MULTI_MEDIA_MAN

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

Undisclosed Date

Zenkichi Hasegawa & Sandalphon
The Avenger
Word count: 3,001 (+4 XP/Rapport)

When Zenkichi arrived at the bridge, he found it almost deserted. Sandalphon caught eyes immediately, with the high-visibility radiance of her halo a sharp contrast to the electronic blues and greens of the hologlove nearby. With the Avenger in the capable hands of its tireless onboard AI, Hope, there were no other personnel necessary to keep the airship in the sky. Even at night, it seemed, the ship did not land, since there would be no better time for an ambush from Moebius, hungry as they were to hunt their foes’ stronghold down. After a cursory look around, though, Zenkichi realized with a start that he and Sandalphon weren’t alone; the Commander happened to be here too, off to one side and motionless as an appliance, silent but watching, always watching.

Sandalphon greeted the detective with a small smile that did not seem to reach her eyes. “Thank you for coming,” she told him, her voice low, lacking its usual stoic authority. “I won’t occupy too much of our time. There are many tasks to attend to in preparation for tomorrow’s missions, and to achieve optimal results all units must be adequately rested. Even me.” She gestured toward one of the curved benches surrounding the hologlobe. “Will you sit down?”

Once seated, the archangel took a moment to gather herself. Then she spoke, her tone a touch slower and more deliberate than usual. “For some time now, I have been perturbed by certain dreadful thoughts. Nothing quantifiable–just what I imagine most people would refer to as a ‘bad feeling’. Or a ‘sinking feeling’, perhaps. I managed to put off further investigation into the troublesome matter in lieu of my other duties, but willful ignorance is something I can neither conscion nor stomach. This afternoon, I called a number of my Midgar contacts to gather relevant data and meticulously assemble a timeline of certain events. What I discovered is not necessary for any Seeker of Light to know in order to perform the tasks required of them. However…”

Sandalphon hesitated. “In the brief time we’ve known one another, we’ve achieved a level of rapport that’s somewhat unusual for me. I believe this extends beyond our shared combat effectiveness, as well. It would not be untrue to say that I have grown…fond of you. At the same time, the behavioral and physiological readings I’ve taken of you in my presence indicate a similar attachment to me, empirically speaking.” She gave him her best attempt at an apologetic look, as if saying she was sorry for defaulting to such methods. There was more to her contrition than that, though. “As such, I think I owe it to you to share my findings with you.”

The archangel reached out gingerly, hoping to take Zenkichi by the hand. “Before I do, however, please allow me to express that I do not regret my decision, either to establish my Covenant with you, or to bond with you or Akane. I would not qualify these actions as mistakes. I would understand if you do…but, personally speaking at least, I would hope not.

She looked off into the middle distance. “Approximately three and a half years ago, I began employment with DespoRHado Enforcement, LLC. Prior to that I served as a cleric of the Lateran Church. That period lasted approximately six years. I was unable to piece together of the exact span during which I existed in Midgar before my induction into the Lateran Church, but as best as I can tell, it lasted no more than a couple months.” Sandalphon breathed in evenly. At some point, her pupils had become stress marks. “I trust that you are aware that in this world, we are all incarnated with a built-in lifespan of ten years?”

As Sandalphon spoke, she could feel Zenkichi's hand in hers grow warm, while his face slowly grew pale as realization set it. ”Y-yeah…” Three and a half years with DesporRHado. Six years with the church. A few months before that…he could do the math. His eyes closed as he prepared himself for what he knew was coming.

“Unfortunately, due to insufficient or inaccessible records of my earliest days in Midgar, the margin for error is unacceptably high. Well outside my personal standards for data analysis.” If anything, Sandalphon seemed more annoyed by that than what she was about to convey. “As best I can tell, I have between one week and three weeks left. Before my expiration date.”

When she finished, Zenkichi's eyes finally opened, pinpricks that seemed as if they could see a thousand miles away. What could only be described as the broken smile of a man desperately trying to hold himself from shattering slowly found its way to his face. ”....oh.” was all he could manage to choke out, even as his grip on her hand tightened, as if he was afraid she would disappear right in front of him.

The ensuing moment of silence stretched out into seconds. Sandalphon wanted to say something, but she couldn’t quite find the words. Nothing could have prepared her for a situation like this. From an impersonal standpoint, she’d delivered all the information she needed to, but she felt compelled to dispel the dreadful quiet settling around her with something more sentimental. To mitigate the painful impact of this revelation, if indeed it could (or should) be mitigated. But what could she say? It was hard enough to try to unpack the tumult of unprecedented feelings swirling around inside her, let alone read and properly address Zenkichi’s.

After a moment, she said the only thing she could think of that might quash his distress. “I’m sorry.”

The words seemed to snap Zenkichi out of the state he'd fallen into, his demeanor quickly changing as he leaned forward a little, squeezing her hand before loosening his grip. ”No, you don't have anything to apologize for. That was…it's a lot to take in. It just…it almost feels like a sick joke. It's just…bad timing. But I don't regret it, either.” He added, calling back to what she'd said earlier. ”Meeting you. Becoming your friend. Being…close to you.” A flush crept up his neck as he spoke, but he carried in without shame or embarrassment.

”Losing Aoi…changed me. On a fundamental level. I made a choice that, no matter what happened, I would never let anything like what happened to her happen to Akane. She hated me for that choice for a long time, because it meant betraying myself for her sake. It meant allowing another victim to take the blame for Aoi's death.” He couldn't recall just how much of his own story he'd told Sandalphon before, but he was resolved to leave nothing hidden now.

”An influential politician was driving drunk when he struck my wife, killing her. An aide took the blame, and committed suicide after the incident. I began an investigation into the man responsible, but after I received a letter threatening Akane's life, I let off on the pressure. My boss and I were still planning to climb the ranks and find justice when there was less red tape in our way, but it was the easy way out, letting someone else take the blame until I had the perfect hand to play, and it took meeting the other Phantom Thieves and seeing the dark side of Akane's hate that made me realize that. That was when I awakened to Valjean. My ‘rebellious spirit’, as Mona calls him. It's the manifestation of my dedication to justice, to doing the right thing, and it was only when I set aside my grief and my fear for Akane that I was able to truly make that dedication again. But it didn't mean that I can't look out for her, too. I was just…too afraid to take that risk. Too afraid of losing someone else.” Taking a deep breath, he turned a sad smile Sandalphon's way.

”I don't want to lose you, either, Sandalphon. I don't…I don't know if I'd call what we have love, but the thought has crossed my mind. Nobody has made me feel the way you do since Aoi. There were…women…after. And girls. Nobody too young, but when you're in a club and drunk off your ass the differences between 20 and 40 are a lot less noticeable. But all that was just me running away from my pain. When I'm with you, I feel like I'm marching towards a future. I…felt like I was. It just…feels like a potential path I was hoping to walk has been ripped out from under me. I can only imagine how this must be affecting you. I'm sorry if my reaction has seemed selfish, Sands.” The nickname came with the best playful smile he could manage at the moment. It was a small, fragile, precious thing.

The archangel listened to his story at rapt attention, absorbing every detail. To an extent, her gaze probably felt too intense–like she was staring straight through Zenkichi, trying to dissect how he thought and felt so she might be able to understand how to think and feel herself. When he apologized, though, she shook her head. “Not at all. Firstly, allow me to thank you for sharing your story, despite the pain that must have resurfaced alongside those memories.”

“Secondly, I believe that I not only understand, but share that sentiment, now that you’ve put it to words. This exercise in becoming more human, in growing closer to a human, felt like…realizing that I had been trapped within a roundabout all my life, and that a brand new road now lay in front of me. A free and open road that seemed to stretch past the horizon itself, ripe with promise. It intimidated me, and it would not be without challenge, but I knew I could walk it…if you were alongside me.” Her unblinking eyes slid closed, and her head drifted downward. Overhead, her halo gently sank. “I have never thought highly of my own existence, beyond the value I bring to a team and the good I can do for mankind. But to see the terminus ahead of me, so soon after that grand vista unveiled itself…I agree. It does feel like a…like a terrible waste.” For the second time in her life, tears began to well in the archangel’s eyes. “If it were possible. I would have liked to see…that future. For us.”

