Lugubrious

Persona ~ The Beholder

Kirsty Ramaswamy

Her throat ragged from hyperventilation, Kirsty struggled to get a grip of her surroundings, especially since she felt exhausted enough that she might pass out at any second. Despite all the work she did she didn't have many hours in the gym or around the block, so hers was far from a runner's physique. Having a pack of bloodthirsty hounds at one's heels was a remarkable motivator, of course, but now that the adrenaline was wearing off she could feel every step. She wanted to teeter over to the nearest chair and throw herself upon it, but first Kirsty shot a look behind her for any trace of the vicious dogs. Instead she saw only Alina, safe and sound, without so much as a bite or scratch on her. Letting out a relieved sigh, Kirsty thanked her lucky stars for that, but she could only feel so happy to know one ally made it to safety. That left two yet to emerge from the mist, that nice guy and that brute. Hopefully the boys just escaped in a different direction, and hadn't tried to fight it or anything. Then again, that big fellow did seem to be itching for a brawl.

A few words from Alina pulled Kirsty out of her thoughts, and her eyebrows went up at what she had to say. “O-oh...I thought I did.” Her embarrassment writ large upon her face, she tried to muster up a friendly smile as she fidgeted with her hands. “I'm Kirsty. Kirsty Ramaswamy. Sorry, I didn't mean to...to be impolite. My mind's a little, um, scattered at the moment.” Even though it did strike her as a little ridiculous that Alina would be stringent rather than sympathetic given the circumstances, Kirsty didn't hesitate to take the blame for herself. Man, I so didn't mean to be rude, she thought, wincing. I've been distracted all day. Maybe something I did this morning made her upset? Just another thing on the pile of today's wonderful experiences. Still, Kirsty had light, warmth, and peace, and there wasn't any sign of being able to go back to reality, so all told things were looking up.

She stood for another moment, looking around, before there came a crackling noise. Looking up, she spotted a speaker mounted on the wall, and others spaced evenly up and down either side of the street. A moment later a voice issued from them, smooth, silky, and a little familiar, albeit masked somewhat by audio corruption.

“Good evening, and welcome! You poor dears must be tired, confused, and scared half to death. Well, I won't stand it a moment longer. Please, come to the end of the street, and I'll take care of you.”

The voice did make Kirsty jump again, but much less than the last time she'd been startled. Given what she'd been put through so far, a definitively human presence felt like a luxury. An offer of help was even more comforting. She did not consider the possibility of a trap, since she couldn't do much else anyway. After looking once at Alina for confirmation, Kirsty started making her way down the avenue. Gilded temples, immaculate statues, and warmly glowing lamps passed by in a blur, a formless parade of gorgeous excess. Kirsty felt like she was zooming through a theme park ride, moving too quickly to make out the details around her. In short order she reached the end of the street and found herself looking at a raised balcony peering out of what might have been a palace, or maybe a cathedral. Golden light shone from the aperture, and silhouetted in its middle stood an indiscernible figure with some sort of microphone.

“Ah, there you are!” The voice came again, both through the speakers and the air. “Hold tight, I'll be right down.”

And so she was. She left her microphone behind and turned right to descend a two-party flight of flawless marble stairs to ground level. As she turned at the halfway point and faced Kirsty, she got her first real look at the stranger, and her jaw just about hit the floor. Coming down the stairs was a gorgeous woman, the sort of beautiful that hurt just to look at, inspiring instant envy and inadequacy. She wore a lavish white silk dress sporting black flowers that danced with every self-assured step she took, just revealing enough to be alluring without being tacky, and instead of a sash she sported a clergyman's fascia wrapped about her shoulders. It took a few moments of Kirsty staring through all the makeup, gold-rimmed glasses, and hair products to get hit by a sudden realization, as hard and abrupt as a truck hitting an isekai protagonist: this woman looked a lot like her.

The woman gave a wide smile, putting her hands on her hips and posing. “Ohoho! Captivating, aren't I? This must be quite a shock for you...” In a flash, her mood changed to serious, and she bowed her head while holding out her hand toward a nearby banquet table. “But never mind me. Please, take a seat.”

Totally at a loss for words, Kirsty couldn't do much except accept, grateful for a moment to rest. The woman sauntered to a nearby waiter's cart and collected a pitcher of water that she carried to the table. For a moment Kirsty just watched, but connecting the dots in her head prompted her to stand up suddenly. How could she sit there like a useless lump and let this clearly very important person humiliate herself for her benefit? “Oh, please don't trouble yourself!” she said.

The lady beamed, the very picture of kindness and generosity. “It's no trouble,” she crooned.

Kirsty felt like buckling, but she knew she couldn't betray her principles. Not until she was sure she could, anyway. “I'm sorry, ma'am,” she started again, nervously. “This is clearly way beneath you. I should be...I mean, please allow me...”

“No, allow me,” the lady insisted, placing a hand on Kirsty's shoulder. Even through her glove, her touch was electrifying, and Kirsty felt herself sit back down. “Nothing gives me more pleasure than to serve my fellow man,” the lady explained, pouring Kirsty and Alina a glass of water. “But I do appreciate the offer. That is so like you.” She seated herself opposite Kirsty, fixing her with a penetrating look. Only now did the college girl notice the lady's yellow eyes. “So, what do you say, now that you've been helped?”

Kirsty straightened up. “Oh! Thank you! Thank you very much, ma'am, you're too kind.”

“Aren't I?” The lady unleashed another broad smile. “And you're most welcome.”

A second or two of quiet passed before Kirsty piped up. “Um, if you...if you don't mind me asking, who are you?”

The lady blinked twice, then tilted her head. “Isn't it obvious?”

“Uhh...” Kirsty blanked, a look of half-panic on her face. Crap! Should I have known? She must be a celebrity! Think! “...A supermodel?”

Giggling, the woman shook her head. “Not quite, darling.” Kirsty frowned, at a loss. She felt like she should know this lady, and something about her was awfully familiar. But nobody she knew was even close to perfect, least of all herself. A distant relation, maybe...? The lady allowed the silence to extend, amused by the look on Kirsty's face.

World of Light

Tora & Poppi

Level 8 Tora (12/80) and Level 7 Poppi (58/70)
Location: Sandswept Sky
Courier's @ProPro, Primrose's @Yankee, Fox's @Dawnrider, Sectonia's @Archmage MC Midna's @DracoLunaris

Although Tora liked Primrose well enough in the brief time he'd known her, the really interesting member of the group was Midna. When he first saw the imp, he'd thought for a horrific second that she might be a gruesomely deformed Indoline. Like her, the race of humans who called the draconic Titan Indol their home featured pale greenish skin and long ears, although they lacked those black markings. Of course, he didn't really consider that the case; it just happened to pop into his head when he saw her. Although diminutive, her shape made her seem not at all a child, which left Tora confused. On top of her unique appearance she also sported a hodgepodge of fascinating abilities, from disappearing into shadows and summoning wolves to changing her hair into a big hand. Cooler still, she was a princess, like Peach. While first impressions made her seem a touch on the bossy side, which fit, the rest of her pretty much embodied the exact opposite of elegance or grace. Of course, the Nopon knew better than to say that.

Since Fox seemed to be deep in contemplation, silence filled the cab once more once the princess said her piece. This lasted, just a little awkward, until Primrose left the confines of the Morgana-car to look around outside. Though busy examining Sectonia's antlion, Tora watched her go, wondering if this stop would be longer than usual.

Outside, Poppi glanced at the passenger departing the car, oblivious to Midna tailing along. Although Sectonia didn't seem particularly interested in the line of conversation Poppi brought up, she couldn't really think of a better one. “That very impressive. Poppi draw energy from ether in atmosphere thanks to ether furnace, but if Poppi exert for too long, reserves deplete and Poppi have no power. Then not very helpful.” She held up her arm and flexed her fingers. Of course, she had yet to put her new power in this form to the test. Sleek, streamlined, and the very image of miracle technology, this body might be efficient enough to make the journey along with Sectonia. But two heroes, even two high-damage fliers, couldn't very well contend with one of Galeem's champions. Besides, she couldn't really consider the possibility of fighting without her Masterpon. They were two sides of the same coin, after all. Neither could excel without the other.

