[center][h3]Esaka - the Pools[/h3]
[b]Time of Day:[/b] Sunny Thursday Noon
Lvl 15 Ms Fortune (187/150) Level 11 Big Band (82/110)
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] Grima’s [@Goggy]
[b]Word Count:[/b] 3389 / 1282[/center]

Despite the overwhelming number of distractions, Nadia’s counter-clockwise journey around the Pools did eventually lead her to the Tekken section. Just as with the Mortal Kombat and World Warrior portions of the tier, there was no actual demarcation to tell her she was leaving one tournament’s zone and entering another, so she wasn’t aware she’d passed the border until a minute or two in. In fact, clearest indicator -and the one that finally clued the feral in- ended up being the bulletin boards set up at the rest areas, which now displayed stage names that started with ‘T’ instead of ‘W’. Once she realized, Nadia stopped at an elevator gazebo to look around, hoping she hadn’t already unwittingly passed Beowulf by.

As she watched, it quickly became apparent that a newbie like her couldn’t possibly tell the difference between a Tekken match and a World Warrior match at a glance. Maybe veterans of the city’s competitive circuit could pick out the subtle differences in the way each tournament’s duelists fought, but such discrete variations in stance and style were lost upon her. As with everything here in Esaka, it came with time and experience, she supposed. Unfortunately Nadia had the benefit of neither, at least as far as these tournaments were concerned. Sure, she could scrap and street fight with the best of them, but formal competition was totally foreign to her. Plus, even if there hadn’t been any provisions about fighting dirty, there was no way to know which of her abilities were subject to the Heavenly Principles’ inexplicable regulation until she tried to use something in the heat of the moment, and it didn’t work the way she expected. A second’s confusion or hesitation could be the difference between life and death in a tournament where losers could be killed. Theoretically the Life Gem wouldn’t let her die, but only now did it occur to Nadia that even the Life Gem’s incredible restorative power could be subject to the Principles’ adjustment. It was a scary thought.

Of course, the catgirl couldn’t waste much time on worrisome introspection when awesome spectacles were unfolding just a few dozen feet in front of her. Somewhere along the way here she’d lost Robo-fortune, but she figured she’d see her Kameo again before their next match started. At the moment, her attention lay on a newly-started match between a burly [url=https://i.imgur.com/hfWqxcx.png]Chinese fighter[/url] in red and a large [url=https://i.imgur.com/bTvFxWv.png]catlike beast[/url] on a [url=https://i.imgur.com/xqVcw2g.png]round stone arena[/url] surrounded by rock walls on one side and the sinuous body of a carved dragon on the other. The martial artist, Ryuhi, came out the gate strong with a barrage of potent punches and kicks that suggested years of diligent training. At first it seemed like his overwhelming pressure left his beastly opponent stuck blocking and unable to fight back. Nadia found herself rooting for the underdog (or undercat, in this case) as Ryuhi got around Gray’s clumsy block to land blow after blow, each spinning backfist and high side kick ringing Gray’s ears almost as much as his beach ball-sized bell.

Just when Ryuhi decided to get fancy in order to end the round, though, his feline foe wound up and decked him with a hefty wallop from his paw, which he followed up with a stream of blazing fire breath. That alone seemed to deal an inordinate amount of damage, leaving Ryuhi not just astonished, but panicked. As Gray charged, Ryuhi sprang to his feet and threw out a spin kick in an attempt to stop him, only for the nervous blow to fall short and result in a brutal whiff punish as the cat-thing slapped him to the floor with his massive mitts. Ryuhi crumpled, dazed, meaning that with only a few heavy hits, Gray had taken the round.

Nadia’s eyebrows shot up. “Whoa,” Nadia muttered, standing with her arms crossed as her tail twitched restlessly behind her. She couldn’t help but wonder how some fighters were allowed to do such extreme damage that they could achieve victory with just a couple hits. Admittedly, combo specialists like her could end most fights in two or three touches if she completed every combo, but that was hard work that took serious focus and execution. After all, foes could slip or flip out of her grasp and turn the tables after even the slightest lapse in timing. Gray did look like a slow, easy target, but still, the risk and reward did not seem remotely proportionate. 

The second round didn’t go any better for Ryuhi than the first. Anxious to lock Gray down again and keep him from taking control of the match, the martial artist threw himself face-first into the beast’s fire breath. From there he scrambled to try and deal with Gray’s clumsy but punishing attacks, but even if he landed five solid techniques for every time Gray swatted him, Ryuhi came out worse for wear. Toward the end of the brawl he finally seemed to be getting a grasp of the feline’s range and recovery, managing to block and dodge a handful of attacks in a row. Just as he saw the light at the end of the tunnel, however, the kung fu fighter failed to fend off a grab and got thrown to the cold stone floor once more. [b]GRAY WINS![/b]

As Ryuhi groaned, one hand to his face as he tried to pick himself up, a [url=https://i.imgur.com/lkwIJjt.png]toned, scantily-clad brunette[/url] on the sidelines not far from Nadia tried to rouse him with a cheer. “C’mon, Ryuhi! You can bring it back!” she called, pointing at his opponent. “You’re the better fighter! Just do it clean!”