Seeing Sandalphon cry for a future that they could never share was like a dagger to Zenkichi's heart. It hurt, so deeply, both to know her fate and to know that she felt the same. It was such a tragic twist of fate that they had met with such disparate lifespans remaining. He knew that he would carry the memories of their time together, of their bond, for the rest of his time in the World of Light, however long that might be.

But alongside that pain in his chest was a slowly simmering anger. Anger at the circumstances that would tear them apart. Anger at Galeem, for toying with their lives, the very worlds from which they came. He knew that, given the choice, he would choose to meet Sandalphon every time, but even still, the unfairness of it all gnawed at him.

Keeping a light hold of her hand, Zenkichi stooped out of his seat and knelt before Sandalphon, in a much more deliberate recreation of the time she had done the same in Everdream Valley. ”Sandalphon.” He started, slowly. ”I told you that I promised myself that I would never let what happened to Aoi happen to Akane. I…can't promise the same to you. It would be a lie. We both know that. But I can promise that, as long as I have left in this world, I will carry you with me, one way or another. Not Simon,” he turned his head, addressing the Captain who had told them about the time limit. ”What happens when somebody…reaches their time limit?” He asked, dreading whatever answer he would receive in a different way.

The Commander kept his mechanical hands clasped behind his back as he replied. “They dissolve into light.” Zenkichi's stomach, and face, dropped at the revelation. That was probably the worse of the two options.

How fitting, Sandalphon thought, amongst other things. Zenkichi’s sincerity was touching, and his callback did not go unnoticed, but in the archangel’s opinion a eulogy was a touch premature. After a moment she stood, lifting the detective to his feet alongside her. “I appreciate your sentiments. However, I am not dead just yet. Should the worst come to pass, you will have ample time for sadness later. For now, we should focus on what we can do with the time I have left.” Haltingly, Zenkichi nodded in response.

Though her cheeks glistened with tears, Sandalphon’s brow furrowed in thought. “We have a lot of ground to cover, after all, and the world is full of wonders. There may be a way to save me. The Commander here is proof of that.” She looked over at the automaton. “Of course, merely copying my mind into an artificial shell would be of little benefit to myself, but it proves that there are options.” She lifted her other hand and examined its palm, as if answers could be divined from the lines that arced across it. “I mentioned one path before–the path trod by all humans. Today, I unwittingly set foot upon a second path. I know precious little, but I am deeply intrigued. I feel an ephemeral pull, and in my mind’s eye I can see a glittering northstar, far above that all-too-short road. Where they would lead me I cannot say. I know only the name of this path: Remembrance.”

Sandalphon placed her hand on her chest. “I have heard it said that to remember something is to make it real once more. Regardless, let us not mourn before I am gone, but hold out hope for a miracle.” She stared into Zenkichi’s eyes, and a smile crept across her face. “Can you do this for me?”

Slowly, Zenkichi's face grew a smile mirroring Sandalphon's. ”I can do that.” He managed, though it was a little strained. To cling to hope, to fight for a miracle? It was hard. But he supposed it was easier than just giving up.

His hand slowly found its way to Sandalphon's cheek, gingerly wiping away a tear and caressing it, as Zenkichi slowly leaned forward to lean his forehead against hers. ”I'm…afraid, Sandalphon. Afraid of losing you. But even more than that, I'm afraid that I'll lose you, and one day we'll meet again…and you won't remember.” His voice shook, but he carried on. ”And I'm afraid that will hurt even more than losing you.”

The archangel did not recoil from his gentle touch. Instead she carefully leaned her own forehead against Zenkichi’s, the light of her halo shining down on hair both black and white. His skin felt warm, while hers felt cold. “Well. Technically speaking, that would not be me.” She closed her eyes. “I am afraid as well. It is a curious sensation. Yet, at the same time, it is also wonderful to have something I am afraid to lose. Something…precious.”

Zenkichi nodded ever so slightly at that sentiment. ”It is.” His thumb gently traced small circles on her cheek as he leaned closer. ”Having something to lose…something to fight for…is a wonderful thing.” As he finished the sentence, his lips closed the distance between them, gently pressing into Sandalphon's as he closed his eyes.

“Yes, and-” All of a sudden, Sandalphon found herself quite unable to speak. In fact, for once in her life she was completely overwhelmed, her mind short-circuited by bioelectricity. She was frozen, not by discomfort, but by cluelessness. If Zenkichi’s eyes had been open, he would have seen that the archangel’s irises were completely black, as if her pupils had simply shut off. Nothing existed except the man in front of her, so close and so very warm, her chest pressed against his. After a moment, though, her own eyes slid shut, and without thinking Sandalphon kissed him back.

The tiniest bit of surprise at Sandalphon's complete lack of reaction at first tickled the back of Zenkichi's mind, but he'd learned to roll with the punches a long time ago. He did not press the kiss too deeply, though he did not leave it a simple, chaste peck on the lips either. It lasted more than long enough for Sandalphon to recollect herself and return the gesture, causing a smile to force itself onto Zenkichi’s lips despite the fact that they were puckered and pressed to the archangel's. He let the connection linger a few more moments before breaking it, keeping his forehead against hers. ”That was also wonderful.” He whispered, eyes half-opened and gazing lovingly into hers. ”It feels like I could do that forever.” As he admitted this, a deep blush began creeping up his neck to his cheeks.

At some point Sandalphon’s pupils had returned, taking the shape of hearts. “If only,” she murmured. Her chest heaved, her breath labored; for a few moments, she had in fact forgotten all about breathing. As her heart pumped, though, her pale face began to redden as well. “We have a little longer, at least?” After a deep inhalation, she closed her eyes again, her gray lips ajar.

Zenkichi's face blossomed into a bright smile at Sandalphon's words. ”That we do.” He pressed his lips to hers once more, one hand sliding to the small of her back and holding her closely as the other gently cupped her chin. In that moment, everything was right. The time would come when they had to separate, to go their separate ways as part of their mission, but for this ephemeral blissful moment, there was nothing to worry about.

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

Geralt of Rivia & Zenkichi Hasegawa

The Avenger
Lvl 15 Geralt (192/140) -> (193/140) 170% OL Charged (Lvl 1)
Lvl 9 Zenkichi (47/90) -> Lvl 9 (48/90)
Word count: 698 words

With dinner finished, many of the Seekers found their way to the Stolen Moments bar. They came in different intervals, and a somber air filled the dual-purpose room as they gathered. The photo of Goldlewis was a nice touch, Zenkichi thought. He eschewed getting a drink, feeling the moment a little too heavy to dull with alcohol. Tomorrow, maybe even that night after, sure. But right now? No.

Geralt, on the other hand, had an ale in hand almost as soon as he reached the bar. It was a fairly light one, though. Sandalphon’s eulogy struck him as oddly stilted, yet less so than expected. It was a bit curious, but she’d been managing to lighten up a little with her fusions and chats with people, he supposed. Regardless, she did a damn fine job with Goldlewis, and was more than free to admit that she hadn’t had enough experience with Midna to give her a proper sendoff.

Edelgard had chosen to show her face for Midna’s sake, not having had any opportunity to properly meet Goldlewis. The Twilight Princess had taken some time, even if it was not overlong, to help explain this world to her and Edward, and when Sandalphon and a few others had said their pieces, she joined them. ”Midna…I did not know terribly long. She helped Palutena’s forces in reclaiming Skyworld, helped us minimize our casualties in doing so. She was a capable and caring commander, that much was plainly evident. She helped Edward and myself learn more about this world that we have found ourselves in. Had we the time, I like to think that we could have become friends. I did not know Goldlewis, but from the way you speak about him, he certainly seems like the kind of man we could have used a hundred more of.” She joked lamely. ”It is a great loss to us all that they were taken.” Bowing her head, she raised it with a resolute expression. ”Their deaths shall not be in vain.”

