[center][h3]Dystopiascape - Kunad Waste[/h3] Level 8 Goldlewis (56/80) Level 7 Sandalphon (14/70) Blazermate, Susie, and Roland’s [@Archmage MC], Midna’s [@DracoLunaris], Geralt and Zenkichi’s [@Multi_Media_Man], Pit’s [@Yankee], Roxas’ [@Double] [b]Word Count:[/b] 1951[/center] Once the representatives of the Lost Numbers opened the floor, the Seekers began to fire off their questions. Given what everyone had just been through, things stayed pretty simple, with nobody clamoring too harshly to figure everything out all at once. Still, there were plenty of things the heroes needed to know, and if their new friends could offer any answers, they couldn’t afford to pass up this opportunity. Goldlewis decided to keep quiet at first, trying to put together the right questions. With the sheer number of unknowns in play, he needed to make sure he didn’t forget anything important that might’ve gotten buried amidst the constant storm of absurdities. Meanwhile, Sandalphon paid close attention to what her companions got in response, ready to extrapolate whatever she could to figure out what she wanted to know without having to ask. First, Midna’s questions prompted Dawn to deliver some very good news. Though the report Shirogane gave on what the Virgin Victory found -or rather, did not find- among Alcamoth’s wreckage painted the worst possible picture, it sounded like the Lost Numbers just happened to be first on the scene. That didn’t mean that everyone made it out, far from it in fact, but the knowledge that some of their allies survived was a jolt of hope that the Seekers really needed. Even Goldlewis, who’d never seen the place nor its people for himself, gave a sigh of relief. In answering, however, Cirrus said something that earned him a sharp look from Sandalphon. [i]They’ll be back, sooner or later.[/i] Despite his tone, there was no way to spin that remark as nothing more than a bitter joke. The archangel wanted to know what he meant by that right away, but his sister shut him down immediately. Sandalphon realized in that moment that she was hiding something–they both were, in fact. Maybe they only meant to shield the Seekers in some way, but regardless of their intentions, she needed to know. Once she did, she could judge whether or not the Seekers should for herself. For now though, she just made a mental note of it. And while she chimed in after Dawn mentioned being ‘new life’, the woman also said something that Sandalphon logged for further analysis. [i]The Source Engine.[/i] She made it sound like a database, but for people rather than figures. Then again, given what Sandalphon herself knew of spirits, everything about a person really could be boiled down to raw data. Maybe her hypotheses were getting ahead of themselves, but it wasn’t too much of a stretch to imagine that this ‘Source Engine’ might be the source of spirits themselves. Goldlewis, meanwhile, considered the Lost Numbers’ offer of help. Right now, robbed of their support network and more targeted by Moebius than ever, they could definitely use the help. But this sudden windfall of well-equipped allies almost seemed too good to be true. What was the catch…? With his first question Roxas helped shed a little light on what happened to Tora and Poppi, and while seeing the kids happy to see one another again was about as heartwarming as could be, the keyblade wielder went on to unearth an existential conundrum that left everyone reeling. As he realized what the World of Light’s end would mean for these people, Goldlewis swallowed. All of a sudden it made sense why some of the ‘new life’ wouldn’t want to fight. It also implied that Dawn, Cirrus, and the other Lost Numbers were still willing to set things right despite the ramifications. “Takes a hell of a lot of guts,” he murmured. “Y’all might be even stronger than we are.” At that, Cirrus cracked a wry smile. “For the sake of the mission, I sure hope not.” When Roland and Susie asked some questions, Sandalphon’s chief takeaway wasn’t about the Lost Numbers, but about herself. All of the Seekers, really, and everyone in this world. If aging worked in the World of Light as one might expect, and each member of these reclusive renegades had been raised from infancy, what did that mean for everyone else? She only remembered her home world, Galeem’s attack, and then waking up one day in a Piltover church. Like the others she’d assumed that to be the start of everything, events and memories prior to her own advent pure fabrication. But if that had just been when ‘it’ made her, that ‘it’ being the Source Engine, Galeem, or whatever, that really changed things. “Meh, meh!? Geralt!?” Tora’s surprised yelp cut through Sandalphon’s concentration. The news that the young-ish redhead in front of him was actually Geralt