A tall figure roams the dark, metallic halls, only illuminated by dim red lights. They creep forward, constantly on alert for security that is not there.
Eventually, they come across a blast door sealed tight, an electronic keypad next to it. The figure rips off the keypad’s casing, exposing the circuitry beneath. They take out a small, box-shaped device–an image of a frog’s head emblazoned on it–and plug it into a port. The device hums for a couple seconds before making a high-pitched beep. A clicking sound rings out, then the blast door sinks into the ground.
The figure takes out another device, roughly the size of a lighter, and holds it to their face.
Snake: This is Snake. I’ve found the room.
—————————–
Some time later, Snake slowly enters the mysterious room with two companions–Fox and Falco. All three hold weapons–Fox and Falco their blasters, Snake a grenade. They roam the room, going off in separate directions.
Falco, after a moment, finds himself face-to-face with a strange glass tube, sandwiched between a metal base on the floor below it and the ceiling above it. Walking closer, he is able to see through the darkness of the room and find Mega Man, standing perfectly still, within. Looking to his right, Falco sees another tube–approaching it, he finds R.O.B. lying within, also motionless.
Fox, meanwhile, comes across a tall computer terminal. He presses a button, and the screen flares up. He pulls out another hacking box and plugs it into a port on the side–in a few seconds, the screen displays diagnostics for the two robots, outlined in yellow.
Fox: Seems like these guys are still under repairs…we’re gonna need to be careful removing them.
Falco: Just open these things up, Fox.
Fox nods, scrolling through options searching for a way to do so. However, he does not find that–instead, the screen scrolls to the right, revealing a third set of diagnostics, featuring a human shape outlined in green.
Fox: What…?
Fox clicks through options, searching for more information on this strange figure–but then a strange notification pops on screen. Before Fox can read it through, he and his partners are distracted by a sudden burst of light.
A short distance from R.O.B.’s tube is a third one, its base and top suddenly shining with light. A silhouette matching the mysterious diagnostic stands inside, as still as Mega Man and R.O.B.–until a hand reaches to its hip, Quickly grabbing something attached to it, the figure whips it up and points it forward, and a white laser blast suddenly erupts from it, blowing a hole in the tube and barely missing Snake.
Snake, ready to defend himself, chucks his grenade towards the tube as Fox and Falco point their blasters towards it. The grenade lands in front of the tube, which is shattered by the ensuing explosion.
The figure, seemingly unharmed by the explosion, walks through the resulting smoke pointing its weapon–a blue handgun–towards the three infiltrators. As it emerges, its features become clear–snow-white skin, a red cap, and a green scarf standing out the most. The figure pulls another gun from his hip, this one orange, and stoically points it forward as well.
Super Smash Bros. - Quote (Cave Story) Moveset Concept
This is a moveset I have devised for if Quote managed to make it into Super Smash Bros. While the specials and a couple other attacks were taken from an older moveset I created, most of these attacks were newly devised.
The new moves were designed around two primary concepts. One: balancing the amount of projectiles so Quote’s entire moveset isn’t packed with them but he could still be considered projectile-centric. Two: balancing the representation of weapons properly (the Polar Star was prioritized due to it being Quote’s first gun and typically considered his signature weapon, while Blade and Fireball were runners-up since they are the only other weapons mandatory to collect in the original game).
Experience mechanic
When Quote hits attacks, he gains experience that fills his meter. When the meter fills, he levels up, and several of his attacks are powered up.
When Quote gets hit, he loses experience and can potentially level down.
Quote starts at level 1 with an empty bar and can go up to level 3 with a filled bar. When the meter is filled at level 3, the extra experience only acts as a buffer to prevent himself from getting leveled-down.
Getting a KO grants a further boost in experience. Likewise, being KOed causes a larger penalty to experience.
All attacks subject to level-ups increase in damage at higher levels, but some gain additional effects, as listed in their summaries.
When Quote levels up or down, there is a sound and visual effect matching when either happens in Cave Story.
Neutral attack
A two-hit combo.
Hit 1: Quote kicks forward.
Hit 2: Quote swings the Polar Star sideways to hit with the gun’s barrel.
Side tilt
Quote shoots forward with the Polar Star.
The shot can be reflected.
The shot can be absorbed.
This attack is subject to the experience mechanic.