Her audio receptors picked up the words of Primrose, causing her to look that way. Sure enough, her zoom feature could make out a figure in white leaning against one of the totems. Her systems afforded her the ability to examine the unknown face in detail, unlike those of certain other robed strangers. She appeared to be a young woman with dark skin, orange eyes, and light blonde hair, and she was looking Yellow Team's way. “Contact,” she reported for Sectonia. More than that, she seemed to know that she'd gotten the party's attention. With effortless grace the stranger got to her feet, then floated a few inches above the sand. While standing her cloak didn't cover her fully, and Poppi could see that she wore some kind of military vest and shorts, a combination that wouldn't be misplaced in the wardrobe of a Blade. One arm and one leg bore tight red wrappings, bandages perhaps. Poppi watched along with Primrose and Midna as the stranger raised her arm and pointed toward the mountain on the horizon, then tilted her head. Go, she was saying. If she had anything more to say than that, she seemed to be in no hurry to approach.

Back at the car, the Phantom Thieves had piled out to look around—the true reason for stopping the car. A few moments passed in relative quiet, before the girl called Panther widened her eyes. “Look! Over there!”

She leveled her finger into the distance. Out in the barren expanse, a towering sandstorm undulated in the wind like an immense tapestry, and from the shifting wall issued a strange shape. Although it looked a lot like a camel, its contours and details weren't quite natural, and though it looked small from here, it could only be very large. The noise distracted Poppi from the stranger, and she looked over. “What is that?” the girl asked.

“Some sort of machine,” answered the Artificial Blade. “Reminds Poppi of Titan Gormott, but nowhere near as big.”

“Interesting, but not what we're looking for,” Joker remarked.

Poppi tilted her head. “What are allies looking for? Are we not heading for mountain to fight boss?”

Joker tugged at his collar and climbed into the driver's seat of the Morgana-car. His friends retreated into the cool air as well, thankful for Sectonia's antlions after getting another taste of the desert heat. “We are, but we're also looking for something. The reason we picked this location over the others. A pyramid.”

“Pyramid.” Engaging her zoom, Poppi scanned the horizon. “Searching...searching...” Impressed, the thieves waited in silence. After a moment, however, she shook her head. “Nothing found.”

Skull looked mildly disappointed. “Welp, let's keep movin' then.” He waved at Primrose and Midna. “Hey, girls! You comin' or what?”

Edge of the Blue – Seaward Bay

Ace Cadet's @Yankee, Sakura's @Zoey Boey, Cuphead's @ProPro, Link's @Gentlemanvaultboy, Junior and Kamek's @DracoLunaris, Hat Kid's @Dawnrider, Geralt's @MULTI_MEDIA_MAN

To her surprise Hat Kid discovered a signal for none other than a Time Piece. Judging by the spots she passed on the way to the wharf with the other heroes, it was coming from the second island in the the archipelago, the one with the fairground big enough to see from here. To leave in pursuit of it meant going in the opposite direction to the one laid out before her, however, and that double peg-legged pirate seemed eager to begin the voyage to Limsa. The situation begged a choice: leave the Time Piece for later to continue onward unabated with her team, miss the departing ship for the chance to increase her collection, or request that the others wait for her as she went about this errand. A speedy youngster with a peppy scooter could make good time, but there was no guarantee that fetching the coveted item would be straightforward once she got there.

She didn't have a lot of time to choose, either; the others were already climbing aboard Brineybeard's vessel, one by one. “Granted!” he roared at Sakura, giving her leave to embark. For the average landlubber, setting foot aboard such an idyllic pirate ship tended to impart a difficult-to-suppress feeling of adventure. Visions of swashbuckling action and vagabond merriment came easily to mind, full of parrots and shanties and gold. The Captain, however, looked anything but happy, even after being saluted and thanked and asked permission. Nevertheless, Link asking him about his experiences opened the floodgates, and Brineybeard began yammering away with gusto as he went about readying the ship to weigh anchor. “Oh aye, lad! These gentle waves be nothin' like the Bottomless or the Shoal betwixt 'em, but we even gets 'em sonuvas 'round here time to time!” He spent most of his time gesticulating emphatically, making slow progress on preparations. “An' don't get me started on the stinkin' Black Fleet! As if dealin' with monsters wasn't bad enough, they're always comin' with their torpedoes 'n rotatin' cannons 'n such. How 'n the hell...”

Brineybeard faced Link as if demanding an answer from him. “Now, how 'n the hell's a traditional ship supposed to compete!? They ain't! Ol' Shippy here's one 'o the last real boats sailin' these waters.” He turned away, looked over his ship with pride, before cracking a grin. “Gahahah, but she be more than yer everyday rowboat! How else ye be thinkin' we stayed afloat? Avast, Shippy!”

He patted the railing with his hand, and the entire ship began to move. Ropes pulled themselves, hoisting sails and lifted barrels with jolly faces, and the anchor wheel turned steadily. The wood itself took on a state of constant flexing like the sides of a breathing animal. At the prow of the boat, two great big eyes opened wide to stare down at the heroes not yet on board. True to the captain's word, this was no ordinary watercraft. It was nothing less than a living thing.

The door to the cabin burst open, and a couple of dogfish hustled out. They made a beeline for Brineybeard, who knelt down to stroke them. “Ohohoho, who're my rotten seadogs? Aye, they be you!” In no time at all the ship was ready to sail, and to ferry the heroes onward to Limsa.

After a moment Peach stopped marveling at the living pirate ship and began to make her way toward it. Scarcely had she taken her first step, however, than her wrist was seized by the woman in black. She pulled the princess close, close enough to see a pale face and cold eyes beneath her hood. “A corpse should be left well alone,” she murmured. “But the wrongness of this world demands you give ear to the secrets that beckon oh so sweetly. Like the siren to the sailors. Some never think to heed the warnings.” Glancing out at the ship and the other members of Blue Team, she gave a soft sigh. “I fear only a needless death will cure you now. Liberate you, from your wild curiosity.”

She released Peach, who pulled away. With a scowl the princess turned to leave, heading down the dock to the gangway for Brineybeard's ship. When she looked again, the stranger was gone, disappeared into a dark portal that sprang up from nothingness and vanished just as quickly.

Dead Zone – Sundered Avenue

Donovan's @Genon, Blazermate's @Archmage MC, Banjo & Kazooie's @Dawnrider, Linkle's @Gentlemanvaultboy, Jak and Daxter and Mag Launcher's @ProPro, Bowser's @DracoLunaris

Though caught in tricky and -by most metrics- untenable situations, Red Team's most proactive members prevailed against their individual assaults. Linkle's quick reflexes, battlefield experience, and potent display of cryomancy made short work of her assailants, no matter how vicious their weapons. Bowser survived his encounter with a lethal energy sword with all limbs intact thanks to Blazermate's intervention, first to shield him from harm and second to jump into the fight herself and wrench the blade free of the infested elite's grip. Even the Shockdozer's lightning failed to rupture the ubercharge, though the protection timed out shortly thereafter. A moment of invincibility was a comfort and and relief, but after that moment it was gone.

The others fought savagely against the Flood, desperately keeping them at arm's length. No sooner did one fall than two took its place, after all. Mag and Jak worked their weapons mercilessly to keep the twisted arms and claws of the horde off of them, but stray bullets from assault rifles and very targeted needles from ranged forms that had clambered up into vantage points racked up steady damage. The same held true for Banjo, even if his 'weapon' had a mind of her own and his ammunition came from the Lumbridge cucco pen. None of them needed the black-coat's help to figure out that this fight wasn't winnable. They needed to go, and fortunately Bowser and Blazermate were in the middle of commandeering the team a way to break the deadly blockade.

