[center][h3]Poppi and Big Band[/h3]

Level 8 Poppi (65/80) and Level 2 Big Band (3/20)
[b]Location:[/b] Sandswept Sky - Al Mamoon
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] 1341[/center]

The temple of the Grimleal, the acolytes within, the draconic monster above the altar, and just about everything to do with the three lieutenants combined to leave one big bad impression, but Poppi tried to keep an open mind. Everything indicated by both palace news and marketplace chatter indicated that things in the city were generally good, after all. It wasn’t as if they’d strolled into a city under the thumb of tyrannical oppression, after all, and it didn’t sound like Al Mamoon’s actual monarch really did her job, anyway. Poppi couldn’t help but see a pattern of indolence and mismanagement when thinking about both Queen Lowlah and Parnasses’ Fat Princess, but what it could mean she had no idea. So too was the artificial blade uncertain about the matter directly ahead of her: the conflict between the Grimleal and the Resistance. Common sense dictated that any dissident faction, however noble their purpose, could name themselves whatever they pleased, but given the unadulterated villainy exuded by this place, Poppi didn’t think she could be blamed for jumping to conclusions.

Big Band inclined his head at the Grimleal, offering them a little in the way of respect. “They call me Big Band. Howdy-do?” Despite that, similar thoughts to Poppi’s ran through his head. In the world of politics things were rarely clean-cut, and the reality of this situation could be any number of things that made terms like ‘evil’ and ‘good’ naive labels. Maybe ‘evil’ held sway and ‘good’ sought to strike back with guerilla tactics. Maybe this really was like politics and neither side was particularly ‘good’. Or maybe the vizier and his Grimleal were actually working for the common good, albeit with severe image issues, and violent insurrectionists were employing a virtuous facade like Ciella suggested. To her Band paid special attention, and not just because she rivaled his height even without her ears, or how made that strange outfit work, or how she leaned on hips disinclined toward deception. Out of the three lieutenants she was the both the most outspoken and outwardly warlike, having spelled out her disdain for the deceitful. The venom with which she despaired of them gave Band a bead on her as someone steered by extreme principles, whether they led her down the road of good or ill.

But however any of the lieutenants felt or whatever they expected of their new visitors, Band was not a mercenary, soldier, or crusader. In this world there was no New Meridian Police Department or Anti-Skullgirl Labs. He was just a detective, one who wanted to know the score, and to steer clear of ideological pitfalls. [i]One truth prevails.[/i] Having heard the trio’s opening, he started working on some questions.

Midna got there first, offering a little wisdom. Band wondered if such a thing had truly not occurred to Ciella, or if she instead simply desired to move ahead with the conviction that she knew for certain what must be done. Maybe these Grimleal had been expecting allies who would not question what they were told, but from the brief time he’d already spent with this group, Band figured that wouldn’t be the case. Fox wasted little time making it clear that neither he nor the group he spoke for shared the Grimleal’s gung-ho attitude just yet. That did not elicit any happiness among the lieutenants, although when Primrose extended them a little courtesy the two men gave slight bows and Ciella tossed her hair. Taking into account her concerns along with the others, Ciella started from the top. “Correct,” she told Midna. “These perjurers are not your everyday fare. Like us they number comparatively few, but they possess speed, strength, and strong bonds. They huddle together in the shadows like vipers, unburdened by guilt or remorse as they lash out indiscriminately, and call it justice.”

Crossing his arms, Azwel sneered. “It takes no small amount of gall to stand in the way of progress, but they have gall to spare. Though they consort with a number of petty criminals, the core group numbers almost two dozen, as best we can gather, and they are no weaklings. Our acolytes can seldom stand up to their attacks, and the officials out on royal business throughout the city fare even worse. They seek to make examples of any who cooperate with the Vizier or the Grimleal. Their impudence is such that they even challenge our Ruin Sentinels without fear!”

“In terms of specific charges…” Kan-Ra murmured, reading a scroll he retrieved from his person. “The obstruction of justice. Aiding and abetting known criminals. Harassment, assault, and theft against both civilians and city officials. Slander and disturbance of the peace, destruction of private and city property, sabotage of public utilities, and so on, and so forth. All in the name of freeing the city from perceived corruption, a corruption so virulent that they’re able to justify a crime against whomever they please.”