Nadia blinked at her, confused. The man had lost two rounds, wasn’t it over? To her surprise, however, Ryuhi got to his feet and faced Gray one more time, freshly motivated and full of determination. “Oh, must be a best of three in Tekken,” the feral said aloud to nobody in particular. She  then cleared her throat and shouted out her own support for Ryuhi, her initial support for Gray all but forgotten. “Yeah, kick his fluffy ass!” The creature in question gave her a sad look, his ears and whiskers drooping, but Nadia closed her heart to him. 

[b]ROUND THREE: FIGHT![/b]

This time, Ryuhi let neither intimidation nor impatience get the better of him. He closed half the distance, then let Gray come to him. With his speed, he could reliably punish the feline’s attacks when he blocked them, and if Gray wound up for an even bigger bash, a quick jump kick or dashing punch could shut him down. The beast’s huge paws and fiery breath did a lot of chip damage, but once Ryuhi’s opportunistic attacks began to add up, he quickly built a sizable lead. He did take a couple stray hits that made Nadia’s breath catch in her throat, but after a hectic forty seconds of fighting the kung fu fighter clutched out his first win.

After that, the tables seemed to have turned. Round four saw Ryuhi perform even better, playing the matchup just about perfectly now that he’d seen every Gray could do, while the doughy creature began to run out of steam. Nadia’s smile gradually widened, nodding along to the rhythm of Ryuhi’s beatdown. In a first-to-two, she realized, Gray’s unusual damage would have earned him a cheap win, but with the extra round to adapt the more skilled fighter was asserting himself. As round four finished in his favor, the Chinese girl in white (probably Ryuhi’s girlfriend, if Nadia had to guess) was cheering as she bounced up and down, and most other spectators were in his corner as well.

“Fraud detected!” a [url=https://i.imgur.com/NtiP8I9.png]round man in red[/url] with a neck pillow called to Gray, while a [url=https://i.imgur.com/Svivzj7.png]spiky-haired janitor[/url] used the robot arm on his trash hand to give Ryuhi a thumbs-up.

Nadia grinned. “No love lost ‘fur’ our feline friend, huh?”

Minmin looked her way, still beaming. “Nope! Robberies are fun once in a while, but in the end newbie-stompers like Gray can’t measure up to real fighters like Ryuhi!”

“Oof,” the feral winced. “Careful that critter doesn’t hear you. He’d probably take it purr-sonally!”

The final round began with a surprise, however. Using his stored-up energy, Gray transformed, relinquishing his enormous beastly body for the appearance of a [url=https://i.imgur.com/niGIdgk.png]valiant warrior[/url] wearing a red scarf. “Behold, my true form!” he announced, striking a pose. “Let’s do this, man to man!” With a grin, Ryuhi obliged. In his human form, Gray’s fighting style was completely different, favoring energy blasts from his hands instead of huge, clumsy strikes. His new abilities gave him an early lead as Ryuhi had to switch from defensive, patient play to aggressive rushdown. For a few moments it seemed like Gray would close out the final round, but once again his opponent managed to adapt and overcome, narrowly seizing victory in a tense and exciting finish.

Nadia clapped along with the others, then got a move on after watching Minmin jump into Ryuhi’s arms. Their affection reminded her how much she missed Ace, off on his ice-cold adventure through the Frozen Highlands. His support would mean the world to her as she fought through her bracket, but at the same time, what would he think of the Banishing Flats incident? She couldn’t help but shudder at the thought of a horrified look on his face. Would he still be interested in her if he learned of the devastation caused by her foolishness? No, stupid question; how could he, or anyone, be? Hopefully he’d never find out. To that end, redeeming herself by winning Mortal Kombat was more important than ever.

The cat burglar was so lost in thought as she wandered that she didn’t see the stocky man in front of her until she practically bumped into him. “Yo, Fortune!” The [url=https://i.imgur.com/JqNVnec.png]wrestler[/url] waved a hairy, muscular arm as he flashed his trademark grin. “What’re you doin’ here?”

Nadia blinked, snapped herself out of it, then grinned. “Lookin’ for you, actually! I finished my first match and my second ain’t for a couple hours, so I figured I’d go around and see what everyone’s up to’. Already saw Annie and Filia, so you’re last on my list.” She snapped her fingers into the double finger guns. “But not least, of course! ‘Howl’ you doin’?”

“Not bad!” Beowulf replied, leaning against the elevated walkway’s wooden railing to let another couple fighters pass. “Fought this kid named ‘Terrific Forelock’ in round one. Not too shabby, but he just about shouted himself hoarse callin’ out his attacks. ‘Psycho Blade, Psycho Blade, Psycho Blade’...sheesh!” The man chuckled, shaking his head. “I mean, I do it ‘cause I gotta hype up the crowd, but even I ain’t that bad, right?” He crossed his arms, his brow furrowed. “Course not. Uh…how’d the others do?”

The feral stretched out her arms as she replied. “Easy wins for Annie so far. Filia won one, lost one. She fought hard, but in the end she was Mako-toast.”

