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etrayamemes2025-05-30 09:20 am
etrayamods) wrote in etrayamemes2025-05-30 09:20 am
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TDM 008
content warnings for this TDM include: gambling references, mild horror themes and suggestive content  ⏵ arrival⏴ Arrival does not happen as Aurora usually plans for it. Newcomers generally find themselves waking up within the hospital, are given a brief overview of their situation, and sent on their way. Now? They wake up immersed in a game within The Gold Saucer. But it doesn't quite feel like a game: whether it's snowy mountains, riding a chocobo as you listened to the wind quickly pass by your ears, or in the middle of a battle with a beast, it feels utterly real. It's only after the game concludes - either by winning or losing - that you find yourself back in the main game area. A bot, dressed as personnel in this lavish playground, approaches each arrival with an earpiece allowing them to communicate with those in their same situation. It also serves to inform them of their goal: collect enough gold saucer points (or GP) by playing the games to acquire a card fashioned to their own likeness from the game counter. Then, they must trade it for someone else's. Seems simple enough, right? Hopefully the cards aren't too expensive...  ⏵ the gold saucer ⏴ The Gold Saucer is an ode to the very idea of fun. It’s huge, labyrinthine, colorful, and lively. Everywhere you look, there’s something to do. At the same time, it’s also impossible to tell what time it is. There are no windows to the outside, there are no clocks. This place is beyond such a thing. There are games everywhere you look, ranging from the pseudo-gambling to sports to pixelated video games in cabinets. Yet no matter which boxing game, pinball machine, or skeeball machine you look at, the same creatures and themes arrive. Cactuars, chocobos, the fiercest Behemoth, the cuddliest Moogle… For those from the realms of Final Fantasy, this will feel natural- homey even. Everyone else will simply understand that there is a fairly strong central theme here about magic, machines, and monsters. It’s hard to tell how long you spend here, and it seems to sit outside of the very concept of time. Still, there are many restaurants, lounges, and vending machines. There are shops and costume rentals. There are even little pharmacies with headache remedies if the partying gets out of hand. And when you grow tired, there is a hotel- though it is made up like a haunted house, you can count on getting some semi-restful sleep.  ⏵ playtime ⏴ At first, stepping through to play any of these games may make participants wonder if they have been teleported somewhere else entirely. But on closer inspection, all the skies above are merely well-constructed interiors with painted ceilings. After all, it always seems to be daytime during these games. Snowboarding - Race to the bottom of the mountain, but avoid obstacles and complete as many tricks as possible! Chocobo Racing- Race on Chocobo-back around a treacherous outdoors race track which can either be taking place in a desert, a swampy forest, or upon an island beach. Work in tandem with your rented bird and against your competition by throwing hazards in their way or utilizing buffs garnered on the track. Different colored birds will yield different advantages. Yellow - Good All Rounder Red - Fast, but hard to steer Blue - Slower, but very easy to steer. Much easier to pick up items from them. Green- Resilient against traps and sabotage Colosseum Battle- Face off against the fiercest beasts around. Pair up with friends or rivals to Collaborate or Compete to do the most damage and deliver the final blow. These battles are synced to the comparative power of the one entering the competition. We wouldn’t want anyone to get hurt unnecessarily, after all. And indeed, no one will get seriously, gruesomely, or permanently injured in these battles. Those without fighting capabilities can rent weapons outfitted Materia to assist them in their trial. These will allow anyone to cast spells, though not guarantee any better wielding of weapons. There are a hundred rounds, starting with fairly simple Spriggans, ranging all the way up to blood-thirsty Behemoths to challenge even the most battle-hardened hero. Leap of Faith- Players are presented with an obstacle course that stretches a hundred feet into the air upon floating platforms and islands. Both are held aloft by magical crystals. Powers are entirely nerfed, though falling and hitting the ground is strangely painless. Those who collect the most silver and gold statuettes of cactuars placed