[center][h3]Tora & Poppi[/h3]
[b]Level 8[/b] Tora (40/80) and [b]Level 8[/b] Poppi (18/80)
[b]Location:[/b] Sandswept Sky – Great Barrier
Primrose's [@Yankee], Fox's [@Dawnrider], Sectonia's [@Archmage MC] Midna's [@DracoLunaris], Heavy's [@ONL], Medic's [@Dr Lovecraft]
[b]Word Count:[/b] 1262[/center]

The gathered heroes, including the full roster of Phantom Thieves, pondered the best way to scale the towering prominence before them. First to interject with a suggestion was the Heavy, whose recent mention of assorted achievements up to and not including an honest-to-goodness PhD made bright ideas far more sensible to expect from him than first impressions might imply. The Dwarf, however, rejected the notion with a matter-of-fact shake of the head, as if he'd like to help but just couldn't. “Sorry lad, yer off by one dwarf. Me mate Gunner's got the zip line. My grapple ain't good for anythin' heavier'n me, and it ain't made to be climbed, either.”

Much how the good Doctor followed his minigun-toting friend into battle, so to did he follow the Heavy into the speculative realm. He put forward a solid notion of using the body of Vah Naboris itself, albeit one fraught with certain assumptions about how the Divine Beast worked. Based on what the rotund engineer Tora had seen so far of the Divine Beast's locomotive processes, he very much doubted that the mechanical creature could rear back to such an extent, or move precisely enough to avoid toppling over as its mighty weight fell upon just two of its legs. The final word for that came from Midna, essentially confirming his misgivings. Not wanting to feel left out, the Nopon quickly chimed in with his two cents on the twilight princess's final suggestion.

“Yeah, if there plenty of flying creatures around, friends could shoot down then eat spirits. Wings for everyone!”

With her arms crossed, Poppi shook her head. “That might not be such good idea.”

Tora placed his wings akimbo, on what manner of hips his egg-shaped body could hypothetically be said to have. “Why not? It work in End when fighting big meanypon dragon.”

“It not necessity there, so only two friends take spirits, and those have awful side effects. Remember how Linkle not bear looking at?” Judging by the look on Tora's face, he remembered keenly. “Besides,” Poppi continued, “We have Peach then to remove spirits. No such luxury here. And it not right to force fusions just because it easy solution. You eager for idea because you just rely on Poppi to fly and not fuse yourself.”

Nodding, Tora couldn't help but agree. “Meh, yes. Tora suppose you have point. But Tora have no idea how tame anything, let alone unknown monsters.” He discarded the idea, but quickly demonstrated there were more where it came from. “What about you, then? Poppi and Sec-Sec could carry everyone up, one at time.”

The Artificial Blade looked over those present. With the Phantom Thieves and the new mercenaries there were quite a few members of Yellow Team -sixteen in all by her count- but Tora's new strategy was possible. She couldn't help but wish the Courier remained with the team to help in such an endeavor, wondering with a touch of worry if the task might be more than she and spindly-armed Sectonia could handle. Catching them was one thing, but ferrying fourteen souls to the top of that gigantic obstruction, even from Vah Naboris...? “Maybe. Poppi worried that it tax ether furnace too much, leave Poppi depleted. That make Poppi unable to fight at best, shut down at worst.”

“Um, excuse me?”

Hearing the warning, Tora quickly changed his tune. “Meh, meh!? Nevermind! Poppi not need carry everyone.”

“Excuse me!”

Alibaba almost flinched at the influx of eyes falling on her, but she cleared her throat and began shakily. “Um. Uh. Joker was...I was just talking with Joker, about what I can do as Futaba's Persona. And I might be able to help.” She held her hand over her heart. “The form I was destined to take...I may not be able to go back, but I can definitely take you to greater heights with it. And it's not like I'm any help like this. Do you think...I should try it?”

Kneeling by Mona, Skull nudged him so as to not get anyone else's attention. “Hey buddy. Ya think you could do that -thing- again? Back when...”

