Lugubrious

An Idiot's Dungeon Union [It's Monster Politik Time]

Looks like a solid amount of interest! I've got some ideas brewing of my own, mostly centered around a shadowy ghost. If the GM ends up putting together a character sheet sometime soon, I'd be happy to put my thoughts to paper.

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

<Snipped quote by Lugubrious>
Hey, thank you so much!! That really means a lot. I admit this all felt super daunting at first, diving head-first into a hobby I haven’t participated in for a good while, out of the blue like this. But I feel really reassured now. Thank you and everyone else for such a warm welcome, I truly can’t wait to get started!

<Snipped quote by Lugubrious>
I did try to lean more into an enabler/disabler role with Marie through crowd control yes, to help differentiate her from Sandalphon! And also with her being a total fish-out-of-water in close combat. Now that you mention it, maybe ‘Backline support’ does stray a little too close to Support Sniper, so I think I’ll change that to something a bit different. (I’ll also update the original Job title to Occupation, to give her an actual in-world job (class) in the RPG sense. Oh, and I’ll expand her abilities to include more precise numerical values too!)

Speaking of treading close to other characters, I realised Bowser Jr.’s signature colour is also spring green! So I’ve gone ahead and changed Marie’s to an equally fitting yellow-green instead (which might come in handy to others too, as you can simply use the name yellowgreen without needing a hex code).

And oooh, I see. Sorry, I completely missed that somehow, but it makes perfect sense!

In that case, would it be okay for her to still start at level 1, just with a single ability (her signature, Low-Tide Ink Shot)? I can imagine the progression element being really fun and a good way to keep me engaged, levelling her up and gradually unlocking more abilities and skills. And Low-Tide Ink Shot seems strong enough to give her something to do even at just level 1. So if it’s alright with you, I’d like to stick with one ability for now, then. I’ll of course hold onto the others, and maybe we could even workshop those together in the future before they debut to ensure they’re good!

I do have a question (and apologies if this sounds dumb) – I’m not entirely sure how EXP scaling works here. I think I saw a reply where you mentioned that starting at a higher level gives you immediate access to more skills, at the expense of slower levelling. Does that mean that by starting at level 1, Marie will level up faster? In other words, will it always take 10 EXP to reach the next level, or does it scale with level (e.g. 20 EXP to go from level 2 to 3)? Hope that makes sense!

<Snipped quote by Lugubrious>
Aaah, I love the idea of her being out for a music festival somewhere in the world, that sets up the scene perfectly for her to cross paths with the team. It feels like a really natural way for her to be approached (or to approach them), since under normal circumstances I think Marie would probably keep to herself. But being out of her element in a strange, unfamiliar place sounds like the perfect motivator for her to approach and form a bond with the others. I think putting her somewhere on the path to the Frozen Highlands is a brilliant idea! I’ll spend some more time this weekend reading through the IC events, and if it’s alright, we can work on her entry point together when I feel a little more prepared. (Thank you so much again for the patience you’ve extended to me!!)

I’ve gone ahead and edited my original post to implement a lot of this feedback, and made a few other changes here and there. Hopefully now, only the In the Now section needs to be developed further, but let me know if you’d like me to change anything else!

Small note: I’ve also de-aged her to 26. Splatoon characters age in real time, so originally I was going to make her 27 (which would be her age in 2025), but I decided it makes more sense to keep her at the age she was in her last canonical appearance, since, in my mind, the events of this RP follow directly from there. I also made a few other adjustments here and there, because I can never stop myself from the urge to keep prettying things up… Aaand I just discovered you can justify and indent text… Looks so neat now…

@qp

You're welcome! You can definitely start at level 1 with just one ability, doing so will mean faster progression and the ability to branch out if you get new powersets from fusion. You're correct about exp scaling, it takes ten extra EXP for each subsequent level 1->2 is 10, 2->3 is 20, and so on.

Frozen Highlands does sound like a good fit for her, and yeah, we can workshop her entry point whenever you feel like it. Ultimately, In the Now can be pretty brief, no need for too much establishment since characters literally just do spawn into the World of Light. Either way, take all the time you need. I'll look forward to your completed sheet.

An Idiot's Dungeon Union [It's Monster Politik Time]

This seems fun. Hearkening back to the old Dungeon Keeper RPs I enjoyed way back when, but from a less authoritative perspective. I'm interested.

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

Do not underestimate my ability to develop unhinged OC lore.

I'll see about throwing together something this week. Yayama has a bit of a history with light-based corruption, so this ought to be interesting.

@Chevaleresse

Sounds like a plan, I'll look forward to your sheet.

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

'ello folks, been looking into this game since my friend Goggy is in it. I don't suppose I could submit my Warrior of Light (who isn't actually the Warrior of Light canonically, that's her girlfriend) as a character?

@Chevaleresse

Hey there, thanks for the interest in World of Light. You can definitely apply as your Warrior of Light as long as there's a definite personality and history going on.

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

Esaka’s Low Tier - Pao Pao Cafe

Lvl 15 Ms Fortune (140/150) Level 11 Big Band (40/110)
Amaterasu’s @DracoLunaris Roland’s @Archmage MC Zenkichi’s @MULTI_MEDIA_MAN Pit’s @Yankee Sakura & Juri’s @Zoey Boey Captain Falcon’s @Double Harry and Kim’s @Eviledd1984 Terry’s @Terry Bogard
Word Count: 1159 / 801

With Xilgrev gone, the Seekers arranged around the table could let their guard down somewhat and return to more casual conversation as they finished their lunch. For the most part, the team members divided their attention between chatting about their worlds and deciding where to go. Now that the matters of dojos and signups had been taken care of, Band wanted to get a better look at Esaka by walking the beat at his own pace, and he quickly recruited his fellow detectives to the cause. Hopefully with him, Zenkichi, Harry and Kim on the case, and Roland along for some extra muscle, the team could get a workable idea of how life happens in the Tiered City. Band nodded at the assembled investigators. “Right on. Once we’re all done here, let’s head on up and take a li’l looksie at the Middle Tier.” With very little left of his real body to sustain, Band had already finished the morsels he’d ordered, but with plenty of daylight left nobody needed to rush their meals.

Nadia, meanwhile, cracked a gleeful grin as Sakura strung her along a bit, one hundred percent on board for her fellow fighter’s secretive antics. After a little build-up, Sakura finally spilled the beans, much to Nadia’s delight. As one might expect, the feral laughed in the face of danger. “Hell nyeah, sign me up! Guess there’s always gonna be people willin’ to put their money where their mouth is, rules and regulations be damned.” She crossed her arms, her eyes bright. “Once I’m in the mix, these fights won’t just be underground, but pun-derground!”

Once everyone finished their food and Terry took care of the rather substantial bill, the Seekers could set off on their afternoon activities. Sakura and Terry led the way back through Esaka’s Low Tier in search of hidden fight clubs. While said establishments didn’t necessarily advertise their presence on account of their less-than-legal activities, and seldom kept to a consistent schedule, Terry knew the area well enough to recommend one spot infamous for hiding in plain sight–one that even Sakura might not know the true nature of. After a circuitous fifteen-minute trip through the tier, the battle-hungry Seekers arrived at Fengjian Teahouse, a two-story wooden structure of antique Chinese design decorated with red paper lanterns and a variety of potted or hanging plants. One by one the Seekers filed in, peering around at the interior. It took the form of one huge, heavily-furnished square room with a single staircase leading to the second-floor mezzanine, from which a number of guests -and yokai- looked down over the balustrade while calmly sipping tea. There were fewer patrons around the first floor, and most of those sat at tables against the walls, with the exception of a half-dozen standing at the central bar. Nadia could see plenty of alcohol behind the bar, so she guessed that this place served more than tea. She couldn’t see any fighting rings or basement stairs, though, so where were the fights?

“Makes sense that these fights would be in the Low Tier,” she told the others. “They’re not high-cals, after all.”

“Welcome,” an old, white haired-woman with a faded pink dress and lit cigarette greeted the newcomers as she approached. “I am Madam Bo, proprietress. What can I get started for you?”

Nadia took one more quizzical look around before she treated the old lady to a sly grin. “Heya. We’re lookin’ for somethin’ a little spicier than leaf water, actually. Care to ‘spill the tea’?”

Madam Bo gave a knowing smile as she looked over the newly-arrived group. “Oh? Hmhmhm.” She took a drag of her cigarette, then rubbed her fingers together. “Well, whatever you want, this isn’t a charity, you know…”

“Uh…” Nadia fished around in her belt pouches. It took a moment for her to produce a handful of zenny, the last bit of cash she had.

Though she looked disappointed, and unconvinced by the feral’s sheepish grin, Madam Bo pocketed the money. “Ah, thank you, dear customer. Here’s the ‘tea’ then, as requested.” She shrugged offhandedly. “My humble establishment is plagued by a terrible reputation, you see. For whatever reason, we seem to attract an awful lot of ‘kombative’ customers. They have a strange habit of lurking at that bar there.” She pointed at the central bar with a cigarette. “If a man orders a drink, it seems like it’s only a matter of time ‘til another joins him to do the same. One thing leads to another, and they invariably come to blows.” Madam Bo gave an overblown sigh. “The nerve of some folks, hm? If you can’t handle your liquor, you shouldn’t be here to begin with. As for rumors of betting going on upstairs…” She waved a hand dismissively. “Nonsense, I assure you. Just nonsense. So…” The old lady pursed her cigarette between her lips and crossed her arms. “Where would you like to sit? Upstairs…or down?”

While Nadia wasn’t always the sharpest tool in the shed, she was hearing Madam Bo loud and clear. “Ohh, I dunno,” she looked around at the others, feigning indecision. “Downstairs sounds purr-etty good to me, right guys?”

The proprietress bowed her head. “Of course. Please be careful.”

As Bo showed the Seekers to a table, Nadia noticed just how many eyes were peering at her and the Seekers. The stares of the drinkers at the bar looked especially intense, and Nadia returned the favor with a probing look of her own. Right now, she could see four prospective fighters waiting for a challenge. One happened to be a bipedal panda from Esaka’s neighboring bamboo forest, a gourd of rice wine in his paw. Another was a badass black lady in pink and black leather. Not far away rested a muscular brawler with long ginger hair and a chip on her shoulder, as if daring the onlookers to take her on. A serious-looking fellow in flashy red lounged at the bar as well, very composed. Above all of them loomed a living statue with a broad-shouldered body of stone and bronze beneath an orange jacket. There were other fighters waiting in the wings though, so if any Seeker issued an open challenge of his or her own, there was a chance someone else might swoop in to accept it. Meanwhile, spectators looked down from the top floor, eagerly waiting for a fight to break out.

It hadn’t occurred to Nadia to fight and free Terry instead, so if someone else wanted to officially bring their new friend into the fold, they’d need to handle it themselves.

---

At the same time, Band’s group was traveling upward through the tiers. There seemed to be no restrictions barring intra-tier travel, so once the detectives found a lift, they could ascend to the picturesque but empty Pools and shortly thereafter to the Middle Tier. If the Low Tier had been a sprawling but underdeveloped village, mired in the past, this new level was a modest but modern Japanese town, its buildings smaller and less upscale than those of the shining metropolis one tier up, but still quite nice. Sandwiched between extremes, this tier probably represented what life looked like for the average, middle-class Esaka citizen, free from the Low Tier’s poverty but unable to break into the High Tier’s elite. It also boasted actual streets, if not vehicles, so the new arrivals could set off along the avenues to see what they could find.

