RPG OtakuBoards Survivor: Game On! <PG>

[Raiyuu]

[b][color=Purple][font=Trebuchet MS]"Space Invaders for me next!" [/font][/color][/b][color=Purple][font=Trebuchet MS]Xiaoyu called out hurriedly. She'd seen Lara and Krystal both exit the Donkey Kong portal bruised and smelling of burnt petrol, and felt like avoiding that particular game until she'd completed all the others.

The Space Invaders portal set her down on a featureless black expanse. Something felt different on her head, and when she raised a hand to it she discovered a headset with earpiece and microphone.

[b]"H - hello?" [/b]she said tentatively.

[b]"Incoming, kupo!" [/b]squeaked a diminutive voice on the other end. It didn't quite sound like Mog - maybe another moogle working on the show, or a relative? Xiaoyu nearly came over shivery thinking of Mog's adorable little furball cousins, before starting to worry that they might all share his bossy personality.

All those thoughts flew from her head as blocky white things began materialising. Four solid slabs shimmered into existence lined up above her head, and something built itself up, pixel by pixel, around her. Before she could even react to being lifted off her feet as the thing assembled under her, a seemingly limitless number of small white ... squid? ... started popping into existence, lined up in neat ranks in the black sky.

[b]"What's going on?" [/b]Xiaoyu asked the moogle operator frantically.

[b]"It's easy really, kupo," [/b]replied the crackly voice. [b]"They're invading. Blow them to kupo!"

"Ooooh, I see," [/b]sighed Xiaoyu resignedly. [b]"It's a [i]boy's [/i]game..."

[/b]Controls appeared under her hands as the seat she was now sat in reclined, lying her down to look straight up at the invasion force. A joystick in her left hand for movement, and a great big red button under her right hand for ...

[i]FzzzzZAP!

[b]Yup, for shooting, [/b][/i]she nodded to herself, manoeuvring the blocky gun emplacement along the black plain as her shot vapourised the first enemy craft.

The first rank of little ships was easy enough to zap, and soon enough the whole invasion force was flowing down to replace the casualties. Xiaoyu reckoned she was getting the hang of motoring her cannon-kart around, though the whole concept of using a vehicle and a weapon was still unfamiliar. Even in the GTA challenge, she'd fought hand-to-hand from the back of their car rather than try and co-ordinate driving, aiming and shooting all at the same time.

It started raining little white rulers. Xiaoyu ignored it, methodically [i]fzzZAP[/i]ping the never-ending aliens until a drop hit her vessel, which exploded with unexpected violence, dissipating into flying white pixels and dumping the girl on her behind.

[b]"Oww!" [/b]she complained, running for shelter under one of her shields as a second gun-carriage constructed around her.

[b]"Two lives left, kupo," [/b]warned her operator.

[b]"Why didn't you tell me about that?" [/b]she demanded crossly, keeping an eye on the gap between shields for a let-up in the deadly rain.

[b]"I have to let you learn some kupo yourself," [/b]he replied cheekily.

Grumbling petulantly to herself, Xiaoyu trundled her new vehicle out from under protection and blew away another couple of ships, before ducking back under cover to avoid return fire. Popping out from the other side, she shot down another four, but was forced to hide away again.

[b]"I'll never get the whole line at this rate! Shooting at me's just rude," [/b]she decided.

[b]"That's the challenge, kupo," [/b]came the mischevious voice in her ear.

Sure enough, there were still some ships left in the lowermost rank when the entire fleet shifted closer to the ground. Sensing an advantage, the aliens doubled their rate of fire, effectively pinning Xiaoyu under her shield and allowing her to only make pot shots.

[b]"How does anyone do this game?!" [/b]she despaired.

[b]"You can blow up their missiles," [/b]commented the unknown moogle lazily.

[b]"You could have told me that before!" [/b]

Xiaoyu motored out from under her (now heavily pockmarked) shield and hammered at her big red "FIRE" button, projectiles meeting in mid-black and cancelling each other out with a brief white flare. Her energy zaps started hitting ships again, but it was too late; pressing home their advantage, the invasion fleet speeded up their descent. She looked on in satisfaction as several ships slammed into her remaining shields, only to have her excitement turn to dismay as the ships annihilated her shelters without suffering so much as a scratch.

