The Affinities

"I see.." Was Keel only in the resistance because of his parents? He had been the most hesitant to join. "You know, you have the right to walk should you ever feel the need to. We're not forcing you to help us, it's your decision." He told him.

 

Haley looked at him, "Wait, no. I didn't realise it was so far out. Forgive me, I was imagining it would be somewhere we could live while we intergrate into town and could return to at night. With what you just said, that wouldn't work. Don't bring it up with the others." She sighed and looked down, "I was thinking it would be somewhere we could live while we intergrated into town, private enough so we can be ourselves, use powers and be able to talk about this without fear. Clearly I was wrong. I just wish there was somewhere that did that and an abandoned mansion sounded perfect. I guess I got carried away." She shook her head then looked back at Maddie as Andrew mentioned her. She felt a twang of guilt, she probably should have been around her more but since this had happened she'd been so busy trying to care for everyone. Maddie had a talent for blending into the background and Haley knew she could take care of herself but she needed to make sure she didn't lose a friend.

 

Since Caeli had no one to talk to he was listening in on everyone's conversations. Looking at the rock Jo gave to Maddie his only thought was of how pretty it was.

 

"I know, but it's not like I have anywhere else to go." Besides this was the closest thing had to a family now adnnhe had no plans on losign them.

 

Jellal smiled at his decision to stay. "Now then, should we go join the others?" He asked

 

"Sure." Keel replied.

 

"Hmm...." Andrew got into a thinking post as he tried to remember if there were any nearby towns close to the lodge. There's bound to be. Course it would be a bit of a walk...or ski down the mountain but there's surely a small town at the bottom or somewhere. "There might be a small town nearby the lodge. It would be a bit of a walk, but that shouldn't be too much trouble for us. Don't worry, we'll try to come up with a compromised solution," he reassured her.

 

"Hmm, if you say so." She fiddled with her hair, still thinking and smiled sweetly at Andrew, "Thankyou for listening to me. I appriciate your support and sticking with me, even when I'm being dead awkward. We'll sort something out and I'll live with it no matter what we decide."

She laughed and clapped her hands together, her normal demour returned. She turned to look at the rest of the group and unwittingly moved back towards them. She noticed who was talking to who, taking particular interest of Maddie with Jo and Caeli on his own. She did not want any one of them feeling left out. "Hey Caeli, smile." She grinned, "How's my fellow air user doing?" She asked, she wanted to increase group morale and she knew that a smile could work wonders. She also shot Maddie a grin and a little tap of the nose like a secret only they knew. She didn't want to interupt their conversation but wanted Maddie to know she hadn't forgotten her and would talk when she was free. She knew she was talking to Jo and the dangers that held but she wasn't worried, she knew Maddie well, that girl was stronger than she looked and she trusted her to make the right choices.

 

Andrew gave a small smile at Haley's words. "Heh. Of course," he said quietly as she left him to mingle with the others. He didn't stop her as she was undoubtedly better than he was at forging friendships and keeping spirits up. Andrew didn't look back to see the progress. He just continued walking. It would probably be about a day before reaching the village. And of course, if camping and shelter was needed, he had that down.

 

Caeli's stomach growled. He thought "Man, I'm really hungry. When was the last I ate. Were the apples the last thing I ate?" He then rubbed his stomach. "Anyone got food?"

 

Jellal walked up to Andrew to who was now the only person alone "So, talking to your girlfriend eh?" He said sarcastically to start off the conversation. He didn't consider Andrew an enemy so long as e didn't physically do anything to try and stop him, so why not still a friend? When Caeli asked if anyone had any food, he reached into his pocket and pulled out an apple he had been saving for later. He then tossed it back to Caeli.

 

Caeli fumbled with the apple until he got a firm grip on it. "Thanks Jell."

 

Andrew looked at Jellal when he approached him with minor surprise. However, he did not answer him, refusing to play that game.

 

OOC: Ulrich is also alone, too, ya know.

Ulrich was walking ahead of the group, mostly due to his early enthusiasm. In truth, he felt nervous about his own plan, but he hid that behind his own smile. He kept quiet, nevertheless, thinking. The plan wasn't going to be permanent like he wanted, for some of the orphans amongst him would most likely grow bored and irritated without the power to express themselves. One of two things would happen... either they run off and go AWOL, or expose them for who they truly were. However, Ulrich wasn't planning on staying with the group for long. He was a nomad, he had no home or family. All he wanted to do right now was to help his fellow orphans out, which coincided with his own agenda. To stop the rebellion and to eliminate the genocide of witches and wizards. Unlike the rebellion, he wasn't going to do it with brute force. Ulrich yawned before realizing everyone else was talking to someone or other. He chuckled, shaking his head. "Just like old times..." he muttered to himself sadly, remembering his own childhood. Or what was left of it, anyway. Ulrich was keeping to himself, though he did that anyway, but he seemed to have cut himself off from them this time.

At least they're not trying to kill each other now, he thought gratefully, shaking his head as he ran his hand through his hair. For a moment, he stared at his gloved hand distantly. There was something at the edge of his memory...

 

Ooc: oh yeah. sorry i forgot about him :sweatdrop:

"So then, thats a no go for the 'still friends' thing huh?" He said to Andrew who was just ignoring him.

 

"Heh..." scoffed Andrew at Jellal's question. "We'll see," was all he answered back with. He had been trying to avoid this confrontation for a while. Well, at least since he'd shouted at him. But here he was, being confronted by Jellal himself. Being demanded for a confirmation on the state of their friendship. He would rather have everything be happy. Kids shouldn't be harboring ill intents like revenge. Andrew thought as he furrowed his brow. They should be clowning around and being silly.

 

OOC: Time skippity

BIC: Haley smiled as they reached the top of a hill and down below a village came into veiw. She was relieved, she'd had enough of walking and could do with a good sit down. On top of that her belly was rumbling, she'd had no food for about two days (Thankfully Maddie had provided a drink along the way). The journey had been okay if uneventful, tensions had gone up and down though conversations had stopped for a bit as everyone just wanted to reach their destination. She looked over at Jo, "Hey! Is this your village? Come on guys, last little leg and it's downhill. We're almost there." She grinned as she told them this with renewed spirits.

 

Jo stared down at the village, the town hall was back, along with the multiple farms and if she turned her head to the right, the cave...in perfect view, surrounded by a thin line of maple trees. "Yeah, that's it." A few new establishments were up from when she'd left. A bar now stood where the well had been the place for talk. She sighed, "Let's get going."

 

Ulrich felt drained, despite being a wanderer, his head pounding hard with a thousand thoughts. He smiled weakly as they made it to the village hilltop. He glanced down and then looked to both Jo and Haley. The hidden memories were struggling to break free, but the more he thought about them the more they seem reluctant to reveal themselves. Where did he come from? Who was he really? These questions revealed him his ordinary memories he gain after first waking up in that gruff doctor's laboratory. He remembered them fondly, he remembered his other orphan family with much pain and love, and everything in between was darker than he would have liked to have lived. How many people had he killed? Innocent, guilty, corrupted and pure... he couldn't put a number on it. He didn't want to. Ulrich sighed, which he tried to hide behind a yawn.

"Do you know where we might be able to rest, Jo?" He asked, trying to start up a decent conversation.

 

As Keel stared down at the village, he felt some relief pass through him. He had really wanted to stop and rest whenever they had got there. Finally, wonder what awaits us here.