Party Regrouping (Current Location: Clock Town) Thread 7: Rip

"It's, uh..." Calcifer's gaze drifted around the group. "It's good to see you again." There was something in his eyes that looked pained when he looked at Reina. He struggled not to show it.

There was something about the look in Calcifer's eyes that made Jillian pull Reina a little closer to her. "We heard about your loss." She said sympathetically."I am sorry. I can imagine how you feel." She flinched internally, afraid her words might set him off.

To Reina, Calcifer just looked dead inside. She nodded at Jillian's words to reflect her own sympathies.

Calcifer nodded. "I'm sorry if you can."

Chaos nodded in greeting, choosing not to touch the subject of their dead companion. Whatever were the right words to him were probably wrong for the rest of the world. "So, we're only waiting on group 3 now."

"Most of it anyway..." Fist added glancing at Quint and Trace

Kairo returned with the water for Ruul and Calcifer and put the cups on the table in front of the respective people. He sat down next to Calcifer and folded his hands on the table in front of him. "So Darem," he said "What made you decide you wanted to help out?"

"Maybe we should go check on them," Ruul suggested quietly. He took a sip of the water.

"Huh?" Darem looked quizzically at Kairo, "Well, I didn't have nuttin else to do." He crossed his arms, "Figured it's not right to leave others to do all the work when I can help too." He grinned, "Spent enough time on my own anyway. Needed to have an excuse to knock some heads together too!" He laughed.

"We could, I guess," Kairo said in response to Ruul. "Quint said something about them going after slavers when they got the masks though."

"Just to check," he said. "Better safe than..." he trailed off. They had a kid with them too. What was it about their group that kept attracting young (or seemingly young) girls (or seemingly girls) to join them? He glanced at Reina, then Trace, then back at his feet.

"Well, it beats sitting round waiting in any case. I think it might e a good idea for Chaos and the others to rest for a while though, they just got here after all."

Chaos sighed. He could understand the hatred for slavers, but he felt they were much lower on the priority scale to getting the world threatening objects to safety. What would be the best option? The introduction of a second Jaruzak would make up for Quint's departure if she was as strong as the one they already had and they had a dedicated healer with them too. If they were taking longer than his group though, there was a chance something went wrong. There wouldn't be harm in checking on them, but his team was tired. He wanted them to recharge before being thrown into action again. "I say we give them a bit more time and then send someone after them. If they take longer than tomorrow, I'll go after them myself." He was tired, but he could go on if he had to.

Calcifer scoffed. "By yourself?" His look and tone had only a hint of the sardonic, shit-stirring attitude anyone might've expected from pattern. His eyes flicked up and down Chaos, something in their sharpness lost. Perhaps replaced by actual concern. "You're exhausted. Everyone is. Don't play the hero." He downed the whole glass of water in front of him in one drink.

"I'd go with you." Reina volunteered. "It's not about playing hero, it's getting the job done." she informed Calcifer.

Dare leaned forward, "If ya needed me to, I could go out to look fer em." He crossed his arms again, "If I roll that way, I'll be much faster than the rest o' you. Uses less energy too." He grinned, "I can handle myself out there too. Been survivin' eight years on my own, ain't nothin' out there that'll stop me."

Calcifer choked on his last gulp of water at hearing Reina. He put the glass down while he coughed, trying not to be forceful about his movements. He struggled with breathing for a few moments while Darem spoke, heaving while he turned away before a flash burned in his eyes and a burst of steam escaped his throat. He blew it out quickly and, in the same motion, turned back to face Reina. "You think we can just go out and with a handful of people-- with no regard, on a whim-- It's-it's about keeping you safe!" He faltered, catching himself in the midst of losing his temper so unexpectedly. "It's..." He looked down at the table and waved his hand, dispelling what little of the cloud remained, "It's about keeping all of us safe."
He kept his eyes down, thoroughly and visibly embarrassed with himself. "I'm sorry," He mouthed. It was barely a whisper.

"If any of us go, we all go," Kairo said.

Darem stayed quiet for a moment, "There are others to keep safe though. He gave Calcifer a sad look, "They have a child with them as well. We should be sure." He looked at Kairo, "Ya sure moving as such a big group is a good idea? That's awfully slow."

"Look at Ruul, tell me he's going anywhere." He didn't raise his head, but looked through the corner of his eye in the Ice Mage's direction. There was a thick coat of malice in his voice.

"We're going to be moving as a group soon enough, you may as well get used to it now. Besides, we can go pretty fast considering the size of out group," Kairo said to Darem. "It was Ruul's idea, if anyone should go it should be him." Kairo told Calcifer. He was done tiptoeing around the pair of them.

Ruul folded his arms and stared impassively at Calcifer. "I'm the Oracle, I can't quit." He nodded to Darem. "A large group isn't necessary, three or four of our faster members should be fine."

"Well I'm going," Kairo said, slumping back in his chair. "I'm fed up of sitting around doing nothing. I need to fight or something. Waiting is driving me crazy"

Darem nodded, "Lemme help. I may not know em, but I want to make sure they're okay. For all of you guys' sake."

Ruul nodded again, this time to Kairo. "Understandable." He gave the rest of the group a once-over. "Chaos's team ought to rest up for a little while, but if anyone feels combat-ready, I won't hold you back."

"I'm in." The passive calmness in his eyes melted back into his features, not that he looked pleased. He leaned back and crossed his legs, continuing to look around the room rather than at the people in front of him. "I'll, uh... watch my temper. I'm getting better at that y'know."

"As long as ya direct it at the enemy, I won't mind it one bit." Darem grinned.