“An utter farce,” Ciella spat. “Made possible only through intimidation and anonymity. It’s past time we laid their wild delusions bare for all to see.” She shifted her weight onto her other hip as she regarded Primrose. “Their goal is greed and aggrandizement. Tearing down what the Vizier has built up. Ours is the preservation of order, the greatness of the nation, and truth--Grima’s truth.”

Kan-Ra put away his scroll and clasped his hands behind his back as Azwel stepped away to speak to an acolyte. “Their abilities are numerous and difficult to quantify,” he explained further. “Some wield the arcane arts, others weapons both familiar and strange. Guns, mechanical augments, explosive magic, dark magic, and unnatural shouts are just a few.” 

At that point only Fox’s question remained, causing Ciella to huff. “Their hideouts are hidden within the city,” she told him without answering his question. “To avoid alerting the deceivers we cannot divulge their location beforehand. When the time comes, we’ll guide you ourselves.”

Taking an opening, Big Band observed, “Hideouts, plural. You mentioned three groups. That means three locations. Am I right in guessin’ you wanna give ‘em all the one o’clock jump and take ‘em all at the same time?” Ideologic rhetoric aside, he made a mental note about ‘Grima’s truth’ but said nothing for now.

“That is correct, and the most vital part of the plan,” Kan-Ra confirmed. “We believe that this group revolves around an extremely charismatic leader. And they don’t know we have their scent yet, you see. They’ve been giving us the run-around so long that they’ve grown lax. But if we struck down just one hideout and failed to apprehend the leader, they will disappear for good and we will have squandered our opportunity. Thus, we hope to topple the Resistance in one fell swoop. We only needed the proverbial muscle to do it.” He pulled his wrinkled, sunken lips back to give an unnerving grin. 

Poppi processed everything she’d learned from the exchange. “This conflict very complicated,” she said at length. “Maybe others not feel same way, but Poppi need time to think and get ready. There also other members of team not here right now, so need talk to them too. That okay?”

Returning from his conference with his underlings, Azwel held his arms up in dramatic fashion. “Why of course! Before taking the stage, each actor must be at their best, and we must not be without our full cast. Though our lovely Ciella is oh-so-eager, rest assured we can wait until the time is ripe.”

The masked woman looked annoyed. “You drive me to despair…” she muttered, ear twitching. 

“I cannot blame you if you doubt us…” Kan-Ra’s tone made him sound more sorrowful than he looked by a long shot. “But the streets of Al Mamoon will surely show you the truth behind our words. You need only look and listen to see what we have accomplished, and what the so-called Resistance has wrought.” All together, the three lieutenants bowed farewell, some a little stiffer than others. “I hope to see you again soon.”

Individual questioning could follow, but Band figured he had everything he needed for now, and so turned to leave after Poppi. He had to stop himself sighing in relief; his head was just about ringing from all the echoes in this place.

[center][hider=Big Band Level Upgrade]New Power:
[b]Sound Stun[/b]
Once per combo, Band can release a sound-based follow up attack on any instrumental hit that will momentarily leave his opponent paralyzed, allowing him to string together a longer, more damaging combo or open his foe up to allies[/hider][/center]

[center][h3]Al Mamoon - Palatial Gallery[/h3]
[@Zoey Boey][/center]

The masked guards, nonplussed by the authority their visitor claimed, looked between one another. Had she only told them that the museum was being robbed they might have told her to take a hike in reply, but the additional details gave them pause. They’d only just admitted the very suspect that Jesse described, after all, and clearly her mention of the paranormal crime spree plaguing Al Mamoon did not fall on deaf ears. Above all, she told them something they could immediately put to the test. One guard turned away from the parautilitarian and pressed the button to open the mechanical gate, but after a moment of mechanical whining the machine barked out a sharp, strident note of failure. Confused, the guard tugged on the gate itself and received only a wrought-iron rattle in protest. It wasn’t just stuck to the ground at the point where the gate’s runner touched it, but somehow conjoined, as though they’d been made into one contiguous object.

