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[color=salmon]Word Count: 861 (+2 exp)[/color]
[color=salmon][u]Level[/u]: [b]7[/b] - [u]Total EXP[/u]: 52/70
[b]Location:[/b] Edge of the Blue[/color][/center]
When he came to, the first sensation the Cadet realized was something pointy digging in his side. He opened his eyes to mostly blackness, but a few patchy light sources made it clear that he was underneath something, or a pile of somethings. He wiggled and felt something smooth, something else soft, and the hard angled edge of whatever was poking him shift away. He thought his rigging might be tangled up in the mysterious pile he found himself in, but that wasn't the case - in fact he couldn't feel or even sense the rigging at all. Likewise, he didn't feel anything snagging onto the ridges of his armor, and suddenly that armor felt really light as if he wasn't wearing any at all.

...okay, he wasn't stupid. As soon as the initial fogginess of waking up from hypnotism wore off, the Cadet could tell that he was without his equipment. No weapons, no armor, and even his field bag was gone. He could hear muffled voices from somewhere nearby, panicked and reassuring both, and they sounded vaguely familiar. Figuring it must have been the rest of the blue team, the Cadet started pushing things off of him. Someone called out to speak up for roll call and the hunter shoved his hand through one of the openings he could see, waving it around.

[color=salmon]"I'm here!"[/color] his own voice accompanied his arm, sticking out of a pile of trashed toys. Soundless rattles, deflated balls, ripped teddy bears and more junk were falling from the small mountain until half of a rocking horse was shoved out of the way and a boy emerged. As he'd expected, he was no longer in the altered green scale armor but a tough cream and brown cloth ensemble... but there were other changes too. His skin was back to it's lighter shade from before he'd fused with Jamaica's spirit, there were small cuts and scrapes on his face, hands and elbows, [i]and[/i] he was a lot shorter. Suspiciously child-sized even. The bright orange mop of hair on his head was a giveaway for his identity should the others not recognize him, but if there was any confusion then his next words cleared it right up. [color=salmon]"Oh my Wrog. You're all... and I'm...?!"[/color]

He looked down at himself and found that yes, almost their entire crew had been turned into children, including himself. He blinked, dumbfounded, because this was probably one of the weirdest thing that'd happened to them so far - or to him at least. Beyond the strangeness of it all, there was an underlying worry too. Most of them were probably defenseless like this, stuck in a deadly soul consuming submarine. 

[color=salmon]"Ha... if anyone felt like, y'know, you had to [i]Pukei[/i] right now I definitely wouldn't blame you,"[/color] he said. A squeal and a small purple body made a beeline for the red haired boy as soon as he emerged - it seemed BB was unaffected (probably because it was already a literal baby) and still as loyal a follower as that crooked salesmen had advertised.

The mini-Cadet rubbed the top of his minion's head and took some deep breathes, trying to calm down and think. His mind was still intact, he still remembered everything that had happened over the last couple days. Freshest of course was seeing Shippy off, seeing some huge hulking metal thing coming right for the island, booking it into the Maw and then looking directly at the hypnotizing vortex that was those monsters' faces, proving once again that the Cadet found it difficult to [i]not[/i] look at something when advised against looking. 

So, only his body was altered. He was just a tyke now... or, [i]again[/i] technically. If memory served he was pretty dang young, around the age when he spent most of his days running through Dundorma's reconstruction zones and yapping at the heels of passing Guild Knights. When he'd sneak into the canteen and listen to the stories and banter passed around by seasoned and novice hunters alike, then go home and emulate their tales with makeshift weapons in the form of tree branches, pillows, or silverware. It would be a couple years until he took up training for real, and a couple more until he would earn his "Ace Cadet" title - though he didn't plan on having the others call him by anything else even while he was all miniature, of course.

[color=salmon]"Everyone's still got their brains, right?"[/color] he asked the group when talk of forming a plan came up. [color=salmon]"I think we should see who's still normal, and what we can still do. You guys look pretty much the same."[/color] He pointed out Blazermate, Hat Kid, and after a moment's hesitation Bowser Jr., identified by the face on his handkerchief. Many of them already voiced concerns about their lack of power, so establishing a base line might help them get a sense of... Well, what they should do, and [i]how[/i].

[color=salmon]"Obviously I don't have any of my gear or items so..."[/color] he let out a near-desperate chuckle, considering the stock he put into his equipment and how much of his usefulness was tied to it. [color=salmon]"Um. Oh! I'm still strong. Well, uh, not [i]as[/i] strong as regular me, but... pint-size me has at least quart-size strength!"[/color]

Though he didn't move to prove it, he sounded pretty confident. The humans of his world were a different stock than the ones that could usually be found across the multiverse after all.

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/4DgO1VH.png[/img]
[color=FFC6C6]Word Count: 504 (+1 exp)
[u]Level[/u]: [b]4[/b] - [u]Total EXP[/u]: 28/40
[b]Location[/b]: Sandswept Sky - Al Mamoon: Museum of Vanity[/color]
[color=gray]𝙱𝙿[/color] [color=gold]●●[/color][color=gray]●●●[/color]
[color=2E2C2C]D34C25[/color][/center]It was a simple thing to dispatch the little yellow oni where it slumped against the gallery's wall. With a concentrated blast of magic it was reduced to ash, and it's spirit waited there until Primrose made sure that the battle was over and came to scoop it up. Thankfully the battle didn't last long, and what ill effects they suffered were quickly taken care of. Poor Joker, he'd looked mortified - Primrose was sure she would have been too. The rage that had taken Jesse didn't seem any more pleasant. The perks of being a back lines supporter, the dancer supposed.

Next they all found themselves squeezing into the vent now that they didn't have anyone to stop them. Primrose gestured for them all to go ahead, volunteering to collect and keep any spirits they ran into to bring back to the others outside. She was last in, and gently pulled the vent's slotted metal opening back into place should any more wandering guards make their way over.

The vent was cramped but they wouldn't be spending time in it for much longer, as they reached another room and prepared their next move. 

[color=D34C25]"[i]Paranatural?[/i]"[/color] Primrose repeated the word mostly to herself, vaguely understanding what it meant ([i]Para,[/i] beyond, outside of; [i]Natural,[/i] innate, from nature) but only hearing the term for the first time. [color=D34C25]"I suppose you mean our magic. No, I don't think being shrunken will stop us from using it."[/color] She glanced at the Thieves, confirming that her statement held true for them as well.

Primrose watched as the woman shrank herself down, glad that she was willing to take the plunge first and show there didn't seem to be any pain or side-effects of to go along with the size change. Jesse also made a good point that at that size, it might take quite a while to reach the other side. Especially if they stuck to the edges to avoid being seen. The dancer was confident in her sprint but would rather not do anymore extended running after the monster spurred marathon of yesterday. 

[color=D34C25]"Hm... what about this?"[/color] She presented the spirit of the Makami, it's light papery form easy to see. [color=D34C25]"One of those guards turned into this. Do you think it's strong enough to fly with a few shrunken passengers - and do you think the guards in this room will ignore it as one of them?"[/color]

Surely with it's thin and flexible body it could make it's way easily through the light beams. The thought of riding on the creature as it twisted through the air was enchanting, almost like a fantasy even, and so Primrose lowered the spirit after a moment's consideration. [color=D34C25]"Wishful thinking perhaps,"[/color] she said, [color=D34C25]"though it may be useful regardless."[/color]

She looked down at the Makami's colorful orb and spoke softly to it, the same way she had the Hippowdon in the pyramid. [color=D34C25]"You... you are a dog, aren't you? You seem noble. Good dog, come with us and let's get you a new home."[/color]