A Better Future, Part 2

Nervously, the team approaches Dusttown.  "Dusttown" is no longer an appropriate title for it, since the heavy rains have quickly turned the locale into a swampy bog.  Where once the travelers had to trudge over sand dunes, they now have to slog through ankle-deep rainwater and heavy vegetative growth.  When they reach the town, it appears empty.  They gingerly creep through town, wary of any possible ambush.  They make their way toward one of Ricardo's nondescript storage sheds.  Vargas produces a case of equipment that he brought back from the future to aid the party, and distributes the goods.  Each member of the party prepares themselves for imminent battle.

Duke attempts to quietly open the door to the shed, but fails spectacularly, causing a loud ruckus.  However, nothing stirs.  The shed is dark and motionless.  The party proceeds in.  A dim light grows in the center of the warehouse.  As it becomes brighter, it becomes apparent that this light is a generator humming to life.  The generator, unfortunately, is powering anti-gravity panels underneath the party's feet.  They begin to float helplessly a foot off the floor, and they are unable to propel themselves out of the anti-gravity field.  The party is helpless and immobile.

Before them, the growing light reveals Ricardo, several lieutenants (including Grinner), and a small army of thugs.

"Like moths to the flame, you couldn't help but walk right into your own destruction!" announces Ricardo-as-Reaper.  "HEY BUG!!" shouts Grinner, as he widens a toothy smile toward Duke.  The team struggles against  their restraints, but to no avail.  "You have come at a truly beautiful time.  I am about to cast off this useless body and take a new, more appropriate one.  This (he gestures toward a massive, hulking body in the corner) will make me the physical embodiment of Reaper.  My first act will be to destroy you, the last loose ends.  Although you haven't been the first group of travelers that I have manipulated into doing my bidding, you've certainly been the most useful."  The army of goons approaches the helpless adventurers menacingly.

In the distance, heavy footsteps approach the warehouse.  They reach the outer wall, and a familiar voice yells, "HEY YA'LL!  LOOK AT ALL THAT BUTTER!"  Paula Deen Bot crashes through the wall, shooting egg beaters in all directions.  Windsor is seen operating the Paula Deen Bot like a giant mech.  The army of thugs opens fire on Paula Deen.  Through the hail of gunfire, Paula Deen Bot manages to fire an egg beater at the generator, destroying it, and freeing the team from the anti-gravity field.  The battle is on!

Grinner and several techno-lieutenants rush into the battle while Spook, a dark and cloaked figure, begins transferring Ricardo's mind into the new Reaper body.  The party unleashes their most powerful attacks on the army of thugs, thinning them out rather quickly.  Vargas' future tech and their own frightening mutations allow them to dish out massive attacks with generous splash damage, which obliterate large swaths of enemies.  Grinner once again unleashes a foul and nauseating belch, which poisons Vagabot, Defendomax, and Nyridius.  Vargas, in a bid to protect his past self, throws up a force field that protects and isolates Duke.

Grinner is slightly different than the party last remembers; Nyridius killed him with platypus poison in their last encounter, but he now sports yellow-tinted flesh and an immunity to poison.  Nyridius again focuses on Grinner, and eventually kills him with a combination of an electric staff and his flame aura.  For the third time, Grinner is killed.

Meanwhile, Paula Deen Bot engages the new and improved Reaper.  Reaper's sweeping attacks hit everyone in an arc, but Paula Deen is able to beat Reaper back with her massive cast-iron skillet.  Spook also unleashes a psychic storm on the party, but some tech that Vagabot found a while back causes him to take feedback damage.  As the team grinds down the enemies, Spook sees that the tide has turned, and escapes out the back door.  The party gangs up on the formidable Reaper, and although they sustain significant damage, Nyridius gets the killing blow by shooting flames at Reaper and flexing his muscles for a little extra fire damage.

The timely assistance of Windsor and Vargas had made all the difference in the world; not a single adventurer was killed in the climactic battle.  Vargas breaths deeply.  The circumstances that created him no longer exist, and he realizes that he will no longer exist once his suit's charge is depleted.  He shares some parting words of wisdom with the party.  Then, as his suit's battery runs dry, Vargas snaps out of existence.  The timeline has changed, and he has never existed.

Triumphant, the party assesses their situation.  Although the Reaper betrayal was the only thing that united them at the beginning, they decided to continue their journey together.  Vargas' information has given them three options for their next move:

• The Valley of Sorrow, where Professor Cuddlepunch's yeti people are in trouble
• An unnamed compound to the east, which may hold clues to Vagabot's past
• Deadtroit, a land of danger and zombies

The adventurers ponder their next move.