[center][h3]Esaka's Pools Tier[/h3][i]Friday Midday[/i]
Word Count: 3075 (+4 exp)
[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]Pit[/color], [color=darkorange]Amaterasu[/color], [color=1f66b2]Captain Falcon[/color] & [color=9370DB]Grima[/color][/center]

Although Pit had intended to head right back up following Sakura's informative call, the wall separating each of Esaka's tiers from each other was a little too high for him to scale with feats of platforming. Since he had to go find a lift he stopped by Fight of Gods on the way; a very responsible move if he did say so himself.

The atmosphere in the dojo was warm and festive, the large personalities of the deities coming together in eager pre-celebration. Apparently their fighters never made it very far, which was evident by the fact that they were a low tier dojo, but now they had representatives poised to break out of the Pools tonight - and on three fronts no less! Amaterasu (wolf version) in King of Fighters, Sif in Tekken, and Pit in Mortal Kombat. When the angel himself poked his head in for some healing Zeus wrapped a large arm around his shoulders and pulled him toward the center room so that the more upbeat gods could ruffle his hair and clap him on the shoulder. 

“We'll have a grand feast indeed if all of you win your last matches today! You and Amateratwo had better show up!” The lord of lightning said, slapping a mighty hand on Pit's back after his battle wounds had been taken care of. “Keep up the good work, lad!”

So they knew the outcome of his last match, but hadn't a thing to say besides ‘good work.’ It didn't make Pit feel any better or worse, just weird, so he countered the feeling by mustering up some pluckiness and giving the god a brash declaration: [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"you better start cooking then ‘cause there's no way we're gonna lose!"[/color]

Zeus' guffaw followed Pit out the dojo's door. His words were true though, now that he was part of the tournament he was going to take it all the way. The last thing he wanted to do was drop out, no matter the reason - that'd be so lame. He wouldn't even be able to face the rest of the team properly.

…still, if the angel went a longer way around the Pools to avoid the MK section aftering zipping up to the next tier, at least no one was around to see.

By the time Pit was halfway around between Tekken and KoF, he slowed his pace on account of realizing something. He didn't know where Sakura was, and he didn't know how to go about looking for information himself. He wasn't a detective or a spy after all. Plus he couldn't think of who to ask that might know about a consul's visit besides the city's big wigs, the evil four kings themselves. Oh wait, maybe those gate keepers?

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Hmmm…"[/color] Pit crossed his arms as he walked, tipping his head back and forth while he thought about it. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"I guess I'll just see if I can find anybody official looking."[/color]

Finding the street fighter herself would work too, although as it turned out the first person he happened upon was a different Seeker. When he caught sight of her distinctive white and red coat a little further up, Pit made a beeline toward her.

Amaterasu’s stride paused and her ears perked up as she heard the sound of his approach, before she turned to face him. It had turned out that the seekers of fight’s next match wouldn’t be for a while, and so she’d split off from the others with the intent on checking in on how the powerstone games were going, and to inform the koopa children about the fact that interlinks could break flame clocks. 

Given the description of the games, it seemed unlikely that they’d make some grand discovery during them that’d push them into forming one, but she could only hope.

As such she had plenty of time for her angelic compatriot, at whom she directed a tilted head of questions in order to query his haste in reaching her. It wasn't that he had anything important to deliver, but more that he was glad to see a friendly and familiar face.

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Amaterasu! Did your team's match just end?"[/color] he asked, glancing in the direction she'd come from. Then, without much time for reply he tapped his ear and said, [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"did you hear?"[/color]

The wolf gave a bark of agreement. It certainly wasn’t good news that another Consul was on the way, and given the timing she couldn’t imagine this was a coincidence. They weren't going to get that lucky a second time, of that she was quite certain.

Pit nodded vigorously as though he picked up on her thoughts. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Right? I was on my way up to see what sorta clues I could find..."[/color]

And then it was revealed that he could not actually telepathically communicate with this goddess unless his own played the middle man, because he paused and said, [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"...wait was that a yes to the first part or the second part?"[/color]

Nearby, Captain Falcon was finishing up a quick bit of praise for the twins’ performance. After they scampered off to do their own thing - as they usually did - that left the bounty hunter on his own to decide what to do with his free time next. To say he was shaken up by his loss against Lei Wulong wasn’t entirely accurate, but it wasn’t entirely wrong either. Ever since Terry’s disappearance it seemed like he was constantly overthinking or second guessing himself. Maybe that was why he couldn’t pull out the win in this round? Either way, the message from Sakura followed by Pit’s arrival was all he needed to get his mind off of his current funk - which was sorely needed right now.

Of course it was unbeknownst to Pit that the bounty hunter was dealing with that - he only knew that the three man (or four now) team had emerged victorious overall. So it wasn't to give either of them the distraction they were looking for that upon spotting Falcon's approach Pit eagerly waved the man over.

