Same as Always

Korra couldn't help chuckling when the War Tiger man disappeared, though it wasn't completely unexpected for a person who was rescued to flee immediately for safety, particularly if they were experienced in this dungeon. The rescuers would have an easier time escaping without having to worry about the rescuee after all; to some this would be a move made in bad taste, but in the dungeon it was the best way to ensure survival without dragging others down into graves with you. "It looks like we're done here-- this is a rescue mission not a fight to the death princess." She playfully chided like a lover or mother before turning her attention back to Kirin.

All of the claw marks being made along it's side could be felt by Korra, like harsh nails raking her sides, but it wasn't something that couldn't be dealt with. Korra had been clawed up by cute companions a lot more fiercely then Kirin was being clawed by the goblins at this point. If it went on they might start climbing over each other to reach more vital areas but Korra didn't intend to wait that long. Instead, she reached out towards Kirin giving the large creature a wave as she shouted. "Kirin, shove them off, we're going." She spoke firmly holding a hand out for Marzipan.

Trying to grab the woman by her waist or jacket for leverage, even in the middle of her fight, she'd try to tug her away if Marzipan didn't react fast enough to her escape order. With Kirin viciously shaking the goblins from it's body, it turned towards Korra in a strong run leaving little time for pleasantries. Korra's first instinct was to give Marzipan a shove onto the creature's back if she wasn't aware enough to make the leap herself. For Korra herself though, mounting Kirin was the same as walking or running with her own legs. All she needed was a hand on it's mane for balance before flipping herself up with a fluid hop. Korra didn't hesitate to use Kirin to dash them out of the conflict, even if the Kobold would eventually catch up with them if it was uninjured, the wave of goblins wouldn't be as forgiving.

 

Korra couldn't help a warm grin when she was told to hold her britches, her response was as coy as you might expect as she lifted up the cloth of her tribal skirt. "No britches to keep on here honey. I abandoned those things long long ago~" She teased back seeing Marzipan's leg getting scraped. It made her sigh a little, Kirin naturally could accept those scrapes because of his scales, like armor it protected his body well which made receiving it easier for Korra since it was already blunted. Korra didn't think Mazipan had that sort of protection which made her a bit worried for the girl. "You gonna be okay?" She added even as Kirin began heading back towards the dungeon's entrance.

Though hearing her ask about the War Tiger man who abandoned them during the rescue, Korra nodded back plainly, it wasn't such an odd occurrence. "On the outside others would stick around to thank you right? In the dungeon, that sort of action is a liability though. Some might stay and help you fight your way out, but capable veterans in a tight spot would never. Leaving the moment they find a chance is safer for them, without worrying about protecting them it's safer for us-- The fighting won't exactly end here likeit would on the surface, so those stronger people, those veterans would make those kinds of snap decisions unless they can't move around on their own." Korra offered an explanation with a soft sigh knowing that she'd been abandoned a few times by those she rescued as well.

 

Seeing the girl blush, Korra flashed a warm grin, it was certainly worth teasing her here and there if her reactions were to be this cute every time. "It'd be good to wash it when we get back, I'll be glad to lend you a hand~" She offered with a slight wink, she didn't push too far though, Korra was offered an inch but she'd take only a mile while Kirin carried them, she didn't want to put the poor girl off who seemed rather innocent. She couldn't simply beat her over the head with her playful intentions.

Though the girl's aversion to her words was clear from her face alone while she struggled to answer her explanation about the subject. With a soft touch she tried to at Marzipan's shoulder reassuringly, it was a hard thing to take in after all, people could be selfish, people could be grateful, the dungeon often show people in their rawest and unfiltered forms. You were able to get a sense for what people could truly be like in such a place, it was sometimes hard to deal with no doubt. "Don't think on it too much, the ones that will stick around to the end are the ones that matter the most after all. It lets you know people seeing them like this." She explained feeling that Marzipan might be depressed.

Being offered bread though, Korra took a bite with a warm grin, It was a relief, something that Korra could actually get used to since she and Kirin shared exhaustion and pain, invigorating anything was always welcome. Relaxing as Kirin forced itself through monsters, it charged through approaching the entrance after a while. "It's good... Can you make it here? I might buy some." Korra mused knowing it would be useful to keep at least a bit on hand for future accidents.

