[center][h1][color=00aeef]Link[/color][/h1][/center]

[center]Word Count: 1801 [/center]

[center][color=00aeef][b] Level 8[/b] [/color] - (54/80) + 3[/center]

[center]Location: Smash City Alcamoth ---> Kanzuki Beach[/center]
[@Zoey Boey]
[hr][hr]

Going through the teleporter, leaving the morbid atmosphere of the island behind and ending up back in the town Of Limsa, was like waking up from a nightmare. The town was dark, having a truly peaceful sleep for perhaps the first time since the residents had appeared here in the World of Light. Those that were still awake could be heard in distance, song and celebration drifting to their ears from down the empty thoroughfares and across the docks.

It was a simple matter to make their way through the city toward the Alcamoth Portal Junior had painted earlier on their trip, even with New Southern's armed and fully operational battle crab. They had the fortune to reunite with the Koopas as hey made their way through the city, joining the family back together before they departed for Alcamoth proper. Once there a few of the stronger looking mercenaries (including Mewtwo, [url=https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/codevein/images/4/4d/Code-Vein_2018_04-19-18_022.png]a red eyed young man[/url], and a [url=https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/astralchain/images/2/28/Astral_Chain_Maxmilian_Howard_Official_Render_%28reduced%29.png]grizzled looking veteran[/url]) who had been woken and put on watch thanks to the earlier influx of refugees took K.Rool and Moureu off their hands and lead the two away for what the grizzled one called "processing." The Koopas, including Rika, took their leave through one of the nearby portals to Peache's Castle and New Southern took an interest in the large class dome and wandered off up the escalator presumably to resume her appreciation of the night sky. 

With all that done, with everyone "safe" until next morning at least, Link felt like he was about to collapse. He wandered off himself, eventually being directed toward an unused set of bedchambers by one of [url=https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/xenoblade/images/7/7b/Lunara.png]the young Alcamoth natives[/url] hanging out around the central staircase. He found it easily enough after taking a few of the teleporters and, upon seeing the clean white sheets of the bed inviting him in, felt extremely guilty about what he was about to do to them. He didn't need to even look at himself, the fact that he could still smell the stink of that island was all he needed to remind him of what kind of filth must be clinging to him. He couldn't wash it off, though. Not unless he wanted to sleep in the tub. There was one last thing, though. One last duty he still had the power to perform before passing out.

He took out Delsin's spirit. No one else had wanted to carry the man, so that left him Link's responsivity. He clumsily pressed the spirit into his chest and, before the light had even finished enveloping him, he collapsed onto the bed with a wet [i]squelch[/i].


[center][hider=Spirit Absorbed: Delsin Rowe]
The host's appearance has been reined in and brought back down to earth. His hair is shorter and darker, covered in part by a red beanie long enough to trail behind him like a pointed cap, and his eyes are darker as well. He's become a little taller, somewhat lankier, and gotten a denim jacket. The jacket is the same color, and has the same pattern stitched into it, as the Campions Tunic. This spirit confers the Power [b]Smoke[/b], which grants the ability to throw smoke bombs, add a smoke effect to weapons, and an omnidirectional smoke dash that, while brief, grants invincibility. It also confers the Weakness [b]Can't Swim[/b], which makes sufficiently deep bodies of water a serious hazard
[/hider][/center]

[hr]

Sleep had not been restful for Link. Throughput the night he was plagued by nightmares that forced his eyes open even even they so desperately needed to stay closed. He had been drowning, helplessly sinking amid the wreckages of ship that wailed and cried in agony as it's passengers were devoured around her by things that weren't much more than swimming mouths. He had been at the head of a grand feast, lumbering monsters gouging themselves on frog legs and turtle soup, resisting the roaring of his stomach until he could no longer and joined in with a gusto that appalled even his masked hostess. He saw faces, white and screaming and familiar, sinking forever into an ocean of black tar. 

[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sxIfpwa1Mk]The old standby[/url] put in an appearance too, and that one finally forced his eyes open for good. He pushed himself up out of the sheets he'd ruined, his body sore from having stupidly slept with the ship girl gear on. He couldn't tell what time it was, as the room was enclosed. He hadn't even shut off the lights last night, and was thankful for that as he sat breathing heavily on the edge of the bed before getting up and heading for the bathroom. Before showering and washing the now crusty ocean gunk off of him he took a moment to appreciate that his tunic had been reincarnated thanks to Delsin's spirit, and bowed his head in thanks to the man. He had also somehow gotten even [i]taller[/i] out the deal than he had when he'd fused with the Tidehunter, and for the first time got a look at his new teeth and the dark green/blue that now made up his eyes thanks to the mirror. He could still recognize himself, but for the first time wondered if Zelda would.

