Lugubrious

Re:Unison

As the others went about pulling together their teams, Hugo watched stone-faced, ready for the action to begin. A giant spider-construct he did not expect, but it made little difference. He'd just need to be aware of its size and speed, particularly if that Hiyori girl showed herself to be the rushdown type. If she put her partner's legs to work carrying its size straight at him, things could get rough, but how would she know to target him? He eyed Emi as she unveiled Viscera, contorting the disturbing thing into a combat-ready form. Nobody would be rushing him down until those two, the more active and obvious threats, were dealt with—at least, if the other teams had any tactical bones in their body.

They wouldn't realize the true threat until it was too late.

A few seconds later the three-for-all began. Hiyori's spider thundered forward, making Hugo agitated for a moment, before stopping in the center of the clearing. Were he not so focused, Hugo might have nodded in approval. Not only did her move -making herself into a centralized hazard- shine of intelligence, but it also ironically meant her downfall. No defensive stratagem could stand up against his trump card. Chidori's Nehla and Emi's Viscera went to work, their energy no doubt meant to secure victory in an impressive display of skill and strength. While they seized his enemies' attention, Hugo had other plans.

He clenched his jaw and deftly swerved to the right to avoid the incoming venom blob. While its arc and composition left him a manageable amount of time to avoid it, he nevertheless felt his pulse begin to pound, and wrestled down the urge to retreat. Calmly, he tapped Hume's body, signaling the time to begin. “Ten-second dose,” he murmured. “Usual plan. For whoever's last, do the thing.” Instead of confirming his instructions via words, Hume simply opened his mouth. His spherical body split in jagged half, revealing a gigantic maw in his belly, and from its lips issued a great fog. In a matter of moments it filled the whole clearing like a smokescreen, but despite appearances it was far more than just a cover.

It took just one breath to begin feeling the symptoms, for enemy and ally alike. Adrenaline and excitement would begin to drift away, like a lost dream. Muscles slackened, joints loosened, and concentration lapsed. Those with the presence of mind, self-awareness, and lack of distraction might catch on after just a few seconds, clamping a hand or arm or garment over their noses and mouths to stop the haze from flooding their minds, but those who did not found their strength leaving them. Each second of exposure made it harder to maintain composure. After ten seconds, those who'd taken enough of Hume's mist would find it impossible to stand, let alone fight. Through the fog came Hugo's icy tone, tempting them to sink deeper and deeper. “It's too late for you. There's no point in continuing to struggle. Just relax. One loss isn't a big deal. You'll win your next fight, so don't worry about this one. Stuff like this just happens. No hard feelings, just let it go...” A bright white cord arced through the mist, cracking like a whip. Hugo, immune to his partner's sedative, targeted any opponents trying to cover their noses and mouths, aiming to sting them until they were forced to let go and let Hume's mist seep in. This was the rare but terrifying tactic Hugo employed to secure his continued presence at Geiru: Whiteout.

Re:Unison

I was thinking of letting everyone else in the fight go first, but I'll go ahead and post tomorrow.

World of Light

Hammerhead

For Din

New Spirit Consumed:
Storm Eagle
Gold bands around Din's biceps separate flesh from the synthetic black mesh of her new arms, extending all the way to her hands. Integrated into her forearms are purple metal bracers with large, flexible metal 'feathers' with a striking purple-to-blue gradient coloration. These feathers can be angled folded back along her arm, reaching past her elbow, for storage, or extended into full wings. An elegant mask reminiscent of Storm Eagle's face, complete with green gem and red facial markings, adorns her head, though it can be removed. Her nails are all sharpened, yellow claws. This spirit confers the power Gale Wings, which allows her to create great blasts of wind by beating her wings. They can be fired outward to spread things, speed them up, or blow them around; they can also be angled downward to propel Din into the air, after which she can glide. This spirit also inflicts the weakness Robot Master Flaw SE, which makes her more vulnerable to viruses, control, and reptile attacks

Moving with mechanical precision, the barkeeper served the Courier, then Hat Kid, then Bowser. While he said nothing, he made it clear by writing figures on a chalkboard behind the counter that the new customers had just started their very own tabs. If they didn't pay today, they would need to settle the tabs some other time. Hat Kid, though got her water for free; if anything, Fire Man seemed eager to be rid of the stuff for more than a few seconds. When the Courier got his booze, he found the top of it momentarily alight, no doubt thanks to the server's fiery personality. The koopa king's order required that the robot master duck into the back room for a while, but he reappeared with the food soon enough. Before Bowser was placed a pair of perfectly standard burgers, exactly alike and lacking heart, as well as a bunch of fries stacked like logs.