There was one ship left in the bottom rank, and it was one downward shift away from the ground.

[b]"Nonono, no you don't!" [/b]Xiaoyu cried, slamming her joystick left and powering her carriage right underneath the descending ship. It was so close now that its armoured underbelly sheared off the end of her cannon, but she fired anyway, the shot exploding awkwardly out of the damaged barrel and scattering flaming energy across the approaching ship, which winked out of existence.

[b]"Ha!" [/b]Xiaoyu exulted, feeling that with that one kill the coming inevitable defeat wouldn't be so bad. She carried on hammering her button, belching uncontrollable projectiles that ricocheted crazily around the enemy fleet, but there was no way she could take out the whole rank before it touched down. A ship made contact with her black Earth right up the other end of the arena and she heard a moogle's voice say, [b]"Game over, kupo!"

"Wait!" [/b]she called as the black-and-white world exploded into pixels. [b]"Just tell me one thing!"

"What's that, kupo?"

"Why did I have to defend Earth [i]on my own?"[/i]
[/b][/font][/color]

[Doukeshi]

[SIZE=1]Lara squared her shoulders and stood in front of yet another portal. This one led to a particular game by the name of Tetris. The name of the game gave nothing away as to its content as so, as Lara stepped once more into the swirling blue nexus, the sight that met her upon her exit made very little if any actual sense. A large grey expanse dominated her view. Standing on the floor of what appeared to be a very large grey room with an extremely high ceiling Lara could produce no assumptions as to what the game actually was.

To her right a small screen suddenly appeared, the image that presented itself on the screen looked curiously like a set of four blocks stacked in an L, shape. Frowning Lara peered at the image, hoping that her intent gaze would somehow release the clue that was quite obviously eluding her. That clue quite literally came falling from the sky as the shape the image represented appeared above her and made its way to the floor in an odd jolting fashion. Hitching a breath Lara rolled out of the way before the shape came crashing down, or at least she expected the crashing. As it happened the shape came to a rest almost serenely upon the greyish floor, still and unmoving. Before Lara had time to contemplate such an obvious lapse in gravitational physics another shape, this time a cube began to sink slowly towards her.

[b]?What the hell is this??[/b] The Tomb Raider exclaimed as she once again dodged the cubes descent as it came to rest beside the previous shape. Perhaps a better vantage point was required to solve this puzzle. The next shape to descend was a long vertical stack, slowly making its way down. Gripping the top of the L structure Lara hoisted herself up. Her footing was precarious at best on the narrow ledge and so Lara was forced to immediately somersault towards the moving stack. Gripping the top with strong fingers a small gasp escaped the Tomb Raiders lips as the shape suddenly lurched forwards, flattening out into a horizontal platform. Spreading herself out against the lowering ledge, Lara had yet another surprise in store when, as soon as the shape had rested against the floor a sharp sound pierced the air and the entire lower layer of blocks disappeared, dropping Lara to the ground with a small thud. Searching around with blinking eyes Lara?s confusion was painted upon her features. The blocks had simple vanished, not sunken into the ground, nor into the walls, just vanished into thin air.

[b]?Perhaps this is the aim of the game.?[/b] Lara mused. She was unable to contemplate further, her thoughts interrupted by another odd shape. This one was set with two blocks one on top of the other, making the centre to the shape while another block was set on the right side of the top block and another at the left of the bottom block. Knowing now that a horizontal line needed to be created Lara leapt forward, using the remaining blocks from the cube as a stepping stone. Launching herself into the air Lara shouldered the shape causing it to edge slightly to the right, where it slotted in against the floor and remaining cube blocks. A small laugh of triumph was all she allowed herself as again she began directing the next shape that started to fall.

