[center][h3]Tora, Poppi, and Big Band[/h3]
[b]Location:[/b] Sandswept Sky
Level 9 Tora (222/90) Level 9 Poppi (222/90) Level 7 Big Band (50/70)
Midna’s [@DracoLunaris], Sectonia’s [@Archmage MC], Primrose and Therion’s [@Yankee], Jesse’s [@Zoey Boey], Raz’s [@TruthHurts22], Raiden’s [@XoXKieroBombXoX], the Phantom Thieves, Braum, the Scout, Peacock, Tharja
[b]Word Count:[/b] 2511[/center]

The matter of money, and especially due recompense, was one near and dear to a lot of the Seekers’ hearts. Sectonia pointed out one avenue for getting paid, that being an extravagant treasure hunt across the entirety of the Sandswept Sky, exploring far and wide in a bid to leave no stone unturned when it came to making bank. Midna ruminated on the possibility as well, remembering both previous transportation used and promises made. Normally Tora would be all for it, anything to make a quick buck, but right now he could only think of it as an attractive possibility. Even if they weren’t totally done with the Sandswept Sky just yet after all, everyone needed time to recuperate after weathering the incredible trial they’d undergone.

Though cooled, sheltered, and comfortable as they were going to get out here, their muscles still burned from overexertion, throats hurt from hyperventilation, ears rang, and bones hurt. The efforts of the medics meant that their fatigue would outlast their injuries, but it would still be a good while before anyone could seriously consider getting back into action. Luckily, time was one thing the weary heroes had in abundance as they waited for extraction, along with heat, space, and sand. Soon only Big Band’s saxophone could be heard over the desert ambiance, playing a slow, melancholy tune in a heartfelt and soulful attempt to set aching hearts at ease. With the big man as tired and torn up as everyone else, however, it wasn’t long before only the whispers of wind and sand stood between the Seekers and silence.

It wasn’t ideal, but at least it wasn't humid either, and it was rather peaceful out here. Now that they’d come back down to earth after the outrageous highs and lows of their fight against Red Eye, the team could get acquainted -or reacquainted- with the same feeling that confronted the first Seekers when they first emerged from the mountain range that encircled Alcamoth’s Eryth Sea to witness the Sandswept Sky in its staggering entirety. Though large for a Nopon, Tora still seldom beat any humans out in terms of height, and in this barren expanse he felt even smaller than usual. At least the likes of Big Band and Braum couldn’t be doing much better, he figured.

It was weird staring across the miles and miles of wide-open land back at Split Mountain, knowing that he’d just been there and having a much stronger appreciation for just how massive it really was. Worse still, even after their grueling effort to attain that lofty peak, the Seekers still never quite reached that mysterious pinnacle, and found out what lay beyond its heavenly light. Tora sighed and laid his head back down to rest, but Poppi continued to stare at that zenith, unbothered by the glare of the sun. What prompted mere curiosity in her Masterpon, she found herself thinking about with almost spiritual reverence, like that peak represented the ultimate end of one’s story, distant and unknowable no matter how far one got. She felt a little foolish just thinking about it, unable to explain or even properly understand that sort of sensation as an artificial being, but she felt it nonetheless. Poppi wondered if she even really wanted to know what lay at the end. What answer could live up to the journey there?

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/OvFOGLZ.png[/img][/center]

In time the heroes recovered and recomposed themselves, cleaned up and breathing a little easier. As the sun dipped down to the horizon and Split Peak’s glow grew bolder, long shadows stretched across the sand, cast first by the Seekers and then by the dunes. When Ciella’s shoulder finally felt good enough to bear her off into the gathering dusk, she stood up from the sand and dusted herself off. “With Robin’s death, his visage of Grima, and these new revelations, the Grimleal will have much to consider,” she said. “Though your strength and teamwork leaves much to be desired, I can see that you’re not deceiving yourselves. If the Galeem you speak of truly believes itself lord of all, someone must show it that even gods may know despair.” Ciella bid her temporary allies a begrudging farewell, transformed, and flew off in the direction of the far-off, heatwave-distorted blur that was Al Mamoon. 

