[center][h2][color=lightgoldenrodyellow]Pit[/color] & [b][color=ec008c]Juri[/color][/b][/h2] [color=lightgoldenrodyellow][u]Level[/u]: [b]8[/b] - [u]Total EXP[/u]: 22/80[/color] [color=ec008c]Level 6: 47/60[/color] Word Count: 4,924 (+5 exp)[/center] Even after winding down with a few card games following the battle, it was hard for Pit to actually relax. Sure his stamina had taken a hit with the whole marathon of morning fights but he was already feeling better, especially after eating. So even though his energy level wasn't high enough to warrant working through in the training center, he also didn't feel like sitting around and doing nothing. He was looking forward to stopping at Hammerhead, but in the meantime he toured the Avenger like he'd done the day before - heading first for the Spirit Chamber to take care of the handful of carcass spirits he had on him, then the armory to drop off what had come out of them. [center][hider=Items obtained][url=https://i.imgur.com/aok4sb6.png][b]Acid Abrasive[/b][/url] A handheld device with opposing pads soaked in acidic solution. Running a bladed weapon through the gap will temporarily coat it in acid, allowing the next half-dozen blocked or landed strikes to inflict durability and defense-reducing acid damage. Of course, doing so also gradually eats away at the weapon itself. There's enough solution in the pads to coat the average sword three times [b]Vivid Crystal Ergo[/b] A mysterious, bright blue power stone rich in some kind of strange energy. It can be absorbed by machines and turned into power [b][url=https://i.imgur.com/rWDlyal.png]Carcass Crystal Axe[/url][/b] A huge, heavy weapon split into two parts, which can be assembled together or with other modular weapons. The axe head's skill allows the weapon to generate a splash of acid when it slams down into the ground, and the handle's skill allows one to temporary conserve energy, decreasing stamina consumption [b]Potion of Lead Skin[/b] For a short time after consumption, enemy projectiles will be reflected off the user's body[/hider][/center] Before finally just wandering and continuing to flex his new reading skill on the signs posted along the hallways. Which is when he ran into another Seeker making her way out of the vehicle storage. Although it was really more like he'd spotted her leaving and turning down another hall and picked up his pace to follow after her. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Hey, Juri!"[/color] Pit called, flitting over and smiling at the woman. Where normally he might be looking up at her, with their spirit fusions the two were about the same height now. It was curiosity more than anything else that drove him to talk to her, that and want to find something to do until they landed. The angel figured she probably wouldn't mind. She hadn't seemed that affected by the events in the final hollow compared to many others, and besides ever since the minigames in Carnival Town he knew Juri was a team player even if people thought otherwise. Pit glanced back toward the doors of the vehicle bay before. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Do you like cars and tanks and stuff? Have you been to Hammerhead -where we're going- before? They have this thing called a Rocket League where the cars drive upside down in this cage and..."[/color] he started saying, more or less rambling to Juri as she walked. Juri stopped walking and let her currently unpainted Ghoulsaw swing from one hand. With the other, she reached over her own shoulder and tried to reach her back, like she was trying to scratch at it. [b][color=ec008c]”Oh, sorry,”[/color][/b] She said. [b][color=ec008c]”I was just wonderin’ if someone put a note on my back that said: ‘annoy me’.”[/color][/b] Juri took a big step forward, leaning towards his face. [b][color=ec008c]”Who even are you, again?”[/color][/b] [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Wh- I'm [i]Pit![/i] We [i]just[/i] fought together and we did all those games before!"[/color] He was not actually as offended as he sounded. He also completely ignored her comment about being annoyed. A thought occurred to him and he said, [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Wait, did we skip the big introductions when you... did you not know my name? That's why you were calling me those nicknames!"[/color] Pit rested his hands on his hips, now pleased like he'd figured something out. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Well like I said, I'm Pit! Easy to remember, right?"[/color] If she was being honest with herself, keeping track of whose who when people are either dropping dead or changing appearance was a real pain in the ass. Juri figured she recognized him, now. [b][color=ec008c]”Pit?”[/color][/b] Juri grinned, and poked Pit in the forehead. [b][color=ec008c]”What kinda sorry ass name is Pit? Your momma hate you or somethin’, kid?”[/color][/b] She asked. [b][color=ec008c]”But yeah, I remember ya now. I had to go in there and finish off that wimpy old man you somehow failed to kill.”