NPF Avatars IV, Chapter V: Beyond the Wall of Teeth

[Flarecobra]

"Finally!" I said, as I grabbed my armor and ran off a bit behind a bunch of trees. "And anyone who peeks gets their face burned off!" I called out at them as I shifted to human, and started to get my armor on.

[Lumaes]

Luma-es trots along at a slow pace, his speed hindered as he indulge the pressing need he felt to check that he did indeed actually exist. For all the attention he'd been payed thus far he could be forgiven for a little confusion. It was in this state of deep, inner reflection that he bumped squarely into the back of Arhra.
With a start he jumped back, his eyes lighting up with delight as the strange figure seemed instantly recognisable,
"Arhra, my dear! You have changed!" his eyes flick up and down her new shape as he talks, leaning forward to deliver two air-kisses, Mwah Mwah
"I did get your letter you know, but I was out of fish food, you know"
He seemed to find this a satisfactory explanation, for that matter so did Arhra. Luma-es continued with barely a pause,
"I do so hope you've been well! Not that the..." he waves his hands dramatically through the air as he searches for the right word, "company you're keeping does you much credit" The expressive swirly eyes cast a disdainful glance over the NPFers.
"Anyway, I've been keeping busy - working as a Riddler and Gatekeeper for the temple in fact!" he peers over her shoulder, furrowing his brow in confusion at the plantation, "Hmmm...? A plantation... Oh I do so hope the management hasn't changed! I can't afford to lose another job, the Temp agency simply wont take me back again!" he shudders dramatically.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk]

As the forumites entered the undergound jungle type place, none of them noticed the hawk that was watching them from high up in the trees. of course, one wouldn't be expected to notice the hawk that was watching them from high up in the trees, as it was quite a distance from them, staring intently at the group using his superior vision.
Nor was this just any-old hawk (well, he was quite old what with being cursed for eternity, which comes with complementary immortality). He was Hawk of Battle, a former warrior turned omen of war and conflict, known throughout the world (but obviously not to these people), for bringing destruction and death. (and in that order, not death 1st!! never death 1st, what was the fun in that??)

now you may be wondering, "what the hell is a hawk doing living underground??? it doesnt make sense!!!" well i shall explain:

Hawk had been living underground in this place ever since he had abond... ok all right, he had been forced out of his previous refuge by a court order, ordaining that he was, in actual fact, squatting in what was really the territory of some sort of rare, endangered eagle (damn those activist, "save the blah, blah, blah from extinction" people!!).he had been forced out and had searched far and wide for a new place to call home when he came accross this place, but recently something had changed down here.... something..... chaotic!!!.
And now these strange people had entered his domain. clearly something was a-foot.

"Clearly something is a-foot", Hawk thought to himself, stating the obvious. putting two and two together, (the chaoticness, the strange intruders) Hawk realised that some great battle was about to take place, (Hawk could always tell when a great battle was about to take place) and he decided to head down and introduce himself.

Taking flight, Hawk glided gently down and landed silently in front of the group (ignoring how one of them had just fallen out of somewhere overhead), and sent a psychic message to the group at-large:

"Greetings. I am Hawk. Might i ask what brings so many strange people to this strange place?"

[Skyshot]

Skyshot noted the odd fruit, peered at it a bit, shrugged, and resumed eating something he had taken from Rei's briefcase. Since Arhra seemed interested in staying put for the moment, he decided to go over his inventory to recap double-check.

In addition to a few food items, drinks, and healing potions he had taken from the briefcase, he had found something they had not likely intended to include in there -- a mood-altering potion. By the looks of things on the label, it could artificially boost his spiritual state back to something like full mana. Of course, it was also labeled "experimental," "highly risky," and "do not consume," so there was no telling what it would actually do. He'd also helped himself to one of the Ent ciders, figuring that, if he used one at full mana, the self-control he'd have would supersede the rage effects. Finally, there were the few amulets and things he'd lifted off the cultists. He would have to get those appraised in town.

This was all in addition to his alchemy jug, weaponry, and other stuff he'd come in with. He was satisfied it was all there.

Arhra, my dear! You have changed!

He looked up at the newcomer. Great, first an apparently evil girl with suspiciously strange movements, and now the Grim Reaper. He was never working with this crazy lady again.

Not that the...company you're keeping does you much credit.