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Oh good, you're here too, Cap!"[/color]

Part way through reuniting with the Seekers of Fight, not long after the first message about a second consul, Big Band called in again with a lot more news. When the linkpearl crackled to life once more the assembled group had gone quiet to listen in. Not just the consul's identity, but their likely path and a plan to take them by surprise? It was a lot to take in so suddenly. The first to speak again was the Gold Team's captain, who after a moment or two put his hand to his own pearl.

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"You guys found out about the other consul already?! You work fast! But if we all leave the city won't that mess up our plan of getting to the Guardians?"[/color]

[i]“We ain’t leavin’ for long. Not all of us, either. Just those who can spare the time. Gotta hope that’ll be enough. Band out.”[/i]

And there they had it.

Pit blinked. Then his expression grew a little more serious. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"We're gonna have to make sure we're all ready then."[/color] Since it wouldn't be all of Gold Team as some had to stay and hold down the fort in Esaka as it were, the angel looked to Amaterasu and Captain Falcon to get their first thoughts. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Are you guys in?"[/color]

Amaterasu barked in agreement. They had time in their light schedule for sure.

[color=1f66b2]”Yep, I’m with her on this one.”[/color] Cap finally chimed in his agreement, [color=1f66b2]”Our fights are pretty sparse compared to everyone else’s so I figure we’re probably best suited for this job.”[/color]

Those two confirmed for the impromptu raid party was encouraging, and it showed on Pit's face in the grin he gave them.

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Great! Me too of course!"[/color]

He did have his final Pools match later that night, but with the right strike team maybe they could pull whatever plan they came up with off, with time spare! ...assuming, of course, that R was on their way soon. Right, the exact timing was something they'd have to find out, huh?

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Me and Captain Falcon can give you a crash course in Consul combat on the way, Amaterasu! You never fought one before, right?"[/color]

The wolf gave a pair of barks to indicate that she had not, no, while her perked ears made it clear that she was more than willing to listen and learn. 

This seemed to enthuse Pit, eager as he was to help out a friend even with something as simple as info dumping for them. He raised a fist to his mouth to dramatically clear his throat, then mimed pushing a pair of glasses up the bridge of his nose the same way he'd seen Lady Palutena do it many times before.

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Alright, listen up! First, they're all two-phase boss fights! You've seen their armor, right? Well they've got another form that's like a monster-y version of it! And they've all got super cheap powers! [i]Plus[/i] they can brain wash people that are still Gleaming, and they're kinda like us 'cause they're not Galeem-ified so they don't have to stick around and fight. They'll run away or try to trick you if they start losing! And-!"[/color]

As the small group changed direction and began picking their way down the tiers of Esaka in order to meet up with the rest of the Seekers, Pit alternated between talking animatedly and trying to reign himself in so as not to draw too many curious ears. He regaled Amaterasu with everything he recalled about how the Consuls he'd met in battle before operated. Of course there were a few spots where Captain Falcon could jump in too, if he found Pit's explanation less than exhaustive.

[color=1f66b2]”They also don’t leave behind a Spirit like the rest of us do.”[/color] Falcon noted, [color=1f66b2]”So I’m inclined to think that that probably means they don’t get reset by Galeem’s little system cycles.”[/color]

The divine wolf took this all in her stride, mentally inscribing it all as he went along, but the last part was certainly notable. Not actually useful in a direct sense, of course, like the powers and abilities were, but it certainly did take a certain mindset to turn away from the cycle of reincarnation that Galeem had set up and to bet everything on this one powerful life.

She wondered idly how many had lost that gamble so far over the eternity that Galeem's world has apparently existed.

In order to get back down the Low Tier, and the city’s gates after that, the group would have to swing back around to the other side of the Pools. Pit had already steered them around the eastern side through Tekken, and soon enough they crossed over into the World Warrior slice of the area - headed for the open air elevators that moved up and down the tier walls. 

Grima had quickly left the arena after her match. Her initial plan of further humiliating Terumi forgotten due to her own thoughts. She was swiftly finding herself pushed to the brink, and needed to center herself and come up with a plan to handle not only the tournament, but her goal of usurping the Four Kings… Which itself was simply a stepping stone towards her true selves's reawakening. 

And yet, she could STILL feel Robin’s presence in the back of her mind, gnawing away with their thoughts.

“[i]That was a close fight. You put up a better fight when you defeated Chrom and the Shepards[/i]”

“[i]I’m sure you’re very familiar with my full power. Alas, I am back to a weakened state.[/i]”

“[i]Even then, you're using both your magic and my skills. A best of both worlds, but you keep-[/i]” the back and forth between Robin and Grima paused as Robin suddenly stopped herself, “[i]Oh, it’s that Pit.[/i]”

Instinctively, Grima’s eyes snapped to the side, catching the angel as they moved through the area, “[i]... So it is. You must be glad to see a friend in this realm[/i]” Grima retorts in her mind, absently brushing a bit of hair out of her eyes as she begins to walk, trying to intersect their paths, “[i]This is fortuitous. Saves me the trouble of tracking them down to join their little band.[/i]”

As she weaved through the small crowd towards the trio of Seekers, Pit spotted her distinctive hair and coat and peeled off from his company to make a beeline for her, just as she'd planned. 

