Lugubrious

World of Light

Tora, Poppi, and Big Band

Location: Edinburgh MagicaPolis - Nyakuza Metro
Level 9 Tora (237/90) Level 9 Poppi (237/90) Level 7 Big Band (63/70)
Midna’s @DracoLunaris, Sectonia’s @Archmage MC, Primrose and Therion’s @Yankee, Jesse’s @Zoey Boey, Raiden’s @XoXKieroBombXoX, Bede’s @Crimson Flame, the Phantom Thieves, Braum, the Scout, Peacock, Vandham, Wonder Red, Asbestos, Commander Nelson, Alice MacGregor
Word Count: 1111 + 1049/725

Far above the streets, alleys, and stations where his allies hunted down enough pons for their train passes, Big Band explored the upper levels of the Metro superstructure. Up here it seemed as though the vast majority of the Metro cats, as well as a number of other denizens, made their homes in the tenements of the residential area. Up here, even compared to the lower levels with all their profundity of cat iconography, the apartments seemed even more tailor-made to the feline lifestyle. Entire sections looked like ultra-elaborate cat towers, with large columns supporting myriad rooms split up by platforms for their sure-footed tenants, with plenty of communal scratch posts for a casual clawing and even a couple playgrounds where cat toys and tunnels give the kittens a chance to play.

It was all very cute. Being about as agile as a refrigerator, however, Band stuck to the more conventional skyscrapers. Just a few minutes spent looking around confirmed that even those offered their fair share of navigational challenges, though. Rather than pollute the open space with tons of bridges and walkways, the publicly-accessible areas seemed to be connected by zip lines, slide rails, grapple points, and stretches of sheer wall perfect for ninja-running, none of which Band could take advantage of. Some of the giant billboards could even be rotated to open up new paths for parkour masters, he found. That bizarre design philosophy made it nigh-impossible for the average cat to get around the buildings’ exteriors, as the abundance of pons all over the place suggested, but Band came equipped with an ace up his sleeve: the miracle of flight. With just a handful of well-aimed takeoffs and well-timed afterburns, he could bypass the veritable obstacle course the cluttered rooftops presented and lay claim to all the pons he needed. Of course, it really helped that just bumping into the crystals seemed to be enough to put them in his pockets. And since he just needed air pressure in order to generate his sound-blasts, the only limiting factor was time.

After collecting a bounty of thirty pons, Band found himself feeling a little light-headed, so he took a breather at a rooftop restaurant, where some chefs were chopping and grilling up food for the customers, hibachi-style. Five pons bought the detective a coffee, and while he expected it to be black, he couldn’t help but smile at the happy little cat face in the cream of the latte he received. It almost felt a shame to destroy it, but destroy it he did before sipping as he relaxed in the sturdiest-looking seat the radial tables had to offer. He listened idly to the chatter of the nearby metro cats as he drank, which at the moment seemed to be concerning the mind-boggling series of transfers one of the poor guys needed to get through in order to get to work that day. A different pair of kitties talked about the vacuums all over the place, specifically one of them bouncing off and hitting his head on another restaurant’s ceiling recently. His eavesdropping did happen to turn up one interesting exchange though.

“You know, it’s been a while since I’ve seen a police cat around here,” a squat cat with a big head mentioned.

“Nah, you won’t,” his lanky friend told him. “I think you-know-who has a deal with them.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah, they don’t come in here, and she doesn’t go out there.”

Cops and corruption–a sad story as old as time, Band knew. Naturally it piqued his interest, and given how focal the Metro might be to the Seekers’ continued operations it might be worth looking into. Either way, it was a matter for another time. Feeling jazzed up, Band left five more pons as a tip to round it out to an even twenty and hit the bricks.

Using his rocket to control his descent, the detective made it all the way back down to the Metro’s bottom floor, not far from the information kiosk where everyone planned to meet back up. Unsurprisingly due to his method of traversal, he was one of the last to arrive.

Tora looked at him curiously as he approached. “Friend Biggy-Band actually went way up there? Tora heard it dangerous!”

Band shrugged his massive mechanical shoulders. “Sky’s the limit, kid. ‘Sides, there ain’t nobody who can strongarm this armstrong.”

“Fair point, meh,” Tora admitted before looking around. “So, this everyone?”

Commander Nelson had been wondering the same thing. “I believe so. I trust that everyone managed to procure their train fare?”

Everyone turned out their pockets, whether they contained pons or train passes they’d already purchased, or in a certain someone’s case, ‘acquired’. Band raised an eyebrow at the butterfly that fluttered out of Peacock’s pocket. “Nothin’? What were you doin’ out there, kid? I know you ain’t bisbehavin’.”

“Relax, gramps!” Peacock drawled, waving her hand dismissively. “I was just checkin’ out the local jewelry store. You shoulda see the puddy-tat behind the counter! Decked out like some wannabe mob boss.”

Band sighed, offhandedly wondering if his charge happened to be referring to a certain cat burglar he happened to know. Probably not though, unless the enigmatic Ms Fortune had really scaled up the scope of her crimes. He split his share of pons in half and gave them to Peacock, who swiped them with a steely grin. “Now you’re speakin’ my language, nyeheheh!”

What followed was a back-and-forth about who would be going where. For the sake of the plan the team needed to cover as much ground as possible, but Nelson reminded everyone that with the sheer amount of unknown territory in play, they also needed to beware spreading themselves too thin. After a few minutes, based on who’d already procured what pass and the reported ease of accessing the correct ticket booths to get more, the group came to a consensus. “Roight then, with that settled, let’s go over our mission one more time,” Vandham began, crossing his arms. “Each train passes through multiple locations. We’ll be stoppin’ at the lot of ‘em to scope out the area, find a secure spot with good reception, and call Moogles from HQ to get a bead on where ya are. Rinse and repeat. And remember, your safety is our primary concern. Stick to the plan, and she’ll be right.”

“Good luck everypon!” Tora exclaimed. “See friends soon!”

The decided-upon duos and trios then went their separate ways, to board the trains that would take them off on a brand new adventure.

Radlandia

Tora, Poppi, Vandham

After boarding the Blue Line subway with their old Urayan friend, the three sat in a row, united in both fellowship and silent anticipation. The black void outside the train windows betrayed no hint of what their destination might be, but the trio wasn’t completely without a clue. Even without Big Band’s investigative prowess, they could glean a couple leads from their fellow passengers. Whether bound for work or pleasure, the people headed to Radlandia and other Blue Line destinations further beyond wore and carried things suitable for the day ahead. Hawaiian shirts, masks and snorkels, sunscreen and beach towels, fishing gear, sailors’ uniforms…maybe the aquarium being so close to the station had been no accident, and maybe the railway’s color code carried symbolic meaning. Although focused to get hyped right now, Tora couldn’t help but get his hopes up. With the torturous heat of the desert behind him, was he really headed for the ocean blue?

Contrary to expectations, the first color Tora and Poppi saw the moment the darkness of the mystic subway tunnel came to an end wasn’t blue, but more of a salmon. Their train came to a stop at an open-air train platform in a town utterly saturated in the hues of the sky at dawn, all pale reds and pinks maroons. “Meh…” the Nopon marveled as he looked around, taking in the town’s bizarrely all-encompassing color scheme. The more he gawked, however, the more he realized that salmon overload might be one of the least weird things about the place.

His eyes were naturally drawn to the skate tracks that ran around the place, the bright blue of their wooden boards -which appeared to be their natural color, strangely enough- offering a stark contrast to just about everything else in the place. Nailed and in some cases taped together, and held aloft by some the flimsiest-looking sticks and scaffolds either Tora or Poppi had ever seen, they curved and sloped throughout the town in circuitous, absurd paths up the sides and over the tops of various buildings. It looked incredibly dangerous, but Tora would be lying if he said he didn’t think that riding something along those tracks might be a lot of fun.

“Masterpon,” Poppi murmured, nudging him. “What think?”

Tora tore his eyes away from the vivid, distracting blue of the track to follow his companion’s gaze, at which point he could really start to appreciate just how strange the place they’d come to was. For starters, everything looked grungy. The buildings, the sidewalks, and the streets themselves were all cracked, blotched, and in some cases slimy. Pipes leaked a fluorescent green substance, and tilted trash cans eked out what could only be described as ‘sludge’. Unusual shapes and creatures moved in the shadows of second-story windows and the sewer drains, not necessarily scary, but things that Tora would be no means expect, like a giant floating eyeball and disembodied octopus tentacles. In fact,Tora saw strange creatures no matter where he looked. A bear was nothing too freaky, but sitting calmly in an inner-tube in a puddle on top of a building? What were those gremlins eating the giant display donut above the pastry shop? Did that man, currently serving an animate banana at a food cart with text on its canopy that read ‘EAT TRASH’, have a donut for a head? Tora rubbed his eyes and looked again. Yep, definitely a donut.

“Very…” Tora searched his lexicon for the appropriate word. “...Odd. But sort of cool, meh?”

Vandham shook his head with a shrug. “It’s surreal, ‘s’what it is. Crikey.”

At the very least there were normal people around too, and they didn’t seem to mind all the strange, dreamlike phenomena around them. As the party moved away from the train platform they got their first good look at the nearby shore. Radlandia stood at the mouth of a river that opened into an enormous bay, and way out in the bay stood a much larger city of castle parapets atop white stone seastacks, surrounded by a web of piers and wharves stacked on top of one another. When Poppi zoomed in using her optics she could make out additional details, like the airship dock that sat atop the biggest, highest tower, the mammoth sports arena at the edge of the city, and a gargantuan vessel on the far side that sat beneath an even bigger, rotund whale-like creature that floated above it like a hot-air balloon.

She blinked as the gears in her head turned, and after a moment of wracking her brains, something clicked. “Goldmouth!” she shouted suddenly, her expression one of shock and elation. “M-masterpon! It, it’s its…!”

“It’s what, meh!?” Tora exclaimed over her awestruck stuttering, frightened by his creation’s sudden outburst. He craned his nonexistent neck trying to see just what set Poppi off.

“It Goldmouth!” Poppi reiterated as if that should explain anything. “Masterpon not remember!? Goldmouth name of Titan of Argentum Trade Guild!”

Tora’s eyes widened. “Argentum!? You mean, from Alrest!?”

“Yes, from our home, it right there, just beyond city on water!” Poppi told him excitedly, pointing with a metallic finger.

Vandham squinted, shading his eyes with his hand. “Well, I’ll be!” he laughed. “About time, eh? Not Uraya, but I’ll bloody take it!” He cleared his throat as he crouched down to pat a hand on Poppi’s shoulder and Tora’s head. “Don’t go loony on me just yet though, mates. Before we run off we’ve got a job to do, right? And not just ‘ere either. Gotta call in the Moogles to all three stops.”

“But, but, this special occasion, meh! Surely we can make exception?” He turned to Vandham to see a stern shake of his head, and sighed. Tora knew the old mercenary was right, so much so that he didn’t even attempt to sway him with unflinching eye contact. “Okay, okay, Tora know. Let’s finish it quick!”

