Lugubrious

World of Light: the Endless Now (The Ultimate Videogame Crossover)

Forbidden Kingdom - Esaka's Low Tier

Lvl 15 Ms Fortune (126/150) Level 11 Big Band (29/110)
Junior, Rika & Amaterasu’s @DracoLunaris Roland’s @Archmage MC Zenkichi’s @MULTI_MEDIA_MAN Pit, Primrose & Therion’s @Yankee Sakura & Juri’s @Zoey Boey Captain Falcon’s @Double, Harry’s @Eviledd1984
Word Count: 1285

As Azuma led the Seekers into Esaka, Ms Fortune and Big Band took in the sights around them, trying to familiarize themselves with the city’s Low Tier–and in many ways, it felt familiar. Sure, the buildings around here might be older, dirtier, closer together, and more run down than usual, but both of them had seen rougher parts of town than this. Little Innsmouth had its own charms and sensibilities that set it apart from New Meridian’s other poor districts, but Nadia had spent plenty of time on the wrong side of the tracks, prowling through the low-income neighborhoods and crime-infested boroughs where the cops from the NMPD seldom tread. Band, meanwhile, had been one of those rare cops, walking the beats that would make his less scrupulous colleagues’ stomach turn and doing what little he could to shine a light into the inner city’s darkness. Like Little Innsmouth, though, Esaka had a flavor all its own, and its citizens an irrepressible vitality. Maybe a populace of fighters who could all stand up for themselves had its merits.

The newcomers hadn’t gotten far before a couple new faces accosted them. One belonged to a gregarious, muscle-bound blonde dressed in eye-catching red. He seemed to recognize a couple of the Seekers, and he them. Not remembering him from Alcamoth, both Nadia and Band assumed that he was another old friend, although the latter nursed more curiosity since as far as he knew, most of the people Terry eyed weren’t from the same world. Of course, the feral didn’t hesitate to be friendly. “Heya!” she replied, returning the Hungry Wolf’s wave. For once, though, she let the others speak, starting with Pit. As he and Terry exchanged greetings, Nadia’s discretion allowed her to notice a couple allies’ departure. Therion slunk away into the shadows, and though wise to his act, his fellow thief was by no means inclined to stop him. Harry also stepped away after spotting and yelling at a bespectacled fellow he also seemed to recognize. “Big day for reunions,” she muttered as she watched him go, not quite paying full attention to anybody. Primrose was giving Pit some linkpearls, which was a great idea that Nadia wished she thought of first, while Junior and Rika darted off toward what looked like a toy store. Roland was gone too, off to grill the locals no doubt. And come to think of it, Nadia hadn’t seen Juri in a while…yippee!

After a few moments, Harry returned with the man he introduced as Kim Kitsuragi. Band greeted him in his typical manner, and caught on to what Harry must have meant when he said Band could give Kim the ‘lowdon’. “Uh huh…” Band looked around discreetly. This area was too open, and there were way too many people around for an ambush. Plus, he’s siphoned off plenty of his soul freeing Amaterasu, Kit, Harry, and Heismay already. Maybe someone else could chip in a friend heart this time? Especially if Kim would bring less to the table than Harry did; the Seekers couldn’t just go around freeing everyone. For now, Band cleared his throat in a way that said you get my drift? “Ahem! Well, this ain’t exactly the time or place, y’know? One of us can fill you in later.”

By that time, Pit had finished distributing linkpearls to everyone here, then ran off. Primrose had also made herself scarce, leaving just Amaterasu, Band, Nadia, Falcon, Sakura, Zenkichi, and Harry with the team’s new acquaintances. Huh. The feral blinked, looking around again to make sure she had that right. That was fast. Azuma treated those still here to a quizzical expression, which looked pretty funny on an alligator, but when Zenkichi addressed him he took his fellow detective seriously.

“Oh, of course. Here, there’s a couple dojos nearby. Let’s walk and talk, hm? The tournament system can be a little complicated for first-timers.” Azuma continued along the street with the remaining Seekers in tow. As much as she wanted to chat, Nadia knew she’d be remiss to zone out during this particular bit of exposition.

“Well, it’s like this, see,” Azuma began. “Here in Esaka, we run four tournaments every week, one for each of the Four Kings. Mr Heihachi Mishima runs the King of Iron Fist series, better known as ‘Tekken’. Master Bison runs the World Warrior series, Shao Khan runs the Mortal Kombat series, and Mr. Rugal Bernstein runs the King of Fighters series. They’re all double elimination, open tournaments, so anyone can sign up.”

As he paused to breathe, Band snuck in a question. “Double elimination?”

Azuma held up a finger. “Oh, yes, yes. In each tournament, everyone starts out in the Winners’ Bracket. If you lose once, you’re still in the game, but in Losers’ Bracket. Once you’re in Losers, things get more dicey. Lose again, and you’re out of the running–or worse, if you joined the Mortal Kombat tournament especially.”

Nadia frowned. “Ominous…”

“Anyway, once you’re signed up, you get seeded. Higher tier dojo, better seed. Then you go through pools,” Azuma continued. “Think of them as qualifier rounds, all fought in the Pools tier of Esaka. The number depends on how many entrants each tournament has. No real ceremony, just an officiant and whoever feels like coming around to watch. Those start on Wednesday and end on Friday, at which point the top twenty-four decided. On Saturday, those twenty-four are whittled down to just the top eight, and Sunday is the main event, when the top eight -four winners and four losers- go at it to decide the winner. You can still come back and take it all from Losers’ in the grand finals, but you have to beat your opponent two sets straight: one to send ‘em down to Losers with you, and the second to win.”

While he explained, the Seekers passed by a number of interesting-looking but obviously poverty-stricken dojos, including Ultra Fight de Kyanta, the one Azuma himself represented. Verdict Guilty…Trajes Fatais…Slap Happy Rhythm Busters… As Nadia read the signs, one made her double-take. Brief Karate Foolish? Only when she snuck a glance inside did she realize exactly which definition of the word ‘brief’ was in play, and subsequently want to bleach her eyes out. The feral returned to the group a little more dead inside, just in time to hear the end of Azuma’s explanation. “Okay, cool. Guess we’ll go and sign up then!”

The investigator snapped his fingers, remembering something. “Oh, I forgot! When I said ‘anyone can sign up’, that wasn’t quite right. Only registered fighters can sign up. In other words, you have to be part of a dojo.” He signed. “Unfortunately, you can’t just join the mid-tier and high-tier dojos. Unless they recognize you, you have to be invited.”

“Wait…” Nadia dared to glance back at the Brief Karate Foolish dojo, horrified. “You’re sayin’ we have to sign up for one of the dojos down here!?”

Azuma nodded his long snout up and down. “Yes ma’am. In fact, since pools start tomorrow, signups close at lunch today.” He checked his watch. “That gives you…roughly three and a half hours. Better hurry.”

Sighing, Band smiled ruefully to himself. “Sounds like our morning just got a whole lot more interestin’.” He deployed a tiny mechanical arm to tap the linkpearl in his ear. “Y’all got that?”

Nadia turned around, now seeing all the Low Tier’s dojos in a new light. With Pit gone, she also saw the chance to grandstand a little. “Well, you heard the ‘gator. Our quest to topple the Four Kings’ tier-anny starts here! Let’s find some dojos, gang!”

---

Clean Hits’ cashier regarded the two inquisitive youngsters with unblinking red eyes that shone from his cylindrical wooden head, devoid of visible emotion. “No tapes here. We mostly sell records. Esaka’s fighters, particularly among the top tiers, are famous for the iconic tracks made to commemorate them and their battlegrounds, some very old. Jukeboxes are very popular here for their ability to play music from across the generations. One of Esaka’s many traditions.”

The Mokujin indicated entire walls of the store dedicated to records made for the legendary top-tier World Warrior and Tekken dojos alone, each with dozens of tracks separated by era. Compared to titans like them, mid-tier dojos were lucky to even get a corner to themselves, and music made for low-tier dojos was nowhere to be found. Even in a Low Tier store, it seemed, the preferences of the population were clear.

After a few seconds, the Mokujin attempted to address Junior’s other question. “Shinjuku is a bustling metropolis to the west. Our tournaments are often broadcasted there, but we seldom get visitors. We have converted some of our tracks into tapes for Shinjuku music stores, though. If you’re interested in tapes, you might have more luck there.”

Frozen Highlands - Snowdin

Lvl 8 Sandalphon (55/80) Level 5 Heismay (19/50)
Edward’s @DracoLunaris Blazermate & Sectonia’s @Archmage MC Geralt’s @MULTI_MEDIA_MAN Ace Cadet’s @Yankee Roxas & Ganondorf’s @Double, Celica’s @Sadu Chosen Undead’s @Simple Unicycle, Ramattra’s @XoXKieroBombXoX
Word Count: 1897

Before the team could get too far off topic, Edward quickly chimed in to follow up on Heismay’s announcement of the Seekers’ new ride. He mentioned some of the new furnishings that the two obtained for the stagecoach. From comfort to cuisine, it sounded like Sandalphon’s crew wouldn’t want for much on the road. Thanks to their efforts, the carriage wouldn’t just be transportation, but a mobile base, a home away from home. Provided, of course, they could secure more effective draft animals than Edward’s golems. Handy they might be, but speedy they were not.

Unfortunately, Sandalphon was no expert when it came to working with materials or animals, so hopefully they would find the requisite hide, fiber, and metal they’d need to hitch the Reindrix to the carriage. Or better yet, scavenge or trade for existing harnesses.

While Geralt seemed to be familiar with beast capture, as one might expect of a master hunter, he didn’t have the right device on hand. He could allude, though, to someone who did, and Sandalphon nodded at his question. “Yes, Maru is her name. She was also referred to as a ‘pal’, which seems to encompass a large spectrum of dissimilar creatures. The stall that sold her also sold pal spheres, but Everdream Valley is rather out of the way right now.” She pondered if it would be a worthwhile investment to set up some sort of pokeball or pal sphere production aboard the Avenger, given how many Seekers seemed interested in such companions.

Sectonia chimed in with what she’d discovered, primarily about various locales throughout the Frozen Highlands. A lot of it sounded anecdotal and rather inexact, but Sandalphon was surprised to hear about the importance the locals -or at least the Soulfisher- assigned to Moon Mountain. It seemed almost mythical in nature, and given how eerily that dark globe loomed against the horizon, she definitely understood. Furthermore, Highlands had been in a state of constant night now for a while, each day a touch colder than the last. Of course, her logical mind explained that ‘night’ as mere cloud cover, but it didn’t matter if conditions out there were actually worsening. The worse the weather got, the more difficult it would be for the Seekers to achieve their goals, to say nothing of the Highlands’ citizens. If necessary, they could always consider evacuating the people of Snowdin with the Avenger. What really puzzled Sandalphon was when the sun ‘disappeared’. Had Ace Cadet, who’d been in Edinburgh MagicaPolis just days ago, experienced this…? She made a mental note to ask him when he returned.

Geralt filled the others in on what he’d already told Sandalphon. The more she thought, the more Moon Mountain seemed like the answer to the Seekers’ question, barring any unlikely direct news about Baldur’s whereabouts. If nothing else, it would be the best vantage point for a light show with which they could draw the Guardian’s attention. Sectonia made another good point about scouring various stops on the way. With how things went last time, the heroes would need every advantage they could get. Sandalphon watched Edward’s drones fly off as they prepared to perform continuous reconnaissance around White Team as they traveled. With any luck, there would be profitable points of interest to be found among the trackless wastes of snow. Ample sources of food would be harder to come by. Eleven people (ten, not counting Blazermate) weren’t quite an army, but feeding them throughout this journey would not be an easy task.

It was then that Ace emerged from the deadwood tangle that shrouded the southern uphill footpath. Behind him followed Kit, Blazermate, and an unidentified robotic individual. Though Ramattra’s size, stature, and distinctive staff combined to give him a rather intimidating air, Ace and especially Blazermate seemed comfortable around him, so Sandalphon assumed no hostility on his part. Her scans detected slightly elevated heart rates and mechanical activity, so maybe the Seekers had found this stranger in a bind and lent him their help, which would be no surprise to Sandalphon.

“Ah, there you are,” Heismay remarked, turning toward the incoming group. “And here I thought you might have wandered off.”

She and the others wasted no time in getting the four up to speed, distributing parkas alongside the information. As it happened, they came bearing very good news: that Ace had not only procured a lot of camping equipment, but also already managed to obtain a handful of pal spheres purely by chance. Sandalphon admired the reflective glint of Snowdin’s colorful Christmas lights in the crystalline orb’s many facets, then looked over Ace’s haul, scratching off items on her mental checklist. “Providential timing,” she concurred. With everything going the team’s way so far, the Seekers’ expedition was off to an excellent start. Now they only lacked one thing, albeit a big one: where to find the Guardian.

Heismay was taken aback that his problem had been solved so soon, but he certainly didn’t object. “I’ll not look a gift horse in the mouth. Fine work,” he told Ace. As he spoke, though, the eugief kept his ruby-red eyes on Ramattra. “And who might this be? Another promising new addition to our retinue, perhaps?”

Ramattra proved to be a touch reticent when faced with so many people, but it seemed clear that he’d been a big help during the kerfuffle at the cliffside mansion. “If you have nowhere else to go, you’re welcome to travel alongside us for the time being,” Sandalphon told him, extending the omnic an invitation.

As if he hadn’t done enough already, Ace had one more interesting tidbit to share. Sandalphon digested the news about the wandering faction he heard of, intrigued. So, a troop of itinerant clerics wield a miracle capable of enacting natural death without dissolution,” she summarized. “I agree. We must keep an eye out for this Holy Order as we travel. If we encounter them, I will make every effort to learn this incantation myself, if I am capable.” As far as she knew nobody else in her party had the faith required to invoke miracles, but perhaps she simply didn’t know them well enough yet.

