Episode 18: Hee-Ho! Let's Be Dragon Slayers!
Welcome back, everyone! You know what time it is! It's about to be that time!
G-Man 2.0: Pete really shot himself in the foot here. No doubt his friends and family will make sure he never hears the end of it. Light knows what he wants, and now he realizes he doesn't need any of them now.
1602jaw: Indeed. We needed a breather after these past few episodes. Really glad you enjoyed it.
Thenewsubwayguy: Um…thanks? Length doesn't matter as long as you tell the story well. But thanks for enjoying it.
TheSupeMan: Thanks, man. Light is shaping up to be a serious threat, and karma has been served for Pete. Isn't it great?
NondescriptNorbert: Many thanks, man. Glad you loved all the old faces here, and the exposition and mythos provided here. And I'm happy to see you're loving Chubzworth and the atmosphere he brings with him.
ThelastCyberKnight: Pete is the dumbass of dumbasses here. Understandable if you didn't like the beginning, but the setup is important for this.
Happiness studios: Hey, really glad you loved it. I didn't expect you to say it was the best written episode of the story so far, but I ain't complaining.
EndeavorT: Huh. Didn't know that. I'll have to check it out sometime.
Goodguygary: Okay
PineCoop: He really is just a big asshole. And it is understandable why Futaba and Draco are scared right now. They're still kids, so I imagine it's really taking a toll on them.
Guest: Thanks. Don't have much to say that wouldn't already be repeating what I've said, but You're in for quite a ride today. Pete's elimination couldn't have been more fitting.
chillsummer: Sorry about that. He was fun to write, but it was sadly his time. A d of course we'll see everyone at the finale. Better believe it.
That guy: Better late than never, my guy. Thanks for the review.
Now then….. LET'S GO FUCK SHIT UP!
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We open up once again at the headquarters of News Right Meow. Inside, we see Chubzworth in his executive office. Purple posters of a feline eye were strewn across the office, giving off an unknown aura. At his desk, Chubzworth was happily snacking on a giant creature that appeared to have the head of a bull, but the body of a spider.
The demon cracks open a leg like you would a crab's leg, and slurps up the insides.
"Nyahahanya!" He gushes. "Just cooked to perfection, as usual!"
The doors of his office slam open, with Lucinne and Henri approaching him.
"Do you mind?" Chubzworth asks as he wipes his face with a napkin. "I'm in the middle of lunch. You know how much barbecued Gyu-Ki is my favorite!"
"Sorry, boss man." Henri says casually. "But it's urgent."
"We were trying to inform you that the contestants have now finally arrived in their next world."
Chubzworth sits there silently, and suddenly stands up from his seat.
"S-sir?" Lucinne asked.
"Why, that's wonderful!" Chubzworth beams. "And ratings for the last episode were off the charts, despite the controversy this show has been getting in."
"Basically, you mean all the shit You've caused." Henri affirms.
"Precisely. Now that they've moved on, I've relinquished mental control of the last world they were in. That Pete fellow should now be back in his world like he should be. His elimination was so humiliating! Utter entertainment! I give the people what they want! News and entertainment, whether real or fake!"
"I knew the guy was cuckoo, but he makes batshit insane the new chill." Henri snarks
"Did Yagami accept the deal?" Lucinne asks.
"He did!" Chubzworth answers. "Everything went off without a hitch! Why, he's even forsaken one of his allies! And I'm sure he'll do the same with the rest! Now that he accepted sooner than I thought, it's time to put Operation Mad Land into motion!"
"We're starting it now?!" Lucinne gasps. "But what about your plan for the game?!"
"To hell with what those producers say!" Chubzworth snapped. The eyes on the posters begin to flicker and blink, increasing intensity the angrier he got. Papers flew around the room, furniture shook violently, and Chubz's appearance slightly changes. He grows a third eye on his forehead, his mouth growing more rows of sharp teeth.
"I currently hold creative control on the show! Nobody can do anything now to stop the course I chart out! And it's time we cut their little game short!
The room stops shaking, and Chubzworth returns to normal.
"Sorry….got a little carried away there." He said calmly. "Haven't felt that tingly since the day I first arrived in Hell. And before that was the day I started my presidential campaign. Ah, those were the days…"
He reminisces of his past, scenes of his life back when he was alive flicker in his head.
"Remember my motto: All news is good news!"
"Sure, I'll gladly divulge the info. Of course, in exchange…I get something in return."
"Mama always said I had a few screws loose….so why not embrace it rather than suppress it?"
"I lost?! Goddamn that Roosevelt!"
The scene finishes with an angry mob outside a burning estate.
"BURN THE MONSTER! HE MUST PAY FOR HIS LIES AND TREACHERY!"
"Death….will not stop me! Should I return…. everyone in this world and beyond… are fucked!"
The flashback ends, with Chubzworth still smiling, despite his mood swings.
You okay, boss?" Henri asks.
"Yes, yes, I'm quite fine. Just had some unwelcome memories. Besides, Henri….I have an important job for you."
"Hm? And what's that?"
"The cast have landed in that world you like to use on your days off."
"And vacation days." Lucinne mutters, much to Henri's dismay.
"Wait, you sent them there?!" Henri complained. "Why did you do that?!"
"You're going to exterminate them." Chubzworth says, a dark look in his eyes.
"Are you fucking serious?!" Henri snapped. "Sounds like a hassle!"
"You're the one who's always complaining about desk work, brother." Lucinne reminds him, hitting him with her whip. "Doesn't killing fit the bill of being one of your favorite pastimes. Remember how much fun we had taking many lives in Heaven? And I'm not just talking about the exterminations."
"Yeah, and it got us kicked out! Why are all of their peacekeepers such pussies anyway?! Even the Exorcists were horrified at how he dealt with our victims. Oh, I loved seeing their reactions. I like killing if it's on my terms!"
Henri gags as a red collar and chain forms around his neck. Chubzworth cackles wickedly, holding the end of the chain like a leash. Chubzworth gives it a tug and causes Henri to fall to the ground.
"Don't forget you two…." The demon growled demonically. "I own your souls. When I say jump, you say….?"
"H-how high?" Henri gags.
"And when I say kill the contestants, you say…?"
"Yes….boss."
"Good boy."
The chain disappears just as quickly as it manifested.
"I really fucking hate it when you do that!" Henri says, coughing weakly.
"Well, how else am I supposed to make sure you two listen?" Chubz says cheekily. "People are more likely to listen when you threaten them with their lives. Father always said " If you keep acting like a snake, you'll be food for one." What does he know?! Been doing that since I was a kid. You will kill them in that world, end of story. But spare Yagami. We need him for our plan."
