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[color=salmon]Word Count: 713 (+1 exp)[/color]
[color=salmon][u]Level[/u]: [b]6[/b] - [u]Total EXP[/u]: 26/60
[b]Location:[/b] Edge of the Blue: Limsa Lominscuttle [/color]

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Taking over Sakura's position as cart puller, Cadet, Peach and Cuphead made their way back down toward Limsa's center, intending on heading back to Inkwell Isle. It was a good idea to have multiple options for the group. For as cool as the Atomos was, could it fit all of them inside it? Cadet hadn't even considered that at the time, but as they were moving the gold and thinking about other ships, the thought came to mind. Since it was an airship the could probably use it to get around to the other areas too, it would be a great way to move everybody - including those that had split off from them and went to the deadzone and the desert. 

[color=salmon]"You think he'll sell?"[/color] the hunter questioned, glancing at Cuphead. "Ol' Briney? Gee, I dunno. If he does, we'll get a pretty tough ship though!" After a moment of consideration, Cuphead added, "not too tough for me 'n Muggy, of course!"
 
Cadet nodded and humored Cuphead with a grin, [color=salmon]"Yeah, of course!"[/color] He wondered what shape Shippy and the Atomos might take after an adventure or two. Big wings? Legs? ...more room inside?

As they passed closer to the city's center and the music grew louder, Ace Cadet's eyes were drawn to the performers, especially the purple haired dancer. She really had some moves. Cadet nearly crashed into the princess once she'd stopped to watch, but he paused just in time, BB sliding forward on the cart as it came to a quick halt. Then, the dancer twirled in their direction, reaching out the hunter and playfully inquiry about the chunk of wealth he helped carry.

[color=salmon]"Oh, this isn't - I mean, it's not mine to give,"[/color] Cadet said, stumbling slightly over his words. The dancer giggled and pulled him forward, and the Cadet let himself be spun around by the woman.

"I get it," she said, "but come on, not even a little~?" She laughed as the Cadet tried on a dazed smile, glancing back at Peach before his dance partner spun them both around once more. "Kidding! Don't worry about it."

[color=salmon]"Oh! Ha,"[/color] tension melted away from the hunter then, and he quickly reinvigorated back to his usual self, letting a grin spread wide across his face. [color=salmon]"Don't get me wrong, I love to spend my money - if only this was mine! Oh but, we need it for something important."[/color]

"What's that?" the dancer asked, the pair of them swapping roles with the Cadet now leading.

[color=salmon]"A ship to help save the world!"[/color]

The woman blinked, but she otherwise took the bold declaration in stride. "Sure you are."

[color=salmon]"What's your name?"[/color]

"Shantae!"

[color=salmon]"I'm the Ace Cadet!"[/color] He saw that look in Shantae's eyes that said [i]seriously, that's how you introduce yourself?[/i] but before she could voice the thought, he continued, [color=salmon]"Your dancing is groovios, how long have you been in town?"[/color] Somehow, it didn't seem like Shantae "matched" most of the rest of Limsa, like how Cuphead looked so different from the rest of them, yet seemed right at home on Inkwell Isle. 

"Hmm~" Shantae, considered her reply, turning a few times in place. "I don't remember, really. I've protected Scuttle Town for a long time, fighting off pirates - but even pirates don't come around anymore."

[color=salmon]"You fight pirates?"[/color] Cadet exclaimed, suddenly seeing the dancer in a new light. The conversation with the robed woman from earlier returned to his mind. [color=salmon]"You should come with us!"[/color]

"And save the world?"

[color=salmon]"Exactly!"[/color]

"I dunno~" Shantae lifted her and Cadet's hands above their heads, swapping positions once again and twirling the hunter back towards Peach and Cuphead. She met eyes with the princess, who gave her a polite smile. She could ask for payment, but that wasn't really her style. She'd always protected Scuttle Town simply because it was the right thing to do. But now, "Scuttle Town" was a lot larger than she remembered, things that should have been familiar seemed foreign, and there was a large group of strangers tromping through the city and buying shops. "...I'll think about it."