Whatever uneasiness the Agito left behind her, the minutes that followed did not. Dust devils and cactus were nothing new to the Sandswept Sky, but when Midna’s intrigue prompted her comrades to look out across the desert, they wound up echoing her bemusement. Had there always been cacti so close, and didn’t those plumes of sand seem oddly stronger than usual? Band’s eyes narrowed as he took in his team’s surroundings. As much as he wanted to take it easy, he hadn’t been able to get comfortable out here, and a professional detective couldn’t just switch off his instincts, either. He’d been watching enough to know that Midna’s hunch was right; these disturbances weren’t business as usual.

“Poppi,” he said suddenly. “You’ve got good eyes, right? Any chance you can tell what’s goin’ on out there?”

After taking a moment to zoom and refocus her optics, Poppi kept her expression as neutral as she could. “Poppi not want alarm everyone, but there probable trouble approaching.”

“Trouble? Whaddya mean, what kind?” Band asked as he rose to his feet, reasonably alarmed despite Poppi’s disclaimer.

“Poppi is detecting numerous creatures incoming, like cross between cactus and reptile. Also see sand kicked up by multiple underground entities. Further details Poppi cannot make out, but sand trail consistent with jaw fish friends encounter en route to dessert village Parnasse.”

“That ain’t good,” Skull remarked. The commotion had drawn the Phantom Thieves over from where they rested, and while still clothed in their civilian attire for now, the imminent danger left them ready to switch gears into combat mode at any second. Just about everyone beneath Sectonia’s crystal began making preparations for a fight. Skull his head and groaned, “Why they gotta come after us now? Haven’t we dealt with enough crap today already?”

Poppi tilted her head and put a finger to her cheek. “Could be due to giant monster disturbing area. Reacting to dark wave, energy fluctuation, or maybe just chance for food.”

“That not important right now, meh!” Tora yelped. “With biggy big pit behind us, our back to wall, and friends have nowhere to run! How long ‘til monsters get here, Poppi?”

“Based on current speed, we have only few minutes,” she told the group, her expression cloudy.

Joker crossed his arms. “Moogle!” One of the faerie-koalas appeared in front of him, and the Thieves’ ringleader wasted no time laying the situation out. “We’re about to be attacked. Is there any way the airship could pick up the pace?”

“H-huh!? Oh!” The moogle nearly panicked, but managed to swallow her nerves. “I’ll go over and tell them. Just hang tight, guys!”

A nail-biting minute dragged by as the monsters grew closer and closer. As they closed the distance, more of the Seekers could get a good look at them, or at least the ones above ground. An entire pack of [url=https://i.imgur.com/o8J0xiU.png]Sabogar[/url] were headed the heroes’ way at a gallop, thorns sharp and red eyes bright with hunger. With them were two fearsome, draconic [url=https://i.imgur.com/MQG1SGC.png]Saboquill[/url] that flew at such a low altitude that their tailfruit scraped grooves in the sand for their pack to follow. As if one squadron of carnivorous plants wasn’t enough, a second buzzed along over the earth nearby, consisting of a few [url=https://i.imgur.com/fboHL54.png]Piximi[/url] escorting a lone [url=https://i.imgur.com/CgHz1lq.png]Florami[/url], all of them a strange combination of serpent, dragonfly, and orchid that looked as majestic as they did dangerous. Of course, given whatever lurked beneath the sand, the Spectrobes were still only the tip of the iceberg. As everyone’s tension and impatience mounted, his own not least of all, Joker couldn’t help but want to call out again. Just as he opened his mouth, however, Poppi pointed to the sky. “Look!”

Those already scanning the sky to the south for any sign of rescue followed her finger to see a dark dot approaching fast, difficult at first to discern from the darkening sky if not for the triple corona of light behind it. Palpable relief spread across the group as the [url=https://i.imgur.com/XAgJrYD.png]Virgin Victory[/url] blazed toward them at full throttle, Tora going so far as to topple over from the release of tension. No matter how capable his team might be, this was a bad situation that they did not want to fight on the enemy’s terms, but now backup had arrived.

The ship descended over Hollow Heights, slowing down until it came to a stop above everyone. At first Tora thought it was going to land in order to pick everyone up, but he quickly noticed that the fin on its underside rendered that impossible. “Do they expect us to fly up there?” he wondered aloud, his nerves beginning to show as his gaze flipped between the Virgin Victory and the wave of monsters quickly getting too close for comfort.

