Welcome all to another chapter of Game Jumpers! Last chapter had our merry band of heroes finish up their side quests in town, which had the party fight not only another Electric Blooper but tackle the Pit of 100 Trials yet again. Once they were done with these tasks, a cry for help directed them to the next step in their quest. After speaking with Fice T. The guard for Forever Forest and a mysterious Boo that asked for their audience at Boo Mansion, the group now finds themselves on the outskirts of Forever Forest, a forest known for it's windy paths, perpetual darkness and a nasty habit of traping victims inside should they take the wrong path. Will the heroes be able to deal with the forest, or will they also be swallowed up as well? Let's find out.
Chapter 11: Ghostbusters!
Forever Forest
The party had ventured deep into the forest, where darkness reigned, and the trees seemed to stretch endlessly. Mario observed his team, all of them on high alert. Kimani, especially, seemed ready to flee, prompting Jordan to place a protective hand on his back, ensuring he didn't run off and get lost.
"Boy... This forest is really dark and spooky... People say that if you don't choose exactly the right paths, you'll get totally lost. Y'know, I really like the name "Forever Forest." It's way better than the name Goombaria came up with. She was actually going to call it "The Forest of Perpetual Night and Terrible Dangers." What kind of a name is that?" Goombario ranted, sticking very close to Jordan.
"Goombario? Seriously not helping right now..." Kimani moaned, already inflicted with the Spooked status effect.
"Sorry. Coping mechanism,"
"Relax, Little Buddy! I'll protect you!" Dylan heroically said, posing in front of him. Kimani rolled his eyes at this, but his Spooked status disappeared, signaling that the distraction had worked. Mario smirked as he pushed forward, moving a tree branch out of the way, ending in a circle-like path. Once Mario and the others walked around, they noticed they were walking in a circle. Kimani started to get a bit riled up, causing Dylan to come to his aid, distraction-wise. Goombario frowned before he looked closely at the nearby shrubbery. He looked at some nearby flowers, which didn't look any different from the other ones, but these ones started moving and even smiled at him.
"Ok, that's freaky..." Goombario mentioned, catching everyone's attention.
"What is?" Jordan asked, stepping in front of Kimani so he didn't see it.
"Flowers are moving... and it's right in front of a pathway... Think this is the right way?" He explained. Mario put a hand on his chin. His adventuring senses were scrambled here in the forest, so he couldn't depend on them; he just had to trust his gut. Goombario's find certainly made sense. After pondering it for a bit more, he nodded. He pushed the branch out of the way and led his team to another circle section. Before they could enter the circle, a small talking... bush creature jumped in front of them. Kimani almost flambe'd him on the spot, but Jordan stopped him before he could burn down the entire forest.
"Sorry for the fright... My name is Oaklie, guardian of Forever Forest. It's my responsibility to prevent travelers from venturing far into the forest and getting lost," He explained.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Oaklie! We're on the way to a manor! Some Boo invited us!" Dylan exclaimed.
"...Um-kay. So that's your story, you're invited to Boo's Mansion. You may pass, then. If you want to get through this forest, you have to pay really close attention to your surroundings. The areas around the correct paths will always look slightly different from the others. Watch carefully for clues. These clues will be different in other parts of the forest. Watch the inner forest very, very carefully as you go,"
"Got it!"
"If you trust your gut and not just your eyes, you might even find hidden treasures around here," He told them, leaping back into the brush. The party shared looks before they pushed forward. Almost immediately, a plant rose from the ground and bit Mario in the nose, causing him to suffer a First Strike. Once they were in battle, they saw that the plant wasn't alone. He was joined by another plant and a being riding a cloud. Jordan, who already had Goombario behind him, went first as he Smashed the first plant, dealing 2 damage to it. His Peekaboo Badge let him know that he had 6 HP left.
"Ouch... You ok, Mario? This is a Piranha Plant. Piranha Plants pop out of the ground at unexpected moments, so be on your guard. Max HP: 8, Attack Power: 4, Defense Power: 0. You've seen 'em in every one of your adventures, so I imagine you'd know 'em pretty well. Their sharp jaws point upward, so you'll get bitten if you try to jump on 'em. They smile after biting people. That smug smile… it makes me hopping mad! Being plants makes them weak to fire, so Kimani and Firebrand can really ruin their day!" Goombario told everyone. Mario grumbled, being brought down to 26 from the earlier bite. Jordan was able to block all the attacks, including the flying enemy. Goombario almost got hit when the spikey projectile bounced off Jordan and came after him next, but he was able to block.
"That's alarming..." Goombario said, scooting over to Mario's side as he tapped the Power Smash badge on his hammer and retired the plant that bit him.
"Alright, next on our list... That's a Lakiwun. It seems like it's just a weaker Lakitu. Oh, I get it: Lakiwun, Lakitu. Max HP: 11, Attack Power: 4, Defense Power: 0. Whoever named these isn't very creative. I wonder who names these guys? Probably some high-end royalty somewhere. He throws Purple Spinies, and as you can guess, they look like Spinies, but purple. Lakiwun are known for their HP, but I bet they get dizzy easy the way they float like that. These high society jerks will throw Spinies at us partners as well, so we'll have to guard as well, or else we'll be seeing stars for a turn," Goombario Tattled again. Mario nodded, blocking the bite, and Spiny aimed at him, taking a total of 4 damage and lowering his HP to 22. Kimani went next, causing Firebrand to burn the other Piranha Plant to a crisp while Kimani grounded the Lakiwun with a Dragon Uppercut and Decent. The party moved on, taking a few steps before they got attacked by a green Fuzzy. Kimani kicked it in the face out of sheer panic, earning the team a First Strike. Kimani was caught off guard, however, so he botched the Strike command, only dealing one hit.
"Oh great. More of these things... This is a Forest Fuzzy. Forest Fuzzies are always green. Max HP: 6, Attack Power: 4, Defense Power: 0. If they grab hold of you, they'll absorb your HP and add it to their own. The fiends! Those no good... Oh! And they sometimes divide. If they divide, they become even stronger, so try to beat 'em before they can split. You know? They don't seem to like Firebrand so I have a hunch they're weak to fire, but I'm not certain on that part. Doesn't hurt to test it however," Goombario Tattled. Jordan, who had gone first again, nodded before he decided just to focus to get them some more Star Power. The Fuzzies bounced up to Jordan and started biting him as he struggled to pull them off. He eventually did so, luckily only taking 2 damage overall. The Lakiwun that overwatched them bonked both Jordan and Goombario in the head, dazing him for a turn and dealing a single point of damage to Jordan, bringing his HP to 32. Kimani went next, letting Firebrand drain even more of his FP to fire a Fireball at the Fuzzy. Just like Goombario said, the Forest Fuzzy took extra damage. Not as much as a Piranha Plant, so it lived with 1 HP to his name. Kimani changed that, however, with another swift kick to its jaw. The Lakiwun threw a Spinie at both of them while the Forest Fuzzy tried to take a chunk out of Kimani's side. Kimani ripped it off while the Spinie bonked him in the head for 4, putting him at 21. Firebrand didn't block either, so he got hit and turned into a small fireball with eyes.
"Shoot..." Firebrand muttered.
