[center][h2]Ladies’ Night[/h2]In Gerudo Town

Primrose’s [@Yankee], Jesse’s [@Zoey Boey], Panther’s [@Lugubrious]
[b]Word Count:[/b] 10297 (+11)[/center]

“Nice.” Jesse replied, assuming Primrose made the pun on purpose. Haha. Cooler. 

Jesse entered Gerudo town and did a brief spin, taking in its sights. Once again, the World of Light was an AWE of cataclysmic proportions, but it provided no shortage of things to do or look at. They finally killed that giant bastard of a worm, but the battle was epic and exhilarating and…

[i]It’s still all just the right kind of insane. You know what I mean, don’t you? I mean, it’s dangerous, and yeah, a little tragic. But it’s right where I belong. Is the eye of the storm even the right turn of phrase? I think I want to be IN the storm. That’s where all the action is. That’s where all the people who need help are. That’s where I can be the most useful, be myself. Right? [/i]

Speaking of places to make herself useful, there was already a commotion happening over at the jail. Technically, this was the part where she was supposed to rest up. And spending more quality time with the people she was supposed to fight to the death alongside once again did sound practical. Even as some of them split off. The one Jesse knew the most was Primrose, ever since their encounter in that crazy museum, but when she looked over she saw the dancer already approached by Panther.

Practically the instant Primrose glanced Panther's way, the blonde made her way over. Without her Phantom Thief attire applied, Ann Takamaki looked like a completely different person; just a normal, everyday young woman, though thanks to her fusion with Naga she'd gotten both a couple extra inches (making her look more like a college girl than a high-school one) and her scarlet-scaled snake tail. Despite all the pain and fatigue she accumulated today, between mountain climbs, subzero skirmishes, high-altitude flights, and train rides both monotonous and far, far too exciting, the girl wore a bright smile.

"Guess it's you and me again, bestie!" she joked as she and Primrose partied up. Together the two had been through a lot these past couple days. Neither were quite the same as who they'd been when they first began. But their teamwork, string wills, and firepower had gotten them through some of the most extreme temperatures and threats imaginable. Everyone else separated, headed their separate ways. Even Peacock waltzed off without a care in the world, the gleeful smile on her face making Panther hope that the little lunatic wouldn't get the group thrown out. After watching Sectonia make a beeline for the public bathhouse, the thief looked over the market. "If you wanna, like, get some new clothes, I'll be right behind you. I mean, I don't really need anything, 'cause these clothes didn't get messed up any." She gestured at the [url=https://i.imgur.com/y5AYtxP.png]crisp white outfit[/url] she'd purchased in Al Mamoon. "But shopping's totally my thing, so I'm super hyped to see what they've got!"

[color=D34C25]"So it would seem,"[/color] Primrose said, matching the younger girl's enthusiastic smile with one of her own, if a bit subdued as was the dancer's way. She was more than happy to have Panther as company, whether they were fighting, shopping, or simply exploring the city and taking in the sights. [color=D34C25]"I'll be trusting your eye for fashion."[/color] It seemed that Panther was coming along strictly for company (and the joy of window shopping) too, as she brought up that she didn't need any new clothes at the moment. [color=D34C25]"Quite the blessing, after everything we've been through today."[/color] Primrose recalled that they were robes from a defunct religious order, one purged by the Grimleal. Perhaps there was some lingering protection in them meant for the priestess that originally wore it. As for the dancer's clothes, though scuffed and frayed most of her garments were saved from major damage by her outer cloak - which now sported some tearing and holes. Nothing that couldn't eventually be fixed with a needle and thread, but regardless Primrose thought it best to have a back-up outfit at least while her current one dried. She was planning to thoroughly wash it and at the moment she only the over-sized robe meant for hippopotamus people otherwise. It was a bonus that the Gerudo aesthetic was similar to what she usually wore. [color=D34C25]"I don't expect this will take long, but perhaps we can do more shopping and sight-seeing in the morning,"[/color] she suggested while leading them both over to the market stalls were she'd caught a glimpse of some fabrics.

"Sure, if we've got time! I bet all this looks a lot better in the daytime. Still, I can hang around a while tonight too!" With soft, breathable cotton in the cool of night instead of the red latex catsuit she'd donned during the day's events, Panther seemed both happier and a lot more comfortable.

 Jesse finally got done lingering, and decided to make her play. She took a few steps into conversational distance and cleared her throat. “Hey, uh. Mind if I tag along, too?” She asked. “Just as a team building exercise.” She joked dryly. 

“Absolutely!” Panther exclaimed, although a second thought left her blinking. “Wait, uh, I mean I don’t mind at all, we’re happy to have you!”

	Jesse smirked. “Great. When someone says ‘do you mind’, though, I think ‘yes’ and ‘no’ both mean yes. The best way to actually say ‘no’ is to start your sentence with ‘Oh, actually…’ and then blah blah blah, give a reason.” Jesse nodded wisely, tapping the side of her head. 

“Oh, okay!” Scratching at her neck, Panther gave an embarrassed smile. “Trouble with knowing two languages, I guess. Hard to keep everything straight.”

	“Don’t get me wrong, here. The English language is one of the most incomprehensible things in the multiverse.” Jesse said. “And I’ve seen some fairly incomprehensible things.” 

Thoroughly amused by the exchange, Primrose chuckled lightly. [color=D34C25]"We'll take your word for it,"[/color] she said, and then. [color=D34C25]"In the essence of clarity, of course you're welcome to come. I don't mind either."[/color] 

	Jesse rolled her shoulder, briefly looking down at her shoes. “All loud and clear, then. Let’s rock. Go window shopping, or buy something together. Christ, I dunno how long it’s been since I’ve got clothes shopping at anything other than by myself at a thrift store.”

Together the trio approached the market stalls along Gerudo Town's main street, sifting through the shops yet to pack up for the night in search of a tailor. As good as their initial prospects looked, however, the three soon realized that their task might be a little more complicated than they first appeared. These stalls, all on the smaller side, served a mostly general purposes, offering food and drink, base materials like ores and gems, and other various personal products and crafts from lanterns too cookware to soap. All of them used tapestries or patterned blankets as awnings and decoration, so visual cues were hard to make out. After a couple minutes spent looking, Panther decided to just cut to the chase and ask someone.