That, the guards knew, was not normal. While his fellow looked his way in bafflement, the other guard nodded at Jesse. Despite her appearance she’d made it apparent she was someone to be relied on in this matter. “You speak true,” he told her in an odd, trilling voice. “This man must still be inside the forward gallery. We can fly you into the garden courtyard to intercept him.” He and the other Koppa Tengu flapped their wings to take to the air, outstretching their hands. “Let us hurry.”

What followed was a quick, if not comfortable, flight around the more realistic, normal portion of the museum toward the bizarre, Escher-esque amalgamate of patterned golden blocks that formed its bulk. Between the two clashing structures lay an outdoor rock garden, complete with neatly-trimmed hedges and small trees. On one end lay an [url=http://www.thegeeklygrind.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/img_0661.png]extravagant door[/url] styled like the plume of a peacock in crimson and gold on blue, while in the other direction lay a series of screens across the path. The Tengu guards set Jesse down in the center facing back toward the forward gallery, and when she approached the screens they slid open before her with the theatrical sound of Japanese Kabuki clappers. When she tried the door they led her toward, she found it unsealed.

Inside, the ornate, gold-adorned halls of the gallery led her quickly back toward the front. Compared with the no-nonsense brutalistic architecture she’d come to know and love, the tasteless lavishness of this decor was off putting if not outright garish, but nothing more so than the spiral statue she encountered a ways in. Even from a long way off she could tell that something unusual was at work, for the Infinite Spring was shrinking before her eyes. On the other side opposite her, and perfectly positioned to see her as soon as he drew close, the old man stood with his tool gun, constantly shooting, adjusting, and then shooting his weird gun at the sculpture. Jesse could also see two figures in black hunkered down behind the plinth, one in a [url=https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/megamitensei/images/5/59/Phantom_render.png]black longcoat[/url] and the other in a [url=https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/megamitensei/images/c/c4/P5S_Ryuji.png]padded jacket[/url], both with masks, as well as the bipedal cat she saw earlier. Sporting highly suspect outfits, the two young men appeared to be hiding, but from what if not the scientist himself? If they were on his side and meant to ambush intruders they could scarcely have a worse spot. It was a strange situation, difficult to parse, and Jesse didn’t get long.

After a moment the Phantom Thieves burst from their hiding spot all at once. Gouts of blue flame blossomed around them from nothing, and when the fire swept away it revealed three spectral beings: a [url=https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/amnesia/images/7/7c/Ghoul_cutout.png]shriveled horror[/url] floating behind the black-haired thief, a [url=https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/megamitensei/images/f/f7/S06_chara46lsx7.png]skeletal pirate[/url] riding a miniature ship like a surfboard alongside the blond, and a [url=https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/megamitensei/images/f/fd/S06_chara8igscs.png]dapper duelist[/url] with a barrel-shaped chest above the cat. The scientist turned on them immediately, noting the number of assailants, and made a snap decision. He leveled his gun at them, causing the Thieves to scatter in different directions, but pivoted to rapid-fire the ground instead. From every impact point an activated thruster appeared, and in the span of a second a dozen of the things were hurtling around like ruptured gas canisters. Balloons joined the chaos, sprouting all over the place to bob around wildly on their tethers or float around in interconnected bundles, creating visual pandemonium. “What?!” Skull yelled as he batted a thruster out of the air with his pipe. “Where’d the bastard go?” 

“He’s using this stuff as cover!” Joker called. “Spread out, don’t let him make a break for it!”

But the scientist had disappeared in the madness, spawning more balloons and thrusters faster than the Thieves could destroy them. Even the lightened Infinite Spring itself floated into the air toward the glass dome, and only someone with a distant view could notice the scientist hidden among its gold figures, poised to make his escape.

