Challenge Tower

"Koopin" asks about King Marion. "So, who exactly is this King Marion dude?"

"Um...Koopin, sir, King Marion is your father. Shouldn't you know that...? Wait a minute. You aren't Koopin!" Dave smashes the guard over the head with the wheat book and knocks him out. The other guard prepares to strike, but Dave curls in his shell and trips the guard, sliding past him. Samus opens fire on the guards and a laser gun fight begins. Flurrie and Waite leap across the hall and smash two guards with their body weight together. Two of the surviving guards using communication devices to speak with the rest of the castle. "THERE'S A KOOPIN IMPOSTER IN THE BUILDING. ACTIVATE SHUTDOWN. NOBODY LEAVES AND NOBODY ENTERS."

The party runs in, guns blazing. Literally. Samus shoots at the knights in the hall while Dave tosses his red shells around at them. Waite eats one of the guards, drowning them inside of its watery body and Flurrie helps to clean up any remaining guards. They then meet up with Dave. Samus speaks to Dave through her suit. "We came here to rescue you. We need to get out of here immediately."

"We can't! There's soldiers everywhere. You guys get back in that room. Look for clues on what's going on. I'll keep these dudes busy."

Samus looks around as the soldiers start to come swarming in from both sides of the hall and then nods. She motions for the others to go in first and then runs in after them, slamming the door shut. Inside of Koopin's room, they begin to quickly look around for clues as to what is going on. There's just useless information about plants everywhere! Waite looks around and notices that the window in this room has been left open. Its eye changes color to green. Flurrie finds what looks like some sort of journal on the ground. It belongs to Koopin. She quickly flips through the pages, reading through as fast as she can. There's a lot of entries about how his plants are doing and what he learned that day. This kid lives a pretty pampered life it seems. Lots of training for battle. Flurrie stops as she notices an entry that stands out.

It's about how Koopin's mother died. Apparently his father started to act differently after that. The entries after this are about Koopin attempting to escape his home. This last one is about how he plans to escape through the window and will never return to this place.

Meanwhile, outside, Dave holds his hands in the air and drops the shells in his hands. "I surrender! We don't have to fight."

www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7zKGsis8ec

As he says this, the large double doors in front of him are kicked open forcefully. A towering man in red armor stands there. He speaks in an italian accent and has a huge mustache. It must be the man in that portrait in Koopin's room. "YOU WOULD DARE TO IMPERSONATE MY SON?" He takes out a gigantic, flaming sword.

"It was an accident. I just want to know why we're fighting the-"

"BE SILENT AND DIE QUICKLY!" The soldiers grab Dave's arms and attempt to restrain him as King Marion approaches. Dave can see the flames of fury in his eyes and for a moment notices some sort of shadowy presence around Marion.

Wark Wark.  Run around.  Kick everything.
Wait, no, don't do that.  That's the worst plan ever.

Samus: Shine Spark through the door and tackle the king.
Waite: Make a Called Shot on that flaming sword with Hydro Pump.
Dave: Withdraw into Rapid Spin.
Flurrie: If there has ever been a time for Dodgey Fog, this is the time for Dodgey Fog.

This seems like a good time for Dave to chuck his Smart Bomb at the incoming soldiers. Have Flurrie try the Rain Staff, I guess? While pointing out the symbolism of Marion's burning portrait representing what he's doing to his relationship with his son and how whatever's left of him needs to fight back... or something.

Samus can try the scan visor on Marion and the braziers...?

While Waite hides in the corner.

But Crow can't Waite do some crazy magic or ability she is a water witch.

I updated the status to include Skullchu's abilities.

The party stands in their safe elevator home, but things are not the same as they were before. The floor they have just returned from does not have a green light. It does not have a red light either. It has a yellow light. Samus takes Dave over to the bed, carrying him in her arms. He appears to be knocked out. Those cracks in his shells...

Dave will be paralyzed for the rest of his life without any proper medical attention.

Samus heads off to go get Seiberg. While she does this, Flurrie checks up on Waite. It looks like it's not holding up too well. Waite's eye changes color to blue and then to purple. It makes a strange, gurgling sound as if coughing. The water in it looks...murky. Waite seems to be sick. Seiberg runs into the room, focusing his healing magic on Dave, doing his best to keep him alive. The Wild Crows seem to be in a panic. Samus watches silently as Seiberg continues to heal Dave. Fox and Falco watch as well. Flurrie stays busy watching after Waite, trying to help it out with whatever the problem is.

Hope and Daniel stand outside of the bedrooms, waiting silently with Rena and Nogeko. K sits next to Nogeko with her paw on his mouth to keep him from talking.

What will you do?

Remove Waite's core from that water and inactivate it. By any means necessary. Pull it out, use ice magic/missiles and hack it out.