With a little ripping and tearing, the pair took control of the Shockdozer, with the medabot even figuring out how to make use of its lightning gun to dispatch the troublesome infested Blastoise while Bowser struggled to keep the horde off. For a moment it seemed as though the Tentacruel might overwhelm the koopa king, but he managed to slash it to ribbons before bellowing for his subjects to get a move on. Banjo shoved aside incoming Flood with his lance before vaulting over to the Shockdozer in a daring maneuver. Mag and Jak made tracks, although the latter needed the coaxing of his little friend to avoid sinking some of his precious eco into the man whose hood had fallen down. “Now now,” the Italian teased. “You'll get your turn.” With that he was gone in a flash of blue light, nowhere to be seen. The next second Linkle's explosion scattered the Flood, giving her team the room they needed to push off and pick up some speed.

Outside the Argent Tower, the sundered avenue was thick with Flood. Seeing it instantly confirmed for the heroes that they made the right choice; if they stayed, they would have surely drowned beneath the tide of flesh. Anyone not piled onto the vehicle itself would need to move fast and keep close, lest they be left behind, or worse risk everyone dying in a rescue attempt. The Shockdozer proved incredibly useful, plowing straight through combat and infection forms, and barely even flinching when the swollen combat forms burst themselves into spores and wriggling things. Still, its relatively lackluster speed meant that the heroes needed to keep a constant look out for would-be boarders. Most combat forms of the Flood could really jump, and they tried relentlessly. Of all of them the skittering infectors climbed aboard the most often, and while a single hit could wipe one out, their tentacles would dig into flesh if given half a chance. If allowed to carve in and come into contact with a hero's spine, a single touch would cause instant nervous system failure and brain death.

As for direction, Blazermate knew where the group needed to go. To the south, across the patch of the city most thoroughly rearranged by seismic activity, the final Qliphoth root towered. At its base existed the boss whose death would open the way to the Qliphoth itself, and the chosen guardian of Galeem that existed within.

Even if the Flood were being outpaced, however, they weren't about to relent. Three combat forms riding chainsaw-equipped slicecycles motored after the more sluggish Shockdozer, their biting blades able to take chunks out of armor, limb, and tire alike. If the tires popped, the heroes would be dead in the water. To make matters worse, more monsters were being drawn by the commotion. Winged vulture-like beasts, the lerks, In addition to biting, they spread a poisonous gas as they flew. With the movement of the Shockdozer the gas wouldn't linger, but a faceful of the stuff in passing would not be pleasant.

Dead Zone – Super Gore Nest

Doom Slayer's @Eviledd1984

After braving the radiation filled tunnels, each in their own way, the various daredevils wound up walking down a dimly-lit hall toward a set of double doors. When the Slayer pushed the doors wide, he gave his team a good look both at the control room and through the glass window to the generator itself. Wound around the main pylon to the point of subsuming it was the heart of the Super Gore Nest itself, an enormous, gruesome facsimile of a heart. Glowing blood filtered through its sacs to the tune of a deep beat, and from it both dangled fleshy tendrils and protruded nasty horns.

“This is the heart of the nest. It has taken root in this facility's main power generator. Reactivating the generator will destroy the nest,” Vega informed the group.

A terminal next to the Slayer featured a lever ripe for the pulling. Its use filled the air with the sound of electrical humming, and a readout on a control panel screen read 'fifty percent'. With no other lever in sight, however, the generator couldn't be turned on just yet. “Great, more looking around,” Nero snarked, looking down at the colored strips on the floor. They led through a door to the right and through a series of rooms. “Bet the other one's that way.” He went quiet as the telltale snarls and growls of demons reached the group through both halls, then sighed. “Think you can handle it? We'll hold down the fort.” With a shot from his revolver he shattered the glass window, creating a way into the generator room to turn it on once power was restored. Then he was obliged to give his full attention to his guests, for it didn't look like he'd be picking off fodder this time. He fixed his attention on the guitar-wielding punk zombie, reminded of the guitar Nevan that Dante possessed and shortly thereafter sold a long time ago. That left a demon with a tiger's head on its chest, which Nadia positioned herself to face off against, and a long-legged gargoyle for Raidou. The three wasted no time getting down to business.

Meanwhile, on his quest to find the second lever, the Slayer ran into another familiar if unwelcome faces. The snake-tailed Whiplash moved at high speed and with a low profile, slashing at him from afar. Alongside it came a revolting thing, spiked and pulsating, crawling on misshapen horned legs as the purple tendrils it possessed instead of a a head whipped around wildly. However, a full armor pickup floated on the other side of the room.

World of Light

Seems good. Accepted!

World of Light

Edge of the Blue - Inkwell Isle Three

Ace Cadet's @Yankee, Sakura's @Zoey Boey, Cuphead's @ProPro, Link's @Gentlemanvaultboy, Junior and Kamek's @DracoLunaris, Hat Kid's @Dawnrider, Geralt's @MULTI_MEDIA_MAN, Isabelle's @Eviledd1984

Whoever the woman in black was, she seemed at least a little grateful when doubt began to nibble at Sakura's idyllic resolve. Nothing about her manner -difficult to discern as it was- suggested malice, but rather an almost parental sort of disapproval. You should have known better, and now you're beginning to realize. Rather than linger on the inner conflict, however, Sakura initiated a routine to keep her mind otherwise occupied. Without a vocal shift, the general mood still stood against her plan, until the strapping silver-haired hunter started giving voice to her thoughts.

His gruff voice and weathered hide suggested a practiced pragmatic, and he spoke of experienced both realistic and mature. Unlike many of the heroes that constituted Peach's party and indeed the newly-minted army of Alcamoth, he'd been forced to confront cruelty and complication, situations in which there were no good choices, only less bad ones. He did end up going on a bit, his somewhat intense verbosity no doubt fueled by his own history, and the Ace Cadet let him know. Peach remained quiet the whole time, weighing the options, and rather than cede the floor for an arbitration just yet the Cadet used his momentum to fuel a few counter-proposals.

When the stranger replied, her voice was a little quicker and stiffer than before. “Your past must be storied indeed if your battles above and below stormy waves in your world grant you such courage. There are more than monsters in those depths, but if you believe yourself quite capable of dealing with them, by all means, test the waters.” She gestured outward toward the sea as if suggesting he depart right now.

“As for the guests, gather whomever you might like. I only described the tale; a desire to go aboard is the only true condition. You or your people may even be able to wrest control of it, who can say. If you can truly justify such wild confidence, you may even forget about guests and call it here yourselves and walk the gangway, rather than sneaking in with the cargo. But no matter who enters, beware. I've seen her frightful master, standing at the threshold to that place. Clad in a dark dress of eastern design, wearing a white mask, never making a sound. That anyone who disturbs the workings of the Maw must confront her, I have no doubt. That she is the most approachable of the perils of the Bottomless Sea should suggest a great deal.” With that, she hoped to clear up a couple misconceptions and convey that while the heroes could alter the plan, hers was in their best interest by a long shot. However, she doubted they would see the wisdom in her plan without understanding the nature of the threats they faced themselves. “As you deliberate, why not join our pirate friend on his ship, unless you nurse a desire to traipse about this quaint port town? Given its position, Limsa is a sure port of call on your trip, and its faculties may be of help to you. Assisting its navy will also afford you a perfunctory glimpse at the danger in store.“

Epithet Erased: Use Your Words

In a lucky turn of fate, one of the youngsters who happened upon the trapped child possessed just the tool for the job. Her quick thinking allowed her to combine a couple different objects in quick succession, putting the power of her epithet on display as she dealt with the problem in an improbably speedy manner. While that meant the child might tumble down the trunk and into the ground afterward, Penny recognized the situation and put her miniature legion on the case. They scrambled up and down with surprising alacrity, retrieving their target as carefully as they could. In the end, the little girl was retrieved with no fuss and only a little muss.

Though clearly shaken and close to overwhelmed, the child seemed grateful. “Thank you,” she told her rescuers, remembering what her mother always said about manners. Given her saviors' recent experience with Noelle -Jessica in particular- it wasn't hard to come to a conclusion about her lineage. The teacher and her husband would no doubt be relieved, even if the return of their daughter highlighted the still-missing status of their son.

