Impulse frowned as he tried to pick the lock on his cuffs for the hundredth time. The pin snapped as he pushed on the hidden latch, like the other ninety-nine times. He tried to grasp the rest of the tiny pin, but it slipped out of his fingers, the metal now lost between the stone bricks that made up the flooring of his cell. Impulse sighed, leaning slightly back onto the cold wall, mentally reviewing the events that led him, Pearl, and Gem here.

It started with a simple idea: stealing from the king. Not for no reason, mind you. The mines had been giving all of their gems to the crown, getting no payment that they were promised. And with Impulse's planning, nothing could go wrong!

But, of course, the fates in the world messed it up. All because of Sir Bdubs and Sir Scar.

To be quite honest, Impulse didn't know how Bdubs knew they were lurking at the party. Impulse had given them all cloaking potions, which they used in the mines he worked in to make their footsteps unusually light. And he had grabbed invisibility potions as well.

They should have been undetectable. But somehow, through some sort of magic, they were seen. And well, even with Gem's bow, they were nothing but target practice for Sir Scar. And now they were sitting in a cell, waiting for execution. Footsteps came down the stairs, and Impulse braced himself for the words coming. Date of their death. Leaving their hope to dry out.

"Well, Ladies and Gentlemen, it seems the king has decided to give you all a chance to redeem yourselves." Scar's words pierced through the silence.

"How?" A voice that Impulse didn't recognize called out, but he could see it came from the cell across from him. A fox hybrid, from the looks of it.

"A simple game. Survive ten nights in Sir Tango Tek's newest dungeon, which he has worked tirelessly on."

Impulse knew his response immediately. "I'm in,"

Scar smiled at him and then spoke again. "Is anyone else going to accept His Majesty's offer?"

"I will," A few others said, while others remained deathly silent. Scar waved his hand, and the cuffs that Impulse had tried so hard to pick open fell to the ground, and his cell door opened. He looked around, watching 8 other doors do the same. Impulse stepped out, watching as Pearl and Gem emerged from their cells. 5 others did as well, including the fox hybrid directly across from Impulse.

Scar smiled. "Well, what a group we have. His Majesty will be pleased."

And with that, he turned and motioned for the group to follow him. Impulse fell back slightly, waiting for Gem and Pearl.

"Well, it seems like we have a second chance," Gem said, trying to find the positive.

Impulse really hoped that was true.

~

Impulse came into the bright lights of what seemed to be a giant lobby. In the center, a man with bright electric blue hair and the same shade of blue eyes stood, smiling as he watched Scar lead everyone inside. Impulse assumed they must be Tango because no one else here looked that excited. Impulse looked over his shoulder briefly, taking in the cold sunlight for a few seconds more.

"Come along now," Scar nearly stabbed him with an arrow as he forced Impulse along, and Impulse swore he felt a drop of blood snake its way down his back as he slowly moved forward again.

"Welcome to my dungeon, all of you!" Tango exclaimed, smiling as wisps of blue magic came from his hands. A wizard of some kind, it seemed. "Now, I'm sure you're all somewhat confused, and I'm confident Sir Scar didn't explain what you were getting into at all."

Tango gestured to the lobby around them. "This is Decked Out, a dungeon with many twists, turns, dangers, and great rewards. Your goal is to survive ten days in the dungeon."

Tango clapped his hands, and rooms seemed to appear out of nothing. "Now, claim a room. I'll tell you all the rules in a bit."

Impulse went over to the furthest one from Tango, and as soon as he touched the handle, his name appeared over the doorframe. Impulse Esvi

He opened the door, a few wooden chests in the corner, with a bed. And... his axe that Scar had taken. Impulse picked it up, fingers brushing over the wood, each scratch and dent where it should be. He smiled a bit. "The fates do smile... sometimes." He mumbled, setting the axe down on the bed.

He spent a few more minutes in there, looking around and seeing what other things the room held. He found a small bag with a few square tiles in it and a shield. He put the shield on his bed, and then the doors opened on their own.

"Now that you've looked around," Tango's voice seemed to echo from everywhere in the room, even though Impulse could see he was at the very back of the lobby, "It's time to learn about the dungeon and to enter."

Impulse stepped out and slowly came over to Tango, holding his shield, axe, and the bag he found. He didn't want to enter, but he couldn't back out now.

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*Bloops this here, runs away without looking at my other Fics*