[center][h3]Ms Fortune[/h3]
[b]Level 4[/b] Nadia (22/40)
[b]Location:[/b] Bottomless Sea
Blazermate's [@Archmage MC], Bowser's [@DracoLunaris], Ace Cadet's [@Yankee], Hat Kid's [@Dawnrider], Sakura's [@Zoey Boey], Frog's [@Dark Cloud], Mirage’s [@Potemking], Mr. L’s [@ModeGone]
[b]Word Count:[/b] 1412[/center]

Bella’s fall came to a sudden end as, against her unvoiced advice, Sakura leaped at the chance to save her once again. The Water Princess plopped cleanly into the street fighter’s arms, nearly taking Sakura under with her, and despite her savior’s remarkable strength Bella’s weight threatened to buckle her arms until the leviathan tail managed to coil beneath her as added support against the ocean’s surface. Luckily this happened through instinct, since her brain had for the moment turned to scrambled eggs. Her face had turned bright red once she realized that Sakura had her in a bridal carry, her tail wriggling beneath her. “Um! Merci encore une fois!” She cleared her throat as she was set down, standing once again on her own two feet, and focused on the battle at hand.

Of course, she and Sakura couldn’t just gawk into the distance while Bowser made his beleaguered ascent and Tentalus rose to give Scylla’s stony seastack a sound beating. No matter how many monstrous mofish and ravenous goblin sharks got turned to mincemeat, more were happy to introduce themselves to the pair, Rika, and just about everyone else who stuck around sea level. Bella deployed a handful of bombers for extra cover as her tail lashed around, crunching and gnashing any sealife it could get its chompers on into seafood. When Sakura pledged to protect her, Bella didn’t doubt it, but inside she burned with self-loathing. She’d been the damsel in distress enough already; she needed to do some saving of her own. For now though, however, she zeroed in on the tiny monstrosity way up high, guided by flares of green flame, and she brought her tail to bear. A few beats after Cadet’s arrow sunk in, injecting Scylla’s tentacle with a potent poison, an entire shelf of rain-smoothened rock only a few feet to the horror’s left exploded with shocking force. Its shards bloodied Scylla’s face, intensifying the rage that Link’s plane drone stoked inside her. Down below, Bella clicked her tongue, and adjusted her aim. She could blast eels until the sea cows came home, so to kill this snake she aimed for the head.

All across the stormy swells, the heroes contended with Scylla’s tentacles. One, having spotted a brightly-clothed target temptingly close to the edge of the boat, zoomed in for a quick meal and instead chowed down on nothing more substantial than warped light. Staving off a heart attack Mirage retaliated for the near-death experience with a barrage of revolver fire, shooting off rapid-fire [i]no[/i]s as fast as he could pull the trigger. It swung his way even as he filled it with lead, but when Link’s fork suddenly sank into its head it shifted gears to dive back in the water, hastened in its departure by the last few rounds in Mirage’s chamber and a furious [i]click-click-click-click[/i]ing. Though far from defeated the eel had been made to think twice about what it could and couldn’t bull through, and would wait for another chance for a fatal blow.

Meanwhile, Mr. L frantically looked for a worthwhile expenditure of his new grenade. A vicious struggle surrounded the ship, but not necessarily with Shippy’s crew. More chum in the water meant more guests at the party, most even more eager to sample each other than those atop their domain, and the sea churned with violence. In the midst of L’s search one particularly unscrupulous newcomer found him instead. As he watched a much larger, [url=https://img.favpng.com/6/9/6/kid-icarus-uprising-wikia-fandom-png-favpng-F7tRJEs81jFcfCpkZqCv7CNnr.jpg]skeletal fish[/url] rose from the rough waters and floated above them, attracting the attention of L, Link, Mirage, and Peach all at once. The Lurchthorn sailed right for the ship, its thorny segments rotating as Peach shot at it, and without so much as blinking buzzed the deck. Its spikes threw up sparks as they raked the metal and scattered wood chips otherwise, skewering anyone who failed to get out of the way. As tough as it taking attacks without flinching made it seem, its bony armor broke when subjected to enough damage, though even that didn’t dissuade it from coming around for a second pass.

Not too far away, Geralt pulled out a much more definitive victory against his own assailant. A quick snatch using his new platform’s handy cables rendered the tentacle a sitting duck for the near point-blank payload of his main gun, and the supersized swordsman showed his would-be eater no mercy. In one brutal blast he annihilated the eel, causing the little abomination atop her mountain to give a shrill scream. Instantly the headless tentacle retracted, zipping back across the water at high speed.