Beowulf raised one eyebrow at her, momentarily confused. “Uh, well, I’m sure she’ll pull it together. ‘Specially with that parasite of hers. Kids just need a li’l motivation, right?” He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder at the [url=https://i.imgur.com/MggiV3O.png]arena[/url] behind him, a donut-shaped wooden platform decorated with giant fishbones. “If you wanna stick around, my next match’s startin’ any second now! I’m up against this lady named Shina. I’m hungry for a good fight, so wish me luck!”

“Good luck!” Nadia patted him on the shoulder. “And watch your step, or it won’t just be your appetite that’s wetted!”

The wrestler double-jumped over to the stage just as his opponent entered from the opposite side. With tan skin, a good build, spiky blonde hair, and a stylish, somewhat militaristic outfit, [url=https://i.imgur.com/bym1dSG.png]Shina[/url] seemed like someone who could fight hard and look good doing it. It was hard for Nadia to not like her, but she owed it to her fellow NMO fighter to root for Beowulf. “Check it out!” the wrestler announced, showboating to a (mostly) imaginary audience as he stepped forward. “The name’s Beowulf! I am two hundred and eighty-seven pounds of folded steel…and sex appeal!” He flexed, wiggling his eyebrows. Nadia rolled her eyes.

Shina snorted with laughter, her smile incredulous, then assumed a confident, scrappy stance, her open front hand low and her closed back hand high. “I’ll be the judge of that.”

Once the Heavenly Principles started the match, the two circled the stage’s central hole to clash explosively. Shina barreled forward with a heavy clothesline as Beowulf surrounded himself in a fiery aura to [url=https://i.imgur.com/OslX3W1.png]launch himself[/url] forward. “Ao-ao-awoo!” The two slammed together, traded blows, then launched into an all-out slugfest. Beowulf managed to catch his foe off guard by [url=https://i.imgur.com/Si0hRlA.png]kicking his chair[/url] forward, which slammed into Shina’s shins and knocked her down, allowing Beowulf to approach. True to his grappling roots, he went for a grab first thing and successfully snatched her. Once he lifted her into the air, he performed a Berserker Headbutt, two Naegling Knee Lifts, and ended his grab stance with a scoop slam.

Shina would not be toyed around with so easily, though. She sprang up, stopped his offense with a couple jabs, then switched things up with a sneaky fast grab. Once she had the wrestler in her grasp, she performed a giant swing to hurl him into the air, then backflipped forward and grabbed his head between her knees to slam him into the ground. “Not bad!” Beowulf opted to backdash away from her slightly late meaty hit on wakeup (which put him a little too close to the stage’s donut hole) then launched forward with Wulf Blitzer again. “Ao!” She blocked the first charge, then attempted a counterattack, only for Beowulf to blast backward the same way. “Ao!” Shina continued forward with a strong kick, but the Wulf Blitzer still wasn’t over as Beowulf cannoned diagonally up and toward her. “AWOO!” Shina’s whiff left her too overextended to deal with her opponent’s cross-up, so once his Naegling Knee Drop landed he followed up with a combo. After a handful of hits, he whipped out a [url=https://i.imgur.com/KWJy34F.png]gigantic arm[/url] and bulled forward in a huge punch. “One-twenty inch PYTHON!”

Shina went flying over the edge, but just in the knick of time she grabbed onto a big fishbone and used it to swing around. Beowulf, who’d paused to build up a little Hype by [url=https://i.imgur.com/q2Gp6ft.png]listening[/url] for the splash, instead witnessed Shina transform into a [url=https://i.imgur.com/YN4bXvz.png]towering leopard[/url] and dropkick him straight into the arena’s donut hole. “Whuh-!” He hit the water with a big splash of his own, and the Heavenly Principles declared it a ring-out.

Nadia giggled, impressed by Shina’s new form. “Lots of people turnin’ into cats and vice versa today, huh?” Beowulf was back up and on his feet in no time, though, and the battle progressed at a blistering pace. Though barely able to keep up with the action at times, Nadia watched with a big smile on her face. Even if Beowulf was a big doofus, he was a born entertainer. He played to the crowd with ridiculous moves like the [url=https://i.imgur.com/CKozwaI.png]Geatish Trepak Dance[/url], then used the Hype to fuel further antics. With plenty of tricks like the chair he called ‘the Hurting’, Wulf Blitzer, a fake-out Wulf Blitzer that became a command grab instead, he enjoyed an advantage most of the time, but when Shina assumed her beast form she seized the strength and reach advantage for herself to shut down Beowulf’s nonsense.

Round two ended in the wrestler’s favor after he got pushed to the very edge of the stage, then landed a grab and used [url=https://i.imgur.com/if7Bjbz.png]Da Grendel Killa[/url] to dunk his foe behind him. Round three was lightning-fast as Shina transformed, seized Beowulf in another giant swing, then juggled him with a killer chain of upward and downward claw slashes that carried him all the way to the edge for yet another ring-out. That meant that Beowulf needed to win round four or be eliminated, and he did not disappoint. The man actually managed to flip the script on Shina’s ferocious beast form with an [url=https://i.imgur.com/uZNiV01.png]armored uppercut[/url] from his severed arm and keep her locked in a combo until her transformation expired, allowing him to clinch the win. 

