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Traveling from town to town was something Therion was well accustomed to by now. He'd been moving around pretty much his whole life. He'd trekked through forests, frost, and fields; in sand, sun, and swamp. Visited cities large and small. Alone, and with friends. 

Currently, he was the former. Hitched a ride on the caboose of one of those long metal contraptions they'd called a train about a week ago into a town called Tostarena. For a tourist destination, it was pretty small. Compared to the city he'd come from, it was much more difficult for long term guests to go unnoticed just because of the population difference - but the colorful high energy locals liked attention, and newcomers always drew the eyes away, so it was... workable. That being said, there was a lot less coin moving around Tostarena too. A lot of mountain enthusiasts, amateur singers and dancers, but not many deep pockets.

One might ask why was he in this town to begin with if his recent stomping grounds were so superior. The answer was simple: the dark robed cult that had served as law enforcement back in the city was getting a little too aggressive for his tastes. It was better to move on sooner than later, and now he was camped out here waiting to catch a ride out. If he could help it, he did not want to cross the desert on foot. Again.

The morning was spent like most others, idly wandering the town. Therion suspected that he had probably memorized every nook and cranny by now. He was beginning to grow antsy. Maybe he should just hop on the next train out he saw, even if it ran back to the capital. Or whatever that huge city was. 

The sun started climbing higher, and Therion retreated toward the slots parlor he'd been frequenting soon after he'd arrived in town. A cutesy little establishment with a [url=https://mario.wiki.gallery/images/8/80/Slots-Tostarena.jpg]large space[/url] that matched the town's exterior, opening into a [url=https://i.ibb.co/b2L7yZM/V-V-Hotel-interior.jpg]side room[/url] with more traditional machines - or so Therion had been told. It had all been foreign to him the first time. He'd never been much of a gambler, but the atmosphere in the parlor was not as oppressive as the cheery, party-like vibe outside. 

He passed a man with a wide grin as he slipped into the establishment. Once the door closed behind him, Therion drew a hand out from beneath his shawl.

[color=BC8DBF]"Wow, big winner,"[/color] he said, spinning the floating [url=https://i.ibb.co/CmG4YZy/Power-Moon-New-Render-Green.png
]moon[/url] he'd lifted in his palm. The Tostarenan at the counter shook his head at Therion humorously. The thief tossed the moon to the front desk as he passed it, making his way toward the more secluded area. As far as Therion could tell they had no practical worth, just a pretty souvenir. None of the locals would buy them, he'd tried. Now it was kind of like a game to pass the time, and the shop's proprietor kept his skull quiet because ultimately it meant he'd get his prizes back. 

Therion parked himself in front of one of the machines, content to listen to the chatter and gossip of the few patrons already inside. Sometimes there was interesting information to be learned this way, but today that didn't seem to be the case - until the town's [url=https://i.ibb.co/QHnq33v/Screenshot-2021-11-22-9-53-48-PM.png]biggest gossip[/url] walked in not too much later.

Biff was always looking for someone to state his opinions too, and since arriving Therion had filled that roll for much the same reason he came to hang out in a casino with no intent gamble: to hear news. Did he like the man? No. Biff was actually pretty annoying. But he hoped tolerating him would pay off at some point. Biff looked around the joint briefly before spotting Therion and making his way over, taking a seat at the machine next to him.

[color=BC8DBF]"Yea?"[/color]

"You'll never guess what just pulled into town," the man said, emphasizing his statement with a drawn out whistle. Therion rolled his hand in a gesture to get on with it. "Circus just rolled in. Some of the goofiest people I've ever seen. Might be some excitement in ol' Tostarena for once."

[color=BC8DBF]"...a circus? What, with animals and tents?"[/color] 

"They got animals, but no tents exactly. Actually their train is weird. All metal thing with a big gun on the front."

[i]That... doesn't add up.[/i] Running in back alleys and black markets, Therion had learned what a gun was pretty quickly. Perhaps if his eyes weren't full of sunset light, he might have questioned why he wasn't perturbed at all about the contraptions, or the odd variety of people using them. As it was, his brows were furrowed in thought, because what would a traveling circus need with a huge gun? And mounted on a train, no less. It was something to look into. 

