World Tree MUSH

    The last time anyone had explored the decrepit and dying Earth that 2B calls home, they had found a large settlement of pacifistic machines. It turns out that pacifist machines, much like the Android Resistance, have jobs for people to do. And where there is work, people are always going to migrate to. Well it just so happens that a little robot girl has gone missing, looking for a spare part for her now very panicked big sister.
    Said big sister, a small-sized robot standing up to the chest-level of an average man, went to anyone she could for help. And that is what brings everyone out to the desert today. The lost girl had gone into the dangerous area of the sands in search of a dented plate for her big sister's maintenance needs.
    It's sandy, dusty, and dry. And the sun beats down relentlessly on the dunes as 2B and 9S grudgingly lead the way to the desert entrance.
    "I can't believe we're really doing this." 9S grouses, hands folded behind his head.
    "We said we would, so now we have to." 2B points out matter of factly, leading the way over the first of many dunes.

    "You can always go home if you're gonna bitch the whole way, Niner." Dante says, making his way to the desert. Coat flowing behind him, he seems all too quick to aid in the search of a lost kid, even a robot one. Maybe it's just too close to home to hear about a kid on their own, unable to call for help, scared and lost. Pushing those thoughts away, he focuses on sprinting toward the dunes.

    9S's constant complaining might be getting to him.

Emily has taken the form of a Machine Lifeform, with a midnight-blue business suit painted on!

"... Yeah no, this is dumb," she says, before changing back, in a swirl of silvery glitter, into an auburn-haired woman with glowing purple eyes and four arms, and wearing an actual business suit. "Anyway, like Dante said. This is kind of the opposite of what you were created for." She actually sounds somewhat sympathetic.

She pauses. "Unless we have to rescue her from other Machine Lifeforms, in which case, uh, just watch where you point your swords," she says dryly. "Still, though. Like. I'm no hero, but we can certainly handle this without you, I suppose."

    Sun, sand and sweltering heat! It reminds Li-Ming of her childhood, spent devising ways to avoid suffocating under a relentless year-round summer. Today, she employs one of her more obvious techniques and as she picks her way through the sand along with the others. The light distorts around her ever so slightly and foggy wisps of ice trail in her wake. 

    Cheater.

    "Yes, if it's too much trouble perhaps you should have remained out of harm's way." She leaves her real thought unsaid, deeming it perhaps too controversial for people she's only just met. She lifts her gaze, squinting against the bright surroundings. "Mm. The heat shouldn't bother such an automaton overmuch, yes?" A glance to Emily, then to the sword she's carrying. "I'll do my best not to point my sword carelessly." Just the merest hint of humor.

    It's simple math, really. 'Desert' equals 'lots of sun' and 'little cover'. 'Dhampir', plus 'lots of sun', plus 'little cover' equals 'dead dhampir'. Thusly, Alucard has donned an extra article of clothing -- a large, black, wide-brimmed traveler's hat with a teal ribbon for a band, and a small handful of red feathers in the band.

    So at current the equation reads a little different -- 'dhampir', plus 'lots of sun', plus 'little cover', plus 'big floppy hat' equals 'mildly annoyed dhampir'. Still not particularly GOOD, but much better than it read before.

    The hat manages to shade his head and face well enough from the sun. Probably. Hopefully. Because needing to be picked up off the sand after collapsing halfway through the mission would be embarrassing. The hat might also be kinda dashing on him, maybe.

    He's sticking towards the middle of the group for once, just in case. He might also be the only one who isn't giving 9S garbage for being vocal that he's unusure about this. It perfectly well COULD be a trap, and Alucard knows it. So he counters, to most of what's been said, "Are there anything but 'Machine Lifeforms' in this world to begin with? Thus, at very worst, it merely leads us to more Machine Lifeforms. Which would need to be dealt with at some point in the future anyway."

    So, win either way, right? Right?

