Board Thread:Roleplay/@comment-25218347-20180604010109/@comment-26892768-20180611115220

And naturally, they're both horrified.

"By the gods..." Shovel Knight looks around at the burnt houses...and then he notices Shield Knight standing over a dead family, looking at them solemnly.

He walks over to his lover, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Shield Knight..."

"If we'd been just a bit faster...if we'd been just a bit faster, then..." Shield Knight takes a deep breath, before exhaling, her face setting into a determined scowl. "There will be vengeance for the lives of the innocent lost this night."

Shovel Knight nods, before looking to the distance. "Look further - a crater. Perhaps we will find answers there. Either from the city's protector...or his corpse."

Shield Knight looks where Shovel Knight does, and she nods, heading out with Shovel Knight following behind.

She comes to a stop, Shovel Knight stopping shortly after. Both gasp in horror as they see who's in the crater.

"Black Knight!"

"Black Knight!"

Both of them head down into the crater, looking over their sort-of friend's unconscious frame.

"He's still alive, but it looks like he had quite the battle." Shovel Knight notes. Then he picks up the pieces of the shattered shovel. "...no man - no mortal being could've done this..."

Shield Knight nods in agreement. Both of them know what kind of stuff goes into making their equipment. Only the best quality of metal and wood, and with plenty of magic to keep the thing from breaking - among other things. Breaking a shovel or a shield for one of them is very, very difficult.

But the broken pieces speak for themselves.

Shield Knight hoists the unconscious Black Knight over her shoulder. "Since we don't have any Ichor of Renewal, we'll have to get him medical assistance. It'll take us a few hours, but when we're done, we can get going by catapult and see if we can't..."

Shovel Knight looks to Shield Knight, and then pulls out the purple stone. "Shield Knight. This stone can open holes to the other worlds. Do you realize what this means?"

Shield Knight stops, staring at Shovel Knight for a moment.

"It's possible that this could take us to that Hero Planet. Granted, it will take us a few tries, but it will get us to some medical facilities faster than it would take us to run over the countryside. And, once we're there, we can-"

"We don't need to involve them." Shield Knight interrupts. "This is our world, this is our friend, these are our people; this is our mission and our mission alo-"

"LOOK AT WHAT THE DEMON DID TO BLACK KNIGHT!" Shovel Knight snaps, causing Shield Knight to fall silent. The blue knight takes a few uneven breaths before continuing. "I know that it feels personal. I know that you wish you could've done something - believe me; the world of what might have been and I have been well-acquainted for many a year now. And I understand now that it brings nothing but pain and misery for your soul. I have no intention of letting you wander into that world again. And, if I must be honest...if the demon is capable of wreaking such havoc...I - we might not be strong enough to face it. And I don't-I don't want to lose you again..."

"Shovel Knight..." Shield Knight pulls in Shovel Knight for a tight hug, before loosening her grip enough so that she can kneel down and be at Shovel Knight's eye level - all the while, making sure that Black Knight doesn't fall off her shoulder. "I will make sure that if that ever happens again, you will not falter."

Her kind smile grows into a more joking one. "My spirit will haunt you if it has to."

Shovel Knight pretends to think for a moment. "Hmmmm...yes, perhaps that would be the cure to my ails. After all, how can I be unhappy about the death of my lover when my lover is right with me?"

Shield Knight can't help herself, and laughs. "You would court the spirit that haunts you? Are you daft, or are you mad?"

"Could one really fault me for loving the specter of such a fine maiden?" Shovel Knight retorts, to which Shield Knight laughs harder, before calming herself down.

"But you're right. We should get help. Use the stone, and we'll see if we can't find the Hero Planet before dawn breaks." Shovel Knight nods, finding a normal rock and readying the purple stone to strike it, but pausing when Shield Knight sighs. "And...I offer my most sincere apologies for my harsh tongue. My thoughts were entirely unfounded, and I shouldn't have taken this so personally just because we might have been able to help if we'd been faster."

"There's no need to apologize." Shovel Knight replies, readying the stones again. "This is nothing new; I just know how to handle the matter better now. Perhaps, if anything good came out of that fateful night, 'tis that we learned how to handle each other's issues better...now then, are you ready to head out into the unknown?"

"As ready as I could ever be." Shield Knight nods.

"That's all I can ask for." Shovel Knight strikes the purple stone against the normal rock, repeating the strikes until it opens a rift. "Now, onward! To glory!"

The two knights head into the portal, with the two rocks in Shovel Knight's hand, the unconscious Black Knight over Shield Knight's shoulder, and their arms linked together.

And much to their surprise, they immediately land on the Hero Planet.

"...would it be abhorrent to say that I'm a bit disappointed?" Shield Knight asks.

"Nay, for I myself was expecting a bit more before we ended up here. Perhaps a dragon." Shovel Knight replies, brushing himself off. "Nevertheless, this is a rather good change in fortune for us. Even though I doubt many will recognize us - unless they remember that duel Black Knight and I had some time ago in the arena here - we'll at the very least be able to get Black Knight some help before we start asking for assistance with the demon."

And the two knights head out to the streets, looking around to see if anyone can help. Shield Knight in particular happens to spot a certain elf police officer...

"Oh? Do tell..." Eliza leans in a bit closer, interested to hear what her alternate self has to say.

Zakaku doesn't do anything yet. "How fascinating. Some sort of organic parasite..."

"Indeed. My boss would like to have a way to contact you in case he ever wants you for a job. Now, I'm sure you're wondering what exactly that would entail...but I have a slideshow prepared. Do you have a projector, or shall I have my acquaintance retrieve the physical slides?" Becky asks.