"So... what's up with this?" Kooper asked as Dylan zapped the Forest Fuzzy with Jolt and an Ion Beam, defeating him. Bombette couldn't reach the Lakiwun, so she just focused. The Lakiwun tried to give them both brain damage but Alpha starved off the attack while Bombette guarded as well. Dylan only took 3 damage, bringing his HP down to 21. Mario went next, and with a toss of his hammer and a Shell Shot from Parakarry, the Lakiwun was on his last legs. He threw another barrage at Mario and Parakarry, who blocked it before Parakarry sent him to the ground with a kick. With the battle won, the group got together to check their stats. Kimani was still sitting at 21 HP while his FP was at 16. Jordan was barely scratched in the HP department, sitting at 32, and his FP was full as well. Dylan wasn't doing too bad with his 21 HP and his FP was still the same as well due to his passive FP recharge. Mario, himself, was ok as well with his 22 HP but his FP being at 0 was concerning. He made a noise before he poked Kimani, asking how attached he was to his FP Plus Badge. Kimani reacted as if he was taking away his firstborn.
"Why? Just level up your FP next time, Goofy!" He fought back. Mario sweatdropped from the minor name-calling before he nodded, not having the BP to equip it anyway. He dug into his pocket, pulling out a Maple Shroom. He split it with Dylan, Jordan, and Kimani, healing Kimani, Jordan, and Dylan to full HP while Mario was sitting at 26. His FP was back to full, however, while Kimani's was back to 26. Dylan didn't gain any FP due to his hyper-activeness. That and his FP were full, to begin with, along with Jordan. The group looked around for any differences, noting glowing eyes inside a tall stump. The party quickly moved to the next area, not seeing any enemies but not finding any differences this time around.
"Well, I'm stumped..." Goombario deadpanned. Bombette looked at the flowers and smiled before she walked up to a patch and sniffed them. The flowers laughed at her, giving her a mini heart attack and setting her fuse off. Mario rapidly waved his arms before he rushed over and put the fuse out.
"Whoops, sorry, Mario! Got a bit flustered, tee hee! But I think this is the right way!" She told him, motioning towards the path in front of them. Mario nodded, a sweatdrop present on his head as the party continued. The next area had a clearing in the center of it, where they ran into Oaklie again. He waved to the group, who returned it before they went back into the circle. Bombette tried her luck again, messing with the flowers and getting them to laugh again.
"Wait, we just came from this way, however..." Kooper told the group. Kimani, who was perched on Jordan's back out of fear from the flowers earlier, suggested poking the other flowers. The group nodded before they poked the other flowers, getting the same laugh. Dylan's flowers had a deeper laugh, however, so they went down that path. They ended in another circle, seeing no flowers or stumps but rather a Forest Fuzzy bouncing around. Firebrand shot out a cheeky Fireball, earning the team a First Strike. When they entered the battle, they saw that they had to handle 2 Forest Fuzzies, a Piranha Plant, and a Lakiwun. Everyone groaned from the lineup before they sent Dylan first, allowing him to cleave through everyone on the ground for 4, taking out the first Forest Fuzzy while the second one was left with 2 HP, and the Piranha Plant was left with 4. Dylan Jolted the Fuzzy out of commission while Bombette Bombed the Plant off the face of the planet. The Lakiwun sweatdropped from how easily his allies had been taken care of as he threw a Spinie at Dylan, but he blocked it, only taking 3 damage and putting him at 22 HP. Kimani and Firebrand took care of the Lakiwun, ending the battle and allowing them to explore the circle. Kimani, against his better judgment, shuffled a bit from the group to check a pathway they had yet to reach. When he looked at a nearby tree, a scary face appeared on a tree for a split second before it disappeared, causing Kimani not only to take 5 damage from the actual heart attack he almost suffered from but also turn white as paper and gain the Spooked debuff.
"...Wait, where did Kimani run off to..." Jordan muttered after he noticed the lack of weight on his back. He looked around briefly before seeing Kimani frozen on the ground.
"...Found him," Typhoon deadpanned from inside Jordan's controller, causing him to swat it as he went over and picked up Kimani. He looked around before he spotted the tree. It made a scary face at him for a moment, which made Jordan's heart skip a beat, but he stomached it and looked back at Kimani.
"Ok... Very valid reason to freeze up on us, but unfortunately, you do the most damage out of all of us, so wake up," Jordan sighed, shaking Kimani a bit. After a moment, he snapped back to reality.
"Huh? What?... Did I just faint? Man... lame..." Kimani muttered. Jordan snickered a bit before he swung Kimani to his back.
"I, unironically, think you're safer on my back outside of battle," He said, causing Kimani to sweatdrop. The others caught up, and after getting scared by the tree as well, they went through the path. They entered the second path, and Dylan tripped, making some mushrooms glow. It was in front of a path, so they walked down the path, running into another Piranha Plant. Firebrand popped out from Kimani's controller, burning it to a crisp and starting the battle with one less enemy to worry about. When they entered the battle, they saw one more Piranha Plant and two giant Bees flying in the background. Jordan became Spooked as a result, causing Kimani to raise an eyebrow. After a moment of thought, an exclamation point appeared over his head.
"Oh, right! Jordan's allergic to bees! Keep forgetting about that," Kimani told everyone. Mario nodded, asking Jordan if he wanted to sit this one out as a result.
"No... I don't think normal rules apply here, so I should be fine..." Jordan muttered as he went first, allowing Goombario to go first.
"This is a Bzzap! Bzzaps! are monstrous bees. Max HP: 5, Attack Power: 6, Defense Power: 0. If they sting you, sometimes you'll be poisoned. They also occasionally call a swarm of small bees to attack you in a cloud. Be careful of those little attackers, because they'll Poison you as well. They don't have lots of HP, so take care of them as quick as you can. Jordan's a bad match-up for them. Like Kimani is with Boo's, Jordan will be Spooked as long as they're on the field! Add the fact that he's Allergic to them; he'll take bonus damage and be unable to become affected by anything until he's healed!"
"Is the exclamation point in their name?" Kimani asked as Jordan bonked the plant upside the head for 2 damage. Goombario nodded as Jordan just took the hits as a result. When the first Bzzap! stabbed him, his face puffed up. Due to this, the next stab did max damage—8 damage, to be exact, meaning Jordan took a total of 16 damage, bringing his HP to 19.
"Ok... I ache..." Jordan slurred out.
"This is really bad... Jordan's suffering from an Allergic Reaction, so he can't be affected by anything that alters stats! Sure, this means status such as poison and such, but that also means buffs as well, including his passive defense increase. He can't even heal his HP or FP until it passes!" Goombario told everyone. Kimani gritted his teeth before he uppercutted the first Bee, sending him flying into the other Bzzap! before Firebrand got rid of the second one. Once they were out of battle, Jordan was still swollen up.
"...Oh no... I'm still puffy..." Jordan got out.
"Well, you were already puffy beforehand," Kimani pointed out as Dylan was carrying him on his back.
"You're just puffier! Like a Pufferfish!" Dylan exclaimed. Jordan muttered minor death threats under his breath before Kooper reached into his shell and pulled out an Epipen. He then stuck Jordan in the arm with it. After a moment, he went back to normal, sighing loudly.
