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[img]https://i.postimg.cc/L5r26P82/Star-Fox-Final.png[/img]

[color=5edaf6]Level:[/color] 5 (16 -> 18/50)
[color=5edaf6]Location:[/color] Sandswept Sky - Sweet Canyon
[color=5edaf6]Word Count:[/color] 926 (+2 EXP)
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With the threat of machines and the Molduga behind them (right behind them in the latter case, forcing forward progression), Yellow Team continued onward at ease, slackening to a more manageable pace to allow those who needed it to catch their breath. Thankfully, most of them had the stamina for it--a benefit undercut by the need for certain others to recover their mana as well. They would see their moment’s rest once they reached the end of the tunnel, they hoped, foreshown by the nightlight visibly shining through in the near distance. They followed the beacon of moon rays along the train tracks until its boards were replaced with wafers, its rails with hardened chocolate, and up to the point when they made for open space again to get a good look at why.

Everything, from the flora, to the fauna, ‘man-made’ structures like the station they were in, and even down to the weather phenomena were seemingly all of a confectionery makeup. From what world a fully edible(?) biome and elements thereof was something that occurred naturally, Fox couldn’t so much hazard a guess. He could practically feel a toothache coming on just to behold it. It was a good thing one couldn’t get cavities just from looking, or else he might have been the first among the relatives of canine-kind to find out if they even could. At any rate, desserts may very well have been the preferable theme to any theoretical alternatives, for all he knew--like say, meats and/or vegetables. The thought, however, didn’t cross his mind; perhaps for the better. From the looks of it, the area stood no less a chance of greeting the party with dangers and hostility regardless, the breadth of which were now slightly more difficult to predict.

At Poppi’s mention of picking up an auditory distress signal, Fox made his own attempt to hone in on its source via his headset. In receiving nothing through communications, he at least ruled that out as a possibility, and concluded simply that it was something they would have to attend to personally, as would have ultimately been the case anyway. He concurred with Primrose on the initiative taken by Midna to go investigate, but before he could set off in tow, Joker demanded Fox’s ear. At his beckoning, Fox approached and lent him his attention.

The Phantom leader quietly voiced his concern about the physical and magical exhaustion of his teammates, wanting foremost for a solution to that before prolonging their day’s expedition much more, stifling any compulsion he might have otherwise had to explore. He agreed that prioritizing search and rescue was in order, suspecting it would be beneficial in finding their way--possibly to accommodations. Fox co-opted this, volunteering Yellow Team to take point in the meantime in consideration of the Thieves’ conditions, adding that he would too keep his eyes and earpiece open in lookout for the missing Persona of their group. As Midna had gotten them a head start on the next step of their journey, their marching order was already halfway established, and summarily agreed upon.

Just as they were about to set off, a new face--not the friendliest of which they’d seen--showed itself, belonging to what appeared to be a grim, aberrant humanoid, and approached with questions rather than the hostility that her appearance would suggest. Poppi and Joker stepped in to mediate at the first sign of aggressive response and offered the hooded wanderer a place among the pack for as long as she needed it, provided she remained on peaceful terms. All she asked in turn was that they provide any information they had on an apparent nemesis of hers: [color=ed1c24]“a real bastard of a wolf.”[/color] Doubtful were the odds that she and Fox were thinking of the same person, but in the ever unlikely case that they were, he’d not soon indulge her that. That was a fight for [i]him[/i], and rivalries were something to be shared with no one, especially overeager unfamiliars with expressly violent intentions.

With the matter provisionally handled the party pressed on, guided by Midna’s tracks, trusting she would lead them true. They hit their first snag when Ryuji--as all in earshot learned his name to be, thanks to Panther’s involuntary tongue slip--found himself encased in a flash-hardened candy shell. It wasn’t so dense, however, as to require anything large of one’s own fists to break it down, so Fox pitched in with a rapid, standing flurry of kicks to free Skull, rather than turning a firearm on him to the same effect. They continued onward from there, carefully watching for more traps along the way, but it wasn’t long before Tora’s appetite created another problem for them (but mostly him), revealing yet another previously unaccountable danger of the sweet wilds.

[color=5edaf6]“Nobody else eat anything here!”[/color] Fox ordered with a sigh while Mona and any other available healers attended Tora, the Medic perhaps being strangely qualified to deal with such a matter on account of a certain… unique experience with the opposite occurrence (animating pastries, rather than pastrifying living matter). He had expected such a caution would go without saying, considering not that enticing the sweet tooths of the unwary might have been the point of this place. In need of some better news, Fox attempted to contact Necronomicon, hoping for a response and update of any kind from her to let him know that she was still with them in some way. [color=5edaf6]“You there? Come in!”[/color] He requested simply, not expecting anyone else but the Persona to answer.