In The Wilds

    The early morning sun is rising in Yamato. The cold air and north-westerly winds blows through the trees canopies, as the grass blades gently move on the ground below.

And among the peacefulness---

-- Rages a running boar being chased by a fireball!

    Which impacts the boar, taking off the last remaining of its HP, and explodes into wisps of light, leaving behind xp, some coin, but based on a dark scaled Salamander's response, "Why won't you drop meat! Damnit!" -- No meat.

Xander rubs the back of his neck as he grumbles to himself peering around the forest to see if can spot another boar of if he has hunted the last one here in this area. Before letting out a gentle sigh, "... I really should hire a hunter for this.."

    Wynfei walks about moving with a large staff slung behind him, he yawns a little bit. He wanted to find a tree and sleep, he liked being out and about and honestly this may be the first time in a bit for people to see him.

    The fireball catches his attention and he blinks a little. He then hears someone calling out the boar should be dropping meat. He blinks and looks over to where Xander is. "Hey Xander." he says as he looks to the Salamander. "How're you doing?"

    "Would be doing better if I didn't get one meat to drop every ten or fifteen boars I killed." Xander admits with a low rumble in his throat. A minor lisp trying to escape in his words due to his frustration.

The dark scaled Salamander looks over to Wynfei, "But," He inhales deeply forcing himself to calm. "It is good to see you, Wynfei. Game been treating you well enough?"

Why is the forest never silent when Emiko tries to teach Kogitsune something?! It's like Yamato doesn't like players trying to train their pets. Like a fireball zipping by and getting the little fox to yip and hide before dashing after the sound of a beast dying. Yes, maybe the little one might spot things dying in *some* way anyway...

Shortly after the fox darting into the clearing comes Emiko, picking it up. "You can't do that Kogitsune! You can't just dart off!" she scolds, then gives Xander and the one she doesn't know a nod. "Hey you... how's going?"

The New World Alliance has been pretty active over in the Ninetails Dominion as of late. But there's regular trade ships going back and forth if you don't mind a few hours at sea (damn long travel) and Shiruba was heading back to Alne to check on some of her friends that were still hanging out here.

Seeing boars being chased by plumes of fire make it pretty easy to find one such friend, at least, the wolfgirl smirking a bit at the sight. "Still trying for making mobile barbeque I see."

    A chuckle escapes him as he looks to Xander, "It happens like that. HOw did you get meat the first time from the boar?" he asks as he looks to the dark scaled Salamander. "As for the game, I'm doing alright, I've been keeping to myself and learning my skills and trying to become better then when I was in higher levels. Also been working on scouting and such lately which I may need to get some help and start mapping out areas so we have a better idea of locations and mobs and such."

    When Emiko comes in he waves his tail to her, "Hello." he says having met Emiko a few times and then Shiruba, "Hello Shiruba." he says to her. "How're you two doing??" he askss.

    The flash of fire lighting up betwixt the trees is something many probably recognize from afar. And at least one traveller nearby has been attracted by it.

    There's a flutter in the trees of jostled leaves and shaking branches marks the approach of someone nearby above the ground, and--

    "Oh, it's Xander!" A voice comes from just above. Where... of all things, a red-scaled and red-haired salamander man is hanging upside-down from his legs being hooked around a tree. Isn't he supposed to be a lizard rather than a monkey? "And a bunch of people whose names I dont know! Oh, wait..." Green eyes slip towards Shiruba. "Didn't I actually see you before? Right, in the rat cellar! Hi!"

    The be-scarfed salamander's attention moves on over to Xander again though. "Would it help to use a bow and arrow instead? I mean, I cant imagine exploding a pig would leave behind much to eat! Oh, actually, I guess the game might not make a distinction, they always implode into pixels regardless... huh..." He quickly adopts an upside-down Thinker's pose, with scale-covered knuckles pressing against the under(upper?)side of his more humanlike, tan-skinned jaw. "What a puzzle..."