"Thanks for that. I didn't really think to bring my Epipen," Jordan said, sighing again and putting Dylan and Kimani in a chokehold for their earlier comments.
"No problem! I always carry a few EpiPens on me! My best friend, Koover, is also allergic to Bzzaps! so I have some just in case he isn't able to stick himself with them,"
"Really?"
"Yeah... That's like Best Friend Rule number 6. I even asked you for a few of your EpiPens for this exact reason," Kimani got out, dangling in Jordan's arm. He let them go after that.
"I'll remember that when we get back home... How many of those pens do you have on you?"
"Only one more, so maybe we should avoid the Bzzaps! right?"
"Please," He muttered. Mario nodded before he led his team around the circle, eventually running into a log. Mario tried to jump over it, but he bonked his head on a Hidden Block, earning another Snowman Doll for the team. Mario grumbled, rubbing his head before he looked at some mushrooms, seeing how they were thinner. He looked at the path before he led his team through it. When the team arrived in the next area, they immediately noticed a Bzzap! Hive, making Jordan Spooked for a second. They scooted past it and ran into a Piranha Plant, starting a fight on even ground. One of the Purple Spinies was actually on the ground.
"I already got it, Mario! This is a Purple Spiny. It just seems like it's just a weaker Spiny. Max HP: 5, Attack Power: 5, Defense Power: 2. If you haven't noticed, they're also purple. Their underbellies are reinforced, so flipping them doesn't put them in as much danger. Still, they're not that tough. You could whoop these guys across the Mushroom Kingdom and back. Dylan and Alpha are their worst nightmare with their armor-piercing attacks, so we're not in danger with those two around!" Goombario informed him. Mario nodded before he thought of his options. He didn't feel like taking a lot of damage, so he asked for Mamar's assistance in putting them to sleep. Once she was done, the Piranha Plants, Purple Spinie, and Lakiwun fell asleep for 3 turns. The group decided to just let Dylan go haywire, defeating the enemies with various Jolts, Ion Beams, and the occasional Body Slam from Bombette, winning the battle for them. Once they were finished, Mario led his team to the center of the circle, finding a Badge Block. Mario hit it, earning another HP Plus Badge and getting another Green Shard.
"Another one, huh? Big Guy, it wouldn't hurt to give that to you for now," Kimani said from his back. Jordan nodded before he took the badge while Kimani pocketed the shard. When he placed the badge on, his Max HP went to 40. The group went back to the previous circle path, noting some rocks scattered everywhere. They squeezed through, seeing another path in front of a large mushroom grove. Mario first hit the nearby ? Block before they proceeded to the next area. They found a bush that had disappearing flowers so they started following that path. Dylan saw a fallen log, so he skipped over and punched above him, hitting another hidden block and getting a Fire Flower for the group's inventory. The group went into the next area afterward, running in a party of 2 Piranha Plants and 3 Bzzaps! Jordan immediately grabbed everyone and ran from the battle, dropping a few coins in the process. The group ran away before they entered another battle with some more bees.
"Does this forest hate me!?" Jordan yelled, escaping with the party again. Mario saw a path leading to the right, so they sprinted inside the path, leaving the enemies on the other side of the branch, hatefully glaring at the party.
"...I wonder what's stopping them? Most of them can f-" Dylan started before Kimani transferred from Jordan's back to Dylan's, muffling him.
"Let's not give them any idea, alright?" Kimani mentioned as they continued down the path. When they reached the next area, they were attacked by a Forest Fuzzy. He was accompanied by a Purple Spiny and two more Bzzaps!, which made Jordan groan loudly.
"We're cornered, so running isn't a thing this time," Goombario told him.
"Grah... Fine! Let's just get this over with!" Jordan retorted. Mario nodded before he clapped his hands to use Lullaby again... but they didn't have the Star Power. Embarrassed, he cleared his throat and opted to let Dylan go first. Dylan, as Jordan bluntly instructed, eviscerated the Bzzaps! with the help of Parakarry. Dylan had to endure the Purple Spiny rolling into him as well as the Fuzzy biting him once, causing him to take a grand total of 8, bringing his HP to 17. Kimani got to work on the Forest Fuzzies, executing a perfect Strike Command and taking out the first one. Firebrand was able to swipe off 4 points of HP from the last one, leaving him with 2. The Fuzzy shook for a moment before he made a clone of himself. The annoying thing about it was the clone had max HP. Jordan whacked the main one before Typhoon battered the last one with his water tentacles.
"Easy on the FP, Ty. We can only do that twice," Jordan warned.
"Learn some more aoe moves or start using Action Commands," Typhoon retorted.
"I don't have any Action Commands except for blocking and Smash!"
"Sounds like a you problem,"
"You don't have any!"
"Ladies! As much as I'd love to hear you argue, I'd rather hurry up and get out of this dark forest with ghosts and who knows what else! Shut up and get moving!" Kimani yelled at the two, irritated. When Jordan and Typhoon turned to look at him, he set himself on fire and growled at them, causing them to sweat and skitter to the front. The others gave him a look before he sighed and put himself out, reattaching himself to Dylan's back before they continued. They searched around the area a bit before they found a sign pointing them to Boo's Mansion. Mario did notice a pathway to the center, so he told the others to wait by the path before he ran inside, spotting another Badge Block and earning another FP Plus and a Green Shard. He went back to his team and showed them his findings before he led them through the path, which was longer than the ones they were on prior. After a bit more walking, they exited the forest, reaching a clearing that had a large mansion in the distance.
"Ugh… I'm certainly glad we're out of that forest. Talk about creepy… What's this? Mario, I have a feeling that this is the mansion we're looking for," Parakarry said. Mario nodded as he saw a ? Block nearby. Inside it was a Volt Shroom.
"That's a new one. What does that one do?" Kimani asked.
"A Volt Shroom! If you crush it in your hands and sprinkle it on yourself, it'll electrify you for a few turns! It's basically the Zap Tap badge," Goombario explained. Mario nodded before he walked up to the Boo guarding the gate. Kimani hid behind Jordan as a result.
"Ah! Welcome guys! We've been waiting for you. Lady Bow has set up a series of tests. Are you prepared for the first?" He told them.
"Test? No, we're not?" Kimani said from behind.
"Oh... well, let me know if you change your mind," The Boo said, letting the others back away.
"So... Fight?" Kimani asked. Mario nodded. It seemed like this 'Lady Bow' needed help with something that required strong allies, so she needed to make sure whoever that was fit the mold. He brought his hypothesis up to the others.
"I would say that makes sense if she knew us. Also, royalty? Ugh... Usually, they're stuck up, aren't they?" Kimani muttered. Mario reminded him that Peach was royalty and treated them well.
"The keyword was usually Mar. Obviously, Peach is a treasure to the world and doesn't fall into normal molds," he retorted. Mario smiled at the compliment before he put his hands on his chin. If it was a fight, it most likely would be a Boo. With this thought, he glanced at his inventory and pulled out the Truth Stomp Badge. He looked at his current badges before he swapped out Power Smash with Truth Stomp, seeing his boots turn transparent for a split second. He quirked an eyebrow at this before he went back to the Boo.
"...ready now?" The Boo asked. Mario nodded rapidly.
