[Nostalgia]

The Vessel continued to walk with the others, looking around at all of the weirdness that is the inside of a Koopa as they listened to Ludwig. All of the talk of complicated fatherhood made the Vessel perk up with interest, taking some time to seemingly inspect Ludwig as he mentioned he was adopted, a little bit of confusion on their face as he explained the difference between him and Jr'd relation to Bowser.

The sudden call from Starlow brought them back to attention, the Vessel turning and refocusing onto the three strange blobs infront of them. Their head tilted slightly in curiosity as they looked them over. They almost looked like the Ooma and Uoma from home... but with eyes and feet. They hesitated with bad memories of the creatures, keeping their distance as they watched the others do the same. This seemed to confirm something for them as the blobs suddenly charged forward!

With a rather effortless little hop the small bug leapt over the charging cells, floating down with their wings on the other side of them as they finally seemed to focus.
t9OVoGX1p_1d20+5(Success)

---

Moving as if to take a deep breath before all the color of their body and clothing blacked out, leaving only their eyes now glowing white as the nooks and crannies and shadows of the areas seemed to shift for a moment. From those spots shot out black tendrils, leaving behind strange tendrils of smoke as they swiped and jabbed at the enemy before melting away into more of that smoke that quickly dissipated away.
p_1d20+3(Target's Wis, Critical Call of the Void, 30% damage, -3 to dodge next turn)
p_1d20+3(Crit check for 30% more damage)

Color returned to the Vessel, though their legs were slightly wobbly, as they took their nail in-hand, holding it up like a spear as they launched it towards the first Goombule, losing their footing slightly on the odd terrain and quickly yanking the nail back with their thread before giving it another try, still aiming for the first Goombule.
p_1d20+5(Nail spear medium, 14% dmg, 30% mortal wound)
p_1d20+5(Nail spear medium, 14% dmg, 30% mortal wound)

The others kept using words that Vessel wasn't quite sure what they meant, but they knew this was definitely an enemy! Potentially even an invader in Jr's body! Vessel frowned slightly at the thought, determined to help out his friend.

Blue Vessel :150/150 :50/50 : 0/12 Buffs: -3 to a dodge next turn Cooldowns:

1d20+5·1d20+3·1d20+3·1d20+5·1d20+5

[heirtothemonado]

With the combination of Moon's arrows, Robin's leaves, and Vessel's darkness, the Elite Goobule promptly burst under the pressure applied by the attacks. The other Goobules, burnt by Ludwig's flames and up against two other formidable foes, glanced at each other nervously. They were about to turn tail and run, perhaps get some of the stronger cells to back them up, before one of them was impaled through the head by Vessel's nail. Understandably terrified now, the other Goobule turned around and ran off as fast as he could, with the other Goombule limped away behind him as soon as Vessel let him go again.

Victory?

"Hm....that's strange. You'd think cells would stick around until the issue was dealt with. Perhaps they're bringing reinforcements?" Starlow wondered to herself. Very strange behavior on all fronts. "Either way, we shouldn't stay around here for too long. Those cells might come back soon, and they might not be alone..." With that, Starlow floated ahead of the group, toward Jr's mouth

The way there was oddly uneventful, with nothing else interrupting them as the inside of Jr's mouth soon came into view. Before the party could go very far in, Starlow stopped them. "Careful. Don't go too far into his mouth. He might feel us in there. The last thing we'd want him to do is spit us out right now...." Starlow turned toward the entrance to Jr's throat, looking thoughtful. There were a couple places they could go from here, and all of them could hold clues as to what's happening to the Koopa Prince.

"Hmm.....His stomach might be the best place to look, but his lungs and Fire Sack might be worth checking out as well. Where do you guys want to go first?"

Everyone! You have three choices of where to go from Jr's mouth. You can either go toward his stomach, his lungs or his Flame Pipe. All three options have something at the end of them, and you'll have a chance to go through the options that don't get picked. I just need to know where we're going first.