"A clothes store?" A Gerudo fruitmonger asked, a curious look on her face. "Ah, yes, you must be new. Well, don't you worry. There's only one tailor in town, but she's not on the main thoroughfare here. Just head toward the palace, and turn left down the street opposite the jailhouse. Right at the end of the alley!"

Panther flashed the lady a grateful smile. "Thank you! When we're on the lookout for breakfast tomorrow morning, we'll be sure to head your way!"

Following the shopkeeper's directions, the blonde, red head, and brunette departed Gerudo Town's main street and took a side path. Unlike what Panther envisioned when she heard the word 'alley', this route was no darker, dirtier, or disreputable than anywhere else in the little city she'd seen so far, just a little less wide. She and Primrose passed an off-duty guard in line for some late-night Squats Chicken (now with extra bones!), a scruffy caramel-colored stray dog curled up with a bone (probably from Squats Chicken) and a hard-eyed[url=https://i.imgur.com/4ENm0fi.png]warrior[/url] who leaned against one of the nearby buildings as if waiting for someone. At the end of the street, just as promised, sat the tailor, and Panther knew it was the tailor because of the [url=https://i.imgur.com/mXuYJ3h.png]giant pair of scissors[/url] that hung overhead. With no facade, the store was open to the air, its shelves stacked high with huge bolts of cloth that came in all manner of color and texture. On every available surface were mannequins dressed in various garments, a great many suitable to local tastes and desert living in general, but a number that ranged far beyond. At the center of it all hung a crimson changing booth, its cloth sutured together like Frankenstein's monster.

As they drew near, they spotted the seat tailor silhouetted by a golden lantern on her table, and she rose to great them in a single, fluid motion, smooth as silk. In contrast to her showy, almost garish store, [url=https://i.imgur.com/2Fy8LtC.png]Yuria[/url] was the very picture of maturity and elegance in a complicated but masterfully woven dress. She seemed to radiate some sort of natural power, like starlight, and even glowed after a fashion, though maybe it was a trick of the light. After stepping into the open, she offered a playful smile and winked. "Why hello there, ladies. What can I help you with this fine evening? One of my splendid pre-made outfits, or are you here to have your soul's radiance expressed in my craft...?"

Panther blinked, a little overwhelmed by the woman's presence. "That sounds...interesting, but what, like, does that mean exactly?"

"A custom outfit my dear," Yuria told her, her voice full of good-natured laughter. "Tailor-made. The process does take just a little time, as I must become acquainted with your truest of selves, but the garment woven by your thread of fate is, without question, the only clothes you'll ever have that a truly...you." Her manner was teasing, as if cajoling the newcomers to give it a try. "So, what'll it be?"

[color=D34C25]"I will admit that I'm intrigued..."[/color] Primrose said, touching a hand to her chin in thought. Initially she'd just wanted something clean and simple. The shop, as strange-looking as it was, did have nice outfits all ready for sale. But perhaps she should give this enigmatic woman a chance if she could truly craft such clothing. The dancer was used to the flowery language of salespeople, more so after having befriended a merchant, but she'd be happy for beautiful outfit made just for her either way. What woman wouldn't? Whether she went for itt would depend on a couple of things, though. [color=D34C25]"So long as you wouldn't mind waiting,"[/color] she glanced at the other two as she spoke the first part, [color=D34C25]"then I'm not so concerned with the time, though I would like to get to sleep at a decent hour."[/color] Primrose matched the woman's playful tone, though she did raise an inquisitive brow with her next question. [color=D34C25]"What is the cost of such a service?"[/color]

The practical question failed to affect the tailor’s charming mystique in the slightest. “My, my. Well, naturally you would be concerned, and you could blame you? A one-of-a-kind garment, suitable for no other soul the world over, is a thing of remarkable intrinsic value, no? And yet, I have never accepted a single commission.” Yuria turned her head slightly in a coy fashion, her fingers tented as if presented with an intriguing proposition, or presenting a riddle. “For spinning one’s fate into apparel requires nothing but time, which is no concern of mine, and honesty, which more concerns you, I should think.” Her smile remained as her head tilted a touch and her eyes narrowed, searching for hidden secrets. “After all, what I seek -what I need- is to familiarize myself with the genuine nature of your soul, so that your outfit might be every bit as beautiful and sophisticated…or every bit as contemptible and hideous, should that be the case.” Yuria covered her mouth with a giggle. “Goodness me. Not everyone can face the truth!”

	Jesse had lingered towards the back during this conversation, already having some extra pairs of clothes shrunk to the size of peanuts and hidden away in her jacket. Though she couldn’t deny her intrigue, she also couldn’t deny her skepticism. A business going along offering one of the most expensive ways to make clothes for free? [i]’Anything is possible, but it’s equally as possible that this is just a marketing gimmick. Guess we’ll just have to see, huh?’[/i]

As she listened, Panther’s face turned from mildly perplexed confusion to wide-eyed realization. Her first impression of Yuria painted her as nothing more than an eccentric professional, with possibly the most severe case of ‘ara-ara energy’ she’d ever seen (and that included anime), but as the tailor let slip more details her custom outfit service sounded more and more magical in nature. Almost like an aesop, Yuria promised to reveal her clients’ true selves through her outfits, which naturally begged the question: was Panther beautiful on the inside? In her time with the Phantom Thieves, she’d done some serious soul-searching, accepting the rebellious spirit within in order to try and take back the life almost stolen from her. Awakening Carmen, however, hadn’t just solved all her problems; that alone didn’t get her to a good place, or make her a good person. Instead, it catalyzed the start of her mental journey, and she knew that she had a ways left to go. Still, Panther believed that she now possessed the strength to face herself, to see and accept whatever lay within as a part of her, and to find the determination to change what she didn’t like. She did it once, so she could do it again here if she needed. Especially if it was free.

That said, it wasn’t Panther that Yuria was looking at, but Primrose, as if she sensed something fascinating ferreted away behind her eyes.

The dancer considered everything that Yuria had said. That she'd create this outfit at no cost was surprising, and a little suspicious. Though if it were some kind of scam, Primrose couldn't see how that would benefit the tailor in anyway - plus with so many guardswomen around, she doubted that they would tolerate swindlers of any kind in town. It was more likely that she was the kind of eccentric, perhaps of the magical kind, that took deep pleasure in their craft. For that Primrose did not fault her.

[i]Time and honesty, hm?[/i] Though she did not like to discuss her past, Primrose was honest with herself. She knew what kind of person she was. The kind who would do anything to see her goals completed. The kind with the bloodstained past - and future. But to confide all of that in a stranger? Possibly to Ann and Jesse as well?