"Then I hope you're ready for a fright!" He yelled, calling two other Boos and bum-rushing the party. They already knew the Boo's stats and plans so Goombario didn't need to Tattle. Kimani was Spooked, so he was useless in this fight. Mario started the fight by tapping his Truth Stomp badge, turning him into a ghost briefly and allowing him to stomp twice on the first Boo, dealing 4 damage and leaving him with 6 HP. Parakarry didn't have any spectral powers, so he wasn't able to hit them. He simply just focused. The Boos went over to scare Mario, who still couldn't figure out the timing of their moves, so he took a whole 21 damage, putting him at 9 HP and Spooking him.
"OOF, THAT LOOKS LIKE IT SUCKED!" Kimani yelled. Mario shivered in both fear and annoyance as Dylan went next, zapping and blasting the Boos. He defeated the first one and left the other 2 with 6 HP. Bombette sparked her fuse up and rushed forward, using Power Bomb to blast them to smithereens. The party won the battle, and the Boo (who now sported a band-aid on his head, opened the gate for them. In the front of the mansion was the Boo that introduced himself earlier.
"Welcome, Sirs and Madam! I'm pleased you made it through Forever Forest. My master awaits you in the room highest up in this lovely mansion,"
"I got some complains for Ms. Bow! Why put us through all this!?" Kimani shouted from Jordan's back. The Boo glared at him, causing his skin to turn white and for Jordan to pull his shield out in reflex.
"Please go to the third floor. There you will hear all the news of the Star Spirit... Oh, also, one more thing," The Boo told him before he disappeared into the door. After a second, the doors opened up and the person who walked out was...
"Austin!" The three teens exclaimed as Austin rushed down the stairs and leaped into their awaiting arms.
"Auzz, it's good to see you again! How's it going!?" Kimani asked.
"Eh, your usual antics. Fell into this forest, got founded by a nice Boo with bows and a fan, and was taken care of until I could get back to my feet. I told her about you guys, and she needs our help with something. When Bootler told me he saw you guys, I asked if I could regroup with y'all for the time being,"
"Good to hear! So you'll be able to help us meet Lady Bow?" Jordan asked.
"Yes and no. While I can help out with battles and overall exploration, I can't just tell you how to reach her. Something about tests and whatnot,"
"...Normally, I'd complain, but I'm just glad we got you back, bro,"
"Good to be back. Now, fill me in on everything that's happened," Austin said, taking a seat on the stairs. The group filled them in on everything for the time being before Austin nodded.
"...Really? Damn. That sounds rough,"
"It has... Say, has Venom and the others popped up since we split?" Kimani asked.
"...Now that you said it out loud, no. It's been radio silence from them. Kinda worried," He said.
"We can fix that! Join our party!" Dylan exclaimed. Austin snorted before he stood up.
"Don't gotta tell me twice. With us together, we'll blitz through everything!"
"Austin joined the party! With his elusive nature and many defense-piercing moves, Austin's a wiz at taking down tough foes and avoiding attacks! On the field, Austin's Thief Lights, a special visual aid only he can see, will point out secret paths and items for him. This also points out weak spots and allows Kimani and Mario to break Metal Blocks. His First Strikes also do an extra 2 points of damage! Austin's Battle Talent is his ability to dodge attacks! A successful dodge prevents all damage but if he mistimes it, he'll take an additional 2 damage. His normal block command is also replaced by dodge, allowing him to auto evade 2 attacks! Austin's weakness is his lower HP amount and inability to use other partners! Should he pick HP as a level-up reward, it'll be increased by 2 instead of 5."
"Has Dylan been doing that the entire time?" Austin asked.
"Yep, but it's been helpful. Also, 5 HP? Auzz, you really got out of shape..." Kimani deadpanned.
"Hey! It's because I'm classified as a Rouge! Rouges always have low HP!" He yelled back. Mario's pendant glowed before Austin did as well, raising his level to the parties and making his pendant glow. Austin tapped the badge, causing a storm of leaves to appear in front of him. Once they died down, a Vulture, a Caracal, and a Raccoon appeared.
"Mmmm... my head... everyone alright?" The Vulture asked.
"Yep... Just a minor headache... Ivory? You ok?" The Raccoon answered.
"Never better!" Ivory exclaimed. She then noticed the others.
"Venom? Ebony? Ivory?" Austin asked. The girls smiled before they glomped him with Venom just watching with a slightly amused expression. He turned and looked at the others.
"So... Nice to see you guys up and about," he told them. Firebrand, Typhoon, and Alpha also appeared.
"Yeah, well. We're stubborn. Did everything go dark for you guys as well when that lightning zapped us?" Firebrand asked.
"Right on the beak. Whatever energy flowed through Austin's amulet just now got us back in action. How much of your power have you gotten back?"
"It's been split. The lads have kept their normal powers, but their elemental powers are locked within us," Typhoon explained, watching as Austin started picking his level up rewards. He ended up going with a balance of everything, so he ended up with 15 Hp
"So, who has Austin's vine powers?" Ebony asked. Ivory shrugged, which caused a vine to appear behind her and smack Venom in the back, earning a squawk from him.
"Oh no..." Venom muttered.
"Oh yes," Ivory sinisterly said. Everyone else sweatdropped as she messed around with the vine she summoned.
"A danger to everyone aside... Are you guys ready to embark on another adventure with your favorite misfits?" Kimani asked.
"I mean, I'm not sure about you clowns, but if Austin's ready to help you guys out, then the rest of the Talons are at your beck and call,"
"The Talons, which consist of Venom, the Sharpshooting Vulture, Ebony, the Kindhearted Raccoon, and Ivory, the Energetic Caracal, have joined the party! Each member has their own strengths and weaknesses that can be swapped freely without taking up a turn! Venom's a crack shot and can inflict additional damage to any airborne foe as well as cover Austin from above. Speaking of above, Venom will either hover or perch on Austin's shoulder during combat, preventing him from being hit by ground attacks, but his old wounds make it so he's out of battle longer should he be Injured. Ebony's skills as a medic allow her to support Austin in various ways, such as healing, granting him an extra turn, or even reviving him should he or any other party member fall! Ivory's a full-on attacker, and she's great at stealing items as well! Her skills range from long-distance leaps, attacking whenever Austin attacks, to even instantly defeating a foe and earning the team an item! When Austin goes down, the Talons will keep fighting in his place!"
"Thanks for the introduction, Dylan!" Ivory exclaimed. Dylan giggled and bowed in response.
"Nice! Sucks that Austin can't use other party members, but it makes sense as Ven and the others give him a balance of everything," Kimani muttered. Austin snorted before a question mark appeared over his head.
"Yo, Bro. Why are you on Jordan's back?" Austin asked.
"You know... ghosts and whatnot,"
"Right. You don't like horror movies... Well, don't worry, Bro. The Boos here are friendly, so they won't scare you. Bootler, could you pass the word to everyone in the manor?"
"As you wish, Master Austin,"
"Wait! Don't tell them, you idiot!" Kimani screeched, but it was too late as Bootler disappeared, causing Kimani to sigh loudly.
"What?"
"You just told Boos, whose favorite pastime is scaring folks, that I'm deathly afraid of them... That's like waving money in front of Mr. Krabs..."
"...Whoops..."
"Ugh... Well, whatever... You know about Action Commands, Auzz?" Kimani groaned.