Not long after Mark divulged the nature of his epithet, there came a rustling in the underbrush. A thin girl with shot red hair, a distinctive skull-and-crossbones shirt beneath her coat, and striped red and black long socks appeared through the trees, waving as she came into talking range. “Hello,” she greeted in a somewhat throaty voice before pointing her thumb at the trees behind. “Just wandering around when I found the girl. While trying to figure out a way to get her down, I heard talking. I didn't know what to make of you, so I kept a distance and watched. But way you rescued the young one there was incredible. You're obviously good people, and I shouldn't have doubted you.”

In contrast to her somewhat punkish, rough-and-tumble appearance, the stranger gave off an impression of sophistication and sincerity as she spoke. Her compliments felt good, and conveyed a sense of real respect. In turn that made the stranger seem genuine and trustworthy, someone definitely in the others' camp. These associations and conclusions came easily, not weirdly so, but it just seemed so obvious. The only thing even slightly off was the ever-so-subtle sweet taste on the tongues of those present.

She held a hand in front of her chest and gave a slight bow. “It's a pleasure to meet anyone with their hearts in the right place. My name is Erin. I'm sure you have appropriately important things to be doing, but if I could lean on your generosity, would you mind telling me what's going on? Who you've encountered so far, and what you've been up to?” She asked in earnest, buttering them up a touch but by no means overbearingly so, as she stood between them and the way back to the beach.

World of Light

Tora & Poppi

Level 8 Tora (12/80) and Level 7 Poppi (58/70)
Location: Sandswept Sky
Courier's @ProPro, Primrose's @Yankee, Fox's @Dawnrider, Sectonia's @Archmage MC Midna's @DracoLunaris

Although not that far geographically from the quite bearable climes of Eryth Sea, the desert was potently hot. Even with no humidity, the sun beat down ferociously, and from the minute he clambered inside the Morgana-car with the other kids, Tora really began to feel it. He held his wings off his body to try and delay underarm sweat, but it was a losing battle. “Ugh! To think area with no enemies so far hardest area yet,” he complained.

The thieves agreed. “That stinkin' sand burned the hell out of my feet, right through my shoes, just like last time!” Ryuji moaned, wiping his brow. Already the three had removed their outerwear, leaving just their shirts and legwear. Tora figured that to be a good idea and proceeded to remove his overalls, leaving him as bare as he'd been on the hovering reef. The act drew him a few looks, but he gave no hint of an abnormality to his action, so the thieves gave him no grief about it.

Luckily, the situation wouldn't last for long. Even before the car got a move on, Sectonia whipped up a cool solution. Some of her summonable minions appeared to possess the power of ice, and just having one nearby made for a refreshingly chilly experience. “Hooray!” Tora cheered. “Buggypon is very best!”

“You can say that again!” Ryuji echoed as he rubbed himself on the nearest antlion. Although composed enough to offer the queen bee his thanks, Ren clearly appreciated the cooling too, and for some reason or another Ann looked even more relieved.

The trip got underway with morale high, though Tora reflected that he probably should have thought more about what a journey through a desert would entail. “Oh, right!” he mumbled to himself. “Poppi have ice core. Can definitely keep masterpon cool when time comes.” He would have greatly preferred her company to an oversized bug as well, but he kept the criticism to himself. Instead the Nopon looked out the window at the scenery, but what little he saw didn't exactly thrill. Mountains, sky, little totems, and sand, sand, sand. It was awesome in its vastness, sure, but not very interesting in the long term. As such he soon looked inward, and took it upon himself to make some introductions.

“Well, now we all in cozy catty box with wheels, we might as well get know each other, yes?” All smiles, he glanced around the car. Although sadly bereft of Linkle, Blazermate, that Mym lady, or even Sakura, Tora had the pleasure of the company of that fetching young lady in red. These student-types seemed interesting too. “Am Tora, and lovely companion up on roof is Poppi. Tora from Torigoth, which city on Gormott. And Gormott is Titan.” As he said it, he knew that the others almost certainly knew nothing about Titans, but he struggled to put such an obvious concept (to him at least) into words. “Titan is like...super, super giant animal that walk around in Cloud Sea. Everyone in Tora world live on top of one! Who are friends?”

“You can call me Joker,” the boy in glasses replied, setting the pace for the rest of his cohort. Skull and Panther introduced themselves as such in succession, and the car itself took the chance to declare himself as Mona. The others, however, could respond as they pleased.

Up above, Poppi sat atop the herky-jerky Morgana-car as it jolted across the dunes. If not for the bumpy ride the experience might have been peaceful, meditative even. She couldn't feel at ease due to the terrain, however, and to try and take her mind off it she too turned to her comrades. With Sectonia and Courier 6 on hand along with Poppi, Yellow Team boasted the lion's share of the heroes' fliers, but Poppi was not eager to bandy words wit the draconic gunslinger. Instead she called up to Sectonia.

“Although from here it appear to be straight shot to goal, Poppi quite certain that not case,” she declared, pointing toward the mountain in the distance. “Poppi zoom feature in eyes unable to measure distance, but that mountain only seem small because it really, really far. It actually gigantic.” Shielding her eyes against the sun, she took another look. “Poppi run out of ether long before get there if take off now. Plus, likelihood of concealed terrain behind sandstorms very high.” She turned Sectonia's way, curious. “Queen Sectonia very good flier and adept with strange ether called magic. Could you reach mountain?” She asked the question for the sake of conversation, since reaching the peak itself meant little unless whoever reached it could challenge the boss dimly glimpsed circling it.

It was at about that time that the Morgana-car drew to a stop atop a dune, and the woman in white fixed the vehicle with a steely stare.

Edge of the Blue - Inkwell Isle Three

Ace Cadet's @Yankee, Sakura's @Zoey Boey, Cuphead's @ProPro, Link's @Gentlemanvaultboy, Junior and Kamek's @DracoLunaris, Hat Kid's @Dawnrider, Geralt's @MULTI_MEDIA_MAN

Clearly the heroes did not take her plan well, but the black coat kept her silky voice even. “There are no usual guests in Limsa. Not anymore. The Maw snapped them up long ago. That is where the convincing comes in, young one. A new group must come to desire a time aboard the ship, or at least harbor a consummate desire for entertainment, or plenty. They need not necessarily come from Limsa—perhaps in your travels you have seen others, listless and idle in lives of emptiness, desperate for fulfillment? Those who have not heard the tales would surely be easier to convince.”

With a harrumph the pirate turned and walked away to attend to something or other, throwing his hands about indignantly. The woman then turned toward Sakura, her patience in her tone. “My words merely reflect reality. Little girl, if there was an easier solution, it would be yours. I have been exploring this region for months, seeking the best way to put things right. Can you say the same?”

The egotism of the shelled child, however, earned him her attention. She chided him in that eerie, soft voice of hers, herb verbiage trending toward poetic. “You are bold, my child, and so very, very young. You are peering into the sea whilst standing on the shore, claiming it is not so deep while its depths churn farther down than your nascent imagination could ever take you. You and your company came here on a straight path, plying the strength of your hand against every branch and stone. But not everything will be so simple.”

She gave Kamek what might have been a curious glance, then looked out across the ocean. “In some waters, when you begin to sink, you will never again see the light of day. Some dreams from which one can never awaken. Will the things of the deep be the ones that are tamed, or will you? Devour them that lurk below, if it please you. Share in their heedless fantasy, and allow your self to drift away. With loving arms the sea will accept you. Once the deep becomes your home, never will you rise.”

With a sigh, she addressed Peach directly. “Only terrible things swim through those waters. But good things can hide inside them, sheltered from the nightmare without. Of the few options, the Maw is the best. With the others, it will be a constant struggle to avoid being consumed. With the Maw, you need only avoid consuming. Provided you can bring it to port, of course.”