All the while, 6's poker game with the dogs proceeded in an interesting fashion. As it turned out, the dogs' understanding of the game and their ability to play it left a lot to be desired. Things took a while to happen, and while the long-necked pup cheated unabashedly by looking at other players' cards, he didn't seem to spend even a solitary moment considering his own hand. The pot, a pile of dog treats, drifted the practiced Courier's way steadily.

Outside, the sudden influx of new arrivals only halted Hammerhead's activity momentarily. With Gene having broken the tension, the party of young men parted ways with the white-haired swordsman and his friend, and the Regalia pulled out of the station to head northward. For better or worse, the adventurous foursome would be heading to the Dead Zone too. The punk watched them go with a resigned, mildly exasperated look while Gene made his case. When he finished, a honk resounded from his friend's van, since he'd been about to get in before Gene stopped him. Glancing at the God Hand, he told him, “Never heard of this Angra demon. But like I said, if you and your friends want to be heroes, be my guest. I've got business to attend to.”

The woman leaned out of the window. “Great job Nero” she said, grinning, “Y'ain't talked a single soul outta runnin' in there 'n gettin' killed. But hey, didja consider that this whole worlds collidin' dealeo might mean there's more people who can slap demons around?” She turned her eyes on Gene. “Maybe we don't gotta do this thing alone. If we got people kickin' though the fodder, ya got a clear shot at that throne-sittin' sonuva.”

Nero's face darkened. “I'm not gonna hang back and let other people do my work for me. When I send that bastard to hell, Dante's gonna eat his words.”

Gene listened in on what the country chick was saying, pondering her words. Seemed like she was at least open to the idea of inviting more people along to head to that Qliphoth place, though the white haired punk, Nero apparently, was still reluctant. Almost sounded a bit bitter even. "Oh come on, uh, Nero! I don't doubt that you can kill demons by the dozen, but you said it yourself, the place is dangerous. Having some back up wouldn't be too bad, right? And hey, that 'throne sitting guy' is all yours once we get to him. What do you say?"

Looking downright annoyed at this point, Nero seemed ready to just walk away, but after a moment he sighed instead. “If you're that dead-set on it, fine. But Urizen's all mine. Got it?”

Gene grinned, practically ready to break out into song and dance at that. But he kept his composure, instead giving a nod as a reply. "Got it. So uh... When we heading out?"

With a shrug, Nero replied, “Right now. If your buddies are headed to the city, tell 'em to get moving.”

Gene nodded, prepared to go tell his companions about the journey to the Qliphoth, only to suddenly remember something...hey were heading to the Land of Adventure. “Oh crap oh crap oh crap! Play it cool Gene, play it cool... You can figure this out! It's not like this little adventure will take that long, right? Just in an out, twenty minutes tops! ... Hopefully.” He continued on his way to where most of the group was holed up, and spoke up so they could hear him. "Hey, guys, it's me, Gene, you all know me... I don't wanna say well, but a bit. I met this dude named Nero, and he's planning on heading to the Dead Zone to take down this spooky thing called the Qliphoth. I'm planning on going, so if any of you wanna join us, you're all free to!" Well, he hoped that at least some people would accompany him. He didn't imagine they'd appreciate it if he just up and left them without saying a word.

---

The sudden activation of a dormant robot master following an examination from Tora, Poppi, Linkle, Din, and Blazermate led to a brief but furious brawl, thoroughly messing up the interior of the garage in which it took place and leaving Poppi barely functional. Cid and Cindy were taken aghast, especially by Tora's involvement, after he seemed so enthused to be at Hammerhead. Peach, while clearly lacking patience, apologized on behalf of the miscreants and offered to cover the damages out of the royal treasury, but once he came to understand the situation, Cid waved her offer off. “Accidents happen,” he assured her. “All the same, iffen yer crew's done refuelin' 'n such, y'might roll on t'wherever yer headed.” His dubious glance at Junior and friends' repaired Brother Grimm made it clear that the heavily-armed cohort made him uneasy.

In short order, the heroes would embark once again, albeit with a few losses. Most of the rabbids elected to continue no further, being far from home and uninterested in a long campaign. The Buckler, by far the most intelligent among them, knew that the long, dangerous journey would sooner or later spell the end of the whole rabbid pack. As such, only two ziggies and three jumpers remained with the heroes, but the others' departure didn't mean that the separate crews might not meet again someday.

Compared to the morning's journey, the last leg of the trip seemed to fly by. The southbound road brought the remaining vehicles of the convoy out of the dusty, rocky waste, through a briar-strewn brushland, and toward greener pastures. It wasn't long before Peach crested a hill whose road sported green grass on either side, came to a stop, and looked out over a lush region of plains, forests, and limitless opportunity: the Land of Adventure.

