[center][abbr=Primrose][img]https://i.imgur.com/zqHOn9T.png[/img][/abbr]
[color=D34C25][sub][i]Thursday Afternoon[/i][/sub]
Word Count: 701 (+1 exp)
[u]Level[/u]: [b]11[/b] - [u]Total EXP[/u]: 314/110 
[b]Location[/b]: Esaka's Pools, the Forbidden Kingdom[/color]
[color=gray]𝙱𝙿[/color] [color=gold]●[/color][color=gray]●●●●[/color][/center]
As Nadia answered her call and came over, Primrose put her people watching skill to use. Her gaze was not heavy as she did not scrutinize; it was actually rather light, casual, fluttering around the thief as she made note of the other woman's body language. She'd already had an inkling of what she thought was going through Nadia's mind today, and now she felt confident that she was right. Nadia hadn't even needed to speak to confirm it, although her mention of competing incognito was the proverbial nail in the coffin.

Ms. Fortune was avoiding the Seekers intentionally. 

Primrose still didn't blame her, for that or for drawing any villainous ire. She didn't feel that any of the others would be particularly angry with her either. Some would give her a hard time for sure, but she found it unlikely that any would hold it against her. Even so, she hadn't come to give Nadia a pep talk or convince her to come back. The fact that she hadn't fled from Primrose either time was enough to say to the dancer that Nadia didn't intend to abandon them, even if she was avoiding them. If she just needed time, Primrose would gladly give that to her - and if she wanted to keep a connection to the others while she worked things out, Primrose was willing to act as her intermediary, covertly or not. 

The dancer kept her own body language open and friendly, placing one hand loosely on her hip and a smile upon her face. It was perhaps a bit wider than her usual, but it wasn't exactly forced. She did still consider the both of them to be friends, after all, and she said as much out loud following Nadia's introduction of her metallic counterpart.

[color=D34C25]"I'd hope so as well. If left up to me, then yes - a friend."[/color] She turned to Robo-Fortune, her smile not slipping even a hair. [color=D34C25]"Nice to meet you."[/color]

This close Primrose could easily see the differences between the two Fortunes, besides that fact that Robo was a machine. The android really did appear to be designed as close to Nadia's original form as possible. If her chassis had been painted and clothed, she would have been a dead ringer for the feral. Now there were a few things that set them apart, but not enough to convince anyone that they weren't meant to be a matched set. It was curious, but since Nadia seemed to be in the dark about it there was little use in asking. 

So she answered instead, turning her attention back to the original Ms. Fortune. Primrose figured that it it was alright for the kameo Fortune to hear their conversation, but she left a moment for the thief to send her away if not.

[color=D34C25]"I had meant to speak with you earlier. When you didn't show up or call back, some of us got worried,"[/color] she started with, laying out the truth without any frills. [color=D34C25]"Of course since Pit found your arm, we knew you were still alive... but whether you were alright was up in the air. And now that I know you [i]are[/i] alright..."[/color]

She let the statement linger, raising a gentle brow as she did. It was both an out and yet an invitation to correct the dancer if Nadia was not, in fact, alright. 

[color=D34C25]"...then I suppose I came to learn what your plans are."[/color]

Primrose shifted then, settling her weight from one leg to the other while she gestured lightly with one hand. [color=D34C25]"If you're going to keep your distance, if you'd like a replacement pearl in the event you've lost yours, that sort of thing. I can't prevent anyone else from staking out your next matches, but if you rather I not mention anything to the others... rest assured that I know when a girl needs some space."[/color]

And that was it - no blame, no pressure, but a certain amount of expectation. It was clear that Primrose had some idea what was going on and that she anticipated an answer. If nothing else she felt she was owed that much, and whatever her friend decided she would go along with. 

