The mission officially kicks off with Sassy Solo, and we'll see a lot of Sassy Snake in this mission!

Like her other early roleplays in the mission, this one is set before the last mission's Elite 7 vs. 8 battle in the Mission Finale parts one, two and three.

 
Sassy Snake Earlier, four hours before the Elite Battle of Degrassi...

I am standing on a hillside looking down on the fight below me. I take a good look around. Up till now, I had either been too busy running or fighting to notice or care. But now, it is important. If they think that I am going to sit pretty here up on this hill and wait for some Prince Charming to rescue me, they have another think coming! I have never gotten anywhere by playing it safe, as a matter of fact, the few times I tried it I wound up in worse situations than if I had taken risks.

I look behind me and notice the hill gently climbs up in to woods and after that is farmlands. I don't like that too much. I look down again in to the wooded glade where the ruffians are fighting and realize that all of my equipment is waiting there. To my right and slightly north of my position, I can see a woodland cliffside. Now, that I do like! If she could get up there, a good fighter with a crossbow could hold off an army or else go in to hiding until this madness is over or until it is unsafe to remain there any longer. My crossbow, I really need that!

It is down there in the valley and I must get it at all costs. To my right and heading the opposite direction, I can see a river. That would make a good escape route, if I needed one. So, when I return, my choice will be between fight or flight. First, I have to go down in to that valley. My equipment is there and that girl is there. Even though Todd and the others said they would bring her to me, I am not sure how much I trust them. I know it will get done if I do it myself!

I slip down the hill and enter the valley, keeping to shadows as much as I can. I can see that foxy guy Todd's tail and I could use it for a guide, but he is in the thick of the battle and that doesn't suit me right now. I sneak off to the side and skirt the fire working my way deeper in to the valley. I do notice a few ruffians off guard, but slip past them. Might deal with them when I have my weapons back. I see my backpack and my other stuff now. I pick up my crossbow, lovingly caress it and tell it everything will be okay now. I put on my backpack, my belt pouches and my weapons. Starting to feel a bit better until I look across the firelight and see that Todd guy. He is fighting three ruffians at the same time and doing quite well but he doesn't see the ruffian sneaking up on him from behind with a giant club. I fit the bolt in to my crossbow, lever the hammer back in to firing position, level the bow and take aim and squeeze the trigger. There is a whomp and my bolt catches him below cervical 7 and he crumples over dead. I am just reloading when Todd turns and gives a glance in my direction. I know he can see me. He winks and give me a thumbs up but I am not sure how happy he is about me being here. He seems quite anxious about my presence! He turns to his foes and takes it out on them.

Well, I got my stuff again, time to find the girl and then, then what? Well, first find the girl. I scout around but don't find her easily. I finally find a path where someone has been dragged through underbrush and when I pull aside the brush, I see the mouth of a cave. I get a candle from my backpack and light it and walk in to the cave. Wouldn't you just know there would be guards, mean and nasty guards.

The two sidle up to me, one on each side. "Yu, woch yu doin her?" I know that it is too close for the crossbow and Malanga could never clear the scabbard before they would be on me.

Have to stall them and think of something. "Hey, yu, babe, I sed woch yu doin her?"

"Nothing much. Is this the way to Brendletown?"

That is a hometown from my home dimension.. well, that is the town from a fairy tail but they don't need to know that!

"huh? Wad did she say?"

"Nevir hard of Brendletown. Yu crazy lady?"

"Well, maybe so. Looks like I made a mistake. I'll be going then, if that's okay."

"Ey, no it ain't okay." I punch him in the face with my right, land a solid kidney punch with my left while I kick the other guard where it will hurt him most. Both of them are down, but don't know how long that will last. I quickly pull out a powerful sleep potion and inject each with a good dose of it. I leave them snoring at the posts.

Farther in, I can see the girl and she is in a bad way indeed. She is trussed up tight and she has been cut and bruised a lot. I cut her free with Malanga and rub her arms and legs to get the circulation going again. "Hi, can you move?"

"Ah, um, uh, I think I can. Who are you?"

"A friend. I can take you somewhere safe. Unless you would prefer to stay here."

She shudders and then smiles. "Okay, I am with you. Let's get out of here." I lead her out of the cave past the two sleeping uglies and then slink in to the shadows heading for the hillside. I point to her. "See those hills?"

"Yes, I see them."

"Well, some friends of mine will be there shortly and they assure us we will be safe there."

"Aren't you coming with me?"

"Not right this second, I have some other things to do right now. I'll be there shortly though."

She seems worried. "What are you going to do?"

"Do a bit of scouting. Look this land over from a higher vantage point. Find the best way to permanent safety. Don't worry or be afraid. I'll return to you. My name is Sassy Snake and I will be back."

"Thanks Sassy. See you soon."

The shadows hide me and I wait for the cover of night to do my looking around. I am just making my way toward the cliffside I saw earlier, when I find myself face-to-face with the guy from town. He looks worse for the beating and he doesn't seem to be in a much better mood.

"Wal, wal, lookee her lads! That little witch from toon! Betcha yu is sorry yu done dat to me. If ya ain't yuse goin to be!"

I say out loud, but thought I was saying to myself, "Bad looks, bad blood, bad temper."

"Huh, woch yu say? I tink I will tak keer of ya myself." With that, he launches himself at me and he grabs me. It is apparent that he is the boss that these others were waiting for or at least one of them. That bit of news doesn't do me a big of good if I get killed finding it out. His hands are around my throat and he is bearing down with his strength. I don't know why, but I reach in to a belt pouch and put on a pair of gloves and then pull out that mushroom that burned me when I picked it up. "Before you kill me, sssir, I has a gift for you." I hand him the mushroom.

He looks rather surprised. "Trik, it's a trik, right?"

"No, it is a gift, was going to eat it for dinner, but doesn't look like I will live that long. So, why shouldn't you have it?"

He still looks stunned and he looks me over real good. "Wal, if I's let yu go, yu mit get away, huh?"

"Are you kidding? With all of these men to watch me? Where would I go? They would follow me and kill me."

"Dat true, I tak yur gift." He snatches the mushroom from my hands and pops it in his mouth. He chews it up and swallows it and then he starts to gasp and choke. Smoke and fire flow out of his ears and mouth and then his whole body convulses as a huge explosion incinerates him. The others stand mystified and I run in to the shadows. I will find a good hiding place and then head to the hills to see if the others are there.

After that, will it be fight or flight? Rolling hills or river?

It's an excellent write although I'm not quite sure how Sassy was talking while he was choking her out. Maybe he stopped when he saw the mushroom?

Sassy doesn't really get into most of the goals of the mission although she does at least deal with the portals later on. Next up, Wildfall and Todd Blackpaws are focused on Sassy, who's returning right after the next piece for even more adventures!