[/color][/b] Juri stood up straight, folding one leg behind the other and setting a hand on her hip. He reached up to rub the spot Juri had poked, intending to argue that Pit was actually a very cool and heroic name and he was not, technically, a kid - but her bringing up Consul O made his eyes widen slightly, and he focused on that instead. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"I didn't fail!"[/color] he said sharply, though his next words were less sure. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"I wasn't trying to– I was [i]going[/i] to but then he... he said he was giving up!"[/color] Pit frowned as he remembered the whole unpleasant encounter. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"He didn't look like he could fight and he seemed... scared. And he said he surrendered, so..."[/color] The angel sighed roughly. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"But then he trapped me in a tiny little fish tank with a bunch of cute otters and left us to drown!"[/color] He actually might have if Sandalphon hadn't come to save him. The near death experience didn't bother him so much as it being implied he'd failed in his duty, though. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"He didn't try to trick you when you found him?"[/color] For a moment, something in Juri’s eyes flickered. Then, [b][color=ec008c]”Pfft,”[/color][/b] She cupped her bottom lip and puffed out her bangs to reveal her green eye like a blink. [b][color=ec008c]”’Course, tried to bribe me cuz I ain’t soft like you. But even that didn’t work, so I broke his damn neck, because [i]I[/i] didn’t fail.”[/color][/b] She said emphatically. [b][color=ec008c]”I can’t believe you fell for that. I can’t believe you [i]told[/i] me! You grow up in candyland or somethin’?”[/color][/b] Juri asked. The last comment fell flat, as Pit only thought a land of candy sounded like a neat place to live. Still, his cheeks colored slightly in embarrassment. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Yeah, well, if I hadn't fallen for it then he wouldn't have told me D's weakness! And... I'm the one that found him in the first place!"[/color] Of course once it had become clear that D was a vampire, someone would have probably figured out his weaknesses anyway. Pit didn't point that out, instead crossing his arms defensively. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Why wouldn't I tell you? You're a Seeker too. We're basically friends!"[/color] he spoke defensively too now, even as he stated that he considered Juri an ally and, probably, a future pal. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"I found him, you finished him. Teamwork."[/color] [b][color=ec008c]”No, see, ‘cuz I had to find him again. So it was more like,”[/color][/b] And Juri counted on her fingers for this, [b][color=ec008c]”You failed, I found him, I killed him.”[/color][/b] She teased. Her tone took on a more serious tone. [b][color=ec008c]”And we’re not friends, twerp. I can’t stomach most of these Seekers, let alone one dumb enough to fall for a puppy dog eyes act from a wretched geezer like O.”[/color][/b] She lowered herself to lean forward and push her face up at Pit, her eyes widening. [b][color=ec008c]”I tore him into him with my saw, kicked him outta his wheelchair and broke his neck with my foot as he begged for mercy. I had a freakin’ good time doing it, too. Still wanna be my friend?”[/color][/b] Juri asked, retracting once more. Pit bristled when Juri got into his space this time, but he didn't shrink away. He let out a quick sigh through his nose. O had been an unrepentant villain, even if Pit hadn't been able to see it at first. He needed to be defeated, and he'd had a chance to save his own life only to squander it when he pulled one over on the angel. Just because Pit was wont to take people at their word and was personally hesitant to take the life of a human, what humans did to each other was ultimately not his business unless it threatened the world. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"He was a bad guy,"[/color] Pit said simply. Juri claiming to take pleasure in his killing was maybe a little unnerving, but should a good guy not enjoy triumphing over evil? And as for if Pit wanted to be her friend, well, he countered with, [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"And it kinds seems like you need one."[/color] [b][color=ec008c]”Oh, God,”[/color][/b] Juri rolled her eyes and stuck a finger into her mouth, making a retching noise. [b][color=ec008c]”Hurk! Barf!”[/color][/b] Juri shouldered her Ghoulsaw, shaking her head. [b][color=ec008c]”The good news is, I won’t have to put up with you very long. Won’t be too long before some Consul tags you as an easy mark and stabs you in the back after tricking you into makin’ ‘em cookies. You know our ‘lives’ mean less than nothing to any of these people, right? Mercy is a weakness, especially in this world.”[/color][/b] She said. [b][color=ec008c]”If you really wanna be my toady, I wanna see you ice the next freak you down. No hesitation. Put one of them lil’ cupid arrows right between the eyes.”