”You got that right.” Zenkichi added. Goldlewis was larger than life, almost literally. I don’t know he got that big, and I don’t think I want to know. What I do know…is that he came from a world like mine. Not the same one, not from what he explained about his world’s history, but he came from a country I knew well by name. I wish we’d gotten to share more stories. Make more stories. As for Midna…I didn’t get to know her too well, but she was a big help in Midgar. She helped investigate some of the shadier things the government was doing. She tried so hard to help Peach…” he sighed, deflating a little. ”And she saved us all.”

“Nearly killed Goldlewis in Midgar.” Geralt opened up with a startling story. “Got him pretty bad with the orphan’s cleaver while we were fighting Chimeras. Damn Spirit was messing with my head. This kind of…pressure, deep in the back of my head. Made me angry all the time, just under the surface. And those things are impossible to hurt without special weapons or this combat drug they made there. I lost control. And I nearly killed him.” He huffed through his nose in a rueful laugh. “He let me have it. And then when I explained to him, he told me I ought to think about fusing with something else to cool me down. Well, that was how I ended up a woman for a day, but it worked. That anger, that pressure…it’s still there, sometimes, but it’s more than manageable now. I dealt with more infuriating things on the Continent daily.”

“As for Midna…we had a good time playing that Carnival game. Junior and Goldlewis were with us, too. He was just as useless as I was, two old men just trying to keep the kid safe while we pretended to be scared. They helped make sure he didn’t get his game ruined while I stayed back and got beaten to fake death.” He sighed, letting out a half-chuckle. “She was a good person. Good ally. Fuck Galeem.” he finished, taking a sip of his drink and sighing.

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

Geralt of Rivia & Zenkichi Hasegawa

The Avenger
Lvl 15 Geralt (143/140) +10 Collab XP + 38 Scavenger XP -> (192/140) 170% OL Charged (Lvl 1)
Lvl 9 Zenkichi (19/90) +4 Collab XP +23 Scavenger XP -> Lvl 9 (47/90)
Word count: 488 words

After the meeting, Zenkichi went to visit Akane and make sure she was still okay while reassuring her that he was also okay, as had become their routine. A short chat, some pets for Maru, and the Phantom Thief made his way to the cafeteria for lunch. He gladly grabbed a plate of crab and sides, sitting at the same table as Sandalphon and Nadia. He’d missed their earlier conversation, however, and nodded at the pair as he sat. ”Hi there, Sandalphon. Nadia, Edward. This looks really good. Reminds me of home a bit, actually.” It wasn’t exactly the same kind of crab you’d find in Japan, nor the right size by any means, but the spread seemed to have a Japanese inspiration, at least.

Geralt, for his part, had arrived shortly prior to Zenkichi, sitting down at a fairly empty table, with two plates of food. One pre-prepared dish of crab and sides, the other containing a trio of dinner rolls and being filled with his portion of crab slices from the center of the table. While he was careful to not take more than his share, he’d more than gladly devour any leftovers as well. He watched the others as they sat and ate, enjoying the moments of silence and reflection. Goldlewis and Midna came to his mind, and a sad smile followed.

While it was true that the two would eventually be churned back out by the ‘system’, they also might never see them again before Galeem’s defeat. They could be anywhere, even places the Seekers had long past and left behind. Scouring the world would cost them precious time and alert the other Consuls to their goals, and in the end, they simply wouldn’t be the same people they’d come to care for and think of as friends and allies. Sure, they’d have the same base personalities and memories, but the journeys they’d shared, the growth they’d gone through together, and even the Spirits that changed the way they thought and fought would be missing.

No, Geralt thought, it would be better to focus on their goals. Mourn their friends as they were, for they were well and truly gone. A hadn’t even left Spirits behind for them to revive. His heart hardened a little as he thought it, but it was his way of honoring their sacrifice. He would carry forth their goal in their memory, and help make sure that those of a more villainous bent didn’t fuck up their plans to…

What were their plans? The captain of the Lost Numbers seemed to want them to restore the destroyed worlds, but if such a thing proved infeasible- what then? They were burning through Guardians now, and the question would need to be asked and answered.

For now, though, he filled his stomach. They’d just chosen a leader to the group, much to the chagrin of some, and they could debate contingencies later.

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

Zenkichi Hasegawa

Paved Wilderness- Highertower
Lvl 9 Zenkichi (17/90) -> Lvl 9 (19/90)
Word count: 1,001 words

Celica, thankfully, did not blow him up. She, did, however, transform her mech-tank into a full-on mecha, making Zenkichi suppress a sigh. At least this one was on his side. Unfortunately, they didn’t get much of a chance to have a meet-and-greet before another mech, this one outfitted in the colors of the soldiers they’d taken out, dropped from the sky and began spooling up its giant minigun. Bit of an oxymoron, that. ”Oh come on…” he groaned as he summoned his Greatsword, all the better to block with.

Thankfully, Edward and Juri appeared through a portal at about the same time, and Zenkichi quickly backed up their claim. ”Friendlies! Those are, in fact, more friendlies on your six, even if they may not always act like friends.” The complaint about their earlier pilfering from the Gears was mostly toothless, as Zenkichi was much more invested in Not Dying to a Giant Mecha for, like, the third or fourth time now? This was getting to become a pattern and he was not a fan!

With reinforcements at its side, the NC Vanguard Mech began opening fire on Celica’s Skell, leaving Zenkichi and the others to deal with the squads of soldiers. Edward began firing back with his own weapons alongside his drones, and from the sky (presumably way up on the Highertower) came arrows the size of spears. How Edward managed to call in a giant with a bow for reinforcements, he did not know, but Zenkichi did know that this was his jam. A group of less-dangerous enemies and one big guy was the Phantom Thieves’ bread and butter when he was with them. Running in with Blazermate trailing on the heals, the fight was on.

With Preservation Protocol activated, Zenkichi didn’t bother to buff himself just yet. The moment would come, and with Blazermate healing him, he didn’t have to swap to Restoration. Gunfire filled the battlefield, shots flying at him, at the portals Edward had set up to protect Juri and the container, the Dreadnought himself, Blazermate, Celica, and just about any other free spot of air around. Even as small arms fire plinked away at his vitality, Zenkichi ran in. The Greatsword was dismissed in favor of his revolvers, and when he found a good rock to hid behind, he finally took cover and began popping out to return fire.

Revolvers, being fairly simple weapons, were also somewhat underestimated by guys like this. Oh, he couldn’t put out nearly as much volume of fire, that would never be under question, but Zenkichi could put out just as much hurt. As assault rifle fire slammed into the rock beside and dirt behind him, Zenkichi lined up a shot on the incoming combat medic and put a round in his plate carrier. It didn’t down him, but the momentary flinch threw off the soldier’s aim enough that Zenkichi could line up a second shot, to much deadlier effect. The bullet went right through the soldier’s head, crossing one target off the list. Turning his head, Zenkichi watched the NC reinforcements beginning to surround Celica before sighing and turning to Blazermate.

”Gonna drop a big hit in there, then we go in and clear up. Just follow my lead.” The medabot was more than happy to oblige, and Zenkichi popped out with the Greatsword in hand and Valjean behind him. ”Valjean! Let’s turn the tide. Agneyastra!” As a wave of lethargy passed over Zenkichi from his stamina dropping to perilous levels even as Preservation Protocol gave him a defensive buff, a trio of magical meteors crashed into the battlefield. wiping out a solid half of the NC reinforcements in a single fell swoop, leaving a vacuum he could fill.

To their credit, the remainder did not break and run. He wasn’t sure how many were under Galeem’s influence and had been hit by small arms fire or otherwise drawn into the fight, but not a one of the soldiers, even those in the rear, abandoned their squadmates. ”A pity.” Zenkichi sighed, as Armstrong, Sosha, and he broke into their lines and began causing chaos. Between Sosha’s dexterity, Armstrong’s nigh-invulnerability, their fire support, and Zenkichi’s healthy mix of durability and self-sustain, the NC squad stood not even a ghost of a chance.

