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Upon seeing the former host of the Goon unconscious on the ground, the Shane Gang felt compelled to help. They placed him, the green wolf mecha, assuming it was his, then Kord programmed the mecha to follow them. On the ride back, the Gang speculated about the stranger's origins.
Who was he? How long was he under the Goon's control? Did he remember anything?
When they got back to base(the Hideout), they brought the stranger into one of the spare rooms. After a few minutes of discussion, they removed his armor, blaster, and headdress. Then, checked him for wounds. He had a major bruise on his chest, but was otherwise fine, apart from the paleness.
Eli tried to tell the stranger's Slugs that they could explore the place and play with the other Slugs, but they refused to leave their owner's side. His Infurnus hopped onto the bed and nuzzled against his cheek. The stranger shifted, but didn't wake up. The Infurnus looked heartbroken.
Eli spoke up, "You don't need to worry. I'm sure he'll wake up soon. " Eli said to the lighter Infurnus, who barely acknowledged him, still scared for his friend. "Bah! What is so special about his slinger that his Slugs refuse to leave his side?" Pronto pointed out, annoyed. In response, the Slugs glared at him. Pronto took a step back.
Eli laughed, "Let's wait till he wakes up then, find out, Pronto." Eli stepped out of the room. "Yah, wouldn't want to get on the Slugs bad side," Kord said, slapping Pronto on the back as he joined Eli and Trixie in the common room. Pronto grumbled before following them.
One week later...
The stranger's Slugs sleep next to him in a cabinet, except for the Infurnus, who rested on his head. The Stranger in question was having a nightmare: "The enemy is some kind of stone monster." his body twisted, gasping. "You honor me!" he turned, "I've seen it all before." the Emperor said. A ciring agonizing pain hit him in the chest. In bed, his body contorted unnaturally. Waking the Infurnus. *Heaving* Blood, screams, fire, begging "Have mercy." A voice in his mind, not his but his mouth. Darkness, pain, laughter.
"THE EMPEROR!" He gasped wake; shaking, sweating, hands over his eyes, shoulder-length hair covering his face.
I attempted to stand, only to weakly collapse back onto the bed. I removed my hands to observe this place, only to hear Joo-Joo. "Joo-Joo!" I held my shaking palm out. Joo-Joo hopped eagerly into my hand, which made a smile grace my face. "Glad to see you unharmed, Joo-Joo." I brought him to my face, relaxing for an instant.
"The others!" I asked Joo-Joo. He pointed to a cabinet where my Slugs slept. I looked at them, feeling relieved; they were safe. My allies! "Joo-Joo, where are Lian, Hamingku, and the rest? " I questioned him; he seemed to have been awake longer than I. Joo-Joo made a confused gesture. "You are unsure." Joo-Joo nodded.
I stood, caring not if I fell. "Then we must find her- Arrgh!" I felt a burning sensation in my chest. I crumpled to the floor in pain. *Gasping* Despite the pain, I managed to force myself to persist. "My *pain groan* blasters and blandoler. *pained groan* ". My Slugs obey me and bring my weapons.
I did not recognize this place. I've been stripped of my armor. If I were to leave, I would have no time to replace it. While vulnerable, they needed to leave this place? My Slugs entered my shells and blasters. The pain persisted nonetheless. Joo-Joo chipred concerned. "It's fine, Joo-Joo." I was surprised by my attire(a simple black shirt and long green pants).
I lifted the shirt to find the source of the pain. My chest was banged neatly. I removed some of the wrapping to see the injury. I saw the start of a large violet bruise at the centre of my chest. Where the demonic Slug had struck him. My slugs chipped in horror. "Do not fear, friends. I shall find aid when we leave this place." I told them.
Joo-Joo began chripping frantically. "Joo-Joo?" Then I heard voices. "We should check on him." "Or let him rest." "Pronto says we get rid of him before something happens." "Nothing is going to happen, Pronto." This place had 4 residences, that much I could gather. Their footsteps approached; I must hide.
The door to this room opened. He watched from behind a crate as a redheaded girl, a colbalt cave troll, a boy with black hair, and a strange, short creature(?) entered the room. He loaded his phosphorus into his blaster. "Guys, he's gone?" The redheaded girl said, pointing to the bed. As they stepped away from the door, I raised my arm over the crate and fired.
I closed my eyes as a blinding flash of light enveloped the room. While the strangers recovered, I ran to the door, ignoring the pain in my chest, jumping over the cave troll's kneeling form. I ran into a bright yellow room with pillows, a screen, and a portrait. My vision blacked for a moment.
