much as Dick I know you'll do great. I'll have to beat off the girls at school like Mom has to pull Dad away from the fudge store." A crashing was suddenly heard on Marinette's end of the call. A gasp was heard, along with an indiscernible cry of worry.
"You alright Marinette!?" cried Dick. "What was that noise!?" The sound of a fumbling mic was heard as Marinette chuckled nervously.
"Everything's fine!" cried the Ladybug holder. "I accidentally caused a ball that was on my desk to roll over and knock over some sewing supplies! Everything's alright!" There was a slight pause as the two guys thought over her words. Danny sounded his wariness as he chose his portion of the quest loot.
"Alright…" began the ghost boy. "Just don't scare us like that Marinette. Anyway, should we give you a moment or…" Soon the quest banner disappeared and Marinette was logged off.
"I'm just now putting the finishing touches on my commission, then I should be ready to start some rough sketches." Some noises were heard, as if the girl was talking to herself. Danny seemed to recognize something as he hummed but shrugged it off as he shook his head. "And finished! Now… what can MDC do for you boys?" A silent pause fell over the duo.
"Wait!" cried Dick. "MARINETTE, YOU'RE MDC!?"
And that's chapter 10! It was a little more challenging thinking of what to do for this one, which is why I'm glad I worked ahead for this story. I especially enjoyed planning out how their characters look in game. Anyway, voice chats are soon to be added to the guild and civilian identities have been revealed between the moderators. Marinette has also revealed to the boys her status as MDC, which Dick seems to know the significance of.
Anyway, what did you think of this chapter? Did you like the looks of the main trio's characters? How about the reveals and near slip-ups? What do you think Danny and Dick will choose for their outfits they're paying Marinette for? Let me know what you think in the comments down below, and I'll try to get back with you ASAP. Catch ya later guys!
1: Hello?
