[center][h2][color=D34C25]Primrose[/color], [color=BC8DBF]Therion[/color], [color=gray]&[/color] [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]Pit[/color][/h2]
[color=D34C25][u]Level[/u]: [b]11[/b] - [u]Total EXP[/u]: 299/110[/color] [color=2e2c2c]------[/color] [color=BC8DBF][u]Level[/u]: [b]10[/b] - [u]Total EXP[/u]: 352/100[/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=lightgoldenrodyellow][u]Level[/u]: [b]8[/b] - [u]Total EXP[/u]: 302/80[/color]
[sub][i]Thursday Morning[/i][/sub]
Word Count: 2423 (+3 exp)
[b]Location[/b]: Esaka's Low-Tier ➜ Esaka's Pools, the Forbidden Kingdom[/center]
It was pretty nice that after everything most of the crew was still ready to tackle Esaka head on. Pit was more than ready for the day ahead and the start of the four tournaments as he finished the last of his breakfast. By day the Seekers would be fighting live, showing their strength to every participant, spectator, and dictator... and by night, if they needed to, they'd be like heroic vigilantes preventing more sneak attacks and getting to the bottom of the assassination attempt! They'd setting the score with G-Corp on Ms. Fortune's behalf or tangle with Consuls, or whoever else was targeting them, eventually coming out on top. That was the plan, anyway! They could do it, Pit knew they could. 

So while the angel was getting more chipper as the morning went on, he did nearly startle when Band asked if anyone had mentioned the group's title "Seekers of Light" to anyone. He knew they were supposed to lay low, he really did (somewhere in the back of his brain), but it was so opposite to how he usually did things that it was hard to stick to. And... well, it was kinda late for it now. Even so, Pit smoothed his feathers down and breezily lied, [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"nope, not me!"[/color]

He didn't want to admit he might have messed up as team captain, but he also trusted Ashrah enough already that he was sure she wouldn't have anything to do with the attack last night. So it was all good. At least, as far Pit spreading the name - it seemed that Terry was worried he might have tipped some bad guys off and was trying to take the blame for everything onto himself. Well, that was something the angel wouldn't let happen!

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"It's not your fault Terry!"[/color] Pit said. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"I mean, even if all that stuff was true it wouldn't be anybody's fault except the people that sent those robots after us! Doesn't matter if they had a bad history with one of us, or someone stole from them... they went with a sneak attack that involved other people. The blame's all on them."[/color]

He was very sure about that, and he hoped that the South Town Hero wouldn't try and shoulder something so horrible. Thankfully the man's own thoughts seemed to distract him a little, and he turned to Kim to ask about someone they'd met the night before.

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Which thunder god?"[/color] Pit asked them both curiously. Surely not Zeus? If it was another god of thunder in Esaka, not part of that dojo of deities, then it could be... [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"...maybe he was talking about the Order of Light? It's only one word off! It's a dojo in the Mid-Tier, I guess a bunch of Mortal Kombat members broke away and formed it, then recruited more people."[/color]

Ashrah had told him that much, and she'd mentioned a 'Raiden' somewhere in there. It was possible that it was the same guy!

[color=D34C25]"Now that the blame game is over with, why don't we get started on our day?"[/color] Primrose said, having at some point ordered and finished a small plate for herself. She hadn't waited for a waitress to come over to collect her payment - in a cafe like this it was easier to mimic the locals and take a quick trip to the register to settle individual bills. Now that the dancer was all set though, she laid out her simple plan for herself. [color=D34C25]"I'll accompany those headed for the Pools. I want to find Ms. Fortune sooner than later, and get a feel for how these tournaments are going to go..."[/color]

And it would be prudent to have a healer on hand if needed, especially if Bowser Junior was inclined to head off on another side mission for the time being. Speaking of the prince, he and his sister brought up a good point about those not fighting using their time wisely.

[color=BC8DBF]"It's not a bad idea,"[/color] Therion told them. Spending the time resource gathering in general. They'd already done a lot of information gathering, so what they needed now... food, shelter, money. Spirits, too, if they did want to get some use out of the demon on board the Avenger. Maybe even some fusion fodder, if it'd help. And extra supplies for the Lost Numbers if they could find some. The Koopas hardly needed a babysitter and Therion was not inclined to pretend to be one either, but his daily plans would leave him with a lot of free time, so he could tag along. Either with them, or Roland who seemed intent on getting revenge, though the thief was leaning forwards the former. 

