[Center][img]https://i.imgur.com/5iyBBFt.png[/img]
[color=DEBA42]LOCATION:[/color] The Maw
[color=DEBA42]WORD COUNT:[/color] 1,269 (+3)
[color=DEBA42]MENTIONS:[/color] 
Feat. Kamek(+3)
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[color=DEBA42]"Eeeeh..."[/color] Brave? Him? Mirage considered himself a bit cowardly, but he did make it this far with all the craziness presented thus far, so that had to count for something. His moment of distrust in the comment fed into the obvious nature of it being a tale about himself, but after a moment he recalled he tried to not make it about himself in the first place and pushed a response. [color=DEBA42]"I-I mean, yeah! The bravest! Guy's done a lot of stuff, plenty to say about him."[/color] Yes! Absolutely nailed it. The master of deceiving physically and vocally, that's what he was. Hundred percent!

Seeing Bella perk up a little, and help Sakura do the same, brought a smile to Mirage's face. He put his goggles back on, allowing them to enjoy their moment as he continued to keep an eye out. He'd felt like it went well, though momentarily went through a minor crisis of wondering if he was getting old if he'd ramble on like that. He brushed it aside, refusing to evaluate that as a possibility any further. Especially since he was stuck in his childhood body at the moment. 

A good distraction came in the return of both groups, though not without bad news. Mirage, perhaps unfortunately, could count. And that counting told him one less person came back from the Lady's Chambers, which was not at all a good sign. It made him consider if he should've been more vocal about his disagreement with splitting like they did, though if it would have made a difference with how stubborn everyone tended to be, he couldn't tell whatsoever. In a way, it was similar to his own experiences. People taking risks, knowing there's a risk but not seeing another way forward. Except at least where he fought there was an even field, where this place was anything but. Simply taking prey because it could. His head dipped in momentary silence, not knowing enough about the departed to say much, but he wanted to acknowledge it nonetheless. There was a bit of fear stirring in him, wondering if there were anymore surprises waiting up ahead. With the Resentment's out of the way, however, it felt like a fairly clear shot to the one that needed to be put down for them to put this nightmare ship out of commission. Or at least get the hell out of it.

Head turning at Kamek's words, Mirage eyed the spirits up for grabs. Noting he hadn't much more than agility to rely on, he thought back on what he witnessed in the kitchen and realized there was potential to weaponize himself without becoming weirder-looking or ending up with weird side-effects. No offense to the idea of fusing with it, but Mirage liked having control of all of his wonderous facial features. [color=DEBA42]"I'll bag one of those,"[/color] He answered, approaching to pluck out the second Tempura Wizard. The other one gave him really bad vibes, and he didn't exactly wanna touch it. The Wizard, however, he was familiar with at least slightly. 

Though, as he held it, he stood there in a momentary silence. A couple of blinks later, and he came to the realization that he had absolutely zero idea about what exactly he had to do with it. Link made it look super easy earlier, what was the big deal? Maybe there was a magic phrase, or something? Deciding to try and get some answers, he awkwardly looked back at Kamek. [color=DEBA42]"We can get these things to fight for us, like that big butcher guy, right?"[/color] His eyes explained his utterly oblivious nature, practically adding on a second, concerned [i]... Right?[/i]

 [color=DeepSkyBlue]"Right you are"[/color] Kamek told him, before realizing why it was a question rather than a redundant statement and continuing [color=DeepSkyBlue]"Ah, observation, not knowledge. here let me explain"[/color] before moving on to depart wisdom like a blind sage [color=DeepSkyBlue]"Simply hold it as you are now and, mm, command it to serve you. or convince it. or simply ask and it will obey, for i have never seen he request refused"[/color] 

He tapped his beak thoughtfully, then shrugged and said [color=DeepSkyBlue]"A simple, innate desire to live again, no mater how briefly perhaps? It does not particularly matter right now, though perhaps I will ask once mine are restored. For now, all you need to do is will it to serve, and the minion shall obey, though, as with all things, I'm sure kindness and compensation both can go a long way."[/color] 

Nodding, Mirage felt a little better but still not entirely sold on how exactly he should go about it. Figuring if it could help in any manner, then it must've been living in some form. So referring to it as a 'servant' and then enslaving it flatly like that felt a little cruel, though the truth of things regardless made it quite a situation for him. Taking a moment to think, his eyes widened with an idea that came to mind. He just had to be a little charismatic and charming, yeah? And who better for something like that than [i]The[/i] Mirage? Probably a lot of people, if you asked anyone else. But his ego told him [i]'Nobody!'[/i]

Crouching down, Mirage stared at the spirit with a slightly nervous and shifty expression as it sat in his palms. [color=DEBA42]"So, we were enemies, and that kinda sucked,"[/color] He noted, trying to lay a positive spin on the matter. [color=DEBA42]"But! We [i]could[/i] work together. Think about it; I love seafood, you, uh, [i]very clearly[/i] love seafood. And food in general! I can cook."[/color] One might question if he was trying to enlist the spirit of a monster for battle, or... Just tell it his redeeming qualities, like some sort of dating profile. [color=DEBA42]"You know what else goes good with rice like that stuff that was in your bowl? Pork. I'm great with pork, got a signature porkchop recipe and everything. If you come with, I bet we'll cook up all sorts of things. A lot of mouths to feed with these guys."[/color] If it'd been fine just transforming litter off the ground and shoveling it into god knows who, then why not a few heroes? The idea of being able to make food anywhere and out of what he assumed was anything, sounded fantastic. 

It also made him wonder just what he could make food out of. Could he turn the mannequins into food? The floor? The Dart Gun he kept close? He felt a power like that could have a lot of utility, but that all depended on his awkward attempt to recruit this food spirit. Which, resolved in his favor or not, he'd quickly march towards that stage with the others. If they thought that Mirror could do something, then he saw no reason for Sakura to not have it. If anything he simply appreciated Peach's approach on the matter, glad to see Sakura seemed to retain the perkiness Bella helped instill. 

[color=DEBA42]"Maybe it'll suck her in, then seal her away or something."[/color] Mirage mused, most logic going out the window in this place a long time ago, so some dumb fairytale logic might click. King Bowser seemed to be confident it'd work, and being the [i]King[/i], faith had to be put in him! Though, if it didn't, then they'd at least have a small army equipped with an equally small arsenal to try and take her out. Mirage, for one, had no intention of holding back. That Lady had taken two of their own, between that Runaway Kid and the recently lost Glenn. And she was about to regret it.