at random throughout the course will be awarded proportionate GP; though there is a bonus for those that reach the very top first. Triple Triad- Everywhere you look, people are playing this game on little 3 by 3 boards, or any surface with enough space. You will be given a loaner deck to play with. Are you clever enough to defeat your fellows. Fashion Report- Theobold, familiar to some, stands by himself in a little booth with a dressing room and an incredibly expansive walk-in closet. He is a robot of distinguished fashion and strong opinions on those fashions. Do you dare subject yourself to his scrutiny? Come prepare in his wondrous closets to make the best outfit for the chance to win a prize. Please submit your fashion here! There are Arcade Machines and activities galore. If you can think of it, it’s probably there- Just with that Final Fantasy pastiche on it, of course.  ⏵ the beehive lounge ⏴ There are other places to eat at the Gold Saucer, but the vending machines and cafés all pale in comparison to the dinners at the Beehive. For all the rave reviews, there is a dress code at the Beehive, and this is literal. If you step inside and are not currently wearing a dress, you will be ushered into a sideroom and appropriately made over. However, this is only for those trying to go in through the normal doors. Around the side there happens to be an employee entrance, manned by a bot. He will only allow those in who seem like they intend to work— and therefore must be wearing at least one piece of the Bunnysuit Collection to trick the guard. Once you are made over or have snuck in, you are free to relax inside with drinks, dine on a fine meal, watch the dancers, or participate yourself if you feel brave enough. Why would anyone ever dance here? Well, that’s simple. It pays really well. So if you’re sick of games, or terrible at them— you can always come dance for a shift. Though, don't get any unseemly ideas about freeing yourself of your clothing, this isn't that kind of establishment!  ⏵ haunted house ⏴ When you grow too weary or drunk from a day of games, you may be directed to somewhere a little quieter to sleep. Up the elevator, and through the doors reveals a modest walk through some woods until a quaint, victorian hotel appears. It is always nighttime here, and the stars and moon twinkle above. The receptionist, a bot in a rather bedraggled-looking chocobo mascot costume checks you in and shows you to your room. You can sleep here, especially if you can tolerate the hokey haunted decorations strung up around the place. Though sometimes, late at night, there will come a vigorous thumping on the door to startle sleeping patrons awake- Only for the culprit to vanish and be impossible to locate.  ⏵ ticket counter ⏴ The prize counter is manned by a bot and has a sign posted overhead. Most prizes will be handed over inside an appropriately sized wrapped box, as the contents are a mystery.
This TDM may be treated as a mini-Mission. Time will not pass inside of it in relation to the world outside - meaning, this can be happening at any time between late May into early July! This Gold Saucer is a bit of a mix between that of FF7's and FF14's, but it also has some things that neither have as well. Any inaccuracies are entirely intentional, aimed to make this rest within a space of uncanny valley for those who are familiar. While otherwise being a bit of a chaotic fantastical funhouse for everyone else! If there is something unlisted, chances are it will exist if it is in either of the other versions of the Gold Saucer. Characters already in game are welcome to post to the TDM, too! Please mark them as current characters in your header. Threads can be kept as game canon as long as both characters get into the game! Please direct all questions to our mod queries comment! |
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Told you, I can multitask! [He grinned, doing a backward flip, just for funsies, to dodge a well aimed swipe from the irritated cat.] Dodge, quip, run in circles, get a few punches in. It’s called style, Shadow. You should try it sometime.
[And believe it or not, it was his way of focusing. Keeping it all inside could get greatly distracting, get very loudly in his head. This way his brain could stop worrying about his non-existent thoughts to mouth filter and focus on other stuff like keeping him alive via quick reflexes.
Luckily, you hadn't been the only one distracted by his constant yammering, because the cat had been so focused on trying to get him, they didn't even suspect of the incoming aerial attack. Taking the full blow right on target.] And that’s what I call a surprise party.
