[center][abbr=Pit][img]https://i.ibb.co/7VzgY22/pit.png[/img][/abbr]
[sub][i]Thursday Afternoon[/i][/sub]
Word Count: 1049 (+2 exp) 
[u]Level[/u]: [b]8[/b] - [u]Total EXP[/u]: 322/80 
[b]Location[/b]: Esaka's Pools, the Forbidden Kingdom[/center]
Victory did not feel as good this time as it had earlier. Pit was not one to wallow in unpleasant thoughts for long though, and soon enough he really had convinced himself that the outcome for his and Ashrah's match was for the best. The demonness seemed pleased, anyway. It was a little hard to tell, but she definitely had more pep in her step compared to that morning. As they crossed the threshold between their assigned area and the Pools Tier in general, she glanced down at the angel who was staring at the little mote of light he carried with a pinched expression.

"I meant to ask, what exactly is that thing?" she questioned. 

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"It's the spirit of that wraith,"[/color] Pit answered, squinting his eyes at the image in the orb. It definitely did not have wings. After a moment he looked up at Ashrah, meeting her curious gaze. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Guess I didn't really go over that part yet? You can basically do a bunch of things with them, but I dunno if I want to use this one."[/color]

For a moment Ashrah looked conflicted. Her fingers flexed around the handle of a weapon that wasn't there. She had slayed Omen with the Kriss, and yet its spirit remained? But she had felt the blade sing with the demon's slaughter and a rush of relief that must have been part of the purification process... could it be that with the demon's death its evil was purged from the world, and the ball of light was only something like a husk, in place of corpse?

That must be it. She gave a barely noticeable nod of her head as she decided this truth.

Oblivious to the woman's brief inner turmoil, Pit was having an internal discussion of his own.

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow][i]Lady Palutena? Did you hear from that Gargos guy when...?[/i][/color]

[color=lightgreen][i]It does seem like it would have been the perfect time for another god to barge in our conversation, huh? But no, I haven't heard anything. Either he is still under Galeem's control, like I was, and can't tune in to any divine radio stations, or... he just didn't care.[/i][/color]

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow][i]Even if Omen was evil, that's kinda sad. I never understood how anyone can follow someone like that.[/i][/color]

[color=lightgreen][i]Some people are only attracted to the power an evil being can grant. And for others, it's all they know. They can't even see any other option.[/i][/color]

It was that last thought that Pit mulled over. He was far from the philosophical sort, but despite what some may think he [i]did[/i] have a brain. A brain that he sometimes used, even.

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Hey Ashrah,"[/color] he said, drawing the demon woman's attention back to him. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Were you always a nice demon?"[/color]

The question seemed to come from no where for those that weren't privy to angel and goddess' telepathic communication. Ashrah blinked at Pit, and he stared for a moment before he winced when he realized his wording. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Uh, sorry, is that weird to ask? I just meant since I've never met another demon who wanted to un-demon themselves? You told me a little about it but not from the beginning."[/color]

Ashrah let the faux pas pass, having dealt with much, much worse before. "It's fine. In truth, for most of my life I thought that Netherrealm was the same as everywhere else. A damned existence for all who lived. I was ignorant... or naive, I suppose. It wasn't until I finally left that I saw the truth for myself."

She paused, casting her gaze out over the city and the landscape they could see from where they were. "I saw Earthrealm, Outworld... saw happy people, a better way to live. I wanted it, and to have it I knew I had to leave everything I was taught, everything that I was, behind me.

"...does that answer your question?"

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Yeah, thank you,"[/color] Pit replied, glancing from Ashrah to Omen's spirit with a thoughtful expression. If they had showed this demon a different way, another option, could they have turned him away from the path of darkness too? The angel did not regret what happened, but the thought stuck in his mind all the same.

Pit tucked the spirit away and then summoned a bright smile for his battle partner. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Alright! We're all done with Mortal Kombat for today! What's next on the agenda?"[/color]

Their wandering had brought them to one of the Pool's main entrances, so they could head anywhere - deeper in, or out of the Tier entirely if they wanted. Ashrah placed a hand on her hip when they stopped, pursing her lips slightly as she thought about what else she had to do today. Pools days were normally not that busy, especially if you won all of your matches.

"You were looking for new places to stay within Esaka, weren't you? I can point you towards a few, though if you end up in dire straits I'm sure the members of Fight of Gods wouldn't turn you away. We even have a few futons at the Order of Light, though you may have to deal with a well meaning lecture from some of the older masters."

Despite her straight face, Pit could tell she was making a joke and he chuckled lightly. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Crashing at a dojo is a back up plan. Plus we've got people that aren't part of any dojos, so yeah, let's go look at the other places."[/color]

Though after hearing that Ashrah had freed pretty much her whole dojo from Galeem, Pit had been thinking of visiting Fight of Gods again for that purpose... he didn't feel bad enough to take Zeus up on his offer of going there to get healed, but maybe if he stopped in later using that as an excuse he could throw a few friend hearts around.

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Oh! While we're up here though we could check on Sareena!"[/color] Not to mention the other Seekers still fighting that afternoon.

At that, Ashrah nodded. "I'm sure she'll appreciate it. If my memory serves me, her last match will have recently ended. She should still be in the Pools."

They weren't far from the section they'd come from, so it would be no trouble at all to turn around to head for the other Netherrealmer's last known location.