He stood up, heading for the door. Biff, bewildered, called after him. "Hey, where are you going?"

[color=BC8DBF]"To see the clowns,"[/color] Therion answered, lifting a hand in goodbye. He departed quickly, lest Biff try and follow him, and slipped back into the open where tourists and locals mingled. The train was impossible to miss. It was huge. Dark gleaming metal and— okay that was not a gun, that was a cannon. [i]Way to understate, Biff.[/i]

There did seem to be a large crew meandering around the train talking though. People of all sorts, every shape and size. Sure, he could see someone mistaking them for a circus... but some of them were pretty intense looking. His first thought was that he was not looking a sideshow act, but a group of ragtag mercenaries. And with a train like that... maybe they were running security for something valuable. 

Despite wanting to lay low in town, there were already plots forming in Therion's head about how he'd scope the train out and get into it. None of the ideas got very far, distracted by a flash of red that tickled the recognition part of his mind. The outfit wasn't exactly the same as he remembered, and she looked a little paler, there was a little more muscle definition, but was that...? It was just a flicker moving among the group of strangers, but it was enough to catch his attention - and with his attention, his curiosity. 

And as the saying goes, nothing bad ever happened to a cat who was curious.

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It turned out that the group heading into town for gear was larger than Primrose had initially thought it would be. They ripped through the shop like a tornado, and if Primrose was bewildered she could only imagine how the poor shop keep felt. Arguing, making messes, pulling strange men from their ears... it must have went beyond a headache into traveled into nightmare territory for the Tostarenan behind the counter. Primrose kept the edge of the chaos, perusing courteously despite her company. When it seemed like Big Band has convinced the shop keeper to lend them the items, she trailed after the group and help up a pair of hiking boots so that the Tostarenan could see them. 

[color=D34C25]"Add these in, please,"[/color] she said, a pleasant smile plastered on her face. It was nice of Raz to pay for his own gear, he seemed like a good kid, but free was free. Or in this case, borrowed. She sauntered out of the store after the rest of the group. With such a large amount of items, she hoped that the climb wouldn't be too difficult. If they succumbed to the mountain before making it to the Guardian that just wouldn't do.

As they started back towards the restaurants in town to see where the others had ended up, Primrose felt someone bump into right side. She faltered, but when she looked there was no one there. Then, on the opposite side, a clumsy tug at her satchel. She whirled around, clutching the bag close and ready to glare daggers into any would-be thieves, but again there was no one to be seen. However, an inspection of her inventory saw that her coin purse was missing. 

[color=D34C25]"I don't need this right now,"[/color] she sighed, scanning the area for any suspects. She caught the flutter of a purple shawl disappear into the space between two buildings and her eyes widened. Without a second thought split from the group and she ducked into the alley. There at the end of it, tossing her purse between his hands, was...

[color=D34C25]"...Therion?"[/color]

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[sup]____________________________________________________[/sup]
[color=FFC6C6][u]Level[/u]: [b]6[/b] - [u]Total EXP[/u]: 52/60[/color] [color=2e2c2c]------[/color] [color=BC8DBF][u]Level[/u]: [b]1[/b] - [u]Total EXP[/u]: 4/10[/color]
[color=gray]𝙱𝙿[/color] [color=gold]●[/color][color=gray]●●●●[/color] [color=2e2c2c]----------------------------[/color] [color=2E2C2C]𝙱𝙿[/color] [color=2E2C2C]●[/color][color=2E2C2C]●●●●[/color]
[color=lightgray]Word Count: 3000 (+4 exp)
[b]Location[/b]: Sandswept Sky - Tostarena Town[/color][/center]
Out of all the places she could have met one of her friends, those fellow travelers from Orsterra, the last one she would have expected was this small, vibrant little town at the foot of a great desert mountain. Then again, she had first met Therion in a town much like this one, only nestled into the heart of the Clifflands. Was it some kind of fate or destiny that brought them together again? 

