[center][h3]Twilight Town[/h3]
Level 11 Tora (72/110) Level 11 Poppi (72/110) Level 8 Big Band (16/80), Level 10 Nadia (27/100)
Koopa Troop and Midna’s [@DracoLunaris], Geralt’s [@Multi_Media_Man], Ace Cadet, Octopath Travelers, and Pit’s [@Yankee], Blazermate, Sectonia, and Susie’s [@Archmage MC], Sakura, Jesse, and Karin’s [@Zoey Boey], Raz and Red’s [@TruthHurts22], Omori’s [@Majora’s End], Rubick’s [@Scarifar], Bede’s [@Crimson Flame], Roxas’ [@Double], the Mercenaries, the Wonderful Ones, and the Phantom Thieves
[b]Word Count:[/b] 3070[/center]

[center][hider=For Geralt]New items obtained (from Elephante, Meerca, Quiggle, Gill Grunt x2)
[b][url=https://i.imgur.com/Z6NFLh6.png]Low-definition Pirate Hat[/url][/b]
Better for playing pirate than being one
[b][url=https://i.imgur.com/HHzdplN.png]Pirate Paint Brush[/url][/b]
An incredibly rare find. At first glance it seems to have no function, but if applied at the Fountain of Dreams, it can turn anyone into a pirate version of themselves
[b][url=https://i.imgur.com/k89KryN.png]Wind-up Froggy[/url][/b]
A plastic toy that can hop around if wound up
[b][url=https://i.imgur.com/Z1m9DnV.png]Fish[/url][/b] x2
A chunk of meat with the scales still on. Can be prepared in any number of ways to make a tasty dish[/hider][/center]

If Nadia expected to fade into the background following her short-and-sweet introduction, she quickly got proven wrong. One of the details she elected to share with her new cohort earned her some extra attention. Among the various strangers who’d gathered to meet the Tinkerslug contingent on the docks was a lanky young boy with a rather uniquely shaped head and what appeared to be a severe jaundice, and once she made mention of her unique ability he inundated her with questions. She had herself a chuckle at his enthusiastic curiosity.

“I could answer all that,” she told him, “But showin’ ya might be the ‘necks’ best thing. Check this out.” Nadia reached up and took hold of her head by the ponytail, using at as a handle to lift her head from her shoulders. She swiped the other through the space between them, showing that her neck had been completely, cleanly, and easily severed. A few gasps and incredulous stares accompanied her little feat. “As ya might guess, this ain’t somethin’ I can teach,” she told him, her words tinged with laughter. “I can separate along any of my scars. Blood’s under my control, but I can always make more if I love some, or use it to do stuff. Guess you can say I’m a cut above!”

After that she put her head back where it belonged and fell silent, happy to give the inquisitive little guy his own time to shine. Though she liked the limelight as much as any outgoing person, her looks earned her enough attention as-is, and so many eyes on her just felt uncomfortable sometimes. Raz introduced himself as a Psychonaut, and his mention of entering minds intrigued her. While that sounded like a massive invasion of personal privacy, and from a ten-year-old circus clown no less, Nadia wondered if the kid really [i]could[/i] help her sort through some of her confusion and pain. Even for someone as energetic, fun-loving, and reckless as herself, peace of mind was a valuable thing. Hopefully Raz possesses some himself; flat-out dying in water was one hell of a weakness.

Wonder Red introduced himself next, speaking on behalf of the CENTINELS. Though not anyone that Tora, Poppi, and Big Band knew for very long, they seemed like good people. A little cheesy, but refreshingly professional, was the impression they left with Big Band. Tora wondered where the rest of the hundred-man international team might be. Roxas followed in Red’s footsteps, and though he spared only a handful of details, his relation to Organization XIII made him seem important. His commentary left Big Band with more questions than answers, and hungry for more. In a world of stasis, its oblivious populace kept perpetually in thrall, the existence of an independent Organization operating with its own agenda could not be ignored.

When Primrose stepped up to introduce herself, she did so with a stupendous flourish, putting on a little spectacle for her new allies that Nadia couldn’t help but admire…grudgingly. Through no fault of her own, the talented dancer ended up making Nadia feel a little inferior. Primrose was just so gorgeous, so glamorous, so elegant and powerful, all perfectly wrapped up in one stunning package. Put the rudimentary dances she learned from Shantae to shame, too. Normally the feral wasn’t one to get hung up on comparisons, but she also noticed that Ace couldn’t seem to look away from this woman, and somehow that stung a little. Could that be a touch of jealousy? Nadia frowned. Maybe this newfound competitiveness came as a result of her spirit fusion, or maybe it only just now manifested because she found someone she really liked. Lost in thought, she barely noticed the dancer’s companion Therion, though the thief did not make a spectacle of himself to begin with.