With everyone present and accounted for, it was time for the Seekers’ leader to render her decision. “After some consideration,” Sandalphon began. “Since we have no clues as to Baldur’s whereabouts right now, and there is no reason for him to visit Snowdin, our best bet would be to search and question as we travel. Given its significance to the people of this region, as well as its prominence as a vantage point from which we can draw Baldur’s attention, I propose that we journey to Moon Mountain.” She cast her gaze, and the attention of her comrades, to the distant northwestern horizon where the moon (or at least, a moon) hung, low and still, over Dragonspine. “To get there, we need only follow the trail known as the Midnight Walk.” Though difficult to distinguish at times, the road that ran through town continued on to the west, winding around halls and between giant pines bowing beneath the weight of their snowy blankets. With no other options, it was as good a road as any.

The team quickly prepared to set out. With the stagecoach fully furnished, all the camping and survival gear got stored overhead, hanging on hooks from the metal mesh on the ceiling. Given the transport’s lackluster speed, anyone who wished to could easily walk alongside it, or run ahead to explore the surrounding area as they waited for the wagon to catch up. Though Sandalphon did not relish the prospect of sitting idle as her ride trundled along with a miles-per-hour in the single digits, the idea of walking outside sounded even worse, so the archangel consigned herself to the bench inside. The one thing Ace hadn’t obtained was a map, but she could chart her own using a light screen if fed sufficient data about her surroundings.

Heismay, meanwhile, was much more inclined to action. Expecting that Edward’s drones would be scouting too far afield to be effective security, he stationed himself as a lookout atop the stagecoach’s roof. If anything sprang out at the Seekers he’d be ready; if not, he could always busy himself brushing snow off the roof to keep the vehicle as light as possible. Of course, this post also had the questionably unintentional side effect of isolating him from everyone inside–Heismay still wasn’t used to large groups of people yet.

Once everyone was more or less ready, the only thing to do was to get going.

♫
Nameless Stagecoach
𖥞: 8/8 | 🛡️: 8/8 | Equipment: Stewpot/Windchime/Lamps/(None)/(None)/(None) | Companion: None

The Midnight Walk led the travelers west and north in relatively equal measure. Once they left the warm lights and full hearts of Snowdin behind, they found themselves crossing a vast wilderness split between coniferous forest, flat snowfields, and icy crags. Scattered throughout were crystal-clear rivers and little lakes, not always frozen, but always so bone-chilling cold that to immerse oneself in them was tantamount to suicide, parka or no parka. The frigid night was far from lifeless, however, and the intrepid explorer (or perceptive drone) could spot in the gloom a number of shaggy, primeval beasts adapted for life in the snow, such as omnivorous daeodon (colloquially known as ‘hell pigs’), the giant but skittish deerlike megaloceros, dire wolves, and even greater mammals like chalicotherium, megatherium, and woolly rhinoceros. For now Heismay couldn’t see any Reindrix, but he assumed it would only be a matter of time. Meanwhile, those with an eye for minerals could locate deposits of coal (and more rarely, veins of iron ore) among the rocky outcrops, provided they didn’t run afoul of wormlike coal tars in the process.

There were a couple oddities scattered around, as well. Relatively close to Snowdin the stagecoach passed by a frozen lake with a couple small huts on one side, along with a large igloo that turned out to be the Slushie Shop, furnished with a wooden interior and run by a griffin happy to sell frozen treats. On the other side of the lake sat an old viking warship, marooned in the ice. Farther out, though, one could find small camps -or roving bands- of the violent tribal rodents known as the Urikki. With earthbound raiders supported by their more batlike aerial cousins, the well-armed and cunning bandits could be very dangerous to lone travelers, but they seldom picked fights they couldn’t win, so they steered clear of the stagecoach itself for now. More of an issue were the blustering Ty-foos, large cloudlike creatures which happily blew freezing winds at anyone who entered their territory. At least one had decided to hang out right next to the road, so it would need to be dealt with before the stagecoach came along.

World of Light: the Endless Now (The Ultimate Videogame Crossover)

Forbidden Kingdom - Fields of Gold

Lvl 15 Ms Fortune (123/150) Level 11 Big Band (26/110)
Junior, Rika & Amaterasu’s @DracoLunaris Roland’s @Archmage MC Zenkichi’s @MULTI_MEDIA_MAN Pit, Primrose & Therion’s @Yankee Sakura & Juri’s @Zoey Boey Captain Falcon’s @Double, Harry’s @Eviledd1984
Word Count: 2940

Although quick to call out for the yokai mob to ‘get them’, many of the smaller creatures were less eager to charge at the group of newcomers than their bluster made it seem. Once Nadia realized that most of the Gaki were all talk, she rolled her eyes and seized the initiative herself, diving down on all fours to sprint straight into the thick of things. Other Seekers followed her example, spreading out to tackle three or four of the miscreants at a time, but Big Band stood his ground. The Ippon-Datara didn’t stay down for long, after all. A few seconds after he hit the deck, the one-legged metalworker rose with the aid of a couple Gaki cronies, his cyclopean eye glaring with the same light that pulsed through the veins of his brawny arms. “A cheap trick,” he snarled, shrugging off the smaller yokais’ helping hands. ”Easily countered.”

“Maybe on paper. Let’s see if you got what it takes.” Without warning, Band bulled forward again, faster than anyone his size had a right to. That burst of speed lasted less than a second, but that was enough to close the distance to his opponent–yet not enough for the Ippon-Datara to enact anything beyond the most basic countermeasure. Knowing an attack would trade with the Brass Knuckles at best, he resorted to blocking with his hammer. Brass met iron in a weighty clang, and though neither yielded, the impact pushed the yokai back a few inches. Though technically at an advantage, he wasn’t ready for a proper punish, and Band got off lightly with a panicked backhand. By the time the Ippon-Datara lifted his bludgeon for a real counterattack, Band had already backed off.

Wham! Falling just short, the hefty hammer smash struck only the ground, and as its shook the earth Band returned fire with a little tremor of his own. The detective deployed his massive pedal, belting out, “Giant steps!” as it swung in an overhead arc to beat the dirt like a drum.

The pedal slam fell even shorter of Ippon-Datara than his own attempted wallop, but the yokai’s confusion came to an abrupt end when the ensuing shockwave swept his leg out from under him. ”Gyah!” He hit the ground with a surprised grunt, and right away Band closed the distance with another Brass Knuckles. His huge fist whiffed, blowing through the air above the Ippon-Datara’s head as he tried to get up, but before the slow yokai could capitalize with a whack from his hammer, Big Band managed to recover and grab him with his big bell. A good shake left the yokai with ringing ears, but rather than combo off the throw Band went for another knockdown with Low Rank, hoping that a row of organ pipes to the knee would be enough to end the fight. Instead the Ippon-Datara sprang into the air with a roar, his maul raised for a meteoric smash.

Band, though, stood firm in the face of the deadly impact, eyes up as he bided his time. His first instinct was to snatch his foe out of the sky with Beat Extend, but he knew it would be dangerously tricky to time right on the first go. At the last moment he settled for blocking instead, and just in time. The huge smash blasted the ground, sending fragments of earth flying, but Band’s stalwart guard mitigated the damage. Left in a very unsafe position by its frenzied haymaker, the Ippon-Datara received another faceful of Brass Knuckles that sent him tumbling backward. ”Aargh!”

He came to a stop in time to see Band slide forward again, and rushed to compose himself. This time, the yokai told himself, he would not fumble the punish. He narrowed his eye and put up his guard, only for Band to cut his ride short with Emergency Break and grab the yokai with his bell yet again. This time the ringing took a heavy toll, and when Band released him the Ippon-Datara could barely stand. He leaned on the handle of his planted hammer for support, head spinning, and Band took a half-step back to gauge his foe’s condition.

By that point, the Gaki who had the metalworker’s back earlier had a few choice words instead. ”Dude, he keeps grabbing you!”

”Why aren’t you breaking his throws?”

The Ippon-Datara slapping his hair face with his palms, trying to clear the dizziness. ”I’m trying!” he growled, his frustration growing alongside the sensation of helplessness. ”There’s a lot going on!”

One Gaki shook his head mournfully. ”The mental stack! His brain’s broken!”

With insult added to injury, the Ippon-Datara roused himself with a bellow. His inner fire surged as he channeled his power into his hammer, igniting it. When he whacked the earth, the impact sent forth a slow flame wave that crawled toward Band along the ground. He waited a moment, then flung himself forward, leaping over the flame to deliver a bombastic somersault slam.

Steeled by his many years of fighting, Band was ready. He stood to block the blazing wallop, then parried the predictable flame wave with his cymbal for good measure. “Uh-huh,” he drawled, not impressed. The next moment the Ippon-Datara’s eyes went wide as Band clasped him in Heat Extend, then shook him like a tambourine. Dazed, he could do nothing but drop limply, and for the grand finale Band sent him packing with a final Brass Knuckle. The punch snapped his opponent’s tusks, and after flying a couple dozen feet the yokai failed to rise. Instead, he burst into blue spirit flame. He burned quickly, and after a moment only a ghostly outline remained. ”Damn…knowledge…checks…ugh,” he groaned.

The Gaki around him stared in astonishment. When Band strode toward them, the little yokai quailed at his footfalls. “Y’all hearin’ me now? Beat it! Unless your ears need a good cleanin’, too!” Stammering apologies, the Gaki returned to this spirit world in a series of ghostly blue flashes. The disembodied spirit of the Ippon-Datara took a little longer, glaring at Band balefully, but ultimately disappeared as well. Band let out a weary sigh. “I’m too old for this crap.”

He turned to watch as the bout between the Centipede Guai and Pit came to an end a few moments later. Band nodded in respect at the angel’s victory, noting the little guy’s ability to hit way above his weight class. “Nice goin’, captain,” he complimented him with a friendly smile. Neither Sakura nor Harry made as much of a spectacle with their own brawls, but then again, there was only so much fight a couple Gaki could put up in the first place.

Not far away, Nadia had been having some fun of her own. No matter how big they talked, the Gaki were seldom ready when she ran at them, and few put up much of a fight. The first one she swept up in her rekka, landing two cat scratches before hopping up to floor it with an El Gato axe kick. That seemed to be enough to keep it down, so she went straight for the hapless yokai’s closest friend. A roundhouse kick to the chin spun it away, stunned, and a hyper-extended follow-up turn kick to the back sent it sprawling. The third Gaki put up its arms, shielding its face, so Nadia promptly swept it off its feet with a cat slide. It hit the ground with a winded grunt, clutching its abdomen as its tongue lolled out, and Nadia moved on to the next.

With the 16% speed boost from Clockwork Apple refreshing constantly, the feral fought like a woman possessed, but rather than go overboard on the little guys she found herself showing off instead. She prioritized short, snappy, cool-looking combos, performing acrobatic feats more for the fun of it than anything. One Gaki she flexibly launched into the air with Limber Up, then followed into the air to smack back down with Flying Screen Door, her reverse upside-down kick. Another she grabbed and toyed with in a giant yarn ball wound from her own muscle fibers. For every yokai she knocked down, another one remained at the periphery of the fight, content just to watch the spectacle unfold.

”Whoa, she’s pretty good!”

”Cool combos!”

”That rushdown is crazy!”

”Looking respectfully!”

Increasingly giddy, Nadia happily pulled her punches -her claws barely even sharpened- so the yokai could come back for more. Of course, not finishing any foes off led to a half-dozen coming after her at once, but luck was on the feral’s side. When she planted her ears in the ground to perform Wheel of Fortune, the extra hits were enough to trigger Maddening Voice. Multitudinous laughter burst from her lungs, and the multicolored soundwaves blasted the yokai away, returning all of them to the spirit world in one giant spectral fireball. Nadia came to a stop resting on her side, and there she lay, grinning at the excited spectators.

”Was that her super?!”

”Her attacks are borderline unreactable!”

”How have I never seen her before?!”

”It should have been me!”

Savoring all the attention, Nadia reclined there -a little short of breath- until another Gaki stepped forward from the crowd. This one was a little bigger than the others, and he wore a black baseball cap. “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” he groused, arms crossed. “What, you guys never seen a catgirl before? You seen one, you seen ‘em all. They’re fast and flashy, sure, but at high level? The game plan falls apart. That’s rushdown fighters for ya: all style, no substance.”

Sensing a chance to really wow the onlookers, Nadia rose into a crouch, her smile taunting. “Oh yeah? I bet I could still make your head spin, little man!”

The Gaki sniffed. “Hmph! Come and impress me, then!”

With the crowd’s eyes on her, Nadia got into a ready stance with a smile, wiggling her tail. Then she sprinted forward and leaped into the air. The Gaki lifted his weathered hands in a defensive stance, his body tense. “I’mma block this whack-ass mixup.”

Nadia’s jump arc carried her over his head. Then she released her pressurized blood, airdashing backward over his head again. Then she spiked her head downward, which halted her momentum enough that her head shot behind him. Finally, her neck blasted out blood and shot backward again, hitting the Gaki low. He hit the ground with a surprised yelp, and the onlookers burst into a frenzy of hype, hooting and hollering as they jumped up and down.

”That was cheesy as hell!”

”I ain’t blockin’ that!”

”Well, I got mixed.”

“Nyehehe~!” Nadia stooped to lift up her head, then span it on one finger like a basketball. “What can I say? I’m always one step a-head!”

Thoroughly entertained, the Gaki started a cheer. “Catgirls rule! Catgirls rule!” Even the one she knocked down found it in him to laugh at himself. By that time, the rest of the fighting had come to an end, so the Seethe was officially over. The remaining yokai disappeared back to the spirit world, and the Seekers were left to regroup as the villagers began to clean up.

Nadia looked pretty pleased with herself. “That was fun! Well, one guy called me cheesy, but I had a gouda time.”

