[center][h3]Poppi[/h3] [b]Level 3 Poppi[/b] - (4/30) EXP [b]Location:[/b] Peach's Castle Moat [b]Word Count:[/b] 389[/center] Blinking, Poppi ran over what Linkle told her in her head. The others had been like her at some point, forced to fight against their wills? But few -if any- of them appeared to be machines like her. That could only mean that the power of the entity called Galeem affected all manner of beings, regardless of what they were. Rather than mind control or hacking, it constituted something altogether higher and more threatening—and more poignantly for Poppi, it didn't hold any special significance for her versus her living allies. While certainly a frightening thought in some ways, it somehow made her feel more at peace in others. After a moment or two, the artificial blade looked up. “...Oh. If everyone susceptible, and not just Poppi, feel less bad about.” For the first time, she seemed to realize that Linkle had been offering her a hand to shake. Mustering a smile, she placed her metal mitt in the girl's. “Nice to meet Linkle. Please call Poppi Poppi,” she requested, as though her usage of the Nopon dialect didn't make her name one-hundred-percent obvious. A moment later Poppi got to her feet, and shook the water from one leg, then the other. “Thank you for meeting,” she remarked as she did, “Now Poppi feel silly for getting worried while lacking info.” After she finished, her face grew solemn again. She looked Linkle in the eye and told her in a low, urgent tone, “But...if Poppi ever do go berserk and start to do bad thing...friends might get hurt. Tora might get hurt. Maybe better off if Poppi destroyed.” She stared back into the water, only for Hat Kid to plunge headlong into it the next moment, sending ripples across its surface. Alarmed, the blade reached out a hand toward the child, but the girl swam steadfastly toward her floating ship and climbed inside. Within, the spacefarer would find a vault with only two of her forty timepieces remaining, meaning another collect-a-thon in store. “Huh. Hattypon good swimmer,” Poppi observed. While her earlier statement hadn't been forgotten, she didn't know what else to do about that feeling at the moment, so she started back toward the castle's doors. “Regardless, things okay for now. Should go back to Masterpon.” A few steps later she turned about, glancing back at Linkle. “Coming, friend?” [center][h3]Tora[/h3] [b]Level 4 Tora[/b] - (14/40) EXP [b]Location:[/b] Peach's Castle Kitchen [b]Word Count:[/b] 887[/center] Though a little jealous of Blazermate and Ratchet, who got to tinker and engineer while he cooked, Tora didn't want to let Cooking Mama down, and he especially didn't want to make her angry after her chastisement of Bowser. He minded the stovetop for a while, flipping and seasoning when necessary, until he judged the meat done and scooped it off onto a plate. He took a deep sniff while holding the finished product, and exclaimed, “Ooh, wonderful fishy smell! Tora can hardly wait to chow down!” After heading to the chef for further instruction, he took the meat to a prep station, where Toads were busy putting together various foods on a number of plates. Tora watched at first, then lent a wing to get his sizzling fish ready for eating. As much as his mouth watered just thinking about it, more remained to be done before everyone could eat, so the Nopon returned to his station with a spring in his step as though his enthusiasm could cook the meat faster. Before too long, Peach placed the article of food on the final plate, and stood back from a countertop blanketed in delicious-looking dishes. Among them were her very own [url=http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/original/43/434805/3085969-ffxv-10-2.jpg]grilled vegetable kebabs[/url], promising to thrill the tastebuds of any vegetarian, and tender [url=https://66.media.tumblr.com/546592606ddc7fdeeec433a25615dd98/tumblr_ohgkyy1ccb1r7nj27o9_1280.jpg]vegetable stew[/url]. Tora's [url=http://mindequalsblown.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/31-940x520.jpg]grilled fish[/url] stood out as one of the largest meat servings available, though less committed seafood lovers could also try the tender [url=http://mindequalsblown.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/38-940x520.jpg]steamed fish[/url], or the meticulously-prepared [url=http://mindequalsblown.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Steamed-Crab-with-Rock-Salt-Final-Fantasy-15-FFXV-620x349.jpg]crab[/url]. There were also [url=https://www.geek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Final-Fantasy-XV-Healthy-tonkatsu-with-tomato-sauce-625x352.jpg]breaded pork cutlets[/url] with tomato sauce, [url=http://mindequalsblown.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Dry-Aged-Tender-Roast-Stew-Final-Fantasy-15-FFXV-620x349.jpg]roast stew[/url] with an excellent texture, mouth-watering [url=http://mindequalsblown.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Prairie-Style-Skewers-Final-Fantasy-15-FFXV-620x349.jpg]skewers[/url], a mushroomy [url=https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/7547589/FINAL_FANTASY_XV_20161121140224.jpg]chicken saute[/url], hefty [url=http://i.imgur.com/hWwzkev.jpg]rib steaks[/url], [url=https://i.ytimg.com/vi/EQc7aTrByaU/maxresdefault.jpg]pizza[/url], and more. So tantalizing was the smorgasbord that few could take their eyes off it; more or less everyone had appeared for the meal, including those left indisposed during the Megadragonbowser fight, like the Kid, Banjo and Kazooie, Junkrat, and Roadhog. The princess looked thrilled, and with a ring of the dinner bell declared open season on the assembled feast. Tora,at the forefront of the gathered crowd, wasted no time grabbing a plate of fish. Out of habit he reached for the pizza too, but at last second changed his mind and snapped up a dish of skewers. Hurrying through the crowd, he made his way to the large dining table and