As he stomped along, surveying the scenery, Band workshopped a handful of questions he wanted answers to. None concerned anything he’d consider sensitive information, so he figured any random civilian might be able to answer them, but there were still right ways and wrong ways to go about asking. More than anything, he wanted to learn more about the Four Kings, who Xilgrev had fingered as the Seekers’ true targets. After all, these co-Guardians really broke the mold; they weren’t giant monsters hidden in some remote, perilous place, but actual people. That said, he couldn’t imagine such rich, powerful, influential old men out and about in public. Band paused as he looked up at the four huge, multi-million-dollar skyscrapers protruding from Esaka’s Top Tier. More than likely, the Kings spent their days staring down at their domains from the lavish balconies of those ivory towers, with well-armed security details between them and any potential intruders. Still, it didn’t hurt to ask.

When Band’s group came to a stop at an alleyway at the edge of the Middle Tier’s large Chinatown Marketplace, he figured now was as good a time as any. He approached a redheaded martial artist in magenta who was practicing with her nunchaku, watching for a few moments before clearing his throat. “Scuse me, miss? Don’t s’pose you’d happen to know much of anythin’ about the Four Kings?”

“The Four Kings?” The young woman relaxed, tucking her nunchaku under her arm, and scratched her temple. “No more than the next girl, but yeah, I guess. What’s up?”

The detective motioned his head toward the Top Tier. “Those towers, they belong to the Kings, right? They mostly stay up there, or do they come down among us common folks sometimes?”

Kim shook her head. “Nah, they stay up in the Top Tier. Sometimes they make announcements from the railing up there, surrounded by their goons, but that’s about as close as they get to the rest of us.”

“For the men in charge ‘round here, they sound awful reclusive,” Band remarked.

Rolling her eyes, Kim let out a dry chuckle. “Yeah. Unless you’re press or, like, a chef or something, the only way you’re gettin’ up there is if you win their tournaments and go for the ‘Boss Fight’. Boss Fights go down on top of the kings’ skyscrapers, they’re always super hype.” Kim pumped her fist with a confident smile. “That’s gonna be me someday, you know! Once I win World Warrior, I’m gonna chuck that Bison bastard off the roof. Things are gonna change around Esaka, mark my words!”

Rather than mention his own participation in World Warrior, Band gave her an encouraging nod. “Sounds like a plan to me, sister! Good luck out there, and thanks for the info.” He made as if to go, then looked back at Kim, one eyebrow raised. “Oh, uh, one more thing. You ever seen anyone in pinkish-red armor ‘round the city? Wearin’ a funny-lookin’ helmet and a big black cape?”

Kim’s furrowed brow suggested that the description rang a bell. “Huh…maybe? I think I’ve seen someone like that watching the tournaments sometimes. Usually on finals day, never far from one King or another. That’s all though, don’t know her name or anything.” She shrugged.

“Huh, interestin’.” Band tipped his hat to bid Kim farewell, then moved on. By now, the other members of his little investigation squad had spread out to make some inquiries of their own, but were all in the same general area still. Spotting a temple surrounded by loitering yokai that sat on the edge of the tier at one end of the marketplace, Band began to head over, keen to learn more about Esaka’s strange spiritual economy.

Krat Zoo - Flooded Safari Zone

Lvl 8 Sandalphon (70/80) Level 5 Heismay (33/50)
Edward’s @DracoLunaris Blazermate & Sectonia’s @Archmage MC Geralt’s @MULTI_MEDIA_MAN Ace Cadet’s @Yankee Roxas & Ganondorf’s @Double, Ramattra’s @XoXKieroBombXoX
Word Count: 1520

Nameless Stagecoach
𖥞: 8/8 | 🛡️: 7/8 | Equipment: Stewpot/Windchime/Lamps/(None)/(None)/(None) | Companion: Ratshaker

When the first wave of Seekers opened fire (literally, in Mokou’s case) on Tom, Sandalphon lent her efforts to the barrage. Purple arcane rays from the tip of her Hexagun pelted the giant alligator’s head, but like the plumes, Radiance swords, and many of the team’s other projectiles, they didn’t amount to much. The enormous beast’s leathery, scaly hide, inches thick and soaked with ice-cold water, shrugged off magic as easily as it did the elements. Turbo’s Screech helped a little, but not enough to make a huge difference. Tom’s resilience really hammered home the idea that this was no ordinary animal, and as demonstrated by the foliage growing from his back, it wasn’t just a matter of disproportionate size. When Sandalphon scanned his vitals to confirm how little damage he was taking, she got an odd reading from him, very unlike the horrific mutants she’d observed so far. He gave off an almost spiritual aura, in fact. Whatever his nature, though, the fact remained that he meant to swallow the Reindrix whole, and the archangel doubted that he’d stop there.

She continued to shoot as the panicked Reindrix picked up the pace, urged on by Edward. They were fast, but the path to safety on the other side of the flooded Safari Zone was long, and Tom would have plenty of time to attack. As her ammo drained and the alligator failed to transfigure, Sandalphon quickly came to the conclusion that her new weapon’s polymorph effect simply wouldn’t work on such a huge, magical creature. Keeping a cool head, she stowed her Hexagun and thrust her hand at the incoming behemoth. Icy mist curled around her gloved fingertips as a Frost Lock sailed across the water. The frigid cluster smacked Tom between the eyes, spreading ice across his scales, but it would take twelve seconds before a second Frost Lock could freeze him.

By that time, Tom was dangerously close. The copper golems meant to delay him got thrown against the rocks or into the water as he smashed against the boardwalk behind the stagecoach, destroying the only way back to solid ground. A moment later, the Engineer’s sentry and the majority of Ganondorf’s moblins followed suit. Unable to attack from afar, Heismay stood his ground atop the vehicle, his teeth clenched as his grip tightened around his blade. As much as he hoped that a well-timed Dark Sword from his Archetype would deter the beast, he knew that Tom would be nigh-impossible to stop once his massive bulk built up momentum, whether Sectonia cast Slow on him or not. Before Tom could get too close, however, the newcomer Mokou ignited Edward’s tallow barrel, knocking the gator off course with an extravagant fireball. Finally, after the tactician marked Tom with Designate Target, Geralt jumped in as a Molar Boatworks Fixer to pile drive the behemoth right in his glassy eye.

KABOOM! With a roar of pain, Tom recoiled, putting every ounce of his strength into wrenching Geralt free as he beat a hasty retreat. Heismay breathed a heavy sigh of relief as the stagecoach thundered on, narrowly saved, but Sandalphon spotted the Witcher as he fell into the freezing water. Even before his report she knew he needed help, but for once the archangel had no idea what to do. Neither her healing miracles nor teleportation nor freezing nor razor wires could be of help in a situation like this. Fortunately, as White Team’s leader, Sandalphon need not rely on her strength alone. “Sectonia, he needs a rescue,” she commanded.

Floralia’s queen was preoccupied with spellcasting, but Blazermate picked up the slack by yanking Geralt from the water with Leap of Faith. In so doing the Witcher managed to avoid Tom’s first bite, but since Blazermate was airborne and not really strong enough to carry Geralt’s new form, he wasn’t safe for long. As they struggled to maneuver toward safety, Tom burst from the water with his maw wide open to snap up both Geralt and Blazermate in an instant. At his size, the gator didn’t need to chew or tear one bit, but simply swallowed the pair whole.

Tom’s stomach was, however, not what the two might expect. His insides turned out to be even bigger on the inside, and full of all kinds of random things that Tom had eaten to try and satisfy his agonizing hunger, from buildings to vehicles. There was also an infestation of thorny dark vines that amassed on the far side of the organ in a large, nasty-looking tangle that pulsed with malevolent crimson energy. Judging by how the thorns pierced the flesh around them, the tangle had to be causing Tom no end of pain. Of course, getting over to it to investigate further would be tricky, and not just because of the abhorrent smell in here; as Tom moved, the stomach acid pooled in his belly sloshed around, threatening to consume Geralt if he wasn’t careful.

Outside, the battle continued as Tom shook off Sectonia’s antlers. An anguished grimace overtook Heismay’s face when he saw two Seekers seemingly get eaten. He’d known these people for less than a day, but he was loath to see any of them fall, especially with such jarring suddenness. “Damn it,” he seethed, tightening his grip. The stagecoach was only halfway around the Safari Zone, and Tom was swimming toward it once more, driven by his muscular tail and insatiable hunger. Ace and Ganondorf were doing their best to hold the gator back with a mix of raw strength and empowered fire breath, but after snapping at Ganondorf to drive him away Tom doggedly pushed toward the easier, more appetizing targets in front of the stagecoach. Resolved to not fall in the water like his predecessor, Heismay readied himself to leap to the wagon’s defense in Geralt’s stead. “Come, then, and do your worst!”

Meanwhile, enough time had passed for Sandalphon to use her Frost Lock again. As she readied it, though, she scanned again, leading to a couple surprising discoveries. For one, Titan’s Curse had taken effect, but it wasn’t draining 25% of Tom’s health every ten seconds–it seemed to inflict a value equal to 25% of Titan’s, a much lower number. It wasn’t all bad news, though. “They’re still alive in there,” Sandalphon reported through her comm line, having confirmed Blazermate and Geralt’s status by attempting to reopen a comm line to them. “Hang in there, you two. I can warp in to heal you if needed.” Her pupils became reticles as she narrowed her eyes. “Everyone, I am about to attempt a freeze. Concentrate fire on the frozen target to increase damage taken upon thaw.” If everyone lent a hand, the Tom would suffer a severe enough Dissociation to stagger even something like him.

After calculating the perfect timing and trajectory, the archangel hurled her Frost Lock forth and froze the giant gator solid, inside and out. Courtesy of Sandalphon’s Cold Storage skill, the freeze would last two seconds longer, but that still only amounted to five seconds total in which they could rack up damage. After that, it would be up to the Seekers to keep Tom busy until the stagecoach reached the safety of the tunnel at the end of the boardwalk.

“No quarter!” Heismay shouted, having leapt from the coach’s roof to follow the Frost Lock through the air. His faith in Sandalphon’s plan gave him first dibs as he landed on Tom’s icy snout a moment after he froze. “Ee-yah! Yah! Yah-yah-yah-yah-YAH!” As he slid down the massive reptile’s length weaving in between the trees on his back, Heismay slashed again and again. His longsaber’s blade did not bite deep into the frosty scales, but the eugief gave it everything he had, and his teammates joined in with gusto.

After five seconds, Tom broke free from his icy shell, and Dissociation kicked in based off all the punishment dealt by the Seekers during that time. The giant gator took a boatload of damage and reeled, half-conscious as he sank in the water. Still sliding, Heismay ramped off his curled tail just in time, then glided through the air to land at the end of the boardwalk by the tunnel. “Hurry!” he shouted back. “This way!” Even as he spoke, though, the water began to stir. It was up to the others to keep Tom busy while the stagecoach raced toward the finish.

At some point during the fight, Ramattra and an unknown Organization member appeared from the direction of the desolated food court on a dog sled, unable to follow the stagecoach any further on its path around the flooded Safari Zone thanks to the damage dealt by Tom to the boardwalk. Chaos was unfolding in front of the two, and while at least they weren’t in much danger, they couldn’t unite with the Seekers this way. “Hmm…” Addux crossed his arms. “I can get us over there.” He glanced over at Ramattra, wondering if he’d try to help from here beforehand. “Just say the word.”

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

Hello! I’m very new here. I’ve been looking around the site for a while, and this RP really caught my eye. It’s honestly exactly what I’m looking for: group setting, beautiful, great writing, interesting locations, deep lore, and video game-themed. I’d really like to join! Though it’s not unlikely that I’ll struggle at first to blend in with more experienced players, my first few posts might not be very long, and I may not be so sure of myself or what I’m doing just yet…

I’ve read through the entire OOC thread and a good chunk of character sheets. I’m not very far into the IC events yet and not at all caught up with what’s currently happening, but I’m super motivated to read through everything just so I can feel fully comfortable posting (even if it takes a week or two before I’m ready to officially jump in IC).

