Lugubrious

Dwarves! Interest Check

This seems like a good old time. I'll keep an eye on it as I workshop ideas for a dwarf.

World of Light

I understand, and nobody bears you any ill will, of course. Just make sure that you're ready to re-commit for the long haul before you intend to join again.

World of Light

The Chalk Prince, the Fallen Child, the Prisoner, and the Skullgirl

Location: Frozen Highlands - Dragonspine
Linkle’s @Gentlemanvaultboy, Frisk’s @Majoras End, Prisoner’s @XoXKieroBombXoX

Teba's suspicious expression gained an air of incredulity as Frisk spoke up, as if the child could possible have anything to say that might sway the airborne archer when Albedo's best attempt to smooth things over fell short. In fact, all Frisk could offer was uncertain reassurance without confidence, and it left a lot to be desired. With a dismissive shake of his head Teba was ready to brush the kid off before they even finished speaking, but at the last moment he heard something that made him think twice. Frisk volunteered not just their help, but that of the entire party, for whatever ends the Rito might see fit so long as he allowed them a respite by his fire. The fact that his eyes narrowed in consideration told the heat-seekers that there just might be something he needed help with as well, enough to make him seriously entertain the thought of obliging the four even when curt refusal had been on the very tip of his tongue.

He didn't debate Frisk's proposal long, but stuffed the rabbit spirit into his pouch and turned to walk away. After a few steps, however, he turned halfway around and motioned for the others to follow with a flick of his head. Albedo complied, leading his party after Teba at a respectful distance, and aware of the sharp eye that his guide kept on his group the whole time, and the bow that never left his hand. Should he, Frisk, Linkle, or the Prisoner make any trouble he seemed ready to spring into the air at the drop of a hat, a deluge of lethal arrows left in his wake. The alchemist took pains not to betray his morsel of goodwill in any way.

Teba brought Albedo's group through a copse of bulky, misshapen trees, leafless and long dead. Their unusual mass and unsettling contours made it difficult to obliviously pass them by, and it took only the tiniest amount of examination to determine that these were no ordinary trees. Instead, they appeared to be giant corpses, their peeling skin and tough as hard as bark, with severed limbs that terminated in clusters of branches, and bodies pierced by multiple trunks as if grown from within. Eerie and macabre, even more than the grove of dolls that Frisk traversed near Treat's lonesome manor, the gravewood encouraged the visitors to hurry on their way, and Teba picked up the pace accordingly.

Just up the hill from the gravewood they came to a particularly large giant tree, those one crusted over in ruby-red sap with sinister connotations. Nestled as if in its lap was the bonfire that the four came to find, and around it were tents that took advantage of the branches and roots for stable construction. There, the newcomers spotted a little boy huddled up by the flames, as well as an older woman with her arms crossed. The moment she spotted Teba on his way, followed by a bunch of strangers, her expression turned as cold as Dragonspine itself. "...Teba. Who might they be?"

In turn the Rito glanced at Albedo and Frisk, his pointed expression saying that they ought to make their case for themselves. "Just travelers, in search of warmth and rest after a snowman ambush by the icy river," Albedo told them. "Your friend brought us here in return for us offering to help with some unspecified task afterward."

Teba's eyes narrowed, displeased that any words might be put in his mouth, no matter how minor. Before he could say anything, though, the little boy jumped to his feet. He seemed to have a haunted sort of look to him, as if anxiety had been eating away at him from inside for quite some time. "Are they gonna help find dad?" he blurted out, his desperate face possessed of only the faintest glimmer of hope.

The woman pursed her lips, then motioned to the newcomers to come over to the fire. "Sit." As Teba stalked over, she kept her eyes on Albedo and the others. "No funny business either. It's not just us here."

As if to emphasize her point there came a sudden surge of cold wind that flapped the four's coats, hair, and scarves. Albedo glanced around idly, but couldn't immediately identify a source. Whatever these campers might have in store, it would be for the best to make them feel as secure as possible. "Understood, ma'am."

Once he and the others seated themselves by the fire, and the boy fixed them with a pleading stare, the woman spoke again. "I'm Melony. This is Joel, and over there is Teba. Joel's father, Joserf, went up the mountain some time ago, but he did not return on time. Teba has been taking care of him since then, bringing food and such." The archer closed his eyes and looked away, as if the very idea offended him. "I myself was on an expedition with my three Pokemon to the caverns inside the mountain when we were caught in an avalanche." Her expression turned bitter. "When it was all over, I only found...one of them, no matter how hard I searched. And then, when my back was turned, my own partner attacked me! If not for Teba out on a hunt, I would have died. Chased it off, but it must have followed us back, because that night it returned, and Teba had to put it down."

Melony closed her eyes and breathed in. "I'm telling you this to warn you. There's something strange on this mountain. Too many have gone missing. Right now, what we need more than anything is to find Joserf for poor Joel."

"Trouble is, I'm the only fighter," Teba stated. "Can't leave either or both these two alone, and can't risk their lives bringing them with me on a long search up the mountain. If you're actually willing to help, then once you're all warmed up, here's what you can do. Go up the mountain, and find the kid's dad."

Following the explanation, Albedo gave a slow nod and looked at the others. "That sounds like a reasonable proposal. Though we have our own concerns, finding this poor child's father is of critical importance. Do you agree?"

World of Light

Tora, Poppi, and Big Band

Location: Sandswept Sky
Level 9 Tora (225/90) Level 9 Poppi (225/90) Level 7 Big Band (53/70)
Midna’s @DracoLunaris, Sectonia’s @Archmage MC, Primrose and Therion’s @Yankee, Jesse’s @Zoey Boey, Raz’s @TruthHurts22, Raiden’s @XoXKieroBombXoX, the Phantom Thieves, Braum, the Scout, Peacock, Tharja
Word Count: 2188

Things had gotten messy in a hurry between the mad scramble for badges and the frantic efforts of mercenaries and Seekers alike to secure a safe retreat for their comrades. While the sand worms posed little threat even if allowed to leap up directly under someone, the Sabogar pack and their twin Saboquill leaders posed a serious problem alongside their more flowery aerial counterparts, all of them boasting both dangerous powers and troublesome passive abilities, as those who took them on quickly found out. Unlike most of their comrades, Tora and Poppi Alpha dealt low damage but could soak up tons in return, making them best suited for tackling the thorny threat. Despite that, since their mission wasn’t to exterminate the Spectrobes but hold them off while their friends got going, a quick switch to Poppi’s Wind Core had allowed the pair to better keep the creatures at bay while taking minimal retaliation.

The others who joined them on the frontlines didn’t get that luxury. Whenever Vandham approached a Sabogar, his twin scythes eager to clear out some weeds, he could do little but grin and bear it as he fought it back. Luckily the Adult-stage Spectrobes reflected only twenty percent of the punishment they sustained, compared to their Evolved-stage leaders’ fifty, and in terms of hardiness Vandham had them beat. Rather than fight them directly, Shovel Knight strove to bury his enemies or flip them off their feet. Sectonia and Midna went on the offensive too, taking on some of the most threatening monsters around other than the stunned Molduga. With a little help from their friends they managed to squeak out a victory against the Florami and Saboquill, taking their spirits as they then fled to safety aboard the Virgin Victory.

While the Twilight Princess dealt with one, the second Saboquill gave its attention to Asbestos. After figuring out what its deal was, the Savra girl happily stopped attacking altogether, and for all its strength the monster couldn’t penetrate her shield. She continued to alternate between taunting the beast and deftly blocking its attacks until her badge warped her back to the ship, leaving her lightly winded and more than a little disappointed that her fun had come to a sudden end. Band shook his head in disbelief at the rambunctious operator, wondering how someone could get a kick out of all that. Regardless of her methods, a quick head count proved that nobody had been lost in the chaos, and the detective gave a sigh of relief. The fact that the extraction had gone off without a hitch was a cause for celebration, a better end than he could have ever hoped for to the craziest day that he’d ever had the misfortune of experiencing.

For Vibrava

New spirit absorbed:
Sabogar
The host’s legs have become more reptilian, with a bulbous cactus-flesh texture that extends up and over the host’s back. The tail has also gotten thicker, with the same sort of yellow spikes that form claws on the legs. Four round, melon-shaped cacti have sprouted on its back, clustered at the base of the host’s wing behind the head. This spirit confers the Power Hit Reflect, which causes 20% of all damage dealt to the host to be inflicted to the attacker as well, calculated prior to defense modifiers and immunities. This also applies to the vibrava’s owner if both are together. This spirit also confers the Weakness Plant Property, increasing the host’s fire weakness to 4x

For Midna

You have acquired:
Sabo Shield
This shield provides a bit of extra defense and a little bit of extra attack. Because of the spikes, it will damage the enemy equal to the damage the player receives while shielding, calculated prior to defense modifiers and immunities. Merely equipping the shield will not grant this effect though

And:
Mimic Tooth Necklace
When worn, any chest the wearer attempts to open will be unlocked automatically if locked, and also be a mimic. The mimic deals more damage depending on the quality of what’s inside it and behaves as if whatever’s inside it is equipped

After the excitement died down everyone settled in for the trip as best they could. Some went inside in the hopes that a shower or similar facility might be present, but as a dual-purpose troop transport and war machine the Virgin Victory was lucky to even have an onboard lavatory. other than Wonder Toilet of course, who did not appear eager to fulfill his namesake’s function in any capacity whatsoever. Worse still, there wasn’t nearly as much room inside the ship as it might first appear, with much of its interior space split between the sophisticated engine room and a massive deployable cannon from midship to bow. When it came to a shower, Primrose and Midna would have to hope and pray for suitable accommodation where they were headed, but at least they could wash their faces in the bathroom and enjoy the air conditioning in the interior. Sectonia, unfamiliar with the technology in use aboard the Virgin Victory, attempted to get in touch with Commander Nelson via the intercoms he used to welcome the Seekers, but with the communication system offline she received no response from the wall-mounted apparatus.

While their companions took it easy in the hold below, Tora and Poppi stayed up top on deck. Watching the sunset was one reason, but the splendid spectacle they really wanted to see was their old friend. “Vandham!” they called together, jogging over to where the huge man sat against the deck’s railing with the wind jiggling his pompadour.

“G’day!” Vandham greeted them with a coarse smile. “Worked up a sweat there, eh kids?” He wiped at his brow to emphasize the point. With how hard he’d fought both his face and his brawny arms were shiny with the stuff, and when the wind blew across his body it helped cool him down just as well as the airship’s AC might have. Plus, his heaving lungs were glad for the fresh, clear air. No amount of sweat, however, would stop Tora from bouncing straight into Vandham’s arm and wrapping his wings around the guy in a big Nopon-hug.

The mercenary leader just laughed. “‘Ey now, what’s all this, then? Don’t tell me you lot were worried about me?”

“Yes!” Tora exclaimed, squeezing tighter. “We were worried that you going sacrifice yourself for us again, meh!”

Vandham shook his head, a quizzical expression on his face. “There ya go about me dyin’ again, just like back in Alcamoth. I mean, I can think of worse ways t’go, but I ain’t in any ‘urry to kick the bucket or anythin’, ya hear?”

“Sorry,” Poppi told him, her face apologetic. “It just sort of hard to come to grips with, after all. Things not make total sense. We just glad to be back with you, is all.”

“Very glad, meh-meh!”

Their friend chuckled and he tousled Tora’s hair, then reached out and patted Poppi on the head, too. “Well, I ain’t gonna question it. All’s well that ends well, as they say. I’m glad t’see ya again too, kids.”

