With no objections voiced, either from Yellow Team's de-facto leader Fox or anyone else, a plan was in place: the systematic transfer of non-fliers to the top of the ruin-crusted cliff by the fliers. Nobody voiced a desire to hunt down local spirits other than Midna, and a certain Nopon figured it might be a good time to get to know the pretty imp better. Tora quickly realized, however, that with his partner being one of the designated carriers, he wouldn't be going much of anywhere but up. As he waddled over he took a look at the spirits Primrose found, but both repelled him. “Meh, meh,” he mumbled as he allowed Poppi to pick him up and tuck him under an arm like a beach ball. “Hopefully there better goodies on other side. Team should have searched oasis for fruit and fish, meh.” But bygones must needs be bygones, and after Poppi picked up Mona and consented to Joker latching on with his grappling hook, the artificial blade spirited the three of them away. The thrusters on her feet and back sent her soaring into the sandy yellow sky, where the afternoon sunlight gleamed off her woven-metal scarf as it flapped behind her.
Before ascending, Necronomicon considered the questions offered to her. “This is fine. Good, even. My other form has no use outside the palace. So even if I could, there's no point in going back.” She seemed to take stock heroes gathered before her, despite no longer having eyes. “Erm...strength isn't exactly my forte. I can carry one person inside, and maybe more on top, but hold tight. And, uh, hold still.”
Necronomicon pitched backward, and out from her undercarriage squirmed an assortment of
tentacles. They snaked through the air, two to gingerly take hold of Primrose, and the others for someone else to grab and be lifted to the flying saucer's top. As delicately as could be managed, the tentacles pulled Primrose into the ship's interior, where she found Necronomicon's warning about capacity to be well founded. The dark and metallic inside, with the bottom door closed, was little more than a single cushion surrounded by consoles and screens. Though to a dancer suddenly out of her element they appeared to be oddly tinted windows, the contents of the visions before her changed constantly in ways the ship's motion couldn't account for, and words flashed as if written and unwritten by an invisible hand. On the displays Primrose could clearly see everything Necronomicon could, supplemented by little boxes and lines of text giving extra information on the subjects. Below the screens lay what could only be strange-looking tablets covered in runes, separated into an array of particularly small ones with glowing letters on them, and a row of larger buttons shaped like a sword, shield, boot, then all three together. Between the two tablets lay a large dark disk adorned with glowing concentric circles and curious shapes only identifiable with great difficulty as the surroundings of Necronomicon herself from a top-down view. A large bar stuck out prominently beneath it, labeled 'SCAN', and on top to either side was one button apiece, each below a hinged glass cover for protection. One read 'FINAL GUARD'; the other, 'ALL-OUT ATTACK'.
“Alright, everyone, hold tight. Heeeeere...we go~!” Necronomicon began to ascend, bringing with her the two passengers. The desert sands receded further and further below as the burly sandstone blocks raced by, until after a few moments the Persona crested the top of the wall. In that moment, the screens before Primrose flashed a scene of the desert ahead, a fabulous extent of sand, rock, and ruin all the way to the foothills of the eminent Split Mountain. Just ahead, Poppi slowed down over a large circular plaza so Joker could let go, then landed to release her other passengers. Necronomicon followed suit, carefully making sure not to get too close to Sectonia if she buzzed by. “Okay, opening bay doors,” came the girl's voice. The hole in the floor through which Primrose entered slid open, allowing her to drop through into the Persona's waiting tentacles and be set down.
Once on terra firma again, Tora gave his partner a thumbs-up with his little nub hand. “Good flying, Poppi!” he congratulated. “QT Pi form really have excellent stability.”
The artificial blade shrugged. “If Masterpon say so. New center of gravity plus longer limbs take getting used to.”
“Hang on, 'Cutie Pie'?” Mona cut in, his tone questioning. He remembered what Poppi looked like at the outset of the mission. “That's what you call this look? Isn't that a little...unsubtle?”
Poppi crossed her arms, a vaguely amused expression pulling itself together across her features. “Friend cattypon hit nail on head.”
“I'm not a cat!”
Necronomicon waved a tentacle as Joker snickered. “Um, sorry to interrupt, but we should probably head back for the others, miss Poppi.” Without further conversation the fliers departed, vanishing over the edge of the great cliff to make the descent to Vah Naboris.
