Teamwork, right?

by **Zahn Skye** Wed Aug 13, 2014 6:13 pm

Having finally received permission from Captain Kade a short while ago, Zahn was out and about. It was time to find out what the heck was going on on this crazy island. Zahn decided to start with the Blue Pegasus group, if only for the fact that he wanted to avoid having to meet Tatsuma. If Kade disliked him that much, he must be some kind of jerk. Still, it wouldn't hurt to visit the Fairy Tail group later.

To be fair though, I suppose I'm not really sure where the Pegasus campsite is. I know my way back to our campsite, but it is getting late and I don't want to leave the others behind for too long. After a few more minutes of scouting, I suppose I'll head back.

Zahn continued to make his way through the dense foliage, weaving to and fro quickly. He might not be the fastest, smartest, or most powerful on the island but he could definitely hold his own against nature. He'd been wandering for a good two years now. He knew his way around a forest, at the very least. Still, he had to be careful not to blindside himself. With his eye-patch on, he could only see out of one side. So quickly, but catiously.

Hm... I suppose it is time to head back. I haven't encountered anyone yet. Even near this stream... I assume that the other groups set up their camps the same way we did. Wood, water and food. The easiest way to get all three at the same time would be to come to a nearby stream or lake. I don't see any camps nearby though, so that means they must've done like we did as well and set up far enough away to not be detected but close enough to make a short trip to gather up what they needed.

Zahn found a nearby rock and perched himself against it, losing himself in thought. He'd give himself a few minutes of alone time before heading back. That strange attack on the camp was still bothering him, but he didn't want to scare Ren or bother Kade any more than he had already.

by **Kayoko Sasaki** Wed Aug 13, 2014 6:52 pm

Kayoko waited for her hair to dry out as she walked back through the forest. She wasn’t sure she liked being alone in the woods, but she’d never spent so much time around boys, period, and the rest of her team was of the male gender, unlike her. So it was either be alone or be completely inappropriate while she got clean after getting so sweaty working on the camp. Camping was *so* not her thing.

The peach haired girl was walking contentedly, dressed in her black shorts and pink hoodie and sneakers, the giant sword she carried slung across her back as if it weighed only a few pounds. Suddenly, she was distracted by the sight of another human sitting on a rock. Failing to stifle a gasp, she covered her mouth with her hands slightly too late before ducking behind a large tree and trying to spy on him. Who was he? Was he dangerous? They talked like people could be dangerous, at least in the sense they might try to steal her supplies if she wasn’t careful.

Kayoko gulped, her eyes squeezing shut as she did. Was this man a threat? She didn't know. He looked tough though. Then again, all men looked tough to the poor girl. What should she do? I hope he didn't see me... she thought to herself as she tried to peak around the corner slowly, her back to the large tree she was using as cover.

by **Zahn Skye** Thu Aug 14, 2014 4:44 am

The Jinx mage's thoughts were interrupted by a small gasp. Glancing in the direction of the sound, Zahn caught site of a very... pink... figure. He sighed theatrically. The figure hide itself and at this point Zahn rolled his eyes. It really didn't make any sense to hide now that their cover was blown, but maybe the girl (he assumed it was a girl, with the vibrant pink shade that had assaulted his senses) was scared of him, just like Ren was.

It doesn't look like she wants to make any friends here either. Trying to spy on me, eh? Well, she's probably a member of one of the other teams. That might explain the caution, though if she wanted to attack she had the chance before, though she's all but blown it now...

Zahn picked himself off the rock with nary a sound and watched the figure for a few seconds.

Alright, bored now. Time to figure out who this is and what's going on.

Zahn took a deep breath and then...

"Excuse me, miss? I'm Zahn Skye... possibly of Lamia Scale in the near future, but definitely part of their team right now... Anyway! You don't have to hide. I came looking for information. You got the drop on me so I figure it only fair to ask what you're doing out here? A... suspicious animal attacked our group earlier and I was wondering if you knew anything about that? Or if it has happened to your group...?"

The Jinx mage trailed off, realizing the girl would probably not answer him if he just stood there and talked at her like an idiot, so he walked over to the tree he'd spotted her behind and knocked on the bark a few times.

