[center][h3]Tora & Poppi[/h3]
[b]Level 5 Tora[/b] - (18/50) EXP and [b]Level 4 Poppi[/b] - (16/40) EXP 
[b]Location:[/b] Forested Canyon, the Land of Adventure
[b]Word Count:[/b] 729
[@DracoLunaris][@Stekkmen][/center]

With the other more agile members of his team on the hunt for baurun, Tora turned his attention back underground. It took only a short time for the Nopon and his accompanying blade to find the section of the forest that had caved in thanks to the explosion of Kamek's giga-creeper, which was hard to miss. From there, the pair retraced their steps down the ravine and into the underground area. Baurun was good and all, with the prospect of giant juicy steaks in particular making Tora more eager than he might care to admit, but he remembered something else on that grocery list of Bowser's. [i]Lapizard.[/i] Whatever it was, it fell under the category of cave food, so there [i]had[/i] to be some lurking down here.

Unfortunately the search took a while. Tora and Poppi ventured deep, much deeper than before, but found nothing that resembled the basic description given to them at their first meet-up with Bowser. They did find a number of spiders, skeletons, and zombies. Before long, Tora's feet hit water. “Meh!” he protested in disgust. “Gross cave water! And completely dark, except for Poppi furnace. Not want go any farther, meh. Can get by without lappy lizard.” Poppi, scanning the surroundings, went to point something out to him but Tora happened to see it too. “Meh? That...bones?” He waddled over, avoiding the water, and bent down to peer at them. The moment he leaned forward, they started to shuffle, prompting him to scream in terror. “MEEEEEH!” He fell backward as a trio of ring-toothed [url=https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/dragonsdogma/images/2/2b/LeapWorm.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/300?cb=20130528101537]worms[/url] lunged out in an ambush, latching themselves to his body. “MEHMEHMEHMEH!” He flailed his wings ineffectively, dancing to and fro in terror. “Get off! Off! Poppi, heeeeeelp!”

The artificial blade responded by transforming, disappearing in a whirlwind of sparks and ribbons to be replaced by Poppi QT. She manifested her mech arms and held them out, saying, “Hold still!” Tora calmed down as much as he could, thinking that she would expel flames from the weapons to burn the wretched things off

Instead she popped them open. “Uh, Poppi?” Tora's eyes widened. “Hold it right-!” An explosion cut him off, and the singed Nopon flew through the air, wailing, “Bad Poppiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!” right up until he went [i]plop[/i] in the pool. When he emerged, sputtering, he spotted his companion flying above the pool “Guh! Whuh...why Poppi do such a thing to poor Masterpon?” In reply, she cranked up her furnace, bathing the whole cavern in warm orange light. In its glow the two could see a lot more leapworms, but also a [url=https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/battlechefbrigade/images/5/54/Lapizard.png/revision/latest?cb=20180209133658]reptile[/url] pushed up against one of the walls, scared shiftless by the blasting and trying to hide in the dark. The moment she saw it Poppi jetted its way. Still floating, Tora called out, “Don't punch! Need meat intact!” At the last moment the lapizard hurled itself off the wall and toward the water in a desperate attempt to escape, but Poppi banished an arm and snatched it from the air. Though as big as her, and struggling mightily, the lizard could not escape.

Looking pleased, Poppi jetted over to dry land, onto which Tora pulled himself a couple moments later. “Ah, so that it. Clever Poppi knows we can't kill with precision, so just take lappy with us 'til find someone who can!” The praise elicited a delighted smile from Poppi, and the two hastened back to the surface.

When they rejoined the others a few minutes later, everyone appeared to be laden with meat. Quinn nodded in approval. “Not half bad,” she remarked, inspecting the lineup. “It's been a refreshing bit off fun, but I've got items to buy and I'm behind in CS. Take care of yourselves.” After collecting everything due her, and inspecting the crossbow to make sure Junior didn't damage it, the huntress and her loyal eagle disappeared into the trees.

At Bowser's suggestion, his own group left soon after. Their weighty haul made it a long trip back, even with the relatively short distance over an open plain, so Junior decided to pass the time with a game of I Spy. After learning the rules Tora and Poppi played along wholeheartedly. Even with his burden, with his son happy, Bowser could only be so ornery. The shadows of late afternoon had started growing long by the time the grocery-and-mining team pulled into Lumbridge.