---

Location: Jr's Mouth

Jr's health: 150/150

[Coolshaymin]

Moon simply nodded to Ludwig's winning. It made sense to her... still, ranged attacks had more detriment if they missed. "I'll show you I'm plenty experienced for my age..." Moon muttered as she kept her eyes on the enemy, Robin and her allies. However seeing them leave left her confused for a moment. Why did they just leave? Cells usually don't have enough cells for combat tactics by themselves... Assumingly. "Robin, return!" Moon called, grabbing the arrow ball that was discarded to return Robin in a red beam of light. "... Yeah, we can figure that out later, no point waiting around to solve a mystery without clues," the girl nodded before following Starlow.

"... We... will be normal size when we leave, right? I kind of don't want to be this size longer than necessary..." Moon questioned as she looked to the mouth for a moment. She wasn't really sure she felt comfortable going into another stomach but she did have a job she had to finish. Plus she did not want to hear Ludwig if she chickened out now. "Well, it'll be easier to figure out the issue where the cause is. We can decide if the lungs or flame pipe are worth checking out once we get a look at the stomach," Moon deduced a tad reluctantly as she made sure her bow, quiver and bag were properly in place.

[TartoonHand94]

So, these unconventional allies proved to be of great use after all.
“Adequate.” Ludwig would acknowledge the Vessel’s combat prowess and Moon’s marksmanship, but he did not want to get sloppy through over-confidence. Hubris is a Koopa’s worst enemy.

“That’s exactly where they’re going.” Ludwig scoffed at Starlow’s obvious theorizing. “If not to return with reinforcements, then to warn other sectors so that they may fortify themselves in anticipation of our arrival.” He tossed in a theory of his own. “Either way, staying here would do not but waste our time. Let us proceed.” He began to lead the way toward Junior’s stomach.

“We may as well head to the crown prince’s stomach first. With the way he eats, whatever we might have found in his lungs, we will find in his stomach as well. I can assure you.” He insisted with a slight wretch. “Besides, there’s less risk of being burned to a crisp down there. Merely falling in an acid pool, if we’re not careful. Even at our size, it’s nothing compared to lava.” He shrugged the latter idea off dismissively. “After all, when in a strange place, best to stick to what you know~.” He passed a brief smug side glance back at Moon.

[Ludwig votes to inspect Jr.’s stomach first.]

Ludwig
130/130 HP
40/40 Shield
Status: We'll be sick to Jr.'s stomach

[Nostalgia]

The Vessel took a moment to realize that the little remaining glob was running away, the bug hesitantly getting out of a fighting stance and watching them run away, giving them an innocent little wave goodbye as they go. And soon enough after they found themselves following along after starlow again, probably at the back watching the two doctors argue. They let out a little sigh, their shoulders slumping a bit as the converstion went on between the two.

Eventually with a choice opened up the Vessel hesitated and thought on it for a moment, though it seemed like the other two had their minds made up so... The Vessel just gave a little thumbs up to say they're alright with that.

Blue Vessel :150/150 :50/50 : 1/12 Buffs: -3 to a dodge next turn Cooldowns:

[heirtothemonado]

With a unanimous vote, Starlow nods and floats ahead of the party, leading them onward into Jr's stomach. "Watch your step. The ground starts slope a lot up ahead." she warned. And sloped in did, leading slightly downward, getting steeper and steeper until it was too vertical to stand on. If you guys have a way to fly handy, use it, or you're falling!

Regardless if they flew, floated, or fell down, soon enough everyone would land in Jr's stomach, a large cavern about half-filled with stomach acid, the fleshy pink walls that were Jr's stomach lining slowly shifting around, digesting its contents rhythmically. Luckily for the band of explorers, the landed on one of the many large chunks of food that were floating around Jr's gut. And speaking of....there was quite a bit of food in here. Most of it was unrecognizable and half-digested already, but there were a few things that stood out, mainly a very large chunk of what looked like cake resting against one wall. It reached almost to the ceiling!

