The Adventure Never Ends

[nitrostraggler]

"We don't wanna fight you. All we want to do is get the hell out of dodge. Please let us pass, or we will trounce you." Syleena said.

[Teal]

Teal came to his senses and noticed one of the bandits had a decorative spear most likely stolen from someone. The impact from the tackle and seeing that spear made him have a vision.

He saw a human soldier fighting off a few shadowy creatures. The soldier swings the spear slicing a monster. A smaller monster charges toward the soldier but is thrust with the spear and the soldier uses the spear to swing it at an arc over himself impacting the monster's head on the ground. A larger monster approaches the soldier and takes a swing at him using its claws but the soldier jumps very high with the assistance of the spear and stabs the spear down into the monster from the air. The human's face was covered by a mask.

While Teal was seeing this, in the real world where his allies are being confronted by the bandits, he appeared to just be lying on the ground motionless with a faraway look in his eyes.

[nitrostraggler]

Syleena just looked over at Teal then darted back to the bandits. "Is he OK?" she asked no one i particular.

[Lord of the Dance]

The Rex eyed the group suspiciously, baffled by their talk and odd preparations. "... No toll, no pass! No valuables, ya go home!" He screeched, waving the knife in an attempt to look threatening.

[Strangie]

Karth slowly glanced at Syleena... and then slapped a fin to his forehead.

"Stand fast, lads." He says to his friends, holding his free fin up. He turns to the bandits. "Ye don't sound so sure of yourself anymore, laddie," He says to what appears to be the lead bandit. "I know yer type, I used to be one, back in me younger days. Then I learned that doin' this is a good way to get ye kilt, methinks. We ain't yer ordinary travelers and we ain't messin' around. If yer lookin' to make this sportin', well, ye best know what ye be gettin' into, 'cause it won't be pretty."

Karth stared down the bandit leader with confidence in his eyes, furrowing his scraggly brow at him slightly. "So if ye let us walk, ye be savin' yerself the trouble of havin' to run off and lick yer wounds or endin' up turnin' into mulch for this wood. So what'll it be?"

[Moot]

"Jeez, first robots, now bums," Moot thought to himself, scanning the area. As it happened, they were surrounded. The bandits had got the drop on them as the group was blundering through the woods. He nodded in Yoshikens general direction: "Listen to this red guy. I seriously doubt we have anything you really want, so why not let us be on our way already? We're kind of busy looking for some magiturtle, and the last thing we want is a fight on our hands." Glancing over at some of the others in the group, Moot wasn't quite entirely convinced with what he was saying.

Moot eyed the dagger in what appeared to be the leaders hands and had a thought, that perhaps these guys weren't prepared to commit to diplomatic relations. He fidgeted with his scythe for a couple of seconds before noticing Teals eyes had appeared to have glazed over. "Well, you sure picked a fine time to get wasted."

((goddamnit I got fastposted. I hope this still actually makes sense))

[nitrostraggler]

Syleena got into fighting pose, ready to fight when she needed to.

[Lord of the Dance]

Karth received nothing but a blank, uncomprehending stare from the leader.
A Goomba trudged over and the two bandits conversed quickly and quietly in some incomprehensible language. Then the Goomba shouted an order and every bandit surrounding the group pulled out weapons of various quality- anything from bows and arrows to spears and swords.
"Last time," The Rex stated firmly, motioning towards Karth with his knife as the penguin was nearest. "No pay, no pass. No pay, ya turn around, go home."

And deep in the grass, pinning down the absent-minded Teal and keeping his head turned away from the group, Champ frowned.

[nitrostraggler]

Syleena stood up high and stared right back at them. "I am not gonna pay you guys to pass, regardless on what you say, so get over it."

[YoshiAgent]

Greg pulled out his notpad, scribbled something on it, ripped out the page, and threw it over to the Rex.
It read: "No deal, sorry."

[Strangie]

Karth frowned at the bandits. "... I, uh... don't be thinkin' they understand words too good... think we got a problem here, lads..."

He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Fine. What's the 'toll' then."

[nitrostraggler]

Syleena crossed her arms. "I don't understand why we have to fight them. You said that you could easily beat them up." she remarked to Karth.

[Strangie]

Karth rolled his eyes, and whispered back, "I was sayin' all that to try and intimidate 'em, but because of the language barrier and all... geez, haven't ye ever heard of a bluff? Do I look like the warrior type to ye?"

He waited for a response to his toll question from the bandit.

[nitrostraggler]

"Actually yes, you do look like you could kick some major ass." Syleena whispered back. "Why do you think I'm TRYING to stay on your good side."

[Lord of the Dance]

The group's complicated words of protest and strange notes fell on anxious but uncomprehending stares. They only lit up at the word "toll". The bandits glanced around at each other, muttering. Finally the Rex turned to address the group again. "Fifty coin, one person. No fight if ya pay fifty coin, one person." He stated, standing tall.

Champ shook his head and started dragging Teal back toward the path undetected, away from the bandits.

[Strangie]

Karth rubbed his forehead. This at least stalled for some time while he thought up of a better idea. "Aye..." He glances around him at the others. "Got enough talk in 'em to tell ya to pay but not enough for diplomacy. Typical... well... if fifty isn't a lot to ye..."

He glanced around again, noticing something was off. "... where'd that Champ fellow get off to? That mental defective, too." He gestures at someone else. "Here, someone else handle this." He goes off in search of Champ and Teal, heading toward them. "Ain't gettin' stuck in this stupid forest..."

[Lord of the Dance]

Champ had been outside the ring of bandits, well out of sight in the tall grass. A Birdo with a sword quickly cut Karth off, quacking angrily in the bandits' language. The whole group of them tensed up and all eyes were on the penguin.

[Teal]

Teal remembered how to fight using a spear.

Teal finally snapped out of it. He realized he was being dragged by Champ. "What are you doing?" He angrily asked. He saw the Birdo confronting Karth. "We need to help him!" He started to break free from Champ's grip. Although his arms didn't show it, he was quite strong. He would surely break free unless he was knocked out again.

He saw a rock about the size of his own nose and thought about throwing it at the Birdo to distract it. It's possible to talk him out of it though.

[nitrostraggler]

Syleena pointed her dagger at them. "Don't make a move, or I'll slice you into seven slimy pieces."

[Strangie]

Karth turned toward the bandits slowly, a grim look across his face. He didn't seem to notice Teal talking at the moment.

"Welp. Champ's abandoned us, apparently. Which means even if I do pay, I don't know where the bloody crap I'm goin'."

He decided that the only way to intimidate these bandits at all was in their own language - weapon prowess. He twirled his dagger around his fin quickly, switching fins with it multiple times and whirling around as his vest swirled in the air around him as he spun, pointing the curved blade at the closest bandit in a combat stance.

"Ye fight, ye die," Karth coldly stated.