CHAPTER 19: Decisive Moment

I had absolutely no idea what the true intent of this PM was until I saw the golden “N” at the bottom of the message. Whether it be my true skills as an assassin or the fact that Dr_Peppy was out for me must have caught their eye. By the sound of this message, it was a very serious job offer at a very secure organization, but I was torn as to whether to accept this new assignment and venture down this new path. After all, this was more than just a privately contracted job; this was actual employment that would probably expend most if not all of my time. Plus, I would probably have to forget about killing X-Naut128 if I chose to join their group. Accepting the job offer would put quite a delay on anything trivia-related, but this opportunity might never arise again. Additionally, it would probably better my abilities as a fighter and a killer, as I am sure their training facilities were top-of-the-line. However, it was a strange conflict of emotions for me, as I always hated those spammers and flamers who were hired by this powerful crime organization. Spamming and flaming has had quite the negative impact on the forum; some parts of Power On are practically infested with this type of behavior. Yet being a member would definitely make me better off financially than I would be without the position, even with the income from trivia. Moreover, I would probably get to tackle professional missions more often rather than petty killings or crimes out of necessity. Surely my skills would be put to better use if I joined their force.

Despite all of these obvious pros, I was still at a bit of a crossroads. Joining this force would mean discontinuing my current self-driven mission…and what if it were all a ploy to turn me over to Dr. Peppy? I had no knowledge of an affiliation between this group and Dr. Peppy, but that man is so damn secretive that I could not make such an assumption. Time passed as I sat on a stone wall in the Mario Board and contemplated my current predicament. A few users glanced at me as they walked by, since I was sitting perfectly still in plain sight, but I did not let it faze me. Before I knew it, the sun had set and there were only two and a half hours remaining until I had to meet the organization’s correspondent, presumably AntiRocketCloudy. I had never met the user before and the location was quite suspicious, so I would definitely have to be on my guard upon meeting him. Even though I analyzed the situation for such a lengthy amount of time, I still decided that I needed some help with the scenario. Composing a private message to ThePastaKing, my most trusted ally, I asked if we could meet somewhere tonight to further discuss the matter at hand. About fifteen minutes later, I received a timely and friendly response.

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FROM: THEPASTAKING Remove User from Friends List – Add User to Ignore List

SENT: 08/17/07 – 6:39 P.M.

Sure, dude, you know I’m always up for talking about this stuff. I’m over in the Nintendo Wi-Fi boards right now just taking care of some business. I can meet you near the Bulletin Board if you like. Let me know and I’ll be there.

Your Highness,

ThePastaKing

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Laughing at his pathetic sign-off, I replied confirming that I received the message and agreeing on the meeting place. I set out for the Bulletin Board, which was conveniently on the way to The Rank Thread anyway. The Bulletin Board’s function on NSider is self-explanatory – it is where NOAs and other moderators post important news and information regarding the community. Their news posts appear on a gigantic digital screen that is probably about three stories tall, which users can electronically download on their PM devices and view at their leisure. It is usually a pretty busy place early in the morning and midday, as many users try to read the latest news as soon as possible, but it is pretty calm and quiet come nightfall. Thus, it was the perfect place for ThePastaKing and I to have our discussion. I moved at a hastened pace towards the Bulletin Board, trying to conserve my strength if the whole situation with AntiRocketCloudy did turn out to be a trap of some sort. However, I was still a bit confused as to how the organization had been monitoring me. It could have been a tracking device, but I feel like I would have noticed it by now. Information apparently spreads quickly on NSider, as I thought I kept my current predicament relatively secret. Maybe someone from the trivia challenge found out and the news spread but, whatever the case may be, I didn’t let it concern me too much. Since this was a golden opportunity for me to finally make a name for myself as a reputable assassin, I tried not to focus on the past too much. What mattered now was making up my mind as to whether or not I should join them. Besides, I would probably find out soon enough from one source or another regardless of my choice.

When I reached the Bulletin Board I scanned the crowd for ThePastaKing and was surprised to find him already waiting there for me, leaned up against a nearby storefront. I walked up to him and, hearing my footsteps on the cobblestone road, ThePastaKing turned around to greet me. “Ah! My shadowy friend, you are here at last. I thought you were supposed to be the fast one…so why is my royal ass here waiting for you?” He stood with a smug look on his face, proud that he beat me to the scene as we shook hands. I happened to notice that he had a large bazooka-like weapon strapped to his back and inquired, “So…what’s with the big gun?” “Oh this?” he said with a chuckle, “It’s my rigatoni rocket I told you so much about. I don’t think I actually showed you it yet, but man it packs a punch.” Confused as to what ThePastaKing could have been doing with such a weapon, I asked “Why are you carrying it around with you now?” He retained his composure and shrugged off my question saying, “Hey, aren’t you the subject of this meeting? What have you been up to?” I was curious to know what was going on, but time was of the essence and I decided that it would be better to get on with matters of higher priority.

“Fine…have it your way…” I said, looking away from him, “I just got an offer that you’re not going to believe.” I could tell that the look on ThePastaKing’s face was beckoning me to continue, so I did, “I got a PM from a user by the name of AntiRocketCloudy…” “Oh him?” ThePastaKing remarked, cutting off my sentence. “He’s an F-Zero Pilot you know… pretty high up in the ranks.” “I could tell by his PM,” I replied, “but how do you know him?” After thinking for a few seconds, ThePastaKing finally responded, “You know, I’ve just seen him in passing a lot. He tends to hang around the Epic Center and even the Mario Board sometimes. I’m surprised you don’t know him.” “I see…” I responded, struggling to remember if I had ever seen this user. “Ah well…” I finally remarked, my memory failing me, and continued my story, “So he invited me to join a major group…an organization if you will…” “Ha! Ha!” ThePastaKing laughed, his voice trailing off, “Ha!..... Ha!...Hmm…” I forwarded my private message to ThePastaKing and he received it in his inbox in mere instants. Sharing a similar reaction, he was shocked to see the unmistakable golden N at the bottom of the message.

“You don’t mean…” ThePastaKing said, awestruck by what he had just read. “Yes, them…” I replied sternly as I found myself staring into the bright full moon in the sky above, “But how do you know about that?” Thinking for a moment, ThePastaKing retorted, “You’ve told me about many things before, my friend. That was probably one of them.” “I guess…” I said, trusting his word. “Well that certainly changes things…” ThePastaKing said, trailing off at the end of his sentence and, following a brief pause, then continued, “Well that sounds like quite an opportunity, even if it is a less than reputable group. What are you going to do?” “I don’t know…” I said, “I’ve been thinking about it for the past few hours. I hate how organizations like these hire spammers to do their dirty work…but… at the same time the cardinals are quite skilled and I could probably learn to become a better fighter.” “Seems to me like a double-edged sword…” ThePastaKing said with an insightful look on his face, “What of the trivia?”