Hitch blasts rang out with every blow Zenkichi landed, especially when he activated Fury and his attacks became AoE zones of devastation. An attack that hit three enemies hit each enemy an extra two times, as well as hitting all of their allies that he’d already hit. He had to keep his focus split between the soldiers to maintain the stacks of Hitch, but with Preservation Protocol’s defense boost still up and Blazermate keeping him topped off, even close-range shotgun blasts could keep the Phantom Thief down. It didn’t hurt that every once in a while, a giant arrow-spear would turn a soldier into a spirit in the blink of an eye, further harming their allies through Hitch.

It was…not a pretty sight, but after what was realistically not a terribly long time, the battlefield turned quiet. Zenkichi sighed as Blazermate’s medigun healed his wounds and he picked up the spirits of the fallen soldiers. Each wound was fairly small, but there were many. ”Thanks. We gotta get her outta here.” He said, gesturing to Celica. Putting his finger to his ear, he contacted Sandalphon yet again.

”Sandalphon, this is Zenkichi. We made friendly contact, though I think we’re going to need a lot of fultons for this…tank mech thing she has. Edward and Juri are getting some supplies to the armory, I think as well. Hard to tell with those two, we’ve all just been doing our own thing until we just met up. Regardless, we’re likely in need of a pickup of some kind. Not sure if the Avenger can reach us in time. If not, we can try to get her to a vehicle I pilfered and stashed out here. With Edward’s portals, shouldn’t be too hard, as long as we can get that mech moving, too.”

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

Zenkichi Hasegawa

Paved Wilderness- Highertower
Lvl 9 Zenkichi (14/90) -> Lvl 9 (17/90)
Word count: 1,326 words

As yet another rocket flew past the Prowler, Zenkichi groaned as he dodged the vehicle to the side, sweat dripping from his brow. ”I’m starting to think this was a bad idea!” He called to Blazermate. ”I’m thinking we have to get in there. We’re too big a target on this thing.” Even with Antlers spawning in to distract the Psychos and the Mercenaries, they just seemed to keep coming.

”Alright, I’m getting us out of here.” He decided, pulling them back from this section of fighting. There was chaos all around them, so he still had to be careful in where it piloted the Prowler, but pulling a bit away from the Highertower at least meant that it was less densely packed with bullets and explosions. As the pair hovered along the edges of the battlefield, they saw more vehicles operated by the Psychos and NC troopers duking it out. The troopers had the edge in firepower and armor, but the Psychos had sheer insanity on their side. Their vehicles were neither practical nor sensible, rendering some of the more advanced tactics of the NC troopers moot.

This chaos was to the pair’s advantage, as they used the two factions’ focus on each other to avoid being targeted. An explosion from within the tower itself heralded Sectonia’s gambit with her fire antler, and the battlefield grew a bit quieter without the mercenaries holed up in their firing every which way. After a little while of evading danger, Zenkichi found a safe, quiet place to park the Prowler. If somebody found it later, that would suck pretty bad, but it made them a much larger target, especially when they got closer to the battle proper. And with the Engineer’s fully-upgraded turret guarding it, it would be fairly safe for a while. As they dismounted, a message from Sandalphon warning them of a distress call nearby.

”Valjean, Sukukaja.” He calmly ordered, his Persona granting the Phantom Thief an appreciable speed boost. With Blazermate’s speed matching from the medibeam, the pair were able to sprint from cover to cover easily for the minute of the buff’s duration. Ducking into one of the bunkers, Zenkichi ground to a halt as he saw a small group of blue and yellow-clad troopers forming up at the other end to make a break to another piece of cover.

“Hold one. Getting a warning that something just took out Charlie Squad’s Vanguard. They reported taking fire from the Northeast, then we lost them. Alright, change of plans. We’re heading that way to see if we can’t get eyes on and direct reinforcements.” The apparent leader of the group spoke loud and clear, completely oblivious to the pair hiding the entrance to the bunker.

Before they were able to move on, though, Zenkichi and Blazermate struck. Zenkichi activated Fury and popped out from behind cover with a pair of swings from Ragnell infused with Almighty energy, running in to hit the soldiers in melee before they fully recovered. He made it three-quarters of the way before a round of buckshot landed in his chest, sharply bleeding off his momentum, but the overheal from Blazermate’s medibeam kept him from feeling the pain too badly. He slammed Ragnell into the medic’s chest, knocking them back as bullets from the other soldiers started steadily draining his vitality. Deactivating Fury to slow the loss of life, Zenkichi turned to the others and hefted Ragnell, flames growing around the blade even as submachine gun shots and another round of buckshot hit him. Deciding he’d charged the attack enough, Zenkichi unleashed Eruption.

The explosion knocked the soldiers back, applying Hitch to all of them and hurting the already-wounded medic further. Zenkichi hurled Ragnell up, using Aether yet again to both heal himself and finish off the downed soldier, sending a wave of damage through the deathblow to the other Hitch-afflicted soldiers, who were still getting up even as Zenkichi targeted the next. Between the large blow from Eruption and the Hitch chip damage, the soldiers were on the backfoot, and they realized it. “Under attack from an unaffiliated assailant! Bunker 4, northeast exit! Need immediate backup!” The squad leader cried out, pulling out a frag grenade and throwing it between Blazermate and Zenkichi, who finished off one of the group’s light infantry, leaving only the squad leader and a second light infantry.

The grenade exploded a moment later, scoring Zenkichi’s back with shrapnel and dealing some light damage to Blazermate and him. “The hell’s this guy made of?!” The infantry called out, drawing his sidearm and firing a high-caliber shot into Zenkichi’s chest. The Phantom Thief grunted and slid back a centimeter. Another shot came, but Zenkichi tanked it with another grunt and raised Ragnell, stabbing the soldier and leaving him to dissolve into ash. Blazermate summoned Armstrong to charge the leader, bear hugging the man and crushing him violently before dropping him to the ground. He tried to catch his breath and stand, only for Armstrong to football punt him in the face, finishing the soldier off and turning him into yet another pile of ash.

Breathing heavily, Zenkichi rested his hands on his knees once his weapons dematerialized. ”Oh jeeze. That…took a lot out of me…” he groaned, giving Blazermate a thumb’s up when she kept her medibeam on him dutifully ”Ughh…thanks, Blazermate. You’re the best.” He sighed in relief. ”So, Northeast, huh? What are the odds that’s our tankbuster, huh?” Zenkichi mused, peeking his head out of the bunker.

The battle was raging around them. Rockets, streams of bullets, and the occasional energy projectile flew through the air, meaning that any random spot could be safe one moment, then a smoking crater the next. Still, if they were gonna find this person, they’d need to keep moving. He kept scanning the area, and found some orange a bit in the distance. ”That might be it…” he murmured, pointing at a large cargo cache with what looked like part of a strangely spread out vehicle hiding behind it. ”Yep, that’s it.” He chuckled. Did it really take a detective’s eye to spot that, or was it just because he knew what he was looking for, unlike those soldiers?

Regardless, it was time to make a break for it. The wreckage of the destroyed tank was off to the North, about a third of the way between them and the cargo, then from there the pair would have to dodge between a few smaller pieces of cover while not getting blown up. Thankfully, Zenkichi had a pocket healer, which made the whole ‘not dying’ part pretty easy, even when a passing vehicle turned its gun on them. When the pair hunkered down behind a large rock and didn’t attack, though, the vehicle found itself distracted by a minigun being fired at them from on the tower, Galeem’s influence forcing them to retaliate and leave Zenkichi and Blazermate alone.

From there, it was a matter of a hop, a skip, and a jump to the orange cargo crate, which Zenkichi ran up to before stopping to catch his breath. They’d kept the crate between them and that machine, so they would have to reveal themselves now. Just before they did, though, Zenkichi put his hand to his ear once again to contact Sandalphon. ”Sandalphon, Zenkichi again. Blazermate and I are about to make contact with what we believe is Celica. Stand by for an update. If things get ugly, can you please warn Edward, Juri, and Sectonia to keep an eye out for us so we don’t get blown up? I’m pretty sure this girl’s got a tank herself, or some kind of artillery piece.”

