Episode 15 - Muscle Babies

## Episode Synopsis

### Recap

They team went to Pokarok for the first time in a while to visit Asop and to help find something to help get back Dariun's vision. Norman went and got the Level liquid tattooed on his arm. Dariun and Zippy saw many guards from Aurum and learnt there is a divide in Aurum where the lower class are taking the bullet and are siding with Ammow while others are against creating chaos in the city. They went on and discovered Asop has left and possibly been hired by Ammow. They looked around and found some Sparrow blueprints for something called Heavens Buster. As they were leaving, they ran into Bradley who was concerned about Marley and Paige who were missing. Bradley begged them to help but they left him behind and did learn, through Zippy's scrying, that Gallard along with Marley and Paige were at camp Wannawomp.

### Episode Summary

In the Sparrow, two weeks have past as they have flown past Pokarok and over the open ocean. During those two weeks, Dariun decided to start working on his own eyes using some of the magical equipment he has collected. He has started on mechanical eyes, finished one and almost completed the other one. Other than that, Dariun worked on the ship and made sure it's running smoothly.

Meanwhile, Norman refines some of the glyphs in the guards and wards spell he casts every night and creates a password of a short tune swinging '*come listen to the tale I know*'. He also remakes his tomato soup and it is much better than his previous attempt. One night, Norman talks to James bringing some soup and mulled wine. Norman talks to James about the journey they've been on and where he wants to go after. James talks about how he would like to cruise on the airship over the Bahamas, a fantasy land he's thought of. They part ways and James pulls out his own food, not daring to touch the tomato soup.

Zippy continues his training with Apophis. Within the storage area, Apophis created a small area for gym. Apophis has Zippy doing pull ups. Zippy just gets one up then his next one he barely moves. They have a break after his 1.25 pull ups. Zippy asks how Apophis has been going with being on the ship. Apophis tell him he's good, after some adjustments with his missing arm. Zippy talks about how he feels he is a bit second rate behind Norman and Dariun which Apophis is quick to agree on but assures Zippy with his training program, he'll be easily up there. Especially with Norman eating way too much soup and Dariun being locked away in his room a lot recently. Apophis talks about how Dariun would probably benefit from some training and mentoring before getting Zippy back into working out.

The travelling continues, it's a rainy day and the sea below is chaotic. The winds are howling and Zippy is steering the ship and everyone is in the helm surviving the storm. Dariun goes to the balloon with Huri and Caine and asks if they're okay. They are not but will push themselves to get out of the storm. Their balloon inflates and the ship starts turning. Zippy can't keep control and lets go and crashes into the wall. Norman grabs onto the wheel and gets it slightly under control. Dariun runs over to Tor and Nado and asks them to push it. After some resistance, Dariun is able to get the other two elementals to get the ship back in line.

While out on the ship, Apophis comes out and tells him things are getting crazy downstairs and the horses are going wild. As Dariun goes to run down, there's lightning cracking above and they hear Randy below asking what's going on. They look up and see lightning flashing and a shape begins to form in the clouds. An arm forms followed by a body as they see a large storm elemental above them. It's hand points towards them and lightning shoots down, crashing into the ship.

James takes the wall and Zippy and Norman run out to Dariun. Dariun calls out in primordial asking to let them pass but he gets no response. Dariun throws his dancing blade into the air and as he does, the blade disappears and a number of golden plates appear in the sky as he conjures a barrage on the elemental. The elemental is hit with Dariun's attack. It points it's hand to Dariun and shoots a lightning bolt. Dariun dodges and absorbs the lightning. The other hand points and again it shoots. He dives out the way and gets hit with some of the splash back of the lightning.

Zippy runs out onto the deck and rummages through his backpack, pulling out some gravel and throwing it on the ground. Using his magic, Zippy creates an earth elemental. The elemental starts pulling of some of the rocks on his body and throws it in the sky to the lightning elemental but misses. Zippy runs down below deck to check out the damage through the ship. Zippy helps out Apophis with fixing up the ship while the others fight above.

Norman runs out and gives Dariun a bardic inspiration. He pulls back his sleeve showing his Mir tattoo and casts phantasmal killer hitting the elemental, causing it to hold its head in pain . He then uses his ring of the grammarian to cast thunder save to protect himself from and lightning attacks to come. He then moves in a bit closer to Dariun.

Dariun draws the black bow, casts gile of the serpent and activates his hunters mark. The holographic image of a snake sits over Dariun and a green target appears on the elemental. He then fires off three arrows, all hitting true. A black cloud shrouds their eyes as the black bow takes effect.

Black clouds come in, swirling around the elemental and lightning sparks as it goes to thunder pulse. The black cloud comes down like a hand and engulfs the ship. They feel the hair on their arms light as electric energy pulses through the ship and they all get thrown 30 feet. Norman and Dariun are sent off the ship in the open air. Below, Zippy and Apophis get thrown against the wall of the ship. The ship starts the fail and head towards the sea. Dariun and Norman fall and they see the ship coming down as the black cloud rises back up.

Zippy picks himself up from the fall and hears the pipes wheezing and sputtering. Zippy asks Apophis to get to the main engine room and connect the pipes to keep the ship up. Zippy calls to James on the rocky walkie and asks him to keep the ship steady and asks him to find Norman and Dariun. He runs over to the engine room with Apophis and makes a small and contained blizzard to cool down the pipes enough for Apophis to hold the pipes together. Apophis becomes too cold and loses consciousness.