Then four figures appeared on the edge of the ship’s upper deck. Tora squinted to try and see, but before he could make anything out they jumped down. All four landed together, with their [url=https://i.imgur.com/s5w9K7n.png]leader[/url] a sight for sore eyes. “Vandham!” Tora and Poppi cried together. With him were [url=https://i.imgur.com/brELKkK.png]Shovel Knight[/url], [url=https://i.imgur.com/X5wJTcO.png]Asbestos[/url], and of course, [url=https://i.imgur.com/wO4Cnj2.png]Wonder Red[/url].

“Ey, kids!” Vandham grinned. “Love to catch up an’ all, but it looks like we’re on a tight schedule, so ‘ere!” He cracked open a metal case and laid it on the ground, revealing a number of futuristic-looking badges. “Everyone ‘urry an’ grab one, and we’ll beam ya up!”

Neither Tora nor Poppi moved to take one, instead allowing the others to go. “We can just fly!” the Nopon explained. As he looked between the other members of the rescue team, his attention predictably landed on Asbestos. For a moment he stared at her in confusion, but what he was looking at quickly dawned on her. “Oh, you lizard girl! Never seen one before, meh.”

Asbestos looked like she wanted nothing more than to punt him. “Huh? You some kinda stupid, pal? Why doncha take a pictcha, it’s last loahngah.”

Before Tora could reply, the ground nearby erupted. A [url=https://i.imgur.com/EF1Xea1.png]Molduga[/url] emerged from the ground in a huge blast of sand, well ahead of the other monsters. Tora yelped, scrambling to ready his Drill Shield, as the boast threw itself toward the assembled heroes. Asbestos, however, charged right back. “Tch!” Asbestos spat, clenching her teeth as she hefted her own massive shield. “SCREW OAHFF!” Shield met Molduga jaw in a tooth-rattling collision, but before the monster’s momentum could push it through, the impact triggered the shield’s hidden mechanism. It retaliated with a massive outward explosion, dealing all the Molduga’s damage right back to it. With a guttural howl it flipped end over end before the heroes’ awestruck eyes and slammed down with its back on the sand, its little legs flailing helplessly in the air.

From the point where it landed, the land suddenly teemed with [url=https://i.imgur.com/uqWRKFt.png]sandworms[/url]. Before the Seekers could face the new threat, Shovel Knight stepped forward. “I shall handle this!” he declared, moving in with his shovel in hand. “Go! We canst already warp back up as needed!” As he ran he deftly plunged his spade into the ground again and again, flipping sand worms from the earth like a teenager would flip burgers. None could so much as touch him.

The cactus monsters bore down on the heroes next, but Vandham did not seem concerned. “Yeah, g’wan!” he told everyone as he pulled twin hand scythes from his belt. “If you wanna knock a few ‘eads together I won’t stop ya, but we got things taken care of down ‘ere ‘til everyone’s aboard!”

Band nodded and swiped a badge. “Got it. I’ll leave it to y’all then.” Barely had he clipped the thing on before he disappeared in a beam of light, teleported to safety inside the Virgin Victory. Peacock followed suit, and the Phantom Thieves not far behind. The Scout hurried to do the same, but Braum took a moment to lay an encouraging hand on Tharja’s shoulder and urge her to escape along with him.

Tora and Poppi, however, lingered. While they trusted Vandham, they couldn’t bear the thought of witnessing another heroic sacrifice. They nodded at one another, then ran to their friend’s side. “We leave when you do!” the Nopon declared.

“Roger, roger!”

Vandham gave a booming laugh. “You’re on, pipsqueaks!”

In the end, though, the dynamic duo had little to worry about. Only a frantic few moments were spent fighting before everyone got aboard the Virgin Victory, so both the rescue team and Tora and Poppi soon joined them. As the ship lifted up into the sky with the Seekers on deck, it left what remained of the monsters behind, with only the fliers a potential threat. Even those became a non-issue when the Virgin Victory got going, cruising across the sunset desert.

“Welcome aboard,” the voice of the captain greeted them. “It looks like we caught you all in the nick of time. Good show getting everyone out of there in one piece. Feel free to peruse the ship as we make our way to our destination, I daresay its air-conditioned interior would interest you all.” Nelson cleared his throat over the intercom. “The recon teams have informed us about a settlement known as Gerudo Town to the east, which is where we are headed for maintenance overnight, as putting the Virgin Victory into overdrive to reach you in time was not without its costs. While there are rather strict rules about who may enter, it is a secure area where we will be able to rest, repair, and refuel.”