In the meantime, I’ve been quietly working away and have actually already prepared a character sheet (sorry! I may have gotten a bit ahead of myself…). I’ll leave it here so you can review it when you have the time. It was sooo fun coming up with abilities and skills for her. I honestly struggled a little to rein it in, but I feel like I trimmed it down to a good starting point. Please let me know if she’s doing too much! Super excited to level her up and expand her kit if I get the chance.

In particular, you may notice I left certain mechanical aspects a little vague – mostly around status effects, IC cast times, durations, and the like. Any help would be much appreciated if those things need to be more specific! I’m still figuring out what would be considered over- or under-tuned, so please feel free to guide me in balancing things however you think is fairest.

Thank you so much! Have a great day.

@qp

Hey there! First off, welcome to the forum in general, and welcome to the RP in particular. I'll gladly accept all your lavish praise for the World of Light, but there's no need to worry about fitting in, comparisons, or experience levels, we're all just here to have a good time and I think I speak for everyone in saying we'd be happy to have you! Kudos to you for doing your homework ahead of time, you've already pretty much gone above and beyond. It's great to see your motivation, and I'd be happy to extend you all the time and help you need to get situated and started.

Your character sheet is mostly good. A different flavor of support sniper than Sandalphon, definitely. I have no problem with your skills or abilities, I would encourage you to add more numerical details if you want, though you don't have to be too specific either. I do have a couple of small notes. One is that your starting level should be 5, the sum total of the number of starting Abilities and Skills.

The other note has to do with the 'In the Now' section. The whole 'starting cities' thing was more for new characters at the start of the RP. Right now, the PCs are divided into White Team (following the Midnight Walk on an expedition through the Frozen Highlands to Moon Mountain) and Gold Team (participating in tournaments in the fighting game inspired city Esaka). In order to link up with a group I would recommend some changes. You could keep Marie's situation at Meridi-at-han, but she would need to be in Esaka for a music festival or some such instead. Or, you could put her somewhere in our path in the Frozen Highlands.

Right now, the team is at Krat Zoo and will be for another 2-3 weeks. The next stop on the expedition, 2 weeks after we leave, is Orca Space Center. The Frozen Highlands may not work as well in terms of theming, but White Team would probably suit her better than Gold Team since she isn't a physical fighter. Of course, she doesn't need to participate in the tournaments to be part of Gold Team, but it is the main event we'll be focused on while there.

Regardless of what you decide, I'm eager to see what you can do, and to welcome you to this all-star roster!

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

Esaka’s Low Tier - Pao Pao Cafe

Lvl 15 Ms Fortune (138/150) Level 11 Big Band (38/110)
Amaterasu’s @DracoLunaris Roland’s @Archmage MC Zenkichi’s @MULTI_MEDIA_MAN Pit’s @Yankee Sakura & Juri’s @Zoey Boey Captain Falcon’s @Double Harry and Kim’s @Eviledd1984 Terry’s @Terry Bogard
Word Count:

As the unannounced Organization member probably should have expected, the Seekers had a lot of questions for him. Nadia wasn’t one them, though. Interrogating him was no concern of hers, especially since the delivery of his pizza heralded the imminent arrival of the other orders. To her delight, her roast duck happened to be one of the first meals brought over, so while the others grilled the man in black Nadia got busy chowing down on succulent, crispy waterfowl. True to its name, the dish was both wonderfully aromatic and fiercely spicy, not to mention deliciously fatty. In order to eat with gusto, Nadia found herself obliged to guzzle cola in equal measure, both to quench the flames and offset the savory, somewhat greasy mouthfeel. After gruel and trail mix aboard the Avenger this morning, and a healthy amount of exercise on the way to Esaka, the feral had known she’d be hungry, but not until the duck hit her tongue did Nadia realize how famished she really was.

Still, despite enjoying her food, the catgirl didn’t completely tone out the others’ conversation. Her allies questioned the Organization member and received their orders one by one, then digested whatever information he’d divulged as they ate their lunches. Roland got almost nothing out of the man, then settled for talking about himself instead. His mention of angel wings struck Nadia as a little tactless with Pit in their midst, and judging by the team captain’s reaction, he probably felt the same way.

Being a little behind, Harry asked what Organization XIII was, seemingly directed at her and Band. Busy with her food, she shrugged to tell him I don’t know, which honestly wasn’t far from the truth. She knew that the Organization existed, and that they seemed to be interested in helping the Seekers beat Galeem, but that was pretty much it. Band didn’t know much better than her, either, but at least he offered his fellow detective an answer. “From what I gather, a third party faction opposin’ Galeem, like us. Been around a lot longer than we have, though. Seems like they show up to steer us in the ‘right direction’, but whether that’s right for us or them, I can’t say.” Not the most glowing endorsement, but considering what he’d heard about some of the Organization members, his description was actually rather charitable.

While Harry ate and drank, Kim asked something else. “Nothing that you couldn’t look up yourself,” the stranger told him. “The Kings’ fighting styles are very heavily documented. You can find all sorts of videos, and even supposed counterplay, on the inter-knot. Be warned that knowing counterplay and putting it into practice are two very different things, however.”

Band kept up only the barest pretense of being interested in the meagre lunch he’d ordered as he listened to the questioning. Sakura managed to wheedle more from that man than Band would have expected, including his codename. Xilgrev, he mused. That scrambled-up hoo-ha ain’t like any name I ever heard. Ramaxi, Gneidxick, Hallextram. Do all these clowns have ‘x’ in their names, or what? Pit got some clarification about the circumstances in which the Four Kings would need to be beaten, while Zenkichi probed Xilgrev, trying to get under his skin only to wind up a lot more rattled than he was. Band couldn’t blame him for looking into the ten-year problem, since that was something hanging over everyone’s heads. If Band had a kid or two in that same boat, he’d probably be even more desperate.

When the questioning came to an end, Band mulled over what he’d wanted to ask. As Roland proved, Xilgrev could be quite tight-lipped unless someone appealed to his reason. He’d more or less already told the team that the Organization intended to help them defeat Galeem, which tracked with what Band knew of the Organization members in the Sandswept Sky and Deep Blue Sea. Unfortunately he’d been stuck in Edinburgh MagicaPolis while the Seekers conquered the Under and Dystopiascape, so his intel could easily be outdated, but the lack of outright hostility told him that his teammates were at least amenable to the idea of an alliance. All his thinking must have shown on his face, since after Xilgrev pushed out his chair and got to his feet, the darkness within his hood turned Band’s way. “You look like you have something to ask me.”

Band exhaled slowly. “Just one thing. You say y’all wanna help us beat Galeem. I believe that. But lemme ask you this. When we do whoop its ass, will that restore everythin’ to how it used to be?”

To the detective, a second of hesitation spoke volumes. Xilgrev knew the answer; he was just deciding how much of it to reveal. After a moment, he replied. “Not…automatically. That’s why we must take a passive role. Organization XIII is biding its time, so that when Galeem is finally gone, we can give this world the push it needs to get the ball rolling.”

Band snorted. “How vague.”

“Indeed.” Xilgrev waved wryly. “With that, I bid you farewell. Fight, win, and take every ounce of power you can get. You’ll need more power -much more- than you think.”

He turned to go. In the silence that followed, the slurping sound from Nadia’s straw revealed that her glass was now empty. “Uh, whoops,” she said unconvincingly, crossing her arms. “So…now that’s over with, and we’re all signed up, I guess we got the rest of the day to ourselves.” She grinned. “Could do with somethin’ sweet, though. Anyone got the ‘scoop’ on whether or not Esaka’s got ice cream shops?”

Band removed his hat and began fanning himself with it. “First order of business oughta be findin’ a place to stay,” he remarked. “I’m guessin’ we can’t crash at our dojos, after all.” Metal Revolution, of course, happened to be a lot less hospitable than the average dojo, but he couldn’t imagine any dojo offering lodging. “Plus, we got a lot to learn about Esaka and how things work around here. Might be worth it just casin’ the joint for a while. Y’know, gettin’ a feel for everything.” With enough experience, any cop worth his salt could tune into the very soul of a city, obtaining an almost preternatural awareness of how, when, and where things went down. Whether through the whispers in one’s ear or the shivers down one’s spine, a city could have an awful lot to say. Of course, that sort of understanding took years, and Band probably didn’t have a week. Still, having one eye open would be better than going in blind.

“Uhhh…” Nadia not-so-discreetly checked her magic wallet. “That reminds me. I ain’t exactly flush with cash right about now. Havin’ sushi every night in Mafia Town kinda ate into my savin’s.” She looked between Sakura and Terry. “Hey, I bet you guys know everythin’. How’s a girl make a quick buck around this town, huh? Are there, like…” She lowered her voice. “Underground fightin’ rings?”

A sigh issued from Band. He was not at all surprised. He couldn’t necessarily argue with her, though. In a city where everything revolved around fights, the Seekers’ options were limited on such short notice.

Krat Zoo

Lvl 8 Sandalphon (67/80) Level 5 Heismay (34/50)
Edward’s @DracoLunaris Blazermate & Sectonia’s @Archmage MC Geralt’s @MULTI_MEDIA_MAN Ace Cadet’s @Yankee Roxas & Ganondorf’s @Double, Ramattra’s @XoXKieroBombXoX
Word Count: 2515

Nameless Stagecoach
𖥞: 8/8 | 🛡️: 7/8 | Equipment: Stewpot/Windchime/Lamps/(None)/(None)/(None) | Companion: Ratshaker

As it finally began to roll forward out of the Hall of Adventure, Sandalphon retired to the stagecoach for a few moments. She didn’t need to rest or anything since Geralt and Ganondorf did the bulk of the work when it came to pushing open the heavy metal door, but she did want to check on the stew pot, which seemed to have started bubbling shortly after the Seekers arrived at Krat Zoo. Sure enough, the pot appeared to be slowly filling, even though nobody had added any ingredients as far as she knew. Never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, the archangel chalked it up to some sort of magic, and estimated that it would be full by the time the team found a way out of the sprawling zoo complex, just in time for a midday meal.

Sandalphon remained in the stagecoach just long enough to exchange a few words with Ganondorf, whose newest quirk demanded that he replenish his biomass well ahead of lunchtime. Their brief discussion bore no fruit, so by the time the stagecoach reached the Endangered Species Zone, she was back outside in the wintry wind, her boots crunching the snow with each step. Just as planned, Roxas and Heismay had gone ahead to investigate the mysterious blaze in the Rainforest zone, and if its source proved to be half as ferocious as it sounded, even from this far away, Sandalphon suspected they’d need backup. Until then, though, the rest of the Seekers could contend with the carcasses roused and flushed out by the scouts’ sudden passage.

Though uniformly grisly, most of the mutants were of no consequence, since few of the area’s endangered species had been particularly large or dangerous creatures to begin with. The exception was the cassowary carcass, the flightless bird twisted into a vicious facsimile of its distant ancestors, the primeval raptor. Sandalphon lent a hand with that one, creating a blue tile she crouched over before setting her sights on the monster. Two well-placed shots were enough to put it down, though she took no pleasure in it. A fate like this struck her as especially terrible knowing that these beasts had been rare and precious in life. “What a waste,” the archangel murmured. With the carcasses taken care of, though, the Reindrix could be coaxed forward, and the stagecoach could inch further into the zoo.

At the same time, Geralt had devoted himself to studying one particular specimen. Even if the team hadn’t already seen a mangled giraffe corpse out by the main gates, the sight of one in good condition and barely bothered by its macabre surroundings would have invited suspicion. Sure enough, it wasn’t long after the Witcher entered the giraffe’s enclosure, and both disappeared from sight, that Sandalphon began hearing a series of warped, unnatural roars, accompanied by the telltale sounds of combat. She couldn’t climb the exhibit fence like Geralt did, but she could Vault over or warp inside if needed. Still, she decided to hang back and let the man do his job unless he called for her. The Seekers needed a leader, not a helicopter parent, and Sandalphon felt it necessary to demonstrate her faith in her team. When Geralt did contact her, she made the call without hesitation. Her comrades weren’t here to study whatever plague had befallen Krat Zoo, and it was all too easy to imagine the disaster that excessive scientific curiosity could invite. This place was too far gone for any cure; only scorched earth would set it to rights.