Ace said his piece next, introducing himself as a well-trained, well-equipped slayer of fantastical beasts. His job description and oversized equipment painted him as a frontline battle companion that Tora and Poppi would be happy to fight alongside. After that, Midna and the Koopa Troop picked up the trend Primrose started of showing off and carried it even farther, putting both abilities and egos on display in a show of power and braggadocious bravado. Band noted with some amusement the royals’ opposing boasts; if Midna saved time and Bowser conquered time, times must be interesting indeed. Tora, meanwhile, was just happy to see his fellow gearhead again. Not since Peach’s Castle had he and Junior really gotten the chance to put their heads together. Kamek looked a little different than he remembered, though that line of thinking quickly gave way to an interest in the Snaktivator she produced.

Sectonia went after, and she even managed to rope in Blazermate in order to try and impress the others with her magic. Once her turn came around, the Medabot deployed all her features and constructs too. Tora couldn’t wait to have a dedicated healer again, even if upgrades like Buster-Mode helped Tora take care of himself. Susie went next, but Tora’s mind drifted elsewhere. He had happened to realize that out of everyone gathered here, only Bowser, Blazermate, and himself remained from the original group of strangers who once gathered at the knoll at the edge of the southern badlands to defeat Kirby. It was a sobering thought.

Karin certainly introduced herself with aplomb, and with a level of pride that Poppi hadn’t been expecting. The martial artist took pains to make sure everyone knew just how accomplished she was. Grandiose attitudes were nothing new to Poppi, given her time with Sectonia and Bowser, but the phrase ‘prove yourselves worthy of fighting at my side’ came across as a little insulting from a newbie. Her comment about the Nopon manner of speech did not elude Poppi, either. The moment that Karin needed an immovable shield between her and certain doom, or salvation from its death’s door, she would realize just how valuable these peons around her could be.

In contrast, Sakura made a much more modest entrance. Her fun fact about hot dogs earned her the admiration and respect of Tora, who figured that anyone who loved sausages as much as he did couldn’t possibly be a bad person. Plus, she was cute, friendly, and maybe just a little dumb, all very endearing qualities.

Geralt introduced himself, though to Tora and Poppi his abilities were well-known. The events of the fight at the crystalized farmstead in the Ancestral Steppe had been seared into their memory. Helpfully the Witcher explained away some of the overlap between himself and Ace, which earned some respect from Band. Raw power was nice, but experience didn’t come cheap. After the grizzled, slightly bestial veteran came the bright-eyed youth Pit, the very definition of ‘happy to be here’. Omori followed him up, explaining about powers that derived from emotions. Band’s thoughts were elsewhere. What was that now, five preteen boys on the team, counting Tora? He, Raz, Junior, Pit, and Omori should be out there enjoying their lives, not risking them in a fight like this. If -or more likely, when- death came knocking, would not care that they were children.

When she went Jesse kept things simple and to-the-point, even deigning to drop some info that might be important later. Poppi logged the woman’s mention of a city in danger up north. While she could not yet venture a guess as to what city that might be, one thing was certain: this world needed a lot of saving. Her introduction left just two people, though only one elected to say anything: a rather proud young man who talked highly of his skill with Pokemon. After remembering her Croagunk, Poppi figured it wouldn’t take much to be a better Pokemon trainer than her. Maybe this Bede could give her some pointers. As for the spooky-looking sorcerer, only time would tell, it seemed. Not everyone would be the sort to make nice like this.

When the introductions finally concluded, Peach was all smiles. No matter what she or the others had gone through to get here, as long as the world’s heroes stood united, the future seemed bright. “Okay then. Now that we’ve gotten to know one another a little, let’s get started on our first mission…lunch!” She pointed her gloved finger up toward the Clock Tower, high up on the hill that Twilight Town rested on. “That’s where we’re going, right? Where the Metro station is, I mean. So, let’s make our way up through this…” She squinted in order to make out the name on a nearby street sign. “Market Street toward the train station. On the way, we can buy enough food for everyone, as well as anything else we need. It’s a beautiful day here, so we can eat outside as pool information and figure out who’s going where. If anyone needs some money…” She pulled out a Wallet purchased from the Argentum Trade Guild and poured out a handful of gold coins into her pocket, just a fraction of the wealth now housed within the magic Wallet’s infinite depths. “The treasury of the Mushroom Kingdom will provide!”

She glanced at LeFwee, still smoldering where he lay. “...And let’s make sure we throw these pirates somewhere, too.”

Forty-five minutes later, a few large, checkered tablecloths had been laid out across a grassy hillside on the upper outskirts of Twilight Town, roughly halfway between where the western perimeter road ended and the coniferous forest began. Separated from the acrid haze of the Sulfur Pools on the other side of these hills by the sloped expanse of fragrant pines, this hillside offered an excellent view past the Clock Tower and down across the town itself, all the way to the water. Those Seekers tasked with purchasing food had procured a trove of ingredients for sandwiches, including tasty cheese, fresh bread, savory salami, luscious ham, and vegetables like tickles and tomatoes that could be sliced up and added to sandwiches or eaten as-is if so desired. Drinks aside from water were only a short walk away, as the cafes around the Central Station’s plaza offered coffees, teas, fruit juices, and more. Other food and drink, of course, was up to the buyers’ (and financier’s) discretion.