Up ahead, Nadia and Cadet had carved a bloody streak across the surface of the ocean, slicing away at whatever tentacles drew close. Nadia was surprised to hear her friend call dibs on Tentalus if he went rogue, and though she guessed it would be more of a [i]when[/i] than an [i]if[/i], she gladly consented. “All yours, Ace.” As the two reached the base of the seastack he offered her a boost, but the sound of what she assumed to be a thunderclap drew Nadia’s attention backward. When she saw the limb cutting through the ocean she had a different plan. “Better idea. Let’s take a stab at this!” With an irrepressible smile she tightened both hands’ grip on her tail-sword, then sped over the water toward the tentacle. She leaped, drove the hardened edge between the eel’s scales, and abruptly shot upward on her makeshift express elevator straight to the top. “Nyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!” she yowled as she hurtled by Bowser, fast enough to cause a doppler effect. As she drew close to Scylla she pulled herself together and yanked free, then sailed upward using the leftover momentum. While her wounded limb disappeared beneath her dress, the horror looked upward in alarm as Nadia rose above her and reached the apex of her flight.

“Hey, you!” the feral yelled. She hadn’t really planned anything, and the heavier Ace was somewhere below her, but this seemed like as good a chance as any to make it count. Blood streamed from her ankles as she angled herself downward, her rigging arms turned backward. “CUT! IT! OUT!” Nadia rocketed downward in a fur-ious dive, powered by both blood rockets and cannon recoil, her tailblade extended. Scylla withdrew the two tentacles harrying Bowser and pulled them ahead of her as an emergency shield. An instant later Nadia’s blade plunged in, piercing straight through one tentacle and tickling the other, but she was just getting started. She drove her sword arm into a bloody spiral, drilling through the first limb’s meat and into the second. “Nyahaha! How’s this for boring?!” Scylla shrieked, more at the attack than the pun, as she realized the real danger amidst the pain: the Cadet bearing down on her. She needed to get Nadia off now. Before her blade could penetrate Scylla threw her tentacles wide, flinging a yowling Nadia out into the open air. Her less damaged tentacle reeled back, then lunged forward at the helpless feral.

For a split second everything seemed to stand still. Nadia’s wide-open eyes stared at the onrushing maw, able to see every drop of rain slide by in flight. Was this how people felt in their last moments? Could she survive getting eviscerated in a vice between those jaws? All her elation at scoring a critical hit had turned to despair in a second, and she wanted to squeeze shut her eyes, but she could not. Then the sky filled with light as Bella’s railgun shot, expertly led and timed, sheared through the tentacle. Time sped back up and Nadia dove through the open mouth, through the throat, and out the other side. She released a blast of blood to stop herself from falling for a moment and try to figure out where she was. Scylla looked equal parts dumbfound and enraged, and a little sickly too, with that third eel having been destroyed and a fourth near inoperable. Bowser would crest the stack any moment, while Tentalus was about to pound it again. However that turned out, and whatever fate Scylla might have in store, Nadia’s part was over. She’d been thrown too far away to make her way back; she needed time she didn’t have to build up blood pressure for more airdashes. Still grinning, she gave Bowser and Cadet a salute, then flipped backward as she fell back toward the waters far below.

[center][h3]Snowdin[/h3]
[@Gentlemanvaultboy][/center]

Albedo’s gaze rested on Linkle as she studied his map and the options inscribed therein. Her new beret, retrieved from one of the gifts in the center of town, rested snugly atop her head. It pushed her rabbit ears down to either side, which both reminded him of a lop eared rabbit and of Sucrose, whose feline ears perpetually hung down by the side of her head. Such a position for a ral cat typically meant that the animal was cowed or subdued, and though his assistant did seem unfailingly timid and bashful, he’d never seen her ears up either. Either way, it was a look he figured most people would call ‘cute’.

He pulled himself from his thoughts to consider the landmark Linkle mentioned. “A colorful beacon out at sea. Yes, I’ve seen it too. Sketched it from a distance, as well. However, I’ve never gone out over the ocean to get closer. It seemed unnecessarily risky on my own, and nobody else showed an interest. I’m afraid I can’t offer any other details. Although it is impressive, isn’t it?”

