[center][h3]Tora & Poppi[/h3]
[b]Level 8[/b] Tora (73/80) and [b]Level 8[/b] Poppi (46/80)
[b]Location:[/b] Sandswept Sky - Sweet Canyon - Parnasse
Primrose's [@Yankee], Fox's [@Dawnrider], Sectonia's [@Archmage MC] Midna's [@DracoLunaris], Yoshitsune's [@Rockin Strings], Red’s [@TheDemonHound], Laharl’s [@Dark Cloud]
[b]Word Count:[/b] 806[/center]

Tora found the occupants of the honeypot on the uncommunicative side, so after a quick exchange of pleasantries he hauled himself back up with Poppi’s help. Once back in his regular sitting position, he noticed that there appeared to be a storm a-brewing up ahead. Clouds of sand dancing on the wind had been ever-present since entering the appropriately named Sandswept Sky, but this one left the rest behind. It stretched from the desert floor hundreds of feet into the air, less a cloud and more a wall, and it was really moving--it billowed and whirled with remarkable speed. And the tracks led right for it. “Uhh…”

As if on cue, shouts from Gnorbu belted out of the intercoms in the third and fourth train cars, though Tora and Poppi were near enough to the engine to hear the ‘pet outright. Drawn by his voice, they also saw for the first time that both the merchant and the engineer sported ropes tied around their middles. “Everyone brace yourselves!” Gnorbu called. “We’ve got an upswell ahead, right over Hollow Heights! Normally we tie the stuff we transport down, but today’s a special case, so hold onto something if you don’t want to fly! And believe me, you don’t wanna sail away over Hollow Heights! ...And despite my joking tone, I am deadly serious, so buckle up, for real!”

Though a little on the nervous side already, Tora chuckled. “Aha, well, at least we not need worry, right Poppi?”

His companion’s brows narrowed as she zoomed in on the storm ahead of them. “If wind really strong and sand thick, Poppi may not be able to find or catch if Masterpon go flying.” 

Tora winced, his nervous laugh back in full force, and focused forward. The train bore down on the upswell with surprising speed, too much speed really; it seemed like he barely got any time to mentally prepare himself at all before the swirling chaos loomed right in front of him. He gulped and rolled into his stomach to wrap his wings around the honeypot, while Poppi -less than confident herself- grabbed the back of his overalls. Inexorable as death, all-devouring the wall of sand raced toward them. It swallowed the engine, then the second car, and the duo were inside.

A scream tore free from Tora’s throat as he hurled from the honeypot, ripped away by the sheer force of the wind. Poppi hurtled away right behind, her grip on Tora’s clothes locked tighter than a drum. Only after a moment did her processors kick in and she twisted to right herself, thrusters at full power against the overwhelming wind. Luckily she could see inside the storm just fine, with everything darker and yellower than normal but otherwise pretty much fully visible, and thanks to that she could orient herself toward the train and boost its way with everything she could muster. She fought the wind with every ounce of energy her Ether Furnace put out, and still for the few terrifying moments her hand stretched for the edge of the caboose it didn’t seem like she was going to make it. Her hair flapped like mad, her furnace burned, and something big missed her by centimeters as it flew by. Finally she managed to bring her fist around literally punch into the train car’s bronze piecrust, making a handhold she could lock into. Necronomicon had a similar idea, holding onto the third train car for dear life with all of her tentacles. Tora wailed the entire time, and only after securing herself did Poppi realize she’d been screaming too. When she actually looked around, she could scarcely blame Tora, either.

To either side of the tracks the ground had fallen away. The train was racing on a bridge of iron girders across an immense hole in the ground, with no bottom visible no matter how deep Poppi looked. To her surprise, the edge of the hole were not sheer cliffs, but stacks upon stacks of girders, struts, and columns holding up the ground, with sand piled high at the edges and spilling over in places like waterfalls. The supports extended into the darkness beneath the ground in every direction as far as she could see. ‘Hollow Heights’, she realized, truly did not do this place justice. From the infinite depths the freakish winds welled up, dancing like manic revellers and piping through the miles of rusted supports like some insane god. It took a little while for Tora to tire himself out and quiet down, but his wild heartbeat never slowed, and Poppi never unlocked her grip. She couldn’t feel any elation at having narrowly escaped death--not when she remembered that thing that nearly hit her earlier. Together with Necronomicon they sailed behind the train like a bizarre flag, and waited out the storm.