"Fine." Henri sighs. "I'll go all out on those twerps. Mind lending me some Shadows and Demons?"
"Take as many as you want." Chubz tells him. "Just exterminate them, by any means necessary."
"I must warn you, brother." Lucinne says, a hint of concern in her voice. "Those guys are not pushovers. They've faced many obstacles on this show, they just might-"
"Relax, sis." Henri assures. "We're angels. Fallen ones, but still. There's no way they can take me down. I promise you I'll return here in one piece."
"You better." Chubzworth reminds him. "I have business to attend to, so I trust you'll finish the job."
"Where are you going, sir?" Lucinne asked.
"Why, back to our domain, of course. I've gotten a whiff of some intruder invading the place."
The twins gasped.
"Somebody got in?!" Henri exclaimed.
"B-but how?!" Lucinne stammers.
Chubzworth taps his head. "Nothing gets past this cat. And another Persona user at that. Seems that when the cat's away….the mice will play. Regardless of how he did it, he's in my world now. And this cat would love to have a chat with this mouse. I may not be able to see inside the minds of Persona users, but that doesn't mean I can't extract info out of them. I wonder who the son of a bitch is that decided to send a little shit my way!"
"Welp, if you're gonna go handle that twerp, then I guess I'll go ahead and head out. I'll kill them all and return with Yagami. Just as planned." Henri assures.
Chubzworth claps his hands together. "Excellent! And make sure to put on a show! If there's one thing I love more than my job, it's entertainment! That is what makes the world go round! Let the multiverse be entertained as much as possible…for even they can't see what the real main event is!"
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Back in Hell, we see Maynard walking down the street, looking rather gloomy.
"Is this really what my life's gone to?" he sighs. He stares into a shop selling TVs and interdimensional cable. It appeared to be a talk show with some female he used to pal around with.
"Good freaking riddance that weasel is gone." The celebrity said. "To hell with McMonster."
"Really?!" The host asked. "I could've sworn you guys were close."
"I had no choice hanging out with him. All the wealth and power he had…he knew how to use it to get what he wanted. I'm so glad I can say this stuff now that he's dead."
Maynard watches on in horror as the audience applauds her.
"Well, it seems like support for McMonster and his company has hit rock bottom." The host chuckles. "And it seems the public is in agreement. Even if we're still not sure who or what killed him, I think we can all agree that millions won't be losing sleep after the loss of their favorite influencer."
"God….I really fucked up royally." Maynard groans. "I wish I'd never let the fame go to my head! Then I wouldn't be in this shithole!"
He punches the window in frustration, shattering it completely.
"Hey you!" A gruff voice snapped.
Maynard turned to see a rather tall and burly demon glaring down at him.
"Remember me?!" The guy snarled.
"Um…..no?"
"Brock Chilby! I died during while performing in one of your fucking videos! And you pressured my family into silence! And a little birdie told me you were finally down here too!"
Maynard laughed nervously. "Oh right….the hippo gauntlet. Sorry about that."
"Sorry?!" Brock snapped. "SORRY?! YOU ENDED MY FUCKING LIFE BECAUSE OF YOUR FUCKING EGO, AND ALL I GET IS A FUCKING SORRY?!" He then brandishes a large dagger from his pocket. "NOT GOOD ENOUGH!"
Maynard yelps, immediately booking it for his (after)life.
"Get back here, you pompous ass!"
Maynard continues to run faster than he ever did. Unfortunately for him, Brock was determined to catch him, and was doing so rather quickly. He runs through alleyways and crowds of busybody residents of the Pride Ring.
"Where the hell did that punk go?!" Brock growled.
Maynard runs out of the crowd, and keeps running as fast as he can. After another minute, he finds himself in a dead end. Blocking the way in front of him was a large, eerie looking building that resembled a church. The building was dilapidated, colored purple with a white striped pattern on it, with a tattered flag hanging outside.
"A church?! Here in Hell? Isn't that ironic?" Maynard muses. "Wait, what am I saying?! I gotta hide!"
Brock's voice was getting closer, so he ran inside the church. Luckily for him, the door wasn't locked. Once inside, he quickly locks the door.
"Phew…finally safe."
Suddenly, he feels a chill go down his spine. He was hearing voices coming from somewhere in the house. Shit, if it's not one thing, it's another.
He knew he needed to get back to the hotel quickly, or Charlie would worry to death over him. And yet, his his curiosity piqued, despite how scared he felt. With that in mind, he decides to investigate the place, delving further in.
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Draco groans as he wakes up, feeling a familiar sense of deja vu. He gets up and stretches his back, taking in his surroundings while everyone is still sound asleep around him. They appeared to be in a forest of some sort, and it happened to already be nighttime. The forest was silent except for the sounds of snoring and crickets.
"Wake up, you dolts!" Draco snapped.
"Wha's huh…..?" Yami groaned.
"We're in a new place!"
"Mmm….just five more minutes." Futaba moaned.
"Get up!" This time, it was finally able to snap everybody awake.
"Alright alright, kid!" Bender complains. "I'm up."
"I'm never going to get used to that portal." Percy says, stretching her back. "That's nothing like the ones we used back on the ship."
Panty yawns. "You said it, sister. Where the fuck are we, anyway?"
"Your guess is as good as everyone else's." Light answers.
"Ughhhh……so hungry….." Futaba moans. "What I'd give for some of Sojiro's curry. I feel like I'm gonna wither away into nothingness."
Draco was baffled. "You're thinking about food at a time like this?"
"Give her a break, string bean." Yami tells him. "To be honest, I could go for something to eat myself."
"Now that you mention it, we haven't eaten since we've entered this Door-Mension."
"How I wish to feed…." Alucard said darkly. "That redneck that got in my way was hardly an appetizer."
"This is such a pain in the ass." Yami said. "No food, no bathroom, and we don't got a damn clue what we're supposed to do here!"
Perhaps it will work out like last time." Alucard guesses. "We didn't necessarily seek out what we had to do. It found us."
"You guys might wanna take a look over there." Bender said, pointing to something in the distance. It appeared to be a glowing light, as if someone started a fire.
"Now I'm really getting a serious sense of deja vu." Light said worriedly.
"What are you talking about?" Yami asked.
"Oh, right." Bender remembered. "This is just like that weird lady and those pirates back at that foggy lake."
"They had left a trap that time that feels very similar to this." Percy explained. "Do you think this could be the same thing?"
Futaba suddenly catches a whiff of something delicious smelling from the same direction.