After a moment Tora turned his attention toward the ruins. Although the fliers could take them over, that lay outside their mission for the moment, and they didn't need to ransack their energy for a little convenience. “Looks like we not need to go underground,” he observed.
“Just a fun little romp through more ancient structures,” Mona agreed. “Hopefully there's no traps this time.”
The initial group moved forward a bit to check out the immediate area. Tora took the lead despite lacking Poppi and therefore almost all of his fighting ability, the Variable Saber brandished courageously. Before them stood rows of buildings in a state of dire disrepair, their stone surfaces scarred and metal bits polished to a brilliant sheen by the buffeting of sandstorms. The floor alternated between road and sand, over which Tora marched with impunity. The moment Joker set foot in the sand, however, he recoiled with a sharp intake of breath. Mona noticed immediately, teetering on the brink. “What? What is it?”
“This sand...” Tentatively, Joker placed his foot into it again. Immediately he withdrew it. “My MP. It's draining me.” He glanced at Tora, standing dumbly in the center of the sand trap with a worried look on his face. “Don't you...feel anything?”
Tora shook his head, that being the upmost part of his egg-shaped body. “Nuh-uh! Don't feel anything, except hot. And hungry, meh. Must not have MP.” He put his sword away and held his wings up. “Here! Tora give friends boost over sand!” The Phantom Thieves did not hesitate to use the midway Nopon to spring over the thirsty sands. The instant Joker landed on the road ahead, however, the next patch of sand ahead burst upward. From below appeared two
Lamias, one with dark hair and another blonde, followed shortly by a
great fiend with horns, three eyes, and four strong arms. “Uh oh!”
“Scatter!” Mona cried, and he and Joker dodged either way just as Tora arrived to join them, leaving him alone. He pulled out the Variable Saber and extended the blade, facing the monsters without fear—or at least, despite fear.
“Come on then! Tora not afraid!”
With Sakura around, it became difficult to feel too ill at ease. She filled the belly of the Atomos with excited talk of food, listing of dish after dish to confound and astound the resident Witcher. Ranger quickly found herself wishing she could get something to as well, having the benefit of knowing -unlike Geralt- what it was that Sakura referred to. As for whether the girl would make a good teacher, Ranger couldn't say. Despite her professed age and adulthood, she did not cultivate an image of maturity, especially now that the spirit of Arashio made her shorter and softer. Not that Ranger could talk at the end of the day—she still got ID'd every time she went out for drinks and karaoke. And if these guys could spare the time, she wouldn't mind going with them. As long as she could get rid of this regrettably Abyssal material, that is.
Seaplane Tender accepted Sakura's aid with as much gratitude and grace as she could muster, although that trace of redness did not remove itself from her pale cheeks. She replaced her hat on her head and wobbled over to one of the rows of seats along the cargo bay walls, with the street fighter's help, where she seated herself in an exaggerated side-saddle position to account for her enormous tail. With her new friend insistent on sitting right beside her, that left the two rather close. “Um...pardon moi.”
Of course, Sakura then wasted no time in setting straight Ranger's fears, too, which Geralt was kind enough to corroborate by painting an alarming image. Apparently these people knew a 'biker lady', whatever that entailed, who could undo spirit fusions. Ranger sank back in her chair, her new feet clanking on the floor as she writ her relief on her face. “Oh, thank goodness...”
Out of everyone, Kamek paid the most mind to the Abyssals' concerns about Limsa Lominsa, namely the probable violent reaction the very sight of pale skin, black armor, and uncannily human teeth would arouse. No matter what it seemed like the Water Princess would have to remain on the Atomos, but what the others could do was up for discussion, which began as the airship got underway. Kamek corrected himself on the possibility of a simple outfit change before Seaplane Tender could mention her tail. Junior's suggestion, shouted back from from the cockpit, seemed even less plausible, but he rectified it with a more sound -and scary- follow-up. Having witnessed Ranger's change, and to a much lesser extent Sakura's, Seaplane Tender knew the transformative power of spirits. The idea of turning into a fish, however, chilled her to the bone even with the caveat of a defuser's cooperation. Having just been awakened to -or perhaps given- something like humanity, she felt repulsed by the idea of giving it up. “You are giving zis too much thought,” she reasoned. “I do not need to go into ze city. I'll wait here while you do your business, however long zat might be. Oh, and please, do not call me 'Your Majesty'. The Abyssal Fleet has no real royalty, and if it did, I would be nobody special. It's just my designation, 'Seaplane Tender Water Princess'...alzough, zat is a bit of a mouthful, I suppose.”