"Wow...I'm almost impressed." Starlow said, looking around Jr's stomach with a mixture of disgust and amazement. "No wonder he's got a stomach ache." Slowly floating around the stomach, Starlow soon came to rest in front of the giant chunk of cake and squinted. "I...think I sense something here. It might have something to do with what's happening to Bowser Jr. But how do we get to it? This thing is way too big for us to move." ...Starlow did you forget where you are right now? Perhaps Jr just needs a bit of help here.

Everyone! Since Starlow hasn't gotten the hint yet, I'll do it for her. All Jr needs is a bit of motivation to digest this particular piece of food. Target the walls of his stomach with an attack to agitate his stomach into working faster! Roll a 12 or higher for the attack to make a difference, but try not to hurt Jr too much! Be careful, because, well, you are still in someone's stomach. Make a DEX check of 14 or higher to avoid falling into the stomach acid, or take 20% damage from the burns! Be quick, because the longer you take, the less space there's going to be to stand on!

Cake Digested: 0/50

---

Location: Jr's Stomach

Health: 150/150

[TartoonHand94]

As the party naturally agreed to Ludwig’s astute proposal, the Koopaling proceeded to lead them, trotting to keep pace with Starlo at the front of the pack. He might have been wise to heed her warning, as the path started to slope increasingly steeply. As sure as his feet were, Ludwig lost his footing all too soon and broke into a slide. Instinctively retreating into his shell, he slid, and eventually fell the rest of the way down into the crown prince’s stomach.
Sticking one claw out to test the surroundings, it was deemed safe for Ludwig’s unblemished blue mane to emerge, followed by his piercing eyes which immediately surveyed his environment. It appears he had landed on a chunk of partially digesting food large enough to support his downscaled weight.
“Alles klar. Everyone who’s not digested, sound off.” He called for a headcount of his team mates. If he had planned to escape this place, he was going to need emergency fodder.

Speaking of fodder they were standing in the remains of what undoubtably was a feast. So typical of a greedy royal to pig out so excessively while his subjects starve. And they had yet to revolt against him either; had Ludwig been fasting for nothing?

“Oh, for Petey’s sake…” Ludwig facepalmed upon finding the prime suspect for Jr’s stomach ache. “Is this It? This is just Embarrassing!” He scoffed with disappointment. Admit it Ludwig, you wanted some cake too. “…Behind it? -I mean of Course the root of the problem’s Behind it.” He did a double-take, hastily attempting to cover up his previous sentiment. “After all, what would Princess Toadstool say if she found out the son of the great and terrible Bowser could be subdued with a meager plumber’s reward?” He chuckled with an eye roll. “Koopas are much hardier than that, inside and out. Observe what happens when I do This:” He demonstrated by rolling up his sleeves, charged at a nearby wall and retreated in the last minute to poke the inner lining of Junior’s stomach wall with the smooth side of his shell.
(o40hITQxp_1d20+1 Ludwig's Spinning Shell Toss @ Bowser Jr’s Stomach Wall.)
(p_1d20+1 Ludwig's Acid Pit Avoidance; Success!)

Ludwig
130/130 HP
40/40 Shield
Status: Upsetting loss of appetite

1d20+1·1d20+1

[Coolshaymin]

4gGl|RICp_1d20+3

Well it was her idea, only natural to check the implied source of the problem before looking elsewhere. The trainer decided not to point this out as she stepped forward before the ground started to slip under her. At this size especially she would prefer to not have an acid bath so she had to think quick. And think she did as she quickly grabbed Robin's Pokeball and pointed up a bit to release the Pokemon from his portable cage. Seeming to already know what his trainer had in mind when he was caught out he swooped down to catch her with his talons. She returned the hold as she looked down at the stomach below. "Nice work, Robin~!" she praised to her brother's delight.

