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'Your boy does not do you any favors by toting you around like a doll.'

'He does me a great favor in doing so.'

'Undermining your strength?

'Including me. Protecting me.'

'Loving you?'

'Yes.'

'Are you sure?'

'Yes.'

'How quaint.'

Petra's conversation with her newfound weapon lasted only a few seconds, her expression unchanging despite how she was bristling beneath the skin. Cain's jealousy, and it surely was jealousy, was put aside however, the dark-haired girl looking to Jordan as he addressed her. "On that day, you can help" she replied to Jordan, twisting a bit to look over at him, the slightest of amused smiles curling the corners of her lips. It was hard not to tease when it came to Robert -- he had that kind of personality. But as soon as Jordan's mood change, the feel of their whole team changed, everyone suddenly sobering as the subject became more serious. With the first words, he had everyone's attention, including the girl thrown over Robert's shoulder. Straightening a bit further, she shifted to look a bit more attentive despite her position (which, if she were completely honest, she didn't want to give up,) her arms folded comfortably across Robert's shoulder. Around her neck, the silver pentagram glimmered a little, catching the light.

'He seems reliable.'

'He is.'

Even standing there, asking for their support, it seemed obvious to everyone, even her snide new mace that Jordan was capable. Flicking her eyes around at the others, she nodded in response to their answers, all pledging their allegiance. Blue eyes lingered on the blonde girl as she spoke up, but if she noticed Madison's nervousness, Petra didn't show it, moving on as soon as Robert spoke up. At his words, she lifted her hand to brush through his hair briefly, giving another nod of agreement.

"You've lead us before, I trust you to again."

Ennéa shifted from foot to foot and smiled whenever her teammates looked her way. "You got it, boss!" she said to Jordan, punctuating her statement with an enthusiastic salute.

That's your leader?

"Yep." Ennéa said, completely unaware that she probably looked a bit odd carrying on conversation that onlookers could only hear half of. "This is my team, Phoenix squad. We've been together since we've got here. Um, to this island, I mean, not just today."

She pointed to each of them in turn. "That's Jordan, he's really nice and kind and smart." She paused. "He reminds me of my brother."

Hmm. Baraz grunted, unimpressed.

"And that's Jerry." Ennéa said, nodding her head over to where her friend stood. "I guess he's going on another team for this mission but he's also Phoenix. He's a lot of fun and knows a ton of showtunes!"

Oh Jack, another one...

She turned a little. "The big giant guy is Robert. He's really loud and eats a lot. And that's his girlfriend Petra over his shoulder. She's a little intimidating but nice."

Ennéa walked over to where Madison was standing. "And this is Maddie~" Ennéa gave her friend an impulsive hug. "She's the one with the really neat four-headed serpent sword weapon thing. Koo....key?" She struggled with the odd pronunciation and then shrugged.

I'm cooler than a set of stupid swords. Baraz sniffed haughtily. What good are four swords anyway? How does she wield all of them? She doesn't have four arms...does she? He paused and Ennéa had the impression of flappling wings as if the ahriman was trying to get a better look.

Ennéa rolled her eyes and turned to her friend. "Hi Maddie, ready for the mission?" She asked with a little forced enthusiasm.

Jerry was completely oblivious to his fellow Phoenixes discussing his noble sacrifice, as well as any useful or possibly pertinent information being discussed by his superiors on account of suddenly having a Candace literally hanging from him. Face flushing, he gave a little squeak, "I! Er! Of course! Yes! Group sound good! Er! I mean yes we can group! I mean! Ahahahaha er... Hello Candace!" He relaxed a little bit, glancing over to Jordan and the rest with a wide, 'I'm totally going to be jussssst fiiiiiine' grin before slipping a hand around the girl's waist, gingerly leading her away a little bit. "I don't know many others... Perhaps Mr. Jude, if he doesn't already have a group?" It occurred to him he really didn't know many people beyond the band of Phoenixes...

Alone in a possibly haunted house with a pretty girl? Sure there was the possibility of death or dismemberment or other equally horrible situations but... well, he had Roar now. And judging by what little he had heard about The Room, Candace had fared well. Side by side they could be amazing!