With each passing shape, and each line that disappeared the descent became faster and faster. Before long Lara was unsteadily perched upon a tower at least six blocks in height. The blocks were falling at a rapid pace now, an no sooner had Lara successfully guided a piece into its place then she had to scramble upwards to once again catch the next block before it added itself to the ever growing tower. Her latest piece had given much needed relief as it filled the final gap among several lines, lowering the tower significantly. Distracted by this relief Lara was unprepared for the sudden arrival of another vertical stack. Unable to prevent its rapid descent Lara was knocked off balance as it flew past her. Losing her footing she toppled backwards into the steep hole that she had intended the stack for. The walls were steep and the slick 2D surface meant that scaling them was nigh on impossible. Lara cursed a blue streak at her predicament and blocks now left unsupervised piled themselves haphazardly in all directions. A sudden panic descended upon Lara as a square shadow darkened the opening to her pit. An L shaped block was falling fast and before Lara could do so much as yelp she was boxed in, trapped underneath a cascade of blocks.

With no way out Lara folded her arms across her chest and leant back against the wall of her prison. She could clearly hear the blocks piling up around her. Though safe in these confines there was little she could do to prevent the inevitable. A loud wailing noise confirmed her fears and a blue portal engulfed her before the room was filled in with blocks.

[b]?Crap.? Lara muttered as she found herself back in the CPU, ?That didn?t turn out as well as expected.?[/b][/SIZE]

[Sandy]

[FONT=Century Gothic]Finally all four contestants had gone through three of the four arcade games, and they gathered to the CPU.

"As you probably noticed, kupo, each game was a bit different for each player that played it", Mog said mischievously. "Each of your playthroughs were judged by an impartial and just judge... which was me, kupo."

"Impartial and just... Yeah right!" Lara snorted.

"Silence! I will not allow you to mock my righteousness, kupo!" the pink furry host exclaimed in fury.

"Eh, somebody's gotten full of himself..." Xiaoyu whispered to Yuna sitting next to her.

"Enough! I'll read out each of your points now, kupo."

[B]Yuna[/B]
60/100
70/100
50/100
----------
Total:180/300

[B]Lara Croft[/B]
100/100
70/100
85/100
----------
Total:255/300

[B]Krystal[/B]
95/100
50/100
50/100
----------
Total:195/300

[B]Ling Xiaoyu[/B]
100/100
90/100
90/100
----------
Total:280/100


"So, the winner is - second time in a row - [SIZE=3][COLOR=Purple][B]Ling Xiaoyu[/B][/COLOR][/SIZE]! You are safe from deletion in the following Team Council, and among the top three! Congkupolations!"

"Whuppee!" Xiaoyu shouted, bouncing up and down. The other contestants congratulated her, some more honestly than others.

"It's now time to get down to business, kupo. [B]Krystal[/B]... [B]Lara[/B]... [B]Yuna[/B]... Only two of you will join Xiaoyu in the semifinals. One of you will become the fifteenth videogame character deleted from this contest, kupo. Second-to-last [B]Team Council[/B] begins now, and thus it is time to vote."

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

With so few players left, the result of the voting was soon clear.

"Kupo, now it's time for one of you ladies to be erased from this game. You we're a magnificent final four, kupo, but soon you will form a top three. The one excluded from that bunch is..."

[center][B]Krystal[/B]
[IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c323/SamSandy/OB%20Survivor/delete-Krystal.jpg[/IMG][/center]

The blue vixen started evaporating into pixels.

"I'm honored to have been able to be a part of this adventure", she said courteously. "May the spirits guide your way to the end of this! Bye now!"

With a final wave of a paw Krystal was gone. Mog turned to Lara, Yuna and Xiaoyu.

"Kupo, this will be interesting.... One last challenge to go, after which there are only two of you left. Out of those two, only one can win the title of the Ultimate Videogame Survivor. Who will it be, kupo? Let's keep the [I]Game On[/I] and find out!"
[/FONT]

[Doukeshi]

[SIZE=1]A small tear welled up in Lara's eye as she watched the fox disappear from the CPU. Out of all the contestants she had become closest to Krystal, whom had been her team mate since the beginning. It saddened Lara to see her go, knowing that they would probably never meet again.

Composing herself slightly Lara looked around at the final competators. It seemed unlikely that these two would have made it to the finals along with herself, but here they were and their creativity and tenacity have proven them worthy of the position. Checking her pistols Lara cast a wan smile at her companions.

