[center][h3]To the Pools Again[/h3]
[b][color=DarkOrange]wordcount: [/color][/b] 2395 (+3) (+3 rapport)
[b][color=DarkOrange]Location:[/color][/b] Forbidden Kingdom - Esaka’s Low Tier
[b][color=SpringGreen]Bowser Jr: Level 15 [/color][/b] EXP: [color=SpringGreen]//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////[/color](303/150)
[b][color=Aqua]Rika: Level 12 [/color][/b] EXP:  [color=Aqua]/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////[/color](139/110)
[color=lightgoldenrodyellow][b]Pit[/b] - [u]Level[/u]: [b]8[/b] - [u]Total EXP[/u]: 314/80[/color]
[sub][@DracoLunaris][/sub][/center]

While they were riding back up to the pools, Jr got a head start on their plan of being more productive over the afternoon by looking up G-corp online to get a basic idea of who in the world the seekers had managed to upset. Basic information wasn’t hard to find, their head honcho had only just been declared public enemy number one after all, and the fan forum he’d been uploading fight recordings too had a thread going where more gossipy information could be found.

[color=SpringGreen]”So. G-corp. Used to be a ‘biotech’ company till its ‘board’ tried to kill the boss (for some reason) and then he killed them instead and turned it into a military tech company that does ‘robots, genetic engineering, and animal experimentation’ apparently. Those Jack bots that attacked as well as ‘Gigas supersoldiers’ are their most notable ‘weapons’ looks like”[/color] Jr read out from the helpful notes Seek had been making as they browsed.

[color=Aqua]”For what military? There’s no war here, that’s what makes it a kinda weird place. Shinjuku was chill too but that’s seeing as it's got those hollows where all the fighting and dying happens”[/color] was Rika’s immediate question, to which Jr shrugged. That hadn’t been public info, or part of the rumor mill. 

[color=SpringGreen]”Must be somewhere else. People in this town don’t really care about stuff outside of it”[/color] Jr speculated

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Maybe they were selling their robots to places like Midgar?"[/color] Pit guessed, looking in the vague direction of that city. He wasn't entirely sure they ever really found out where all those machines that were attacking the city were coming from, and Esaka wasn't that far away in the grand scheme of things. He really had no idea about the rest of it though.

Regardless, Pit had no qualms with the siblings looking into the bounty. It sounded like this guy and his company were pretty bad even before the bombing - who experimented on poor little animals of all things?! It would do Esaka good to be rid of it in the angel's opinion, and if anyone was going to do it and claim the reward then it was definitely going to be the Seekers.

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"What else did you find?"[/color]

[color=SpringGreen]”Also looks like there’s a list of extra targets for taking down”[/color] Jr then added, showing them a list of ‘associates and accomplices’ that included names like Julia Chang, Nina Williams, Bruce Irvin, Sergi Dragunov, Brian Fury, Sergi Dragunov, Azucena Ortiz, Marshall Law, and Lucky Chloe all of which were basically meaningless without context.

It was a list that Pit didn't bother committing to memory, giving it only a glance. If he happened to see any of those people and remembered then he would apprehend them, but he had other things to occupy his thoughts with at the moment.

[color=SpringGreen]”Doesn’t look like there’s been any big attempts to go after them yet at any rate”[/color]

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Make sense, the announcement was only a little while ago,"[/color] Pit said. By that time the lift had come to a stop at the next tier level, and the trio stepped into the Pools once more. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"If you wanna get a head start, why don't you take someone with you guys?"[/color]

[color=SpringGreen]”Who? Isn’t everyone basically busy doing fighting stuff? I don’t think anyone’s been knocked out yet”[/color] Jr asked, briefly glancing at Seek’s list to confirm this was the case.

[color=Aqua]”That Therion guy was betting on matches, not fighting in them, right?”[/color] Rika recalled, trying to think through the list to see who was and wasn’t there, with the issue being that they hadn’t interacted directly very much with any of the members not on Seek’s list. 