That victory paved the way for a final round as both fighters faced one another from across the arena, soaking wet but still full of energy thanks to all those premature ring-outs. “It’s been fun,” Shina remarked, baring her fangs. “But it’s time to wrap this up.”

“This stage ain’t big enough for the two of us!” Beowulf agreed.

In her beast form, Shina pounced over the gap, then ravaged her opponent’s guard with a series of claw slashes. Beowulf caught her low with a surprisingly fast stomp but couldn’t convert, then just barely missed a grab, which earned him a quick but punishing combo as Beowulf got launched, hurled downward and left flat on his back next to the edge. Shina finished with a ruthless falling X-slash, only for him to roll between the leopard’s legs and throw out a [url=https://i.imgur.com/JnsIXfz.png]mule kick[/url] that nearly pushed her off the edge he almost went over. Snarling, she whirled around with a scything slash, but Beowulf took advantage of her blind haymaker to armor through it with his level-one Blockbuster. “Gigantic…ARM!”

The severed arm’s giant fist hurled Shina backward over the water. She grabbed hold of a fishbone to swing around again, but this time Beowulf was ready. As his foe whirled around and flew back toward him, he leaped straight for her to snatch her out of the air, then lean forward for a [url=https://i.imgur.com/FC357j6.png]body press[/url]. “Canis...Major!”

[i]SPLOOSH[/i]

Both fighters disappeared into the water. They bobbed to the surface a second later, Shina back in her human form. Nadia blinked at them quizzically, not sure who won until golden letters welled up from the stage to decide the victor. [b]BEOWULF WINS![/b]

Shina laughed in disbelief. “What!? Wasn’t that a double knockout?”

“It’s ‘cause you went out first!” Beowulf crowed. “Booyeah! The line for autographs starts here!”

“What, in the water?” Shina questioned him.

The two continued to bicker lightheartedly as they swam for the nearest ladder and hauled themselves up, then made for the towel station at the nearest rest area. Nadia just followed along as they went at it, highly amused at how things turned out. Even if that match ended in a ring-out every single time, it had been one of the most entertaining fights she’d seen yet. Of course, the day was still young, with an entire afternoon of pools matches ahead of her–including her own second match at one-thirty. Before then, though, the feral had a mind to get a bite to eat. Somehow, it had already been a few hours since the tournaments officially began, so she was already getting hungry. [i]Guess time really does fly when you’re having fun.[/i] After telling Beowulf her plans, she invited both him and Shina to join her, and both accepted. With a jocular attitude, the three headed off to round up Annie and Filia, provided that they had a little free time as well, then make for the Middle Tier where they could find somewhere to eat.

[hr]

Once the uncommonly burly tiger called Rhajang was back on its feet, Band took a deep breath -as best he could with a broken respirator- and steeled his brass body as he awaited those golden letters. This wouldn’t be a walk in the park, but it was doable. [i]Second verse, same as the first, baby,[/i], he thought as his pneumatic organs sputtered and wheezed.

Without further ado, the Heavenly Principles decreed: [b]ROUND TWO: FIGHT![/b]

The tiger let out a nerve-wracking, primal roar as it leaped high into the air, high enough that even Band had to look up. As soon as his hat tipped back, the sun flooded into his eyes, and Rhajang became a dark, silhouetted blur against the bright sky. [i]Damn.[/i] In that split second, he worried that he couldn’t time Beat Extend in order to properly anti-air like this. He also couldn’t stop himself from wondering if this was just an unfortunate coincidence, or the product of his opponent’s scheme, and the sign of Rhajang being much more intelligent than Band previously believed. Such a thought was useless right now, of course, but in that moment of hesitation he gave up on trying to snatch Rhajang with Beat Extend. He simply blocked high instead, and the next moment the tiger’s full weight drove its claws down across his guard in a curtain-shredding slash.

From there Rhajang unleashed its bestial assault much as it did during round one. It batted at him with repeated swipes from its left and right forepaws, though this time it moved around much more, forcing Band to adjust his direction a few times to avoid getting opened up. Crouching to block low strikes and standing to guard against aerial attacks was basic stuff, but just as before Rhajang was just fast enough to keep things interesting. Of course, the detective had no intention of just sitting there while the tiger slowly chipped him down. He bided his time for a crucial moment, then as Rhajang sprang up to try a quick overhead, finally let a light Beat Extend fly. He soaked a painful hit as the tambourine halves clamped down on the airborne beast, rigorously rattled the jangles, and let the dazed animal fall in order to kick off another combo.

This time, Band belted the beast with a [url=https://i.imgur.com/mygvIpk.png]Bass Drop[/url], the sound erupting from his side caps (and from the gramophone beneath his hat) strong enough to hold Rhajang aloft. “Speak low!” From there, he leaned back and deployed a kick stand to support himself for a [url=https://i.imgur.com/ahaRPpl.png]double kick[/url]. “Two boots!” He jumped up, popped open his center side valve for a baritone blast, then deployed his clarinet like a wasp stinger for a spike-and-twist that set up a blast blast from his highest side valve. Band fell fast and landed before Rhajang, allowing him to juggle the tiger with a [url=https://i.imgur.com/N0Ye1C9.png]little pedal[/url] just before it hit the ground. “Hot socks!” After that the first hit of his knee trombone slide popped Rhajang back up, so Band could honk it twice with his bike horn, land a couple more hits, and finally send the tiger packing with the pile driver-like slams of a heavy Take the A Train. [i]Bang bang…BANG![/i]

Though it hit the raft hard enough to crack the wooden boards, Rhajang wouldn’t take that combo lying down. It could tell that Band was winded, and sooner or later, the detective would surely make a fatal mistake. Rhajang took off running, circling around its opponent. Its claws dug into the raft’s planks beneath its feet, giving it excellent grip, while Band had a harder time adjusting. Band attempted to knock it down with Giant Slam, but the huge drum pedal was unluckily timed, slamming the raft while the tiger was mostly off the ground.

