After a mass of twists, turns, revelations, ghosts and more demons than you could throw a dead cliche at, it turned out we still needed something to tie the whole story together, in the form of the Finale.

Raw Hide's piece felt disconnected- so we incorporated his very roleplay INTO the finale.
Dash and Vixen were together but split up inside of the 7-Eternal, after being dumped off by the spirit of Vixen's sister.
Catrina and her crew- her brother Cattaras, Daisuke, Riko and Feena- had at least managed to reunite.
But Samus was stuck with a broken leg with his familiar Inuyaustin fighting demons!

My solution? Bust out some new NPC's! It worked out surprisingly well, giving our mismatched set of heroes (and a couple 'crossover' enemies) a chance to throw down with a bigger group.. Catrina and I worked together on this one, bringing the characters together and resolving things the way we wanted it done by the end of the story.

I had a TON of fun with the 'Hall of Evil Managers.' It's very likely we'll try to reuse them again someday! Samus and Raw Hide don't show up until the next part.. this's some set up, with some action and characterization spiced in...

It all starts- below!

Location: 7-Eternal, somewhere in Hey Daze.
The Hall of the Damned Managers

"Oh, my, we've been getting more and more escapes, oh yes," the Queen of Hate fretted. "Surely, we must track them down and make with the offing of the heads!"

She was a large woman, with shiny black hearts adorning her royal black robe. Only her chalk white skin and the sparse wisps of bright red in her hair broke up the pattern of black ruling her appearance. Larger still was the green skinned hunk with blond hair and perfect teeth sitting next to her, although it wasn't clear if he was a manager, a bodyguard, a Comanche Pirate, or a Wizard's second personal Warrior. He was somehow painfully handsome, at least to women. He simply suggested, "Hunk Smash?"

Next to Hunk's oversized Cappuccino mug, standing about a third of it's height, but awing the room with his awesome presence, a small and blatantly pink rodent stood plotting, dressed to the T in a Armratti custom fit tuxedo. "I, I, shall devise a brilliantly clever plan, to destroy those poizos who have escaped from our grasps!"

From the shadows of the otherwise shadowless room came a beast of great powers, with a mechamicromega megamecha outfit style helmet shaped almost in the form of a beast's head. The outfit showed only twin demon eyes peering from underneath. Complete with a black tuxedo, a flowing grey cape, and a metal outfit beneath the tux that alternated in patches of green highlights on black, and pure Latavia-gray, he looked both menacing and dangerous.

And insane and ridiculous.

"Let us unleash the Darthbot Troopers upon them! Soon, all of Hey Daze will be under my control!"

The mouse rubbed it's hands together. "Yes, and then I, I, shall rule the Overworld as the most popular absolute dictator of all time! Also, the only! All hail the name of I!"

"I shall send with you, some of my least incompetent Cards of Hate, to help you accomplish your goal!" The Queen proudly declared.

"Hunk like group projects!" Hunk smashed the table into a million pieces with his awe inspiring strength. "Hunk go stun ladies with visually impressive teeth and undefined personality, and act as mini boss!"

As Hunk stormed out of the room, only the mouse reacted- he facepawed. "We spend more money replacing tables every meeting with him around."

"As long as we destroy the deserters, and then," the Queen of Hate let out a delighted laugh. "OFF with their heads!"

"Indeed," Dr. G. Darth responded, leaning back and folding his hands across his wide chest. "This pleases Dr. Darth."

Only the sound of his mechanical breathing echoed in the room as the others simply contemplated the carnage they were about to unleash in the Unholy name of 7-Eternal . . .

(by Dash)

Amras scanned the sky again. Even for someone of his training the darkness was…disquieting. Is this because of the ‘trinket’ than my employer wishes me to fetch? he thought, and if so, should I bring it to him?

The glen that contained the friar’s gate was empty for now. Amras was not so much interested in the gate as he was in the magical nexus it sat upon. That nexus was what he needed to perform this task, and this task was needed to get him to where he could fulfill his employer’s wishes. He found a shadow, and settled into it, pulling the darkness in around him so that, even if what he was doing was discovered he could not be- thus allowing him to complete his task.

He settled down into a lotus position, meditating for a long moment. Then he began to sing, his voice a wonderful tenor. However remarkable his voice was though, even more remarkable was the fact that, as he sang, his voice also began to mimic the sound of a harp being played.