“I was wondering if someone would bring that up, actually,” Mona hissed in a whisper. “But no, I don't think so. Not without some for-real desperation. And it wouldn't be big enough, anyway.” He shrugged, a gesture nigh-invisible beneath his comically oversized head.

Certain cramped memories filled Skull's mind. “Ooh yeah, that tracks. Ah, well.”

After hearing the exchange, Joker spoke up to assuage the others' concerns. “If she takes her Persona form, she'll be an enormous asset, and she would upon finding Futaba anyway. Odd as it might seem, there's actually no downsides.”

Barring any serious objections from anyone speaking up based on vague assumptions and lacking understanding, Alibaba proceeded. She squeezed shut her golden eyes and took a deep breath. “Sakura Futaba. Wherever you are. Know that I am thou, and...”

Panther interrupted her tentatively. “Um, if you're about to do what I think you are, shouldn't we go outside?”

A brief moment later everyone stood in the warmth of the late afternoon sun. Alibaba continued as if nothing had happened, although a little more strident in her tone. “Sakura Futaba, wherever you are! Know that I am thou, and thou art I.” Somehow the sky seemed to be growing a little darker, as if the color of the atmosphere enough were bending in unnameable ways. “You have not died, as you were told. Those cursed words, no more than a seething illusion. Neither illusions nor mysteries will deceive us any longer. Let us reopen the book of forbidden wisdom.” For a fleeting and baffling moment, the onlookers felt singularly sure that the clear, high voices of two girls reached them rather than one, and in absolute unity they cried out. “Persona!”

Alibaba disappeared in a wave of light and darkness. The dazzling, contradictory mass of leering colors and frothing energies began to spin, and from within the coalescing gyre came the lustrous gleam of metal. A moment more and the whole affair burst apart like flaring pixels, revealing a whirring [url=https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/megamitensei/images/1/1e/P5_Necronomicon.png]craft[/url] of futuristic design. “I am Necronomicon, the tome of dark secrets never meant for mankind's understanding, and I will navigate you through unknown planes,” declared the girl's voice, now digitized. A moment passed before the static sound of a cleared throat sounded out from the ship. “...But if you like, you can still call me Alibaba.”

Tora noted the size of the craft and nodded sagely, as if he had even a single clue about what just happened, which Poppi -herself rather stupefied- doubted to the extreme. As per usual, he ignored everything he didn't understand. “Awesome, meh! Now it should be easy to fly everyone to top of wall!” He glanced around, ready to get going. “Unless...Foxypon have better idea? Or people want to grab animal spirits, or explore?”

Wondering why Tora happened to be thinking about the available spirits so much, since none appeared to be to his particular tastes -or so she very much hoped- Poppi added, “Even with three carriers, back-and-forth take a while. There little time for looking around nearby ruins, probably.”

“Maybe there's treasure! Ooh, shiny gold and sparkly gems in hidden ruin vaults!” Tora sang. A rumbling cut through his opulent visions “Meeeh...or maybe spirits better after all. Tora not eat all day, poor stomach all rumbly-tumbly.” He glanced around furtively, wondering if anyone had packed food. The few pitiful rations he brought himself all somehow disappeared shortly after gaining the Divine Beast.

[center][h3]Edge of the Blue – Open Ocean[/h3]
Ace Cadet's [@Yankee], Sakura's [@Zoey Boey], Junior and Kamek's [@DracoLunaris], Hat Kid's [@Dawnrider], Geralt's [@MULTI_MEDIA_MAN], Frog's [@Dark Cloud][/center]

Ranger blinked as she heard Sakura's question, realizing something the next moment. “Oh, sorry, I never introduced myself. My name's Ranger. Although, I guess that does sound like a title, or a job. But it's really my name. I'm a teacher, which is good since, uh, as you probably saw, I'm not very strong.” She chuckled, holding up her hands. “But, I'm supposed to be retrofitted pretty soon, actually! New look, stronger gear. Maybe if they think I did a good job today they'll fast-track me.” She looked down with visible concern at her new metal parts, and tugged on one as if to pull the black iron from her body, to no avail. “...Hopefully this stuff doesn't get in the way. I really hope it comes off.”