Poppi nodded, even more determined than before. “So, we just need get to high point in town.” She looked up at the tallest building, where a couple local kids were taking turns racing down the precipitous beginning of the track on their skateboards. “Hold tight. Poppi be right back!”

Aviary Biodome

Raiden’s @XoXKieroBombXoX, Big Band, Peacock

One of the last to pick a train line to ride, Big Band ultimately chose to accompany his fellow metal man Raiden on the first leg of his journey, lest the swordsman wind up unaccompanied and, if anything should go wrong, unaccounted for. A sense of gratitude compelled Peacock to tag along, which made a total of three cyborgs standing beside one another in Black Station as the latest subway that a cat dragged in came to a stop.

Though from entirely different eras, Mr. Lightning Bolt and the USG soldiers actually had a lot in common. In terms of human flesh, not even one full person could be made between the three of them; all were more machine than man, and little more than scraps of their original organic bodies remained. They’d been rebuilt in the wake of terrible brutality and custom-engineered to fight for a cause. Raiden and Peacock shared the twisted fate of being child soldiers, but while those days were long behind the former, the latter would seemingly never escape her campaign. Yet here they all stood, despite untold pain and suffering, brokenness and betrayal, and the wars that raged on without end. Band, Raiden, and Peacock shared an unspoken connection, united by the conviction to fight for what they believed in, and the strength to face whatever tomorrow might bring.

One after another the three living weapons boarded the Black Line subway train, bound for parts unknown.

Their trip through the darkness of the tunnel brought them to a train station with an industrial appearance, all concrete and metal, more like a bunker than a public facility. While a couple metro cats and other passengers joined them as they exited the train, the younger crowd identifiable as students and the more well-dressed passengers stayed put to ride on to the next destination. Band scrutinized those who disembarked alongside him, trying to figure out the common denominators among them that might forewarn him about what exactly he and his allies might be stepping into. Some appeared to be very heavily-equipped, as if going to battle, or maybe on a big game hunt, while an augmented gentleman and a gorilla looked more dressed for a safari, and still others sported the coats and research equipment of botanists or zoologists. Together with the name of the place, he began to draw some conclusions.

As the others split up to head to different wings of the building, Band’s attention went to the front entrance thanks to its distinctive style. It featured a vines-and-wood jungle aesthetic and looked like some kind of tourist attraction, complete with brochures and a gift shop. After giving a dubious glance at the racks of stuffed animals for sale, most of which didn’t resemble any kind of normal creature, he approached the highly reinforced main door. A small crowd of other visitors had gathered there, their faces a mixture of eager and nervous, and in front of them stood a strange-looking staff member. Alien in appearance and at least partially machine, which kept up the fun trend Band was noticing, she nevertheless spoke in a perfectly understandable -if slightly electronic- voice. “Alright, hey everyone, excited to get out there?” she asked, leaning casually on her longbow in a very human manner. “Good, good. I’m a forest ranger here, you can call me Ivara. Stick close, listen sharp, and you’ll all make it home in one piece, with some new memories that’ll last you a lifetime. Let’s get to it!”

She punched a terminal, and the giant doors began to open. A surge of warmth, humidity, and natural light hit Band as the gates receded to reveal an enormous and extravagant environment, all lush rainforests and overgrown swamps, all under the expansive protection and climate control of a glass and metal dome big enough to house a city. Beyond, Band could just about see the icy crags and towering glaciers of an arctic skyline, making him wonder just where the hell he’d ended up.

“And there you have it,” Ivara said theatrically, holding her arms wide. “Welcome to the Aviary Biodome!”

Queen’s Station

Therion’s @Yankee, Jesse’s @Zoey Boey, Raz’s @TruthHurts22

When the Purple Line train finally ground to a halt, its doors opened to reveal not a bustling complex of transportation, but a peaceful and quiet hall of carved blue-black stone, moist and cool, sprinkled by patches of thick, budding moss, lit by the pale electric glow of lumaflies in glass lanterns, and the unintelligible sigils carved onto hanging slates. The columns in the walls and the converging arches in the ceiling gave the whole place an air of solemn antiquity. After the new arrivals proceeded past the benches where weary travelers could sit themselves down to rest, they entered a four-story room of wrought-iron fences and leafy creepers, which served as the hub of the Queen’s Station.

A central spiral structure allowed them to ascend, and starting from the second story upward, they could approach the intricate railings between tall, spindly pillars at the station’s back in order to look out at a grand, spacious underground canyon, awash in the gentle, lavender light of countless bubbles. There, among the hanging tendrils and drifts of fog, Uoma and Ooma floated lazily over verdant hills and sizzling lakes of mint-green acid. It was a dreamlike view.

Very few passengers had gotten off the train here, and the station seemed mostly empty overall. Every step taken across its floors echoed over the bloopy, bubbly ambient sound. What few people the new arrivals did find appeared to be bugs, or at the very least bug-related. One such girl could be found having a picnic in a little alcove near the overlook, where she shared a meal with two ladybugs the size of chimpanzees, Leby and Dib. The siblings had recently arrived from the Metro with a number of souvenirs, and after receiving a courteous invitation decided to join the strange but kindly Agitha for lunch before the long trip back to Bugaria Outskirts. A Pinsir had dozed off in one of the corners, scary-looking even as it slept. Other than the noises of someone eating that could be heard down one of the halls, the only other sign of life appeared to be a small gang of Migosp arguing about where to go next in low tones. Therion, Jesse, and Raz had wound up in a strange place indeed.

Haven

Sectonia’s @Archmage MC, Wonder Red’s @TruthHurts22, the Scout

Through a mixture of luck and coincidence Sectonia and Wonder Red wound up being the odd pair who’d be riding the Mint Line to see where it took them. With most of the other teams of three made up at that point, the Scout ended up joining them, which definitely made their team a contender for the strangest. Then again, they also happened to be the wealthiest; since the Scout had made quick work of pon collection with his trusty grappling hook and a bit of dwarven greed, his stash plus all the pons pulled out of vents and gutters by Sectonia’s antlions meant that they could afford their pases with cash to spare in case they ever came by here again. Together with Red, fresh from his curious encounter with the sack-people, they climbed aboard their train and were promptly whisked away.

In quite the departure from the gaudy liveliness of the Metro, the first stop on the Mint Line turned out to be a derelict station, long since ruined and given over to time, then rebuilt and repurposed as a base of some sort. Though partially flooded and quite overgrown, it nevertheless brought forth a sizable crew of passengers from the subway once it opened its doors, all of them either warrior types or treasure hunters. Some went to relieve the weary guards of their posts, allowing them to board the train and get out of here, while others made for the exits. When the dwarf, superhero, and wasp followed suit, a stunning vista opened up before them.

At a glance it was clear that this place had once been a city of man, a steel-and-concrete jungle of big, blocky office buildings and highrises, but that had been a very, very long time ago, enough time for an apocalypse to have come and gone. In the wake of ruination, nature had reclaimed the city in a big, big way, with mammoth trees growing straight through the sky-scraping husks, and twisting roots that snaked in and out of the terrain like sea serpents. Over time the great cracks in the earth turned into canyons, creating a network of low-lying rivers in the fault lines. Flocks of birds called the place home, as well as many less benign creatures, like Karkinos-spawn, the bomb bugs, the glyphids, and the Root, whether they stalked or flew. The most incredible thing on display, of course, was the cathedral in the canopy. Among the uppermost branches of the area’s tallest, most venerable tree, which now crowned the former cityscape’s loftiest edifice, there stood a safe haven far above the perilous streets. From within streamed a pure, spiritual light, white tinged by blue, that practically radiated goodness far and wide.

Dwarves!

As the uproarious singing of cheerful drunks and fire-forged friends shook Thrillem's beloved feasting hall of old, only one dwarf seemed able to resist the infectious atmosphere of camaraderie. On any other day, one would expect to find Norburr Deepslate minding his own business over in a corner away from the other dwarves, with only a plate of roasted bitterroot, well-seasoned mushrooms, and salty cave fish fillets for company as he pored over ledgers of charts, records, and supplies. While the others stuffed their faces and got back to work, he could spend hours picking at his meal as he checked and rechecked the books to make sure that every lesson from the last expedition had been learned, and everything was in order for the next. After all, failure to do so -as Norburr loved to remind anyone who doubted his methods- could mean the difference between life and death. And yet, that fastidiousness and his exacting standards meant that for as long as anyone could remember, Norburr Deepslate -young in body but old in spirit- ate alone.

Not so today. For out of everyone to brave the myriad and unknown dangers of the outside world on this terrific quest, of all the stout-hearted warriors and celebrated heroes, it was Norburr who they picked. Nobody, they reasoned, was better prepared to tackle unknown territory and dangerous terrain than him, the prospector whose preparedness, perception, and perseverance saved who-knows-how-many lives down in the deep. And therein, Norburr realized, was the problem--the reason why even now, in the midst of a celebration for him, he sat slumped on one hand at the dinner table, a dour look upon his wan face. It was because he knew what both opportunity and danger looked, sounded, and smelt like that he could overcome the underground so well! The idea of being thrown to the wolves on the surface world, a place devoid of documentation and research, terrified him. What even were wolves, for instance? What did they eat, and how did they hunt? Were they afraid of fire, like a number of subterranean predators down here? Did they make some distinctive sound that could be used to steer clear from them? Norburr just didn't know. And knowing wasn't half the battle; it was everything. And because this was such an honor, he couldn't possibly refuse.

He was so lost in thought that he jumped in his seat when Beorthric slammed down a new round of drinks onto the table. He blinked in mixed bewilderment and annoyance Beorthric leaned into the group to make them aware of the gauntlet thrown down by their neighbors. Norburr glanced over at the Orebreakers. Surly, burly, broad, and dust-speckled...they were miners through and through, the very salt of the earth, and tough as nails. Of course, no typical dwarf would take any such challenge lying down, no matter how stout the competition. Kragg Stonefist, however, was an exceptional dwarf, as strong and honorable as they come. Alongside him, Brazmere Granitebrew eagerly rose to confront the competition, going as far as to rouse the others to join him. Even Norburr was no exception, which the prospector actually didn't mind that much. If he was stuck going on this expedition, he really ought to try to improve his standing with the others in the long term, and he could certainly stand to distract himself from his misgivings for now. With a roll of his eyes Norburr downed the last of his mead (that being just his second cup) and got to his feet. "Let's just try not to break anythin', eh?" he groused, massaging his shoulders. "Don't know about you chaps, but I'd rather not start off tomorrow in a cast!"

Dwarves!

Good stuff. I'll get Norburr started tomorrow at the latest.

World of Light

The Chalk Prince, the Prisoner, and Frisk

@Majoras End @XoXKieroBombXoX

In quite the contrast to Albedo, Frisk seemed very happy to see the festering, malign pustule once more, even in a crippled and practically helpless state. Under these circumstances, with both the rawness of disaster and the inhospitable environment of Dragonspine looming overhead, perhaps any face -figuratively speaking- was welcome. The three spoke briefly, with the Prisoner relating the reality of his current circumstances. Despite his admission to being good for just about nothing in this form, the Prisoner seemed determined to be a burden on Frisk and Albedo’s already arduous climb. Maybe he saw no qualms with keeping their company, but the alchemist looked none too pleased. For what he meaned to accomplish on these frigid slopes, the Prisoner would only get in the way. Still, he wasn’t so inept that he couldn’t stomach a slight change of plans. When it came to accomplishing his goals, anything could change.