Band raised an eyebrow at her, wondering how in the world the feral managed to turn a riot into recreation. “Glad someone’s enjoyin’ herself at least. Anyway, now that’s over with, we better get a move on. The city’s just up ahead.”

Twenty minutes later, the Fields of Gold finally came to an end, the long and winding path through the hills of waving wheatgrass terminating at one of Esaka’s many gates. Its white outer walls extended around its entire perimeter, about two stories high, topped with distinctive steep green roofing tiles despite their lack of interior space. Beyond those walls lay the first of the city’s five tiers. Though the least well-off and the least built-up by far, with few buildings tall enough to peek over the exterior walls, the brief glimpse afforded to the approaching Seekers through the gate suggested that the Low Tier was a far cry from the slums of Midgar; it looked clustered, cheap, and somewhat unclean, but there were no muddy dirt streets or ramshackle junk shacks in sight. About one city block in, the second tier towered above the first. From here nobody could see any of the titular pools that gave the second tier its name, they could see the decorative stone waist-high railing that surrounded it, and a few places where water flowed down into the Low Tier, becoming channels that one could probably cross via traditional arched footbridges. Farther still the newcomers could see the Mid Tier, which resembled a more typical modern Japanese town, and the High Tier, with enough large buildings that it looked like a real city. Above it all loomed the Top Tier, with its tall, imperious towers. If the Guardian was up there somewhere, the Seekers had a lot of climbing to do. For her part, Nadia couldn’t wait to get started.

Of course, the first order of business was to get inside. Though the gate was open, an impressive-looking Aurumaton stood at either side, dutifully watching every person who went in and out. Since there weren’t many travelers, that meant that their ominous gaze rested on the Seekers the moment they arrived, the Aurumatons’ enormous cudgels vaguely threatening as their mechanical bodies vibrated restlessly. They weren’t the only ones around, though; Band also spotted what might be a kindred spirit in the form of a green alligator in an olive detective’s trench coat and a red tie, silently pacing in front of the gates with a phone to his ear, evidently on hold. He noticed the Seekers as they approached, and when Band tipped his hat the reptile gave up on his phone call and pocketed it along with his hands. “Good morning,” he greeted the strangers in an even, slightly nasal tone.

“Good morniiiiing!” Nadia replied cheerfully. “How’s it goin’?”

He shrugged. “Oh, not bad, it’s just…say, you’re coming from the direction of Ashwat Village, hmm? I got a report about a Seethe going on near there, but details are scarce. Don’t suppose you folks saw anything?”

“Took care of it!” Outspoken as ever, Nadia happily jumped at the chance to speak for everyone.

“Oh!” The alligator looked surprised, then relieved. “Well then, that sure is good to hear. The spirits don’t cause trouble often, but when they get going, they can do a lot of damage.” He smiled, which looked a little goofy given his protruding fangs. “Guess I owe you folks one, eh?”

Band stepped forward. “Think nothin’ of it. Though, if you’re offerin’, I guess we could use a little direction. We’re new in town, gonna be here a while. See the sights, join the tournaments, you know. Don’t s’pose you know anyone who’d be willin’ to show us around?”

The team’s new acquaintance straightened up and jabbed a thumb back toward the city. “Well shoot, I wouldn’t mind doing it myself. If the Seethe’s dealt with, I got an hour or two to kill anyway.” He cleared his throat and put a scaly hand on his chest. “Scuse me, where’re my manners. I’m Investigator Azuma, with the Kyanta Dojo. Pleasure to meet you all.”

Nadia scratched her head. “You’re an…oh! Investi-GATOR! I get it!” She gave him the double finger guns with a wink.

“Hm?” Azuma gave her a blank look, then cleared his throat. “Ahem, well, come on in.”

As Band stepped forward, he gave the Aurumatons a wary glance. “You sure these guys don’t mind?”

“Oh, the Gatekeepers? I’m sure you’ll be fine.” Azuma turned and led the way through the gates, his scaly tail trailing behind him. “As I’m sure you’re already aware, this is a city of fighters. The Gatekeepers make sure that the wrong people don’t get in.”

Nadia raised an eyebrow at the menacing machine. “Wrong people?”

At that, one of the Aurumatons spoke in a mechanical grumble. ”Those who do not respect Esaka’s traditions. Who would change things to suit their own purposes.”

”If the fighting community does not gatekeep, the integrity of its dojos and tournaments will be ruined,” the other Aurumaton chimed in, chugging assertively.

Sounds like a good way to slowly die off over time, Nadia thought, but in light of the Aurumatons’ massive cudgels she kept her thoughts to herself. With Azuma in the lead, the Seekers finally stepped into the bustling interior of Esaka, the Tiered City.

Frozen Highlands - Snowdin

Lvl 8 Sandalphon (52/80) Level 5 Heismay (16/50)
Edward’s @DracoLunaris Blazermate & Sectonia’s @Archmage MC Geralt’s @MULTI_MEDIA_MAN Ace Cadet’s @Yankee Roxas & Ganondorf’s @Double, Celica’s @Sadu Chosen Undead’s @Simple Unicycle, Ramattra’s @XoXKieroBombXoX
Word Count: 1673

Already shivering more than he thought he’d be, Heismay rejoined Edward on the stagecoach with a hop. While he didn’t have high hopes, the strategist did mention seeming something akin to the Pal Spheres before. “Roxas?” Heismay didn’t know who that was. As much as socialization wasn’t his forte, it would be a good idea to find time to talk to all his new allies today, a few minutes apiece. For now, though, he cast his eyes around as the golems lugged the stagecoach eastward. When Edward set his sights on the Snotel, Heismay remained by his side, curious to see just what the strangely-named building would offer them.

Inside the duo found a bespectacled pair of monsters, identical except for their coloration. They seemed friendly enough, but Heismay was happy to let Edward do the talking. Either Clark and Stanley were too nice for their own good, or just very bad salesmen, but they somehow seemed amenable giving away some of their stuff for free. True to his word, Clark even shuffled off to see what else he had to offer. Taken aback, Heismay couldn’t help but wonder just how far they could push this, even before his comrade attempted to address him. “Him…Himsley?” the Eugief grumbled with an incredulous look, as if to ask how in the world Edward got that wrong.

After a moment he cleared his throat, and met Stanley’s inquisitive gaze. Faced with that innocent, oafish expression, Heismay allowed his conscience to get the better of him. “I have to ask…why give us perfectly fine goods for nothing in return?”

Stanley pushed up his glasses. “Why, holiday spirit, of course! We Snowdin folk love giving gifts. And getting them!” He nodded sagely. “Those presents, out under the tree? They’re for whoever needs them. And if you got more than you need, you should leave presents there for others. With business being the way it is, Clark and I end up needy pretty often. Just think of it as us giving back.” He crossed his arms in a very righteous manner. “Plus doing it this way just means saving on wrapping paper!”

As Heismay’s expression softened, Clark returned, followed by the sound of bells. “You said you got a carriage, right? Well, I got good news!” he announced. “Whenever people come to live in Snowdin, they break down their wagons for building material, but we take all the travel stuff they don’t need any more. We’re keeping the griddle ‘cause it makes us flapjacks, but there’s a stew pot, carriage lamps, and this!”

He held up a crude windchime, which he jingled. The sound was festive, and oddly soothing; Heismay couldn’t help but smile. “In that case, we’ll be truly in your debt.”

“Just give us a chunk of whatever goodies you find out there when you get back, and we’re even!” Stanley said. “And tell all your friends: if you’re snowed in in Snowdin, the Snotel’s the place to stay!”

Heismay nodded, and received the wind chime from Clark with gratitude. With their new furnishings in hand, the Seekers returned to the stagecoach to install them.

---

Despite her usual fixation on expedience, Sandalphon waited patiently as Celica considered the options at hand, knowing that she had posed a difficult -and in all honesty, unfair- question. After all, how could the Seekers’ most recent recruit be expected to know the other team members well enough to pick out appropriately colored parkas? Statistically speaking, it was unlikely that she’d managed to commit their appearances to memory yet–or that she even knew who did and did not already have a method of counteracting the Highlands’ chill.

As the seconds ticked by, the archangel considered giving Celica a reminder, or perhaps pulling up pictures of her new allies on light screens for her to see, but before she could her new acquaintance began to speak. With pupils shaped like inverted triangles, Sandalphon listened attentively as Celica replied, outlining her rationale and different perspectives on the matter of form versus function. She even offered a little insight into her homeworld, maybe a little too much, but before her response could be considered long-winded Celica produced an answer that the archangel hadn’t expected: that the Seekers should forego individual colors in favor of unity, both with one another and with the environment.

It took no more than an instant for Sandalphon to recognize the truth of Celica’s recommendation, her pupils flashing exclamation marks as she suddenly realized where her own thought process had fallen short. Her laser-focus on the matter of satisfying her teams’ individuality had prevented her from seeing the bigger picture, and her lack of field experience blinded her to the possibility of camouflage. It made much more sense to opt for any possible tactical advantage, and if the Seekers never found out that the parkas came in any other color to begin with, what they didn’t know wouldn’t hurt them. Plus, having everyone in uniform white (herself included) with matching red Focus Sashes promised to satisfy her inner compulsiveness.

When Celica glanced at her to gauge her response, Sandalphon nodded vigorously, her expression one of utmost solemnity. It didn’t take long for the self-conscious psycorruptor to start walking her recommendation back, but by then Sandalphon was already sorting through the parkas to find all the other white ones the team would need. “No need,” she answered Celica’s question, her voice firm. “Your advice was well considered and made complete sense. Excellent work.” For some reason, part of her (probably the nascent human part) felt compelled to explain away her shortsightedness as best she could. “Although I have many years of leadership experience, I have spent very little time in the field, so you pointed out something I had not considered. Such insight was, and will no doubt continue to be, invaluable.”

Once the two ladies collected enough pure-white parkas for the whole team, they paid a visit to Morshu at the front desk and completed the purchase, albeit barely. With only a literal handful of zenny to her name now, Sandalphon waited for Celica to don her new duds, then led her back out through the pandemoniac pawn shop. Just before she reached the door, though, the familiar voice of Geralt resonated through her angelic sigil. Sandalphon paused at the threshold to listen to the Witcher’s report. As expected of a master hunter, he’d been looking into the Seekers’ quarry, and already turned up a possible lead. “Roger that. Thank you.” Her sigil disappeared, and after a glance at Celica to confirm that the girl was ready, she stepped back out into the wintry winds.

The archangel briefly considered what Geralt had said. All things considered, it was very good news. If the Guardian craved the excitement of a real challenge and would aggressively seek out any potential sources of one, the Seekers could definitely use that against him. A magnificent display of destructive power, from as high a vantage point as possible, would probably be the team’s best bet. Her pupils became crosshairs as she scanned the horizons, searching for any possible locations. The Highlands were highly mountainous, with ranges in pretty much every direction she looked, onyx-black against a murky gray horizon. One mountain towered above them all, though, and above it a gargantuan sphere hovered higher still, eerily motionless. “Hmm…”

After a moment, Sandalphon returned her attention to her current situation. Looking up and down the Snowdin’s main street, she spotted a couple other Seekers either already returned or on their way back to where they started. Sectonia was impossible to miss, but after a second she also spotted Geralt as he crunched through the snow from Grillby’s. His call would quickly prove unnecessary, but it did remind her that she’d need to pick the brains of everyone else, who hadn’t been as forthcoming with what they’d learned. It took longer to recognize what was going on at the street’s west end, from which direction a team of golems were slowly but steadily tugging a massive stagecoach through town. Once she saw Edward and Heismay, though, the pieces fell into place. Though Kit, Ace, Roxas, Ganondorf, and Blazermate were nowhere to be found, it was worth getting started with just six people present.

Easily identifiable thanks to her glowing triple halo, Sandalphon waved the overs over. “Here,” she stated, passing out parkas to Geralt, Edward, Sectonia, and Heismay with Celica’s help. Anyone who’d planned to rely on a frost resistance ring would no doubt be especially thankful, since practically speaking, there was a world of difference between elemental ice and ambient temperature. Though simple in appearance, these clothes still conformed themselves to their wearers’ shapes, which was a rare blessing. Most everyone would still need periodic exposure to a fire or other actual heat source to recover lost heat, but for now the parkas would be enough to weather the cold climate.

Sandalphon studied the stagecoach, mentally calculating its inner dimensions. “Quite the find.”

“Indeed.” Looking snug in his little parka, with his huge ears poking out from his hood, Heismay nodded from atop the wagon. “Our only problem is moving it. Tis very heavy, and quite unable to move itself. And as helpful as Edward’s summons may be, they lack the speed to cover the leagues with haste.”

Sandalphon’s pupils became loading rings as she considered the predicament. “Noted.”

After jumping down, Heismay continued. “I inquired with some local Paripus, who I witnessed riding large, deerlike creatures. Evidently more of them can be found in the wild, and they can be tamed with artifacts known as ‘Pal Spheres’, but I know no more than that. Would that Roxas was here.”

Sandalphon looked around at the gathered Seekers. “Any other updates on expedition supplies or equipment? More vitally, have we managed to find out anything else about Baldur or his whereabouts? It would also be worth noting any significant Highlands events or locales you may have heard of.”