A few moments later and his new friend arrived at a solid conclusion. “A good idea. This will be my first time inside the temple as well, since I’ve had no reason to enter prior.” He put his hand on his chin thoughtfully. “It sounds like you’re used to more involved gods than those in my world. The god worshipped in Mondstadt, Barbatos, has little to no bearing on human affairs.”

When the subject of the Stranger’s name came up, he instinctively glanced at his sketchbook, but he knew the answer did not lie within. “Yes, we do not know his name. It would be easy to conclude based on his manner that he simply thinks that it’s unimportant. He doesn’t come around to socialize, after all. But you may have a point.” Brows every so slightly narrowed, he tapped on the table with his pointer and middle fingers a couple times as he pondered possibilities. “It may be intentional. Perhaps in his world he’s a known quantity, and knowing his name would be enough for someone to identify this gimmick of his. We’ll have to ask for that along with this blessing of yours at the temple.”

Going there, however, would have to wait. Grillby appeared with an egg dish and a fruit juice apiece for the pair and laid them down. With a fried egg so fresh from its pan that it still sent up plumes of steam, each [url=https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CuuE_KhWIAArsQX.jpg]Egg in the Basket[/url] looked downright scrumptious. Even Albedo, with a small appetite seldom interested in the excess offered by most meats, could not possibly turn up his nose. He thanked the mild-mannered blaze and took a deep drink of the sweet, purple Wolfhook Juice, then nibbled the main course. “Savory,” he murmured.

Bit by bit, he worked his way through his Egg in the Basket, but the alchemist was in no rush. About a third of the way through he took a break, and found himself drawn to Linkle once again. “I like the hat,” he told her, leaning into his thoughts from earlier for the sake of the conversation. “With your ears like that, you remind me of Sucrose, although just in terms of appearance. My assistant is rather on the trepidatious side, without very much of your forthright, energetic spirit. Sometimes she and I would go hours while working without saying a word, but here I found myself talking more than ever before. Curious...” He scratched his head with the hand he hadn’t been using to eat. “It may take me a while longer to finish this, so I should focus down.” Albedo paused for a moment. “Erm...if you don’t mind. Our worlds seem similar, but with a few key differences, and I’m sure we’ve both offhandedly mentioned things that only have meaning within our separate contexts. So I would be interested in hearing more about your home.”

[center][h3]Edge of the Blue[/h3]
[@Zavazggg][/center]

With every one of Sephiroth’s pursuers fully on guard, the procession got underway. The other guests to the Atlantis Temple watched them go with curiosity or relief, glad that someone charged with murder was no longer lurking in their midst. As she was escorted off the premises, the swordswoman caught a few glimpses of people she recognized. The redhead who seemed so interested in her before now looked furious, though whether at her or himself she couldn’t quite say. Syndra, meanwhile, flaunted a gloating expression that screamed [i]you’re getting everything you deserve.[/i]

Officer Nanu rejoined the escort on the way, though he didn’t appear to be carrying anything that he might have retrieved from the locker room. He joined both his Pokemon and Birdie in a position behind Sephiroth, while Shantae and Karin remained in front. The whole group briefly stopped at the front desk so that Karin could negotiate for a couple of the fishman guards to accompany and further bolster the escort back to Limsa, since it was a long way through the wild. An arrangement of payment details was arrived at quickly, and the group continued.

They stepped out of the pleasantly conditioned structure into the heat and light of the midday sun, at which point a fifth and final member of the posse appeared. As big as Birdie if not bigger, but sporting a toga and a great jug of wine rather than a punk getup and muscle, Bacchus had evidently been stationed outside as a lookout to strike if Sephiroth had noticed and escaped her pursuers before they found her. Given that Bacchus looked like a drunken, unfit lout, that said something about his abilities. Now at full strength, the group of seven remained wary but confident as they turned south and headed along the beach. It wasn’t difficult to imagine that this shoreline led all the way down to Limsa Lominscuttle Town itself, like a sandy highway between disparate but similarly picturesque worlds of green and blue. Judging by the tracks in the sand, the posse had come this way, as well. Soon enough the procession had retraced their steps to Creature Beach, where the half-buried leviathan lazily watched them go by. If Sephiroth planned to break out en route, she would need to do it with what little opportunity that coastal road provided her, and deprived of her weaponry.