The Affinities

While folding his arms behind his head Caeli said, "I don't really care who I am with."

 

Ariana was starting to get angry. She didn't need anyone to keep her safe- she could take care of herself. She didn't anyone to take care of her... She just felt calmer with Jo around... taht was all. "I can take care of myself. I don't need Jo protecting me. So I don't care what you think-I'll stick with Jo when we get to the village," she said daring Andrew or anyone to argue with her.

 

"look, if we go with Ulrich's suggestion, Then everyone's happy. There's no one group with all resistance members and everyone gets to stick with their buddies. So what's the problem?" Jellal asked irritatedly.

 

Ulrich laughed nervously as everyone bickered. However, a dark thought loomed over his head as Jellal's comment registered in his thoughts. I won't be happy... I'm stuck babysitting two women who might slit my throat while I'm sleeping, he thought glumly. However, he felt silly thinking about Ariana killing him. The only chance of that happening was if he were to ever cross Jo... which may be a real possibility, considering her temper. The weight of that nearly crushed him as he reimagined that scenario several hundred times. Is it too late for me to run? Ulrich thought, looking left and right for an escape.

 

"Guys, please. Stop bickering, you're better than this. Adriana, nobody thinks you're weak. In fact nobody here is weak. We're all stressed and I think the bast thing here is to stop talking and actually get some action. Let's set off, we want to get to Jo's village before night fall, right?" Haley said, finally taking control. She'd had enough of people arguing. She still didn't like what they were doing but she wouldn't say and she'd put up with anything. She needed them to listen to her or they'd get nowhere, they couldn't afford to fight with eachother right now.

 

Ulrich lit up with a genuine smile and marched ahead. "Yep," he said aloud. "Let's be off! Follow the yellow brick road! We're off to see the Wizard, everyone!" Ulrich jovially shouted, literally marching his way there and laughing with triumph.

 

Finally we can get somewhere. Keel thought following behind Ulrich. Personaly he didn't care about who he was partnered with, as long as they didn't do anything stupid.

 

Caeli grumbled at Ulrich's singing, but quickly got over it. "I guess I got to get used to it..." Caeli said to himself.

 

Jo cast a hateful glare at Andrew before turning on her heel and following Ulrich. Her heart rate was already racing from the thought of seeing everyone in that damned village. Picking a fight with Andrew wasn't going to make her feel any better. "C'mon Ariana...we've got work to do. Home...isn't going to be a wonderful place, but...it's better than staying in these tunnels."

 

Ari nodded and threw her arms around Jo, hugging her. " It might not hold the best memories...but it's still your home," the younger girl said. "Your brave... I'm not sure if I could go back to my own town...not that its there anyway..."

 

Jellal turned to leave as well. Come on Keel, Andrew." He called back to them before continuing on. Not waiting for them to follow.

 

Jo could've started crying at that moment all over again. She wouldn't call herself brave for returning. At best, no one would remember her because they'd all died. Worse came to worse, someone would notice her...freak out...and the incident would be her fault all over again. "It's not bravery...more like guilt. I have to go back...to right my wrong. I should've let Master Igneel rest in peace in the skies...but I was a coward."

 

Caeli turned around to see Jo's face, full of worry. "Is there something the matter?"

 

They've been out of the tunnels for a long while now.

Andrew said nothing to anyone, but just simply nodded and walked forward along with everyone else. He knew that the tension between him and Jo and probably Ariana now, was going to poison the group and keep morale low, but there was nothing he could do about it. He still didn't trust her and who knew with that temper of hers. It felt like she turned a 180 since his last rage induced entrapment of her, but he couldn't be too sure. And again, it astounded her how bound Ariana was to Jo now. Jesus I feel bad for Ulrich. But I guess he's probably the only one who could handle these two. he thought sadly. It didn't feel fair to submit a fellow earth user to this sort of treatment. Andrew exhaled a smell breath in exhaustion. He was so tired of the tension and pent up frustration he felt to the 'rebel fighters'. It was a lost cause, but he couldn't seem to formulate the thought clearly enough for them. Trying to take his mind off his lamenting, he looked around at the group. For the first time, he noticed Haley's troubled face. Well...that's strange. I guess I better ask her what's wrong later.

 

Jo lifted her head, her red eyes blank. "Uh...oh...n-no. I'm fine." Realizing the wetness on her cheeks were tears, she wiped them away and lifted her eyes to the above. Why is this happening to me? I shouldn't have dragged them all into this...it's not their fight.

 

Haley smiled slightly and shook her head at Ulrich's reaction to setting off. She hoped for once everyone would just get on and stop arguing. She had no idea how they were going to get through this. She wrapped her arms around herself as she walked along enphasising her smallness to actually make her look quite vunerable for the first time. This had really put her off her stride, she was aware she'd have to be strong for all of them and couldn't afford to be weak. But while the pressure was off, she just quietly broke away from everyone else.

 

Seeing a chance, Andrew quickly, but quietly, walked up behind Haley until they were walking side by side. He asked in a low voice so that no one could hear him, "Hey, are you all right? You look sort of down. is it because the orphanage is destroyed?" He swore if anyone came up suddenly interjecting, he would blow another gasket. Fussy teens these days.

blocked.

 

Haley looked at Andrew slightly suprised, she was annoyed at herself for making it noticable, "Oh. Um. No, it's not that. I'm fine, I am, fine" She repeated, trying to convince herself as much as Andrew. She rubbed her neck and sighed, looking down. "I'm just slightly worried about what we're going to do...I'm being selfish, it doesn't matter." She said dismissing her own thoughts as insignificant. She didn't want to stop everyone, just because of her stupid fears. She looked away from Andrew, ashamed.

 

"Okay no. What you feel is important. After all you're the leader now. So what's wrong? And I doubt it's that selfish," reassured Andrew. He felt bad for not noticing that Haley was distraught. She was probably holding everything in to be a stronger and more patient leader than he ever could be.

 

Maddie sighed hopelessly as arguments flew back and forth between the group, placing a hand to her head to stop it from exploding. However, she sighed with relief as the small conflict seemed to resolve itself, yet she noticed Haley wasn't looking her normal, perky self. She had thought about going up to her, to see if she could help in anyway, but as she noticed Andrew approach her friend, looking as if he would brutally murder anyone who interrupted him, she decided to back down. She really did not want to get on Andrew's bad side, especially after seeing him explode with fury at Jo earlier. She knew she could probably trust him, however, his temper just swayed her judgement on him slightly.