 

Korra couldn't help giggling, subtleties were lost on Marzipan, it was cute seeing her blink blankly every time she made some kind of cute and devious offer after all. Though seeing Marzipan taking the realities a bit hard Korra could only shrug her shoulders knowing that she could only do her best to try and prepare the newbie adventurer. "Everyone is different, there are scumbags everywhere and few are chivalrous enough to follow people to what could be their deaths." She added knowing that the girl might have reservations. Dungeoning was never meant for those who were weak at heart or thin skinned after all.

Though hearing her talk about in the dungeon though, Korra gave a vague shrug not knowing, rather then the dungeon selling them just outside would be profitable enough, there was no need to go farther. Rather if they were to go farther, Korra considered the business opportunity with a hum. "Not down here, but if you made them on the surface, I could ferry them down to people in need, isn't that right Kirin?~" She spoke, but the creature snorted at the thought of being a taxi or delivery steed. It was a majestic and dignified creature it wanted to protest, but it knew it's efforts wouldn't get through to it's flippant summoner.

 

Korra nodded back, seeing the reality sinking in for Mazipan, life in the dungeon was tough, gritty and unflattering. Though everyone seemed heroic and filled with a certain fated destiny of some sort in the dungeon, it was largely untrue. Heroes were made by the survivors after all, most heroes were glorified or lifted onto a pedestal, Korra herself was praised in that same light from time to time for rescuing others with healing but the reality of her being a skirt chasing and obsessed bard was obvious to everyone as well. It was sometimes a little disheartening to have the romanticism dashed from a career, but it was necessary to ensure survival.

The talk about bread made her grin, with something like that bread, she would be much more formidable in a lot of ways. Korra's stamina and wealth of magic was already rather potent, but with a resource that could help her gather some energy back, Kirin would be able to fight more, and Korra could cast more magic. Someday when Korra managed to reach the hearts of other draconian creatures, she'd be more able to coordinate them all without running herself ragged. "That'd be lovely~ I won't let you go back on that though." She mused with a sly smile, after all, Korra was essentially homeless, food was bought with the gold she had and gold was earned with the time she could be approaching women. If she had free food, she wouldn't need to spend as much time working and could just hunt for more cuties.

Hearing her ask about where they were headed, Korra shook her head. "Too much isn't good your first time, adrenaline is high now from your first dive, but when you crash from it, it might not be the same." She explained with a warm grin, though there were naturally other reasons besides that half assed excuse as she continued. "It's more important though to get you registered at the guild and find a good Coordinator there to look after you as well. Not only that, but reporting the troubled adventurer is important as well since we were only doing this for experience you know?" She explained with a bright grin.

 

Korra chuckled back nodding along, after all bread would be very important for Korra, being able to recover her stamina with just a few crumbs of food would be an amazing back up and trump card. Knowing that Marzipan would get it for her when she needed was an added plus, that way she'd be able to take care of people better and get stronger faster even. It was a big plus to her dungeon diving experience after all, being able to keep dragons fresh was a lovely talent.

The thought of the woman not having an adviser was important after all, normally they were the ones who coordinated a first dive or at least gave some experience or references for someone to understand. Korra though felt that nothing was safer then diving with her, largely because of her ability to heal and her experience, there were few rookies if not none that could compare to her awareness of the first five levels. "They'll help coordinate your jobs and get you started and sometimes even run a schedule for you." She explained knowing the guild's services were incredibly useful to her as well. Though the more she talked about the man who had run, Korra flashed a warm grin. "I'm sure it's okay, as for the kobolds, they're following us anyway, once we get to the stairs they'll wander off. That's why you should make sure not to run past others while you're being chased yourself, people will end up drowning under the chasing mob." She explained happily.

 

Korra chuckled, tilting her head knowing that there were a variety of struggles one must face in the dungeon. Who to abandon, who to leave, how much worth does a stranger have compared to your own safety. These difficult questions are ones adventurers are tested with persistently and on a daily basis while in the depths of the dungeon. "They are a big help, they take care of some of the prep-work so we don't have to, otherwise we'd have to do it as supporters and never have a moment's rest from the paperwork." She admitted with a heavy sigh knowing she hated that work.

Hearing Marzipan's response, Korra nodded back, rolling a shoulder as she began to explain. "The dungeon will occasionally change it's lay out every once in a while, this is why there are no really concrete maps, because things can change from day to night. It's the job of supporters to know the ways around though." She explained with a warm chuckle, even some adventurers were acutely aware of the changes just form experiencing it so often, but Korra had a variety of maps in her head to suit her need when it came to the earlier floors. "We're almost there." She spokas Marzipan would be able to see the start of the spiral staircase in the blackness of the tunnel's end.

