Finally, it's time for a new player!

In fact, it was talking to Shelldor in Kingdom of Loathing that helped inspire AIL's eventual return for a third season! As you can see from the mission index, there's three new player characters debuting, joined by five returning handlers!

But for now, we'll start by picking up on Wildfall's story with the mysterious ninja prince.

 
Well.. this wasn't good.

Only a few minutes earlier, Wildfall and the strange ninja prince, formerly of the airship, had found themselves under the attack of a very big and very scary clown. Using teamwork, they put the clown.. er.. down.

Unfortunately, the pair found themselves suddenly surrounded by clowns on every side.. and they all seemed to be repeating the last thing the original clown said before falling unconscious. "Took his breath away."

It was cheesy when the clown said it, immediately after Wildfall slammed his trademark shillelagh into the clown's chest, dropping the clown. Then two more appeared out of nowhere, with one saying "Took his breath away."

Then more clowns showed up saying it. Then more.. and more. Chanting it. It quickly went from amusing to being annoying and then downright creepy.

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Not far away, moments ago

Shelldor watched from behind a nearby hill, considering the strangers. They handled themselves well against the foul beast, but he still wasn't sure if they were friend or foe.

"Pssst, hey lift me up, would ya? I can't see what's happening."

"You don't even have eyes, how do you see anything?"

Shelldor raised his shield as he watched the final blow of the shillelagh land, waiting to see what happened next.

He heard the terrible pun start. "Took his breath away" "took his breath away" over and over, sending shivers down his spine as more of the foul creatures appeared.

"It's starting to look bad for them."

Shelldor just nodded, his eyes narrowing.

-------

"There's better ways to spend an afternoon," Wildfall quipped as the chanting died down enough so he could be heard over it.

The ninja simply nodded. There they were. Surrounded.

"I guess we're fighting our way out," Wildfall said reluctantly. The two were side by side at first, but quickly back to back as they realized the strange clowns surrounded them.

"I could use a smoke bomb," the ninja said. "But you'd probably get left behind."

"You should just get out," Wildfall said. "I'll try to fight my way out on my own."

"Really pal?" the ninja said. "Alright, see you on the other side, if you make it out."

"Wait!" Wildfall tensed up. "I didn't really think you were gonna bail on me."

"Relax," the ninja said. "I was just kidding.. although it certianly is tempting right now. I don't bail on my allies, though."

"Good, thanks," Wildfall said, relieved.

"At least," the ninja continued. "Not when they're completely helpless and unable to defend themselves."

"Um.. thanks." Wildfall said, a little less sincerely.

"Kind of like a helpless kitten. Or maybe an infant with a broken.."

"Okay, I get the point!" Wildfall said.. "Yeesh."

"Let's get this party started!" one of the clowns yelled. A few others repeated it. Fortunately, it didn't start into a chant like "Took his breath away." I guess you could say it didn't trend.

The first couple clowns charged Wildfall together but quickly went down as Wildfall uses his shillelagh to kneecap the closest, letting the other trip over the first. Wildfall then blasted each in the head, leaving them, oh let's say unconscious.

Three more moved in against the ninja prince, who threw a sai into one's chest. As it hit, the ninja prince produced a short sword from nowhere and slit the throat of the next clown, a mammoth beast dressed up with frilly lace clothes. As he fell to the ground, the ninja turned and ducked under a mace the third was wielding. He deflected another shot, backing up, aware of the clown behind him. When the mace wielder charged at the ninja prince, the ninja prince did a dramatic backflip, allowing him to land behind the rather obese clown formerly behind the prince. A simple shove sent that clown chest first into the mace-wielder, distracting him long enough for the ninja prince to knock his lights out.

"I got two down!" Wildfall turned and started, "How are you.. oh." Wildfall stopped himself as he noticed the four bodies already on the ground. "Heh. Showoff."

Wildfall turned and went to swing at another thug. One tried to hook Wildfall's arm. Not the first time it'd happen. Wildfall twisted and pulled the arm free, then elbowed that thug in the throat while lashing out with a kick at the other.

Unfortunately, they were surrounded. Wildfall heard an 'urgh' from the prince and glanced over.

Looked like someone just hit him in the side of the head with a rock. He still had plenty of fight left, but the two were surrounded and the clowns were moving in fast.

One of the clowns suddenly gasped and roared as something seemed to come at him from behind, as he turned there was a clang of metal on flesh.

"Oh, gross! Now I've got greasepaint all over me! Was that really necessary?!"

The stranger battled furiously, sword and shield gleaming in the sun. One of the larger beasts rushed toward him.

"Ooooh noooo, not again!"

There was a loud clang as his shield collided with the monster’s face, knocking it silly. His sword almost immediately slashed across the fiend’s chest.

Two smaller beasts turned towards the newcomer. Wildfall used his shillelagh to choke the one on the left, then threw it into the other clown. A couple well placed shots to the head dropped each of them.

"Not what again, stranger?"

A voice which didn't seem to be coming from the stranger answered back.

"I'm no stranger than you, buddy!"

"Da Hey Daze.." Wildfall wondered. He had to drop a couple more of the clowns- shots to the chest and then throat- before he could go on.. "Dude, how do ya make it sound like your shield's talkin?!"

"What do you mean, I'm the brains in this outf… Ahgh!"