    "Eyes on a swivel. We don't want to walk into an ambush." says Uni matter-of-factly, coaxing her companion to take flight and hover high overhead on a jetpack, scanning the horizon for movement with the scope of her long rifle and the various infrared sensors built into her visor. Machines generate heat, but in a scorching desert that may not be a benefit. Uni, for her part, is wearing something different than her normal black dress. It's suited to desert travel, but leaves a lot of skin exposed... maybe it's got some like, magic stuff to provide actual protection from damage... or she's not planning on getting hit.

    Either way, Uni is sporting a bullpup AR, and her red eyes are partially masked behind the goggles of her ensemble, protecting them from blown grit as she scans the area, looking for movement, or anything out of the ordinary for a vast expanse of sand. "I hate sand..."

BEFORE.

"But I don't wanna' go on a diplomatic mission to another world to help some people I don't even know. I was gonna' go to T--"
"Adam. Your power converters will be there when you get back. Just go. And help. It'll do you some good."

"Fiiiiiiiiine." Adam whined. He whined a lot these days. "But I'm taking Cringer and Orko with me!"

Adam stormed out of the Palace Throne Room to the facepalming of his father, King Randor. "... My son. The hero." Oh the Sarcasm. It burns.

AFTER.

"... and that's how I won the Eternian Cup. I know, some people might say it was a fluke but I gotta' say, it was definitely all skill. I mean, I slept through the entire match and woke up just in time to score the winning goal. Who else could've done that but me?" Prince Adam of Eternia has been talking since he joined this group. To anyone that would listen to his stories that may or may not be true. His huge green tiger companion, Cringer, right by his side. Only, y'know, looking more and more afraid with each step closer to danger.

Adam, on the other hand, doesn't look worried at all. Or even paying attention to wherever they all are headed. He's too busy bragging about his sleeping habits. Oy vey. /Princes/.

    Internally, Orko is starting to agree with the sentiments of 9S, if only because at the moment he feels like he's about to melt. Of course, when one's practically all drapey robes and floppy hat, it might be understandable. The floating wizard chooses to say nothing as he drifts along behind the prince, sagging a little lower than usual so that he's just barely at the young man's shoulder. 

    "O-oh yeah! I remember that time. I think..." Orko replies dutifully as though taking a silent cue from Adam once the prince's latest story winds down. He can't say much more than that, unsure really if that's how things happened or if it happened at all oh gosh his brain's melting.

    From beneath the broad brim of his hat he glances at the unusual group that they've found themselves in the company of, unsure of what to make of any of them, save that he decides to stick extra close to Adam and their jumpy green tiger friend. To...keep a better eye on them. Yes. That is completely the reason and not at all because it's kind of scary out here. 

    "A-ambush..?" he gulps, glancing over his shoulder anxiously.

    "Well I mean. 2B and I were made to -destroy- machine lifeforms, not help them." 9S points out to Dante and Li-Ming as he scrambles up another dune, walking ahead a little faster with a sigh. Emily has the right of it. "I'm not used to this, you know? It's way out of my league, my job isn't diplomacy it's scouting." He does pause briefly though.
    "Oh yeah. Ambushes out here are prtty common." He points out, thumping the sand with his boot to call attention downwards. "The machines here like to burrow under the sand and pop out from under you when you get close, so be careful of that."
    "There are animals." 2B replies to Alucard. "Though most of them have been replaced, sometimes you might see a boar or a deer. Other than that. No." It's all machine lifeforms now.
    Though Adam and Orko get sidelong looks from the androids, they're allowed to tag along without much fuss. It's not long of wandering through the sands before a voice can be distantly heard.
    '-eelp! ...' 'Heeeel-... p!'
    It's a warbling robotic voice, but high pitched and girlish, and it's coming from over the next dune!
    "Looks like we didn't have to search too hard." 2B mutters.

    Bravette calls down. "Contact. Multiple marks. They are not being stealthy and seem to be converging on a point beyond the next dune." Her voice is even, emotionless, but urgent.