[/color][/b] This time she poked herself in the forehead to drive the point home. [b][color=ec008c]”Understand, twerp?”[/color][/b] [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Toady?"[/color] [color=lightgreen][i]Like a lackey,[/i][/color] Palutena supplied him with a hint of amusement. Pit squeezed his arms a little tighter, his wings twitching briefly. He'd been called that so many times by a lot of different people, but at this point he could let it go. He fixed Juri with a bright stare. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"I'm not gonna get tricked again,"[/color] he told her, though he half said it for himself. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"And... I'm gonna do whatever I need to do, not what you tell me to!"[/color] He looked to be a few moments away from sticking his tongue out at her, but instead he just said, [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"So you don't have to worry about me."[/color] [b][color=ec008c]”Trust me, I’m not.”[/color][/b] Juri glanced over her shoulder, down the hall. [b][color=ec008c]”I’m ‘unna go get this thing painted while everyone’s at that waste of time funeral.”[/color][/b] Juri said, referring to her Ghoulsaw. And also calling the funeral a waste of time, casually, to see if that would get more of a rise out of Pit. [b][color=ec008c]”I don’t need to get it cleaned, though, the blood goes away with the corpses. So that’s a plus.”[/color][/b] Her callousness didn't rankle him as much as one might expect. Because if she really didn't care about what had happened with O, or about the people they'd just lost, she wouldn't have brought it up. If she really was as annoyed by Pit as she said she was, she would have ditched him. And if she [i]really[/i] detested being part of the team, she wouldn't have joined in the first place. Or that was Pit's assumption, anyway. He shifted his posture, his frown fading as he remembered something he'd thought about Juri before. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"I know you aren't as nasty as you pretend to be,"[/color] he said, quickly, like he'd caught on to some secret and might have been trying to turn the tables in the conversation - though it was more likely the angel just couldn't grasp why she'd 'pretend' to be like this in the first place and was pointing it out the only way he knew how, directly. [b][color=ec008c]”Wanna bet?”[/color][/b] Juri asked coldly, lashing out to kick his legs out from under him. The sudden movement easily caught Pit off guard, and he fell onto his back with a little yelp. [b][color=ec008c]”Who do you think you’re talking to?”[/color][/b] She leaned over, her smile hollow and angry, like her face was about to fall off and shatter into porcelain shards. Her visible eye was a dark hole in the earth. [b][color=ec008c]”There’s nothing I can’t stand more than self-righteous pricks who think they’re better than everyone else. You wanna reach down to me, like I’m beneath you? Be my friend because you think I [i]need[/i] one? I’d beat you senseless if it wouldn’t cost me my best shot at Galeem. [i]You don’t know anything about me.[/i] Got it?”[/color][/b] Juri hissed. A moment passed, and she went back to ‘pretending’. Whatever she was pretending to be. She stepped away from Pit, her smile lessening and becoming natural again. She ran her tongue along the front of her teeth. [b][color=ec008c]”Now do us both a favor and don’t even bother next time.”[/color][/b] Juri said. She rolled her neck and started stalking off down the hall. For a few seconds after Pit sat up he only watched Juri go. He was surprised, and even kind of insulted, but it was hard to tell if it was on his own behalf or Juri's. He scrambled to his feet and -perhaps unwisely- followed after her. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"I don't think like that!"[/color] he tried to clarify. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"I'm not trying to be your friend 'cause I think I'm better than you - like I said, we're on the same team! And [i]everybody[/i] needs friends! "Plus I know enough about you! Like..."[/color] [color=lightgoldenrodyellow][i]Quick, help me out here Lady Palutena![/i][/color] [color=lightgreen][i]You got yourself into this one, Pit,[/i][/color] the goddess responded. Still, she wasn't about to pass up the chance to flex her extensive knowledge of fighters. [color=lightgreen][i]Juri Han... she's a master martial artist with a mean streak. She really does enjoy making her opponents suffer, so she wouldn't go easy on you if you were to fight.[/i][/color] So that part about her was true. Surprise briefly flickered on Pit's face. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow][i]So you don't think I could win?[/i][/color] [color=lightgreen][i]Now, now, I didn't say that.[/i][/color] There was a brief pause as Palutena collected her thoughts, or else collected the information on Juri from wherever she pulled her other world knowledge from. [color=lightgreen][i]Besides that, Juri prefers motorcycles to 'cars and tanks.' She even has one of her own. She's a thrill seeker and a scofflaw, but without a goal to chase she gets dreary. It used to be that her goal was revenge, but now...