By the time the stagecoach fully rounded the Endangered Species bend and reached the boardwalk of the Rainforest Zone, the battle against the advanced elephant carcass had reached a fever pitch. The monster squaring off against Mokou, Roxas, and Heismay was a true abomination, even by Krat Zoo standards. It had been dangerously strong and durable before its nightmarish mutation, so the addition of almost a dozen assorted animal heads, all spewing freezing vapor, made it a foe to be reckoned with.

The same could be said of both the Seekers and their fiery new acquaintance, though, and the three were making progress. Heismay concentrated on keeping the nightmare’s attention, his longsaber gleaming in the overcast darkness as he slashed, dodged, and leaped. Outside of the occasional Mudo, the hermit was an obligate melee fighter, so he kept himself tantalizingly close to the monster’s snapping jaws while the others barraged it with elemental magic from a safer distance. It was a very risky business, since just one mistake could easily prove fatal, but the former Shadowguard knew what he was doing. “How simple!” he taunted as the horror’s crocodile jaws, twisted vertically, snapped shut mere inches from his red greaves. He delivered a quick slice to its jowls, his blade barely biting into the scales, then kicked off the monster’s snout. “Hyah! It’ll take more than that!”

He landed on the wooden railing of the boardwalk roundabout, staying only long enough to tense his legs and then spring again as the monster smashed through the fence. He narrowly somersaulted through a gap between Mokou’s pinions, noting that her fiery feathers were really starting to pollute the arena. This fight was too fast-paced to keep track of both the horror and whatever safe spots she left for him. After latching on to a dead tree for an instance, Heismay leaped away from an icy blast, only to clip a couple flying feathers. “Ack!” He extended his wings to catch himself as he fell, only barely managing to glide before he hit the ground. A quick pat-down assured him that his fur hadn’t caught fire, and the next second Heismay was off again before the carcass could catch up. Better to suffer the girl’s not-so-friendly-fire than a blow from that monster, he reasoned as the horror snapped at his heels.

His distraction gave Mokou the opportunity she needed. After diving in, the girl set off a tremendous point-blank blast that scattered sizzling, foul-smelling chunks in all directions and left a smoking crater on one side of her target’s upper body. “Can’t argue with results, I suppose,” Heismay muttered. Orange magic streaked across his body as he transformed, darkness roiling within the Thief’s palm as he prepared a follow-up. “Some darker arts!” His Mudo struck the carcass’s main head in its midst of its thrashing, knocking its bulk neck askew. Hoping to open the wound left by Mokou even further in hopes of severing the trunk completely, Heismay dashed in with the Thief’s curved greatsword at the ready. “How about this!?”

Too late, he realized that this area wasn’t the blind spot he thought it was. While Mokou’s detonation destroyed several of the horror’s heads, it had left others mangled, but still operable. As Heismay slid in for a huge slice, the head of a hyena split open to disgorge a freezing torrent. “Bah!” After disappearing for a moment in the blast, Heismay reverted to normal covered in frost, his movements slowed as the cold coursed through his bones. The next second, the monster’s neck swung back toward him. He was lucky to avoid its heads, but the sinuous bulk still batted him away. “Blast it!” Heismay slid into a snow drift at the base of the railing, where he languished for a moment, numb.

That misstep, however, gave Roxas the push he needed to pull out all the stops. A moment after the mutated colossus finally sagged to the ground, defeated and disintegrating, Heismay got to his feet, shivering but free from frost. “...Well done,” he managed after a moment, unconvincingly reassuring his ally. “I’ll be fine, but I would not decline some healing power, either.” Heismay rubbed his hands together, then tucked them into his armpits to try and warm them up faster. As Mokou approached, the hermit looked your way. “Greetings, miss. I hope you do not mind our interference. Your firepower is most impressive, and you no doubt had the beast in hand, but I could not allow myself to stand idly by.” He looked around, scanning the snowy gloom of the once-verdant Rainforest Zone for other dangers. “So, what brings you to this accursed menagerie? Its no place for children, no matter how powerful.”

Once Mokou set him straight, and informed him why she was here, Heismay held up his hands in sheepish placation. “Ah, forgive me. Where I’m from, elda are very rare, so I am a poor judge of age.” Of course, she probably wasn’t an elda, but hopefully she’d accept the excuse. He cleared his throat. “Ahem. As for your mission, I believe it’s one-third complete already. I was fortunate enough to find one viking, Erik, hiding in the Hall of Adventure.” After stepping forward, Heismay held his little hand up to shake. “If you’re amenable to joining forces, at least for the time being, we can continue the search and rescue together. My name is Heismay Noctule.” In a realm gripped by winter, Mokou’s firepower would be a welcome addition to the team, but she didn’t look hurt enough to be friend hearted yet. With any luck, the chance would come soon. At the clatter of hooves and creak of heavy wheels on wood, he glanced over toward the boardwalk to see the stagecoach approaching. “Ah, here they are now.”

With the advanced elephant carcass out of the way, and the zone’s mutant kangaroos cleared beforehand, the Seekers and their new acquaintance could continue. The staff center opened by Mokou could be seen and accessed by anyone else before they pressed on, as well. The Rainforest Zone harbored no other enemies of note, so only dreary, leafless trees and dead, frozen plants confronted the team as they moved. Though the winding, narrow boardwalk kept the stagecoach’s speed down, its pattern still distinguished it as the Midnight Walk, so Sandalphon judged that they were on the right track. Toward the end of the Rainforest Zone, they did run into another small problem at a fork in the boardwalk. On the right side was a dead end, another roundabout that surrounded the area’s largest tree. A few normal-looking birds still huddled on its branches, and a sign at the base of the tree read do not disturb the wildlife - no shouting or whistling. To the left, a bridge leading over a frozen river and out of the area had collapsed, but thanks to Sectonia and her crystals the problem was easily solved.

Up next was what seemed like the central location of Krat Zoo, a large food court themed after the nearby Safari Zone. In addition to a variety of food and drink stalls, as well as covered tables, it featured four small glass exhibits in the center, formerly the homes of tarantulas, scorpions, snakes, and turtles. Now, though, the whole food court lay in frightful disarray. No doubt something like the elephant carcass had rampaged through it. Sandalphon was tempted to request that the others loot the place, but she was skeptical of any food found therein being safe to consume, especially after the discovery of parasites. She did see something curious, though, and asked Edward to stop the stagecoach for a moment as it passed by. “Best to check to see if another viking is hiding here,” she told the team.

She herself did not search the buildings for any vikings, though. Against one of the reptile exhibits leaned the half-frozen corpse of a strange man, his pale, stony skin festooned with strange tubes and brass apparati. Her keen eyes spotted an odd canister half-hidden beneath his body, as if he’d died protecting it. Leaning on her gunstaff, Sandalphon stooped and retrieved it. “Some sort of storage device,” she murmured as she shook it, hearing something rattle around inside. A quick study of its workings led her to an intriguing conclusion. “Encrypted. Curious. I am tempted to puzzle out whatever secrets it might contain.” With one last look at the body and the food court, Sandalphon returned to the stagecoach and climbed inside. “It should not take me long to decipher it. Please notify me if anything requires my attention.”

Just beyond the food court lay the Safari Zone to the left and the Aquatic Center, but even a cursory examination was enough to reveal the problem that concerned both. At some point, the enormous tanks inside the aquarium had suffered enough damage that the thousands of gallons of water had broken through the glass, washed through the ruined building, and flooded the neighboring Safari Zone. After ascending a small, squat flight of stairs to the Safari center, the Seekers could step out the double doors and witness a large area with its entire central exhibit submerged. Now, the second-story wooden walkway was more like a boardwalk encircling a lake, and all the trees and towers meant for the primates that once inhabited this place protruded from the water. In order to make it to the zoo’s final area, where that huge greenhouse towered above the complex, the stagecoach and its Reindrix would need to circumnavigate that boardwalk.

Of course, that was easier said than done. A handful of mandrills remained, using the suspension bridges to run between the towers and pelt the Seekers with projectiles. If they triggered the gleaming Reindrix, the team would definitely have a problem on their hands. That wasn’t all, though.

After about thirty seconds, the water began to ripple, and a copse of trees in the water began to shake. Sandalphon, unbothered by the clank of projectiles against the stagecoach’s armor, immediately looked up from her cryptic vessel, then set it down and swept out of the vehicle. “Immense life signal detected,” she reported, her pupils in the shape of radar scanners. There wasn’t enough room for the coach to turn around. The only way was forward. “Get ready to move.”

The trees rose from the water, but the island beneath them wasn’t rock or dirt. It was scales–enormous, heavy, snow-white scales. The scales and ridges kept coming and coming, until a gargantuan, primeval head finally emerged from the water, the head of an unnaturally enormous albino alligator, with just two toes on his left front foot, and a snout wounded by some prior battle. His glassy, colorless eyes locked onto the Reindrix, and his jaws hung open, drool running out between his terrific fangs. A low, rumbling bellow issued from his starving belly, followed by a deafening, hollow roar. He flailed his muzzle and tail, destroying the primate towers and bridges in mere moments.

As shrapnel -and mandrill parts- flew everywhere, Heismay stood atop the stagecoach, his longsaber couched and his teeth gritted. “What in blazes is THAT!?”

Sandalphon vaulted onto the roof and landed beside him, her Hexagun in hand and her voice much more commanding than usual. “Edward, go!”

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

Forbidden Kingdom - Esaka's Low Tier

Lvl 15 Ms Fortune (138/150) Level 11 Big Band (38/110)
Amaterasu’s @DracoLunaris Roland’s @Archmage MC Zenkichi’s @MULTI_MEDIA_MAN Pit’s @Yankee Sakura & Juri’s @Zoey Boey Captain Falcon’s @Double Harry and Kim’s @Eviledd1984 Terry’s @Terry Bogard
Word Count: 1491

Thought it was nothing unusual for her, Nadia’s cheerful smile persisted long after she sat down for lunch along with the other Seekers of Gold Team. There was just something inherently absurd -and therefore amusing- about situations like this, when so many wildly different individuals, all tasked with the monumental duty of saving the worlds, came together for something as mundane as a meal. In a way, it was also a heartwarming relief, a reminder that there could still be ordinary moments of peace and joy along the perilous and uncertain journey they’d undertaken.

Well, as ordinary as they could be, with a bunch like this.

Prior to the arrival of the waitress for their entree orders, the primary topic was, naturally, the tournament signups. It wasn’t a big surprise to Nadia that most of the others eschewed the Mortal Kombat tournament, despite the fact that they did in fact risk their lives every day on this insane campaign anyway. So, it would be her and Pit against the world, eh? She gave the young-looking angel a teasing smile. “Well then, let’s hope we don’t meet in bracket, hm? If we’re Pit-ted against each other, it’d be purr-etty humiliatin’ for you~” It sounded like a couple of the others hadn’t actually signed up yet, which gave them about ten minutes to seal the deal before registration officially closed. At the very least, the presence of a couple official combots in Pao Pao Cafe gave the more indecisive heroes an exceptionally convenient way to tie up those loose ends. When Roland asked which tournament everyone signed up for, Nadia didn’t respond. Hadn’t he been listening to the linkpearl earlier…?