Emiko ruffles the fox on her arm as she looks over to those she doesn't know, nodding a little. "Soso... Hunting with fireballs and scouting, Xander? Sounds like you have had a full schedule."

    Xander peers over his shoulder as he spots a fox coming into view, followed by a cait sith fox he also knows. His tail flicks gently, "... Emiko." He says to her, "And could be worse."

The Salamander hears another and his gold, fiery draconic eyes look over to Shiruba as she makes her presence known, "Hey Shiruba and yes. Yes I am." He smirks, "Found out an interesting trick I can do, if-- I can get one to drop meat."

Then rests his hands on his hips, "... Buuut I am not a hunter so my drop rate sucks and thus I may have hunted this location to near nothingness as boars go." He pauses and hrms, ".. I wonder if I can quick fire crab meat..." Then he gets dead-pan look. "... probably taste horrible without some spices.. and if I add spices it just turn into flames of digital delight."

    Xander looks over to Wynfei, "Doing what I am doing now. Murdering every boar I see till something drops." He then waves his hand gently, "Upside is, at least I get copper coins out of the deal."

    Though with the rustle of leaves, the dark scaled Salamander raises his brow and peers to in direction of the sound to spot the famous monkey-lizard! Crickey! Look on the scales on that one! How they just glisten in-- no wait, it's just Atif doing odd things.

"Atif." Xander says to him giving him an odd look. "... Why-- are you in the tree and you know you can just inspect someone to get their names, yeah?" He sighs softly, "Though I guess that does ruin the surprise for some."

Shiruba waves to both Wyn and Atif. "Just checking up on people still roaming the Isle of Beginnings," she answers. "Gwen is setting her shop up here so probably be a fair bit going back and forth." Followed by a chuckle, her tail wagging lazily. "He's right. It's more having the right skill than a certain weapon. The idea was to get players to work together, that's why most of the crafting and gathering professions require others to make full use of their possibilities."

Then she turns her head a bit, ears perking up. "I doubt that, Xander. They might take longer to respawn though if you kill them off that quickly." The wolfgirl slinks a bit, ears alert and head raises a bit much as a canine's would be when sniffing the air.

Explosions have a habit of attracting attention... And Shiruba's nose might catch some interesting scents on the wind that don't belong to the people there.

Some of that attention comes in the form of a cloaked figure melting out from behind some trees, purple eyes looking out from beneath the brim of a hood. The Imp sweeps forward and simply holds out a package to Xander, a paper-wrapped parcel with a picture of a duck on it. "Here, this could help."

The parcel contains... A packaged food set. An herbed baked potato encrusted with salt, a small container of tea, a salad, and a couple chunks of seared beef on rice.

"Enjoy it in good health." says Proteus, and looks around to the others assembled. "It's quite the batch of people here today. Are you all doing well?" She asks, apparently concerned despite her ominous-looking demeanor and shadowed face. "Recent events have been something of an issue. The monsters are acting differently than they were before." Her purple eyes narrow slightly, as if something about this vexes her.

    Atif blinks his eyes in bemusement at Xander's first question and asks in counter, "...Why not?" as if it were the most regular thing to be doing. And as for the second question? "I like having proper introductions!" Is his cheerful answer to that one.

    Seeing Shiruba give out obvious signs of a hounf about to set out on a hunt, his eyes light up. "Oh! You're gonna go hunt for more! Can I come? I'm not a tracker but I'll be real quiet behind you!" His legs promptly loosen out from around the tree branch, and gravity sends him plummeting down to the ground -- except, he flips around halfway, and comes down onto a graceful three-point landing.

    Looking up after hearing the fire and lightning, he sees Atif in the tree and laughs, he counces up himself into a tree and hangs upside down as well. "You know what, this just feels right." he says as he starts to swing using his tail to move him back and forth. He looks at Xander and nods his head, "That's true, I've saved up enough money to get some better gear, nothing crazy and I got a nice looking staff now." he laughs as he points at the black staff sheathed behind him.

