[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/0JQHlYZ.png[/img][/center] [b][sub][code]Tokyo, Japan.[/code][/sub][/b][hr][hr] Inanna watched with awe as the match ended, leaning on his staff with his mouth partially agape. Japan was a fascinating place, what strange fighters they had! And all the lights and buildings and bustling streets, it was so different from his home! Of course, he didn’t have much in the way of money, so he couldn’t actually experience too much of it... [color=darkred][i]It’s obvious that there’s nothing of value to us here,[/i][/color] the voice nagged from within. [color=darkred][i]You should have left half an hour ago.[/i][/color] Inanna shrugged. There was something exhilarating about watching these battles, he just had to stay and see them. [color=darkred][i]I can’t even fathom why you would find interest in such petty, bloodless battles when you can fight something perfectly fine on your own[/i][/color] the voice continued. [color=darkred][i]Back in my time, we fought for keeps. Whatever happened to these mortals to-[/i][/color] it was interrupted by someone nudging Inanna in the shoulder. He reflexively hugged his staff as he turned his head to see the Nomad who won the fight! “Oh, hello!” Inanna chirped when he asked him what he thought of the fight. “Yes, I thought your technique was very unconventional!” [color=darkred][i]Brutish and unrefined.[/i][/color] The golem ignored the voice as he smiled at the Nomad. [hr] [center][img]http://i.imgur.com/ZFBsm2b.png[/img][/center] [b][sub][code]Otaru, Japan[/code][/sub][/b][hr][hr] Seshat frowned as the man’s eye began to glow. Most likely the work of some sort of scanning device. He seemed to have access to many such gadgets; GPS and even holograms, and it made her wonder how he got his hands on them. Perhaps she would get the chance to ask later, and see if she could record copies for herself? He gave her the directions before she could put any serious thought into the idea. “Thank you,” Seshat said. “May you find peace and balance in your future.” She began to move on, ready to refocus on her mission, when the man asked her a question right as she raised her hand to wave goodbye. It was if she was going there for R&R. Something about this question; its absurdity, the cautious way in which he asked it, the very idea of wasting time on something so indulgent, something about it made her laugh. It went on for several seconds, bordering on delirium until it faded. “Of course,” Seshat said humorously. “I am going to relax at the hot springs, now is a great time for a vacation.” She turned back to face him and waved her free hand at the abandoned streets and clouded skies. “No,” she said, dropping the act. “I’m here to take care of this robot problem. Is this not why you are here as well?” She looked at this person with some degree of bemusement. What would he be doing here then, geared up as he was, if he wasn’t after the same thing? [hr] [center][img]http://i.imgur.com/7UxgEHd.png[/img][/center] [b][sub][code]Tokyo, Japan.[/code][/sub][/b][hr][hr] “COME ON!” A cry rose over the din of the crowd. “TIME YOUR GODDAMN POSES BETTER!” Jill exhaled as the hero in blue was sent flying out of bounds. She slammed a fist down on the bike that she [i]somehow[/i] managed to bring with her. What a disgrace… Still, after what felt like ages of working on set for the show and going back to the States to do promotional deals until her brains melted, it was nice to participate in a tournament and really enjoy herself for once… even if marketing decided that she needed to participate in the tournament as another promotional event. She turned her gaze to Pit Stop. “Is that joker with us?” she asked. The floating drone turned its gaze to the fallen hero and made a strange whirring noise for a second or so before turning back to her and giving a halfhearted boop, arms extended in a lazy shrug. Jill shrugged back. She was beginning to simmer down when she received a tap on the shoulder. The question he asked would be easy to answer, but she was caught a bit off-guard by the fact that he was a [i]skeleton[/i]. Pit Stop booped nonchalantly. “Oh,” Jill said. “Uh, yeah, I’d say.” Was she seriously so into it that she didn’t even notice him before? Now she felt kind of stupid. Pit Stop booped a couple more times, giving a quick weather update, and she lost her fixation on the floor of the arena for a moment to check out the rain. Her gaze fixated on some of the MAVERICK personnel for the umpteenth time that day as her attention began to drift back around. What was even the deal with them? They fucked up in Rio, so that gives them the excuse to storm in and goof around on SHINING turf? She’d love to set them straight in the ring. She huffed as she turned back to the skeleton. He was still focusing on her. It was kind of starting to weird her out. “So, uh, how about that weather?” Jill asked sheepishly, trying to make things a bit less awkward.