"... Yeah, I doubt his body was that weak. Good deduction Dr. Ludwig," Moon mocked slightly before switching her focus back to the case. Still, she should be safe as long as Robin's grip and her grips hold. "... Okay, Robin, let's take his word for it and aim a Leafage... there!" Moon directed with a point. Robin glanced towards the Stomach Wall and nodded. He propped a quill feather on his vine before sending it flying towards the stomach wall to test Ludwig's theory and help speed up the process so he did not have to keep Moon afloat long.


p_1d20+4(Leafage, 18 damage)

Robin

HP: 160 SP: 55

1d20+3·1d20+4

[heirtothemonado]

As Robin's leaves struck Jr's stomach. the walls around them seemed to shift ever so slightly, as Jr's body reacted to the sudden irritation. Shortly after that, a chunk of the cake broke away from the mass in front of them and falling into the stomach acid. Whatever they were doing, it seemed to be working! However, Ludwig's shell wouldn't have the same effect, the smooth edge just not being irritating enough to jolt Jr's stomach into any more action then Robin already did. Oh well, at least there was something kind of effect. Just keep it up and the party should be able to break through!

However, the cake wasn't the only thing that Jr's stomach was digesting. The rest of the food in Jr's gut, which the party was standing on, was also starting to digest, crumble, and sink under the acidy depths. "It looks like it's working!" Starlow commented, pointing out the cake's structural weakness. "If we keep this up, we should be able to get passed this thing in no time! Just keep a heads up, cause it looks like everything else is crumbling too. I'll be able to pull you out if you fall in, but I can't really promise you won't get burnt" Starlow just kinda…floated around everyone's attacks as they kept hitting the walls. She wasn't a fighter by any stretch of the imagination, so she couldn't really help out here. Just make sure that everyone got out in one piece.

Everyone! Conditions regarding removing the cake have changed slightly! Due to Jr digesting everything slightly, the threshold to make Jr digest faster has lowered to 10! However, the half-digested food you all are standing on are also being digested a little, leaving less room to stand safely! Make another DEX check to avoid falling in, except this time you need a 15 or higher! In addition, Jr's stomach is hardy, but not invincible! Any attack that you do will cause (Attack DMG - 10) damage to him!

(Due to Nost leaving the mission, I'll be reducing the requirements to pass this obstacle)

Cake Digested: 18/25

---

Location: Jr's Stomach
Health: 142/150

[TartoonHand94]

Ricocheting off the wall and landing back on the slowly dissolving barge, Ludwig emerged from his shell and stroked his hair, concerned whether his hair do had been compromised in the action. It wasn’t.
“That’s what every Koopa needs to get going, a little tough lo-everage. A little tough leverage.” He nearly gagged at his own turn of phrase.
Hey where did the Vessel go? Oh well. Nothing of value lost.
“Let’s get a little tougher, shall we?” He cracked his knuckles and returned to his shell, aiming to slam into Junior’s stomach walls with the Sharp end.

(654hGUqjp_1d20+1 Ludwig's Spinning Shell Toss @ Bowser Jr’s Stomach Wall; Does 10% Damage.)
(p_1d20+1 Ludwig's Acid Pit Avoidance;Failure; Receives 20% Damage.)

“BAH! WIDERLICH!” Ludwig wretched, writing like a flipped cockroach. Being able to whitstand lava is part and parcel with being a Koopaling, but the indignity of a stomach acid burn, he might as well been vomited upon. “When I Get My Claws On That Fett Little-”

Ludwig
110/130 HP
40/40 Shield
Status: Upsetting loss of appetite

1d20+1·1d20+1

[Coolshaymin]

6WvnoSYUp_1d20+4

Moon held on to Robin as the process of the stomach nearly caused him to accidently shake Moon off. "It's okay, bro. We're safe for now," Moon calmed her Pokemon as she regained her position on his wings and he steadied his flapping. He still glanced to the acid bath below them that did not seem very fun to be in... Meanwhile Ludwig both failed to get Jr's stomach working and fell into the pit of fluids below. "... Heh, your medicine really isn't working wonders, is it Dr. Ludwig? Don't worry, Robin just needs to administer one more arrow!" She called before glancing around.

