Muskrat Ramble

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> Muskrat Ramble
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> ### Alternate Names
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> Muskrat Ramble On
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> ### Part Number
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> 5
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> ### Genre
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> Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Paranormal, Bildungsroman, Drama
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> ### Protagonist
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> Panagiotis French
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> ### Release Date
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> March 8, 2022
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> ### Collections Released
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> TBA
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> ### Chapters Released
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> TBA
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> *"This competition- surviving this competition will make a new life for me. This is how I regained my memory; not my previous memory, but my new one."* -Panagiotis French, beginning of Muskrat Ramble
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***Muskrat Ramble*** is the fifth part of *Plane Monster* and is the first part in the second half, *Champollion*.

Set in continuity in the Room System*,* the story follows Panagiotis French, an amnesiac with a history in the Henetian Republic's underbelly and Pilot-controlled heights, and Adonis Albalisk, captain of a military division named War Horse as the former enters the Muskrat Ramble and meets the latter, a government last-resort to ending the war by enlisting a vast number of volunteers in a military competition for a survivor's reward at the end of 100 million lions.

The story is later joined by tritagonist Gibby.

Muskrat Ramble is set apart from the original five parts by a large time skip and introduction of new characters & protagonist. Part six takes place after the third plane shift in Cascade Fall Down and during the resulting Second War, the event that sparks the Muskrat Ramble. The story includes many references to the original and features some original characters as well, albeit minor now.

## Plot Summary

### **The Muskrat Ramble Competition**

As the Second War continues, rooms and collections collapse and mimic a man-made Plane Shift.

#### Intro: Enter the Agora

For stealing from the Lixourian Government, Arrow is sent to prison in a sub-room of the Lixourian Collection. However, discovery of a sudden modification allows him to escape unbeknownst to the prison guards. However, Arrow is without anything upon escape and takes a natural door to, due to his luck, a back part of TSN. Here he finds a notice briefly detailing the war and the proposition of the Muskrat Ramble competition. This he joined motivated by money and fame in surviving the competition.

Tozzi Egress, sponsor & promoter of the Muskrat Ramble, holds an event in the Henetian Republic the day the competition starts. The event is broadcasted throughout the entire Room System, Upside and Downside both, and features hundreds of thousands of volunteers from all around the System. The Muskrat Ramble is "spontaneous" in a sense because the government was secretly desperate to end the war (hence starting the competition) so contenders are generally not well-known. However, notable volunteers are the Duvesant-Attorii Foundation's Feskaya and Lixourian subnoble Cannon.

War Horse is introduced as what they are essentially, at first. Egress introduces the unit as volunteers finish arriving (primarily by door entry and HRS1 Terminal 1). The rules are explained by Adonis Albalisk, captain of War Horse, and a person in the crowd seems to be shaken by the sound of the captain's voice. This man is Panagiotis French, previous Pilot prodigy and Captain of one of the most prestigious Squads in the Room System who suffered the complete loss of his memory and essentially life in an accident. The explanation, introductions, and rules continue, then registration commences. All "contenders" (at the time, volunteers) are directed to different terminals and stations in the Henetian Republic's sector 1 to manage traffic and crowding. Panagiotis, however, neglects the assigned terminal (HRS1 Terminal 2) and makes his way near the raised podium building where Egress and Albalisk had given the announcements. Soon he catches a glance of Albalisk and attempts to get his attention, an attempt that fails. Albalisk is seen thanking Egress and returns inside the large building behind them. Panagiotis stays for a moment longer, willing someone to show themselves again, then when nobody presents themselves turns back and makes his way to the terminal.

#### Welcome to the Omada

Panagiotis is registered as 936 of Unit 3 (U3MR) for volunteers with unregistered modifications. Units are taken to the Henetian Military building as sector 1 is completely blocked off. In the unit's temporary conference room (for briefing), Adonis Albalisk is shown again as one of the overviewers of the Muskrat Ramble. Members of U3MR take seats around the room as a podium is brought in on the miniature stage and the unit captain stands behind it with Adonis, sitting haphazardly on the stage's edge. Panagiotis does not yet recognize him or anyone else in the room.

Briefing starts, with the captain, a Creature-modified named Enri A. Irne, beginning to explain the Muskrat Ramble and the unit's significance to the members. The war is explained in further detail and eventually speakers are switched, Adonis now at the podium. An additional person enters the room from a side door as Adonis begins to speak, taking a seat beside Irne. While speaking and surveying U3MR members, Adonis catches sight of Panagiotis, who is looking down. Adonis's gaze lingers but he soon looks away. Throughout the briefing, Adonis attempts glances at Panagiotis as he believes the latter is familiar somehow.

At the end of briefing members are given a separate badge and stack of forms. Here, Adonis quickly leaves the stage as members are getting up and pulls Panagiotis aside from his seat. He spends several moments staring at Panagiotis while biting the right of his lower lip. Eventually he asks how Panagiotis is familiar to him. He responds similarly and notes that Adonis seems vaguely familiar as well, though in the middle of his statement Adonis exclaims that he does know who he is, jumping back and yelling "Oh, it's you, Panagiotis!" which startles the man in question. Panagiotis stands for a moment as Adonis takes his shoulders and proceeds to ramble about other things (depicted as squiggly lines in the comic) that aren't explicitly written. Panagiotis stops Adonis and expresses his utter confusion, giving way to the discovery of Panagiotis's memory loss.

The Muskrat Ramble is regarded as a game throughout almost all contenders and soon backhanded playing begins, having started in the agora and now during briefing.

Adonis and Panagiotis separate, the former expressing concern once away. A spire of the building is assigned to Panagiotis and a subgroup (referred to diminutively as a mini-unit) consisting of three people. Only one other person shows up as Panagiotis enters the spire, his new home. The third subgroup member continues to not show themselves, leading to Panagiotis becoming frustrated. This second person, however, is named Psomaki Lete who is quickly revealed to be modified with "People of Madness"- reacting harshly to Panagiotis's expressiveness.

At an early morning hour it is confirmed that the third group member does exist- none other than Adonis Albalisk. As he enters the spire and sees Panagiotis his modification is briefly revealed as a response and People of Madness is triggered once more. Having not known of the situation, both Panagiotis and Adonis are surprised.

### Rose for the Living: Entry on Your Part

It is revealed that Adonis had registered in the Muskrat Ramble after engaging in a legal fight with military superiors that nearly cost him is position as captain of War Horse. Aided by a fellow member, Altair Ossian, he was able to strike a deal with his superiors: entry in the Muskrat Ramble for the military's legal ownership of his modification, Rose for the Living, which is able to reverse illnesses, injuries, and death.

Adonis quickly begins battering Panagiotis with conversation before being separated by Psomaki and People of Madness. He exits the room, bidding a good night.

### Interruption: Tozzi Egress, Dreading

Tozzi Egress's confliction about the Muskrat Ramble is explored as he contacts several officials. He questions whether the MR should really occur and how it might affect the Room System, but is shut down by the President, the source of the competition's approval. Tozzi does not respond and stops questioning, hanging up the phone. However, before he can do anything else, he is alerted by a scream from outside. As he rushes to the balcony, he realizes the gravity of what the Muskrat Ramble may bring when he looks down and watches a rope swing from the balcony railing above him, tied roughly around the mutilated body of a woman, dead by the work of a modification.

## Major Battles

* Panagiotis French vs. Kaerot Vero
* Panagiotis French vs. Adonis Albalisk & Kipper
* Adonis Albalisk vs. Dixie
* Panagiotis French vs. Dixie
* Panagiotis French vs. Mellovis
* Panagiotis French vs. Memories