"Hello there... and who might you be?"

If Kayoko decided to peer around the tree again she'd find the young man known as Zahn with his arms crossed and a bemused look on his face, waiting for an answer.

by **Kayoko Sasaki** Thu Aug 14, 2014 11:24 pm

Kayoko heard the man's greeting, asking about monsters and such. she gulped. Her group had been attacked as well, but she didn't have the courage to answer his query as she trembled behind the large tree. Finally, she peaked out after a moment, yelping again as she darted back behind the tree. What should she do? She should say hi. He was just standing there… grinning for some reason. Why was he grinning? Was Kayoko accidentally being funny? She was a pretty serious girl overall, so she wasn’t trying to be funny. Finally, she popped out slowly, this time the entirety of her body slowly scooting out instead of just the top of her head. She looked like she was hoping the tree would defend her in the event of an attack.

“H-hello…” the peach-haired girl stammered, her damp peach hair blowing slightly in the pleasant breeze. “S-sorry. I saw you and p-panicked. I-I’m not good at talking to strangers…” Actually the fact that she’d managed to stammer out that much was a miracle. Maybe living at Blue Pegasus really was helping, since she was having to meet so many new people who were her friends and allies because she’d joined the guild. She stayed with her hands on the tree, but forced herself to not press herself against it like her life depended on it, eyeing the man with her unnaturally orange eyes. “M-my name is Kayoko Sasaki, s-sir," she told him, letting go of the tree and giving him a polite bow, despite being from a family that would logically expect everyone else to bow to them if they weren't royalty. "Y-you might know of my p-parents better than me.”

No one had heard of poor, shy Kayoko who had spent her entire life mostly locked away in a mansion because she feared talking to any strangers, especially when she was younger. But her parents were the Sasakis of the Sasaki Trading Company, who were widely known as one of the biggest suppliers of goods to the Magic Council during the war, and the whole of Fiore as it recovered later. None of it had been charity, and they had even been hard-hearted enough to kick Kayoko out a few months back, claiming she wasn’t grown up enough and that this would help her. She doubted they had expected her to join a guild instead of returning home.

by **Zahn Skye** Sat Aug 16, 2014 8:28 am

Zahn continued to smirk. This girl was just like Ren. Which he was fine with. He was much the same way sometimes, so he knew how trying it could be to talk to people.

"You saw me and panicked? Yikes... Well, I'll try my hardest not to be so scary in the future... In the meantime, you mentioned something about your parents? Um... who were they? Sasaku, you said?"

Zahn pondered a moment, thinking about all the things he knew about the world... Unfortunately, he was drawing a blank in regard to her last name. His family wasn't too prominent either, but they were fairly well-known within Era. Still, he hadn't had contact with the head of the family, his sister, for some time now. The life he lead now was one of a wandering mercenary. So, he'd have to ask for forgiveness, but he hadn't heard of Kayoko's parentage.

"Umm... sorry. Your last name isn't ringing any bells... I'm Zahn. Zahn Skye."

He would've held out his hand for a handshake, but he assumed that like with Ren it would only survive to wreck this girl's nerves even more. So he just scratched his head sheepishly and continued talking.

"Errr... anyway. About my question. I was actually supposed to be spying but I kind of forgot and asked you straight out. So... if at all possible, an answer would be nice... Did you guys get attacked by a strange creature as well?"

Well, no one ever accused of Zahn of beating around the bush when he spoke. No one was likely to, ever, anyway. Zahn's earnestness was one of the few qualities he prided himself on. Straight to the point, and as quick as possible. Maybe it was because he didn't really know how to deal with too much small talk, but it got the job done at least.

by **Kayoko Sasaki** Sun Aug 17, 2014 1:32 pm

Kayoko shook her head. She wasn’t one to correct people or anything, but Zahn was asking as if he wasn’t sure. “Th-the Sasaki’s. My parents are… They’re the owners of the Sasaki Trading Company. They um… They supply lots of people with lots of things, I suppose. I never… never got into their business… or knew them very well, I guess… I was… kicked out so I would grow up…” she admitted to Zahn, not really sure why she was telling him. It wasn’t like it was his concern; he barely knew the peach-haired girl.

