[center][h3]Esaka’s Middle Tier - Banishing Flats[/h3]
Lvl 15 Ms Fortune (151/150) Level 11 Big Band (51/110)
Amaterasu’s [@DracoLunaris] Roland’s [@Archmage MC] Zenkichi’s [@MULTI_MEDIA_MAN] Pit’s [@Yankee] Sakura & Juri’s [@Zoey Boey] Captain Falcon’s [@Double] Harry and Kim’s [@Eviledd1984] Terry’s [@Terry Bogard] Yayama’s [@Chevaleresse]
[b]Word Count:[/b] 1083[/center]

Before anyone else could answer her questions and get a pleasant conversation going, Nadia found her train of thought derailed by an exclamation of astonishment from Terry. After taking her by surprise with his sudden loudness, he demanded to know if she knew who she’d stolen from. Which, of course, she did, since she just mentioned the guy’s name. “Uhh…” That question turned out to be rhetorical, though, as Terry began to explain. She remained pretty ambivalent about the Kazuya hype up until the point when Terry referred to her as ‘cat’ for the second time, at which point the dude started to rub her the wrong way. Her body language immediately changed from her typical friendly, relaxed state to a more defensive, annoyed one as she lowered her ears and crossed her arms. His explicit disapproval of her less-than-legal activities only fanned the flames of her distaste.

“Fur-st off, call me ‘cat’ again and you’re gonna cat-ch these hands, buddy. The name’s Fortune, ‘kay? It’s like if I started callin’ you ‘chimp’ or somethin’. Not so nice, is it?” Though she was still smiling, her furrowed brow made her look much more sardonic than gregarious. “Second, I didn’t say anythin’ about stealin’, but -if- I did, stealin’ from a bad guy’s purr-etty much a good deed anyway. And third, even if this dude did come after me, you’re lookin’ at someone who’s taken down [i]three[/i] Guardians. And they’re, like, the strongest there is. I think we can handle [i]one[/i] devil guy.”

Band watched, silent, as the feral made her retort. While she did have something of a point about the way Terry, a total newbie, treated her, her instinctive defensiveness told him that she might be a lot more guilty and worried than she let on. Plus, she hadn’t exactly defeated those guardians by herself. Her lopsided accreditation of those feats served as an interesting contrast to her saying ‘[i]we[/i] can handle it’ if the Seekers did suffer the consequences of her actions. The detective had looked askance at her from the beginning, but now he felt certain that this calico cat burglar was not just selfish, but also reckless. She seemed to be taking advantage of the Seekers’ mission to save the world to do whatever she wanted, reasoning that being an unsung hero made her above the law. Laws weren’t just there to protect victims, though; they also served to protect would-be criminals from themselves.

Whatever the case, Nadia seemed pretty miffed, despite Terry’s apologies. Rather than circle around to the previous subject, she slunk out of the spotlight after recovering her cash and sat against the lobby wall while the others caught up and explained things. She wore a cheerful smile as she pet the dog that had followed Pit in, but Band wasn’t buying it. For starters, now anyone who needed money would have to ask her, and perhaps bargain for it, rather than just take what they needed. He suspected that she regretted sharing what she’d been up to so readily, as if she’d been among compatriots. Maybe she hadn’t dealt with a lot of people from other walks of life before…or maybe, Band figured, he should quit overthinking. With a sigh Band decided to leave her to her own devices, and turned his attention to the others.

Among the various ideas for how to spend the evening, Harry’s plan actually made the most sense to Band. Though reluctant to admit it, he knew that his fighting skills probably weren’t up to snuff. During his time at ASG, he mostly fought undead or criminal elements that the police couldn’t -or simply wouldn’t- handle. He could throw his weight around, and his mechanical chassis housed a powerful arsenal of instruments, but when it came to proper fights against skilled opponents the detective had precious little experience. “I probably oughta do some trainin’ myself,” he confessed. “Or at least some practice. Brass don’t rust, but my fightin’ skills do. I got no delusions about takin’ the title myself, but if I’m gonna be fightin’ anyway I wanna give whoever’s gonna go the distance the best shot possible.”

Since he’d signed up for the World Warrior tournament, the most likely candidate to fight Bison would probably be Sakura. That meant that he and Harry would just need to clear out as much opposition as they could for her, and they wouldn’t be much help if they got knocked out in pools. With that in mind, he looked around at the others. “If anyone feels like beatin’ these old bones into shape, I’d be grateful. I saw some wrestlin’ rings out in the motel courtyard, so we can go a couple rounds out there, once the rain eases up.”