She approached the thief slowly, almost unbelieving. Therion looked her up and down with an eyebrow raised, but it seemed that he was satisfied with whatever he found. He tossed Primrose's coin purse back to her.

[color=BC8DBF]"So it [i]was[/i] you,"[/color] he said. [color=BC8DBF]"Your look's not the only thing that's changed. Getting a little carefree, are we?"[/color]

Primrose looked confused at first. Her heart was beating hard, spreading intense feelings of pure relief and gladness at finding one of her friends alive and well - and that was all he had to say? She was speechless at first, but just one look at him made her remember that he wouldn't think anything was wrong with this situation. Maybe he wasn't even missing any of the travelers at all. From his one visible eye, a gloomy red light glowed softly. A silence stretched between them, and Therion grew fidgety. Why wasn't she saying anything? Primrose took a deep breath and regrouped, although it was delayed.

[color=D34C25]"On the contrary, I should think you were losing your touch. You would normally not be caught so easily,"[/color] she finally replied, but Therion only rolled his eyes.

[color=BC8DBF]"It was intentional. You were supposed to notice,"[/color] he told her, [color=BC8DBF]"I'm more surprised at what you didn't notice missing."[/color] He produced a dagger from the folds of his clothes, the dagger of House Azelhart. Primrose's eyes widened ever further. Was she really growing complacent, traveling in a group even larger than the eight she was familiar with? She breathed out slowly through her nose, then narrowed her eyes and stuck her hand out to take the weapon back.

[color=BC8DBF]"Relax,"[/color] Therion said. He stepped close to her, pressing the dagger into her waiting palm. [color=BC8DBF]"Just testing you. Anyone would feel safe in a big group like [i]that.[/i] Can't believe you've already replaced us—"[/color]

He met her eyes while he talked, and found a genuine hurt in Primrose's eyes. It surprised Therion so much that he recoiled away from her. The dancer never showed her feelings so easily even with the travelers. She was upset, and only now trying to hide it once she saw how her expression had affected Therion.

[color=BC8DBF]"...you know that was a joke, right...?"[/color] he tried, his voice soft.

[color=D34C25]"...I have never known you to be particularly funny."[/color]

There was another brief stretch of silence, but a small smirk was steadily growing on Primrose's face. It gave her away, that she was recovering from the wound Therion had unknowingly inflicted on her. [color=BC8DBF]"Oh har har,"[/color] he said, rolling his eyes again. 

Gods, Primrose wanted to slap him. But she knew if she did, they'd do battle. She could feel that with a lot of her powers returned, she was probably more powerful than him - but she wasn't sure she'd be able to incapacitate him before he just gutted her. 

[color=D34C25]"I have been looking for you - for all of you. What are you doing here?"[/color]

[color=BC8DBF]"What are [i]you[/i] doing here? With that ragtag bunch, riding a train and buying climbing supplies?"[/color]

[color=D34C25]"Going climbing, is that not obvious?"[/color] She wanted to question how he knew what a train was given she'd only learned about them that morning, but she went on. [color=D34C25]"Traveling with a group of do-gooders, helping people. And saving the world."[/color]

[color=BC8DBF]"...now I can't tell if you're joking."[/color]

Primrose shrugged. She didn't have to convince him to believe her, she couldn't. [color=D34C25]"Are you by yourself? Have you seen any of the others?"[/color]

[color=BC8DBF]"No, I haven't."[/color]

So he was alone. Although they'd been together previously, more or less, when Galeem's light swept over them it also separated all of them. Or so Primrose assumed, given how she and Therion hadn't been with any of the others upon waking up here. Still, finding Therion in such a huge world... it gave Primrose a sense of hope that she hadn't felt in what seemed like a long time. 

[color=D34C25]"Come with us."[/color]

Therion blinked. Once, twice. Then he scoffed. [color=BC8DBF]"No thanks, you all look like a walking disaster."[/color]

She couldn't exactly argue against that. His blunt response didn't dash her spirits just yet though. [color=D34C25]"Then stay here. [i]Here,[/i] in Tostarena, so that I may find you when we descend the mountain."[/color] Therion looked skeptical, but she had to lock him down before she lost him again. She wanted to find all of her friends if possible, to make sure they were okay when everything... well, when whatever happened, happened. [color=D34C25]"I would rather not lose you,"[/color] she stated.