had evidently thrown him for a loop. Though the nopon had braved the Sandswept Sky while Geralt sailed the Deep Blue Seaside, Tora knew the crabby old Witcher from their time in the Land of Adventure, and this woman looked nothing like him. At the same time, though, he couldn’t deny the power of spirits. Tora looked away in an indignant huff. “T-Tora not know what friend talk about, meh! Only room for one ladypon in Tora heart, and that Poppi!” When Geralt asked Dante about Yennefer, the devil hunter crossed his arms with a thoughtful expression. “Yennefer…” he repeated, thinking. “Black-haired sorceress lady, right? Yeah, saw her back with the other survivors in Markarth. Asking about you in fact.” For perhaps obvious reasons, he seemed nonplussed by the extent of the changes that fusion could inspire in a person. “Told her we’d keep an eye out, and she could come with if she wanted, but she chose to stay behind. Said to tell you to hurry back, if I saw you.” He grinned. “Guess we know where you’re headed next, huh?” After that, it was the veteran’s turn. Pit’s question ignited his smoldering curiosity, and forced him to request further clarity. “Now, I know this ain’t neither here nor there,” Goldlewis began. “But seein’ as Sandalphon already sussed it out somehow, an’ I hate bein’ in the dark, I gotta ask.” He offered a quizzical expression to Dawn, the likelier of the two siblings. “Who’re your parents, anyhow?” Dawn shifted uncomfortably. “Hahh, I figured it’d come to this sooner or later. Well, if you’ve gotta know, our parents were Tifa Lockheart and Cloud Strife.” After Goldlewis wracked his brain for a moment, Sandalphon stepped in to help. “Tifa was the name of the barmaid in Heaven’s Edge, in the Sector 07 Slums,” she explained evenly. “I don’t recognize the other name.” “Me neither,” the veteran admitted. “But wait, you said ‘were’, when this Tifa’s still alive?” When neither Dawn nor Cirrus replied to that, Sandalphon chimed in again. “The more noteworthy problem with this claim is that the Tifa I observed appears to be younger than Dawn by approximately a decade.” She stared at the Lost Numbers, unblinking. “There is much our potential allies aren’t sharing with us.” Dawn held her hands up placatingly. “Hey, hey. I said we’ll get to it later, and we will, I promise. But the ins and outs of how we all came to be isn’t as important as what we choose to do now about the future.” She put her hands on her hips, her face resolute. “Our offer of help is the real deal. Even if…even if we know what ending the World of Light would do to us, we’re still ready to go the distance. And we have a lot to offer. Only those who start today will have a tomorrow.” Even if Pit had given them his vote of confidence, the others had yet to concur. She pursed her lips, then held out her hand. “Will you join us?” A tense moment passed. Naturally, it was Dante who broke the nice. “Y’know, if you guys say no, I’m gonna look reaaaaal stupid…” “...They seem like goodypons to Tora,” Tora piped up after a moment. Goldlewis glanced toward Commander Nelson, who met his gaze before sighing. “Our options are not good right now. The Victory took a pounding thanks to that blasted Consul, and it was already pretty roughed up. Provided that these Lost Numbers are trustworthy, it would be best to relocate all assets and personnel from both the Centennials and Bridges to the Avenger, strategically speaking.” Though it pained him to consider abandoning the Virgin Victory, camping out in an earthbound wreck wouldn’t help much of anyone. Cirrus smirked. “Trustworthy? Did we or did we not save your asses? Jeez. Well, even if you don’t trust us, we’re just a couple assholes, and you’re the heroes who’ve beaten multiple Guardians. What chance would we have?” He shook his head. “You saw for yourself how much Moebius likes us, too. You’re literally all we’ve got.” After a moment, Sandalphon relented. “We are in dire need of stability and centralization,” she summarized. “The Lost Numbers have proved their good intentions. If the Seekers operated by assuming betrayal at every step, I certainly wouldn’t be here. We have every logical reason to give them a chance.” Goldlewis nodded. “That about sums it up, I reckon.” He crossed his arms as he glanced between the siblings. “Looks like we’ll be rollin’ with y’all from here on out.” With a smile and sigh of relief, Dawn clapped her hands together. “Great! In that case, all aboard! We can give you a quick tour while we’re on the way!” “On way?” Poppi raised an eyebrow. “Did Poppi miss something? Where everypon going?” Dawn was already halfway up the ramp before she turned around. Even with a giant hammer strapped to her back, the woman could hustle. “Oh, it was Cirrus’ idea!” she called down. “He said that