[center][h3]Euden[/h3]
[b]Location:[/b] Near Lumbridge, the Land of Adventure
[@Gentlemanvaultboy] [@Stern Algorithm] [@MULTI_MEDIA_MAN] [@TruthHurts22][/center]

At Linkle's prompting, the two groups collapsed into one and headed for Mina's restaurant. Gran volunteered to report to the adventurer's guild and the sheriff stationed there, aiming to vouch for the defeat of the pelagics with the scars to prove it. Hilda still felt guilty, with the discomfort far greater around either Curly or Phoenix, so she volunteered to go with him. “I'll find something else to do. Make up for...you know, skipping out,” she assured, before running off after the boy in blue. Eleven went with, perhaps seeking some sort of outlet for the energy he'd built up in anticipation of being someone's hero, but he remained taciturn.

Euden and Curly, meanwhile, continued onward with Linke to Mina's. Before leaving, the young prince gave a wave to Phoenix and Geralt, figuring that they possessed little interest in grocery delivery. The latter in particular received an emphatic farewell; Euden made a note try and convince some of the Witcher's fans to give the man a rest when he got the chance. A short walk brought him to the restaurant and its savvy owner, who beamed when she saw what Linkle and her friends had for her. “Amazing! This is more than I could ever want. Into the pantry they go.” Busy as ever, she stepped away to delegate the task to someone else, and the kindly Chef Kowalski ended up helping her out.

Something Linkle said a few minutes ago occurred to Euden, and he raised his voice to get Mina's attention. “Hey, Mina! Um, is there any chance you could do without the chocobo meat? We only found a couple, and Linkle's gotten really fond of hers.”

Mina thought for a second or two before shrugging. “Sure. Hopefully the others get back with more meat, but if not, it's fine. I know that some chocobos are really sweet, and eating one would make me feel pretty bad. Speaking of the others, once they get here I can start cooking up dinner for you all.” With that she vanished back into the kitchen, leaving her visitors to go about their business.

Wearing a smile, Curly crossed her arms. “Looks like that's a couple problems solved. If you're all good I'll get back to adventuring. Land's not going to scout itself. Nice meeting you though!” She turned to go, and Euden followed suit.

“If there's still more stuff to get, I'll help you out,” he said. “It's the least I can do. Where are we headed?”

[center][h3]Malo[/h3]
[b]Location:[/b] Malo Mart, the Land of Adventure
[@thedman] [@Dawnrider][/center]

The return of an enormous monster truck drew no small amount of worried looks, but despite how much the ground must have shaken, the diminutive Malo looked totally unfazed when Hat Kid, Michael, Franklin, and Tressa entered his shop. Upon seeing him, and after coughing, the girl smiled. “Malo...so you're the one who sent people to find me.”

Unflappable, the baby-faced businessman met her gaze. “Think nothing of it. Without competition, business can't thrive.” His arms hung at his sides, stiff as usual. Anyone with a sharp memory might recall that his quest mentioned Tressa as a client, but his words just now suggested something else.

Tressa laughed weakly. “Oh, you. Putting on a such a brave face, but I know you're a softy in there. Don't grow up...too fast, Malo.” She seized up in a fit of dry coughing, and Malo reached for an item on his shelf. He pushed it across the counter toward Michael.

“Give her this.” The glass of premium Lon Lon milk undid the damage done to Tressa in a matter of moments, healing the wounds caused by heat and dehydration. Ignoring her thanks, he turned to address the hatted girl who matched his height. “Alright, kid. Here's your reward.” A sack of rupies hit his countertop, followed shortly by her long sought-after hourglass.