Not everyone had been getting supplies for the midday feast, however. When the team passed a hairdresser called Seabreeze Salon on Market Street, Nadia discretely slipped inside. Pretty as long hair might be, Nadia didn’t care much for it, especially now that knew Primrose had an even bigger, more voluminous, and more lustrous ponytail than she did. In just a few minutes she emerged with her hair back in a short bob cut, albeit still with Massachusetts’ hair color, black on the inside and white on the outside. To her annoyance Nadia realized that she’d lost the hair dye she purchased at some point, probably in the river; she really needed a better way to carry her things instead of constantly losing them. A few others made their own stops as well. Vandham and the mercenaries took the chance to stop at the Militia headquarters, for instance, and deposit their piratical prisoners after an impromptu meeting with the boss.

While eating, the Seekers spoke, and the biggest topic was naturally where the Metro would be taking them. With such a miraculous transportation system the World of Light was their oyster, but they needed to avoid spreading themselves too thin. This applied even more considering that Vandham and the other mercenaries would be headed back to Alcamoth once their business here concluded, and that some sort of undisclosed discovery by the Phantom Thieves meant that they would be taking the Gray Line no matter what. Commander Nelson relayed Deadman’s request for help in the Dystopiascape, specifically in the biggest metropolis known to the World of Light, Midgar. A brief overview of its internal struggles, including the feuding powers within the city and the upcoming presidential election, as well as the Ever Crisis that assailed it from without, convinced the heroes that this was one cry for help they couldn’t ignore. Plus, as some Yellow Team members brought up, their acquaintance Goldlewis Dickinson would be there to help them, too. Once they established a foothold in Midgar, the Seekers could use the knowledge and resources gained during their time there to find and defeat the Dystopiascape’s Guardian.

Black Line it was, then. But would that be all? A massive group would be that much harder to manage, and in all likelihood cause more problems than it solved. The discussion soon turned to where a secondary team might be headed. Everyone considered the Twilight Forest, the Forbidden Kingdom, and the Frozen Highlands, but ultimately decided on the Under. It seemed like as good a place to start as ever, with more adventure and fewer complications than might be found elsewhere. It was settled: the Dystopiascape and the Under would be the next challenges the Seekers of Light would tackle. After some deliberation, the two teams came to be as well.

Susie, Peach, Tora, Poppi, Raz, Red, Geralt, Bede, Midna, Blazermate, Pit, Roxas, Sakura, and Karin would take the Black Line, while, Sectonia, Ms Fortune, Big Band, Omori, Rubick, Primrose, Therion, Bowser, Junior, Kamek, Rika, Jesse, and the Ace Cadet would take the Purple. The fourteen-thirteen split made sense, and with the teams scrambled everyone would have a chance to work alongside allies both new and old.

A few of those present, informed about new possibilities during the meet and greet, took the chance to request the use of the Snaktivator or Peach’s soul-taking services.

[center][hider=For Midna]Notable spirit consumed:
[b][url=https://i.imgur.com/x65e52t.png]Harbinger[/url][/b] (Torso)
The host has gotten a little taller and her torso has become a bit beefier, bringing it more in line with her hips in terms of size. The skin is somewhat mottled, as if healed after an extensive burn, though it is hidden beneath a black priest’s cassock, buttoned up. There’s also a stole, though its frayed, bug-eaten appearance leaves a lot to be desired. In terms of personality, the host is more enthusiastic about burning things. This spirit confers the Strength [b]Tempered Flesh[/b], increasing effective HP and bodily defense appreciably. It also confers the Weakness [b]Mighty Glacier[/b], decreasing running and flying speed somewhat[/hider][/center]

[center][hider=For Sectonia]Spirit extracted: Florami

New Striker spiritbound:
[b][url=https://i.imgur.com/C8raMd0.png]Florami[/url][/b]
An adult-form spectrobe of impressive power and floral appearance. It can use Flower Ray to shoot a couple energy blasts from the flower buds on its chest on a medium cooldown, or Bloom Blast to spin and shoot a graceful, yet devastating 8-way blast attack on a long cooldown. While active, it regenerates some HP for Sectonia, but it cannot be active unless attacking[/hider][/center]

Briefly the picnickers also touched on a couple other causes for concern. Organization XIII presented an unknown extra factor in their campaigns, with some of its members helping the Seekers, and others unabashedly hindering them. Their goal seemed to be the eradication of Galeem’s Guardians, but they also worked in secrecy, and Roxas’ past painted them as enemies with a sinister motive. The other issue was a new one: the Consul. An individual who’d seemingly marshaled the denizens of the Sea of Serendipity into one force despite their past opposition, and pointed them directly at the heroes. While little could ultimately be said about him, what happened at Port O’ Panic seemed like enough to say with certainty that the Consul was someone to watch out for.