Fully anticipating being left behind or even fired upon, Seaplane Tender listened with a grave expression as Kamek began to speak. As the seconds ticked by, however, her colorless face quickly turned to sympathy, even pity. Like him, she couldn't say for sure what her past had been or what exactly changed to bring her to where she stood now. Out of all the myriad explanations known and unknown she could only imagine that she had never had a heart until the very moment Sakura gave her one. But she did realize that Sakura had given her a second chance, a new life, and to spurn it would be to do her savior an irremediable disservice. 

As Kamek listed ways she could help she wanted to leap forward and grab them, babbling out promise after promise, but she kept her composure in check when faced with the sight of a former ally. That monstrous thing, without intelligence or reasoning, only the bare instincts needed to operate its weapons in an endless quest for slaughter. She struggled to picture it as anything else, but then again, hadn't she been in the same shoes moments ago, in spirit if not exact mentality? More easily she could picture her sisters, grim cold faces of ivory shrouded in black armor. If they could experience the freedom she did now, the Water Princess thought, then surely they should.

But her duty to those she had made to suffer came first. As Kamek finished, she bowed her head. “I understand, monsieur. I will help you however I can. There is much I can say about the Bottomless Sea and the Abyssal Fleet, though not as much as some of my sisters. If you and your friends would have me, I am yours.”

On board the Atomos, Sakura seemed to have reached a good condition, and quickly spread her good spirits around. She mentioned a meal, and allies not currently present. They meant to reunite, no doubt, and at the city Seaplane Tender antagonized for so long, its absolute and unconditional obliteration her sole purpose. Now Limsa Lominscuttle Town was much more than an objective. She wanted nothing more than to see all she'd been missing there, and go there with the heroes, but would they accept her? Would the people of Lima accept her?

Or would they tear her limb from limb?

After waiting for a break in the onboard conversation, she scooted up to the low-flying Atomos. “Um, um! Je vous demande pardon?” The Water Princess bonked her knees into the lip of the entryway and fell forward on her face, her hat rolling sideways. “Uf!” The ever-so-slight reddening of her pale features made clear her embarrassment as she struggled to get up, only to nearly stumble again. She stood on painfully wobbly legs, as if she'd never once set foot on a solid surface in all her days. Only the support of her tail, hanging over the edge into the water, kept her standing as she began to speak. “I am sorry to intrude! I just wanted to say, please let me come with you. I want to make up for...my evildoing. I can give you information or fight at your side. But...if Limsa people see me, things will probably, erm, not go well.” 

Her eyes lay on Ranger as she said this, prompting the shipgirl to realize something too. “Aw, nuts. They might not recognize me and shoot me too! Oh man, by my own friends...too horrible to think about.” She tugged on the white halfmask with renewed vigor, trying to pull it off, but quickly found it about as painful as trying to pull off a fingernail. The Water Princess, meanwhile, hesitated as she waited for someone's approval, whether to help in some way or just fully come inside so that the Atomos could pull away from the brine.

[hider=Abyssals on the Blue]
[b]Party:[/b] Sakura, Kamek, Bowser Junior, Geralt
[b]Encounter Reward:[/b] 8 EXP
[b]Spectator Bonus:[/b] Geralt
[b]Spectator Reward:[/b] 2 EXP
[i]Spectator Reward is given to a character who technically contributed little to the fighting but whose ruminations on other characters and activities were especially interesting, fun, and/or poignant[/i][/hider]
[b]Gains:[/b] Assorted Fading Abyssal Fleet spirits, Abyssal Fleet captives, freed Ranger, freed Water Princess, Abyssal tactical insight

[center][h3]Ms Fortune[/h3]
[b]Level 1[/b] Nadia (2/10)
[b]Location:[/b] Smash City Alcamoth → Limsa Lominscuttle Town
Blazermate's [@Archmage MC], Banjo & Kazooie's [@Dawnrider], Bowser's [@DracoLunaris], Sephiroth's [@ZAVAZggg]
[b]Word Count:[/b] 964[/center]