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Robi--ma!"[/color] It might take time to separate the Fell Dragon from her vessel, clearly. Moving past the name flub, Pit flitted up to her and peeked around her form like he'd be able to tell whether or not the Friend Heart had conjured up some semblance of Robin in Grima, but the woman was still fully the latter - at least as far as it seemed on the outside. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Did you decide if you're gonna join up with us?"[/color]

“I have given it thought, yes. I still have this World Warrior tournament to conquer, but our goals do align. Both here, and beyond” Grima says, watching Pit look around her with casual interest, “I help you, you help me. A common practice amongst mortals, yes?”

The jury was out on whether either one of them counted as true mortals. Pit ceased his inspection, backed up a step, and grinned at Grima. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Heheh, I knew you'd come around! But if you want us to help you like take over the world or something, you're gonna have to pick something else."[/color]

Least of all because there were at least two self-proclaimed villainous Seekers that had designs on replacing Galeem as ruler of this patch work world already.

“No, I have no desire to take over the world. Preferably, we put everything back to how it was before” Grima states, a half-truth all things considered. She didn’t want to rule it, that much was true… But if she had to fully destroy this amalgamation as well, she’d gladly do so, “My main goal is something far less… Demanding. I’m sure your Goddess can wager a guess on it.”

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow][i]Can you, Lady Palutena?[/i][/color]

[color=lightgreen][i]Getting her original body back, or at least its power, I imagine.[/i][/color]

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow][i]Not gonna lie, I totally get wanting to turn into a dragon. But...[/i][/color] thoughts flickered across Pit's brain, and his face. Grima was an evil dragon, but if she was willing to work together with the Seekers to destroy Galeem and its Guardians and then return relatively peacefully to her own world, then it would be in their best interest to work with her. Plus if things got dicey for Chrom and Robin back in Archanea after this, Pit was sure that Lady Palutena would lend him out to help them if they only called. 

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Hm... okay. If you really want to join us, then you'll be our teammate - and teammates help each other out,"[/color] the angel said with a nod. His grin changed into a softer, friendlier smile. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"So... welcome to the team! We're just about to meet up with everyone else! C'mon, Captain Falcon and Amaterasu are right over there, you can meet them first!"[/color]

Pit caught the Fell Dragon's sleeve and tugged her over to the other Seekers he'd been with. 

Grima was not prepared for the angel to grab her sleeve, and as such she stumbled slightly as she was dragged along, “H-Hold on, you do not need to-!” she shouts to no avail. It doesn’t take long (or much effort) for Pit to get her over to the others, at which point Grima is finally able to remove herself from his grasp, “I would [i]prefer[/i] not being dragged around, especially for occasions like this” the Fell Dragon comments, dusting herself off and turning her gaze to Captain Falcon and Amaterasu. She didn’t linger on Falcon much, noting him as a mortal with a… Curious fashion choice, but her eyes hardened slightly on Amaterasu. Like with Pit, she could feel the divinity radiating off of the wolf.

The divine wolf tilted her head in response to this minor indication of dislike, before glancing at Pit in expectation of an explanation. She wasn’t really affected by it, she got far worse looks around the city from its yokai, and was more curious why someone in Pit’s company might be giving her such a look.

Pit wasn't actually sure of the answer, having been too distracted with the whole Robin body double thing when initially meeting Grima to really log the dragon's distaste for divinity. He flapped his hand in a casual manner, dismissing it as anything important. 

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"This is our newest recruit! Hopefully she's not allergic to dogs! Her name's [i]Grima[/i],"[/color] Pit said, putting some emphasis on the name while glancing Falcon's way, as the Smash Bros. tourney veteran was likely to make the same mistake that Pit did with the vessel's identity. 

[color=1f66b2]”You look familiar.”[/color] Captain Falcon said, leaning forward a bit. [color=1f66b2]”Have we met before? I swear I’ve seen you somewhere, but I’m not the greatest at names. Er, Robin? No wait, she was the [i]other[/i] one. Um… ah, I got it! Lucina, right?”[/color] He correctly guessed that she was Robin, yet somehow managed to be even more wrong.

The mention of Lucina caused Grima to look back at Falcon, her eyes somehow narrowing even more, “You were technically correct with your first guess. Robin was my vessel. But the Robin that you knew is not the same as I. Galeem seemed to have used several versions of my original world for their creation” Grima states with a shrug, sensing Robin at the back of her mind confirming the statement: Robin did not know any of these individuals, meaning that they had to have encountered a different Robin.

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Yeah, so like I said: Grima!"[/color]

Pit should probably find out if the friend-heart had dislodged any of her vessel's original personality, most likely by just asking, but right now they had a team to meet up with and a Consul to defeat. 

Amaterasu had no context for this, though she did find the talk of using someone as a ‘vessel’ a little concerning and her own eyes hardened in response to it. She could see that this was going to be a rough working relationship.

But they would have time to sort that out -or maybe not- on the way.