Finally, with their meals and discussions concluded, the Seekers wrapped up their picnic and made for Central Station to begin the next step of their grand adventure.

They went in the peaceful but subtly melancholic golden glow of an eternal sunset, but as ever the dusk cast long shadows. Atop the Clock Tower itself, no fewer than thirteen such shadows perched in the darkness. Some were tall, and some were short. Some were male, and some female. Some brawny, and some slender. None wielded their weapons, though one held a camera. The affected poses of sophistication, curiosity, flippancy, boredom, severity, excitement, and more, but one thing united them all, aside from their black coats. Not one of them felt a thing–just emptiness, where their hearts should be.

“Aw, now doesn’t that just warm the cockles,” one of the nobodies drawled as he sat on the precipice of the Clock Tower, peering down on the Seekers with one golden eye. “Nothin’ like teary reunion, eh guys?”

“Wot? Surely you en’t alludin’ to us there, scahface,” the shortest Nobody chirped, crossing her arms. “Dunno oo’s ‘appy to see your ugly mug.”

The first one snickered. “As if! We’re just here to wish them luck.”

“What good will luck do them?” another Nobody criticized in a sharp, slightly nasal monotone. “If they mean to achieve their goal, what they need is more power.”

Sighing, the first one shook his head. “Spoken like a true runner-up. You of all people should know, raw strength ain’t what always lets the heroes save the day. Nor speed, nor smarts, nor skill. Not even bravery!”

“It’s true,” a tall one said, his hood stretched over his cube-shaped head. He produced a playing card, then spread it into an entire deck of fifty-two. “No matter the player, there’s one factor Nobody can account for. Luck of the draw.” Without looking he pulled one card from the fan, vanished the rest, and then turned the card to look at what he’d drawn. It was the Ace of Diamonds. “Wonder how this hand plays out.”

“Nothin’ to do but wait and see. Unless they need a little nudge here and there,” the first one replied. . He clapped his hands on his knees and stood. “Ramaxi, Hallextram.” Two of the female nobodies stepped forward. “Kudos to ya both for a job well done. No rest for the wicked though, got a new task for ya. Thanks to that little meet and greet, we now know there’s someone we oughta pay a visit to. Someone I thought we left behind.”

Hallextram nodded. “Understood.” Portals of darkness opened around the shadows, and into them the Nobodies disappeared. Only she and Ramaxi remained for a moment, their eyes on the Seekers far below. “They seem happy,” she murmured. “Even knowing how long and difficult the path ahead will be.” She held out her gloved hand and stared at it pensively. “When this is all over…could we be happy, too?”

“A Nobody doesn't have a right to know,” Ramaxi whispered. “Nor does it even have the right to be. Corpses such as us…should be left well alone.” The two stared a moment longer, then in a heavy silence, left.

[hr]

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

In the darkness, an incessant rattling noise accompanied the beam of light that shone from the backmost reaches of the room, projecting the image through the pitch and onto the far wall. There an enormous screen rested beneath the dangling curtains, their tassels limp and still given the utter lack of wind. Reflected off the screen, that light gave form to the stage that lay beneath it, the twin curved staircases that led down to the auditorium seating, and the stalls themselves. Most of the seats were empty, but scattered throughout were a few handfuls of curious attendees, their forms given only the vaguest distinction from the shadows by the glare of the screen. Each guest was appropriately dressed for the occasion, and through their suits bore little variance between one another, no two helmets looked exactly alike. These guests all sat apart from one another, and not one of them said a word to each other.

For the most part, they kept their eyes glued to the silver screen before them, especially now that the film had reached its climax. Some of them oohed and aahed over the spectacle, diverted by impressive displays of skill and dramatic reversals of fortune. Shouts of encouragement or derision accented the decisive moments. “Finish her off!” one might yell, or “don’t just stand there,” or “where did that come from?” The spectators insulted and criticized as they pleased, or showed their indifference with a yawn. When the monochrome boy stabbed the old lizard through the heart, and his young grandson wailed his sorrow to the heavens, they savored the rich pathos of the tragedy. When the scrappy brunette got tied to a cannonball and fired away with a yell, uproarious laughter ensued. A couple gasps followed the apparent assassination of the well-armed shipgirl, only to turn to a smattering of cheers when she stood up again to bear the hopes of her late friend, dispatched with such groan-inducing anticlimax by the medical bot. Exultation then followed as she finally pinned the squirrely catgirl down to give her just desserts, but that soon fell to disappointment as the dirty fighter then seized the day. Several nodded their heads at the honorable resolution of the final duel between the sword-wielding warriors, and when that cowardly pirate captain found himself utterly alone and helpless at last, many a chuckle could be heard. Before long, all hope was lost for the denizens of the Sea of Serendipity, and the snap of the fairy’s spine punctuated the end of their resistance. The victors gathered their spoils, and in their captured vessel sailed on to parts unknown.

With the film concluded, the screen went dark, and with it the whole of the theater. Just a moment later, however, a singular spotlight came on above the stage. It illuminated a tall figure in cherry-red armor, his helmet crested with an arch like the battlements of a tower and flanked by half-discs like overlarge ears.