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At least all their opponents in the earlier rounds were cakewalks with the two of them. As they get closer to round fifty though, they start getting thrown more tougher enemies. The fights getting longer. As their fourty-ninth foe disapates into digital data, Shadow is still standing and seemingly unscathe. If there was any indication he was getting tired, he's hiding that fact. Eyes are fixated on the gate, expecting their next opponent to come marching in, but when it doesn't lift at the expected time...he turns his attention to Sonic. How was he holding up?]
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He didn't see why he shouldn't keep the mood light, this was a game after all -- granted, with a little higher stakes, but still! Didn't mean they couldn't have a little bit of fun.
He's not that visibly tired but he's using this small pause on fights to work out some kinks from slightly stiff muscles, stretch and roll his joints. He can't help but think the big guy would've loved this. Probably seen it as the perfect chance to prove, once again, that he was the greatest warrior alive, or something.
He's also munching on, what it looks like to be, a trail mix bar.] You know, I've been thinking about it. People do tend to be all over the silent, mysterious types, it's actually a very popular character trait. So I guess that is your style.
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So, much of Sonic's quips and jokes only serve to irritate him further. There were a few moments, he wanted these beast to tear a new one into him so he would take this more seriously. But in the ends, he doesn't not allow it to happen when it got dangerously close. Which-]
You need to pay better attention of your surroundings. [He completely ignores Sonic's yammering about his character trait. It's not important. The enemies haven't been too challenging, but there have been moments of danger that could have been avoided, just because the other was too busy talking to notice what's happening elsewhere in the arena.]
...there should be more rounds than this. [Weren't they told up to a hundred? Then came a sudden long, eerie howl from the other side of the gate. The air starts to get cold, frost starting to form in the arena. As the gate finally opens, mist starts to pour in. Two lesser wolves step out first. Then came the heavier footsteps joining them. Red glowing eyes piercing through the mist. A great Ice wolf, twice the size of the lesser ones, enters between them. Ice forming where it steps.
The presence of this beast causes Shadow's fur to bristle. He could feel this was going to be a much different battle than what they've been dealing with before. The great wolf lets out another howl as a snowstorm forms in the arena, lowering visibility. In the next moment, the great wolf had disappeared into the storm, leaving the two hedgehogs to fight the two lesser ones as they come charging at them.
As Shadow takes a step, the floor makes a cracking sound. The floor was starting to get covered in ice.]
Watch the floor! [He skates backwards and sidesteps out of the way of the incoming wolf. His airshoes keeps him off the ice that it doesn't inconvinience him. As he turns to face the wolf though, he notice they aren't coming back for him. It looked like both were targeting Sonic.]
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But for now, let's focus on the wolves. It's not lost on him how the two smaller ones immediately were drawn to him, circling him like he was prey. Not cool.
He popped the rest of his trail mix into his mouth with a shrug and dusted his hands off.]
Two against one? That's cheating.
[There was still of course the bigger threat looming around, hiding inside the storm. But Sonic can't really pay much attention to that if he's already busy dodging attacks from two angry canines.] You know, hedgehogs don't make for great snacks.
[He spotted the lunge coming at him the next second, a coordinated pounce from both sides. Classic pack move. He quickly dropped low into a slide, aiming to slip between them and let them crash into each other... only, he didn’t account for the thin sheet of ice that had crept into the area. Instead of a slick maneuver, he immediately lost traction, slipping on it and hit the ground with a graceless thud.
It still has the same intended result as the wolves still collided against each other, end up getting the second one in the neck, effectively taking it down. Just a lot more embarrassing.] Totally meant to do that.
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Sonic! [Get off your damn butt you idiot. Red eyes peer through the storm behind the blue hedgehog, a gaping maw. A flash of light as Shadow appears and punches the Great Wolf back into the storm and preventing Sonic from becoming a snack. He'll also disappears along with the beast into the storm. Flashes of light dances within the storm as their battle appear as silhouettes each time.
The four lesser wolves howl in unison as they come after the blue hedgehog once more. The ice ones in particular have a nasty effect of freezing whatever they make contact with.]