[center][h3]Coral Highlands[/h3]
[b]Location:[/b] Land of Adventure
[@ProPro] [@Yankee][/center]

The sudden arrival -and subsequent departure- left the Courier and the Cadet down a threat, and just like that the beautiful highlands were the picture of peace and tranquility once more. In that sort of environment nabbing wigglers was a piece of cake, and doubly so for 6, whose remarkable animal magnetism had the little creatures literally diving into his bag. A few more minutes and the new friends held all the wigglers they could want and more, so with their catch safely stowed alongside a few bits knocked from the Tzitzi-Ya-Ku they began the long trip back toward Lumbridge. This time, no marauding bullets or other unreasonably-aggressive ne'er-do-wells waylaid the heroes' progress, so nothing disturbed the 6's theatrical monologues on the way back save his steed's occasional cheery [i]kweh.[/i]

[hider=Results!]
[b]Party:[/b] [@ProPro]'s Courier 6, [@Yankee]'s Ace Cadet
[b]Encounter Reward:[/b] +4 EXP
No additional bonuses[/hider]

[center][h3]Cathedral Plaza[/h3]
[b]Location:[/b] Dead Zone
[@Archmage MC] [@DracoLunaris] [@ProPro] [@Dawnrider] [@Simple Unicycle] [@Genon][/center]

At Blazermate's command, her undead minions piled onto the fallen Ent with wild abandon. They beat it until either its bark broke or they did, leaving scars and cracks they could use to pull pieces off. Like piranhas swarming a corpse they chipped, dug, and tore away. Kamek's summoned dry bones swelled their ranks, and so ferocious was the assault that none of the other heroes dared even approach. Those who didn't see fit to answer the medabot's dissonant, upbeat question in the positive regarded her warily. Even Nero glanced at her with a furrowed brow after her jockey wrenched free a cluster of the Ent's head-tentacles. The newcomer, however, got down to business.

He approached until he stood just a couple dozen feet away, then raised his cane. From the handle a black mass erupted, assuming the shape of his panther with a snarl. It pounced at the Ent's head, turning into a spinning blade, and ripped into it like a flying buzzsaw. The edge caught a couple undead on the way and made mincemeat of them just as it shredded the head, laying bare the heartwood the jockey discovered. A violet pallor overtook the Ent, signaling V to finish things. “Little wanderer,” he said, his voice soft and low. “Hie thee home.” He aimed the point of his cane like a pool cue, then drove it in. 

There came a cracking sound, and the Ent fell apart in an instant. All the undead dogpiling it fell to the ground amid a blanket of kindling, turning to ash. In the middle of the mess lay the Ent's spirit, murky and red.

Nero strode up to stand by V's side. Neither seemed too concerned with the mob of zombies nearby, and the demon hunter quipped, “There you are. I thought I'd have to pull you out of its...roots or something.”

“Forgive my delay.” Arguably serious, V looked at him askance as he produced a book from his jacket. “I was catching up on some reading.”

Their gaze turned to the giant Qliphoth root protruding from the cathedral. It was dying, turning gray and inert, and as they watched it crumbled. “One down, two to go,” remarked the tattooed stranger. “Once these Qliphoth roots are exterminated, we can proceed to the trunk.”

“Qliphoth?” The demon hunter sounded mildly quizzical.

“It's a type of tree that grows in the underworld,” V revealed. “It feeds on human blood. Gathered by its tendrils, and the empusa, its little worker bees.” He went quiet at the approach of Kamek, who asked about his demons. V had been planning to ask just who these unusual people traveling with Nero were, but here one was digging straight into his business. In reply, V tilted his head slightly, and in a spray of gleaming blue dust [url=https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/devilmaycry/images/f/f7/V_Familiar_Griffon_DMC5_Artbook_Render.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20190515151634]Griffon[/url] manifested. He flapped his wings to stay aloft beside V, and wasted no time flapping his beaks, too.

“Uh, hello?” He jeered in a raucous voice. “Ain't ya ever seen demons before, short stuff? We're here to make sure scrawny here doesn't get his his ass beat in, 'cuz if he bites it, so do we. Got that, or am I goin' too fast for ya? Heheheh.” V smiled, clearly not feeling responsible for his familiar's crassness.

