Welcome to Gaia! ::

"Fancy display Suzume, but we probably have attracted enough attention. In fact, we should leave now." Rhell sat in the driver seat and started up the car. "Suzume, take a break in the back, Mel prepare to cast a field if necessary. Toran, Lana, keep an eye on our guest. Lacey same position please, but rest your ability." Rhell started driving and went back on the unpaved road trail. The sun began to near setting.

Lacey and the pickpocket walked into the truck into their respective positions.
The pickpocket took in a deep breath.
"I'd like to introduce myself to everybody. My name is Mara. I was from the province of Gath before I was afflicted with the virus. I gained the ability to teleport from the virus. And.. for some reason while mine and Toran's auras were connected I was able to see a little bit how his abilities worked.
She looked at Toran."You have the ability to pacify others to the point where they become too lazy even to breathe. But, when you does this, you are one step closer to death. You can do this only two more times before the toll is too great on your body."

By the time they got back to the car, Suzume was in the back, laid down and sleeping with a bone popping out of the corner of her mouth from the bird she had earlier as a mid-day snack type of meal even though it was probably already almost lunch time

Lana wasn't quite sure she knew what the boy meant. "So.. you're saying that you switched bodies to everyone else, but not really? Like... we were only seeing an illusion, but you weren't? And... what do you mean by 'protecting her image and voice,' I'm not sure I understand. This is quite interesting," Lana added with a nod, a break from the dark undertone that her voice had taken on. Much like coming up for air when one is swimming...
Lana, when she turned her head, saw Suzume. "Is this really the time to be lounging around like that?" she said, with a slight strict tone in her voice. Then she realized that she sounded like a mother, and looked away.
"Sorry... I didn't mean for that to come out like it did..." she said, not able to meet Suzume's eyes. She was waiting for someone else to talk, although the wait seemed much longer than it actually was.

"Ok, let's get moving." Rhell said. "The sun is setting and we want to get as far as we can before setting camp." Rhell stepped on the gas and began driving. The road became smoother, less rocks and cracks in their way." Rhell kept tired eyes firmly on the road, yet at certain times his eyes strayed to his companions. Lana, someone who vaguely reminded him of himself. Lacey, Mel, both common people who had their home burned to the ground. Suzume, a mysterious character who seemed to have a good intent. Toran, recently a gunpoint slave of the government. And Mara, who Rhell held a leveled opinion toward for giving them so much trouble. "What a group of characters."

Lana wasn't able to sleep, but she found herself in something of a daze. She stared up at the road, her mind blank except for maybe a song or two that repeated in her head. The darkness was falling upon them, and Lana's eyes stayed on the road even though she wasn't the one driving. For some reason, it hadn't registered in her mind that they might set up came somewhere along the way. However, it seemed like a very normal and logical thought. After all, everyone needed to sleep somewhere. However, Lana's eyes wouldn't close.
She was shaken out of her trance by Rhell's gentle words, then shortly after, Lacey's gasp.
"What was that? Is everyone ok?" she asked, looking around.

Suzume who was sitting on the back, staring at the road with her lips rested on her laced fingers was unshaken by the comotion.
"Forget the past...it makes things more confortable and...less hard to deal with...only think about it when it pushes you to" Suzume said calmly