[center][h3]Ms Fortune[/h3]
[b]Level 3[/b] Nadia (18/30)
[b]Location:[/b] Black Bay
Blazermate's [@Archmage MC], Bowser's [@DracoLunaris], Ace Cadet's [@Yankee], Hat Kid's [@Dawnrider], Sakura's [@Zoey Boey], Frog's [@Dark Cloud]
[b]Word Count:[/b] 1544[/center]

[center][hider=For Link]You have Acquired:
Armor Plate x2 - [i]A specially crafted plate of metal. Once attached to someone’s gear, all non-critical damage will be rerouted to it instead of the wearer, until the armor breaks. If not totally broken, its remaining durability can be added to with additional armor plates[/i]
[url=https://www.gamersglobal.de/sites/gamersglobal.de/files/galerie/2811/1_3DS_Steel%20Diver%20Sub%20Wars_Artworks_18.jpg]Toy Submarine[/url] - [i]a replica submarine with no special qualities[/i]
[url=https://i.imgur.com/7eXVqGY.png]Swimming Trunks[/url] - [i]a common piece of male swimwear, gray and purple[/i]
[url=https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/pokemon-uranium/images/3/3f/Bag_Black_Glasses_Sprite.png]Black Glasses[/url] - [i]a held item that boosts the power of Dark-type moves by 20%[/i]
[url=https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/dragalialost_gamepedia_en/images/7/70/204005001.png]Raging Fang[/url] x2 - [i]a tooth permeated with deadly mana, and useful for crafting strong weapons[/i][/hider][/center]

No sooner did the Harbor Demon Princess appear than the nearest couple dozen shipgirls turn their weapons her way, too galvanized by fear and instinct to realize that was just what their enemy wanted. A voice roared over the Navy communications using one of the Commander-level override lines. “Don’t forget the small ones!” whoever it was bellowed. “They’ll slaughter you up if you focus on the Demon!” Still, the new threat could not be brushed aside. Everyone who could turned their weapons’ the monsters way. In reply the Demon lifted up one of her oversized arms for use as a shield to protect her head and chest. Exploding shells and sprayed bullets made quick work of her sodden sleeve, but dealing damage to the arm itself presented a challenge. As solid as rock and without the propensity to chip, the hardened flesh of her arm soaked up all the punishment the Navy could dole out like it was nothing. Unfazed, her main cannon adjusted the last few degrees, and fired.

A couple hundred feet from the Jackdaw the ocean exploded as if a bomb had gone off just beneath the surface. With a grunt of annoyance the Harbor Princess started adjusting her aim. The waves from the giant shot rocked the Admiral’s boat, giving wings to the feet of the deckhands as they raised anchor and unfurled sail so that the ship might get in motion. The thunderous sound that rolled across the water roused Nadia from the stupor in which she clung to Blazermate’s dispenser like a hungry kitten to a pant leg, soaking up the healing she desperately needed as she shut everything else out. For a moment she was possessed by the fear that Shippy had been shot, but after determining that she was still alive, she let her breath out and pulled her claws out of the dispenser casing.

She stood, having forgotten about her missing piece, and promptly fell over. Just in time Link appeared and tossed the lost segment of her leg onto the deck. With a gasp of relief she seized the part she’d given up on and slapped it back into place. “Oh, thanks a million! And yeah, pretty much.” Now that she was healed she could was finally pulling back all the scattered blood she lost and not feeling quite so woozy. With her restored senses she could remind herself of the situation now facing the crew. Even though they were on the cusp of getting away, an immense new foe had shown herself, and heroes couldn’t exactly leave their allies for dead. Nadia watched Kamek and his clones cooperate to prepare a doozy of a spell, charging a radiant orb of light wreathed in colorful shapes. Though busy directing her seaplanes for defense, Ranger took a moment to send a warning of her radio for the Navy girls, already wary of getting too close to the Demon’s giant mitts, to clear the way for incoming ordnance. 