With that said, it was time to risk it all. He knocked on the cargo crate a few times, before sticking a hand out and waving. ”Uh, hey, Celica? We got your distress call. Please don’t blow me up.”

Short, sweet, and to the point.

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

Zenkichi Hasegawa

Paved Wilderness- North-Northeastern Road
Lvl 9 Zenkichi (12/90) -> Lvl 9 (14/90)
Word count: 917 words

To say Zenkichi was disappointed in the situation with the Gears would be an understatement, but given the confusion surrounding the battle, along with the fact that Juri and Edward (he saw the drones) had decided to rob them, he couldn’t argue much. The trio decided not to bother with following them to fight Sweet Tooth, and proceeded onward to Hightower instead.

Zenkichi ditched his Chopper and instead took control of the Prowler hoversled, the damage to its front having ultimately been fairly minimal. It would need to be looked at when they returned to the Avenger, assuming he was able to keep the vehicle intact that long, but otherwise was still in working order. He offered the turret to Blazermate, the medibot readily accepting the position, if not the weapon. She was more focused on keeping him overhealed and charging her own weapons, at least on the ride there.

As they passed through the Oilwell Basin, Zenkichi got a good look at the environment around them. It was filled with some strange lifeforms, as well as what Zenkichi could have sworn was one of the weirder Pokemon, but he did not stop to get to know the locals. The Prowler sped along, hovering a scant few inches off the ground and performing remarkably well in the uneven terrain. Finally, though, they crested the hill and reached Hightower, a massive series of battles unfolding before them. ”Oooohhh that’s not great…” Zenkichi muttered, driving them closer and skirting the edge of the battlefield. The imposing figure of the Flame Clock loomed over the battlefield, and Zenkichi got a chill down his spine. Would a Consul show their face here.

Deciding to err on the side of caution, he lifted his fingers to his temple to contact Sandalphon. ”Sandalphon, this is Zenkichi with some good news and some bad news. Good news is, I’ve located a Flame Clock. Bad news is…I’ve located a Flame Clock, and there’s maybe five of us here. If a Consul shows up, we’re gonna need immediate extract. I’m still running on low, and I’m not sure where Juri and Edward ran off to. I’ll keep you updated. Zenkichi out.”

”Alright, with that out of the way…let’s figure out where we’re going here…” he muttered, driving slowly around a tank desperately fighting off a half-dozen light vehicles, turrets all spewing lead at the heavy vehicle’s armor while speeding around to avoid being blasted to bits by the high-explosive rounds that the armored vehicle was firing. It was apparently equipped with more than just that, however, as one shot from the main gun launch a spread of vicious shrapnel, catching one of the lighter vehicles off guard and turning it into a pile of scrap and Spirits.

Being very careful to avoid being turned into his own Spirit, Zenkichi found a quieter area to start an incursion into the pitched battle at the base of the tower. He eased the vehicle in, looking around and witnessing the Psychos going all out, launching hatchets, saw blades, and using all kinds of weapons to attack the mercenaries they were fighting. He even saw a couple throw themselves carelessly into the line of fire, primed grenades in their hands as they tackled their enemies, blowing themselves up in the process. So, be careful getting close to them, he made a mental note.

”Alright, let ‘er rip!” he called to Blazermate, who scrambled to put away her medigun and grab the turret, turning the weapon onto the Psychos and cutting a pair down with high-intensity plasma blasts before they even realized what was happening. The rest scattered, finding new cover from both the massive vehicle and their previous opponents, who took no chances on whether this new group would help or not, and immediately split to turn their weapons on the Prowler. Bullets and a couple of rockets flew their way as Zenkichi let out a quick ”oh, shit!” and pulled back on the controls of the Prowler, sending the hoversled jolting backwards and throwing off Blazermate’s aim.

”Looks like it’s a real Mexican standoff, now!” he joked as he pivoted around towards the better-armed mercenaries, silently directing Blazermate’s fire their way. She obliged, firing plasma blasts at the few open soldiers she could, the pair using the maneuverability of the Prowler to circle around spots of cover and hit their enemies from behind. After being directed to drive over a sinister-looking crack in the ground, Zenkichi piloted the Prowler over it, a red ghost appearing to chase down and detonate on one of the mercs. A familiar-looking beam of energy attached to another of the mercenaries as plasma burned away at him and his cover, and the grenade-launcher wielding Scotsman leapt from cover and began unloading everything he had their way.

Zenkichi had to bank hard to the right, throwing off Blazermate’s aim again, but he managed to evade the grenades coming downrange and get his gunner back into a good spot. She focused the medic hard, plasma burning right through his flimsy lab coat and sending him running screaming. The demoman yelled and rushed forward to pull aggro, but a Psycho tackled him to the ground and began hacking away with his saw blade machete.

”Yikes.” Zenkichi grimaced, a sigh of relief escaping him as a trio of Antlers joined the fray, Sectonia’s distant aid finally arriving. The Psychos split their forces further to attack them, however, which left Blazermate and Zenkichi facing down the squad of mercenaries.

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

wordcount: 2686 (+3 exp)
Bowser Jr: Level 14 EXP: ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////(281/140)
Rika: Level 10 EXP: ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////(197/100)
Lvl 14 Geralt (114/140) -> (117/140)
Lvl 10 Roxas (7/100) -> (10/100)

”Oh hey, it's those banana tree lizards from the land of adventure” Jr called over to the whale riders as they sailed through the sands, pointing skywards to a small herd of Tropius soaring above them, before asking ”wonder what they’re doing out here?”

”My Pokedex says it’s called a… Tropius.” Roxas said, looking at the screen of his Rotom Phone.

“Could be migrating.” Geralt guessed, though he could do more than that, having little knowledge of Pokemon habits and biology.

Having been staring up at the flying plant dinos as well, Rika didn’t notice when they went over the rim of a perfectly circular pit with steep slopes of sand till it was too late. Initially, however, everything was fine, just an unexpected little dip, but then when the whale started to climb back up, it found the loose grains offered no grip to its supernatural sand swimming, causing it to start sliding backwards deeper into the pit and towards the center, where a faint glow could be seen.

”Huh? What’s going on?” Rika asked, as they slid down what Jr, who had halted at the edge of the pit, identified loudly as a ”Sand trap!”

“Dammit!” Geralt cursed, holding tightly to the whale even as he tried to see what it was that had laid the trap. It was well-hidden, though, so he gave that up in favor of keeping a grip on their summoned mount.

The whale sunk and sunk, and then when it got close, the glow in the center suddenly burst up as the Balahara that had dug the pit burst from the sand, lunging for the whale, prompting a shriek of alarm from Rika as she panic tapped her featherfall rune, launching her straight up into the air. The Balahara just barely missed her, but it had not been aiming for her, and instead plunged down onto the back of the whale, smashing its spine in the process and then crushing it beneath its weight.

”Again!” was Rika’s complaint as she double jumped, and then used her grapple to latch onto a nearby tree, and reel herself to it and, thus, to safety.

Knocked off the whale by the Balahara's impact, Geralt scrambled up the edge of the sand pit they'd tumbled into, only looking back to make sure the others had escaped as he escaped the trap.

As for Roxas, when they started to fall he generated a platform of virtual cubes that he could land on to avoid falling toward the waiting Balahara. ”What even is that thing?” He asked.

Below, the beast started to rip chunks out of the crippled whale while it was still alive. It seemed content to simply do so, till Jr launched a hail of iron knives and his Brionne a bubble beam at it in retaliation for the attack on his sister.

Unfortunately, the hastily forged knives simply shattered against its scales, and the beam of water failed to leave any lasting harm. Double unfortunately, the beast took issue with this, raising its head opening its maw, revealing its glowing interior, and promptly spitting a massive glob of water (large enough to engulf the Ace Cadet) at the prince and his mon, prompting both to duck into the car, and then to be blasted back as the water splashed into them, drenching them with a stamina regen reducing waterblight debuff.

The Balahara then turned this attack on Roxas and Geralt in turn, aiming, it seemed, to shoo off these morsels from its prize.