Finally Rhajang charged, running in a zigzag pattern. Band crouched down to block, only for Rhajang to dart right past him, so close that its striped fur brushed his trench coat. It then turned on a dime and with the help of one clawed paw and used the other to slash into the detective’s left leg. He grunted in pain as he extended a fan of pipe organs low, but Rhajang leaped up, slashing twice in midair. The first knocked off his hat, and the second grazed his scalp, drawing blood. Band jerked away as Rhajang came down, but before the tiger could sink its teeth in, he caught it between the halves of his giant [url=https://i.imgur.com/TujTsbp.png]brass bell[/url] in a well-timed grab.

He rang the bell, rattling the beast within, then released it so it’d slump straight into a saxophone uppercut. As Rhajang flew upward, yowling, Band whipped out his bagpipes and began to play. Strident notes rang out across the pools as blood trickled down his face, forcing him to close one eye. By the time Rhajang slammed into the ground, he was ready. He jumped forward and threw out his Five Thousand Pound Slam, but when Rhajang retreated from the dropkick, he landed on his back and teched forward to bounce right up to the big cat.

Band crouched down, but instead of blocking, he stuck one leg out and opened it up to poke the tiger with a tiny oboe. By then Rhajang was already attacking, but its furious slash lost to the Sharp Note thanks to the armor from Bagpipe Blues, and from there it was smooth sailing. Band stupefied the beast with Bass Drop, launched it with another saxophone uppercut, jumped, let out baritone and bass blasts, and sent Rhajang sailing with another massive dropkick. “Lay back!” Teching forward again got him close enough to hit his foe off the ground with his double trombone slide. “Black…and blue!” From there he kept the combo rolling with the Sound Stun from Beat Extend, jumped to perform his usual aerial string of tambourine grind into clarinet spike, and landed with enough time to ring Rhajang with his [url=https://i.imgur.com/yF0eqoT.png]musical triangle[/url].

From there, it was a simple matter of linking into another heavy Take the A Train that he canceled into [url=https://i.imgur.com/NTXvqE0.png]Super-Sonic Jazz[/url]. “Horn crush!” He boosted forward as a giant french horn, carrying the tiger to the edge of the stage, then stopped short to deliver a [url=https://www.fightersgeneration.com/nf8/char3/bigband-skullgirls-attack.gif]brass knuckle beatdown[/url] courtesy of Bagpipe Blues. “TUBATUBATUBATUBATUBATUBATUBA…TUBA!” His final punch hurtled the tiger across the water, and it was senseless before it hit the surface.

[b]BIG BAND WINS[/b]

“...Expect the same welcome next time.” Letting out a labored breath, Band extended a tiny mechanical arm toward his head, a little handkerchief held between its padded pincers. He wiped the blood from his eyes and off his scalp, then bent to retrieve his hat. It was in bad shape, much like his trench coat and respirator. Ultimately he hadn’t been in that much danger against such a one-dimensional opponent, but he sure felt like he’d been put through the wringer. “Hoo boy. Could use a nice long break after that one.”

Fortunately, a quick consultation of one of the tier’s bulletin boards informed him that he wouldn’t have his third Winners-side match until two, according to the Heavenly Principles’ calculations. After breathing a sigh of relief, Band set off in search of a lift to Esaka’s Middle Tier in the hopes that someone up there could patch him up. 

[hr]

When Yayama left Roman Cancel behind in the hopes of burying her existential turmoil beneath the assurance that she could indeed make a positive difference in the world, she found a Low Tier abuzz with activity. Plenty of people and yokai were out and about, many immersed in the serpentine lifestreams that snaked through the air above the cobbled streets and low-rent condos like the aurora borealis over Coerthas. Everywhere she looked, she found excitement and intrigue as the citizens tuned in to the pools, and not just for the sake of cheap bets. 

In some ways, qualifying rounds of Esaka’s tournaments were of greater interest to the average Low Tier denizen than Top 8. After all, even if few ever managed to reach the end of their brackets, hopeful Low Tier fighters formed the majority of every tournament’s registrants. It wasn’t much of a stretch to imagine that there would be no real tournaments without them; just repetitive exhibitions for the established elite. As such, pools were where the people down here got to watch their friends try their luck and shape things up. And even though most such competitors got eliminated quickly, often without winning a single fight, every so often an unexpected hero would rise from obscurity–a Low Tier ‘god’ who managed to seize victory from Middle or even High Tier fighters and rally enthusiastic spectators behind them. Even if he or she didn’t win, getting far enough in bracket could turn a no-name fighter into a minor celebrity overnight, so there was no shortage of hype matches.