The Atomos passed within view of the Navy's rally point. Having lost all contact with the participants in the fight against the Water Princess, as well as noticed the odd disappearance and reappearance of Arashio's signal, the operators couldn't give their commanders much of an idea at all about how things turned out. The Navy itself had continued its retreating battle against the Abyssals, but quickly turned the tide after regrouping. Without their princess rallying them or any additional reinforcements, the monstrous machines attacked in vicious but disorderly fashion, and by now the shipgirls had made quick work of them. Many recognized the airship, spotted as they fell back earlier, and noted that while it sported some fresh damage it seemed not much worse for wear.
As it zoomed by in the direction, of Limsa, the girls looked to their
commander. Although Prinz Heinrich ran her division with a looseness befitting her alternatively laid-back and gung-ho personality, strength radiated as much from her as it did the fearsome machine she stood upon. Heinrich shaded her eyes with a hand as she watched the Atomos go, her other hand on her hip. “Well, whatever the heck that was, it's over with now,” she observed, noting that the craft seemed to lurch in its flight a touch. “Either they blew the sucker to pieces or they turned tail. Now we've cleared out the shmucks let's get a move on. Full steam ahead!” On their leader's orders the Navy set sail, but Heinrich kept that odd flying ship in mind. “The outsiders, huh.? Admiral said keep an eye out for 'em. Guess they're tryin' to prove 'emselves after all...”
At that moment, the Ri-class Destroyer was introducing herself. Ranger never thought she'd see the day an Abyssal grunt, barely formed enough to talk and think, would be standing mere feet away doing a smarter salute than a fair few Navy girls. Seaplane Tender greeted her fellow in kind and urged her to follow Junior's directions, motioning for her to sit. The Destroyer's analysis somehow replaced the team's collective attempts to solve the problem at hand, despite her presence in fact intensifying it. In the end, as Limsa came into view and Junior guided the Atomos toward the familiar Pirate's Cove, the three Abyssals would remain behind as the majority set out in search of their allies.
When they disembarked, however, they found nobody but Brineybeard and Shippy. The retired pirate captain waved. “Ahoy, mateys! Looks like we'll be sailin' together, afore too long. Yer princess and I worked out a deal. Although, that do be a fine-looking craft too, an' able to sail the seven skies, no less...” Any further self-defeating comparisons fell away when Brineybeard received a new, unavoidable query. “The princess? She 'n that Cuppy lad went off runnin' just a few minutes ago, somethin' about a link in a restaurant. The Bismarck, I think it be. Maybe they missed lunch? Arr...”
With Frog's knowledge of Limsa Lominscuttle Town, accrued day by day as he labored over his commissions, finding the restaurant in question was the work of minutes. Ace Cadet and Hat Kid slid to a stop behind their amphibious ally as the open-air Bismarck's dining area came into view. A quick glance at the patrons of the establishment confirmed for the Blue Team members the presence of their friend, seated across from a sultry lady in dark purple whose back, in a stroke of profound luck, was facing them. If Link saw, however, he wisely gave no notice. So far the atmosphere of the place rained undisturbed, with the various guests enjoying their late lunches while the staff carried out their duties without impedance. Yet if one's eyes were to linger on Link for a few moments, one might get the distinct impression that he was trapped by more than societal convention, true to Cuphead's report. At the very least the bad date showed no signs of ending soon, or even progressing much at all, so it fell to the would-be interlopers to choose to make a scene in a place of fine dining, or seek another avenue of rescue. This woman clearly possessed some sort of magical power, perhaps dark in nature, implied by her outfit as clearly as her actions, so any direct confrontation would not end cleanly.
A
waiter approached. "Welcome to the Bismarck," he said, treating the newcomers to a polite smile. "Party of three?"