After a moment Tora pulled himself away from Vandham’s chest and looked up at him, subjecting the man to his trademark unflinching eye contact. Memories of past losses, both distant and recent, swirled in his mind. “If you mean it, just promise Tora one thing, meh! If we ever get in bad spot, don’t stab belly with scythes! After everything Tora and Poppi been through, we heroes now, too! We strong enough to make sure all friends make it through, together.”

A flicker of amusement raced across Vandham’s features, but something else quickly replaced it–something like pride. “Heh. Well, if ya say so. Ya do look a fair bit tougher’n last I saw ya, Poppi ‘specially. So yeah, I promise. Won’t go stabbin’ meself, I swear.”

“Music to Tora’s ears, meh!” the Nopon sang. Vandham invited Poppi to sit beside him and Tora, and with a smile the artificial blade joined him. There, the three settled in to watch the sun set over the ocean together, the spectacular display long overdue for enjoyment in peaceful silence. Nestled between his beloved companion and temporary father figure, Tora breathed slowly, tired but happy. “Tora just wish other friends here to see this with us.”

“Me too, Masterpon,” Poppi murmured. “Me too.” She heard a funny sound and looked over to see her creator sound asleep, too tuckered out from the day’s trials to even see the sunset to its conclusion. Smiling, she made a mental note to pin the memory for later.

---

It was well past dusk by the time that the Virgin Victory set down on the outskirts of Gerudo Town. When the airship slowed down to fly a loop overhead, those who ascended to the its upper deck could get a good look at the desert settlement from above, and take in its unique features. The city featured a main avenue dotted with palm trees, the colorful silks and satins of market stalls illuminated by cheery firelight, and angular sandstone buildings whose rooves appeared to be pools of water that glinted in the moonlight, connected by aqueducts to form a circuit all throughout the city that began at the three great stone goblets that towered over the palace. All this seemed to be enclosed by a high stone wall, patrolled by statuesque Gerudo guardswomen armed with enormous spears and greatswords.

In the end, however, the Virgin Victory circled around and came down about a mile south of Gerudo Town, at an oasis bazaar in the desert. Thanks to the lake the ship could land without having to worry about the stabilizing fin on the underside, and thanks to the onboard short-range warp technology the passengers could teleport straight to the shore without having to worry about getting their feet wet, unless they happened to fancy a late-night dip.

Before anyone disembarked, however, Commander Nelson booted up the intercom to address them once more. “Welcome to Kara Kara Bazaar,” he announced. “As you may have noticed, we did not in fact land at our stated destination, Gerudo Town. To put things plainly, men are expressly prohibited from entering that settlement, for what we believe to be cultural reasons. And yes, that goes for males of all species, not just humans.”

Tora’s mouth had opened to say something, but he promptly closed it again.

Nelson’s explanation continued without missing a beat. “As such, all ladies aboard the ship can hike over and find whatever accommodations they might wish in Gerudo Town should they want. Only one member of the scouting team that came this way prior happened to be female, but she reported quite the incredible assortment of shops and dwellings within. Alas, gentlemen, no need to be envious, for while it is a far cry from true civilization, the Bazaar has everything we might need in order to spend the night, including a general store, and an inn. Be on your best behavior for the locals, and I’m sure we’ll all be right as rain, come morning.”

As the intercom clicked off, it left behind a number of mixed feelings. His curiosity ignited by the prospect of a town full of women and further stoked by the idea that he’d be denied entry because of his sex, a frustrated Tora slouched back down against the railing. Band simply sighed. “Well, there go any chances o’ gettin’ my tin can fixed up.”

Tora suddenly perked up. “Hang on, meh. If friend Band’s machiney bits giving grief, Tora can take a look!”

Band glanced at the little fuzzball with one eyebrow raised. “Ya sure ya got the know-how, li’l man? From where I’m standin,’ it looks like we’re on two totally different wavelengths when it come to tech.”

“No problem!” the Nopon declared. “Tora real whiz when it come to figuring things out, meh! Besides, it only fair that Tora do best Tora can. After all…” Wings akimbo, he closed his eyes and gave a sagacious nod as he huffed. “Us guys need look after one another, too!”

His companion, meanwhile, tapped her finger against her chin. “Poppi wonder if allowed in Gerudo Town, since Masterpon designed Poppi to be female.”

Her speculation overshot Tora completely. “Poppi!” he exclaimed, looking horrified. “Surely you not think to leave poor Masterpon out alone!?”

“What happened to ‘guys look after one another’?” Poppi stared at Tora’s pleading expression for a solid two seconds while Asbestos snickered. “Uh…no, Poppi stay with Masterpon, of course.”

“Hooray!”

A minute later, everyone stood on the shore of oasis, between the water and the path leading toward Gerudo Town. After an enthusiastic cannonball into the oasis, Tora got air-dried with the help of Poppi’s Wind Core and then pulled on his overalls. “Have fun in lady town, friends!” he called as he waved to the contingent headed toward the walled city. Among their number was the Virgin Victory’s pilot Alice MacGregor, who would be purchasing the supplies that Shirogane needed to repair the airship on the team’s behalf. Poppi waved them off too.

As she walked away, Asbestos turned and stuck her tongue back out of those left behind. “Sucks to suck, dudes!” she yelled. The Scout gave her the middle finger, which she promptly returned with two hands instead of one. Peacock joined in on the teasing by waving her arms around like noodles.

Once the others had left, the leftovers huddled up. At nighttime, the desert was actually pretty nice, with no humidity to retain the day’s heat. It pretty much went without saying that the inn would be everyone’s first choice, but someone had other ideas. “Alright gents, there ain’t enough room in there for all of us,” Vandham observed. He, Braum, and Big Band made for quite the larger-than-life trio as they stood together. “What say we grab some tents from the general store an’ rough it under the stars?”

“I have endured far worse. Count me in!” Braum declared, as jolly as ever.

“Beats gettin’ the stinkeye after my two-and-a-half-ton can squashes the hotel beds,” Band agreed.

“Roight then!” The three nodded together, then clasped hands one after another in a display of manly camaraderie, then marched off. Tora waddled behind, appreciative of his allies’ resolve but eager to collapse into a bed of his own, and ultimately split off with Poppi in the direction of the inn.

Ms Fortune

Location: Deep Blue Seaside - Limsa Lominscuttle Town
Level 9 Nadia (18/90)
Koopa Troop’s @DracoLunaris, Blazermate’s @Archmage MC, Geralt’s @MULTI_MEDIA_MAN, Ace Cadet’s @Yankee, Sakura and Karin's @Zoey Boey, Link’s @Gentlemanvaultboy, Rubick’s @Scarifar
Word Count: 1331

Once she pulled up a chair, happy to place herself by the Cadet even if he paid no particular mind to where he seated himself, Nadia launched straight into her perusal of the drink menu. While any of the many unfamiliar beers on offer sounded interesting enough to give a try, her eyes drifted toward the cocktail menu, where she found her mark. “Tequila!” she exclaimed. “Now we’re talkin’!” As much as she enjoyed a good rum, tequila was a quintessential drink for any self-respecting latina. Well, if popular culture was anything to go by, at least; a stray like herself couldn’t boast of much of an authentic connection to wherever it was she’d been born. But it felt right, and it was hard to go wrong with the succinct list of ingredients underneath the name of the drink she had her eyes on. A double-check confirmed that there appeared to be no price listed, but it would feel weird if she took the time to ask, and it wasn’t like this place was out to ruin her, right?

“One Tequila Screwdriver, please!” she requested of Cerberus when her turn came around. Ace’s order, made directly after hers, made her wonder if he knew just what he was getting into. That he’d enjoy himself she didn’t doubt, since given the name of the restaurant rum was probably its specialty, but if he planned to drink straight liquor without any flavoring or liquid to water it down, things could go south real fast. Maybe he’d gotten the wrong idea from how she downed her own mixed drinks earlier? It took some serious alcohol to compromise a body that constantly regenerated, after all, much more than would be normal for someone of her slender physique. But eh, he’d probably be fine. With how much he ate he had to be denser than a collapsing star, or something.

With everyone gathered together at what amounted to a single table, Nadia looked forward to an invigorating group conversation, even if that took the form of several concurrent chats that popped up and died out all around rather than a single all-encompassing discussion. Before anything could really get started though, she found herself distracted by Geralt. She caught the Witcher looking at her funny again, making subtle pointed motions in her direction. What’s his deal? she wondered. Was something wrong? Maybe she’d missed something while cleaning up after her little run-in with those unsavory locals. He might have noticed a splatter of blood somewhere that she couldn’t, or even spotted the hole in the back of her swimsuit where she’d been stabbed, despite the t-shirt she bought to cover up. Or maybe something altogether different concerned him, and it was Nadia Fortune in whom he chose to confide. Either way, it would be better to get whatever this was sorted out now, before she got comfortable and while the staff worked to fulfill the drink orders. Without excusing herself she pushed her chair back from the table, stood, and followed in Geralt’s footsteps.

The two met in the nearby overhang corridor that led back to the street, in clear view of the others but out of earshot. Rather than beat about the bush, Geralt told Nadia what he figured out straight-up. Hearing his discovery prompted no sign of fear or hostility, but instead a wince of embarrassment. “Oh man, I do?” She tugged on her shirt and pressed it up to her nose for a deep whiff. “...I can’t smell anythin’. You must smell pretty good.” She blinked, her brows furrowed. “Uh, I mean your nose smells pretty good. Or…well, ya know what I mean, right?”

Nadia took a quick breath in and out, involuntarily glancing back toward the others, before she faced Geralt again, leaned back against the wall, and crossed her arms. “But sure, no problem. Cat’s out the bag, as they say. Basically, uh, I was in a big hurry when I left my room today, and I fur-got to lock my door. Miiiiiight have, uh, forgotten to close it, actually…” A sudden itch on her cheek forced her to scratch it as she glanced sideways again, an embarrassed smile on her face. “When I got back, my gold was gone. Purr-loined. Couldn’t let that slide, right? Not only was it a stinkin’ ton of money, but it was from my folks, too. Or their ghosts, I guess. So I went and tracked the thief down to this dingy, scummy bar on the bottom level of the shanties. Ya know, the piers stacked up below the towers. I wasn’t plannin’ on things gettin’ messy, but…” The feral hesitated a moment, then sighed.

“There were a coupla nasty customers. Not just tryin’ to beat me, but tryin’ to kill me. One of ‘em was gonna torture me by choppin’ up my leg, one inch at a time. The same dude just flat-out murdered one of his own when they bumped into one another, ‘cause of Galeem’s thing. Another actually stabbed me in the back while her buddy put on the waterworks.” She twisted around, rotating her head to keep her eyes on Geralt as she pulled her shirt to show the hole in her one-piece, as well as the scar from the knife-wound below. The next moment she was back to normal, the reveal brief but highly informative. “At that point, it was kill or be killed.”

She exhaled slowly, thinking about the more pressing matter that Geralt mentioned. A stab wound didn’t necessarily mean much to an immortal catgirl, but the consequences of her actions, however justified, warranted concern. “As for enemies…I honestly dunno. There wasn’t anyone else in the bar, but even if nobody outside heard or saw anything…and they prooooobably did…word’s gonna get out. I only took out the two scumbags I mentioned before, so that’s five or six free to blab to whoever. In my experience, the authorities don’t give a crap about whatever goes on in the shady parts of town, but maybe things’re different here? And even if the cops or navy or whoever don’t check it out, chances are someone’s not happy. In places like that, everythin’s connected. Like webs in the dark corners of a room. Tug on something, and sooner or later the spider’s gonna come along to check it out.”