"... It looks like we might of overdone it with the last arrow. Make it a quick shot this time, no need to put too much effort into it. If I'm right we just need a little nudge!" Moon instructed. Robin nodded to Moon's command before taking another quill arrow, hovering in the air, before letting it loose to collide with the wall in a less powerful blow but it should be enough to finish off that cake.


p_1d20+4(Leafage Light, 8% damage)

Robin
HP: 160
Shield HP: 551d20+4·1d20+4

[heirtothemonado]

Just as Ludwig fell into Jr's stomach acid, Starlow quickly flew over and started to haul him out, the acid burning against Ludwig's skin briefly. "I did tell you to be careful." she commented, before depositing Ludwig back onto semi-solid ground. After letting go of the Koopaling, Starlow shook herself off a little. Much as she disagreed with Ludwig about a lot, there was one thing they could agree on. Getting that stomach acid on you was downright nasty!

Meanwhile, Robin's Leafage attack once again struck the sides of Jr's stomach with enough force to irritate it, making the walls shift and churn as Jr began to digest even more. It looked like that attack did it! With a growl, Jr's stomach started to fully digest the large chunk of cake, the baked pastry crumbling under it's own weight and sinking into the the depths of Jr's gut. And in it's place, there looked to be...some kind of opening? 

"That...doesn't look healthy" Starlow commented. One look at the way forward would tell both Moon and Ludwig that Starlow was right. This didn't look like any normal body cavity. It looked...almost foreboding. A sinister aura was emitting from that that cavity, and that definitely didn't look like something that should have been there naturally. "...Even so, it's our only way forward that doesn't involve diving into stomach acid. Let's get going" With that, Starlow floats on through the strange looking opening. Fortunately, enough of the cake had remained on the surface for Moon and Ludwig to simply walk over without worrying about taking an unwanted dip. Onward the party went...

The ground beneath dried out almost instantly, which was relieving. At least they didn't have to worry about where they stepped. However, as they moved forward, Ludwig, Moon, and Robin would steadily start to feel the ground getting...softer, squishier under their feet, almost springy. Guided by Starlow's light, they soon made their way to their next destination.

THE FLAB ZONE

Starlow looked around the open area, taking how...soft everything looked. "...Well, good news is, if Jr's got any similarities to his father, I know this is. We're inside a fat deposit on Jr's torso. Guess the little guy was chunky enough for this place to be accessible. Bad news is...I don't think we're the only foreigners here. I can feel it. It might be link to why Jr's having these problems in the first place. If we can find it, and take care of it, then we might get closer to curing what ails the prince"

Floating further in, Starlow spies something up on an outcropping high above them, and floated up to investigate. "We might be able to get a better look around if we can get up here, Moon and Robin could fly up here perfectly find, but..." Starlow looks down. Below the outcropping there was a darker colored patch of fat on the ground. Like there was a higher concentration of fat in that particular spot. Maybe that could help out!

Ludwig! In order to get up to where Starlow is, make a DEX check of 13 or higher to use the bouncy fat patch as a trampoline! Since Moon and Robin can fly, they can get up there with no check required

Moon! And Ludwig, if you make it up there. Make a WIS check of 14 or higher to get a lay of the land. Perhaps you can spy something of interest!

---

Location: Jr's Flab Zone
Health: 142/150

[TartoonHand94]

“From your conduct, am I to presume you believe yourself as indissoluble as corn?” Ludwig growled at Starlo’s wit as he emerged from his shell.
“Whether we be doctors or plumbers, we press forward undaunted like Koopas.” Ludwig recited a modified mantra he’d clearly said many times before, possibly missing the fact that he was the only Koopa in the party. As at home as Ludwig was in sinister foreboding caverns, it wasn’t settling to find them in a place such as this. He’d grown de-synthesized to this in architecture, but not in anatomy. Either way, he had to tread carefully over hard floor…and soft?

“Testudines adipose.” Ludwig flatly identified the deposits immediately. “If not only the inevitable byproduct of all the excess calories his royal rapacity consumes (in spite of the famine), it has compounded here, in his neck and between his limbs, via lack of sufficient physical activity.” He began to diagnose, blurring the line between examination and expostulation. “Hostage seizure, pipefitter combat, the prince has barely even engaged in competitive recreation since arriving on this suffocating planet! For the scant use of his legs, hovering about in that tea cup, I doubt they could even retract into his shell anymore.” Would you mind repeating that a little louder, Ludwig? The other foreigners in here might not have heard you the first time.