"Ha!" One of the strangers shouted. He ran and saw a window not far, only for the cave troll to block my path, a grin on his face. His arms were out, blocking both sides. When he predictably tried to ensnare me with them, I flipped over him and kept running. I heard a Jellish being fired and dodged in my peripheral vision. The short man(?) had a blaster.
I fired an Arachnid at him. "Hah!" the short being yelled as the webbing trapped him. I turned around, fired, and ordered my Forstcrawler to freeze the cave troll. At this point, I was in the centre of the room. The boy and girl had their blasters trained on me. I had both mine aimed at them.
"Listen, if you lower your blaters, I'm sure we can talk things out." The black-haired boy with blue eyes offered. Nonetheless, I was still unsure of his trustworthiness."E, I'm not sure we should take that chance." The girl in the green shirt gestured to their frozen ally, trying to break free. Her suspicion was fair.
"Pronto says to get rid of his nuisance!" The creature yelled from behind the webbing. It was better to leave this place if they were pointing their blasters at him. They were foes. Suddenly, their comrade broke free from the ice. I fired a Dirt Hurchen and a Ramstone.
I ordered my Dirt Hurchen to pin the girl down with its spikes by her clothes, and the Ramstone to charge the troll, knocking him down. I turned the Ramstone as the boy fired the Armorshell. I guided my Ramstone under it and struck the Armorshell, returning it to protoform. I turned almost a second too late, avoiding a Frostcrawler.
I fired a Geoshard, guided it under the girl and troll. I commend the crystals to rise, trapping them. My injury made Slug Fu difficult, but I could fight through the pain. "Don't move!" The boy had his blaster to my head. Another predictable action, I twisted around and kicked the blaster out of his hand.
He tried to meet me in hand-to-hand combat, but I swiftly overtook him. He landed on the couch, surprise clear on his face. "What's your deal, man?" I ignored him. I ran to the door; the window would take longer to open. I ran outside only to halt a few feet out of the exit.
This place was hanging in mid-air, suspended by the branches of a massive tree extending through the cavern. On another occasion, he would have marveled at such a sight. The only pathway forward was the enormous tree branch he stood upon. The pain in my stomach intensified.
I knelt for a short reprieve. "Hey, are you alright?" The dark-haired boy asked, a strange question for a foe to ask. *Chrip, chrip* "Joo-Joo, not now." I took my chances and ran. This was the stranger's land, so he knew this place better than I. I needed to outthink him.
The nearest patch of solid land was far below. I loaded a Vendrill and fired. When the slug nested in the earth, I commanded the vines to rise and come to me. I jumped onto the vine slide. Once I began my descent, I fired my Trechre to cut the vines to ensure the other couldn't follow.
I landed on a strange mushroom the size of a tree. A mushroom tree? Unfortunately, I still had no hint on how or where to exit this carvern. The pain made its presence known again. *Hissing in pain* Joo-Joo and my other Slugs made their concern known. "All will be well, friends."
Only for my mind to increase the suffering. "Arrgh!" I brought my hands to my head in an attempt to soothe myself. Then I heard footsteps. How had he descended so quickly? I turned around, aiming my blaster at him. "Whoa, whoa, woh don't shot." His hands were raised in peace, his blaster on his belt.
"Listen, we're not your enemy. I get it, I'd be pretty confused too if I woke up in a place I didn't recognize, either. You're free. The Goon's gone." That made me hesitate. What Goon did he speak of? The last thing I experienced was the battle of Peach Blossom Spring, as well as the agony caused by that demonic Slug.
In my contemplation, the stranger attempted to approach me. This action was unwelcomed. I raised both my blasters this time. "Sorry, my bad." His hands were still raised in peace, far from his blaster. I'd prefer if he didn't have it. "You're still on edge, okay, let's try this."
He turned his head to an orange backpack. "I'm gonna need you, bud." An orange slug hopped onto the stranger's shoulder. Not just any Slug. "An Infuruns?" I said, amazed. "You can talk?" The stranger seemed bewildered by my speech. I raised a brow. He responded with a childish expression.
"My bad. This (he gestures to his Infurnus, now in his palm) is Burpy. (The Infurnus waves) I'm Eli. Eli Shane." He pointed to himself. Infurnus are held by the protector of the caverns, perhaps I reacted prematurely. I closed my blasters and with Joo-Joo's encouragement, introduced myself.
"Joo-Joo (I gestured to my shoulder, then put my hand to my heart and bowed) I am Junjie, Champion of the Eastern Caverns."