“Welcome back to the stage of history, eternally retold,” he declared, bowing politely to the auditorium. After straightening up, he stared out into the darkness, his dark eyes visible through the X-shaped slit in his visor. “And it would appear that we have quite the healthy turnout, as well. Fourteen is nothing to scoff at for such a ramshackle production, mustered up on such a tight schedule. How long has it been since this place saw so many of us?”

“Not long enough,” spat a pointed, almost venomous voice. A spotlight fell upon the owner to reveal a helmet with the visage of a fanged tragedy mask, adorned by curled horns like bat wings. The man sat upon his cape with his legs crossed, his elbow perched on the arm of his chair so he could rest his chin on his fist. “It was not by my hand that I am once again giving audience. Tell me, S. Why have we been beckoned hence by such an insolent knave as yourself? Merely for a smidgen of entertainment?”

The owner of another voice, old and cantankerous, cleared his throat. “Don’t be so hasty, D.” A spotlight shone down on a domed helmet surrounded in tubes and medical apparatus. “Like it or not, this concerns us both. Your territory’s been awfully quiet lately, has it not?”

D sounded as incredulous as he was scornful. “Siding with this maverick, O? Hmph! Eager to get back to playing with the dead, are we? Or do you have some other bent, you miserable pile of secrets?” A mixture of anger and fear made O trip over his words, and with a grumble he fell silent, while D rolled his eyes.

“Anyone with their wits about them could guess why we’re here.” An even, mature voice brought forth a light that revealed a sinuous helmet with a white mask face dotted by tech lines and recessed eyes. “He has found another band of brave heroes who mean to stand against the flow.”

“Really, I thought it was a social visit.” His tone sarcastic, D glared at the speaker for the implied insult. “That was a rhetorical question, Y. What I want is an explanation. What makes [i]these[/i] heroes worthy of our time. If I didn’t know better, I’d say S [i]wanted[/i] there to be heroes!”

“Surely you don’t mean to try our patience again, S?” Light flooded onto a burly Consul as he rose from his seat, his ice-blue eyes glaring out from his centurion-styled helm. “You cried wolf once before,” he said, his voice naturally gruff and hard. “You were so sure these ‘heroes’ would be the ones to give us a run for our money, but they folded like a cheap suit, and all we got for our efforts was wasted time. What makes you think this time is any different?”

“Hey, hey, now.” Another light announced the presence of a shorter figure with a helmet shaped like the sun, marked with jagged zig-zags in the shape of a mouth and eyes. “Sit down, U. As fun as it’d be to watch you all at each other’s throats, don’t you think we oughta hear him out, at least? He’s the same as any of us, after all. And did give us a good show!” The Consul closed his eyes, smiling. “I mean, did you hear those dulcet death throes? ‘I’m sorry, everyone’...’forgive me…’ They sure love apologizing, huh? A lot of good it’ll do them when they’re dead, heheh.”

“Thank you O, F,” The man on stage tilted and nodded his head in gratitude. “What I shall endeavor to bring to your collective attention is, indeed, no small matter. My past transgression is, of course, my deepest and most bitter regret, which is why I bided my time to collect enough information to truly certify my position. I do not intend to ask the world of you, my friends; merely that we should lift a finger or two, when the opportunity presents itself. For these ‘heroes’, as you say, are the real deal.”

A number of voices broke out at the same time, most of them dismissive. But through the chaos ripped a rich baritone, possessed of a subtle ethereal echo that bore the depth of time. “Compose yourselves, ladies and gentlemen. Preposterous as they might seem at first blush, our colleague’s concerns are more well-founded than you likely realize.” The voice came from a helmet shaped like a heart clasped in mechanical instrumentation, bearing nine crests and a bevy of eyes.

“A?” Some of the Consuls shifted in their seats, in particular a diminutive one with a drill-shaped helmet on his huge head. His growly voice sounded impressed. “If you’re backing S up, this can’t just be more bologna. But my dominion is as absolute as ever. Not one whiff of trouble in or around the Plateau.” He crossed his arms, narrowing his slitted orange eyes. “What sort of damage are we looking at?”

S adopted a thinking pose. “I’m so very glad you asked, R. As it happens, our new heroes have amassed quite the little list of accolades, and in a rather short time as well. In less than one week’s time, no fewer than four of the Guardians have been defeated, and their spirits laid claim to. Opposing factions have been eliminated across the Deep Blue Seaside and Sandswept Sky, and the people of places like Limsa, Lumbridge, Peach’s Castle, and Al Mamoon rally in their heroes’ support.” The revelations were met with silence, but nobody was jeering now. S gave a wry smile and continued. “This state of affairs cannot, however, be attributed to inordinate strength, or even sheer murderous intent. As you just saw, even the motley crew of blowhards, has-beens, and civilians I quickly gathered in the Sea of Serendipity gave our heroes a run for their money, even if no casualties ensued. We’ve reached this stage -both literally and metaphorically, I might add- because of negligence and complacency. We’ve rested on our laurels so long, we’ve flattened them.”