"Food!" She exclaimed. "I smell some succulent food!" She switched to her Phantom Thief attire, and started doing some analysis. "I sense seven individuals." She explained. "And an animal with them, most likely a pet."
"So what, we just stroll up and ask for food like some fine howdy do?" Draco asked skeptically. "Perhaps we should just leave whoever they are be."
His sentence was unfortunately followed by the noise of his stomach growling.
"You want something to eat or not?" Futaba retorts. "Because your mouth says no, but your body says yes."
"Alright, fine! How should we approach this?"
"Let us proceed quietly and with caution." Percy tells them. "Last thing wed want to do is surprise them. There's no telling if they're armed."
"I'd rather prefer the quick yet brutal approach." Alucard says. "but it appears I'd be outnumbered in voting for that strategy."
"So hungry right now I'm willing to go with whatever it takes." Panty groans.
"How about this for a compromise?" Bender suggests, taking an axe out of his chest compartment. "If the quiet and peaceful way doesn't work, we can go with Bloodsucker's plan to fall back on if things get hairy."
"Huh….. that's actually the smartest thing you've ever said." Light said coldly.
"Gee, thanks man." Bender said.
"Does he not realize he basically insulted him?" Draco whispered to Futaba.
"I have trouble with some social cues, and even I could see that." Futaba responds back.
"Alright, then. Let's approach slowly and carefully." Light said.
Slowly, the crew tiptoe over to the light, some of them already having their weapons at the ready. The closer they got, the more they could hear voices.
"How tough do you think this guy is?" A female voice asked.
"They say one of the villages under his control was wiped completely off the map." Another female voice answered.
"They say he's quite the looker, despite his brutality." A male voice said nonchalantly. "I wouldn't mind letting him give it to me in the-"
"AHHHHH!"
Futaba cries out as she tripped over a root, and faceplants in front of the group.
"Stupid root!" Futaba groans. She looks up, and sees several people pointing weapons at her. Axes, staff, guns, bows, daggers, and more were aimed at her, ready to kill.
"Heh heh…..hi." She said nervously.
"Who are you?!" Spoke the stern voice of the woman aiming her bow at her. She had long dark brown hair in a thick braid and had pointed ears, wearing a blue outfit.
"Seems to me like it's only a mere child, sis." A man who looked similar to the woman said. He himself wore a dark cloak, and lowered his dagger.
"Don't be fooled, Vax." The woman said. "She could be a spy sent by our target."
A heavily armored bear that was with them growled with murderous intent.
"But why would they send a kid if that were the case?" an extremely short, white haired woman in plated armor asked. "It makes no sense."
"I can assure you that I'm not an enemy or a spy or whatever bad thing you assume I am!" Futaba said in a panicked tone."
"Hmm…" a white haired, spectacled man in a dark trench coat muses. He cocks his large gun for emphasis. "Prove it, then. Prove to us you're not a threat."
"Uh, guys?!" Futaba calls out. "You can come out now. We've been found."
The group watches in utter disbelief as the contestants all emerge from their hiding.
"Well, isn't this quite the motley crew?" The man known as Vax jokes.
"Look, we're no threat to you all whatsoever." Percy tells them. Politely, she bows to them. "It may sound hard to believe, but we're not from this world."
"I can tell!~" said a really short man, his brown hair tied into a ponytail, and wearing a lavender silk tunic. He struts up to Panty and gives a wolf whistle. "This chick right here looks like she's ready to get down and dirty with the Scanman. She's otherworldly."
"Well, aren't you a little Casanova?" Panty responds seductively. "I've taken the ride with many men, short stack. Think you can handle me?~"
"Just because I'm a gnome doesn't mean I don't know how to pleasure a piece of ass as glorious as you. All my years at brothels have taught me it's not about size… it's how you use it."
"Oh god, now there's two of them." Draco groans.
"Scanlan, now is not the time to be picking up another skank." The woman with the bow told him. "No offense."
"Well, you ain't wrong." Panty admits.
"What was that part you said about "Not being from this world?'" another woman asked. She had long ginger hair, wearing an antler crown and short green robes, and carried an ornate wooden staff.
"That's… a long story." Light says. "We've kinda been busy with a little competition."
Light then goes on to quickly explain where they came from, and the competition and their predicament.
"What an utterly crazy story." The white haired man said. "If not for these circumstances, I wouldn't believe it."
"Seems real enough to me, Percy." Scanlan says.
"Percy?" Percy asks. "That's my name."
"So we share the same name, I see." The other Percy tells her. "I am Percival Frederickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III."
"Yeesh, is that a name or a phone number?" Bender snarks.
"A pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Mr. de Rolo." Percy says, shaking his hand. "I myself am Percival King, of Sweet Jazz City Police."
Futaba's eyes linger over to a giant boar that was roasting over a campfire. A bit of drool escapes her mouth.
"This bad boy caught your eye, little girl?" a tall and brawny and hulking gray skinned goliath tells her. "We just found it roaming about the woods. Really goes great with ale"
"That's actually why we approached you guys." Yami said bluntly. "We haven't eaten a damn thing since that cat put us in this Door-Mension or whatever the hell he calls it."
"If it wouldn't trouble you, perhaps you could use some…. company, while you eat." Draco proposes.
"Hm…..let us discuss this." Percy R tells them.
The mysterious group all meet up in a huddle.
"I'm still not quite sure about them." The woman with the braid said skeptically.
"C'mon, Vex." Scanlan pleads. "These guys seem like an alright group. And that one chick was definitely giving me the "fuck me" eyes."
"It's pretty obvious that they pose no threat." The ginger woman said. "Still a bit unsure of the tall guy in the red coat. He kinda gives me the creeps."
"I saw his fangs, Keyleth." Vax tells her. "No doubt he's a vampire. That's already slightly worrying."
"Hey, I don't mind letting that bloodsucker suck me-OW!" Scanlan cried out as Vax socked him in the arm.
"Grog, you haven't given your input yet." Percy R. says to the large, hulking man. "What are your thoughts?"
"I really like them." Grog answers. "We can turn this boring night into a party. The more the merrier, as they say. What do you think, Pike?"
The white haired woman nods. "Frankly, I see no problem why we shouldn't."
"Looks like the majority has it, then." Vex says. "But I'm still keeping a close eye on them in case they try any funny business."
"Hey, the only funny business there'll be is between me and the blonde over there." Scanlan quips.
The group breaks off, and return to the contestants.
"After talking it out, you're free to join us for dinner." Vax kindly tells them, with most of the cast resounding in celebration.
"Time to bust out the booze and celebrate!" Yami said. "You do have some cold ones, right?"
