The Stronger Will

[nintendonut1]

Double D flinched. He had to admit, Otto got him there. Forlornly, he shut his eyes in thought.

"...I will admit, that's true... But changing forms may have had something to do with it." He looked up at Otto, cocking his head. "You're familiar with beastial instinct, correct? Animals are not the complex thinkers humans are; their minds are very one-track.

"With that in mind... our predicament of being turned into dogs had distracted me from discovering that I had dropped it. I was so focused on trying to escape, I didn't remember anything about it until you brought it out.

"I know it's a petty excuse, but...please. It has some personal worth to me as well. Not as far as to keep it to myself when it's needed to seal away the Dark Insects, but... still."

[nutcase17133]

Meanwhile, outside the temple, a figure had seen the group of kids head inside. He smirked evilly, bettin priceless treasures were inside that place.

"Heheheheheh! So, this is-a the famous-a illusion temple I heard-a those morons in town talk about!" The figure said in a young, stereotypical Italian accent.

The view backs away from the unknown figure revealing a somewhat pudgy man who appeared to be between 18-20 ears old. He wore green overalls, a brown hat and shirt, pink elf-like shoes, and his hat had a white patch with a black letter "C" printed o backwards. The young man's face was somewhat menacing with his peircing eyes, gotee beard, pointy elf-like ears, and his comically large nose typcally seen in stereotyped villains from 1930s cartoons.

The young man chuckled before saying, "Wario and Waluigi are gonna kick themselves-a for missing out-a on this haul! Get ready fools-a, Waclay's comin' to town!!!"

With that, Wacly Wario rushes to the temple with full intention of looting the place of it's treasures.

[gantzgun74]

Waclay went unnoticed.

Otto shook his head. "That I understand. However, I want you to understand something Double D." He cocked an eyebrow, his frown becoming flat and blunt. "Think; what if I HADN'T found the gem, Eddward. Then what?" He leaned forward, as if with emphasis. "I'll tell you what; We don't know. If what Yin says is true, there's some kind of madman out there that's gonna go out of his way to destroy the gems. If he had found the jewel you carelessly dropped..." He pulled back. "What then?"

Mistress Yin was outraged at this. "What a horrible thing to say!! You are truely my brothers vassal to say such a horrible thing!"

"But it is true."

Everyone turned to Wally... Utterly shocked at the words he had said. "Well it is!" He thinks a moment. "Thinking about it, me and Otto got into a similar predicament once." He lowered his head sadly. "I made a screw-up as small as Double D's once... And it almost cost the Valley dearly..."

Otto nodded, remembering that incedent. "I mean no disrespect, Double D." He walked up to Double D placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'd prefer if you have the gem. I certainly don't want the damn thing." Noticing a few stares he shook his head. "But listen, things like this can't be ignored. I can tell you couldn't help what had happened, and what's in the past is done..."

He turned away, crossing his arms. "Forgive me my bluntness, but that's the way it is."

Mistress Yin looked at the scene concerned, sighing. "You truely are my cynical brother's vassal..."

[nintendonut1]

Ed and Courage were both holding a quietly seething Eddy back, just in case he decided to rush in and punch Otto or Wally in the face.

"I... I'm sorry..." Double D quietly replied, dropping his gaze in shame, his hands nervously wringing in and about. "It... it was terribly careless of me... I just... so much has been happening all at once, and I..." He paused. "...no. No more excuses. I-I'll be more careful."

[nutcase17133]

Waclay chuckled quietly as he snuck through the halls like a common cat burglar. "Those idiots didn't even-a see me! Wario and Waluigi are-a gonna plotz when-a they see what I'm-a gonna bring!"

Waclay peers into every room he comes across, hoping to find something of value. Nothing so far has captured his eye.

"Geeze, you'd think a place like-a this would have some kinda treasure."

Waclay was about to call it quits when he came to room furbished with all sorts of designs representing the dark side of the balance of Yin and Yang. Curious, Waclay stepped in for a better look.

"There HAS to be something special here." Waclay said to himself. He spotted a stand on the far side of the room, and inside a glass case on top was a golden goblet. Pictured on the goblet was the famed Cruicificion scene from the story of Jesus' death and rebirth.

"Wow..." Waclay said, impressed at what he saw. "This is..........CASH CITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Waclay dances about like a lunatic before removing the glass case and swiping the goblet. "The guys are-a gonna LOVE havin' this-a on display back at the castle!!!"

Waclay then runs out, not knowing he had tripped a silent alarm.

[gantzgun74]

Waclay continued running along the hallway, somewhere deep in the temple...

However, as he ran, he failed to see what appeared to be a cane appear from around the corner low enough, and out enough to catch his foot whilst running.