“Hey, speak for yourself, Stretch!” an obnoxious, childish male voice called out from the front row. No eyes could be seen within the helmet that resembled a boar’s head, with four bent spider legs jutting out from either side, as the portly little Consul stared up at the man on stage. “Everything’s just fine where I am, and getting to the Guardian is impossible! You just want the rest of us to cover up for your mistakes!”

As F snickered, another voice arose in reproach. This one was female, albeit roboticized, and though monotone her delivery carried a certain ridicule. “As much as it must sting to be reproached once in your pampered little life, P, consider the bigger picture for a moment. If we’ve really let four Guardians slip through our fingers in one week, we may be in danger. Our greatest enemy is not a group of heroes, but ourselves.” She turned her semicircular helmet around the room, bathing all in her yellow gaze. “We should begin by asking the corresponding Consuls what happened in their regions.”

“What are you talking about, G?” P whined. “We OWN this world!”

“This world is but a fleeting shadow, on the backdrop of eternity.” From the likeness of a snarling, fanged demon with a plated helmet of its own issued an elegant woman’s voice, soft but charged with power. “And eternity is in our hands. We cannot allow it to slip away.”

“Too true.” S took a deep breath in through his nose. As he continued to speak, images from previous films appeared on the screen behind him. “So. The slain Guardians are Megadragonbowser.” A clip of the fiery brawl in the throne room of Peach’s Castle played. “Ender Dragon. “ A shot of the giant monstrosity crashing through the End. “The Orphan of Kos.” A pitch-black giant loomed over a tar-covered beach. “And Red Eye.” From on high the Seekers dove down to finish off the giant worm as it lay impaled upon countless supports.

“For my realm, I was unaware of them for a time, and while visiting Lumbridge mistook the newcomers for simple adventurers. Only after an uproar surrounding the Guild Master did I begin to connect the dots. After that I began to monitor them more closely, and resolved to let them challenge the Ender Dragon to see if they possessed the power to vanquish it. Afterward, I began to concoct my plan.” He shook his head. “My opposite number, M, was otherwise engaged at that time, and elected not to appear today, either. I cannot speak to him, or to the other regions…”

A rubbed the chin of his helmet. “I admit, I was rather engrossed in other affairs. The depths of the Bottomless Sea provide quite the diversion. With the Maw out of commission, however, I shall have to requisition ever more exquisite horrors from the deep to stoke the flames of war.” 

“We were all just busy, I’m sure. Lot of ground to cover, y’know?” The husky, strident voice came from one of the biggest, brawniest Consuls in the room. Her helmet resembled a skull nestled in a mane of tentacles. “Tell you what, though. If the folks from Limsa think they’ve seen the last of conflict, they’re about to be in for a rude awakening. I drummed up a group with a lot of attitude who's gonna shake things up in the Seaside.”

“What, Abyssal Fleet just not doin’ it for ya anymore, I?” A lean Consul in a [url=https://i.imgur.com/MFwgTOb.png]one-eyed helmet[/url] drawled.

I shook her head, her disgust clear in her voice. “They are stagnation itself. It’s not that they do not change–it is that they [i]cannot[/i]. They do not think, or desire, or adapt. They merely charge forward, and if they fall, their replacements charge over them. They are played out, and life is wasted upon them. So I leave them to sink, and have chosen for Limsa a new enemy. One that will happily learn lessons from their broken bones, and appreciate wisdom more than they do their teeth. You understand, yes, H?”

“Wow, huh, good luck with that,” H told her. “Well, in my neck of the woods, I’m actually pretty happy those ‘heroes’ of yours broke Red Eye outta the mountain. Their little fight wiped out so much track that Al Mamoon’s ground to a stop, leaving them no choice but to accept an offer from FeeCo. Soon we’re gonna have the whole desert hooked up and fightin’ like cats. Business is BOOMING, baby!”

A Consul with a helmet like a chicken-shaped totem shook her head ruefully. “You forget that neither side is supposed to truly defeat the other,” she reminded him.

“Hey, you of all people should know I play to win, X!” H chuckled. “Maybe you’re just backing the wrong horses. I mean, hordes of filthy bandits and voodoo magic against FeeCo tech? Please!”

Before they could start bickering, S spoke up. “What about the Mushroom Kingdom, then? I understand that they swept through in less than a day, but how fare things now?”

“Don’t you look at me funny!” a slightly shrill old voice insisted. Its owner could be seen under the spotlight, his spiked helmet stylized like a brain protruding from a skull. “I’ve been preoccupied trying to get that fool Eggman started, only for him to go and lose the factory I gave him! My beautiful machine army, up in smoke! Meanwhile, K’s been off playing castle to the west! Didn’t even show up today, see?”