clambered up into a high chair designed for a toad, which ended up with him a little higher than he needed to be, though he didn't particularly care. His one-track mind urged him to pull off pieces of fish by the hunk and wolf them down, but the sight of an approaching figure stopped the hungry Nopon in his tracks. “Poppi!” he sang, delighted to see her smiling again. “How are you? Everything goody-good?” The artificial blade nodded. “All goody-good, Masterpon.” She looked at all the food. “Looks like Tora will be overeating again.” Sputtering, Tora waved a wing dismissively. “Pfff! As if such thing were possible for Tora! But here, take look at this!” Without even having a bite himself, Tora pushed his plate of fish over to Poppi, who hopped up into a chair beside him. “Tora know that Poppi love food smells. Made this myself, you know! Am super-good chef!” With a wry smile Poppi pulled the plate over, saying, “Very sudden change of pace for renowned microwave aficionado.” She allowed her olfactory sensors to take the dish in, and found herself nodding in satisfaction. Once she pushed the plate back over, Tora dug in with reckless abandon. “Despite odds, very nice smell indeed.” While the Nopon preoccupied himself with the seafood, Poppi reached for a skewer to take a whiff of it, too. Like the others, they took note of the map brought in by Bowser, a cute little mini-Bowser, and their sorcerous koopa adviser. [img]https://i.imgur.com/s8pYuCv.jpg[/img] Though highly lacking in specificity, the map seemed to cover the whole region, with Peach's Castle in the center below a huge, blank spot. Nobody could be sure of the exact scale, or whether things on the map were scaled appropriately to one another in the first place, but given the relative size of 1-1 the region seemed pretty expansive. Tora took a break from his second skewer to comment, “Place seem really huge. Much bigger than any Titan. Would take incredibly long time to get around to all hotspots.” He used his half-eaten skewer as a point, indicating first the Dark Forest and Under, then the Land of Adventure and Dead Zone. “But if split in half, whole team could go either way around and meet at top. If Tora know anything, know that 'City Without Name' serious endgame place.” He shrugged as best one could without a neck or shoulders, returning to his food. “But that just suggestion.” He glanced at Bowser following his announcement of a kart-retrieval mission, and would have shouted out that he'd like to go if his mouth wasn't full. All the while, the Master of Masters leaned against the wall by the door. He nibbled at a kebab, the food turning as dark as his hidden face the moment it neared his invisible lips. Kirby stood nearby on a countertop, steadfastly devouring peelings, cut-off ends, overcooked bits, extra ingredients, and anything anyone cared to give him, like a living garbage disposal. The little guy sure could eat. [center][h3]Hilltop[/h3][/center] The sun sliding farther toward the horizon painted a pretty picture, visible in all its glory from the rounded top of one of the old Mushroom Kingdom's colorful, zigzag-patterned, nigh-cylindrical 'hills'. From this vantage point, much of this region of the New World could be seen, from the rocky barrens to the south to the desert of the east to the northwest's frigid peaks. A quick look over the should confirmed the presence of the dark forest, its leafy green sea stretching all the way to the sparkling ocean. The woman atop the hill breathed a heavy sigh; so far a cry was this from the muddled nightmare she'd left behind. The noise prompted a look from the man to her right, though his black hood obscured his features. He lost interest quickly and returned to watching Peach's Castle, idling all the while. He seemed unable to stand still, instead rising up and down by bending his knees while his fists lay on his hips. For her part, the woman did her best to ignore him. Their mutual annoyance came to an end as an inky plume arose behind them. The air whirled and collapsed in on itself, forming a dark gateway, and through it marched a third figure clad in black. Together the odd pair turned to face him, and he looked between them curiously. “...Well, enough standin' around all goonish-like then, spit it out already!” he encouraged, his deep voice a remarkably casual drawl. Ceasing his idling, the energetic man held up a hand, palm-up, ready to explain with theatrical aplomb. However, his acquaintance cut in before him. Her musical voice was smooth as silk, bearing a curious accent. “He left it in the bedroom of the princess. The seekers have it by now; I watched the spawn of the reptile take it just a few moments ago. A chuckle issued from the newcomer's hood. “Pff! Aren't we making it a bit too obvious?” After casting a sidelong glance at his interrupter, the other man propped up his hands on his lapel and gave a toothy smirk. “Hohoho! You ain't got a good look at them seekers, see? Dumber'n a bag o' rocks, and twice as slow! They ain't goin' nowhere if we don't spell it out!” “Heh,” the newcomer snickered. “Fair enough. But let's not forget how strong a couple of idiots can be. Boss told be 'bout a time a few someones rained on your parade...” Balling his fists, the other clenched his teeth. “Why, you...!” Dispassionate and distant, the woman cut in once again. “If they waver from the path set before them, we will correct their course. Until then...” She trailed off, and with a final glance at the skyline of the New World, turned away. Another dark portal appeared, and into it she vanished without a trace. Huffing, the short-tempered one tugged on his collar to straighten it. “Hmph! Anklin' on back to the ocean, I'll bet. Awright, enough bumpin' gums. All the sharks where they oughta?” With a grin the newcomer stepped backward, a corridor flaring up behind him. “All but you, buddy. Better hustle on over.” The next second, he was gone, and the last of the three left soon after.