After putting her kart in park, Peach stood up and took in the view, crossing her arms. Since her fusion with Mr. Grimm's spirit, she'd born a cold countenance in stark contrast to her usual cheery optimism, but this sight seemed to lift her spirits. There were birds running across the grassland, cows grazing, and even a strange dinosaur soaring through the sky. As her gaze roved over the landscape, she identified a village to the south on the other side of a copse of trees, complete with smoke rising from its chimneys. The town wasn't the only one sending up a hazy beacon, though. When the princess glanced to the left -the east- she spotted another column of fumes rising skyward from a small castle structure a short ways up a mountain surrounded by pine trees. She pursed her lips. While interesting, it made for too great a detour. The town would be the convoy's next destination.

Land of Adventure

@MULTI_MEDIA_MAN

With the details he'd gleaned from the guildmarm in mind, Geralt set out from Lumbridge not straight north, but northeast. His journey brought him within visible distance of the no-man's land where the Land of Adventure came to an end and a dusty scrubland began, and where no herb-rich castle in the woods would be found. In just about an hour and a half, though, the directions provided to him guided him to the top of a hill that overlooked a sea of pines. It continued northward for a long way, stretching all the way to a shadowy region far removed from the Land of Adventure. When he looked to the right, he spotted a stone structure a short way up the side of a small mountain, it being part of the range that formed the shifting land's northern edge. The easy slope, with sparse trees and boulders but abundant in smaller plants, would be no problem to navigate, even now that the sky had grown cloudy and gray. Geralt's only major challenge would be the strange monster that he knew lurked within. Before heading there, he would no doubt be able to scare up some wild wolves in the pine forest to kill for their fat.

When he eventually did approach the castle, it would become apparent that the edifice was on the smaller end in terms of scale. The trees closest to it looked dead, gnarled and gray, and as Geralt grew closer, he could make out a few puzzling details. In terms of design, it bore a gothic appearance, but sported a number of amenities he couldn't place. Its walls featured lanterns instead of torches, but without any sign of flame. Instead, immaculately rounded bulbous glasses lay within. While his angle obscured much, he could spot a large balcony on the second floor without any kind of door or window, instead leaving much of the second floor open to the air. Farther up stood only a couple spires, their spiky tips pointed skyward. A chorus of strange noises could be heard from the second floor. While one was probably no more than the suppressed burning of a forge, the other -a sort of low, humming roar- confounded his experience. Most poignantly, Geralt couldn't see any living thing, but signs of life he found aplenty. Long, deep claw-scratches in the wall and inhuman footprints in the soil confirmed that he'd come to the right place.

Re:Unison

Even if Hugo wasn't the target, he still froze in his tracks when the icy voice of Nehla offered up some scorn. Then, when she turned her attention to him, claws of ice clamped tight about his heart. Hume, already on the case, nudged up against his partner with a cheery expression. “Looking forward to working with you, madam,” he said, before leaning in to whisper to Hugo, “Don't worry, she doesn't know a thing about you. Just a mean spirit. She'll be singing a different tune once the action starts.”

After his words sunk in for a moment, Hugo found himself relaxing. His construct always knew just what to say. With zero idea who he was, Nehla could only be acting out of malice, and such a person had no right to sit in judgment of him. She existed as just another obstacle for him to meet and overcome. At least the birdbrain's partner seemed to be a bit nicer, although from what little he'd seen of her so far Hugo already felt she was probably too extreme in the other direction. Her stuttering introduction left him taken aback. Just what was the right thing to say to a very shy, unsure girl three years younger than him?

Hume knew. While there existed no confirmation that Chidori would be joining them, he greeted her as though she would be. “A pleasure!” he said warmly, looking thoroughly chuffed. “Allow me to assure you: you're in good hands.” A strange sentiment, maybe, from someone who at first glance appeared to have zero hands, but they would see soon enough.

Next, a lurking presence made herself known. Until now she'd remained the sort of noisy and annoying that could be tuned out, but now Emi had set about bothering Hugo in earnest, even if doing so was far from her intent. Her agitation threatened to set him off, but this time he kept a hold of himself without Hume's reassurance. Whoever his friends and foes would be in the coming moments didn't matter one ounce. Only triumph, and earning enough points to give him some peace and quiet until next time. The other captains could take Emi up on her offer if they liked, but if they did not, he didn't mind accepting her.

Reaching into his pockets, Hugo began to warm up in secret by conjuring coils of cord, then letting them disappear. If his opponents turned out to be quick enough on the uptake that they didn't succumb to his strategy immediately, he'd need to apply a little pressure, and for that he needed a quick lash and precise aim. Of course, the thought of him having to intervene personally to ensure victory meant the possibility of him messing up, and therefore bringing about a loss, and with that notion came anxiety. Saying nothing, Hugo worked to keep it under control. All this time, and he still got nervous earning his keep? He felt almost as frustrated as he did uneasy. Yet, all the while, his face scarcely changed.

