Of Madness and Redemption (Me, FF, and Nutcase.)

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Beatrice stayed pretty silent during most of this conversation. And then the question of Flamel's motives came up. She stayed looking at the table as she finally spoke up.

"Flamel's motives are that he believes the world is corrupt. He thinks that people have tainted the earth, and that the only way to save it is for it to start all over again. That's what Ragnarok is. The destruction of the old world and the birth of the new one," Beatrice said. There was an unusual lack of expletives as she spoke. "You can't kill him. Flamel's immortal. He's been drinking the Elixir of Life for hundreds of years, and he's been alive longer than anyone sitting at this table.

"As far as how he's going to cause Ragnarok, I doubt he'll use the flute. Ghostbusters got that wrong; Ragnarok isn't instant. It needs someone to set it off first, and even then, it's a slow destruction of the world. First an endless winter starts, and everyone will start fighting each other. It isn't until after that that the big battle starts. The survivors will make the new world," Beatrice said. She'd clasped her hands together and was staring intently at them, if only so she couldn't look at the rest of the group. "I don't know how he's going to do things besides that, though. The opening for the position of the God of Doom's been filled by this fluffball." She motioned toward Ark. "So he probably is working with some Norse God or something."

She looked up. "Does that answer your questions about Nick?"

Taffy was looking away from Beatrice. That had been emotional. "Bea-bea..."

"Ah, fuck it. I'm gonna go get a soda," Beatrice said. She stood up and walked away from the group just as Tree passed her.

"Woah. I haven't seen Bea-bea like that in a while," Tree said. She sat down at the table in the seat Beatrice had been sitting in. "Sorry, what'd I miss?"

[gantzgun74]

For many, Beatrice's odd behavior was new. For Metal, it was not. As explained in the previous segment, he had his suspiscions that Beatrice had feelings for this Nick guy. To say that Beatrice's explanation answered a few questions not only about the gang's current mission, but also about these past feelings of hers would've been an understatement.

Maybe it was just him, but his mechanical mind had been able to pull out a bit from the explanation, not enough to know the full truth, but enough to answer a few unanswered, if not unasked, questions. Turning to Tree though, he shook his head. "We were going over how we should go about handling Ragnarock, as well as this Nicholas Flamel... Beatrice put off the idea of trying to kill him, saying it was impossible."

Talim thought about this. "But how is that possible? I had heard legends and rumors of this 'Elixer of Life' in my world... But from everything I heard, it sounded like this elixer could only make someone temporarely immortal. For instance, if you drink an entire elixer, it only keeps you immortal for, maybe a week, a month, maybe even a year at most, maybe even more then a year, but even then, the person needs to keep drinking it every few months or else risk dying."

[This is taken from the Harry Potter version of the Elixer of Life, since it's mentioned in the first book that, without the Elixer of Life, the Nicholas Flamel of that world eventually dies after living up to an age of 666 years (SHEESH, that dude was ancient).]

Star Man decided to speak up at that time. "Not only that, but the 'getting her heart taken out of her chest part' aside, let's not forget that Beatrice had the elixer of life running through her veins as well. It didn't really do her much good since she bled it all out. So wouldn't Nicholas be the same way? Once it's all out of his systems it ceases taking effect?" Kosumu appeared to gag at that theory, but he nodded in agreement, after all he remembered it almost happening to Beatrice.

Climber appeared to be doing everything in his power to follow along, failing miserably all the while. "What does that mean?"

Gene, meanwhile, appeared to load up another program, continuing to work all the while... ... ... However, no-one could fail to notice that his earphones were now off of his ears, possibly meaning that he was now listening to this conversation intently.

[nutcase17133]

Nutcase thought deeply of what Beatrice said. She was right about Ragnarok taking place over a period of time. He then said, "Whatever the case I sure hope Beatrice is right about Nick the Dick not using the flute. The flute radically sped up the process somehow. That much is obvious to us now. It still doesn't answer weither Loki is the evil force driving it or not."