    He looks to Emiko and her fox, he quirks his head, "How're you doing Emiko?" he asks and he looks to Atif, "Hello." he waves to the upside down swinging Salamander. He yawns and stretches a bit, listening to the others, "That's true, I mean I can punch and kick things and get meat that way." he tells Xander. "How're you doing Shiruba?" he asks her.

    When Proteus make her way through, "Hey Protues!" he calls to her. "Long time no see." he says to her.

    Xander glances over to Shiruba, "Gwen? Hm. I-- Might have met her... maybe? Wait! Is she that really tall chick that was torturing Uta with clothing?"

"Cause you know, I'm six foot, urm, roughly one hundred and eighty three," He coughs softly after doing his quick measurement correction, "And if that woman is actually taller than me.. Like she didn't just randomized that height scale somehow.." Xander places his hand up to about kind of where she was, "... That is a crazy tall lady.."

    Then he notices her sniffing around, "Uh, Shiruba? What are you doing?" Clueless Xander is clueless.

    Then suddenly, there is a Proteus, "Holy--!" He jumps back and stares at the imp, "Where did you? How-- huh?" Then he spots the package, he looks at her, then at the package, then back at her, "... what is it and will it taste like wet crackers?" But he does take it never-the-less. "Won't stop what I am doing however."

He also gives a nod to Proteus words, "And exactly for that reason. Monster behavior. I actually have a plan with these pork loins! It involves trading and goblins... or maybe the gnolls.. Or both!"

    Xander then looks over to Atif and doesn't have an answer to the fellow Salamander's question. Just a shrug really. His eyes then look over to Wynfei, "I know I am saving my coin for that same reason, but, only when someone figures out how to craft non-white gear. When that happens, that is where my money is going." Which means that Xander may still be in level one or level three gear.

Xander also doesn't have much of a statement to Emiko, beyond pointing over to Shiruba, "... Do you know what she is trying to do?" Sadly this tank of a draconic humanoid has zero clue how Caith Sith's work and that is-- pretty obvious right here.

Player since the opening of ETO and yep. He was clueless on that. Shows you where his focus was in the game.

"Oh, I'm doing fine, thanks for asking. Living of the forest and such... trying to get Kogitsune here trained." Emiko notes, rufflign the fox on her arm as she closes to an easier talking distance.

"Uh, I got no idea. Why Xander?"

Shiruba smells Proteus coming, and holds up a hand to wave briefly in his direction without turning her attention from her prowling. It was actually a little odd actually smelling and hearing things herself than getting the information through an action command and menus, but she's adapted very well to it. "Yes, that's Gwen." She knows it's a randomized appearance but doesn't say that, because Xander's bit of concern is more amusing.

Sure enough she trails down a boar snuffling around the roots of a large tree. She draws her bow and arrow, though finds the porcine is not in her immeadiate line of sight, because of the thick tree trunk.

Which would be why the wolfgirl abruptly bolts, darting at an angle to the side to leap over some brush to get alongside the large trunk, then turning as she lands to fire an arrow at the boar as she lands in an attempt to blindside it. The maunever seems to work, as the arrow sinks deep into the boar's neck and it barely gets a chance to squeal before poofing into pixels.

And drop a big chunk of meat on the ground as well, which she strolls over to pick up. "Here you go Xander! And I'm doing fine, thanks," she finally answers Wynfei as she's wandering back to the group. "... What are you all staring at?" She was so focused on hunting there she didn't notice the others gawking and trying to figure out what she was doing.

"Do you want to be treated like a monkey, Wynfei? Because swinging about like that is how you get treated like a monkey. Though I suppose there might be some upsides to that, hmm? Your choice." Proteus muses. "That said, hello there, Wynfei. It has been a while since we last spoke. Are you doing all right?" She asks, tilting her head and nodding in greetings to the Cait Sith.

