The Tyrant

<snip>
Gummy Jaxx and Silky Eve were confused when they saw Jay racing the wrong way. Silky Eve asked, "Where is he going?" Gummy Jaxx replied, "Maybe he like got lost and stuff." The two kept driving on past some of the crews Go-Karts. They past Jacky and Artemis as they were advancing with less evil cars on the road.
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Artemis didn't really realize the danger that he was in until he watched Jaxx and Evelina pass by. He took one look behind him and saw the abominations that were closing in on the Mach 1. "Holy Smeg Bubblegum! We've got to high tail it!" Announced Artemis as he engaged the turbo booster. The candy copy of Mach 1 leaped forward for half a mile before the turbo booster failed, and proceeded to fall out of the car.

"Blasted piece of garbage!" Artemis raved. Bubblegum popped out of the trunk and proceeded to hurl the contents of the emergency roadside kit at the pursuers, which did little other than aggravate them. A racer in a massive cart jumped in front of the pack and gained on Artemis. The cart opened it's massive maw and tried to bite off the back of the Mach 1. Artemis avoided the maw and activated the cola slick, sending the cart careening away. A pair of other carts, toting tailgunners, raced out in front of Artemis. Artemis ducked down as the machineguns tore through the car. Thinking quickly, Bubblegum leaped from the Mach 1 and into one of the assailants. He pulled the gunner from his seat, hurled him into the candy countryside, then proceeded to open fire on the driver and the second car. As the gunfight continued Artemis popped his head out briefly, a bullet dinging off his helmet. "For science sake I thought this was a kids game!" He commented as the gunner on the second cart took a bullet in the head. Once the assailants were no more, Bubblegum leaped back into the trunk with the machinegun and proceeded to open fire on the pack of enemies. Ahead of them, a large tanker had blocked out the road, several enemies stood in front of it with axes and swords. "Good science!" Blurted Artemis. Artemis searched the functions on the wheel. He tapped a button, a grappling hook into the truck. Artemis hit the button again and the truck was pulled into the air, it came crashing back down on the pack. Artemis laughed maniacally, not noticing the burning cart heading for him.....

Little Artemis awoke some time later, pinned under the axle of the Mach 1. Bubblegum came to his aid and removed the bar. "Oh hell, I feel horrible!" Artemis took a look at his car. "Oh hell, lächerlich über komplizierte süßigkeiten wiedergabe des Mach 1 looks horrible!" Artemis rushed to the burning wreck, then turned to the sky and yelled into the heavens "What did she do to you to deserve this fate! Curse you stupid racing game! Curse you to the fiery bowls of binary hell!" Artemis wasn't sure if the game was listening, or if it was even capable of, but it felt better to yell (Artemis liked yelling, a lot).

A low groan sounded from behind the duo, a group of enemies approached wielding axes, swords, and blunt candy objects. Artemis grabbed a broken pole. "Stand back! This isn't the first time I've been attacked by zombies!" The group stopped and looked at each other, then at Artemis. "What? You are Zombies right?" A fancy looking enemy stepped out in front of the group. "Actually my dear boy, we are henchmen. Though we look like necrotic lifeforms, we are simply disfigured henchmen. We are as civilized as you and your crewmates, and yes, we are going to murder you, which will kill you in real life" The man said. "Oh, thank you for clarifying!" Artemis said cheerfully before knocking the head off the fancy gentleman, inciting a fight....

<snip>
"I warned you not to fuck with my code. Get out of my ship you mother fuckers." The language made Jade blush. Cass' voice was loud, angry and clear. Obviously she had placed some back door protections into Holly when she coded him again. Damned super genius had thought of almost everything. Bunkers popped out of the ground around the tree a distance out. A small base of operations began to assemble around the tree, barracks, factories for war machines, a starport and other buildings. Three marines, armored in massive exoskelletons and a man in red power armor armed with what looked like duel flame throwers emerged from the barracks.

"Need a light?" The massive Firebat asked Jade as she walked over and looked up at the massively tall figure.

She felt taller, older, more like her old self again but the memory of why they were there was still fuzzy. Still not quite there. She knew that they had to protect the tree, to rescue her friends and protect the tree. More men trooped out of the baracks and set up in the bunkers. Looking into the reflective surface of the metal baracks she saw herself and instantly recognised her new avatar as that of a Ghost. An elite sniper able to cloak.
<snip/>

A henchman pointed a gun at the head of Artemis, who had been defeated in combat. A shot rang out.....

Artemis looked up to see a group of shadow soldiers swooped down and started killing the henchmen. Artemis noticed a light blue fallout falling across the candy plains, night fell as the effects of the FAILSAFE warped the game and the dwarfers. Artemis was 48 again, but he wasn't a neurotic scientist.....

Dr. Artemis K. Pritchard VI was now Regent Supreme Artemis K. Pritchard VI, authoritarian dictator of the Great Empire of Terra. He was clad in a green generals uniform with a long black cloak. Sitting in his holster was a golden .44 revolver that fired flaming bullets, and on his other hip was a diamond sword. However, his main ability was his army. Artemis commanded an infinate army of blindly loyal soldiers that would lay down their lives in his name. However, Artemis was no longer himself. The presence of the virus had corrupted his personality and caused him to adapt the attitude of his character, an unforgiving dictator with a lust for conquest. Regent Supreme Pritchard walked down to a wounded henchman, and in full view of his men, decapitated him with his sword. "Gather around" Artemis barked, the soldiers gathered around him. "Gentlemen, we have arrived in a strange land. The natives have attacked your great leader, and for that they will suffer greatly. We will take this and the surrounding lands for the Great Empire of Terra!" The soldiers cheered. The Tyrant lead them to the road and opened a portal....

Soldiers wearing intimidating black body armor marched out of the portal and formed up in ten by ten blocks in front of an armored column containing mechs, tanks, and heavy walkers. In the air gunships and bombers hovered menacingly. At the front of the formation, Artemis sat in the commander's seat of a specially designed APC. He signaled the army to fall into formation, and lead them down the valley. The land ahead of him began to warp as multiple games merged into one.

All throughout the night the armies of Terra tore through the lands, razing towns, capturing citizens, and fortifying positions. Treaguard watched from a hill and giggled as Artemis' onslaught bought his master the time he needed to bring his own plan to a close.

<tag>

How do your characters react to the sudden onslaught?
What do they encounter now that numerous games are merging?
Do they join the resistance, or join the imperial army?
Do they find a way to defeat the virus?
Will they snap Artemis back into his old self?

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