Nadia shivered despite the warm air. While she could fend for herself just fine, she knew all too well just how vicious someone could get if one stirred up the wrong hornet’s nest. Crime bosses didn’t appreciate being messed with, to put it lightly. How many more pickpockets, thugs, and thieves frequented that bar, paying their dues to the man behind the counter? And what were the odds that Barth stood at the top of his food chain, despite his claim to the lofty title of Pirate Lord? While brutish and cruel, in a straight fight he turned out to be nothing special, and he lacked the most crucial element of all: brains. That Red Band Rita seemed to have authority over him, after all, but why would their group’s head honcho be whittling at a wood shop right in front of one of the shanties’ entrances? There was no telling what she got herself into, simply because Nadia wished to reclaim what was hers. “Probably for the best we’re leavin’ soon, huh?”

There wasn’t too much more to say on the subject, so the two left the corridor soon too, and returned to the table. Most everyone’s drinks had arrived, but for now Cerberus seemed to be busy delivering bowls of complimentary chips and salsa to the diners around the table, so Nadia had enough time to take her seat and figure out what she wanted before the staff arrived to take the Seekers’ orders. She plopped back down in her seat, took a big sip of her Screwdriver, and began to pore over the menu. “What’d I miss?”

The Chalk Prince, the Fallen Child, the Prisoner, and the Skullgirl

Location: Frozen Highlands - Dragonspine Foothills
Linkle’s @Gentlemanvaultboy, Frisk’s @Majoras End, Prisoner’s @XoXKieroBombXoX

Even after leaving the frigid avalanche behind, the cold continued to seep into the bodies of the travelers as they pressed onward along the river as it wound and wove to the Frozen Highlands’ northwestern coast. Funneled by the icy river canyon, it blew straight through winter coats and clothing alike. Though slowed by weather-appropriate apparel, that indomitable chill gained ground bit by bit, and what territory it conquered it would not relinquish without an active source of heat to route its offensive. Despite Albedo’s assurance that he would be fine, Frisk continued to worry about his condition, as well as that of the others’. Linkle and the Prisoner might not feel the cold, but without body heat of his own to keep his muscles warm the latter could still succumb to freezing. It made sense, therefore, that the smoke signal of a potential campfire or chimney would get Frisk’s attention.

Albedo didn’t take long to consider the child’s suggestion. Frost had visibly gathered in his hair and on his clothes, even his eyelashes. The cold had even appeared to dull Linkle’s spirit, for she seemed to have fallen quiet ever since the foiled ambush. An odd hypothesis, perhaps, but more pleasant than the possibility of a burgeoning internal struggle with the Skull Heart. “Very well,” he agreed. “We should avoid risk wherever possible. Let’s seek out this fire, and hope that its current tenants are hospitable.”

With Albedo and Frisk at the forefront the group diverted from the bitterly cold river valley and began their ascent past snow-laden bushes, the spindly branches of long-dead trees, and obelisks of ice that cropped up from the ground. They kept their eyes peeled for aggressive snowmen, but the few specimens they found all shied away the minute they caught sight of the newcomers. Other than that they only spotted a handful of musk oxen shoveling through the snow for anything edible. As they drew nearer to the source of the smoke, they rounded an outcropping of rock and alerted a white rabbit a short ways ahead. It turned their way and froze, ears perked up, and instinctively the four stopped in their tracks as well. The bunny was adorable, a contender for the cutest thing Frisk or Linkle had ever seen, but before the rabbit could even turn to flee an arrow whizzed down from the sky and killed it with startling abruptness, pinning its body to the ground.

Albedo blinked a few times, largely nonplussed, and peered up to see a white-feathered bird man descend from above. He landed on the ground by his kill, his sharp yellow eyes narrowed with distrust. “Nearly scared it off,” he told the newcomers, his tone brusque. “What are you doing here?”

“Seeking relief from the cold as we journey along the river,” Albedo told him simply. “We mean you no harm, nor do we intend to steal from you.”

“That’s what they all say.” Unconvinced, Teba kept his eyes on the four as he knelt to retrieve both arrow and prey. His gaze lingered on Frisk, Linkle, and the Prisoner’s weapons, provided they didn’t hide or discard them, and he also couldn’t help but notice that only the Fallen Child appeared to be shivering. “Following the smoke, I assume? There’s plenty of wood around you know, just in case the thought of starting your own fire crossed your mind.”

The alchemist’s expression remained unchanged. “Be that as it may, we were hoping we could rely on another’s kindness. If my friends here were to disarm themselves, would that make a better case for our good intentions?”

Stubborn as a mule, Teba seemed intent on not giving one inch. He sidled to stand in the way, as if to get a clearer shot, or perhaps to place himself between the strangers and something farther up the path. “Only someone with a back-up plan would make such an offer,” he astutely reasoned, his bow not raised, but still held tight. “Plenty of people have hidden powers, and don’t think I don’t know about pocket dimensions. Give me one good reason why I should listen.”

Infactorium: A New 4Xpansion (Overlord RP) [DISCONTINUED]

As it turned out, Faetalis did have something else in mind. Everyone approached the task they'd been given in their own way, several through the lens of pragmatism. It made sense, after all, to forego any special effort when one already owned an item capable of bestowing a human guise, or one could already boast a human appearance. Why wouldn't the more unusually shaped monsters present approach the idea of being stuffed into a human-sized suit with caution, even if Mae herself just accepted the impossible as a matter of course for Supreme Beings, without thinking? In their best efforts to accomplish their objective in as sensible and efficient a manner as possible, however, it seemed as though the Overseers missed out on a crucial piece of their master's assignment: her intent.

Mae crossed her arms -an impossible feat in her typical form- and developed a pensive expression as she ruminated on what Faetalis had to say. Like some of the others, she'd assumed that her boss simply wanted them to be disguised. To that end, the obvious choice was to select a skin from the grisly spoils of bygone victories, which magic would then allow them to inhabit. When she remembered a way to disguise herself without needing to sacrifice one of these trophies, Mae had been all too pleased at her own supposed cleverness, not realizing that she'd missed the mark. The hidden horror's simulated eyes went wide, mirroring her true self's thoughts, as the corrective words of Faetalis sank in. While she didn't immediately grasp the meaning of everything the Supreme One said, she knew in an instant when she'd messed up. Just being disguised in some way wasn't important; it was how that mattered. Suddenly the Witching Veil seemed like a cheap trick, a stop-gap solution that didn't actually address the issue. Like cooking in a bucket instead of a pot, just because she saw a bucket first.

Moreover, these once-glorious husks weren't hers, or any Overseer's to take. It soon became apparent that the much smarter Overseers were just as mistaken as Mae. As Faetalis continued to explain, however, things didn't necessarily become clearer. She wanted the members of her Raid Council to not look around, but within. Mae blinked a couple times as she looked down, trying to see what Faetalis evidently saw in her, although all she ended up seeing at the moment was her human guise's bosom. A 'Human', inside her? During and after the Guild's more high-profile invasions Mae had a bunch of humans inside her, whether minced, ground, juiced, baked, or raw. It had been a long time, however, since mankind had been on the menu, so she somehow doubted that was what Faetalis meant. But then what did she mean? Unlike her Maneaters, who at one point had been ordinary people before succumbing to their unholy, mutative curse, Mae had never been human, at least as far as she knew. As a Great Old One, she existed as a ghoulish monstrosity wholly beyond the ordinary world, a fearsome deity borne of gluttonous depravity whose hideous flesh made mockery of the human form, of the depths to which their sin could lead them. Maybe...that was what Faetalis alluded to? As Great Old Ones went, Mae did sit comfortably at the tamer end of the spectrum, far less cosmic and incomprehensible than her more 'outer' kindred, as far as she knew. Maybe, instead of a pretty form chosen for Mae, in order to cover her up with a much more appreciable veneer, her boss wanted a human that is Mae, or at least what she represents.

Or maybe that was all just a bunch of hogwash. Mae did feel a little hungry, and nothing distracted her from the monumental task of critical thinking like an empty stomach.

Either way, the headless horror did feel like she had a slightly better grasp of what Faetalis wanted. Her glamour watched, and her blindsight scanned, as her master finished her great work with a flourish and slipped on her new flesh like a jacket. In just a moment the deception was complete, and a totally unfamiliar human stood before the group of monsters, a pretty little thing that smacked of none of the Conquering Technomancer's genius or ambition. Mae couldn't even feel her pressure anymore; there wasn't a single trace of the slightly oppressive 'gravity' that naturally emanated from a Supreme One to weigh down upon lesser beings, such as herself. "Dad-gum!" she breathed, re-evaluating any detail for even the slightest hint of a flaw in the disguise, but just as she expected she found none. "Well, butter me up an' call me a biscuit, that's one downright immaculate costume there, Lady Faetalis!" She then internalized that her boss was cold. Somewhat sheepishly, Mae removed her Witching Veil, and in a matter of seconds the lovely chef ballooned back out into her true, abominable form. Promptly she removed her sleek, dark brown Night-lined Mantle and offered it to Faetalis to drape around her shoulders like a cloak.

No longer possessed of a head to emote with, the great ghoul stepped back and put her hands on her hips as she considered what to do. This place wasn't supposed to be a boutique where the Overseers shopped around for a good fit, but a tailor where they could get the perfect fit custom-ordered. As far as Mae could tell, the 'human' Faetalis asked for wasn't what Mae wanted out of those available, but what she wanted, period. But what did she want? It was a dizzying question. Right now, she mostly wanted a snack, and failing that, to be back in her kitchen cooking something, since that was what she enjoyed the most. But she also wanted to do a good job for Faetalis, of course. And that meant showing her 'innermost soul'. But what was that? Mae felt like she was thinking in circles, getting nowhere. "I don't got the INT for this," she mumbled to herself in resignation. What did Canology Mae want out of herself?

Try as she might, she could think of nothing she wanted more than to provide for her Guild, to make meals that could satisfy body and soul, then send her friends off with full hearts and all the boosts and buffs they might need to do their jobs. As fun as terrorizing that expedition had been, she possessed no particular bloodlust or grand ambition, other than to obtain fine ingredients for the craft of exquisite dishes. Of course, any who threatened her kitchen would soon find themselves on the menu, and she did feel a little ashamed that she'd never earned glory for her guild on the field of battle, but was that what she really wanted? ....No. Let the others pillage, adventure, scheme, and conquer; Mae would be here to get them ready when they left, and to welcome them home when they returned.

A vision sprang into mind--either hers or that of Faetalis, or maybe both. A woman, somewhere in her mid-thirties, at least. Quite stout, but nowhere near as much as Mae herself. Possessed of ruddy, ordinary features, chestnut-brown eyes, crow's feet, and wavy, mousy brown hair, pulled together in a ponytail over one shoulder, covered partially by a white cloth wound around the top of the head. Dressed in a simple forest-green overdress over an ankle-length smock, yellowish in color, and sporting a well-used apron and rolled-up sleeves. Hers was a face that could be found most anywhere, whether in a tavern making beds or doling out food and drink to weary travelers, in a farmhouse over a roaring stove after a long day's work, or at market bargaining for the freshest meat and produce from the countryside. This sort of face belonged to countless mothers and wives, and it was one that just about anyone would happy to see, for it belonged to someone who knew how to take good care of you. Not someone who would ever change the face of the world, whether through war or politics, or who would earn the admiration of heroes or kings, but someone who ran a tight kitchen and kept a good home, beloved by many and respected by anyone with a lick of sense. There could be no doubt about it; for all of Mae's monstrosity, and despite the Witching Veil's glamour, this better represented who she really was.