The glob of water was simple enough to dodge, though Geralt had trouble regaining solid footing in the sand when he landed hard. Assistant Manager would be too slow to fight here, so he transformed again into Ardor Blossom, hurling a fireball in retaliation at the monster.

”Reflect!” Roxas cried out, instinctively managing to recall and cast a protective Reflectga spell on himself. It conjured an omnidirectional shield around him that was only up for a second. But in that second the water glob collided with it and as a result the intended damage was reflected back at the Balahara instead.

While the first projectile got the Balahara’s attention as it scorched the tough armor notably but not significantly, the second reflected one very much caught the monster by surprise. Receiving a mouthful of its own spit was not something it could have ever expected, and though it was more confusing than it was damaging, the beast having to swallow gave the seekers a moment to act against it.

Rika did so by deploying her many drones. Two scout planes launched from her gauntlet’s hangers, the red baron drones from her back, all of them forming an arch of machines hovering over her head and arms. Col. Droneman joined them, floating up to the top of the formation, and deploying his solar panels, drinking in the sun, and activating his boon.

All at once all the drones and planes had a small gimbal turret mounted minigun spawn under their nose, except for one of the red baron drones which had an entire robot arm holding a handgun sprout from one side. With these, the ship girl immediately opened fire, resulting in an onslaught of 81 rounds being fired every single second at the Balahara.

Unfortunately, just like her brother’s knives, these small projectiles shattered or were deflected by the beast’s tough armor that seemed to have no real weak spots. The volley of mini-missiles fired from every drone in response to every 1/10 bullet impacts certainly had more of an impact however, though the damage to the armor was rather spread out.

Geralt took advantage of the Balahara's confusion to lob a few more fireballs at it, but he noticed that they didn't seem to be having much of an effect in its tough hide. “Hide’s too tough for weaker attacks! We need to hit it with something big!” He yelled to the others.

Roxas wasn’t faring much better with his Firaga spells. They didn’t appear to be doing much more damage than Geralt’s fireballs were. He switched it up and tried a Blizzaga instead that appeared to garner the same result. Then he switched up again and fired a couple of charged shots from his RockGun for the self-same result.

All this incoming fire very much convinced the Balahara that the smallfry were very much a threat, prompting it to lunge forwards into the sand, corkscrewing its body as it did so to drill into the sand of its own pit. Then the ground beneath Geralt began to suddenly stink down into a minute sand trap before the beast burst up from below. It rose up half its length, and then arched its form down towards Roxas’ floating platform, before burying back into the sand at a shallower arc, the land bulging as it passed beneath the Seekers and emerged atop a dune behind them.

There it lunged at Jr, who’d only just emptied his clown car, forcing the prince to deploy his clown car’s wheels and race back towards the rest of the seekers to avoid the attack, dashing between them as the Balahara bore down on them.

Geralt had too little time to react, and was tossed into the air by the Balahara's emergence, landing roughly in the sand with a grunt. He forced himself to his feet slowly, turning to find the Balahara atop the dune, preparing for them to attack. He transformed back to his normal Identity and quickly cast Quen on himself to protect from further attack.

Roxas ditched his platform just before the Balahara crashed into it. And while the cubes obviously did their touch damage, that too didn’t appear to phase the creature much. Roxas landed on the sand just outside of the pit and hurled his Keyblades down toward where the Balahara was. He was starting to wish he had his Fortune summon, thinking maybe her railgun shot would actually hurt this thing. But unfortunately she was still in storage and Roxas still only had Kayano and Poltergeist to work with. So he summoned Kayano and had her blast the beast from below with a geyser of dark water.

The water blast threw off the Balahara’s charge, causing it to stumble off course, and then to roll the side to get the spectral water off of it. The actual impact of the water seemed to have had little impact, but the darkness within it had caused some of the already damaged scales to blacken as it seeped into small gaps.

The striker also shuffled the seekers around, mainly by putting Roxas up in the tree Rika had grappled too, and shoving both royal children into the frontlines. It was only thanks to Balahara taking a sand bath that this didn’t have dire consequences, but a moment later it reared up, jaw opening up, preparing to deliver a face slam down on the pair.

Before it could however, Jr recovered from the confusion of his relocation just enough to panic summon Blodia, or rather its massive fist, which slammed into the side of the Balahara’s head, knocking the blow it had been attempting to deliver off course, and briefly leaving it stunned, face first in the sand. While Dazzle hit it with a blast of his disarming voice Rika took this opportunity to dash in (the accompanying tidal burst also doing little to the monster) and to then deliver one, two, and then a third (Kayano empowered) punch into the spot the giant robot’s fist had impacted with. As she struck gauntlet’s Denting Blows stacking up and then on the third blow triggered it, cracking some of the armor on the beast’s face on the final hit she delivered before backing off.

Roxas was momentarily taken aback by his sudden relocation, having forgotten about this aspect of Kayano. And so he saw his places had been switched with Rika, and that she and her brother had been forced into close range against the Balahara. ”Uh oh, forgot about that, uh…” His mind raced on what to do about this and an idea popped in his head, ”Wind!” He chanted, successfully recalling how to cast the Aeroga spell. A shielding whirlwind swirled around Jr’s body which would halve all incoming damage against him for the next 18 seconds. And then he cast the spell again, targeting Rika. She would benefit from the same shield of wind as well as the shield itself dealing minor wind-elemental touch damage to the Balahara while she was striking it.

Geralt was standing on the ridge, steel sword in hand as he recited the chant for one of his spells: “Oh divine spear, run mine enemy through! Holy Lance!” As he finished the chant, the telltale five spears of light appeared around the Balahara, the sixth hanging overhead like a sword of Damocles. Each launched itself into the monster, taking advantage of its stunning to inflict its massive damage.

Five of the spears punched into the beast’s dark water weakened armor, getting about half way in and then leaving bleeding holes after they dissipated. The sixth struck right into the patch of armor Rika had softened up, skewering all the way through one of the beast’s two lower jaws. It roared in pain as it staggered to its feet, but the skewered mouth part didn’t manage to close, leaving a third of the fleshy interior of its maw permanently weak and exposed.

”Yeah! We got it on the ropes now!” Jr cheered, only to make a panicked shout as it whipped around, slapping both him and his sister with its tail, and sending both tumbling backwards into the sand. Fortunately Roxas’ wind barriers softened this blow considerably, causing it to only pop Rika’s energy shield, and smash jr’s clown car’s ablative armor. It still left them concussed however, but rather than follow up on this, the beast kept facing away from them and began to hustle away on foot, now unable to burrow through sand thanks to its broken jaw, leaving six trails of blood as it did so.

“Go after it, or let it be?” Geralt asked, starting to slide down the sand to the others. “Your trip, your call.” He added, looking at Junior and Rika.

The answer which Rika at least had already decided on before being asked came in the form of the sand beside the Balahara before her white whale burst from it, having escaped the sandpit now that the beast that had dug it was no longer maintaining it. It was also in a terrible state, and yet by the will of its creator it still fell upon the monster that had tried to eat it with all the might it had left. A volley of three bombs was spat out of its mouth, colliding with the beast and tossing it to the side, before cannons roared, punching shells into its underbelly.

This was not quite enough to fell the beast, and so the whale fell upon it, biting at it while being clawed at and bit in inturn, two great monsters wrestling in the sand as the lifeblood rapidly drained out.

Well, until Jr picked himself up and cast ”Benediction!” upon the wounded whale, fully healing it and giving it the edge. After that it was all over, and with a last crushing bite the Balahara’s armor finally buckled and broke, allowing the whale to crush the life out of it, causing it to burst into ash in its maw.

”Finally” Rika sighed, as she called the whale back to them, delivering the spirit to them in the process, balanced atop the whale’s snout.

”Glad that’s over.” Roxas murmured, dispelling his Keyblades and using Flow Motion to parkour his way back onto the whale’s back. ”I feel a little bad taking down something that was just trying to eat, but… Self-defense, I guess.” He concluded with a shrug.

”Shouldn’t have messed with us!” Jr replied, the prince having hopped out to repair his clown car. Thanks to the new ablative armor tech, all this involved was him forging new armor plates out of his magic iron, before slapping them onto the outside of his vehicle, and then with a swipe of his paintbrush applying the machine’s ‘makeup’ at which point he was ready to go.