Xander, in the meantime, accepts the package. "It's food, and no. Our workship in Alne has been working on experimenting and redeveloping cooking techniques to make good food again. This is all simple, but it will taste right... And be filling as well. Consider it a gift, hmm? After all, you can't hunt on an empty stomach."

She looks over into the trees. "I don't expect you to stop. Just, everything works better when you have some good food. Enjoy the buffs, hmm?" There is, however, a tilt of her head, a curious glint in those eyes as she watches Xander. "Trading? Are you trying to gather materials to help get money and work in the economy?" She taps her chin. "Questing usually pays out better, but you might be able to take advantage of it. Are you planning to do this as an ongoing thing? I know some people who might be interested in your work if you want to make money farming materials."

There is a nod to Shiruba at the wave, but Proteus does nothing to interfere with the wolfgirl's hunting. Just a little smile to herself. "People apparently are not used to others indulging in their various enhanced senses and natures yet." The Imp says, her tail swaying behind her idly. "I wonder what you'll be choosing in the future as well. There seem to be a lot of people who will need to."

Atif did have the time to flash slightly-sharp teeth in a happy grin at Wynfei while he was still up there. "Hi!" He called back to him thus with a wiggle of red fingers. "I'm Atif! Nice to meet you!"

    On the ground, though, he watches after the bolting wolf-girl. And once she returns with a bounty of meat just as quickly as she set off, he pumps his fists in the air once. "That was cool!" Well, at least his stare isn't one of pure confusion, if nothing else...

    And finally, he spins around on the scaled heel of one foot, and turns his green gaze to the others. Scaled fingers offfering wiggly waves to Emiko, and Proteus. "Hi!" He chimes cheerfully to them, too, much like he did to Wynfei moments earlier. "I'm Atif! Nice to meet you!"

"Emiko, nice to meet you too. Careful with the finger though, Kogitsune is a nibbler." Emiko notes, just as the little fox follows the finger with its eyes, growling just a tad as he wants to possibly try to hunt it.

    Xander glances over to Proteus. He gives her a long stare, but he does softly say, "Thanks." Though he slowly looks away from her and doesn't finish answering any of her questions right away.
His tail does flick gently and as he was getting ready to comment on something, Shiruba kills the boar, provides the large sum of meat, and he then goes to give her a few silver for her effort, "That was-- really impressive, Shiruba!" Xander says with a gentle smile. "It always helps when you got the skill set for sure."

Xander for now pockets the meat into his inventory and saves it for later with other few pieces he did obtain on his own. His attention though turns back to Proteus, "And no. I don't trade. This is part of a test I'm running. As you pointed out, which is something I've also concluded, is that the monster AI is adapting and evolving. I am trying to see what other things may have changed in their general behavior."

The dark scaled Salamander shifts his weight slightly as he further explains, "This information is important for any tactical use within the Tower, as it could either mean the success on the next floor or possible failure. We were almost, after all, defeated on Floor One given not proper care was given to the possibility of AI adaptivity."

"Anything further than that," Xander says simply with his tail slowly moving side to side. "Is classified. Consider that maybe some friendly payment talk for the free food." The Rune Knight then looks over to Emiko, "How is the training for your little guy going anyways?" Blinks, '... Or is it a girl?"

"I was just helping." Shiruba quickly snatchs up the offered silver pieces. "I will gladly accept this tip for services though~" Someone's got a bit of that merchantile edge many Cait Sith are known for. She bobs her head a few times. "Knowing your enemy is just as important as knowing your own abilities," she agrees with the AI conversation as a whole.

"Farming resources may not be as effective in making money, but it helps a lot of people out." She's already prowling a little again, but more casually this time, not wandering far from the group. This is just more she's not the kind to stay still for long periods of time, unless sleeping. "Like I said, most crafting professions don't have all the skills to collect materials, and vice versa. It's to promote cooperative work."

The Salamander introduces himself, and Proteus turns to Atif, making a little bow as the cloak billows out behind her dramatically. "Proteus. A pleasure." She says, looking up with a little sharp smile to the Salamander. "I don't believe we've had a chance to learn about each other. What do you do?" She asks.