Nodding at the sound of his valid inquiry, I replied, “I know, that’s just the thing. There’s no way I would be able to do both. PowerToMario would have to manage things while I’m gone.” “I’m sure he would be able to do that.” ThePastaKing said with confidence in PowerToMario’s abilities, “Even if he needs help, I can help him in the contest’s management…so long as you give me permission.” “Of course, you don’t have to ask me for that…” I said, becoming slightly sidetracked, “You know PowerToMario never got back to me about the 1337…” “Hm?” ThePastaKing said, wanting to know more of my current predicament. Realizing I may have slipped and said too much, I quickly stiffened and ignored his question, though he was probably already satisfied with what he heard. “Interesting…” he muttered, “…very interesting…” I remained silent, hoping that he would wander off the subject, but as I should have expected, ThePastaKing said, “Why’d you have him look into the 1337. I mean, it’s unlike you to devote time to such… foolish things.” “Well what is my time devoted to now?” I asked rhetorically, “Easy killings or stealing petty posts… I wanted to change it up a bit.” “Ugh” ThePastaKing scoffed, “I’m glad that you deal with all that crap. It’s…” he paused, “…a shame it even exists.” I replied, “I hate it yet rely on it at the same time. Ironic, isn’t it?” “Heh yeah…” ThePastaKing laughed half-heartedly before resuming to the discussion about the 1337.

“So about the 1337…” Before he could squeeze any more information out of me, though, I attempted to quickly cut him off. “It’s not what you think! They’re not…and I’m not…” Struggling for words, I tried to wipe the grin from ThePastaKing’s smug face, but it seemed like an insurmountable task. “I know you wouldn’t be wasting your time with something that’s simply an urban legend if you didn’t have some evidence or something” ThePastaKing said, “so what made you start?” “Ugh…” I sighed, “I just overheard a Sage talking about it. Decided to look into it. Haven’t found anything yet.” “I see…” He said, sounding somewhat disappointed that I was so vague in my explanation, “Do you know the intentions of AntiRocketCloudy or any of them?” Surprised that the conversation shifted in such a direction, I retorted, “Where did that come from!?” “Oh…” He said, “Sorry, I was just…thinking… if they know you know something they also know it would make sense to recruit you.” “Honestly” I replied, “I didn’t even think about that.” ThePastaKing presented a very valid point: if the group knew that I was aware of the 1337’s existence or at least heard about it when Falcon6 showed off his trinket, it would make sense for me to join up with them if their objective was even remotely related to the 1337. Digging for information by myself was one thing, but having the security of this group would escalate it to a whole new level. It had to have been more than coincidence that they took interest in hiring me now.

“Well…” ThePastaKing spoke out, interrupting my thought process, “I say go for it! Even if trivia has to be sacrificed, PowerToMario and I can pick up the slack. By the sounds of it, it’s pretty serious and you probably won’t get this offer again. In fact, I’m a little envious myself.” “Yeah…” I said jokingly, “Like they would ever pick someone like you.” “Hey!” He shouted, “This rigatoni rocket isn’t just for show, you know!? Want an up-close-and-personal demonstration!?” “No..jeez…” I said defensively, “Sorry…” “Dude, it was clearly sarcasm,” he said, making me look like a fool, “I’ll be the first to admit that there’s a big difference between our fighting abilities. You are definitely cut out for the job.” Regardless of ThePastaKing’s encouragement, I was still slightly scared to accept this new position; after all, this was a widely-known underground criminal organization and each assignment I undertake in the future could potentially be my last. I also had a strange sense of confidence, as I knew my decision was not made rashly. It was slowly becoming more and more apparent that it was the right thing to do. I could always fall back on the trivia contest if events played out poorly, but accepting AntiRocketCloudy’s invitation was the way to go.

Looking back at ThePastaKing, I said, “You’re right…but as always our conversations remain confidential.” “I know, I know,” he said, signaling with his hands that it was not a big deal, “Don’t you worry about that oh shadowy one. You finally have a chance to put your talents to better use…at least from a personal point of view.” “Yeah…” I said with a chuckle, “I wonder how…” Noticing me pause for a moment, ThePastaKing butted it, “…how what?” “Oh…” I said reluctantly, “I was just thinking…I wonder how my dad would feel about this.” I kicked a small rock on the ground and ThePastaKing could almost definitely sense my troubled emotions. “Well,” he began, “I’m sure he would be proud in his son’s strength, that’s for sure. I never met the man, but from what you’ve told me, he put a great emphasis on combative power. Do you know if he ever worked for something like this?” “I don’t know…” I said, pausing to think for a moment, “He never really told me much about his past… In fact, he often avoided the subject…” We were both silent for a few seconds, avoiding eye contact with each other. “He…said…” I said slowly trying to recall this distant memory, “…He said it would be better left unsaid. Yes… I remember those exact words from him. Maybe he didn’t want me to get involved with whatever he was a part of… or maybe he just didn’t want to set impossible expectations for me.” I glanced down at my left dagger, which was secured in its holster. I took it out and I could see my reflection in the blade illuminated by the moonlight, focusing in particular at the scar on my cheek. “Whatever the reason,” ThePastaKing remarked, interrupting my reflective state, “I’m sure he would be pleased.” Realizing that this was probably the wrong time or place to continue this particular conversation, I slid the dagger back in its holster and nodded in agreement.

“Well…” I said, “It’s time for me to head out. Wish me luck…and thanks for meeting me on such short notice.” “No problem,” ThePastaKing said, “I’ve been there almost since the trivia contest’s beginning to help. If you ever need me, just drop me a PM and I’ll be there.” “Will do,” I said as I started walking towards the Tech Support board, hearing ThePastaKing’s footsteps walking in the opposite direction. I looked back towards him as he appeared to be heading back north, perhaps towards the central part of the forum. Based on just a quick glance, it looked as if he was fiddling around with his PM watch. Maybe he was re-reading AntiRocketCloudy’s message or checking his inbox. Not wanting to interfere with his personal business and figuring that he already helped me enough to deserve some privacy, I paid it no mind and continued towards the Tech Support board.

The Tech Support board is where everyone in NSider can go if they have any sort of problem; mostly those related with forum functionality, hence the name. Help threads there range from refurbishing old weapons to fixing broken PM devices to answering general questions about the forum. In addition, it is the location of NSider Laboratories, the locale of many technological breakthroughs in the community. Towards the center of this board, one can see a skyscraper that towers over the other edifices, which can instantly be identified as the iconic Rank Thread. The Rank Thread was where all of the information about ranks on the forum could be obtained and it was often flooded with users checking when they would rank up or newcomers hopeful of becoming Plumbers in the distant future. Like I said before, a common NSider stereotype and one that is often true is that a user’s rank is a relatively accurate measure of his or her fighting ability, so this thread becomes a particularly popular place before a major tournament, as fighters find it advantageous to look up potential competition. Since the Power On Power-Up Tournament officially began on September 1st, 2007, just 15 days away, the thread was packed with users from Cappies to Metroids. This led me to question why this AntiRocketCloudy wanted to meet in such a populated area, as he must have been aware of the increased traffic. Regardless, as instructed by the message, I went down the dark alley in the rear of the building, which was actually pretty spacious once I made my way through a hole in a chain-link fence. Even though the passage was not well lit, I could see the figure of a user leaning with his back against the wall, undoubtedly waiting for me. As I advanced towards him with my right hand on my dagger just in case, he turned to face me.

