A Discount from Hell Itself!

[Koi Koi]

Merchants weren't ones for STAYING within the empty space between dimensions. After all, there wasn't much to do here. There was no corporeal form strong enough to store merchandise, nor was there anybody else noteworthy that would purchase wares from there. Not that there wasn't anyone IN these dimensions, we'll get there in just a moment. It was just that an unspoken rule for Annas was that one shouldn't waste time within the portals and should see them as just ways of going in and out.

For Anna at least, this was part of business though. She had her eyes set on the Mushroom Kingdom for a few years now, and only just now in this dimension had things become interesting enough for her to start to sink her gold laced claws into the failing economy. The only issue was that she was wholly unfamiliar with the world, its residents, and these newcomers that might be willing to lace their pockets for the second rate scraps heroic armaments that she could provide. And since this wasn't part of Magvel, Ylisse, or Judgral, she could decide her own prices for once! Not that she didn't hate her sisters (and she was definitely going to be lonely having to scour the land without seeing the occasional Anna), but she wanted to be able to prove herself capable on her own hands, and this merchant business out in the wastelands of Bowser's makeshift kingdom was going to be her first steps!

But enough about her, let's talk about her new best friend! He was a great guy, really, and had similar plans as she did! I mean, they were going to operate separately due to... different approaches to business... but that didn't mean they couldn't be friends. Or that they weren't going to scheme together to make a few quick bucks. Besides, for now she was going to be needing him as a scout. She certainly wasn't going to see as much of the world or its residents as that giant lug of a man would. It was just using what was available to her.

"Hey, Hate-ys!"

She called out into the emptiness. She may be overstepping boundaries with a nickname, but dammit that Hades already gave her an annoying nickname! It's tit for tat!

"You done playing with our food, now?! Some of us can't have a front row seat to everything!"

[Kismet]

"Finished? Never" came the voice from everywhere. "I've just left them in the oven for now. Bowser's decided to turn up the heat."

Hades materialized in the distant darkness, colossal and imposing. The twilight of their interstitial realm faded softly into and out of Hades' form, fading his edges and obfuscating where exactly god ended and darkness began. Or was there any difference at all?

Hades chuckled. "Three airships serving up hot plates of cannon-fire. But don't you worry that pretty little head of yours." The god crossed his arms and seemed to lean into the darkness, relaxing on inky nothingness. "You've a spirited group of customers waiting for you! Those poor turtles are soup."

[Koi Koi]

"Hee hee! Like I'd worry about a bit of fire!" Anna giggled, "Just means I get to stock extra burn medicine for our heroes when they come into my shop! I hope Bowser bakes them golden~!"

Leaning forward to imitate Hades' own lackadaisy posture, Anna tilted her head to the side in contemplative thought. It wouldn't be longnow, wouldn't it? Likely after they finish dealing with these airships, they'll be off and about, and it'll be up to her to hunt them down for their gold.

"How about you, Hate-ys? Any particular thoughts on our ensemble here? Anyone who looks like they'd have deep pockets?"

She had no idea what this guy was looking for in customers, though. In fact, why would a god set up a store based around killing his minions? Seems counter-intuitive if you asked her. She wasn't going to judge him for a business venture, but... what's he hoping to profit in anyways?

[Kismet]

"Oh, there are some tasty morsels, but there's some disagreement on who goes where on the food chain" Hades said, smiling not at all innocently. "Oh poor little Toad, you're getting exactly what you wished for. And everyone's going to choke on it."

The Lord of the Underworld did not stir from his relaxed position, but he was ever in motion. His wild, unkempt hair waved and tossed in a nonexistent breeze, and spectral tattered blobs at the edge of his form detached, swirled, and rejoined his colossal body.

"As far as deep pockets go, I really couldn't say" Hades shrugged, almost apologetically. "I don't think they had time to grab their wallets on the way out the door. But there was a girl who looked loaded though. Like, rolling in dough loaded. Spaceship, power armor, lightsaber, kinda loaded. All of daddy's big expensive toys kinda loaded."

"She left though. As in, left left. Flew right back out into space. Poof. Gone." Hades smiled his twisted smile.

"But where are my manners? Take a look for yourself. Things are getting spicy." The god extended a single finger and stirred the darkness below Anna. Light wafted up like steam through the void, and slowly the events on Star Hill came into focus.