She hummed in thought. In the grand scheme of things, she likely wouldn't see Yuria again. Especially after Galeem was defeated and everyone's worlds went back to normal. Maybe no one would even remember their bizarre adventure, including those that had taken part in it. And if she ended up with a vile garment, she still had her regular clothes besides. Primrose recalled her conversation with Panther in Al Mamoon, about giving in to the vengeful feelings. Who knew, if the outfit Yuria made for her was truly a reflection of herself, it might even aid her in some way.

[color=D34C25]"...alright,"[/color] Primrose said. After thinking on it her eyes twinkled darkly, but they were mostly curious. [color=D34C25]"Let's see what you have for the outfit that is truly ‘me.’"[/color] 

	“Now, in order for me to know your true soul, you must tell me your mother’s maiden name, your credit card number, and the three numbers on the back.” Jesse joked quietly, almost to herself. “I mean, could you imagine actually getting some ugly outfit because you’re a terrible person, Primrose? What if she just hands you a potato sack or something. Or a dunce cap. I don’t know if I’d be capable of letting an insult like that stand.” 

[color=D34C25]"Well at least they would be free,"[/color] she chuckled. 

“Oh my, surely that’s not projection I’m hearing?” Yuria tittered behind her hand. “Ohoho, of course not, I’m sure that you’re well beyond such insecurities.” She allowed her fingers to rest against her lips as she looked over Primrose and Panther. “I applaud your curiosity–the both of you. I can that you’re intrigued as well, aren’t you dear?” she asked the Phantom Thief, who could only concede that she was. Yuria smiled all the brighter. “Excellent. Nothing can be solved by restraining yourself, after all.”

When those words left her, Panther’s blood just about froze. She remembered in crystal clarity the day she first heard those words, uttered as part of the contract between herself and her Persona, Carmen. Or something similar, at least. It was coincidence, right? It [i]had[/i] to be. The girl cleared her throat and put on a smile of her own as the tailor continued.

“I’m so happy to have piqued your interest. Well, in order for me to begin, we would need several hours together. Chatting over some activity, perhaps. But while I’m something of a night owl, I get the feeling that you ladies might need some beauty sleep.” Yuria crossed her arms, a sympathetic expression on her face. “Tomorrow might suit you better. If you need something now, however, I’m sure that you’ll find something among what I’ve already tailored that’ll suit your fancy.” With a wave of her hand, a number of lanterns floated into the air around her shop, casting various articles of clothing she thought might befit her clients in the best possible light.

[i]A couple of hours...[/i] Depending on if Alice could find the parts they needed, they might not have the time. Though with no payment needed, it wouldn't be a loss for any of them if they didn't show up. On the flip side they might have more than enough time, if the Victory wouldn't be in flying shape tomorrow. Primrose nodded to the tailor, letting her know that they'd see her again then, if they were still in town. In the meantime she would pick up something else to have on hand, then the three of them could continue on. The dancer went with something closer to her original plan, a red, white, and gold desert ensemble that was more in line with the clothes the locals wore.

Though she didn’t converse with Primrose at all, Panther was in agreement. While she’d try this service out in the morning if she got the chance, she couldn’t afford to spend a couple hours idling tonight, not after what she’d been through today–and not if she wanted her ‘true self’ to be anything other than delirious with exhaustion. While her friend made her selection, the thief told Yuria, “I’d really like to give it a shot, but you’re totally right. I don’t know if I could last one hour, let alone several.”

“I’ll see you all tomorrow morning then,” Yuria purred. “Sleep well~”

Once Primrose had her new clothes, Panther looked between her present company. “Okay gang, where to now?”

Primrose glanced up at the sky while the three of them slowly made their way back onto the main street from the alleyway.  Though they were all tired, it hadn't been that long since they'd got to town, and it has been dusk then. [color=D34C25]"I didn't have any exciting plans, I'd be glad to get washed, get changed, and get to bed. Though if there were other ideas, I wouldn't mind either."[/color] She looked to Jesse to see if the director had any of her own to offer. 

Jesse rubbed the back of her head. “Um. Yeah, that sounds good. I don’t wanna drag you two anywhere you don’t wanna go. Maybe we could hang out in the morning or something?” She shrugged, her smile a semi-grimace. 

By the time the three stepped back onto Gerudo Town’s main thoroughfare, however, none to fail to notice that something was very wrong just across the way. From the jailhouse on the other side of the street they heard a terrific din that melded the roar of stricken and impassioned voices with the clamor of destroyed wood and heavy impacts. As they watched, two guardswomen struggled against the reinforced wood of the front door under the direction of their captain, not to break in, but to contain whatever was inside. Fists pounded and shoulders barged the door, knocking the guards back with each mighty blow, but they fearlessly surged back and pressed against it again and again. After another moment a big boot smashed through the center of the door and promptly withdrew, leaving a hole. The captain of the guard then charged, sliding her spear through the hole to strike whatever lay inside. There came a deep, husky groan from inside, and for a moment the assault stilled. Then:

“HaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAHH!”

The door, and the wall to either side of it, exploded outward. Both guards fell underneath the rubble, and the captain tumbled backward, disarmed. Gritting her teeth, she got to her feet with her eyes on the cloud of dust that had replaced the jailhouse’s front, only for a hatchet to hurtle out of the haze and lodge in her collarbone. Gasping in agony, she sunk to the earth as the [url=https://i.imgur.com/mn0LzxF.png]Huntress[/url] emerged from inside. Though uncommonly tall and brawny, the killer moved with a deathly silence, or would have if not for the eerie humming that drifted across the street, and the clink of broken chains dangling from the shackles on her wrists.

The next second, a second prisoner appeared on her left. For a moment the dust made it difficult to tell exactly what the onlookers were seeing, until the second escapee stood up. At an astonishing twelve feet tall, [url=https://i.imgur.com/W2IOlyC.png]Scythana[/url] towered over even the loftiest Gerudo by a fair margin, and despite her thin physique (and handcuffs), carried the limp body of a senseless guardswoman over her shoulder like a half-living bludgeon. Still, even the half-Gigan didn’t seem capable of the destruction inflicted on the prison’s front.