    Uni nods, and breaks into a run, covering the distance to the top of the dune in a few leaping bounds.

Emily giggles at Li-Ming's comment. "I'm just giving Nines and 2B a hard time!"

She shrugs at Alucard's comment, and says, "Yeah, like they said! Unless you count those weird androids the Machine Lifeforms created the last time we passed through these parts."

She glances over at Prince Adam and Orko. "I dunno, probably someone," she says in response to Adam's rhetorical question. "And yeah, there was practically nothing but ambushes here." Wordlessly, a compartment on her back arm opens up, revealing a spool of paper which appears to be currently printing out everything Adam has said on the journey so far.

She perks up slightly at the sound of the voice. "Ah, there we go!" she says. "Releasing capacitor seals three and two!" She's surrounded by three distinct glows, one gold, one silver, and one pearlescent, and the first two shatter as the third vanishes. A pair of large falchion swords materializes on her back, and she glides forward above the sand with reckless abandon, her upper pair of hands grasping the swords!

... As she passes Uni, she places a lower hand on her shoulder, and in a swirl of silvery glitter, a lightweight T-shirt materializes on the goddess with the text "ACTUAL CLOTHES" in large friendly letters.

    Dante just sighs. Now isn't the time for debates, and it's killing the buzz anyway. "Then you can either duck out or stick around, I don't really care." He says oddly sharply considering him, before he draws Ebony & Ivory, hearing cries for help. "Someone get her!" He calls out, before he surveys the area with pistols held out when Uni calls out contacts. Sprinting toward the source of the screaming, he leaps to the dune.

    Alucard has also mostly been tuning Adam out. He's used to ignoring loud people -- a great many of his father's retainers (read: evil minions) had egos the size of his father's castle. He's used to tuning them out. So he hasn't been complaining much. Orko has been something of a curiosity, but Alucard has not been able to figure out exactly what he is. And really, now isn't the time to ask.

    He nods to the warning from 9S -- he figured that much -- and then looks to 2B as she notes the animals. "I suppose that's why the ones at the village were confused at seeing the wolf." He doesn't explain it fully for those who weren't there. Those that were will know what he means.

    Further proof that there's more important things to do than question their allies' origins comes with the sound of a call for help, and Bravette's words of warning. He pulls his sword from the sheath and breaks into a run, seeming to almost glide over the sand. Clearly he's more concerned with getting to the location quick than with hiding his nature.

    Li-Ming upraises a hand, nodding to Emily. "Yes, of course! Though really," She regards Nines as she quickens her pace just a bit. "Acting outside of your nature can be rewarding, though I suppose it's your decision whether to let someone else decide your course and purpose."

    Mercifully, before her sympathy can be taken more as contempt, there are distant cries. They sound approximately like what she'd been expecting but of course, talk of traps and a history of dealing with things that aren't always what they appear to be temper her eagerness to charge in.

    "It would seem there's something of interest ahead!" She breaks into a run, pounding through the sand behind Dante and Alucard despite all the armor she's decided not to shed. "I suppose we're all just going to improvise our approach?" She glances back at Adam and his companion, even snorting out a laugh at the now more-dressed Uni.

    Cringer is the first to freak out when it comes to the Eternian Three, at least. His tiger hearing perhaps heard cries for help and immediately the tiger showed his true scaredy cat colors and turned to run in the opposite direction of the sounds of trouble. Except he doesn't really get to do much more than run in place since Adam grabs him by the tail and holds firm.

    "I know you want to check for the ambush, Cringer, but we gotta' help the others. We have a little girl to save!" Yes, leave it to Adam to save face for his pet cat and his reputation. "Heh, don't worry about us, guys. We'll catch up. He's just uh... he's got the scent of something." Yeah, that'll work. Right?

    Cringer digs his claws into the sand with ninety percent fear on his feline features as he's dragged after the others by Adam. Oh and the other ten percent? TERROR.