He considered the idea of carrying the Prisoner in a sack. The strange being mentioned that the camp now lay at a distance, prompting Albedo to give a curious look at the half-buried wreckage of the camp just a few meters away, not for at all from the singular ledge that Frisk managed to clamber atop with his help. Maybe it seemed a long way for someone so small, but the alchemist could see a worn rucksack that he could -and would probably have to- pull from the snow with relative ease. Not ideal, but it would have to do. Before he could make his way over, however, Frisk bent down to offer something to the Prisoner: a bright pink heart, so cheerful and innocent as to be completely at odds with the misfit trio’s bleak surroundings. He watched with furrowed brows, his expression betraying the intrigue one might expect of any empirical mind, as the Friend Heart popped against the Prisoner’s head.

He then tensed in surprise at the sudden burst of light from the Prisoner’s being, which in an instant both cleansed Galeem’s influence from his spirit, and fully restored him to a pristine state. As it turned out, this meant fashioning a brand new body for him from nothing, which the feculent snotwad naturally couldn’t infest fast enough. In a flash the Prisoner was his ‘normal’ self again, fully ambulatory and fighting-fit. As he strove to collect himself mentally, Albedo blinked a couple times in muted surprise. “Well,” he said after a moment. “How delightful.” The alchemist glanced up at Frisk. “Good thinking. I’ll have to remember that for next time.”

Yet the good news didn’t stop there. After a few moments that Frisk and Albedo spent climbing up the ledges toward the top of the cliff, the Prisoner followed in a hurry, demonstrating both an impressive jump height and an unfamiliar item newly returned to his possession. He offered it to Frisk, saying that it could fix her broken ankle. Given the hard road ahead and the pain such an injury would cause, she’d be a fool to refuse. Once the draught worked its healing magic and Albedo verified the effects, he seemed to perk up, and with a neutral expression reached out his hand for Frisk to pass it to him. “If you don’t mind. I suffered some…rather severe, internal wounds back there.” After briefly inspecting its contents, the alchemist helped himself to two drinks of its remedial contents. While he did not visibly change, he gave a sigh of relief as he returned the flask to the Prisoner. “Much better. I am grateful. Please forgive my brusque manner; all told, I’ve spent far more time on Dragonspine than among the world’s peoples.” He then turned to the cliff face to resume his climb. “Now then. Onwards and upwards.”

Once atop the cliff, the journey continued. While the lower levels of the Dragonspine featured helpful stairs here and there carved into the stone of the mountain to aid in traversal, the higher reaches offered no such niceties. It got rockier, rougher, and more steeply sloped, and in short order any semblance of an actual path upward disappeared. Its absence left the trio to make their up way up snow drifts and stony cliff faces. Patches of a hardy, thick-stemmed, blue-white grass poked through the snow to suggest where firm footing could be found beneath the powder, and as the dark of night descended over the winter-bound mountain, it became easier to notice the light of pretty little flowers growing among the grass. Their bells shone a soft, almost melancholy blue light across the snow, but it did not reach far. It wouldn’t be long before visibility became an issue.

Still, it would have been a peaceful nighttime trek, if not for the monsters that followed the advent of dusk. Least of the trio’s worries were the bats, which offered Frisk, Albedo, and the Prisoner only a taste of combat, especially compared to the Draugr from before. Li’l Brrs, meanwhile, just slid around obliviously, threatening to freeze anyone who touched them solid but lacking direction. The sudden appearance of ice elementals did come as a cause for concern though, forcing the three to expend some effort to put them down. The most worrisome creatures, however, kept their distance, watching with bright red eyes from the snowy shadows and vanishing into the white if approached. The wolf-demons Freki and Geri were still stalking the group when they chanced upon a large cave opening among the rocks. Albedo sighed. “Without Teba to guide us, our chances of finding more camps are low. Perhaps we should explore in here.” He glanced at Frisk. “Could be that Melony’s Pokemon thought the same.” Movement in his peripherals caught his attention, and he looked over the see one of the wolf demons disappear behind a snow drift, much closer than he’d seen them before. “Or we could attend to our…unwanted guests.” Tensing himself for action, he left the decision of where to go to his comrades.

World of Light

Tora, Poppi, and Big Band

Location: Sandswept Sky
Level 9 Tora (234/90) Level 9 Poppi (234/90) Level 7 Big Band (60/70)
Midna’s @DracoLunaris, Sectonia’s @Archmage MC, Therion’s @Yankee, Jesse’s @Zoey Boey, Raiden’s @XoXKieroBombXoX, Bede’s @Crimson Flame, the Phantom Thieves, the Scout, Peacock, Vandham, Wonder Red, Asbestos, Commander Nelson, Alice MacGregor
Word Count: 2573

With the help of the friendly Metro Cat and his considerate advice in mind, the heroes proceeded out from the Yellow Line toward the main station, leaving the train platform and its bizarre subway behind, although not before Tora jumped up to scratch the giant tabby cat under the chin. Luckily, the color-coded signs and arrows on walls and floor alike made navigation easy, and the path brought them to a row of translucent, neon yellow gates. Through them Band could see the ground level of Yakuza Metro proper, at least for a little way, and as he watched a couple of the black-furred Metro Cats ambled straight through the barrier. Those exiting on the right side, ahead of the Seekers, made it through without having to lift a finger, while those who entered on the left side needed to produce and then scan a little plastic card whose color matched the gate. After a beep the gate dimmed slightly to let the incoming cats through one at a time.

Band noted all this down mentally, nodding to himself as he did. Though a little fantastical with the one-way gates and intelligent barriers, the whole thing worked on much the same principle as any old turnstyle, so it made sense. Identifying the cards the cats used as the metro passes his team got warned about prompted him to realize one other thing, as well: that despite already being in the Yellow Station, he and the others didn’t actually have free access to it. The moment they stepped through the gate, they would need to get passes of their own if they planned to come back in, unless they could find another entrance somewhere. As luck would have it, Band also spotted a ticket booth recessed into one of the walls right next to the gate, but a stroke of fortune it was not, since a cursory examination confirmed that the half-lidded clerk at the counter would be accepting only one currency: the cheap emeralds that the Metro Cats called pons. Even if he did manage to get back into the station without a pass, it looked like he’d need one to board the train again, anyway. So close, and yet so far, the detective thought to himself, glancing around at the Yellow Station one last time before he stepped through the one-way exit and into the main station.

It didn’t take long for the Seekers and their new acquaintances to find the Metro’s help center, especially given Sectonia’s lofty point of view as she led the party through the main area. It took the form of a circular kiosk situated right in the middle of the open area, and as everyone made their way over, Tora followed on autopilot, since his awestruck eyes were looking anywhere but straight in front of him. Zipping along through the open air along the holographic yellow track gave him one perspective of the Metro, but being able to see everything clearly was a wholly different beast. Only the distinct memory of boarding the subway five minutes ago, uncomfortably hot in the Sandswept Sky’s potent light of day, kept the Nopon from now believing he stood in the middle of a huge, neon city at night. Things looked relatively normal, albeit not to an inhabitant of Tora’s native Alrest, if one kept their eyes at ground level, but looking upward revealed buildings stacked on top of one another like massive building blocks of brick, metal, and glass, continuing up and up and up for tens and then hundreds of stories. Even Poppi, with the aid of her specialized optics, couldn’t zoom in far enough to make out where the altitudinous upper levels of the Yakuza Metro finally gave way to some sort of ceiling. “Forget train station,” the artificial blade murmured. “This practically indoor city.”

“Meh, meh…” her Masterpon agreed, somewhat astonished by all the sights and especially smells, as if he hadn’t just stuffed himself silly with the best grub the Wild West had to offer back at Tumbleweed Saloon.

Once at the help center, the whole crew could examine the extra-large monitors at their leisure, taking in all the tips and tricks the kiosk had to offer about navigating the Yakuza Metro, and requesting additional details from the helpful attendants as needed. After scanning list after list for a place that he recognized, Tora couldn’t help but agree with Sectonia. Gutsford, Radlandia, Clock Town, Wugachug? Rot one location in the entire registry, save Al Mamoon and Gerudo Town, rang a bell for him. He hadn’t really been expecting to see a name he recognized from his own world, but a small part of him felt a little let down, anyway.

Band shared the Nopon’s disappointment. “Looks like it’s gonna be trial and error after all, folks,” he observed. Before that process could even begin, however, everyone present needed to buy at least one metro pass each, and as Sectonia pointed out, that meant they needed pons. Luckily, that task looked refreshingly simple, for a change. While pons didn’t necessarily grow on trees, they weren’t far behind. A quick look around confirmed a bunch of them all over the Metro, whether sitting pretty in some out-of-the-way place, or forming trails up walls and across jumps. Naturally, Sectonia planned to delegate the task, but without any such luxury himself, it was time for Big Band to break a leg. “Y’all heard the big bug,” he said. “Let’s boogie.”

“Just don’t get careless, mates,” Vandham told everyone. “There’s a lotta places to fall, and it’s a long way down.”

Asbestos chuckled. “Yeah, don’t come cryin’ to us if ya getcha pockets picked, oah run ovah by one o’ those trains!”

The group quickly split up. Big Band set his sights on the heights and blasted off toward the Metro’s upper reaches. While everyone climbed around on food trucks, fire escapes, and in some cases the trains themselves down below, he’d scoop up some easy pickings where those without the gift of rocket-powered flight couldn’t hope to make their way. Tora and Poppi stood together as they watched Raz and the others go their separate ways, peering around for any good spots where they could make a quick and easy pon. At least, Tora kept an eye out, while his companion stared at him expectantly. After a few moments he returned the look. “Poppi want say thing to Tora?”

“Oh, Poppi just wonder when Masterpon ask Poppi to pick up and fly around and nab pons, easy-peasy,” she replied.

“Tora did think of that,” her Masterpon admitted. “But also have second thoughts, meh. It…too easy. Tora always rely on Poppi to get around fast. Poppi very good at it, of course, but carrying Tora like beach ball…it rob essential Nopon dignity, meh.” He glanced at Poppi as if expecting a sarcastic interjection, but this time she kept quiet. “Plus, this place look like biggy-time fun, in all honesty. So Tora want try run and jump around too, for once!”

Poppi smiled. “That does sound like fun. Masterpon not want Poppi help at all, then?”

“Well, no,” her inventor laughed. “Tora jump barely get off ground on own, and not very agile shape, meh. But if Tora have Drill Shield, can use to jet over gaps, midair boost, and even high jump. That make up difference for sure!”

In response, Poppi constructed a new Drill Shield for him, spinning it out of the ambient ether. “Roger, roger!” she agreed, putting her hands on her hips. “Now, let’s go before all good ones get gone!”