Just then, of course, the culprit became clear. A third and final jailbird stepped through, also having to duck to make it through. If the Huntress was strong and Scythana was tall, then their ringleader combined both traits and then some. Standing like a goddess of myth, freed from imprisonment and ready to unleash her wrath upon the world that dared to lock her away, the [url=https://i.imgur.com/uHc8kWx.png]Amazon[/url] was a warrior of frankly ridiculous stature. Clad in nothing but boots, gauntlets, and an honest-to-God chainmail bikini, she made both her strength -and her pride- crystal clear at a single glance. In just one hand she held war axe with a handle nearly as tall as she, its blade wide enough to fell a redwood tree, and like an empress she surveyed her new domain with fiery eyes.

“Forward!” a distant voice cried. “Surround them!” From the palace a squadron of golden-armored Gerudo fighters sprinted toward the scene, but before backup could arrive Panther was already on the move.

The instant the guard captain hit the ground Panther launched forward, her white clerical robes burning away in azure flame to reveal the attire of a Phantom Thief. “Let’s move, Carmen!” Summoning her Persona, she slid on her knees to the side of the fallen woman, where she began to administer first aid with the healing skill Diarama. Neither Scythana nor the Amazon flinched at her use of magic, instead looking on with a mixture of amusement and scorn, but the Huntress hurled another hatchet. It harmlessly passed through Carmen to bounce off the ground and slam into a barrel behind her, and as the Persona disappeared Panther got to her feet, her patient stabilized. When she rose her hand it held her submachine gun, trained on the Huntress, but she did not fire. The question of whether to attack, or to leave the matter to the incoming authorities, remained.

It became a sudden stand-off, with the three escaped prisoners staring down the three recent arrivals to town. [i]Oh, my.[/i] That Amazoness was quite the specimen. Primrose blinked a few times, as she hadn't expected that little commotion they'd noticed at the town's gate to turn into a full blown jailbreak. Now there were three powerful, and potentially criminal, ladies on the loose until the town's guard arrived. Or, until they intervened. Personally it didn't seem like the wisest choice to ignore a jail break right in front of you, especially if you wanted a safe town to sleep in. 

[color=D34C25]"Well, ladies,"[/color] Primrose began. She gently tossed the bundle containing her recent purchase to the side. It wasn't actually clear if she was speaking to the criminals or her comrades, but she went on, flipping her hair over her shoulder as she did. [color=D34C25]"Shall we dance?"[/color] 

Jesse had drawn her Service Weapon, watching the brief tail end of the fight. Rolling her shoulder, she prepared for yet another fight. Her comrades seemed up to it, which was good, because so was she. Even if it was a little outside her wheelhouse, crime fighting was still a part of protecting people. Which was her job description. “Yeah, let’s do it.” She approached, standing by Panther’s side. “Seriously though, what’s with all the midriff around here?” She mumbled. 

Primrose was not a strategist really, but she considered what the best buff in this situation would be and came to the conclusion that it was speed. She was under no delusion that the buff women had traded their own speed for muscles, but if they were as fast as they were strong then the Seekers would just have to be faster. She took a step back in order to perform the aptly named [i]Panther Dance[/i] for Jesse and Ann. 

Her magic waltz signaled the end of the standoff, and as the Huntress went to sling her third and final hatchet, Panther opened fire. A torrent of bullets rattled straight into the killer’s body, for the axe-wielding woman made no move to dodge, and with a sinking feeling the Phantom Thief realized why. Very much unlike a real-world firearm, her submachine gun was more a tool of intimidation than destruction. It dealt mediocre damage on a good day, only really useful for polishing off an enemy on death’s door or downing a foe weak to being shot, and the Huntress was anything but. She shrugged off the bullets as if they were spitballs, but they did seem to convince her that an hatchet to the forehead would be too merciful a fate for Panther, and as she plodded forward the Huntress stowed her hatchet in favor of an enormous [url=https://preview.redd.it/lmpoy0j4snb51.jpg?auto=webp&s=485f9fcba5c7a8b5c3d4f0013c7022bb1ed8add2]timber axe[/url] with a blade stained in blood.

Still, even that wasn’t the most fearsome weapon present, and along with the Huntress the Amazon and Scythana moved in. “Three on three,” the half-Gigan observed with an excited smile. Unlike their scary but sluggish counterpart the other two picked up speed fast, their enormous strides bringing them over to Jesse and Ann in a matter of seconds. 

Jesse realized with a frown that she might have to be the main damage dealer. Fortunately, fighting tough things was kind of her forte. Unlike Ann, her gun packed a helluva punch. As the two approached, Jesse took the few seconds she had to take aim at those legs of theirs and see if she could put begin putting the hurt on them to slow them down. Switching her gun to Shatter, she aimed Amazon’s knee and blasted a shotgun round into it. Then, she switched targets to Scythana’s knee and did the same. 

“Stay back!” Jesse said to both Ann and to the oncoming menaces. She was prepared to use both her speed buff and her Evade to dodge away. She eyed the unconscious woman slung over Scythana’s shoulders, really having no idea how to get her safe. Seemed like that was about the worst spot to be in. The only worse spot would be if the hand was around her neck instead of her legs. 

The first shotgun blast did some damage to the Amazon’s leg, but that was no ordinary skin she seemed so eager to show off. Despite the painful and bloody wound left behind, she suffered no crippled mobility, and though her brow twitched in anger she made no sound. At the same time Scythana, already approaching her enemies with a plan in mind, saw what was going to happen to her and without hesitation interposed the body of the Gerudo guard between gun and knee, so that her captive would take the blow. “Careful!” the half-Gigan smirked at Jesse. “That shoot-first attitude’s gonna get someone killed!” Using her foot she popped up one of the fallen guard’s polearms, and with spear and shield in hand she advanced.

At the same time, the Amazon had picked up speed, until all three opponents were well inside her absurd effective range. “...Fall!” Her axe swung around in a gigantic sweep that clobbered the poor guard who’d only just been revived. As Primrose ducked and retreated, and Jesse evaded with Scythana going after her, Panther leaped up and over. Her sideways vault brought her out of attack range, and since she couldn’t call it a safe distance due to how quickly the Amazon could cover ground, she acted fast.

Her gun disappeared, and when her red whip took its place she cracked it to cover the weapon in flame. As Primrose’s speed buff spurred her on, the thief lashed her whip against the Amazon’s flesh thrice in quick succession, pirouetting with the second hit and cartwheeling with the third to stay on the move and keep her distance. “Now, Carmen!” It ended with an Agilao from her Persona, whose burst of flame blossomed brilliantly against the surrounding shadows. The warrior, forced to block the combo by the searing, stinging pain, grit her teeth as the flames set her a blaze, much to Panther’s approval. “If someone has wind magic, now’s the- eek!”