World of Light: the Endless Now (The Ultimate Videogame Crossover)

Forbidden Kingdom - Fields of Gold

Lvl 15 Ms Fortune (120/150) Level 11 Big Band (23/110)
Junior, Rika & Amaterasu’s @DracoLunaris Roland’s @Archmage MC Zenkichi’s @MULTI_MEDIA_MAN Pit, Primrose & Therion’s @Yankee Sakura & Juri’s @Zoey Boey Captain Falcon’s @Double, Harry’s @Eviledd1984
Word Count: 1719

A breezy race through the fields back toward and along the southern path quickly dried Nadia off from her bout with the demon catfish. While it wasn’t quite the same as sailing the open ocean, with salty seaspray in her face and the cries of shorebirds over the rhythmic waves, it was always a blast to use her rigging. Junior and especially Rika offered the feral stiff competition in their impromptu race to rejoin the others, but Nadia was built for speed. She lost and retook first place a couple times until the rice paddies happened to peter out, forcing the three to sprint across solid ground. At that point, the race was effectively over; Nadia’s high base speed and pressurized long jumps quickly gave her a big lead, and the Koopa Kids were left in the dust to figure out who’d be the rotten egg for themselves.

By the time the trio reunited with the main group, tired but elated, the other Seekers had finished giving Malon and her mule a much-needed hand. They continued their trek to Esaka with the milkmaid’s gratitude ringing in their ears, making steady progress toward the tiered city. Out of excess energy for the time being, Nadia settled in at a brisk jog to match the mob’s slower members, and together they forged through the pastoral countryside. The workers and wanderers with whom they shared the road all slid to one side as the team tramped along, exchanging polite greetings or simple nods. Occasionally some Seekers would shoot snippets of chitchat back and forth, or glimpse something remarkable out in the fields like a strange farmhouse or an unusual beast of burden, but for the most part the trip remained relatively quiet and peaceful. The minutes flew by as Esaka slowly grew larger and larger in the distance, anticipation building all the while.

About twenty minutes away from Esaka, though, the Seekers ran into another roadblock. This took the form of an outlying rural village, its thatch-roofed huts elevated on sturdy timbers to guard against the perils of the fertile floodplain. Its market ran alongside the main path, and normally its merchants would be there showing off their fresh produce in expertly-woven hand baskets, but even from a distance the Seekers could see some sort of ruckus unfolding in the town’s center. Band slid to a stop at the town’s perimeter with his eyes narrowed, squinting at the commotion as he tried but failed to make either heads or tails of the belligerents. Some of the townsfolk seemed to be watching the disturbance from a safe distance, so Band stomped over to the nearest villager -a colorfully dressed weaver woman- to inquire. “‘Scuse me, ma’am. D’you know what’s goin’ on? Is the town under attack?”

“Oh, uh, not exactly,” Asiri gave him an apologetic look, seemingly more embarrassed than threatened. “It’s just a seethe. Should quiet down in a little while.”

“Seethe?” Band raised an eyebrow.

The lady looked him over. “You’re new here, hm? Well, not to worry, dear. It’s just some yokai from the city, throwing a fit. They’re fickle beasties, always excited or mad about something or other, but usually they just stick around and complain in the spirit world. Piss them off bad enough, though, and they’ll show up in the real world to make a fuss. Yelling, throwing things, carrying on. It’s a real hassle.”

Band nodded, remembering what Sakura said about the yokai. She mentioned that they’d give high-performing fighters donations if entertained, but it stood to reason that spirits who loved watching fights could get violent themselves if displeased. The important part was that the people here didn’t seem to be in serious danger. “Interestin’. D’you know what’s got ‘em riled up?”

Shrugging offhandedly, the lady shook her head. “One of the Four Kings’ tournaments, no doubt. Maybe a favorite lost, or someone they didn’t like won. Could be anything.”

“Sounds like they’re yokainda a nuisance,” Nadia supplied. “If they’re botherin’ the villagers, maybe we oughta break it up.”

With that, the catgirl jogged down the road into town. The closer she got to the hubbub, the easier it became to make out the strange forms of the cantankerous yokai rioters. Most populous were little green gremlins that the villagers scornfully called Gaki, which crawled around, stamped their feet, and used their big mouths to yell about all kinds of stuff. Only about as big as children, they seemed much more annoying than dangerous. The same could not be said for the one-legged Ippon-Datara. It wielded a huge hammer that it brandished in a threatening manner, mostly hitting the ground as it raised a hullabaloo. It evidently had some sort of beef with the largest and most threatening yokai, a centipede spirit the size of an ambulance, which had overturned a cart and smashed it to bits. With a handful of other yokai in attendance, more for an excuse to cause trouble than anything, things looked pretty chaotic. It didn’t help that most of them were constantly yelling vitriolic, nigh-unintelligible jargon that made it just about impossible to get a word in edgewise, much of it outright disingenuous, if not outright fighting one another.

“Yokai who bet on busted-ass, cheesy-ass Choi love to pretend that spamming mixups makes him good. Mixups are crutches for bad fighters! One hundred anti-guard tools in this tournament and he’s too bad to use them, so he spams unpunishable RNG mixups because he’s BAD!”

“All the moves Leroy does are punishable by sidestep or hop kick! Spamming random strings doesn’t work for real tournament fighters!”

“This version of Tager is by far one of the smartest fighters I’ve ever seen! Honestly I think Tager’s game plan is such a majesty. I think he’s honestly one of the best trained fighters in any dojo I’ve ever seen. He’s just a walking casino. It’s so nice!”

“The Heavenly Principles HATE Manon! How could they break her legs while Rashid’s dumbass Yssar continues to run amok!? You’re all CARRIED!”

“Ermac is so cheesy! Just handing out braindead sixty percent combos like it’s nothing!”

“Combos like Beowolf’s are clearly an exploit! Most tournaments have preventative measures to make infinite stun loops impossible! To ensure there is actual counter play! So sure, he won, but he won by cheating. A very very dull way to win.”

“RPS is just the dumbest thing in the world! As an honest low-tier Ky main, I just hate it so much! I’m sick of him losing to these goddamn coin flips!”

“I’m sick of fighters who use rage art to win rounds. They’re scrubs! I can’t respect those who use rage arts in the first place, but to win a round!? Different kind of trash. Get better and stop going for cheap wins!”

“I don’t care how salty I sound! As long as Omen exists, I will never respect these tournaments as competitive. There is no such thing as being ‘good’ at a fight with Omen in it. This tournament is the exact same thing as Balan’s Big Top until Omen is removed!”

“How could they gut my character like this!? It’s an actual slap in the face to us Helena mains!”

“WTF? That cash-out damage from Stronghoof was disgusting! What are the Heavenly principles on!?”

“I don’t enjoy betting on pussies who spam crouch and block, or spam armor! I place bets to enjoy them! You’re all insecure cheating cucks!”

“It should be illegal to complain about zoners! You’re just showing how scrubby you really are!”

“Get cancer, you little prick! Let’s throw down for real!”

“You top tier lovers don't know or understand, or actually better yet, comprehend what the fuck it means to suffer, what the fuck it means to lose over and over and over and fucking over!”

Nadia hesitated on the periphery of the mayhem, scratching her head and not sure where to begin. “Holy smokes, what is with these guys?” For a few moments she just watched a couple Gakis ineffectually flailing at one another, trading insults that would make a sailor blush. She knew that tempers could flare between tournament fighters, but between the stream monsters that spectated them? Sheesh!

A mild tremor announced Big Band’s approach, and after he stopped beside Nadia he let out a sigh. “I wasn’t gonna get involved, but after seein’ these yokai goin’ at it, I’m gonna have to change my mind. Only a matter of time ‘til someone gets hurt.” He breathed in deep, then deployed an enormous saxophone to shake the whole square with a blast of sound. “Hey, punks!” Band bellowed. “Break it up! Before we break YOU up!”

The Gakis recoiled from the noise, their claws clamped over their ears, but bigger yokai like the Ippon-Datara recovered quickly. “Shut your big ass up!” the one-eyed brute snarled, raising his hammer. “We yokai have every right to complain! The Heavenly Principles treat us like garbage! And no matter how much suckups like you suck ‘em off...” With a roar, he leaped forward. “They won’t save you, either!”

Already stanced up, Band burst forward with Brass Knuckles, tanking the hammer swing to plant his enormous fist in the Ippon-Datara’s center mass. It flew backward with a yelp, landing in a daze, and all around it the Gaki stared. “That guy…” one of them said. “That was super armor!”

“That’s cheap!”

“He’s a fighter?”

“One of those no-skill neutral skippers!”

“Get ‘em!”

As the yokai mob bristled, Nadia stepped up alongside Band. “He’s not the only one! Run home to mama, or you’ll cat-ch these hands, too!” The belligerents did not back down, but that was fine by her. These stream monsters were about to learn that there was a big difference between watching fights and being in them. She sharpened her claws and assumed her fighting stance. “Okay then, let’s see if you’re up to scratch!”

Frozen Highlands - Snowdin

Lvl 8 Sandalphon (49/80) Level 5 Heismay (13/50)
Edward’s @DracoLunaris Blazermate & Sectonia’s @Archmage MC Geralt’s @MULTI_MEDIA_MAN Ace Cadet’s @Yankee Roxas & Ganondorf’s @Double, Celica’s @Sadu Chosen Undead’s @Simple Unicycle, Ramattra’s @XoXKieroBombXoX
Word Count: 631 / 608

Once Edward assembled a troop of rudimentary golems, the artificial regiment got to work. As one might expect from a giant metal box the size of a small bus, the stagecoach demanded both power and coordination to move effectively, but the tactician’s constructs were up to the task. The hellhounds’ labor had revealed two sturdy lengths of chain attached to the front, and though that seemed like an unusual arrangement for horses based on Heismay’s limited experience, those chains allowed the golems to pull the carriage past Snowman Row and back to Snowdin’s main street. Edward stood on the promontory at the wagon’s front, coordinating his crew, while Heismay paced around up top. Progress was steady, but slow; if forced to make do with beasts of burden like these, the Seekers might actually be better off walking.

If nothing else, though, the vantage point allowed Heismay to get a good look at the surrounding area. He could have scaled a snow-capped evergreen or the little mountain to the south for a better view, but this worked well enough, especially with eyes adapted for low-light conditions. Though the cloudy veil over the Frozen Highlands made it as dark as night, the landscape was almost as clear as day to Heismay. Of course, few Snowdin residents were out and about at this hour so there wasn’t much activity to observe, but the eugief did spot one thing that he might not have otherwise. Until now the village seemed to Heismay like a total sitting duck, completely vulnerable against any prospective attack, but now he noticed two riders returning from the nearby forest. They appeared to be two dogs, each armed with a hatchet, dressed in a warm black hoodie, and astride a fluffy blue caribou with impressive cerulean antlers. They could be Snowdin’s defenders, or maybe just woodsmen out to stoke the villagers’ hearth fires, judging by their choice of armament. What interested him most wasn’t the dogs themselves, but their mounts. Large, solidly built, and clearly tame, the caribou struck him as an excellent (and maybe the only) alternative to horses when it came to hauling the stagecoach. “I’ll be right back,” Heismay called down to Edward, and just like that, he was gone.

A moment later, Dogami and Dogaressa found their path obstructed by an arcane golem that appeared out of nowhere, his gleaming armor reflecting the red-and-green holiday lights of Snowdin. Their mounts skidded to a stop, and the dogs -anticipating danger- reached for their axes, but Heismay quickly shed his archetype form and returned to his much smaller, less threatening self. “I beg your pardon for getting your attention in such a manner,” he called to them, bowing apologetically. “I feared that you might trample me elsewise. I am a mere traveler, short of stature and sore of foot. I wanted to ask, if I may, how you came by these magnificent beasts of yours. Such creatures would be invaluable to myself and my travel companions on the long road ahead.”

The dogs informed him that their mounts were called Reindrix, and they could be found all over the Highlands in small herds of three or four, especially around juniper and evergreen huckleberry shrubs. Though dangerous if provoked, with antlers that could freeze almost anything with just one touch, they could be broken in and tamed with arcane items called Pal Spheres. Unfortunately, the dogs had forgotten where they got their Pal Spheres. Heismay thanked them for their time and returned to Edward, with whom he shared what he’d learned.

---

While Heismay and Edward braved the wintry winds outside, Geralt settled into Grillby’s, with his eyes on the diner’s fiery proprietor. Grillby gave the Witcher a wordless nod and set about fetching his coffee, heating the water simply by holding a metal cup of it in his hand. When Geralt asked him about Baldur, though, the elemental gave him a curious look.

“The tattooed man?” Grillby’s voice was raspy and dry. “That thug…he doesn’t feel heat, cold, pain, or much of anything. He cares about just one thing: a worthy challenge. Any big lightshow draws him like a moth to flame. So just lay low, don’t go looking for trouble, and that tattooed hooligan will pass you right by.” Grillby slid Geralt’s steaming mug across the counter, then adjusted his glasses. “Of course, he doesn’t come by this place much. No worthy challenges ‘round here. Snowdin’s probably the safest place you can be.” With that, Grillby went back to cleaning. Right now he had only a few patrons besides Geralt, all quietly minding their own business over bowls of hot porridge and sweet, wild-grown bilberries.

---

Meanwhile, Blazermate’s aerial wandering had led her to several discoveries, of which the stately mountainside manor was only the first. On the way there, she happened to make the chance acquaintance of a fellow machine, the itinerant monk Ramattra. His appearance was unexpected but welcome, since the medabot didn’t have any other company at the moment, and once introduced the two could proceed along the southern path together. On the other side of the twisted deadwood tangle, an old path led upward along the precipice that loomed over the half-frozen southeastern lake. At the end of the well-worn steps stood a tall, creaky wrought-iron fence, and past the withered gray garden within lay the ]mansion itself, veiled in misty spray from the waterfall behind it.

The two robots would find the door unlocked, and inside lay a once-lavish estate, ravaged by time and looters alike. Winter’s chill had taken up residence in the dusty halls and parlors that bore traces of relatively recent habitation, but no signs of life, not even mice. The place was as eerie as it was drafty, not helped by the dozens and dozens of dolls that inhabited its shelves and moth-eaten futons. When they visited the basement, they found evidence (such as a modern sleeping bag and a number of discarded wrappers and water bottles) that at least one person had been living there for some time, in large part thanks to a peculiar installation identified as a Little Inferno Entertainment Fireplace, according to the logo that marked it as a proud product of Tomorrow Corp. A handful of random burned items could be found therein, some with a gold coin or two hidden among the ashes.