 

Korra shook her head fiercely when Marzipan seemed to misunderstand. "Noooo no no no, we do not, no way-- If we did I'd be looking for another career you can be sure." Korra complained rolling her eyes knowing the moment someone set paper in front of her, if it wasn't a love letter or marriage certificate it would likely be ignored. "It's the advisers who do the paperwork so we don't have to, that's the service the guild provides at least, it's better then us doing it and managing it." She explained with a happy laugh knowing that Marzipan would probably enjoy the thought of leaving the paperwork to others.

Talking about being lost though, Korra shook her head in understanding that was also one of the reasons some newbies would die, getting turned around from the layout and forgetting the way back, even if they remembered exactly they might think they forgot from the changing landscape if they were unlucky. "It does, though the differences aren't incredibly shocking or difficult, it's not something you want to confront when you're tired without knowing the right way." She answered with a sweet giggle understanding Marzipan's desire to keep her supplies well. As they approached the stairs, Kirin would let them off, the creature looking at Korra as if bothered with a huff but she calmed him with a soft pet. "It wasn't so bad though right?"

 

Korra couldn't help laughing softly at Marzipan's reaction, it was cute, adorable even, but she kept that to herself knowing the girl's struggle with paperwork was the same as her own. She was not someone who could handle it either. Instead, she reached a hand out to Marzipan's head, affectionately stroking her hair softly, perhaps even ruffling her ears as she spoke. "They do a lot of it so we don't have to, just some minor information about who you are and how old you are and such, mine didn't take more then a few minutes." She explained with a mellow chuckle playfully seeing the girl's actions as very cute and sweet.

When Marzipan mentioned the entrances and exits changing though, Korra could only shake her head, thankfully those were static. "Those don't change, at least, I've never seen them on these floors, but who knows about the lower levels." She answered but seemed to hesitate briefly as if remembering something that made her wear a some what somber expression. "Though sometimes holes do open up in the floor, you might end up falling to a lower floor or being trapped by it." She admitted with a sullen tone. "That's why Kirin's help is very important-- Some adventurers bring rope or climbing or falling tools." She admitted knowing that others had a hard time, for her, she could either try and jump it with Kirin or simply take the fall with his help, but others didn't have it so easy.

Having Marzipan's thanks though, she flashed a warm grin nodding back. "Of course! It was a nice first date~" She teased back, not expecting Marzipan to take her playful jest too serious despite how serious she was about it. Instead though she dusted herself off, reaching down to Kirin's pack even as it began trying to carry them both up the spiral stairs. Going up was a lot easier then it was going down for the Horse, allowing her to look through their spoils of war. "How to split this up then mm?~" She asked with a warm smirk.

 

That simple gesture of biting her lip was enough for Korra to see she'd done something right, someone with Korra's experiences, desires and pursuits wouldn't miss this sort of visual cue after all! There was simply no way. She spent time stroking the girl's ears a while longer as she grinned, relatively pleased with her instincts to find this sort of nifty tidd bit. This poor girl would never live this down at this point, like being caught in a snare, it was no doubt over!

Hearing her talk about the holes though, Korra gave a leery nod with a heavy sigh. "Naturally there are holes, I hear that deeper down there are even bridges with drops that go down forever and no hand rails. It's truly a disasterous place, but it's easy to make money at the very least. If it wasn't, there'd be no way it would be the place where legends are made right?" She offered with a mellow grin knowing that the danger was the only reason their work and efforts were so lucrative and worthy of fame and admiration.

Though when Marzipan tried to correct her, Korra glanced forward with a smile raising a hand to her ear. "Huh? You said something?~" She teased, intentionally not hearing, if Marzipan tried to persist, Korra would playfully ignore it with a grin before she heard the price with a hum. Hearing her being offered more though wasn't exactly surprising, Marzipan still wasn't aware of the adventurer-supporter cut. Instead she only gave a vague shrug before trying to pet Marzipan's head once more with a warm grin making an effort to once more go for those cute ears as she answered. "Well, if you're sure, but supporters don't usually bring in as much as adventurers so you know~ We'll divide it up on the surface then." She explained contently.