Welcome to Gaia! ::

Katie stared at the communicator as she heard Quinn's voice come out of the speaker rather quietly. She pressed the reply button when he finished talking. There was an audible beep, which she waited on before speaking into the speaker.

"Thanks, old man. I'll keep you posted then. You do the same."

Once she was done she let go of the button. It was time that they got this show on the road.

She glanced towards Madison and Asherah. She wasn't sure that she'd been introduced to the other woman yet.

"I'm Katie."

She introduced herself to Asherah.

Katie merely blinked.

"The..whites?"

Her eyes fell upon the die that Asherah picked up and tossed once again. She had a confused expression on her face. She quietly wondered what this woman was doing.

"It's nice to meet you Ash."

At first Sun looked on, quite pleased how everything was turning out, even a little amused at the excitement. Max had managed to pour a cup full of water over Rage, which made the salamander snort and hide laughter behind a hand. The green-haired man looked like a drowned rat.

Hono and Rae seemed to be staying with the later group, having made up their minds quite firmly. Noir, and Lucind, as well. He was surprised that Quinn was staying, but wouldn't turn away the help, that was for sure. Reiyvian was consulting Madi before leaving, but looked pretty stationary herself. Someone new walked in that looked like he wanted to help, Cecil was it?

People where making good groups, getting sorted, and above all getting the hell out of the bar. The map was crude, but the roads were pretty direct, they'd know the place when they saw it anyway. Sun gave the stoic Ichigo a pat on the shoulder as the bright haired man went by to join the rest that were leaving.

Then he realized the modes of transportation and blinked, looking slightly panicked as everyone rushed out...truthfully, it had gone from subtle to outrageous. He had to pull himself back from trying to order them about, however, realization being that this was the point

They were supposed to be a tour group. There wasn't much about tour groups that wasn't outrageous, chaotic, showy, and sometimes rather daft, really. If he thought about Levi and everyone that ever came to watch the fights it would have been out of the norm to see partial groups stalk into town dressed in black and looking sneaky. They'd have stood out miles.

Sakura in that shirt was something to behold, something that needed careful consideration and---

"Good luck guys, see you in a bit, try not to break the town before we get there, okay?"

Max was dumbfounded. Shocked. Floored, and other various adjectives describing utter and complete surprise. And a bit embarrassed. Just a tad. Of course this meant that Max returned Rage's expression, blink for blink. It was sort of silent confirmation, that yes, that had indeed happened. Yes, whatever was meant to happen had entirely failed.

"Right....Yeah, um, I'm gonna go change now. Max, might want to get that nervous twitch you got going there checked out."

To which Max immediately responded.

Yes. Well.

And adjusted his glasses. And they were clearly never to speak of it again. Though there was something of an awkward silence as everyone took note of exactly what had just transpired, and about everyone had a "Why did you just do that?" look plastered on their face. How exactly was Max to explain that he saw the man transform, nearly before his eyes into a topless woman. And he simply had to know how it was done?!

"Well, I guess this will have to do." Looking surprisingly pleased with herself, and probably even more to Max's confusion, Sakura bounced down the stairs with a strange amount of enthusiasm for such a dire mission.

Like that! How?! How did he do that!? He....she?...They?

Maximos face palmed. Hand, buried in face. All he could say to Lucind, was to reach for the book then lift his finger and shake his head, silently asking for a minute. It didnt lift until the Tavern door shut. And only them to catch a glimpse of Asherah and the others. He could see that feeling...the lingering traces of dejection and immediately looked to Sun and back to Ash in a way that said. "I'm sorry I messed that one up." He didnt want to hurt the girls feelings. He would have loved to get to know her better. He'd make it a point to do so later. He owed her that.

"Ummm, excuse me? I think there's a dragon eating someone's helicopter out here...""

Maximos simply did not want to ask the details behind that. Expect that he imagined Rage's previously mentioned Chess Dragon, was having a Hind shaped snack. Either way, he addressed the man with a smile and a nod. There was alot of magic about him, he was curious to know why. But as people were still moving and groups were still forming he sincerely hoped the man was patient enough to wait for the chance.

He was about, just seconds from answering Twitch, when the woman was understandably called to her Death/Snack Box. He got just a glimmer of the situation when the door opened and shut, and decided not to touch that one, one bit.

He made his way back over to the table.

When are you going to realize that I'm willing to help you. We have the same enemy. I don't expect you to trust me, but at least count me as the ally to your cause that I am."

Maximos looked at the vampire with the sort of eyes that turn men to dust and countries into fleeing packs of citizens. Coldly, without anything more than a glance past the vampire, to Lucind to make she was alright, and t drop a "One second dear." as he scooped the book under his arm and turned back to the vampire, and said.

I will. When you no longer carry that forked tongue.

The rough translation to that being, "Never" or "The day after forever". At least that was his feeling at the moment. Though an immediately look of disgust overcame his face, passed over and intermingled with a look of utter frustration. Necessity versus Morality. His eyes looked down at the book in his hands, as opposed to the creature and he followed the above with...

You've been marked. We are watching you, we will find you. Its night fall, and its going to be a long trip.

Then looked up, his mismatched black and white eyes looking directly into Anuksu's violet. Transferring quite clearly the "We" he was speaking of was not this group.

You had better have a snack while you have the chance....

And his eyes moved to the Firebrand's door. As if to say silently. "Go". Or with his particular tone and facial expression. "Be gone". And to cement the notion, his eyes broke off and moved back to Lucind. Followed by his feet, stepping past the vampire. He maneuvered the book from beneath his arm to between his hands, running his right hand softly over the cover. The spell work glistened under his touch. And he smirked.