Grog rolls out a few huge kegs in response.
"Got ambushed by bandits earlier today." Pike explained. "They had a lot of supplies with them when we took them out."
"There's plenty of food and drink for everyone." Vax said. "So have at to your heart's content."
Bender pumps his fist. "Oh, hell yeah! Talk about hospitality!"
With that, the cast ended up having a lively time with this mysterious group of travelers. They ate, they drank, they laughed, and Scanlan even provided many songs for entertainment with his lute. Even Bibo was bonding with the group's bear, who they learned was named Trinket.
"Looks like, hic, they're becoming besties." Futaba slurred.
"Did you seriously drink?!" Draco exclaimed. "You and I are underage, remember?!"
"I needed som'thin to wash the, hic, pork down!" Futaba says. "And there was nothing else! It's a party, remember?! My belly's full 'o meat, and my HP is replenished!"
Remember, dear readers: We have lots of fun here in the Meme-Verse, but I do not condone underage drinking. And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.
We see Yami and Grog engaged in an arm wrestling match while downing mugs of alcohol with their other hands.
"C'mon, is that all you got?!" Yami taunts. "Even Finral puts up more of a fight!"
"I don't know who that is, BUT I WON'T BE FUCKING OUTDONE!" Grog roars with equal fervor.
"What craftsmanship." Percy R marvels at Alucard's guns. "Perhaps it can even match the power of mine."
Alucard chuckles. "Impressed, mortal? Those are the Cassul and the Jackal. Nothing I shoot with them ever gets back up."
Meanwhile, Light is sitting there quietly while he eats, watching everyone have fun.
"You're not having fun?" Ryuko asks him.
"I can't let myself lose focus." Light tells him. "Now that I've made the deal with that cat, victory is all but a step away. I must cut myself free of the rest of my allies. They've all served their purpose until now. Where we're going, we don't need them anymore. Just gotta wait and see what his next course of action is."
"Nyahahanya!" The voice of Chubzworth could be heard in Light's head, startling him. " For now, just go with the flow in this world! It will all fall into place!"
"Are you in my head?!" Light thinks.
" Apologies for spooking you. I'm the Demon of Cognition, remember? I can see in your minds, peer into your memories, see what you see….the mind is truly a weapon with limitless potential."
"I'm confused." Light tells him.
" Just keep doing what you're doing, young man." Chubzworth explained. "Your ascension to godhood is nigh. Even the power of Orochi within us growing stronger by the day. Regardless of what happens…you will make it out unscathed. I have business to attend to, so we'll "speak" more later. Ta-ta!"
"What was that about?" Ryuk asked. "You kinda zoned out there, Light."
"Nothing you should be worried about." Light assures. "Just my plan continuing to go smoothly."
Bender comes up to him, and hands him a drink.
"You're just sitting here looking all mopey, pal! C'mon, loosen up a bit!"
"Sorry about that." Light said.
"How naive." Light thinks. "You're my most loyal and trusted confidant. Such a shame you're now as useful as money to a dead man."
After a while, things begin to die down. Everyone had their bellies full, and were rather exhausted as they sat around the fire.
"Thanks again for your hospitality." Percy says.
"It's no problem, really." Keyleth assures her. "It's not often we come across people as lively as you guys."
"Speaking of, I need to ask you guys something I'm surprised nobody else has yet." Draco says. "Who are you guys, and what are you lot doing out here?"
"We are the most famous group of mercenaries in all the land!" Scanlan said proudly. "We are Vox Machina!"
"That's Latin for sound machine." Futaba interjects.
"Glad someone gets it."
"So you're a traveling band of mercs, eh?" Yami says. "Sounds fun."
"We're actually in the middle of a job right now." Vex tells them. She pulls out a piece of paper and hands it to them. "We were hired to take out this kingpin who's got several villages under his control."
"Seriously?! Some chump's bullying these towns?!"
"You don't quite understand, considering this is your first day in Exandria." Percy R. tells him. "The rumors state that some mysterious man with holy powers has put several villages under his control. No other threats dare go near any of these towns without incurring his wrath."
"Holy powers?" Panty asks, her ears peeking up at the mention of this.
"He's also imposed a heavy tax on each village." Pike adds. "Every month, each person in each village must pay him. And if so much as one person comes up short, he completely wipes the village out. They even say he uses demonic creatures to survey and keep an eye on things while he disappears for days at a time, acting as his eyes and ears."
"Sounds like quite the job." Yami remarks. "But not too out of place with the quests we get back home."
"Mind if we join with you?" Bender asks.
"Are you fucking serious, tin can?!" Panty exclaimed.
"I've got to agree with her." Vex says. "Are you mad?! This isn't some game! And we're not exactly up for splitting the reward! Times are tough for us mercs too, you know!"
"Hear me out!" Bender tells them. He looks towards his fellow contestants. "Listen, guys. This is probably what we gotta do to open the door to the next place! This makes too much sense. Like you said earlier, the opportunity will find us!"
The cast think this over for a moment
"Damn, two good ideas in one day." Draco snorts. "Seems you're on a roll. It does make too much sense."
"Besides, we're competing for five million dollars." Futaba adds. "We could care less about the reward."
"Well, when they put it that way, they make a good point." Vax says. "What do you think, sis?"
"I'm still not sure." She tells them. "Nobody, and I mean nobody, has been able to take him down. How much experience do you all have with fighting such things?"
Panty counts all of their achievements on her hands. "We bested a group of superhuman mutants, fended off super powered Marines, fought a cult, faced off with pirates and another group of mercs, and helped take down a galactic conquer who almost destroyed the multiverse with an ancient Eldritch god."
The entirety of Vox Machina were left utterly speechless.
"Shit. If anything, they're overqualified." Pike said.
"Well, if they don't want the reward money, I don't see why we shouldn't let you tag along." Vex tells them. "But I hope you all know what you're getting into. We leave at dawn, so get as much rest as you can."
"Still got the tents packed away, Perce?" Yami asks.
Percy nods. "Again, I always come prepared.
"Good. Then let's go ahead and hit the hay, guys. We got a big day tomorrow."
With this new partnership formed, both groups turn in for the night, resting up for whatever comes their way tomorrow.
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We now transition to a large mountain. Deep inside, we see a large room that appears to be a mix between a royal throne room and a man cave. Several arcade machines, a bar, a gym, a weapon collection, mountains of money and treasure, and an ungodly huge TV sat in the spacious room.
Henri sat on the throne, lazily scrolling through channels on the TV.