As the intercom cut off, Band sighed. “Well, dunno if I like the sound of the whole ‘strict rules’ thing, but it beats roughin’ it out in the desert, or openin’ up any cans of worms in Al Mamoon.” He made his way over to the door leading inside, eager for some air conditioning. “Hooh. I could use some quiet nights with quiet stars. Take it easy, folks. See y’all in a bit.” With that the Seekers could disperse throughout the Virgin Victory, and get a feel for the ship that would no doubt play a large part in the adventure yet to come.

[center][h3]Ms Fortune[/h3]
[b]Location:[/b] Deep Blue Seaside - Limsa Lominscuttle Town
Level 9 Nadia (15/90)
[b]Word Count:[/b] 1639[/center]

Nadia winced as Ace flinched under her touch, not realizing that she’d actually laid hands on one of the sunburns she alluded to. “”Oh, ow, sorry,” she murmured in sympathy. With the Cadet tough as nails and cheery of disposition, however, he was back to laughing in no time. While Nadia had no clue what Carapaceons were and their purported attempt to bring Ace into the fold sounded rather alarming, he didn’t seem that concerned about the experience, so she opted not to pry.

When the monster hunter mentioned loot, however, she was all ears, and despite the copious amount of treasure stashed in her new bag the feral trotted after him with bright eyes. “Nyaow we’re talkin’! Ya mean ya actually went and found real buried treasure? That’s a claws for celebration if I’ve ever heard one, nyeheh!” Her fishtail swished back and forth in excitement as she bent over the trove with him. When Ace unveiled his haul, Nadia could scarcely believe her eyes. “Holy cow, are those all real pearls!?” he breathed, utterly gobsmacked and practically drooling with greed. And Ace was just [i]offering[/i] them to her!? She couldn’t do much more than squeak out a helpless laugh. “You’re crazy! In my world, a haul like this’d leave you set for life! Or bump ya right up to the tippity-top of the mafia’s hit list, more likely…” she cleared her throat and composed herself, holding up a hand of denial as she averted her gaze. “Nah dude, it’s all yours,” she told him, as much as it hurt to say. “Finders keepers, right? Got enough goodies burnin’ a hole in my pocket. If ya don’t want it, maybe ya oughta split the proceeds across the whole group so we’re better prepared goin’ forward, or somethin’. Spurread the love, y’know.”

That said, Ace had plans for at least one of the treasures. He offered her a gorgeous necklace, its flawless spiral shell almost like sapphire, as blue and brilliant as the glittering sea beside them. Despite what she’d just said, Nadia was beyond tempted by what she saw as the best bauble in the whole hoard. Besides, this came as a particular gift from Ace, right? That gave it sentimental value. After a scant second or two of convincing herself she allowed herself to be swayed, and with a resigned grin Nadia accepted the pendant. “It is my color, after all,” she joked as she hung it around her neck. “One hell of a gift, huh? Guess I’ve got to give ya somethin’ in return~”

Wearing a mischievous smile, the feral made her move. She stepped real close, stood on her tiptoes, and smacked the big goof with a kiss on the cheek. When the deed was done she bumped shoulders with him playfully, just as they had before departing for naval warfare the day before.

After that it took Ace a moment to recover, but even then he barely got two words out before Sakura and Karin’s duel came to its thrilling conclusion. Ace got one last look at Nadia’s gleeful grin before she turned around to lead the way back toward the others. She’d been meaning to watch their fight at rapt attention the whole time she could, taking notes the whole time that she might be able to use to improve her own fighting ability, but in the end other matters just happened to get in the way. [i]Oh well,[/i] Nadia thought, nothing close to regret in her heart for what just transpired. “Good stuff ya two!” she called to the street fighters as she walked over to rejoin the main group. From what she’d seen just now and in the course of the team’s campaign so far, Nadia really didn’t relish her chances if she ever were to come up against Sakura for whatever reason. In terms of raw power and defense the well-trained martial artist had her beat, but hey, maybe the sheer dishonesty of Nadia’s unrelenting and unpredictable offense would turn the tables. Either way, the feral was happier than ever that Sakura -and now Karin, too- was on her side.