Slowly the shadows themselves answered his summons, streaming in from all directions to mix within the glen. They mixed, and they roiled and they formed until finally they bloomed into a portal into Hey Deze! Amras sang for a few moments longer. Then let the song fade, standing and proceeding through the portal he had formed.

He crouched down as he entered, his shadow craft no longer of use in this land of Shadow, all of his senses coming to bear. He strained to hear any demons traveling nearby, only to hear… the impassioned moaning of a lusty Feline bitch? He could not help but smile at hearing her mrowlings, as it caused him to recall events in certain back alleys, and the siring of more than one litter of cabbits.

He listened again. The Feline sounded almost desperate. Not good for her… perhaps, he thought with a grin, perhaps he should follow his ears and see if he could lend a hand?

Moments after he left the portal, a demon stumbled across it. It ran off to tell all it’s friends….

Although had he known the trouble they'd find on the other side.. they might have stayed in Hey Daze for a nice relaxing swim at lava lake, or some such thing....

(By Catrina)

The announcement caught Vixen's attention as she dodged from one isle to the next, carefully avoiding security. She'd been on the run only a short bit before the announcement came up, and her mischievous side was starting to show. Demons and ghosts of all sort drove, walked, and generally jumped past her as she ducked underneath a row of Lard For Sale©, carefully avoiding drippings.

"Please be on the lookout for Sebastian Dash and Arc Nicholas for a prize of a half off your next purchase coupon! Also, for the next hour, all Extra Evil Gum is half off! THAT IS ALL!"

She'd had her fun, sampled various products, scared a few kid demons, drank a few sodas, ate a few demonly hot nachoes, downed a couple Imp Ales, knocked over a few "Beauty" magazine racks, and generally got underfoot or underpaw.. or in some cases underhoof as often as she found it funny or fun to do so.

Oh, HELL yeah!

Then she nearly kicked herself when she realized the flippin' harp was still in that "New employee's room!" Urgh.. and just her luck.. it'd probably end up actually BEING a ladies room when she got back there.

She turned and started in the general direction of where she thought she maybe might have come from. . . . sort of.

(by Dash)

She mused as she saw Daisuke walk over to Riko, urging her to drink more until she complied. Around the princess he was almost a decent Feline, although he was still a bit gruff in his manner. She then compared that with the scene at the fountain and shook her head. It was like two different people.

Catrina shook her head. Hey Deze was not the place for her to thrash through personal problems!

Catrina steeled herself as Daisuke came over, ready for anything he might try to pull. He smiled though. <Heh, meat for your thoughts...>

Catrina growled to herself. After all that work to stop thinking... <Nothing much, it's just.... Was I really that bad to you?>

He chuckled <Nah- you were pretty good, considering. And you had... have spirit. I kinda like that. Think that's why I... um... >

Catrina growled. <What? LOVED? Are you trying to say you LOVE me?> She swept on, ignoring his attempts to reply. <You seriously think that the way you treated me? The beatings, the rape- then leaving me to put myself back together knowing you'd only do it again? You think that showed LOVE?> She growled, then tried to calm herself. <This isn't the time or place to be having this discussion...>

Daisuke nodded after getting over the shock of her outburst. <Perhaps. Well then, what are our plans now?>

<I've been trying to figure that out since we stopped to rest> Catrina growled. <So far we've been moving pretty much in a randomly chosen direction. Goddess help us if it right though... The problem is we don't know how to find this thing... I mean it's not like some signal light's gonna go off!>

Suddenly flashes of light began to be seen to the east.

Catrina and Daisuke exchanged a glance, then Cat growled. <Promise me NEVER to let the others know.>

Daisuke nodded and then both got busy. Soon the three felines were on the move again- with Riko back being carried by Daisuke while Cattaras had Feena slung across his back.

They sped toward where the lights had been, and soon found themselves passing a large building. As the did an public address announcement reached the Feline's keen hearing.

“Attention all shoppers, there is a new bounty on renegade employees! Please be on the lookout for Sebastian Dash and Arc Nicholas for a prize of a half off your next purchase coupon! Also, for the next hour, all Extra Evil Gum is half off! THAT IS ALL!"

Daisuke and Catrina shared a glance and then turned to head toward the announcement. Cattaras followed suit but chuckled. “Do we need gum this bad-OW!” The last bit being because of Feena swattting him in the head with her wand.