Dead Zone - Argent Tower

Donovan's @Genon, Blazermate's @Archmage MC, Banjo & Kazooie's @Dawnrider, Linkle's @Gentlemanvaultboy, Jak and Daxter and Mag Launcher's @ProPro, Bowser's @DracoLunaris

Though taken by surprise, the heroes sprang into action. Bowser and Linkle scattered the first wave with arrow volleys and roaring flame, gaining enough ground to allow backup to enter without a telefrag incident occurring. Bowser's flames reduced the Flood to ash, removing the dead biomass from play. Linkle's projectiles filled the air, only a little less dense but a lot more painful than rain, but against the Flood combat forms her attacks lacked permanence. Piercing damage served to rupture vital organs, causing death with a minimum of bodily harm, but while that worked for infector forms, the hosts of the vile parasites cared little for such means of attack. Catastrophic damage to a body part, enough to physically remove it, was necessary to render it unusable; so long as a Flood continued to pull the strings, the repugnant corpses danced on.

When Bowser's fire faded, Linkle stepped up to keep the Flood at bay. She manifested a frozen wall high and long enough to give her party room to breath, keeping the next wave out long enough for those remaining on the heroes' side to wipe them out and seize a brief chance to rest. But the relentless horde came again. They circled around the wall on either side, and clambered over the middle, using their jumping ability and one another to avoid sustaining much damage on Linkle's wall. The simple but effective pincer attack forced the heroes to split their attention and trust the others to protect their backs, but a few invariably got through. The moment an infector got close enough without being burst, it would invariably leap for it's target's chest to start tearing in with its tendrils. Worse still, the combat forms felled but not destroyed rose again when new infectors arrived to squeeze inside. Witnessing this taught the heroes a quick and important lesson: while killing the infector nestled in a combat form's heart would fell the thing, it seemed the biomatter needed to be useless to render it completely harmless.

One of the abominations that came at Linkle was a combat form with a shotgun. With its arm outstretched like a manniquin's, the Flood rushed at her, firing again and again with better aim that one would expect. The buckshot didn't do much more than sting from afar, but even amid all the chaos she couldn't afford to ignore it for long. A close-range shot went off that blasted apart some ice not too far from her, suggesting that if this thing got close enough, it would kill her, no questions asked.

While being healed by Blazermate following his fierce skirmish with the infected trainer and his team, a particular combat form closed in on him. It ran at him with impunity, a dual-bladed sword of blue light in hand, for the corpse that comprised it harbored a cloaking device. Practically invisible but for the glow of its blade, it moved in to hack off a limb from the Koopa King.

The deterioration of the scenario continued to accelerate as a rumbling noise filled the building. Something could be seen plowing up the avenue through the hole in the ice wall, but nobody could feasibly spare the time to look. Whatever it was arrived all the same, skipping up the steps to the Argent Tower, through the front door, through the time-stopped Fleshburster and the explosion that followed. It slammed into Linkle's wall and demolished it in a massive spray of ice, although the impact stopped it as well. When the diamond dust cleared, the heroes could see a heavy-duty vehicle, part ambulance, part backhoe, and all tough as nails. In the driver's seat was none other than a flood.

Electricity sparked from the turret on the vehicle's back as it moved into position. A moment later, a blast of lightning flew into the middle of the party. The start-up time meant it could be avoided by all except the teleporter, which blew up in a spray of debris.

The black-coated man messily gutted a Flood-infested Empusa with his knife only for five more to converge on his location. His eyes widened as they jumped for him, but before the monsters could grab him he disappeared in a blue flash. Another flash the next second heralded his arrival by the heroes, and a look at him revealed that his hood had fallen down in the process, exposing a sharp, middle-aged face. “This is getting out of hand. “ Winding up, he threw his knife at the driver of the Shockdozer. Another combat form jumped in the way, taking the blow harmlessly with its lolling head. “They're coordinated. This Flood will not stop.”

World of Light

Tora & Poppi

Level 8 Tora (12/80) and Level 7 Poppi (58/70)
Location: Smash City Alcamoth

It took a couple tries, since the High Entia administrators did not show any particular favoritism despite Tora also having wings on his head, but eventually the Nopon successfully sequestered himself and Poppi inside the Item Room. There he bent to his task, carving up the plentiful ray guns, laser swords, smart bombs, and turrets to suit his purposes. From their components he put together precision cutters, welders, manipulators, and other such tools, and Tora spared no expense in giving his creation the parts she needed. The afternoon passed in a blur, the young engineer's mind completely occupied, his wings and hands alike moving in a constant state of activity. He tapped into the blueprints left behind by his father and grandfather before him, using the schematics to create new and improved frame. Only once did he sneak out of the item room, in order to plunder the Costume Room, where a number or recolored outfits for different veteran fighters hang. Throughout it all Poppi slept, unaware of the modifications to her chassis and system, held against the wall in a brace.

It was in the early evening when the intercom came on with an announcement, delivered through Peach's no-nonsense voice. “All fighters, please make your way to the atrium. Vandham will be selecting three teams from the reserves for scouting missions. The advance teams will depart in five minutes.”

Tora fell over backward, hitting the ground with a thump. “Five minutes?!” he complained, writhing on the floor. “Meh, meh, meh! That not nearly enough! Without Ether Sword, new Poppi is not done.” After bouncing back to his feet, he jumped back into his chair. In front of him, in the middle of a huge pile of discarded and unusable electronics and components, lay an essentially complete Poppi. “Okay, okay, think Tora,” the Nopon told himself. “Not need be at one hundred percent so long as can rejoin friends. So just keep ether sword in back pocket and head down to...” he looked back at his artificial blade, realizing something. “Down to...” With one wing he poked her, but she didn't stir. A moment of pitched silence passed before he yelled aloud. “MEEEEEH! Tora prepare preparations, but need super zappy jumpstart, right now!” He leaped off his chair so quickly that it toppled over beneath him, landing him flat on his face, but he didn't seem to care. Instead he rolled to his nubs and burst out of the Item Room as fast as his legs could take him.

“Need lightning! Lightning, lightning!” he sang, sprinting down the halls. “Can anyone help? Tora need lightning right now!” He made it about thirty seconds before Mewtwo stopped him, but whatever admonishment the psychic pokemon had in mind got buried beneath an avalanche of gibbered explanation and pleading. “Can friend help? Surely big smartypon knows someone who can give Tora lightning?”

Mewtwo heaved a telepathic sigh. “Pikachu, come here, please.”

“Pikachu?” Tora had no idea who that was. Given the importance of the situation, he didn't spare a moment to think about how he was conversing with someone who could talk straight into his head. “This Pikachu give Tora lightning?”

“Yes, now would you settle down?” Mewtwo put a hand against its head.

After a couple moments, a cute yellow critter with long ears and a jagged tail bounded around a corner. He looked between the two with cheery, shiny eyes. “Pika?”

Mewtwo extended a hand toward him. “Pikachu here can generate vast amounts of electricity. He can help you so long as you promise to shut u—hey!”

Pikachu's eyes bugged out as Tora grabbed him up and ran away with him. He moved slowly enough that Mewtwo had no trouble catching up to him, but rather than interfere the psychic pokemon simply followed, incredulous, once he made sure Pikachu was unharmed. Tora led Alcamoth's boss all the way back to the item room and to where Poppi Alpha slept. A couple others filed in afterward, either curious or worried. Without even a second's hesitation, Tora started shaking Pikachu like a glow stick, which left Mewtwo flabbergasted at the audacity of it. Pikachu, at least, seemed to think it was a game. “Pi-ii-ii-ii-ii-ii-ii-ii-ka-aa-aa-aa-aa!” After a few moments, Tora ceased his shaking and smushed Pikachu against Poppi's torso, which was about the time he stopped being amused. “Pika...CHUUUU!”

A blast of electricity filled the entire Item Room and rolling outward, knocking out power across Alcamoth for a brief moment. Tora got zapped and flew away like a beach ball to land amid the junk, though not seriously hurt. As soon as he could feel his limbs again, he climbed up onto his feet and stared into the smoke surrounding the brace where Poppi had been held. A half-dozen dumbfounded eyes looked on as the smoke cleared to reveal a woman with long lilac-colored hair in a bizarre, revealing yet technological outfit. Her orange eyes slid open, as did Tora's mouth. “Woohoo! Success! Look! Glorious birth of Poppi QT Pi!”