Skyshot sighed. Being criticized by the Grim Reaper felt a bit like having your car broken into but only a few of your CDs stolen. He murmured something both unintelligible and unkind under his breath.

Greetings. I am Hawk. Might i ask what brings so many strange people to this strange place?

Skyshot whirled around.

"Hey, a birdie!" He looked around. "Uh, was that Navarre guy around? No? Geez, I hate him. Always trying to show me up. Thinks he's such a great-" He heard a cough from the birdie. "Oh, that Hawk. Well, we're on the only business a ragtag group of people can have in a strange place. Saving the world. You?"

OOC: Yes, I'm aware Luma-es is not actually supposed to be the Reaper. This is just POV stuff.

[Darth SS]

Darth was standing there, and very unnerved. Every instinct he had told him to go look at the naked Flare. But, he didn't want to be burninated. He didn't want to die. Thus, he stood there and, basically, had a seizure.

After a bit, he got up. "Okay, I'm all better. Let us continue with our hopeless efforts to find a way out of this hellish prison!"

[The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk]

Originally Posted by Skyshot

Well, we're on the only business a ragtag group of people can have in a strange place. Saving the world. You?"

"Taking some much needed R&R before continuing my mission to save myself", he replied, "but never mind that for now, a mission to save the world you say? That will mean fighting many great battles, yes?" Without waiting for an answer, "Then i will accompany you, fore i am a great warrior who enjoys much killing of evil things and persons".

Hawk spread his wings and took to the air again, flying around the group in a circle, taking in their strange apperances and quickly sizing them up, before flying back around to the one with whom he had 1st spoken with. He hovered in front of him at eye level, staring him down,

"And DONT call me birdie again or i shall peck out your eyes"!!

He appeared to say it in jest, but Hawk was deadly serious.

He peeled off and kept flying above and around the group, gliding around on small thermal drafts blowing in through cracks in the cave wall, and awaited the groups next inevitable conundrum/disater/sub-quest.

[mauve]

"Oh goodie," Mauve said flatly, inspecting the fruit from the underground grove with a wrinkled nose. "Bacon-scented fruit. That's... pleasant." A few had fallen to the ground, laying in various states of rot. She nudged one with the toe of her boot. In all honesty, she half expected it to leap up and transform into some sort of hideous bacony-planty monster, because quite frankly things couldn't get much weirder around here. However, all it did was let out a wet squelching sound as hard boot hit soft goo. Yeeeeew....

Satisfied that this couldn't be too dangerous, she wiped her foot on the ground and turned to address the newcomers. A talking hawk, and a dude made from bones. Normal people might have found them to be a bit odd. But when you've hung out on the NPF, among half-men/half-chocobos and respawning prinny/ scientist/ dragon/ leafblower maniac/ alchemist cat folks, things like talking birds or grim reapers really don't strike you as being unusual.

"Hi!" Mauve greeted, "How'd you guys get down here so fast? Staff entrance or something?"

[PyrosNine]

Pyros agreed with the Mauve colored mage. "Yes, I do wonder how you were able to enter this place so easily, given the difficulties we have faced so far. Were you able to teleport in? If I had known I would probably not have to head home between this temple and the next to get my other pair of clothes."

Pyros then turned to the nonhuman one. "Also if I may ask, who is Smitty?"

[The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk]

Originally Posted by Mauve Mage

"Hi!" Mauve greeted, "How'd you guys get down here so fast? Staff entrance or something?"

For the sake of eliminating possible plot holes, Hawk came up with a half arsed excuse for how he had found a way into this place;

"There's a cave system which opens up to the outside and links in with this place, but its much to small for any of you to get through and as such, is insignificant at this point."

"However, i have not explored it fully so it may open up to allow for you to use it as a possible escape route, should you need it later"

[PhoenixFlame]

As if there were a flurry of plot-holes in the air, PhoenixFlame's ears perked up, causing her head to turn away from the remarkably interesting samples of flowstone she had collected, to the new threats.

Err... Allies.

"Ah!" She exclaimed defensively, "Where did you two come from?" pointing at Lumaes and Hawk with her left arm. "Hm. Interesting." a mutter quickly overtook this momentary interest as the technomage went back to playing with her hand device and patting her plasma rifle.

"Arhra m'dear, are we lost?" She sighs with mild frustration at the sudden confusion overtaking the situation.