if we did convince you, we should take you to Carnival Town to celebrate, if you’re willing. Figured you guys could use a vacation after all your hard work, I guess!” Sandalphon considered the short time the team spent in Port Meridian. Considering what lay both behind and ahead of them, a few hours’ downtime wasn’t anywhere near enough. “That may be wise.” Her brother shrugged as he trudged up after her. “And if that doesn’t lift your spirits, there’s always drinking. I’ll be at the bar if you need me.” Now it was Goldlewis’ turn to look surprised. “Y’all got a bar on this thing?” He’d be lying if he told himself he wasn’t curious. “Told you we had a lot to offer!” Dawn grinned. “And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! Come on in!” Goldlewis watched as Tora and Poppi turned to follow the others back up the ramp, followed by Cerberus, who’d snatched Dante’s guns from their holstered and run off to play with them, prompting the devil hunter to give chase. Only once Sandalphon stepped past him did he get moving, followed by the Bridges crew with their fully-loaded backpacks and floating carries of equipment. Nelson, MacGregor, and Shirogane returned to their Virgin Victory for what might be its final flight, already planning the transfer of essential equipment to the new ship. Once the Seekers climbed aboard into the aircraft’s vehicle bay, the cargo ramp folded up behind them, and the Avenger prepared for takeoff. As the background noise built up and the ship began to move, Dawn beckoned her guests over. “Might be for the best to steer clear of the engine room, but everything else is fair game. If the Avenger is our world, our world is now your oyster. Just be sure to say hi to everyone you see. From this moment on, we’re all friends here.” She waved toward some of the strangers who’d been watching the exchange from inside, now scattered around the vehicle bay with their eyes on their new allies. Dawn directed everyone’s attention to a map of the Avenger’s layout on the wall, which showed off more rooms than Goldlewis would have thought possible. “Anywhere catch your eye?” [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/tX6ea4Y.png[/img][/center] [center][h3]Sandswept Sky - Gerudo Town[/h3] Level 13 Ms Fortune (121/130) The Koopa Troop’s [@DracoLunaris], Primrose and Therion’s [@Yankee], Sectonia’s [@Archmage MC], Ganondorf’s [@Double], Osvald’s [@Dark Cloud] [b]Word Count:[/b] 1594[/center] Nothing pleased Nadia more than the realization that the waters of the Bath of Tefnut were every bit as good as they looked. An outsider seeing a cat soak herself with such relish might have looked at her askance, but by now the feral had really grown to appreciate this leftover quirk. Ever since her fusion with the Oceanid all the way back in the Bottomless Sea, she’d really grown to appreciate the wonders of water for what they were. Though the element dominated Little Innsmouth back in her home world, filling the canals of the Dagonian borough twice a day during high tide, Nadia had avoided it like the plague back in those days. Truth be told, she’d probably pass on a swim there even now, knowing how filthy those waterways could be. But her newfound affinity meant that she’d achieved something tantalizingly close to serenity beneath the crystal-clear waves of Heaven’s Edge, just south of Limsa Lominscuttle Town. Floating there amidst all the fish and coral, fully immersed in a tropical paradise, had been nothing short of sublime. Of course, this place was excellent in its own right. While the ocean had been bracingly cold, these waters felt soothingly warm. In this strictly controlled environment, a far cry from the boisterous pool party vibe of the seaside resorts, everything was wonderfully quiet and calm. Though plenty of other guests could be found throughout this public bathhouse, nobody disturbed one another. Anywhere else Nadia might have hurled herself into the pool in a quest to make the biggest splash possible, but today even she couldn’t bring herself to disturb the air of tranquility. She just floated around on her back, her eyes closed, and relaxed. If she’d sought peace with nature back at Heaven’s Edge, she could seek peace with herself right now. Against all odds, it felt like her experience at Yuria’s with Primrose really had relieved her somewhat, helping to feel more at ease. It was a nice feeling. Eventually, Sectonia started talking. Nadia’s ear twitched, and after a few moments she cracked her eyes open. She seemed to be talking about Ganondorf, speculating on his relationship to the Gerudo people. While she didn’t really care about the backstory, the answer to Sectonia’s question seemed obvious. Of course the big guy would have a fondness for his people. Even if she couldn’t relate