That's if you don't get another panic attack, Roar was quick to snicker in his ear. You are going to die.

"I am not!" he whispered heatedly to himself, face reddening.

You better find more backup.

It hadn't taken long for Jordan to realize that Ennea was talking to her weapon - her brother? He reminded her of her brother? It was difficult to keep up the facade of Fearless Leader in the face of that comment, but he kept his face impassive. He missed Andrew fiercely, more than he'd ever expected he would. Still - right now, he needed to be Boss, not Jordan, Andrew's brother. Nor, for that matter, Ennea's brother, as good as that made him feel.

"All right," he said, and made a point of catching the eyes of each of his Phoenixes. Then he turned and walked over to Caelius, taking the pen and noting down the names of his team on the clipboard the elder Hunter held: Jordan, Robert, Petra, Madison, Ennea. Jerry - well, he'd seen Candace, E10, taking charge of his last Phoenix. He was pleased that Jerry had found a good, solid, reliable team, he told himself. He was not going to worry about it. Jerry would take care of himself and come back to them.

He returned to his team, holding his head high. A1, Boss. He would take care of his Phoenixes and bring them home safely.

Bix straightened up as the arm punching ache wore off. Part of it was acting, of course. Ariane seemed to bring out the wimpy cowering noob in him.. but it was on some way a tiny act just for her benefit.

Yeah right.
Shut up.

With their team logged successfully on the clipboard he simply readjusted his backpack and withdrew the small bag of marbles from inside of his coat. They audibly clacked inside the bag when he tossed them up in the air and caught them.

"We have our backpacks and weapons. Same old song guys, huh? Except this time with easier to remember names." They may not have been treasure hunting before but they'd been in worse circumstances and they'd at least MET those Halloweeners to know what they were in for. He wondered idly if they'd run into any of them and if they would be ones he recognized...

"Hahaha, some things never change, I suppose," Her grin widened at Bix's comment as she slung the backpack across her back, tugging on the straps to make sure that she would be comfortable during the mission; while the set-up was close to the 'test', at least they have their memories as a source of motivation now.

Besides, they were actually trained to handle their weapons this time! Mmm, how exciting.

She raised an eyebrow at Before's offer to Tika; he had always been eager to please, but there was something suspicious about the way he had been acting around Tika... Her eyes darted from one hunter to the other before she decided that the boy was either being a creeper - which was likely - or trying to impress the girl - which was also likely.

"Wow, I am surprised, Before," It was difficult to see if she was being sarcastic, "That is a decent plan, judging how we have... Short to long ranged fighters in this group." She wasn't sure where Tika belonged, but either way, they would have at least one of each in short, mid and long range, "As for the artifact, I believe that our instructor had already said that our pendents would react to it... So..." She shrugged.

Jude was pleased that there was no argument with the sudden pairing. Good. That meant less work for him to suffer through! Though suddenly she linked arms with him and he kind of froze for a moment at the contact. What was it with some of these Hunters and their touchy-feely behaviors? Eventually he warmed up to it quietly linking his arm with hers in return. At least she wasn't hugging him and touching him in a manner that was very inappropriate. Linked arms. He could deal with that.

"I see. I can't say I remember what everyone look like though I recognize the names," Jude admitted quietly with a small shift of his shoulders. The group was small enough to where names were memorable at the very least.

At Marcus' arrival he simply nodded, "I'm Jude," It was informal and simple, "I am a Death Hunter. Glad to have you on the team." It was an affirmation as good as any that why yes they'd be forming their own little team. He would have grinned but he didn't feel much like grinning as he resumed seeking someone named Leon for a moment.

Yom remained silent and watchful but he felt her amusement.

Jude gazed around until he saw a figure that looked like he could be a 'Leon' he pointed over toward him and started to move toward her and likely was pulling Cass with him. "You. Are you Leon?" He addressed the other Hunter. "If not then you are now and you're with us," he proclaimed quite simply absorbing Leon into the grouping with himself and Cass. If Leon argued he figured Cass would back him up on this.