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"Ya need a hand, Pennies?" Ofelia happened to stroll over at the sight of Gale going down. There were plenty of people around him, sure, and most of them either liked Ofelia or at least tolerated her existence. That was a welcome change as of late and the redhead looked down at the trainee she'd helped wake up. "Ah think yer a bit too sleepy ta give carryin' him a try, so how 'bout Ah give it'a go?" She offered, but it was clear Candace was also there and probably had more reason to do so.

At the very least she could carry Stormy if Stormy refused. Someone was going to help her out.

Gale waved a hand. "I'm just tired," he muttered, slightly embarrassed by all the attention. "It's...just being here, in this place..."

He trailed off, not wanting to admit that this was the place that still gave him nightmares, that he dreamed about when his dreams were black and dripping with blood, that sometimes he could still hear voices in his head of the ones that had already passed on. He'd made peace with Ben's death, but even now the Sahara was not one of the ideal places to go.

He heard Stormy's voice, and then Ofelia's, and his face flushed even redder, scarlet staining his cheeks as Gale looked up at them. "I'm fine," he started to say, but Candace had swept him up in a hug and the rest of Gale's protests were lost and muffled. He squirmed slightly, and then sighed, giving in because really there was no getting away from a Candace hug.

"I'm fine," he mumbled again. "I just really hate this place, okay."

Gale's protests were something Candace was used to. "I know, Chipmunk. I know." She gave him one more squeeze before letting him go. Stormy was a Mist, one of her Mists. "Stormy?" Now she was torn. She couldn't carry everyone.

Can't hold every hunter.

The trainee only shrugged, too tired to argue as he slowly trailed after her when she made her way to Gale, letting out a soft snicker when she ruffled his hair.

When Gale sank to the ground, he only stared, and gave Stormy a look when she suggested piggybacking him, though rather than tell the trainee she'd probably just keel over trying to lift him, a much too familiar redhead arrived, he decided if 3's a crowd, 4 was MUCH much too crowded. And so he stalked off, leaving Gale with his small harem.

. . .

Shik didn't even have a real comment anymore. Between the curiously intimate interaction between Senga and Mengyao (was that the project Senga had mentioned a while back?), the weird interest Lifen had in some hunter, and the spreading of cookies, all after having to replay the same day four times with his victory snatched from him--Shik was so done. And with Death oozing all over the humans like he actually admired them, the executioner was starting to wonder if he had just accidentally elected a sympathetic leader. Great.

Snorting, he kept his arms crossed as the other three gave their particular this's or that's, in particularly ready to smack someone across the head for not taking advantage of this rare opportunity for a cure. At the same time, considering the hunters got some sort of cracker for their wishes . . . Ugh. He wouldn't let himself live this down if he didn't try.

So, crystal and some sort of payment, huh? Shik didn't have anything on him of worth, so he shrugged and summoned his dagger, sliding its edge across his palm. Grabbing his distortion crystal from its clasp, he coated the thing in his blood and offered it to Death with a determined look. "Look, whatever. Talk in riddles, throw the apes a party, I don't care. But if you're serious about this cure, then take it. I speak for someone else," he told the Rider. "Shaheen, a chieftain of War who is also afflicted. A close friend who is this close to driving me insane as well. Fix her." His ego wouldn't let him say it aloud, but there was a hidden "please" behind that; he was out on a limb here.

"I'm fine," said Gale again, probably a bit more forceful than necessary. His cheeks still red, he pushed himself back upright, away from Candace and Stormy and Ofelia, back onto his own two feet with Jinhai at his side. The dragon made a soft sound of reassurance in his head, but Gale pushed him away as well, feeling childishly stubborn.

It was the first time in a very long time that he actually felt less of an adult than the others.

I don't want to be here anymore, he thought, and turned away, his teeth clenched in frustration.

"I don't need any help. I'm fine."

I am not a child that needs protecting. I'm the one that does the protecting.

The touch on Jordan's arm calmed him and threatened to crack his composure all at once. He breathed out and raised his other hand to brush his fingers over Harrison's hand, just briefly. I'll be okay.

He looked over to Robert, studying his friend; he'd heard Robert's wish, and while he couldn't help the little pang of hurt, he didn't blame him, either. Maddie was right about the price of things, but sometimes, when the offer was laid out like that, there was something that had to come up and out into the light, no matter how many people heard it, no matter that the price was unknown. You couldn't help that.

The scrap of paper in his pocket weighed nothing at all, and seemed to drag him down with an inexorable weight. Maybe he was never going to get closure. Maybe he would have to let it go. His stomach twisted with the thought; it hurt almost too much to consider, but it was there, where it had never been before.

Otto quietly smirked at the fussing a gaggle of women were doting upon Gale.

Ickle Babbu Galey is being fussy and needs a naaaaap~