Right next to her, a dark shape loomed, a large [url=https://i.imgur.com/C6T1R65.png]locker[/url] overhead. How easily the killer Huntress disappeared into the darkness of night! She slammed the locker down on Panther from above, smashing her into the ground with such force that she broke through the back wall and popped out the doors in front, then struck it with a simple but ruthlessly powerful kick that sent whole thing flying end over end in a shower of splinters. After making sure to collect the hatchets that spilled out along with the debris, the Huntress followed her prey once more. With the irksome firestarter taken care of, the Amazon could focus her full attention on Primrose.

While Jesse and Panther had had the ruffians distracted, Primrose went in for an encore with the defense-boosting Mole Dance. With the speed to help keep away from attacks and a bolstered defense in the case that they were struck anyway, it should keep everyone alive while they held off the prisoners. That was the plan anyway - and she hoped it was enough when Panther was ambushed.

[i]Bad start.[/i] Jesse thought to herself, watching one of their number already getting knocked down.  “I was trying to be nice.” Jesse said to Scythana, referring to her going for disabling shots instead of headshots.

Jesse Evaded backwards once more, putting some space between her and Scythana. “Sven.” She called out, and the mad alchemist appeared by her side. “Elastic Ooze.”

Jesse put away her Service Weapon and pulled out the Tool Gun. Switching it to inflate, aimed at the guardswoman Scythana was carrying. She doubled the woman’s size, making her nigh-impossible to carry in order to trip up Scythana. When she slipped from Scythana’s grasp, Sven’s Elastic Ooze, tossed between her and the ground, would launch her into the air. At the apex, Jesse quickly aimed to attach a number of balloons to her. Once she floated in mid air, she’d be out of reach for now.

As her hostage suddenly went from eight to sixteen feet in height, four more than herself, Scythana’s lips curled in a snarl. Even if she couldn’t claim the outrageous strength of full Gigan heritage, a woman who could lift and swing around the likes of Big Band in all his five-thousand-pound glory wasn’t about to give up so easily. Scythana chucked her spear at Jesse inexpertly and lifted the wounded guard’s above her head by the leg with both hands and a clenched jaw. Like an Olympic hammer thrower she then began to whirl her captive around, gaining momentum both as she picked up speed and Jesse’s rapid-fire balloons lightened her load. After a few seconds she let loose, and the unconscious body hurled Jesse’s way. With a knockout blow staring her in the face, the FBC director pulled her Tool Gun’s trigger for all it was worth, attaching enough balloons in a short enough time before she ducked that the supersized Gerudo sailed harmlessly overhead.

Scythana attempted to rush Jesse down, but Sven’s ooze came in handy in a different way. It bounced the half-Gigan’s foot up when she stepped on it, forcing her to get clear before she lost her footing completely. The brief exchange left her unarmed, but it also maxed out Jesse’s Tool Gun charges, leaving both momentarily disarmed. Just as Jesse could switch to her Service Weapon however, Scythana went for the guard that the Amazon laid out just moments prior.

Fortunately, Jesse didn’t feel the need to line up a shot with her Service Weapon. The inaccurate spear throw that Jesse had side-stepped earlier came in handy. Picking up the spear with her mind, she Launched it towards Scythana’s back. “Never too late to surrender.” Jesse called out as she did. 

“Sven, healing!” She called out, and Sven reached into his pouch. He tossed a flask of Restorative Water towards the recently clobbered Gerudo captain. Jesse hoped it would be enough to undaze her so she wouldn’t become another human shield. With her Tool Gun out of charges, she would just have to have Primrose had some magic dances up her sleeve that could rescue any more human shields if they did get captured. 

The stab in the back made Scythana stumble, groaning as she doubled over. Thanks to her handcuffs she couldn’t go for both the spear and the guard captain at the same time, so she reached over her shoulder to grasp and yank out the spear. “Grrrrr,” she growled, her face scrunched up into an angry scowl as she snapped the weapon in half. “I can’t!” Before she could grab the Gerudo again, the freshly revitalized woman scooted backward out of reach, leaving Scythana with no body to help her and a sitting duck for target practice. “Damn it!” She turned the spearhead around in her hand to hold like a knife and sprinted at Jesse full tilt.

“Oh, right. Sorry.” Jesse said, converting her weapon into the fully automatic Spin form. She did a few calculations in her head. That one guard needed medical attention, Jesse had accidentally shot her. Panther was on the run and Primrose was dealing with the biggest and baddest of them all by herself. Jesse felt like it would be irresponsible to go easy on these escaping murderers and risk losing allies and friends. So she opened fire, full blast right into Scythana’s belly, the recoil most likely bringing the bullets closer to her chest after a while. Her gun would lose speed and need to be recharged. If Scythana bullied through and got close, Jesse was once again prepared to Evade to the side. If Scythana obviously crumpled under the fusillade, she would relent and let her lay on the off chance she could be taken alive with healing magic. 

At that range, and that size, there was no evading bullets. While tough as nails, Scythana lacked the sheer natural tankiness necessary to plow through it too, and when Jesse’s barrage pierced her exposed belly, her rush ended with her doubled over and on her knees, her hands stained with blood as they tried to staunch the flow. Instead of anguish, however, her face betrayed every hint of her anger and rebellious spirit, if only Jesse could see it. In a desperate ploy Scythana lunged forward from the kneel, throwing her long arms out before her in a bid to cover the last of the distance between her and her opponent. If her rather large hands didn’t strike her, the lash of her handcuffs’ chain just might.

Jesse had her gun trained on Scythana, but she had to admit, such a trick took her off guard. She didn’t imagine that her enemies, apparently blood-lusted beyond their control, would cease in their effort for some kind of trick. And in all of her experience, she’d never face an enemy that didn’t thrash and fight and bite until the very last. As a reflex, Jesse pulled the trigger of her gun, but if Scythana wanted to get her licks in, this was her chance. 