[hider=Results!]
[b]Party:[/b] Archmage MC's Blazermate, ProPro's Ratchet & Clank and Jak & Daxter, DracoLunaris' Kamek, Dawnrider's Banjo & Kazooie, Genon's Donovan Lee, Simple Unicycle's Gene
[b]Encounter Reward:[/b] +8 EXP
[b]Self-Service Bonus:[/b] Ratchet & Clank, Kamek, Banjo & Kazooie, Donovan Lee
[b]Self-Service Reward:[/b] +5
[b]Addendum:[/b] in a dangerous battle, everyone's expected to take damage. That's just realistic, since we aren't playing infallible characters who can never lose. This bonus is for characters whose players had them take notable hits I didn't force them to[/hider]

[center][h3]Lumbridge[/h3]
[b]Location:[/b] Land of Adventure
[/center]

As they day wore on, afternoon meandered into evening, and gold overtook the sky. One by one the groups of newcomers returned from their quests. 

First Courier 6 returned from his foray to the Coral Highlands, alongside a new Pokemon and a new companion in the form of the Ace Cadet, himself a familiar and welcomed face at the adventurer's guild. Their collection of wigglers, at the request of the endemic life researcher, went to the sisters at the smithy. After disappearing behind closed doors, the three sisters returned with a [url=https://monsterhunterworld.wiki.fextralife.com/file/Monster-Hunter-World/wiggler_head_alpha.png]Wiggler Head[/url]. Far too large to be from any of the wigglers gathered, it proved to be made mostly of cloth, rubber, and buttons, though it did feature the little creatures' fronds. “This baby gives you the skill Wide Range,” Ramona said, slapping the top of the comedic helmet to send it lolling about. “Spreading the effects of your items to those around you.” Renee, the youngest of the sisters, also gave the pair a potted wiggler to serve as a pet, or more likely, gift to someone who could look after an immobile pet. From the researcher they received a First Wyverian Print, a ticket that she explained could be exchanged at the town's Melding Pot for a rare material of their choosing.

Second, Michael and Franklin rolled in with Hat Kid and Tressa in the repurposed Brother Grimm. From Malo, the little owner of the aptly-named Malo Mart, they received a Timepiece and a sack of money. On the way out they were accosted by Linkle and a boy who introduced himself as Euden, newly back from their own quest at the lake down south, the former of which soon found her worries about the missing person assuaged. Linkle's comrades in her fight against the pelagics, including Din, Geralt, and Phoenix Wright, had returned alongside her.

Before any further help could leave town to find them, the final group rolled in. Tora, Poppi, Bowser, his son, and the Centurion carried between them a mountain of goods collected from the Forested Canyon and beyond, most but not all of them in the cart laboriously pulled by the Koopa King, who found a ready supply of willing handles to help him in town. At the same time, Peach returned from her solo trip, having conversed with Mina on her own and decided to assist by appropriating the rarest ingredient on her list: Tropius bananas. Exactly how the ground-bound princess got them nobody could tell. Both Mina and the blacksmith sisters received their deliveries of ingredients and ore respectively, with the chef gleefully beginning preparations for a hearty dinner. The other half of her reward, three lootboxes, were available for claiming as well.

Everyone gathered together in the guild hall to wait while the guildmarm frantically worked to sort out the pile of day-end quests on her counter, appropriating rewards and ranks as quickly as possible. Many Lumbridge inhabitants were around, either on their own business or to get to know the newcomers making a name for themselves. Notably, Ryu had appeared, still possessing two spirits to give as rewards for going a few rounds with him. The guildmaster himself was on the scene, and after conferring with the guildmarm approached the heroes with a pronouncement. 

He began by clapping his hands in dramatic celebration before launching into his speech. “Well now, I'll be a monkey's uncle. You put the kibosh on those quests but good! Li'l miss paperwork's puttin' everything together at the mo, but I ain't the clammed type. You folks can take on Mr. F any time you please.” Holding up a finger, he wagged it at them in a cautionary gesture. “But don't breeze the joint just yet.” He pointed at the Ace Cadet. “You hunters are always chinnin' me about eatin' before a hunt. And I bet you bunch are near outta gas, too. So put up your dogs, light a gasper, dip your bill. When you're jake, you can put the screws on Mr. F, over in the Steppe out past Pig Central.” That left what to do next up to everyone, though a meal at Mina's stood out as a premier option.

[center][h3]Leon S. Kennedy[/h3]
[b]Location:[/b] RCPD HQ, Dead Zone
[@XoXKieroBombXoX] [/center]

In the silence that followed, they scarcely dared to breathe, or to think. With a final heave the last corpse divulged a small, many-legged horror to skitter off into the dark, and the night closed in once again around the Police Station.