Tora took off at a run, flailing his wings a little as he bounced along, and Poppi clanked behind him. He ran up an escalator, saw Asbestos stomping around the scaffolding of an active construction zone for what looked like a statue of the Metro’s founder in the middle of a shopping center, and hooked a left. A second set of escalators brought him to a third-story landing, and while the currently-inaccessible entrance to the Blue Line stood right ahead, he spotted a corner with paw-print phones and a really cool piece of wall art to the right, and the open area stretched on a ways to the left. The glass outer wall of a giant aquarium took up the entire facade along there, and Tora ran past the assembled Metro cats who watched the fish with wide, bright eyes. Ahead lay the bridge that spanned the path he and the others came down earlier in order to reach the help center, but rather than hustle across, Tora turned his attention to a balcony on the aquarium’s second story, where a handful of Metro Cats were lounging around on deck chairs beneath a beach umbrella. Since the Metro lacked both rain and shine, their furled parasol served only a decorative purpose, but at its tip Tora spotted just the bright green glint he was searching for. A pon, out of reach for a casual kitty, but not for an industrious Nopon such as himself.

“Okay, it go time!” He held down the button for the Drill Shield’s thrusters, charging them up for a moment, then released to blast up toward the balcony. At the apex of his flight he snatched the pon, then landed nearby. While the cats looked up for a moment from their phones, they didn’t seem to care, and after Poppi rocket-jumped up to join him, Tora ran inside. The building’s second greeted him with the sight of a large perimeter walkway that ran around the edges of the aquarium, allowing visitors to look over the railing at the fish swimming down below. Some of the cats even wielded rods to catch a meal with, but Tora was more interested in the pons that trailed along the narrower walkways over the tank.

“Meh-meh, perfect!” Without a second thought he hopped over the railing, paused for a terrified moment as the catwalk shook under his weight, then proceeded along it. Two, three, four, five, six. He went back and forth across the catwalks and climbed the occasional vertical grate, accidentally spilling a few buckets of fish food as he made sure to collect them all. A couple rafts drifted around the surface in set patterns, and with a little timing Tora could use them to get across otherwise excessive gaps. Tora did slip and fall in once, but getting soaked wasn’t about to dampen his spirit. With a final daring boost over an open area to nab pons seven and eight, the big fishing tank was cleaned out, and the duo ended up in what looked like a blend between a maintenance area and an alley, all reflective and gray. There seemed to be back doors to a couple restaurants, possibly used to offload leftovers to the fish tank, as well as some half-finished graffiti depicting a tiger. An orange splotch lay on the ground from the rupture of an abandoned paint can, but a cat vacuum seemed to be on the case. Tora steered clear and went to bounce off the dumpsters in order to collect six more pons. That left just eight before both he and Poppi could afford a pass.

After that, the two considered their next move for a moment. They could go back out through the aquarium, or down the only other open route from this alleyway, which resounded with the loud, telltale rattle of a nearby subway train. Tora could see some more pons up high on the restaurant’s fire escapes, but the dumpsters couldn’t spring him high enough to reach them even if he boosted up with the Drill Shield midair. Out of curiosity he tried jumping on the rubbery, domed top of the cat vacuum, and bounced even higher, only for the hapless Nopon to land face-down in the paint. “Meh-meh, of course!” he groaned, annoyed, before turning to see the cat vacuum speeding toward him with an angry, electronic MEOW! “MEH!?” Poppi charged in to protect him, but before she or her Masterpon could do anything, the machine ran him over. In an instant Tora not only got cleaned off, but also bounced sky-high, soaring high enough to grab hold of a fire escape. He held on for dear life, barely breathing until his heart slowed back down, at which point he managed to wrap his head around what happened. “Heh…heheh!” After swinging around to deposit himself on the landing, he put his wings on the rail and leaned over. “Up here Poppi!” he called down. “See, Tora always manage to reach new heights, meh!”

As she looked up Poppi removed her fist from the destroyed remains of the vacuum somewhat sheepishly. “G-good! Now…Masterpon can collect rest of pons!”

He did, and once he finished he jumped back down into Poppi’s waiting arms. While they’d gathered more than enough, Tora was too curious to leave before taking a peek at whatever lay beyond the alley’s other exit. Together he and Poppi followed the path through the maintenance area, and after just a couple moments they came upon a ledge that overlooked a Blue Station train tunnel, wide enough for two subways to run alongside one another in opposite directions. “Whoa!” Tora marveled. “How this work? We supposed jump down and run across when trains not coming?”

“Poppi think opposite. Would be more practical to jump across tops of trains when both come by together,” the artificial blade reasoned. She pointed at the pons that floated in the tunnel at the perfect height to scoop up if one happened to be standing on top of a passing train.

“Oh!” Now that Poppi said it, it seemed so obvious. “Well, we just zip-zoom across anyway,” Tora remembered, hefting his Drill Shield. The two jetted across to find themselves overlooking none other than the Blue Station itself. Metro Cats milled around throughout, hanging out and chatting in their little groups, and after jumping down Tora could see the very same row of blue gates that confronted him at the top of the escalators before, complete with a matching ticket booth. “Meh-meh!” he sang, looking pleased. “So there are ways in without pass. It probably same for other stations. So they more like shortcuts than actual obstacles, meh.”

“Well, we still need buy pass to ride train,” Poppi reminded him. As she spoke she produced her share of ten pons. “Since we here, why not get ours before go back and meet others?”

Tora nodded his agreement, and the dynamic duo did just that. A few moments later they stood back out in the open Metro, not far from the glass front of the aquarium. As the Nopon watched, a trout got snagged by a fishhook, and yanked up toward the catwalks he’d explored earlier on the building’s second floor. “There very much more to this place than meet eye,” he observed.

“Mhm. I wonder how others get on,” Poppi mused. She turned to go, prompting Tora to join her, and the pair began the short trip back the way they came.

Ms Fortune

Location: Deep Blue Seaside - Limsa Lominscuttle Town
Level 9 Nadia (37/90)
Koopa Troop’s @DracoLunaris, Blazermate and Susie’s @Archmage MC, Geralt’s @MULTI_MEDIA_MAN, Ace Cadet and Pit’s @Yankee, Sakura and Karin's @Zoey Boey, Rubick’s @Scarifar, Omori’s @Majoras End, Nadia Fortune, Peach, Yennefer, Rika, and Cerberus
Word Count: 1245

The voice of this strange fetus beast in her head made Nadia a little uncomfortable, so as she listened to its attempts to get everyone on the same page, she tried to make herself as comfortable as possible in her chosen chair at the Garfont Center’s fancy roundtable. As if its map wasn’t already crazy impressive and nigh-magical enough to someone who essentially hailed from the early twentieth century, the fact that its holographic surface started changing itself as Mewtwo explained things boggled Nadia’s mind even further. Utterly fascinated, she couldn’t possibly avert her gaze as little dot-trails snaked across the map to trace the teams’ approximate paths, or when areas flashed and displayed additional information, like the guardians that her buddies had already taken down. Both the Ender Dragon and Red Eye looked like terrifying monstrosities, and the mention of Megadragonbowser intrigued her, but considering everything she’d been through she didn’t even stop to question it.

As more new information trickled in Nadia mulled it over with narrowed eyes, her chin resting in her hand. She delighted in HQ's exciting plan to secure both far-off friends and a world-wide travel network, then absorbed the details of their dealings with the Forlorn Factory, both through Dedede’s distressed account of the initial raid and Peach’s summary of that problem’s thorough resolution. With everyone caught up to date, that just left the matter of where to go next. Nadia glanced at each region on the map as Peach described them, and like the princess her attention came to rest on Midgar, represented as a very large city up in the Dystopiascape. For now it possessed only a vague but very large outline, which left Nadia all the more curious. Part of the reason she chose to brave the Dead Zone in the first place was its staggering enormity, far surpassing her only frame of reference, that being New Meridian. The thought of a live megacity in this strange new world set her imagination aflame, inviting her to go see it for herself. And if the Seekers had allies there that needed a hand, all the better. Geralt wanted to help too, so Nadia knew it wasn’t just bias on her part. Then again, Midgar seemed to be about as far to the northeast as one could go on this continent. Yennefer was right: if the Seekers did plan to head over, this Metro would need to hook them up.

While she and the other members of the so-called Hero Teams were out hunting down guardians, Alcamoth and its Mercenaries had been very busy, and not just when it came to sending people off on missions. From the beginning Nadia had struggled to wrap her head around such an enormous campaign, and what it took to make such a venture possible. Luckily, the people at Alcamoth seemed to have accepted the responsibility to handle all the logistics and stuff themselves, meaning that Nadia and the other Seekers could focus on what really mattered: go place and kill thing. Still, she didn’t plan to turn a blind eye to important developments around here, especially when they concerned Galeem’s chosen. When Kamek mentioned a return to the Dead Zone to finish the job, Nadia grimaced. Blown up or not, she hated that place with every fiber of her being, and as it turned out, things were far from over. The young Pit hit the team with a double-whammy of absolutely disastrous hazards for any prospective clean-up crew in the form of an age-accelerating rain and a kind of invisible entity that could trigger more explosions like the one she saw all the way from the western coast.

She puffed her cheeks out as she exhaled, eyes wide, then shook her head. “That’s a no from me, bud.” Hopefully Ace was correct in thinking that time was on the Seekers’ side. If the guardian was holed up somewhere in the crater of the former Dead Zone, the team could wait until the eggheads around here came up with some sure-fire way to beat timefall and turbo-ghost alike. Something Pit said did pique her interest though. “Beached things,” she repeated, scratching her head. “Y’know, it’s probably nothin’, but hearin’ that makes me think of that freaky beach beneath the island. With that slug monster washed up on shore, and that nightmare that crawled out of it.” For a moment her eyes rested on the image of the creature that haunted her dreams, the one Mewtwo called the Orphan of Kos. She shivered and looked away.

Not far away from her, Cerberus had been leaning on the table, oohing and aahing over all the new information they were given and probably retaining none of it. The Triple Demon had continued to follow Blue Team around today just as they did the night before, so for better or worse it looked like the dog girls would be along for the ride. Even if they seemed rather carefree and dim-witted, they were fun to have around, so Nadia didn’t mind. When a lull in the conversation followed Pit’s tale about what became of the Dead Zone, Cerberus seemed to get bored. “So what now?” they chorused. “Everyone just waits until the other team calls for us to come pick them up?”

”Good question,” Mewtwo replied. ”I did think of a way to spend the time. An activity that will not only get all of you warmed up for the day ahead, but also broaden your skills and horizons. As it happens, this is also the activity that Alcamoth is built around.” Some of those present could already begin to figure out what that meant, but for everyone else, Mewtwo went ahead and explained. “I want all of you to engage in some special training. One-on-one sparring matches, held within any of Smash City’s many arenas. As time goes on the adversity you face out there will doubtlessly increase, so you must not only know one another better, but be able to face enemies with a variety of powers and skills.” He reached a hand out toward the table. “Now, let us match you all together.”