The instinctive snapshot raked across Scythana’s shoulder, but even a direct hit might not have been enough. When the half-Gigan fully extended her attack, her fist knocked aside her assailant’s gun arm, and the next second their separation pulled tight the slack of her handcuff’s chain to wallop Jesse right in the middle. [i]”Oof!”[/i] Jesse’s cheeks puffed out, eyes widening. Its weight bruised her ribs and emptied her lungs, staggering her long enough that Scythana could roll forward after hitting the ground and bright both arms down upon her. Rather than a double hammer, however, she grabbed at Jesse and yanked her close. In a flash the chain wound around her, pinning both arms to her side. After that, the simple act of pulling her hands apart caused the chain to squeeze tighter and tighter.

Jesse’s grit her teeth, her eyes squeezed shut, a pained groan escaping her as she struggled, kicking her legs. 

Meanwhile, with the Amazon's eyes on her, Primrose shifted seamlessly from her dance steps into a fighting stance as her magic began to shimmer in her hand. The bikini clad fighter wasn't free of the fire just yet. Eager to keep some distance between herself and that axe, Primrose let the Black Flame spell fly toward it's wielder, and then another. She was moving back away from the Amazon as she cast her magic, trying to think of some way to contain the situation quickly. Her thoughts moved through her spell list, her inventory, her strikers... [i]Ah, there's an idea.[/i]

The warrior jumped over and swerved around the dancer’s pyromancy when able as she approached, not taking the unusual flame as lightly as she did more physical attacks. Being so big meant that she could cover a lot of ground in a single step, however slow it might be. She attacked with her axe repeatedly, using its range to whack and chop at Primrose despite her best attempts to stay out of harm’s way. Luckily, the speed buff she’d given herself granted her a critical edge and kept her one step ahead.

That also allowed her to sneak a quick glance toward where Panther ended up, flat on her back in a pile of wooden and metal debris in an empty, now half-destroyed market stand. The Huntress still advanced on her, but slowly, and though she threw a hatchet it got obstructed by the remains of locker and stall. Panther, meanwhile, called on Carmen as soon as she could to patch up her own wounds with Diarama, and in just a moment she was fighting-fit again. Thinking on her feet, she used her whip and her legs to spread the wreckage out around her, which she then ignited with her own fire breath, courtesy of her Naga fusion. In a flash she stood in the midst of a little inferno, protected by her double-strength fire resistance, and as the Huntress was forced to think twice. The sight of Panther doing okay took a weight off Primrose’s mind, at least, and allowed her to focus on the big, big task at hand. And she really did need to give her full attention to the warrior in front of her - only just keeping out of the axe's cutting path she could truly feel the force behind each swing in the form of air being cleaved apart. Even with an increase to her defense, one decent blow and she'd probably be cut right in two. Seeing that her current tactics wouldn't last her long, the dancer called forth some help.

[color=D34C25]"Hippowdon!"[/color] Primrose said, summoning the Pokémon's spirit in front of her. It took the brunt of the Amazon's swing, and Primrose could feel pain blooming in her own side through the striker's tough exterior. Even so, as soon as it manifested she began another dance, one that would grant the divine skill to spread effects to multiple targets. [color=D34C25]"Use your Yawn!"[/color] 

It seemed silly, but the heavyweight Pokémon did exactly that - opening it's mouth wide and yawning so as to make any opponent drowsy. With the buff of it's master's dance, the yawn was loud enough to be heard by all of their foes. Even so the effect was not instantaneous, and the striker's time was up. It disappeared, leaving Primrose almost where she started.

[color=D34C25]"I'd be willing to trade dance partners,"[/color] she murmured, conjuring her dark magic. The wide range of her Night Ode spell might serve better here. The dark circle formed under the Amazon, it's caster hoping to catch her in it before she could clear the magic's area of effect.

The drowsiness of Hippowdown’s Yawn spread from the Amazon to the Huntress and Scythana in an instant. Wary of a status attack whose called-out name suggested an ability to inflict sleep, the warrior hesitated a moment to take stock of how she felt, and take action as necessary. For now though, the effect was so minor that she couldn’t really tell the difference, and with the thick-skinned hippo out of the way, she moved to put Primrose down for the count. Before she could lift her axe for a running chop, however, she noticed the dancer’s stance, as well as the ring of dark magic that ensued. If the care she’d taken to avoid magic so far meant a susceptibility of some kind, it also probably meant that the Amazon knew well how to avoid it. With an annoyed grunt she jumped out of the blast radius, landed near Primrose, and threw out a hefty kick in the hopes of catching the dancer before she could speed away again.

The kick connected with Primrose's arms, hastily thrown up in defense as she backed away. She grimaced through grit teeth as her arms shook from the shock of pain. Still she counted herself lucky that she didn't have any broken bones - the Amazon's strength was something else. Had Primrose been a moment slower, or without the bump in defense, she'd have probably seen her arms disabled, and been a goner not long after that. 

The Amazon's attack pushed Primrose back with it's strength, and what little time was afforded to her the dancer used to cast another spell. Her magic was her best bet, as she doubted her dagger would do more than tickle the warrior. She slammed her palm on the ground, giving life to the Black Serpent pyromancy.

At her bidding a trail of vile black-white flame tore across the ground in the Amazon’s direction. With Primrose pushed back, close enough to the wall on the far side of the thoroughfare that another such blow would leave her pinned, the Amazon moved fast. In just another handful of seconds the palace guards would arrive, and her odds of an escape from this place would plummet, but before she could make a break for it she needed both of her attackers out of commission. As the warrior rushed Primrose down, she moved aside only slightly to dodge her Black Serpent pyromancy, but the fire magic twisted toward her as if alive. A bitterly pained grunt escaped the Amazon when the flame crashed against her leg, breaking her stride despite her best attempt to plow through. With her left knee, calf, and foot all wounded, she put all her strength into her other leg for a mighty jump, carrying the momentum through into a terrifying, but ever-so-slightly sloppy, flying cleave.

At the same time, Panther had her own problems. Despite her hesitation at the edge of Panther’s field of fiery debris, the Huntress ultimately plodded straight in. The flames licked at her clothes, but she pushed forward as if they were make-believe, single-minded in her effort to slaughter the Phantom Thief where she stood. “Wha!? You’re kidding me!” In disbelief, Panther summoned Carmen to roast the killer where she stood, then added more fuel to the fire with her own flame breath, but from the raging blaze the Huntress appeared, slowed but visually undamaged. Part of Panther wanted to panic–her foe was just like a horror movie monster after all, inexorable, unable to be killed or even hurt in any way. But then again, the Huntress was slow, and the thief wasn’t about to lose track of her again. When she went to throw hatchets, Panther dodged, then sprinted out of her inferno to a safe distance. Naturally, when she looked back, there the Huntress was, just walking right through the flame. “Unbelievable,” she grimaced. No wonder Gerudo Town had tried to keep this nightmare in confinement. But what could she do to stop her?

