7 [Video]

[ret2go]

So... show of hands, who's had something like this "evil clone" thing happen to them before?

Because for me, it was more like "the wicked manifestation of my magic" but I still think it counts...? Is this a common occurrence, or just me?

Comments

[video]

[ghoulking]

Your life is something else, Shantae.

[video]

[ret2go]

It's not that weird. Is it?

[video]

[ghoulking]

Probably not in your world, but most people would think it is, yes.

[video]

[ret2go]

Next you're going to tell me that most adventures don't have easily defined boss battles!

[video]

[ghoulking]

No- not... really?

There are no "boss battles", that usually happens in video games...

[video]

[ret2go]

I definitely have boss battles. Some of them are even recurring! Like Squid Baron! It's almost like he's hoping to get a spinoff series.

[video]

[ghoulking]

Doesn't that mean you weren't able to deal with him the first time around? [ Shantae, it's not something to be proud of ]

[video]

[ret2go]

Uh, I dealt with him just fine, but it's not like I was going to kill him. He's really more of a nuisance than a threat... Besides, at this point it's kind of like a game between us! "Where will Squid Baron pop up next?" It's exciting!

[video]

[ghoulking]

Isn't he the one that tried to take over the world, or am I mixing up your villains?

[video]

[ret2go]

You're mixing them up! Risky Boots is the one who wants to take over the world. Squid Baron's usually just being kind of greedy and selfish, or selling his likeness to be used on merchandise. (I think he and Hypno Baron were going to start selling T-shirts together?) If any of the Barons are trying to take things over, it'd be Ammo Baron, but usually they're all just minor pains in the butt who do their own thing. Risky's way more trouble than any of those guys.

[video]

[ghoulking]

[ ... wow. Shantae have you ever stopped and listened to yourself? How do you find all of that normal... ]

Does everyone in your world have to deal with people like that?

[video]

[ret2go]

[It's normal where she comes from okay] Depends on how you mean! Like, everyone has to deal with the consequences of what they're trying to do, but most people don't try to stop 'em. That's my job! And, hypothetically, any other guardian genies around. Not that I know of any.

[video]

[ghoulking]

So... that would make you the main character? [ he can't help the small anime/game reference ]

[video]

[ret2go]

Yep! And you could even give it a fun title, like "Shantae vs. the Evil Pirates and Occasional Squid," Parts 1 through, uh.

...honestly, it's a lot of installments by now.

[video]

[ghoulking]

After what I've heard, you could have a bunch of sequels, too.

[video]

[ret2go]

Don't I need different villains for it to be a good sequel?

'cause other than the Barons and the Pirate King that one time, it's almost always Risky. Boy, she's a pain in the butt.

[video]

[ghoulking]

There are many sequels that are just about the same old villain coming back with a different plan.

Who is Risky?

[video]

[ret2go]

Risky Boots. High Queen of the Seven Seas and High Pain in My Butt.

I've foiled her plans more times than I can count!

[video]

[ghoulking]

Why don't you just arrest her? Lock her up?

[video]

[ret2go]

You know, now that you mention it, that seems like a way better idea than just always letting her get away to cause more trouble.

[video]

[ghoulking]

... How come you never thought of this?

[video]

[ret2go]

I... I sorta figured that after I foiled Risky's plans, my part was over...?

[video]

[ghoulking]

[........... Shantate...... ]

it... doesn't work like that, clearly.

[video]

[ret2go]

I'm the town's guardian genie, not our paralegal genie, okay? I just kick their butts, and the rest is up to the mayor. Or the king. I'm not really sure how the law handles that.

[video]

[ghoulking]

You don't even know if there is a mayor or king?

[video]

[ret2go]

W-what, of course I know! There's Mayor Scuttlebutt, and there's... the guy in charge of... the rest of the kingdom!

He's got a palace, I know that much. Maybe he was elected...? I don't pay attention to politics!

[video]

[ghoulking]

Right. [ you really have no idea, do you ]

Well, it'd be good to at least know whom to complain to that your enemies are never properly arrested and restrained after you defeated them.

[video]

[ret2go]

If I beat them enough, they might just give up, you know. [No idea in the slightest.]

I got served with a court summons from the palace once, so there... is a judiciary?

[video]

[ghoulking]

Yeah, something like that. maybe something more complicated - I don't think it matters while you are here, I suppose.

video;

[pyrogue]

[ Mick's heard rumours of a meaner version of himself, and he's heard about fires so he's not very pleased right now. ]

No, but one time my parole officer hypnotized me into telling him how my equipment work and he pretended to be me to frame me for his crimes.

I've fought other people's evil clones, though. Jack the Ripper's was a piece of work.

video;

[ret2go]

Well that wasn't very nice of him. [Though.] So you're telling me that there's a guy named Jack the Ripper, and he had an evil clone? 'cuz that sounds like a pretty evil name to me.

[pyrogue]

Good point. The real Jack the Ripper was a serial killer so he was already a piece of work. But his clone was still evil and superpowered so... [ He shrugs. ] Kinda counts?

[ret2go]

So it wasn't so much an evil clone as it was an eviler clone. With a cherry on top.

A cherry of evil.

[pyrogue]

Exactly!

Used to work for this place that did a lot of cloning experiments, but most of 'em weren't evil at all so that one that out.

[ret2go]

I'm a little skeptical that there's such a thing as non-evil cloning, gotta say.

[pyrogue]

I'll have you know one of my friends was a clone! Well, he was kinda a jerk but he wasn't evil.

[ret2go]

Well, that's the clone, not the cloner. I think the clone can do whatever the heck they want to do! But if you're trying to copy somebody, there's no good reason for that.

[pyrogue]

Maybe... Hard to tell. When my, uh, coworker died I wasn't really complaining when they cloned him to bring him back.

That what happened to your clone? Made for evil reasons but did its own thing?

[ret2go]

Well, no, she was pretty evil all around. See, Risky Boots got her hands on a magic lamp that could control my magic, and so she was trying to take over the world or whatever it is that Risky does, and so she made an evil me out of my magic to help her do it, so I had to kick its butt to thwart her evil plan. Pretty simple! [Is it, though?]

So... was the clone supposed to replace your coworker? And he's the one you had to fight?

[pyrogue]

[ Luckily for Mick, his world is often very similarly bonkers. So he's nodding along as if that makes perfect sense. ]

You're a hero type, then?

No, that was different clone. The uh, place I worked for liked making clones. One of the employees turned out to be making... experiments on the side that we didn't know about 'till things got real weird.

[ret2go]

Yep! Shantae, the Half Genie Hero, that's me! --that would make a great title for a movie or a game or something, wouldn't it?

[Not entirely present in her canon: the fourth wall.]

So wait, you worked at a place like Clones R Us and you expected them to not be evil?

[pyrogue]

They had superheros they worked with! I was one's understudy! Evil places don't keep superheroes around. Bad for business.

[ He huffs, then realizes he ignored her introduction. ]

Sorry, uh, I'm Mick. Mick Rory. …Wait, you're a genie?

[ret2go]

Mmm-hmm! Well, half. But that's good enough in my book! And in everyone else's too, I hope!

[pyrogue]

Works for me. [ He shrugs. He's not gonna tell someone they're not a genie. He's seen some shit. ]

How's that work out for you?

[ret2go]

Pretty good. Sometimes it's a little lonely since all the others vanished, but eh, I got friends. Who needs other genies when you have a family of your own, right?