Pit opened his mouth to list off suggestions, but ended up closing it and furrowing his brows a moment later. Was the majority of the Gold Team really competing in the various tournament series? He could have sworn there were more earlier on that had been dubious about it or had said they weren't planning to fight, but he hadn't actually done the math until now. There was Junior and Rika who'd missed sign ups while in Shinjuku, Primrose and Therion who'd declined to fight, and... well, not counting Juri who'd definitely have free time from being disqualified if she missed her Loser's Bracket bout, that was it. 

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Huh,"[/color] Pit said, a little surprised. Even Big Band who'd cautioned against getting too caught up in the tournaments had signed up, and that was before they knew for sure that the Guardian(s) was even related to them.

He scratched his head. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"I guess it is just him, and Primrose. Unless someone got done really early today, or decides to drop out or something."[/color]

If the latter actually happened he wouldn’t blame anyone for doing so, though he would be kind of disappointed.

[color=Aqua]”Oh right, her too”[/color] Rika agreed, [color=Aqua]”and I guess they were pretty good in the Under. Right? I think?”[/color] 

[color=SpringGreen]”Yeah we, uh, really didn't have much to do with them, huh? They just kinda seemed too…”[/color] Jr began to say, but ended up just waving a hand as he failed to find the words to describe the vague sense that Sandalphon might have added to her theory of thematic resonance before settling uncertainly on [color=SpringGreen]”diffrent?”[/color]

[color=Aqua]”Still… It could work?”[/color] Rika replied, before adding [color=Aqua]”Maybe they’re even looking into it already?”[/color] 

Pit shrugged at that. He didn't know the Orsterrans much better after all. 

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"No clue. I haven't seen them since this morning either, but I'm sure they're around somewhere."[/color]

Since he was pretty sure that the two royal siblings could probably weasel their way out of any (more) trouble they ran into, Pit wasn't too concerned with if whether they wanted to form a posse or stick with just working as a dynamic duo. The angel himself would have to catch up with Primrose later anyway to see if she'd been able to find Ms. Fortune, and as for Therion, well, he wasn't really sure. Leaving the thief to his own devices seemed alright. 

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Guess you can decide if you want back up during my match! I'm going all out from the start, so it might end up really one-sided,"[/color] Pit said, throwing a couple of punches and one karate chop into the air. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"if the other guy doesn't put up much fight and it gets boring, I don't mind if you guys leave early since we know how it's gonna end anyway!"[/color]

[color=Aqua]”I mean, we can also just call people while you’re fighting, right?”[/color] Rika pointed out, entirely unaware of how this would be considered rather rude by the other spectators. Not that they were expecting many of those.

[color=SpringGreen]”Probubly more productive than running around looking for em I guess, yeah”[/color] Jr agreed

If there did end up being any audience members they most certainly would give Rika the stink eye. After momentarily forgetting about the convenient magi-tech Pit unconvincingly said, [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"uh, yeah, that works! I was just gonna say that too!"[/color]

As they crossed into the Mortal Kombat section of the Pools and checked one of the boards for the exact location of Pit's next match up, they found that they had to pass under a stone archway connected to a columned tunnel. The only light source was what natural light from above shone in from glass-less window openings, eventually leading to a more dim area of the tier. This section was a little more well suited for the vibe of this particular tournament, a darker stage with decrepit masonry and ominous warning signs right out of a gothic novella. Part of the stone floor had flooded, making the boundary between the stage itself and the deeper water that would result in a ring out murky. There was however a clear divide between the stage and a small, slightly more raised viewing area from which spectators could safely oversee those battling in M-21, [url=https://i.imgur.com/TFIzTX6.png]The Grove.[/url]

Though there was a small sign posted there too, easy to miss, which read: [i]warning splash zone.[/i]

[color=SpringGreen]”Is this really it? Yeesh”[/color] Jr complained, while Rika stepped onto the water itself, intending to use it as a shortcut to get the spectator stand, before turning and asking Pit [color=Aqua]”want a lift?”[/color] 

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Sure,"[/color] he replied with a nod. He hadn't gotten a chance to skate over water yet (or in this case tag along with someone doing it), and it seemed like it was pretty fun. Plus they'd gotten to the area just early enough that they might be the first there, besides a [url=https://i.ibb.co/9xbyZfF/Walkappa-Medal-Art.webp]sleeping yokai[/url]. Pit had to agree with Junior; being so dank and out of the way it hardly made for the right battleground for a proper spectacle. 