"Geez." He groans. "The options are limitless with Interdimensional cable, and still nothing's on."
"Yoo-hoo!" Chubz's voice echoes in Henri's head.
"What is it, boss?" Henri asks. "I'm in the middle of doing nothing right now."
" I've just finished dealing with the little intruder!" Chubz tells him . " And now we have him successfully incarcerated. Too bad he's not willing to talk at the moment."
"Is that all you wanted to tell me? I'm trying to find something good to watch!"
"I'm just letting you know the contestants are now on their way to find you. And they've teamed up with a band of mercenaries who are after your head!"
"WHAT?!" Henri snapped. "Somebody put a hit on me?! Ohh, the fucker who did that is soooo dead!"
"Still, seems like you've been having plenty of fun bleeding villages dry in that world." Chubz says cheekily. " Last time I had fun in that world was the chaos I helped cause in Whitestone."
"So where are they, then?"
"They're currently asleep, but they're near that village you obliterated last week."
"I see…." Henri thinks this over. "That place. Razed it to the ground because one kid was short on money. Well, guess I'll send some guests their way tomorrow. Have my vanguard security scouts overwhelm them."
"Excellent! I expect big things from you, boy. Should you succeed, I'll give you six months off of work… paid, of course!"
"For real?!" Henri exclaimed. "Then consider it done, boss man!"
"Toodaloo!"
Once Chubzworth left his mind, Henri rubs his hands together evilly.
"Fuck cable. I've got something even better to watch tomorrow!"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Chubzworth is walking down a stone spiral staircase. He enters a dimly lit dungeon, filled with dozens of cells, each one having blood leaking out of them, with the sounds of people screaming in agony inside of them.
Walking down the hallway, he enters a cell where none other than Akechi was locked up. He was in his Black Mask outfit, albeit looking bloody and beat up. All of his limbs were restrained to chains on the stone wall.
"Nyahahanya! Care to talk now, little kitten?!" Chubzworth asks gleefully.
"Piss off!" Akechi spat. "I already know you can't read my mind like you do normal people!"
"That is true!" Chubz says, getting up close in his face. "I'll admit, you were stronger than I thought. Too bad all you could land was one hit on me. Now tell me….who are you?! And who sent you??"
Akechi smirks. "I'm Vincent."
"Vincent?"
"Vincent van Go Fuck Yourself!"
Chubzworth, still retaining his grin, pulls out a whip with broken shards of rocks and glass on it.
"Then until I get the answer I want, I'm giving you my Cat 'o Nine Tails again! I've killed literal children for less than what you've done!"
He brutally whips Akechi in his abdomen, blood flying everywhere. Some even got on the cat's face, but he licked it off.
"Ten lashes for invading my territory….twenty lashes for lying to me……AND ANOTHER FIFTY ON TOP OF IT FOR EVIL'S SAKE! NYAHAHANYA!"
Chubzworth laughs like a maniac as we see the silhouette of him brutally torturing Akechi. All that could be heard besides his laughing was Akechi's cries of agony…..and the cracking whip.
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It was now morning, and the group had already packed up everything and were making their journey to find the rat bastard responsible for strong-arming villages.
"Ughhhhhhhh!" Futaba groans weakly. As the party was walking across the plains, she was slumped on top of Trinket.
"I told you drinking last night was a bad idea." Draco reminds her.
"I'm never doing that again." Futaba said weakly.
"Welcome to the world of hangovers, kid." Yami laughs. "Keep at it, and you'll be pounding them back like me. Liquor before beer, you're in the clear. Beer before liquor, you're-"
"Don't encourage her!" Draco snapped.
"We should be nearing one of the villages under his control." Vax informs them. "Or at least…. what's left of it, that is."
As soon as he said that, they'd finally arrived at the remains of the village. Everyone was left completely in shock with the state it was in. The town was left a smoldering wasteland, without a single building or person in sight.
"Holy crap…." Bender mutters in disbelief.
"There really is nothing left…." Percy said.
"All of this because a single child didn't have enough money for his monthly tax." Percy R. explains. "Seems like he's not the kind of guy to make exceptions."
"What a shame." Scanlan said glumly. "I heard this place had a really famous whorehouse. Now it's all gone."
"This couldn't have been the work of a normal man." Alucard remarks.
"I hope everyone that was here was at least able to rest in peace." Pike prays.
"Wait!" Panty tells them. "Hold on a minute, guys!"
She steps forward, and kneels down. She takes a tiny part of the ground, and tastes it.
"What the hell are you doing, lady?!" Grog asks.
"Yep." Panty affirms. "No doubt about it. The dildo responsible for this….was an angel."
"WHAT?!" Everyone gasps.
"And how exactly do you know that?" Vex asks.
"Duh. Because I'm an angel. Don't think I can't sniff out one of my own.
"Wait, you're seriously an angel?!" Scanlan exclaimed. "I thought you were being metaphorical when you told me about it!"
"Holy powers…it makes too much sense." Panty continues. "Come to think of it…that chick who was with Chubzworth also had a similar smell to her."
"And why not say anything about that until now?" Light says, almost accusatory.
"I didn't think it was important. I wouldn't be shocked if other angels like me got kicked out of heaven for whatever reason. But this ain't her."
"So our next big baddy is an angel, eh?" Alucard remarks. He grins wickedly as he cocks one of his guns. "Then I'll take great enjoyment in making him suffer."
The group were suddenly startled as the sounds of marching could be heard.
"What's that noise?!" Percy R asks.
Futaba gets up, and switches to her Phantom Thief outfit. Her goggles lock on in the distance, and she sees something familiar.
It was a army of small white creatures wearing blue jester hats and big black toothy grins. And they all chant together in unison.
"HEE-HO! HERE WE GO! HEE-HO! HERE WE GO! HEE-HO! HERE WE GO!"
Futaba immediately grew concerned. "It's the Hee-Horde from Hell 2: Electric Boogaloo!"
"The what?!" Draco snorts.
"An army of Jack Frosts is coming our way!"
The group all see the Hee-Horde growing closer, hearing their chant.
"Hee……ho?" Vax said in confusion.
"Hee-Ho!" Bender chants.
"Hee-Ho!" Panty also chants.
"Hee-Hooooooooooooooo!" Scanlan sings melodically.
"Oh, crap, not you guys too!" Futaba cried.
"I just wanna go Hee-Home…." Draco groans.
"You know what those things are, Futaba?" Percy asks.
"They're Shadows." Futaba explained. "We've seen many of them during our heists. And these guys are a rather common type. A common pest like rats. Don't be fooled, though. Their cute look hides some serious power."