Of course, it was only a matter of time until things went south. The old house itself creaked and groaned unnervingly often, but eventually the creaking directly beneath Ramattra and Blazermate became too loud to ignore. It was at that point that clawed metal hands ripped through the floorboards, and a handful of robot zombies made their presence known. Eager to sup on oil and sink their teeth deep into circuit boards, the ambushers went after the uninvited guests, their metallic screeches quite horrible. Though they numbered only five strong, they could continue to function without their limbs or even their heads, and their claws could cut through iron like butter. If they could clear the manor out, though, it would be perfect to use as a temporary base.

---

One Sandalphon requested assistance, Celica volunteered with understandable speed. Knowing that the rather lightly dressed gunslinger would be eager to take shelter from the cold, the archangel agreed right away. Without a moment’s hesitation Celica then sped toward Morshu’s Emporium with Jack Frost nipping at her heels, and Sandalphon followed behind at a more measured pace, her expression one of mild amusement.

An elaborate gong announced the visitor’s presence as they entered. Inside the aptly-named emporium the Seekers were treated to an intriguing cross between a general store, pawn shop, and private gallery. Alongside every batch of everyday goods was some one-of-a-kind artifact or trinket, many of debatable value but unquestionable visual appeal. Such was the sheer quantity and disorganization on display that Sandalphon -who happened to be more than a little OCD- found herself baffled and quite overwhelmed. Ironically for the team’s newly-minted leader, she defaulted to following Celica’s lead through the store. It took the bombastic entrance of Morshu himself to bring her to her senses.

Of course, by that point the challenge became getting a word in edgewise as the salesman showed off his wares, putting his powers of deductive reasoning to work. Unfortunately, many of his offerings were well outside the Seekers’ means. Once Morshu’s verbal avalanche came to an end, Celica glanced expectantly at Sandalphon, indicating that it was time for her to take charge.

“You’re very astute, Mr. Morshu,” she began. “We are indeed here for apparel, and we can pay with zenny. However, our funds are limited, and we have eight people in need of winter clothes. We require no special gear effects beyond insulation against the cold. Do you have anything more affordable?”

Morshu did not hide his disappointment, but after a moment he tapped his nose twice with a broad, knowing smile. “Ah, not to worry, not to worry! I cater to even the…mmm, HUMBLEST of clients. Right this way, ladies!”

Trying to stay focused amidst all the visual chaos, Sandalphon followed him as he shuffled a few shelves down to where more ordinary outfits dangled from clothes hangers in bulk. “Behold!” Morshu gestured proudly. “These parkas are everyone the average winter wonderlander could want! Soft as silk, lined with _synthetic Topi fur, and highly adjustable, with hoods and complimentary mittens. They’ll keep you as warm as a summer’s day, satisfaction guaranteed! And as you can see, available in a wide variety of colors! All for a su-PREMELY affordable price–why, I dare you to name me a better bargain in all the Highlands!”

Sandalphon zeroed in on the price tag and calculated the total cost instantaneously. “These are suitable. Would you mind giving us a few minutes to make our selection?”

“But of course!” Morshu bowed his head and backed away. “And if you have any questions, you have but to ask!”

Once he disappeared, Sandalphon let out her breath. She stepped to the other side of the parka rack in order to look them over with Celica, then glanced at the other woman with her pupils in the shape of carets. “Thank you for your assistance. I find clutter extremely distracting…the urge to organize in here is almost overpowering.” Her pupils became stress marks. “Vociferous people can be difficult to deal with as well, so a quiet presence is comforting. That said, this is quite the conundrum.” She looked between the different parkas, just a little bit distressed. “What color would everyone want? Sectonia might want purple, the color of royalty, but she could want gold, or perhaps even pink like her crystals. Would Ganondorf want an ominous black, or aggressive red…?” Celica might not be any better equipped to solve this problem like Sandalphon, but sometimes, difficult choices had to be made.

Outside, all of the Seekers had split up to spread throughout the town and accomplish their various tasks. All but one. Accustomed to a world of ruined and long-dead civilizations, with only a handful of sane people to talk to and only monsters inhabiting its decrepit hamlets and keeps, Kit was probably feeling a bit overwhelmed himself. Not everyone had declared aloud their intentions before going their separate ways, so he didn’t know what still needed doing.

Kit wasn’t alone, though. The Soothsayers still stood by their burn barrel, and with nobody else around, they had been staring at Ki for quite some time now. Eventually, they turned toward him, and though a couple dozen feet away, began to speak. Both heads took turns talking, completing one another's sentences in identical reedy, garbled voices.

“Dreadful was the day…that the sun vanished. The waters…dried up. The birds…went quiet. And the darkness itself…seeped, unchecked, into the Highlands.” Their necks suddenly twisted sideways, both heads separating at ninety-degree angles, before twisting upright again. The night that followed…would be long. As long as…the Midnight Walk.”

The Soothsayers’ crimson eyes seemed to bore deep into Kit’s being. “You…chosen one. Destined, it seems…to be kindling. The days…are getting colder. If the night continues…the cold will be our doom. Your fate awaits you…at the end of the Midnight Walk. At the top…of Moon Mountain. There, you must do…what need be done.”

Having said their peace, the Soothsayers returned to their fire, but they continued to stare. And stare. And stare.

World of Light: the Endless Now (The Ultimate Videogame Crossover)

<Snipped quote by Lugubrious>

Aww, thanks! I sure would love to join the Discord server, so I can get to know every member better.

I just checked the Characters tab again. His grandkids are Bart and Marg, right? Finding this group for the first time, I had no idea that Terry was something of a core figure to some of the characters here lol, which is great. This should make for an interesting sub-plot where Terry learns more about his older self through his grandkids.

Btw, who’s in the Gold Team? Are his grandkids part of them? I read that Sakura is heading there, too. Is she also part of them? Because, y’know, I feel like Terry might need to meet a familiar face to help him clear his skepticism surrounding the World of Light.

@Terry Bogard

Right! The grandkids are not part of Gold Team, they're back on the Avenger, so that'll be something for another time. Right now that team's roster is Junior, Rika, Amaterasu, Roland, Zenkichi, Pit, Primrose, Therion, Sakura, Juri’s, Captain Falcon, Harry, Big Band, and Ms Fortune. Make sure you check out the 'Fields of Gold' section of the latest update!

World of Light: the Endless Now (The Ultimate Videogame Crossover)

<Snipped quote by Lugubrious>

Np. I’ve actually revised it. I just thought that my previous In the Now synopsis sounds a bit bombastic, so I decided to ditch the Terry vs. Geese bit and rewrite most of it. Also, in addition to the Personality section, I’ve also added a slight bit of additional info to the Skills section (the Enhanced Sense and Durability part). Hope this one is better than the last:

“Hey, c’mon, c’mon!”

Name :
Terry Bogard

Origin :
The King of Fighters

Job :
Part-time employee

Level :
9

EXP :
TBA

Appearance

Terry is a Caucasian man with toned physique and long blonde hair that he often keeps in a ponytail. He usually sports a casual getup consisting of a red sleeveless jacket with a large star emblem decking its back, a white shirt with torn sleeves, black biker gloves, blue vintage jeans, red-and-white sneakers, and a baseball cap of the matching color scheme. A logo written ‘Fatal Fury’ decks the white front of the cap, making it the most striking feature of his iconic outfit.

Personality

Despite his rocky past, Terry is a charismatic, happy-go-lucky every man who’s easy to get along with just about anybody. Terry is playful and would often quip on his opponents during their matches. He never bears an ill-will towards anybody other than the murderer of his surrogate father, Geese Howard, and the outright malicious hitman, Ryuji Yamazaki.

A kindhearted man and a role model to many, Terry appears to be forgiving at times. Despite what Geese did to his father, he still takes his son, Rock Howard, under his wing after the notorious kingpin chose to abandon his family, attempting to bury the hatchet between them. Terry is also known to be an altruistic figure. He’s willing to put his life on the line when necessary. The conclusion of the King of Fighters 2000 saw Terry staying behind the collapsing NESTS base to give room for his teammates to escape. Fortunately, it was revealed that he survived the collapse later on.

Background

Following the brutal demise of his surrogate father at the hands of the notorious Geese Howard, Terry and his brother Andy went on a decade-long training to exact their vengeance. Having learned chi-gathering techniques from the Hakkyokuseiken school, Terry extended his training when he traveled across the States, partaking in street fights after street fights as well as learning new techniques along the way. Alongside Andy and Muay Thai champion Joe Higashi, he returned to South Town to enter the annual King of Fighters tournament hosted by Geese. Ultimately, the brothers successfully avenged the death of their father when Terry defeated Geese to become the new King of Fighters, kicking the latter off the top of his towering headquarters.

Just a year later, Terry’s victory caught the attention of Wolfgang Krauser, the earl of the wealthy Stroheim family. As Krauser took the King of Fighters tournament to the global stage, he invited Terry to participate alongside other martial artists across the globe. As it was the prior tournament, Terry managed to make the cut to the finals, facing the sponsor himself. The battle was intense, yet Terry managed to beat Krauser clean, as the entire world witnessed the champion defend his title.

Following his consecutive victories, Terry and his comrades, Andy and Joe, received the invitation letters to the team-based King of Fighters ’94 tournament sponsored by Rugal Bernstein while on a vacation in Italy. Sensing the possible involvements of Geese and Krauser, the trio decided to enter the tournament as Team Fatal Fury. Although they didn’t win the tournament, the team would continue to become the mainstay of every team-based King of Fighters to date. The members might’ve changed a couple of times, but Terry will always be present as the team leader.

In the Now

Terry’s life barely changed following the merging of universes. Residing in Esaka, he spent most of his time taking odd jobs, as well as competing in street fights to raise his rank. Week after week, however, he began to feel that something was missing. He’d been feeling lonely and disconnected, alienated in this brand new world he was sucked into. What was once his lifetime passion had turned into daily chores, as fear of the unknown became too much for the thrill of the bout to handle. Memories of his family and old friends often crossed his mind. He’d been missing them, yet he still hadn’t found a way to reconnect with them, let alone knowing where they were. Despite the myriad of new fans who adored his fighting skills, he barely felt like he belonged.

However, things began to change following a chance encounter. One afternoon, after completing his daily dose of street fight, Terry stumbled upon the newly opened Pao Pao Café 7 by the bustling corner of the city. Believing it was related to the original Pao Pao Café he used to visit in South Town regularly, he entered, only to be greeted by a familiar face he hadn’t met since the World of Light was established. The said familiar face was none other than Richard Meyer, Terry’s long-time buddy and the owner of the original café. The two hugged each other upon reuniting, then began to talk about a lot of things surrounding their new lives out of longing. Later, Terry would ask Richard whether he knew where their other acquaintances were, which Richard didn’t have a clue, either. He instead informed Terry that The King of Fighters XVI was rumored to take place in Esaka, where every competitor from across the World of Light was welcomed to participate. Afraid that Geese or any of the previous sponsors might be involved, Terry decided to investigate the rumors further, all while hoping that he’d find some luck reuniting with his close acquaintances.

Specialty

Terry is a proficient hand-to-hand combatant. He is a master of various martial arts disciplines, including boxing, karate, kungfu, kickboxing, street-brawling, and Hakkyokuseiken. This impressive feat allows him to easily adapt to other competitors, as well as giving him a much needed flexibility during a match.

Inventory

Duffel Bag : A large bag made of fabric that Terry always brings in his travels containing the following items:

• Food and Water Supplies : Important supplies to prevent Terry from starving and thirsting in his travels.
• Additional Clothes : In case his current outfit gets stained or scathed as his adventure progresses.
• Map : The map helps Terry navigate through unfamiliar places within this strange, new world.
• Neo Geo Pocket Color : A retro handheld gaming console that Terry often plays in his pastimes.

Abilities

• Special Moves – Terry is capable of drawing ki-energy to create powerful attacks. He can shoot waves of energy dubbed the “Power Wave” or incorporate the said ki-energy to perform physical attacks such as the Burning Knuckle, Crack Shot, Power Dunk, Rising Tackle, Power Charge, etc.
• Desperation Moves – Stronger variations of special moves, Terry can create explosive attacks once pressured or close to running out of health. He can erupt geysers of energy dubbed the “Power Geyser,” create a massive hurricane dubbed “Hadō Senpuukyaku,” or shoot a massive spark of energy while performing the more physical Buster Wolf. A fighting genius, Terry will often find ways to combine his special moves with/or desperation moves into a single, consecutive assault, such as Triple Wolf and Rising Fang.
• Advance Mode – While activating Advance Mode, Terry will strike a pose, as a golden energy flashes around him. This will increase the amount of damage his attacks could inflict, as well as helping him endure lesser impact from his opponent’s attacks. However, this mode wouldn’t last for too long, and by the time the flashing energy fades, his abilities revert back to normal.
• Extra Mode – While activating Extra Mode, Terry will take a stance, as he centers the surrounding energy around him. A blue, ever-illuminating aura will circle him, the more he charges himself with energy. Once sufficiently drawn, Terry can use the energy to execute one of his desperation moves against his opponent.

Skills

• Enhanced Sense – Terry’s sharp instincts allow him to sense anybody nearby without having to look at them.
• Enhanced Durability – Terry is capable of receiving stiff punishing attacks and shrugging them off like they are nothing. This is proven to be helpful against brutes like Krauser and Grant. On top of that, he’s also shown to be surviving a collapsing structure on two different occasions: during The King of Fighters ’99 and 2000.
• Enhanced Reflexes – Terry’s sharp reflexes allow him to anticipate any attack swiftly and precisely.
• Survival Instinct – Growing up in the mean streets of South Town helps Terry develop a strong survival instinct that prevents him from whatever the possible dangers lurking within the city. He also possesses an extensive knowledge of what goes on in South Town, occasionally assisting his partner Blue Mary in her investigations.
• Leadership – Terry possesses extensive experiences leading his very own Team Fatal Fury in the King of Fighters tournaments.

