Escape from Starr Park

Chapter 12: Out to Perform

Team Recap! It remains the same as before even after what happened at the Snowtel. No new additions to our main group. That won't be stopping them though!

"It's quiet... Too quiet..." Colt exclaims, looking around. "Colette, are you sure this place fits the riddle?" Shelly asks. Colette turns to them with an unsettling smile, "Try to not worry, I trust Colette's knowledge on this brawler thing and location... I think..." Edgar answers the question for Colette, placing his scarf ends on both Colt and Shelly's shoulders.

After a bit of walking, muffled sounds can be heard, not one specific sound but multiple going over each other. Laughter, music, it was all cluttered. It only got louder as they continued walking. Was it a threat slowly coming for them? Was it the clue they are close to Colette's location she has guessed? It was all unknown to them, and it only got louder.

All of a sudden, EMZ falls back. Everyone quickly turns to her "Niece?" Mortis exclaims "Are you okay?" "N-n-niece!!?" Brock yells out in surprise. "Yeah? Not like the undead can't have family. Hmph." He scoffs as he helps up EMZ, whose face was redder as usual. "It all makes sense! Colette, you genius!" EMZ exclaims with her hands on her cheeks. "Eheheh..." she giggles.

Everyone gives her a weird look but Colette and Mortis. "A-a-anyways! Let's get going, guys!" Mortis exclaims, trying to break the silence and awkwardness. He let's out a small, nervous laugh as he takes EMZ to the front of the group. "Continue leading us, Colette." "Hmmmmm... Okay!" Colette responds with a wide smile. Mortis tries to converse with EMZ quietly.

"EMZ, is this what you've been talking about?" He sounds excited. "C'mon, uncle, you've sneaked onto my phone... He's on my wallpaper." "Ahaha!"Mortis lets out a laugh "You'll be fine! Just stay casual!" He reassures her. "I wonder what they're talking about..." Piper whispers to her trio "I'm not sure but we shouldn't be eavesdropping." Byron replies.

"Is it just me? Or is it getting hot in here?" Max asks "Is it not your suit? It's pretty tight." Pam replies with her theory. "No, that's definitely not 'just you.'" Bibi responds, try to fan her neck with her hand. "Okay, something is definite wrong he-" Crow would mention before getting abruptly cut off. "Amigos!" They are greeted by. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Are you here for the show? Wait, no... We're still practicing for that... N-nevermind!" The woman says, making all sorts of hand gestures. "Amber! We're not ready for that yet..." Another brawler comes up behind Amber, tapping her on the shoulder. Amber sighs, "Well, Poco, if you say so." She says, lighting up her flame.

"How are we going to tell her the context of why we're here?" Mortis asks everyone "It only gets more complex and awkward, the more we keeping digging into this." He continues. "Is the digging part a pun?" Shelly turns to him and asks "What? No!" He quickly replies. "I'll handle the wording, don't worry." Colette exclaims, covering for them.

"Can we stay over for a while? Watch you practice or something?" She asks "It could be very hazardous, though." Amber responds "I've set this place on fire in the past." She continues, scratching her head and sweating. "I think we can look after ourselves." Pam replies. "Well, I don't see why not?" Poco adds to Amber's statement, inviting them in. "Take a seat!"

Everyone sits on the rows of benches prepared for when real performances are to happen and get comfortable. "Oh yeah, and where's El Primo?" Collete asks "He's not here, I think he's out competing or something.. You know, luchador things?" Amber replies, shrugging. "Anyway, let's do this again!" She says, swinging her torch. They all watch their performance for a while.

Mortis, in particular, quickly gets bored. Elbows on his knees, resting his chin on his hands. "There is no use to watch this, right now. No connection to our original purpose." He complains, everyone seems to have mixed opinions on what they're doing. "Screw it! I, uhhhm. I'm heading out for a while." He says, excusing himself out of the scene.

"If they won't bother for the real reason why we're here, I guess I'll do it myself." He walks into a crack in-between two buildings. "Now, to be honest, I don't know what I'm looking for." He talks to himself. "But I'm sure I'll know once I find something." Back at the main stage, Poco and Amber continue their practice performance in front of everyone.

"So? What did you think?" Poco asks the crowd. Some of the brawlers clap, some sit there, smiling, and others say nothing visually. "Mixed opinions, but not everyone thinks the same. I think we did a good job!" Amber says, putting her fist out. Trying to give Poco a fist bump. Poco then returns the gesture to her. Colt is one of the brawlers who were clapping, though his was more nervous than the rest.

He looks around "Huh..? Where's-? Where's Mortis?" He exclaims. The other brawlers look around. "I don't see him anywhere!" Shelly confirms Colt's claim. A quick scream of shock is heard "Is that him?" Colt asks. "EMZ! He's your uncle!" Colt runs over to EMZ who is on her phone. She notices him and is caught off guard. "Mortis is gone!"

"Eeeehhhhhhh, I wasn't paying attention!" EMZ replies "Ugh! I'm following that scream." Colt says, storming off. "Mortis is that you!?" Colt finds Mortis by the wall, breathing heavily. "Colt? Something weird really happened." He says. "I was just in a Duo Showdown game, but, I was here too..." "Oh, that IS weird." Colt responds. "I don't know what happened..."

"And it could happen again any moment." Colt quickly grab Mortis' hand "Not to make this look awkward, but I believe this has something to do with the whole identity-stealing-and-putting-consciousness-in-a-game thing." "I'm not sure, I've played Showdown matches before." The two brawlers start theorizing.

After no explanation, the two end up somewhere else completely different. "Wait, what?" Colt questions the surroundings.  "Ack! This is what I meant!!" Mortis exclaims "HOW DID WE EVEN GET HERE?" Colt tries to calm Mortis down as they realize they're in a 3v3 game. The two look around for their team mate, which ended up being Sandy.

"S-Sandy? What are you doing here?" Colt asks "I thought you saw me fall asleep while watching Amber and Poco's practice... Yaaawn." Sandy replies "What a weird dream... You two are here... I'm in a Gem Grab match." He says as he starts to fall asleep. "SANDY, THIS IS NOT A DREAM! WE ARE IN A GEM GRAB MATCH!!" Mortis grabs Sandy's shoulders and continuously shakes him, trying to wake him up.

"Okay, uhhhh." Colt tries to figure out the situation. "We should just try to win this match!" HE suggests to the other two "Eh, I guess there's no other option. Let's do this!" Mortis says, getting his shovel ready. "I'm not too sure, but, I GUESS I'll do it." Sandy joins in. A countdown starts, indicating the start of the match. 3... 2... 1... BRAWL!