Catrina roared and sped on, unburdened she was soon far ahead of the pack.

(By Catrina)

Dash had already endured a few fights with security guards... They were tough for demons.. so Dash ended up having to either outwit them, or simply find ways to escape.

Dash had hung around the snack areas a while, figuring Vixen might get a case of munchies, but so far, no luck. He'd just finished off fighting the spirits of Dyspepsi soldiers who'd insisted on a rematch from their battle in the Island (which confused Dash greatly) when Dash heard the announcement.

"Attention all shoppers, there is a new bounty on renegade employees!"

Maybe Vixen had gotten out, too? Hmm.... Dash needed to start somewhere, and his best bet at the moment seemed to be the place they'd split up. Hopefully, Vixen would be thinking along the same lines. . . .

  ----------------------------

  "Look, I see one now!" A fat female demon shopper called out to her posse. Her six young demon children and her talking flaming black cat, which was perched on her shoulders, all glared towards Sebastian Dash. Without turning to figure if they meant him, Dash took off into the distance, hoping against hope to catch sight of Vixen.

He could sense things were about to get weird, just from the feel in the air.

Dash felt sharp claws digging into his shoulders and immediately reached to flip whatever was attacking him over his shoulder. An ugly demon like creature crashed to the floor as Dash, ignoring it, spun around, pulling his broadsword Bad Beats into an attack position.

Problem was one of the demons had earlier simply snatched his sword out of his hand so fast, he'd barely registered it. Dash took the sword by both hands, in case one of them had the same trick in mind, although he wasn't even sure it HAD been physically snatched from his hands and not simply teleported or some other such nonsense.

"Whoever you are, I don't want any trouble," Dash warned them in a voice as much a growl as it was a statement of fact. Which was true. A fight wouldn't serve anyone, but their greed might leave them too blind to realize it.

There were other eyes on Dash, too. . . . In fact, in the distance, hidden behind the mass tangle of shoppers, stalkers, punks, merchandise and general junk, stood the blond green skinned threat to Dash.. For this monster had a name, and it wasn't Jealousy.

Dash pivoted his body, catching a mad ghostly hippy charging in. Unfortunately for the ghost, it wasn't very ghostly, and Dash's pivot kick sent it crashing into the nearest jerked up beef display. Oh, cruel irony, thy name is cruel irony!

The others seemed to back off, so Dash turned to go...

And ran directly into Vixen!

"THERE you are!" she exclaimed, holding the freshly retrieved harp. "I had a feeling that was you."

"Good timing," Dash answered, turning to the mob, who seemed unsure if they wanted to tackle BOTH heroes at once. Dash shrugged, turning towards her.

"We need to get out of here!" they both said at once.

Dash just nodded as Vixen smiled and said, "Glad we're clear on that. We might need to fight our way out."

"Yeah, no kidding," Vixen answered. "I was getting a few stares myself. Er.. more than usual from these lecherous demons. And a few demonic looking leprechauns."

"Naturally," Dash answered, dryly. He then addressed everyone eyeing up their odds of taking the two for the implied prize money. "Look, I want to be clear here. Whatever you're thinking, taking us on is taking your lives into your own hands.. er.. paws.. Or.. your afterlives, as it might be in this case.

"We don't want to kill, undead or not, but we WILL take any means necessary to get out of here unimpeded."

Hunk couldn't take anymore. With a roar of defiance and painful handsomeness, he busted through the wall, stopping only briefly to flex a pose that sent most of the women (not Vixen) swooning and fainting. Just long enough for his perfectly white teeth to glitter in the sudden and unexplained shaft of sunlight that fell over him while he smiled.

Dash and Vixen turned towards the new threat, weapons ready. Dash glanced at Vixen, curious. She shrugged. "All I had on me was this knife, and the harp itself. I didn't exactly have time to get a proper weapon before we got warped here! Sorry."

"Get outta here, ya big blond, handsome bum!" a crazy old bag-demon screamed, waving her hobo purse in Hunk's face. "We had the bounty all set! You ain't stealin' it like aliens stole my six cats when I was alive and crazy!"

"Hunk respectfully disagree!" the green toned giant responded. A simple backhand sent her flying several isles down. "THANK U, COME 'GAIN!" he called out after her.