When the time came to order, Nadia had to make a decision quickly. As a fusion between Southeast Asian and South American cuisines, Pao Pao offered a great deal a variety within its fascinatingly specific niche, and with Terry’s offer to treat her she didn’t need to worry about the cost. She ultimately decided on the sublimely savory-looking Brazilian steak skewers, only to be thrown for a loop when Sakura ordered the same thing. Well, that just won’t do. The feral’s prideful individuality meant that she couldn’t possibly ride someone else’s coattails, no matter how appetizing the skewers looked. “Uhhhhh….” Her eyes darted across the menu once more. After a brief hesitation Nadia went with her first impulse. “I’ll have the ‘fragrant crispy duck’!”

Everyone else placed their orders in quick succession. Harry’s request threw the server for a loop for a moment; American cuisine wasn’t among this restaurant’s many offerings, after all. Luckily for him, the kids’ menu catered to such tastes, though Nadia couldn’t help but feel like the detective was missing out. “Aw, what’s the matter?” she poked fun at him. “Can’t handle a little spice?” It sounded like Harry had enough on his plate with his unique choice of dojo, though, so instead of pressing him further she left him to Sakura to deal with.

Not long after the waitress left with everyone’s orders, the appetizers began to arrive. Nadia watched as those who’d ordered before her got their snacks, trying to suppress her jealousy as she waited for her steamed buns to show up. Seeing -and smelling- such delicious food only reminded her just how paltry breakfast that morning had been aboard the Avenger. Hopefully they’d been able to source some better chow soon.

As the conversation continued, Nadia spotted the familiar shape of bamboo steamers in the corner of her eye, headed her way. She reached for her drink as her appetizer approached, so fixated on the food as she sipped through the straw that she paid no mind to the server until he set the stacked trays on the table and opened the lid, at which point a puff of steam drew her gaze upward–toward the black hood of a familiar uniform that veiled his face.

Wide-eyed with startlement, Nadia immediately ejected cola through her nose, a terribly unpleasant sensation that left her sputtering and watery-eyed. Only after a moment could she choke out a few half-formed words. “You…! You’re…!”

Band narrowed his eyes. “Organization XIII.”

“Get a hold of yourself,” the man told her sternly, his harsh and no-nonsense voice somewhat nasal. It was not the sophisticated, Hungarian woman’s voice she expected, so this must be a different Organization member, she reasoned. As she recovered, the man calmly looked around the table. “Hmph. Out of everyone Ramaxi described, only two of you I recognize, and even then, only just. You’ve been helping yourselves to the spirits of the departed, I see.”

After a moment, he adjusted his collar officiously. “Well, no matter. If you really are the ‘Seekers of Light’, then our interests are aligned. Luckily, it seems you’re already on the right track.” Selecting an empty seat, the Organization member joined the party without their consent. “There are no secret underground chambers or specially-locked temples in this city. The Guardian you’re seeking…has been staring you in the face since you arrived.”

He looked around as if to prove his point, though he didn’t point out any examples. This guy really knows how to chew the scenery, Nadia thought.

After a moment, he continued. “The Guardian waits for you at the end of the tournaments, along with the Four Heavenly Kings. Well…it’s more accurate to say that the Guardian is the Four Kings. One sovereign soul, split four ways. Only if all four are defeated can the Guardian spirit be claimed.” He leaned forward, his clasped hands on the table. “So I hope you’re ready. Once the Kings realize who you are, they’ll spare no expense to take you down. You’ll need every modicum of power you can get. Understood?”

Band kept quiet for a moment, mulling over the information. He hadn’t met any Organization XIII member before, but he’d heard of them. Nobody knew if they could be trusted. Even if some of them had helped the Seekers in the past, their first run-in with one had been a battle in some sort of extradimensional casino, according to Tora and Poppi. This man’s claim of a four-in-one Guardian seemed incredulous, but Band knew that sometimes, the truth could be stranger than fiction. If it was true that Esaka’s Guardian would survive if even one King remained standing, that was one hell of an insurance policy. “How do we know you’re tellin’ the truth?” he managed.

That seemed to annoy their new friend. “I have no need for petty deceptions. Disregard my advice if you wish; waste all the time and strength you like,” he told the Seekers coldly. “Maybe your successors will have more sense.”

Nadia wrinkled her nose, a wry smile on her face. This guy sure wasn’t doing a great job winning them over. Maybe he figured that if he had the truth on his side, he had no need for charisma. “Well, we were gonna take out the Kings anyway, so ‘fangs’ for nothin’,” she told him, showing him her teeth before popping a dumpling into her mouth.

“Hmph,” the Organization member grunted. At that moment a waitress began to arrive with the first few entrees, including a slice of pizza from the kids’ menu for the newcomer. He stared down at it for a moment. “All the restaurants in Esaka, and naturally, you ‘heroes’ chose one without Japanese cuisine.” After tucking a napkin into the collar of his black coat, he picked up a fork and knife and began to eat in a stiff, reserved manner.

Taken aback, Nadia just looked around at the others as if to ask what is happening right now? Fortunately, the arrival of her duck gave her something else to focus on. It did occur to her that ‘Ramaxi’ must be the name of the Organization lady who helped Blue Team back at that nightmarish island, though. Why couldn’t the team have her again instead of this weirdo, she wondered. This seemed like a good time to ask questions, but hopefully someone like Band would instead, since for once the feral couldn’t figure out what to say.

Of course, Band was taking his time putting his thoughts together. The stranger’s words made sense, and his fellow New Meridian was right in that they’d been planning to challenge the Four Kings anyway since that seemed to be how all four tournaments would end, but the alleged revelation of the Guardian’s nature made winning on all four fronts simultaneously that much more important. Theoretically they could try their luck again every week for the foreseeable future, but that would only give the Four Kings more time to take them out. Whether this Organization Member spoke the truth or not, the Seekers had a long road ahead of them. Best to enjoy a peaceful bite to eat while it lasted, Band supposed.

Frozen Highlands - Krat Zoo

Lvl 8 Sandalphon (64/80) Level 5 Heismay (31/50)
Edward’s @DracoLunaris Blazermate & Sectonia’s @Archmage MC Geralt’s @MULTI_MEDIA_MAN Ace Cadet’s @Yankee Roxas & Ganondorf’s @Double, Ramattra’s @XoXKieroBombXoX
Word Count: 1820

Nameless Stagecoach
𖥞: 8/8 | 🛡️: 7/8 | Equipment: Stewpot/Windchime/Lamps/(None)/(None)/(None) | Companion: Ratshaker

For a moment, Heismay was confused by Blazermate’s nonchalance when he confronted her with his discovery. When she directed his attention to an abomination that she coaxed into doing a macabre jig through her suffering shield’s screams, though, his bafflement quickly turned to horror that her giggles only exacerbated. For a moment he could only stare, his ruby-red eyes wide and his mouth agape, until he turned back toward Blazermate to look at her in a new light. “What dreadful, malign sorcery is this? Puppeting, and even…reconstituting the deceased.” Heismay shivered, and not just from the cold permeating the Hall of Adventure. “The dead should be allowed to rest in peace.” He glanced at Sandalphon, his gaze incredulous. “And this is the individual to whom we’re entrusting our health? I shudder to think of what she’d do to us with that same smile on that metal face of hers.”

Though Sandalphon hid it better, she didn’t like Blazermate’s flagrant lack of respect for the dead much either. As always, though, she chose the pragmatic approach. “Like it or not, her single-target healing output is beyond compare. With that in mind, such eccentricities are a necessary evil. Best to remain on good terms with her.”

Knowing that she was right, Heismay breathed in deep. “Understood.”

A moment later, Blazermate was gone anyway, taking a more direct route out of the building in order to see what she could do about the blocked door that obstructed the Seekers’ path. By now, only a few parts of the Hall of Adventure remained unexplored, but between Geralt and Edward’s retinue it wouldn’t be long before the heroes had the whole place cleared out. Sandalphon’s vigilant observation had identified no signs of contamination among either the Reindrix or her subordinates so far, so she remained somewhat optimistic about the carcasses not being infectious. Still, the less time spent here, the better.

One by one, the Seekers stowed the items they’d pillaged from the Hall of Adventure and its monstrous denizens in the stagecoach, including the dubious Ratshaker. After Sectonia deemed the ratshaker cursed, Heismay happily stuck it in the empty wooden cage hanging from the stagecoach’s rear, where the jolting and jostling of the wagon along the Midnight Walk would shake it enough to elicit amusing noises. Sandalphon took a greater interest in one of the items Sectonia saw no use for, a strange blue crystal that seemed to possess some sort of power. Sandalphon held it up and peered into its scintillating, luminous facets, trying to divine its purpose. “There’s something…almost spiritual about it,” she hypothesized after a few moments. Without any appraisal skills of her own, she couldn’t discern anything else. The archangel slipped it into her pocket, making a mental note to scrutinize it later.

Before long, Blazermate managed to unblock the door, and once the reunited Seekers pushed it open, they could proceed into the zoo. A manmade river exhibit blocked their way, but before she buzzed off to enrich herself Sectonia was kind enough to plonk down an enormous crystal in its middle to serve as a makeshift bridge. The Reindrix were not eager to cross it to the open area’s central plaza given the presence of frenzied mandrill carcasses in the cages there, so while Sectonia’s antlers strove to keep the mutants boxed in, Blazermate sent forth her corpse heap to crush them. It wasn’t that big or strong yet, but even after they broke free the mandrills couldn’t tear it apart effectively, so once the enemies were dispatched, it was a net positive for the fleshmob’s biomass.

Its accumulation led to one other problem that Sandalphon was quick to recognize and address, though. “Blazermate, I understand that agglomeration is useful, but the Reindrix abhor it.” The stagecoach’s draft animals refused to advance as long as the corpse pile was in front of them, struggling inside their harnesses as they tried to flee in different directions. “Please dispose of it or move it out of our way and take up a vanguard position, ASAP.”

To the left, the drained canal led to a waterfall frozen against a tall rock face. On its other side towered an enormous greenhouse, but with no paths leading that way, that seemed like an area for later.

Once the plaza was clear, the Seekers could slowly advance through. Up ahead, on the other side of an archway formed from natural-looking red rock, lay the Endangered Species Zone. This took the form of a large, clockwise bend, through which the Midnight Walk ran. On the outside of the bend, embedded in the rock wall, were a half-dozen smaller exhibits housing interesting critters like crested porcupines, cassowaries, red pandas, giant tortoises, and numbats. On the inside of the bend stood a larger, octagonal exhibit that connected to an inside shelter behind it. While most of the exhibits held only carcasses, this one actually contained what looked like a normal giraffe, still alive and kicking despite everything going on in the zoo–including the unruly carcasses around the Endangered Species Zone itself.

Before reaching the bend, though, the zoo’s loudspeakers buzzed to life. “My, my,” a haughty noblewoman’s voice resounded. “Welcome to Krat Zoo. To think that you all would enter this place while I, Markiona, Puppeteer of Death, am here. Have you no fear?” At that, though, the loudspeakers went quiet. Even if this mysterious Markiona could hear the newcomers, it seemed she wasn’t all that interested in conversation.

That wasn’t all that concerned the Seekers, though. Up ahead, past where the Endangered Species Zone fed into the Rainforest Zone, plumes of smoke indicated the presence of raging flames. Heismay hadn’t seen any smoke when the team first crested the hill that overlooked Krat Zoo, so whatever was causing the blaze must be new. His keen ears could also hear the echoes of a distant, awful chorus of animal cries, oddly and unsettlingly synchronized. Horrible noises were nothing new in Krat Zoo, yet this sounded even worse somehow. “I have a mind to investigate those flames,” he declared, eying the bend up ahead. “That area strikes me as a good spot for an ambush. If there is a trap, best to spring it early, then clear it out, hm?”

Though now forced to consider this newly-announced Markiona, Sandalphon understood and nodded at Heismay's proposal. "Confirmed. Stay alert for any sign of the possible mastermind as well."

Heismay then waved at Roxas. “Young man, care for another run?”