With Sakura and Link doing their best to keep Abyssals away from the boat, and covering fire from both Shippy and the Atomos, the Koopas completed their sorcery to make manifest a brilliant ball of destruction. The boat rocked, and Nadia’s hair and cat ears blew back as the orb rocketed over the water. It annihilated the Abyssal seaplanes in its way and struck the Harbor Demon’s arm in an explosion of magical power. She roared in pain, and her guard with down, with good hand clutching the impact point on the other. Behind her the weapons platform went berserk and for a few moments fired wildly with every cannon at its disposal. The Navy took the chance to get some damage in, but all too soon the Harbor Demon composed herself once more and switched to her good arm hand for defense. Worse still, she registered the little ship and flying craft on the left side of the battle to be a threat.

With the cracked hand she seized another handful of Abyssals and hurled them across the bay. Nadia yowled and jumped behind a cannon to take potshots at the incoming monsters, but a couple dozen Abyssals splashed down both around and on the ship. One of the more fishlike things landed directly on her turret and lunged at her head, but she ejected the head just in time and her foe’s its teeth closed around nothing. Her hands flew up to catch her head, then slam it down between the Abyssal’s eyes. “Fore!” A quick backhand knocked the stunned critter into the drink, but when she saw the next monster flying in, she knew she couldn’t sit back down. “Whoa!” She dove to the side as a [url=https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/kancolle/images/4/44/Transport_Ship_Wa-Class_Elite_Full.png]Wa-class Transport[/url] slammed down like a wrecking ball, bending one cannon barrel like a straw just before leaving a crater in the deck. Instantly the Abyssal’s pod opened wide to release a bevy of Imps, which on a symbolic level distressed Nadia immensely. “W-what the hell!?” If she could make a move before they spread out, though, she might be able to wipe out the whole problem in one go. Dramatic tension coursed through her; it was time for a show.

She flashed her claws and lunged forward as Blazermate’s turret lit the new enemies up. “Furserker Purrage!” Her limbs became a blur as she dealt slice after slice after, catching up entire packs of Imps and carrying them along in the combo. Not meant to take continuous damage like this, the Imps got torn to ribbons. It all culminated in a driving headbutt, her rigid ears made into stabbing points, that slammed the leftover Imps into the Wa-class and pushed the monster right to Shippy’s edge. For a moment the rotund Abyssal teetered on the edge, but just as it brought its cannons around Peach flew up behind it and fired off her scatterboom mid-flip. She landed with a flourish as the Wa-class burned and died behind her, but Nadia darted past to deal the enemy a parting kick anyway. As its half-dissolved bulk rolled into the water, the feral rounded on the princess. “You’re back! Thank goodness, I thought you weren’t gonna make it out there.”

“Me? You guys were getting messed up when I left.” She sidestepped as Destroyer thrown onto the deck let loose a couple wild shots while floundering, then hurried over to smash the thing with the butt of her gun. A To-class clambered up onto the deck only to see both ladies run toward it. Nadia went low and extended a double high kick while Peach threw herself at the monster rear-first. “Ha-CHA!” With a roar the Abyssal hurled away in a burst of weird hearts, its reckless shots bursting against the water. Peach straightened up and brushed a strand of loose hair into place. “Anyway. Everyone! I managed to get some spirits from the supply line. All Navy, rest their souls.” She opened a very pink pouch to reveal five spirits: [url=https://azurlane.koumakan.jp/w/images/thumb/1/12/Chicago.png/435px-Chicago.png]Chicago[/url], [url=https://azurlane.koumakan.jp/w/images/thumb/4/4c/Northampton.png/800px-Northampton.png]Northampton[/url], [url=https://azurlane.koumakan.jp/w/images/e/e4/Mikuma.png]Mikuma[/url], [url=https://azurlane.koumakan.jp/w/images/thumb/e/e7/Jamaica.png/542px-Jamaica.png]Jamaica[/url], and [url=https://azurlane.koumakan.jp/w/images/a/ae/Trento.png]Trento[/url]. “If worst comes to worst, the rest of you can fuse and get out that way.” She frowned as Nadia’s face fell. “What’s wrong?”