“Hee hee…so you’ve come…” He said, in somewhat maniacal and higher-pitched voice, “You must be ShadowMario41, yes?” “I am,” I affirmed, “and you must be AntiRocketCl” “HMPH!” He said loudly, interrupting me, “Do not refer to me as such! If you wish to work with us, my name is PrinceLudwig. Is that clear?” “Uhh…” I said, caught off guard at such a request, “Sure, that’s fine.” His speech fluctuated between a fast and slow pace, which sounded scary and intimidating in a most unusual way. “Most excellent…” Even though I could not see his face in the darkness, I could tell that he was happy that I obliged to his request. “Now…” he continued, “You have been selected to work for the Nicolai93 Organization. I don’t need to explain to you the importance of this position.” I was certain of my choice to join, but I still hesitated, demanding more information out of this mysterious user. “What exactly will my position be?” Even though it probably would not have changed my overall choice, it still would have been nice to know more of what I was getting myself into. Unfortunately, though, he simply replied, “Wee hee! You will find that out once you’ve made your choice!” I could not see it, but I could tell that he had a large grin across his face. “Fine…” I muttered, realizing that I did not have an option at this point. Leaning in close, he whispered in my ear, “What’ll it be?”

After clearing my throat, I replied clearly and confidently, “I accept…” at which point I was locked into my choice. “I was hoping you would say that…” The mysterious figure replied, and then remained silent for a moment. Unaware of what was going on, I simply stood there waiting for a reply. In an instant, though, a faint light appeared in the air about a foot in front of PrinceLudwig’s right arm. I was taken by surprise for a moment before I noticed that he was not unarmed; he was holding a golden magic wand and was in the middle of casting a spell. He must have been able to conjure it up while holding a conversation, which is quite an impressive feat. I tried to raise my defenses but it was far too late for that. The surprisingly quick attack generated a ball of light, which flew at me in a flash, striking me square in the abdomen. The pain I felt was only for a moment, but it was so intense that I fell to the ground hard on my knees, and then finally collapsed on the ground of the alleyway. The last thing I remember hearing before blacking out was his footsteps moving towards me as I lay there helpless, unable to move a muscle. My fate rested in the hands of the mysterious PrinceLudwig, a member of the Nicolai93 Organization that I had met just moments ago. My unconscious person was at his mercy.

CHAPTER 18: Hidden Power

From Falcon6, the “Hero of NSider”, to S1lverHawk79, one of the most elite members of the NSider Police force, X-Naut128 had an uncanny knack for attracting prestigious users of the community. Users of two of the most coveted ranks on the forums devoted their time to this n00b. S1lverHawk79 and the lucky X-Naut were heading towards the Mario Board as I continued to vex on my frustration. Presumably, since the user was an X-Naut, he would be establishing residence in the Mario Board, which only angered me further that my own home board would be filled with more low-ranked filth. Perhaps the most discouraging of all was that I could not do anything about it, as S1lverHawk79 would certainly prove to be a match for me. I continued to follow the pair in silence, hoping that the chance to strike would present itself.

Not surprisingly, as the two were conversing, I noticed that S1lverHawk79 was having a hard time understanding the n00by language of this newcomer. He kept leaning down motioning for the X-Naut to repeat himself and often hesitated to respond to some of the Cappy’s queries. I decided to use this distraction to my advantage as I crept closer and closer to the group, eventually coming within earshot. All the discussion consisted of, though, was the basic functionality of the forums, such as how to send private messages and earn posts to increase one’s rank. The officer also mentioned how it should be the goal of every member to become an upstanding member of the community, but that did not seem to faze the thick-headed newcomer. Perhaps the first legitimate question of his existence, X-Naut128 asked “If beeing nice is importante, then y is fighting such a beg deel?” to which S1lverHawk79 paused and had to think for a moment. Finally he turned towards him and answered, “There is nothing wrong with fighting as a sport. Some may frown upon it, but I personally find it exciting. Backstreet brawls, however, are a completely different story; the general populous frowns upon those who use violence as their only answer to life’s problems. You’ve probably been hearing a lot about fighting with the Power On Power-Up tournament coming up, haven’t you?” “Wats a tournament?” X-Naut said in reply, causing S1lverHawk79 to let out a light sigh. X-Naut128 was clearly eager to find out, so S1lverHawk79 began his explanation,

“Well everyone is in the fighting spirit because of the Power On Power-Up Tournament, which is now only a couple weeks away. Once every two years in the NSider Coliseum, located in Power On, there is a massive gathering of fighters to compete in a series of matches to determine who’s the best.” “Ooh!” X-Naut128 said in awe, awaiting more information. S1lverHawk79 continued, “The entry fee is steep, which usually discourages those who aren’t serious about it from participating. However, there is still an overwhelming attendance every year. There is first a series of preliminary rounds to determine the top sixty-four fighters, who then compete in a massive bracket for the championship. Usually there are about four or five preliminary rounds before the final bracket. The overall winner of the fights is awarded with a special rank; Arena Champ, and a pretty hefty amount of posts. I’m not sure what the prize is this year, but it’s definitely something worth fighting for…not to mention the fame and glory of being the champ. Anyway, it’s one of NSider’s main events, so you should definitely stop by if you want to see some action.” “AWW YEAH” The Cappy screamed and pumped his fist, “I WANNA FIGHT!” “Whoa hey!” S1lverHawk79 exclaimed, pointing his finger at the over-excited X-Naut, “This is a serious competition, you know. Especially being new around here, I wouldn’t advise you to participate. Some people have actually died in this event.” X-Naut128 looked puzzled for a moment, but his expression quickly turned to anger. “R U saying I dunt got wat it takes!?” The officer was taken aback at that statement, but admitted that he did not think that a newcomer was ready to handle the competition.

Suddenly X-Naut128 stopped in his tracks and looked around. Unsure of what he was doing, S1lverHawk79 questioned him, to which he replied, “I can prove taht I have the skillz. C that treee over there? I’ll kill it!!!” “Umm…” The baffled officer replied, but then had a quick change of heart. “Ok, humor me and show me what you got. If you can impress me, I’ll let you participate.” I was stunned that this no-name newcomer would even have a chance at competing when I, a skilled assassin, had no hopes of participating due to the entrance fee. However, S1lverHawk79 was an experienced fighter and there was no way he could live up to such a high standard, so I remained calm and composed. After clearing the area of other bystanders, S1lverHawk79 allowed X-Naut128 to demonstrate his skills on the oak tree beside him.

“YAYZ!” The X-Naut exclaimed before abruptly changing his expression to that of something more serious, “…now watch…” Spreading his feet apart and facing the tree, he assumed a basic battle pose typical of a Cappy. He drew the large broadsword attached to his back and held it with both hands in front of him, pointed outward towards the tree. It looked like he was going to charge the tree and slice it vertically, but he just stood there, motionless. Maybe the sword was too heavy for him to wield or perhaps he forgot what he was doing. Either way, it was pretty comical to watch the strained look on the newbie’s face. Even those who were looking on started to giggle, but the stationary X-Naut remained just that and was not moving an inch. At this point, I could not really tell whether or not this was going to be a serious attack, so I continued to watch from the shadows.

After about fifteen seconds of nothing, S1lverHawk79 moved to stop the X-Naut from hurting himself when he suddenly let out a loud indecipherable scream, signifying that he was not to be bothered. “Ok, ok!” S1lverHawk79 said in his defense, “Just hurry up because I have to get back to wor-wor-w…what the hell!?” Upon saying this, a faint red aura started to appear around X-Naut128, getting more and more intense with every passing moment. Some others in the area appeared startled at the glowing user and even S1lverHawk79 took a few steps back and wiped his eyes to check his vision. The wind started to pick up, blowing in a strange swirling pattern around X-Naut128. Leaves and pieces of paper scattered around began to swirl in a tornado-like fashion around X-Naut128, which actually caused me to brace for whatever attack was coming. The ground beneath the X-Naut started to rupture as he continued to build up his attack. Even I didn’t know what to expect, but I could now tell that he was unloading all of his potential into this mysterious attack.