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Tree stayed silent as she listened to what the others said. And Nutcase's nickname for Flamel. She made a mental note of that one. "Heh-heh. Nick the Dick." While Star Man and Talim spoke up, Tree listened intently.

"The Elixir of Life doesn't grant permanent immortality, correct. Nick the Dick, though (by the way, thank you for that wonderful nickname, Nutcase), he's smart enough to keep enough elixir on him that he can drink more than enough to keep him immortal during a fight. And unlike Beatrice, who had the stuff flowing through her, Flamel doesn't have a Philosopher's Heart," Tree said. She placed her food and Todd on the table. "So we can't just give him a fatal wound, or cut out his heart."

"The foo ain't unbeatable, I can say that. And as for anyone he'd be workin' with... I'm gonna go with Loki. Loki's always upta no good. He ain't Satan, but he ain't the best foo in da world," Todd added in. "I dunno if Hammy--er, Ratatosk, ya mighta heard of him, but probably not-- is still workin' with him. Again, this little traitor foo ova here kinda screwed up that plan."

Ark looked a little guilty. "I said I was sorrry...."

"Sorry doesn't change the fact you started Fimbulveltr," Taffy put in. "On purpose."

"So I got kinda mad on power... Sh-Shut up!" Ark said. He stuck out his lower lip. Taffy smirked.

"Alright, I'd say that's about enough."

Someone landed on the table rather forcefully, sending things flying. The "someone" was a feathered and furred anthro who appeared to be rather roughly bandaged up in several places. One of his arms were broken. The person who had landed would be recognized by several people sitting here.

"Taz!" Tree spat. Beatrice, of course, had chosen this time to return, and dropped her soda and assumed a battle stance.

"Nice to see you too," Taz said. And then in a blindlingly fast motion, he kicked Tree, sending her flying back into a wall twenty feet from the table. He smirked. "Flamel wants me to kill all of you. Except you, sweet-cheeks. Shame, I wanted that reward money, too." Taz looked toward Beatrice. "Oh, Flamel said he had a couple presents for you. Here you go."

Taz pulled something out from the sling his broken arm had been in, and pulled the arm out. It became clear that arm wasn't really broken, and that sling had been holding more than just an arm. Clasped in Taz's hand were two clockwork, golden hearts. One belonged to a member of this group. The other belonged to someone who had been a member of this group until very recently, when he'd cut out one of these hearts. Taz dropped the hearts on the table, and they landed with an odd squelch.

((OOC: DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUUUUUN))

[nutcase17133]

Nutcase looked at Taz blankly and said, "Sorry the lady of the house ain't home. Besides we mailed you the check last month." With that random line said, Nutcase strapped a bundle of dynamite on him and kicked the bird man out the window before pushing the plunger on a old-fashioned detonator, causing the bmb to go off, sending Taz flying off into the air.

"He'll be back. All we gotta do is show him we aren't worth the trouble." Said Nutcase as he looked back at his menu. "Oh waiter, I'll have the fried chicken basket please."

[Note to FF: This does not mean the confrontation is over. Just keep putting him back in, I only did this because it was something I wanted to do since Taz reminds me so much of the overconfident Wiley Coyote]

[gantzgun74]

.....................

One would expect a few members of the gang to be pretty damn grossed out that Taz had dropped to ACTUAL HEARTS on the table before them, and that's exactly the response that was given. Talim looked sickened to otherwise an extreme, gagging at the sight; she had come from a medieval world in a rather sheltered village, add on that she was a priestess and her response was understandable. Kosumu looked sickened too, he had seen what Beatrice looked like when hers was removed, but even then he never saw the actual organ before. He knew what they looked like, and what they did through reading books, but this was the first time he ever actually SEEN one... Or even two.

Of course, they were the only ones that did act sickened at the sight.