Blazermate <-> Rika
Karin <-> Rubick
Ace Cadet <-> Sakura
Geralt <-> Pit
Kamek <-> Bowser Junior
Susie <-> Ms Fortune
Bowser <-> Peach

As everyone got busy reading to find their opponents, Mewtwo addressed the others in the room, namely Omori and Cerberus. ”You two -four?- I am unfamiliar with, and you are not currently signed on with the Hero Teams. If you wish to participate, I might be able to arrange something for you as well. Would that Link were still here…” Mewtwo looked over at Dedede. ”As for you…be ready for your next assignment. Dismissed.”

The big penguin sighed and turned to go. “A dyed-in-the-wool king, talked down to by a doggone test tube baby, don’t that just beat all,” he muttered to himself.

Nadia, meanwhile, was scanning the room. “Susie, huh?” Her eyes landed on the little pink-haired secretary bot, currently little more than an acquaintance in her mind. More to the point, the feral knew nothing whatsoever about Susie’s abilities. “Well, this should be interestin’!” With a smile she hopped out of her chair. “Wanna take this outside then, li’l miss?”

World of Light

The Chalk Prince, the Prisoner, and Frisk

@Majoras End @XoXKieroBombXoX

After Teba disappeared into the gathering dusk, soon to be night, the two who remained looked on for a few moments longer, more or less crushed by the weight of the archer's condemnation and the innocent life they failed to protect. Though the guttural screams and twisted, unintelligible words of the Nordic undead had fallen silent, the cruel wind still howled across Dragonspine's cold, impartial faces of stone, the stark and miserable mausoleum of one more unfortunate soul.

Unable to stand the stillness, Frisk moved first, collecting the vestiges of their enemies from the snow where they had fallen. Albedo watched through solemn red eyes, scarlet as the sunset that these winter clouds hid away from him, as the child tottered stiffly between each one. In turn Frisk destroyed each one, perhaps in a final act of revenge, and from those prismatic remnants obtained the spoils of a hollow victory. A bow, a shield, a crystal, a fruit, and in a twist of the knife, a handful of ghastly bones...whatever extra security they might offer, if Frisk knew how to wield them, would do little to quell the pain inside. Regardless, Frisk kept them all, and Albedo made no claim to them. A shadow of interest passed over his features, however, when the child crouched down in front of the one that bore Melony's image. The moment Frisk embraced that spirit, a dazzling lightshow blossomed in the snowy twilight, so bright that it forced the alchemist to look away.

When he could finally bear to look at Frisk once more, he found that his companion was a child no longer. Instead of a nondescript kid, he beheld a woman in her mid-twenties, a little portly beneath warm winter gear, with longer hair that ran a distinct gradient from cream-white to chocolate-brown, like a dessert melted in summertime. His eyebrows rows as he registered the remarkable transformation, and Frisk seemed just as surprised as he was. The sheer bewilderment that accompanied such a drastic physical and mental change seemed to take the edge off her anguish, but she managed to keep a hold of herself, and focus on what came next. With Melony gone, the torch had been passed, and the responsibility of getting her affairs in order fell to Frisk. Even though she'd only just now learned what Pokemon were, she also knew that her Pokemon were out there, scared, lonely, and desperate for their beloved trainer. She wasn't going to let them down.

With her spirit bolstered to the point where she could continue on despite a cracked ankle, she joined Albedo again, who gestured to the cliff beside them. Though their downfall during their fight with the Draugr, it still served as the path forward, and the less sheer rocks nearby could be used to climb up. As his companion turned away went to begin the ascent, Albedo echoed her words. "Down to us."

While her back was turned, Albedo reached for the icy sword he'd planted in the ground, and with a quick, sharp yank, pulled it free. He approached the woman struggling to lift herself up onto the first ledge, his eyes fixed on her back, and his pace began to quicken. Then, without warning, a sudden exclamation off to the left got his attention, and the alchemist's pace slowed back down as his head snapped toward the disturbance's direction. Though smaller than he used to be, the malign blight of the Prisoner's head was unmistakable, and Albedo's eyes narrowed. "There you are." Without missing a beat he leaned his sword against the rock wall and gave Frisk a boost up from below to get her onto the ledge. Then he stared down at the Prisoner as he rolled closer, the young man's expression one of mild reproach.

"Yes, quite a lot has happened after you disappeared into the evening gloom," Albedo summarized. "And little of it good, I regret to say. We were attacked, and Melony did not survive. Teba blamed us, despite flying ahead in the first place, and left in the aftermath." His manner remained somewhat chilly when the Prisoner requested a ride. "You say it's inadvisable to touch you, but then ask to be carried, regardless? Are you perhaps toxic or infectious in some way?" He crossed his arms. "In this form, you do remind me of a slime, which apply elemental effects on contact. I certainly don't intend to be rude, but even if your presence isn't deleterious in some way, carrying you with us is a risky proposition. It would be harder to surmount obstacles, like this wall for instance, and if more enemies appear...you aren't capable of fighting in this state, are you?" Albedo's hypothesis turned out to be one hundred percent correct. "Regardless, if you wish to persevere with us, I will not try to dissuade you. I hope you're not susceptible to the cold, at least?"

Dwarves!

Norburr Deepslate

Picture


Name: Norburr Deepslate

Age: 98

Gender: Male

Appearance: A little short for a dwarf, Norburr is pale of complexion, enough to seem sickly if not for the ruddiness of his nose and the bags beneath his squinting, razor-sharp hazel eyes. His blonde locks carry on past his shoulder, and the lowest of six voluminous braids of his beard -the feature he’s by far the most proud of- extend all the way to his waist. His steel helmet is pointed to help deflect impacts from above, and affixed with a special candle to light the way. Other than that, he’s clothed head to toe in thick cloth and hide, well-padded to ensure minimal exposure to the dangers of the underground, be they stone shards, poison fungus, acidic drippage, or thorny briars

Skills:

• Prospecting - As a prospector, Norburr is very talented when it comes to telling what lies ahead in the underground world. At times it might seem like he’s some sort of wizard, possessed of future vision, but it’s all the result of extensive knowledge and lots of experience. If given a chance to study his surroundings, and especially to run some tests, he can get a pretty good idea of an area’s identity, integrity, resources, and dangers
• Prepared - In Norburr’s line of work, it pays to be ready for anything. He carries a whole host of different items on his person, offering a wide range of utility, and oftentimes can whip out just the right thing at the drop of a hat
• Perseverance - No matter how good your predictions or thoughtful your preparations, anything can happen in the bowels of the earth, and where plans and equipment fail, strength of character prevails. Norburr has a level head and a never-say-die attitude, able to take stock of a bad situation and put together a plan

Flaws:

• Greed - the fatal flaw of all dwarves. While his lust for gold might be a little less strong than most dwarves, Norburr is greedy in another way: for wonder. His heart yearns to see and experience everything that the underground has to offer, all the caves and formations and creatures that he never in a million years could have imagined. This greed can sometimes overpower his caution if he’s already assured of himself, making him complacent
• Particular - Norburr likes things done a certain way. If his fellow expeditioners object to his routines and checklists, urging him to lay off the tests for once and live a little, it’s only because they’re fools–at least in his eyes. Slow, steady, and safe wins the race after all, even if it doesn’t win him that many friends, or a place at the drinking table. This makes him somewhat bossy, even fussy, and if he isn't allowed to take the time he needs to get comfortable with a new area, he can get pretty anxious
• Fighting Prowess - while tough in his own right, Norburr is not a warrior, and has only basic training in the arts of combat. If a fight can’t be solved by mindlessly swinging his pickaxe, he’s probably outclassed. He’s forced to rely on others to fight for him, or if confronted directly, his chemicals and other items, which puts a hard limit on how much he can fight

Background: For dwarves, there is no greater industry -indeed, for many, no greater calling- than that of mining in the depths, of exploring ancient caves and carving new tunnels to extract the inexhaustible wealth of the earth. The average gung-ho, bright-eyed dwarf, however, knows little beyond walk forward, hit rock, mine ore, so fixated on the valuables just waiting to be exhumed that the stone around them is little more than a bother. Yet the underground is an incalculably vast and varied realm, with environments and ecosystems all its own, more kinds of stone than there are trees, and more exotic flora and fauna that could every be crammed in the encyclopedias, especially as you go farther down. While the hotheads are swinging away, who’s watching the area’s structural integrity, and setting up supports to make sure that the roof doesn’t fall down on everyone? Who decides the direction the miners delve, and how far? Who can see the telltale signs of a monster infestation ahead, or a pocket of volatile natural gas, or drippage of subterranean lakes? The Deepslates, that’s who.

The Deepslate line never produced the mightiest dwarves, or the cleverest, or the best crafters, or the most inventive, but just like his forebears, Norburr possessed a rare gift: perception. While in his earlier years his youthful energy drove him alongside all the other firecrackers to be the best digger and delver around, his impetuousness eventually contributed to a terrible cave-in that resulted in a slew of injuries and afflictions, some to his friends and even his brother. On that day Norburr realized just how important his stodgy old father Gorburr’s duty really was, and cast aside his thoughts of rebellion to embrace the role of support. He received his line’s humble but beloved Candle-light Cap, and from that day forward, his would be the guiding light in the tunnels deep below so that all who ventured into the howling dark might return to drink in their hallowed halls once more. While his attitude can be somewhat acerbic and clinical at times, leading others to think of him as a know-it-all killjoy, few can contest the claim that he wants what’s best for his fellow dwarf, and that his acuity makes sure that everyone gets home alive.

Miscellaneous: The stuff he carries on his person includes:

• Silver Pickaxe - a prized possession, his by rights when his brother was crippled and forced to give up mining. It’s not actually silver, but it is nice and shiny, and decorated with a miniature dwarven head. Sometimes referred to as Norburr’s ‘best friend’
• Hammer and Chisel - a couple small tools for chipping rock samples
• Soft Case - a padded bag full of vials of different chemicals, mostly acids. The different fluids react to different materials, allowing him to identify stones that they’re exposed to. They can also deal some damage in a pinch
• Flint & Steel - scratched together long enough, these bits of rock and metal can make a spark
• Torches - ten sticks wrapped in oily cloth, able to provide light for some time when lit
• Rope, Grappling Hook, & Iron Spikes - not every cave is a nice, safe tunnel. Some go straight up or straight down, or open up into vast open spaces. Being able to traverse vertically -and safely- is a privilege
• Candles - a Norburr special. These long-burning candles are somewhat precious to him on account of the wax they take to make. Their distinctive yellow flames are very sensitive and will flare up if exposed to even a trace amount of volatile gas, warning him about larger, more dangerous concentrations of the stuff nearby. The pungent smell of the candles hangs in the air a good while and can be used to tell where he’s been. Supposedly a bug repellant too, but that has yet to be confirmed.
• Cave Blooms - Norburr carries flowers that are sensitive to toxic gas in a pouch. If one’s taken out, it will quickly wither and die in the presence of such gas, signaling that he should steer clear
• Sleeping Mat - For long nights in the caves, rolled up and tied when not in use to save space
• Canteen - Contains water. Usually.
• Cave Nuts - a pouch full of the seeds of a particular subterranean plant. They look like pebbles, but if stepped on will produce a loud crack. Scattering them around an area works as a makeshift alarm system

World of Light

Tora, Poppi, and Big Band

Location: Sandswept Sky
Level 9 Tora (231/90) Level 9 Poppi (231/90) Level 7 Big Band (59/70)
Midna’s @DracoLunaris, Sectonia’s @Archmage MC, Primrose and Therion’s @Yankee, Jesse’s @Zoey Boey, Raiden’s @XoXKieroBombXoX, Bede’s @Crimson Flame, the Phantom Thieves, Braum, the Scout, Peacock, Vandham, Wonder Red, Asbestos, Commander Nelson, Alice MacGregor
Word Count: 2350

For Tora, getting ready consisted of little more than eating up. Feeling rather deprived after spending his whole day yesterday doing nothing but exercise, with little more than an admittedly tasty Mexican lunch to show for it, the Nopon took the opportunity to stuff himself with whatever Tumbleweed Saloon had to offer. Greasy fried bacon, buttered biscuits, chicken-fried steak with gravy, toast, beans, and fruit all disappeared into his black hole of a stomach. Like Raiden, Poppi did not need to eat, but unlike him she didn’t indulge in the practice anyway; instead the Artificial Blade just enjoyed the smell, using acute olfactory sensors to make double use of the food her Masterpon put away.