There was another clang as the shield was bashed into another clown. The stranger’s sword cut through the creatures without mercy.

Wildfall stood there, dumbfounded. "Talking shield?"

A clown snuck up from behind him but the ninja price cut him down with a pair of reading glasses which the ninja prince used as deadly shuriken. The ninja prince grabbed Wildfall's arm. "Come on."

"But.. his shield TALKS!" Wildfall replied. "That's like.. The coolest thing ever."

"Maybe it can talk you into moving it, Ireacan!" the Ninja prince replied.

"Let him stay, I love the flattery! Aaaugh!"

CLANG!

"... ow" whined the shield. "Fine, let's get out of here."

-----**---**-----

Out of here, as it turned out, took our heroes west. Wildfall carefully maneuvered them around a couple of the dangerous looking campsites that had been set up. With Nearby Plains being mostly grass and open space (thus the name), the outskirts of the distant Degrassi quickly came into view. Wildfall had lead them this way but as they walked over the next hill, the Ireacan rogue fell back, letting their mysterious savior step up in front.

Wildfall shared a look with the mysterious ninja prince and then nodded. "Let's take a break and get to know how new friend."

"Solid idea," the ninja prince answered. The two walked up on either side of Shelldor.

"Hey new friend," Wildfall said, arms folded across his chest. "Tell us about yourself."

The "new friend" frowned a bit.

"Awful curious, aren't you?"

"Yup, that's us," Wildfall answered with a roguish smirk. "Friendly but curious."

"You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you," he answered, the ghost of a smile maybe showing.

The ninja prince shook his head. Wildfall pressed, though. "Well, whose name shall we use when we sing your praises for helping us finish off those clowns, then?"

The stranger considered. "Shelldor," he said.

Wildfall and the ninja waited for more. When it was obvious that was all he had to say, Wildfall pressed. "We appreciate your help though, is the point."

The ninja was already talking before Wildfall finished. "Why were you there, anyway?"

Shelldor shrugged. "I was seeking out the airships when those… Beasts caught my attention."

"Lucky for us then," Wildfall answered. "I always did have that old fashioned Ireacan luck, though."

Shelldor scoffed. "Good for you, I make my own luck."

Wildfall chuckled. "Uhhuh, from the light of your shining personality, I'm sure."

The shield piped up from Shelldor’s back. "Now you see what I have to deal with."

"A talking shield," the ninja said. "I think I've seen everything now."

They walked in silence for a bit more. Well, the shield insisted on whistling a traditional Boris song which he claims is about bopping a minstrel on the head for making fart noises with a sackbutt. But to Wildfall, it just sounded like annoying whistling.

After a while, the ninja prince broke the (relative) silence. "So you're looking for the airship, huh?"

Shelldor nodded, "Yeah, you know where it is?"

The ninja prince shrugged. "Just curious why you're looking for it. The thing's dangerous."

Shelldor scowled. "I've had a run in with it, coming back to this kingdom."

"It attacked you?" The ninja prince carefully weighed his next question. "Just you?"

"The entire ship I was on," he said. "Did a lot of damage."

"You're the captain of this ship?" the prince asked tentatively.

"No, not the captain, just a member of the crew, working my way home," Shelldor said.

The shield scoffed (somehow). "Like they'd let this guy be captain, he certainly doesn't know how to treat his crew, I've still got greasepaint in places I can't reach!"

Wildfall chuckled, starring in the distance but the ninja prince ignored it.

The prince's eyes seemed to light up under his incredibly stylish yet functional mask. "Mind taking me to this ship? I was a member of the airship before our arch nemesis the Shinpire attacked us."

Shelldor’s eyes widened, he reached for his sword. "You were one of them?"

If the ninja prince saw the reaction - and no doubt he did- he gave no response to it. "I was a part of the crew before our ship was taken over. I want them off of my ship."

Shelldor lowered his guard, even letting himself smile. "It would appear we have common goals."

The ninja prince must have been smiling under his mask.

"Yeah, I think I'll give you two some bonding time," Wildfall answered, staring to the south. "Something's going on with the slavers down there... and I think I see those two snakes I was following earlier."

The shield piped up. "Snakes? That one’s a bit batty, isn't he?"

"I dunno," Wildfall shot back. "How'd ya like to be set up to stop a leaky lavatory, talking shield? I could probably arrange something."

"Just go chase your sewer snakes, pottybrain," the shield quipped.

"They're not sewer sna.. . Wait, I am NOT arguing with a talking shield with a sense of humor like a Gnollish Tire tosser." Wildfall turned to the others. "So unless you two wanna come with, I guess I'll see you later."

"No, I will continue after the airship, but good luck on your travels." Shelldor said, turning toward the ninja but the ninja faced Wildfall instead.

"If you're sure you'll be safe on your own." He paused. "If you manage to not get captured, we'll see you at some point and maybe meet your snake-charmer friend too."

"Count on it," Wildfall said, turning to make his way south while the others continued on their path.

Great debut, huh?! Or maybe I'm biased cause Wildfall's my character? heh.. aaaanyway......

Note: Shelldor's bio probably won't be active til a few months after I post this since I like to get at least two or three missions of a character active before I invest in writing up their history. Next up is an AIL vet making his debut in this mission. Sir Fumbles. After that is another debut!