[indent][/indent]

[center][abbr=Therion][img]https://i.imgur.com/af5E4Ko.png[/img][/abbr]
[color=BC8DBF][sub][i]Thursday Afternoon[/i][/sub]
Word Count: 940 (+2 exp)
[u]Level[/u]: [b]10[/b] - [u]Total EXP[/u]: 366/100 
[b]Location[/b]: Bamboo Forest, the Forbidden Kingdom[/color]
[color=gray]𝙱𝙿[/color] [color=gold]●●[/color][color=gray]●●●[/color][/center]
Of the few things Therion had going for him, his swiftness was near the top of his greatest strengths. So it was that he could slip down from the Pools and search the outskirts of the Low Tier for the assault team's nebulous meeting point fairly quickly. If they'd set up the rendezvous ahead of time it must have been after he'd already departed the meeting. That was fine; if he missed their departure then it was no loss for him. In fact there was some part of him that wanted not to find the group, whether he ended up being late or early. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

He came upon Junior, Rika, and Yama, the latter having apparently just finished a crash course in accessing the armory aboard the Avenger courtesy of that Portsmith's magic. Also present were some of the faces of the UN reps in their own wheeled monstrosity, a veritable landship that even Therion could tell looked ridiculous.

He hung back, his tail twitching. Frankly he thought that this whole assault option was moving a little too quickly and a lot unprepared, which was saying something when coming from Therion who, when push came to shove, always tended to wing it. But it was for that reason he was both loathe to go along and felt that he should. He didn't relish the idea of babysitting the younger Seekers whatsoever (he squinted his eyes at Yayama, not recalling if she'd ever actually introduced herself or whether she was one of said younger Seekers or not), but who else was going to? Maybe if they weren't teaming up with a group they barely knew anything about the thief would have been more content to leave them to their own devices, but as that was not the case... eventually Therion padded forward to join the assault team, a last minute addition that shimmied up onto the back of the landship. The Koopas' and Yama's vehicles were either too small or unwieldy to cling to, so the Dutchman it was. When the UN reps eventually noticed him, he just returned their surprise with a flat, unimpressed look.

The drive wasn't difficult, and as they got even farther out from where Therion had explored yesterday the scenery got more green, more pleasant. Of course it was undercut with the impending mission, but in the interim Therion could look at the bamboo with some interest since there was no strategy discussion to pay attention to. Part of the crew was basically joy riding and part were discussing how to acquire the Dutchman, if Therion's sensitive ears heard correctly. So it wasn't until they'd all stopped in a clearing and the thief hopped off the vehicle and onto the grass that he even attempted asking after their plan.

[color=BC8DBF]"So what's our strategy here?"[/color] he said, speaking up for the first time during the trip following the earth shaper's suggestion of slowing their target in a pit of mud. [color=BC8DBF]"Or did no one think past finding this transport?"[/color]

Thankfully without Primrose there, no one was privy to how hypocritical a question that was. As it turned out, their plan of attack was just that: [i]attack[/i], with no real further thought put into it. Honestly, it tracked. 

The assault team went right to it as soon as the armored vehicle was in sight, swift and merciless in their rendering of the thing useless. Its payload did not sit idle though, swarming out of it with no hesitation. At the same time the Seekers' group kept their pressure up. As it so often did, the scene became pure chaos instantly. 

At first Therion hung back, keeping to his usual play of skulking on the edge of battle. Something had occurred to the thief: [i]without Primrose there[/i] he wouldn't be able to debuff all of their enemies at once. There were too many to tag individually, which meant he had to be more selective about his targets. No organic enemies to poison or afflict with those living knives, no individuals split from the pack to pick off, and very little openings in general. The first few seconds after the Jack units cleared the mud would probably be crucial, so in the interest of giving his allies an early advantage Therion played to his strengths - which meant he wouldn't be using his literal strength at all.

He took his beast form, leaping towards the front line of Jacks and standing his ground just long enough to unleash a mighty roar. The sound was loud enough to cut through the early din of the battle and inflict stun on the first group of robots, ensuring they'd be locked in place for a few seconds. With some luck the sudden stop would hold up those coming up after them. As soon as that was done Therion sprang away so he wouldn't be caught in the crossfire when Junior, Rika, and Yayama let loose. 

Back on the edge of their bamboo battlefield, Therion's feline eyes quickly identified what would most likely be the enemies that gave them the most trouble - those huge robots with the metallic armor and glowing veins. He used the chaos to slink around out of the way, awaiting his next chance. Once it was clear he leapt again, claws extended to latch onto the back of the first Jack-8. It translated into a decent handhold when he revert to human form and inflicted Shackle Foe to lower its attack power, and from there pushed off of it to land back on his feet on the forest floor, checkered scarf fluttering as he moved to avoid retaliation.