Xander provides his answer, and Proteus looks over, blinking, her tail curling as that little smile falters for several moments... And then she tilts her head. "... Ah. You're considering the wildlife a subset of the monster AI design. This could be true... Have you discovered anything of note?"

She turns to one side, bowing her head as she considers. "The Tower... Yes, I heard a great deal about what happened." She ponders this situation, and turns. "Those who climb will have to be careful. I have some plans of my own to investigate. As far as the rest..."

She turns her head to looks directly to Xander, her eyes intent. "Classified to /whom/?" She asks Xander. "If you have information to share, it would benefit both of us if you shared, you realize."

Shiruba gets a nod in the meantime. "There's a lot going on to do so. If you know people interested in harvesting or crafting, I know someone who is working to bring people together in that respect."

"Oh, it takes its sweet while. I mean, he's a litte cuty, but it's hard to teach him." Emiko notes, uffling the fox before setting him down, careful so he wouldn't fall, though the curious one darts over to try to inspect all the people's legs with his nose, sniffling and then darting to the next. "As I said, he's young..."

"I know a friend is trying to rediscover better alloys." Shiruba scratches behind a wolf ear. "But I suspect it's going to take better resource quality than the beginning area offers. So got to be well prepared before we go exploring in the other Regions."

    From Emiko's warning, Atif looks down to the little growling fox curiously. "Hey, little guy," he coos down to the creature, bending over a bit. "It's okay, it's okay. I'm friend, not food, yeah?"

    And then there's a cheerful (and sharpish-toothed) smile presented back to Proteus. "We haven't, yeah," he agrees, but he doesn't let that understanding bring him down. "I kinda go about doing... well, a lot of things. I'm bad with focus. I just try to help around everywhere, but I work with healing potions a lot too. I'm not a main-healer or anything, but I dabble."

    "I didn't say anything about wildlife." Xander corrects Proteus, "Just monster AI." The dark scaled Salamander grins, "And once I know more, I'll make my information publicly known. I have no desire to shake up or create a social breakdown with not having all the facts known."

Xander then goes to sit down on the ground as the little fox comes over. He goes to carefully place out his hand, smiling gently, "Hello little fella." He says with a soft, gentle voice. "Just all kinds of curious huh?"

    He glances up to Shiruba, "If it wasn't for the Tower, I'd probably be off exploring myself. I might end up doing it anyways. I am-- Not in exact agreement with how things are being handled and..." Xander pauses in his words. "... Just things I need to think over."

The dark scaled Salamander then looks over to the fiery one, "Hey, nothing wrong with trying to decide what you want to do. Sometimes the answers are never clear, but I will say this." He jabs his thumb to his chest, "Being a tank, a healer, no matter their skill, is always a welcomed sight!"

    Wynfei flips down off the tree and walks over to the others and finds a place to sit down and listen. He's been quiet during this time just taking in what all is being said and honestly this was good information to be hearing. "Sorry, I kinda drifted off there for a moment."

Shiruba tilts her head when Xander says he's unsure of how the tower is being handled. But it's not one of her big concerns so she doesn't inquire farther. "There is a lot of new world to explore after all."

Atif's response gets a nods and gesture. The Imp's tail sweeps through the air and points at the lizard-person. "You won't be able to do everything. The system isn't designed to allow it. Still, you have plenty of time right now to discover what you love most. As for me..." She looks away into the distance. "I'm an archaeologist. I do research on the world around us. Hence my interests... Especially now, after the Black Wave. When everything changed. Other times, I act as... support."

Xander then speaks up again. "Tch. Are they monsters or aren't they? If they're not related to the monsters, how is killing boars going to get you information on goblins and gnolls? Be consistent." A pause, then, and Proteus smiles again, that little knifelike crescent flashing under her hood. "Unless that's part of what you're not telling me, hmm?" She says, her tone teasing.