Metal took a closer look at the two golden hearts, looking almost surprised. "Beatrice... ... Wasn't this one yours?" He pointed to one of the golden hearts; He barely recognized it given the clockwork parts inserted into it, but it still looked exactly like the one Chip had yanked out of her chest.

Climber meanwhile looked to where Taz was sent flying, frowning even more. "N-now I'm MORE then sure th-that... I don't like Taz too much." He looked back to the others seeming confused. About the only person he ever disliked like that was a living porcelain statue back at the amusement park, whom had no qualms with killing people at random.

Gene, whom had canceled his program download and closed the lid of his laptop, expecting a fight, was just as disgusted as the others. "What is WITH people on this island, I mean, I know a few of them are violent, but THIS is a new one on ME."

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Beatrice stared blankly at the two hearts. Snowy didn't really blink at them. Ark averted his gaze. Taffy looked like he was going to puke.

"Jeez... I think those are... but how...?" Taffy asked. Tree was picking herself up out of the wall Taz had kicked her into and walked back over to the table. She noticed something out of the heart that was made of much more clockwork than the other, picked up the mostly clockwork heart, and pulled the object out.

"It's for you," Tree said, and held the letter out to Beatrice, who took it and opened it up.

"'To my dearest Beatrice,

Upon hearing that you were attacked and nearly murdered by one you considered an ally, I was enraged. Shortly after, I discovered this creature's plans and brought an end to them, and in doing so, brought an end to his life. He will bother you no more.

I am still sorry that we cannot cooperate, but at the very least, I will ensure your survival when Ragnarok begins. Not only that, but I have instructed all of my men to allow you to live, and there will be grievous punishment to any who harm you.

Enclosed with this letter are the heart that rightfully belongs to you and the Philosopher's Heart I created from the one who attempted to murder you. Please accept my loving gift.

Your honeybuns,
Nicholas Flamel
XOXOXOXO'"

Ark began to make retching sounds as Beatrice went on. Taffy looked broken and started going, "Buh? Wha?"

A small card fell out from the folded letter, which Tree then picked up.

"'PS. I'll see you at the Hotel Thursday night for a little fun,'" Tree read off the card. "...Holy crap Beatrice, I knew you and him were close, but I didn't think you were that close."

"Bitch if you say one more word I'm gonna kick your ass from here to the moon," Beatrice said.

"No, that's what I'm going to do," Taz said as he came up behind Nutcase and roundhouse kicked him. Taz was reading a book as he stepped forward. "By the way, Mr. Nutcase, your dynamite is of shoddy construction and was easily disarmed during the fall. That explosion you heard was simply a patron down the street who ate too much."

[nutcase17133]

Nutcase glared at Taz, the hit he suffered only resulting in a bump on the back of his head. "Of course you now realize this means war."

With that said, pulled out what appeared to be a harmless wind-up toy tank. Winding it up, he set it down and the tank moved toward Taz before it stopped. It's small cannon took aim at Taz soon after.

"Any last words?" Nutcase asked.

[gantzgun74]

........... Well, let's just say that note more then answered a few of Metal's questions... ... Heck, it actually went so far, as helping him figure out that there WAS such a thing as too much information for a robot. Heck, if only he could've, he likely would've grown nausious, especially when Tree read off that extra note. "Okay, that's REALLY all the info I ever needed... Or wanted..." He paused a moment. "Guh, I wonder if it's at all possible for a robot to get sick to his stomach..."

Beatrice didn't have the time to respond before Taz reappeared. When Nutcase was angered and unleashed the toy tank, the others that knew Nutcase best, started to look REALLY sorry for Taz right then. Talim and Kosumu, however, was not among this number and stared at the toy in confusion. "Nutcase. What that?" Kosumu smiled widely as he looked at the cool mini tank. "Looks fun!" However he was quickly held back by Metal.

Even Gene seemed to know what the tank was... Quickly, he slipped his headphones over his ears. "This is gonna be loud..."

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Taz adjusted the reading glasses he was wearing, despite the fact that his eyes were still hidden behind his hair. He didn't even react to the tank and instead flipped a page in his book.