He looked at both the Fixer and Rika and Junior. [color=BC8DBF]"I wouldn't go after this... G-Corp, or anyone else that turns up on their side. Without a plan, anyway. You might turn the whole city into an even bigger powder keg than it already is."[/color]

And with how heroically inclined so many Seekers were, the last thing they needed was to get stuck trying to defend an entire civilian populace getting caught in the crossover of retaliation for retaliation - even if said populace were mostly martial artists of some stripe. Normally he'd leave the Seekers to their own devices, ill-thought out plans and all, but it this could actually become his problem if it escalated. 

He'd said his piece though, and the only thing he added onto it was his own plan for the immediate future. [color=BC8DBF]"I'm gonna go visit some parlors,"[/color] he said simply. By parlors he clearly meant bookies; and if he didn't want to come off as too suspicious in such places, he couldn't just show up towards the end. He'd have to bet throughout the tournament, and maybe even lose a couple of zenny. Early on would be best for that. 

[color=BC8DBF]"I'm betting against all of you, for the record,"[/color] he added, dropping his voice low. There was a hint of friendly ribbing in his voice, though when he glanced at Terry and Sakura -two supposed hotshots around here- he amended his comment. [color=BC8DBF]"Well, most of you."[/color]

All that was left was to settle the various tabs and head out. Therion got a head start, slipping out before the others and using the cafe's busy morning to simply skip out on his bill. Primrose waited outside while the rest of the Seekers sorted themselves out, and while they got going Pit came up next to Terry to tell him one more thing. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Psst! If you need help paying later let me know, okay?"[/color]

It was the least he could do after Terry had bought them all lunch yesterday, plus if he was going to look after the Gold Team he definitely didn't want any of them shredded to pieces over a little breakfast bill. He was out the door the next moment though, ready to head up to the next layer of Esaka.

It didn't take long before the large group reached one of the elevators that would take them up to the Pools. The area was crowded, but not so much that it was impossible to maneuver through the people gathering. It was hard to tell who was a competitor and who was just there to watch, not that it mattered much. One thing that keen eyed Seekers might notice though was that there were a few people within the crowd that appeared stiff, disciplined, and on the look out for danger. More than that though, they appeared to be destoried - not part of the Seekers, at least not to any of their knowledge, but lacking any of the traits of the gleaming. 

It was most notable when a pair of women noted the group and made their way over, both of their eyes pitch dark from pupil to sclera with no hint of red in them at all. Caught off guard by this, Primrose paused and watched their approach warily. Much less worried was the team captain, who waved at them after seeing Terry, Amaterasu, and the returned Captain Falcon off when the trio headed for their arena. 

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Ashrah!"[/color] he greeted to one of the women happily, though he just as easily turned his smile on the one beside her. 

"Good morning Pit," Ashrah replied. She raised a hand and gestured lightly to her companion. "This is Sareena, whom I mentioned would be the Order of Light's representative this time. She is also my sister."

The [url=https://i.imgur.com/DEUBRPe.png]demoness[/url] nodded, a little less at ease than Ashrah was. She looked over the gathered Seekers. "Ashrah has told me about... you all. There are thanks to be given, but I suppose now is not the time."

Primrose raised a brow, glancing at Ashrah. She didn't recall ever meeting the woman before, but then again she thought she recalled Pit mentioning something about a kameo partner. It wasn't hard to put two and two together after that. 

[color=D34C25]"I'm going ahead to the Mortal Kombat area,"[/color] she said, then tipped her head lightly at the pair of demons. [color=D34C25]"A pleasure to meet you."[/color]

The sisters responded likewise even though Primrose did not give her name as she left, and Pit didn't offer it for her. He just nodded and said, [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"see you there!"[/color]

Now that they were already generally where they needed to be, Sakura mentioned killing the remaining time with some training. Specifically by throwing and dodging fireballs. Sareena looked over at her, and with a voice that was much more serious than the young street fighter's she said, "the girl speaks truth."