[B]"Well ladies, this is it, the final three. May the best girl win, and by that I mean me."[/B]

Chuckling at the unintentional rhyme, Lara licked her suddenly dry lips and waited for Mog to announce the next challenge.[/SIZE]

[Sandy]

[font=Century Gothic]After hearing the summoning alarm, Lara, Yuna and Xiaoyu emerged from their rooms and walked to the central hall of the CPU, where Mog was already waiting for them, hovering above a blue teleporter cube.

?Kupopo, this is it, girls. Your final challenge begins now. But before that, we?ll switch locations. Step up to this cube, kupo.?

In a flash of blue light, the four of them had transported into a tv-studio, completed with cameras, spotlights and a cheering audience.

[center][IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c323/SamSandy/OB%20Survivor/place-quiz.jpg[/IMG][/center]

?My colleague-in-hosting, Buzz, was kind enough to lend us his studio for this evening, kupo?, Mog explained.

?Look, everybody?s here!? Yuna exclaimed, pointing at the spectators. Each and every one of the deleted contestants sat there on the front row, starting from Link and Mitsurugi all the way to Krystal.

?Oh, there?s Panda as well! Hey girl!? Ling Xiaoyu squealed, waving at her pet, who was located above the former competitors, along with most of the other characters they had encountered during their challenges.

?Yes, kupo, we have a full audience tonight, and they?ve all come here to see you participate to a challenge called [size=3][b]Ultimate Videogame Quiz[/b][/size]!?

?Now if you would take your place behind those stands to our left so we can begin.?

Lara took the first stand from the left, Ling Xiaoyu took the one next to her, and Yuna the third. Mog took the central platform, and a pile of cards appeared to his paws.

?This game is simple: you will hear [b]thirteen questions[/b], each awarding a varying amount points, and after each question you will have some time to answer to them, kupo. The one who has most points once we?ve gone through all questions, kupo, is the winner. Also, you might find the themes of the questions familiar from past challenges, kupo. [i]Survivors ready? It?s Game On![/i]?

[center]<<<<<>>>>>[/center]

?First question, worth one point kupo: [b]Form a word related to this game out of these letters: I O R R S U V V?[/b]

A timer appeared to the screen behind Mog, indicating that there were thirty seconds time to answer the question. A bell rang when the time was up.

Lara was up first. ?I think you'll find that the word is 'Survivor', starting a little easy aren't we??

"That's [i]easy![/i] S-U-R-V-I-V-O-R! Survivor!" Xiaoyu replied.

"I put them in the order S-U-R-V-I-V-O-R, spelling Survivor?, Yuna told.

?The correct answer was indeed [b]Survivor[/b], kupo. One point to all of you.?

The big screen showed the results.

[center][b]1st round:[/b]
Lara: 1
Xiaoyu: 1
Yuna: 1[/center]
[center]<<<<<>>>>>[/center]

?Second question, kupo, worth one point as well: [b]What happens to the Lemmings you assign as blockers?[/b]?

Once the bell echoed again, it was time to answer.

?They explode don't they?? Lara said with an unsure voice.

Xiaoyu rubber her neck. "Um, they stand still and stop the other Lemmings getting past ... until someone accidentally steps on them ... not me of course! It was ... someone ... next question please!"

"Blocker Lemmings will stop in their current position and it causes the other things that go towards it to turn back the other way. The only bad thing is it has to stay that way for the rest of the level unless blown up?,Yuna said knowingly.

?The right answer was that [b]they will stay put until the everybody else are safe, and then they explode[/b]. Lara and Yuna got this one right.

[center][b]2nd round:[/b]
Lara: 2
Xiaoyu: 1
Yuna: 2[/center]
[center]<<<<<>>>>>[/center]

?Third question, kupo, worth one point: [b]What does Starman do in Super Mario -games?[/b]?

?It renders the barer impervious to harm?, Lara replied matter-of-factly.

Ling?s turn was next. "He makes the music go all cool! It goes faster and more fun! Oh yeah, I think he makes you invincible too. For about ten seconds."

"Starman's that glowing star thing that pops out of boxes and makes Mario invincible?, Yuna responded.