Before Yayama could really immerse herself in the community, though, a man wandering the area happened to spot her. A relieved smile spread across his face as he began to walk toward her, his measured stride neither too fast nor too aggressive, opening a large fan to flutter her way in the hopes of getting the dark knight’s attention. With short black hair and shiny black eyes. He wore a set of voluminous blue-black hakama that bore a mountainous butterfly pattern, along with a blue jacket that featured huge, flowing sleeves. Shirtless men were relatively common in Esaka, but that accentuating jacket along with his uncommonly muscular chest made this fellow seem much more shirtless than most. His garb, along with the short black hair and shiny black eyes (Galeem’s sunset-red glow notwithstanding) beneath the tiny pair of round spectacles perched on his nose, made him reminiscent of the men of Doma. His air of confident and sophistication set him apart from the Low Tier fighters around him; he did not look like he belonged here at all. After flagging her down, the [url=https://i.imgur.com/5q8ajH0.png]gentleman[/url] stopped a few feet away from Yayama and offered her a polite bow.

“Good morning,” he told her. “I’m very glad to have caught you, noble lady. My name is Anji Mito, and today I have the pleasure of extending you greetings on behalf of the United Nations. Today, it seems, I represent more than just my home country of Japan.” He idly opened a fan in order to fan himself. If he’d been in the area looking for her, he’d probably been running around for some time. “Please, allow me to explain. Last night, one of our agents witnessed your heroic actions during the attack on Banishing Flats, and every time he returned to the scene this morning, he found you digging through the rubble, hoping to save yet more lives.”

Anji gave her a respectful nod. “It’s clear to us that you are a virtuous soul. If you want to protect the people of Esaka, and to mete out justice to those responsible, your organization and mine are of like mind.” He stowed his fans as he folded his sleeves together. “The United Nations is a coalition of fighters from the many countries of planet Earth. The closest thing that Esaka has to a ‘resistance’, in that our ultimate goal is to depose the Four Kings as an institution and bring a new dawn to Esaka. Yet, now that the Four Kings have given their blessing, it is also an opportunity to destroy the menace that is G-Corporation. We are in a position to do that, and given the heroism demonstrated by your cohort, we believe that mutual cooperation will do the greatest good.”

He half-turned away and extended a closed fan toward the nearest elevator to the Pools. “So on behalf of the United Nations, I would like to invite you and yours to meet our leader over lunch, as well as a few more of our members. Many of us are involved in the tournaments, though, so it won’t be a terribly formal occasion. No dark boardrooms, stuffy penthouses, or secret headquarters here.” He bowed to Yayama again. “Of course, you are free to decline, but I believe that our intelligence would be of great use to you.” The gentleman fixed her with a charming smile. “What do you say?”

[hr]

Up in the pools, Sakura’s martial prowess earned her another victory in her third Winners-side match. This time her opponent Golrio had put up more than the semblance of a challenge, but after a stolen first round the peppy street fighter had turned the tables on her explosive opponent and taken another step on the long road toward Bison. With three matches under her belt, she could expect no more than two that afternoon, and a longer wait before she needed to fight again.

By now, with over half of the World Warrior’s competitors already eliminated from the tournament, more spectators could be found on the sidelines of pretty much every match. Whether non-participants newly arrived from other tiers, or fighters who’d already lost two matches but wanted to see more, these onlookers attended the matches of tournament favorites and lucky Low Tiers alike. Sakura was neither, but it seemed that she’d drawn the interest of at least one fan already. Just after she took the stage in order to square off against Golrio, a woman who’d discreetly followed her after Sakura’s victory over Blue Suede Goo settled in to watch. This beautiful and elegant lady, with a huge dark violet braid and an intricate but light lavender kimono, paid rapt attention to Sakura as she fought and eventually claimed the win. She politely clapped rather than cheering uproariously, and didn’t seem eager to make the street fighter’s acquaintance, but when Sakura went to move on, so did she.

[center][h3]Frozen Highlands - Winter Lodge[/h3]
[b]Time of Day:[/b] Snowy Thursday Morning
Lvl 9 Sandalphon (60/90) Level 6 Heismay (59/60)
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] 1904

[b][url=https://i.imgur.com/p76VSWM.png]Nameless Stagecoach[/url][/b]
𖥞: 6/8 | 🛡️: 6/8 | [color=blue]◆[/color]◆◆◆ | [b]Equipment:[/b] Stewpot/Windchime/Lamps/Vegetubes/Lightning Rod/(None) | [b]Companion[/b]: Ratshaker Rat

[hider=For Ace Cadet]Items obtained:
[b][url=https://i.imgur.com/w0deh9s.png]Frilled Claw[/url][/b]
A set of very jagged duel blades, mostly held together by cloth bindings. Though neither too durable nor too sharp, their lacerations inject soporific powder into organic targets’ bloodstreams, quickly building up a sedative effect

[b]Somnacanth Dust[/b]
A dried organ containing soporific powder. In large quantities like this, it’s a strong and fast-acting sedative that can put even large targets under, though one the initial effect wears off almost any attack will awaken the target

[b]Spider Silk[/b]
A very strong natural fiber, spun from the spinnerets of an unusually large arachnid. Can be used as a substitute for string or rope in a variety of crafting projects, or made into a high-quality net[/hider][/center]


Living alone for a long time had made Heismay a light sleeper, since he couldn’t rely on anything but his own senses and preparedness should something go bump in the night. Even if things were different now, and there were plenty of allies around that could alert him to any threats, old habits were hard to break. Nevertheless, even though camping out in an abandoned house in the middle of a dark forest was practically asking for a nighttime ambush, the whole night somehow passed by without any incidents. When Heismay awoke, a bit on the early side but not painfully so, he actually felt pretty well rested. Not to mention surprised that he’d managed to get a good night’s sleep in peace. Sandalphon would probably call it a miracle.

