[center][abbr=Octopath Travelers][img]https://i.ibb.co/88KWNj5/OTbanner.png[/img][/abbr]
[sup]____________________________________________________[/sup]
[color=FFC6C6][u]Level[/u]: [b]8[/b] - [u]Total EXP[/u]: 182/80[/color] [color=2e2c2c]------[/color] [color=BC8DBF][u]Level[/u]: [b]6[/b] - [u]Total EXP[/u]: 121/60[/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=lightgray]Word Count: 1292 (+3 exp)
[b]Location[/b]: The Under[/color][/center]
It seemed that Therion wasn't the only Seeker that had a strange dream last night. The thief considered the implications of that while Primrose passed out linkpearls to those that she hadn't been able to prior: Rubick, Nadia, Sectonia, and after a brief moment of hesitation, Artorias. 

The dreams - was it just a coincidence? The group had gone through some pretty horrific shit in the last few days. Therion's own dream hadn't reflected any of that though. In fact, now that he was awake, what he remembered of the dream's setting was totally unfamiliar to him save for a few "characters." As well as one other figure.

[i]That woman in the red armor. Had to be one of those Consuls,[/i] he concluded. But he didn't remember seeing one with a mask like that. Were there more Consuls than just P and F down here with them? If so were they screwing with the Seekers via their dreams? Therion's tail began swishing back and forth, moving faster the longer he thought about it. It didn't feel like a normal dream, but it was so vivid and personal feeling that he hesitated to bring it up. Maybe he could just cut out the part where all his friends ended up dead if he talked about it before the details slipped away. [i]...thinking about it now, Cordelia was there but not Heathcote. No Tressa either... weird.[/i]

He tuned back in as Ms. Fortune was questioning the Pizza Trolls. Neither Therion nor Primrose could say that they really knew what a pizza was beyond some kind of food, but magic bags that they could preserve all kinds of food in seemed nice. It was a worthy reason to dive into the unknown perils of the tower, and the Seekers did just that with gusto.

Most of the Seekers anyway. The Orsterrans lingered behind. From what they'd gathered, the way out of the tower was through these trolls - namely through their stomachs. They'd mentioned they were particular about what toppings they liked, but didn't give so much as a hint as to what they were. Plus, if the trolls were blocking the exit somehow, wouldn't it be easier to just... go through them, rather than playing their game of guess the pizza?

[color=D34C25]"So..."[/color] Primrose began, casually looking over at the trio of wooden trolls. [color=D34C25]"What happens if we don't feed you?"[/color]

"Huh? Then... we'll be hungry."

[color=D34C25]"...I meant, is there no way through this tower otherwise?"[/color]

One of the trolls grinned and lifted its head high. "That's right! The only way out is through the boss. But if you give us pizzas we like, we'll show you where he is!"

Therion sighed, cracking his neck as he did some stretching. [color=BC8DBF]"If he's the boss, wouldn't he be in the staff area right there?"[/color] 

He indicated the hall, making all three trolls turn to look at it. They seemed to be thinking something over, since they didn't turn back for several seconds. One of them piped up with, "Uh, w-well it's a good guess but, w-we told you to stay away from there!"

The Travelers shared a look, and a moment later Therion was headed toward the 'Staff Only 'area. The trolls didn't move to stop him, but they did start making a racket with their warnings until Primrose stomped her heel on the ground, shutting them up with the sound of it. When Therion peeked into the corridor, he found it much the same as the others: a [url=https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/626304175013232641/1118359862322135070/image.png]hall[/url] with some doors that looked like they might lead to 'levels.' He relayed what he saw to Primrose, who then crossed her arms and gave the Pizza Trolls a hard stare.

[color=D34C25]"Which room is your boss in?"[/color] she asked. The stumpy creatures cowered until one finally broke under her gaze.

"D-definitely not the 210 door!"

The dancer nodded, walking away from the small group and bidding Therion to join her. The trolls sighed in relief. It hadn't been hard at all to get the information; they almost pitied the tower attendants. 

[color=D34C25]"Well we can leave any time now. I'll let everyone know."[/color] 

[color=BC8DBF]"Sure."[/color] Therion glanced at the other halls just before taking a bag of his own and heading towards the hallways. [color=BC8DBF]"We're going to have to wait for everyone else to get back anyway, so I'll grab some food too."[/color]

[color=D34C25]"Fruits and cheeses would be nice for breakfast."[/color]

Therion agreed, so he took her suggestion and headed for the very first of the levels provided. The dancer herself stayed behind to rest a little longer, though she did raise a hand to the linkpearl in her ear as her friend disappeared through the entrance to John Gutter.

[center][i][color=D34C25]"We've potentially found the way to the tower's exit, it doesn't appear to be guarded. 
Once you've all gotten the foods you want we can go from there."[/color][/i][/center]
Meanwhile, Therion wasn't surprised at all to hear the door slam closed behind him once he'd stepped through it. Honestly it would have been more surprising if it hadn't happened. It was here for fruits, and it looks like he'd chosen the right place. He could already see some hanging from trees, and smell the sweetness even over the stale water. [i]Those stump things said to make sure to be fast, right?[/i] He recalled. [i]Alright, let's do this.[/i]

He didn't have much trouble traversing the level. He darted down slopes and up trees, making use of the tallest plants to get over the short but sheer cliffs. The area's [url=https://i.ibb.co/DWrSLMy/Spr-swedishmonkey-idle.png]monkeys[/url] didn't get in his way, save for the banana peels they tossed into his path. Annoying, but nothing more. Most other creatures he saw were living rocks of some sort, both [url=https://i.ibb.co/hfqCRW3/SMO-Artwork-Moe-Eye.png]shy[/url] and some [url=https://i.ibb.co/JzBN2Ct/Minijohn.gif]not so much.[/url] Whenever fruit was in easy reach he stuff it into the sack he was carrying.

When he reached what must have been the end of this room he noticed a much larger statue covered in cracks and plasters. It wasn't aggressive, in fact it didn't seem to care at all that Therion was there. It glanced at him tiredly and merely sighed. 

"Get on with it..." The statue said, sounding resigned to its fate, which... what? Therion's confusion must have been easy to pick up, as the Pillar John let out another sigh and said, "If you're new, I'm like the exit timer, I guess. Go on..."

It only took a second for what the stone was saying to click in Therion's head. Right, there was a time limit. So after he activated the timer, he had to escape before the exit closed again, was that it? He hadn't noticed any other doors on his way here, so he assumed the exit was the same one he'd entered from. With that in mind he slung the bag over his back and tied it to his clothes, preparing to take on his Beast Form again. 

[color=BC8DBF]"If you insist,"[/color] he told the Pillar John, which only looked at him with disinterested eyes. He shifted, leapt at the pillar man and sprung off in a feline kick that sent the statue to the ground. Therion heard a distinct shifting noise which must have been the timer starting, or the door opening. Either way he sprinted off the way he'd come. The path back seemed to have even more little angry rock people looking for a fight, but in his four legged body Therion could sail right over them. The exercise felt good, but he was more looking forward to eating and moving on. 

He passed back through the doorway and into the tower's lobby, sporting a bounty of bananas, sweet peppers, cantaloupes, mangos, and pineapples; plus one strange walking [url=https://i.ibb.co/4jgrBSw/Papple-idle.gif]fruit[/url] that had tagged along on the way back.