?The correct answer was indeed that [b]Starman gives temporal invincibility[/b], kupo. Everybody got that right.?

[center][b]3rd round:[/b]
Lara: 3
Xiaoyu: 2
Yuna: 3[/center]
[center]<<<<<>>>>>[/center]

?Fourth question, kupo, and this is worth two points: [b]There is an RPG character who is both a damsel and a dragon. Who is she and in which game does she appear in?[/b]?

?I'm afraid I'm going to have to pass on that one, the answer eludes me,? Lara sighed.

"Um ... I dunno but she sounds kinda scary ... can I just guess? All the questions are about stuff from the challenges, right? I don't think Princess Zelda or Princess Peach were dragons, so I'm gonna guess ... Princess Sarah!" Xiaoyu exclaimed.

"Umm...I was really unsure about this question so I had to guess. I'm thinking Terra Branford from Final Fantasy VI?, Yuna guessed.

?No, kupo. The answer was [b]Reis Dular, from Final Fantasy Tactics[/b]. Nobody got it right.?

[center][b]4th round:[/b]
Lara: 3
Xiaoyu: 2
Yuna: 3[/center]
[center]<<<<<>>>>>[/center]

?Fifth question, kupo, which is the last question that is worth one point: [b]What other name is the Resident Evil -series known in the world?[/b]?

?Biohazard, my dear moogle?, Lara said with a wink.

"I remember Ada talking about that [i]aaaaaages [/i]ago! It's [i]Biohazard![/i]? Xiaoyu said, punching her fist up.

Yuna laughed. "This was an easy question, the Resident Evil games are also known as Biohazard."

?Yes, it was [b]Biohazard[/b], kupo. You were all right.?

[center][b]5th round:[/b]
Lara: 4
Xiaoyu: 3
Yuna: 4[/center]
[center]<<<<<>>>>>[/center]

?Now it?s time to move to the trickier questions. Sixth question, kupo, worth two points: [b]Explain the evolution of the Pokémon Wurmple[/b].?

Lara tapped her lip with her index finger. ?Wurple evolves to Silcoon or Cascoon. Oh if Ada's pokedex could see me now.?

Xiaoyu looked annoyed. "I hate stupid Pokemon. My Pokedex went on and on and [i]on [/i]about stupid Wurmple. It's really weak, then it gets to level seven and evolves into either Silcoon or ... um ... Cascoon! The stupid Pokedex didn't know what made it decide which, it went into a great big yawnsome lecture about how it might be because of night or day, or male or female ... then at the end it said 'but no one really knows' so it was all a big waste of time! Oh, and then Silcoon evolves into Beautifly, and Cascoon turns into Dustox. That's at level twelve."

"Ah, Wurmple's level has to be level 7, and it is more likely for it to evolve into a Silcoon during the day, and a Cascoon at night, plus, females have a better chance of becoming a Silcoon, while males are more likely to evolve into a Cascoon?, Yuna explained.

?Kupo, the Pokémon [b]Wurmple evolves into Silcoon during daytime and ito Cascoon if it?s night[/b]. Everybody got this one right. But both Lara and Yuna forgot to mention that [b]Silcoon becomes Beautifly and Cascoon becomes Dustox when they evolve again[/b], so they got only one point from this question, where as Xiaoyu got two. It seems that everybody?s tied now, kupo.?

[center][b]6th round:[/b]
Lara: 5
Xiaoyu: 5
Yuna: 5[/center]
[center]<<<<<>>>>>[/center]

?Seventh question, kupo, worth two points: [b]Which two of Dave?s friends share the same talent in Maniac Mansion?[/b]?

?Syd and Razor, they are both musicians?, Lara answered.

"I guess I got kinda distracted by all the grossness, but I think Razor and Syd were both musicians! Did they both play the guitar or something?" Ling Xiaoyu pondered.

Yuna wasn?t so sure anymore. "I had to think about this one, I think it's Jeff Woodie and Bernard that share the same talent of fixing telephones."

?The right answer was [b]Razor and Sid, who were both musicians[/b], kupo. Two points to Lara and Xiaoyu.?

