[center][abbr=Octopath Travelers][img]https://i.ibb.co/88KWNj5/OTbanner.png[/img][/abbr]
[sup]____________________________________________________[/sup]
[color=FFC6C6][u]Level[/u]: [b]8[/b] - [u]Total EXP[/u]: 172/80[/color] [color=2e2c2c]------[/color] [color=BC8DBF][u]Level[/u]: [b]6[/b] - [u]Total EXP[/u]: 112/60[/color]
[color=gray]𝙱𝙿[/color] [color=gold]●[/color][color=gray]●●●●[/color] [color=2e2c2c]----------------------------[/color] [color=gray]𝙱𝙿[/color] [color=gold]●[/color][color=gray]●●●●[/color]
[color=lightgray]Word Count: 3304 (+4 exp)
[b]Location[/b]: The Under[/color][/center]
Before any plans were made, any consensus was reached, or any future rendezvous point was established the Seekers once again went their separate ways. Primrose watched them all filter out, some with incredible haste and others casual but quick. She dropped her chin into her palm as the lastest Seeker left the cafe, leaving only herself and Therion remaining at the table. It was a little funny; at first glance she wouldn't have pegged some of these people as the flighty types, and yet off they all went. 

Therion took one of the vacated seats. There was a crease in his brow when he said, [color=BC8DBF]"Is it just me, or did nothing actually get decided?"[/color]

Primrose let out an amused puff of breath. [color=D34C25]"Seems like we'll be staying in the city for a little longer, but as for after that, who knows?"[/color]

The thief slumped in his chair and crossed his arms, his tail sticking out of the back and thumping against the floor. He was keen to get out of the rainy area and onto finishing their mission so they could ultimately return to the surface. They didn't need this mask finding fetch quest to drag on any longer than it had to. Maybe next time the group could put the decision to a vote before splitting, or draw lots for the winner to decide where to go.

[color=BC8DBF]"Guess I'll find something to do,"[/color] Therion sighed. The request boards that dotted the city held no interest to him. He could be practical and stock up on food for the road, or go find the missing Seekers... or he could catch up with the group heading to the auction house and see what valuables were up for sale. [i]Not that I'd be buying anything,[/i] he thought to himself. Even though he had a nice chunk of change between the money recovered from Consul P's room, that treasure he'd found in the waterway, and the various other gems he'd sold off, he had other ways to procure something he wanted. An auction heist would be a classic caper to flex his skills in. While turning the thought over in his head, Therion glanced at the dancer across from him. [color=BC8DBF]"What about you?"[/color]

[color=D34C25]"Hmm~"[/color] Primrose adjusted her posture and considered her plan for the rest of the evening. She had no pressing matters to attend to, personal or otherwise. She could return to her room and rest, maybe do some self care. Soaking in a warm bath would be nice after being rained on all day and night. However, something she'd been thinking about since long before they'd come to the Under pushed to the forefront of her mind once more. Something that would be beneficial for her and the rest of the group.

[color=D34C25]"A bit of shopping maybe,"[/color] she replied after a few moments. She didn't need to look at Therion to know he probably had a curious look in his eye. [color=D34C25]"You remember Panther and the other Phantom Thieves, yes?"[/color]

There was a noncommittal noise from Therion. Primrose went on. [color=D34C25]"They had this... device. It was for communicating. It fit in their ear, and they were able to speak and listen over a distance. That fox... er, [i]Fox[/i] had one too. I remember how useful it was, even though I didn't know how it worked. I assumed at first it was some sort of magic, but..."[/color] She struggled to explain it with her limited scope of technology, but her friend got the gist. [color=D34C25]"Anyway. I'd like to find something like that."[/color]

[color=BC8DBF]"That kind of thing [i]would[/i] be useful,"[/color] Therion agreed. [color=BC8DBF]"Then we wouldn't have to try and catch people by chance to meet back up. Can't help but notice no one picked a new time or place to gather. Again."[/color]

From the disorganization among just the Purple Team, he couldn't imagine the larger "Seeker" alliance. There were other groups out there too, or at least one more - the others they'd met at Twilight Town. [color=BC8DBF]"Kind of a miracle a group like this can even function without some kind of communication, huh?"[/color]

[color=D34C25]"Having a base of operations to return to helps,"[/color] Primrose said, catching onto what he meant. [color=D34C25]"But since we don't have one down here, and given how easy it seems to be to get lost in these tunnels..."[/color]

The dancer trailed off, but her decision was made. She was definitely going to search out an item that would help them all stay in contact with the rest of her time in the city. She stood up and smoothed out her dress, preparing for another walk through the rain. [color=D34C25]"If you've nothing better to do, care to join me?"[/color]

[color=BC8DBF]"Why not?"[/color] Therion's umbrella was already half open before they even got to the door. 