"Action Commands?"
"I've heard enough. C'mon. Fight me," Kimani said, entering battle with Austin. Behind him was Firebrand, while Venom was hovering behind Austin.
"Alright. This looks familiar. Also, nice to see you in action, Ven," Austin said.
"Heh, good to be back. Now then. What are these, Action Commands, Pint?" Venom asked. Kimani sweatdropped from the name before he nodded.
"Alright, Auzz. Go ahead and hit me with your basic attack," Kimani said. Austin nodded, teleporting over and attempting to hit Kimani. He yelled "Freeze" at the last second.
"Holy shit, you're fast! Uh... Alright, Austin. Now pretend you're using a controller and hit A here," Kimani said. Austin grunted, hitting Kimani's guard and coming back with another swipe from his other dagger. Kimani was able to parry them and he refrained from going through with his Counter.
"Heh, not bad! This'll come in handy," Austin said.
"Yep! That's basically an Action Command! Unless stated otherwise, all of your moves will have a command of some sort. You might have to hold a button, aim a cursor, remember what buttons pop up, and so forth. Ven and the others follow this as well. Speaking of which, Ven, try and shoot Fire,"
"Come again?" Firebrand asked. Ven chuckled as he aimed his bow.
"Certainly..." He muttered, aiming at Firebrand. As Kimani said, a circle appeared over Firebrand, and he had to guide a reticle to the center of it. Being a master archer, this was as easy as breathing for him, so he shot the arrow perfectly, putting a hole in Firebrand's mohawk.
"Nice!" Kimani and Austin exclaimed.
"Not nice! Look what he did to my hair!" Firebrand yelled.
"You're bald..." Ven deadpanned.
"I know, so don't take my hair away from me!"
"Oh brother... Austin, I'm going to attack you now," Kimani said, rushing forward and delivering a kick to Austin's head. Before he connected, Firebrand stopped time.
"As his friend, you know Kimani hurts, so you should probably hit A here," Firebrand deadpanned, fixing his fire mohawk. Austin quickly yelled "A," causing him to duck under Kimani's kick, avoiding it.
"Jesus! A warning next time!?" Austin exclaimed.
"Hey, Fire stopped time for you. Anyway, you're able to dodge hits and take no damage. It's kind of like my Counter ability, but while yours isn't as hard to time as mine, your dodge is harder to time than a normal guard command. And if you mess it up, you'll take extra damage," Kimani explained.
"Got it... Anything else we should know?"
"Nope. That's about it," Kimani said, ending the battle. He dug into his pockets and handed Austin both the Element Shard and the Smash Shards they collected.
"Nice!" He said, smashing them against his chest, glowing brightly for a moment before it died down. When he was done, he grunted.
"...Awesome. I got all of my stuff back!"
"Run us through everything,"
"Ok. I got my Dagger Rain, Stealth, Knock Out Darts, and Mirror Image for Actives, and then I got all of my Thief Upgrades, so Thief's Reflex, Focus, and Warning,"
"What do they do in this universe?"
"What's with all the... Ah, never mind. Reflex allows me to auto-dodge one attack per turn, Focus allows me to target invisible foes, and Warning will prevent me from being First Struck if I get hit," He explained.
"Got it. Alright, I guess we should get started on going through this... haunted mansion, thanks to someone," Kimani sighed, leaning heavily towards Austin. Austin sweatdropped as he walked alongside Kimani into the Manor. Mario, who was kind enough to sit in the background while they got reacquainted, sweatdropped from the mini argument they were having as the rest followed them inside as the doors closed behind them.
File Saved!
Mario:
Starting Stats: 10 HP, 5 FP, 3 BP
Current Stats: 25 (30) HP, 10 FP, 12 BP (Level 9)
Equipped Badges: Close Call (1), Attack FX B, Damage Dodge (3), Power Smash (1), HP Plus (2), Feeling Fine (3), Hammer Throw (2)
Main Partners: Parakarry
Items: Maple Shroom x5, Maple Syrup x5, Fried Egg, Koopa Tea x4, Super Soda, Spicy Soup x2, Pow Block, Sleepy Sheep, Fright Jar x2, Egg, Whacka's Bump, Stopwatch, Maple Super, Sweet Shroom x3, Snowman Doll x2, Fire Flower
Current Star Pieces: 5
Current Badges: Peekaboo, Speedy Spin (1), Close Call (1), Hammer Throw (2), Dizzy Attack (2), Multibounce (1), Smash Charge (1), Power Bounce (2), Refund (1), Attack FX B, Power Stomp (1), HP Up (2), FP Up (2), First Attack (1), Smash Charge (1), D-Down Pound (2), Zap Tap (4), Feeling Fine (3), Starman (1), Damage Dodge (3), Quake Hammer (1), Group Focus (1), Runaway Pay (1), Attack FX C, Shrink Stomp (2), Power Smash (1), Shrink Smash (2), HP Plus (2), FP Plus (2)
Kimani:
Area of Expertise: Grounded Combat, Single Target Damage, Countering
Starting Stats: 10 HP, 10 FP, 3 BP
Current Stats: 25 HP, 25 (30) FP, 9 BP (Level 9)
Equipped Badges: FP UP (2), Power Plus (4), Power Rush (1), Sleep Stomp (1)
Main Battle Partners: Firebrand, Kooper
Battle Talent: Stronger Attack Action Commands (can input one more action command, dealing more hits/damage) but stricter timing on ALL Action Commands.
Field Actions: Can strike enemies in the field with his fist, allowing him to perform his action commands for Strike early. (Basically, his first strikes have the potential to do 3 damage should he time the commands right) He can also help Mario break Super Blocks on the field.
FP Moves:
Strike: (0 FP) Strikes a foe with a punch or kick. Pressing the A button with correct timing allows up to 2 follow-ups. Pow: 1 (PP: 2) (up to 3). Style: Timed. Can hit Top-Spike enemies, can't target flying enemies
Power Strike: (2 FP) Strikes a foe with a stronger punch or kick. Can press A at the right time to execute another Power Strike but will cost an additional 2 FP. Pow: 3 (PP:4), Style: Timed: Can hit Top-Spiky enemies, can't target flying enemies
Focus Blast: (3 FP) Charges up a devastating blast of energy. Gets stronger with each turn spent charging. Maxes at 12 damage. Pow: 3 (PP: 4) (1 turn), 6 (PP:7) (2 turns), 12 (PP: 13) (3 turns)
Dragon Uppercut: (5 FP) Launches a devastating uppercut that launches foes into others! Pressing A at the correct time allows Kimani to follow up with a Dragon's Descent, spiking the enemy back down for extra damage! DU: Pow: 5 (PP: 6) (Enemy projectile pow: 3 (PP:4)), Style: Timed, Can hit flying and Spiky enemies. DD: (5 FP) Pow: 5 (PP: 6) (Enemy projectile pow: 3 (PP: 4))
Dragon's Dance: (20 FP) Unleashes a combo of 5 attacks upon a target. Reaching the max hits will permit Kimani to use Dragon's Fury, which unleashes 5 extra hits. Pow: If properly executed, 10 (PP: 15) + 10 (PP:15) from Dragon's Fury. Style: Timing. Pierces Defense. Extremely hard to time, but easily the highest-damaging move in the entire game. Can hit all but flying enemies. Will leave Kimani Winded for a turn.