TRIP!!!!!!!!!!!! THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And catch him it did.

------------------------------------

Otto turned back to Double D, giving him a pitying glance. With a small sigh, he walked back over to him. "Double D... Listen." That caught the boy's attention. "I want you to have the gem. I really do..." He lowered his head. "Your a good person, even I can tell that. You probably have the biggest hearts out of any single person I've ever met..." Chuckling, he continued, "And coming from a guy that's known someone like Wally his entire life, that's saying something."

Wally couldn't help but chuckle, "It's true, mate..."

After a moment, he turned his head away. Thinking some, he turned back to Double D. "I've decided."

Everyone looked to Otto with extreme interest.

"I will give you the gem."

Before sighs of relief could come, he suddenly added;

"But before anything else, I want to know where you stand. I want to know if I can depend on you, seeing as how I hardly know you. I want to know how strong your will is in this struggle we will soon be in...

"So..."

Yin was the first to notice it, followed immediately by Wally, then everyone else followed suit...

The Shadows in the temple were moving, not by light, but as if they had a will of their own. They came to Otto, as if drawn to him. They flew up his form, and entered into his eyes, soliciting quite a few jaws dropping. When it was over, Otto's eyes were jet black, shadows seeping like smoke out, though it was all trying to fit inside him.

"In a nutshell, I suppose what I'm saying is... ... ... I challenge you to a duel."

[nutcase17133]

Back with Waclay, he turned over slightly, growling as e did so.

"Who tripped me?! Whoever did-s ias asking for-a trouble!!!"

Before the young theif got up from his position, a sword's tip dropped down; the blade slicing off a few hairs on his goatee. Waclay stared wide-eyed at the sword, and looked up to the owner of the sword, cautiously.

[nintendonut1]

Courage screamed typically at the gathering of shadows, diving into Ed's jacket and hiding in one of the inside pockets.

"Holy~!" Eddy gaped at the entrance of power and his transformation. "Geez...!" He almost felt bad for Double D...

...if not he was already standing his ground, not in the least bit intimidated.

"...I figured as much," he replied. "...you're in the right, of course."

Thoughts of his dearest friends standing behind him flowed though his mind... images of this beautiful island, as well as his home world... faces of his other companions, safe at home...

...and he slowly fell into a battle position. "...I'm ready."

[gantzgun74]

Standing over Waclay, giving him a glare even more icey then ANYTHING ELSE HE HAD SEEN IN HIS LIFE, was a mountain of a man; Tall, muscular, wearing dark silver battle robes. His hair was pure jet black, and his eyes were the sharpest blood red eyes Waclay had ever seen...

[glow=red,2,300]"AND JUST WHERE, PRAY TELL, DO YOU THINK YOUR GOING WITH THAT?"[/glow]

------------------------------

Otto grinned, "Glad you understand."

Wally shivered. "Oh boy... This fight is gonna be brutal..."

A shivering kupo followed, "No need to tell me that twice, k-k-kupo..." Marco shuddered, knowing Otto's abilities like the back of his hand.

All was silent as Otto got into a 'Tiger Style Martial Arts Battle Crouch'... ... ... ... ...

Before he charged.

"HIYAAA!!!!!!!!!!" He threw a powerful punch which Double D dodged with precision.

[OOC: What do you think would be a good battle theme NN1? XD]

With a hard movement, he blocked a powerful 'Shield Fist' which sent him sliding across the floor, though he still remained on his feet. "Not bad." Otto grinned. Though Double D's Barrier Fist was often very painful, the shadows inside Otto had enhanced his endurance, as well as his strength. So it came as no surprise to Wally or Marco when Otto merely shook off the hit, though the other members of the group were in surprise.

[nutcase17133]

Waclay quickly got up, and looked at the large man dead in the eyes and said, "Heheheheh! I am Waclay Wario, and I came here for treasure! Sadly, this little cup was-a the only treasure in this dump worth taking-a. You want it back?! You'll-a have to catch me first!"

With that, Waclay ran off at speeds impossible for any human, laughing madly as he ran.

[nintendonut1]

(A good battle theme? Hmmm... *looks through her collection*....
Okay, it's a tie between Rock'n Temple (Adventures of Link Remix), Mini Boss (Wind Waker), or Fatalize (Tales of Symphonia). They're all on my Video Game playlist if you wanna hear 'em www.playlist.com/playlist/13637782539
Least, that's what I'm feeling.)

"Woo!" Ed cheered while Courage gasped.

"Geez, he's tough."

Double D was ready for this. Otto was like no kind of opponent he'd ever faced before. But he didn't let that thought cross his mind as he dodged a few more swings.