[/i][/color] [color=lightgoldenrodyellow][i]Now its helping save the world![/i][/color] [color=lightgreen][i]Let's go with that.[/i][/color] The telepathic exchange was quick, but there had been enough of a pause to be noticeable before Pit spoke up again. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"...like I know you like fighting and having fun, and you have a cool motorcycle, and... and even if you're gloomy, you really want to help."[/color] Juri, stopped, turned over her shoulder and stared at Pit, her face twisting into a bewildered sneer. [b][color=ec008c]”[i]Haaah?[/i] You’re still following me? Still talking?”[/color][/b] Juri asked. Then, she started laughing. [b][color=ec008c]”Because, what, you like my motorcycle? Let me show you somethin’ I’ve been working on.”[/color][/b] Juri gestured Pit over to a nearby supply closet, tapping a button to open the vertically sliding door. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Huh? Here?"[/color] Wait, had he actually gotten through to her, even if only a little? Both optimistic and oblivious, Pit did not hesitate to approach for a closer look. [b][color=ec008c]”Yeah, right in there.”[/color][/b] Juri palmed the back of his head and shoved him inside, before pressing the button to close the door again. With a quick hack, she made it unable to be opened from the inside. After that, she broke open the control panel and unplugged a couple wires, making the effect permanent. [b][color=ec008c]”Hahaha!”[/color][/b] Juri laughed loudly. Amused and satisfied, she walked away again. The sound of banging, shouting, and the door rattling against its track and latch followed after her instead of an annoyingly plucky angel. At least until there was a muffled whirring noise from the closet she'd left behind, swiftly followed by a loud crash as the now heavily dented door was blown open and out of its track, smashing against the opposite wall. Pit hopped back into the hallway as the Upperdash Arm dissolved into light. His face had once again taken on a pink color after that little humiliation, especially after he'd [i]just[/i] told Juri he wasn't going to be tricked after O. His wings were also half open, his feathers ruffled literally and metaphorically, puffed up like a little animal trying to make itself look bigger. He hoped he wasn't going to get in trouble for breaking something, but technically Juri had broken it first. At this point Pit didn't really care whether Juri wanted to be his friend or not (she'd made it pretty obvious that the answer was not), but considering what Lady Palutena had told him, how she'd looked after knocking him to the ground, and how she seemed to try inserting herself into the group while simultaneously keeping herself at arm's length, Pit knew he was right about her. So it was really a point of childishly making sure [i]she[/i] knew he was right about her too. If they ended up graduating from estranged people with the same goal to tumultuous teammates, it would just be a bonus. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Okay, I get it, maybe you really are that mean!"[/color] Feeling stubborn, Pit pointed at her retreating back and made sure she could hear him as he went on. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"But I also know you have a heart somewhere in there! If you didn't then you wouldn't be helping us fight Galeem, and you wouldn't have been trying so hard to get revenge for something before you joined up with us!"[/color] He didn't know what for, or if she'd eventually gotten her vengeance or not, but like he'd thought earlier Juri clearly cared more than she let on. Recalling her threat and the Goddess of Light's words, Pit let out a puff of air before giving her a brash grin. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"And I know you'd have to try, really, really hard to beat me."[/color] Juri, without turning around, let her Ghoulsaw fall to the ground with a thud. It’d just slow her down. Then she turned to face Pit once again, teeth gleaming. [b][color=ec008c]”You’re stupid, Pit. But if you wanna play, let’s play.”[/color][/b] She lifted her front leg and rested her elbow on it. Then she flicked her foot upwards, gathering black and white energy around her ankles. Though he had taunted her, Pit was still a little surprised that she intended to fight him here in the middle of a corridor. He could practically hear Lady Palutena's facepalm in his head, but she didn't offer anymore advice and Pit didn't ask. He might actually be stupid as Juri said ([i]but smart enough to read now![/i] he thought), but he kind of already felt a sense of victory since she hadn't called him 'kid' or 'twerp.' It showed in his gaze, too. Pit tensed up, prepared to summon any of his divine weapons at a moment's notice. And then he acted unwisely again, darting forward to shrink the gap between them. Juri spun low and sent a grounded wave of energy streaking towards Pit’s legs. She followed it up with a dash of her own to close the distance, and there was a burst of pink energy as she inflicted Weak upon Pit, lowering his damage by 30% for a few precious seconds. At the same time she went to kick out and over her projectile before it sliced into his legs. [b][color=ec008c]”Haha!”