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Of course, the impact has some side effects on him, feeling already the cold creeping into his fur. But if he keeps moving, he's sure he'll be fast enough to outrun the effects. So he's now moving in circles, tight and fast, drawing the storm into a tornado of his own.]
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An illusion?
There was a distant howl. Ice forms above the arena as large icicles start to rain down upon it. There's no rhyme or reason where they fall, only to cause disruption. They do not shatter as they pierce the ground, creating towering obstacles that remain, limiting one's path of movement. Some likely falling in Sonic's path as he's kicking up that tornado.
Shadow appears on top of one of the icicles, trying to locate where the Great Wolf had gone among the falling icicles and tornado of snow and ice. There's no means of escape in here, so where had it disappeared to?]
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[Roll for perception: a 15, not bad! Enough to figure out he might be throwing the attack from above. Even if he can't see it, he feels it. Instinct and reflex kick in.
Leaving the tornado to ride out the momentum, he launches into motion-- bounding up the cascading icicles like a reverse lightning bolt, using each of them like stair steps. Their random pattern is not a problem for the fastest thing alive, of course (just hit the quick action buttons in time!). The wolf might be hiding behind an illusion, or something like a refractive barrier, like the ones you hear about in Star Trek from the Klingons. But there's a split second where the light catches on it and bends a little too wrong, and makes it look like the space is a little wrinkled. It's super easy to miss, but as he gets closer, he can see it.]
Found you! [He coils and charges to hit it with a spin dash, ready to explode with chaotic energy.]
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So instead, he raises his hands, energy crackling as chaos spears form around him. He then sends them in the same direction Sonic was heading. Sure enough, once the blue hedgehog shatters the barrier, he'll be met by more icicles aimed towards the intruder. The Great Wolf wasn't in view.
The explosion of energy on top of the chaos spears will be enough to stop most of the icicles', shattering them into smaller pieces, which were a danger in themselves by how sharp they were. It's after all those attacks have been used, that the wolf makes it's presence known again. Leaping up from beneath Sonic, jaws open to try and bite down on the blue hedgehog. But they're going to feel a sharp tug as Shadow arrives to grab it by the tail and sends it slamming back onto the ground.]
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He wasn't expecting the attack from below.
He probably wouldn't have had enough time to coil back into a spiky ball, but luckily for him, he didn't have to find out and Shadow had taken care of that problem. And now that he was free-falling, and the wolf seemed stunned for a couple of second from being viciously slammed back on the ground, he used that chance to land a hit as well before landing.] Thanks for the save!
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It seems there was another lull before the next round, the gate remaining close for now. Shadow takes this moment to dust himself off, flexing and popping joints to be sure nothing was out of place. Solo fighting that great wolf was not exactly a breeze.]
We can't take these next enemies lightly. [There's been a clear shift with what they're fighting. Things will only get harder and less straight forward with each coming rounds.]
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He does notice how you start to look a bit weary, even if it's very subtle. Or it's probably how much you're good at hiding it.]
Hey, want a Trail Mix bar? I actually felt better after I ate mine. ['Cause guess what, you ARE allowed to bring items(?) into this whole Colosseum thing.]
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I'm fine. [Eating anything is the last thing on his mind. Where was the hedgehog even getting those bars...?] You should take this more seriously.
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[He bought them from a peculiar-looking vending machine just outside the Arena area. It had all sorts of strange-looking things Sonic had never seen before-- even a feather for some reason(?). He wasn't gonna risk eating something that looked like medicine (iuck), but this one thing came in a convenient, and familiar, snack shape so.] I am taking it seriously. That’s exactly why I’m willing to admit when my health bar’s not at its best, instead of stubbornly pushing through just to see how far I can go before crashing. [He might not be familiar with this exact world setting, but he has played enough videogames to know you needed to gear up before going through boss fights and stuff.]
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It needs a lot of work. [He has his doubts, considering what he's seen of them. Even Sonic decided to go off on his own without his friends. Twice. They're more of a liability to each other the way he sees it.]