"Nutcase Screw Ball. A human who gained the powers of toons. This tank is likely one of them. Also carries a Keyblade, like the majority of Gantz's little group. Currently has no bounty. Shame, I was hoping to get a little cash for when I kill you." Taz licked his lips, revealing a couple extended canines.

And then Taz had disappeared from where he had been standing. Or so it seemed. With his heightened speed, he had gotten behind Nutcase and then grabbed him by the collar of his straightjacket.

"Last words? Perhaps you should be thinking of some yourself," Taz said before kicking Nutcase toward the tank. Even if the tank had followed Taz when he moved, it would now be shooting at Nutcase instead of Taz because of how Taz had thrown him forward.

Taffy roared and rushed forward with his broom, shooting a rain of needles at Taz, who backflipped out of the way.

"Dammit! Why can't you ever stay still!" Taffy yelled as Beatrice ran forward to punch Taz, who was dodging out of the way of every attack. Tree tried to come up behind Taz, but Taz then jumped out of the way, and Tree ended up fishslapping Beatrice instead.

"Ark! You have permission to use the Happy Hammer!" Snowy yelled. A lock that had been hanging around the Happy Hammer unlocked and Ark giggled.

"Mr. Taz, you've been being a really bad person!" Snowy yelled.

"Yep!" Ark said. The hammer began to grow in size.

[nutcase17133]

Nutcase quickly stopped the tank and put it away. "So the usual stuff ain't gonna work? Fine by me. Time for another strategy."

That being said, Nutcase pulled out a hammer and slammed it over Taz with increadible force, smashing him down and making him look like a pancake. Nutcase then picked Taz up and threw him away like a frisbe.

"Ok, now can we please get back to business?" Nutcase asked calmly. That's when Taz came back into the room. "Jeses Christ, you're more clingy than a fly to dung."

[gantzgun74]

With that great amount of speed, it looked like no-one would be able to hit Taz... That is, of course, until the Climber stepped in. Taz was just about to aim a punch at Snowy [OOC; remembering that from your post FF], but, quick as a flash, the Climber barely caught the blow, holding it back with the blade of his pick-axe. "This guy's fast... But... I can't give up!"

This comment however was short-lived. Taz used his other foot to kick the Climber away, sending him flying. However, being just a mannequin, when he touched down, he was back in the melee in a few seconds. Though one couldn't ignore rips in his new aviator jacket that Beatrice gave him. "Hey! Beatrice made this for me! Don't rip it up!" He spun like a top, but the peacock easily avoided it.

Gene looked on, the laptop under his arm. "I've got to do something..." Placing his laptop in his backpack, he looked around a moment. "Okay, wait for an oppurtunity..."

Taz managed to kick the Climber away again, but the Mannequin stubbornly charged again. Taz's attention was off Gene as this happened

"GOTCHA!!!!!!"

WHAAAAAAAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was a surprise for some, when Gene had crossed probably 12 feet of space between himself and the peacock in a matter of seconds. Taz was able to dodge aside fast enough, as the attack planted itself into the ground he stood on mere seconds before.

The result was a crater that measured up to 5 feet all around Gene himself.

"Cybernetic Implants." Gene grinned at Taz, as he twirled his shoulder, "Really come in handy in jams, don't you think?" With this, he started twirling the arm holding the keyblade around in rapid circles, the cyber implants helping it to go faster and faster, until it looked like his arm and keyblade looked like a helicoptor rotor...

"SUPER STRIKE RAID!!"

He let the keyblade loose as it spun like a super sonic boomerang heading straight for Taz.

Kosumu was bouncing up and down at the sight. "Cool!!!"

[Firebreath Fishslap]

(OOC: Gantz, there was a serious amount of Godmodding toward Taz in that last post. It's not really in Taz's character to start a duel like that or get caught by surprise like that. To be frank, the only reason I'm not insisting you change it is because I was already halfway done with this post when I decided I was going to leave this OOC comment and didn't feel like rewriting it)

"You missed," Taz said to Nutcase upon him using his hammer to smash what Nutcase had thought was Taz, but was really Ark, who had been the closest person to where Taz had been.