Higher levels slightly increase the shot’s range.
Up tilt
Quote shoots upward with the Polar Star.
The shot can be reflected.
The shot can be absorbed.
This attack is subject to the experience mechanic.
Higher levels slightly increase the shot’s range.
Down tilt
Quote does a gut punch.
Dash attack
Quote stops in place and shoots with the Fireball, the flame bouncing forward a short distance.
The flame’s range is about 1/3 the range of Mario’s Fireball.
The flame can be reflected.
The flame can be absorbed.
This attack is subject to the experience mechanic.
Forward smash
Quote brings out the Missile Launcher and shoots forward.
The missile explodes on its own in a short distance if it does not hit anything.
The missile can be reflected.
The missile’s explosion can be absorbed.
This attack is subject to the experience mechanic.
At level 3, the single missile will instead be three missiles—individually weaker, but collectively more powerful than the level 2 missile.
Up smash
Quote throws the Blade upward a short distance.
This attack is subject to the experience mechanic.
Higher levels increase the Blade’s horizontal range.
At level 3, the Blade drags along targets and hits them multiple times until the attack ends.
Down smash
Quote, crouching slightly, fires a volley from the Machine Gun forward, then turns to fire behind himself as well.
The bullets can be reflected.
This attack is subject to the experience mechanic.
Neutral aerial
Quote throws out the Whimsical Star, which flies around him to hit both sides.
Forward aerial
Quote shoots with the Fireball, the resulting projectile falling downward as it flies ahead.
The flame can be reflected.
The flame can be absorbed.
This attack is subject to the experience mechanic.
Back aerial
Quote swings the Blade behind himself.
Quote holds the Blade in a reverse grip.
Up aerial
Quote kicks upward, swinging his leg in front of and reaching above himself.
Down aerial
Quote fires a volley from the Machine Gun below himself.
The bullets can be reflected.
This attack is subject to the experience mechanic.
At level 3, Quote is pushed upwards slightly during this attack.
Grab
Quote swings the Tow Rope forward.
This is a tether grab.
Pummel
Quote hammers into his opponent with the barrel of the Polar Star.
Forward throw
Quote kicks his opponent forward.
Back throw
Quote swings his opponent behind himself, then shoots them point-blank with the Polar Star.
This attack is subject to the experience mechanic.
Up throw
Quote uses the Blade to slash upwards at his opponent.
Quote holds the Blade in a reverse grip.
Down throw
Quote pushes his opponent to the ground while hopping upward, then shoots the Fireball down at them.
This attack is subject to the experience mechanic.
Neutral special: Bubbline
Quote shoots with the Bubbline, the bubbles cluster around him before flying forward.
When clustering around Quote, the bubbles can cancel weak projectiles.
Once a certain amount of bubbles have been fired, the oldest shoots forward as a fast projectile. When the special button is released, all bubbles launch forward.
The bubbles can be reflected.
Side special: Snake
Quote shoots with the Snake, the resulting stream of fire being capable of passing through solid objects.
Opponents hit by the stream are dragged along, but will fall out if the stream phases through something solid.
The stream can be reflected.
The stream can be absorbed.
This attack is subject to the experience mechanic.
Higher levels increase the range of the stream.
Up special: Booster v2.0
Quote flies through the air with his jetpack for a short time.
While the boost is in progress, the player can tilt in any cardinal direction to make Quote fly in that direction.
Aerial attacks can be performed during the boost, but it is cancelled by said attacks, putting Quote in freefall afterwards.
Down special: Nemesis
Quote fires a blast of lightning from the Nemesis.
The blast can be reflected.
The blast can be absorbed (except at level 3).
This attack is subject to the experience mechanic.
Unlike every other attack, this grows weaker at higher levels, with the range decreasing as well. The level 3 version causes no knockback, merely flinching.
Final Smash: Spur
Quote whips out the Spur, his ultimate weapon, and fires a devastating laser.
If a cardinal direction is held during the windup animation, Quote fires in that direction. If a direction is not held (or if down is held while Quote is grounded), Quote simply fires in whatever direction he was facing at the attack’s start.
The laser is a multihit.
If you're interested in seeing more of my ideas for Quote, I have a doc detailing what I think an entire Quote Challenger Pack would look like (this moveset having replaced the one formerly shown there).
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