Then she shrugs, and shakes her head, sighing. "I hardly think you could shake things up more than the Black Wave already has. But suit yourself. I'm sure I can find a currency you'll accept... PVPer." A low chuckle, and then she sweeps, turning away from Xander to look over her shoulder at the hunting raider. "Still. I wouldn't pin my hopes on that Tower. It will inevitably have answers... But they won't be the answers you're looking for. Perhaps the important thing to think about is... What question is the Tower answering? And why?"

There is another hum from her, however. "What is happening regarding the handling of things that you aren't in agreement about?" She asks him.

Kogistune takes a lick of Atif's leg as he bends over the fox, but the pets he gets from Xander actually make him stay there for some moments, even though he tries to wrangle the hand after a few moments to prevent it from getting away. The fox wants that hand!

"WEll, the tower is like... nobody knows if it was even supposed to be beatable before."

    Xander peers over at Proteus giving the little kit some attention before the vulpine goes off to someone else, "I'll place it in more of a simple terms for ya then. Goblins have gotten smarter. I am going to trade meat with them. See what happens."

The dark scaled Salamander goes to stand up and rests his hand relaxed on the hilt of his sword. "Its an ongoing project and one I can't share because there are still other things that need to be checked out."

    Though when the imp calls him a pvper and states her own opinions, he softly sighs, "No. It won't and I am not looking for any answers in the Tower. I am just trying to help the Scale Emblem get people home that want to go home, /if/ it is even possible to get folks that home that way. However, they are handling the situation, just like you are right now, as if this was still a video game."

Xander points to Proteus, "This is no longer a video game. The rules have changed. People need to adapt and do so quickly, or they will find themselves in the church several times over, possibly with memory loss." His hand then lowers. "Man, I am getting tired of dealing with you civilians." He rumbles out lowly, then realized what he said.

His next words are even softer as he places his hands up to his forehead, claw tapping his hard scales on his forehead, "... Sorry..." Before he goes to turn away from the group, and just starts to walk in a direction.

    Even if Kogistune's attention doesn't remain on Atif, the fiery lizard still seems very happy with the reaction he got from the fox. Eyes sparkling and all.

    "Oh, I know!" Atif assures Proteus with a rapid nod of his head and... a bit of an akward laugh. "There's plenty of things I can't do. I meant more in terms of activities I've been doing? Mmm..." He scratches one scaled finger along his clean-shaven cheek. "If you're more asking what I *can* do... Then I guess I'm a mix between support and melee dps, if you want to put it in game terms? IT feels kind of weird to do that these days, though..."

    The Red salamander blinks his eyes rapidly when Xander gets called a PvPer. There's the faintest hint of a frown, briefly, but the man decides not to say anythiing on that.

    "Hey." He does call after the dark-scaled lizardman when he turns to leave the group, though. "It'll be alright, you know? One way or another, the sun'll shine again eventually."

    Atif peeks to Shiruba after all that, with a faint smile given for her own words. "...Just gotta try to shine as bright as we can ourselves, right now."

"The tower /wasn't/ beatable before." Proteus points out to Emiko. "It still might not be. No one ever got past Floor 10 because of some issues with the boss. But then, the Debauchery Tea Party and the other top raid guilds aren't quite a thing anymore now. Now apparently everyone is having problems even getting past Floor 1."

"Ah, you've been doing a lot of things? Yes, that's a good plan. Like I said, you have to find out what you enjoy the most, don't you?" Proteus replies affably to the lizard. "As far as using game terms... Don't consider it weird. Some things still remain the same despite the situation."

There is a laugh from Proteus then. "You're right! The sun will shine again. And it's up to us to make it happen. Maybe we can do the job instead, hmm? We'll have to keep working at it and turn this world into a place we can all love and live and enjoy. A place where we can be finally safe."