Rika merely nodded to the sentiment as she stepped up and retrieved the spoil of her vengeful whale attack, before asking ”Anyone? Or store it to make stuff with?”

“Store it. Ace might know the best way to use that thing. His folk make weapons and armor out of monsters I'd never dream of fighting.” Geralt advised once he climbed back atop the whale. “Any healing needed?” He followed up.

”Not me.” Roxas confirmed. ”I think the whale was the one who took most of the punishment here.”

”I’m good” Jr replied from his car (which had taken most of the beating and mostly rattled him and Dazzle around inside of it while it was knocked about) to which Rika added a ”Same” as she got them underway again, sailing deeper into the desert, and now keeping a closer eye on where they were avoiding to avoid any more sand traps.

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

Zenkichi Hasegawa

Paved Wilderness- North-Northeastern Road
Lvl 9 Zenkichi (9/90) -> Lvl 9 (12/90)
Word count: 1,759 words

Getting a ride from Sectonia was…an experience. It wasn’t a terrible experience at all, and with Blazermate (and Juri, if she deigned to help) nearby, they’d be well-equipped if it came down to battle. For a while, the ride towards the crash site was fairly uneventful. Scrublands as far as the eye could see, filled with tall, yellow grasses and cacti. It reminded him of stories he’d heard of the Great Plains of America, hundreds of miles of wide-open space where scenes like this played out daily. While he certainly didn’t hate living in Japan, he would’ve loved to see it. This was a good substitute, he supposed.

Eventually, signs of civilization emerged, shacks and stores, an inn and a cafe. They flew past them all, intent on reaching their goal as quickly as possible. Not too long after the last shack was in their proverbial rear-view mirror, the terrain started to become more hostile. Plumes of gas emerged from bogs, and the ground became rockier and more solid.

Eventually, the group came around a bend, and before them was a massive landship engaged in battle. Its size reminded Zenkichi more of a naval vessel than a land vehicle, but it sped along the ground at a surprisingly fast pace nonetheless, all the while under attack by alien creatures. Zenkichi pointed at the attackers, calling out to Sectonia, ”Oh jeez, we oughta give those guys a hand. They might be able to give us a lift, too.” He added, in case Sectonia was of a more practical mindset.

Once she slowed down enough for him to safely dismount, Zenkichi hit the ground running, his Phantom Thief attire appearing on him as he watched the Choppers chase around the Mammoth, soon setting their sights on the smaller vehicles that deployed from within the landship. Their explosive shots tore up the ground as they rode around, and as one turned to realign its guns with its target, Zenkichi struck. He raised his revolvers as the Chopper bled off its momentum into its turn, firing one after the other into the side and back of the Locust pilot. Its initial reaction was a panicked jerking of the controls which led to a swiftly-corrected spinout, but the blood pouring from its side gave away its dilemma.

After a moment, the Chopper turned for Zenkichi, who quickly stowed his revolvers for Ragnell, throwing himself aside as the massive wheels of the vehicle nearly churned him into paste. He pushed off the ground, swinging the holy blade at the pilot, and the second beam of light connected, sending it into another tailspin. The undersized rear where the pilot sat was an obvious weak point, and while the oversized, armored wheels and forward-mounted guns were an obvious counter to that weak point, they weren’t enough to make the thing unstoppable by any means.

By the time the pilot got the Chopper under control again, Zenkichi had gotten close enough to fire a few more blasts from Ragnell, and a moment later, he was close enough to tackle the Locust right off the vehicle. Stronger than it looked, even bloody and battered from gunshots and holy energy blasts, the Locust pilot drew a brutal revolver and fired, striking Zenkichi in the gut. Staggered by the surprise blow, Zenkichi stumbled a step back, allowing the Locust pilot to close the gap and hit him in the face with the butt of its pistol, the loud smack of the metal on his skull ringing in his ears. As the Locust aimed to fire again, Zenkichi rallied and threw Ragnell into the air, evading the shot with Aether. As he came down, he could feel the vitality he regained from the blow, even as the follow up launched the Locust back, its formidable hide entirely ignored by the second blow.

It weakly raised its arm into the air, before the limb dropped limp as it dissolved into ash. Zenkichi quickly scooped up the humanoid creature’s Spirit, a quick flash of guilt running through him, before he shook it off and jumped on the Chopper. The controls were alien, but far from overly complex, so after a few moments of jerking around with the few things there we to manipulate, the vehicle got going again. He jerked forward in the strange hovorbike, before correcting his inputs and slowing to a steady pace, turning towards the hoversled that Armstrong had given a pummeling. Once the Striker had dissipated, it had returned to attacking the LAVs that had come from the Mammoth, leaving its back open to Zenkichi.

He carefully crept up on them, careful not to touch the very obviously-marked firing button. Whatever made this vehicle, did so with little estimation for its rider’s intelligence, which he appreciated right now. Having to parse some alien language would have been annoying. Once he got a good shot on the pilot of the sled, he pressed down the button, a salvo of explosive rounds slamming into the hoversled and its pilot, though most went slightly off-course due to a combination of his momentum and the recoil throwing his aim off in the unfamiliar vehicle.

He heard the Locust bandits grunting and yelling before the sled turned around, and Zenkichi threw it into reverse, keeping the massive wheels between him and his enemy as he continued firing, explosive rounds peppering the hull of the other vehicle. ”Could use a hand over here!” He called out, turning a little out of the way to try and dodge a few shots, but the turret operator was quick to pivot his aim, a few plasma bolts hitting him and the ground around him, causing Zenkichi to hiss in pain and jerk his arm, sending him into a short tailspin.

While the unpredictable maneuver saved him from further shots for a moment, it also left him facing the wrong way. The Prowler beared down on him, the turret ominously turning as the Locust grunted victoriously. Then, a line of sword crashed down directly in front of it, causing the forward momentum of the vehicle to suddenly become upward momentum as the lopsided vehicle tried to keep going forward but couldn’t. It flipped over in the air, landing on its top and bouncing, before rolling to a slow stop, pinning the Locust on the turret to the ground as the pilot and side passengers scrambled to get out from under the vehicle.

Zenkichi angled his Chopper to face them, holding down the fire button and using short taps of the controls to keep his aim relatively on point, the explosive cannons quickly mulching two of the Locust bandits, leaving behind only their ash and Spirits. The third managed to get enough distance that it could raise its assault rifle and fire off a few bursts of high-caliber shots at him, but the oversized wheels of the Chopper blocked all but a few rounds, which pinged off the sides or landed in the hard dirt behind him. Zenkichi turned his aim on the Locust, continuing to fire, when one of the Bloodmounts crashed into his vehicle, sending it careening out of control in a tailspin.

Dazed, Zenkichi grunted as a burst of fire from the surviving Locust found its mark, crashing into his shoulder and breaking his focus. He let go of the Chopper’s controls, abandoning the vehicle and dodging a swipe of the Bloodmount’s claws, summoning his revolvers. He only had a few shots left in each, but he quickly spun to the Locust bandit and fired everything he had, only a couple of shots landing before the Bloodmount was on him again.

Rather than flesh and scattered armor, however, its claws slammed into a massive sword, Zenkichi having favored the Greatsword Sandalphon had bought him over Ragnell. Its size and power made it somewhat better as a shield, even if its attacks came slower. He pivoted and stepped backwards, letting the Bloodmount push forward and lose its balance as it lunged towards where he had been a moment ago, leaving an opening for the massive lump of iron to cave its spine in. The Bloodmount proved tougher than that, however, and lashed out with a kick pushing Zenkichi back at the surprising force.