[/color][/b] Ready for her this time, the heavenly shields that made up the Guardian Orbitars flashed into existence. When they came into being it was slightly ahead of Pit himself, and though they couldn't stop the pink wave of Weak they could reflect Juri's monochrome energy right back at her. The shields didn't fade away afterward, one took the brunt of Juri's kick while the other just shot right towards her center mass for a blunt impact. Juri’s own leg was caught by her projectile, causing her to be unbalanced, while the second orb struck her center. [b][color=ec008c][i]”Ooh-”[/i][/color][/b] She grunted, shoved backwards, though her Weak spell was still in effect to reduce the damage she took. The Orbitars were not that strong in the first place either, but Pit the slight advantage while he could, whirling the crimson and gold shields in a tornado-like fashion that pressed in at Juri. [b][color=ec008c][i]”Tch,”[/i][/color][/b] Juri rose her arm and leg, the tornado scraping against her. She let herself get pushed back and then grabbed one of the shields to halt the tornado in place long enough to kick out at Pit’s torso in hopes of disrupting the spell. Since her opponent's shields were free floating, the one not caught in her grasp could simply rush back to Pit's side. It wasn't quite fast enough to completely block the blow, but between it and Pit's bracer as he raised his arm in defense the angel took a much less painful hit to the arm instead of the chest. Then the Orbitar Juri was holding suddenly faded into golden particles just before reappearing with its twin to hang in the air beside Pit. His expression was cheeky as if to say [i]see? You'll have to try harder.[/i] Just before the Orbitars began to glow to fire projectiles of their own. [b][color=ec008c]”Hope you plan on doing more than a lightshow, twerp!”[/color][/b] Juri swatted the projectiles away with her leg, generating more fuha stocks. Then she bent low under one, and hopped over the other, before suddenly diving through the air with a long ranged dive kick. If the first hit, she would follow up with a spinning volley of other kicks that carried them both through down the corridor. It connected when she slipped through, roughly shoving Pit back and losing the ground he'd gained - and then even more as she rushed him. The Orbitars had abandoned their assault to dedicated themselves to what they were meant for, defense, as angel and weaponry hurried to lessen each subsequent blow. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"I can do a lot more!"[/color] Though getting an opening was another matter. Before they got more than halfway back to where they'd come from Pit stood his ground and shoved both Orbitars together at Juri's leg as she kicked out, just enough to make some breathing room. Then the shields dispersed again, and no weapon seemed to replace them. Instead, the skin showing on his right arm lit up with prismatic tattoos. He went to grab Juri's attacking limb so he could retaliate in kind with a vertical stretch kick, and use the leverage to lash out with his own opposite leg in a high roundhouse. [b][color=ec008c]”As if,”[/color][/b] Juri’s leg hit Pit’s palm with force, making grabbing it difficult, especially as she retracted it with practiced ease and swiftness. She leaned her body to the side to avoid the stretch kick and then spun under the roundhouse, returning fire with a sweep to Pit’s leg still on the ground. Finishing her spin she brought her foot down like an axe towards Pit, leaving a streak of empowered black and white energy behind it. [b][color=ec008c]”I’ll crush you!”[/color][/b] Pit fell for the sweep again, but this time he used his wings to beat the air and push himself to roll out from under Juri's follow up. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"You'll only try!"[/color] As there wasn't a ton of space in the hallway his back hit the wall soon after, though he used it to spring right back at Juri. With the Palm Breaker equipped his hand to hand strikes were empowered to the point of a proper martial artist, and he struck out with the heel of his palm at her core. The fuha empowered strike lent Juri more mobility, and as Pit sprung towards her she smoothly transitioned into two sweeping side kicks, the streaks of energy and her long legs outreaching Pit’s diving punch. If it worked it would kick PIt into the wall, only for a gust of wind to pull him into Juri’s waiting rib-cracking elbow strike and follow up thrusting strike aimed towards his neck. [b][color=ec008c]”Come on!”