[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/190924/544c85ab5c75bc61a4bb5ce40dc0caa6.png[/img]
[color=salmon]Word Count: 883 (+2 exp)[/color]
[color=salmon][u]Level[/u]: [b]8[/b] - [u]Total EXP[/u]: 17/80
[b]Location:[/b] Edge of the Blue - The Maw[/color][/center]
The Ace Cadet slipped into the next room after Nadia and Kamek - almost literally, but seeing Nadia go down right in front of him gave the monster hunter some forewarning about the condition of the floor. Pressing a hand against the wall for balance (and giving it the same suspicious glances he'd been giving his limbs for the past few minutes), the Cadet slowly made his way further down the room's perimeter. Unsurprisingly it was another section of the huge kitchen area the Maw housed, a washing station. He eyed the various occupants in the room, more creepy-looking humanoids, koopas, and some sentient silverware - all so engrossed in their tasks that even the ones that did look at the little intruders ignored them in favor of going back to trying to make a dent in the mountains of dishes. At least they wouldn't have to sneak through the room. Though getting through it might be a bit difficult given the soapy water all over the floor.

It didn't seem to be an issue for the front runners though, as Nadia slid over the ground with her fan and Kamek used his shell to swiftly traverse the - oh, wait, he was coming back. He watched Kamek slide right back out the door, and from it the voices of the other koopas in their party. So they'd be coming through soon. Well, time to start making some headway! 

Inching through while trying not to slip would be painfully slow. Instead, the Cadet braced his legs and then shoved himself away from the wall towards one of the washing stations. He slid across the floor almost like it was ice, with his arms thrown out to each side to keep himself on his feet. He slowed to a stop underneath one of the free standing sinks, and crept his way towards the sink's legs to latch onto.

[color=salmon]"Not so bad,"[/color] he said to himself, [color=salmon]"like dealing with a Mizutsune."[/color] Except that the imminent danger was not a leviathan but several strange workers, though it still didn't seem like they cared much at the moment. 

The Cadet's movement was still slower than Ms. Fortune's, so by the time he'd made it to the other side she was already up on the conveyor and out through the dish slot. 

[i][color=salmon]"Hey, Nadia, what's on the other side?"[/color][/i] He tried to speak into the slot, once again balancing on the wall and standing on his toes. She didn't answer, but there also wasn't any other kind of commotion that would indicate she'd been caught. She must have continued moving on. Without a nifty boost he wouldn't be following her through the slot, though he doubted he'd be able to fit through in the first place.

The Cadet reached up to the nearby door handle, stretching his arm out for it, but it was just out of his reach. One of his feet slipped and he stumbled around dramatically until he managed to right himself. Maybe he could drag over one of those rubbery mats or something...

Once Bowser and company came through the door into the room and start shouting the Cadet looked around at those he was addressing - and those he wasn't. If this actually worked it would be awesome, but if it didn't then he'd just have to find a way to open the door up quickly. While the gleaming dish washers' attention was focused on the koopa king, the Cadet got a head start in seeking something to help him get up to the door's handle and open it. Something like... oh, one of those planks of wood might work - at least to stop the slipping! 

[i]Alright, let's go![/i] Ace Cadet slid himself toward one of the unoccupied planks. It was heavier than expected, but he was stronger than the average... whatever-year-old he was now. Pushing the wood was slow going but it was possible! He shoved the plank against the wall, and once it sat solidly on the floor he stepped onto it. [i]Perfect![/i] Even slightly damp the wood wasn't slippery at all. With a little more effort the Cadet reached up to the door knob and turned it, popping the door open.

[color=salmon]"Yes!"[/color] He pushed through the opening and arrived in a carpeted area, with the sounds of plates clattering and open mouthed slurping not far off. Before venturing on the Cadet and reached back through the door, grasping the wooden plank and propping it just inside the door frame to hold the passage open. He peeked back at the koopa troop, waving at them and mouthing [i]this way![/i] before going on. He followed the noise to a restaurant, filled with food and ravenous diners. Since his disturbing vision the Cadet had no desire to eat or drink anything else in Maw, but even if he had he doubted he'd have been able to swipe anything off that table. Food was gone in seconds, devoured by the restaurant's patrons. He didn't watch the buffet for long, there was a much more important task at hand. There had to be a way into the room the chefs had locked themselves into. He spotted the swishing tail of Nadia still ahead and darted after her, hoping she had a plan - she certainly looked like she did anyway.