Poppi stretched, sighing. “Uurgh...ah. Good morning, everybody,” she greeted, her voice calmer and huskier than before.

Mewtwo looked out the window at the first rays of sunset. ”Morning?”

“Why is she dressed like that?” came a whisper from the onlookers.

Tora coughed. “Ahem! That is fairly standard Blade outfit. More elegant than most, even. Friend must not know very much about Blades if willing to criticize such amazing Poppi second one after new birth!”

Since that couldn't exactly be refuted, Tora waited all of two seconds before continuing to talk. “Come, Poppi! Give us demonstration of new power!”

“Roger roger, masterpon.” After a moment of thinking, Poppi walked forward and picked Tora up like a teddy bear. Though hardly the first time he'd been picked up, now that Poppi stood much taller than him, she could handle him much more easily, and without much dignity. Tora attempted a weak struggle, protesting. “W-whoa, Poppi! Masterpon has own legs!”

Poppi smiled. “Masterpon have very short legs. Much more efficient like this when Masterpon travel with Poppi.”

Tora was not amused. “This very silly! And big disrespect to your Masterpon!”

“But Masterpon,” she said, her expression feigning innocence. “We have negative two minutes until it time for departure with Peach.”

Tora's eyes widened. “Negative...!? Meh-meh! We need go right this instant!”

“Poppi's thoughts exactly.” New and improved thrusters on Poppi's back burst to life, carrying the pair through the door and down the hall with enhanced mobility, and leaving a bunch of thoroughly confused and put upon spectators behind. They rocketed into the atrium, past where Vandham was organizing the scouting parties, out the front door without so much as a 'goodbye', and after the party headed for the desert.

Sandswept Sky - Desert Landing

Courier's @ProPro, Primrose's @Yankee, Fox's @Dawnrider, Sectonia's @Archmage MC Midna's @DracoLunaris

After leaving Alcamoth and setting foot on solid ground again (for the first time in a while) by the Eryth Sea, the Yellow Team braved a relatively short trek between two of the mountains that formed the sea's cauldron. Tora and a nigh-unrecognizable Poppi joined them halfway up the trail, and found a motley crew awaiting them. Sectonia they spotted from a distance thanks to her large size, but there was no mistaking the newly distinctive silhouette of the Courier either. Since the pair hoped not to run into him again for a while, that left some mixed feelings, but they got by without saying anything else to them as they joined. That left a pretty stranger who Tora soon learned was called Primrose, Fox, a group of three teens in light clothing, and a cat with a big, round head. Not a big group, by any means; if it took a huge team to beat the Ender Dragon, could this group really challenge something more difficult? Then again, more wasn't always better, and they did have Poppi QT Pi on their side. Tora insisted on moving under his own power now that he and Poppi caught up, so his companion reluctantly put him down to continue his journey.

At the top of the trail, the view remained blocked by the terrain, so the group couldn't do much except start sliding downhill on the sandy trail. At the bottom lay a brief walk through a narrow canyon, with whatever lay beyond the crack at the end a mystery thanks to the blinding sunlight. The group made good time, and in short order squeezed -or warped- through the crack at the end to reach the open air. They took their first steps into a powerful dry heat, and onto shining sand. What Tora saw took his breath away.



Before them, an ocean of rolling sand dunes stretched all the way to the horizon, shimmering in the sun. One couldn't tell where the earth stopped and the clouds began, but above even the highest clouds loomed a great split peak. A brilliance shone from within, but occasionally, the serpentine outline of some colossal flying creature infringed upon the radiance. Something was up there, something big, at the top of the mountain on the other side of the desert.

Tora said what the others were thinking. “That the champion?” he squinted, trying to see. If so, that made finding it easy. Getting there, however, would be the hard part. Standing here in the open, in the middle of such a vast place, with so far to go, made Tora feel very, very small. The sound of the wind was constant, threatening to drown him out. He took a deep breath and whispered to himself. “Okay. Tora can do it. Tora can...because Tora is hero.” Poppi placed her hand on his head and patted him, looking out across the distance herself.

After a period of silence, the cat spoke up. “Okay, gang,” he said, clearly talking to the teens. “Pile in.” He jumped into the air and disappeared into a smoky poof. With a meow, a car plopped down into the sand, and the trio climbed inside. After getting over his initial surprise, which took all of a couple seconds, Tora waddled over toward the front and waved his wing. “Meh! Can we get in? We might not be good friends yet, but it pretty rough to walk while teammates get landship.”

Ren blinked as he looked at Tora and Poppi, thinking about it. He glanced between his friends for their opinions, but while he did Morgana himself replied. “The AC doesn't work, so it'll be hot, and room's limited, so the fliers should use those wings of theirs. If that's fine, be my guest.”

“Thanky thanky!” Tora squeezed inside and into the back seat, his rotundity a little much for the dimensions of the vehicle. Mumbling something about temperature regulators, Poppi hopped up to sit on the top, which provoked some kind of indeterminable reaction from Morgana. Whoever else both wished to and could joined them, and then the vehicle got rolling.

Though incredibly huge, the desert was by no means empty. It took only about a minute of riding before the passengers could see odd totems scattered around, sticking out of the sand like tombstones. Some featured ribbons tied around the holes in their tops, fluttering in the wind. At one point the car steered around a whole bunch of them, after which it struggled to get up a dune. At the top Morgana took a break, his passengers already overheating. For the couple of miles covered, however, the mountain looked no closer at all.

A few hundred feet down the dune, a cloaked figure leaned sat with her back against a totem. Yellow-orange eyes peered out from between long strands of whitish-blonde hair, all beneath a white military cap with folds that resembled cat ears. She watched the newcomers with a vacant expression.

The expanse ahead, meanwhile, featured sand seals, and farther still, something big moved beneath the surface, kicking up sand.

Edge of the Blue - Inkwell Isle Three

Ace Cadet's @Yankee, Sakura's @Zoey Boey, Cuphead's @ProPro, Link's @Gentlemanvaultboy, Junior and Kamek's @DracoLunaris, Hat Kid's @Dawnrider, Geralt's @MULTI_MEDIA_MAN

A series of portal jumps awaited those with a seaside adventure in mind. First they needed to navigate Bowser Junior's warp paint to return to Lumbridge, and then a brisk walk through Lumbridge brought them to the guild castle. There they found what had once been a large hole in the floor, now mostly built over with fresh planking and graced with a large lift ready and able to lower them down. A brief but confusing journey through Gneidxick's cartoonish rift in space brought them down into the Devil's Casino, where Moneybags had been hard at work getting the casino staff to clean things up. While at first it really did seem like the entire casino took place in a basement below Lumbridge, a quick stroll out the main door and through the foreboding cave known as Inkwell Hell brought Blue Team into dazzling sunlight. Once their eyes adjusted, they found themselves staring out across some train tracks at a cheery-looking coastal town and the archipelago beyond. They were not in the Land of Adventure any more.



The hustling, bustling seaside town had a life all its own, from theater to glitzy hotels to a rambunctious wharf, but it seemed unlikely that a champion of Galeem would be here. At least, Peach figured as much. She made her way to the wharf to get a good look at the sea, once not obscured by the mountains that surrounded the wrong side of the tracks. There, she and her whole group -if they chose to come with her and not look around he town- could get a grand view of the Edge of the Blue.

The continent's western edge sported a long and beautiful coastline. Inland the terrain sloped upwards, crowned by mountains and swaths of pine trees that looked to keep the shore quite isolated from the mainland proper. Directly ahead lay an enormous bay, and within it Peach could see some sort of city that seemed to rise from the ocean itself, although the distance was too great to make out much detail. To the south, a titanic mass of trees that could only be the tail end of the Dark Forest carried on to the very edge of the ocean. Farther beyond the forested coast, another town could be dimly made out. Some sort of miasma hung over it, and farther still in the sky above, a strange moon sneered down upon it.