Roxas was, so the two got moving. They left the stagecoach and accompanying Seekers behind to dash through the Endangered Species Zone. Their passage drew the attention of the human carcasses in the area, but their reaction speed left them in the dust, and the distraction left them with their backs to the enemy team, easy pickings. These foes weren’t intelligent enough to set up any actual traps, but they had a habit of finding strange spots to lay in wait for prey to come near, so the scouts did rouse a couple unseen carcasses as they darted by. This included a mutant cassowary, its aberrant claws and beak deadlier than ever when accompanied by the bladelike bone protrusions of its featherless wings, and several tortoises, with bulky, blunt-tipped tentacles protruding from their shells. All the while the giraffe just watched, impassive, as if waiting for something.

When they entered the Rainforest Zone, Heismay and Roxas immediately found the smoldering, ashen remains of several partially-disintegrated kangaroos carcasses, one still whole enough to suggest a very recent demise. There were more outsiders in the zoo than Erik and Eryk, clearly. The two did not linger for long, though, since now they could not only hear the twisted, bestial chorus quite clearly, but see bursts of flame through the winter-stripped trees. With a combination of flowmotion and eugief agility, the two abandoned the Rainforest Zone Boardwalk (it being just wide enough to accommodate the stagecoach once it came this way) and hustled through the former primate habitat. A few seconds later, they reached the boardwalk roundabout and could witness the advanced elephant carcass in all its gruesome splendor. From its rotted head had sprung a massive, serpentine trunk of amalgamated flesh and animal heads, with hypothermic mist cascading down from each loathsome maw. Worst of all was the huge, malformed crocodile head that crowned this grotesque abomination, its grisly antlers not even a surprise at this point. Heismay recoiled; how could something like this possibly come to be!?

The sight of a girl with long white hair and fiery wings returned the hermit to his senses, though. Heismay watched her bombard the monster with burning plumes, to little individual effect. It wasn’t that they didn’t look weak, but that this beast seemed uncommonly sturdy, its inner cold quelling the flames that threatened to consume it. Maybe she didn’t need help, but Heismay wasn’t about to take that chance.

“O, power of kings!” He leaped into the air, glided toward the action, and assumed his Archetype form to land with a giant Dark Sword slash across the monstrosity’s side. “Take this!” He turned back and leaped away as the carcass craned its neck around, then blasted the spot with a frigid spray from its mouth. Heismay exhaled as he landed on a railing, his eyes narrowed. Against a foe this dangerous, hit-and-run tactics would be best; even if he didn’t do much damage, splitting this thing’s attention would be invaluable. “We’re here to help!” He called to Mokou, his reinforced longsaber in hand as he prepared to do his part.

Meanwhile, the Seekers’ stagecoach was carefully advancing toward the Endangered Species Zone. Sandalphon kept an eye on the from the hidden staff center discovered by Sectonia, was mildly surprised when someone other than Geralt emerged. After that darkly-dressed stranger hustled the opposite direction toward the zoo entrance, the Witcher returned with a great deal of loot. He only offered Sandalphon the darts to look at, though she could tell from the glow that shone through his sack that it must contain a wealth of ergo crystals. Unfortunately, conventional medicine was not the archangel’s specialty. “I cannot determine its intended use without documentation I’m afraid. Since it appears to be designed for use with a specific nonlethal firearm, there may be more clues if we can find that.” Turning away, she scanned the area again, looking for enemies or additional third parties in need of rescue. “My scans show no other life signs in the current area. There is a strange reading at the bottom of the basin, though.” While she couldn’t tell what it was, she detected something unusual at the center of the deepest, widest part of the river exhibit, right beneath the broken footbridge.

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

Forbidden Kingdom - Esaka

Lvl 15 Ms Fortune (135/150) Level 11 Big Band (35/110)
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 and Kim’s @Eviledd1984 Terry’s @Terry Bogard
Word Count: 2369 / 1517

Ms. Fortune and Robo-fortune glared at one another, eyes blazing and teeth bared, the tension between them palpable as the other NMO fighters looked on. For a few seconds they seemed liable to throw themselves at one another once more, all notions of propriety gormlessly discarded in favor of a visceral, definitive showdown here and now. After a moment, though, Robo gestured with her head toward the dojo’s main room a few dozen feet away. “Shall we take this inside?”

Nadia eased up slightly, a smile on her face as she entertained the idea. “Sure. If we’re gonna do this, let’s do this right!”

Taking the lead, Robo stalked into the paper court, her head pivoting in its socket to keep her unblinking optics on her opponent no matter which way her body faced. Each metallic footfall hit the ground like the rod of a jackhammer, much heavier than Robo’s build would suggest. While Nadia’s stride looked far more relaxed and casual, she did not break eye contact with her adversary either, her expression playful and mocking the whole time. “A metal clone of Ms Fortune, huh?” Nadia rolled her eyes. “Guess that makes you an aluminum ‘foil’.”

Unflinching, Robo scorned her in a cold, dismissive tone. “You are old news, fleshling. I am the upgrade.”

“Upgrade? Ha! You really a-mews-me! While you’ve been sittin’ here, grindin’ your gears, I’ve been rackin’ up so much power it’d make your head spin. As a matter of fact, why don’t I do you a li’l favor…” CLANG! Nadia’s combat pack hit the ground, followed shortly by her bait launcher and Athame daggers. After her weapons clattered to the floor, the feral stretched her shoulders and arms, feeling limber. “Don’t need my new toys to strip your screws!”

As the two assumed opposing positions, Annie declared the terms of the fight. “This’ll be a standard one-on-one fight, no outside help allowed. First to two knockouts takes it.” She raised an eyebrow at Nadia. “Got it?”

“I’ve been around the block,” the feral assured her. “I know how this plays out!”

Annie crossed her arms. “You both ready then?”

“Affirmative,” Robo told her.

Nadia smirked. “A-fur-mative!”

After Annie nodded at Beowulf, the big man raised his arms. “Then, ladies and gentlemen it’s…SHOWTIME!”

As Nadia burst forward, Robo surprised her with a medium Theonite Beam. “Buster.” With her arms crossed, the pink laser blazed from her eyes with surprising speed and caught the feral in the shoulder. Taken aback for but a brief instant, Nadia rolled with the punches and spun along with her momentum, then charged on all fours. “Beam.” When Robo crouched down to fire off a lower-profile light beam, Nadia stopped short and blocked, then resumed her sprint the second Robo’s ray died down. With her opponent getting close, Robo jumped up to execute a x-swipe and throw down a four-pronged laser cutter,”Variable,” then canceled into a downward Theonite Beam from her mechanical heart. “Beeeam.”

Nadia sidestepped the former, then performed a Cat Slide to narrowly scrape past the latter. After sliding underneath her airborne foe, Nadia blasted out her legs in an explosive Fiber Upper. “Enough purr-jectiles!” She snapped up into the air to follow up with a handful of high-flying strikes, heightened and accelerated by her Elation blessings. “Eat this!” A moment later she finished with a flexible axe kick right to the schnoz. “I’ll foot the bill!”

The kick smacked Robo back down to the ground, but when Nadia descended for a plunging tail blade, her doppelganger teched backward and Nadia’s tail pierced nothing but the floor. “Quartz.” Robo dashed in to retaliate with a low-frequency knee blade, struck with an electrical current flowing between her hands, then brought one metal mitt down in an electric launcher. “Grounded.” Rather than follow up after the launcher, though, Robo took the moment while Nadia sailed through the air to pop out three headrones. “Launch, headrone. Heads, up. Form the head.”

By the time Nadia got to her feet, her foe had already issued the command. “Beep-beep-plarp!” All three headrones opened up to fire a volley of micro-missiles each. Knowing they’d lock her down long enough for Robo to mess her up, Nadia tried to outrun them, racing around the room as a barrage of explosions went off behind her.

Unfortunately, her predictable path allowed Robo to cut her off and knock her down with a Theonite Beam, and on waking up Nadia had no choice but to block the rest of the missiles. “Hell of a purr-cussion!” Nadia hissed through gritted teeth as the smoke cleared, her arms seared and smarting from the chip damage. “With all those rockets, you’re gonna give me thrust issues.” When she saw Robo launching more headrones, she quickly took off running, her anger speeding her steps. “Nyaat if I have anythin’ to say about it!”

With no other ideas, she closed the distance with Charge, becoming a bolt of lightning that blitzed straight through Robo-fortune. As sparks flew, Nadia rematerialized behind her foe and pivoted around with a double slash. The Battery hit hard, but did not allow her to follow up, so as Robo put up her defenses Nadia leaped into the air. She intentionally whiffed a light claw slash to bait out a high guard, then landed and lashed out with a low kick. “Shin-terdiction!” It worked like a charm, and as her foe fought to keep her balance Nadia continued with a pivoting kick, then seized her tail from the floor to carve across Robo’s chest with it in a reverse grip. After that a High Brow head smash launched Robo upward, and a quick air combo ensued. It ended with an upside-down, multi-hitting windmill kick that jailed Robo long enough for Nadia’s ears to plunge into the ground and restand her foe for a follow-up in the form of her level one Blockbuster, Fur-seker Purr-age. “Let’s cut to the chase! EE-YAH!”

“Pain.” The barrage of slashes ended with a hefty cross slash, and with that, Robo hit the ground. “Hurt,” she muttered mechanically.

When the machine failed to rise right away, Annie pointed toward Nadia, pleasantly surprised. “Round one, Ms Fortune.”

Nadia grinned as her opponent slowly picked herself up. “One down, one to go!” She pulled her head off, then tossed it up and down in her hand. “I guess the cooler head prevailed, eh? Now, let’s spice things up!”

She rolled her head like a bowling ball, only for her body to immediately get floored by a heavy Theonite Beam. Her head made a beeline for Robo, using her ears as little feet as she narrowly dodged laser after laser, then launched toward her for a big chomp. “Mrrow!” Her hardened teeth closed on Robo’s arm, digging in deeper as her foe nipped her again and again with a scissor pincher, until Robo gave up and blasted her with a point-blank eye laser. “MEOWCH!”

Her body ran in, but Robo was ready. She sizzled Nadia with a light laser, then immediately canceled into a Blockbuster of her own. As Robo knelt, her torso extended and her arms transformed. “Catastrophe Cannon…Alpha.” Huge pink beams surged across the room, seemingly consuming Nadia’s body for a moment as her head writhed, unable to assist.

“Eugh…” Nadia groaned as the light died down, her eyes bleary from the pain. “That must be…your cannon-ical form…” When she shook out the dizziness, she saw Robo scooting toward her head to finish what she started. “Ugh, nyaat good!” Her attempt to dodge failed as a Scroll Heel sliced her, the yellow razor blades raking her face. “Grrrah!” Before Robo could bring down an electric ground pound, a blast of blood from Nadia’s neck covered her optics, and the head scooted away into her smoking body’s waiting grasp. Her legs transformed with Fluffy Soft to close the distance, then launched a white tiger dropkick to cut into Robo’s defense. Unfortunately, that led her straight into her doppelganger’s disjointed Colimating Saw, and the trade of blows left Nadia on the floor once again, half-conscious while her foe managed to recover.

“Round two, Robo-fortune,” Annie declared.

“Good effort though, Fortune!” Beowulf cheered her on, pumping his fist.

Balling her own fists, Filia nodded. “Yeah, nice try! You can do it!”

“Indignant.” Robo-fortune glared at them. “Why?”

With an annoyed grunt, Nadia got to her feet. She wiped blood from her lip as her cuts closed themselves. “Alright, tin cans. No more kitten around!”

