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[color=salmon]Word Count: 1340 (+3 exp)[/color]
[color=salmon][u]Level[/u]: [b]6[/b] - [u]Total EXP[/u]: 60/60
[b]Location:[/b] Smash City Alcamoth[/color]
[hider=LEVELED UP!]New power - [b]Hunter Arts: Bow[/b]. Advanced techniques utilizing a bow. These arts include: Triple Volley, a powerful burst of three arrows fired at once; Haste Rain, a supporting technique that fires an arrow carrying a stimulant overhead, showering the area below with spores that temporarily raise allies' movement and charging speed; and Blade Wire, two arrows tied with razor wire that effectively create a flying blade when fired - it deals cutting damage and can entangle enemies. 
***[/hider][/center][color=salmon]"Huh?"[/color]

The Cadet hadn't expected a large crowd, or fanfare, or anything like that when he arrived at the Alcamoth, but he had expected at least a few people to be in the lobby area. As it stood, there wasn't a soul around. Even Isabelle was gone from her desk, and it was rumored she was a bit of a workaholic. He swiveled his head, looking around the wide and very empty space. Confusion was plain on his face. He glanced down at BB, who blinked back up at him. After a moment the two split up to look around, though the minion never went too far.

[color=salmon]"Hello? Anybody here?"[/color] The Alcamoth looked pretty much exactly the same as the last time he'd been there, just earlier that day. Nothing seemed out of place, no signs of a battle. Not to the mention the members of the Dead Zone excursion had just passed through and apparently informed the people there of what they'd seen, so what was going on?

"Out here!"

Cadet didn't recognize the voice, but he followed it's echo quickly back outside and around the edge of the massive building, BB on his heels. Eventually the residents of Smash City came into view, all loosely grouped and staring North. The same collection of people, all shapes, sizes, and species with varying amounts of concern written into their features. Some perched on ledges and squinted their eyes, and some craned their necks and opened their eyelids as wide as possible, all trying to get a better look. There was a shifting light barely visible over the ridge of mountains, and soon enough the sky returned to what was normal. The people gathered seemed to breathe a collective sigh of relief and looked around at each other, some dispersing and others staying to discuss the "light show."

[color=salmon]"What happened?"[/color] the hunter asked loudly, drawing a few eyes to him, hopefully some with answers. Although judging from the direction they'd been looking, and what he understood of the world map, he had a feeling he already knew.

"It was a bright white light. Big, too. I'm sure whatever it was, it wasn't good," said a short red creature, arms crossed and spikes protruding from his hands.

"It was the bomb." The man who spoke then, muscular and with a very impressive blonde hairdo, seemed quite sure of his statement. [i]Yeah, figured,[/i] the Cadet thought before the man continued. "At that size, it must have taken out the whole place and then some. One less thing to worry about, mission accomplished."

There was a thump on the edge of the roof above them, then a mop of brown hair peeked over the side. The youthful face attached had it's nose scrunched up. "More importantly, that big giant ball of [i]jerk[/i] just moved. Didn't you guys see it?!"

The boy's words sent a ripple of surprise through those still gathered outside, including the Cadet. [color=salmon]"What? Galeem moved?"[/color] 

"Yeah! I mean it's not moving anymore, but it was!" The boy jumped down from his perch, flapping his wings lightly as he landed. He was quickly joined by an avian man that the Cadet recognized as Falco, who nodded to corroborate the story. "Shot some kind of energy towards the site of the explosion." 

The little red guy shrugged one shoulder. "Like I said, not good."

The small group was quiet for a few moments after that. Even BB didn't snort of snuffle. The Dead Zone... was it really gone? And why exactly had Galeem woken up, what did it do? The Cadet was itching to go there himself and find out, but as confident as he was in his own abilities he still knew there was no way he'd be able to go it alone. The mercenaries were busy and the rest of his group was waiting back in Limsa to have a go at that region's guardian... and one of their own was missing, somewhere out there.