    Orko's trying his best not to be too noticeable, which is a trial really, for someone wearing bright red and flying. Every now and then he casts a cautious glance in Alucard's direction, not at all sure of what to make of him, although he supposes the same can be applied to any one of the others gathered. 

    The response on ambushes certainly doesn't make him feel any more at ease, and at the information of them popping out from //below//, the little sorceror pushes himself to fly a little higher. It's nice not having to walk, more so if it saves you from having your feet grabbed when you aren't paying attention.

    The cries for help don't startle him nearly as much as the response from everyone else, so much more alert than he is. Cringer's reaction doesn't help in the least, and if one didn't think it possible for someone who flies to jump with a start, well then they'd see it from Orko just then. He straightens his scarf and sets his hands at his ...hips? Or something? "Aw come on Cringer. Look, the faster we do this, the sooner we can get back and out of this desert heat! And anyway, that little girl sounds like she's in trouble!" 

    At least he's trying to put on a brave face! Or maybe he just doesn't want the green cat to find any unnecessary trouble.

    Even 9S and 2B pick up the pace when they hear the little girl calling for help.
    And cresting that dune reveals quite the sight. Machine lifeforms in masks and cloaks, each bearing a weapon, all converging on another machine lifeform. ...
    ... An eight foot tall machine built like a tank. ... With a big pink bow.
    In spire of her size, the 'little' sister doesn't fight. She flails and panics, squealing for help as the other machine lifeforms attack, their weapons unable to pierce or scratch her armored body, but they try anyway in a flurry of dustcloud violence, before they even realize that the group is coming over the dune.
    One of them points. All of them turn around. Swords, spears, ray guns all turn towards the group and the machine lifeforms begin a wild, but completely uncoordinated attack.

    "Brave, you're my eyes. Call out priority targets." Uni says to her companion, giving Emily a silent glare for the little trick with the t-shirt. The fact that the 'Little' sister is a hulking monster of a machine isn't lost on the Goddess, but she's focussing on the immediate threat of incoming berserk machines. She lifts her rifle, linking her personal tacnet to Bravette's, and sharing with anyone that can also access the tech. Probably just Emily and the two YorHa androids.

    Bravette remains skyborne, sweeping her eyes over the battlefield and highlighting the hostiles on tacnet, putting a marker over those that are sporting ranged weapons, or have a notably faster gait for melee closure. Uni starts putting shots down range, peppering those with ranged weapons with electro-bolt rounds, trying to overload their systems.

A staticky portal opens up in response to Li-Ming's comment, and what appears to be a fifth Emily-hand reaches out and gives her a thumbs-up. "On it, coach!" she says in response to Dante. She responds to Uni's glare with a cheerful grin.

"Let's seeeeeeeee whoa she's bigger than I thought." She draws her falchions, and starts slashing away at the crowd of Machines. "Okay, she'd just barely fit through my portals, but Pascalville is out of my, guess we're gonna be getting her back home the long way! Unless ..." She stabs a Machine Lifeform that seemed to be coming after Alucard from behind, then lets out a squawk as a bolt hits her side, leaving a silvery scar. "Argh, there's too many of 'em! We need to thin 'em out before I can do any portal-shenanigans!"

    "Whoa, uh...I didn't expect that." Dante says, as he sees the 'girl'. He tilts his head as the smaller robots attack, before he opens fire on them. "Hey kid, you must be the one we're looking for. Your sister told us you got lost!" He says casually, making a massive leap over the horde of robots. The pistols let loose, blasting away at the robotic attackers with an insane amount of fire at machine gun speed. "Can do, Em!" He says, trying to keep the robots from the robo girl.

    The wizard snorts at the showy thumbs up.