Passives:
Counter: Can't guard normally but can Counter attacks. Has stricter timing than the normal guard but will null ALL damage and damage the attacker for 1 damage.
Master's Potential Unlock: Kimani's Counter has been enhanced! Now, it can do 2 damage to whoever he hits!
Second Chance: Will survive a singular fatal hit with 1 HP. Will be available to use again once 10 HP is reached.
In The Zone: If Kimani goes undamaged for 2 turns, he'll enter The Zone, which is a focused state for Kimani. During The Zone, Kimani's attack and defense rise by 1, and the number of Action Commands he can input goes up by one as well! (For example, his normal Strike command can be followed up by 3 extra attacks, and his Power Strike can attack up to 3 times!) Taking damage twice will knock him out of it.
Master's Potential Unlock: Kimani's focus is even more stable! Kimani can take a singular hit before entering In The Zone!
Firebrand:
Area of Focus: Versatile, Ice Enemies, Single Target Damage
Field Actions: Can spend 1 FP to launch a fireball. Fireballs will ignite flammable sources and can First Strike enemies at a distance.
Element Shard Upgrade: Firebrand's attack pow goes up by 1!
FP Moves:
Swipe: Lashes out with a quick claw swipe. Pressing the A button at the right time launches another swipe. Pow: 2 (4), Style: Timed, Can't target flying enemies. Can hit Spiky Enemies.
Fireball: (2 FP) Launches a fireball at an opponent. Can hit all enemies. Deals double damage to Icy enemies but will heal Fiery enemies. Pow: 4, Style: Charge
Fire Form: (5 FP) Firebrand disappears into Kimani's amulet, allowing Kimani to flare up. Kimani's attacks deal fire damage for the duration, and enemies will take 1 damage from hitting him physically. His attack goes up by 2 as well. After 3 turns, Kimani will take 1 point of damage after every turn until he uses the Cool Off ability.
Dragon's Roar: (10 FP) Firebrand unleashes a huge burst of energy from a close-range punch. The energy hits everyone behind the original target as well! Pow: 8, (Energy Blast only happens from perfectly timing the command: 6 Pow to everyone hit by the energy.) Style: Charge, pierces defense.
Jordan:
Area of Expertise: Defense and Damage Mitigation
Starting Stats: 20 HP, 5 FP, 3 BP
Current Stats: 35 (40) HP, 20 FP, 9 BP (Level 9)
Equipped Badges: Smash Charge (1), D-Down Pound (2), Power Stomp (1), Pay-Off (2), HP Plus (2)
Main Battle Partners: Typhoon, Goombario
Battle Talent: Guard Action Command is more forgiving and will block up to 3 points of damage. Doesn't have any Attack Action Commands outside of Smash, however.
Master's Potential Upgrade: Jordan's blocking techniques have improved! He can now block up to 4 points of damage!
Field Talent: Can raise his shield, preventing foes from first striking him. He also turns into a platform during this stance. This allows his friends to reach high switches and enemies. Mario can perform an Enhanced Spin Jump from this position in order to break weak floor panels. (Once Mario acquires the Super Boots)
FP Moves:
Smash: Bonks foes with a downward swing. Pow: 1(2) Style: Charge, Can flip enemies. Can't target flying enemies
Berserk: (1 FP per attack) Jordan sacrifices his defense for more attack power! Effects: +2 to Jordan's Attack Power and +1 to all FP Cost, Defence Power drops to 0, can't Guard, Doesn't cost an action or FP to use or deactivate.
Defensive Shout: (5 FP) Unleash a rousing roar that increases everyone's defense by 2 for 3 turns. This stacks with Jordan's Stand Strong passive and enhanced guard.
Cyclone: (2 FP) Jordan spins forward with his hammer outstretched, plowing through all grounded enemies. Pow: 2, Style: None, Can't hit flying enemies.
Guardian Angel : (2 FP) Dedicates a turn blocking attacks for the next party member. Will take full damage from attacks, however. Guarded characters can guard, reducing the amount of damage Jordan takes.
Revenge Strike: (5 FP) Jordan assumes an aggressive stance, allowing his enemies to attack first! Once this is done, Jordan will swing his hammer, dealing half the damage he took to ALL enemies! Jordan's defense drops to zero during this stance and he's incapable of blocking attacks as well!
Dome of Protection: (All FP) Jordan projects a shield that covers everyone, preventing damage until Jordan's next turn. Jordan becomes Exhausted for 2 turns
Passives:
Stand Strong: Gains a defense of 1, which automatically reduces damage by one. Doesn't stack with his Action Command, however.
Master's Potential Unlock: Jordan's defensive nature has been enhanced! His defense rises to 2! Still doesn't stack with his Action Command, however...
Typhoon:
Area of Expertise: Area of Effect, Ground Enemies, Ceiling Enemies, Displacement
Field Ability: Typhoon lets out a roar, taunting enemies towards them. Any enemy that attacks at this time will be twice as strong but they'll give twice the amount of Coins, Hearts, Flowers, and items upon defeat. Star Points aren't affected.
Element Shard Upgrade: Typhoon's attack pow goes up by 1!
Slam: Hits the ground with a powerful swing of his fist. The shockwave will damage all grounded foes. Deals less damage per enemy. Pow: 3, (To front enemy) decreases by 1 with each enemy. Can't target flying enemies. Will flip flippable enemies. Can hit enemies on the ceiling.
Disrupting Wave (2 FP): Summons a wave of water to wash over foes. Will shuffle the enemy formation. Pow: 3, can't target flying foes. Deals double damage to Fiery enemies.
Liquify (3 FP): Drag a foe to the depths of the ocean, temporarily taking them out of the battle! Typhoon will also be unavailable for the time being as well.
Njǫrd's Fury (10 FP): Typhoon will evoke Njǫrd's power, causing 4 water tentacles to appear on his back. For 3 turns, the tentacles will attack the opposing party. Each tentacle will track a different opponent if possible. If not, it'll hit the same target for reduced damage. Once the 3 turns are up, Typhoon becomes Exhausted for 2 turns. Pow: 3 per attack. If an enemy gets struck by another tentacle on the same turn, the damage will be reduced by 1.
Dylan:
Starting Stats: 10 HP, 20 FP, 0 BP
Current Stats: 25 HP, 40 FP, 0 BP (Level 9)
Area of Expertise: Area of Effect, Healing and Buffing, Versatile
Equipped Badges: N/A
Main Battle Partners: Alpha, Bombette
Idle Animation: Dylan will rock on his heels and swing his arms idly while looking around. After a moment, he'll start to dance. He'll actually dance to whatever background music is playing (Will match the tempo of whatever song is playing) until an input is pushed.
Battle Animation: Dylan will have a hand on his ear and snap his fingers to the beat of the music. When it's his turn, he'll upgrade into a mini two-step.
Battle Talent: Passively regenerates FP over time (5 FP every turn) and doesn't take lightning damage, but he takes double damage from Water attacks, and he can't use FP items or badges.
Field Ability: Dylan can give Mario and Kimani a jolt in order to strengthen their attacks, allowing them to break Stone Blocks. (Mario does need the Super Hammer, at least) Will also give whoever he jolts a free Charge (+2 to their next attack) if they enter battle.