[center][b]7th round:[/b]
Lara: 7
Xiaoyu: 7
Yuna: 5[/center]
[center]<<<<<>>>>>[/center]

?Eighth question, kupo, which is the first that is worth three points: [b]Name the three big cities featured in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.[/b]?

?I?ve travelled around in my time, though I never really liked the East Coast. The cities you are looking for are Los Santos, San Fierro and Las Venturas?, Lara told.

Xiaoyu snickered. "Hee hee, I noticed the road signs while I was on top of the car! They were Portland, Staunton Island and Shoreside Vale.?

"Oh, I'm good at Geography. The three main cities are Los Santos, San Fierro and Las Venturas", Yuna replied.

?The cities featured in GTA: [i]San Andreas[/i] ? mind you, Xiaoyu ? are [b]Los Santos, Las Venturas and San Fierro[/b]. Three points to Lara and Yuna, kupo.?

[center][b]8th round:[/b]
Lara: 10
Xiaoyu: 7
Yuna: 8[/center]
[center]<<<<<>>>>>[/center]

?Ninth question, kupo, worth two points again: [b]Name the two pairs of characters that need to be unlocked in Mario Kart: Double Dash.[/b]?

?Ah yes, those would be Toad & Toadette along side Petey Piranha & King Boo?, Lara replied knowingly.

"I know Toad and Toadette were one ... and I think the others were King Boo and Petey Piranha?, Ling Xiaoyu answered.

"The two pairs would be Toad & Toadette, and Petey Piranha & King Boo?, Yuna said.

?Yes, the right answer was [b]Toad & Toadette and Petey Piranha & King Boo[/b], kupo. Everybody got two points.?

[center][b]9th round:[/b]
Lara: 12
Xiaoyu: 9
Yuna: 10[/center]
[center]<<<<<>>>>>[/center]

?Tenth question, kupo, worth three points: [b]Which two Namco?s fighting series feature the same character? Name the character as well.[/b]?

?You can find Yoshimitsu in both the Tekken and Soul Calibur series of fighting games?, Lara said.

"Yay, it's a question about my game! Yoshimitsu from Tekken moonlights in SoulCalibur as well, but he looks a bit different over there. Stupid baldy Heihachi was in SoulCalibur 2, as well, but that was just in one game, not the series, so the answer's Yoshimitsu!" Xiaoyu replied with a giggle.

Yuna closed her eyes for a moment. "Hm....I'd think the series would be Tekken and Soul Caliber, with Yoshimitsu appearing in both."

?The question was about [b]Yoshimitsu, who featured in both Soul Calibur III and Tekken series[/b] ? as well as this game too, kupo! Three points to everybody.?

[center][b]10th round:[/b]
Lara: 15
Xiaoyu: 12
Yuna: 13[/center]
[center]<<<<<>>>>>[/center]

?Eleventh question, kupo, worth three points as well: [b]Name the games in which these gruesome monsters have appeared:
a) Bongo Bongo
b) Ozma
c) Cyberdemon?[/b]

?The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, Final Fantasy 9, Doom 3?, Lara replied.?Respectively.?

"I know Bongo Bongo's from Zelda 'cos she threatened to set it on us when we kidnapped - I mean, rescued her from her tower. I think it was Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time if you wanna get all boring and specific! Ozma's a great big scary ball-thing in Final Fantasy IX and Cyberdemon's from Doom. None of them are as scary as True Ogre, and I can kick his monster butt!" Xiaoyu said, shaking her fist.

"Ooh, I'm good with monsters. Bongo Bongo's a boss from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Ozma's a super-boss from Final Fantasy IX. And Cyberdemons are creatures that appeared in the Doom series", Yuna answered.

?Well done, kupo. [b]Bongo Bongo was indeed a boss in Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, Ozma was a secret opponent in Final Fantasy IX and Cyberdemon ran rampant in Doom-games[/b]. Everybody gets three points, kupo.?