“Princess.”

Peach blinked, having gotten too focused on the distance. She turned toward the sound of a soft female voice to see a black coat like the Master of Masters', seated in a rocking chair with her legs crossed. Peach's eyebrows narrowed. Unless the Master could change his voice and his figure, however, this wasn't him. Her mind went to Gneidxick. “Who are you? What do you want?”

“Nobody.” Her voice featured a smooth, eastern European accent, unrecognizable to most. “Although my organization and I share your goal of ending the tyranny of Galeem's light.”

Peach frowned. “Is that so? Your friend Gneidxick seemed more interested in killing us.”

The coated stranger betrayed no emotion. “The die is no friend of mine. He didn't know to leave well enough alone, and has paid the price.”

A chill went down Peach's spine, but she maintained her composure. “If you're here to help us, then help us.”

“Very well.” She looked out across the sea. “Your target, the thing chosen by the enemy, is to the north across dark and turbulent waters where vile things dwell, the Bottomless Sea. Only one craft can brave those waters: the Maw.”

Her voice eerie in its softness, she spoke as if telling a legend. “The Maw arrives every so often. Always at the same time, but never the same place, it creeps and crawls and buries its claws deep beneath the glistening water. And there it sits in vast silence. Waiting.”

“Soon after, they start to arrive. The guests. The monstrous, sweating, hungry guests. All seams bursting, bodies bulging, eyes dead with boredom. They shuffle up the gangway and into the mouth of The Maw. And then they are no more.”

“With enough prospective guests, it will arrive. Then you need only stow aboard this uncanny cruise liner, stay alive as it drifts unbothered through the Bottomless Sea, and escape when the time is right. See that town, there on the water? It is Limsa Lominscuttle Town, called Limsa by most. Its navy often fights against the things that issue forth from the black sea. Aid them, curry their favor, explain the righteousness of your mission, and convince whom you must to desire a pleasurable stay aboard Maw. At least ten plus your team should do it.”

That chill returned. Despite how this stranger phrased it, this plan was anything but simple. It involved treacherous waters, naval battles with an unknown enemy, surviving aboard a vessel that apparently never once released a guest, and worst of all, tricking innocent civilians to serve as bait. “There has to be another way.”

“You would die seeking it,” the stranger told her.

A pirate who'd been waiting nearby with his arms crossed for a while, looking between the two, raised his hand. “Arrr ye lot gonna get on m'ship 'n go t'Limsa, or what?”

Dead Zone - Argent Tower

Donovan's @Genon, Blazermate's @Archmage MC, Banjo & Kazooie's @Dawnrider, Linkle's @Gentlemanvaultboy, Jak and Daxter and Mag Launcher's @ProPro, Bowser's @DracoLunaris

Stepping into the foyer of the Argent Tower meant coming face to face with a slew of horrific, mangled bodies more than happy to rip apart and infest the Red Team members who appeared there. Gurgling and gibbering, the Flood ran the heroes down, some firing various weapons clutched in their less-mutated hands. Without Nico's van blocking the wide-open door or the Slayer protecting it, new tenants appeared to have moved into the building in force. From the second the first heroes warped in, they were obliged to fight for their very lives against the swarm. The wide-open door afforded the heroes a view of the city beyond, and additional enemies that heard the commotion entered therein.



During the fight, one such reinforcement - a big zombie on fire- came in from the outside and ran for the heroes, arms extended. Before it got close, however, a flash of light froze it in time, leaving it open to attack. “What took you so long?” a voice called. From the darkness stepped a black coat. “I was starting to think you all had given up on this place.”

Further banter, however, would have to wait until the Flood were dealt with.

Dead Zone – Super Gore Nest

Doom Slayer's @EvilEdd1984

Deep within the bowels of the Super Gore Nest, the Slayer trudged through the demon-infested hallways, making quite a mess. Imps, cacodemons, zombies, and more all fell like wheat to the scythe. This proceeded for a while as he got lower and lower, leaving only scraps for his more thorough colleagues to deal with. As much as she wanted to try out her new scythe, Nadia didn't know how to use it, so the odd imp made for decent practice without much stress. Raidou felt no need to call on any of his own demons, sticking instead to his main weapons. Nero busied himself crushing the spirits left behind by the Slayer, tossing away or kicking aside the junk while pocketing the few things that looked useful. A couple times he got material he figured Nico could use, but once he got lucky and from a Prowler spirit manifested a prosthetic arm, black with red trim. “Punch Line, huh? Not bad.” He attached it and flexed the mechanical fingers. “Not bad at all.”

He, Raidou, and Nadia caught up to the Slayer at the edge of some stairs to a lower area, where flesh had overtaken the walls. Down there, some sort of green muck coated the ground, and Nero waved a hand in from of his face in disgust. “Phew! Don't wanna step in that.” He shot out his new arm, which extended to fold out little stabilizers as it flew on miniature rockets. When it came back to him, he jumped up and landed on it, spinning it like a hoverboard. After that he cruised down the halls without an issue, flying past the rad suit pickup that floated in the air. “See ya at the bottom!”

“Hey, wait for me!” Nadia ran past the Slayer and jumped. Her ankles half-detached and let out spurts of high-pressure blood that directed her into a wall. She sprang off it with another jet to reach the opposite wall, then continued blood-dashing to follow Nero.

Raidou glanced at the Slayer and shrugged. He pulled out a tube and opened it, summoning the demon Tsuchigumo to his side. After that he simply climbed atop the spider creature and rode it onward.

Overlord: How Like A God

Not applicable

World of Light

-misplaced-

World of Light

Smash City Alcamoth

@MULTI_MEDIA_MAN

Isabelle, still busy with her records and documentation, was glad for the brief rest Geralt's distraction allowed. She looked off into the middle distance and tapped her snout with her pen as she considered his question. “Hmm...light gray hair, green eyes, scar...nobody comes to mind on that account, I'm afraid. Corrin has red eyes, after all. But long dark hair, smells nice...that sounds a lot like Ms. Yennefer.” She glanced up at Geralt again, eyes wide. “Oh, is she your wife? I'm so glad! Lots of people haven't seen hide nor hair of their loved ones, so...oh, but you want to know where she is, of course.” The little dog screwed up her brows in concentration. “Ummmm! She's not a fighter, and I don't see her very much, so she's probably in the residential area! Go right until you see a hall, and then up the stairs are all the apartments.” She smiled, waving. “Good luck!”

Spotting an unfamiliar face, she waved a paw. “Hello! Welcome to Smash City Alcamoth. What can I put you down as?”

The boy she'd called out, a teenager with glasses and a mop of black hair approached to view her clipboard with a blonde girl in tow. “The desert,” he declared.

“Oh!” Isabelle said, realizing that he -like a number of other smashers here- had misunderstood. “I meant your name, for the reserves. Only the fighters who came in with Miss Peach are deploying to other zones immediately.”

Ren looked at her askew, making her balk and wonder if she'd said something wrong. “My friends and I aren't waiting in the background while others play the heroes.” He stared down the bridge of his nose. “We're moving out tonight.”

Flabbergasted, Isabelle ran over what he said in her head again. The idea that someone would refuse to cooperate never crossed her mind. Then again, if he intended to go alongside whichever heroes went to the desert, he was still cooperating in a way. “Oh! …Good luck!” she blurted out.

Ren stepped away to rejoin his friend and the pair made for an elevator. “Wasn't that a little cheesy?” Ann admonished. “You could have just ignored her. What if they come after us?”

“They won't,” the teenager assured her. “I took a look around. Other than Mewtwo and Bowser maybe, these are all a heroic or at least law-abiding sort. But if they do, we'll do whatever we need to.”

Ann looked around at the myriad characters as she stepped into the elevator and Ren pressed a button. “None of these people have red eyes, though.”

“But they're not real, like you and me. They're ultimately still shadows. Which means we can't count on them.”

“I guess. Hey, where's Ryuji?”

Ren watched the floor recede as the elevator rose. “I mentioned we'd be getting lunch, but someone wanted to spar, so he went off to check it out.”

