Welcome to Gaia! ::

Samhain had to keep from slipping into growling when they went over to examine Harley. She was his friend and he wanted so to go over there… however getting all defensive and growling would just set them back. They had to remain calm and defuse the situation. Everyone’s lives were on the line in some form, whether or not it was Tomoe being executed or the others never seeing their families again. When Harley couldn’t stand them looking at her anymore and when she ran to hide behind him, it took everything in his willpower to not growl or tense up at the elders. Harley didn’t need a big ball of aggressiveness. It probably wouldn’t help Neptune or Tomoe either.

“And here you thought you had nothing special to help” Samhain replied lightly with a smile recalling their conversation in the forest. “That was a really brave thing back there Harley. Thank you for speaking up.” He turned around giving her a light and quick hug remembering how she reacted after he had caught her from the tree. “I won’t say it’s going to be okay…. But I’ll try my best to get everyone out of here. I promise. You can stay behind me for as long as you want.” He unconsciously opened up his wings a tiny bit wider as if to block the people behind him from view more.

"how are you two doing?" Samhain said nervously turning towards Tomoe and Neptune. Samhain had noticed they seemed to be taking this whole thing slightly better than Harley but not by much.

Bebe smiled warmly at Callixtus, taking the camera delicately from his hands and glancing at him in a I'll-take-care-of-it way. She took a few steps towards the elders and bit her lip, hesitating. "Do... do you mind if I show you?" she asked politely, although given the interest they had already expressed towards Callixtus she felt confident taking a few more steps. She turned the camera towards them to show them the pictures Callixtus had taken the previous night (or was it longer ago? She'd lost track of time). She couldn't hide her own sincere smile as she saw the memories of the various students and species dancing and singing around the fire. Her favourite was a big group photo that Callixtus must have taken when they weren't looking. It all looked so natural and happy. "Peace," she said quietly.

Tomoe had broken the laws. That gentle, helpful person...and of course, lawbreakers should be punished! But...that he had to die...

"Sirs and m'ams! Pardon me for speaking. Laws are made for a reason," Fidel said, trembling, his hands in fists. "But...but sometimes you have to review the annual guidebook! If you don't revise your regulations, you won't address the situation as it currently is! For instance, if students begin to use the bathrooms for illicit activities, even if there was no hall pass system one must be put in place! The...the execution mandate, I'm very sorry, I don't have a copy of your law sections, are wartime laws, sirs and m'ams! I have accompanied on this trip the very Elf you speak of, without danger to my person. You made a reference in your belief systems to allowing for destiny, and that destiny was the reason Tomoe failed his test. ...I believe that his actions, and this meeting are also destiny."

Aurora stood with her friends, she was there to help Rei stand if needed. Aurora nodded to Bridgette at her suggestion. "If any of us were still at war why would we be together like this, why would there be hybrids or hallowed students?? If we came from a dark place filled with war how could we be all together as we are??" Aurora posed the question "I own a book shop in town back home, I see all sorts of races every day and am friends with Rei, Bridgette, Coralie, Tambre." Aurora smiled at the young neko showing pictures of their gathering after they had worked together for what seemed like forever to gather wood and set up the tents. "Do you have pictures of us working together??" Aurora asked the elf she hadn't had a chance to met yet. "We worked as a team when we arrived." Aurora said softly, she was ready to take hands with anyone in her group to make a stand and prove they were good people.

Tambre was clearly angry. Her arms were crossed against her chest as she listened to everyone speak, finding the elders to be idiots. She tried her best to keep her emotions in check, but she was a Chimera, and there was a reason they used fire. Her anger was a byproduct of the passion she kept locked up inside of her, and it was only a matter of time before it erupted. "You're right about one thing, people are terrible, terrible beings. And yes, wars have been fought for the stupidest things. I won't argue those points. The thing is, if you continue to live with ridged laws, nothing will ever change. Nothing will ever grow." She shook her head slightly.

"I am, one of the worst kinds of people. I hate. I fear. In a lot of ways, I see myself in you." She took a long look at each of the Elders. "I am a warrior, I am the kind of person you obviously hate. That's fine. I don't expect people of differing opinions to get along. Here's the thing. I'm also a mother. I have two children at home that will never see their mother again because of this barrier. These are children that have nowhere else to go. They were orphans that I adopted, and you're going to tell them that they will never see me again?" Her hand was clenched at her side but she tried her best to keep her tone even. "I can't bear the thought that they're going to be without anyone to love them for the second time." She pulled out a photograph of her two sons, one a Baphomet with a single eye and the other a Demon and handed it to the nearest Elder.

She drew in a breath, her eyes shut as she tried to stop a tear from falling. "You also seem to assume a few things. Who is going to believe a bunch of tourists? Even if we did tell them you were out here, why would they believe us? They'd have no reason to go by the words of a couple of students and adults. So if you're that worried then take our memories, even if we do remember, I seriously doubt anyone will believe us, or they'll believe we're talking about the Hallowed since it's possible for a few to have multiple tails when born that way." She tried to make eye contact with at least one of them, holding it for as long as she could.