Nadia stood and headed over to a front window, where she pulled the blinds down to check outside. “Looks like it [i]is[/i] petering out, actually. ‘Pour’ excuse for a rainstorm, eh?” She turned toward Primrose with a smile, glad to see her friend again even if she’d been preoccupied until now. “If you’re offerin’, I’ll gladly ‘spring’ for a chance to hang out with ya. A tavern sounds pretty good; if you’re plannin’ to dance, we’re definitely ‘inn’ for a good time!” There would probably be food there, too, and with her new funds anyone who stuck with Nadia would be eating like kings. As for whatever else rich people did…the feral would have to figure that out as she went along.

On the way through the lobby Nadia made sure to say hi to Yayama. “Well hello again! That l-eye-lac peeper of yours tells me you got shown the ropes, so welcome to the good guys. Let’s hope you’re better at winnin’ fights than stoppin’ ‘em, eh?” When she stepped outside, she couldn’t help but admire the sky. With the sun starting to go down as stormclouds parted, gorgeous golden rays shone through the glutted gray clouds. That, plus the prospect of hanging out with Primrose, had the feral back in a good mood again. It helped that Juri wasn’t around to annoy her, although not having Junior or Rika back alongside Primrose and Therion was less satisfactory. Still, she knew those kids well enough to know that they’d probably be fine out there on there own, whatever wild adventures they wound up in.

[center][h3]The Midnight Walk - 2.3[/h3]
Lvl 9 Sandalphon (29/90) Level 5 Heismay (82/50)
Edward’s [@DracoLunaris] Blazermate & Sectonia’s [@Archmage MC] Geralt’s [@MULTI_MEDIA_MAN] Ace Cadet’s [@Yankee] Roxas & Ganondorf’s [@Double], Ramattra and Tenna’s [@XoXKieroBombXoX] Mokou’s [@Goggy]
[b]Word Count:[/b] 2302

[b][url=https://i.imgur.com/p76VSWM.png]Nameless Stagecoach[/url][/b]
𖥞: 7/8 | 🛡️: 7/8 | [b]Equipment:[/b] Stewpot/Windchime/Lamps/Vegetubes/Lightning Rod/(None) | [b]Companion[/b]: Ratshaker Rat[/center]

Faced with a winding path through a wealth of troublesome but stationary emplacements, Sandalphon approved of Edward’s pragmatic idea of going offroad in order to circumvent the danger. The team’s tactician left the stagecoach in her hands again, and while that made sense on paper, the archangel’s lack of genuine experience ended up being relevant. She did her best to tune out the sound of popping balloons and steer the Reindrix down the path melted by Edward’s hellhounds through the deep snow, but the beasts -perhaps sensing uncertain hands behind the reins- proved less than cooperative. To make matters worse, the uncovered terrain was rocky and uneven, which led to a great deal of terrestrial turbulence. Anyone still aboard the stagecoach could expect to be rattled, and perhaps even battered by bits of luggage shaken loose from their storage hooks by the jarring. At one point, one of the stagecoach’s eight wheels cracked clean in half after catching in a slanted nook. On the whole, though, everyone made it out in one piece.

Despite the tumult, Sandalphon kept her wits about her as best she could as the Seekers approached the village. When Ganondorf asked about Edinburgh, she glanced at him with question marks in her eyes. “We’re not bound for Edinburgh MagikaPolis. Our destination is Moon Mountain,” she reminded him. “To my knowledge, we would have to cross the sea to reach Edinburgh anyway.”

Heismay watched as Ramattra went over to join the efforts of the monkeys and a TV-headed stranger to thwart the balloons’ ceaseless incursion. Though special bloons joined the onslaught, threatening to overwhelm the defenders and reach the village, the monkeys’ unexpected assistants helped turn the tide and prevent a breach. Thanks to Ramattra’s efforts to physically bodyblock the most durable balloons, the original Tenna and the boss monkey managed to puncture the last lead bloon mere feet from the hamlet’s main entrance. After wiping sweat from his brow, the head ape offered the helpers a pair of [url=https://i.imgur.com/Z14hDDw.png]banandium gems[/url] as thanks. It seemed like the town would be safe from bloons for the time being, but Heismay didn’t relax just yet. Looking back on the new branching path melted through the snow, he couldn’t help but wonder if any hypothetical bloon reinforcements might take a detour around the defenses as well–and what these bloons would actually do if they did reach their destination.