    Anyhow, there she is. The pink bow is all Li-Ming needed to see. So, she picks up the pace, glancing down to ensure the path is free of obstructions. Rocks. Pits of sand to slide into and die at the bottom of. Once her path is decided, she sprints right for the charging gaggle of crazed robots and then- She's gone with a flash and sudden thump. Her intended target? The large very armored 'little' girl.

    Supposing she can keep her perch, she crouches by what she hopes is her face, "We're here to help you get back home. Are you alright?" Her tone, despite the violence nearby, is as soothing as she can make it. Hoping that her presence is enough to keep the large robot child's attention, she points at one of the stragglers and releases a hissing red beam of matter-rending arcane power.

    Alucard pauses a moment as they crest the dune, to take in the sight. Quirks a brow under his hat. "...'Little'. Yes. I see," he notes flatly. Of course, that's about all he's got time to note, because they're suddenly being set upon by the attacking robots. Alucard is just going to return the favor and set upon them too. He will dart between the robots, weaving around his allies' spells and attacks, and try to make attacks from angles they're not aware of. His speed is sufficient to catch most of them unawares, more than likely.

    Though not all of them, as one of the robots happened to catch Alucard coming out of a 'teleport' strike and tried to take advantage of this. Emily nails that one, though. Alucard doesn't look back at the metal creature; he sees Emily attack in his basic direction, notes it didn't strike HIM, and hears the strike hit something metal, and gets out of the way in case the strike didn't kill it. He looks to Emily as he does and nods in thanks.

    "Wait, -that's- the little girl?!" Orko blurts once their quarry apparent comes into view. Oh yeah. Obviously. Got a big pink bow after all. ...he's not sure how he feels about this.

    He's definitely sure that it's not good when the machiney guys around her suddenly focus upon their strange rescue group. "Uh-oh..." A plan of sorts is at least being formed, and the hatted wonder's only too eager to let them go ahead and have at it. Hm. He should probably help though, huh?

    With Adam still working on coaxing Cringer who must be secretly part ostrich, the floating sorcerer sighs and makes a show of rolling up his sleeves. They just as quickly tumble back over his hands at the first waving gestures he makes as he wiggles his fingers.

    "Fiddle faddle, spinkle spy- snowy onslaught hark and fly..!"

    He's a bit fixated on things being too hot, okay?

    There's a shimmering of light so he -must- be making with some kind of magic. Clouds form above him. Tiny clouds. Kind of pitiful, really. A few puffs of snow just manage to blow out from them before evaporating in the heat.

    "...."

    That is, in fact, the little girl. The massive machine immediately falls to her knees and covers her eyes as the focus of the attack turns off her and shifts to the group. But the machines are more of a wild and savage mob than an attack force, and are easily dispatched by the collective efforts of a much more organized, skilled, and powerful group. The fight is quick. The fight is brutal. The fight is wholly one-sided in spite of any damage the machines may have done, they just don't stand a chance.
    "M-my sister sent you?" The machine 'sniffles', despite not really having a nose, peeking from between her fingers at Dante and Li-Ming. But with that bit of news and a moment spent looking from face to face, the large robot picks herself up and adjusts her bow.
    "Okay! ... I have the part my big sister needs, anyway! I um. Just don't remember the way home from here. Can you all show me the way?"
    "Good grief." 9S sighs. "I guess we're leading her back, then."
    "Yep." 2B echoes.
    Except the escort mission would begin, save for the fact that more machine lifeforms burst out of the ground.

Emily shoots Alucard two portal-thumbs-upses. She nods to the 'little' sister. "Yep!" she says. "We're gonna get you outta here, just --"

The other machines appear.

She opens a staticky portal, just barely large enough for the 'little' sister to fit through, revealing ... another part of the desert, but it seems to be closer to the edge. "Yeah, okay, who wants to pop through and help make sure there's no other dudes on the other side before we bring the kid through?" She slices through the nearest machine, and then both of her left arms turn into a large drill that obliterates the next-nearest one.

>> SUMMARY[Emily Nyx] >> Spoiler: there are probably other dudes on the other side.