"Those must be what this angel was using to keep the townspeople in check." Keyleth guesses.
"Pff, we ain't scared!" Scanlan scoffs. "We're Vox Machina….and we fuck shit up!"
Futaba summons Al Azif, and hops inside of it. "Be ready for a fight, everyone. I've got buffs coming everyone's way!"
After hitting some buttons inside, everyone felt much stronger, more durable, and faster.
"Whoa, I feel as strong as a hundred oxen!" Vax marvels. "What kind of magic is this?!"
Grog pounds his fists together in excitement and pulls out his axe. "Who cares?! I…would like to…..RAGE!"
"Let's do this, big guy!" Yami says, having his sword ready. "Let's see which of us can kill more of these Hee-Hos!"
"You're on!"
We see Henri in his lair, watching the fight on his TV, with some popcorn already prepared.
"This is gonna be fun!" He happily exclaims. "I haven't seen any episode of this show, so let's see what these scrubs can do! Kill 'em, boys!"
The Jack Frosts stop marching, and run towards the heroes with extreme hostility. Thanks to Futaba's buffs, the Jack Frosts realistically stood no chance. Panty, Vex, Alucard, and Percy R managed to snipe and blast holes through the heads of them. When killed, the dissipate into black dust. Scanlan plays a serenade on his lute that makes some of them, only for Pike to impale them all by chucking a magic mace. Percy and Vax were back to back, slicing swiftly through the expert combination of enchanted daggers and a Real Ass Goddamn Sword.
"How many have you killed?!" Yami asks, slashing through several more Jack Frosts. "I'm at seventy!"
"Seventy-five!" Grog responds, splattering the head of another one with his axe.
Keyleth had transformed herself into a large white tiger, and was tearing through the Shadows like they were wet paper, with Trinket doing the same. Bibo is seen flattening dozens of them using Rollout.
Light finds himself completely surrounded by Jack Frosts, while Henri watches with anticipation.
"C'mon, Yagami. Show me why the boss has such an interest in you!"
"No way of escape, Light." Ryuk says. "What are ya gonna do?"
They all try to blow ice at him, but Light still doesn't move. Without much warning, he unleashes a huge pulse from his body. In a bright flash of light, all remaining Jack Frosts are now gone.
Henri nearly chokes on his popcorn from what he just witnessed.
"He destroyed all of them! No…he literally turned them into nothing! That's some scary shit! Still, it looks like I underestimated these guys."
Everyone stares at Light, who seemed rather proud of himself.
"What exactly did that Goenitz guy shoot up into you?!" Draco asked.
"Chubzworth wasn't kidding….your power really is growing." Ryuk remarks.
"As the days go by….I keep feeling…. different." Light says calmly. "It's still weird getting used to."
Futaba and Draco exchange a worried look. Regardless of how he felt about the power of Orochi, they knew he was slowly growing stronger. Who knew how long it would be before bmhe became so strong that nobody could challenge him.
"At the very least, at least it seems like there's no more of those Hee-Hos or whatever the fuck they're called." Vex said triumphantly.
"So, Pike…." Grog asks. "Which one of us killed more of those things?"
"It was a tie." She said bluntly.
"A tie?" Yami said. "Well, that's a shame. Could've sworn I took out more."
"So, sweet cheeks.~" Scanlan says to Panty. "Think you can sniff out this other angel's lair?"
"First off, I'm not a fucking bloodhound." Panty tells him. "And second, I think I've got it locked down where his hideout is by his scent alone. Guy uses too much cologne."
"Hey, chicks dig it!" Henri says defensively. "No matter. That Shadow I borrowed from the boss should put them down for good! Extended vacation, here I come!"
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After more hours of walking, the party finally stops in front of huge mountain blocking any way forward.
"This the place, Panty?" Yami asks.
"Yep. The smell of that cheap cologne is strong in this place. This is the hideout."
"Is there an entrance of some sort?" Percy R asks.
"There's a door literally right here, Perce." Scanlan points out, gesturing to a fancy and ornate looking purple door.
Henri, returns to his seat in bathrobe, having just gotten out of the shower.
"Looks like they finally found me." He cackles. "Send in the Black Frost!"
Vax tries picking the clock to the door, but he grows frustrated as nothing he does is opening it.
"Blast this evil thing!"
"Let me try." Scanlan offers. He takes out his lute and plays a song.
" Open your backdoor, baby!~
Loosen your hinges, I'll show you my key!~"
But nope. Still nothing. One by one, each member of Vox Machina tries and fails to open the lock.
"That's no lock….. that's a thing of pure evil!" Vax says in frustration.
"Let me try." Yami tells them. "I'm used to breaking down doors and whatever else is in my way."
Yami steps forward, and tries to kick the door down. The entire mountain shakes, but the door remains entirely intact.
"Oh, what the hell?!" He complained. "Crap usually breaks when it's in my way!"
"First time dealing with a locked door?" Scanlan jokes.
Futaba goes up to the door, and a green holographic screen pops up.
"Just as I thought." She said, "The only way we're gonna open it up is if I can hack it. It may take me a couple of minutes."
The ground shakes as something drops from the sky behind them.
"Malfoy, please tell me that was your stomach again." Panty said worriedly.
They all turn around, and see a giant creature that resembles a Jack Frost. Although this one was black, and wore a purple jester's hat.
"You guys might wanna cover for me while I get this done." Futaba asks. "Pretty please?"
"HEE………….HO!" The Black Frost roars. It readies itself to throw a punch, but Grog leaps high into the air and hacks it cleanly in two before it has the chance to attack.
"Ha! Now I'm in the lead!" The Goliath said triumphantly.
Henri watches this, utterly slack jawed.
"I should've taken better Shadows." He says, cursing himself for this mistake. "What a pain in the ass."
As he quickly gets himself dressed, visibly upset at how things have turned out.
"Damn it…..looks like I'm gonna have to actually try for this one! I wanted to be lazy today, but if it's a fight they want….."
His eyes begin to change, looking more reptilian.
"...then it's a fight they'll get!"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
While Futaba continues working on hacking the lock, Vex drops to the ground in pain, clutching her head.
"Is she okay?!" Percy asks.
"There's a dragon in there." Vex says weakly.
"A dragon?!" Everyone exclaimed.
"Fan-fucking-tastic." Scanlan complains. "Why'd it have to be dragons? I'm sick of them."
"This bloke's probably got more surprises deep within." Draco guessed.
"Finally got it!" Futaba said proudly. "Your hack is now complete!"
The door slowly creaked open, an eerie atmosphere emanating from within.