personally, she figured having a ‘people’ to identify with would be a big deal for anyone. Idly she wondered what that might look like for her. She’d already seen her fair share of catgirls and catguys here and there, but their shared features inspired no real feeling of kinship. If anything, Little Innsmouth had been her community, and the Fishbone gang had been her family. After what happened though, it seemed unlikely that she’d ever find a new one. Especially with the Seekers of Light, a group whose ultimate goal was dissolution. When this was all said and done, they’d all drift away like bottles in the sea. Nadia heaved a long, heavy sigh, thinking of Primrose, Therion, and Ace. Making friends was all well and good, but the more she got attached, the more it’d hurt when everything went back to normal. If only these friends -this lovely moment- could last forever. After she failed to deliver the opinion Sectonia was waiting for, the big bug continued. She started talking about sprucing up, fashion, makeovers, and so on. Truth be told, it annoyed Nadia a little. While happy to defer to the queen when she herself felt like a change, Sectonia seemed to see her allies as problems to solve. “We?” Nadia replied with a chuckle. “When did you learn how to speak French? I barely know enough about looks to get myself together, let alone make decisions for other people. If the guys need a new outfit, they oughta get the Yuria treat-men-t. And that’s all I got.” She smirked. “I got a feeling if you hair-do anything funny with Big G, he’ll give you a ‘cut’ or two of your own.” A few minutes later, Nadia decided to take a break. She pulled herself from the water, shook herself off, then grabbed a towel. After wrapping it around her shoulders like a cape, she started detaching her limbs one at a time in the hopes of drying them off easier. This turned out to be one of her less bright ideas, and one of her forearms ended up slipping from her grasp. “Ah, crap.” It plopped down a short ways away, but rather than get up Nadia tried to puppet it back toward her with a mix of spider-crawling and blood jets. Unfortunately, the slippy tile floor made this a little tricky, and she was so focused that she didn’t notice someone approaching until a pair of black slippers clacked to a stop right behind the stranded arm. Nadia looked up. The newcomer, as one might expect in Gerudo Town, was a [url=https://i.imgur.com/zDWnz5n.png]woman[/url], and despite her simple black swimsuit -rather modest by her standards, in fact- she possessed an oddly regal look. Her black bob cut and dark skin gave her the air of an Egyptian queen, made especially striking by the piercing cyan behind Galeem’s sunset glare in her eyes. They stared down at the fallen forearm, curious rather than appalled. “What is this?” she asked, kneeling down. She ran her finger through the pool of blood, then strained it between her thumb and index finger. “Blood?” Sensing Nadia’s gaze, she looked toward the feral. “Is this…yours? Are you injured?” “Oh, no. I’m just like this. Sorry!” Nadia grinned sheepishly. “Don’t worry, I’m unh-armed. Mind passing it over?” “Hmm…” The woman picked up the arm by the wrist and slowly stood up, examining it. Nadia could feel her grip, and something about it made the hairs on her neck stand on end. “Does this…happen often? You must lose a lot of blood…” The feral shrugged. “It’s no biggie, I got more where that comes from. Could even say it’s hemoglobinfinite.” The woman’s eyes fixated on her with such suddenness that Nadia got the impression she’d made a poor choice of words, somehow. “Fascinating…” With very little ceremony, the elegant stranger slipped her blood-covered fingers into her mouth. This time, a chill went down Nadia’s spine, and she rose to her feet. Taking a half-step forward, she reached out to receive her arm. When the stranger did not immediately acquiesce, Nadia took matters into her own hands. She shot out muscle fibers from both stump and arm that bound together and promptly yanked the missing limb back into place. Nadia flexed her fingers, her brow furrowed while her new acquaintance casually crossed her arms, an amused smile on her face. “You know, I don’t remember seeing you three before,” she murmured. “Is this your first time at the Bath of Tefnut?” “Actually, I was just leaving,” Nadia told her as she reached for her clothes, grinning as if the whole thing was all in good fun. “Any longer and I’ll turn into a raisin. You know?” At this point, Primrose could probably tell that her smile was far from genuine. The woman put on a sad look. “Ah, a pity. It’s almost a shame to let you go…but you’re welcome to return whenever you’d like, Miss…?” “Fortune,” Nadia said shortly. “A fortuitous name,” the lady smiled. “I am