    "Yes, we're-" More enemies. Li-Ming sighs. It's always such a simple thing! Wade through awful terrain, kill everything in sight and then commit bloody massacre to get back to safety. "Anyhow, everything will be alright."
%R    The wizard hops down from the frightened not-so-little sister as the portal is opened. Emily gets a look- Portals are risky business at the best of times but fine, she'll put herself at risk for the sake of getting the child to safety. So, she breaks into a sprint to establish a safe zone at the other end of the portal's route. With fire and ice from the sky, if necessary! "If anyone would like to come along that would be grand!"

    With that, she's gone, fully prepared to work all the violence needed.

    Not on the way IN, but on the way OUT. "...Wonderful," Alucard mutters. But, well, escort mission is on! Alucard pauses, to pull a card from inside his cloak. It's got a fancy design on the back and the picture of a sword on the front. He concentrates on this, and in a burst of blue-white magic, the card disappears. A moment later, an ornate jeweled sword fades into existence, floating next to him. It immediately starts to attack the jumping-out machines.

    Meanwhile Alucard's trying to remain a distance out in front of the large robot, attacking the things that jump out as well. Though he's using fireballs as well as sword strikes. Once in a while those fireballs will be more than just balls of fire. Sometimes they'll be large, magma-like things that will try to sweep whatever's in front of him.

    "Yeah, follow us and stick close." Dante nods, twirling his pistols deftly, as more machines emerge. "You might wanna close your eyes for this one, kiddo." He winks, then gets right to it. He opens fire, grinning widely as he deftly swaps to his greatsword. Rebellion slashes and stabs, even impaling a robot or two while the gang escorts their new charge. He's low-key jealous of Alucard's swordkinesis, honestly. That whole 'summon swords' trick sure would come in handy.

    Despite his failure to be properly supportive, it seems the danger's handled quickly enough, which is just fine by Orko! He floats over to give the big little sister a reassuring pat once things are cleared. 

    With the next leg of their impromptu mission laid out, or rather the new threats that decide to show up, Orko decides he's fine with staying by their unusual ward. No, he's not hiding behind her. That's silly.

    He's trying to decide what's scarier, the robot things that pop out from the ground or the people he's currently with. His opinion is just starts to lean more and more towards the latter the more he witnesses. He might also be just a teensy bit jealous of the fireballs that Alucard manages to summon with ease. 

    "We're here to find you, yes." remarks Uni, as she puts another burst of fire into a downed machine. "We'll get you back home sa---" Bravette interrupts. "Master, more contacts, right on top of you. Detecting multiple power-up heat spikes!"

    Uni's eyes go wide as more machines burst from the ground, and she's caught in melee range with a bunch of them. "Damn it, I can't maneuver..." She bashes a machine in the face with the stock of her rifle, then gets clocked by a nasty looking club, sending her sprawling.

    Emily's portals will certainly make traversing the desert a lot quicker on the way back, and the 'little' robot is already ready to go, covering her eyes to not see the fight as she starts making her way for the portal.
    For all the numbers of the attacking machine lifeforms, they don't fare to well against the group, more machines falling as they come, shot and cut down left and right.
    "Who are you?" The machine girl asks when Orko totally does not hide behind her.
    Into the portal and... It's fairly clear as she starts marching.
    "Hey mister, why is the sky blue?" She randomly asks Alucard.
    "What makes sand?" She demands of Uni.
    "Oh oh! Oh oh oh! Where do babies come from?" She suddenly demands to know from Dante.
    "Uhhhhhhh... I'll leave this to you guys." 9S says.

    "Dante, son of Sparda and Eva. I don't know. Eroded rocks. Ask your mom." Dante nonchalantly answers in order as the portal opens up, stowing his weapons. "Let's go home, eh?"

As Uni goes down, the T-shirt from Emily chooses that moment to disintegrate and turn back into the silvery glitter effect, which flies back over to Emily.