Slowly, Heismay let himself down from the bar he hung from throughout the night, then straightened up with his hands on his lower back. He performed a couple twists and stretches, his stiff bones cracking and popping. “Oof…” The eugief gently pushed open the closet door, then stepped out into the master bedroom, rubbing his eyes. It wasn’t much brighter out here than it had been in his padded refuge; after all, the sun never rose on the Frozen Highlands nowadays. With no visible day-night cycle in this region thanks to the thick, perennial cloud cover, he could easily see his circadian rhythms getting thrown out of whack if he spent much longer here. There was no telling how much longer it would be before the Seekers finished their mission in this region, but if his estimations of pace and distance weren’t too far off, the expedition could very well reach Moon Mountain today.

Within a few minutes Heismay was all packed up and ready for travel, clad in the child-size parka bought for him in Snowdin. By now the Naytiba poison splashed on it during the big battle in the Raphael Space center was just a stain, not even malodorous anymore, which was a relief. He went down the stairs from the lodge’s second story into the spacious living room where a number of more communal Seekers had spent the night, warm in the radiance of the well-stocked fireplace. Some of them had been up late doing some kind of activity with Tenna, but he didn’t know who and wasn’t curious enough to ask. Some of his compatriots were fellow early risers, already up and preparing their equipment for the day’s journey, while a few heroes were still in the process of waking up.

Unexpectedly, Sandalphon had yet to make an appearance, which was odd given that she tended to be the first person present at any kind of gathering, her plans and words assembled well in advance. As more teammates trickled in, Heismay took a headcount himself. Although neither ended up enjoying a stiff drink together last night, both monster hunters looked rested and ready for what would probably be a long day of travel and combat. Meanwhile Blazermate, Tenna, and Ramattra all looked bored and antsy, eager to get going. Heismay supposed that if one didn’t need to sleep, six to eight hours of downtime per day would probably get pretty dull, especially for an entertainer like Tenna. That little white dog from last night did seem attached to him, though, so maybe he’d had his hands full after all. Roxas’ dog Scamp, loyal and low-maintenance, probably made for much better nighttime company

With how tidy and well-furnished this lodge seemed to be, Sectonia had hopefully managed to get some beauty sleep, even if her accommodations still fell well below her personal standards. That left Mokou and Ganondorf, who both appeared to be in good shape. Even if he was a king, Heismay expected that a warlord like Ganondorf had probably spent many a night in a spartan commander’s tent so that he could ride into battle or lay siege the next day. And it didn’t seem like Mokou could be fazed by much of anything, either.

The sound of creaking floorboards turned Heismay’s attention to the stairs, where Sandalphon was descending at last. She was fully clothed in her formal attire and parka, seemingly ready for the road ahead, but her movements were a little slower and stiffer than the eugief had come to expect, as if bothered by minor rheumatoid arthritis worsened by the cold conditions. Maybe she’d been too shy to share the Seekers’ fire downstairs, like him? He’d briefly considered commenting about the archangel’s tardiness when she finally arrived, but out of sympathy he decided not to risk it. “Good morning.” He acknowledged her with a curt nod of his head. “Did you sleep well?”

“Well enough.” Sandalphon’s face was almost imperceptibly tighter than usual, and her eyes narrower, even if the shape of her pupils betrayed nothing. “I see everyone is more or less ready for travel. Despite the darkness outside, it is currently eight minutes to seven o’clock AM. Let us depart on the hour.”

A few minutes later, Sandalphon stepped out through the lodge’s back door into the cold, dark morning, and shivered despite her warm parka. Plenty of fresh snow had fallen during the night, forming drifts against the house, bushes, and trees. It had erased the trail left stagecoach’s heavy wheels, but also blanketed the vehicle’s roof with snow, which Heismay and Roxas were in the process of brushing off, careful not to touch the lightning rod. All in all, the stagecoach seemed to be in good condition. Even the ratshaker rat was still there in its hanging cage, forgotten by everyone but still alive and kicking, much to the team’s collective chagrin. 

There was also a hellpod in the wreckage of a tree a quarter-mile away, loaded up with two dozen pal spheres manufactured aboard the Avenger at Edward’s request during the night. Compared to more sophisticated pal spheres, these basic ones lacked capture power, but what they lacked in quality they (sort of) made up for in quantity. Attached to the storage container was a handwritten note informing Edward that better spheres could probably be made if metal ingots and cement were procured and delivered alongside more paldium.