Infactorium: A New 4Xpansion (Overlord RP) [DISCONTINUED]

Will be posting Saturday at the latest.

World of Light

Tora, Poppi, and Big Band

Location: Sandswept Sky
Level 9 Tora (222/90) Level 9 Poppi (222/90) Level 7 Big Band (50/70)
Midna’s @DracoLunaris, Sectonia’s @Archmage MC, Primrose and Therion’s @Yankee, Jesse’s @Zoey Boey, Raz’s @TruthHurts22, Raiden’s @XoXKieroBombXoX, the Phantom Thieves, Braum, the Scout, Peacock, Tharja
Word Count: 2511

The matter of money, and especially due recompense, was one near and dear to a lot of the Seekers’ hearts. Sectonia pointed out one avenue for getting paid, that being an extravagant treasure hunt across the entirety of the Sandswept Sky, exploring far and wide in a bid to leave no stone unturned when it came to making bank. Midna ruminated on the possibility as well, remembering both previous transportation used and promises made. Normally Tora would be all for it, anything to make a quick buck, but right now he could only think of it as an attractive possibility. Even if they weren’t totally done with the Sandswept Sky just yet after all, everyone needed time to recuperate after weathering the incredible trial they’d undergone.

Though cooled, sheltered, and comfortable as they were going to get out here, their muscles still burned from overexertion, throats hurt from hyperventilation, ears rang, and bones hurt. The efforts of the medics meant that their fatigue would outlast their injuries, but it would still be a good while before anyone could seriously consider getting back into action. Luckily, time was one thing the weary heroes had in abundance as they waited for extraction, along with heat, space, and sand. Soon only Big Band’s saxophone could be heard over the desert ambiance, playing a slow, melancholy tune in a heartfelt and soulful attempt to set aching hearts at ease. With the big man as tired and torn up as everyone else, however, it wasn’t long before only the whispers of wind and sand stood between the Seekers and silence.

It wasn’t ideal, but at least it wasn't humid either, and it was rather peaceful out here. Now that they’d come back down to earth after the outrageous highs and lows of their fight against Red Eye, the team could get acquainted -or reacquainted- with the same feeling that confronted the first Seekers when they first emerged from the mountain range that encircled Alcamoth’s Eryth Sea to witness the Sandswept Sky in its staggering entirety. Though large for a Nopon, Tora still seldom beat any humans out in terms of height, and in this barren expanse he felt even smaller than usual. At least the likes of Big Band and Braum couldn’t be doing much better, he figured.

It was weird staring across the miles and miles of wide-open land back at Split Mountain, knowing that he’d just been there and having a much stronger appreciation for just how massive it really was. Worse still, even after their grueling effort to attain that lofty peak, the Seekers still never quite reached that mysterious pinnacle, and found out what lay beyond its heavenly light. Tora sighed and laid his head back down to rest, but Poppi continued to stare at that zenith, unbothered by the glare of the sun. What prompted mere curiosity in her Masterpon, she found herself thinking about with almost spiritual reverence, like that peak represented the ultimate end of one’s story, distant and unknowable no matter how far one got. She felt a little foolish just thinking about it, unable to explain or even properly understand that sort of sensation as an artificial being, but she felt it nonetheless. Poppi wondered if she even really wanted to know what lay at the end. What answer could live up to the journey there?

In time the heroes recovered and recomposed themselves, cleaned up and breathing a little easier. As the sun dipped down to the horizon and Split Peak’s glow grew bolder, long shadows stretched across the sand, cast first by the Seekers and then by the dunes. When Ciella’s shoulder finally felt good enough to bear her off into the gathering dusk, she stood up from the sand and dusted herself off. “With Robin’s death, his visage of Grima, and these new revelations, the Grimleal will have much to consider,” she said. “Though your strength and teamwork leaves much to be desired, I can see that you’re not deceiving yourselves. If the Galeem you speak of truly believes itself lord of all, someone must show it that even gods may know despair.” Ciella bid her temporary allies a begrudging farewell, transformed, and flew off in the direction of the far-off, heatwave-distorted blur that was Al Mamoon.

Whatever uneasiness the Agito left behind her, the minutes that followed did not. Dust devils and cactus were nothing new to the Sandswept Sky, but when Midna’s intrigue prompted her comrades to look out across the desert, they wound up echoing her bemusement. Had there always been cacti so close, and didn’t those plumes of sand seem oddly stronger than usual? Band’s eyes narrowed as he took in his team’s surroundings. As much as he wanted to take it easy, he hadn’t been able to get comfortable out here, and a professional detective couldn’t just switch off his instincts, either. He’d been watching enough to know that Midna’s hunch was right; these disturbances weren’t business as usual.

“Poppi,” he said suddenly. “You’ve got good eyes, right? Any chance you can tell what’s goin’ on out there?”

After taking a moment to zoom and refocus her optics, Poppi kept her expression as neutral as she could. “Poppi not want alarm everyone, but there probable trouble approaching.”

“Trouble? Whaddya mean, what kind?” Band asked as he rose to his feet, reasonably alarmed despite Poppi’s disclaimer.

“Poppi is detecting numerous creatures incoming, like cross between cactus and reptile. Also see sand kicked up by multiple underground entities. Further details Poppi cannot make out, but sand trail consistent with jaw fish friends encounter en route to dessert village Parnasse.”

“That ain’t good,” Skull remarked. The commotion had drawn the Phantom Thieves over from where they rested, and while still clothed in their civilian attire for now, the imminent danger left them ready to switch gears into combat mode at any second. Just about everyone beneath Sectonia’s crystal began making preparations for a fight. Skull his head and groaned, “Why they gotta come after us now? Haven’t we dealt with enough crap today already?”

Poppi tilted her head and put a finger to her cheek. “Could be due to giant monster disturbing area. Reacting to dark wave, energy fluctuation, or maybe just chance for food.”

“That not important right now, meh!” Tora yelped. “With biggy big pit behind us, our back to wall, and friends have nowhere to run! How long ‘til monsters get here, Poppi?”

“Based on current speed, we have only few minutes,” she told the group, her expression cloudy.

Joker crossed his arms. “Moogle!” One of the faerie-koalas appeared in front of him, and the Thieves’ ringleader wasted no time laying the situation out. “We’re about to be attacked. Is there any way the airship could pick up the pace?”

“H-huh!? Oh!” The moogle nearly panicked, but managed to swallow her nerves. “I’ll go over and tell them. Just hang tight, guys!”

A nail-biting minute dragged by as the monsters grew closer and closer. As they closed the distance, more of the Seekers could get a good look at them, or at least the ones above ground. An entire pack of Sabogar were headed the heroes’ way at a gallop, thorns sharp and red eyes bright with hunger. With them were two fearsome, draconic Saboquill that flew at such a low altitude that their tailfruit scraped grooves in the sand for their pack to follow. As if one squadron of carnivorous plants wasn’t enough, a second buzzed along over the earth nearby, consisting of a few Piximi escorting a lone Florami, all of them a strange combination of serpent, dragonfly, and orchid that looked as majestic as they did dangerous. Of course, given whatever lurked beneath the sand, the Spectrobes were still only the tip of the iceberg. As everyone’s tension and impatience mounted, his own not least of all, Joker couldn’t help but want to call out again. Just as he opened his mouth, however, Poppi pointed to the sky. “Look!”

Those already scanning the sky to the south for any sign of rescue followed her finger to see a dark dot approaching fast, difficult at first to discern from the darkening sky if not for the triple corona of light behind it. Palpable relief spread across the group as the Virgin Victory blazed toward them at full throttle, Tora going so far as to topple over from the release of tension. No matter how capable his team might be, this was a bad situation that they did not want to fight on the enemy’s terms, but now backup had arrived.

The ship descended over Hollow Heights, slowing down until it came to a stop above everyone. At first Tora thought it was going to land in order to pick everyone up, but he quickly noticed that the fin on its underside rendered that impossible. “Do they expect us to fly up there?” he wondered aloud, his nerves beginning to show as his gaze flipped between the Virgin Victory and the wave of monsters quickly getting too close for comfort.

Then four figures appeared on the edge of the ship’s upper deck. Tora squinted to try and see, but before he could make anything out they jumped down. All four landed together, with their leader a sight for sore eyes. “Vandham!” Tora and Poppi cried together. With him were Shovel Knight, Asbestos, and of course, Wonder Red.

“Ey, kids!” Vandham grinned. “Love to catch up an’ all, but it looks like we’re on a tight schedule, so ‘ere!” He cracked open a metal case and laid it on the ground, revealing a number of futuristic-looking badges. “Everyone ‘urry an’ grab one, and we’ll beam ya up!”

Neither Tora nor Poppi moved to take one, instead allowing the others to go. “We can just fly!” the Nopon explained. As he looked between the other members of the rescue team, his attention predictably landed on Asbestos. For a moment he stared at her in confusion, but what he was looking at quickly dawned on her. “Oh, you lizard girl! Never seen one before, meh.”

Asbestos looked like she wanted nothing more than to punt him. “Huh? You some kinda stupid, pal? Why doncha take a pictcha, it’s last loahngah.”

Before Tora could reply, the ground nearby erupted. A Molduga emerged from the ground in a huge blast of sand, well ahead of the other monsters. Tora yelped, scrambling to ready his Drill Shield, as the boast threw itself toward the assembled heroes. Asbestos, however, charged right back. “Tch!” Asbestos spat, clenching her teeth as she hefted her own massive shield. “SCREW OAHFF!” Shield met Molduga jaw in a tooth-rattling collision, but before the monster’s momentum could push it through, the impact triggered the shield’s hidden mechanism. It retaliated with a massive outward explosion, dealing all the Molduga’s damage right back to it. With a guttural howl it flipped end over end before the heroes’ awestruck eyes and slammed down with its back on the sand, its little legs flailing helplessly in the air.

From the point where it landed, the land suddenly teemed with sandworms. Before the Seekers could face the new threat, Shovel Knight stepped forward. “I shall handle this!” he declared, moving in with his shovel in hand. “Go! We canst already warp back up as needed!” As he ran he deftly plunged his spade into the ground again and again, flipping sand worms from the earth like a teenager would flip burgers. None could so much as touch him.

The cactus monsters bore down on the heroes next, but Vandham did not seem concerned. “Yeah, g’wan!” he told everyone as he pulled twin hand scythes from his belt. “If you wanna knock a few ‘eads together I won’t stop ya, but we got things taken care of down ‘ere ‘til everyone’s aboard!”

Band nodded and swiped a badge. “Got it. I’ll leave it to y’all then.” Barely had he clipped the thing on before he disappeared in a beam of light, teleported to safety inside the Virgin Victory. Peacock followed suit, and the Phantom Thieves not far behind. The Scout hurried to do the same, but Braum took a moment to lay an encouraging hand on Tharja’s shoulder and urge her to escape along with him.

Tora and Poppi, however, lingered. While they trusted Vandham, they couldn’t bear the thought of witnessing another heroic sacrifice. They nodded at one another, then ran to their friend’s side. “We leave when you do!” the Nopon declared.

“Roger, roger!”