Re:Unison

As exuberant chaos unfolded around him, Hugo remained a little way off, watching the two archrivals bicker. The younger students sure liked to strut their stuff, didn't they? Yusuke and Ren made a boisterous pair, their eternal war so much larger than life that it never failed to snap up random passers-by, and today that included two of Geiru's more obscure faces. Of course, Hugo never attributed his ephemeral reputation to others' dislike or distance, as might the oddball first-years who unconsciously rubbed others the wrong way and found themselves ignored. As eye-catching as Hume was, being a great white sphere with floppy ears and bulbous limbs, the two never attempted to stand out. Plus, Hugo's height and stark look made him seem unapproachable, which sat fine with him, since less contact meant less pressure. This time, though, he'd found himself approached, and as much as he liked his peace and quiet, everyone needed a little variety now and then.

That said, he'd already been considering just leaving the clearing until Fumi opted to storm off, which for some reason hardened Hugo's resolve in the opposite direction. While picking fights just wasn't his thing, the idea of raining on their parade admittedly sounded fun, and he needed the points anyway. Besides, who among them would recognize him as a fourth-year? An opportunity arose when Ren asked if anyone else would volunteer as a captain, so as to bring about a three-for-all. As he considered what to say, however, Hugo's chest tightened. Nothing popped into his head, and the moment was about to pass. After swallowing his spit the wrong way and choking just a touch, Hugo cleared his throat and raised a hand. “I'll do it.”

The declaration elicited a wide-eyed look from Hume. “Are you certain? I thought it odd you'd accept an invitation like this, but to throw down in a frenetic brawl with these folk...” He cast a glance over everyone assembled, energetic fighters all.

A cold feeling, suggesting terrible judgment, threatened to grip Hugo, but he waved off his construct's concern. “What, y-you don't think we can handle it?” Leaning over, he whispered, “Besides, our score's low. We must earn our keep. Just do your thing.” He composed himself and gave the rivals an affirming nod.

Hume, meanwhile, seemed satisfied. Any worry he felt came not at all for his own sake, or even his partner's, physically. If anyone could handle something like this, albeit most likely in an unsatisfactory manner, it would be them. “Good point.” As best as the huge construct could, he bowed to his soon-to-be opponents. “I will refrain from crushing any of you. Good luck,” he wished, in a polite yet subtly menacing tone.

Saying nothing, Hugo instead began to consider strategy. Just as Hume couldn't do any pulverizing, he couldn't use his hook in a student battle. Lashes, however, would work well enough. A quick look around confirmed that trees surrounding the clearing might provide for some engaging gambits. Since his selection of teammates didn't matter so much for his plan, he told the other captains, “You pick.” and accepted the two who remained afterward with a stern smile.

World of Light

Hey there Nate. Genon pretty much covered your questions, except that you'll be invited to the Discord after an accepted application. Looking forward to writing with you.

@Gentlemanvaultboy @Stern Algorithm would you two want to do a brief collab with Tora and Poppi over the interaction with Storm Eagle?

World of Light

I'll be posting before too long. If you'd like to converse with someone else, chat up some NPCs, or otherwise interact/get stuff done, it's a good time to do it. Don't want to spend too long at Hammerhead before moving on to the Land of Adventure.

Fighting King: Brawl in the Streets

Llexe's anger smoldered against Kiyoshi for some time, but revenge would have to wait for later. She settled into watching her allies fight on her behalf against their attackers, consenting to the idea of a pure, two-on-two fight with no interference. While she saw no point in such restraint, and indeed found herself wracked by more than a little frustration and disappointment for her relegation to the sidelines, she figured that everyone deserved a chance to prove themselves now and again.

Naja and Sam faced their adversaries with strength and fortitude, and despite some heavy punishment, emerged the winners. Of course, if they failed on their very first real bouts, with their allies holding back so that they could have their moments, it would have been about as pathetic as hilarious. Just the thought of her peers getting decked straight out the gate made Llexe snort with laughter. When Naja announced her intentions, Llexe chose to follow, wholly unconcerned for the others' wellbeing. Toughness wasn't a mask that one wore, after all, and dropped when the fight was done. They could deal with their hurts on their own. With a final dagger-eyed glare at Kiyoshi, dripping with intent, she stalked in the direction of home base.

Re:Unison

I'm in agreement with the others.

World of Light

<Snipped quote by Gentlemanvaultboy>

I never actually put a limit to the size, so we'll need to ask @Lugubrious for a balanced area, but I was thinking a square meter. Although, she can just repeat cast to paint a larger area. Thinking of melting some water?

@Stern Algorithm

A little bigger than that for the base area would be fine. Say, a square 1.5 meters.