"The final boss….just like in a video game." Futaba said. "Hope we've grinded enough for this."
"I don't know what any of that means, but I agree." Draco admits.
Light is suddenly struck with another one of Chubzworth's telepathic messages.
"I'd recommend you don't worry about who's inside, Mr. Yagami." He tells him.
"What do you mean?" Light asks him.
"It's all part of the plan. One of my closest subordinates is going to…have some fun with you contestants. I told him to spare you for our grand plan of having you attain your rightful place as God."
"Then what must I do?"
"Just stay back when the fighting starts. The next door will open during this battle. As soon as it does, just go inside."
"Are you sure?"
"Who's running the show right now, boy?!" Chubzworth reminds him. " It'll all work out. Until the next world, Chokola out!"
"Let's kill this rat bastard and get out of here!" Bender adds. "This is already giving me the creeps."
Once inside, things only got darker for them, and the walls seemed to be rather narrow.
"I can't see my hand in front of my face." Percy says worriedly. "Can somebody provide a light?"
Draco was already on it. He pulls out his wand and utters an incantation.
"Lumos Maxima!"
The tip of his wand illuminates, providing them a way to see.
"Just follow behind me, everyone." He tells them.
They do as instructed, until they entered a wide open room where it didn't feel like the walls were closing in on them.
"Where are we now?" Yami asks.
The lights inside suddenly turn on, and Henri is seen chilling out on his throne.
"Welcome, asshats!" He taunts. "So you finally found my man cave eh?"
"So you already know why we're here?!" Percy R. asks.
"Of course. You shitheads are after the blu ty on my head, and you guys are doing it for your stupid little game. I've been watching you guys. The boss is gonna be so happy when he hears I took you all out!"
"Your boss?!" Panty exclaimed. "Who is he?!"
"What? And spoil the fun?!" Henri tells them. "I ain't saying shit! I've got a hefty reward in store for myself if I win!"
"Clearly you've never met us!" Scanlan tells him. "You're in the presence of Vox Machina!"
"Oh, that loser band of mercenaries?" Henri says. "The fuck ups who've also been kicked out of every tavern in the land?! Ooh, I'm quaking in my shoes!"
"We're going to make you eat those words, you holy heathen!" Vex threatens.
"Your ass is grass, and we're gonna mow it!" Panty adds.
Henri gets up, and holds back his laughing.
"Well then….show me your bite's as strong as your bark!"
He flies into the air, and is engulfed in a bright light as he undergoes a metamorphosis. He crashes down, causing the whole mountain to shake. He had now transformed into an immensely large silvery white dragon.
"How do you like my final form, scrubs?!"
"Wow, how cliche." Futaba snarks. "She summons her Persona and it pulls her inside. "But this isn't the first time I've faced a dragon! Let's do this, guys!"
"Yeah!"
Henri throws out a clawed punch, but Scanlan strums a note on his lute.
"SCANLAN'S HAND!~"
A large, magical purple fist comes out and clashes with the dragon's fist, sending a shockwave all throughout the mountain. While this arm was preoccupied, Percy rushes in with an electrically charged slash, slicing it off.
"That all you got?!" Henri smirks. His hand suddenly regenerates at an alarming speed.
"Oh come on, that's not fair!" Keyleth complained.
"I'm a reptile in this form, bitch! I can heal from anything you throw at me-AGGGHH!"
Henri cries out as Vax hit a dagger in his eye, and it teleports back to him.
"You better watch what you call her, you oversized gecko!" Vax spat. "Seems like you can still feel pain, no matter how much you can heal yourself!"
"Is there really nothing we can do against this guy?!" Bender said.
"I'll see if I can scan his weakness!" Futaba said. "Give me a minute or two!"
Henri looks up and sees the UFO the voice came from.
"Oh no you don't, you little shit!"
He opens his mouth and charges up an attack.
"GET READY TO TASTE MY HOLY LIGHT, FUCKERS!"
"It's the same attack he destroyed that village with!" Percy R says. He begins unloading his shots into Henri's mouth, causing the attack to explode in the Holy Dragon's mouth.
"Dick move, snow head!" Henri spat. "Don't you know only bad guys are allowed to cheat!"
"Regardless of what happens….. protect that child!" Percy R orders.
Henri tries to prepare another Holy Blast, but Bender snuck up behind him and was grabbing onto his neck, throwing him off.
"Get off my, you toaster!" Henri roars, flailing his body around, causing lots of collateral damage to the cave. His tail was swinging around violently, hitting everyone and knocking them around while shit was breaking around them.
"Somebody restrain this guy!" Bender says. "I can't hold on much longer!"
Percy stabs her sword into one of his hands, and pushes harder until it stabs into the ground, pinning it down. Keyleth subdues his other arm by summoning vines out of the ground. Alucard appears behind him, using his Hounds of Baskerville to chomp at Henri's wings, constantly tearing them off over and over.
"You're not the only one who can pull that regeneration shit, you heavensent reject!" Alucard cackles.
Henri was in a lot of pain, but successfully flings Bender off.
" Wingardium Leviosa!" Draco chants, stopping Bender from falling to his death and landing him safely on the ground.
"Thanks, kid."
"Don't mention it."
Pike and Grog leaps upwards and start bashing Henri's face in with their weapons.
"Why! Won't! You! Die?!" Grog screams.
Henri prepares another blast, but is interrupted with a well timed arrow shot in his mouth from Vex.
"I've got it!" Futaba tells everyone. "His heart's his weak spot! Take it out, and he's done like dinner!"
Futaba suddenly feels the ship shake a bit, as she sees Yami standing atop it.
"Yami! What are you doing?!" She asks.
"Everyone listen up! I'm gonna finish it in one attack!" Yami tells them. "But it's more than likely gonna bring the whole place down! I may not make it!"
"D-don't say that!" Futaba cries. "I don't wanna lose another friend!"
"What'd I tell ya, kid?!" Yami snaps. "You've always got someone in your corner. I'd be a shitty captain if I didn't protect my squad!"
"Is he bloody serious?!" Draco exclaimed. "What he's saying is suicide!"
Light says nothing, watching all of this curiously from a distance.
"Right here, right now…. I'm gonna surpass my limits!" Yami continues. "When I say now, everyone let go of him and focus on getting the hell out of here! You all got that?!"
They were all shocked to hear him say this…. but after hesitating, they all nod knowingly.
"Mind boosting my attack and speed?" Yami asks Futaba. "I'm gonna hit him hard, and hit him fast."
"Force equals mass times acceleration." Percy says. "I see what he's doing."