The duo’s preparation only came to a temporary halt in order to greet Bede when the boy revealed itself. After a little unsolicited eavesdropping, he announced what seemed like an intention to travel alongside the Seekers to their current destination, and being who they were, Tora and Poppi greeted him immediately. “Hello Bede! This Tora!” Poppi said, inverting the pair’s customary greeting.

Her Masterpon caught on right away. “And Poppi is Poppi!” he replied, holding his wings out toward his creation like a showman on stage. Then he went right back to eating–at least until Raiden showed up.

The cyborg ninja appeared with a request for help, and though he continued to chew away at some milk-soaked hardtack, he listened attentively. If he could actually lend a hand, it could be the start of a beautiful new friendship, and possibly leave Raiden in a handy state of indebtment! Luckily, Raiden’s problem was right in Tora’s wheelhouse. He needed the inventor to install some new bladed weapons into his arms, but those blades happened to be in a state of disrepair. Tora dabbed at his mouth with his napkin in an attempt to look refined, then cleared his plates for Raiden to put the arms down. It took only a few moments for him to grasp how the blades ought to work. “Meh-meh,” he said appreciatively. “Clever little device. Teensy bit primitive for Tora standards, but can definitely make work, meh!” With a nod he pulled the arms closer. “Tora agree, now not good time. Tora study and fix this up during day. Then we meet later. Tora eventually need good look at friend Raiden’s own arms, maybe re-engineer a little to accommodate blades, meh-heh-eh…”

Poppi smiled at the swordsman as if nothing could possibly go wrong. “Raiden not worry. Despite appearances, Tora best engineer in business!”

“What Poppi mean, ‘despite appearances’?” Tora asked, aghast.

Band leaned over, a roguish look in his eyes. "Hey, while you're at it, when're you fixin' me up like ya said ya would, Tora?"

"Meeeeeeeh! Tora beset on all sides!"

Before their mission began, the Seekers had a little more deliberating to do. Midna wanted to pay another visit to Split Mountain to fulfill the promise she made to Gemino, and with her ferrystone she could definitely make that happen, so long as the portcrystal the team set down near the now-shattered upturned bell Jondo remained intact. Despite the prospect of a return to the utterly brutal Graveyard of the Peaks, she seemed pretty optimistic about a quick and easy win, while also knowing nothing about what exactly that mission entailed.

“Hold on now, you’re serious!?” Big Band wheezed, his eyebrows high with disbelief. “I know we didn’t lose anyone last time, but I’m pretty sure that whole flyin’ to the peak thing ain’t happenin’ again. I mean, you remember all the bodies in the snow, right? And you’re gonna waltz through all that for a couple drops of oil?”

To his further bafflement, Midna wasn’t the only one, either. Primrose reaffirmed her intention to go with her, and at that Band could only shake his head in resignation. “Y’all got a death with or somethin’. I feel bad for that poor sonuva gun too, but you ain’t catchin’ me freezin’ to death up there again, no ma’am.”

At that point, Shovel Knight downed the last of his glass of water and stood up from his table with Vandham, Asbestos, and Wonder Red. “If you wilst not reconsider, fair maidens, please allow me to escort thee through this most inhospitable clime. On mine honor as a knight, I cannot conscion abandoning thee to such a cruel fate.”

“Count me in while you’re at it!” Braum interjected, smiling good-naturedly as he stood alongside Shovel Knight. “Whether a team of five or four, we stand a better chance together!”

Shovel Knight received the go-ahead from Vandham, as well as a spare ferrystone from Jesse, who would have no further need of hers. Other than that, only the newly-transformed Sectonia offered any more alternative ideas, but since nobody knew what she was talking about everyone went ahead and proceeded with the plan. The sight of Sectonia reminded Panther of a potential fusion of her own, but rather than broach the subject with her fellow Phantom Thieves, she kept Scythana’s spirit in her pocket for now. If she was going to be packed into a train, after all, the last thing she needed was more height. In short order the Seekers of Light left the saloon, packed up their things, and with their new acquaintance Bede set off toward Gerudo Town.

After following the road to the walled city, the group heeded Alice’s instructions and took a right at the main gates. The Virgin Victory’s pilot guided them around to the southern side of Gerudo Town, where the entrance for their enigmatic train station awaited them. This doorway, a lot smaller and less obvious than the main gate, also featured a pair of guards, but unlike their counterparts elsewhere they did not intend to bar the way to the team’s male members. “Inside is the station,” they explained. “Males may not proceed through the doors to the city. Just wait at the platform for the train to arrive.”

Compared to the massive station in Al Mamoon, this one seemed to Tora to be a rather paltry affair. He and Poppi lined up behind a handful of Gerudo Town residents ready to commute elsewhere on the continent for their day jobs, where the Nopon stared quizzically at the giant cat flap on the wall and the strange track that ran out beneath it, through the building. The way that it shimmered, like brilliant yellow glass, intensified the feeling of familiarity that first hit him when Alice described her experiences from last night. After a couple moments spent wracking his brain he suddenly remembered that he’d seen both a track and a tunnel like this before. In fact, he’d spotted it in Al Mamoon during his long hours spent tinkering with the Railway Gun the day before yesterday. At the time the sight of a giant cat appearing from the tunnel with a train in tow seemed like just another quirk of this weird World of Light, and a distraction from his engineering to boot, so he paid it no mind and forgot. Who could have imagined what such a thing represented for his team?

“Before we left, I contacted HQ,” Commander Nelson told the group. “Reported Alice’s findings, as well as our intentions. They came up with a plan. Once we reach the metro, we’re to split up into groups of four, and take different trains to different locations. After arriving, we’ll call out for Moogles, who will appear with tracks that can relay to HQ our locations. Our objective is to locate as many train stations as possible on the map, as well as to find the closest one possible to Alcamoth. Understood?”

“So we just ride around and see new places, meh? Sounds fun!” Tora agreed, and Poppi nodded along.

“I can dig it,” Band concurred. “Must say, I’m lookin’ forward to seein’ this home base of yours. After all I’ve heard, it better knock my socks off.”

“Like you even wear socks, pops!” Peacock laughed.

The Phantom Thieves exchanged a quick word. “Fine by us,” Joker announced. “Much as we want to move on, a deal’s a deal, even if Fox isn’t here to see us uphold it. We’ll stick with you ‘til everything’s wrapped up on this end.”

“Long as I’ve seen the last of this bloody sand, I’ll agree to anythin’,” the Scout grumbled.

Asbestos leaned on her shield, flicking her tail back and forth with a toothy smile. For a travelholic, it was hard to suppress the excitement that the idea of literal fast travel inspired. Still, she managed to keep her cool. “Like I’m gonna stick around this dump!”

“Sounds like we’re all in agreement,” Vandham observed after a few more responses. “Let’s ‘ave some fun, but keep your wits about ya as we move along, right mates?”

A couple minutes later the train very suddenly arrived. Without any warning, a huge orange cat exploded out of the cat flap, dragging a subway train behind it. In seconds the whole thing screeched to a stop at the train platform, and the doors flew open. A handful of passengers, all female, stepped off and made for the station doors, while those waiting climbed aboard in a casual manner. Veteran Metro riders either seated themselves or grabbed hold of the straps that dangled overhead, prompting the newcomers -either to this particular train or the concept of a subway in general- to follow suit. Tora hopped into a seat, then got picked up by Poppi and placed down again on her lap as she took the seat. Big Band, meanwhile, elected to stay on his feet. A couple moments passed, a tone sounded out, and the doors slid closed. Then the cat let out a loud meow, and the train began to move. With nowhere to go but the pitch-black hole in the wall, it was a matter of seconds before the locomotive was swallowed by darkness.

Tora definitely flinched, and he also definitely felt foolish afterwards, because nothing bad happened. Sure, he couldn’t see anything when he peered through the train’s windows, but the train itself remained brightly lit, without suffering so much as a bump as it sped into the passage. For a while, nothing continued to happen, and the Nopon’s initial exhilaration began to turn to boredom. He fidgeted on Poppi’s lap for a bit, then pushed himself off to walk around the train a bit, which his companion didn’t mind thanks to his remarkable weight. Tora thought about chatting to the others, or evening beginning his examination of Raiden’s Mantis Blades, but the anticipation was just too much. He kept his eyes fixed on the windows, convinced that the second he looked away, something interesting would happen.

Sure enough, at the three-minute mark, there came a beep through the intercom, followed by a cutesy voice. “Now arriving at…Edinburgh MagikaPolis.” Before Tora could properly process that, the darkness surrounding the train suddenly fell away, and the train shot out into an immense, wide-open space. His jaw dropped as he struggled to take in the sight of an indoor city, enclosed in brick and floored in hexagonal stone tile, utterly flooded with radiant neon lights, and absolutely silly with cat-themed imagery. He could see tons of food carts, stories upon stories of shops and homes, construction, advertisements and an impossible amount of black cats of all shapes and sizes walking around and hanging out beneath a sky of colorful train tracks, twisting and bending through the air like ribbons on the breeze. “Welcome,” the cute voice said. “To the Metro!”

He was still so spellbound by everything that when the train finally pulled into the station, and the doors opened right in front of him, he didn’t move before Big Band picked him up as he passed. “C’mon, Tora, don’t get in the nice folk’s way,” he chided lightheartedly before setting the Nopon down on the platform. The detective then lifted his face from his mouthpiece to drink deep the smell of this strange yet wonderful place. A faint wind blew through the Metro, and it carried with it the tantalizing aromas of nearby food trucks. He could make out the smells of fresh french fries, coffee, burgers, and pizza, as well as a number of others that he couldn’t quite place, but stimulated his senses nonetheless. He followed his nose and found a food court off to the right, where black cats gathered at tables to enjoy their morning meals while waiting for the next train.