Indeed.

He agreed to her last comment.

You've been quite busy with this.

His right hand moved to the side of the book, while his left came around to the opposite side. Effectively, he placed a hand the spine and the other on the mouth of the book.

But more than simply being lost, the enemy musnt know you even have a thing like this.

He didnt want to openly say that it was because her voice had been abused before. But there were other reasons as well. Either way, she would be able to see black slip from his hands covering the surface of the book. A crackle danced along it.

And then clap! As Maximos' hands smacked together and the book seemed gone. Entirely. A lovely magic trick. Though not really. He flipped his hands, left over right and then peeled back his left hand revealing the spine of the book, resting in his right hand. And in his left hand, with a flick of the wrist, he revealed a length of cloth.

Ok now hold still.

He said reaching his left hand out to Lucind. The cloth reacted, looping over her shoulder and across her chest like a sash. Though it looked more like a black belt. Buckle at her back. Skull buckled at that. Then he stepped forward with his right hand, laying his hand carefully along the belt as if sticking on a big sticker. The book spine held. Maximos spoke.

You can flip this belt around, and hide its entirely there by putting the spine to your back. Or you can hold it this way...

His finger reached forward just above the spine and pressed in. Instead of feeling him poke her chest, Lucind would see Maximos' finger slip in over the book, and be able to watch as he pulled back on the spine and the entire book slid out, as it would from a bookshelf. It was as if she had a single sliver of bookshelf on her chest. And just as easily Max slid the book back and said with a grin.

There. That should hold it.

He rest a hand on her shoulder.

Lucind I...

And there was Quin! Maximos head turned followed by his attention. He'd have a moment with her...For now, Quin had his attention. Armored and armed, the man looked quite impressive. Maximos returned the salute, even bowing his head forward a bit, in respect. He remembered the man to be a strategist. Quin had decked himself out in weaponry and technology, both of which an antique minded swordsman like Maximos could not begin to fathom. So the person with the best strategic mind on the question about to be poised to Quin, was Quin! Maximos spoke, friendly, warm as always.

Heres the situation.

He gestured to the map, not but a foot away on the table, and to the Red X's, and said.

We believe the enemy is holed up here. So we're dividing into squads...presumably three. To investigate.

He gestured toward the door. Past Cecil of course. He didnt know the man well enough to consider him an entire squad, and said.

The advanced team, our scouts, are leaving now. Ms. Sakura, Ms. Gostik, Ms. Madison, Ms. Asherah, and Mr. Kurosaki.

He gestured to the rest and said.

We'll be sending at least two more squads, their departure times to be decided once everyone has been paired up. So my question, my friend, is who with and when are you most comfortable going?

In all this, Maximos tried not to catch mention of the name GUARDIAN, or the fact that this elf had wings. Because only one elf he knew had wings. And she was with the shades, and he was worried about her. To the best of his knowledge he had truly not cared for those that worked for any of the other winged elves he had heard of. Something just rubbed him wrong. But he was silent. Except to listen for Quin's response, and make mental not to suggest that Rei, Hono, and Rae do not for a team in which all the healers are gathered.

At which Rae broke off!

And Max responded with a bright grin, and a warm. Not wanting to be rude to Quin, or the Lady Rae, he went no further than to say.

Glad to have you!

And a bow of course, always obeying the niceties.

He listened intently, then looked over the map. Quinn thought for a long moment, staring at the map the entire time. They were all dividing nicely, to be assured. However, there was little strategy in the way they were dividing. While most of these people had multiple different skills, the advanced group was far too large for a simple recon mission. Hopefully the large group wouldn't draw too much attention.

Quinn gave a short, contrite shake of his head. A pity I wasn't in here before, or these groups would certainly be different. Nothing I can't work with though, he thought to himself. Which party would he go with though?

Looking over to Noir, he snorted to himself and popped a smirk.

"Well, as I stated before, I would be honored to join with you, Maximos, but really the group that needs me the most is welcome. My abilities are focused in ranged combat, sniping, stealth, infiltration, and things that go boom, although I am a skilled melee fighter. I have a lot of gadgets and such that are always helpful...

"So wherever I am most useful is where I'll be. Which leads me to my question of what the groups are at the moment? I know you, the bastar- vampire over there, I don't know if Sun is with you, Hono and Rae are all staying here and I assume are a group.

"That leaves a few stragglers whom I don't know about.

"Lastly, logistically I have several modes of transportation that are probably more subtle than a dragon should we be interested."

Finally done, he leaned against the counter behind him, crossing his arms.

Once outside with Madison's new comrades, she looked at the two dragons between them. She seemed even more terrified than earlier, after all to a dragon, she looked rather appetizing with her rabbit characteristics. But with the feeling of the strange snake creature on her neck she took a deep breath in, and besides GUARDIAN members didn’t get scared. Not over anything, especially over a silly thing like a dragon.

The rabbit walked towards them and examined it more closely; they didn’t seem that terrifying up close. Or that’s at least what she kept telling herself.

“Nice dragons…” She laughed nervously as she inched closer to them. At this point in time, she would have rather ran there than take a dragon. Of course that wasn’t really an option, the rabbit had than looked over to where Katie was and noticed that she looked just as pleased as she did.

“You okay, Katie? You seem a little nervous.” Madison had than scratched behind the creature’s neck which made itself comfortable on the rabbit’s neck. Pippe she believed his name was, but she wasn’t entirely sure. The rabbit had a strange suspicion that it was going to be a very interesting adventure.