Vandham gave a booming laugh. “You’re on, pipsqueaks!”

In the end, though, the dynamic duo had little to worry about. Only a frantic few moments were spent fighting before everyone got aboard the Virgin Victory, so both the rescue team and Tora and Poppi soon joined them. As the ship lifted up into the sky with the Seekers on deck, it left what remained of the monsters behind, with only the fliers a potential threat. Even those became a non-issue when the Virgin Victory got going, cruising across the sunset desert.

“Welcome aboard,” the voice of the captain greeted them. “It looks like we caught you all in the nick of time. Good show getting everyone out of there in one piece. Feel free to peruse the ship as we make our way to our destination, I daresay its air-conditioned interior would interest you all.” Nelson cleared his throat over the intercom. “The recon teams have informed us about a settlement known as Gerudo Town to the east, which is where we are headed for maintenance overnight, as putting the Virgin Victory into overdrive to reach you in time was not without its costs. While there are rather strict rules about who may enter, it is a secure area where we will be able to rest, repair, and refuel.”

As the intercom cut off, Band sighed. “Well, dunno if I like the sound of the whole ‘strict rules’ thing, but it beats roughin’ it out in the desert, or openin’ up any cans of worms in Al Mamoon.” He made his way over to the door leading inside, eager for some air conditioning. “Hooh. I could use some quiet nights with quiet stars. Take it easy, folks. See y’all in a bit.” With that the Seekers could disperse throughout the Virgin Victory, and get a feel for the ship that would no doubt play a large part in the adventure yet to come.

Ms Fortune

Location: Deep Blue Seaside - Limsa Lominscuttle Town
Level 9 Nadia (15/90)
Word Count: 1639

Nadia winced as Ace flinched under her touch, not realizing that she’d actually laid hands on one of the sunburns she alluded to. “”Oh, ow, sorry,” she murmured in sympathy. With the Cadet tough as nails and cheery of disposition, however, he was back to laughing in no time. While Nadia had no clue what Carapaceons were and their purported attempt to bring Ace into the fold sounded rather alarming, he didn’t seem that concerned about the experience, so she opted not to pry.

When the monster hunter mentioned loot, however, she was all ears, and despite the copious amount of treasure stashed in her new bag the feral trotted after him with bright eyes. “Nyaow we’re talkin’! Ya mean ya actually went and found real buried treasure? That’s a claws for celebration if I’ve ever heard one, nyeheh!” Her fishtail swished back and forth in excitement as she bent over the trove with him. When Ace unveiled his haul, Nadia could scarcely believe her eyes. “Holy cow, are those all real pearls!?” he breathed, utterly gobsmacked and practically drooling with greed. And Ace was just offering them to her!? She couldn’t do much more than squeak out a helpless laugh. “You’re crazy! In my world, a haul like this’d leave you set for life! Or bump ya right up to the tippity-top of the mafia’s hit list, more likely…” she cleared her throat and composed herself, holding up a hand of denial as she averted her gaze. “Nah dude, it’s all yours,” she told him, as much as it hurt to say. “Finders keepers, right? Got enough goodies burnin’ a hole in my pocket. If ya don’t want it, maybe ya oughta split the proceeds across the whole group so we’re better prepared goin’ forward, or somethin’. Spurread the love, y’know.”

That said, Ace had plans for at least one of the treasures. He offered her a gorgeous necklace, its flawless spiral shell almost like sapphire, as blue and brilliant as the glittering sea beside them. Despite what she’d just said, Nadia was beyond tempted by what she saw as the best bauble in the whole hoard. Besides, this came as a particular gift from Ace, right? That gave it sentimental value. After a scant second or two of convincing herself she allowed herself to be swayed, and with a resigned grin Nadia accepted the pendant. “It is my color, after all,” she joked as she hung it around her neck. “One hell of a gift, huh? Guess I’ve got to give ya somethin’ in return~”

Wearing a mischievous smile, the feral made her move. She stepped real close, stood on her tiptoes, and smacked the big goof with a kiss on the cheek. When the deed was done she bumped shoulders with him playfully, just as they had before departing for naval warfare the day before.

After that it took Ace a moment to recover, but even then he barely got two words out before Sakura and Karin’s duel came to its thrilling conclusion. Ace got one last look at Nadia’s gleeful grin before she turned around to lead the way back toward the others. She’d been meaning to watch their fight at rapt attention the whole time she could, taking notes the whole time that she might be able to use to improve her own fighting ability, but in the end other matters just happened to get in the way. Oh well, Nadia thought, nothing close to regret in her heart for what just transpired. “Good stuff ya two!” she called to the street fighters as she walked over to rejoin the main group. From what she’d seen just now and in the course of the team’s campaign so far, Nadia really didn’t relish her chances if she ever were to come up against Sakura for whatever reason. In terms of raw power and defense the well-trained martial artist had her beat, but hey, maybe the sheer dishonesty of Nadia’s unrelenting and unpredictable offense would turn the tables. Either way, the feral was happier than ever that Sakura -and now Karin, too- was on her side.

After arriving Nadia took a seat beside Ace among the group, looking terribly smug about her pretty new necklace. It looked like the Koopas had given the new mage Rubick a crash course in spirits while she hadn’t been paying attention. Even if the arcanist didn’t look super trustworthy at first glance, she figured that by now he must have an idea of the caliber of the group he’d be up against if he started causing trouble, so she wasn’t going to worry about it. What worried her more was what he, and by extension all her other new friends, would be up against as their adventure continues. If the Orphan of Kos was just the third of thirteen big, bad bosses, it was only going to get rougher from here on it. Speaking of looks though, Nadia noticed for the first time since her arrival that Bowser seemed a little different. In fact, he looked a lot more like his old self, without all the strange proportional distortions caused by a somewhat carefree attitude toward fusion. She nodded her approval. “Lookin’ good, boss man!”

Geralt then came her way, which sort of caught Nadia by surprise. While their team-up attacks worked out pretty well against the Harbor Demon and the brutal third round of Master Hand’s Trial of Purity, they hadn’t really spoken much outside of combat. That just meant, of course, that a welcome from him was extra special, and Nadia returned his cordiality. “Heya!” Since he approached her she then expected him to continue, but instead he just looked at her in a pointed, rather intimidating way. Nadia’s ears flattened instinctively. He continued to speak, and while his words were pleasant enough his question came across as oddly loaded. Nadia, confused by his mixed signals and not exactly putting two and two together as to what he was getting at, fumbled her response like a dolt. “...Haha, yeah!” While she tried to laugh it off, she got the impression that whatever this was, it wasn’t over.

In desperate search of an out, she turned her attention back to Karin and Sakura. Miss Ringlets seemed to have her hands -and head- full as she attempted to come to grips with the fractured state of the world. Hearing Karin bemoan all the property and servants and orbital weapons and collectible cars struck Nadia as funny in a mildly sadistic sort of way. “She’s definitely someone I would steal from,” she muttered to herself. Always a pleasure to see a spoiled brat get humbled. Pretty damn hard to feel bad for her when she’s still living so large, too. Her brow furrowed as she ran those thoughts back. Then again, she did all this just to thank us. I’m kinda being a bitch. Karin went away, but Nadia resolved to be friendlier to her when she returned.

Now that the show was over and everyone was together, it was getting to be about the time to bid the beach farewell. It had been wonderful, a much-needed breath of fresh air in paradise after yesterday’s horrors, but after having their fill of sand, surf, and sun, most everyone felt like a change of pace. Despite Karin’s catered feast stomachs were beginning to rumble again, even for the likes of the elegant Princess Peach. She clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention. “Well then! How about we head to dinner? Nadia, do you know the way there?”

As a bunch of eyes turned her way Nadia scratched her head, unable to suppress a bashful smile. “Eheh, ah, not really actually.”

“Where were you thinking of going?” Ishizaki asked, helpful as ever. When supplied with an answer, he provided the Seekers and their guests with the directions they needed. As it turned out, Rum for Ale could be found in the southern shore district, among the colorful collection of homes and businesses known as Mist. After thanking him, and asking him to let Karin know when she came back, Peach set off at the head of the group in search of fine Cuban cuisine.

Rum for Ale took the form of a unique building, in which all the kitchens, pantries, and other facilities encircled a central courtyard. There, with ivy-covered walls and fragrant flowers on all sides, the customers could dine open to the air in the shade of palm trees. It was very pretty and, as the Seekers saw when escorted inside, largely unoccupied. Nadia couldn’t even guess as to why since the place seemed so nice and came recommended by the Half-Genie Hero herself, but she wasn’t about to question her luck, either. The staff allowed the group to put four tables together, and while the heroes went about trying to find the best arrangement, the staff rolled out the heavy-duty stool for Bowser and the high seats for Junior and Hatty. When the waiter apologized that the wait time for food might be a while on account of a staff shortage, Cerberus for some reason thought it would be fun to offer to help out as waitresses. While a little dubious, the manager needed the help given this party size, and the three were at least dressed for it, so he accepted their aid and the enthusiastic Triple Demon sprang into action.

In short order the tablecloths were spread, everyone found somewhere at the tables to sit, menus got circulated, and the servers readied to notebook to take the group’s drink orders. Whether or not Cerberus knew how to read was a separate issue, but it was hard to deny their spirit.

World of Light

The Chalk Prince, the Fallen Child, the Prisoner, and the Skullgirl

Location: Frozen Highlands - Dragonspine Foothills
Linkle’s @Gentlemanvaultboy, Frisk’s @Majoras End, Prisoner’s @XoXKieroBombXoX

The Prisoner found Albedo to be an altogether manageable burden, helped not just by his slender build but also by the fact that he wasn’t just dead weight. Thanks in large part to Frisk’s single-minded determination, it seemed as though the duo successfully retrieved the alchemist from what would otherwise be a snowy grave before he succumbed to either suffocation or the cold. Wary of any possible pursuers, the Prisoner steered the others well clear of where the avalanche came to rest in its terrifying enormity, burying both the battlefield and any leftover would-be ambushers beneath tons upon tons of crunchy, chunky snow. When it became clear that no snowmen remained to challenge them the three could slow down, the frigid alpine air burning the throats of those who still possessed the ability to hyperventilate.

Not far behind them trailed Linkle, jogging along with an uncharacteristic solemn expression on her face. Despite all her power, she hadn’t anticipated that the tremors created by Bad Mr. Frosty’s ground pounds would actually sweep her off her feet. She picked herself up from those quakes just in time to see the fate in store for Albedo, and after that nothing else seemed to matter. In her mad dash to reach and save him she too fell victim to the polar landslide that engulfed him. Tumbled end over end to the point of total disorientation and deposited upside down, Linkle came to in the same terrible predicament that her new friend faced. Unlike him, however, she felt not the slightest trace of cold–only the anger and desperation to act. So too did she possess the physical strength and the elemental magic to break herself loose from the snow entombing her, and once back on her feet the Skullgirl turned her tranquil fury on Bad Mr. Frosty, far colder and deadlier than the thuggish snowman could ever be, and alongside the Prisoner she took him down.

It came as a relief to everyone that Albedo seemed more or less okay. While he’d lost his new murky green overcoat in the chaos, leaving him a mess of caked snow and mussed hair, he was free of any cuts, stab wounds, or broken bones courtesy of wood or stone debris caught in the avalanche. When Frisk sacrificed their coat for him he gave a slow, deliberate nod of gratitude, although trying to pull it tight around him to preserve his heat didn’t accomplish much. “I’m afraid it’s too small to do me much good,” he remarked matter-of-factly. “I would rather you keep it for yourself than risk exposure for little return. I would hazard a guess that I sustained a minor concussion at most. After all my time on Dragonspine I am somewhat used to the cold myself, and seldom did I wear an extra coat, anyway.” With the same measured stiffness he patted the kid on the head, his neutral expression saying that yes, he really would be fine.