“Say no more.” Ludwig halted Starlo with his hand, noticing the same darker color of fat on the ground. Perhaps out of determination to compensate for his last blunder, Ludwig stretched his shoulders and legs, perhaps to prove that He still could, and charged toward the fatty concentration, jumping and hovering to position himself above it, in a bid to bounce off it onto the higher platform.

(fwZt_pTep_1d20+1 Ludwig's Testudines Adipose Trampoline)

After attempting to stick an Olympic style two point landing, Ludwig scanned the area from this new vantage point.

(p_1d20+3 Ludwig's elevated observation.) Aren't marquees fun?

Ludwig
110/130 HP
40/40 Shield
Status: Upsetting loss of appetite

1d20+1·1d20+3

[Coolshaymin]

"... Yeah, definitely not..." Moon agreed with Starlow as she observed at the cavity for a moment. Robin dropped her off at the entrance of the cavity before following behind her as he just watched Ludwig for the moment. "... Yeah, you can handle your brother's fitness lessons later. We have a bit more to be concerned about than some excess fat," Moon handwaved as she looked around before looking up. A height advantage could be integral here. "Foreigners, huh? Well, I would find it odd if it was something normal like viruses or bacteria otherwise we would not need to be in here. So that should make finding something out of place easier. Come on, Robin! Up!" Moon ordered to which the owl grabbed her by the shoulders and flapped to the top of the obstacle course and dropped her off once more so she could get a good look.


cdPsbdYVp_1d20-2(Moon's observations)

"... Yeah, I'm not seeing anything out of place here at all. Just looks like a normal fat deposit... as normal as seeing one from the inside is anyway..." Robin continued to look as Moon made her observation.

p_1d20+3(Robin's much more trained eyes)

"...!" Robin seemed to notice something of interest in his seach before tapping his sister to direct her attention towards her. "Hm? What is it Robin? You see something?" she asked, turning to meet his gaze.1d20-2·1d20+3

[heirtothemonado]

Neither Moon nor Ludwig would notice anything out of the ordinary, as ordinary as seeing fat deposits a good distance in all directions was. Nothing really stood out against the fields of flab...until something would catch Robin's eye! There, a good distance away from the outcropping the group was standing on, was....something. Something black attached to the pale beige walls of Jr's fat deposits. The party was too far away to readily tell what it was at a glance, but whatever it was, probably wasn't supposed to be there.

"I think I see it too, Robin! I dunno what it is, but....that definitely can't be good." Starlow comments, looking out to where Robin had indicated before racing down to the ground again. "Well, if we want to get rid of that thing, we should get moving! That thing's just going to do more damage to the prince the longer we leave it there!" Waiting for the others to get down from the outcropping, Starlow started making her way toward the dark patch. 

~~~~

After travelling for a little while, the black patch that Robin had spotted still didn't look that much closer. This area was bigger then it looked! "We gotta be getting close now, shouldn't we?" Starlow questioned, looking in the direction that black patch was spotted. They'd been walking for at least a few minutes now. Surely they had to be getting close? 

No sooner had that question left Starlow's mouth, then a commotion sounded ahead of them. It sounded like footsteps. And...flames? 

Suddenly, a group of...things appeared in front of Ludwig and Moon. Two of the creatures looked like miniature slabs of meat, complete with bone. The third, and the biggest of the three, was a large red creature with an angry looking face, with it's head wreathed in flames. Spotting the three intruders, the large red creature pointed with one of its logs toward them, and yelled in some kind of indecipherable language. Looks like things were about to get rough!

Moon and Ludwig! The Tenderlings are rolling toward you for an attack! Make a DEX check of 12 or higher to avoid it, or take 10% damage!

Tenderling
HP: 50


Calorite
HP: 75



Tenderling
HP: 50

---

Location: Flab Zone
HP: 142/150