After arriving at the second level, the pair followed the flow of people in a semicircle around Alcamoth. It took only a few minutes for them to catch an appetizing smell on the air, and after that they spotted the place easily. They might have kept walking to check more options if not for the name: Monas' Pizza and Pasta. They shared a glance. “It can't be that easy,” Ann said, but she walked its way nonetheless. Apparently a casual Italian restaurant, it seemed popular judging by all the patrons, including a chummy-looking fellow in elaborate armor and a little guy with an actual cup for a head. She and Ren, however, were far more interested in the feline visible though the kitchen window.

“Mona!?”

The cat's big, round head span around, and his blue eyes went wide. “Guys!” He dropped his cheese grater, sprinted for the edge of the table, grabbed hold of a broom, vaulted across the walkway, and landed on the windowsill. Then, without even a hint of delay, he launched himself toward Ann. “I missed yoouuuuuuuu!”

Ren caught him mid-flight, which turned his look of joy into one of disappointment, but when both his friends squeezed him in a big hug the next moment he decided he didn't mind after all. “Jeez, took you long enough! Where the heck have you been? I've been...uh, well...”

Setting him down, Ann got a good look at his apron. “You've been making pizzas?”

Mona coughed. “No! Well, um, I mean, yeah. But I had a good reason! I...I must have...”

While he tried to think of it, the other Mona appeared at the window. “Mona? What's going on?”

The cat put his hands on his hips. “These are my friends, Mona! The people I belong with. I'm sorry, but I have to do this!” He tugged off his apron, which took a lot more effort than it should have, and tossed it across the windowsill. “I quit! And by the way, you can call me Morgana now. Never knowing who people are talking to is so annoying!”

“But...” Mona looked overcome by it all. “But what about the restaurant? I can't run this place on my own!” She looked out across the tables, anxious. “Nobody around Alcamoth knows anything about pizza!”

One of the customers, a long-eared lady in silver armor, raised her hand. “You could always put in a request with the mercenaries. Once that's operational, I bet we could find someone who could help you. There's no way we're just letting this place, close, after all!”

The other veteran customers put up a murmur of collective agreement. Mona's eyes filled with tears of gratitude, washing away the sudden despair. “Oh, thank you! Yeah, let's do that!”

Morgana approached and reached up his little hand toward Mona to shake. “You were a good boss and a real hard worker, Mona! You're a great human, and I hope that someday I can be more like you. Good luck!” He then turned resolutely and padded away, obliging his friends to follow. When far enough he said, “So! What're we doing?”

“We were going to get food, but...we probably should go somewhere else,” Ann looked around. “Do you know anywhere?”

Nodding emphatically, Morgana pointed down the 'street'. “Sushi Striker! And while I'm eating, you two can tell me what you've been up to, and where everyone else is.”

Ann sighed. “We'll be eating too, you know.”

Dead Zone

@EvilEdd1984

The devastation of Bathin, wrought both by and against him, left collateral damage across the battlefield. A weighty blow struck the hierophant, first getting its attention, and then knocking it down. It hissed in frustration, but sensing that it wasn't the object of the others' attention and not wanting to get involved in their fight either, it turned its attention back to the Slayer. A good look at the armored man nimbly swinging across the lava stream left the hierophant surprised, and in its haste to ready its trident it stepped back onto a piece of rubble that scraped beneath its foot. The poor footing meant that it couldn't escape the coming wrath. Roaring like a man possessed, the Slayer bulled forward and tore into the hierophant's clattering ribcage with his chainsaw. Its teeth sheared through the carapace like it was cardboard and messily tore into its organs, sending a shower of icky brownish blood to hiss and evaporate on the ground. Screeching, the monster struggled in vain to escape, but for all its effort it gained only a fleeting moment to watch as the Slayer cut its own heart out of its chest. Then the hierophant shuddered and went limp, turning to ash.

Its spirit floated to the ground, but a blue key beat it there. The device clattered off the ground and came to a rest by the lava stream. Together with the red key already in the Slayer's possession and the yellow key left behind by Bathin, he could unlock the barrier walling off a portion of the Gore Nest and get at the sentinel crystal within. Of course, stepping into that putrid hive was just the beginning; to truly eliminate the horrid growth, he would need to put an end to the gruesome heart beating in the facility below, a brief elevator ride away. According to his map, the second sentinel crystal lay down there as well, a just reward for ridding the world of such a malignant growth.

As he headed in, the survivors of the battle marshaled together. From the direction of the van came Nadia, fresh as a daisy and wielding a brand-new scythe of bone and lustrous metal and tailed by Pandemonica. V, Griffon, and their new acquaintance approached from the upper level of the battlefield, and from the direction of the half-ruined delicatessen strode Nero and Dante. They met near the center of the cleft arena, a comfortable distance from the burgeoning heat of the lava river running through it. Nadia, having sit out the brutal struggle and received a shiny toy for her efforts, was all smiles. “Hey guys, check out what Nico made me! Isn't it just so purr-fectly macabre? It's super adjustable, just like me!” She gave it a few swings, showing off the scythe's pivoting head and extendable spine, before planting its haft to take a look at the newcomers. “Making friends, huh? Well hiya, I'm Miss Fortune, but really I'm one lucky cat.” She eyed the unknown woman in particular. “Hey, another for the white-hair crew!”

Dante chuckled. “Not too far off the mark there, are ya? Well, despite it all, I'm Dante. Nice to meetcha.”

The sharp-looking man with a severe haircut sensed it was his turn and gave a stiff bow of his head. “While I do not have white hair, I am Raidou Kuzunoha.”

Clapping a hand on her nephew's shoulder, Dante explained, “Ol' Nero here's given me the works. I'm all for round two with tall, dark, and smelly hunkered down in the Qliphoth over there, but I don't do daycare. You kids gonna be able to handle yourselves?”

Nadia smirked. “Puh-lease. Nero was the same way when meeting the rest of us. You his mom or something?”

An indeterminate expression lingered on the legendary devil hunter's face before he coughed. “Ahem! Aunt, I guess.”

“Well, you don't need to worry about us. Besides, I'm only going as far as the next root thingy anyway.”

Dante shrugged. “Suit yourself. Just don't haunt me if things go sour, 'kay?” She turned back, giving those assembled a good view of the remarkable sword on her back. Nero waved to get Nico's attention and indicate that she should drive around the Gore Nest and accompanying pit to meet on the other side.

Getting the feeling the people were leaving while he was still under-informed, Raidous spoke up. “Hold on. I do not have these works of yours, I do not know who you are, and I do not know what you are doing. Please tell me.”

Pandemonica adjusted her glasses. “This group's endeavor is to challenge the great monstrosity lurking within monumental flesh tree yonder.” It didn't take any pointing from her for Raidou to guess what she was referring to. “Until such time as all its roots are purged, it remains inaccessible. Each root is connected to a somewhat notable adversary. You understand the chain of events.”

“We're not an organization or anything, just a few people thrown together by chance,” Nero clarified. “Dante, V, and I want to tear Urizen a new one, Nadia wants to beat the next miniboss, Pandy wants to get out of here--”

“Pandemonica.”

“And that guy...” he looked at the Slayer. “Wants to rip and tear. By the way, the whole city's gonna blow some time tomorrow, so you probably ought to scram.”

Raidou made up his mind. “I intend to. If you do not mind, I will travel with you. When we near the border, I will depart.”

Griffon flapped his wings for attention. “We ain't gonna help the crazy guy, right? He's hellbent on diggin' into this meat pile, so we're leaving him to it. Right?"

Thinking about it, Nero looked in the direction that the Slayer left. Logic dictated that he advance, but... "I'll help him out. Won't take long." Though Nadia rolled her eyes, she stepped up to join him, and so did Raidou. V, however, went after Dante, and Pandemonica followed.

Down below, at the bottom of the elevator, the Slayer found what had once been an energy facility. Its demon-filled corridors slowly but surely led to a central hub, where the heart of the Gore Nest throbbed in short-lived seclusion.