Shortly after the train’s passengers disembarked, a warning rang out from behind him. “Watch out!” the cute voice teased. “Doors closing right nyaow” As it pulled away, the voice added, “Next stop, Carnival Town!”

In front of the group sat a handily-placed wall screen, and when Band plodded over, he quickly realized that it offered information about the Yellow Line, a train circuit that evidently ran through the Sandswept Sky. “Hey, over here!” he called to the others as he turned to learn more. Carnival Town, Al Mamoon, Gerudo Town, he read. Just three stops for the whole region?

“Well,” he began, “This Carnival Town ain’t ringin’ any bells, but I bet if this Yellow Line just connects up places all across the desert, then the other-color lines do the same for the other regions.”

“Yeah, right on the money!” A small voice said on his right. He turned to see a black cat of very short stature with a long, loopy tail, a plastic-topped coffee cup held in his paw. “First time in the Metro, you guys?”

Tora waddled over, looking chipper. “That right!” he told the cat. “Can friend tell us anything about how Metro place works, meh?”

“W-well, you’re in the Yellow Station right now,” the cat replied, seemingly a little nervous to have so many eyes on him. “If you go out into the main area, there’s a kiosk that’ll tell you everything you wanna know! But uh, I can tell you right now, you’re gonna have to buy a pass to get into any line.” He took a sip from his cup and headed toward the platform. “Uh, good luck!”

Once you reach the kiosk, the following information will be available:

Kiosk Data

White Line

• Snowbelle City
• Eleum Loyce
• Slateport

Yellow Line

• Carnival Town
• Al Mamoon
• Gerudo Town

Gray Line

• Dunwall
• Shinjuku
• Esaka

Black Line

• Aviary Biodome
• Gutsford
• Rapture

Mint Line

• Twilight Town
• Haven

Beige Line

• Refinery
• Highertower

Red Line

• Central City
• Coconut Mall
• Wugachug

Green Line

• Maplecrest
• Thunder Mountain
• Clock Town

Blue Line

• Karnaca
• Mafia Town
• Radlandia

Purple Line

• Queen’s Station
• MTT Resort

Orange Line

• Brightvale
• Tomato Town

Ms Fortune

Location: Deep Blue Seaside - Limsa Lominscuttle Town
Level 9 Nadia (35/90)
Word Count: 2944

As she waited for the others to arrive, Nadia managed to keep herself entertained via the map table for a solid couple of minutes. All of the unfamiliar places and names, the outlines and suggestions of strange settlements and fantastical landforms, tickled her sense of adventure something fierce. When she tried to retrace the journey she and the others took along the Deep Blue Seaside, however, she became puzzled by the lack of detail on just about everything when it came to the Deep Blue Seaside. For the Bottomless Sea in particular, nothing existed beyond a vague and ominous name atop a dark spot in the map’s upper-left corner, leaving the whole area a murky mystery awash in the fog of war, which admittedly suited that perilous stretch ocean pretty well.

Oh, duh.

Then it hit her, as obvious as it should have initially been: her adventure with the Seekers had taken her far beyond the limits of what Alcamoth’s personnel managed to explore. As difficult as her own journey had been through war-torn waves and nightmarish frontiers, Nadia realized that the cartographers responsible for this map must have a pretty raw deal, too. They needed to be fastidious about the terrain they mapped, poring over it in far greater detail than the Seekers needed to, but they needed to be just as well-prepared for the infinite unexpected dangers of the World of Light. And even after all that, the map could be only so detailed, or accurate. When she thought about how much effort and risk must have gone into even what little this map had done so far, Nadia felt a little bad about nitpicking.

After losing interest in the map a few moments later, she glanced at Peach, who seemed to be engaged with the strange floating creature in a one-way conversation, then wandered off. The feral steered clear of dispatch and the Moogles, who at the moment seemed to be mostly concerned with making sure everyone knew about the meeting, and ended up at a fancy terminal called the Spirit Board. Though all these futuristic gadgets and doodaws were pretty alien to her, the controls were actually pretty easy to figure out, and in just a few short moments Nadia was scrolling through the database. At first glance it appeared to be nothing more than a very long list of names in alphabetical order, each featured alongside a number of columns that provided even more information related to the entry. It was a lot to take in, so much in fact that even trying nearly frazzled Nadia’s poor, attention-deficit brain. She managed to focus, however, when she happened to spot a familiar name near the top of the registry. Ace Cadet? Blinking in confusion, she looked over to the ‘Description’ column. Gung-ho, enthusiastic, and stalwart no matter the task at hand, the Ace Cadet is a great ally to bring on any hunt, she read. True enough, but when had he been around here for an interview? A funny thought occurred to her, and Nadia decided to entertain it. Pawing at the control wheel, she scrolled down, and down, and down, until…there it was.

Nadia Fortune, the feral read with raised eyebrows. Carved into pieces but kept alive by the Life Gem, this playful cat burglar remains a thief with a heart of gold. A slight chill ran down her spine, and she swallowed. How the hell did whoever made this know about her? She’d be careful about dropping her own first name, let alone that of the Life Gem. Anything anyone knew about her, after all, could be a liability. More worrisome, however, was the fact that she’d never been to Alcamoth before, let alone told anyone her life’s story. Plus, a heart of gold? That was something she joked about. “...Must be magic or something,” she murmured to herself. After another moment of thinking, she narrowed her eyes. Included in each entry was a ‘location’ column, and though it offered just a nondescript ‘wherever duty calls’ for herself, it specified that Naija, in the row directly below herself, was in Limsa Lominscuttle Town. Her eyes landed on a button that said ‘Record’, and she pressed it.

“Who are you looking for?” A disembodied Moogle’s voice suddenly asked, scaring Nadia for the second time that morning and making her jump back in alarm. When nothing else came out of the machine, however, she cleared her throat and sidled back up to the terminal, where she pressed the button again. “Who are you looking for?”

“Um…” Nadia said. “Uh, how about…Mirage?”

“Entry found!” The list suddenly scrolled upward by itself, then highlighted the pertinent record. Nadia scanned the entry, and let out a breath of relief when she saw that his status was ‘Normal’, even if his location escaped the machine for the time being. Taking a deep breath, Nadia pressed the button again. “Who are you looking for?”

“Black Dahlia,” Nadia told it, her voice hard and flat.

“Searching…searching…no entry found!” The Moogle voice sounded disappointed. “To add a new entry, you must encounter this person in the World of Light!”

The tension drained away as Nadia gave an irritated sigh. She went to mess with the Spirit Board a little more, but the sound of voices from the Garfont Center’s main room told her that the others must be here. With a final glance at the screen she jogged back to find the whole Koopa Troop present and accounted for, all gathered around and enjoying the map table. She waved and joined them, listening in silence with her usual mischievous half-smile on. The mention of the Dead Zone brought her eyes to the enormous crater on the map just east of Empty Space, and it took her a second to recognize it. “Wait, the whole thing is gone!?” For the first time she could really grasp the scope of the dead city’s destruction, and given how ridiculously huge and bright that light had been a couple nights ago, she didn’t doubt it one second. “Good riddance, jeez!”

Bowser then asked the strange creature about the status of the other team, referring to it as Mewtwo, which took Nadia by surprise. She hadn’t been sure that the psychic Pokemon was sentient, let alone in a position of authority in Alcamoth, but Mewtwo quickly showed her. ”We do,”, it told everyone, not through speech, but by speaking directly into the Seekers’ minds, its bizarre voice not quite male, not quite female. The sudden mental intrusion left Nadia even more taken aback, but luckily an angel-winged boy piped up to give some more details in Mewtwo’s stead.

Earnest and peppy, Pit reported that Yellow Team hadn’t just survived, but triumphed over their region’s own Guardian in the Sandswept Sky, which definitely brought a smile to Nadia’s face. “That’s sand-sational!” she punned with a fist-pump. “Always nice to hear that a big bad got its just ‘deserts’.”

”There is more to tell,” Mewtwo added. ”But I will wait a little longer.”

Just after that Rubick arrived, which he made sure to announce loud and clear. Glad to see the mage, and even happier to see his eyes a bright, Galeem-free green, Nadia waved. “You sure have! Welcome to the party, Roob.”

The sorcerer then made his way to Peach, who he shared his sobering realization with. Peach applauded his conviction. “Wise words, Rubick. Such self-reflection tells me that you’ve got what it takes to both challenge and overcome whatever might wait for you on the road ahead.” She then offered him a reassuring smile, tinged by a hint of embarrassment. “And if it’s any consolation, it’s the Door Bosses’ job to greet anyone who arrives here under Galeem’s influence with a massively unfair fight. From now on, you won’t be alone!”

As the two spoke a couple more people arrived, including the ponderous personage of King Dedede, and the stupendous Caesar, regal despite his current lack of battle attire. Nadia’s face lit up with delight when she saw him, and she crouched down to beckon the snow-white Great Pyrenees her way. “Oh my gosh, what an incredible beast! C’mere, boy!” Stately as ever, Caesar padded toward her, flanked by his bodyguards and allowed himself to be stroked. “Aw, who’s the very best boy? You are, yes, you are!”

She didn’t want to bother the eminent hound too long, though, especially since the next person to arrive was none other than her good pal Ace. “Morning, Sunshine!” He looked good in his new garb, and part of Nadia wondered if he liked her new outfit too, but with Blue Team’s day off out of the way even she knew that it would be inappropriate to spend group time on her budding relationship with the Monster Hunter. Time and place, she told herself, and with crossed arms she waited around the map table with everyone else while others continued to file in.

Mewtwo, meanwhile, saw fit to answer Ace’s question. ”Scouts,” it informed him. ”What you see is the result of a rough combination of short-range scans, eyewitness testimony, and hearsay. As such only nearby regions are filled in, as you can see, while farther ones are mere outlines, shrouded in the Fog of War.”

After a couple more minutes, and the arrival of Omori, Kamek, Blazermate, Susie, Karin, Sakura, Geralt, and Yennefer, Mewtwo got everything started. ”Welcome, allies new and old,” it said via telepathy. ”You may call me Mewtwo. While Vandham presides over the Mercenaries, I represent Alcamoth itself, and may run this organization in his stead while he is out. We are meeting to discuss the current status of our mission to quell the Galeem, the Seekers of Light, and the world itself, as well as to decide a course of action to embark upon.”

It waved its hand, and the map responded. It divided itself into thirteen regions, each with a corresponding name. Over nine of them hovered boxes with question marks inside them, but four featured images of the Seekers’ most powerful foes. “So far, four of the thirteen Guardians that prevent us from challenging Galeem have been destroyed. In the Mushroom Kingdom, Megadragonbowser…in the Land of Adventure, the Ender Dragon…in the Deep Blue Seaside, the Orphan of Kos…in the Sandswept Sky, Red Eye.” As it spoke, a red X appeared over each box. Then, the Sandswept Sky blinked. ”Yellow Team, under the dual leadership of Fox and the Phantom Thief Joker, did this yesterday evening. Fox himself, however, remains in Tostarena Town, at the base of the northern mountain. Just as young Pit said, we then dispatched the Virgin Victory, an airship operated by our new allies, the Centennials, to evacuate them. However, the ship’s condition forced it to land at a location the Mercenaries scouted nearby, Gerudo Town.”