The other two exchanged a few words, including introductions. From the looks of it, the Prisoner would be happy to join the merry little band as they made their way around the mountain to the fishing village, and naturally Frisk welcomed him into the fold. Albedo didn’t seem too elated, although by now his previous companions could assume that to just be par for the course. Instead he considered the new partnership with a pragmatic air, as if it presented some sort of complication. “An interesting choice considering that you don’t know our intentions, or where we’re headed,” he said after a moment. “But since you lent us your aid, we are in your debt, and far be it from me to deny you.” He nodded his affirmation, but did not extend a hand for the dead man to shake.

Then the alchemist tried to stand, but the way he wobbled after gaining his feet left a lot to be desired, as if his wipeout in the avalanche knocked his sense of balance out of him. He held out his arms to steady himself in place, breathing in and out slowly to maintain control. “Excuse me,” he said, his look apologetic as he regarded the others. “I seem to be…a little off-kilter. Perhaps I could trouble you to take the lead…as we continue.”

Ahead of them lay the devastation of the avalanche, which took up pretty much the entire width of the shallow river valley the team had been following northwest before. A far cry from the pristine smoothness of the open fields, it was an absolute mess of disturbed snow and debris. Entire pieces of splintered trees jutted from its misshapen surface at odd angles, and of the valley pines only the pointy green tops poked out. Still, the forces at play left the snow hard-packed, so the travelers could walk on and climb it just like any other ground, and the elevation change also gave them the option of an easy shortcut across the layer-cake hills that originally hemmed in the valley to begin with. Albedo followed the others with a little difficulty at first, but he composed himself bit by bit as they went along, and soon enough the formidable alchemist seemed to be right as rain. Whether or not his companions still worried about him, of course, was another matter, and while neither Linkle nor Prisoner might care about the cold, Frisk certainly did. Once started, shivers were hard to stop, and no amount of conversation over the course of a half-hour or so would halt the cold’s relentless, grasping progress through the bodies of the travelers.

As such, when they spotted a telltale trail of smoke rising skyward from a site among the conifers a little higher up on Dragonspine, the groups concern’s made the chance for shelter and warmth made it an appealing prospect despite the detour. From the hills, however, they could also trace the path of the icy river onward, snaking through the mountain’s sparsely forested foothills toward a bay on the northeastern shore, where the faintest suggestions of a gray-brown township could be glimpsed through squinted eyes. The four found themselves faced with a choice: persevere and stay the course for their destination, or seek a reprieve on Dragonspine itself to make sure that everyone in the expedition could continue free of worry.

Infactorium: A New 4Xpansion (Overlord RP) [DISCONTINUED]

No worries, take your time.

World of Light

Tora, Poppi, and Big Band

Location: Sandswept Sky
Level 9 Tora (219/90) Level 9 Poppi (219/90) Level 7 Big Band (47/70)
Midna’s @DracoLunaris, Sectonia’s @Archmage MC, Primrose and Therion’s @Yankee, Jesse’s @Zoey Boey, Raz’s @TruthHurts22, Raiden’s @XoXKieroBombXoX, the Phantom Thieves, Braum, the Scout, Peacock, Tharja, Ciella
Word Count: 1690

Despite Tora’s proclamation, there would be no such thing as getting comfortable out on the scorching desert sands under the ruthless glare of the sun, especially after an irate Big Band rolled his eyes and moved to deprive the incorrigible Nopon of his shade. With the sun well into its descent its rays weren’t as intense as they would be at noon, but the Sandswept Sky had made the most of an entire day to soak up its warmth and create a layer of sweltering residual heat, so there was no relief in sight. Tora quickly found out that Poppi had no intention of exhausting her entire ether supply in a bid to keep her Masterpon cool, and that he would receive no such preferential treatment from the team’s other purveyors of cold either, so as far as he was concerned things were looking grim.

Fortune was still smiling on Tora and his merry band, however, and Sectonia’s bottomless bag of tricks saved the day once again. She conjured a handful of huge crystals overhead, covering a wide area in shade. What light filtered through the magical gemstone lattice turned all the colors of the rainbow, while the heat got absorbed by the crystal above. The desert’s residual heat still smoldered around them, but with the sun effectively blocked it was a lot better. Poppi, the Ice Antlions, and Goemon had less heat to contend with as well, so their efforts to beat the heat went a lot farther. In its shelter the victorious heroes could actually take a load off and wind down from their unforgettable experience.

From the looks of it, Therion planned to stick with the Seekers, after all. While he didn’t really know the man yet, or what he could do to help out other than press buttons, Tora was glad to have him. In the two days he, Poppi, and the others had been traipsing across the Sandswept Sky, the position of stoic, pragmatic rogue had gone unfulfilled, courtesy of the Courier’s sudden, inexplicable departure. Of course, they had the Phantom Thieves, but their brand of rebellious and stylish didn’t quite fit the bill. With the gunslinger still nowhere to be seen after all this time, not even showing up at the eleventh hour to save the day during the biggest boss fight of Tora’s life, the Nopon couldn’t help but think he was gone for good. So Therion was welcome, and the rotund engineer resolved to do better by this man than the last.

The thief inquired about payment, a subject near and dear to Tora’s heart. He had a lot to say on the subject, so much so that by the time he’d inhaled enough to fill his lungs, Midna cut in front of him. She mentioned Princess Peach as a potential source of remuneration, after which Tora launched into speech. “Tora sure hope so, meh! We out here risking life and limb, burning alive, freezing solid, flying around, fighting big bugs and small bugs and bomby bugs and all sorts of horrible rubbish. Tora should be rolling in cash!” He flopped back down on his back, only to get nudged in his side by Poppi. “Uh, friends too, meh.”

Poppi nodded slowly. Given everything that happened, even an Artificial Blade feeling weary wasn’t out of the question. “Back in Alrest, our group get money by completing quests, slaying monsters, salvaging, and selling collectibles. But here, we not really have time for anything but main mission.” After seating herself by Tora, she crossed her arms atop her knees. “Back in Al Mamoon, we only had time for one quest, and other than that, best we got was loot from mountain catacombs.”

“Mm-hm. Couldn’t buy much.” Tora looked sad. “Meh-meh. Usually, we very thorough. Scrape every corner for goody-goodies. But this team not have time for picking places clean, and it job of tank to be up in front, meh.” He sighed. “Once Tora get paid, first thing to do is eat own weight in Tasty Sausage!”

His companion shook her head with a wry smile. “If Masterpon overstuff himself, all that food could go to waste, and then Masterpon right back at square one.” She tilted her head a little and looked at Therion. “That remind Poppi, though. One silver lining is that in both places we save so far, everyone so grateful that they give us food and shelter for free. Maybe Validar in Al Mamoon do same.”

Until now Band had been sitting nearby, content to listen to the others talk while he fanned himself with his hat, but now he broke his silence. “Hmph,” he grunted, his brows skeptical. “Somethin’ tells me Validar ain’t gonna be as accommodatin’. You mighta saved those other places, but the big grub wasn’t goin’ anywhere up on that mountain. Way he likely sees it, we were just cleanin’ up the mess we made. Man’s too deliberate, if you get what I’m sayin’.”

He glanced at Ciella, but the rabbit-eared archer just shrugged. “Don’t kid yourselves. For unleashing such a threat upon the Eastern Desert and endangering Al Mamoon, I’m sure he would hold you personally responsible.”

“Figures.” Band huffed. “No wonder you didn’t shoot out any of the statues up there.” He raised an eyebrow at her. “What’re you still ‘round for now the job’s done, anyhow? You ain’t plannin’ to tag along, are ya?”

Ciella snorted in indignation and looked away. “Just catching my breath before I fly back. My mission is far from over.”

“Ughhhhh,” the Nopon moaned. “Tora just want out of sandyland, meh. It feel like we here forever.”

And yet, we’ve seen so little, Band mused. This went double for him, seeing as he only joined forces with the Seekers in Al Mamoon, roughly two thirds across the Sandswept Sky from the point that the team evidently departed. This region seemed stupidly vast, ostensibly barren and inhospitable, but who knew how many more hidden temples, ancient ruins, and unfathomable secrets lay scattered across it? Just Split Mountain on its own had been like a realm unto itself, from the alpine wilderness and frosty heights above, to frozen caverns and accursed catacombs below. Just who was that giant, entombed in the ice? That big bear who slumbered in with his snout in autumnal redwood forest and his rump in winter wonderland? He remembered seeing lights in the windows of that convent, nestled as it was in the inhospitable Graveyard of the Peaks. Maybe the treasure troves Tora dreamed of did lie undisturbed in the Inner-Mountain’s dark recesses even now, their gems and baubles never to see the light of day. For Band, however, the prospect of inordinate wealth didn’t ruffle his feathers. Just the chance to do real, tangible good for the people of the world was more than he was used to, and that was what he wanted the most.

The detective evaluated the group. Able to take a break at long last, the airborne mages Midna and Sectonia could set themselves down at last, and do little more than converse as they saw fit. Now that Therion was with the group officially, he and Primrose could reconnect properly. The Phantom Thieves sat off to the side in their own little group, talking among themselves. Even with the desert heat, Skull and Panther in particular didn’t seem to mind sitting very close together indeed. Only Joker really kept quiet, though he did scratch at Mona’s ears just like a cat’s. Braum had planted his shield in the sand at an angle and reclined on its cold-enchanted surface with his arms behind his head, dozing away. When Raz mentioned a shower, Poppi offered to switch to her Water Core and douse him, which promised to leave him both clean and cool in the desert breeze. Now that he’d given his name and formally pledged his blade to the cause, Raiden received both a literal and figurative warm welcome from the others, even the Scout. When he got the chance, Band made sure to introduce himself in return. “I’m all there of the most real,” he said in customary fashion. “Big Band. You got yourself some sharp notes there, son. I’m sure we’ll play together just fine.”

“Poppi is Poppi!” the Artificial Blade told Raiden.

“Am Tora!” her Nopon creator added without sitting up.

That left just a couple others. Like Joker, Jesse remained taciturn, although not in a hostile way. Maybe she just wasn’t used to a group this big, or more likely, how strange its members were. For Band’s part, working for the Anti-Skullgirl Labs did a lot to desensitize him to colorful characters. Mao and Fox weren’t around, but with how aloof they’d been, Band wondered how soon he’d see them again. That just left Tharja, who the others had left alone with her grief–everyone except Peacock, at least. The crazy little redhead and her zany gang of minions seemed to have surrounded the dark mage with their hijinx, either trying to lift her mood or just distract her from her misery. To their credit, Tharja looked gloomy and annoyed, but not miserable, so maybe it was working. Band closed his eyes. As much as it hurt to lose Robin, he was grateful that nobody else had died over the course of the Seekers’ journey. Even Sora and Yoshitsune, gravely wounded by the Wendigo underground, were going to be okay, and Laharl didn’t seem like the type to go off and die in a blizzard. That almost everyone made it was a miracle, considering what they’d been through, and it was one for which Big Band was profoundly grateful.

“Ey, pops!”