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/gm4bRv1.jpeg[/img][/center]

As the Seekers proceeded toward the village, Mokou was the first to get a good look at it, thanks to the fiery flier’s bird’s-eye view. Although fresh snowfall and the dark of the Frozen Highlands’ evernight obscured the little hamlet somewhat, Mokou could make out a couple dozen buildings with the help of the warm lamp-light that emanated through the frosted panes of townhouse windows. This village sat astride a squiggly river where miniature ice floes separated clusters of cold-weather bullrushes and shoals of small tundra trout darted beneath the surface, and the stone bridge over said river served as the [url=https://i.imgur.com/lKP2gFW.png]community’s central point[/url]. The buildings featured uniform white plaster walls reinforced by timber beams, with sea green roof tiles sprinkled by snow. The place had no real gates or defenses, just a couple sections of stone wall between various exterior structures and one or two lookout towers. No two buildings were quite alike, though all featured stone chimneys with plumes of smoke that spiraled up into the dark, cloudy sky, their interiors warm and cozy despite the bleak winter outside. The Midnight Walk itself ran [url=https://i.imgur.com/fpTrcTP.jpeg]beneath an inn[/url] and through the village, roughly perpendicular with the river, and a few of the torch-sized matchsticks that defined its borders were still lit even as they flickered in the frigid wind.

That wasn’t all that Mokou or the other Seekers could see, though. In the distance, not quite between them and Moon Mountain but probably somewhere on the Midnight Walk that promised to lead to White Team’s ultimate destination, there stood an [url=https://i.imgur.com/TDHnWvv.png]enormous spire[/url] half-hidden in the fog. It seemed to stretch all the way to the clouds and perhaps up into the heavens themselves. It was majestic, uncanny, and ominous all in one, and Sandalphon had little doubt in her mind that her team would find their way there.

Since it was technically daytime despite the gloom that blanketed the Highlands, most of the village buildings were open rather than closed up tight, and there were people out and about. Since they still had plenty of supplies the Seekers didn’t have any particular need to stop here, but since the Midnight Walk ran through the place anyway it didn’t hurt to say hello to the locals. There only seemed to be a handful of [url=https://i.imgur.com/NcZhmqX.png]assorted guards[/url] around, and they showed no overt hostility. If anything, the ones by the front entrance seemed surprised that the Seekers managed to circumvent the town defenses, but as long as they were balloons, the defenders took no issue with them.

It was from those first few guards that Sandalphon learned the name of the settlement, that being Gründachdorf, a name amusingly reminiscent of Ganondorf. After two stretches of travel cooped up inside the stagecoach, even a profoundly unathletic archangel like her felt the need to stretch her legs. With Edward back in command of the reindrix as he slowly navigated the ponderous coach through the village, she walked along behind it and took in the sights. Though most of these quaint hovels were small, they were neatly kept, with pleasant flowerbeds displaying all kinds of hardy taiga species, fully-laden clotheslines, and rustic farming implements. She also saw Heismay running and jumping from rooftop to rooftop, taking the chance to hone his agility in an effort to break up the monotony of long-distance travel.

The more both Heismay and Sandalphon looked around Gründachdorf, though, the more anachronistic the place became. For starters, this town was home to more than ordinary humans. Many sported clear cybernetic prosthetics or augmentations, some more extreme than others. The [url=https://i.imgur.com/2y1pTMe.png]village barber[/url], for instance, had both arms and at least half of his head replaced, with an approximation of skin stretched over the black metal of his left arm. There were a few [url=https://i.imgur.com/3JbimKS.png]vending machines[/url] tucked away around the village, offering drinks like Milky Pop, The Machinetta Americano, Mountain Sparkle Mont Blanc, Potential Blast, and Elixir Carrot.

More notable was an entire underground bar called [url=https://i.imgur.com/9CJZ3zY.png]The Last Gulp[/url], easily identifiable at night thanks to its neon sign. When Heismay ventured toward it, interested in getting a drink, he heard a woman singing down there. He descended the steps to find a large taproom with a bar on the left side and a wooden stage with a piano against the middle wall. The singer turned out to be a [url=https://i.imgur.com/eCtSP7i.png]husk of a woman[/url], little more than a head and spinal cord atop a three-legged mechanical frame, attended to by a life support drone that looked like something straight out of the deep sea, or another world. Heismay recoiled at the sight, but stood there, spellbound and unable to look away as she sang.

After a few moments, a [url=https://i.imgur.com/8g40Hcz.png]man [/url] with a red and black metal head walked out from behind the bar. “Hey! This is a restricted area.” He looked down at Heismay. “Never seen you around Gründachdorf before. Identify yourself.”

Heismay quickly composed himself. “Ahem. I am Heismay Noctule, former knight of the Euchronian Shadowguard. Now I am but a wanderer, on my way to Moon Mountain.” His words seemed to defuse the situation somewhat, so the eugief carefully continued. “Forgive me, I did not mean to intrude. I took this place to be a tavern of some kind. I must’ve been mistaken…”

The man grunted, then looked over at the strange woman. “Enya. You okay?”

She did not respond, nor even acknowledge his presence, but continued to stare off into space as she mouthed the words of her song.