With Sephiroth's inquiries not really being her business, and Blazermate's initial response bearing the distinct overtones of launching into a longwinded explanation, Nadia took what might be her only chance to scram. She dashed around like greased lightning, sprinting past Alcamoth natives and off-duty mercenaries alike, in search of any kind of food that might sustain her antics for a while longer. In the Dead Zone determining the time of day managed to be a near-impossibility thanks for the ever-present oppressively dark cloud cover, so popping into a region with an actual sun shining not only made for a much-needed change of pace but also informed her that the day was well into the afternoon. All work and no lunch made for a crabby kitty, so as she rushed around she kept her eyes peeled for anywhere she might grab a decent bite to eat.

After reaching the second floor she spotted a restaurant immediately, only to balk at the name. “[i]Sushi Strikers[/i]!? Bleh!” Without so much as a paws the sporty cat continued, leaping straight over a startled Ness whose innocent eyes an appalled Val was quick to cover. In just a few short moments she plopped into a seat at promising [url=https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DAcTiBEXYAA_JxK.jpg]ramen shop[/url]. The place was packed and noisy, its patrons making no bones about enjoying themselves as they talked and ate, but the lady behind the counter clearly knew her stuff. Nadia read the menu like it was a set of terms and conditions. “One sea salt ramen, please!” she called after a moment, and with a nod the cook got to work. Nadia watched, transfixed, as her host's arms extended and whipped around, gathering and preparing ingredients like lightning. Practically before she knew it a hot bowl lay before her. “Holy meowly! Thanks, miss!” One frantic session of slurping later the cat burglar was ready to roll out. “Whew, that was great! I'll, uh, pay you later! Promise!” Leaving Min Min little choice in the matter, Nadia took off again, with just the rattle of her chopsticks against her bowl to mark her passage.

She found the others about where she left them, sliding to a stop just as Bowser started going over the planned route. For her part, Nadia planned to leave the details to him and follow wherever he trudged for the time being. After nodding when he asked if she wanted to tag along, she realized he wanted to head out immediately and raised her brows. “Wha-! Nyow? I barely got a chance to eat, and I doubt you guys did! Besides, I'm still caked with, like...bone dust and monster ash.” A note of displeasure entered her voice as she drew a finger across her belly, leaving a visible line in material clinging to her. She sighed. “I guess I could jump in the water when we get there.”

They headed off, with Bowser wasting little time when it came to making conversation. Nadia shrugged. “Well, teeeechnically I'm a feral buuuuut who am I kitten, catgirl works fine. As for the rest of me, that's the Life Gem for ya, baby! With its power runnin' though my veins, this kitty's never gonna die.” She crossed her arms, smiling. “Just as well too, 'cause I'm pretty sure that 'nine lives' stuff's a loada crap.” After a moment of quiet she busied herself studying her allies properly, noting their various quirks. A shield robot with underwears, a pretty yet menacing swordsman, and an aquatic-dragon-turtle...thing that honestly defied description. Her non-participation in Blazermate's little seminar stemmed partially from her basic familiarity with spirits already, and she guessed this group had partaken more than most. “So, this is whatcha get when you're cruisin' for a fusin', huh? Wouldn't mind a little mix-up myself, long as I get something out of it. That said, I don't think I wanna end up with tentacles.” She tugged at her crop top to get some bothersome particles out. “Can't see that goin' anywhere good.”