Eliza, the owner of this place. See you soon…” In no time, the feral was standing beneath the desert sun again, letting the warmth and breeze finish the drying process that Eliza cut short. Her new clothes were back on, her swimsuit stuffed into one of her pouches, and she felt revitalized from the experience, even if it ended weirdly. Eccentricities aside, there was something wrong with that woman, Nadia could just feel it. She didn’t like someone looking at her the same way she’d look at a cheeseburger. Well, whatever. With her bath out of the way, Nadia could think about what to do next. She stood there for a minute outside the Bath of Tefnut for a minute, tails swishing, before activating her linkpearl to make another call. The next moment, her voice reached the Seekers scattered around -and outside- Gerudo Town. “Hey, everyone! Now that we’ve relaxed and had lunch, why don’t we all get together for some fun?” She did not pause to consider that the others might have spent their time very differently, instead pushing forward with her proposal. “I was thinkin’ we’d get back on the train and head to Carnival Town. It’s this gorgeous seaside town that’s basically one big fiesta twenty-four seven, with great food and fun in the sun. If you’re looking for a good time, it doesn’t get much better than that!” Though Ganondorf in particular might already have the welfare and governance of Gerudo Town on his mind, the Seekers’ overall goal right now -to enjoy themselves as a reward for their efforts in the Under- remained. If the campaign against Galeem could wait while the team recuperated, so could the Bandit Hordes, and a place that extended a party invite to all would work out much better than one only open to half the team via royal decree. Once in agreement, the Seekers wound their way back through Gerudo Town to the train station, where they would embark on one last ride with Nadia in the lead, eager to show her old stomping grounds to new friends. [hr] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/pxTCG7h.png[/img][/center] In the Dystopiascape, a heavy cloud cover presided over all, a somber tapestry of interwoven grays that suited the deadly serious atmosphere down below as Midgar faced its ultimate challenge. To many, that city stood as something akin to a force of nature, an inescapable fact of life whose shadow loomed larger over every soul, defining every aspect of their lives from cradle to grave–and it was today that their fates were decided. Yet for all the lives that hung in the balance, in their tens and hundreds of thousands, Midgar was just one small part of the world. Far beyond the reach of Midgar’s heavy shadow, a radiant sun shone down through spotless blue skies, and as the curtains closed on the city in chaos, its citizens could finally seek that light for themselves. And nowhere did the sun shine brighter than upon the Sandswept Sky’s northernmost point, a hooked peninsula of salty sea breezes and verdant palms, where mountains with sunglasses smiled upon the sparkling blue waters and the party never stopped. Tostarena Town had been an oasis for festive latin culture in a vast, inhospitable desert, but Carnival Town was the genuine artifact, a colorful and energetic municipality that reigned as the tourism hotspot of the entire eastern seaboard. Here, exuberant music resounded from every [url=https://i.imgur.com/PZiMr3j.png]street[/url], and sensational food could be found from the ubiquitous street carts all the way up to the [url=https://i.imgur.com/wMSo7eR.png]rooftops[/url]. In addition to the plentiful [url=https://i.imgur.com/UPPOssx.png]Tostarenans[/url], Carnival Town harbored cacti both [url=https://i.imgur.com/OEU1xmg.png]adorably small[/url] and [url=https://i.imgur.com/8zMAguh.png]comically large[/url], as well as numerous raving rabbids and [url=https://i.imgur.com/0luxgoG.png]jovial monkeys[/url], all of whom epitomized the local philosophy of living life to the fullest with all its thrills and spills. Everywhere one looked, one could find billboard advertisements for fun ways to pass the time, or leaderboards for the various activities, with a certain celebrity called Captain Falcon topping the charts for the races. The cat train brought the Seekers to Carnival Town through the [url=https://i.imgur.com/wkEwpsK.png]Super Bell Subway[/url] a well-lit train station that doubled as one of the city’s many, race tracks. Just a moment after the team stepped out onto the platform, a gang of racers in karts, bikes, and other speed machines cruised by, bravely dodging subway trains as they fought for first place. “Whoa!” Nadia grinned, her initial surprise turned to excitement. “Yeah, that’s about how I remember it! Better buckle your seatbelts, guys, ‘cause you ain’t seen nothin’ yet!”