[center][h3]Tora, Poppi, and Big Band[/h3]
[b]Location:[/b] Sandswept Sky - Apex of the World
Level 9 Tora (142/90) Level 9 Poppi (142/90) Level 5 Big Band (85/50)
Midna’s [@DracoLunaris], Fox’s [@Dawnrider], Sectonia’s [@Archmage MC], Primrose and Therion’s [@Yankee], Raz’s [@TruthHurts22], the Phantom Thieves, Braum, the Scout, Peacock, Mao, Robin, Tharja, Ciella
[b]Word Count:[/b] 886[/center]

After soaring above Phalanx, Tora and Poppi could get their first really good look at the creature while a number of their allies cruised in for a landing. In the span of just a few moments, the big blue yonder had filled with heroes–or at least, a very small subjection of it, anyway. In addition to the dynamic driver-blade duo, Sectonia, Big Band, Peacock, and all the Phantom Thieves (minus Mona, who would be ascending fashionably late after a quick pep talk with Raz) had taken to the skies in search of a way to bring the airborne colossus down. That, rather than any kind of actual threat, seemed to be the main issue. Although Phalanx made its objections clear with vigorous shakes once boarded, it had yet to attack in any fashion.

The lack of hostility left Tora perplexed. Raising his voice above the wind, he asked, “Why it not fight back? Everything fight back in world of light, right?”

“Maybe bosses exception,” Poppi hazarded a guess. “Or maybe we not actual inflict damage yet?”

Though full of energy and eager to get their hands dirty in this climactic mountaintop fight, Tora and Poppi remained aloft for a few moments longer, trying to figure out a plan of attack. The others’ search continued pretty much fruitlessly, for no matter how much they pummeled, pried, shot, or scorched the creature’s body, none of it seemed to matter. Ciella seemed to be aiming for its eyes, judging the trajectory of her charged water arrows, but given the circumstances hers were some very difficult shots to make. When the thieves took a crack at the eyes themselves, they quickly realized they couldn’t get a clear shot from atop Phalanx, and if they jumped off to use their gliders the colossus would leave them behind in an instant. With the lingering blessing of flight, falling posed little threat, but if left behind the Seekers would have to wait quite some time for another pass at their high-speed adversary.

It was Midna who cracked the case. Thanks to a combination of magical sense, experience, and luck, she managed to spot an unusual glowing glyph hidden beneath a fin atop the creature’s back as she tumbled free into the sky. As Tora and Poppi flew in, they just managed to hear their friend’s words of wisdom on the wind. “Meeeh!” the Nopon exclaimed. “Why Tora not realize it sooner!? This classic stuff!” He extended a wing, pointing down at the sigil Midna spotted like a hero. “Okay, Poppi! All power to thrusters!”

“Roger, roger!”

The two boosted off in hot pursuit, but they weren’t the only ones to hear the Twilight Princess’s advice. Sectonia beat them to the punch, using her aerial expertise and her blinking to circumvent as much wind pressure as she could as she chased the weak spot down. Once there the insect queen mustered her strength and plunged her blades into the runic flesh, as hard and as many times as she could.

Jets of black smoke burst from the stab wounds, and Phalanx screeched. It banked hard enough to jerk Fox and Panther from their handholds, then began to roll. In a desperate attempt to get its assailants off its back, fueled by the agony of its grievous injury, the colossus pulled off a corkscrew maneuver of epic proportions. Sectonia got dislodged and hurled away, and while she could take a few moments to bask in her victory, Tora and Poppi needed to fight to keep up. After putting her thrusters on full blast and having her Masterpon hold on by her ankles, the artificial blade managed to grab onto a prominent ridge in one of Phalanx’s fins. It tested them both, but in the end mechanical might won out, and not just for the two of them.

Farther back, both Big Band and Peacock managed to maintain their hold until Phalanx finally straightened out. “Whew!” the detective exhaled. “Y’know, I wish I [i]could[/i] have grandkids, just so I can sit ‘em down and tell ‘em this story, someday.”

“Whatever ya say, old timer!” Peacock handwaved, popping up from a portable hole by fin number two. It seemed to be sealed tight down around the sigil, protecting it like a shield. Andy Anvil and Tommy Ten Tons appeared, but the both of them together couldn’t pry it off. “You quit on me now, you’re dead weights, ya hear me?” the living weapon threatened, but even with that encouragement her cohorts couldn’t budge it, forcing her to look to her elder. “Here, gimme a hand with this thing, wouldja?”