Round three began, as one might expect, with a barrage of fingertip-lasers from Robo-fortune. Nadia approached, dash-blocking appropriately, until Robo went for a heavy Theonite Beam from her heart. “Plutonic.” The feral bent over backward, narrowly avoiding the big pink ray, then hurled her hardened tail like a blade. Her foe blocked it, then grabbed it in both hands to try and break it in half, reasoning that the pain would stop Nadia in her tracks. Thinking quickly, Nadia let her tail go limp as she ran forward, rendering it break-proof. “Oh.” It took Robo only a second to realize this and return to her previous strategy, but by then Nadia had leaped into the air to soar over the next Theonite Beam, then spike her head down like a volleyball. It beaned her opponent on the metallic cranium, then landed behind her as Nadia touched down in front.

“Checkmate!” With Robo sandwiched, the game was on. Nadia and her head alternated attacks in a grueling, unpredictable beatdown, resetting the hapless robot over and over as she tried and failed to block the two-pronged assault. Even if she did guess the right direction to block, Nadia could grab and throw her, and when Robo found what seemed to be gaps in the feral’s pressure, they turned out to be devious traps as Robo’s challenge led to a merciless punish. After a few moments, Robo bet it all on another Blockbuster, counting on its armor to soak her foe’s hit and blow her away. Unfortunately for her, Nadia was in the bot’s head. She cut her offense short to block it out, and even as she took a lot of chip damage, her heart soared–she knew she’d won. “Baited! Nyahahaha!” When the beam died down, she had free reign to chain together an onslaught of claw slashes and kicks. The manic laughter from Wounds of Plenty fired off in the middle of it, adding insult (and even more injury) to injury, and after a few moments Nadia finished with another Fur-serker Purr-age to seal the deal. “Cat scratch fever!”

Robo-fortune wasn’t quite finished, but when she went for a desperate nail stab at Nadia’s throat, she leaned out of the way, sunk her teeth into her foe’s metal arm, then yanked the limb from its socket. “Rip-off!” Taking it by the hand, she whipped it around like a baseball bat into Robo’s head. Oil flew from the machine’s mouth as she hit the ground, down for the count. “And that’s that. No ifs, ands, or ro-buts!”

At that point, Annie scarcely needed to declare the winner. While Filia and Beowulf headed over to congratulate the catgirl, she merely offered a tired nod of newfound respect. “Not bad. Guess you do know how to do things New Meridian Style after all. Welcome to the NMO.”

Nadia beamed, though not in the way Robo-fortune had. “Sweet! Guess I’m off to sign up for the tournament, then!”

“Not wasting any time, huh?” Annie crossed her arms. “Which one you thinking?”

Nadia glanced over her shoulder at Robo-fortune, who had initiated self-repair protocols, then gestured for the other New Meridians to huddle together. “Listen up, ‘cause I got a plan…”

---

After her friends’ tryouts concluded, and she completed her own registration for the tournament of her choice, Sakura had a little time before the proposed Pao Pao Cafe meetup to simply wander Esaka and reacquaint herself with the city. The Low Tier didn’t exactly have streets, but it did have a lot of familiar sights and sounds, mixed in with new things that had emerged in the month or two she’d been gone. Some Low Tier inhabitants and Yokai recognized her despite her absence, some greeting her and exchanging pleasantries, though the bystanders never accumulated into the adoring mob Terry had encountered. After a bit, though, Sakura did get the feeling that someone was following her. When it persisted, she finally turned around, and spotted not just one someone, but two recognizable someones headed her way.

“Heeey!” A young Japanese woman with short brown hair hustled over to Sakura, an easy smile on her face as she called out with gusto. Like the more composed Montenegrin blonde that followed her at a measured pace, her expression austere, Asuka wore primarily white, albeit in the form of a smudged button-up shirt with rolled-up sleeves instead of an expensive, pristine blouse with ruffles. “Sakura, right?” Asuka asked as she came to a stop a few feet away. “How’s it going? Do you remember me? Lili says we used to be friends, but…I have amnesia, so I don’t remember you. Uh, but I’m game to be friends again if you are!” With a spunky smile and closed eyes, Asuka crossed her arms.

As Lili approached, she adopted a less approachable pose, with one forearm resting on her midsection to support the elbow of the other forearm, which she held curled by her face as if checking her nails. “Miss Kasugano,” she began, sounding mildly, smugly amused like always. “When a little bird told me you’d finally returned, I simply had to fetch Asuka here and see for myself. You’re looking…well.” Her gaze was a little judgemental, but not unfriendly. “A pity it’s also true that you returned without your friend Miss Kanzuki. I was so looking forward to finally settling the matter of ‘best rivals’ with a friendly duel.”

The two pairs had, after all, shared what some might call a fated link. The duos, composed of a haughty, filthy-rich blonde aristocrat and a scrappier, friendlier brunette, had enough superficial similarities that both fighters and Yokai from Esaka often compared them. Some jokingly referred to them as ‘echo fighters’, others as the simpler and more derogatory term ‘clones’, all typically behind the young ladies’ backs. Asuka, Lili, Sakura, and Karin weren’t on bad terms, but if there was anything each pair of rivals could agree on, it was that they were the dominant duo. Unfortunately, both Asuka and Karin had disappeared a while back after significant tournament losses, leaving an odd couple in Esaka until Sakura left to seek out Ryu. Karin’s appearance in Limsa Lominscuttle Town, and Asuka’s much more recent reappearance with none of her previous Esaka memories, told Sakura everything she needed to know in order to recontextualize what had happened–a fate these two seemed blind to.

“Oh, well,” Lili sighed with a shrug. “I suppose it will have to wait until Miss Kanzuki returns as well. I had just managed to persuade Asuka to edify herself with a visit to Critical Art when the news of your return reached me. If you’ve a mind to join us, feel quite free.”

While not enthused by the prospect of visiting some stuffy old art museum, Asuka seemed much more amenable now that she had someone fun around. “So, where’ve you been?” she asked Sakura. “Got any good stories? Maybe you’ll jog my memories!”

---

In the course of silently observing his fellow detective’s tryout against Kyanta from beside the building’s front door, Big Band quickly came to a decision: that this wasn’t the gym for him. Though his mechanical body possessed great strength and fortitude, he knew he could be overwhelmed by quick, agile opponents, and if what he’d seen so far was anything to go by, he wouldn’t last one minute against these psychos. Their combos and attack patterns followed no logic that he could identify, defying both physics and common sense. While Zenkichi probably had enough magic tricks up his sleeve to pull off a win here, Band was a much more traditional fighter, and while on Kyanta’s turf he couldn’t rely on the Heavenly Principles to even things out. Better to find a dojo that catered to his strengths; if there was one upside to trawling Esaka’s Low Tier for diamonds in the rough, it was that there were plenty of options.

After wishing Zenkichi luck and bidding him farewell for now, Band set off for another pass around the bottommost district at his own pace. He stopped by a number of dojos in quick succession, spending up to five minutes at each, and what he saw didn’t exactly paint the brightest picture for him. As it turned out, the unregulated nonsense of Ultra Fight de Kyanta was more like the rule than the exception. Everywhere he looked he saw unreactable mixups, bizarre techniques, incongruent movements, infinite combos, and staggering imbalance even between members of the same dojo. The average low-tier fight looked more like a cracked-out frenzy than a proper sportsmanlike duel. No wonder the higher tiers turn up their noses at these guys, he mused, shaking his head. The more Band saw, the quicker he went, more and more anxious about the invisible timer that hung over his head, ticking down the seconds until noon. He hadn’t wanted to partake in a tournament at all, of course, but if they really did involve Esaka’s Guardian like the others expected, he couldn’t hang his teammates out to dry. Soon, less than an hour remained to both join a dojo and register.

At length, though, Band stumbled upon an unusual dojo even by Low Tier standards. This one featured a lot of heavy metal, with a futuristic aesthetic, but it seemed only half-built, with weeds growing up from the disturbed earth in its partially-developed plot. The front door was shut tight, but with nobody around to stop him, Band let himself inside. Within, he found a strange scene. A state-of-the-art, highly technological gym languished in an incomplete state, its metallic interior dusty and rusting. The biggest surprise to Band was the bodies, not of people, but of robots. A variety of sporting-looking, combat ready machines could be found around the place, intact but inert. Poring over the scene piece by piece, Band found a handful of documents, culminating in the discovery of a ledger clutched tight in one robot’s hand. With that, he began to put the bigger picture together.

According to the documents, ‘Metal Revolution’ had been the name of the dojo-to-be, the project. Deliberately and carefully modeled after certain higher-tier dojos with a mind to emulate the best parts of each, the dojo and its roster had shown a lot of promise. Highly publicized throughout the lower and middle tiers, it had received a lot of attention and investment, but not enough to satisfy its founder’s grand designs. With the finish line in sight, Metal Revolution exhausted the last of its funding and support, shutting down before its efforts ever came to fruition. Its colorful cast of fighters, enthusiastically registered along with the dojo in advance, went offline one by one. All had been robots styled after various sports or martial arts the world over, with names like Xuan Cuo, Catalina Gomez, Paulo Silva, Jamal Ritter, and Umi Ito, but like their dojo they’d been forgotten by Esaka and its fighters.

It was a sad story, but in the midst of his revelations, Band saw an opportunity. “Hmm…” he murmured, scratching his chin with a little mechanical pincer as he reviewed the roster. However preemptive and futile it had been in the end, Metal Revolution and all its robotic fighters had been registered with the tournament board. The Low Tier housed so many stagnant, half-dead dojos in various states of decomposition that he couldn’t help but wonder if Metal Revolution had ever actually been scrubbed from the records. With that in mind, Band paid his respects and vacated the premises, headed for the nearest registration booth.

Soon, the detective was looming in front of a yellow-and-white combot, its beady red eyes inquiring. “What is your name, which dojo do you represent, and which tournament would you like to enter?”

“Paulo Silva,” Band told the machine, his tone one of unflinching self-confidence. “Metal Revolution.” That left just one important question, and unfortunately he knew very little. He did know that King of Fighters used three-man teams, and he worked best in a team, but all three members probably had to be together to register. There was no time to try and find his fellow Seekers. “...World Warrior.”

Though the combot’s lack of face made it difficult to read, it didn’t seem to suspect anything. “Responses recorded. Eligibility check pending. You are free to go. Have an excellent day.”

Band let out the breath he’d been holding as he stepped away from the booth, walking past the line. Plenty of random low-tier fighters had left their registration until the last minute as well, but he didn’t feel any better about his gambit. Nothing to do now but wait and see, he thought. After getting some distance, he lifted a pincer to the linkpearl in his ear and radioed the others. “Just registered myself. Headin’ to Pao Pao now, over.”

“Hey, me too!” Nadia’s bright, cheerful voice piped up over the comm line. “I’ll be a minute gettin’ down from the Mid Tier though. The Pools are real purr-ty, by the way. Nobody’s up there fightin’ today, so if anyone feels like a nice dip after lunch, we can have ourselves a pool paw-ty!”

Band did not relish the thought of immersing his five thousand pounds of intricate instrumentation in the water, so he decided not to volunteer. Instead he made his way through the Low Tier to Gold Team’s designated rendezvous point, ready to meet back up with everyone else.

With the glow of red paper lanterns shining off the burnished whiskers and antlers of gilded Chinese dragons, and zesty music playing near its fully-loaded bar, Pao Pao had a nigh-irresistible party atmosphere. The decor of the place, from the red railings that ringed its second-story balcony to the elaborate antique wall panels on the first floor, not to mention those great serpentine statues, struck Nadia as oddly similar to the Dragon Empire styling of some restaurants in Little Innsmouth. It wasn’t quite the same, of course, but it still left her smiling from ear to ear the moment she entered. After showing herself to the back of the restaurant, she joined a number of other Seekers at a long table. The new guys Terry and Kim were both present, while Junior, Rika, Primrose, and Therion were notably absent; Nadia guessed they must be off doing their own thing.