She wracked her brain trying to remember her various spells, and after a moment snapped her fingers. “...Carmen!” Her Persona manifested in a majestic azure flare. “Tenta…Tentufu…I mean, Tentafoo. Damn it, you know the one!”

Carmen did. She cast Tentarafoo, and as the hex radiated over all three enemies, its debilitative
magic challenged their mental fortitude to scramble their minds and inflict confusion. It failed to affect Scythana, but mid-swing the Amazon threw her axe away, which both sent a lethal projectile at Primrose and left her disarmed. Primrose’s eyes widened and she ducked, though that seemed to be an action that the Amazon anticipated even in her confusion. As the axe slammed into the wall behind her, the Amazon still rushed forward directly at the crouched and trapped mage. The Huntress, meanwhile, stopped in her tracks, dazed and wobbling drunkenly. Panther grinned and gave one final command. “Now, Fire Break!”

Atop all three enemies, a red-hot, sun-shaped sigil appeared, then burst into flame. In an instant their resistance to fire was nullified, which in the case of the Huntress caused her to take damage as normal. Since her confusion left her standing in Panther’s inferno, she caught fire immediately, and growled in pain as her body began to burn.  She hobbled toward her would-be prey, but the girl fought back, lashing the Huntress again and again with a fire-infused whip. Soon its cracks scoured away chunks of ash at a time. Succumbing to the wounds she shouldn’t be able to have, the killer sank to her knees, but raised her axe for one final throw.

Then the dancer’s Yawn took effect. At the same time, the Amazon, Scythana, and the huntress all fell asleep, despite their wounds. The grip of the half-Gigan’s chains loosened as her arms dropped, and though she tried to fight it, her head lolled backward, and a moment later she hit the ground. Though she struggled heroically, the Amazon met the same fate, and just in time to stop a massive punch that might have taken Primrose’s head off. Instead she stumbled forward and, unable to maintain her footing, toppled over to land face down on the ground, her hair spread out all over. For the Huntress, sleep meant that her final act of resistance ended before it started, a pitiable failure. Panther became a blur as she unleashed a final pyroclasm, ending in a [url=https://i.imgur.com/cqsYtfY.png]cheeky pose[/url] as the ferocious killer burned away.

Jesse thought she might land awkwardly on the slumbering Scythana, still in her grip. Instead, she floated gently in mid air, instinctively. [i]Oh, now you show up.[/i] Lowering herself to the ground she set her hands on her knees and coughed, wiping her lips with her sleeve. 

“...That was a little close.” She said, voice strained. “Someone get on that hostage I shot, please.” She asked. Rubbing her face, Jesse knew she really fucked that one up. Her Health could only take her so far, and if she couldn’t move to collect it, it would just stay on the ground. If she had just shot Scythana in the face when she had the chance, that wouldn’t have been such a close call. But then Scythana would be dead, and that didn’t seem particularly fair. Still, the damage Scythana had taken would be returned to Jesse now as she walked over the blue crystals only she could see. Taking a deep breath, refreshed, she surveyed the field. 

“You two okay?”

[color=D34C25]"More or less,"[/color] Primrose sighed. Gingerly she stepped around where the Amazon had fallen to regroup with the other girls and check on their status. It wasn't quite how she had wanted to spend the night, but they couldn’t have in good conscience let criminals go free. At Jesse's instruction the dancer picked her way toward the bleeding guard with the healing flame of Warmth in her hand. 

Breathing heavily, Panther made her way to the others. “I’m okay, I healed myself,” she told them as she swapped back to civilian attire, which allowed her to brush the sweat from her brow with the back of of her hand. “Whew,” she gasped, fanning herself with the sleeve of her robe. “That was a close one. They were for real!” Her eyes landed on the spirit of the Huntress, which sat atop her ashes. “That one, like, definitely wasn’t human. Like something from an old horror flick.”

“That’s good.” Jesse said. “You really saved my ass back there. Thanks…whatever name you go by now is. I feel like if I say the wrong one I’m going to blow your secret identity.” 

The Phantom Thief gave a weary laugh. “Oh, it probably doesn’t matter. You can just call me Ann. Although, I think it was Primrose who saved you. I wish I thought about sleeping them!”

“Oh. Well. I guess I formally retract my thanks from you, Ann, and transfer it onto Primrose. Thanks, Primrose.” Jesse said.

The woman in question chuckled lightly. [color=D34C25]"Let's just call it a team effort."[/color] 

At that point, the palace guard arrived. Four or five Gerudo spearfighters surrounded the Amazon and Scythana apiece, while the young [url=https://i.imgur.com/sjd60Rd.png]Lady Riju[/url] approached the trio. “Thank you for your assistance, brave outsiders,” she told Primrose, Ann, and Jesse, speaking with the gravitas of someone far older than herself. “I deeply regret that my warriors were unable to quell this threat, and that you had to become involved. Rest assured that this incident shall not be repeated. You should go.”

She gave a stiff nod to [url=https://i.imgur.com/4VxmObi.png]Buliara[/url], her guard commander, who called out, “For our fallen sisters!” Together the Gerudo readied themselves, using skills, oils, paper, and greases to enchant or empower their weapons. When Ann suddenly realized what was about to happen, she covered her ears and looked away. Then Buliara gave the word, and her cohort plunged their spears into the sleepers’ bodies.

Both awoke with guttural cries of pain, and though the Amazon struggled, Scythana couldn’t do anything about the polearms pinning her to the ground, except die. “Grrrrrah…” she gasped, her face contorted as her hands closed weakly around two of the weapons that impaled her. “It’s not…fair,” she gasped. “Why was I…even…here? Uuuugh…”

Buliara ignored her last breaths, instead hurrying over to where the Amazon was rising to her hands and knees, lifting the Gerudo who’d stabbed her off the ground. Her claymore rose, then fell, again and again until the juggernaut fell back down, never again to rise. The escapees’ still forms soon turned to ash, and only their spirits remained.