Jolt: Dylan launches a Lightning Bolt at a target of his choice. The bolt will jump to other targets if he's Charged Up. Pow: 2, (3 if he does the action command correctly) Can't hurt electric enemies. Style: Charge
Copycat: (5 FP, Cost 0 if he's Charged Up) Dylan scans a target, copying their moves and attributes for 2 turns. Alpha becomes unavailable during the Copycat. Pow: 0, changes Dylan's appearance and attributes after usage. Doesn't work on bosses or enemies with more than 5 Pow or 10 HP (Subject to change. Might just allow Dylan's Smash Shards to upgrade the threshold) Style: Aim, doesn't end Dylan's turn.
Quicken: (5 FP) Give your buddy an energizing zap, giving them an extra turn for 2 turns! Should Dylan be charged up, Quicken will also restore 5 FP!
Jump Start: (7 FP) Dylan sends a large amount of electricity into a friend of his choice, healing them for 5 HP and giving them the Zap Tap status for 1, 2, or 3 turns! If Charged, the HP goes up to 10, and the Zap Tap status will be 3 regardless of success or failure. Style: Charge
Passives:
Static Charge: Dylan passively builds up static as he fights. After 2 turns, Dylan becomes Charged Up, giving him the Zap Tap status and empowering one of his moves. The charge goes away after attacking or getting hit twice, however. Guarding doesn't count as being hit.
Copycat MK.1: Alpha's processors have been upgraded! He can now copy foes up to 12 HP!
Copycat MK.2: Alpha's processors have been upgraded! He can now copy foes with Attack Power as high as 7!
Copycat MK.3: Alpha's processors have been upgraded! He can now use a copied foe's second attack! (if they have one)
Friend Forms: Dylan can copycat his allies for free!
Element Shard Upgrade: Dylan and Alpha's attack pow goes up by 1!
Alpha:
Area of Expertise: Debuffing, Area Of Effect, Information
Field Ability: Alpha can scan nearby enemies, exposing their weaknesses and lowering the frontmost foes' defense by 2 for one turn when they enter combat. He can also spend 5 FP to Copycat a friend or foe, and allow Dylan to start in said form.
Special Characterises: Alpha doesn't physically appear. Instead, Alpha will digistruct his tools for Dylan to use during his turn. Should Dylan take more than 10 HP damage in one turn or get hit by a water attack or fire attack, Alpha will Overheat or Short Circuit, which is his variation of being Injured for 1 turn.
Ion Beam (5 FP): Alpha digistructs an Ion Cannon onto Dylan's arm, allowing him to fire an Ion Beam at a target of Dylan's choice. The beam will cleave through a line, so if he aims at a grounded foe, all grounded foes will be hit. Pow: 3 (4) Ignores defense and lowers it by one point for 2 turns. Doesn't stack with itself. Style: Charge
Safeguard (2 FP): Alpha locks his systems, preventing him from being Overheated or Short Circuit next turn should Dylan take 10 damage or be hit by a Fire or Water attack. This will also raise Dylan's defense by 1 for this turn.
Scan: (10 FP) Alpha scans the enemies and gives his team pointers on their attacks and weaknesses, decreasing their Attack Power and Defense Power by 1, 2, or 3 depending on Dylan's success with the Action Command. This can cause an enemy to fall into Dylan's Copycat threshold. Style: Memory
Overcharge: (5 HP) Alpha overcharges Dylan, granting him the Charged buff instantly!
Assist: Alpha forgoes his turn, allowing Dylan to get an extra turn.
Austin:
Starting stats: 5 HP, 10 FP, 6 BP
Current Stats: 15 HP, 25 FP, 9 BP (Level 9)
Idle Animation: Austin will crouch on the ground and look around for any potential threats. If an enemy happens to be close during this animation, an exclamation point will pop up over his head, and he'll aim his bow at them.
Battle Animation: Austin will be in a crouched stance, ready to attack or defend himself at a moment's notice. Occasionally, he'll lose his balance, flail, and fall over before picking himself up quickly. He'll blush for a moment before it disappears, however.
Area of Expertise: Defense Piercing, Versatile, Avoidance
Field Ability: Austin's Thief Lights will highlight hidden paths and items for him. He can also point out weak points in Metal Blocks, allowing Mario and Kimani to break Metal Blocks. Austin's First Strikes do an extra 2 damage. If Austin is currently locked onto a target via his Idle Animation, he'll use his bow to attack the target.
Battle Talent: Austin's Guard command is replaced by Dodge, allowing him to automatically avoid up to two attacks. His normal defensive Action Command also allows him to Dodge attacks should he time them properly. The timing is stricter as a result (not as strict as Kimani's), and should he fail the command, he takes an extra 2 points of damage. This extra damage doesn't happen if he doesn't attempt the command. He also gains less HP on Level-Ups and can only use Venom, Ebony, or Ivory as Partners.
FP Moves:
Slash/Shot: Austin attacks a target with a deft strike from his dagger or a singular arrow from his bow. Pow: 1 (2) Can hit Top-Spiky enemies. (his Bow can hit Spiky Enemies) Pierces Defense. Can't target flying enemies (He can if equipped with his bow.) Style: Timed
Triple Strike: (2 FP) Austin lashes out with three quick attacks from his dagger or bow. Pow: 3 ( 6 if done perfectly) Can hit Top-Spiky enemies. (His bow can hit Spiky Foes) Pierces Defense. Can't hit Flying enemies. (Unless armed with his bow) Style: Timed
Sleep Darts: (5 FP) Austin throws a fan of darts laced with sleep-inducing chemicals. Any foe hit with them has a chance of falling asleep for 2 turns! Does nothing if the command is blotched. Style: Aim.
Arrow/Dagger Rain: (5 FP) Austin throws or shoots a plethora of projectiles into the air, causing them to rain down on the battlefield for a few turns! Pow: 1 every enemy turn. Pierces Defense. Style: Memory. The rain will last 1, 2, or 3 turns, depending on the timing.
Mirror Image: (5 FP) Austin creates a clone of himself that mimics his actions for up to 3 turns. However, taking a hit will disband the clone. This doesn't take up a turn. Style: None.
Stealth: (10 FP) Go invisible and avoid the attention of your foes! You can't be hit or targeted by anything for 2 turns! The command for it is rather difficult, however, and it won't work if you fail it at all. Attacking doesn't break the Stealth either! Style: Memory
Stance Swap: Austin swaps between his daggers or bow. This doesn't take up a turn.
Passives:
Thief's Intuition: Austin has a chance to deal 2 extra points of damage with any of his attacks, and he has access to Thief Lights, a special visual effect that only he can see. This points out hidden objects and pathways.
Thief's Reflex: Austin's training with the Talons starts paying off! He will now dodge the first attack thrown at him every turn!
Thief's Focus: Austin's Thief Lights allows him and his team to see and attack any invisible foes!
Thief's Warning: Austin's Thief Lights are always tracking danger. As a result, he's unable to be First Struck! He can also dodge moves that are normally unavoidable, such as grabs or other attacks!
Venom:
Area of Expertise: Flying enemies, Defense Piercing, Versatile, Debuffing.