After arriving Nadia took a seat beside Ace among the group, looking terribly smug about her pretty new necklace. It looked like the Koopas had given the new mage Rubick a crash course in spirits while she hadn’t been paying attention. Even if the arcanist didn’t look super trustworthy at first glance, she figured that by now he must have an idea of the caliber of the group he’d be up against if he started causing trouble, so she wasn’t going to worry about it. What worried her more was what he, and by extension all her other new friends, would be up against as their adventure continues. If the Orphan of Kos was just the third of thirteen big, bad bosses, it was only going to get rougher from here on it. Speaking of looks though, Nadia noticed for the first time since her arrival that Bowser seemed a little different. In fact, he looked a lot more like his old self, without all the strange proportional distortions caused by a somewhat carefree attitude toward fusion. She nodded her approval. “Lookin’ good, boss man!”

Geralt then came her way, which sort of caught Nadia by surprise. While their team-up attacks worked out pretty well against the Harbor Demon and the brutal third round of Master Hand’s Trial of Purity, they hadn’t really spoken much outside of combat. That just meant, of course, that a welcome from him was extra special, and Nadia returned his cordiality. “Heya!” Since he approached her she then expected him to continue, but instead he just looked at her in a pointed, rather intimidating way. Nadia’s ears flattened instinctively. He continued to speak, and while his words were pleasant enough his question came across as oddly loaded. Nadia, confused by his mixed signals and not exactly putting two and two together as to what he was getting at, fumbled her response like a dolt. “...Haha, yeah!” While she tried to laugh it off, she got the impression that whatever this was, it wasn’t over.

In desperate search of an out, she turned her attention back to Karin and Sakura. Miss Ringlets seemed to have her hands -and head- full as she attempted to come to grips with the fractured state of the world. Hearing Karin bemoan all the property and servants and orbital weapons and collectible cars struck Nadia as funny in a mildly sadistic sort of way. “She’s definitely someone I would steal from,” she muttered to herself. [i]Always a pleasure to see a spoiled brat get humbled. Pretty damn hard to feel bad for her when she’s still living so large, too.[/i] Her brow furrowed as she ran those thoughts back. [i]Then again, she did all this just to thank us. I’m kinda being a bitch.[/i] Karin went away, but Nadia resolved to be friendlier to her when she returned.

Now that the show was over and everyone was together, it was getting to be about the time to bid the beach farewell. It had been wonderful, a much-needed breath of fresh air in paradise after yesterday’s horrors, but after having their fill of sand, surf, and sun, most everyone felt like a change of pace. Despite Karin’s catered feast stomachs were beginning to rumble again, even for the likes of the elegant Princess Peach. She clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention. “Well then! How about we head to dinner? Nadia, do you know the way there?”

As a bunch of eyes turned her way Nadia scratched her head, unable to suppress a bashful smile. “Eheh, ah, not really actually.”

“Where were you thinking of going?” Ishizaki asked, helpful as ever. When supplied with an answer, he provided the Seekers and their guests with the directions they needed. As it turned out, Rum for Ale could be found in the southern shore district, among the colorful collection of homes and businesses known as Mist. After thanking him, and asking him to let Karin know when she came back, Peach set off at the head of the group in search of fine Cuban cuisine.

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/isd2Xcf.png[/img][/center]

Rum for Ale took the form of a unique building, in which all the kitchens, pantries, and other facilities encircled a central courtyard. There, with ivy-covered walls and fragrant flowers on all sides, the customers could dine open to the air in the shade of palm trees. It was very pretty and, as the Seekers saw when escorted inside, largely unoccupied. Nadia couldn’t even guess as to why since the place seemed so nice and came recommended by the Half-Genie Hero herself, but she wasn’t about to question her luck, either. The staff allowed the group to put four tables together, and while the heroes went about trying to find the best arrangement, the staff rolled out the heavy-duty stool for Bowser and the high seats for Junior and Hatty. When the waiter apologized that the wait time for food might be a while on account of a staff shortage, Cerberus for some reason thought it would be fun to offer to help out as waitresses. While a little dubious, the manager needed the help given this party size, and the three were at least dressed for it, so he accepted their aid and the enthusiastic Triple Demon sprang into action.

In short order the tablecloths were spread, everyone found somewhere at the tables to sit, menus got circulated, and the servers readied to notebook to take the group’s drink orders. Whether or not Cerberus knew how to read was a separate issue, but it was hard to deny their spirit.