Therion rubbed the back of his head and sighed. [color=BC8DBF]"So my choices are climb a mountain with your traveling circus or stay put in this place for who knows how long?"[/color] Primrose tilted her head at his analogy about the Seekers, but otherwise didn't react, knowing he wasn't finished. [color=BC8DBF]"Why don't I just tell you where I'm headed, and we can meet there later?"[/color]

[color=D34C25]"Because you don't know where you are headed."[/color]

[color=BC8DBF]"I - ugh."[/color] The thief's shoulders slumped. [color=BC8DBF]"I'll think about it. But tell me, really, what are you doing?"[/color]

[color=D34C25]"I did tell you,"[/color] she said, and again Therion didn't look like he quite believed her. She added on quiet and solemn, [color=D34C25]"we are helping people, to find their ways home."[/color]
[hr]
A half-assed promise was about as good as she could get from Therion. Despite his evasiveness, she had faith that he would at the very least stick around the area. They had talked a little more before parting, if vaguely, about Primrose's plan with the Seekers. That they'd be scaling the mountain and taking down a powerful opponent. If Therion was concerned he hid it well. He had confided after a little while that it "might not be bad" to travel with the crew again, provided they could find them. It was clear that he had the same interests as Primrose, if not the same goal - yet. But that would come with time. If he wasn't going to travel with her, then she would just free him from Galeem on the way back.

...he would definitely be here when they got back. [i]Or so help me Gods, Therion.[/i]

When they separated, Primrose made her way back to the large group at the Happy Hongo. The free meal was another nice surprise on top of finding a missing companion. She hadn't thought much on the group size beyond that it was a lot of people. She had assumed they would all trudge up the mountain in one force, or perhaps a long single file line. But maybe Mao was right. A strong core group would be better than a larger, weaker one.

Primrose had a lot on her mind this afternoon, but she considered the current predicament, propping her chin up in her palm. [color=D34C25]"I veto the cannon,"[/color] she said. [color=D34C25]"Everyone should think about if they really want to make the trek. If there's any doubt, it may be better to stay behind. There would be no shame in it... but if all twenty four of us are willing to try, then why should we not try?"[/color]

There was a short cough of someone clearing their throat, standing off the side of the mass of people dining. [color=BC8DBF]"...make it twenty five, I guess."[/color]

She was almost as surprised to see Therion now as she was earlier in the alley. He stood there shifting from one foot to the other with a rucksack thrown over his shoulder. With his shawl and large scarf he was practically ready to venture out, even if it was his regular outfit. After splitting up from Primrose he had thought about her invitation. Her ultimatum, really. He had grumbled, but then thought hadn't be been looking a way out of town? Going up wasn't the direction he'd expected, but it would be more interesting then putzing around Tostarena for the foreseeable future. That we would leave Primrose in the dust didn't even cross his mind. He hadn't thought it strange to be separated from the other seven until running into one, and now it just made sense to stick together. Primrose, himself, and... all these other people.

With his hair falling over part of his face only one eye was visible, and it shifted between the large group. Now that he was up close, he could see that they did indeed have some 'animals' among them, and even children. [i]What the...[/i]

He might have started questioning his decision, if it weren't for the soft smile on Primrose's face. She was pleased. He wanted to be annoyed at that, but he just huffed and stayed quiet. Primrose stood up then, bringing a hand to her mouth to clear her own throat and try in vain to wipe away her smile. She glanced slightly at Therion, communicating with her eyes [i]I'm glad you're coming with me,[/i] before she looked at the Seekers at large.

[color=D34C25]"Well. Everyone, this is Therion. A friend I ran into in town,"[/color] she said. Therion thought her explanation could use some work, but he shrugged and nodded a greeting. He couldn't help but wonder what he was getting himself into.