[/color][/b] Her plan seemed to work as Pit felt his back connect with the wall yet again, only much harder this time. When he was pulled back toward her he raised his arms in a crossed guard, his bracers absorbing the worst of her attacks. He winced - it still hurt. Pit uncurled from his guard swiftly, throwing his glowy arm out with a chop toward the side of her head. At the same time his hand exploded with light, his own energy channeled into multiple little bright arcs that would home in on her had they not been locked in melee, but with the close proximity could pretty much instantly strike her. Juri met the chop with her forearm, and then half-shielded herself as the blasts knocked her backwards. She swatted away the last of the blasts with a sparking clash, and then launched a near instant projectile of her own with purple ki colored kick. Then she backdashed, using her new skill to create a sharp air vortex in her wake that pulled Pit towards her and slashed into him, long enough for her to send an elbow towards his face. She had him against the wall and was intent on not letting him go. She was confident that her skills up close were superior to his, magic or not. Pit managed to avoid the blast of energy, just barely, but Juri was right to be confident. Even though the Breaking Palm boosted his power, hand to hand was not his strongest suite, especially compared to a dedicated martial artist. His head snapped back when her elbow connected, but thankfully he had a really hard head. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"That all you got?!"[/color] He said after a hissed out breath. He let another round of light shots out from his palm while he reached out to grab her and stop her flurry. As long as he could get a hold of her he'd bring his leg up in a knee strike before going to shove her away. Juri wasn’t going to let a perfectly good head hit go without followup. Ready for the next round of blasts, she turned perpendicular and braced her shoulder to not lose any ground, steadied her self against his grip and brought up her own knee to meet his. She held the pose, her face inches from his. [b][color=ec008c]”I like it!”[/color][/b] Juri cooed, before shoving him away instead. She zig-zagged the distance between them away before going to hook her foot behind his head, knee him up into the air and then launch him suddenly to the left. Her green eye glowed, and suddenly a heavy bulkhead door descended from its safe storage place in the ceiling and dropped onto his back! In the blink of an eye Pit used the break to swap weapons again. The tattoos on his arm snaked towards his palm, though the gathered light in his hand took the shape of a bow rather than firing out at Juri. With his favored weapon he'd be able to meet the street fighter at her level, eliminating the advantage she had! Unfortunately, he wouldn't get a chance to really use it. He used the armor on his shin to block her knee, but he was still thrown to the side at her whim. He didn't fight that, instead bringing his bow up and about to spin the blade at Juri. But he had not expected a hunk of metal to suddenly drop down onto him. The heavy door slammed into Pit, winding him and flattening him to the ground. He laid there pinned as the bow dissolved back into light, for a moment not moving with all six of his limbs splayed out. Then he looked up at Juri sharply, a petulant scowl on his face. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"If I was a human that could have killed me!"[/color] He was thankful it had only struck his lower back, if that had managed to break the more delicate bones in his wings he would have been really mad. And in a lot of agony, but also mad. Juri grinned and stooped over to him, squatting in front of him. [b][color=ec008c]”Who cares?”[/color][/b] She asked, resting her cheek in her palm. [b][color=ec008c]”No, really. Who cares?”[/color][/b] [b][color=ec008c]”Buncha dust walkin’ around, thinkin’ it’s people? Hardly counts.”[/color][/b] Juri tilted her head from side to side. [b][color=ec008c]”You think I [i]have a heart[/i] because I’m helping you Seekers [i]burn everything down?[/i]”[/color][/b] Juri lowered her face towards Pit’s again, looking him in the eyes. [b][color=ec008c]”Nah. It’s cuz between spending forever as ignorant dust, or as some warden over a plastic toy sandbox, or [i]killing[/i] the fucker that did this to us, going after Galeem is the only choice that even remotely matters.”[/color][/b] She stated this with conviction. Juri stood back up. [b][color=ec008c]”Eternity is for chumps. I’d rather die than hit thirty.”[/color][/b] Juri said, and then stretched. Her tone lightened. [b][color=ec008c]”I’m ‘unna leave ya there cuz you already proved you can’t take a hint. See ya around, twerp.”[/color][/b] Juri waved over her shoulder and lumbered off, scooping up her Ghoulsaw as she did. By the time Pit would be able to wiggle himself free (or someone came along to help him), Juri would be long gone - so there wasn't much else he could do besides watch her leave and sit with her words. Maybe her outlook was just too different from his, but he still thought he was right about her. If she didn't insist on being a loner, she might not be so much... like that. Not that it mattered much at the moment after she'd thrashed him and left him stuck. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Uugh."[/color] Pit let his forehead fall back to the floor with a dull thud.