There came a fake and counter that caught him off guard, catching him in the jaw. The others cringed or cried out as he fell to the side, but he rode the momentum, planting his hands on the ground and swinging up a foot, covered by its own force field, up in a backwards knife kick into Otto's gut.

[gantzgun74]

"OOF!!!"

Otto was sent sliding backwards at the blow. With a quick shake of his head, he was back to normal. "Heh, nice move. To think I was caught off guard. You've got guts I'll give you that." With a snap of his fingers, a dark energy ball appeared in his hands. "However, I do believe it's time I got serious."

He jumped over to one of the pews, and landed it on it, perfectly balanced on the top. "Chaos FLARE!!" He tossed the dark fireball, with a tough throw...

Right to the pew he was standing on.

With an explosion, the pew was shattered into little pieces of wood, though the smoke-screen was still up.

Double D waited for the imminent attack...

Immediately, pieces of wood flew out from the smoke, Double D blocked it with a simple barrier.

"Infernous Blaze BLITZ!!!"

His barrier was hit by another attack as Otto slammed into it full speed, looking like a black and purple parody of the Human Torch. He put as much force into his attack as he could into getting rid of the barrier, but it was to no avail, as he was forced back. With several backflips, (the third one letting him turn back to normal.) he landed with the grace of a cat. It looked like the attack had done nothing more then give Double D a slight head-ache, nothing he couldn't ignore for now.

Otto seemed undettered. "Moving on." With a quick movement, another dark fire ball appeared in his hand. "Surely you know a few projectile moves. They can really help in a heated battle."

----------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, somewhere else in the Temple.

Waclay continued to run, turning a corner.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And a pissed off Yang was right behind him. "GIVE BACK THAT GOBLET OR I'LL CUT YOU OPEN, SPILL OUT YOUR INNARDS; HAVE YOUR LIP SOWN SHUT, YOUR EYE-BROWS PLUCKED, AND WHAT'S LEFT OF YOU HANGING ON MY WALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

[Cookies to those who catch the reference I put in there. XD Who says Yang can't have some humor?]

[nintendonut1]

("...and the rest of him mummified!!!"
XDDDDDDD Love it! But it's "lips sown shut" XD)

"Ngh..." Double D shook off the headache quickly. His endurance had increased since before, no doubt, but a lot of force meeting his own fields still did a number on him overtime.

"But of course I do," he replied. Snapping his hand up, smaller force fields formed between his fingers and instantly shaped into what looked like throwing stars. He swiftly tossed them at Otto, a few missing, but others leaving a fair amount of gashes, ranging in size across Otto's clothes and skin. They disappeared before they hit the far wall.

"I gave him the idea for that move," Ed giddly told Courage. "While we were training."

[nutcase17133]

Waclay taunted Master Yang as he continued down the hall. The Black Jewel was more trouble than this guy, and even it was a wimp.

Waclay turned down a nearby hallway hoping to find an exit. He eventually got lost in a maze of hallways trying to find the exit.

"Great, I'm lost!" He snarled as he clutched the goblet he swiped tightly, not wanting to surrender it under any circumstance.

"This is-a the only way to get back our lost castle. I have-a to get outta here!"

[gantzgun74]

Otto momentarily touched a cut on his cheek feeling a small trickle of blood. "If this were war, I would say first blood goes to you." A small grin came on his face. "Your pretty resourceful. But let us not lose focus, shall we?"

"CHAOS FLARE!!!" That was all he said, before firing repeated rounds of the shot at Double D, whom dodged as best as he could.

Marco looked on with fear and fascination. "Otto must've gotten much stronger, that's an impressive show."

Wally frowned a bit. "Too bad it's nothing more then a distraction tactic..."

"Kupo?"

After the attacks were done, Double D figured that out too.

POOOOW!!!!!!!!

He just barely lifted his barrier coated arm fast enough to block a tough jump spin kick. "DARKNESS PULSE!!!!"

That he had not been expecting.

With a powerful force, Double D was forced clean across the room. From what he saw, a powerful burst of Darkness blast out of Otto's leg, forcing him to be thrown backwards. He kept his ground...

Before a fist slammed his gut with a passion. "So sorry, but I do believe you struck a similar blow on me."

-----------------------------------------------------

Waclay quickly took off...

But Yang was right behind him. With a smirk, he planted his sword at the point where he entered the hallway. "That poor fool." There was a bright flash, and the point where he came in was covered with a barrier. "The only way out of the '3rd floor maze...' Is the way he just came in."

He grinned evilly. "Tough luck being caught in this place, mortal thief..." Having said that, he took a quick sniff of the air before taking off. "And with my enhanced senses, it will not take long to find him."

[I'm sure Waclay will be able to get out anyways, Nutcase. XD Just think something comedic!]