Weaknesses

• Knockout – Like other fighters, Terry is prone to getting knocked out when he’s running out of health. When entering this state, he’ll remain unconscious for a while before having his health fully recovered. If the fight lasts more than a round, he’ll be recovered automatically upon entering the next round.
• Parry – Focusing on the offenses can often come with risks. Terry’s offensive approach to a fight often allows his opponent to parry his attacks on the spot—moreso, when he throws a punch, a kick, or executes a physical special move. When parried, his attacks will deal with little to no damage depending on the severity of them.
• Stun – Like other fighters, Terry is prone to getting stunned. This could happen when his opponent showers him with excessive rounds of attacks which he fails to counter. When entering this state, Terry will take a moment to regather his strength, dazed and unable to retaliate. Depending on the severity, it’ll usually take a moment until Terry is fully recovered.
• Tardy – Don’t expect Terry to come at time because, most likely, he won’t. It’s no secret that he’s one of the tardiest people in all of South Town. The best instance is when he reunited with his teammates for the King of Fighters XIII tournament. He came half an hour late to their rendezvous, much to Joe’s annoyance.

Spirits

TBA

Rapport

TBA

Additional Note

• This version of Terry is based on his King of Fighters counterpart with some inspirations drawn from his original series, Fatal Fury, as well as its anime adaptations.

@Terry Bogard

Terry is approved! You can put him in the Characters tab, and if you like, I can send you a link to the RP Discord server in a DM. We do most of our day-to-day chatting in there.

As for Terry's entrance, you could have him meet the incoming Gold Team in the farmland north of Esaka if you like, or wait for us to reach the city itself in a week or two, potentially doing some solo posting (with my help of course to play NPCs and help set the scene) until then. I don't exactly want him to be the one giving the grand tour of Esaka to the newcomers since that would just essentially be me using your character as my mouthpiece, but he could definitely welcome the rest of us with a friendly duel that leads to him being freed from the Gleaming status with a friend heart.

After all (this may be something of an info bomb) Terry is something of a familiar face to some of our characters. Two previous iterations of him have already been encountered in some way in the World of Light. In fact, a previous iteration of him was the grandfather of two of the current Lost Numbers (whose sheet can be found buried in the Characters tab header). So we'd have ample reason to want to free him upon meeting him.

World of Light: the Endless Now (The Ultimate Videogame Crossover)

<Snipped quote by Lugubrious>

Thank you so much for the feedback! Took almost an entire day to write + format them lol. I have to say, the attaching external links bit was the trickiest of them all. I feel like it’s needed if anybody doesn’t know the characters, places, or other lore stuff I mentioned and wanted to learn more about them.

And yes, I can move the Terry vs. Geese bit to the Background section, tho the problem is that it’s not exactly canon to the KOF lore—just something I wrote loosely based on Terry’s RB1 ending. It’s a similar finish with a bit of a twist (Geese dragging Terry along so he could continue fighting him in the afterlife, instead of knocking Terry’s hand away). Is it alright to include it to the Background section?

As for Richard and his Pao Pao Café, actually, the main reason why I have them—including Terry—in Mafia Town is because Mafia Town is the closest I can get to South Town. Both are ruled by mobsters and known for their beaches, so I feel like Terry and the supporting cast of Fatal Fury could fit right in. But sure, it’s all good! I can move them to Esaka and have Terry be its resident for about a week since he’s brought to the World of Light. Also, I believe I just misunderstood the plot’s main premise a bit, so I’ll ditch the part where Terry forgets who he is.

I’ll be working on the revision ASAP. Also, if it’s ok, I might wanna add one more piece of info in the Personality section. I feel like I should bring up Terry’s altruistic side while describing his kind-hearted quality.

@Terry Bogard

You can include that in Background, and of course you can add to the personality section. Thanks for all the extra insight, and apologies for the misunderstanding.

World of Light: the Endless Now (The Ultimate Videogame Crossover)

Done!

Is there anything I need to change, @Lugubrious?

“Hey, c’mon, c’mon!”

Name :
Terry Bogard

Origin :
The King of Fighters

Job :
Part-time employee

Appearance

Terry is a Caucasian man with toned physique and long blonde hair that he often keeps in a ponytail. He usually sports a casual getup consisting of a red sleeveless jacket with a large star emblem decking its back, a white shirt with torn sleeves, black biker gloves, blue vintage jeans, red-and-white sneakers, and a baseball cap of the matching color scheme. A logo written ‘Fatal Fury’ decks the white front of the cap, making it the most striking feature of his iconic outfit.

Personality

Despite his rocky past, Terry is a charismatic, happy-go-lucky every man who’s easy to get along with just about anybody. Terry is playful and would often quip on his opponents during their matches. He never bears an ill-will towards anybody other than the murderer of his surrogate father, Geese Howard, and the outright malicious hitman, Ryuji Yamazaki.

A kindhearted man, Terry appears to be forgiving at times. Despite what Geese did to his father, he still takes his son, Rock Howard, under his wing after the notorious kingpin chose to abandon his family, attempting to bury the hatchet between them.

Background

Following the brutal demise of his surrogate father at the hands of the notorious Geese Howard, Terry and his brother Andy went on a decade-long training to exact their vengeance. Having learned chi-gathering techniques from the Hakkyokuseiken school, Terry extended his training when he traveled across the States, partaking in street fights after street fights as well as learning new techniques along the way. Alongside Andy and Muay Thai champion Joe Higashi, he returned to South Town to enter the annual King of Fighters tournament hosted by Geese. Ultimately, the brothers successfully avenged the death of their father when Terry defeated Geese to become the new King of Fighters, kicking the latter off the top of his towering headquarters.

Just a year later, Terry’s victory caught the attention of Wolfgang Krauser, the earl of the wealthy Stroheim family. As Krauser took the King of Fighters tournament to the global stage, he invited Terry to participate alongside other martial artists across the globe. As it was the prior tournament, Terry managed to make the cut to the finals, facing the sponsor himself. The battle was intense, yet Terry managed to beat Krauser clean, as the entire world witnessed the champion defend his title.

Following his consecutive victories, Terry and his comrades, Andy and Joe, received the invitation letters to the team-based King of Fighters ’94 tournament sponsored by Rugal Bernstein while on a vacation in Italy. Sensing the possible involvements of Geese and Krauser, the trio decided to enter the tournament as Team Fatal Fury. Although they didn’t win the tournament, the team would continue to become the mainstay of every team-based King of Fighters to date. The members might’ve changed a couple of times, but Terry will always be present as the team leader.

In the Now

By the time the merging of universes took place, Geese had already been elected as the new mayor of South Town. Just a year into his mayoral term, he sponsored the sixteenth King of Fighters tournament in South Town, reverting the competition back to its original one-on-one format. Terry became one of the contestants, and after having to compete against former champions and fellow regular contestants, he’d made the cut to the finals.

The battle exploded, as Terry faced the sponsor by the roof of Geese Tower. It was a brutal match, so to speak. Geese’s unusually offensive approach had left Terry battered, bruises and scars covering his face and biceps. It appeared that Geese had gotten a lot stronger since their last encounter, and Terry was unprepared for it. Just when Geese was about to finish him with a Raging Storm, however, a miracle happened. A surge of energy engulfed Terry, as he utilized the remaining strength he had left in him. He flailed the ground as hard as he could, unleashing three rounds of Power Geysers in Geese’s direction. The geysers didn’t just manage to calm the Raging Storm, but also sent Geese flying out of the roof.

Geese fell, but not until Terry held him by the hand, preventing his nemesis from falling further. Although in his weakest state, he tried as best as he could to pull Geese back to the roof, only for the latter to drag him along. Both men fell, seemingly plunging towards their ends. Unbeknownst to Terry, this was far from the end. A bizarre, new adventure had awaited him.

Waking up, Terry found himself stranded in the middle of Mafia Town, his injuries intact and most of his past memories deleted. He didn’t know who he was and what he was. To make matters worse, a group of Mafia Goons jumped on him upon arrival, convinced he was one of the island’s old inhabitants they hadn’t gotten rid off. Thankfully, somebody came to his rescue, helping Terry deal with the goons. The rescuer introduced himself as “Richard,” who believed to have seen Terry somewhere in the past. Learning about his critical condition, he brought Terry to his Pao Pao Café, letting him stay there until he was fully recovered. Eventually, he recruited Terry as his bouncer, having him protect the café from the Mafia Goons sent by the Mafia Boss to disrupt the rivaling restaurants.

Several years had passed. Terry had begun to feel that something was missing from him. He’d stayed in the Now for so long, yet he still hadn’t figured out who and what he was prior to the day he was discovered in Mafia Town. Knowing Terry’s fiery fighting spirit, Richard suggested he should go to Esaka, believing it might help him rediscover himself as a big tournament was about to be held there. Learning that the city was inhabited by fighters of his caliber, Terry decided to depart from Mafia Town to Esaka, trying to find himself again.

Specialty

Terry is a proficient hand-to-hand combatant. He is a master of various martial arts disciplines, including boxing, karate, kungfu, kickboxing, street-brawling, and Hakkyokuseiken. This impressive feat allows him to easily adapt to other competitors, as well as giving him a much needed flexibility during a match.

Inventory

Duffel Bag : A large bag made of fabric that Terry always brings in his travels containing the following items:

• Food and Water Supplies : Important supplies to prevent Terry from starving and thirsting in his travels.
• Additional Clothes : In case his current outfit gets stained or scathed as his adventure progresses.
• Map : The map helps Terry navigate through unfamiliar places within this strange, new world.
• Neo Geo Pocket Color : A retro handheld gaming console that Terry often plays in his pastimes.

Lv : 9

EXP : TBA

Abilities

• Special Moves – Terry is capable of drawing ki-energy to create powerful attacks. He can shoot waves of energy dubbed the “Power Wave” or incorporate the said ki-energy to perform physical attacks such as the Burning Knuckle, Crack Shot, Power Dunk, Rising Tackle, Power Charge, etc.
• Desperation Moves – Stronger variations of special moves, Terry can create explosive attacks once pressured or close to running out of health. He can erupt geysers of energy dubbed the “Power Geyser” or shoot a massive spark of energy while performing the more physical Buster Wolf. A fighting genius, Terry will often find ways to combine his special moves with/or desperation moves into a single, consecutive assault, such as Triple Wolf and Rising Fang.
• Advance Mode – While activating Advance Mode, Terry will strike a pose, as a golden energy flashes around him. This will increase the amount of damage his attacks could inflict, as well as helping him endure lesser impact from his opponent’s attacks. However, this mode wouldn’t last for too long, and by the time the flashing energy fades, his abilities revert back to normal.
• Extra Mode – While activating Extra Mode, Terry will take a stance, as he centers the surrounding energy around him. A blue, ever-illuminating aura will circle him, the more he charges himself with energy. Once sufficiently drawn, Terry can use the energy to execute one of his desperation moves against his opponent.

Skills

• Enhanced Sense – Terry’s sharp instincts allow him to sense anybody nearby without having to look at them.
• Enhanced Durability – Terry is capable of receiving stiff punishing attacks and shrugging them off like they are nothing. This is proven to be helpful against brutes like Krauser and Grant.
• Enhanced Reflexes – Terry’s sharp reflexes allow him to dodge any attacks precisely.
• Survival Instinct – Growing up in the mean streets of South Town helps Terry develop a strong survival instinct that prevents him from whatever the possible dangers lurking within the city. He also possesses an extensive knowledge of what goes on in South Town, occasionally assisting his partner Blue Mary. in her investigations.
• Leadership – Terry possesses extensive experiences leading his very own Team Fatal Fury in the King of Fighters tournaments.

Weaknesses

• Knockout – Like other fighters, Terry is prone to getting knocked out when he’s running out of health. When entering this state, he’ll remain unconscious for a while before having his health fully recovered. If the fight lasts more than a round, he’ll be recovered automatically upon entering the next round.
• Parry – Focusing on the offenses can often come with risks. Terry’s offensive approach to a fight often allows his opponent to parry his attacks on the spot—moreso, when he throws a punch, a kick, or executes a physical special move. When parried, his attacks will deal with little to no damage depending on the severity of them.
• Stun – Like other fighters, Terry is prone to getting stunned. This could happen when his opponent showers him with excessive rounds of attacks which he fails to counter. When entering this state, Terry will take a moment to regather his strength, dazed and unable to retaliate. Depending on the severity, it’ll usually take a moment until Terry is fully recovered.
• Tardy – Don’t expect Terry to come at time because, most likely, he won’t. It’s no secret that he’s one of the tardiest people in all of South Town. The best instance is when he reunited with his teammates for the King of Fighters XIII tournament. He came half an hour late to their rendezvous, much to Joe’s annoyance.

Spirits

TBA

Rapport

TBA

Additional Note

• This version of Terry is based on his King of Fighters counterpart with some inspirations drawn from his original series, Fatal Fury, as well as its anime adaptations.

@Terry Bogard

Wow, you were incredibly thorough when it came to providing sources / relevant links for extra background info and explanation. You also did a pretty good job with the In the Now section, intuiting what places in the World of Light are like. It's really a high-effort sheet, and 99% of it is great. I would only say that everything prior to Galeem's omnipocalypse should occur in the Background section, and that should only encompass canon events.