[hr]

[img]https://i.redd.it/ob3lwa17ej221.png[/img]

Brilliant sunshine and a warm breeze greeted Nadia as she exited the mystical Warp Graffiti into the seastack city of Limsa Lominscuttle Town. She stretched luxuriantly and took a deep, indulgent breath, savoring the salty, fishy smell that so reminded her of home. “Ahhhh, that's nice. If I never see that stinking dump again, it'll still be too soon. And finally, somewhere I'm dressed right for!” She trotted over to the railing of the Aetheryte Plaza, looking down into the sea, and clambered right on top of it. “Last one in's a rotten fish head! Wooooo!” She laughed as she dove, vanishing into the ocean blue with the smallest of splashes. For a moment there appeared no trace of her, until a bunch of assorted body parts floated to the surface. An [url=https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/038/835/992.png]onlooker[/url] yelled as she fell over in fear and surprise, and [url=https://play-lh.googleusercontent.com/KVwfvXUcEwz7PC2YE_YLx6i6WPHdOUSKg6npxiWwp0ai-Nx38ttn7UCHhoak3FWIzes]another[/url] honked in alarm, springing from the railing where it had been watching and sprinting away as fast as its sneakers could carry it. 

Nadia quickly pulled herself together before a crowd could form. “Aw, come on! It's can't have been ten seconds and there's already a scene.” She swam for the nearest dock and climbed up with the help of a [url=https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Froadtovrlive-5ea0.kxcdn.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F11%2Fa-fishermans-tale-2.jpg&f=1&nofb=1]fisherman[/url]. There didn't appear to be an immediate route back up to the others. “Rats. Guess I shoulda looked before I leaped.” She thanked the fisherman, then leaped back over the water. Jets of blood shot from her ankles and wrists, sending her upward in a visceral corkscrew that sent her high enough to lasso the railing with her own muscle fiber. From there a quick clamber brought her back to her friends, as well as a few horrified spectators. “What'd I miss?” Her fibers sucked back in with a [i]shlorp[/i]. “...Cat got your tongue?”

[center][h3]Frozen Highlands - Dragonspine Mountain[/h3]
[@Gentlemanvaultboy][/center]

Though cold held no sway over the Skullgirl, another uncomfortable, choking grasp had stolen over here, but this one her conviction could stamp down. With a Herculean effort the girl came to terms with herself as best she could, all things considered, and heaved herself to her feet. Her body needed no warmth, but purpose blazed brightly in her mind. Death itself loomed behind her, its growing shadow weighing down upon her back, but her duty lay before her. The more things changed, the more they stayed the same. Her compass dangled from her neck as she strode to the crystal-capped waypoint nearby, shifting softly as she clambered over the encroaching ice, and looked out over the land in which she found herself.

[center][img]https://esportsku.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/20201224104934.jpg[/img][/center]

The Skullgirl saw a landscape of snow and stone, its rocky outcroppings and occasional autumnal trees pockmarking a blanket of perennial snow stretching as far as the eye could see from northeast to south. The position of the sun above placed her facing northeast, meaning that the mountain itself blocked potential vistas of southerly or westerly regions, but to the north she could see the dark, broodily restless surface of a frigid ocean beyond a [url=https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/448483925741273341/DAFBE7A70BC7C49EFC0F49EEC69E742DBD0894AB/?imw=1024&imh=576&ima=fit&impolicy=Letterbox&imcolor=%23000000&letterbox=true]beauteous coast[/url]. Rivers she could see winding across the area, into and out of various pools and ponds, sported icy platforms atop briskly running water, being for the most part unfrozen themselves.

For all the viciousness of its biting windchill, the land appeared to be far from lifeless. From her overlook the Skullgirl could get a good look at [url=https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/arksurvivalevolved_gamepedia/images/7/7a/Woolly_Rhino_1.png]wooly rhinos[/url], [url=https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/arksurvivalevolved_gamepedia/images/5/58/Render_Megaloceros.png]giant deer[/url], a pack of [url=https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/arksurvivalevolved_gamepedia/images/f/f4/DirewolfTLC.jpg]dire wolves[/url], and friendly-looking [url=https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/temtem_gamepedia_en/images/b/b0/Tateru_idle_animation.gif]rodents[/url]. A distant crashing drove her gaze to ice fields a ways off, and there her crimson gaze found the outline of an even [url=https://samurai-gamers.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/gamuut.png]greater beast[/url]. In the same instant, however, she could see a plume of spoke...several, even. They led down to solid chimneys atop man-made structures in what could only be a village, sparkling with a warm glow.