Zahn told her that her name didn’t ring any bells, but then if her parents didn’t it was hardly a surprise. Few even seemed to know the Sasaki’s had a seventeen year old daughter. “I-it’s nice to meet you, Mr. Zahn Skye,” Kayoko told him politely, bowing as she often did. She’d been raised by her family’s servants, not her family, and she’d taken to doing what her servants often did, seeing it as the polite thing to do.

Zahn didn’t waste much time. He immediately admitted that he was supposed to be spying on her team for information rather than talking, but since they were there… “Y-yes sir,” she told him with a nod. Despite the oversized sword slung on her back she looked rather meek, her arms drawn close to her body protectively. “W-we were attacked by a d-d-dragon or something… Mr. Hector led it away and killed it…”

by **Zahn Skye** Thu Aug 21, 2014 12:33 am

Zahn's face took on a darker look when Kayoko mentioned her parents kicking her out.

"They kicked her out...? What jerks... and for such a stupid..."

The Jinx made muttered to himself in frustration at her parents, then noticed that his admitting that he was supposed to be spying on her made her more than a little uncomfortable. Whoops.

"Aaah... sorry. I didn't mean any harm by that. I just... Ah... Sorry..."

Zahn felt kind of bad. Kayoko had been nice to him so far. He wasn't trying to scare her, but apparently his blunt words bothered the girl. He, himself, wasn't quite used to dealing with people yet. The time he'd been spending with Kade and Ren seemed to help, but he was still bad at communicating his thoughts after all.

"Sorry... I... probably should've kept that to myself. I don't have any intention of spying anymore. I'll just assume we were all attacked. If anything, it would be a good idea to make sure we don't get too complacent."

The Jinx mage frowned for a second though. Not having any opportunity to relax would be more than a little annoying.

"I don't think we should be stressing out though. I... uh, well, I guess you don't care what I think... yeah... sorry for rambling. Anyway... a dragon, huh? And you guys beat it? You all must be fairly strong..."

Zahn's scatterbrained way of speaking was coming back again, and he was becoming a little more nervous. Man, his social phobia always came up at the absolute worst times. Then he noticed that Kayoko had supply gathering items with her.

"Oh... huh. Guess we're both out searching for things. Did you need any help gathering supplies? You look like you could carry them all yourself, though. Still..."

Zahn was about to say something else when it realized it was a little weird to be helping a member of another group. Then again, Kayoko - even with the giant sword placed upon her back - seemed fairly meek. The Jinx mage blushed a little as he looked away. He didn't want to seem like he was staring but the weirdness of the situation made him sigh and sit down.

"Man I really suck at this... Well, anyway, sorry about all this... I just want to find out who attacked us all and stop them. I won't... I won't let them hurt anyone, especially my friends!"

Zahn blurted this out as if it was the natural conclusion to come to, then became away he'd actually said all of it out loud. He blushed even more furiously and covered his face with his hands in shame for a split second.

"Aa-aaah. I said it out loud, didn't I...? You must think I'm such an idiot..."

The boy turned away and scanned the area, trying to focus on something else for the moment. No enemies he could detect. Well, that was good at least. Didn't mean there weren't enemies he couldn't detect, but at least he didn't see anyone.

"Anyway... you and your team should be careful, but try not to let yourselves stress out. If it is a common enemy well all have I'm sure we'll take it down together."

