Spliced Woods

Red swept thunderbolts across at any Metal Koopas that come near, then cast waves of water orbs at them. Peacock summoned junk from above (including the kitchen sink) while tossing walking George bombs at them.

While up in the airship, Claptrap should notice a massive portal-forming machine sparking wildly nearby, with dozens of armed Metal Koopas running out of it, to the above deck. A nearby cylindrical glass container is hooked up to it, with a glowing white cube floating within it. Strangely enough, the Metal Koopas seem to be ignoring Claptrap, merely marching by him. Perhaps they have mistaken him for a fellow unit..?

-----

The Metal Koopas Jagger gathers up with his magnetic abilities start forming into a ball of screaming steel, wildly firing their weapons, but they just keep swarming, jetting down from the airship..

"Power of Earth, meet kinetic force!" A Metal Koopa suddenly yells, pulling out a rocket launcher and firing at Ganymede.

-----

The Metal Koopas that had stumbled onto the key are blown away, but suddenly more appear from within the woods.

"Halt, organic scum!" One of the Metal Koopas near the group shouts, shortly before it and the few others who made it this far into the woods start firing.

-----

The sound of electricity crackling can be heard from below deck, growing louder as Metal Koopas continue pouring out.

"Sssir, at thisss rate, the catalyssst sssupplying our power reservesss will be depleted, leaving usss dead in the airrr," Ripsaw notes. "We might not be able to keep the foundry porrrtal open much longerrr.."

"I'm well aware, Ripsaw, and I don't rightly care." Plantium said as he massaged his temples, visibly becoming irritated. "If worst comes to worst, you're going down there, next - but I imagine you'd enjoy that, wouldn't you?"

"It would be a gloriousss sssight," Ripsaw says gleefully, his hideous jawplates forming a twisted grin.

"It leaves something to be desired!" exlaimed Ganymede, staring the rocket and the shooter thereof down. "Try this instead!"

Ganymede creates two explosive balls of fire and hurls them at the Metal Koopa who just fired at him. The fireballs spiral around so that they would miss the rocket entirely but converge on the Metal Koopa, which begs the question of what exactly Ganymede is thinking.

Jagger uses his magnetic power to move the clump of Metal Koopas in the way of the rocket.

-----

Meanwhile, Red was getting exhausted. Peacock whips out two oversized guns. "Come at us, bros!" she sneered.

"If they want the key that bad..." Red said, while swiping the key from behind her, "they'll have to pry it out of my cold dead - !"

Just then, however, something happened. An intense prismatic glow surrounded Red, Leilanie, and Peacock. "Wait...what...what's this??"

-----

Steve, Ted, Jagger, and Ganymede were also glowing!

"(!) What now - ?" Jagger exclaimed.

-----

Up in the airship, Claptrap has the same glow.

The rocket detonates on impact with the Metal Koopa clump, sending pieces of robot parts flying everywhere once again.

"..Well, damn." The Metal Koopa that tried to attack Ganymede said, before promptly being engulfed by the fireballs and turning into a fireworks show.

-----

"She has the key piece! GET HER!" one of the Metal Koopas shout.

The Metal Koopas surrounding Red and the others run in and jump at them in a (presumably) vain dogpile attempt.

-----

It's about here, when he starts glowing, that the Metal Koopas finally notice Claptrap. Those of them within the lower deck quickly stop their marching, pull a heel-turn and aim their rifles at Claptrap.

-----

The intense glow adds up enough on most of the holographic feeds, causing Plantium to have to shield his eyes.

"What in the world is this..?" he utters.

"AHHHHHH!!" Claptrap makes a run for it while dodging enemy fire, but did not notice the glow. While dodging, he crashes through the portal machine by smashing through a cylindrical glass container.

Meanwhile, Leilanie and Steve notice they are glowing as well. "What the hell...?" Leilanie spoke, "Red, what is going on?"

"This is no magic of mine!" said Ganymede. "What is this sorcery?"

Red, Leilanie, Peacock, Claptrap, Steve, Ted, Jagger, and Ganymede all vanished in a flash, taking the key with them...!

"And that's how it ends?" asked Discord, throwing the popcorn away (where it explodes.) "Boring! Zero out of ten, not fresh, would not bang."

Due to Claptrap's actions against the unstable power supply and the added effect of several weapons being discharged below deck, the portal suddenly fizzles out and promptly explodes, creating a massive hole in the side of the airship, thick smoke billowing out of the hull with the dozens of Metal Koopas within falling out like sand beads in an hourglass.

The Metal Koopas on the ground, meanwhile, all stand about, confused as to where their targets disappeared to.

-----

"Whuh-?!" Plantium utters, his mouth agape as he tries to keep himself steady on the rocking airship; "..Where did they go?!"

"It sssseems a third party has whisked both them - and the key piece - away, my lord." Ripsaw states redundantly.

Plantium growls in frustration at this turn of events... but then suddenly regains his composure.

"..Fine," he says, pacing about. "Let the rodents have the key. We still have an ace in the hole they likely sorely lack - clues to the next one!"

Plantium then warps away.

-----

Along the ground near the site of the now-gone key piece, the Metal Koopas have quickly set up a perimeter. Plantium soon warps down there, and wanders over to where it used to be, looking to see if there's an emblem-slash-holoprojector nearby, like the other key locations had..

However, all five keys have been claimed. Therefore, there is no more emblem.

Plantium pauses, the realization hitting him. He suddenly grits his teeth tightly, clenches his hands, and starts shaking uncontrollably, massive amounts of dark energy sparking around him - the distinct sound of what seems to be a kettle whistle going off being prevalent in this situation.

"..Uh, my lord, are you all r-" A Metal Koopa starts.