Hmph. You underestimate me. [He doesn't know what he was made to endure. This hasn't been anything intensive for him.] I'll make it to the end without tiring.
[Any chance of him reconsidering that trail mix bar will pass as the gates start to rise again. The sound wings flapping can be heard as a large flying eyeball enters to greet the two hedgehogs this time.]
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I didn’t offer because I think you can't handle it, I offered because I care.
[So, obviously, Shadow didn't want to be a team player. Sonic could get the message loud and clear. And fine. Whatever. Sonic wasn’t exactly unfamiliar with solo acts himself. It still irked him a little. And also, kinda, actually offended him, if he was being completely honest? So, yeah, he was ready to ignore this, whatever thing, and keep doing his own thing too, if it hadn't been for a couple of small voices that started nagging him from the back of his head and made him pause a second.
'Lead by example'
Ugh.
Look, Sonic wasn't perfect. He’d had his own rough patches when it came to being part of a team. After Tails and Knuckles had moved in and the three of them were trying to figure out how to coexist under the same roof, Sonic might've gotten a tiiiny bit frustrated at them from time to time, and he used to complain loudly to Tom and Maddie. And don't get him wrong, he loved those guys, he loved the company! But he had essentially gone from being the pampered only child one day to the neglected middle sibling the next. And nobody wanted to be the middle kid. (And no, he was not being dramatic)
Tom had taken it upon himself to bring Sonic around and 'patrol' the city one day, to spend one-on-one time together, and he had immediately jumped at the chance. Tom had even let him turn on the siren, speak into the megaphone (which Sonic definitely didn't abuse), and even handle the radio once or twice. It was awesome.
They had mostly dealt with mundane small-town business: a missing pet, pothole complaints, ducks stealing bread again (those ducks were menaces, honestly), the occasional jaywalker. But they had ended up in the middle of a heated argument between two particularly cranky neighbors with a long-standing property line dispute between them. Tom had kept his calm and solved the issue, not falling for the taunts, even when one of them started to personally attack him instead in a way that made Sonic bristle and make him ready to throw hands. Because boy, that lady had been nasty.
Eventually, Tom's cool demeanor had ended up calming both neighbors and allowed them to reach a peaceful agreement right there (at least for the season), which otherwise would have led them to court, had Tom acted differently.
And the lady had even sent, a seriously tasty, apple pie as an apology for her uncalled behavior days after (which Sonic had eaten most himself, leaving only a slice for Tom, because hey, it had been the fruit of his and Tom's hard day at work, and emotional growth was still a work in progress).
Either way, he had realized two things that day: 1 - Tom was a seriously great cop (though, arguably, he already knew this; the experience only reinforced it). 2 - Sometimes butting your heads together was not the answer.
'Make good choices'
Maddie had always made sure to remind them of it, ever so gently (probably also spoken from a place where she didn't want her living room decimated, again; but hey, who could blame her).
Even if you somehow had misstepped along the way, it was never too late to go back to the right path... which yeah, maybe Sonic had found himself on the wrong side of the road more than once, but again not perfect. And making the right choice was not easy. It never was. That's how you knew it was the right one. And it was difficult for him, to just go against his instincts, make a snarky comment and bulldoze off. But he realized he was willing to try and take the first step.
So he took a deep breath, shoved the attitude down a couple of notches, before choosing his next words.]
So, what's the plan? Any bright ideas for this one?
[Thankfully, the new monster in front of them hadn't immediately gone off to start attacking them the second he stepped into the arena. Just stood there (floated?) for a moment just staring into their souls or something -- which, creepy, but yeah.]
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Expecting Sonic to make his usual name calling the monster and then jump right on in, it doesn't happen. He gives him a quick glance when asks what they should do instead.] ... [Eyes return to the monster to assess. It's body being mostly eyeball makes him think that is it's weakpoint, but that seems too straight foward. A creature like this would have defensive measures to keep it's eye safe.]