At this point Zahn seemed to be occupying himself with his own thoughts, which left Kayoko ample time to respond to the Jinx mage's ramblings.

by **Kayoko Sasaki** Thu Aug 21, 2014 1:22 am

Kayoko didn’t quite catch Zahn’s mumbling about her parents, though she did notice his face visibly darken as she mentioned them kicking her out. It was enough to gather that he wasn’t especially fond of this fact. Neither was Kayoko, but she didn’t speak bad about anyone. “I-it’s okay. If they hadn’t… I wouldn’t be in Blue Pegasus… and we wouldn’t have met…” she tried to remind him, poking her two index fingers together. She didn’t want him to get too angry on her account… flattering or not…

He apologized for making her uncomfortable, but seemed uncomfortable, himself. She hooked her hands together in front of her, looking down with a blush. “I-it’s a good idea…” she told him. “W-we were wondering… what was going on too…”

Zahn told her that they shouldn’t be stressing out before apologizing again, changing the subject back to the dragon. “I um… I just um… I didn’t do much…” she told him, shrinking a bit. “I’m not very good at being a wizard…”

At the help offer, Kayoko shook her head. “I um, I just got done… getting… clean… and I was bringing fresh water back…” She showed him the two water skins that had been brought with her, but by then he was back to ranting about people hurting his friends. “N-no… you’re not s-stupid… was anyone… was anyone hurt?” her face adopted a worried look. It wasn’t like she could do much if they were… but still… “I-if I can help… even though it’s a competition of some kind… I will… so- so that people don’t get hurt…"

by **Zahn Skye** Sun Aug 24, 2014 4:53 pm

Zahn starred at Kayoko as she spoke, smiling a little sadly as she offered her help to him. She mentioned that she wasn't a very good wizard though and his smile faded a little. He imagined himself in her shoes and knew that she must be the same sort of person he was. He sigh, mostly to himself, and picked himself up from his sitting position.

"Thank you for your kind offer but I think we're probably not in a position to offer help to one another. I don't want you thinking I can't accept because you're a bad wizard though. If anything, you can't be a bad wizard. A bad wizard wouldn't have offered any help, right?"

Zahn tried not to think about the girl's earlier comments about the circumstances of their meeting. Not because he was angry but because he was happy that he got to meet such a nice person. However, his awkwardness and social ineptitude also caused him to realize that this situation wasn't too normal for either of them. Kayoko was a nice person, and also fairly pretty and Zahn wasn't used to hanging around with people like that. He blushed faintly, and cleared his throat.

"Anyway, I think we should probably be getting back to our respective teams. I hope this competition doesn't go on too much longer. It would be a shame to have to compete against you, since you seem like such a nice person. If I wasn't participating myself, I would certainly have no problem cheering for you. As it is, though, I do hope we meet again, as friends instead of rivals."

The Jinx mage offered his hand for a handshake and his sad, but kind smile remained on his face as he waited for Kayoko's response. Whether the girl took the handshake or not, he'd gather himself and head off back toward his base camp afterward. He was, once again, starting to worry about Ren and Kade. With all the weirdness going on, and the fact he'd promised Kade he'd come right back he thought he might've spent a little too much time away from his friends on the Lamia team. He wanted to find the person responsible for this new batch of craziness and put a stop to them. And not just for his sake, but for Ren's and Kade's and now, Kayoko's as well.

"Take care of yourself, Kayoko."

by **Kayoko Sasaki** Mon Aug 25, 2014 10:54 am

Kayoko stood there silently, listening to Zahn try and reassure her. She wasn’t entirely sure why it sounded more like he was saying she wasn’t a bad person than she wasn’t a very strong wizard, but she didn’t really want to correct his meaning if that wasn’t what he was actually saying. She was far too timid for that. Instead, she just nodded in agreement, making enough of a timid noise for him to know that she was answering him.

Zahn then blushed for some reason, a reaction that caused Kayoko to blush as well. It wasn’t hard to make her blush. Especially not around men, whom she had barely any experience with at all. He decided it was time to get back to their teams, and Kayoko nodded again. “T-thank you,” Kayoko told Zahn. “I um… you seem nice too…” she stammered, her blush intensifying. “G-good luck,” she watched him extend his hand, and Kayoko took his gently – perhaps a little too gently – as she looked to the side and continued blushing. She was touching a boy’s hand. It wasn’t romantic or anything, but she was pretty sure that had never happened before. She had to try and stay composed though. She had to.

“Y-you too,” Kayoko nodded as Zahn turned to leave. Her posture was unsure again. She should really go find Siracco so they could get back to camp with Hector and Elrowan and stop thinking about the hand shake and things. Yeah, she’d do that.