But then there's Xander again. "You're going to trade materials /with the monsters/." Proteus repeats flatly. "You do understand there's a reason why I didn't go there as a possibility in the first place, right?" Her hand goes to her face and she sighs, her tail lashing back and forth in irritation. "Let me know if you manage to get out of it without being disemboweled. Or I suppose I can keep an eye on the Cathedral. Whichever. Or maybe I'll watch for the next siege on the Towns and see if they're using stuff you gave them, hmm? It's an idea, and one I even entertained for a short time, but the apparent negatives seem much greater than the positives on the surface. Maybe you'll surprise me. I'm willing to leave that open. However..."

Proteus turns towards Xander once more, folding her hands together before her as that smile reappears. There's no amusement in that smile. "Do not presume to lecture me about the rules and adaptation therein. You are correct that this is no longer a game in the strictest sense. But many elements of that game remain despite those changes. The rules are both much stricter and less apparent than those in the old world. We could get much farther if you would be willing to work together with me, you understand. But I suppose expecting such from a member of Scale Emblem is too much."

Her tone goes quiet, then. "Anytime you want to find out just how much your former world's training matters now... /non-civilian/... Feel free to try." Proteus' smile is as kind and sharp as the edge of a knife at that.

"People that want to beat the tower are welcome to it." Shiruba is still prowling around the group but nothing interesting has respawned.

    "One, you're behind on the times." Xander says raising up an index finger and looking over his shoulder as he comes to a momentary stop as he addresses Proteus. "We already /beat/ the first floor and we are onto the second. I should know. I was one of the few tanks still standing, along with Amalthea."

He then looks a way. "And which former world you talking about, Proteus!" He then starts to walk away once more. "Before the expansion? The real world?" He turns to face her once more, a dark smile on his lips, "Cause I may as well be dead as the real world is concerned, but if I was eleven years my younger... I could, very much, put you in your damn place."

He then gives her a mock salute, "Peace!" Before he turns right around and keeps on walking.

    Shaking himself a little, Wynfei stands up and does a back bend. "Well I need to talk with a few people, before we start on the second floor, I want to map it out and get some detailed information so we know what to expect before we go through it." he says to them.

    Though Atif hadn't really putten much focus into the earlier words exchanged by Proteus and Xander, now... Now, as the conversation between the two gradually heats up, he starts looking increasingly worried, and trying to intersect.

    "H-hold on..."

    All to no avail, though. All the way up until he's reduced to giving a wide-eyed stare at Proteus, first, and then over at the retreating back of Xander. "Wait..." Is all he manages to call out after him, with a lightly reached out hand, before his shoulders slump slightly.

    "...I'm not saying he could not have been gentler, too," murmurs Atif, before he turns a lightly-frowning look over to Proteus. "But was it really necessary to push his buttons like that?" The usual cheer isn't quite there anymore. The fiery lizard isn't smiling. He's not upset, he's just... disappointed.

Proteus just stands there, simply staring at Xander and his response. There is a little chuckle, her shoulders shaking under her cloak as he turns away. She has nothing to say to him. All she does is throw her head back...

And laugh. A mirthful, loud, full laugh that echoes off of the trees and follows Xander as he leaves.

Eventually, the laughter ends, her head falling back down, the hood settling back over her features once more as her eyes open and flick over to Atif. "People like him..." She breathes... "Are the reason why I'm here in the first place."

She turns, and waves. "I'll see you all around. Stay safe, everyone." At that, she walks off... Perhaps pointedly, in the opposite direction Xander went.

    Wynfei looks between both Xander and Proteus as the two go at it, "Whoa chill the hell out." he says but as they both start walking away. He shakes his head, "People....." he stops himself. Maybe it's a good thing for them to walk away.

    Turning to look at the others who are still here. "If anyone need to spar let me know. One thing I do agree with, we need to improve and the more I think about this, we will need a dojo probably but still. Just let me know when you wanna train." he says. "For Raids and any combat situations, so we can see how people react to different situations and honestly if people just want to talk and get things off thier chest hit me up. Just send me a friend request." he says and starts looking back teh way he came.