A minute passed before anyone dared release a sigh or relief, though even then none harbored any delusions about the transient nature of their respite. [url=https://i.pinimg.com/564x/fc/8b/27/fc8b27f6c8102afdb9da962a22bcd5bc.jpg]Leon[/url], slumped down against the wall by the window he’d been given watch over, rubbed wearily at his eyes. This wasn’t just a bad situation--it was an impossible one. Soon the horde would come again, and this time the survivors would be facing an undead, diseased horde with their supplies exhausted. Every herb had been eaten, every medicine run dry, every Zombrex administered. The station’s supply of ammunition, except for the stash locked within the inaccessible storeroom, was spent. Survivors who fought using other means could continue to struggle, but they too were reaching their limits. If he hadn’t already, the [url=https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/super-smash-brothers-life-itself/images/1/17/Blackmage.png/revision/latest?cb=20150101012347]Black Mage[/url] helping to defend the front door would run out of mana, and all suffered from fatigue. Only the genial but unsettling swordsman [url=https://66.media.tumblr.com/48b827b413c8449227f6b33d2f6e94e3/tumblr_pt6yilv0hB1qdqlkxo10_500.jpg]Louis[/url] continued to fight at peak condition, using his equipment to drain and purify the blood of zombies to replenish his own magic, all the while swinging away without any sign of exhaustion. He still bled, though, like anyone else, and one tireless fighterwould not stall the onslaught. Things would be different if the survivors possessed heavy-duty equipment, but all they had in place of traps or turrets were [url=https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61U8jasFz1L._SY355_.jpg]pea-shooting plants[/url] tactically planted at key locations. They wouldn't last forever, either.

Leon let his head hang. Just when he thought he’d escaped that nightmare of a first day in Raccoon City, he turned up here to relive the horror again, only a hundred times stranger and worse. At first, it seemed like the group of survivors, with all its various strengths and abilities, would be able to truck on forever, but now that notion had long since died. More than a few of their number died with it, some even joining the enemy ranks in a bitter twist of irony. When they died, cut down by their foes or at their allies’ hands, they left those spirits behind. Even now, the one picked up by Leon moved ever-so-slightly in his pocket. The old [url=https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/left4dead/images/4/4e/Bill_Profile.png/revision/latest?cb=20091214031343]soldier[/url] had fought to the last, leaving the others to carry on his grit and determination. Pushing the painful thought aside, Leon steeled himself, and stood up to go and make his report.

In the [url=https://i1.sndcdn.com/artworks-000506110260-zdpb9y-t500x500.jpg]central hall[/url], a small crowd had already gathered to give their reports to the captain one after another. Tough as nails and boasting nigh-superhuman strength along with many years’ leadership experience and a streak of genuine humanity, [url=https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/astralchain/images/2/28/Astral_Chain_Maxmilian_Howard_Official_Render_%28reduced%29.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/310?cb=20190812060706]Max Howard[/url] had volunteered to take charge of the police station’s defense. It was a heavy burden, but he bore it gladly. Leon spotted [url=https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/residentevil/images/1/1f/Chara12wFnM_rev2.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/307?cb=20151221004448]Jill[/url], Louis, [url=https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/valkyria/images/7/75/VC4_Kai_Schulen.png/revision/latest?cb=20171127130310]Kai[/url], [url=https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/battleborn/images/d/d6/Render_Ghalt.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/350?cb=20160920093650]Ghalt[/url], [url=https://giantbomb1.cbsistatic.com/uploads/scale_medium/0/8169/965096-eddie_riggs___fist_of_rock_psd_jpgcopy.jpg]Eddie[/url], and [url=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9e/Fox_Mccloud.png]Fox[/url]. Since only the division leaders were supposed to regroup like this, most of the prominent fighters remained at their posts, but Leon saw the Black Mage and [url=http://assets.vg247.com/current//2014/01/dark_souls_2_zzz_Lucatiel-of-Mirrah.jpg]Lucatiel[/url] as well. Tensions were high, and spirits low. Leon wished he knew what he could say to lighten the atmosphere, but he was just a rookie. All he could do was head over to relate what happened in his sector.