Then it happened; in an instant, the red aura surrounding the X-Naut was channeled through the sword and fired at the tree, moving in a wave-like pattern. The attack was so fast that even I had trouble following it. All I could do is watch as the red energy laser struck the tree, slicing it into mere splinters before totally incinerating it with deafening explosion. A few screams could be heard as the blinding flash and ground-shaking impact rocked the surrounding area and even I had to hold onto a building to keep my balance. I felt like I was in a wind tunnel as the gale from the explosion whipped at my face, causing my black robes to wave wildly in the air. There was smoke everywhere and I had to cover my mouth so I would not start coughing and give away from my position. Finally after a short while, the ground stopped shaking as the aftershock of the blast diminished to a negligible magnitude. I looked over and saw that S1lverHawk79 was on the ground with his hands over his head and many others who were once laughing at the poor user were now nowhere to be found.

When I finally realized what had happened, I dropped one of my daggers in amazement at the blast. An attack like that is something one would expect from a highly skilled and intensely trained Sage or Knight of Hyrule, not from a mere Cappy. When the heavy black smoke cleared, not even a fragment of the tree was left and a deep crater of rock appeared in the ground upon which the tree once stood. The blast was perfectly controlled, as nothing but the target was hit by its devastating power. It was an attack more powerful than any I have ever seen...more powerful than my own techniques. On top of all that, it was seemingly perfected by this Cappy, one which I had vowed to kill and failed to do so back when he was a simple OSider. My paradigm of this user started to change, as I was a clear witness as to how much hidden strength he possessed under his superficial n00b-like behavior. “Who have I really been chasing?” I thought, “Was the n00b appearance just a façade to conceal his true strength?” It seemed extremely unlikely, but I was beginning to consider the X-Naut as a worthy foe rather than an annoying ant that needed to be eliminated. Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise that I did not attack the user and try to stealthily kill him; perhaps he would have caught me and unleashed this awesome power on me. I tried to avoid jumping to conclusions based on just one attack, especially with such a lengthy preparation required, but it was impossible to ignore such a display of power.

When S1lverHawk79 finally got on his feet and regained his balance, he just stood there, mouth agape, glancing back and forth between X-Naut128 and the damage done by the devastating attack. Finally he hesitantly walked up to the X-Naut, who was putting his sword back in its holster on his back, and muttered, “T-That…that….c-could’ve…killed a Sage…even an NOA…..” “TREE GO BOOM!” X-Naut screamed as he turned back to the perturbed police officer, grinning ear-to-ear. I felt as if was a little better at disguising my emotions and inner thoughts than S1lverHawk79, but he was entirely correct. Not even an all-powerful administrator caught in the middle of that attack would have been able to survive. Even a user powered-up with a G-Mod Crystal probably still could not have unleashed anything that fierce.

Several seconds passed before the police officer regained his composure and looked at the X-Naut, “W-Where did you learn that!?” he asked with a startled tone in his voice. “One day i just kinda did it and….umm….yah….WHEE!” X-Naut128 replied, which made S1lverHawk79 even more confused and slightly afraid by the looks of it. “Well,” he began, “that attack was a little slow, but it certainly was…ahem…impressive…” Straightening the belt on his uniform, S1lverHawk79 reached into his back pocket and pulled out two small slips of paper and handed them to X-Naut128. “Here…I changed my mind…” “Huh?” The dumbfounded X-Naut said as he examined the documents. “These will get you into the Power On Power-Up Tournament for free,” S1lverHawk79 explained, “I don’t have very many of these to give out, but you just…wow…yeah…” Now S1lverHawk79 was speaking gibberish; apparently the image of that attack was still replaying in his mind. “Erm…anyway… yeah, you definitely have what it takes to compete and do really well. I gave you two of those passes, so maybe you can take your friend who was escorted to the Zelda Board earlier. What was his name?” “TECHNODRAGON64!!!” X-Naut128 screamed, angry that the officer didn’t remember the name of his best friend. “AHH! Ok!” S1lverHawk79 replied, still shaken up, “Just don’t hurt me…erm…I mean…Just watch yourself out there.”

The pair continued the rest of their walk to the Mario Board in silence. I continued my pursuit, but was also awe-struck by the display that X-Naut128 just unleashed. I have never witnessed an attack that powerful and I am thankful that I was not the target of such a blow. If he received the proper training or happens to run into another highly ranked user of the forums, which is not unreasonable given his luck so far, he could control that fighting ability and could have a very high chance of becoming the Arena Champ relying solely on that one move. Seeing an X-Naut with that much power brought back the painful memory of FenirKnight murdering my father all those years ago. Now the mere thought of this user’s death appealed to my killer instinct, my deep-seeded anger, and my unfounded revenge. However, I decided that I no longer wanted to defeat X-Naut128 relying on my speed and stealth alone. Despite how prideful it might have been, I wanted to kill X-Naut128 in a fair one-on-one match-up so I could test my abilities against his battle prowess. He had to have other moves at his disposal if he was able to execute such a forceful strike and I wanted to see them all.

“And here we are…this is where you’ll be living for now.” The voice of S1lverHawk79 snapped me out of my daydreams as I realized I was walking down the main street in plain sight. I instantly dashed into an alleyway and checked my surroundings to make sure no one was in pursuit. It was a miracle that no one noticed and I knew that I could not make mistakes like that with Dr_Peppy trying to close in on my position. Any user out there could have been hired by the ex-military officer to kill me on the spot, so I had to keep a very low profile for the time being. Even though I now wanted to fight and defeat X-Naut128, it was still my top priority to remain hidden and avoid any troublesome situations. Peering out from the alley, I saw that the couple was stopped in front of an apartment building, which would have to suffice as a temporary home for the newcomer. When they first become Cappies, all newcomers start off in apartments until they reach higher ranks, at which point they can transfer to bigger and better housing options. Also, it was possible for users, much like myself, to break out of the system and open a business that could double as a house. It was also entirely true that some users did not have a home, but stayed in various hotels and other rooms from day-to-day.

S1lverHawk79 continued to explain how the housing system works to X-Naut128, though he did not seem to be paying much attention. This attitude clearly frustrated S1lverHawk79, but he did not want to say anything, fearing that he could be on the receiving end of one of those deadly blasts. Blatantly interrupting the officer, X-Naut128 turned to him and said, “Sooooo yeah I get to live heer but am I gonna bee all alonez?” “Yes,” S1lverHawk79 responded, “Though I’m sure you will quickly make friends around the Mario Board. There are a lot of contests here that you can get involved with... trivias, picture captions, you name it!” “OK! COOL!” X-Naut128 exclaimed rather loudly, much to the distaste of the elite police officer. Following some more idle chitchat, S1lverHawk79 said his goodbye and walked back in the direction of Power On. X-Naut128 walked slowly into the brown building, now being truly alone for the first time since he was an OSider. Earlier today, I would have jumped at this opportunity and killed the poor user without a moment’s hesitation, but now it was different. I saw that, under the n00bish exterior, there was an unbelievable reserve of strength. I wanted to test out my abilities against it. Though the thought of this X-Naut possibly rivaling my battle skill was demoralizing, I could utilize this as an opportunity to improve my abilities and become even faster, stronger, and deadlier.