[color=salmon]"Where's Vandham?"[/color] the Cadet asked, breaking the contemplative silence that had settled over the Alcamoth's perimeter. [color=salmon]"I have something to give him, for helping to find Linkle."[/color]

The winged kid's eyes lit up in curiosity. "He must've gone back inside by now. C'mon, this way."

He led the monster hunter in. This time when they got to the lobby, it was filled with people. There seemed to be more residents than he remembered, which the Cadet figured was the results of their recruitment missions. Everyone was chatting about the bomb, Galeem, and what to do next. Many went to and fro with vigor, re-energized by the event. Isabelle was back at her desk, shuffling papers around with impressive speed as mercenaries approached her in force to sign up for new missions. Nearby, the massive mercenary leader himself was stationed and helping to coordinate. Cadet's winged guide quickened his pace until he was at Vandham's side, coming to a halt and presenting the man with a wide-armed flourish.

"Here he is! Now whatcha got?"

Vandham turned to look at the kid with his eyebrows pinched in confusion, but when the Cadet approached his features smoothed out into the serious face of a professional. 

"Don't tell me something happened in the Blue too?"

[color=salmon]"Nah,"[/color] the Cadet chuckled, [color=salmon]"We're making progress - "[/color] [i]I think[/i] [color=salmon]" - but I heard what happened to Linkle... so I brought these."[/color]

He un-clipped the scoutfly cage from his belt, setting the lantern-shaped container on the desk. Vandham regarded it with another furrow of his brow, while the boy drew close to peer at what was inside - and promptly away when he realized.

"A bunch of [i]bugs?[/i]"

[color=salmon]"They're way more gargwawesome than normal bugs. They're scoutflies!"[/color] The Cadet reached over and unlatched the cage, and a few the flies flew out and around the three of them. Their colors were a bright and steady green. [color=salmon]"They specialize in finding things. Us hunters use them to locate items, track monsters, and even find people."[/color]

Understanding dawned in their eyes. "So you think they could help us find her," the mercenary captain said. Cadet nodded.

[color=salmon]"They already learned her scent. They've got everyone in our group... well, [i]most[/i] everyone."[/color] There were some new faces after all that he hadn't gotten a chance to introduce to his trusty insects. [color=salmon]"You guys are sending out search teams, right? Take the scoutflies with you. They should change colors if they catch her trail, so you'll know right away. They can alert you to danger too, they'll turn red if there's a monster nearby."[/color]

The Cadet grinned, preening as though he'd raised the insects himself. He hadn't, but he appreciated their existence quite a lot. Plus, they were easy enough for even those unfamiliar with them to use. All around helpful little creatures.

"They said she turned into a monster herself," Vandham said, "So what if they turn red and we miss her, thinking it's something else?"

"We'd just have to go check it out and make sure," the boy said with a shrug. 

[color=salmon]"Exactly! I'll lend all of the scoutflies to you, and hopefully it will help find her."[/color] Considering that the Blue Team's target was out on the open ocean, and below it too, the flies would be better put to use here for now. The mercenary captain nodded, and the Cadet smiled, hopeful. He shook the cage gently and the flies all flew back in, after which the Cadet re-latched the cage's door. 

"Heading back? You guys gonna need reinforcements?"

Cadet shook his head. [color=salmon]"Now that part of the Red Team are in Limsa too, there's no way we could lose!"[/color]

The hunter prepared to go, motioning for BB to follow. The minion had been giving the stink eye to another horned creature a few hundred feet away, but it reluctantly backed down to follow the Cadet out. Wishes of luck and reminders to restock trailed after him. That sounded good, it would be better to get everything together before morning so they could head out as soon as possible. 