Taz then was attacked by the manniquin. He was trying to get away from the mannequin so he could knock Snowy, the most dangerous of the group aside from Tree and Ark in Taz's opinion, out, but Climber kept coming.

And then what Taz had been mentally calling Gantz's Evil Twin crossed too large of a distance in too short of a time and Taz barely dodged the attack. He smirked. Well, there was someone here who could actually fight.

"You have cybernetic implants? What a coincidence." Taz pulled back his hair, revealing a golden, scopelike eye. "So do I."

Taz then jumped what could have only been about thirty feet into the air, and caught the wind with the 'wings' on his arms, causing him to hover for a moment, and not only that, but avoid the keyblade Gene had tossed.

"One doesn't enter the Guardians without getting them, after all. What, you thought this speed and jumping ability was natural? Or my 'eagle eyes'?" Taz said. "You're as much of an idiot as the others here. Now..."

Taz closed his wings and landed rather roughly on top of Tree, who hadn't had time to get out of the way before he landed. She was knocked unconcious a moment later by a quick blow to the head. He then grabbed her by the collar with the talons on his feet and held her up.

"...Who wants to die next?" Taz said. He then tossed Tree back into the ground. There was a light trickle of blood coming from her mouth.

"TREE!" Snowy screeched. She shifted into human form and summoned her rather large scythe. "You bastard. If you've killed her, so help me, I will make sure you get the worst circle of Hell, and I'll personally torture you until the end of days."

"Oh, don't be so harsh. I'm really quite the gentleman," Taz said. He pulled out a rose he'd been using for a bookmark and held it up to hiss nose.

[nutcase17133]

Nutcase became silent, his glare intensifying to inhuman levels as he stared down Taz.

"Ok I will admit Tree had it coming because of her behavior but at least she's doing what she can to prevent the loss of countless lives." Nutcase said in an amazingly flat voice, not all that different than the most serious of anime characters, thus suprising those that knew him.

"the fact you are working for a nutjob wouldn't account for much in my book. I deal with idiots on a daily basis. Nutcase said, continuing. "But by accepting work from a maniac who is trying to end life as we know it, including you in the long run, well, you're shit out of luck pal; 'Cause I'm done playing games."

Nutcase drew his keyblade, the Key to Peace. It sported a handle that looked like a bone designed to be a space ship and the working end was a heart-shaped fruit with a smiley face. An Eagle's head was opposit the smiling fruit. Eagle wings were on the ends of the bone-shaped ship as well. Nutcase also pulled out a pistol as well.

Once done, Nutcase said in the voice of Clint Eastwood: "D'ya feel lucky, punk?"

[gantzgun74]

Gene honestly looked frightened at Taz a moment, before, with an elegant flash, the Metal Chocobo Keyblade reappeared in his hand. "You sick b@$#@#%..." He was growling dangerous at this point. "Gentleman my @$$, I've seen a lot of people who fit that description in my time, but Gentleman, you are not." He charged forward, swinging his keyblade quickly and with concise precision.

With this in mind, anyone, (Namely Taz) would be able to see that this wasn't his first fight, and his movements in almost every aspect seemed superhuman. So it was safe to assume these cybernetic implants were not just limited to the bones in his arms and legs. "Wow... Look at him go..." Metal would've joined in the action, but it came apparent that a few members of the gang were out of their league, trying to fight Taz. Talim and Kosumu looked on, completely in awe.

"Whoa... So fast..!"

"Go Gene!! Go!!"

Climber meanwhile, after being kicked away by Taz once more, got up before looking down on his aviator's jacket... Or at least what was left of it. Thankfully, he appeared to be wearing his black mountain climber apparell underneath it. "Beatrice isn't going to be happy about this one..."