My inner monologue was unfortunately disrupted by a soft beeping noise coming from my PM watch. I looked down and saw that I had an unread message, which could have been sitting there for several minutes now. I pressed a button and a screen popped up in front of me, presenting quite an interesting decision.

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FROM: ANTIROCKETCLOUDY Add User to Friends List – Add User to Ignore List

SENT: 08/17/07 – 1:14 P.M.

ShadowMario41,

You have been invited to become a new member of our organization. We find your case rather interesting and believe we could utilize your skills to fulfill our objectives. If you are interested, meet me tonight at 9:00 in the alley behind “The Rank Thread.” More complete details will be explained there. Do not bring anyone with you. The pay will be more than satisfying. I await your arrival.

~Prince Ludwig

N

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CHAPTER 17: Bar-Side Brawl

With Zovistograt and I watching side-by-side and other restaurant patrons also serving as spectators, HyruleGirl9 and V_Power_Of_Doom stood at opposite ends of this cramped bar-side battlefield, staring each other down. “You sure you want to do this?” HyruleGirl9 asked, sliding a few chairs out of the way to create some space, “Don’t think you can win ‘cause I’m a girl. I hate when people assume that.” “Oh,” V_Power_Of_Doom said, cracking his neck, “you’re a little feisty. I like that…” “HMPH!” HyruleGirl9 shouted, obviously irked by V_Power’s ignorant comments before retorting, “Are you just going to stand there or are you going to attack?” V_Power_Of_Doom raised his right eyebrow, snickered softly and then, fueled by rage, charged towards her.

His footsteps were very heavy on the ground and, considering the reputation that preceded him, I was surprised that his motions were neither faster nor more fluid. Maybe it was a ploy to lower HyruleGirl9’s guard, but he did appear to be charging up a potent and dangerous punch. He was winding up his fist, preparing to unleash it on HyruleGirl9, who just stood there in a seemingly unguarded pose. Judging by V_Power_Of_Doom’s attack pattern, he was going for a one-shot knock-out, though I was not sure if HyruleGirl9 realized how dangerous this strike could be if it connected. I was going to warn her to dodge or try to impede, but the look of confidence on HyruleGirl9’s face kept me seated on the barstool. When he was nearly in front of her, he started to swing his fist down in a surprisingly quick motion and with a loud cracking sound, struck a wooden table, splitting it down the middle. “Huh?” He said, lifting his sore hand from the table, “Where’d she go?” Much to my disbelief, HyruleGirl9 vanished into thin air so fast that I could not even track her movements. If she evaded his attack by simply dodging, regardless of how fast it was, I am certain that I would have been able to see it. I glanced left…then right… in both directions, HyruleGirl9 was nowhere to be found.

“Gah!” Zovistograt gasped before retaining his composure and remarking, “Great job, V. You just broke a freakin’ table. That better not come out of my paycheck…” “Grr…” V_Power_Of_Doom snarled, frustrated that his attack missed, “Where the hell did she go!?” Just then, a loud scream echoed from the other side of the bar. Everyone immediately fixated on the source of the noise, where the face of one of V_Power_Of_Doom’s friends was now on fire and HyruleGirl9 was standing just a few short feet away. Upon seeing this, the other muscle-bound man next to him immediately stood up and sprinted for the door in hopes of avoiding a similar fate. Unfortunately, he could not escape HyruleGirl9’s wrath, as his face spontaneously burst into flames mere moments before he could leave the restaurant. “WHAT THE -!?” He shouted, “AHHHHHH!” I looked back at V_Power, who stood there with his mouth agape at the sight of his two friends on fire. “H-How did she do that?” He said, realizing he had vastly overestimated his own abilities against his quick and nimble opponent. HyruleGirl9 just glanced back in the direction of V_Power_Of_Doom with a wink and a smile. “I guess I’m just fast.” She said mockingly, much to the anger of her adversary, who clenched his fists tightly in frustration. Almost simultaneously, the large users that were once confidently accompanying HyruleGirl9’s brutish challenger fell to the ground with a loud thud, but the fire on their faces continued to burn. “Hey! Hey! HEY!” Zovistograt spoke up, “Put that out or you’ll burn the whole place down!” “Don’t worry,” HyruleGirl9 said with a laugh, “I’m in complete control.”

As she said that, the flames quickly burned out, leaving both of V_Power_Of_Doom’s allies with charred, blackened faces. I was impressed with her little stunt, but I could find it was far from her full potential in terms of fighting power. It was a little trick to show off, not a true fighting move. HyruleGirl9 looked in my direction and rolled her eyes, further supporting my hypothesis that this was a one-sided skirmish. Regardless, V_Power_Of_Doom looked even more enraged as he once again charged towards HyruleGirl9, throwing a powerful uppercut with his right hand. Predicting that she would try to use the vanishing technique again, I studied her movements to see how it was done. Right before V_Power_Of_Doom’s swing would have connected, a green aura surrounded and engulfed HyruleGirl9 all in a fraction of a second. She vanished again, much to V_Power_Of_Doom’s dismay as his attack missed yet again. Frantic to land a hit, he started swinging his arms wildly in all directions. “I’m going to find you!” He exclaimed in a storm of rage, “You can’t hide from me!!!”

“Pretty cool, huh?” A voice whispered softly in my ear. I turned around to find HyruleGirl9 sitting at the bar stool next to me. “umm…yeah…” I remarked, not having the time to think of something less blunt. Upon hearing me speak, Zovistograt turned around and a shocked expression crossed his face when he saw HyruleGirl9. “How did you - ?” He started, only to pause, sigh heavily and say, “Ugh…I need a vacation.” “Well I guess I should finish this guy off,” HyruleGirl9 said as the greenish light began to surround her body again. “Watch…” She said as she began to execute her teleportation technique in slow motion for my benefit. She still disappeared in an instant, but I sensed something, like a soft breeze, brush by me towards V_Power_Of_Doom, who was still blindly punching the air. It seemed like her energy was traveling through the air at very high speeds, essentially allowing her to teleport. She reappeared right in front of V_Power, who so was shocked to see his opponent again that he stopped attacking. Taking advantage of this momentary pause, HyruleGirl9 punched V_Power_Of_Doom square in the face with a fast and fiery right hook. He instinctively brought both hands to his face to cover his injury, only to have HyruleGirl9 follow up with a flurry of five punches to the abdomen. V_Power_Of_Doom fell forward on his knees and to the ground, much to the amazement of restaurant patrons observing the spectacle.

“You just beat him with one punch!” Zovistograt exclaimed, “How can anyone even punch with such force!?” “Actually,” HyruleGirl9 started to speak as she closed her eyes and raised her right index finger, “It was a punch to the face and –” “–and five punches to the chest.” I said, completing her sentence. “Precisely!” she remarked happily, proud that someone else was able to observe her fine-tuned fighting techniques. “Well…” Zovistograt said, “My eyesight must not be what it used to…” “Didn’t anyone else see that?” HyruleGirl9 asked to other onlookers in the restaurant, none of whom spoke out or raised a hand but instead gawked in amazement. “Hmm…” HyruleGirl9 thought before resuming her happy facial expression, “Oh well! I guess I’m just awesome!”