"I understand your hesitation, but you can't keep your whole village hidden forever? How are your people supposed to grow? Are they to remain forever stagnant? A difference of opinion can cause growth and move you forward in life. Just.. look at us." She motioned to everyone as they started to hold hands. "A few months before I never imagined that'd I be friends with a Grimm, a Nixie or a Hybrid like Rei. But being together causes a unity. We aren't here to harm you." She wiped a few tears from her eyes and rubbed the back of her arm. She was still unsure herself after all the pain she had endured as a child, this was something she couldn't fully come to terms with, but if she could open up this much, maybe they could too. "If nothing else, get to know us, eat with us.. learn from us... Learn our names, learn our children's names, our parents' names. Maybe you can find something that you can identify with."

The moment Xerxes and Niamh had returned to the group, he knew something was wrong. Strangers now stood in front of the group and they didn’t look very happy with the situation. He swallowed, watching and listening as they began to talk and explain things. Xer felt a bubble of anger work its way up into his chest. Execution? Really? That was the answer? He didn’t like it. He may not have trusted Tomoe to begin with but it was obvious the guy had just needed help — and had been rather desperate for it. He hated to think that now this group was going to be the cause of his death.

Frowning, Xerxes remained silent as various others, in the group, began to speak up — Niamh included. And he listened to the elders’ words, getting a taste for how their village and group of daydreams lived and functioned. In a way, he couldn’t blame the elders for being angry at Tomoe. Being a hybrid, Xerxes knew of the hatred that people had inside of them — he’d been teased plenty enough when he was younger. He knew of the wars of past and the cruelty of those in this world. If the elders had really kept their group secluded for years, it really wasn’t a surprise that they were so untrustworthy of those outside of the forest.

When Niamh grabbed hold of his hand, Xerxes jumped, grip tightening automatically on her hand. “Wha…” He didn’t have time to even finish the first word of his sentence before he was being pulled along, closer to the elders. This made him nervous. He didn’t exactly want to get involved in the back and forth — it only seemed to make the elders all the more angry when someone tried to argue with them. Put on top of that that Xer didn’t exactly like to be touched by others, that weren’t close to him, and Xerxes wasn’t having a great time.

He listened more as the same arguments went back and forth and eventually got them nowhere still. Xer sighed, shaking his head as he finally spoke up. “We can’t blame them, you know. We intruded. Sure, we had good intentions but this is their land — their people. In the end they’re just looking out for them — for what’s best for them.” Xer glanced to Tomoe, heart going out for the man but obviously not knowing what they could possibly do to help him. “I’m not saying what they’ve decided is right. Tomoe, despite my initial wariness of him, seems like a nice guy. Just someone that made a mistake in a desperate time — something I’m sure we’ve all done. I also don’t want to stay here,” he said, glancing back in the direction of the elders. “I have family. My parents would miss me. I would miss them. And I have friends — not many, but enough that they would be sad if I didn’t return.” He paused, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. “We’re all caught in the middle of an impossible situation and it seems like there’s no solution.”

Xerxes squeezed Niamh’s hand, a small, sad smile curling up the corner of his lips. “What others have said is true, though. There is no more war — though I know it’s possible to happen again. The kirin and naiad live among us. One of my closest friends is a naiad. Species commingle — look at me,” Xer said with a flick of his tail and a twitch of his big floppy ears. “I’m half demon and half imp. Our world isn’t perfect, and we’re definitely still learning. But we’re trying.”

Seeing the hand holding going on, Coralie went over to her new friend Rei when she saw them now holding Aurora's hand and now Tomoe's. She too gently took a hold of Rei's hand, giving them a smile ", I could never imagine a world without all these people, the people at the academy. Acceptance of others is what I have been taught, and I will continue to follow that teaching."

Things were happening so quickly... apparently the children had all been gathered up, but now, what was even more surprising, was the arrival of further unknown individuals. They looked similar to the distraught being they'd attempted to aid earlier. And with what they had to say, Gaius could only deduce further information about them. A hidden civilization from the outside world, huh? sounded familiar to those of the neko and naga land, but... this sounded different. Rather than being trapped here, these folks had chosen to isolate from the rest of the world.

Interesting.

As he quietly observed and listened to the conversations exchanged between the poor wilting Tomoe, and the superiors, he also gave inspection to his companions who had been with him. Bibiana had the right idea, going up and talking to one of them, which had his mind already trying to mold together some sort of possible alternative solution. The geists sweet attempts to express the harmlessness of their group was also a great step too. Maybe the sentence would be lessened to something else if they saw that the group meant no harm. While this wasn't his culture to question, or go against, perhaps a different idea could be mustered, and traded for the extreme norm.

With others from their touring group being brought in from Bibiana's affectionate display, Gaius couldn't help a light chuckle. "That's a good idea." he praised again, smiling to those that had been joined up with them. However... he wanted to attempt doing something he was a little better at; discussing. A small touch to Bibiana's shoulder was given in support, "I'm gonna try to talk to them really quick."

After a bit of mulling, he sauntered right up the the teal eyed elder, in his normal casual demeanor, sporting his relaxed grin, "Hey. I don't know anything about your customs, and stuff. But if you let us go, and your...barrier is back up, no one else will be able to find this place again, right?" a hand raised slightly to sort of gesture to the fog around them, his dark eyes even subtly shifting side to side in motion as well. "I mean, we had a hard time even getting around in this place to begin with. Don't think even if someone told that anyone else would have an easier time finding this place." he tried to assure nonchalantly. Glancing to Tomoe, his grinned a bit more, "'sides, seems like they had the best intentions for the kids' safety."