Finding the others, as well as somewhere she could come by a real meal, sounded like a plan to Nadia. Hopefully it would do wonders for that Sephiroth's mood as well, thereby indicating that this spell of sardonic aloofness was nothing more than a sort of appetite-induced grumpiness. But she wasn't going to hold her breath.
Scarcely did the four set out on their journey through the crowded Aetheryte Plaza than a commotion from the bustling Hawker's Alley make Nadia's ears twitch. She listened for a moment to the pounding of feed, the sharp intake of breath, and the protests of civilians. “Hey.” She poked Bowser's side. “Sounds like someone's comin' from that way, and in a real hurry too!”
After a moment her prediction became reality, and from the throng within shaded market avenue burst none other than Cuphead and Princess Peach. Nadia, put her hands up, smirking. “Well hey, that was easy.” Of course, she didn't need to say that things wouldn't be that simple.
Peach saw her -actually, the far more distinct Bowser- a moment later, and paused in her mad dash. “Oh. Hello!” She looked at Nadia with a semblance of recognition, since they had at least seen each other, but had only curiosity for Sephiroth. Or maybe not...what was that oddly inquisitive look that possessed her for a split second? Regardless, Peach called out to them. “What are you doing here?” She shook her head and held up a hand to forestall any reply. “Later. Come on!” The new arrivals fell in with her, with Bowser's bulk and lumbering stride quickly parting the crowd for them as they left the Aetheryte Plaza. A fascinated Shantae, back from break and ready for a new dance, watched them go with narrowed eyes.
“We lost Link,” Peach explained as she ran, although that meant nothing to Nadia. For royalty Peach seemed to be in very good shape, well beyond that that her fusion alone could reasonably explain. Nadia figured she better listen. “But Cuphead spotted him with some woman at a restaurant, controlling him or something. We're going to save him.”
Although she accepted the task of a gallant rescue without question, another word stuck in her mind. Despite her quick bowl of ramen she still felt hungry, as if the salty noodles only whetted her appetite. “Restaurant? Purr-fect!”
“The others are ahead of us,” Cuphead piped up. He was ahead of everyone else, but his head swiveled around to face them. “By the time we get there, it might be done with.”
That sounded just fine as far as Nadia was concerned, but should push come to shove, she would be happened to lend a paw to this friend of Peach's. Do a good dead, eat some good food, just like the old days. Nadia found herself forced to push away wistful memories, quickened in her mind by familiar sounds and smells from days long gone.
With the great mountain at her back, the Skullgirl began her journey into the land of snow, the distant trace of civilization pictured in her mind. Spurred on perhaps by images of oaken-log cabins, roaring fireplaces, trophy-lined mantles, and toasty mugs, she scrabbled down a precarious mountain path in the direction of the village, but the region's wildlife quickly caught her eye. Whether or not the Tateru was a people or pokemon it didn't respond, but the Skullgirl quickly found her scent picked up by creatures far keener for interaction. The savage wolves approached with fangs bared, their crimson eyes cruel, but whether they attacked out of hunger or hatred -hatred for the unnatural thing before them- they did not hesitate.
The Skullgirl unleashed various elements from her varied skillset, dispatching beast after beast with ease. Remarkable ease, even. When she called forth a crystalline spire of icy spikes to impale one, it exerted not the slightest tax on her body. She could do it all day and all night, if need be, but the pack had not been a larger one. For a few moments she stood among the ashes, arguing with the voices in her head. When she started her boots crunching snow once again she strode northward from the mess of tracks, and the village receded further into the distance behind her.
How much time went by she couldn't say, but it didn't feel like long before she stood on the shore of a frigid sea. Icebergs drifted around the dark water, where various lazy seals lounged, and a few vigorous ones
jousted with crabs upon their backs. Much closer waddled
penguins in great numbers, squawking uproariously as they went about their business. From here the Skullgirl could see the sleek, futuristic tower floating above the ocean a fair way out, but the column of light fell on the shore. It lay on a similarly technological
device about as tall as a horse, which gave no response if approached. A press on its sides would prompt its panels to open up, revealing a cache within: a neatly sealed
steak and potato meal, two
pokeballs, a set of materials and instructions to build a
log sled, and a
loot box. If deprived of contents, the beacon went dark and folded up after a short delay, becoming little more than a chunk of inert metals.
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