Just as fast as they arrived, the palace guards departed, the solemn-faced Riku safe in their midst. Though terrible, the violence visited upon market street was but brief, and the night’s stillness again took over. And yet, to Ann it seemed as though the peace that one occupied the place had been irreparably broken, and she couldn’t look at it quite the same way. While she felt no sympathy for the Huntress, an entity that existed only to slaughter and maim, Scythana and the Amazon had been real women–as real as it got in the World of Light, anyway. Galeem’s influence meant that they couldn’t retreat from any fight without a decisive finish, and with lethal weapons plus a pinch of desperation in the mix, things had gotten gruesome both here and in the past. Even if they were bad people, she came from a society where the idea of execution on the spot like that was a profound shock to the average civilian. She took deep breaths, shaking a little, as she tried to recover from the justice of a warrior race that operated by ‘eye for an eye’.

	Jesse scratched the back of her head, not sure what to think. Her mind returned to practical matters, and she used her Tool Gun which had regained just enough charge to shrink the wounded Gerudo guard back to her original size before she woke up. That was definitely police brutality where she came from, too. But she wasn’t where she was from, and whatever she felt, she had no choice but to respect the customs of the people that lived here. 

“Uh, yeah. That was pretty fucking brutal.” She said, holstering her Tool Gun and vanishing her Service Weapon. Stuffing her hands into her pockets, she rolled her neck. “Just one more reason to kill Galeem. It’s probably only a matter of time before places start tearing themselves apart.” She thought aloud. “We still staying here tonight?”

Once more Primrose regrouped with the others, after having watched the execution from where she was crouched over the wounded guard healing, unable to stop it even after they'd managed to incapacitate two of the three troublemakers. Without knowing anything about the people that had just died, witnessing the harsh punishment left a sour taste in her mouth. She agreed with Jesse's words and nodded, both in approval and to answer her question.

[color=D34C25]"Yes, I think I'll still stay in town,"[/color] Primrose said. She wrapped an arm around Ann’s shoulders in a comforting gesture. [color=D34C25]"Though I'll walk you to the gate if you wanted to spend the night with Skull and the others."[/color] 

	While she hadn’t considered such a course of action herself, Ann couldn’t help but admit that her friend’s suggestion tempted her. Regardless of the circumstances, the whole episode left her a little unsettled, and some distance might very well help her sleep better. “Y-yeah, maybe,” she murmured. She appreciated the consolation, but her eyes lingered on the fallen spirits of the prisoners. Evidently the revelation of what spirits were and what they could do, privilege to only a few in Al Mamoon, had yet to reach Gerudo town. She stooped and collected the nearest one, which belonged to Scythana. Fusion with a Naga went a ways toward making her tougher, but if she and the others learned anything from this fight, it was that they might not be as tough as they needed to be. If not for Primrose’s specific combination of Yawn and Sealticge’s Seduction, their random encounter might have ended in a total wipeout. Scythana had been very strong, but pretty too, in a rugged sort of way. Could she be a good fit? Well, Ann could find out tomorrow. She pocketed the half-Gigan’s spirit, then rejoined Primrose. From the sound of it, the dancer wouldn’t be returning to the oasis, and if that was what a mature woman would do, so would Ann. “

I think…I’ll be okay. If I have you two and the others, that’s enough.”

The dancer nodded and smiled gently. That would be hard for them to forget, but at the very least they should move on. She looked to Ann and Jesse and said, [color=D34C25]"That's more than enough action for one day… Shall we get moving?"[/color] Now it was really time to turn in for the night. The climb, the descent, the train battle, and now this... Primrose was very tired, and sore even after healing. At this point she doubted anything but another apocalypse would be able to delay them on their way to a place to lay their heads. Primrose scooped up her purchase from where she’d tossed it, as well as the spirit of the fallen Amazon. It was a pity that she'd been reduced to his, but her strength could be put to good use if nothing else. 

Jesse put her hands on her lower back, leaning backwards. “We gonna find an inn or something? I’m not exactly rolling in dough but I can pay for myself.” She said, pausing. “...Or you guys. If you’re really broke. But I don’t think you are, so, no freebies from me.” 

The Huntress spirit was laying on the pile of smouldering ashes. Figure waste not, want not, as she spoke she went over, picked it up, and considered it. Well, she definitely didn’t want to combine herself with a slasher horror movie monster. And she didn’t think she had much common ground to link with. So instead of letting it go to waste entirely, she decided she would crush the spirit. Last time she did this, she got a creepy rocket launcher that came in handy once or twice. Midna had it now, if Jesse remembered correctly. Maybe she’d get something cool this time, too. [i]Maybe some hatchets I could huck at people?[/i] Jesse floated the Huntress spirit in the air in front of her and then clenched her fist, crushing the Spirit into an item. 

[center][hider=For Jesse]You have acquired:
[url=https://preview.redd.it/lmpoy0j4snb51.jpg?auto=webp&s=485f9fcba5c7a8b5c3d4f0013c7022bb1ed8add2]Bloodstained axe[/url]
A large timber axe, well-worn from use and permanently tinted red by the remnants of who-knows-how-many ill-fated families, best wielded by someone with superhuman strength. Its killer swing is able to ignore a portion of the target’s defense, making it all the more deadly in the right hands. It cannot be broken by ordinary means.[/hider][/center]

“Woooah, shit!” Jesse said, smiling. She moved the big axe into her hands and looked at the other two, clearly a little excited about her new serial killer axe. “Hey, guys, look at me.” She moved the axe back and forth as if she were chopping someone. “Blaaah.” She made a quiet ‘scary’ noise. “Here’s Johnny. Right?” 

Primrose tipped her head in confusion, clearly not understanding the cultural reference. 

[color=D34C25]"...as far as an inn, I believe I saw something that looked like one earlier. We can make our way there. I do still have some gold and leaves on me as well."[/color] 

Panther looked as though she’d have appreciated the attempt at levity more if it actually succeeded. “Uh, yeah, that sounds fine. I think I’ve still got some money from Al Mamoon, too. Guessing they don’t take card.”

Jesse was just pleased with her new murder axe. She used her Tool Gun to shrink it down, reducing its weight to be smaller than even a hatchet, like it was a toy axe, and placed it into her belt for future use.

Without further ado, the trio made to put the experience behind them and headed in the direction of the inn. The walk was reticent and somber, and made all the more quiet as citizens dispersed for the night. It had grown dark, with only the moon and torches to light the area, but the three women didn't have to wander unfamiliar streets for very long. Queen Sectonia spotted them from above and flew down to join them. Having  already visited the inn, she was able to lead them there with little issue. They could get themselves checked in, though whether any of them planned to venture out anymore that night remained to be seen.