-----

Back on the airship, Ripsaw is operating the hologram controls, looking for a trace - or anything, really - to pinpoint the hunters' location. Unfortunately, he seems to not be having any luck whatsoever in looking for them - almost as if they had vanished off the face of the planet. Meanwhile, those of the few Metal Koopas still functioning onboard the ship are busy trying to repair the gaping hole in the hull and restore power to the rest of the ship.

Regardless, their work is soon interrupted by the sound of a massive explosion in the woods, a brown cloud of up-chucked rock, wood, dust and dirt skyrocketing above the treetops, with a number of mutant birds also being spooked and flying off.

"..That'sss a firsssst." Ripsaw notes, before turning back to his work.

Discord watches the explosion and holds up a sign that says "6.5". He then holds up two more signs, one reading "6.0" and another reading "2.0."

"Wow," said Discord. "The Russian judge REALLY didn't like that one."

An hour, or so, has passed since Plantium's tantrum.

Plantium, looking a little bit calmer now, is sitting on a makeshift throne above deck, massaging his temples once more. The throne, additionally, seems to be comprised of many objects that look suspiciously similar to robot limbs.
The airship, meanwhile, has been mostly repaired and is fully functioning, with the engines properly circulating power once more.

"We're rrready to shove off, mi'lorrrd," said Ripsaw, as he walks up to the former. "Still no sssign of the huntersss.. Well, anywherrre, eitherrr. ..Arrre you all rrright?"

"These are vexing events, Ripsaw." Plantium sighs, still nursing a headache. "The endgame to this little hunt is fast approaching - and still what worries me the most is that BARELY anyone has ANY idea as to what could be inside those walls. I did not wait so long, prepare so much, just to watch somebody else take the planet's reigns - or reinforce it's pathetic hopes - with a veritable MacGuffin they found in a bell tower, of all things."

"There is a ssseventy-two-point-thrrree-nine-nine-rrrepeating perrrcent chance it could contain sssomething other than an object, or perssson, of notable power, mi'lorrrd." Ripsaw calculates.

"As good as those odds are, I didn't get the empire I have today by sitting on the sidelines," replied Plantium, standing up and heading below deck with mind set in stone, but not before booting his makeshift throne off the side of the airship. "Take us back to the base, and then round up a.. 'properly sized' army. We're going to find out what lies within the Bell Tower if it kills us - or the hunters."

Ripsaw merely salutes, before following after Plantium, closing the upper deck hatch behind him. The airship then sputters to life soon afterwards, reels up its anchors, and flies off into the distance.

The Hyperion waited in a clearing within the Spliced Woods, in an attempt to lure Red and her friends away from Majestic's entry hatch. So far...

"...Hrm. That is...quite odd, no?" Roman said. "They do not seem to be going after us."

"..." Fervolo replied, a look of stern disdain plastered on his face.

"But then again, we should not have underestimated someone as cunning and dashing as the Red Riding H - "

"ENOUGH PRAISE," Fervolo growled, smacking Roman upside the head with enough force to knock him down onto the floor. "This isn't working...It seems anyone that's onto Majestic nowadays is becoming less easy to fool! And now, it's becoming harder for Majestic to keep their cover!"

Fervolo took a moment to think on how to throw Red off course...

"..."

Fervolo was considering what weapons are built into the Hyperion. Her then decided on one best for long-range strikes.

"Wrenchy! To the deck!" Fervolo commanded on the radio. Eventually, Wrenchy ran in, his outfit covered in soot.

"P-Present, brother!" Wrenchy said, saluting.

"Enough pleasantries. Ready the Tezzrah Cannon! We'll blast those interlopers to cinders! That or bring the ruins down on top of them."

"Um...y...you got it...captain." Wrenchy then headed to the deck of the ship.

-----

On deck, a hatch opened, and out of it emerged a large thunderbolt cannon with a spherical cockpit. Wrenchy got into the cockpit, starting up the Tezzrah Cannon's electric feystone, causing the cannon's tip to spark viciously.

The Tezzrah Cannon was firing savagely toward its targets out in Old Haven, destroying many ruined buildings in the process. Fervolo witnessed the progress from the bridge.

"Yes, YES!" Fervolo exclaimed. "Swat them out - "

Just then, shots rained in upon the Hyperion, shaking it and interrupting Wrenchy's control (due to flinching).

"W-What was that just now??" Fervolo reacted.

Outside, a jet-shaped spacecraft was flying above and around the Hyperion's location, firing a few warning shots to the deck. This wrecked several of the cannons. The pilot turned on her intercom, saying this to the sky pirates:

"Attention, Ciellos Sky Pirates! Cease your assault, or I WILL use force! I repeat, cease your assault, or I will use force!"

"C-Captain! That craft seems to be Galinia-ware!" one of the pirates in the bridge said to Fervolo. "An S22 Interceptor - it's a member of Galinia's police force!"

"Blast! So even THEIR attention is on us..." Fervolo muttered.

"Um, perhaps we should, I don't know...retreat for now and fend off the snoops later?" Roman guessed.

"Ugh...alright, but we still need some pressure on those vermin," Fervolo said before switching to the comm channel. "Wrenchy! We'll be heading off! Switch to mobile mode!"

-----

On deck, Wrenchy received the order.

"Mobile mode? O-Okay, br - captain. {focuses on controls} Engaging mobile mode!"

The Tezzrah Cannon detached from its stand, hovering in the air and proceeding off the deck. As it did, the Hyperion took off, flying on the Interceptor's tail. A stray shot from the Hyperion accidentally flew out and hit the ground near the Tezzrah Cannon, startling Wrenchy and making him veer it out toward Old Haven.