HyruleGirl9 was spot on when she told me not to underestimate her back at Dr_Peppy’s headquarters. Even from this small demonstration, I could tell she was a skilled fighter and could easily hold her own on the battlefield. As she walked over towards me, though, her expression changed to one of disappointment. I stood up to question it, but before I could she said, “That wasn’t V… just some drunken idiot. Someday,” HyruleGirl9 paused as she looked up towards the ceiling, “I’ll find out who V really is...and I will beat him.” I was about to inquire further as to what she was getting at, but she then abruptly turned towards me and stated sternly, “You have to get out of here now. I’ll act as if I didn’t see you.” “Hm?” I said, passively demanding further explanation. She continued, “This pathetic excuse for a fight must have attracted some attention. The Doc is sure to send someone here to check it out.” I knew that Dr_Peppy had spies placed all over NSider, but I wasn’t aware of how intensive his surveillance actually was. “He watches us…” she said with some anxiety in her voice, “And he’s out to find you…" I thought about questioning her motives for letting me go, but decided it was just best to capitalize on this opportunity to take my leave. I reached into my pockets and pulled out some posts, placing them on the table and sliding them on the wooden surface towards Zovistograt. “Leaving so soon?” He said slyly, “Afraid that you’ll get burned by HyruleGirl9, too?” “No.” I replied hastily, “And you should have HyruleGirl9 beat up drunken users more often. It attracts quite an audience.” With a flick of my robes and a nod in HyruleGirl9’s direction, I turned around and headed towards the door and headed outside into the dark night.

A full moon lit up the streets of Power On as I looked for a place to spend the night. While sleeping at the Trivia HQ was always a nice treat, I did not want to be spoiled by the comfortable bed and warm sheets night after night. A soft spot of sand or grass was usually preferred, but even something like a wooden crate or the side of a building to lean against was more than enough for me. After all, it was the way in which I have been conditioned my whole life. Of course, it is illegal to just spend the night anywhere, so I had to pick a pretty secluded location. “Maybe I should’ve spent those posts on a hotel room…” I thought to myself as I snuck into a back alley about a block away from the NSider Loudhouse. There I found a small cardboard box that, though slightly torn, would make for an excellent shelter for the night Although I knew I could only afford a few hours of sleep before I had to return to monitoring X-Naut128, I still smiled at the thought of getting some rest. As my eyelids started to close, a beeping sound started to come from my PM watch.

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FROM: ZOVISTOGRAT Add User to Friends List – Add User to Ignore List

SENT: 08/16/07 – 10:48 P.M.

You know, if you ever get tired of that trivia business or doing whatever it is that you do, I bet I could get you a job as the security in the Loudhouse. Having people like you and HyruleGirl9 around would definitely make my job easier. Don’t be a stranger!

~Zovi

PS: V was kind of a jerk anyway. It was good to see someone put him in his place.

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I woke up the next morning right on schedule and sprang up to my feet, surprisingly refreshed. My PM watch showed 8:15 AM and I knew it was time to get back to spying on that stupid little X-Naut128, waiting for the seemingly impossible opportunity to kill him. It infuriated me that he was still alive, but he had to have been the luckiest user in the forum’s history for surviving this long with an expert assassin on his tail. It boggled my mind that he was now a full-fledged NSider and, although just a Cappy, he could now create his own posts on any board of his choosing. I stretched for a minute or two before walking back to Falcon6’s mansion with a hastened pace. I did not want to miss a move of the X-Naut or his crew.

The dead corpse that gave me a boost to the windowsill last time was gone, but there was a bucket conveniently down the street on top of which I could stand. Looking in the same window as before, I saw that the group was actually gathered in the foyer of the mansion ready to leave. I was relieved that my slumber did not cause me to miss the party’s departure. However, it seemed that Falcon6 was not going out with them, as he was still in his pajamas. I pressed my ear to the glass of the window in an attempt to hear what I was saying, but I could only make out garbled noises at best. The front door opened and they started to emerge, so I dismounted from the bucket and walked around so I could see the front entrance. Now within clear earshot, I could hear what the three were saying.

“You sure you’ll be okay?” Invader8 asked the two Cappies, “NSider is a pretty big place, ya know, it’s easy to get lost.” “We’ll be fine.” TechnoDragon64 said with confidence, “We’re full-fledged NSiders now, did ya forget?” “YA!” X-Naut128 said rather loudly, “Im gunna go mak moar friends!” Invader8 – not surprisingly – remained unconvinced, continuing to ask if they understood the basic operations of the forum. “You remember everything I said about how posts and replies work, right?” X-Naut128 nodded his head and Invder8 simply shrugged in reply. The group walked out of Falcon6’s gated yard onto the streets of Power On before Invader8 continued, “Well… if you’re ready, go become proud NSiders! If you need me, I’ll be in the Smash Board.” “Bye!” X-Naut and TechnoDragon both said in unison as Invader8 walked in the opposite direction.

“This is working out perfectly,” I thought, “with those two gone; it will just be X-Naut128 and TechnoDragon64 together. I could kill both of them in one fell swoop!” I followed the two with a high level of anxiety, dashing in and out of back alleys just waiting for the opportune moment to strike when no one was around. Unfortunately, in a crowded forum like Power On, such an opportunity was quite a rarity. My patience began to pay off, though, when the duo reached the outskirts of Power On, ready to venture off into other unexplored boards. They stopped and were engaging in some idle chitchat, probably trying to figure out which way to go from here. I saw TechnoDragon64 pull a map out of his pocket and waved his finger around while X-Naut128 looked around aimlessly, not paying attention in the slightest. My right hand grabbed the hilt of one of my daggers; it was time to strike. I started to run forward but stopped after a few steps. TechnoDragon64 raised his hand, as if he were signaling someone towards him.

A police officer walked over from around the block, dressed in the typical blue uniform with a brown utility belt and a golden badge on his chest. “Damn! This is ridiculous!” I said under my breath as I recognized the officer immediately. There was no mistaking it; this guy was S1lverHawk79, another one of the noteworthy officers on the force. Unlike Rexy_SOS, however, this user was a Plumber, the highest rank possible on NSider to achieve normally. Very few ever come close to earning this rank and I do not even think that I could ever achieve such a title. He was about the same height as me, but much more muscular in appearance. In fact, I was pretty sure he could beat me into the ground if I tried to face him in a true hand-to-hand battle. He had shoulder-length silver hair extending down from behind his cap as well as a special insignia on his shirt shaped like a wrench, the sign of the Plumber rank. He did have a slight sense of egotism about him, but he was nice enough to help out newcomers. TechnoDragon64, the resourceful little wretch, must have called him over to help with directions, oblivious to the fact that S1lverHawk79 was one of the best on the force.