As gingerly as she could in an active warzone, Nadia took the spirit of Northampton. “This girl...I saw her yesterday, at the game. She was on a date. She was happy.” 

Peach averted her gaze to the Harbor Demon. She had tried to show some dignity, but what she saw made her eyes widen. There was no time to mourn. “Um, I’m sorry, but we’ve got a situation. That thing’s aiming at US NOW!”

She panicked as the Demon fired, and the shot hit the water so close to the ship that the resulting wave both drenched the ship and nearly capsized it. Blazermate’s turret and dispenser tumbled into the sea, with Nada right after them. She made a spur-of-the-moment decision and absorbed the shipgirl spirit like Peach before her, but transformed a moment after she hit the water and got wet anyway.

[center][hider=For Nadia]Notable Spirit Consumed:
[b][url=https://azurlane.koumakan.jp/w/images/thumb/4/4c/Northampton.png/800px-Northampton.png]Northampton[/url][/b]
The host has gotten just a little less lanky, and her skin tone a little peachier. Her platinum-blonde hair is longer, covering one eye, streaked with plum purple, and blue on the inside. There’s a black bow in her hair, and her visible eye is bright green with a barely-visible slitted pupil. Her top no longer goes over the shoulder, relying on straps, and is a little lower cut with a white star on one side. She’s also wearing shiny red boots and gloves that extend up her limbs a ways, and has a Navy tattoo on her left thigh. The host is less upbeat and talkative. This spirit confers the Power [b]Ship Shape[/b], giving Nadia articulate rigging worn on her hips that takes the form of two arms Both arms have small cannon batteries at their extremities and a bladed branch at the midpoints. As long as the rigging is equipped, she can skate along the surface of water. This spirit also confers the Weakness [b]Oil Cost[/b], rendering all new powers and equipment moot if Nadia runs out of oil.[/hider][/center]

A monster nearly got its jaws around her before Nadia was on her feet. For a moment she marveled at being able to float on top of the water, but no longer. Shippy hadn’t capsized, but it had been way too close a call for comfort. Thanks to the Harbor Princess’s attention, there was a fresh crop of Abyssals preventing Shippy’s escape, and the next big shot might not miss. She skirted around to hide behind Shippy, dodging Abyssal fire easily. Nadia fired her cannons for the first time a marauding Destroyer and slid backward across the water from the recoil. When it caught up and jumped at her she instinctively blocked with her rigging before she plunged the other double blade into its eye. As it dissolved she couldn’t help but smile. Not only did this machinery respond like a part of her body, but its metal bit into the armor of the Abyssals way easier than her claws could. Unfortunately, her new boots and gloves covered a few separation points, and her hair made it hard to see from one eyes, so she quickly clawed them up while on the move. “Alright, back in the game.” With this, she could really do her part.

[center][h3]Edge of the Blue - Luma Pools[/h3]
[@Potemking][/center]

As Elliot settled down to relax, he spotted the tube-beast once again, floating around the lake with purpose. He elected not to bother it for the time being, but watching it made for an amusing distraction from bothersome sounds, since while the creature seemed to be hunting, its physiology gave it a tough time. Since speed was obviously not its forte, the animal remained as still as possible to wait for fish to blunder close. Neither particularly intelligent or observant, the fish swam into range now and again, but when the tube-beast lunged for them its bulbous shape suffered from water resistance. Many times it splashed down only to come up empty-handed, or empty-mouthed, as the case was. Nevertheless persistence won out in the end, and the ludicrous predator eventually snagged a [url=https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/subnautica/images/2/2a/Airsacmodel.png]weird-looking critter[/url] that resembled a living airbag. Sure enough, it let loose a pronounced [i]fpppppptt[/i] when ruptured, revealing that not only did its bladder contain real air, but that the harmless-looking tube-beast had sharp teeth in there somewhere. It chowed down on the spot, clearly hungry but far from satisfied.