Emily looks. "Shit," she mutters, and opens up a staticky portal beneath Uni, which deposits the goddess in Emily's lower arms, holding her in a fireman's carry. She then leaps backward through the portal, looking around furiously, upper hands still holding swords. "Okay. Okay, no bad guys here ... yet."

She pauses as the little sister starts asking question, and grins to herself. Hey, if 9S's complaining at the beginning didn't bother her, this probably won't, either.

She looks around at the others. "Anyone else here know how to heal a god?" she says flatly.

    Uni is collected by Emily. The wound on her head looks bad, but it's already starting to heal. Regenerating before the Eudaemon's eyes. Bravette comes skidding through the portal as well, landing on Uni's shoulder and opening her Slipway... "I have some healing items Master gave me to hold on to." she says, summoning what looks like a can of soda with a stylized N on the side in purple. The can is about as big as the Shinki. "Have her drink this. It should help."

    Alucard is unprepared for being asked by the sky is blue. But, his father was as much of a scientist as he was a mage, so... Alucard actually knows this one, despite being basically from Victorian times. He offers, once things aren't going to hell, "The gases in the sky scatter the light; the color blue is the one that's scattered the most, so it is the most visible."

    He is, however, keeping an eye on Uni, who seems to be injured. He doesn't have much in the way of healing, maybe a potion or two. Still, no sense being callous. He's not cruel, even if he seems it.

    Well, everything seems to be okay. Li-Ming settles down. Everyone's making it through and this side of the portal seems, at the very least, safer than their previous locale.

    Safe enough that the little sister-bot is bombarding the group with questions. Questions that make her face twist up and redden, so she turns away and fans herself. 

    "Really now, we shouldn't dawdle! There's no telling-" Oh, someone's hurt. The insanely magical girl, right. She's hardly one to judge someone else's recklessness and the problem at least appears to be self correcting! That's good.

    "So everyone made it? Noone died horribly? Well done." Back to trailing wisps of icy mist. Robes and armor are hot, okay?!

    "I'm Orko!" the long-eared sorcerer with the big floppy hat pipes, soon thankful that that's aout the only question he's been asked. It works out anyway as he gets a bit distracted in looking for Prince Adam and the cowardly green lion. It wouldn't do at -all- to leave them behind! 

    At least things have quieted down again, so all it takes from him is a bit of ushering along and plenty of nervous glances back. You know, just in case anything else decides to follow. Using portals as a quick get-around is something he's perfectly used to, though, and the sooner they can get out of the desert and away from those creepy machine things, the better!

By the time Adam finally digs Cringer out of the sand, the two of them look like they just called a Sand Monster a really bad name. The mostly playful scuffle that the two hand managed to make them look as if they had fought a battle that none of the others were around for.

Even the rips in Adam's clothing are befitting of BATTOL!

Here they come, trotting along at a pace that seems all too convenient for showing up just at the end of the nick of time. The Prince of Eternia is holding his Royal Scepter in hand and looks ready to jump into the fray.

"FOR ETERNIAAAA... uh?" Adam stops and looks around, even with Cringer cowering behind his legs. "Well. That was easier than I thought it would be." A stylish twirl of his scepter and it gets put back away into his satchel.

"What's next? Anything? No? Who wants to head back to my world for a victory party?" Flash the Royal Pearly Whites.

    The big little robot gets her answers.
    "Ohhhhhh. ... But wait I can't ask my mother. My mother was a smelter!" She exclaims. But is otherwise satisfied on learning of eroded rocks and light diffusion making the sky blue.
    Then she's leaning over Uni, hands resting on her knees as she peeks over the unconscious but recovering goddess candidate. "Is she gonna be okay?"
    The fact that there's genuine concern coming from the big robot seems to make both 2B and 9S visibly uncomfortable. But then she looks up.
    "Oh! I know the way home from here! I can get back on my own now."