Dash didn't know weather to laugh at the absurdity or it, or scream in frustration. He chose option C: intimidation through silence. Hunk turned towards him, eyebrow furrowed. "Alright, sword man, Hunk initiate battle now if you no work for us!"

Dash didn't answer, instead drawing his sword into a position to attack with. Vixen took his cue and did likewise with her short blade. Really, it was mostly for work purposes and intimidation, though. She'd be hard pressed to use it to her advantage if the brute's abilities were even a fraction of what his physical strength appeared to be.

"Hunk NO LIKE SILENT TREATMENT! Arrrrr!" Hunk grabbed a nearby display of dinner rolls and hurled it at Dash and Vixen, but they cleverly rolled out of the way of it's path. A couple of nearby angry bread golems protested the move, but were summarily ignored.

Dash darted in, jamming his broadsword into the green blond's midsection, which caused a slight grunt from Hunk, but no real reaction. He raised his massive fists over his head and tried to bring them down on Dash's head, but Dash avoided the maneuver deftly. The floor buckled as Hunk's fists slammed into it with the force of.. well.. a pissed of oversized demon.. and then some.

"Smashing," Dash thought to himself (before chastising himself for the bad pun.) "Don't let him corner you, Vixen."

"Please, Dash, like he COULD!" Vixan taunted him, tossing her knife from one paw to the other. Hunk roared something in the third person about his might and leaped at her. She dodged the attack easily and jammed her knife into his back. Unfortunately, his hide was just too thick.

It turned and swung at Vixen, who dodged out of the way effortlessly. With a roar, the blond beast demon doubled it's attack speed, forcing her back. Vixen continued to dodge, but each shot came closer and closer. "He's pretty tough for a cross between the Jolly Green Big Guy and a swimsuit model."

"ARRGGH Hunk SMASH sewer fox girl!" It swung again, but this time, the beast was using it's brain. Vixen had to dodge back to avoid the shot, but that left her squarely trapped in the corner by the beast. It smiled broadly. "NOW Hunk smash!"

"He's too broad to get around, Dash! Lil help?"

"On it!" Positioning himself just perfect, Dash leaped off a small display, letting his powerful legs carry him through the air, with the intent of running his Bad Beats as far into the beast's back as it could go. Unfortunately, Dash's verbal response to Vixen wasn't necessarily in his best interests. The beast turned, catching Dash with a watermelon sized fist, attached to tree trunk like arms of pure demonic muscle. Dash's body crashed through a couple of isles of shelves and fell, motionless, when the impromptu air travel took him into a display for Heckory Farms canned cheese.

"Now Hunk fini- where sewer fox go?!" Hunk looked around, confused, then comically stopped to scratch his head as a befuddled look crossed his face. "Hunk wil- URGH!"

Hunk barely saw Vixen's nimble form leap from.. er.. somewhere above. Maybe a chandelier or an air dock vent.

"Hunk will KINDLY shut his MOUTH!" The Vulpine drink mixer produced an odd looking walking stick from somewhere, and swung around mid air before landing on her hind paws, allowing the golden walking stick to catch Hunk's teeth before she fell. As the beast staggered back, she roared with a feral scream, jamming it between his legs.

Yup, that soundless scream she saw him emit definitely made it clear he was all male.. maybe a bit less male after where she jammed that walking stick. Her eyes seemed to almost glow, even in the fiery florescent haze of the 7-Eternal, "Store of the Damned©!" Almost as if, something had snatched the animal inside of her and drug it, kicking and screaming, out of her to do some kicking and screaming.

Roar on, mighty Vixen. Roar on.

"DIE!" she screamed, lost in that feral rage, leaping at him with a speed defying expectations. She clawed at his eyes, causing Hunk to howl in pain. Vixen then jumped up, using his throat to propel herself away with him with a mightly kick! A backflip later (a move which even stunned Vixens he'd been able to pull off), Vixen tried to rush the stunned blond beastshell..

Only to find her arms restrained by a pair of walking, talking hate cards and an ugly Darthtrooper!

"Hey!" she screamed in protest. "Let GO!"

Hunk silenced her by slamming his mighty, baby oil soft hands together, creating a powerful shock wave that stunned Vixen. It smiled ear to ear.

"As Hunk was saying . . . ."

By Dash To be continued

( Didjya like the action? You ain't seen nothing yet? We're gonna step it up for part two! )