The moment after Nadia seated herself by Big Band, the mii waitress appeared to take her drink and appetizer order, having already taken everyone else’s. “Cola and pork dumplings, please!” the feral chirped after a quick glance at the menu. After the waitress left, she looked around at the others and told them, apropos of nothing, “So, I signed up for Mortal Kombat…”

Band nearly choked on his sweet tea. “You did what?”

The feral shrugged. “Well, someone’s got to, right? Plus, it’s got the least entrants, so that means fewer fights. And if, God forbid, I somehow do lose, I can just play dead!” To prove her point, her head rolled off her shoulders and plopped into her hands with her tongue sticking out and her ears drooping. “See? I’ll just fall to pieces the second someone goes to fatalize me, and bam, dead,” she declared cheerfully, using the term she learned during her attempted registration.

There’s more than one way to skin a cat, Band thought, but what he said was, “And what about the people you beat? You’re s’posed to kill them, too, ain’tcha?”

“Don’t care!” Nadia replied breezily. “What’re they gonna do, boo me? It’s not grounds for disqualification, I don’t think. Much as I’d love everyone cheerin’ my name, all that really matters is beatin’ the guardian.”

Soon after, the waitress returned with Nadia’s orders, then pulled out a notebook to take everyone’s entree orders. Between authentic Chinese cuisine and various South American dishes, from Brazilian to Chilean, there were a lot of tasty-sounding options. Once everyone had given their lunch orders, the conversation could continue.

Frozen Highlands - Krat Zoo

Lvl 8 Sandalphon (61/80) Level 5 Heismay (28/50)
Edward’s @DracoLunaris Blazermate & Sectonia’s @Archmage MC Geralt’s @MULTI_MEDIA_MAN Ace Cadet’s @Yankee Roxas & Ganondorf’s @Double, Ramattra’s @XoXKieroBombXoX
Word Count: 2023

Nameless Stagecoach
𖥞: 8/8 | 🛡️: 7/8 | Equipment: Stewpot/Windchime/Lamps/(None)/(None)/(None) | Companion: None

Once the stagecoach came to a stop within the Hall of Adventure, Heismay wordlessly lent his blade to the efforts to secure the area. There were fewer carcasses in the immediate vicinity than one might expect, and mostly standard human ones at that, so with nearly a dozen Seekers it was no trouble to clear them out. Truth be told, Heismay was grateful. Though he’d fought without giving voice to his reservations, these monstrosities disturbed him greatly. The Humans that plagued his world were awful, certainly, but their horror came from an indescribably alien ‘otherness’ and ‘wrongness’. These carcasses were like nothing he’d ever seen, a repulsive and gruesome mockery of life itself, reeking of death and disease. He agreed with Sandalphon completely; the world would be better off with these things wiped out. The only problem was that he needed to help do it.

Edward and Geralt decided to stay with Sandalphon and protect the stagecoach, while a number of Seekers trooped toward the east wing, especially once the archangel’s report confirmed an avenue of egress on that side. Accordingly, Heismay turned his attention to the west wing. With the main doorway blocked, he jumped over the gap in the collapsed stairs on the western side, then proceeded through to the east wing’s second floor, where he paused on the threshold to scope it out. He spotted a half-dozen rectangular taxidermy displays along the walls, mostly themed around the wetlands. Flamingos, crocodile, hippopotamus, beavers, water buffalo, capybara…Heismay recognized few of those names, but even with the zoo in this condition, it was easy to get distracted admiring these animals.

He could see three human carcasses, a male one near the entrance and two female ones further away. The first one still wore the remnants of a showy yellow tweed suit. “Quite the dandy,” Heismay muttered. That carcass seemed busy pummeling the taxidermied remains of a beaver, mindlessly smashing the husk over and over, so Heismay snuck up on it with relative ease. With ample time to prepare, he transformed as he approached, then used Dark Sword from behind to hack the former gentleman in twain.

When Heismay changed back and turned to focus on the other two, however, he had a surprise waiting for him. Blazermate had flown in without any regard for stealth, then used that strange shield of hers to bite the two female carcasses once each, amidst their ineffective flailings. Having done the deed, the medabot flew away, and when the carcasses turned to face her they spotted Heismay instead.

“Damn it.” The eugief darted behind a display as the carcasses approached, snarling horribly. He looked around, identified a piece of broken glass, then picked it up and tossed it over the display. When it shattered, the carcasses turned to investigate the sound. Without delay, Heismay hopped up onto the display, then jumped toward the enemies. He spread his wings to close the distance by gliding silently, then drew his sword as he dropped to deliver a spine-severing slash to one target. As it fell, he pivoted and cut through the other’s leg, then repositioned himself in order to lop off its head as it toppled. It seemed dead, but the other one’s upper half was still functional. “Vile things.” Heismay tightened his grip on his longsaber, repositioned himself, then chopped off the carcasse’s arms. With no way to move or attack, it wouldn’t be much of a threat to anyone.

Heismay crossed through the second floor, pausing only to look at the taxidermied reptile. Compared to the others, even the more sizable hippopotamus, the croc seemed to have the most care and attention put into it. It was of no consequence, though, and the eugief proceeded down the stairs to the west wing’s first floor. A crude and highly damaged barricade had been erected at its base at some point, but Heismay had no trouble getting past it. Looking around, it seemed like a number of survivors had attempted to hole up here at some point, hoarding all the supplies they could. The wing looked like a junkyard of smashed boxed, broken suitcases, and trampled personal belongings, all the former property of families who’d traveled here to visit the zoo on holiday. He could see a few highly disfigured carcasses, and when one sensed him, it tore a bluish polyp off its body to hurl at him. “Not today.” Heismay jumped away from the globule of decay, then approached, methodically dashing and dodging projectiles until he could put the carcass out of its misery. A similar approach worked for the other ones, and after another minute the bottom floor was clear. Heismay wiped steaming teal fluids off his longsaber using a tattered frock. “Plague us no more.”

At his words, one large suitcase seemed to react, shaking suddenly. Muffled sounds emanated from within. Swallowing, Heismay narrowed his eyes and approached. He waited until the struggling died down, then carefully undid the latch, his blade at the ready.

The suitcase burst open, and from within tumbled a short man with a long, braided, orange beard, gasping for breath. As he panted, Heismay lowered his blade. “Ohh, thank ye for freein’ me,” the viking gasped, laying on the floor. He turned toward his rescuer, only to be taken aback. “Eh!? A bat-man?”

Heismay narrowed his eyes. “And what of it?”

Realizing his mistake, the viking held up his hands. “Nono, it’s great and all, I just…didn’t think you’d be a bat-man.” He cleared his throat. “I owe you one. The name’s Erik–Erik the Swift! What should I call ye?”

“I am Heismay Noctule,” the eugief told him, sheathing his blade. “What were you doing in a suitcase?”

“I climbed in tryin’ to hide from those wretched monsters, only to lock myself in,” Erik explained as he got up. “Wasn’t too bad, mind ye…kind of cozy, actually…but it was startin’ to get a bit stuffy.” He picked up and put on his one-horned helmet, then straightened it. “Ah, that’s better. It’s not just me though, see. My brothers, Baleog and Olaf, are around here somewhere. We got stuck here a few days ago. Found this strange doohickey and tried to call for help, but the monsters found us, and we got separated while runnin’.” Erik rubbed his head anxiously. “Any chance you can help me find ‘em? The three of us, we’re a package deal. Don’t know what I’d do without ‘em.”

Heismay nodded sympathetically. “I’ll inform my comrades. We can certainly keep an eye out. Meanwhile, you should stay with us, in our stagecoach. We…look out!”

Suddenly, Heismay dove into hiding behind a crate. Without question, Erik dove back into his suitcase with a yelp. The reason why was obvious: a horrific monstrosity had just reached the bottom of the stairs. It took a second for Heismay to even realize what he was looking at, but the realization was dreadful indeed; it was the corpses of the two carcasses he just dispatched, reanimated and fused together in hideous fashion. A single head lolled atop the mass as it crawled on three arms and one leg, the severed fourth limb dangling behind it like a tail as the rags of its dresses hung from its fused flesh. Heismay shivered, his breathing heightened. “I killed them…I killed them!” he hissed. None of the others had come back, so why now?

He steadied his breathing. How it came back was of no concern to him. Only eliminating it for good. As far as he could tell, the horror hadn’t detected him, and had in fact turned away to hobble back up the stairs. Time to make his move. Heismay leaped out from behind cover. “Thief!” Transforming, he launched a Mudo at the abomination, then charged after it with his curved greatsword raised. “HaaaaAH!” Though the monster had a second to prepare, it did not attempt to defend itself, so Heismay slashed away. After a moment its pieces fell to the floor, turning to ash as Heismay changed back. His chest heaved as he tried to shake off the chills running down his spine. “We’re clear,” he called back.

When he heard only rattling and muffled yells in reply, Heismay looked back to find that Erik had locked himself in that suitcase again. With a sigh, the eugief jogged back over to free him again.

Before moving on, they took a quick look around. There were still some usable items strewn around the former hideout.

Items obtained

Vivid Ergo Crystal
A fragment of Ergo, a mysterious power stone that can be found in Krat. Ergo is both a power source and a currency in Krat. Ergo crystals are considered a precious material and good food for those who run on Ergo.

Fire Abrasive
A special abrasive made by mixing fire metal powders. Temporarily imbues a weapon with Fire. Wise Stalkers are prepared to face any manner of variable that comes up in battle. Abrasives are another weapon that can turn the tide on the constantly shifting battlefield

Shot Put
Some throwable weapons boast great destructive power on their own. When combined with brute strength, nothing more needs to be said. This heavy object can not only deal respectable physical blunt damage, but also break the stance of enemies in a staggerable state from a distance

Trephine Bur
Inflicts 10% damage on the target and inverts all debuffs into buffs with a refreshed duration

Ratshaker
The latest and greatest problem-solving product. The rat inside is completely inert and won’t do anything unless held around the midsection. Shaking the rat will cause it to make noise and fill the Ratshaker Meter, which appears at the center of one’s vision when shaking. Filling the Ratshaker Meter while pointing at stuff can cause things to happen around the user, though the more the rat is used, the more audible evil-sounding whispers become. The rat will also talk to the shaker more often, which only the shaker can hear, with a sardonic attitude, apparent full knowledge of the shaker’s past, and a desire to probe past traumas. The rat can be cracked like a glowstick, which will cause it to scream, after which it will emit light for a while. It can also be squeezed, which lowers the Ratshaker Meter and is the only way to stop the rat talking. The rat cannot be killed

Heismay saw the immediate value in the fire abrasive, the function of which he could intuit from its resemblance to a weapon grinder and fiery nature. The shot put looked destructive, but better used in the hands of someone of great physical strength, like Ace or Ganondorf. Since it was so heavy, Heismay gave it to Erik to carry. It was less clear how to use the crystal and bur, but maybe Sectonia could figure it out; she seemed magical enough. Most perplexing by far was the box labeled Ratshaker. When the eugief reluctantly opened it, he could only stare in confusion at the strange, unmoving rat in his hand. After a moment he reluctantly tried shaking it. “Aaaaaa, aaaaaa, aaaaaa-aaaaa-aaaaa,” it went, not so loudly that it startled Heismay, but still unpleasant, especially with the Ratshaker Meter that briefly seared itself into the middle of his vision.

“I don’t like this thing,” he decided. Maybe Sectonia could figure it out, too.

He and Erik carefully made their way back to the group. Ignorant of Blazermate’s abilities, Heismay proceeded to warn everyone about the phenomenon he’d observed once he introduced Erik. “Bad news, everyone. These horrors can reanimate even after they seem dead, and combine themselves into larger, even more horrible monsters. We must be extra vigilant.” Narrowing his eyes, he held up the rat. “And can someone take this? I get the feeling it might be useful, but ever since I tried shaking it, I’ve been hearing whispers…”