Band opened his eyes to see Peacock standing in front of him, her mechanical arms crossed. “I told Miss Diaphanous over there you could belt out a mean tune, and wouldn’tcha know it, she wants an earful. I’ve gotten more than enough earfuls from you ovah the ears, but howsaboutcha play ‘er a li’l somethin’-somethin’, eh?”

The detective smiled as he rose to his feet, shaking the sand off. “I’d be happy to.”

Ms Fortune

Location: Deep Blue Seaside - Limsa Lominscuttle Town
Level 9 Nadia (12/90)
Word Count: 4518

“You’re DOG FOOD!” Flush with anger and scowling ferociously, the so-called Pirate Lord Barth clenched his teeth and began to hoist himself up over the bar.

In his single-minded fury to get at Nadia and rip her limb from limb he nearly sent the burglar’s gold-laden bag to the floor, which the indignant thief narrowly managed to yank out of the way in time. “Watch it!” he snapped as he stumbled out of his chair, his efforts to play it cool ruined. With a curled lip the man resigned himself to an ungainly barfight, which he started with a bang by kicking his barstool out of the way.

Nearby, all three of the hooligans rose from their booze-soaked table at about the same time, either eager to fight or just to follow along. The bearded cat-caller owned a hatchet slung across his back, but rather than wield it alongside Barth he just cracked his knuckles, ready to brawl.

Though the five made for an intimidating sight, especially with Barth just about to charge Nadia down like a raging bull, the feral had a more immediate problem to worry about: the oversized gecko between her and the swinging saloon doors. Her eyebrows furrowed. She’d pretended to forget about the guy whilst trading barbs with the boss, but she bet her bottom dollar he meant to grapple her from behind and hold her like firewood for Barth to hack apart. Sure enough, the creak of aged planks behind her made her cat ears twitch; there was no time to lose.

She spread her arms suddenly, unleashing a voluminous splash of blue blood that coalesced into three feline doppelgangers. Her copycats surged forward like a tidal wave, catching her foes off guard just enough that they couldn’t react in time. Barth’s wild swing cleaved straight through the first one, but it wasn’t enough to stop her, and all three mimics pounced on him in a triple tackle that knocked him right off his feet and smashed him through his lackeys’ table. All of them went down in a tremendous crash that caught the slack-jawed trio mid-rise, and in one big burst of wood chips and lifeblood the crew went down with their captain. Only the thief escaped the destruction, but with the mess in his way he had to go around.

Unfortunately, Nadia couldn’t afford to relish the havoc caused by her copycats. Right after dispatching them she’d twisted halfway around, grabbing her wrist with her other hand, then in a blast of blood launched her elbow right into the pirate Techo’s snout, aiming for the bandage. “Gyahh!” he grunted, his headlock foiled and his hands instinctively clapped on his nose. With a snarl he pulled his right back for a haymaker hook punch, but Nadia was faster. She moved in with a double claw slice, left then right, then a back-leg round that flowed smoothly into a turn kick. Her foot planted in the Techo’s belly, prompting a gasp, and with a grin on her face Nadia raised her arms for a big X-Scrape Claws to finish him off.

Her opponent had other plans. Recovering faster than she thought, he lunged forward and latched onto her forearms with his big, clammy hands, stopping her cold. He then leaned back, using his tail as a support so that he could pick up one big, muscular leg and kick her right in the ribcage. Instead, Nadia detached her arms at the biceps and headbutted the Techo right in the schnozz. “GYAHH!” He released Nadia’s arms as he stumbled backward, his hands on his poor nose again.

The feral rolled after him, sticking her arms back on as she tumbled, and flipped over to launch a point-blank Fibber Upper, propelled to new heights by her internal purr-essure. “Hasta l’away-go!” Her legs’ explosive full extension blew the Techo through the saloon doors, across the boardwalk, and into the murky seawater below.

A booming laugh reached Nadia’s ears, and in the middle of her extension she looked up to see Barth almost upon her. Though roughed-up from her doubles’ stunt earlier, he’d broken free from the mayhem and thundered across the bar toward Nadia, his axe held overhead with the murderous intent of an executioner. Her eyes went wide, and she snapped together again like a rubber band, yanking her upper half out from under him to rejoin her legs in midair. Barth’s axe came down on nothing, splitting apart several planks of the Sturmbreacher’s wooden floor but missing his target completely. “Huh!?”

“Nice try, Pirate Lard!” The big oaf rubbernecked upward, his face twisted by the transformation of gleeful assurance into angry confusion. He found Nadia clinging to the wall above the door where the momentum of her snap-back carried her, a gleeful smirk stretched ear to ear. Much to the feral’s delight, it looked like he had yet to understand her true ability, having only just come to terms with her copycats. “What, cat got your tongue?” As he lifted up his axe, Nadia kicked off the wall in a blood jet, somersaulted in midair, and landed on Barth’s face with a double stomp that bent him backward and carried him into the floor. He swung at her even still, but she was already gone, having rolled forward and sprung to her feet.

As Barth fought to get back up, frothing with both swears and spittle the whole time, Nadia got a look at how his mooks were doing. After they decked the head honcho, her copycats tried to pin her opposition down as long as they could in order to buy the original time. One lay in a puddle on the floor thanks to Barth, leaking down into the grooves between the planks, but the others managed to keep the bearded catcaller and the boozy lass down. Only the masked guy was on his feet, but his attempts to get the girl free had gotten him slapped around by her captor’s fishtail. “Ouchie!” he yelped, his palm on his stinging cheek.

“Cooooooole!” his little friend blubbered, face-down and too sloshed to do anything but struggle weakly beneath the weight of Nadia’s copycat. “I’m stuuuuuuck!”

“‘Old on, Ducky!” With his other hand the dude reached down to his pouch, from which he produced a sea-blue sphere, a little like the balls that Nadia remembered Junior tossing around. “R-roight then!” he stammered, breathing deep to center himself. “Up an’ at ‘em, Pudgy!”

He tossed the ball, and in a burst of light a big seal manifested. Nadia’s eyebrows rose. Oh no, it’s cute!. At her trainer’s behest the Sealeo shot the copycat holding the scoundrel girl down with Ice Beam, freezing it solid. “That’s it, Pudgy!” the bandit cheered. “Let’s get it off Ducky, quick now!” Together he and his Pokemon started kicking, shoving, and otherwise beating the frozen clone to get it off. It was actually kind of sweet in a way, but Nadia had already paid the pair’s antics too much attention. The bearded catcaller had fared better against his assailant. After taking a series of punishing slugs and knees his copycat had lost too much mass to sustain herself and plopped down, allowing the brigand to get back up. Now he shuffled toward her in stance, his fists raised like a boxer, and the white-haired thief strolled after him. Behind her, Barth was nearly back up, too. Nadia moved in.

She and the brigand closed the distance in a second. Knowing that she had only a couple seconds to deal with the thug before his friend joined in the fun, Nadia went low beneath his right cross. As she ducked she moved past him, slapped him in the face with her fishtail, and elbowed him in the spine. He turned with a full-force backhand, poised to knock her block off with one massive hammerfist, but Nadia popped her head up and out of the way. He followed through with a mighty hook to the feral’s ribs, and it hurt like hell, but it wasn’t enough to stop her. “Head’s up!” She caught her head and slammed it into the brigand’s like a rock. A loud BONK rang out as both staggered, but with his temple struck versus Nadia’s parietal, the catcaller had it a lot worse.

Before she could fully recover, the thief made his move. He threw his grappling hook and ensnared Nadia’s leg, which he yanked out from under her using both hands. She went down hard enough to knock the wind from her lungs. As he dragged her across the floor Nadia passed the leftovers of a copycat, which she strained to reach out for and absorb. The clever thief slung his rope over a hook hanging from the ceiling, coiled the line, then used his body weight to hoist Nadia into the air, where she dangled by one leg. Just as she got her breath back she received a sharp kick to the back of her head, hard enough to prompt a grimace and screw her eyes shut. “Oww!” When she opened one she got an upside-down look at both the brigand and Barth storming her way, axes in hand. The boss shoved his lackey aside, however, and closed in as he wound up a timber-felling chop.

“Oh, crumbs.” She detached her leg at the thigh and dropped to the ground just as Barth swung. His mighty overswing left him off balance, and as Nadia came down hardened her ears to stick in the floor. From there she rotated at the neck to pull off a Wheel of Fortune to cut into barth’s belly with tail and talon alike. “Spin cycle!” She ended with a flourish, holding herself up by her hands with her stump aimed behind her as a thruster and her other leg extended. “Off your feet!”

The sweep to Barth’s knee dropped him to the floor for a third time, where he landed hard with a garbled howl. As he fell Nadia rose, a new mimic leg growing to replace that limb that was still tied up. Unfortunately, the brigand cut short her cool pose as he surged in. He planted his foot hard enough to shake the floorboards, but instead of coming down, his axe went low. “Agh, kitty litter!” Nadia cursed when the blow opened her up, bloodying her good leg. I hate blocking! I hate blocking! The brigand swung upward, replacing the axe on his back as he kicked her. He continued the combo with a burst of body blow and ended with an uppercut. After that he reached back and pulled out his axe for a massive overhead chop, but in the clarity that accompanied her numbness, Nadia got an inkling that his finisher couldn’t be true. She let out a burst of blood and backdashed out of harm’s way to land on top of the bar. Determined to not give her a moment to breathe, the thief sliced at her calves with a dagger, but Nadia cartwheeled out of the way along the countertop. “Nuh uh!” Her hand closed around the neck of a beer bottle, and the next second it hurled the brigand’s way. To the feral’s chagrin it missed, but there were plenty more where those came from.

“Drinks on me!” As the two men chased after her she absolutely pelted them with bottles. They pushed through, shielding their eyes from shattered glass and fiery grog, until Nadia switched things up by hurling her own hardened fishtail like a big battle-axe of her own. The sharp-eyed thief ducked, but the brigand took it to the chest and bowled over backward to land on and crash through a stool. “Nyahaha, can’t hold your liquor!” Soaked in alcohol and spiked by splinters, he attempted to rise, but Barth stepped on his chest as he made a beeline for his nemesis.

At some point the thief had retrieved his grappling hook. Now it whirled around in his grasp, primed for another expert throw, but to Barth it was just in the way. “MOVE!” He elbowed the thief into the bar and stomped past, only for his underling to spring toward him and jam his dagger right into the ringleader’s gut. “GRAGH!” Barth howled, his rancor changing targets in an instant. “WHAT THE HELL!?”

The sunset light of Galeem burned like coal in the thief’s eyes. “Don’t you ever touch me, you cretin! You hear me!?”

As the two began their own fight Nadia crouched down on the bar, using the chance to take a deep breath. “So much for our honorable thief duel later,” she murmured. Still, if not exactly what she planned, she’d avoided hitting her fellow burglar on purpose, so this worked out well enough. Her break came to an abrupt end when an Ice Beam blasted her back off the bar and froze her to the shelves behind. “Oof!” she gasped, her eyes on Ducky and Cole as they approached. The girl swayed drunkenly, but she held a table leg almost as big as she was like a greatclub, and Cole wielded twin chair legs as he stood by Pudgy the Sealeo. Nadia smiled. “Ice to meetcha.”

“Loikewise!” Cole chucked his table legs like throwing knives. Nadia rolled her head from one side to the other to avoid them, then shot it in a spurt of blood. The sight of the head flying toward him, mouth wide open and fangs exposed, shocked Cole so badly he couldn’t move. “Wot the!? Gaaaagh!”