[center][b]11th round:[/b]
Lara: 18
Xiaoyu: 15
Yuna: 16[/center]
[center]<<<<<>>>>>[/center]

?Now we move on to the most difficult questions of this challenge. You have to get these perfectly right to get the maximum amount of points, kupo! Twelth question, kupo, worth a total of [i]four[/i] points: [b]Place the four games played at the Retro Arcace in the order of the year they were published, from oldest to newest. Remember to include the years as well.[/b]?

?Lets see if I remember this correctly? Lara pondered. ?Space Invaders was published in 1978, then Pacman in 1980. Donkey Kong was in 1981 and Tetris was published last in 1985.?

Ling Xiaoyu stomped her foot in frustration. "Aww, I [i]hate[/i] remembering numbers. I think the dates flashed past when I went through the portals ... yeah, Space Invaders was the oldest, they published it in Japan in 1978. The next one was 1980 ... I think that was Pac-Man ... and then it was Donkey Kong, 1981. So the last one must be Tetris! Why'd they make that game so dangerous, I could have got squashed! That came out in 1989."

"Space Invaders is the oldest of the four, being released in 1978. Second oldest is Pac-Man in 1980. Close behind was Donkey Kong in 1981, and finally Tetris is the newest at 1985", Yuna replied.

?The correct row was: [b]Space Invaders 1978, PacMan 1980, Donkey Kong 1981 and Tetris 1985[/b]. Xiaoyu, you got the last year wrong, so you only got three points. Lara and Yuna received four.

[center][b]12th round:[/b]
Lara: 22
Xiaoyu: 18
Yuna: 20[/center]
[center]<<<<<>>>>>[/center]

?And now, to the last question, which is a special one? Thirteenth question, kupo, worth a whopping [i]six[/i] points: [b]Name the winners of the two previous OtakuBoard Survivors. Include both their character?s name and their screenname.[/b]?

The contestants typed their answers to the screen in front of them. Ling Xiaoyu wiped the sweat from her forehead and glanced at the ticking timer on the big screen. Finally the bell rang for the one and final time.

?Your answers, kupo?? Mog asked.

?Well Ginnylyn won the Final Fantastic Survivor as Auron and Rain won the Freakshow Survivor as Athena. I think that?s everything. Will that be all?? Lara said with a victorious smirk.

"Aww come on, I didn't watch those, I wasn't even born! My mum watched them, she loves these shows ... hi mum, I'm on Survivor! She's probably shouting the answers at the screen right now ... hey, I hear her! She's saying ... some complete weirdo called Athena, or Daisy - two personalities - won Unofficial OtakuBoards Survivor Freakshow, username was ... Rain! And the other one was Final Fantastic Survivor, wasn't it? Yeah, Auron won! He presents that gameshow now! And the username was GinnyLyn. Do I win now?" Xiaoyu said, squeezing the sides of her stand nervously.

"The first survivor was the Un-Official OtakuBoards Survivor: The Freak Show, the winner being Rain as Athena/Daisy. And the second Survivor was the Final Fantastic Survivor resulting in GinnyLyn as the victor playing the character of Auron", Yuna answered with a sigh of relief.

?Kupo, the perfect answer was that [b]Rain won Unofficial OtakuBoards Survivor: the Freakshow as Athena/Daisy, and GinnyLyn won Final Fantastic Survivor as Auron[/b]. Lara, you forgot to mention Athena?s other personality, so unfortunately you only get five points from this. Ling Xiaoyu and Yuna, you both got six, kupo. Now let?s check the final score.?

[center][b]Total scores after all 13 rounds:[/b]
Lara: 27/30
Xiaoyu: 24/30
Yuna: 26/30[/center]
[center]<<<<<>>>>>[/center]

?This means that with the difference of one single point, the winner of this thirteenth challenge is [size=4][color=purple][b]Lara Croft[/b][/color][/size]! Congratulations, kupo!?

The audience stood up and applauded and cheered so that the whole place was booming.

?Settle down, everybody! Kupo, the Game isn?t Over just yet, as you Lara will have to chose which one of your two rivals you want with you to the final, kupo. It?s time for the last [b]Team Council![/b] Please step to the center, girls.?

The walls of the studio turned, hiding the stands and the big screen. Three familiar floating pillows hovered to where the contestants were standing with Mog. All the lights switched to blue, mimicking the ambience of the CPU. The audience fell silent.