Emily dematerializes her swords so she can accept the can from Bravette with one of her upper hands. "'NepVitanU'," she reads, and rotates her head 90 degrees sideways, and her pupils visibly shrink slightly as she focuses on that N. "... 'NepCure'? Okay." She nods briefly to Alucard. "Don't worry, I have as many hands as I need," she says, as she gently moves Uni into a princess carry and carefully opens the can and puts it to her lips. "... and ... okay, looks like four hands is enough, actually."

She is pointedly not looking towards Prince Adam until he invites them to Eternia for a party. "A party doesn't sound bad, as a matter of fact."

She smiles at the 'little' sister. "Okay, awesome!" she says. "I'll drop by when I can to check up on you guys."

    Bravette kicks off of her Master, and floats nearby, waving to the Little sister as the machine toddles off.

    Uni swallows the medicine as it's fed to her, and a faint flare of light passes over her body, like those video games when you use a healing item as a visual tell it worked. Red eyes then crack open, and soft focus on Emily's face... "Ow...? Lets go with ow." she mumbles, lifting a hand to where she got hit.

    With the fighting over, the Sword Familiar floats placidly behind Alucard, pointy side aimed down, sparkling in the desert sunlight. It's easier to see it now, and it almost seems to glow from within somehow.

    Alucard raises an eyebrow as Adam and Cringer show up again. After the fighting is basically over. "Welcome back." And then he notes flatly, "Truly a fearsome beast you two must have stumbled upon. Good work in vanquishing it." It's hard to tell if he's kidding or not, actually...

    The robot's mention of being able to make it from here gets a nod. "As long as you are certain," he agrees. "Be careful if you should find yourself needing to go into the desert again. Ask someone who can protect you, to accompany you next time." His words are short, but not rudely spoken.

    He also seems to relax as Uni starts to move around again. If she's moving around, she's probably feeling better. Which means she's probably doing better, at least temporarily. He gives a nod to Emily's reassurance.

Emily gives Alucard a brief nod, and gently sets Uni to her feet. "Yeah, that sounds like a reasonable summation," she quips. "Don't get your ass kicked next time, will ya?" There's a gentleness and sympathy in her tone of voice, however.

    Little sister-bot gets an uncertain look. "If you're certain. Be careful and safe journey, then!"

    Now, Li-Ming turns to regard everyone. Adam and Cringer get a curious look. They certainly look like they had a hard time of things and other than a headwound everyone seems fine. "I suppose that concludes our business, then." She does open up her senses curiously, taking stock of everyone in turn, though she lingers on Dante, Alucard and that tantalizingly magical sword. Yes, she'll have to find out more about everyone she's encountered here.

    Then she realizes she's staring AND doing nothing. "I must be going! I hope good fortune finds you all until next we meet!" Then, just for her own conceit, she bounds after the retreating sisterbot. Just can't bring herself to leave someone young alone. Even if they are pretty main battle tanky.

    Alucard raises a brow at the look from Li-Ming... but when she makes her farewell, he bows his head politely to her. "Take care on the journey back," he offers.

    "You did good, such a magnificent display!" Dante mock-praises in tune with Alucard, giving the dhampir a wink. Li-Ming gets a more genuine smile and nod, "Adios, babe."

    As Adam behaves in typical fashion, Orko's more just glad that no real harm had come to the prince, although the little sorcerer does fret a bit for the slightly tattered appearance. 

    "Going back home sounds like a -great- idea," he agrees. A party? Even better. He can entertain! Although it sems like the others are more interested in getting back to their own business, which he can't really fault either. He looks sheepishly at Alucard, edging slightly behind Prince Adam again as he bids his farewells to those whom it would apply. 

"Good work everyone!"

    Surprisingly Alucard doesn't regard Orko with the same flat stare as Adam. He nods to the mention of 'good work', and returns, "Thank you. Yourself as well." And no, he's not being sarcastic, from the sound of his voice.