As Edward hitched the Shieldrix, Sandalphon climbed into the stagecoach’s rear door, then crossed the interior to inspect the vegetubes at the front. Thanks to the advanced cultivation apparati and a steady supply of power from the lightning rod, the seeds the Seekers planted before leaving Krat Zoo had already sprouted. They were growing unnaturally fast, but it would still be a while longer before the mistletoe or carrots were ready for use. That did beg the question…if mistletoe was Baldur’s weakness, how exactly could that be exploited? By stabbing him with the sprigs? It sounded a little barbaric, but try as she might, Sandalphon could not envision a better method of application, only delivery.

The Seekers (or rather, the majority of them) had a more pressing issue right now. Since the stewpot had filled itself during the expedition’s visits to both Krat Zoo and Spire 04, it stood to reason that it would have plenty of time to fill itself during the night, but that proved to be a misunderstanding of how the arcane object functioned. When she checked the pot, Sandalphon found no stew at all. That meant that the Seekers who required sustenance would need to rely on the travel rations obtained in Snowdin and berries gathered by Ramattra. Even if Ace had managed to procure a horde of provisions, though, they probably wouldn’t last given the additions to the party, let alone his and Ganondorf’s prodigious appetites. Plus, these rations -which took the form of [url=https://i.imgur.com/w1qqgwo.png]trail mix[/url], [url=https://i.imgur.com/qliyDYN.png]granola bars[/url], [url=https://i.imgur.com/zNXRiTz.png]life raft rations[/url], and [url=https://i.imgur.com/n1H3jRK.png]spicy pickled jerky[/url]- couldn’t be all that filling, either. 

Sandalphon raised a hand to her ear and summoned her communication sigil. “As we venture onwards today, let’s be sure to keep an eye out for food sources. It may be necessary to hunt for supplies.” She felt the stagecoach shake as Edward climbed onto the front, ready to drive the Shieldrix, then glanced at the other Seekers who’d entered the stagecoach. “Is everybody ready? If so, let us begin. Today’s mission: reach Moon Mountain, and demonstrate that we are worthy of Baldur’s attention.”

Before long, the stagecoach was moving again, leaving the mysterious lodge abandoned in the deathly quiet pine forest once more. In fact, it was even more abandoned now than it had seemed last night, for the little white dog had seen fit to join the Seekers on their voyage. She seemed more happy and calm overall, yipping for attention less frequently now that she trusted some of the heroes to pet and look out for her. While Sandalphon knew that her adoption meant yet another mouth to feed, she didn’t have the heart to throw the little thing out. It would be up to whoever liked her the most to give her a name. Now that Sandalphon thought of it, the stagecoach still didn’t have a name, either. Was that something people typically did? She knew that captains usually named their ships, as with the Avenger, but it wasn’t like DespoRHado’s higher-ups named the PMC’s various vehicles. Oh, well.

The expeditioners continued through the woods. It was only a little less dark and quiet than it had been the night before. Here and there Heismay, perched atop the stagecoach as always, could see hints of life. Through the trees he occasionally spotted [url=https://i.imgur.com/44uxCaZ.png]snowy owls[/url], [url=https://i.imgur.com/t30kq1H.png]shaggy ovis[/url], and even [url=https://wiki.project1999.com/images/Npc_a_giant_wooly_spider.png]giant woolly spiders[/url], though all shied away from the stagecoach’s approach. Everyone kept alert for any sign of danger, but as the minutes dragged on the team’s lucky streak continued. No monsters leaped out to try and tear out their throats, and as menacing as they were, the shadows kept their distance.

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

Eventually, the quiet old woods thinned somewhat, and the Midnight Walk led the Seekers to an old village. Long since gutted by fire, the ruined settlement had buildings warped like soggy cardboard that leaned at perilous angles, and even the surrounding conifers seemed to bow toward the immense, metal furnace that stood, cold and dead, at the town’s center. Nowadays, the primary inhabitants of the town seemed to be [url=https://i.imgur.com/ytZWQpg.png]rabbits[/url] with strange antennae and vacant, haunted eyes. There were a couple squatters scattered around though, and they also happened to be [url=https://i.imgur.com/Hoh3hfm.png]rabbits[/url], albeit much bigger. Whether out and about or [url=https://i.imgur.com/EduqpbV.png]cozy[/url] in their borrowed homes, the half-dozen bunnymen said not a word, but stared at the Seekers with unblinking red eyes. Only one being in the ruined village seemed capable of speech: the [url=https://i.imgur.com/dISa07A.png]Soulfisher[/url] with his distinctive peaked hat, asleep beneath the shelter of a paperback lean-to by an unlit fire. How he managed to reach this place before the Seekers was a mystery.

On the other side of desolate Coalhaven, the Midnight Walk continued along the [url=https://i.imgur.com/aHzBphV.png]Polar Pass[/url], an icy riverland that at some point must have served as a race track. Once the stagecoach got headed that way, the boost pads and [url=https://i.imgur.com/7zhqNNm.png]tricky jumps[/url] would ensure that it couldn’t go back. At Sandalphon’s suggestion, Edward slowed the stagecoach down as it navigated through the burnt-out village of broken matchsticks so the Seekers could take stock of the area.