With a sigh, the bartender leaned on the counter, his head oriented toward the floor. “...There was a time that this bar used to be full of people. Now it’s just so empty. Empty and dark. And Enya…same story.” He glanced at the cyborg. “I wonder how long she’ll live. With her body in the state it’s in.”

His story, and his feelings for the poor woman, moved Heismay’s heart. Before he reached the stairs to leave, he turned back. “I know it’s not my place to offer, but…if there’s anything I might be able to do, I would like to.”

The bartender shook his head. “Not unless you’re some technological genius. She’s suffered major AI damage…even if I got her new parts, I wouldn’t…wouldn’t know how to make her better.”

“Oh, is she a machine?” Heismay asked, tentative.

His new acquaintance stared at him quizzically. “No, she’s human,” he said as if it should be obvious. “Like me.”

“Oh.” Heismay bowed his head apologetically. “I must apologize. Where I’m from, there are no such technologies. I am very inexperienced…”

“Then you should keep your mouth shut,” the man interjected. When Heismay went quiet, he took a deep breath and sighed. “Sorry, I…I’m a little on edge. If you do know anyone that could help, I would be extremely grateful. We both would be.”

Heismay nodded slowly. “I’ll ask around.” As he climbed back up the stairs, woefully sober, he looked back over his shoulder. “What is your name, by the way?”

It took a moment for the bartender to respond. “...Su.”

“Farewell then, Su. I pray that I’ll return with good news erelong.” With that, Heismay departed.

Meanwhile, Sandalphon drew to a stop by a church about three-quarters of the way through Gründachdorf. She briefly examined the humble but admirable structure, particularly its elaborate windows, before spotted two women by a small bakery stall in the vicinity. At that point she froze, her pupils empty rings as she stared at a [url=https://i.imgur.com/W9RqT67.png]tall, elegant woman[/url] with long ears and mint-green hair, clad in a flowing dress, with ephemeral fairy wings at her back. Although it had been a long time since Sandalphon had set foot in an Ilian church, she remembered well the goddess statue that adorned every altar, and this woman was her spitting image. Her mind raced for a few moments as her trains of thought blazed a half-dozen trails at once, before finally retracing back to a single conclusion: that it wouldn’t hurt to try.

Gingerly, the archangel approached. The closer she got, the slower and more hesitant her steps became, but once she reached an appropriate speaking distance Sandalphon found her courage. She swallowed, then called out, “...Ilia?”

“Hm?” It wasn’t the green-haired woman who turned, but her companion, a [url=https://i.imgur.com/UWSYN2t.png]young woman[/url] with flowing white hair and a more sporty outfit somewhere between modern and fantastical, with both black armor and a huge, blocky rifle. She threw a friendly smile Sandalphon’s way. “What’s up?”

Sandalphon stared, motionless. “You’re…Ilia?”

“Mhm!” She put her hands on her hips. “That’s me! And this is Meene, my best friend. You know me?”

After a moment, Sandalphon shook her head. Though she kept an even expression, her pupils were stress marks. “No, I’m afraid not. I think…I must be thinking of someone else.”

Though she raised an eyebrow, Ilia decided to be a good sport about the strange encounter. “Oh, okay! Well, good luck finding your Ilia then!”

“Thank you…” Sandalphon bowed her head, then turned and left in a hurry in order to catch up with the stagecoach and the others. 

She arrived at the village’s rear exit just after Heismay, who took the opportunity to report the quest he received. While the Seekers probably couldn’t come back here, perhaps the Avenger could dispatch an engineer or two here later to check on Enya and see what it would take to restore her. Once the rest of the Seekers made it through Gründachdorf, the stagecoach could continue on its way. As they spoke, Sandalphon saw a couple people emerge from the village and stand a short distance away, looking at both the stagecoach and the distant tower. One was a [url=https://i.imgur.com/biWswmg.png]stubbly man[/url] in baggy black techwear, and the other a [url=https://i.imgur.com/BJRh65x.png]bespectacled woman[/url] with a silver ponytail and a futuristic skintight suit beneath a gray-and-brown bomber jacket, which did not look sufficient to protect against the Highlands’ cold. After a moment the woman approached, and Sandalphon turned to face her.

“Hello,” she began in a sophisticated British accent. “Are you lot headed for Spire 4? We happen to be headed that way, but the going is said to be treacherous and we would not mind some company.”

The archangel nodded. “We are, though our true destination is Moon Mountain. I am Sandalphon. May I inquire as to what your business might be at Spire 4?”

“The space elevator,” the woman responded. “An Alpha Naytiba has taken refuge there, and we mean to wipe it out. I’m Eve, by the way, and this is Adam.” The man behind her gave a casual wave.

Their names meant nothing to Sandalphon. “It would be our pleasure to travel alongside you until then.