Consul A tilted his head. “If machines are your desire, W, perhaps I can direct you and your erstwhile associate to a certain elephantine derelict on the perimeter of my domain. In their cups locals whisper tales of a Metal Devil, a relic of an advanced civilization.”

“Is that so? Metal Devil, hmm? I like the sound of that. Perhaps I shall give my pawn another chance.” W rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

After a long drink from his glass, D slammed his hand down. “Enough talk! If we mean to actually do something, it would behoove us to know where things stand.”

“Of course.” S cleared his throat again. “The heroes employ Alcamoth as their base of operations. It is well-equipped, and will soon finish repairs on an airship that can cover the whole continent. Right now the heroes are on their way to Twilight Town to use the Metro to begin the hunt for more Guardians, but we don’t know where they’re headed. They also have help from the Organization.”

O snorted. “Feh, the Organization. They’ve been a thorn in our side, sure, but that’s all they are. They know they can’t take any risks if they mean to achieve their goal. Let them keep their shadows. We are the light, and they know it.”

“Plus, we literally outnumber them two to one.” P drummed his feet against the legs of his seat. “If we’re actually going to do something, why not just all jump them at once? Get it over with nice and fast.”

A mixture of snorts and laughter greeted his proposal. “Do you forget who we are?” D scoffed. “We are the custodians of this world! Its very rulers! To resort to such a base tactic would be to announce to all the world -and worst of all, one another- that we possess neither power, nor wisdom, nor courage. Do you truly have no shame, child of man?”

With an annoyed grunt P slumped down in his chair.. “Ugh. It was just a question.”

B interlaced her fingers as she considered all angles. “Have we any word from Master Hand?”

“Off working in mysterious ways, I’m sure,” U jeered. “Forget the oversized glove. Any actual action is up to the likes of us!” He pounded his fist into his palm for emphasis.

“Hmm.” Another Consul earned a light, which shone down on a bucket helm with the face of a clock and a forked adornment. His voice was deep, equal parts sophisticated and menacing. “If the time has come to dispose of Alcamoth, perhaps I could convince L to make use of that Tech Plant she’s always gibbering about. Would you agree to a joint venture, H?”

It took a moment for H to understand the proposal. “Huh? You mean…? Oh, with Zurvan? Yeah, uh, sure thing, N. If you actually convince that frosty bitch, that’ll definitely do the trick. Hate to be those guys, whoo.” He laughed as he pretended to pull at his collar. “Wouldn’t mind watching, though.”

“As for the rest of us,” S mused. “We have much and more to do. Let us stay sharp, keep our noses to the grindstones, and make ready. Whenever and wherever they turn up, we should be ready to oppose them.”

“Very well. Myself and C shall arrange a warm welcome for them in Midgar” Y murmured, nodding his head. “If he hasn’t already begun, of course.” With that, he disappeared in a flash of purple sparks, and the spotlight above him snapped off. 

“Funny that neither Consul from Twilight Forest bothered showing up, either” R grumbled.

“I’ll spread the love.” Beneath his mask, F grinned. “I can hardly wait to get T involved. Ohoh, this should be fun.”

B took a long, slow breath. “I suppose I must let J know, as well. One can only hope that she will not go overboard.”

They left, and the others quickly followed suit. One spotlight at a time the room returned to darkness. In just a couple moments, only a couple remained. Rather than vanish, N stood in his chair. “Something occurred to me. A delightful little bit of entertainment. You mentioned that they would soon reach Nyakuza Metro. I happen to know an easy and discreet way to put a dampener on their plans, should I make it in time.”

A brief moment passed in silence before G replied. “It sounds like you’d better get moving, then,” she told him. “I’d join you to see what comes of your little test, but it looks like I’ve got other plans. Try to leave a little for the rest of us, will you?”

“Time will tell,” N replied. A second later he was gone, and G right behind him.

That left only S. His eyes narrowed as he gazed out into the darkness. “Brave, foolhardy heroes…how far will you get this time?”

Then he vanished, and darkness ruled the stage of history once more.

[hr]

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/p989MMI.png[/img][/center]

“This place is fur-iggen’ AWESOME!”

The bustling, neon-and-brick enormity of Nyakuza Metro took Nadia completely by surprise. She’d seen her fair share of train stations and thought she knew what to expect, but an old-fashioned nighttime city totally exceeded her expectations. At first she assumed that this place featured the same sort of magically-locked time of day as Twilight Town, but upon closer inspection it turned out that the whole miniature metropolis existed one hundred percent indoors. It was weird but wonderful, and once she overcame her initial awestruck incredulity Nadia loved every inch of it. Everything was cat-themed, from the tunnel entrances to the vacuums, and no matter where she turned her delighted gaze she found something that made her smile.