“Ain’t no thing.” Big Band stepped in with brass arms deployed. His pneumatic might did the trick, and in just a few seconds the glyph was easy pickings.

Peacock stepped over it, revolver at the ready. “Reach for the sky!” At a pull of the trigger a [url=https://i.imgur.com/hoHcAp2.png]giant black blade[/url] popped out, it’s gleeful grin only outdone by Peacock’s own. “Yah!” With a grunt she drove the blade in, then hammered the trigger to empty the chambers, splitting five bullets in half on the blade to carve deeper into Phalanx’s weak spot. The colossus shrieked, and the rodeo began anew, stronger and fiercer even than last time.

[center][h3]The Chalk Prince, the Fallen Child, the Skeleton, and the Skullgirl[/h3]
[b]Location:[/b] Frozen Highlands - Snowdin
Linkle’s [@Gentlemanvaultboy], Frisk’s [@Majoras End], Papyrus’ [@Dark Cloud][/center]

In the comfort of the little home’s cozy parlor and the white tiger’s gracious hospitality, both the cold and the stress that clung to the five began to melt away. Even for a Snowdin household, it really was toasty in here, enough to be a little soporific. Barely had Albedo seated himself before he rose again, headed for the coat closet he didn’t think he needed to use. Most of the tiny room seemed to be occupied by what looked like a puffy yellow snow suit, but he managed to hang his coat up alongside it. When he returned he stopped short of the couch, averse to getting into anyone’s personal space again, and stood by with his arms crossed. As Dromarch gingerly -and rather painstakingly, given his lack of opposable thumbs- prepared their refreshments, Frisk sparked up a conversation in front of the blazing hearth, and the alchemist listened in silence.

It proved mildly interesting to hear the child rediscover, bit by bit, the way this bizarre world worked. Its mechanics lay in stark contrast to the state of affairs in Frisk’s home, or so a little reading between the lines would imply, but for better or for worse, they seemed to be both making sense of and coming to terms with it. What Frisk said about luck stood out to him; although not a particularly pious person, Albedo did consider it to be something of a miracle that day-to-day life in the World of Light seemed mostly stable, given the sheer scale upon which worlds were colliding. This hodgepodge reality could just have easily been complete and utter chaos, an indecipherable maelstrom of various places, forces, and phenomena in which no living being could endure, but its creator Galeem seemed to have sewn this tapestry together with logic in mind. But how? And why? It made for a conundrum as intimidating as it was fascinating. It might be nice in here, but the truth was out [i]there[/i]. Albedo ended up staring impassively out the window as the fallen child and the silly skeleton traded words.

After their exchange, Treat was surprised to find herself on the receiving end of a most generous offer from Papyrus. “O-oh,” she stammered, suddenly filled with anxiety. “I…I…well, uh, I mean, thank you. You’re way too kind, I really just, don’t deserve it. But I just don’t know…”

She trailed off weakly, unable to articulate her thoughts, although at the very least her reticence showed on her face. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Papyrus or anything, but did she want to [i]live[/i] with him? Aside from him being a guy, and aside from him being a slightly creepy skeleton, she’d already gotten an idea of his exclamatory, goofy, over-the-top, larger-than-life nature, and Treat didn’t know if she could deal with that energy. When Albedo and Linkle mentioned living somewhere else she assumed they meant a different empty house, not cohabitation! If she was going to be living with someone else, whoever it was needed to be a lot more chill and normal than Papyrus, as bad as that conclusion made her feel.

Eventually the chitchat pivoted toward magic. Linkle had a lot of insight to offer on the subject, and after a few words on spirits in general, covered both her inherent talents and those gained through fusion. The Skullgirl’s testimony about the source of her cryomancy, as well as the lack of a Vision on her person, helped to put the nail on the coffin of a worrisome hypothesis that first arose when Albedo noticed the bright blue of her hair when fighting. While not particularly close to the Spindrift Knight Eula, it would have pained him to find out that she died, when she could instead be living free of the scorn heaped upon her Lawrence lineage, somewhere in the world.