Part of why I recommended waiting on the In the Now section is that everyone incarnates into the World of Light with the 'gleaming' status, which requires a touch extra explanation. People don't necessarily lose all their memories, just those related to Galeem and the world's end. They should still know who they are, they just don't exactly remember how they got here, and they're unable to recognize the 'wrongness' of the World of Light, almost like being in a dream. Because Mafia Town and Esaka are a really, really long way away, and most communities tend to be isolated, I would personally recommend transplanting the story about Richard and Pao Pao Cafe into Esaka itself, and maybe only having his time extend back a week or so rather than years. Does that sound alright?

World of Light: the Endless Now (The Ultimate Videogame Crossover)

Forbidden Kingdom - Fields of Gold

Lvl 15 Ms Fortune (117/150) Level 11 Big Band (20/110)
Junior, Rika & Amaterasu’s @DracoLunaris Roland’s @Archmage MC Zenkichi’s @MULTI_MEDIA_MAN Pit, Primrose & Therion’s @Yankee Sakura & Juri’s @Zoey Boey Captain Falcon’s @Double, Harry’s @Eviledd1984
Word Count: 2314

As Gold Team geared up to head down to deployment, Nadia couldn’t help but smile at the eclectic bunch she’d wound up with. Just having an ordinary-looking wolf on the team tickled her pink, and while she happened to prefer small dogs, she couldn’t help but be jealous of Pit when Amaterasu let him stroke her. If excessive praise would grant her access to that heavenly fluff, the feral would be sure to inform Amaterasu that she was a good girl whenever remotely possible. She was a little less enthused about Harry, whose smile she returned without it reaching her eyes. She couldn’t help but feel somewhat repelled by him, and after humoring him with a handshake she beat a hasty retreat toward Primrose. She did feel bad about judging a book by its cover, but if he wanted to give out good first impressions he really ought to take better care of himself in the first place.

Of course, Nadia’s proximity to the dancer prompted her friend to prod her about Ace, which earned her an unashamed smile. “Uh huh! We watched this cheesy movie together. That dipstick kept jokin’ about it the whole time, tryin’ to make me laugh. Wouldn’t shut up ‘til I took his breath away~” After that, though, she and the others needed to troop downstairs, which for the most part put an end to the casual conversation. A new adventure was just a drop away.

Neither Nadia Fortune nor Big Band had made a habit of descending to the planet’s surface via hellpod, and neither relished the experience. In fact, Band had no idea how he managed to cram himself into one in the first place, since the detective happened to be bigger than any hellpod. He could only assume that the oversized bullets employed some sort of magic in order to stuff him inside, and as one might imagine, the end result was a very snug fit. So this is how it feels to be a sardine, Band thought, though by his reckoning both sardines in a can and peas in a pod had a lot more space than he did. At least the tight squeeze meant that he didn’t get jostled around inside a roomy can on the way down, but it also meant that he felt every little bit of turbulence. Even for a seasoned beat cop with nerves of steel, dropping via hellpod was a terrifying experience, convincing every fiber of his being that death was imminent. To keep his life from flashing before his eyes Band kept them squeezed shut the whole time, his jaw clenched tight. When the hellpod finally made impact, the surprise just about gave Band a heart attack. A guttural bellow tore itself free from his iron lungs, cold sweat running down his face. The next moment the hellpod’s lid popped off and its floor rose to lift the detective up into the open air, but it would take him a few more moments to stop hyperventilating.

Around him, the other hellpods that slammed down coughed up their rattled occupants one by one. Not far away, Nadia greeted the sunshine with a clumsy stagger and a head literally spinning on her shoulders. After a couple seconds she reached up and grabbed her head to stop it, but even then her eyes were as wide as saucers, and both her hair and the fur on her tail stood on end. Only then did she let out what she’d been sure would be her last breath, a full-body sigh that left her doubled over, her arms drooping down to the ground on cords of red muscle fiber. “Haah…haah…sheesh. My insides are almost outsides…can anyone give me a CAT scan?” The catgirl counted her lucky stars that she’d managed to keep her breakfast down the whole time.

When the new arrivals looked up, though, they would quickly forget about the hellpods. After all, they’d landed in a region of astonishing natural beauty. Around them, sprawling fields of wheatgrass and rice stretched as far as the eye could see, spanning both rolling hills and vast plains. Interspersed among the fields were clannish copses and strands of aged trees, as well as lone dwellings belonging to the humble folk who farmed this land. Some could be seen poling bamboo rafts down the winding, reed-lined rivers that snaked through the countryside, occasionally accompanied by Ashigumo field guards as they took goods to and from market. A strong northern breeze bowed the grains, stretched the clotheslines, and billowed the canopies in rhythmic waves. It caught Nadia’s hair, her clothes, and the bright red armband tied around her left sleeve. Flying leaves and seeds drew Nadia’s gaze southward toward a long, well-traveled path through the fields, and in the distance her keen eyes could catch the faint outline what did in fact look like a giant wedding cake, a tiered city of immense proportions. The presence of a nearby crossroads sign confirmed that this place was indeed Esaka, Gold Team’s destination, and that its members had a fairly long road ahead of them.

That sign also indicated a couple of other destinations in various directions. To the east lay Dihua Marsh, a vast wetland. Above it, much farther away than Esaka, floated what at first looked like a giant bell, but what was in truth the Imperial Palace, a celestial citadel of green and gold whose huge draconic fountainheads continuously replenished the water that cascaded down into Empty Space. Far to the north, the lush landscape gradually grew rockier and more hostile, eventually becoming a wasteland valley flanked by immense, ominous mountains. To the northeast, clear blue skies gave way to a blighted, brownish atmosphere that hung thick over a region of rancid overgrowth, where the line between plant and animal blurred in abhorrent fashion. According to the signpost, the Village of Whispers could be found beyond. An arrow labeled ‘Tyrannian Plateau’ pointed toward reptile-ridden badlands in the northwest, while white clouds blanketed the western highlands.

Before Gold Team could go anywhere, though, Sakura got everyone’s attention and launched into an introduction of Esaka, explaining some of what the city would have in store for everyone. As she listened, Nadia limbered herself up. She stretched her legs and arms, arched her back, rotated her joints, cracked her knuckles, and breathed deep of the crisp, clean air. The refreshingly cool breeze and soothingly warm sunbeams created a pleasant, temperate atmosphere, perfect for adventure. It sounded like the heroes could look forward to a lot of fighting in Esaka, hopefully more organized -and less lethal- than what they’d become accustomed to. “Tournaments, huh? Wonder how’d I’d do,” she muttered to herself. “‘Course, I’d shoot for furst purrlace.”

It also sounded like the city’s fighting culture led to some serious class divides, though. If fighting ability determined one’s place in society, Nadia could only imagine a terribly vicious and cutthroat sort of civilization, even compared to how things were in New Meridian. Hopefully she’d prove herself strong enough that she had nothing to worry about, but coming out on top didn’t make the system right. When Sakura started talking about Yokai, Livestream, and Stream Monsters, the feral started to lose the plot a little -this place really was pretty- but she got the gist: these critters essentially made the whole tournament society possible. When the exposition concluded, Nadia just nodded. People could talk to her until they were blue in the face, but she was a visual, hands-on kind of learner, so the best way for her to really get a feel for Esaka would be to get there and dive in for herself. “Sounds yo-kinda fun. When we get there, you’ll have to give us the grand tour-nament!”

Compared to Nadia, Band listened a lot more intently. Like any good detective, he tended to file away all the information he got, immediately useful or not, in case any detail turned out to be important to his investigation later. Band remembered Gold Team’s main objective, after all, and he wasn’t as easily sidetracked as some of his teammates. “Hate to burst y’all’s bubble, but we shouldn’t get into any tournaments unless it’s a shot at our target. First order of business is to get a bead on that Guardian, wherever -and whatever- it might be. We wanna look into local legends, authority figures, all that jazz. If I learned anythin’ in Edinburgh, it's that the Guardian ain’t always a giant monster.”

He glanced at Primrose, then Pit. “B and R, huh? Well, at least we know what letters we’re up against. We’ll have to keep an eye out. Don’t wanna announce ourselves ‘til we know what we’re doin’. Gonna be hard enough sussin’ out the Guardian without Moebius makin’ things difficult.” Hopefully R stuck to his distant stomping grounds, and B to that stormy mountain of hers. There was no telling what could happen, though, especially if some crony raised the alarm. And who knew how long it would before another J rose to take the dead one’s place? Pit had a point about disguises, but spirits could work just as well. Considering that Band was still his original self, he probably needed to start fusing soon anyway, lest he fall behind the rest.

“Shao Khan, Rugal, Heihachi, Bison,” Nadia repeated. She didn’t recognize them, of course, but they sounded like a big deal. Especially to Juri, who seemed to have some history with Bison. Maybe busting him up would help work out her frustrations? Probably not. Just as Primrose said, villains in power were nothing new. At this point, it would be a welcome surprise if the people in charge weren’t secretly (or not-so-secretly) evil. Being a hero would simply be too easy otherwise. “Knowin’ how this usually goes, we’ll be stickin’ it to the killer quarter be-four long.” When Pit asked who wanted to compete, Nadia gave him a grin. “Me, of course! This kitty’s tourna-meant for one-vee-ones!”

Band was not quite as eager. “Hmm…if I need to,” he conceded. “I can pack a real punch, but I ain’t no spring chicken. I’d be better off helpin’ in other ways.” He considered Rika’s question about the Flame Clock. Her guess made sense, but part of him suspected that these tournaments might not be as nonlethal as Sakura made them sound.

Once Pit, the acting team leader, rallied everyone, it was time to get moving. Reaching Esaka would probably take upwards of an hour on foot, even with everyone running. Of course, some Seekers were faster than others, so while those like Band could only afford to scoot along the main path, the speediest could head off the beaten path and explore a little, investigating various points of interest. Of course, they’d need to be careful to not crush any crops underfoot to avoid the ire of wooden scarecrows and kimono-clad training dummies. Out in the fields, mobs of ducks and a few gi-wearing, territorial Croajiro were on pest control duty, gobbling down any bugs that threatened the crops, but agile insects like the black-and-blue Lokix or venomous, cherry-colored bnahabra were a bit much especially for the waterfowl.

After only a few minutes, Nadia had a brainwave and stepped into one of the area’s many rice paddies. Immediately her rigging unfolded from her pack, the arms extended for stability as she floated on the surface of the standing water, light as a feather. “Alright! Backpack already payin’ dividends!” Able to skate across and leap between different paddy terraces, she could cover a lot of ground quickly. Navigating the waterways led her to spot and wave to a handful of kappa, who did not appear to be hostile, and eventually a small lake where she caught a glimpse of a large demon catfish, decked out in gold-trimmed armor and indigo scales. “Hmm…is this the kind of monster Ace was talkin’ about?” She and the monster hunter and talked about hunting monsters together, but if the Avenger needed food, maybe she ought to hunt it herself. It did look much bigger and stronger than any fish she caught for Bancho Sushi, though, so getting another Seeker or two to help sounded like a good idea, if any of them had the time and strength to spare.

Meanwhile, those sticking into the southbound path had run into a slight snag. From a ways off, they could see an obstacle in their path: a small wagon drawn by a mule. A rough patch in the road, most likely caused by soil erosion, had cracked one of the wheels and left the mule with a limp-inducing fetlock injury, much to the dismay of the long-eared milkmaid. She herself bore a big bruise from the sudden breakdown, as well. The path wasn’t wide enough to slip around the cart easily, and the rice paddies on either side meant that diverting would probably involve getting wet and dirty.

Frozen Highlands - Snowdin

Lvl 8 Sandalphon (48/80) Level 5 Heismay (12/50)
Edward’s @DracoLunaris Blazermate & Sectonia’s @Archmage MC Geralt’s @MULTI_MEDIA_MAN Ace Cadet’s @Yankee Roxas & Ganondorf’s @Double, Celica’s @Sadu Chosen Undead’s @Simple Unicycle
Word Count: 1905

In the course of the general congregation that followed Sandalphon’s briefing, it soon became clear that she’d committed a grave offense. For all the thought she’d put into picking an acceptable and inoffensive name for Amaterasu, it had somehow never occurred to the archangel to ask Amaterasu herself. There were other ways to communicate other than verbally, after all, as the wolf goddess herself demonstrated. Before Pit, Harry, and Amaterasu could depart for deployment and enter their hellpods, Sandalphon made sure to offer the latter her sincere apologies. While she wouldn’t be worshipping Amaterasu any time soon, she was definitely worthy of Sandalphon’s respect, and any angel worth her salt knew how to pay deference to divinity.

She straightened up when Zenkichi approached, mentally scrambling for what to say. She highly doubted that this operation would take a full week, so she wouldn’t disappear while the two were apart, but that cloud would hang over both of them anyway. Still not used to showing affection, she allowed herself to be hugged and kissed somewhat stiffly, but caught Zenkichi’s hand before he pulled away to give it a gentle squeeze. The hearts in her eyes told him everything he needed to know. “Goddess be with you.”

Once Gold Team descended, the eleven members of White Team had a little more time to prepare before Pelican-1 would ferry them down through snowy skies to their destination. Some perused the nearby armory, helping themselves to its contents, or set up additional methods of magically accessing it via Edward’s sorcery. While content with her new Hexagun for now, there was one other firearm that had piqued Sandalphon’s interest, and she hoped to lay claim to it before someone else could snatch it up. Luckily, the damaged and unusable state of the Ice Breaker made it rather undesirable, so Sandalphon had no difficulty taking it with her for a short visit with Lulubi. More interested in down-to-earth technology like guns and engines compared to her counterpart Tora, Lulubi was the perfect nopon to ask about restoring the Ice Breaker to its former glory, but the pink tinkerer informed Sandalphon that she wasn’t about to do it for free. The last of the archangel’s personal savings would be enough to start the repair process, leaving nothing to contribute toward White Team’s winter clothes. Luckily, some Seekers came with cold-weather gear of their own, albeit of varying effectiveness. As for the rest, the team fund mostly made of the proceeds from Susie’s stock trading (plus any charitable donations) would have to be enough.