Together they ventured to the merchant shops of the city. The people they spoke with helped point them in the right direction when the two tried their best to explain what it was they were looking for. It was a learning experience, but soon enough they had all kinds of vocabulary to help their search. "Communicator," "codec," "earphones," "ear pieces," "wireless," "phone," "radio." However despite being armed with new information, actualy locating something like that was easier said then done. Few stores carried anything even remotely similar, and those that did had limited range. The last shopkeeper they spoke with mentioned the only people that could be seen using that type of magitech were the Mermaid Corps.

Primrose and Therion stopped under one of the city's rain shelters, considering their options. 

[color=BC8DBF]"So this plan is a bust,"[/color] Therion started off with, still holding his umbrella up even under the canopy. [color=BC8DBF]"Unless..."[/color]

[color=D34C25]"Unless..."[/color] Primrose repeated, raising an elegant eyebrow. She was fairly sure she knew where his train of thought was going. [color=D34C25]"...we take the communicators from the town guard?"[/color]

[color=BC8DBF]"Sure. Think about it. We took care of the dictator and his cronies, killed a [i]lot[/i] of huge monsters nearby, what else has this place got to worry about? Plus we're leaving soon anyway."[/color]

He had a point. It was something Primrose wouldn't have considered on her own, but now that she was... well, there was no better person to have plan a theft than the man next to her. [color=D34C25]"That's true... and I'd say we need it more, even. Saving the world trumps protecting one city, surely?"[/color]

[color=BC8DBF]"Exactly."[/color] The thief smirked. They chatted quietly, coming up with a few plans of action.

The first part would be information gathering, which meant finding a guard. Normally that was something that should have been a little easier considering what they were used to with large cities, though it seemed the law enforcement was sparse down here. They set out from under the cover of the shelter.

[color=BC8DBF]"Look."[/color] Therion jerked his chin to indicate a [url=https://i.ibb.co/Khf6X2s/Aerial1.jpg]member[/url] of the city's Mermaid Corps a little farther ahead of them. The mermaid was at attention in the canal, and sure enough a hand was pressed to her ear while the look on her face said she was clearly listening in on something.

They put step one into action. Primrose did a quick appearance check and then plastered a kind, somewhat naive smile on her as she approached the mermaid. She planned to make some small talk and casually bring up the device, but if needed she could usually seduce women just as well as men. She didn't expect trouble. 

[color=D34C25]"Excuse me,"[/color] she said, shy and sweet. The guard turned to her sharply, only just noticing Primrose. Her eyes studied the dancer briefly before narrowing, and then her gaze searched the vicinity until they landed on Therion. The man stiffened in surprise, which made the mermaid's expression harden. [i]There's no way we're caught out that quick,[/i] he thought.

"Is this human troubling you, sir?"

[color=BC8DBF]"...huh?"[/color]

[color=D34C25]"Er..."[/color]

The mermaid held a hand up to Primrose and swam closer to Therion, rising out of the water with the aid of some air-flotation device. Therion's ears were standing straight up and his tail bristled out. He glanced at Primrose, who was a little red faced about being so rudely ignored, and saw the dancer miming the cat ears on his head with her hands. [i]...right, right. They probably think I'm a beastman or something. Jeez...[/i]

[color=BC8DBF]"No, she's... uh, helping me,"[/color] he said. He cleared his throat, smoothing over his prior alarm. Thinking fast he spoke the first lie that came to mind. [color=BC8DBF]"We're trying to find the Mermaid Corps' main office and having some trouble."[/color]

In the corner of his eye he could see Primrose shoot him a questioning look, and he aggressively thought "what did you expect me to do, I'm on the spot" in her direction. 

"Why?" the mermaid asked. She glanced over her shoulder at Primrose and leaned in a little, whispering, "If there's something you need to report, you can tell any guard, anytime."

She seemed earnest, even if she was barking up the wrong tree. Therion was nearly at a loss on how to handle this. Maybe just go with it? He took a deep breath and whispered back, [color=BC8DBF]"it's okay, it's not... serious. Wouldn't want to disturb your post. We're going to sort it out, if you could point us in the right direction..."[/color]

When the mermaid gave him a look of sympathy he had to clench his jaw in order not to give the game away. She dutifully gave him some directions. He thanked her and hurried away with Primrose in tow, slightly mortified by the whole experience.

