[Center][img]https://i.imgur.com/Emh4nGV.png[/img]
[color=979CB2]LOCATION:[/color] Sandswept Sky - Tostarena Town
[color=979CB2]WORD COUNT:[/color] 815 (+2)
[color=979CB2]MENTIONS:[/color] [/Center]

[hr]

All the while as Tora tried to train himself, Mao spent his time distancing from the situation and instead just watching the desert fly by as their transport went along. Aurox, taking Tora's invitation as a welcoming to kill him and wanting to use his ears to swing him around like a tubby club, found utter disgust in the idea of not taking up the offer to beat the crap out of him. Mao refused for a number of reasons, though one he wouldn't admit was Tora's health. One he would admit, however, he that he didn't trust Aurox to not 'rip the stuffing out' as he succinctly put it in one of his arguments for taking the fight. Was it unproductive? Yes, but it also kept things from escalating in a way that wasn't in his favor. 

[i]"WE COULD THROW HIM OFF THE TRAIN."[/i] Aurox commented in an attempt to coax Mao from within his mind.

[color=979CB2]"He'd probably roll all the way back to Al Mamoon."[/color] The overlord replied aloud, not wanting to have to go back and get him. [color=979CB2]"I wasted enough time there, we don't need to make a return trip for the tub of lard."[/color]

Aurox though about this for a moment, before shifting his offer: [i]"WE COULD THROW HIM [b]UNDER[/b] THE TRAIN."[/i] 

Mao went silent for a moment, hand raising to his chin in thought. [color=979CB2]"Maybe we'll see some roadkill on the way."[/color] Aurox found amusement in the fact it wasn't an outright refusal of the concept, knowing Mao was momentarily entertaining the idea at least mentally. Thankfully for the overlord, as well as his general standing with the group, such a thing wouldn't be coming to light anytime soon. 

[hr]

Having not cared much for the idea of stopping, Mao figured he'd stretch his legs at least rather than stay on board. Accepting the drink from the small skeletal beings without much hesitation, it took the edge off the heat of the desert for a moment at least. As much as he hated the sand, going up into the snow would be just as bad, if not worse. He didn't figure they needed much of a pitstop either, but one last moment of peace before the chaos started wouldn't be terrible. The overly positive vibes of this town were making him feel a little queasy, but there wasn't much he could do on that front. He'd have to, in his typical fashion, scowl and bear it. Though what exactly he'd be doing was still an uncertainty.

On one hand, better gear for the hike sounded great. His large scarf tucked away could help out a bit, but that and his fancy ruby-centered headwear were about all he had going for him. The last of his money had went towards feeding Klee and himself yesterday, and the last fact you wanted to note about yourself when you wanted equipment was that you were a broke punk. He didn't exactly have much to pawn off, either. Noting he should've robbed the museum while he had the chance, he'd blame Aurox for being a damn distraction and an annoying pile of rocks for distracting him and leaving him flat in the currency department.

Although... Raz was quite generous to Midna, notably having money on him due to actually having a job and not being a mind-controlled Resistance hobo that had been living in a haunted abandoned train graveyard. Mao wasn't a beggar, and though he was definitely a bully, he'd punched Raz enough for awhile. He'd tough it with what he had if it came down to that, though finding some work around here he could do would be ideal. Preferably killing, for the sake of getting Aurox to shut the hell up about the whole Tora thing, sating him so he wouldn't think about how far he could chuck these little skeletal guys. Last thing Mao needed was to nearly get arrested [i]again[/i], over the span of a few days. That being said, he wouldn't be here long, so slipping out with something and never coming back was potentially an option. Unless everyone decided this was where they'd go after their victory against Galeem's chosen, which would make things pretty damn awkward.

[color=979CB2]"Probably best to keep it legal."[/color] Mao noted in a dull tone, quiet and to himself. He raised a hand as a short farewell as he departed off into the buzzing town on his own, a dismissive wave being the last of what he offered as he had no reason to go into any stores at the moment or follow after the others. If he was stuck here until they departed again, he might as well kill the the time by looking for something productive to do. Or maybe something not-so-productive, given the utter tourist attraction this place was. He wasn't exactly on guard, so getting pulled into some shenanigans wasn't exactly off the table...