The Adventure Never Ends

[Teal]

In the desert he continued to look around his surroundings. He saw cacti and rock formations. He saw vulture-like creatures flying around in the sky. "Hey Syleena..." Teal said. "I seem to have lost your book back there in the forest. I'm not sure when exactly but I'm sorry...I'll buy you a new one once we make it to the capital. I appreciate you letting me borrow it though...it helped me out."

[Strangie]

Karth declined - he had already been prepared with his own flask. "No, I'm fine. Ugh... this be no place for a cold dweller like me..."

It was obvious he was not very much enjoying the heat to any extent, being thankful that he packed lightly.

[nitrostraggler]

"It's OK. I have several other copies at home. As a matter of fact. Here." she gives him another one.

[Teal]

Teal took the book. After a brief moment of silence he said, "Thanks..." He opened the book and started reading about the town they are supposedly heading toward.

[nitrostraggler]

Syleena kept a close eye on Champ.

[Lord of the Dance]

Champ was drifting along down the road innocently, likely far ahead of the group so they could do all their eavesdropping haha. He would fall back every now and then to give them funny looks and then dart ahead again.
The Mushroom capital was where Castle Toadstool stood and the great urban jungle surrounding it. The main businesses were centered here and the farms surrounded it like patchwork satellites. Five smaller cities were connected by busy highways, and the city was soon to become the size of a metropolis if the development continued. It was all lit up bright and pretty by the evening when the group rolled in. It was artificial and yet still alive, street-lit people making their ways down the sidewalks and casting only glances at the group, just as they did to each other.
Champ seemed to know where he was going. He led them down a few alleys to a garage-like building, rapping out something like a code against the door. The curtains over the window to the right of the door rustled and a black eye peered out at the group before a Bandit in deep blue robes threw open the door. The smell of food escaped through the doorway out into the street. Champ stared up at him, but as he was at the front of the group they could not see his expression. The Bandit seemed confused for a split second before smiling to the group.
"'Eyy!" He greeted them, stepping aside and letting Champ, then everyone else in. "Good huntin'...?"
"Not quite." Champ said flatly. "We're going back to the League tomorrow."
The Bandit sighed. "Well, at least let ol' Slug fixxa somethin'. Ya'll look like yer starvin'... and bruised. Whatcha been doin' out there?"
A few smaller figures watched the group from behind a shelf of mechanical parts, but it was hard to see their faces due to the lack of light.

[nitrostraggler]

"We had to walk through the forest and do battle with a gang to get here." Syleena said.

[Strangie]

Karth was thankful to be back in civilization. The sweltering heat of the desert had left him fatigued. When Slug allowed, he stepped inside.

"Gettin' held up by b-... brigands in the woods, mostly." Karth gestured at the wounds he had taken, which were thankfully minor and had partially healed over during the time of the travel. "It's nice to see someone who we don't have to try and fight or diplomacy our way through, fer once..."

"Name's Karth, by the way. Good to meet ye, Slug. Say... ye have any ice water or fish? Walkin' in the desert ain't really the greatest thing fer a northerner like meself to be doin', y'see..."

[nitrostraggler]

Syleena waited to see if Slug would take her order or if he would just give her something.

[Teal]

Teal's eyes widened when he looked at all the lights and the buildings that surrounded the group. Being in such a place and not recognizing anything or anyone there made him feel quite uneasy. When the group reached their apparent rendezvous point he thought that it was time for him to leave and and go about his plans.

The smell of food was heavenly to the famished teal Yoshi but he thought that he would be lollygagging by this point since he wasn't part of the mission. Plus he had no money. He took a deep breath and said to the group, "Well...thanks for helping me reach the capital guys...I appreciate it. I best be on my way...I wonder if we would meet again soon. I'm not sure what I would be doing after I'm done with my plans here, probably find some work to do."

Teal hung his head down, "Farewell everyone...thanks." He turned around to walk away, he looked reluctant to leave the group. His golden spear shined from the light. If anyone was a weapons collector they would want to buy it.

[Lord of the Dance]

Slug nodded to Syleena and Karth and was about to return to his kitchen when he noticed the glint on Teal's spear and froze as if his eyes were glued to it. "... 'Ey, git on in here. Ya look like yer starvin', don'tcha want any grub?"
Champ rolled his eyes and sauntered behind the shelves to the kitchen instead. A few minutes passed before he brought out plates stacked on his arms of what were hopefully steamed vegetables and mushrooms doused in a blue sauce. One of the plate stacks was topped with a glass of ice water, which he handed off to Karth with a toothy smile.