Field Ability: Venom can glare at any nearby opponents, causing them to stop in fear. Entering battle with them will automatically allow a First Strike and will Paralyze the frontmost foe for 2 turns. Has a short range and takes some time to wind up, however.
Idle Animation: Venom flaps his wings to stretch them before he looks at the camera and hastily hides his damaged wing. He continues to glare at the camera until an input is detected.
Battle Animation: Venom hovers behind Austin. Occasionally, he loses some height and quickly flaps his wings to gain it back.
Special Characteristics: Venom will hover in combat or be perched on Austin's shoulder. Due to this, he can't be hit by any ground-based moves. He'll be injured for an extra turn if hit, however, due to his past injuries.
FP Moves:
Snipe: Venom fires an extremely accurate shot at a target of his choice. Pow: 2 (3) Deals double damage to Flying enemies. Pierces Defense. Style: Aim
Poison Bomb: (2 FP) Venom chucks a homemade vial of poisonous smoke at the enemies. Depending on how well he performs the action commands, this can Poison enemies for 1-3 turns. This doesn't affect enemies immune to Poison. Style: Memory
Vulture's Mark: (3 FP) Venom marks a foe as a priority target, causing the enemy to take 2 extra damage from Austin, Ivory, Ebony, or Venom himself. Should any of them take the target out, they'll earn extra coins. Can only prioritize one enemy at a time. Bosses will shrug this effect off after 2 attacks from Austin's party. Style: Aiming
Overwatch: (5 FP) Venom watches over Austin and protects him from 3 attacks. Should an enemy target him, Venom will shoot an arrow at them, dealing 1 damage and stopping the attack. Bosses can't be stopped, but they'll still take the point of damage.
Tag Out: Venom swaps places with either Ebony or Ivory.
Animation: Venom will throw his cloak back and disappear in a storm of leaves. If Ivory is picked, she'll do a front flip out of the leaves and pose. If Ebony is picked, she'll simply wait until the leaves stop, appearing in a crouched stance and flipping her hood up before getting into her battle stance.
Ebony:
Area of Expertise: Healing and Buffing
Field Ability: By spending 5 FP, Ebony can perform on-field first aid, healing 10 HP to any party member.
Idle Stance: Ebony will look at her satchel before digging through it. She'll periodically throw out some junk or pull out an item, inspect it, and put it back after a while. If an input is pressed during this, she'll flinch and close her satchel before giving the camera an apologetic look.
Battle Stance: Ebony will stand with her dagger out, ready to strike at a moment's notice. Her hood will occasionally fall into her face, causing her to blow some air, making it go back to its usual spot.
FP Moves:
Dagger Twirl: Ebony performs a swift dagger strike that hits twice. Pow: 1 (2) per hit (Maximum of 4 damage) Pierces defense. Can't hit Flying enemies. Style: Timing
Cheer: (2 FP) Ebony fills a teammate with confidence, giving them an extra 2 points of damage for their next attack. Does nothing if she messes up the command, however. Style: Memory, Doesn't stack with Austin's Thief's Intuition. Can target Party Members as well.
First Aid: (5 FP) Ebony uses her skills as a medic to mend whoever's in front of her for 5 HP. Should she ace her action command, she can heal up to 10 HP! Style: Memory
Smelling Salts: (10 FP) Ebony revives a knocked-out hero with her personal stash of smelling salts, bringing them back with Half HP. She can do this for any leader, and she doesn't need to be behind the knocked-out leader to do so. Doesn't work if she fails the command. Style: Charge
Tag Out: Ebony swaps places with either Ivory or Venom. Ebony will wave before throwing down a smoke bomb from her satchel. If Ivory is selected, she'll flip out of the smoke cloud and pose. If Venom is picked, Venom will flap his wings strongly, blowing the cloud away before he starts flying.
Ivory:
Area of Expertise: Single Target Attacks, Item Stealing
Idle Stance: Ivory's ears twitch before she glances around quickly. Eventually, a butterfly will land on her head, making her stop and swat at it. Afterward, she'll try to pounce on it every time it lands on the ground, missing. If an input is detected, Ivory will stop and wave to the butterfly as it flies away.
Battle Stance: Ivory will energetically bounce on her feet and twirl her dagger. She'll start flourishing her dagger with some impressive maneuvers before she drops it. Embarrassed, she'll pick it up and go back to her default Battle Stance.
Field Ability: By spending 5 FP, Ivory can stalk a selected enemy, instantly taking the front enemy out if its health is less than 10. If not, she will deal 5 damage to the enemy once the battle starts. Taking an enemy out this way guarantees they'll drop an item.
FP Moves:
Pounce: Ivory performs an impressive leap with the help of some vines, striking a foe with her dagger upon reaching them. Pow: 2 (3) Can't hit Fiery enemies. Style: Aim
Tag Team: (2 FP) Ivory prepares herself to assist Austin during his attacks for 2 turns. If Austin or Ivory finishes an enemy during this time, they'll earn extra coins. Pow: 1. Ivory will attack whatever target Austin attacks. This will be canceled should Ivory be injured during the stance. Coins earned depend on the level of the enemy. She can still use her turn afterward to use her other abilities or attacks.
Cat's Eye: (5 FP) Ivory attacks a foe and steals a random assortment of money or a random item. The amount of money or item rarity goes up depending on how hurt the target is, but there's a chance she won't nab anything. Pow: 2 (3), Can't hit Spiky or Fiery enemies. Style: Timing
Feline Fury: (10 FP) Ivory loses her patience and mauls an enemy. Has a chance of instantly defeating a foe. The chance increases as the enemy's health lowers. An enemy taken out this way drops an item. Can target all ground foes. Style: Charge
Tag Out: Swaps places with Ebony or Venom.
Animation: Ivory will give the enemy a cheeky salute before she does a flip, detonating a smoke bomb when she disappears. If Ebony is picked, she'll wait until the smoke clears in a crouched position. She'll then stand up, flip her hood up, and get into her battle stance. If Venom is picked, he'll blow the smoke away with a strong swing of his cloak before he starts flying.
Changes from Main Game:
- Why would Goombaria pick such a scary (but accurate) name for Forever Forest?
- Seems like some trees have fallen, blocking some paths. It also has a lot more hidden blocks.
- Forest Fuzzies have a bit more bite to them. (+3 Attack)
- Piranha Plants are now 20% more Piranha (+3 HP, +1 Attack)
- High class Lakiwuns have been patrolling the forest (13 HP, 4 Attack, attacks hit both leader and partner)
- Even their Spinies are different! (Purple Spiny: 5 HP, 5 Attack, 2 Defense (1 when flipped)
- Bzzaps! are a lot worse now... (+ 2 HP, Not shown, but Swarm attack is pretty much +5 Attack and poisons instead of shrinking.)
- A new Status Effect appears! (Allergic/Allergic Reaction: Happens when a character is hit by certain attacks or gets hit with whatever they're allergic to. Renders character immune to all stat changes such as debuffs, buffs and even healing.
- Bow sets up some tests! Now the gate is blocked by 3 Boos ready to tussle. Hope your HP is high enough...
- Bootler and Bow are aware of the heroes, thanks to Austin! Speaking of him, Austin joins the group at the entrance of the manor!