I was unable to hear exactly what they were saying from my current distance, but I could see X-Naut128 pointing in many different directions and waving his arms wildly. Not wanting to risk me being caught by the esteemed officer, I held my ground. After it appeared that X-Naut128’s attempt at communication failed, TechnoDragon64 intervened and seemed to ask a question in a more composed manner. Upon hearing TechnoDragon64’s inquiry, S1lverHawk79 pulled out his walkie-talkie and appeared to call in another officer. Within approximately thirty seconds, the summoned officer pulled up on a motorcycle next to the trio. TechnoDragon64 promptly hopped onto the back of the motorcycle and X-Naut128 waved goodbye as the vehicle sped off towards The Legend of Zelda board. I thought X-Naut128 would finally be alone but, of course, S1lverHawk79 continued to walk alongside him. Once again, X-Naut128 was accompanied with a high-ranking user that prevented me from going in for the kill; now with a police officer, no less. I, again, had no choice but to lie in wait and pursue in the shadows until I could finally get the lowly X-Naut alone, where I could swiftly accomplish my self-proclaimed assassination mission.

CHAPTER 16: The NSider Loudhouse

As I continued on the road to the NSider Loudhouse, hoping to avoid any additional unwanted encounters, my PM watch beeped, signifying an incoming message. I stopped to take a quick look.

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FROM: POWERTOMARIO Add User to Friends List – Add User to Ignore List

SENT: 08/16/07 – 9:32 P.M.

I’m glad to hear that you are ok, SM. For whatever reason, I always know that you’ll be fine, yet I continue to worry for your safety. Anyway, the only thing I know about the 1337 is from the legend you spoke of. It’s supposedly a weapon of great power, but that’s just a myth told to little kids. If you’re really adamant to know more, I will research it at the Tech Support Board and contact you tomorrow morning (and even if not, you know I can’t refuse an intellectual endeavor). Good luck with whatever it is that you’re doing. Just try not to get yourself killed.

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As I had suspected, PowerToMario would never turn down the opportunity to learn more information about the history of NSider. Having him deal with finding out more about this would be perfect, as I could focus on the task at hand before worrying about this much bigger problem. I promptly responded to his message confirming that I had received it successfully and wishing him luck. Hoping that he would get back to me within a day or two with more valuable information, I continued into Power On, where the NSider Loudhouse came into view on the horizon. This area of the forum was strangely empty, so I was able to stick to the main street and walk at a leisurely pace without worry of being identified as an assassin.

The NSider Loudhouse was truly an establishment that defined the nature of NSider. The walls of this large brick structure were decorated with decals of all sorts of Nintendo heroes, from the infamous 8-bit Mario to more obscure ones like Lolo and Bubbles. Despite its rowdy atmosphere, it was revered by critics around the forum for having some of the best food anywhere. Much to my surprise, it was not as busy as usual tonight; usually there is a line that extends halfway down the block just to get inside. Still, there were many users standing in groups outside, presumably families waiting for booths to open up. Keeping my head down, I silently walked past them and through the suspended wooden saloon-like doors. The restaurant was operating like a well-oiled machine; almost every table was filled and those that were vacant were being cleaned and set up for new guests. As always, it was very loud inside, making it somewhat difficult to even hear my own thoughts. There were television sets visible from almost every angle of the restaurant, too, each tuned into a sports broadcast or news channel. The wooden walls were lined with pictures taken from various video games and the floor of the restaurant looked like brick blocks from Super Mario Bros. Spotting a vacant seat at the bar, I quickly proceeded to occupy the silver bar stool.

There was always a fully stocked bar at the NSider Loudhouse with a wide array of selections. One of the many specialties here and one of my favorite beverages on the menu was Loqua, fine liquor that tasted like fruit juice rather than strong alcohol, though it still had plenty of that mixed in. That and a nice shroom steak would give me just the pick-me-up I needed to quickly execute the X-Naut and move on to investigate the tale told by Falcon6. Although I couldn’t completely trust his words just yet, if the Sage was anywhere close to the truth, this quest of curiosity could spiral into something much bigger with much more at stake. Getting mixed up with the NOAs was never something I intended on doing, but it seems as if I had no choice but to be overly cautious. I decided it would be best to prepare for the worst and this fine meal was certainly a good start. Silently flagging down the bartender, I placed my order and resumed my pensive state.

Assuming the Sage actually knew what he was talking about, this would be the first piece of evidence I have ever seen for the 1337’s existence. However, I had trouble coming to terms that this machine – or weapon as PowerToMario called it – could have existed all this time without someone finding it. Unless it was closely guarded by the NOAs, it would be impossible to shield from the millions of users in this community. Luckily I had PowerToMario on the hunt for some information, so hopefully I would soon know a little more about this folklore. Still, it seemed like I was going headfirst into this blindfolded, as I had no insight on whether or not there was truth to this tale. For all I knew, it could have just been something Falcon6 made up to impress his guests. Despite that, I figured that knowing the truth was worth the risk; if the 1337 really did exist and so few people knew about it, then perhaps ultimate power would be within my grasp. But was it really possible that the NOAs would not destroy such a dangerous item in fear of this happening? Beginning to grow frustrated at my lack of knowledge on the subject, I exclaimed under by breath, “None of this makes any sense!”

Apparently I said that a little louder than I initially thought, as the bartender looked inquisitively towards me as if he wanted to make conversation. He set the Loqua down in front of me on a coaster and looked me in the eye, to which I quickly lowered my head. “Hey, bud. What’s troublin’ you?” He asked, trying to bait me into talking. Ignoring his words, I slipped enough posts on the counter to pay for the drink and snatched the glass off the table. Apparently, with that action, the bartender got enough of a glimpse at my face to open his smug mouth again. “Hmm…” he said, “You look somewhat familiar. Like…umm…” I didn’t say a word as I drank the delicious beverage, immediately satisfied by its soothing flavor. “You wouldn’t happen to be ShadowMario41, would you?” I mistakenly flinched at the sound of his words and coughed a few times on my drink, revealing all that the bartender needed to know that his identification was correct. Even though I was useless at this point, I replied, “And if I am? What then?” My attempt at covering myself failed, though, as I looked up and saw a witty yet confident look on his face.

“You’re the guy who hosts that trivia contest on the Mario board, is that right?” I actually felt somewhat relieved that he did not recognize me due to my profession as an assassin, so I became a little more lax in dealing with the situation. Since there wasn’t much left to hide, I discretely nodded, which only caused the conversation to continue. “Ah, I gotta hand it to ya, that contest looks to be quite a success. Probably one of the best I’ve seen in the recent years of NSider. But what brings you out drinkin’ at the Loudhouse? Bad day?” “You know a lot about me, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen you before.” I said, still trying to keep a relaxed posture as I enjoyed my drink. “I’m Zovistograt. I’ve worked at the NSider Loudhouse as a bartender for…oh… ten years now. I take it you don’t come here often…” “I’m usually…” I started, but decided it would be best not to continue or delve into specifics. “…usually busy…” “Busy?” Zovistograt said with a chuckle, “You know how many times I’ve heard that? Come on, what’s troublin’ ya?” With one elbow up against the counter, the chatty bartender leaned towards me, beckoning me to tell my story. He was an older man, probably in his fifties as signified by the slight wrinkles on his face, but seemed to still be as energetic as a young schoolboy. He was wearing a black button-down shirt with a blue t-shirt underneath, a black belt, and black dress pants. He had a scruffy white mustache and goatee, calm blue eyes and somewhat of a receding hairline, but it did not seem as if his age affected him in the slightest.