[color=D34C25]"Well. What a role reversal. You played damsel in distress well for an amateur."[/color] 

[color=BC8DBF]"[i]Cut it out.[/i]"[/color]

After that encounter, Primrose pursed her lips. She knew that the Home of Tears was a monster city for the most part, but she hadn't actually encountered any problems so far for being a human. Not to mention the city's elite seemed to be humans themselves; that mage, the Agarthans, maybe even the late Consul though it was hard to tell. Perhaps that was the problem, the common folk were scared to cross a human for fear it would be the wrong one, while the city guard had no such qualms.

[color=D34C25]"Things may go better if I had a disguise."[/color] The Koopa Prince had mentioned some kind of "tape" that recorded monsters and could transform the user into them temporarily. Maybe she should give it a try? Though where she would find the actual "tape player" she didn't know. Then maybe a small fusion enough to give her some non-human traits? She'd have to chose her target carefully... 

[color=BC8DBF]"...you look like you're considering murder,"[/color] Therion said to her, voice low but blunt. Primrose glanced at him and smiled briefly. She had been doing just that. The two travelers were heading in the direction the guard pointed them, and if they were really thinking about doing this then they needed to get rid of any disadvantages they could. Therion pulled the fake horns off of his head and offered them to Primrose. 

[color=BC8DBF]"Here, I dunno how much it will help but if you hide the band with your hair it might look like natural horns."[/color]

[color=D34C25]"Thank you."[/color] The dancer pushed her own head piece back farther on her scalp and fitted the Loki's Horns into place. Thankfully since they were solid black and simple, they didn't clash with her outfit. [color=D34C25]"It will be better than nothing."[/color]

They continued on, and though yet to complete step one the plan hadn't really changed. Thankfully the next guard they met was a [url=https://i.ibb.co/WHZcK23/CC-Irenes-Artwork-Remaster.png]friendlier one[/url]. She stood on her tail, stationed in front of a [url=https://i.ibb.co/PM6G29J/Untitled.png]watertight sphere[/url] above a body of water and a bold sign that declared "MERMAID CORPS."

"Greetings! Do yoü need assistänce?" she asked. She had a strange way of speaking, but she smiled kindly when she spoke. Primrose returned her smile.

[color=D34C25]"Just some questions, if you have the time."[/color]

"Of cöurse! Möst öf the ötter guards äre oüt dealing with flukes, since I was left behind I häve been so böred... whät questiöns do yoü have?"

Honestly Primrose didn't think this mermaid would have to be fooled out of the information, she seemed happy to chat. Without further ado Primrose motioned to her own ear and asked, [color=D34C25]"Actually we were wondering about the thing the mermaids use to communicate. We've been curious about it for a while and have hardly seen anything like it."[/color]

"Oh!" The guardswoman reached up and, to both Primrose and Therion's surprise, took what looked like a [url=https://i.imgur.com/Nw1QvOp.png]pearl earring[/url] from the inner most part of her head fin and showed it to them. "The Linkpearl, yes?"

It wasn't anything like Primrose expected. Was it as simple as enchanted earrings? Who could sustain such magic? [color=D34C25]"Yes. How does it work?"[/color] she questioned. The mermaid giggled sheepishly.

"I dön't really knöw. It ist cönnected to a Linkshell thät the captäin has, büt besides thät?" She shrugged.

Even though the guardswoman claimed not to know much, what she had told them was a lot more than the travelers had before. They were on the right track too by coming here, if the main part of the device was with the captain it stood to reason that the captain was here at the headquarters. 

[color=BC8DBF]"Speaking of, we were also hoping to meet with the captain,"[/color] Therion chimed in, completely winging the next part of their plan. This time Primrose didn't question it, especially when the mermaid in front of them gestured to the sphere beside her.

"I'll escört yoü! Büt she might be büsy, so yoü may have tö wait."

The three of them stepped into the diving bell, and after the door closed it plunged into the water. The mermaid introduced herself as Irenes, chatting casually with Primrose as the bell descended. Therion had his arms crossed, ears flat, and eyes closed for the majority of the short trip. Long before they came to a stop the [url=https://i.redd.it/sjcomzeceli11.jpg]station[/url] could be seen through the glass. 

"Wäit here," Irenes told them when the bell's doors opened into the lobby. Even here the guards' presence was minimal. In fact they saw only one other mermaid that hardly sparred them a glance as she went by. Being underwater they must not worry about security here at their headquarters - a fact that would work out just fine with thief and accomplice.  

[color=D34C25]"So what's the plan now?"[/color] Primrose said quietly. She recalled that ever since getting to really know Therion in Orsterra, she'd kind of wanted to tag along on one of his jobs. He never let any of the other seven come along unless it was absolutely necessary, and most of the time it wasn't. Now, she was decidedly less excited about it. They were underwater, in the town guard's station, about to meet their captain. In order to steal their "Linkshell," that they didn't know what it looked like. Then they had to leave with it. 