Oh well. It was his last scheduled match for the day, and like he'd mentioned earlier he didn't see it being that much of a challenge. He didn't know anything about his opponent besides the name, but now that he had plenty of time and energy he was confident that it was going to be a piece of cake.

He went over to Rika, pausing as he thought about how a 'lift' would work for just a moment before just asking. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"How?"[/color]

In response the now rather short ship girl reached both oversized gauntlet hands forward, grasped Pit by the waist, and then hoisted him up over her head with a [color=Aqua]”hup!”[/color] 

She then almost immediately stumbled, but managed to catch her balance, complaining [color=Aqua]”Ergh, I hate being less tall!”[/color] before beginning to skate across the water towards the arena proper.

As this was going on, Jr did little to hide his sniggering. It wouldn't have been as an embarrassing experience if not for that. 

Rika's strength combined with Pit's light weight made it a pretty quick trek though all things considered, and when she set him down on the arena's stone he crossed his arms and fluffed out his wings. He sent the Koopa prince a weak glare before telling the boy's sister, [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"um, thanks, but next time could you not pick me up like a Pikmin?"[/color]

[color=Aqua]”Like a what?”[/color] Rika asked with a head tilt.

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"A Pikmin?"[/color] he repeated, then paused for a moment. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Oh, right. Since you and Bowser Junior are always together I forgot you weren't always around. They're like veggie aliens from Hot-cocoa-tay-"[/color]

[color=lightgreen][i]Hocotate.[/i][/color]

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"-that's what I said! But anyway they carry stuff around and-"[/color] also forgetting the rest of what Lady Palutena and Viridi had said about them, Pit sighed lightly. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"-actually, never mind."[/color]

[color=Aqua]”Um… Ok?”[/color] Rika replied uncertainly and un-tilting her head, before agreeing [color=Aqua]”Well I guess I’ll carry you like something else next time? It's just trickier to do that now that I’m sm-not as big is all”[/color]

[color=SpringGreen]”Yeah. Do a princess carry next time!”[/color] Jr teased mockingly, having followed them over the water thanks to his copying of shipgirl tech, before Rika asked [color=Aqua]”Why’d you find that funny anyway? I carry you around sometimes”[/color]

[color=SpringGreen]”In piggybacks! Those are different!”[/color] 

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Definitely different. Also I'm not a princess!"[/color]

It wasn’t long after they began discussing the least awkward way to carry someone that Pit's kameo partner emerged from the tunnel. Ashrah nodded at the three Seekers as she approached, leaping the distance between the walkway and the kombat stage gracefully. She landed with a light splash, most of the arena that wasn't made of broken stone fixtures covered in at least an inch or two of water. It wouldn't be long before the match's start, so in preparation she summoned her kris.

Pit smiled at her. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Ready for another win? Let's do this!"[/color]

Ashrah nodded once more, letting a small smile of her own form on her face. "Yes, let's."

That was the koopa kids queue to head on over to the spectator stands, Rika offering them a wave and a [color=Aqua]”Good luck”[/color] of parting while Jr gave a thumbs up and a [color=SpringGreen]”Kick their butts!”[/color] for his.

When their opponents arrived with only a few minutes to spare, both angel and demon turned their attention to the entryway before the rival duo could even be spotted, as though they sensed something. Ashrah narrowed her eyes and tightened her grip on her sword. Finally an eerie blue wraith appeared, its face twisted into an oni mask and something like a spectral heart caged in ghostly wisps inside of its body. Upon seeing its competition, [url=https://i.imgur.com/PuvDyWj.png]Omen[/url] sneered. Behind him, a deathly pallid [url=https://i.imgur.com/27io5r3.png]warrior[/url] adorned in chains and a mask shuffled in. 

Pit and Ashrah had already taken their spots on the far side of the stage, leaving Omen and his possessed puppet to take the opposite. As the golden winds of the Heavenly Principles began to swirl again, the demonic entity held out one claw.

"Woe to those who stand against me, for I am [b]his[/b] herald and the sign of things to come. I. Am. [i]Omen!"[/i]