When his turn came around, he swallowed, and replied in brief. “I’m afraid I don’t have much to say on the subject. In my world, humans are able to manipulate the elements through the use of Visions. This one is mine.” He held up an [url=https://i.pinimg.com/originals/de/92/e5/de92e5ae6104916852fba80908320669.jpg]amber gemstone[/url] inlaid in a winged metal talisman, a geometric pattern shining in its center. “Although, it’s really nothing more than a tool to aid in my experiments, no different from a beaker or crucible. The one thing about it that really intrigues me is the principle behind how it works... One day, I will uncover its secrets, it's only a matter of time.” With nothing else to say, he drew quiet once more.

Once Dromarch delivered everyone’s drinks, he stalked down the hall toward the house’s rear, where he rapped upon a door with his paw. “My lady? Excuse me. We have guests in need of your expertise, if you would be so kind.”

“Eh?” a girl’s voice came in reply. “Oh, sure, sure, I’ll be out in jost a sec.”

True to her word, the healer came right out, but if the newcomers had been expecting a noblewoman befitting Dromarch’s regal treatment they were in for a surprise. A head of dusty gray hair topped by side-turned cat ears poked around the corner, with curious dark yellow eyes just below, and the next moment their owner appeared. [url=https://i.imgur.com/h86MYoy.jpg]Nia[/url] was short and thin even for a teenager, cozy a a set of plaid yellow, green, and black pajamas, her unkempt hair not even tied into their customary bundles. As much as she’d been enjoying an afternoon spent reading in bed, however, she greeted her customers with bright eyes and a genial smile.

Dromarch followed her, looking mollified. “My lady, are you quite sure you’re ready? This is most undignified…”

“Aw, no need to stand on ceremony, eh Dromarch?” she told him in a pronounced Welsh accent. “We’re all friends yure, or will be soon enough–ahem! Heya guys,” she greeted the five with a little wave.  “So, ‘oo’s our lucky sufferer what needs some ‘ealin’?”

For a moment Treat seemed somewhat dumbstruck, staring with wide eyes at Nia. Albedo cleared his throat. “Treat here has a sprained ankle,” he replied for her, indicating the wolfgirl with his hand.

“Huh, that all?” Nia zeroed in on Treat, but received no response. “Ya alright there? Well, doncha worry, we’ll ‘ave ya patched up before ya find your tongue again.” In just a moment she retrieved the ringblades, and with one in each hand she performed a very short dance. It ended with rings on one upheld arm, spun around her wrist like hula hoops, and from the weapons waves of bright green ether washed across the parlor. Just like that, the wolfgirl was healed.

Treat’s face was one of astonishment as her healer tossed up and caught her ringblades. “Wow, that’s all it takes?” she gasped. “That’s incredible!”

Although she brushed off the praise with a shrug, Nia didn’t bother to hide her grin. “Ah, that’s nothin’. Just glad to help, an’ all.”

It took only a moment for Treat’s elation to turn to misgiving. “Uh, s-so, what do I owe you?” She looked down at the floor. “I-I know I probably shouldn’t have asked you, you being a catgirl and all, so if it’s extra I understand.”

“Eh!?” Nia looked genuinely confused. “A cat…? You mean me? I’ll ‘ave ya know I’m Gormotti, but wot’s that ‘ave to do with anythin’?”

“Ohh…” Ears drooping, Treat looked like she wanted to sink through the floor. “W-well, you know, ‘cause I’m a…a wolfgirl?”

Nia scratched her head, looking at Dromarch and then back again. “I mean, yeah, but…oh, oh! D’ya mean, like, the thing with dogs an’ cats? Pff!” Shaking her head, she crossed her arms. “Well, ya en’t a dog, and I sure en’t a cat. I don’t know where ya gettin’ these funny ideas, but all that matters is that ya needed my ‘elp. Doesn’t matter what ears ya got, or if ya don’t even got ears,” she nodded at Papyrus. “Anyone oo’ stops by our ‘ouse is gonna leave feelin’ better on the way out.”

Although the moment got a little awkward, particularly with so many bystanders around, Nia managed to turn it in a direction Albedo felt pretty good about. For most people, one’s animal features made little to no difference. It was just the same back in Mondstadt, with the Kätzlein. It was high time Treat stopped dwelling on the bad people and see the good in the rest of them.