That was a problem for another day, though. Today's problem was delving back into The Maw to search for survivors. So, after a through washing and changing out his shorts for that pristine pair of purple trunks he had on him, he set out back through the main atrium toward the network of portals Junior had set up. First to Limsa, to get breakfast and keep his energy up. Or, lunch, it looked like. By the time he had woken up it was, frustratingly, the afternoon. He had lost a lot of time because of those constant wake ups. Maybe it would be better to skip food and go right to The Maw?

"Mr. Link?" came a chipper voice from down by his thigh. He looked down to spot a yellow dog walking on her hind legs, giving him a confused look as though she didn't know whether she were addressing the right person. Isabelle, the helpful Alcamoth secretary and inexplicably one of the warriors chosen for the group that had gone out and battled Galeem. In her paws she was holding a small envelope. "That is you, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it's still me." He said quickly, lest she feel uncomfortable. 

She looked relieved at that, before presenting him with the envelope. "I was asked to deliver these to the members of your team!"

He took and and gave the contents a quick read. A woman was throwing a celebration in their honor at her seaside home for everything they had done for Limsa Lomiscuttle town and, by extension, the Edge of Blue. It was a generous offer, but he wasn't exactly in a celebratory mood at the moment. Besides which, he had other plans. He handed the invite back to Isabelle and shook his head. "Sorry, there are things I still need to do today. Why don't you go in my place?" He gave the dog a and and started walking off.

"UM, what things?" Isabelle asked, the sound of her little feet padding across the street pulling up beside him. He looked down again, spotting her running along to keep up with his new stride. "There isn't anything new scheduled for you all, at least not yet. Are you planning to take all day?"

"I'm going back to The Maw to look for survivors." He said simply. 

"Oh, I see. One of our newcomers talked about that place after we freed him." Isabelle said, looking slightly queasy at the thought, before looking back up in shock. "Wait, by yourself? Right now?"

"That was the plan." Link replied.

With that the dog put on a burst of speed, sprinting in front of him and spinning around, holding up the invitation as though it were a stop sigh. To he credit, it worked at bringing him to a halt before she even said. "Wait. Are you up to that?" She noted the deep black bags under his eyes. "You don't look like you've recovered completely from your last expedition."

"I'll be fine." Link replied, which prompted his stomach to let out a mighty protest that went on uncomfortably long. 

Isabelle put her hands om her hips like a mother that had just caught her kids staying up way past their bedtime and decided to put her foot down. "Your first job is recuperating! Focus on relaxing until your fighting fit."

"I don't have the time. There could still be a bunch of kids in there." Link sharply protested, but she held out a finger.

"Leave that to us." She said. "Helping out is what the mercenaries are for."

"I can't let you risk that."

"Don't be selfish. How would your friends on Hero Team feel if you ran off and got hurt because your hungry and tired. How would you get the kids out if you got hurt? This is what the mercenaries are for." She said, before walking up to him and putting the invitation back in his hand. "You don't have to worry. You already defeated the worst monsters there."

He hesitantly took the invitation back. "You're sure?"

"Let me assemble a team. Everything will be fine. Go enjoy your day off." She assured him, giving him a reassuring on the leg to send him on his way, watching him like a mother hen to make sure he went into the Limsa portal. She didin't even tell about the important meeting Peach was in right now.

[hr]

It was fortunate the this Ms. Kanzuki was well known to the residents of the Southern Shoreline District, who were able to point and hurry his along the beachfront until he spotted some familiar faces crowding around a long table laden with food, the smell of which caused his stomach to let out another battle cry as every worry save on was temporarily pushed out of his head. He ran down the beach, showing up to line up behind Junior and Kamek as they were greeted by a woman with some truly impressive hair curls and arms that would make an Gerudo warrior weep with envy. The way she held herself you could tell that she owned everything they could currently see.

"Thank you for the food." He said with a respectful bow, adding on the Kamek's thanks before he had even tasted it. "I'm Link. Forgive me if I eat you out of house and home, Miss Kanzuki. I've been very hungry for a while now."