Once Ace made his request to the team, Sandalphon considered it seriously. Her blessings targeted all allies within an area, and she couldn’t exactly pick and choose who received it. She could definitely call out her miracles beforehand, but at the end of the day, her subordinate’s life was more important than his comfort. Hopefully forewarning would be enough.

Heismay greeted everyone who introduced themselves to him with a polite nod and a handshake if desired, though most Seekers would need to stoop to take his claws in hand. “Thank you for the warm welcome, as well as the warnings. Rest assured I will heed them,” Heismay told them. “I was once a simple swordsman, but lately it seems I’ve come by some transformational magic of my own. In battle, agility and precision are my greatest allies, but I will be glad to count you all amongst them.”

As the Avenger entered the wintry white airspace of the Frozen Highlands, Sandalphon stepped aside to get changed. This was her first time wearing the winter outfit she picked up from the costume vendor in Carnival Town, and it proved to be comfortably warm without being too heavy, but she couldn’t be sure how it would hold up under very harsh weather conditions. Sandalphon returned to the hangar to find the rest of the team ready to go. Pelican-1 would be less crammed full of bodies than yesterday, but with the largest Seekers like Sectonia and Ganondorf on White Team, it wouldn’t exactly be comfortable either. With an entire region to navigate in search of the wandering Guardian, things would only get more complicated after landing, but Sandalphon was ready. The team tingled with anticipation, eager to begin the mission. It was time to go.

Though dawn had already broken, the skies over the Frozen Highlands were uncommonly dark. A blanket of clouds, thick as pea soup, seemed to hang over the whole region, letting in so little daylight that it might as well be night. As such, the myriad lights of Snowdin shone that much brighter, guiding Pelican-1 down. The ship came to rest about half a mile east of the village, and the moment its bay door opened a chill wind filled its belly. Goosebumps spread across the Seekers’ skin, and their exhalations became puffs of mist. Fresh snowflakes were falling, light and fluffy.

Heismay was the first to step outside, the snow crunching softly beneath his little feet. He was instinctively wary, but when his big, ruby-red eyes detected no signs of danger in the surrounding area, the swordsman allowed himself to relax. “Clear.” Though his short fur mitigated the bitter cold somewhat, he would be loath to linger in its chilly embrace any longer than he had to. Hopefully that outfitter Sandalphon identified ahead of time would have something in his size. Either way, there was no sense lingering here in the relative warmth of the dropship. Sandalphon and the others followed Heismay out into the frigid wind, silent and shivering. Ahead of them lay Snowdin; there was no time to waste.

In the dark, the lights of Snowdin shone beautifully bright. The whole town encompassed a single east-west avenue straight ahead of the Seekers, lined by buildings on either side. Warm orange light poured onto the snow from the curtained windows of wood cabins and brick structures. Facilities included the Eastern Snotel, Grillby’s, Morshu’s Emporium, a bar called Survive, the Librarby, and more. Plumes of smoke spiralled skyward from their chimneys, and Christmas lights festooned their eaves, blinking red, green, and gold. Nothing compared, of course, to the great coniferous titan in the very center of town, adorned not just with lights but with glittering baubles, ornaments created by master craftsmen and delighted youngsters alike. Beneath it lay a dozen or more presents, colorfully wrapped, piled atop the circular dais that surrounded the Christmas tree’s trunk. At the eastern extremity of the street crackled the campfire of the blue, sunken-eyed Soulfisher, sleeping beneath the shelter of a giant book, and next to him stood a sign, its handwritten greeting welcoming the new arrivals on behalf of the wintry hamlet’s townfolk: Welcome to Snowdin.

Directly north of the tree, a path led between the buildings to one of Snowdin’s little neighborhoods, the Warrens. There, the front yards of a half-dozen underground homes surrounded an open cul-de-sac, their rabbit-eared denizens very comfortable beneath hills topped by evergreen pines. Opposite that, a twisted path led through a tangle of dead trees around a small mountain south of Snowdin, eventually leading to the abandoned Beneviento Manor, which overlooked the icy southeastern lake from its stately cliffside perch. In the northeastern part of town stood the fanciest cottages, several tiers of them going up the nearby hill in fact, safe beneath the watchful gaze of enormous snowmen while their smaller brethren, clad in scarves and snowpipes, greeted passers-by from the porches. One of the snowmen at the edge of town had collapsed, half-burying a giant, ornate black stagecoach devoid of horse or rider.

Not many townsfolk were out and about this early, but even a cursory investigation would reveal to the newcomers that this town harbored very, very few humans. The vast majority of its residents were creatures or monsters, not unlike the Home of Tears, albeit with a greater emphasis on mammals than insects. None were at all hostile, though. With just two exceptions, in fact, the townsfolk would prove welcoming and friendly. One exception was the rabbitfolk, who tended to be somewhat insular. The other was the two-headed Soothsayer, with two eyes sewn shut and two blood red, who stood warming his hands over a burn barrel with a most unpleasant look on his faces.

He and Heismay maintained eye contact for a few moments. Once it became apparent that the Soothsayer wouldn’t stop staring anytime soon, Heismay was forced to avert his gaze. It swept up and down the avenue as he took tentative steps through the snow. “Seems…cozy.” The eugief didn’t sound entirely convinced.

“Let us begin work straightaway.” Sandalphon nestled her gunstaff in the crook of her arm and conjured a light screen with both hands. “We have several matters to attend to before we can get underway. We need to find some means of group transportation, since travel on foot would be ineffective and few of us are blessed with wings or mounts of our own. We need to obtain at least a few days’ worth of travel rations, as well as camping equipment. While we can probably procure firewood in the wilds, portable heaters would be good as well.” Maybe Edward’s infernal hounds would help, but Sandalphon hoped to avoid keeping demons in such close company if possible. “It may be wise to acquire a base of operations to use while in Snowdin; once it’s secured, additional personnel could join us to provide support. Navigational equipment, such as a map, would be valuable as well. Perhaps most importantly, we need to inquire with knowledgeable townsfolk about our target, Baldur. Any clues about his whereabouts would be vital to narrow down our search range.” She dismissed her screen and took up her staff again. “I myself will obtain winter apparel for whoever needs it, and would appreciate help from one volunteer. In fact, I recommend that everyone work in pairs so that nobody can be picked off on their own.” She blinked. “On that subject, please do be careful, everyone. This town looks benign, but new threats can arrive anyplace, anytime.”

She looked around at the group. Edward, Blazermate, Sectonia, Geralt, the Ace Cadet, Roxas, Ganondorf, Celica, Kit, Heismay, and herself made eleven, unfortunately not an even number. At least half of them could reinforce their numbers through summons, constructs, or Pokemon companions, though, so nobody would need to go it alone. Of course, she knew who she’d personally pick for each task, but that struck her as an excessive amount of control to exert this early, and the fallout would not be worth the minor increase in efficiency. Better that they choose for themselves.

Arms crossed, Heismay considered which of the jobs he’d be best at. “I must confess that I'm not a terribly sociable sort,” he remarked. “If there are any suitable conveyances hereabouts, they should be easy to find. Anyone care to join me?” Any teammates interested in accompanying Heismay on a sweep of the area would need to be fleet of foot and warmly dressed.

World of Light: the Endless Now (The Ultimate Videogame Crossover)

<Snipped quote by Lugubrious>

Thanks! Think so, too. I’ve just read some of the responses from the IC section a couple of hours ago while working on my In the Now synopsis, and I believe I’ve started to get a glimpse of what Terry could do if he was to go to Esaka. It just so happened that Sakura is gonna be there, too, to accompany Nadia.

Anyhow, I have to apologize in advance because it seems that I’d only be able to send the application tomorrow. There are still a lot of things I need to change regarding my sheet, as well as trying to figure out how I want it to be formatted. Will that be alright?

P.S. You actually picked the best name for a city that revolves around fighting, tho. I just wish we had South Town and Metro City since they’re some of the biggest cities in all of fighting games.

@Terry Bogard

Take as much time as you need, and if you have any questions feel free to ask.

World of Light: the Endless Now (The Ultimate Videogame Crossover)

<Snipped quote by Lugubrious>

Gotcha. I’m still working on the sheet. Maybe I can figure out a way to have Terry present in Esaka as the plot progresses.

Btw, isn’t that Kyo’s stage, tho? Looks like it’ll only make sense to have a KOF rep showing up there, even though it’s not gonna be Kyo XD

@Terry Bogard

Once the rest of your sheet is done, I can help figure out how to include him, it should be pretty easy with the current circumstances though. As for the stage, I mostly just took the name as a catch-all for a location for a lot of fighting.

SUFFER! AS I HAVE!

Liberator of Omnics

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Lvl 3 - EXP 0/30 ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

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Origin: Overwatch 2

Appearance:

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Omnic Form: A tall and lean frame, humanoid in appearance. Weilds a nanite staff with an orb of destruction suspended amidst it. Dons traditional Omnic Monk garbs due to his background with the Shambali Monastery. Sports the colors of Null Sector: purple, silver, white, and black. Originally modeled as the R-7000 Ravager, Ramattra was programmed for combat.
Nemesis Form: Utilizing Nanites- Ramattra transforms his body into a hulking mass of destruction. His arms become empowered with nanites' strength, forming his enlarged appearance. He wields his main pair of arms folded under his chassis, which are not utilized in this form.

Personality:

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Originally a peaceful monk under the teachings of the Shambali Monastery, Ramattra's bitterness for humanity stemmed after seeing the treatment of Omnics, a robot race born one generation ago, by the humans after the Omnic Crisis. He still holds onto his aspirations for peace, but by any means necessary. Ramattra is also a tactician, possessing great strategy and understanding of his strengths in combat. He enjoys a good challenge and will be more invested in a conflict if it entails difficulty.

Background:

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An omnic designed for war who saw the death of hundreds of his race during the omnic crisis. Even after his awakening and turn to peace, Ramattra saw the treatment of his people and grew discontent with humankind. He sought liberation for Omnics, who, despite having the consciousness and morality of humans, were still treated as lower beings, killed by humans who opposed Omnic rights. While Ramattra wanted humans and Omnics to share the world, Ramattra became disillusioned with the idea that humanity would never see and treat Omnics as equals. He parted from the Shambali Monastery and his teachings of pacifism. He formed the Null Sector- a militant group of Omnic forces that attacked Kings Row in Britain in an attempt to liberate Omnics through control and by any means necessary. The organization is known to the public and labeled as a threat due to its radical methods.

In the Now:

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Ramattra, now under Galeem's influence, only retains his cold personality and drive for violence against those who oppose him. He wanders the tattered world in the search for guidance, his self-proclaimed role as "The Liberator of Omnics" now misplaced in his travels once again as a monk, traveling the gleaming world in a hazed state, his now forgotten hatred of humans misplaced in violence. Ramattra seeks purpose, though he does not know his state in a hastily crafted world of light, controlled by an influence other than his own.

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Job: Ravager
Specialty: Damage prevention, battle versatility, defense, and front-lining

Inventory:

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Void Accelerator - A long-range staff with a large orb crested in the middle of it. It fires hundreds of nanites per second, forming a stream of damage on enemies. Ramattra wields it to engage from a distance.
Nanites - Small, microscopic machines that Ramattra uses strategically, defensively, or offensively. Their use is multi-purposeful and can be technologically altered to serve a variety of further functions, like healing.
Old Monk Clothes - A garb of traditional Omnic Monk clothing that reminds Ramattra of his roots. It seems like he keeps it around for sentimental reasons.

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Lv: 3
EXP: 0/30

Abilities:

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Nemesis Form - Using nanite technology, Ramattra transforms into his unleashed potential. While in Nemesis form, Ramattra gains more health, armor, and punching power. While blocking with Nemesis Form, Ramattra projects nanites into a defensive armor layer.
Ravenous Vortex - Ramattra releases a swarm of nanites that when upon contact with the ground, suctions small-medium enemies into its grasp, giving them reduced movement speed and inflicting bursts of damage. Can be modified with perks at a later point.
Void Barrier - Uses nanites to project a hard light barrier, which can sustain moderate amounts of oncoming fire for a couple of seconds.

Skills:

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Nanite Mastery - Cooperating with his omnic design, Ramattra has advanced training and modulation of nanites, a microscopic, multi-purpose technologies that suit many of his combat needs.
Hand-to-hand combat - Having trained in the Omnic Monk teachings of martial arts, Ramattra is particularly gifted at martial arts and hand-based combat.
On-the-field strategy - Being modeled after an R-7000 Ravager Omnic Unit, Ramattra was originally designed for eliminating squads of soldiers. He displays a particular knowledge of combat, especially on the spot.
Freedom leader - A firm believer and radicalist of full Omnic "freedom" in human society, Ramattra is a natural-born leader and can take leadership roles when needed.

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Weaknesses:
Distrust in Humans - Is not particularly fond of those in the human race because of his treatment as an Omnic. May treat human party members' relationship as more transactional.
Follows personal motives - Ramattra is generally self-led and will be more encouraged to participate in events if it fulfills some personal motive.
Morally grey - While Ramattra is not necessarily an evil-led character, his beliefs in violence as an answer, paired with his radicalist beliefs, make him a bit of a moral wild-card.

Spirits:
None

Rapport:
None

@XoXKieroBombXoX

Seems like a cool character. With his current loadout, his starting level should be 7 (3 abilities + 4 skills). Are there any limits or prerequisites for using his Nemesis form? It's always good to be specific with numbers like cost and duration. Lastly, is there anything else to his personality? While we do have a combat focus in the RP, it's good to have characters whose personalities let them thrive in times of peace too, so they don't just disappear when downtime starts and come back when it's time for the next fight.