Split up, it can't watch us both. [They're going to be in for a rude awakening when they discover it has another eyeball on it's back. For now , energy crackles in his left hand Shadow forms a chaos spear that he can hold.]
It's eye might be it's weakpoint, but I don't trust it. Observe and strike where necessary. [Their attacks need to be cleaner and more precise. Who knows how much tougher their foes will get from here on. The eyeball creature let's out a cackle, tired of waiting on them to strike as it's eye glows. Clouds form above as a shower of meteors start to fall onto the arena. Shadow teleports away, reappearing just above the creature and fires his spear at it's eye. With a wave of it's large wing, it deflects it away. Eyes glowing again and now casting fireballs. Attention currently on the black hedgehog.]
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Part of him had expected the offer to be brushed off. Which would've stung, not gonna lie, but he also wouldn't have held it against Shadow if he had thought Sonic was joking around still. So when he heard the other hedgehog play along, he couldn't help the way his ears perked up, just a little.]
Roger that!
[He grinned and threw a mock-up salute, darting off as the meteor storm began to rain down. They were easy to dodge, slamming into the ground with explosive force, but they weren't that fast. They also stuck to the ground to serve as big burning rocks that actually looked like could very well double as makeshift barricades if necessary. Huh, he'll definitely keep that knowledge in mind for later.
He wasn't even doing his usual running commentary as he moved to slip behind the flying eyeball while it was busy fighting Shadow. He could be sneaky. He had seen all the Mission: Impossible saga, and while Tom Cruise was no Keanu, the guy hold his own and deliver a great action scene. (He was, maybe, still humming the soundtrack in his mind, though)
It took no time to get in position, and just as he was about to launch and attack, something moved-- shifted, on the monster’s back. A seam split open vertically, like an eyelid peeling sideways, revealing a second eyeball, startling him and making him skid into a halt from how gross it looked.]
What the-- are you kidding me?? It has a backup eyeball?! How is that even---?! That doesn't even make sense!
[The new eyeball snapped its gaze toward him.
Then the ground began to shake.]
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It's then he hears Sonic yelling about something. A backup eyeball? It had a second eye? With a screech the eyeball monster slams it's body into the ground, causing earthly spires to burst out from the ground beneath, spreading out like a shockwave. Shadow is already hovering above the ground to avoid the attack, but he can't see if Sonic has avoid it as well.]
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The ground is unstable. [Why it's still quaking the way it does, he isn't sure.] It doesn't seem to strike with it's body, but cast projectiles instead. We can use them against it. [...Oh yea, good job Sonic.]
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Being caught in the air to fly around was not something he wasn't used to, but he wasn't quite expecting it. Still, not unwelcomed.]
Okay, what if... I run around and make a whirlwind to get all the debris in the air, it'll be easier to hit him with it them. [And also possibly, maybe? reduce the guy's visibility.
... and hey, thanks. You can use your outer voice next time.]
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Didn't I just say the ground is unstable? [The spires in the ground still remain, limiting the amount of flat areas one can run. The eyeball creature spreads it's wings and then with a single flap, conjures ice and snow. Icicles start to fall this time.]
Ugh, do what you need to do! [He's setting Sonic onto one of the spires with a flatten top as he flies off to send as many icicles back at their target. It does seem to have some kind of effect on it, a few causing it to flinch and disrupt it's flight pattern.]
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Either way, the moment he is set down, he bolts. Running on shaky ground is tricky, but doing spin dash helps to gain traction and speed-- it also makes it easier destroying the average sized rocks to clear up a path. Hey, maybe Knux's insane rock-hurling obstacle course actually paid off.
With one eye out of commission, the monster can only focus on one of them at a time. And once he picks up enough momentum it's easy to keep going on foot because hey, he moves faster than the ground's shaking, and he is paying attention of his surroundings to not misstep.
So, after a few seconds pass, the wind's starting to kick in, taking the rocks flying with it.]
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