"Tearfully, Futaba hits some more buttons, and Yami can feel the power flowing through him.
"Goodbye, everyone." Yami calmly tells them all. "It's been fun, but it's high time you guys get out of here, and don't look back no matter what happens…. captain's orders."
Yami launches off Al Azif, and is flying towards Henri at high speed. He condenses all of his magic into a single point on his sword, his arm growing more swole and bulky. Everyone let's go of Henri and makes a break for it, while Futaba lands back on the ground, still watching.
"We need to go, now!" Draco says, dragging Futaba away while she watches on in shock.
Henri fires,l out a Holy Blast, but Yami pierced through it without losing momentum.
"What?!" Henri cries. His life flashes before his eyes as Yami flies towards his chest. Henri regretfully thinks one last thing before everything goes black for him.
" I'm sorry, sis. I couldn't keep my promise….."
"DARK MAGIC: DEATH THRUST!" Yami yells.
He trusts his arm, blowing an insanely massive hole not just through Henri's heart, but the entire mountain.
"NO!" Futaba cried in horror.
Godspeed, you stubborn boar!" Draco thinks, trying not to get emotional. " Sorry I misjudged you…"
They all run for their lives as the mountain collapses. They finally make it outside in the nick of time, as the whole place comes crashing down. Everyone was weak, and exhausted after all of that. They stare at all of the rubble in front of them joylessly.
"He's actually gone…." Panty said, trying not to cry herself. "I didn't get to tell him I loved him."
"You have." Light says coldly. "Multiple times."
"How can you be so heartless right now?!" The angel snapped. "I should kick your ass for that!"
"Is now really the time to fight?" Percy somberly tells them.
"We didn't know the guy very long, but I can tell he really meant a lot to you guys." Pike says sympathetically.
"I've had nothing but admiration and respect for that man since the day we met." Percy explains.
"He can't be gone!" Grog cries, bawling his eyes out.
"It's not fair…." Futaba said bitterly. "Why'd it have to be him?!"
Draco puts a comforting arm on her shoulder.
"I'm not usually good with condolences, but….he wouldn't want us sitting around moping around about what he just did. Just…try and stay strong, alright?"
Light watches this interaction with a baffled look on his face.
"Huh. When did they get so chummy?" Ryuk remarks.
"Yeah….when did they?" Light wonders.
"Death is common in my line of work…" Alucard brings up. "But this time feels quite different. I'm not sad, but I can't quite pinpoint what this is…"
Futaba feels Bibo nudging her leg. She picks him up and hugs him tightly.
"I promised myself I'm not gonna let grief take over my life." She says firmly. "Never again."
"You have a strong will for someone so young." Percy says proudly. "Let's not let this tragedy cloud our judgement. Let us press forward, and not look back.
"It's…. It's what he'd want." Panty adds.
Suddenly, the next door materializes in front of them and opens up.
"Well, looks it's goodbye." Draco said.
"Aw, you're leaving already?!" Scanlan cries.
"Don't worry, little man." Panty tells him. "I'm sure we'll see each other again. And when we do…. you're all mine."
"Thank you for your all's help, from the bottom of my heart." Vex tells them. "I deeply apologize for starting off on the wrong foot, and mistrusting you."
"Eh, that's water under the bridge, lady." Bender assures.
"Until we meet again." Percy says, saluting the group.
One by one, each contestant enters the door. Once inside, it disappears from sight.
"Well, I think it's safe to say I'm done with today." Vax says. "At least the reward will be worth it."
We see a hand emerge from the rubble, holding a pair of horns. The group gasps as Yami emerges from the wreckage. He was battered and dirty, but was standing strong. He held Henri's horns like they were a trophy.
Grog grins. "Well I'll be damned."
"Those guys must be built differently." Percy R says, looking relieved.
"Guess I am." Yami says. "Even I didn't think I'd live that
"Nyahahanya! Congratulations!"
Yami turns around and sees Chubzworth grinning down at him.
"Who the hell's this guy?!" Grog asked.
The demon ignores him. "Good to see you survive, Sukehiro. Too bad your noble sacrifice cost you the game."
"Pff, not like I regret it or anything." Yami says.
"I see…my Metaversal control on this world is now done. My plan worked seamlessly here. You may return to your world."
The cat snaps his fingers, and Yami disappears into a puff of smoke. Another portal opens up, and Lucinne runs out, tears in her eyes.
"Brother, no!" She grabs the horns that were left on the ground. "You promised you'd come back!"
She then angrily turns towards Chubzworth. "And what did you mean by saying your plan worked?! Unless you-"
She gasps, as Chubzworth sneers at her.
"YOU PLANNED THIS!" She snapped. "YOU KNEW THIS WOULD HAPPEN! YOU SENT HIM TO HIS DEATH! YOU SELFISH FAT FUCK!"
Lucinne gags as a red collar forms around her neck. She drops to her knees, choking.
"And he died in vain!" Chubz said happily. "And I'm not selfish! I care only about myself, so that counts!"
"That's…. literally what selfish means!" She gags.
"I'm so damn powerful it can literally mean whatever I want it to be!" Chubz tells her. "I still own you! And for snapping at me….I want you to smile at all this!"
"W-wha….?!"
"Any idea what's going on right now?" Scanlan whiskers to Pike.
"Let's just stay out of it." She responds.
"I want you to force yourself to smile while you suffer and grieve!" Chubz says sadistically. "I command it! Or I will do something with your soul…..that you won't like!"
Lucinne was absolutely terrified. She knew how her boss handled souls. Billions of them he'd devour, gamble away, or destroy just for fun. She was no different…..but she couldn't die now. With all of her strength, she puts on a big grin, much to Chubz's satisfaction.
"Yes……boss!" She says painfully.
"Good girl." Chubz tells her, releasing the chain. "How I love making people suffer. Now come, Lucinne. It's time for one more stop before we head home….. and it's about time I hit up a couple of old acquaintances at their next destination!"
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Phew, the plot thickened, didn't it?
Congratulations for making it this far, dear readers. The end is near….as only four episodes remain.
Hope you all enjoyed an episode in the world of Vox Machina. A lot of emotions were put in this one, and once again, it's a bittersweet ending. This final arc is nearing its climax, and now seven players remain. The end is nigh.
As for next time, our cast ends up in this crazy casino….and they unfortunately end up gambling away their souls to the Devil himself. If they wanna move on, they've gotta track down other debtors and defeat them for their soul contracts. And someone is going to be left at the Devil's mercy….. absolutely crushed at new revelations.
Again, hope you all enjoyed today's episode. Until next time, this is MemeKing, signing off.