?Please be seated, kupo. Now? as Lara Croft won a place in the final two, she cannot be voted out in this Team Council. Yuna and Ling Xiaoyu, your votes will cancel each others out, so it?s up to Lara to decide who joins her in the final, where the public will vote the Ultimate Videogame Survivor, and who is the sixteenth contestant deleted from this game.?

Lara gave an evaluating look to each of her co-survivors.

?It?s time to make the decision, Lara. Who shall it be, kupo? [b]Yuna[/b] or [b]Ling Xiaoyu[/b]??[/font]

[Doukeshi]

[SIZE=1]Lara closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. To have gotten this far was an accomplishment in itself. There were several moments throughout the game were the Tomb Raider thought that her time had come and prehaps the fact that she had survived was a testament to the valiant efforts of her collective team mates.

She stood now, contemplating the two from whom she must choose her last and final adversary. The choice was daunting. The urge to choose the stronger of the two as the one to be cast away was strong, with this she would have all the more advantage in the final test to come. To cast away the weaker one, however, would prove her all the more deserving should her victory emerge. She contemplated the two women she could call friends. Ling Xiaoyu, a boisterous character was prehaps the true heart of the game. Flush with team spirit and endless enthusiasm the girl poured every amount of effort into the task when to all others victory would be lost. She looked upon the girl as something of a little sister, amused and warmed by her antics in turn. Then there was Yuna, summoner, gunner, kight and much more. She was the first to show friendship to Lara when all this began. Lara was sure that, had they not been seperated into different teams from the start, they would have become firm friends. Lara chuckled and fingered one of the pistols at her side. They had not had the chance to face eachother in a friendly bout as had been suggested, and that Lara would regret.

Raising her eyes, Lara locked her gaze with each woman in turn, a small, sad smile touching upon her lips.

[B]"We have been comrades and adversaries in equal measure throughout this challenge,"[/B] Lara began. [B]"I for one am proud to have been a part of all this and am honoured to have met each and every single one of you." [/B]

Walking towards them slowly, she stopped before Yuna. Raising a black clad hand Lara reached forward to caress the young summoners cheek, sweeping away a lone tear that tracked a silent course down the other woman's face.

[B]"Though I have enjoyed our time together, Lady Yuna, I'm afraid I must ask you to leave." [/B] [/SIZE]

[Sandy]

[font=Century Gothic]Yuna nodded acceptingly, looking Lara straight into her eyes. Xiaoyu covered her face into her hands, sobbing.

"So be it, kupo", Mog said. "The sixteenth person voted out of OtakuBoards Survivor: Game On! is..."

[center][B]Yuna[/B]
[IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c323/SamSandy/OB%20Survivor/delete-Yuna.jpg[/IMG][/center]

Yuna let out a loud sigh, and as she was wiping the tears from her cheek, she noticed that her fingers had disappeared. "Oh... I guess this is it, then. Goodbye, everybody! I was blessed by the Aeons to get a chance of competing with you! Bye!"

With only her face remaining, she closed her eyes and nodded. The spectators applauded and whistled loudly. Then she had vanished.

But not for long, as she reappered to the audience, among the deleted contestants, to the seat next to Krystal, who took her hand.

The attention turned to Lara Croft and Ling Xiaoyu, who were now standing in the center of the stage, holding hands. Mog fluttered above them.

"Let me represent to you [I]our two finalists![/I]"

[center][IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c323/SamSandy/OB%20Survivor/small-Xiaoyu.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c323/SamSandy/OB%20Survivor/small-Lara.jpg[/IMG][/center]

"Ling Xiaoyu... Lara Croft... the other of you will win the honorous title of the Ultimate Videogame Survivor. It's not up to you or me to decide which, however, but we'll leave that in the hands of the vast videogamer public, kupo! [I]Game[/I] will go [I]On[/I] for this one last time, when we move onto the [I]Grande Finale[/I]!"

The audience cheered and hollered until the blue lights flashed so that everybody were momentarily blinded.

[size=1](The final will take place in a separate thread. This will be the last reply to this thread.)[/size]
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