“I mean, street food? Scratchin’ posts? Heat lamps? Giant kitties and cat tower apartments? This is a feline paradise!” Just a few minutes into her new mission, Nadia already found herself distracted. ‘Smitten’ might be a better word, in fact; this place offered just about everything she could ever want. The Metro, laden with cat-themed curiosities and perfect for parkour, just begged to be explored, and when she spotted a glittering jewelry store her eyes sparkled with greed. But she couldn’t afford to take a detour given her present company. With a heavy sigh, Nadia jogged to catch up with the others, resolving to take in as much of the Metro as she could while making her way through to the Purple line. After passing a group of Metro Cats, though, her disappointment gave way to a fit of the giggles. “Oh my gosh, aren’t these little guys cute? Their voices are makin’ me crack up. I swear I just heard one say, ‘if my train doesn’t arrive right meow, I’m gonna be late!’” When she mimicked the feline’s speech, her impression wasn’t just spot-on. It was immaculate, as if she and the Metro Cats somehow shared the same voice, albeit with a different inflection. Nadia blinked a few times, surprised and a little weirded out, then shrugged and carried on.

“Sadly, it ain’t as simple as findin’ the right train station,” she heard Band saying. “In order to enter any station, we need the right color train pass, and the only money they take here is pons.” He pointed to a nearby brick wall covered in graffiti, where a handful of the bright green crystals floated in a row going upward. “Those emerald-lookin’ things, see? Meanin’ we gotta stretch our legs a li’l before we can hit the tracks.”

Before the grand pon hunt could get underway, however, a loud crackly static noise echoed through the Metro. Everywhere, the Metro cats stopped what they were doing and looked up. “The hours of folly are measured by the clock,” an unfamiliar but rather villainous-sounding British accent declared. “But of wisdom, no clock can measure.”

A loud [i]bong[/i] rang out as the [url=https://i.imgur.com/t5Ozgnw.png]giant clock face[/url] nestled in one of the metro’s high walls above the plaza struck one o’ clock. Silhouetted against its glow were two people, one broad-shouldered with armor and a tall cylindrical helmet, and the other a tall, [url=https://i.imgur.com/WPMN1sJ.png]imperial feline[/url] holding a microphone. “Kitties and gentletoms, it seems we have some uninvited guests. Whatever will we do?” the same voice began.

“...Take them,” the other said, her voice low but commanding. “Reward is one million a head.”

“Meh-meh?” Tora piped up, taken aback. “They mean us? Who they talking to?”

A sinking feeling in her chest, Nadia looked around. Where moments ago the Metro had been full of cats, now there wasn’t so much as a whisker anywhere to be found. Everything had gone quiet, and the Seekers were alone. “Uh oh.” She stared up at the clock, her face a mixture of anger and fear. “I think those pricks just put a hit on us! What happened to this place bein' safe!?”

“Sounds like our li’l train ride just got a lot more complicated,” Band said. He, too, squinted up at the clock, trying to make out the strangers who’d just announced both their presence and malicious intent. Could that cat lady be ‘her’?

The man broke out into evil laughter. “Hmhmhmhm…hahahahahahaha! That’s right, fools. Quake in your boots, for Rush Hour is upon us!”

Suddenly the ground began to shake. The sound of countless footsteps pounding the ground echoed through the Metro. Then, from alleys, tunnels, doors, windows, manhole covers, and just about everywhere else the Seekers could imagine, there erupted a living tide of black fur, gleaming claws, and slitted eyes so awash in red that almost no yellow remained. The Metro cats arrived in staggering quantities, wearing white face masks across their snouts and wielding all manner of weapons as they moved in tight-packed crowds. It was a terrifying display–not least because the feral masses seemed to be converging on the Seekers’ position.

Nadia crouched down, pressurizing her blood for a high jump. “Hah, no way in hell I’m fightin’ that! I mean, even if I could, they’re just little guys! Do we really have to hurt ‘em?” 

“They weak by selves, but there so many…!” Poppi marveled, her processor momentarily overloaded by her attempt to take count. Despite the massive threat the cats posed, she did not relish the idea of fighting them either. Even attacks with a small area of effect could claim dozens of lives at once. “Extreme caution advised! Friends should run!”

“Forget the pons!” Peach shouted, taking her umbrella in hand as the tsunami of cats bore down on the group. “We need to get to the stations and get the hell out of here, NOW!”

The Phantom Thieves didn’t need to be told twice. They turned into blurs and disappeared down a nearby alley, following the Gray Line signs. “See you on the other side,” Joker called, waving goodbye. “Good luck!” He then darted off after the others, barely making it before the cats swept in front of it and closed off that avenue of escape. Peach was right. It was time to go.

[center][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpZca8I2QEQ&ab_channel=PascalMichaelStiefel-Topic[/youtube][/center]

[center][i]Individually, the cats are weak, but together, their crowds are more like flowing lava than a group of enemies. They’re now covering most of the ground and rooftops. Going/falling into the crowd, whether accidentally or in an attempt to fight, will only result in getting overwhelmed, taking constant heavy damage and being pinned, whether sooner or later. Hit-and-run is fine against small gangs that split off from the crowd to attack on their own or cut the heroes off, though said gangs might be led by an elite cat-themed enemy. Make it through Rush Hour and find a way into your designated station before the last trains leave![/i][/center]