“Omnomnomnom!” Nadia’s head darted around his body, biting again and again.

“Oogh, ow, eek!” Cole squealed. “Ducky, you gotta help me! Ducky!”

The girl shambled toward him, lifting up her table leg. “...I got it. Hold…still!”

Her friend’s eyes went wide. “W-wait, no!”

BONK!

As Cole fell like a sack of bricks, Ducky bent over him. “Did…did I get it? Hic!”

“Oof, right on the noggin!” Nadia’s head remarked cheerfully, very much not gotten. Frightened, Ducky lifted her impromptu bludgeon for another swing, but Nadia’s head rolled back. From her neck flew a spray of blue blood, right into Ducky’s eyes. The girl yelped and fell backward thanks to her oversized weapon, which left just one problem.

“Ee!” Pudgy grumbled as she flopped toward Nadia’s head, trying to squash it. With a yowl the feral flipped her head upside down, and using her ears like tiny legs she took off running. The bizarre chase went on for a couple moments, beneath tables and chairs, as Nadia worked her body free from the ice. Finally she broke out, the crash loud enough to get Pudgy’s attention. “Ee?” Barely had the Pokemon looked over, however, then the body landed on her flabby back and bounced off her like an exercise ball. “Oh!” she grunted, turning back to see Nadia’s head and body reunited once more. The feral dashed in, but when Pudgy scrunched up to block, she got thrown instead. Nadia wrapped the Sealeo up in a yarn ball of muscle fiber, spinning her around and around.

A few feet away, Cole and Ducky both sat up, ready to vent their frustrations. Before they could start arguing, their eyes settled on the giant ball of blue tissue rolling straight toward them, and in comedic fashion they grabbed onto one another while screaming. Nadia’s ball rolled them over and exploded through the bar, where it unwound to leave the catgirl back in one piece and the odd pair in a dazed heap with their Sealeo.

“And that seals the deal, whew!” Nadia sighed, stretching before she pulled out and flicked away a wood chip. She spotted the thief’s bag on the counter, full of her stolen gold, and scooped it up to wear over her shoulder. Only then did she become aware of labored breathing and turn to see Barth, supporting himself on the bar with one hand while the other staunched a stab wound in his midsection. Behind him a body lay in two halves on the floor, half-dissolved into ash in a pool of blood. Nadia’s eyes narrowed. “You’re a real vicious sonuva bitch, huh, Barf?”

The so-called Pirate Lord chuckled darkly, his bloody teeth bared in a gruesome grin. Nearby the bearded brigand pulled himself up too. Nadia circled toward the door, unsteady on her mimic leg. Can’t leave my real leg behind she realized. Or my tail, for that matter. She scanned the floor but found no sign, even when she gave a mental signal for it to kick a little.

“Lookin’ for this, ya freak?”

Nadia locked onto Barth to find him holding her twitching leg on the counter. With one giant mitt he held it down, and with the other he held up his bloody axe. “You…”

“I figured it out,” he growled. “All yer bits are still alive, wherever they might be.” The man lifted his axeblade. “Which means ye can still feel THIS!”

Fear curdled in Nadia’s stomach. He was going to chop her, just like Dahlia did, and she was too far away to do a thing about it. “Dammit!” In an instant her blood pressure maxed out, and she remembered her idea from earlier. Now’s as good a time as any.

“DIE!” In a blast of blood she launched her arm, connected by cords of muscle fiber. Her punch hurtled across the room like a miniature rocket, missed Barth’s ugly mug, and shattered a bottle on the shelf behind him. Nadia grit her teeth, despair threatening to well up inside her as she dreaded the all-too-familiar agony soon to come. Of course she wasn’t going to hit the first time she tried this; why didn’t she practice earlier!?

But wait. The combination of her vehement outburst, plus the unexpected projectile, had given Barth pause. He thought her long-range punch was going to hit him, and when it missed, the big lout couldn’t help but look over his shoulder to see what it hit. Now’s still my chance! Nadia seized the shattered glass, ignoring how it pierced her, and snapped back on her arm. In an instant her limb retracted, pulling along with it a fistfill of glass that sliced through Barth’s face as it went. A wordless scream erupted from him along with the blood, and his hands went to his face.

Nadia grimaced as she retracted her arm, pulling her leg through and reabsorbing her last copycat puddle as she did. No matter how bad a man Barth might be, the grisly wound turned her stomach, and his cries of agony chilled her spine. Regret gnawed at her insides as she searched for justification. There was no time, she thought. It was my only choice. He probably deserves it. But it didn’t make her feel any better, and seeing the look on the faces of Barth’s crew made it worse. With her ears flattened in horror and her mind racing, Nadia didn’t hear the creak of footsteps behind her. Not until the knife pierced her back.

“Huuuuh…” she gasped, eyes wide as shock and pain filled her body. Her vision lost focus, and her head lost forward as shadow crept across her face. “Hagh…hagh…”

Behind her, Red Band Rita bared her teeth in an ugly, crooked smile. “‘Ow’s it feel? ‘Matey’…” Her hand came to rest on Nadia’s shoulder, sliding up toward the neck. “Me carvin’ knife. Special made for works of art, but it cuts up mouthy li’l wenches just as nice, heheh.”

Up toward the bar, Barth took his hands off his face. He was still bleeding from a half-dozen scars and breathing heavily, but for all his wailing he seemed strangely composed. “Rita,” he rumbled, pulling out a cloth to wipe his head with. “What’re ye doin’ here?”

“Just settlin’ a score,” the pirate woman told him. Taking in the state of the Sturmbreacher, she narrowed her eye. “Don’t tell me this scrawny whelp did all this?”

Barth spat out a wad of blood. “She’s got powers,” he growled. “Copies ‘erself, and splits ‘erself apart.”

Rita smirked. “Hm. Maybe ‘er soul will fetch us a good price, eh?” She shook Nadia roughly by the knife in her back. “Once the bitch ‘urries up an’ dies.”

“Heheheh…”

Rita blinked. “...What?”

“Heeheehee,” Nadia giggled, fighting through the pain. “Man…that hurt…” Her head rotated around to stare Rita square in her flabbergasted eye. Her hands softly closed around the pirate’s. “Well,” she whispered, her left eye ablaze with blue light. “Maybe a whittle bit…”

Rita reeled back in shock. “What the-!”

A beam of radiant azure water burst out from Nadia’s eye, blowing first through her eyepatch, then through her would-be killer. It blazed through the Sturmbreacher’s saloon doors, along the piers, and above dark waters. Rita screamed, but the sound was drowned out in the torrent, and a moment later she was gone. Only her forearm remained, which Nadia dropped to melt away on the floor as her head spun back around. Behind her, the late afternoon light silhouetted a very angry cat, her left eye still aglow with oceanic power.

“H-huh!?” Barth backed into the bar, aghast. His crew members shrank away behind the furniture. “Stop! Please! W-what are you!? Y-you lot, get ‘er!”

But nobody did. Nadia took a long, slow deep breath and dropped her new bag to the ground. “I’m…” Her eyes lingered on the gold that glittered within, the cause of all this trouble. The reason why people thought it was okay to murder her in cold blood, Galeem’s influence or not. It was stolen treasure that brought on the wrath of the Medici Mafia too, that led to the deaths of her family, and almost to hers. People like this, like Barth and Rita, or Lorenzo and Dahlia, so consumed by greed that any tragedy was excusable…how much blood was on their hands? How could they ever be forgiven? In their world, only two options existed: kill, or be killed. Nadia’s eyes opened.

“I’m…still alive.”

---

The sky was beginning to turn pink and orange, and the sun’s slow but steady slide brought it closer and closer to the horizon that lay across told depths of water. All along the ocean waves, but especially across the gorgeous shallows of Heaven’s Edge, the water glinted with reflected luster. It was a dazzling sight, and all the more wonderful that it came as the send-off for a perfect afternoon of enjoyment and relaxation. Whether spent stuffing oneself at the buffet, luxuriating in tropical drinks, engaging in various competitions, exploring the beautiful surroundings, building sand castles, chatting together, or just dozing the hours away on a beach chair in the sun’s immaculate radiance, a good time was had by all. Even the fighters between the street fighters, or between Cerberus and Link, did little to spoil the experience. Moreover, while originally meant to be a time for peace and privacy for the weary Seekers, the time spent at the Kanzuki Beachfront Estate ended up introducing them to a couple promising new faces. Cerberus, Rubick, Susie, and of course the illustrious Karin herself found themselves welcome among the heroes who’d made the Deep Blue Seaside a safer place.

While the matches between Sakura and Karin had yet to conclude, they ultimately occupied only a small fraction of the beach, a sense of tranquility reigned. Everyone got a chance to sit back and breathe easy, recounting the afternoon’s events with Peach and Hat Kid now that the two had arrived from Alcamoth. As the Seekers talked over a fresh round of smoothies and virgin pina coladas from the bar, they got a chance to see something interesting on the water: an incredibly huge vessel of red metal cruising along the water, suspended beneath a a live, balloon-like sea creature of even greater side. It sailed at a leisurely pace for Limsa Lominscuttle Town, bound for its main harbor to make port. Here and there the more astute of them could catch some chatter from passers-by, and glean a sense of the general excitement that the Argentum Trade Guild had come to do business in Limsa once more. At least, when the combatants weren’t calling their attacks, that is.

Not long after the merchant mega-ship passed, the Seekers spotted one last familiar face headed their way. Nadia Fortune strolled toward them across the sand, a little more tired and less exuberant than usual, but visibly none the worse for wear. Her white tank had been replaced by a deep blue tee knotted at her diaphragm, and over her shoulder was slung a teal-colored bag, the contents of which clinked softly with every step. “Heya,” she smiled softly, waving as she approached. “Miss me?”

“Hello yourself.” Peach returned the smile. “I was just wondering where you were, actually. Everything okay?”

Hatty’s eyes lit up at the sight of Nadia, and she ran over with open arms. “Hi!”

The feral knelt down to give the kid a hug. “Hi, Hatty! You feeling alright?” When the girl nodded, Nadia took off her hat to pat her head. “I’m so glad.” She rose back up to her full height and glanced at Peach. “I’m feline fine, yeah. Always nice to be missed, y’know? Plus, check this out. I’m filthy rich!”

While it wasn’t much compared to the Mushroom Kingdom treasury, Peach gave an impressed nod anyway. “Looks like you’re one lucky cat.”

“Mhm, yeah. So, what’re you all up to?”

Peach shrugged. “Nothing much. We were just starting to discuss where to go for dinner once the girls finish their little tussle, since it’s getting to be that time. Now that you’re back, I think everyone’s here, too.”

“Oh!” Nadia crossed her arms. She glanced at Rubick for a moment, but despite his arcane appearance took him to be just another new friend. “That reminds me. I heard of a place called Rum for Ale. It’s food from Cuba, wherever that is. Really flavorful, or so it’s said. My treat!”

“That sounds nice. And you’re really too kind.” Peach looked around at the rest of the group. “Any thoughts? Other ideas?”

“Whatever’s good with us!” Cerberus chorused, sharply-dressed in their newly cleaned and dried suits. Nadia couldn’t help but smile when looking their way. They’re like dog girls, how cute! she thought.

Of course, they didn’t compare to Ace. She moseyed over next to him to give his shoulder a squeeze. “Hey dude. Lookin’ a little red there.” As she took in the gathered Seekers and guests, she found herself more grateful than ever for good company. For a little while at least she’d had quite enough of going it alone.