[Teal]

"Yes I am starving..." Teal turned around and noticed Slug's eyes focusing on the spear. "...hmm" He thought for a moment and then walked inside. "Just call me Teal...good to meet you."

The smell of the steamed vegetables and mushrooms made his mouth water.

[Strangie]

Karth was slightly weirded out by Champ's creepy grin. "Uh... thanks, lad..."

He took the plate and the water graciously, though he waited until Champ was away from him to do anything. He glanced around for a moment, and reached his fin inside his vest to grab at something, a spell component pouch, which was concealed to hide his secondary abilities to the general public. He muttered something to himself, though to the magically inclined they were words of arcane magic!

His eyes briefly lit up a faint, greyish brown color as he eyed his food and drink. The magic was a Detect Poison spell, capable of determining if an object, food or otherwise, was laced with a poisonous substance. It only required a few seconds for him to discern if his suspicions were correct, and then his eyes returned to normal. To those not inclined in the ways of magic, all they could tell was that his eyes were doing odd things, but not what he was actually doing.

If he found no poison, he was satisfied Champ was not trying to off him and ate what was given to him. Otherwise, he looked for a spot to hide it for the time being.

[Lord of the Dance]

Karth's drink consisted of a clear, colorless, odorless, and tasteless liquid, H2O, essential for most plant and animal life and the most widely used of all solvents. Freezing point 0°C (32°F); boiling point 100°C (212°F); specific gravity (4°C) 1.0000; weight per gallon (15°C) 8.338 pounds (3.782 kilograms).
The food was mush grown out of the ground, slapped in a box, sold to Slug, and boiled in an old slightly rusted pot. Covered in a sauce made from citrus fruit- mostly for flavor.

[Teal]

Teal was starving and didn't care much about what it was so he ate the food without question. He had a tingly feeling when Karth's eyes were doing odd things and he had this same feeling when Yoshiken conjured fire during the bandit fight in the forest. Teal didn't know what it was but he continued eating.

[nitrostraggler]

Syleena waited to eat hers until somebody else ate theirs first.

[Lord of the Dance]

Slug shook his head. He seemed disappointed in the group's lack of appetite.
Champ smiled toothily and stepped back behind the shelves. A red paw grabbed his elbow and dragged him off across the house.
A tall shadow fell over Teal as he was eating. The shadow had what looked like horns, wings, and a forked tail.

"You're not happy," a black Chao with owl-like features told Champ in the kitchen. Champ brushed the Chao's hand off his arm.
"No. I'm not."
"Why are you so scared of them?"
Champ grimaced. "I ain't... scared of 'em, Charon. They're terrifying, sure, but it's not me I'm worried 'bout."
Charon mirrored Champ's expression. "Oh. That kind. You haven't offed them yet?"
"That's just the thing," Champ rolled his eyes and leaned against the pantry door. "I tried. They almost slaughtered that whole little village down in the forest. And those guys are normally... tough. They were terrified."
Charon rubbed his bearded chin with a stubby claw. "Well, there's not much to do in that case... Best to let the League deal with them, I'd wager."
"Yeah. Sure."
"You don't think the League will deal with them?"
"Not really. These guys seem pretty obsessed with this job, even though I only promised money. It's... They're weird. Like the League."
"Hmmh," Charon narrowed his eyes. "Maybe there's still a chance. Did you even find the Koopa?"
"Yeah, they chased 'im off first thing," Champ pinched his snout between his claws and massaged his sore head.
"But they didn't kill him."
"And?"
"And that means he is still alive."
Champ thought it over, then nodded slowly. "We find out what happened between the Koopa and the League. I bet it was something petty. Stupid overpowered jerks defend their... honor or self-esteem or whatever too much. It's almost like they're afraid."
"Exactly. We'll turn this around yet. And maybe even do the world a favor."

[Teal]

When he felt the shadow approach him Teal turned his head, The shadowy creature slightly resembled the creatures he saw in his vision. He dropped the bowl he was eating from and darted about 6 feet away from the creature. Teal held his spear pointing at the creature not saying a word. "..."

This shows how nervous Teal was. It was like anything can startle him right now.

[nitrostraggler]

Once somebody ate their food, Syleena would start eating hers.

[Strangie]

Karth stared between Teal and whatever it was standing behind him, food still in his mouth. His eyes swiveled around toward the creature...