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"I've had more than enough practice with that,"[/color] Pit laughed in reply though.

After a brief moment Sareena spoke again, her dark eyes trained on Pit this time. "I've reviewed the brackets already. It seems we will be facing each other sooner than later. I understand you have a mission you need to complete, but so do we."

Pit looked back at her, blinking once before a grin spread on his face. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Soooo you're saying you're not gonna go easy on us?"[/color]

Ashrah smiled too, though it was a small one. "I should hope not. It will be good training to face each other seriously. Our goals are aligned, so it does not matter which of us wins... though I suspect it will be us."

There was a spark of competition in Sareena's eyes, the kind that could be found among any pair of siblings, by blood or not. She smirked. "We shall see."

By then the Seekers were splitting up more to head to their own areas of the Pools. Now that the first match was imminent, Pit was excited. He let Ashrah and Sareena lead him over to where the Kombat participant matches were generally to be held, and along the way he had the chance to actually study one of the posted bulletins with the match ups. When he found his name he traced his finger down to the next little box where he and Ashrah's first opponents would be listed.

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow][i]John Smith... why does that sound familiar?[/i][/color]

[color=lightgreen][i]It's not exactly a unique name. Might as well be John Doe.[/i][/color]

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow][i]I know right? Wonder what his deal's gonna be.[/i][/color]

The angel looked over the other names, finding Yayama and Ms. Fortune in the same tourney list as him. So they'd been accepted too. He read the other tournament rosters as well, mostly having fun just seeing how everyone's names were shaped when written out but also confirming that everyone who'd registered had indeed been approved and would be fighting. While he read on, he did notice something a little... odd.

[i]Huh? Is that... Juri's name? But isn't this MK?[/i] He double checked to make sure, and yup - Juri Han was listed as fighting not in World Warrior, but in Mortal Kombat. [i]That's weird, I thought for sure... I mean she seemed like she really had a bone to pick with that Bison guy.[/i]

But if she was fighting in Mortal Kombat, then that meant she was probably around the area! Pit glanced at Ashrah and Sareena as they chatted on the water's edge, having already found both of their assigned stages. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"I'm gonna go check something, be right back!"[/color]

While Pit sought out the elusive Spider, another Seeker was on her way to seek out a different missing member of the team. Primrose had passed by Yayama and another diminutive woman, amusement passing her features as she glanced at the two of them trying to see over the crowd. Their match wasn't where she was headed though, and so the dancer continued on. 'M-12' was the designated area she was looking for, and it wasn't long until she arrived.

At first glance she was immediately drawn to the silhouette of [url=https://i.ibb.co/kTPtQtT/Bsa-Cpz2-CIAAhz-A2.webp]someone[/url] that resembled her friend, but it was quickly apparent that this robot was not the same person. It was a little suspicious though... first Nadia disappeared, and now there was a machine that strongly resembled her? A... replacement, maybe? Had Nadia been kidnapped after all?

Though Primrose continued to move casually, there was a coldness in her expression that made those in her way get out of it quickly. Her gaze flickered over the marble area, the beautiful statue and fountain that stood near M-12's arena, but she couldn't appreciate any of it. She sorted out the onlookers from the fighters, and all she saw besides Robo-Fortune was a pair of ugly half-flesh, half-metal men looking eager to fight and another figure in a brown hood. A figure that was currently in the middle of cutting up pieces of their own outfit, revealing tanned and scarred skin beneath. A figure that had a calico-colored tail flicking back and forth as it poked out from under the coat, and who appeared be missing an entire arm.

Primrose did not have to be a detective to deduce that this was Ms. Fortune, incognito. Or trying her best to be, perhaps. Tension loosened its grip on Primrose, and she quietly made her way over to the hooded figure. Since there might be a reason that Nadia chose to dress like this, even if her other clothes had been ruined in the explosions, she did not call out her friend's name. Instead, once she was close enough that the pair of catgirls could spot her if they weren't preoccupied, Primrose simply offered a small smile before speaking.

[color=D34C25]"Excuse me~ It looks like you could use a hand,"[/color] she said, her voice so deceptively innocent that it could be nothing but a joke of an ice breaker.