After a bit, Elliot’s wandering gaze picked up something inbound from the northern river. To his surprise, he discovered a much larger and more fearsome creature that appeared to be a [url=https://www.models-resource.com/resources/big_icons/12/11169.png]blue and gold sea serpent[/url]. With struts forming the rough shape of a boat and actual oars jutting from each side, it made for a bizarre amalgamation of creature and craft, but the way it moved its head and vicious-looking claws prevented any doubt that it was alive. The tube-beast, still bobbing for a meal, remained oblivious as the ship-shaped serpent paddled closer and closer. When it finally noticed and let out a cry, it was far too late for the ponderous thing to get away, but instead of fleeing it swam closer. With noise somewhere between a croon and a growl the serpent bent down and nuzzled the smaller creature. After the two shared a moment, the parent banked sideways to reveal a cache of freshly dead fish stashed in its ‘hull’. The young one made a joyful sound and stuck its head through to start munching. Through it all, the two did not seem to react to Elliot’s presence, other than the parent turning a bright blue eye full of menace toward him for a moment. [i]Just you try something,[/i] it seemed to dare him. 

Provided he did not, and wasn’t satisfied with lying as still as possible in the sun, the Luma Pools still offered plenty to divert him. A rustle of branches nearby caught the attention of the Ukazeer and Ukabi both, and a moment later a [url=https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/donkeykong/images/2/2a/Lanky_kong.png]funny-looking orangutan[/url] in overalls swung out into the open, one hand on his vine and the other on a bunch of bananas. After a final cautionary look behind him, the new arrival began to pull of bananas one at a time and eat them with gusto. He got so into it that he just about fell off his branch in fright when a [url=https://www.nomanssky.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/creatures-2-vents-1080.jpg]outcropping[/url] in the lake blasted forth a noisy stream of superheated water. The pressure died down a moment later, but now that Elliot’s attention had been drawn to the unusual formation, he could see crystals shining on its outside.

[center][h3]Edge of the Blue - Creature Beach[/h3]
[@Zavazggg][/center]

Newly replenished by the delectably sanguine vintage within her now empty tincture, Sephiroth set out across the peaceful beach to reach higher ground. Judging by the position of the sun in the sky, it was getting to be later in the morning, which bode ill for one unaccustomed to wasting time with long rest. Just how long had she been out? Still, whatever happened last night, and despite the pitiable state she’d woken up in, she felt never better at the moment. She felt as if she could jump a couple hundred feet, sprint a dozen miles, or wipe the floor with the entire snickering lot of those blasted courtiers in a single sitting--the Blood was just that good. Long after the last drop disappeared its sumptuous tang hung around, filling her with pep. And since there was no time to lose, she directed her newfound energies to finding a way to go.

As with most seasides, the coastal land steadily slopes upward the farther Sephiroth went. Her eyes lay on a stony prominence that overlooked Creature Beach, the twisted palm atop it a lone sentinel staring back at the buried leviathan below. Getting up there presented no challenge, but once she attained that height, Sephiroth found quite the view stretched out around her. In one direction lay the ocean blue, ashimmer in the sun’s brilliant rays. It went on as far as the eye could see, with just a few islands here and there breaking the mold. Many of the little islands seemed inhabited, with a couple quaint houses apiece. Far to the south, across a good few miles of mixed land and water thanks to undulated coastline, she could see the piers towers of Limsa Lominscuttle Town. In the lowlands toward the southeast she could see mists swirling among the hanging branches of cypresses, willows, and mangroves--the outermost edge of the nightmare realm she penetrated and escaped from just a scant few hours ago. Directly east, the land continued to rise, turning to grassland and scattered forests, then to mountains. More foliage awaited to the north, although red and pink a ways off suggested a different variety.

When not focused on the big picture, Sephiroth could spot a couple points of interest. Situated in a clearing to the northeast she found a [url=https://i.imgur.com/ym2lcQW.png]rustic village[/url] of thatch rooves and masoned stone. Unlike with the island houses offshore, however, she could detect the movement of people between the structures. Farther up the beach she also happened to spot what appeared to be a [url=https://images.gamewatcherstatic.com/screenshot/image/3/73/213753/00006601.jpg]sprawling temple[/url] amid the shoals. All in all, nothing that particularly jumped out as a quick route to power, but ample opportunities for someone willing to make the most of things.