[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/190924/544c85ab5c75bc61a4bb5ce40dc0caa6.png[/img]
[color=salmon]Word Count: 1396 (+3 exp)[/color]
[color=salmon][u]Level[/u]: [b]6[/b] - [u]Total EXP[/u]: 57/60
[b]Location:[/b] Edge of the Blue: The Drowning Wench -> Smash City Alcamoth[/color][/center]
[color=salmon]"Aw, well, you know. It's been a long day,"[/color] the Cadet chuckled, rubbing a hand against his cheek when Nadia and Link made comments about his order. A hunter needed to eat. Honestly the price hadn't even crossed his mind - he supposed he was still relying on the princess' generosity. Thankfully said princess made her way over as well, so surely he was off the hook. He'd really had to try and do something nice for Peach in return. [color=salmon]"There's gonna be plenty to go around so I don't mind sharing!"[/color]

Before that though, it was time to learn of the Red Team's experience. Ms. Fortune was quite the story teller. The Cadet listened to her every word, piecing things together with the context whenever an unfamiliar term threatened to distract him. The Dead Zone... he remembered first hearing about it in Lumbridge, passing by a group of refugees as they worried about the place - and what a rotten place it sounded like. He wondered if Nadia and the people she mentioned had been part of that refugee group, but at the time he'd had other things on his mind, and he hadn't recognized her when she appeared here in Limsa. 

Linkle... Cadet had only known her for a short time, the same as the others, but he felt the same as Nadia and Link. That she must be okay out there. She was strong in body and mind. The Cadet leaned back, crossing his arms and balancing his stool on one set of legs. He nodded and chimed in, [color=salmon]"Yeah, we'll definitely find her and save her. Or maybe she'll save herself before we even get to her!"[/color]

The only thing they could do right now for her is be optimistic, and hey - that was a specialty of his.

[color=salmon]"Thanks for telling us everything,"[/color] the hunter said to Ms. Fortune. Pretty quickly after his eyes moved from their new teammate to the plates of food being delivered. Breads, stews, sliced meats, skewers and fried foods of all kinds. Patiently he waited until everything was placed and the others had their dishes as well, then reminded them of his offer to share should they see anything appetizing before he let the stool fall back onto all four legs and dug in. His eating habits were kind of erratic, taking bites of everything here and there with no order or pattern in mind. It didn't seem very efficient, but it was quick - but he wasn't a barbarian, they gave him utensils and he used them! Cadet was halfway through when Frog made his way over, and the hunter paused to smile at the warrior. With his cheeks full, Cadet almost looked like a frog himself. 

[color=salmon]"Oh my wrog, this is delicious,"[/color] he said to himself after finishing the nearest plate, putting it in the small stack with the other empty ones. Though his pace was slowing, he still reached for another helping or two (some gooey cheese stuffed bread roll with one hand, and a refreshing looking salad in the other), though on Ms. Fortune's mention of [i]parasites[/i] he paused, squinting his eyes at her. [i]Right in front of my salad??[/i] He turned in surprise when Link admitted to it - ah, wait false alarm. Just regular bugs. Cadet laughed and shook his head. [color=salmon]"Just muscle and metabolism here."[/color] If his arms weren't preoccupied with gathering, cutting, and eating food even now he'd have flexed for her. Instead, he added on a bit to Link's explanation.

[color=salmon]"That was a rough situation, you and the others you were with had these black arrows that turned people into... well it like froze them solid, like this,"[/color] he produced the Dark Link statue, putting it on the center of the table and tapping it a couple times. [color=salmon]"But bigger. It worked out and we got you on our side!

"For me, I was Lumbridge for a while. I think maybe since this whole thing started? One of the areas outside turned into one from my world, so of course I went on a hunt there. I met The Courier who was already there and here I am now!"[/color] Conveniently the Cadet left out the part where the Tzitzi-Yaku roughed him up a little bit, because he could totally take a Tzitzi-Yaku, it was probably just because be was still red-eyed and rusty at the time. Peach's straightforward explanation was probably the best though, once you freed someone and explained everything, most people wanted to help.

Soon after the princess left the air at the table turned somber again. The Cadet edged away from Nadia's disembodied hand, watching it crawl with some fascination. It seemed a powerful ability, but with a heavy cost... or rather, an ability that only came about because of those unfortunate circumstances. The hunter's heart went out to her, and the mention of the Skullheart again just reminded the Cadet of his promise to deliver his scoutflies in order to find Linkle all the sooner. He should do that before the night was over. 

Ace Cadet stood up as well, having eaten his fill and then some. Between all of the plates on the table he may have poached some things from the other's without knowing, but hey - there was still some food and drink left on the table that the party was welcome to. The Cadet wrapped up a few items and tucked them away, then lifted a mug and slammed it's contents back, one last good taste before heading off. He placed a hand on Nadia's shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile. [color=salmon]"Hey, that's the spirit!"[/color]

There was one more thing to mention before he left, and he motioned to the little trophy still sitting on the table. [color=salmon]"I'm going to stop by the Alcamoth tonight before turning in. I'm not really sure what to do with that, so..."[/color] He looked at Link and shrugged a little, implying that maybe the Hylian should take it. It was a trophy of his own shadow, after all. The other option would be to give it to the Guildmarm as a gift, a token of adventure, but then she'd be staring at a figure of another guy. That wouldn't do!

As Blazermate approached the Cadet passed her by heading the opposite direction, giving the bot a nod and a smile. Outside of the Drowning Wench, he only got turned around once before the main market came into view and he could make his way out of the city. He passed by the dock area near to where Junior's painting was located, and briefly considered stopping by to check in on the prince and Sakura. He figured it could wait though, since Bowser and Peach should already be there he could always check in on the way back. 

A few moments after passing the area, a soft, steady [i]tunk tunk tunk[/i] sound starting following the hunter. Confused, he looked around and spotted a little purple pig, with a dark mane and large horns - a golden ring surrounding one of them. It caught up to the Cadet and looked up expectantly at him, it's little eyebrows furrowed.

[color=salmon]"BB!"[/color] Ace Cadet knelt down, beckoning the minion closer and scratching under it's chin. [color=salmon]"Didn't I tell you to guard the princess? I didn't see you with her when she came up to the restaurant. Not Ya-cool, lil guy."[/color] 

The baby behemoth snorted and flopped over, and it's current master moved on to rubbing it's belly. [color=salmon]"You at least guarded the gold until she got back, right?"[/color]

It snorted again, and the Cadet couldn't tell if it was an affirmative or not. Honestly he had no clue if BB could really understand him. Still, he was happy to see the little monster was alright. He pulled one of the leftovers from his bag and fed it to BB, who squealed happily. Despite the angry expression it seemed to default to, it seemed to have finally taken a shine to the Cadet. Technically that was bad news, given that he still intended to get BB back to it's family or natural habitat somehow... but for now, it would do just to make sure the minion stayed close to him.

The duo of monster hunter and baby monster departed, stepping through the painting portals until they arrived back in the brilliant hub of the Alcamoth.