Remembering how quickly the earlier Locust fell to Aether, Zenkichi repeated the move, hurling his oversized Greatsword into the air and coming down on the Bloodmount like a meteor, healing a bit from the attack and shredding through its formidable hide with the second. It wasn’t enough to finish the mount off, but it had been weakened noticeably. Another lunging claw swipe was blocked with a fair amount of ease, and Zenkichi swung his sword, crushing one of the monster’s claws beneath its weight and breaking the bone. It tried to rise, then collapsed as the accumulated damage overwhelmed it, dissolving into ash. Zenkichi grabbed the thing’s Spirit, then looked to the overturned Prowler, where a group of Sectonia’s Antlers had eviscerated the last two Locust, one of which had returned to help its comrade escape being pinned beneath the vehicle while Zenkichi was busy with the Bloodmount. Nother pang of guilt slammed into Zenkichi at the empathetic action, but he sighed. Nobody said things would always be easy, and if these things were this intelligent, then they had chosen a life of banditry. And antisocial behavior like that was bound to earn you enemies in a world like this. They’d be back eventually, and the cycle would repeat anew.

Shoving off the existential dread of that, he approached the Antlions to offer his thanks and work with them to right the Prowler, the minions proving to be intelligent enough to offer their aid. He left the vehicle as it was, not wanting to risk friendly fire now that the battle was calming down more, the LAVs having made short work of the majority of the bandits while he and Sectonia had fought off the rest, with Blazermate’s support. Speaking of which, he sighed as he felt her medibeam land on him, giving the robot girl a thumb’s up. He’d been moving around a bit too much on the Chopper for her to have been able to safely follow before, even with the speed matching the healing gun gave. Besides, with his own natural bulk and self-healing, he was more than fine to fight a few grunts. It was Sectonia and the soldiers on the Mammoth who needed the most help, with the Queen being such a large target and the soldiers being fairly bog-standard human.

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

Zenkichi Hasegawa

The Avenger -> Paved Wilderness- Hammerhead
Lvl 9 Zenkichi (4/90) +4 Collab XP -> Lvl 9 (9/90)
Word count: 456 words

As he, Sandalphon, Roland, and Captain Falcon filtered out from the Stolen Moments bar, Zenkichi made sure to make a stop to grab some water before the Avenger landed. They touched down in a scrublands of sorts, which wasn’t an environment Zenkichi was familiar with at all. He only managed to get in a few seconds of sightseeing, especially at the strange crescent-shaped mountain in the distance, before the Armadillos interrupted and triggered a flurry of activity. Once he took a seat onboard one of the ATVs, he kicked back for the ride.

Edelgard, however, chose to stay behind, looking over the map of the World of Light on the bridge. ”Enbarr…”” She muttered, eyes focused intently on the city’s name. ”I’ve spent too long away already. As much as this battle matters…so too do my people.”

Back at Hammerhead, Zenkichi hopped out of the Armadillo and took a good look around the place, letting out a low whistle at the refinery. That was an impressive piece of work, and must have kept these guys in business pretty darn well, he thought.

Nadia’s return from her chat with news of loot, though her cat burglar antics gave Zenkichi pause. ”Wait, I thought we were supposed to be the good guys…” He breathed quietly, not quite under his breath, but certainly not at full volume either. Still, it wasn’t like he couldn’t just return the equipment for the money. Regardless, he hustled over to the map board after her, using his height to get a good look over the others’ shoulders at the surrounding area.

Plenty of options to choose from, but that Hightower sounded the most promising to him, so Zenkichi set about finding a way to get there. From the looks of it, Roland was headed up that way with Therion, but he wasn’t about to ride in the bed of his pickup through that terrain, so that was out. He could try talking with that guy to get his own car, but his pockets weren’t exactly deep. When Sectonia made her decision on which way to go, he approached the odd Giant Bee Lady and swallowed, a little nervous.

”Hello, Sectonia. Your…majesty.” He belatedly added, remembering her claim to royalty from her world and her obsession with beauty. ”If it wouldn’t be too much a bother, would I be able to hitch a ride? I know you’ve helped carry some of us before, and I certainly wouldn’t hold you back in combat if it came to it, either. Dealing with low-level punks is sort of my specialty, leaving the big guys to the heavy hitters like you.” A little bit of flattery, but he wasn’t lying about culling the chaff being his specialty, either.

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

Geralt of Rivia

The Avenger
Lvl 14 Geralt (109/140) -> Lvl 14 (111/140) 140% OL Charged (Lvl 1)
Word count: 825 words

Tora’s reaction to the barbed wire mines made Geralt’s eyebrows climb a little. A barbed wire mine sounded nasty, but what did Tora mean about turning three-hundred sixty degrees and walking away? That was just a full circle. Mentally shoving that question aside, he shrugged when Tora asked what he wanted to do with them. “Frankly, I’m a little bogged down by gear as it is. Was just planning to give them to you to tinker with or use them for scrap.”

The question of what to do with the Hateful Flesh was a more pressing one. “A handle would be fine. It’d let me use the damn thing like a regular weapon, too.” Tora’s resolve shone through when what happened to Goldlewis and Midna almost managed to get him down, but he bulled right through the pain and set himself onto doing something practical, both for the Lost Numbers and himself. It wasn’t too far from how he’d reacted to Poppi’s destruction at first, throwing himself into his work to try and help bring her back.

As far as donations went for the cause, Geralt shrugged and gestured to the mines. “Can always use those for parts. As far as money goes, my coinpurse is far from bursting, unfortunately. Might be able to spare a bit, but it’d be pocket change at most.”

Tora shrugged as best he could without discernible shoulders. "That fine, will take whatever can get. Now, give strange weapon here." While he rifled through his meager stock of spare parts for something that could serve as a suitable handle -taking a second on the way to ascertain the dimensions of Geralt's hand- Poppi grabbed the necessary tools. Despite his preference for metalworking, he ended up picking some scraps of bone he'd been messing around with the day before. After all the preparations had been made, affixing the new parts and modifying the Hateful Flesh took only a couple minutes. Once the sparks stopped flying, Poppi passed the weapon back to the Witcher, its appearance evidence that he'd managed to get creative. It looked a little less magical, though clusters of crimson nodules still pulsated inside the weapon, but it looked more symmetrical and easier to handle. "Since cleaver no good for stabby-stab anyway, Tora attach grips to both ends!" he explained. "Now, Ger-Ger can use both hands to carve with double force, meh. What think? Even with weird magic blade, am engineering mastermind, no?"

Poppi seemed eager to be rid of the thing. "Truly, masterpon genius almost frightening to behold..."

Looking over the cleaver, Geralt nodded. “Well, that’ll certainly be a lot more convenient to use in battle. Thanks for that, Tora. I’ll have to give it a try later on.” Lifting the Hateful Flesh and returning it to its eldritch resting spot inside of him, Geralt gave the Nopon and his Synthetic Blade grateful nods. “And good luck with your chore golem.” He added, giving Tora a pat on the shoulder and making his way out of the Proving Ground.

His business there concluded, Geralt stopped at a small map of the Avenger. First, he figured it was time for a proper meal. Most of the others had come here first, then split off, but Geralt had wanted to give Tora the news and see what he could do about the Orphan’s cleaver first and foremost. Once his belly was full, he made his way down to the Mysticenter.

The assorted magical research stations caught his eye, though he certainly couldn’t begin to fathom where to start. He had learned some magic thanks to his fusion with Flynn Scifo’s spirit, but how exactly he possessed that knowledge of some fairly advanced spellcraft was beyond him. Whether or not he could research the same and learn more magic was similarly outside of his grasp, but he was willing to try. The miniature shrines to various kinds of magic stood out, but none existed for Light, which the paladin he’d fused with seemed to specialize in.

He chose not to interrupt Mona’s scrying, instead spending his time looking at all of the ingredients and keeping a mental stock of them. Once he was finished, the Witcher took a minute to think over what he could make with those, before settling on an old classic he hadn’t managed to get his hands on here in the World of Light. Grabbing some spirits, a particular fungus, and the embryo of an insectoid monster, he was able to craft a potion of Thunderbolt. “If those damned Consuls keep showing their faces, I’ll be needing this and more.” He muttered, looking over his work.

It wasn’t his best potion by far, but the ingredients and time needed to refine his potions further were harder to come by, so this would have to suffice for now. His work completed, Geralt returned to looking over the spellcraft station, poring over every bit of magical knowledge he could.