The Cadet smiled and waved to Shantae as she danced away, looking for her next partner. [color=salmon]"This town is radalos,"[/color] he said, scratching BB's head. [color=salmon]"Alright, let's go buy another ship!"[/color]

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[color=FFC6C6]Word Count: 779 (+2 exp)
[u]Level[/u]: [b]2[/b] - [u]Total EXP[/u]: 14/20
[b]Location[/b]: Sandswept Sky[/color][/center]
Primrose listened politely to Tora's answer, and although she wasn't familiar with some of the specific terms he used she followed along well enough. He'd already mentioned that ether, the thing that apparently powered Poppi, was similar to magic - in some ways at least. That was all Primrose needed to understand. Magic was mysterious and powerful after all. The way the brunette understood it was that Poppi was an extremely advanced golem, and Tora: her proud creator and caretaker. They were an interesting pair, and Primrose found them endearing... [i]well, a little, at least.[/i]

[color=D34C25]"I see,"[/color] Primrose said, nodding once it clear Tora was finished with his explanation. [color=D34C25]"With as much faith as you put in her, how could the rest of us have any doubt?"[/color] She finished her sentence with a small smile. When Midna floated over and offered to take a look into ether, Primrose turned the smile on her, along with a single raised brow. She hadn't pegged the imp for any kind of wizard or scholar, but she did seem to be familiar with magics that Primrose herself had never seen - and she'd seen some incredible things in her travels, things none of her group of eight had imagined to find in Orsterra.

Somehow Primrose got the feeling that Tora wouldn't be so keen to let anyone look into Poppi. Pride bred possessiveness after all. She'd be wrong about people before though ([i]utterly, completely, devastatingly wrong[/i]), so if it turned out that he'd let Midna look into ether, Primrose would like to be there as well.

For now though, she had something else she wanted to do.

She gave her full attention to Midna's report as the imp confirmed that everything seemed to be going alright. Or at least, it wasn't going poorly. Really, that was about as good an outcome as Primrose expected. Along with the good news came Midna's advisement that should Primrose want to head toward the pyramid, it was most likely safe to do so. The dancer hadn't exactly been subtle about her plan, so she only nodded to girl - woman? She didn't know the imps age, and her playful personality didn't give Primrose any hints.

[color=D34C25]"Good to hear. Then I'll go ahead."[/color] 

The dancer was happy to take the wolf as a companion. She held her hand out to the masked beast despite it's happy tail wagging, and when it showed no aggression she reached further to pet it lightly on the head. [color=D34C25][i]"Aren't you a good dog?"[/i][/color] she whispered to the glowing creature, [color=D34C25][i]"You're smaller than Linde, I think."[/i][/color]

[color=D34C25]"Thank you,"[/color] she said to Midna. Briefly, Primrose looked to the distant mountain that was the yellow team's ultimate goal. [color=D34C25]"With luck those kids are just fine."[/color] 

She bid a short goodbye to the imp and nopon before disembarking, heading toward the lakeside battleground with the wolfos in tow. Once the situation was settled there, she didn't know if the others would go on toward the mountain or enter the pyramid, but either way she'd be fine. Although she'd gotten used to traveling with a large group, ultimately she was more used to being on her own. The wolfos sneezed once as if sensing her thoughts, and Primrose glanced down at it with a silent apology. She wasn't exactly alone. If the team went on without her, then eventually she'd meet back up with them with the phantom thieves. The thieves seemed driven and unlikely to abandon the quest to defeat Galeem. She didn't want to say something like she knew what impulsive young people were like, but... well, she knew what impulsive young people were like. She was one herself too.

The dancer stuck to the city's outskirts, trying not to draw attention to herself. Nearby she could hear the gathering of people chattering and arguing about whether to join up with the 'people from the giant camel' or go on fighting like they always have. Glimpses of red and blue could be seen whenever she looked down alleyways toward the voices. Underneath her cloak, Primrose's dancer's clothes were dyed a rich ruby. The last thing she wanted was to be caught in the middle if these fighting obsessed desert dwellers went back to war with each other.

The city turned out to be smaller than it looks from the outside, though by the time Primrose traversed it she was sure that the diplomatic party of Fox, Poppi and Sectonia would be returning to Naboris soon in triumph or disappointment. She stood outside the great pyramid's entrance, pausing to listen for anything strange or even mundane before she ventured in, pursuing those in their own pursuit of their friend.