Norman is falling and he sees Randy floating behind the ship, mostly out of it from being so nauseous. Norman touches his ring of the grammarian and casts flight. Light emits from him as bright light wings form on his back. Norman flies over to Dariun and grabs him. As Norman holds Dariun up from behind and Dariun uses his bow, triggering planar warrior and fires three more shots at the elemental. All three fly and puncture through the clouds and hits the elemental. They see the lightning flickering as it looks weak. Dariun asks Norman to get him to the elemental.

The elemental swoops and swings at the ship. James asks Zippy to cut the power to the ship. The fist comes down and Zippy runs for the emergency break lever. The steam stops and he feel weightless as the ship starts to descend even faster. Norman and Dariun see the ship falling and the arm just miss it. Dariun pushes off Norman and the fist goes in between them. Norman grabs back onto Dariun and he uses his bubble cloak to protect them from the elementals next attack.

They start to fall again but the elemental's attack doesn't hit. The ship comes down and lands in the ocean and Randy gets dunked in the water. Zippy turns the ship back on and the air starts sputtering. He looks at the pipes that are not connected. He walks over, reflecting on the training he has done with Apophis. Even without Apophis awake to cheer him on, he knows what he needs to do. Zippy grabs one pipe. He grabs the other and he digs deep. He pulls as hard as he can. After a big struggle, it comes together and the pipes connect. There's a burst of speed on the ship.

Norman and Zippy see the ship skidding across the ocean but under the water, Norman and Dariun see three long and large water drakes chasing after the boat. Norman flies Dariun up to the elemental, dashing up the large storm elemental. Dariun distant strike using phantom strike on the elemental. Dariun goes up, teleporting in front of the elemental. Dariun does three incredibly quick attacks and lightning courses through the elemental as the body is diced and disperses away. Norman catches Dariun again and they see the clouds start to dissipate and the sun starts to shine through.

Zippy holds on tight and James tells him to keep holding as he feels they almost have enough juice to get into the air. He then casts mend and the pipes weld together. When he lands he lands in water, he cancels his ice storm and warms up Apophis. He starts to wake back up and Zippy tells him about his strength but Apophis isn't too convinced. They get up and head up to the deck. They see a head of a water drake rising from the sea. It arcs back to slam into the side.

Zippy, with a last stitch effort, creates a whirlpool just out from the ship and the water drake turns mid hit and misses the ship. While freaking out, they hear the horses calm down followed by a door creaking open and coming out is the wetsuit wearing Bradley walking onto the ship. He asks for Zippy's help as Norman and Dariun land on the ship. Zippy is mostly in shock as Bradley asks Norman for some help with thaumaturgy. Norman grabs him and puts him on his shoulders. Bradley yells out '*LIFT*' and immediately, the drakes lift up the ship from below and it's in the air.

Bradley turns to them and is super surprised that worked. Norman grabs him by the shoulders and asks him what he was thinking stowing away on the ship. Bradley tells them he wanted to come because they weren't going to find Paige and Marley. Norman informs Bradley they already know that they are safe. Bradley feels a bit dumb so asks to be dropped off to be with them but the team informs him they are weeks away from there.

They agree they need to keep Bradley on the ship and Norman tells him there are a few conditions to his stay. The first is he won't be a freeloader and will to work. Secondly, Norman is surprised and intrigued by what he just did with the drakes and feels his use could be useful. Dariun very sternly tells Norman that Bradley is not leaving the ship. They currently have a kings candidate with them and they know nothing of Jadu's political intentions therefore taking him anywhere would be dangerous.

Dariun tells Bradley probably has grown up the same as him but he advises Bradley to be a kid and enjoy it while he can. Dariun refuses to let a child soldier come and fight. Norman agrees and kneels down to Bradley and tells him he'll stay on the ship to keep him safe. Bradley now looks to Zippy for him to say he can come with them. Zippy zones out then back in and tells him he will stay on the ship.

After settling the Bradley issue, Dariun tell him to go to his room while the rest of them go to fix up the ship. They hear below, Randy coughing up some salt water and speaks up about Jadu. He thinks it will be fine in Jadu but he and Verulius weren't the closest. He starts to feel something and points forwards. The come up over white, pillowy clous and see the blue sky above. They hear whale sounds and off in the distance are two giant sky whales with elaborate reins on them, bejewel placements on their heads and bars in their mouth. The bars are attached to chains connected to islands, 8 in total. On one is a large, pointed tall tower. Randy points and says that is Jadu, the magic kingdom.

## Quotations

* Apophis "*The magics in your muscle man! Now give me a kachow!*"
* Zippy \*kind of weak\* "*kachow!*"

* Apophis "*I find its better to let people just fail and fail hard on their own then you come in as a mentor, kinda like I did with you* (Zippy) *when you were at rock bottom, and then just swoop them up, take them into your loving arms, freakin train them until they're your muscle babies!*"

* Zippy "*This is for you Apophis! Notice me!! KACHOWW*"

* Norman "*What do you guys think?*"
* Zippy "*You're right Norman…*"
* Norman "*Sorry what was that?*"
* Zippy "*…you're right.*"
* Norman "*Oh! That’s weird… go on!*"

## Featured Characters

### Main Cast

* Norman D
* Dariun Branch
* Zippy Westborrough

### Returning Characters

* James
* Robyn
* Apophis
* Hurri
* Caine
* Tor
* Nado
* Randy
* Bradley