[color=BC8DBF]"Get the thing and get out,"[/color] Therion replied. Primrose looked at him, frowning. [color=D34C25]"You can't be serious."[/color]

[color=BC8DBF]"Things have been going good so far, right?"[/color] he countered. [color=BC8DBF]"When luck's on your side for once, don't question it. Just go with it."[/color]

[color=D34C25]"...this explains a lot about the situations you've found yourself in,"[/color] Primrose sighed. The thief bristled, the manacle on his wrist clinking against his hidden weapons when he turned in order to refute her.

"NGAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I will defeat you!!"

The sudden shout silenced the two of them. It sounded like it came from somewhere down the hall. Following it was the murmur of some voices, the scrape of furniture. Another, more muffled yell of frustration. The sound of a door slamming open. It was a couple minutes later that a tall, blue skinned, red haired fish woman with an eye patch stormed through the lobby. She was holding two halves a pencil between her fingers, and she didn't so much as notice the station's guests as she went from one hall to another. She was flanked by a frog-like girl who held a stack of papers. 

"I'm taking a break!" Undyne announced while on her way, sending the paperwork in the frog's grasp a scathing look. "Round two soon to come! And I WON'T LOSE! But right now I need to fight something ELSE!"

She was already gone when Irenes trailed back into the room, her voice echoing throughout the station. Irenes beckoned the travelers over, giving them an apologetic smile.

"Captäin Undyne will see yoü when she retürns. This wäy."

Primrose reassured the mermaid that it was fine, letting her take them down the hallway.

[color=BC8DBF]"[i]Don't question it, just got with it,[/i]"[/color] Therion repeated, hissing the words through his teeth as they were led to the captain's office. 

The interior was much like a normal room. There was an oaken desk, a small bookshelf, and a filing cabinet. It was not one of the completely glass domes they'd seen from outside, giving the captain some privacy. Behind the desk mounted on the wall was a sword, and besides a few chairs the only other feature was a small spinet against one wall, its keyboard cover open.

"I am süre she will be bäck soön," Irenes said, though she didn't sound too confident in her statement. "I am göing bäck to my post, büt I will leave the diving bell döwn here for yoür return. Mäke sure to say hellö on yoür way öut, okäy?"

[color=D34C25]"Of course,"[/color] Primrose promised. [color=D34C25]"Thank you, Irenes."[/color]

Once left to their own, Primrose and Therion gave it a few seconds before they looked at each other. 

[color=D34C25]"Much too easy,"[/color] the dancer said, keep her voice soft on the off chance someone, somewhere, could hear them. They'd just happened to find who had to be the friendliest member of the Mermaid Corps on a day that many of the Corps was away on a mission, and now their captain indisposed? Primrose could laugh at the absurdity of it. [color=D34C25]"This doesn't bode well for the future."[/color]

[color=BC8DBF]"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Now come on, let's see what we can find."[/color]

It did not take long at all to find what they were looking for. The [url=https://i.imgur.com/1FJue5r.png]Linkshell[/url] was just as its name implied. It looked like it could be a cross between a conch and a scallop, and it was the only object of its kind in the room. Furthermore when Primrose gingerly picked it up and turned it over, she found a Linkpearl of the same kind Irenes had inside of it. She picked up the small earring, and in its place another grew inside the shell. 

[color=D34C25]"Amazing."[/color] Primrose removed one of her earrings and fit the Linkpearl in its place. She touched two fingertips gently to the pearl and focused, a grin growing on her face when she could hear the discussion of Mermaid Corps members. 

[color=D34C25]"This is it,"[/color] she confirmed with Therion. The man nodded, and as tempted as he was to rifle through the rest of the small space he was already heading towards the door. Primrose followed with the shell tucked in her bag. Mission accomplished. 

She didn't realize she'd still had her hand pressed to her ear until she heard a confused voice asking, "What's it?" 

"Huh?"

"What is it?"

"Someone said 'This is it.'"

"Who?"

"Not me."

"Stop clogging up the Linkshell and focus!"

[i]Oh dear.[/i] Primrose hurriedly removed the earring and shoved in her bag next to its shell. She'd have to figure out how to disconnect the Mermaid Corps "frequency" (another term one of the shopkeeps had taught her) or find someone who could. She spurred Therion to walk a little faster, and though he didn't know what got her worried he didn't need much convincing, just as eager to get out of the town guard's home turf. Within minutes they were back in the bell and rising to the surface in order to bid Irenes good bye and, hopefully, make a clean getaway.