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[color=FFC6C6]Word Count: 867 (+2 exp)
[u]Level[/u]: [b]3[/b] - [u]Total EXP[/u]: 17/30
[b]Location[/b]: Sandswept Sky[/color]
[color=gray]𝙱𝙿[/color] ●●[color=gray]●●●[/color]
[color=2E2C2C]D34C25[/color][/center]Just when they thought there were no answers to be had for the flash of light, Midna had the bright idea to summon someone who might know. The little moogle creature was a font of knowledge, and Primrose lingered nearby to listen. So one of the other teams had tidily taken care of one of their zones... or so it seemed. That was interesting, good news. The dancer looked towards where the light had been, now gone with not trace left at all. One more monster of Galeem's dealt with, and only one causality. Things were going well for their group of would-be heroes.

Primrose cut her gaze to Sectonia when the queen voiced her thought that things couldn't be as simple as they seemed. It was hard to imagine any surviving an explosion of that magnitude, but even if Sectonia was right there wasn't anything the Yellow Team could do now but move on. They had their own guardian to deal with.

As the group continued, it became harder and harder to keep the pace. In fact, harder than Primrose would usually find it. Her brows furrowed and she looked down at herself. It wasn't her, but the sand itself becoming more difficult to move through. Ahead, one by one the group was switching over to running along the wood and steel tracks. Primrose followed suite, going along while tilting her head at the sand. Something strange must have been going on, which wasn't uncommon. As Primrose grew closer to front where Necronomicon was giving her report, she overheard the apparently change in landscape coming up. [i]Dessert.[/i] A landscape made out of foods - sweets and pastries to be specific. Primrose shook her head, incredulous. She wanted to say she'd "believe it when she sees it," but she had no doubt that Necronomicon was telling the truth. It would be quite the sight once they reached it... and reaching it wouldn't be as easy as she would have liked, considering the next thing reported were enemies on the way.

[color=D34C25]"Of course,"[/color] Primrose sighed, but she got into a battle ready stance all the same. She raised her arms, her hands cupped in front of her. In one, her natural dark magic swirled ominously. In the other, the pyromancy she'd gained. When the first of the red worms burst from the ground, Primrose stepped back into the relative safety of the group. From within she threw her [i]Moonlight Waltz[/i] spell, shriveling a trawler up until it broke down into ashes. It was an effective, but slow method to be rid of them. While others focused on the flying enemies, Primrose continued her steady casting - but once another monster showed it's face, ugly and hulking, it was clear this method wouldn't work anymore.

The monster barreled down the tracks. Primrose dodged to one side while a few unfortunate comrades were thrown from the other side. The sand was thick and threatened to pull them all in, but Primrose wrenched herself free from where she'd stepped into it, hauling herself back onto the tracks with some effort. These battle conditions were no ideal at all, Joker had the right idea - they should flee. 

Summoning the pyromancy to her once more, Primrose focused on the fire until a large flame orb appeared. She sent the spell at another group of trawlers emerging from the sand and heading the group's way. The orb exploded, showering the area with fire that sent the worms squirming. The next thing she needed to go to make sure everyone got out okay was make sure they could all outrun that beast. She had just the dance for that.

With a flick of her wrists the pyromancy vanished, and Primrose's arms were angled in front of her, her hands faced downward. Deep in her own spirit, she felt that she was still unable to spread the benefits of her dance to the group at large. She felt a pang of annoyance, frustration, but it didn't show on her face. Her expression was smooth and focused. She would have to be quick. 

The Panther Dance. She stepped back once onto the next wooden plank on the tracks, lifted her arms higher, then spun and leapt. She landed gracefully despite the unfamiliar terrain, both feet on the next plank back. Then she did it again. And again. While Poppi froze the beats, and Yoshitsune and Sectonia turned their attacks on it to give the others an opening to escape, Primrose danced. She focused her performance on the largest and slowest among them, increasing their speed enough so that they would be able to keep up with the others, and hopefully they'd [i]all[/i] be able to outrun the monster. She'd pushed herself, and after the twirls and jumps that she'd kept in perfect form up to her own standards, she was breathing hard and starting down the beast encased in ice. She didn't stay there for long, only giving herself enough time to catch her breath then suck in one large gulp of air before she turned on her heel and sprinted away, following the rest of the team down the tracks and toward what they all hoped was safety.