Lotsa Parties ( Current location: island ) Edit: Thread 4

"I told you I was," Kairo said mentally wincing at how childish the words sounded. "Although I've given you no reason to trust me, I have also not done the opposite and given you an excuse to distrust me." Kairo looked around the group. "As I said earlier, I'm looking for someone. My name is Kairo."

Ruul decided it was time to get up, figuring that was all the rest he could get. He cracked his neck and stepped closer, "Trust has to be earned in the first place, what with recent events."

He turned to look at clock town as he spoke. He was surprised he couldn't see Fenrir anymore, but he figured he would be able to change his size or something. Just to be sure, he scanned the skies. Nothing.

Chaos lowered his weapon and said one word "Fine." He walked back over to Reina and sat down. Although, not putting his entire faith in the mask, he continued to keep one eye on the newcomer through the lens of his mask. He could see the frustration in some of the group, but he didn't care much. Under the circumstances, precautions were necessary. He wasn't looking to make friends anyway, he only desired to keep those he cared about safe.

Reina decided to try and speak up to defend Chaos. "You have to understand, recent events have not been kind to us. Some of us have almost died, some of us have been through even worse." She thought back to her terrifying experiences, the explosions, the attacks, Chaos's near death, her trip to Hell, they were all so recent, "We don't have the luxury of trust right now." She looked the newcomer in the eyes as she said it. "It's not about over-reacting, it's about staying alive."

Kairo looked down at the small girl who spoke with a wisdom and jadedness far beyond her apparent years and then glanced at the group's leader. "Seriously?" he said. "You've got a kid her age in enough danger to have jaded her this badly. I dunno how you guys do it up here but in the south we let kids have their childhoods and allow them to relish in their innocence before we take them on dangerous journeys where they could die."

"I chose to be here!" Reina snapped, "and don't treat me like a child."

Kairo fixed the small girl with a glare. "You are a child."

Chaos scowled under his mask. "Don't make such remarks on matters you don't understand." Fist then interjected "She's a kokiri if you couldn't tell by the hair and choice of clothes, an immortal child of the forest. As far as we know she may be the oldest person here."

"And for all we know she's actually a child," Kairo countered. "If it looks like a fish, swims like a fish and tastes like a fish, odds are, it's a fish."

"I'm not a fish either." Reina muttered. She had given up, at this point arguing back would only prove him right. She had more important things than the matter of her size to worry about, like stopping the wolf god that had just taken over the world. "I know I could die, and I've seen a lot more in the past few weeks than other members of my race will see in all eternity. But I make my own decisions and I face the consequences. No one here is making me do anything. If I get hurt that's my fault."

Chaos stood back up. "As I said before, you don't understand the situation. Believe me, this is the safest place for her. Now why don't you start worrying less about her and more about your own ass." He worked to keep himself calm. This guy hadn't been in their group for more then a minute and he was already creating conflict

"If you get hurt it's the fault of each and every adult here." His tone softened as he spoke next. "If I am going to be travelling with your group I will protect each and everyone of you with my life if necessary, regardless if you think you need it or not."

"That's an awful strong conviction for someone we just met," observed Ruul more out of awkwardness than any sort of suspicion. He shrugged and turned to Chaos, "That aside, we should get moving again soon, right?"

With his frustration, Chaos thought Ruul's suggestion was a good idea. The walking would distract from this not so restful break. "Yeah, that might be best." He picked up his stuff again and started to walk.

Fist looked back at Nec as she was lifting the broom back up. "Hey, looks like poochy's changing back. I hope his rest was relaxing." She said humorously and still with a hint of exhaustion as she hoisted her end up. Fist then poked Trace with her boot. "Wake up kid, we're moving again." She then began following behind Chaos.

Kairo sighed at the retreating back of the masked man and turned to the blue haired man. "I'm Kairo," he said again as he held his hand out.

Ruul stooped down and picked up the other end of the broom, pleased that Chaos had agreed with his suggestion. Chaos had been pretty cold towards him thus far (not without reason), so he regarded this as a small blessing. Balancing the broom stick on his shoulder, he took Kairo's hand and shook it, "Ruul Bastel." He wanted to add more, but nothing came to mind.

There'd been many points in the heated conversation that Calcifer would've been more than pleased to make a snarky remark, but they fired off comments like they were afraid someone would interject with their arguments.
He found it funny that Chaos would defend the kid so heatedly, stating that she were to be treated like any consenting adult, yet in doing so he treated her like a child that had no voice of her own to speak for herself. In fact, he did a lot of talking for people when he really should've kept his trap shut. That wasn't even to mention the fact that she was stupid enough not to get the fish analogy and that they mentioned that she was immortal. Thought he'd reminded her of that little issue just the day before. He supposed someone that dumb would actually have the memory of a fish, if that was the case.
He moved his hand over a bit, tapping Aero on the forehead. "C'mon." His hand was warm, despite the cool that they'd only recently retreated from. They followed everyone else, the large cooking pot full of supplies being hoisted up again.
To be honest, the ordeal had left Aero wanting to tell everyone to shut up. The climate and all the stress going on recently had affected her. She'd gotten too used to lengthy amounts of quiet time to herself after so long away from many people. Plus... it was just ridiculous. She was supposed to be the peacemaker-- the person that kept Calcifer calm. Not irritated like him. She sighed. 'Keep calm, carry on,' she told herself.
Calcifer supposed he might be able to get along civilly with Kairo. Maybe.

Kairo looked around the group again. "Can I help carry anything," he asked before glancing at Reina. "Or anyone?" he added with a smirk.

Ruul grimaced at Kairo's comment. "Please don't."

His previous train of through resurfaced. "Say, Kairo, do you have a particular destination in mind that you'll be accompanying us to, or something?"

Kairo looked back at Ruul and the grin slipped off his face. "I was headed towards Great Bay. I think the person I'm looking for may be there."

"Ah, okay," said Ruul. "We were headed that way too. Guess we'll split up there." As soon as he'd said it he wished he hadn't. He didn't want the conversation to lead up to whether or not Ruul wanted anyone else in the party, seeing as Kairo may take it harshly.

"Yeah, guess so," Kairo said and he walked along next to Ruul hating the slightly uncomfortable silence that had fallen between them. "Where are you headed after Great Bay?" Kairo asked, eager to get rid of the tension he could feel growing.

Ruul managed to keep from cringing. "Tokay island, then Labrynna," he answered. He considered how to explain it for a moment. "There's... an issue, that all the members of the group are implicated in, that we can resolve there."

Kairo's grin slowly returned. After three years the teasing instinct of being an older brother hadn't dulled and yet again he seized the chance to cause mischief. "You sure little Miss "Not-a-Fish" over there could make it to Tokay Island?" he raised his voice slightly and suppressed the childish giggle that threatened to escape. "I didn't even know kids that small could swim."

Reina gritted her teeth and threw a pack over her shoulder. She hoped this Kairo guy wasn't going to be hanging around. She was going to get tired of the small jokes real fast.

Jillian put a hand on Kairo's shoulder to stop him. "Hey newcomer, give the kid a break will ya, she's had it rough enough without you getting on her about her age. I can't say I know all of why she's here either but she follows Chaos. Crazy as that seems, don't know that I would ever follow him willingly." She sighed, "The point is she pulls her weight and is damned determined to complete any challenge put ahead of her. You're only going to make her push herself harder going like you are now."