With no response from me, he continued to beckon me to share my story. “Do you know how many crazy stories I hear in this bar?” He said, “I hear things from cheating wives to backstreet brawls to run-ins with the law. Bartender’s oath, you know, to never tell a soul.” “Hmph” I said, setting my glass down on the counter and folding my arms. However, I quickly realized that I may be able to get some juicy information out of this guy. If he ready had heard crazy stories from other NSiders, perhaps at least one of them talked about the 1337… or something even more far-fetched. Maybe if I could ask him just the right questions, I could acquire some valuable information. I looked up only to find that I may have missed my opportunity, as he simply shrugged and walked away as one guy blurted out in a drunken stupor from across the bar, “Hey Zovi! Another round of Lon Lon Rum for the guys!”

Beginning to once again grow somewhat frustrated at myself, my inner thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of my shroom steak. “Is there anything else you need, sir?” The waitress said as I looked up, but then the expression on both of our faces changed suddenly. I immediately recognized her from our encounter in Dr. Peppy’s office. “You’re HyruleGirl9…” I said, “What are you doing here?” I started to feel slightly nervous, as she could have been sent by Dr. Peppy to deal with me. Leaning down behind me, she whispered into my ear, “The better question is what are you doing here? A public place like this is not the ideal way to hide.” Unsure of what she meant, I asked, “Hide? From what?” “Dr. Peppy, of course,” she said sternly, “Word has it that you stole something from him. That story quickly spread and tarnished Dr. Peppy’s otherwise perfect reputation of not letting his workers get the best of him. In other words…” she paused for a brief moment to catch her breath, “…he’s pissed.” “I see…” I said softly, looking down towards the floor. “We can talk later… my shift ends soon if you care to stick around…” I turned around as she walked away only to find Zovistograt’s face smiling back at me. “How do you know her?” He said, slyly, “She’s only been here a few weeks and I don’t think this is her only source of income if you know what I mean.”

Choosing to ignore Zovistograt’s previous statement, I set my glass of loqua down and met him with my eyes. After thinking for a moment, I came to the conclusion that the best way to find out information was to just lay all of my cards on the table. Softly, I spoke, “Zovistograt…” “Please…” he said, cutting me off, “Call me Zovi.” Slightly irritated that he cut me off, I continued, “Alright then…Zovi, what do you know of the 1337?” His expression suddenly changed and he was staring at me as if I had two heads. While I waited for a reply, I cut the first bite of the succulent steak and shoved it into my mouth. It was cooked perfectly and the savory taste of mushrooms and beef was a welcome one compared to what I’ve been scraping together for food. As I was chewing the scrumptious meat, Zovistograt called out loudly to the entire bar, “Hey! This guy wants to know about the 1337!!!” I nearly choked on my food upon hearing this, as the whole bar turned towards me and started to laugh. I could not make out exactly what they were all saying, but I could tell they took me for a fool.

I swallowed my morsel of steak and tried to retain my composure, but the taunts and jeers were just too much. They were coming from every which way and I was trapped in the middle with no possible escape. It filled me with anger that these drunken scumbags were laughing over a question that could lead to a potentially serious situation concerning the entire forum. Normally I have a firm grip on my emotions, but this sense of anger was boiling in the pit of my stomach, like a pool of lava about to erupt from a volcano. My hands began to tremble as the tormenting continued, with one user in particular mentioning how I was a n00b for even asking about something like that. I could feel the muscles on my forehead tightening and the veins on the backs of my hands began to bulge. Across the room I noticed that there was a dartboard hanging on the wall almost directly in my line of sight. My right hand started to glow with a dark blue pulse of energy as I picked up the knife that was provided with my shroom steak and hurled it towards the dartboard. Before anyone could say another word, the energy-infused knife struck the bull’s-eye of the board with a loud cracking sound. The taunts from the other users at the bar instantly ceased and their expressions changed to that of fear. I glanced around at their despicable faces and remarked, “The next one might be aimed at your head.” As if on cue, the brick wall behind the board started to crack and the board fell to the ground with a loud thud.

Satisfied with my work, the whole restaurant was silenced as I calmly returned to my meal and motioned the stunned Zovistograt to pour me another drink. “Is everything ok with your meal?” HyruleGirl9 said, returning for the usual waitress check-up. I nodded and she smiled, “Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?” Upon hearing HyruleGirl9 ask me this, Zovistograt blurted out while waving his arms frantically and pointing in the direction of my target, “H-How can you still stand to serve this guy!? Didn’t you see what he did!?” Looking somewhat confused, HyruleGirl9 glanced over at the crack in the wall and the dartboard on the floor. “So?” She said, “We have another board in the back...” “You’re missing the point! He just chucked a steak knife at that tiny dartboard about 100 feet away. Not only did he get a bull’s-eye, but he broke the damn wall!” “Eh… it’s just a little crack.” HyruleGirl9 said, unsure of why the aged bartender was making this into such a huge fiasco. “He could’ve killed someone!” Zovistograt shouted, continuing to make overly-exaggerated gestures while I continued to enjoy my meal. “I think he knew what he was doing.” HyruleGirl9 said in a slightly annoyed tone as she tapped me on the shoulder to get my attention. I glanced up from my half-eaten steak at HyruleGirl9, who smiled back at me and continued talking to Zovistograt, “All these blockheads that drink themselves to death don’t know a thing about real fighting. That was a small glimpse into the power of a skilled warrior.”

“Who ya callin’ blockhead!?” One man from the other end of the bar yelled as his stood up, followed by two of his burly friends, and walked over to HyruleGirl9. “Ya know I don’t normally hit girls, but if you really want to see power then I can make an exception.” His knuckles cracked as he finished his sentence and the two guys accompanying him laughed at the sound of it. This muscular man was about six-and-a-half feet tall and was in nothing but a white muscle shirt, tan cargo shorts and military-style boots with a camouflage pattern on them. “You want to fight me here?” HyruleGirl9 asked while tapping her foot on the floor, “You do realize I’m on the clock, right? I can’t be fighting now.” “Ha!” the user laughed before continuing, “Zovi is a witness to everythin’ I said. I’ll take all the blame for your beating.” “Why did you have to get me involved, V” Zovistograt said with a sheepish grin on his face, “I don’t get paid extra for this stuff.”

I immediately stiffened up at the sound of his name. V was the name of that assassin that MegaFreak400 had mistaken me for and the one I about whom I always heard stories. Even though the brute did not seem to fit the bill, I never heard anything about V’s physical appearance, so I assumed the worst. HyruleGirl9 must have been thinking about the same thing, as she immediately asked for his full name. “Oh sorry,” he exclaimed sarcastically, “How silly of me. I guess you should know who’s gonna beat you up.” “Ugh…” HyruleGirl9 groaned at the pettiness of this confrontation and towards the behavior of this ignorant individual. “I’m V_Power_Of_Doom, it’s a pleasure to beat you…” “If you really are V,” she said, setting down her tray and assuming a fighting pose, “then this will be interesting.” I set down my fork, which clanked on my empty plate, and observed the scuffle. If this really was the infamous V, I wanted to see him in action. “Hey, hey now!” Zovistograt tried to call out from behind the bar, “You know you can’t do this at work. C’mon! The boss won’t like this.” His words were to no avail, as HyruleGirl9 and V_Power_Of_Doom continued to face each other, determined to fight. After a few more pleas, Zovistograt finally gave up and allowed the confrontation to commence. “Why do these things always happen to me?” Zovistograt sighed loudly, and then said with a depressed tone in his voice, “I really should get time-and-a-half for working the night shift.”