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[img]https://i.imgur.com/SLW8zWT.png[/img]

[b][color=darkred]Level 1[/color][/b] - (6/10) EXP
[b][color=darkred]Location:[/color][/b] 1-1, Ancient Gardens
[b][color=darkred]Word Count:[/color][/b] 717

[sub][b][color=darkred]Bridging the Gap[/color][/b][/sub][/center]
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Bowser was just an absolute [i]sweetheart[/i], charming even her icy cold-
Never mind, trying to be sarcastic just gave her a headache...

A brief nod was all the response she needed to give. Bowser seemed like a busy man and not the type to be held up with introductions, so she let the conversation slide for now. He was kind enough to offer a lift to get across the gap, however she had to decline a place. Now was a good chance to test her strength for real, and remind her of just how much muscle she had lost in those final weeks. She began to stretch to warm herself up, finding even that simple act to be harder than it had once been. It was a long jump, yeah, but if the Master could make it then she was confident in her own ability to clear the canyon. 

The Tower's mobility, even when weighed down, was impressive to say the least. Even with passengers he could clear the gap [i]and[/i] climb above the Thwomp without too much difficulty. Maybe it was his sheer strength instead, as he was a rather muscly one. 

But that was something she could comprehend at a later date. For now, Minako had to focus on herself.
Thankfully she had help in the form of Blazermate, who offered to help so long as she could jump well enough. It made the team leader chuckle. [color=darkred]"Jump? How about we fly?"[/color] She gave her naginata a twirl as though to emphasise her point. She didn't get good with polearms just to fight, after all. 

Once the two were ready the redhead, with a deep breath, sprinted down the path towards the canyon - an unspecified drop awaiting her if she miscalculated. But, considering she'd done this more than a few times now, it wasn't much of a problem. The real trouble came in pulling her body up and yanking out the naginata after she stabbed it into the ground, using it to pole-vault well into the air. The lactic acid was already kicking in, her arms throbbing with a dull ache, one clutching the naginata as the other sailed freely above. Her jump, while greater than the Master's, wouldn't be enough to clear the Thwomp on her own. Thankfully, she had Blazermate for that.

The two made it well beyond the initial pit, due to their combined effort, and, with the rest of the team, breezed through the remainder of the obstacle course. There was some struggling here and there, but ultimately her body was capable of keeping up, if only with some painful side effects. At least it wasn't deadly!

She mostly kept to herself behind the group, watching as they caught up with apparent acquaintances that had split off earlier. A westerner with a... grenade launcher? It made her uncomfortable watching him wield it so casually, though as he passed it to the much smaller yellow lombax, a sense of ease washed over her. Somehow she was more comfortable with Ratchet wielding it than Six.
Speaking of, they likely all had their own tarot assignments too: moon, star, and... temperance? Maybe. The new three members she'd have to think a little harder on. But she could only keep her mind on cards for so long, especially as the Master summoned one of those "key blades" from the lovers, before giving it to her after using it to seemingly revive the large... man? 

At least it was easier to understand why he needed them now. If he could make blades from them to revive others, then it made sense to want to keep said people around. But now, the question was wh-

A sudden [i]BOOM![/i] sent a shock wave through Minako's entire body, heart beating harder than perhaps it ever had. It was a gunshot, no doubt. Her eyes looked around for any sign of the shooter, though couldn't find anything in the distance. Yet as her eyes drew to the foreground, the teenager found her answer:
The Devil. He was laying on the ground with a large rifle, thankfully aimed in the opposite direction. Yet even so, just the sound made her think of a time she didn't want to have to think about again. To a past that was best left alone...