Mewtwo crossed its arms. ”As of approximately forty minutes ago, we received a new report from the Virgin Victory’s Commander Nelson. A train station was discovered in Gerudo Town whose tracks appear to bend space. It leads to a city bound in snow and ice, presumably in the Frozen Highlands, the farthest point of the World of Light from Alcamoth. Our correspondent believes that the station there in turn links to a number of unknown locations scattered across the continent. With that in mind, Mission Control has hatched a plan.”

From the direction of Dispatch came a clean-shaven dwarf, evidently Mission Control. Portly, with a wrinkled white collared shirt, a headset, and pronounced eyebrows, he spoke in a growly British accent. “Here’s the plan. Yellow Team is going to ride the trains to various locations. Then they’re going to call our Moogles, who will poof over while carrying trackers. At that point I can mark where they are on this map.” He jabbed a thumb at the holographic roundtable. “With any luck, one of the places they visit will be near enough to Alcamoth that we can establish a route to it, at which point we will not only be able to recover our friends, but be able to use this Metro for our own purposes. A worldwide fast travel system.”

Nadia marveled at both the ingenuity of the plan and the sheer possibilities of such a system, though she managed to keep her excitement to herself for once.

Mewtwo’s next words, however, put a dampener on her enthusiasm. ”That’s all for the good news. Two days ago, the two-pronged mercenary mission to protect Peach’s Castle ran into trouble. While our defense team, led by Caesar here, successfully repelled the robotic invasion force of Dr. Eggman, when the pursuit team followed him back to his base in the Mushroom Kingdom’s eastern plateau, their raid, led by King Dedede, ended in failure.”

At that, the big penguin bristled. “Now, hold on just a finger-lickin’ minute, y’hear? It wasn’t just more o’ them wimp-bots we trashed out by the junkyard in there. The kinda stuff we found in that forsaken place would turn any o’ y’all white as a sheet! Right away the doors close behind us, leavin’ it dark as sin in there, creepy as all get-out, and before we know what’s happenin’ this thing with a giant propeller comes right at us! No matter what we throw at it, its ground it right up and kept on comin’, so we had to run for our doggone lives. Suddenly we were surrounded by shamblin’ corpses, stuffed fulla all kinds o’ scrap metal doodads, bolted straight into ‘em! I’m talkin’ drills for arms, fellas, come on! And that was just the start!” He painted a vivid picture of the horror he’d seen firsthand, desperately trying to rally support and sympathy from the others in the room. Dedede sighed. “We ended up splittin’ up. The others escaped down some chutes, while the rest of us hightailed it through some caves ‘til we found a lift. Only me, Ness, and that Wario feller got out, far as I know.”

Already informed by Vandham the other night, Peach took a deep breath. She hadn’t let the disappearance of her beloved Mario get the better of her before, and she wouldn’t now. “We dispatched two mercenary teams to the Forlorn Factory yesterday, with V and Zelda in command. Their infiltration uncovered a massive underground facility that Eggman had taken over to build his robotic army. They successfully made contact with Roadhog, Mario, and Pikachu, as well as one Karl Heinsenberg, an unwilling accomplice of Eggman’s. In exchange for a promise of freedom Heisenberg sabotaged the facility, forcing Eggman out into the open, then fought alongside our mercenaries against the doctor in his Death Egg. While Eggman ultimately escaped, the facility is now back in the hands of Heisenberg, who was freed from Galeem in the process and expressed an interest in our cause. ”

”Indeed,” Mewtwo affirmed. ”That covers only a portion of our operations, however. In addition to constructing this Garfont Center to serve as mercenary HQ, we’ve put together a vehicle bay in one of the city’s domes, where we can launch aircraft, watercraft, and even probes once we secure them. In short, despite the loss of the Virgin Victory, Alcamoth is better equipped than ever to deploy both the Mercenaries and the Hero Teams across the world, and this will only become more true if we secure the Metro. This begs just one question, which I doubt is lost on you.”

“Where to next?” Peach leaned over the roundtable. “Our scouts have turned up a number of options. The closest region to us is technically Empty Space, but its apparent lack of gravity makes traversing it a tricky proposition. Besides, while there is a field of asteroids and planetoids floating in the air, the pit down below is sealed off by some kind of barrier. Currently, we have no idea how to breach it. Or if we should.” She directed her attention elsewhere. “Next closest is the Twilight Forest, situated between the Deep Blue Seaside and the Mushroom Kingdom. From the east, it’s most accessible via an area that’s locked in permanent fall, the Autumn Vale, which also provides access to two more region’s we’ve caught wind of.” The princess pointed to each in turn. “The Under, which we know little about other than it being, well, underground, and a temperate region embroiled in large-scale warfare, the aptly named Theater of War.” From there she went all the way from the continent’s southwest to its northeast. “However, we’ve received an urgent request from our new contacts in Bridges, that we journey to Midgar in this region, the Dystopiascape, to get a handle on the crisis gripping the city.” Peach crossed her arms. “We consider that a priority, but while it borders the Dead Zone and the Sandswept Sky, it would be extremely difficult to get there.”

”Before this last report my advice would have been to proceed from Peach’s Castle through Autumn Vale to the Twilight Forest,” Mewtwo intoned, ”But now, everything hinges on the Metro plan. Not just for recovering Yellow Team, but for what opportunities that strange train line opens up. Once we have a suitable destination, Blue Team will blaze the trail there and make contact. No doubt you all look forward to the reunion, but for now we plan our next move, while waiting for the call.”

World of Light - Year Four

I'm Interested

@trenenp

Sweet! Make sure you check out the official thread then.

World of Light

The Chalk Prince, the Fallen Child, and the Prisoner

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

When the Draugr’s axeblade came down, Frisk had one shot for survival–and, with a mind sharpened to a razor’s edge by the horror of Melony’s suffering, they made the right decision. Rather than trust their faltering shield to stomach one more grievous blow, the child went on the offensive, going for the monster as it moved in for its grim execution. The sudden lunge, unexpected an unaccounted for in the Draugr’s heedless bloodlust, meant that its vicious chop overshot its target, though not completely. Its notched, dull blade met the thick material of Frisk’s boot at the leg just above the ankle, and while its poor condition plus Frisk’s defensive gear meant that it failed to cut through, it still struck with enough blunt force to break the bone.

Even so, the Draugr got the bad end of the trade, because at the same time Frisk struck its knee. Without flesh or armor to cushion the blow, the bony joint crumpled underneath the Vorpan’s swing. A sickening crack sounded out as it bent sideways, partially splintered, and all of a sudden the monster’s weight was working against it. The undead warrior staggered, and as it sank it threw out one hand to support itself. That left it wide open on the same side, and with all the opportunity they needed Frisk went straight for the head.

BONG!

The hearty clang echoed off the nearby cliff face as the smash struck home in a shower of bone fragments, leaving half the axe-wielder’s head caved in and its jaw dangling ghoulishly from just one side. Unfortunately, while that alone would have felled any ordinary enemy, a Draugr did not care how much punishment its grisly husk took, so long as it could still fight. Though its head lolled to the side, it affixed its baleful, soulless gaze on Frisk once more, and with a hollow cry threw itself forward. Whether it could sprint, walk, or only crawl, the Draugr possessed the weight to bring the child to the ground beneath it if it managed to grab hold, and the bestial savagery to rip and tear until the snow ran red with blood.

Still, Frisk might have been able to outpace the abominable thing and save Melony if not for one important factor. The Hel-Walker who blasted the child earlier had not gotten into melee range, its hands overflowing with rotten miasmata of seior magic. A terrible sinking feeling of despair bubbled up from within when Frisk realized couldn’t help Melony without giving the Hel-Walker free reign to work its fell magic, which would then give the Draugr the chance to catch up. Worse still, however, was the realization that it was already too late. Albedo, still dealing with the Draugr raider and the Hel-Walker he toppled before, could seemingly do nothing. The shieldbearer, uncontested, raised its sword for the finishing blow.

“NO!” came a scream from the top of the cliff. An arrow zipped down from on high from above and lodged in the Draugr’s head, followed almost instantly by two more. Atop the overlook stood Teba, having peeled away from the undead that attacked him up there to do all he could to save his new acquaintance. Before he could loose any more shafts, however, the Draugr he’d ignored to do so, disarmed and peppered with arrows, grabbed him from behind and sank its teeth into Teba’s feathery neck. “Krah!” he screeched, clenching his beak as he shifted his weight to throw the monster over his shoulder. As it tumbled over the edge he lashed out with a desperate kick, and the Draugr hurtled down to land on the Draugr shieldbearer, knocking both to the ground in a heap.

But it was all for naught. When the shieldbearer went down, it left behind its sword, pushed mercilessly through Melony’s heart.

For a brief moment Teba said nothing, paralyzed by the shock and the weight of failure, but soon anger took over. He dove from the top of the cliff, firing arrow after arrow as he circled above the fight. Each one, loosed with vengeful strength, pierced the limbs and torsos of the monsters from above and pinned them to the ground. In the span of just a few moments, he eliminated the Draugr heavy, shieldbearer, and pincushion, reducing them to ash. He dealt enough damage to the raider that Albedo could tip the scales. The alchemist struck out with a flurry of deft swipes, finishing with a charged that dispatched his opponent with two slashes at once. That left just the Hel-Walkers, but their frigid, hardened flesh caused each arrow that struck them to bounce off. Rather than waste ammunition, Teba swooped down and landed on the one near Frisk, giving the child the chance to abuse the undead’s weakness to blunt attacks and finish it off for good. Albedo, likewise, disposed of the sole survivor.

The ashes from friend and foe alike blew away in the frigid went, whose whispers in the ice-crusted autumn trees seemed oddly jeering. When Teba spoke, his voice was calm, but cold. “Are you really warriors?” he questioned. “These creatures are cruel, but anyone with even modest abilities can cut through them like wheat. You left Melony unprotected, and now she’s gone. I can expect as much from a child, but you,” he said, glaring at Albedo. ”Didn’t even try to go for her.”

Albedo looked unamused. “You don’t need to tell us that,” he said flatly. “We were outnumbered more than two to one and taken by surprise. Not everyone is familiar with Draugr as you are. What happened was terrible, but we can’t do anything about it now.” He turned his ice sword over in his hand and stabbed it into the ground before crossing his arms. “All we can do is push on, find Joserf’s father, and make sure that she didn’t die in vain.”

"Hmph," Teba snorted, his face one of barely-suppressed fury. "How pragmatic of you. Not even a word of thanks for saving your skins a moment ago. And where's the other one, the corpse with the glowing eye? Skulking around somewhere? If this is how your group treats your allies, I would be better off on my own." His eyes narrowed. "In fact, I'm going back to camp right now, to check on Joel. If I find out that girl did anything, I'll kill you both." Without another word he took off, disappearing into the turbulent white of the sky.