Welcome to Gaia! ::

Ryuu's face flushes bright red as Night embraces him. He couldn't think of why he was blushing but he was. As soon as Night steps back from Ryuu, his face returns to normal. He smiles a sweet smile before raising a hand up to scratch his cheek. "I got in by... Well, that is I... Oh," Ryuu sighs trying to think of how to respond. He would get back to that. "I made it to the docks and left, thinking you were right behind me. Then, when the person I thought was you got off the boat before we reached Spain, I realized you weren't there. I was going to go back and look for you but the whole squad was in Spain They were having a premeeting or something and I had to stay for it. Then we went to Craftsman and had a meeting there. As soon as the meeting ended, I went looking for you with-"

"With me," Sai announces, hanging upside down from the ceiling above where Night stands.

"Ah!" Ryuu cries out in surprise as Sai smiles widely. Sai, wearing a white straight jacket with the arms tied behind him, eyes Night with his dark gray eyes. His dark gray hair is still spiky but, if he were standing on the ground, is sticking straight up on his head. He is crouched, his black denim jeans clinging tightly to his skin. His gray and white Kicks didn't make the slightest noise at all, even when he shifts them about in his crouch.

The brown haired boy, his hair loose and hanging down to a little below his behind, clears his throat before pointing a finger up at Sai. "Sai picked the lock," Ryuu states with a shrug of his shoulders. It's easy to see that Ryuu is wearing his organization cloak, even in the dark. He tugs idly on one of the silver drawstrings to his cloak with his free hand, no longer scratching his cheek with it.

Sai eyes Ryuu curiously, waiting for Ryuu to say something but he doesn't. He just stands there staring at Night. "Ryuu's feeling worried," Sai blabs which finally thaws Ryuu.

"I am not! I just... I still don't know how to react to what happened. Am I supposed to hate Niyou for what he did? Or should I hate Naomi for sending him, knowing of our story."

"Naomi's the better bet. The whole meeting she kept you and Niyou apart," Sai snorts as Ryuu frowns. "Now say why you're worried."

"I am not worried! I just... don't want to do something and have Niyou hate me for it. Whatever I decide, Niyou won't like it. I'd rather do nothing than to have Niyou hate me like he hates the rest of our family." Sai nods to Ryuu's response.

"You're worried about you and Niyou's bond being broken. Even though you're a member of the Persian clan and a member of the Ensei family, he hasn't tried to cause you any harm since he joined Utter Calamity along with you. That's all you had to say," Sai replies walking over to Ryuu and presses a hand to his head.

"You asked and yet there you are explaining what's worrying me," Ryuu mumbles as Sai flashes down to the ground and stands with his arms wrapped around Night and Ryuu's shoulders.

"Well, after the meeting I decided to start probing peoples minds again. It's really pretty fun after not doing it for a while. Anyway. The meeting was just a big update. All the Chimera and Homunculis even joined in on the meeting with Utter Calamity and Dragon Coven. We introduced new members, we've been told we're getting uniforms- you'll be issued a squad cloak soon. Oh and a few other things. It was pretty fun. I got to see a lot of old friends that I haven't seen since I disappeared a few years ago," Sai replies happily. "What else was there?" Sai asks to himself and begins to think as Ryuu just smiles.

"It's nice having the three of us together again," Ryuu sighs.

Ryuu and Sai laugh at Night's joke without a break in their cheerfulness. "Yeah, we had a ton of crazy times here. I grew up a lot in this village. Fresh out of the Academy and already fighting someone like Crape."

"Running from is more like it," Sai points out as Ryuu pouts.

"Nah, I wasn't running from him at all. I had a plan but then you got cocky and told me to follow yours, Sai."

"Yeah sure. That's how it went. Must've forgot," Sai jokes as the two laugh. "So what have YOU been up to while Ryuu was at the meetings? Don't tell me you've been just sitting around in here alone. Did you invite a boy over?" Sai asks as Ryuu's face flushes red.

"What are you saying Sai? That's rude!"

"Hey now. Night's supposed to be saying that, not you."

"I can't just listen to you ask her such a rude question," Ryuu objects as Sai removes his arm from around Night's shoulder and begins to noogie Ryuu. "Get off me, Sai!"

"Whazzat?" Sai asks, giving Ryuu a harder noogie.

They laugh a while before Sai releases Ryuu and walks into the living room and sits on the floor. "Since you and Ryuu are united again. I'm gonna have to leave you guys soon. I have someone that needs my help. I don't have time to hang out with you two," Sai confesses as Ryuu looks at Sai.

"Someone needs you? Who? Maybe Night and I can help-"

"Ryuu," Sai sighs, cutting Ryuu off. By the way Sai says his name, Ryuu can tell that it was something he couldn't know.

"I get it," Ryuu finally replies as Sai turns to Night.

"While I'm here, for now, I can at least tell you about a new power you have but may not have realized you have yet," Sai pauses, turning around to glance up at the ceiling. "You have the power to eat grass. Yeah, yeah. It sounds stupid but it's something you can do. It'll come in handy at times you can't believe. You can eat any grass, technique or plain old grass. But you can't eat grass that you are using for a technique. No dragon is able to eat their own element technique. But you can easily eat others grass based techniques. As you grow in strength, so do your abilities. Eventually you will be able to control your grass based techniques by moving your arms around. Where ever your hands aim, that's where you grass technique will go. Soon after you can do that, you'll be able to withstand your element for a time," Sai pauses again.

He stands from the floor and adjusts a belt on his straight jacket. He then flings one sleeve over either shoulder. A click is heard as the sleeves lock behind his back. "You can withstand not only your own but other peoples grass based techniques. But you can't withstand them forever. I'll be sure to send Makka this way, she's the best person to tell you about your dragon magic. She's the most patient, easiest to understand, and the only one who isn't busy right now. I've gotta be going," Sai states as he walks in between Ryuu and Night. "Be careful home alone, kiddies," Sai says with a chuckle. He then walks over to the living room again and slips under the couch.

"Um~." Ryuu mumbles walking over to the couch and looking under it. Surprised he cries out, "He's gone."

Ryuu laughs, "You're right. He does it a lot. But every time I see it still surprises me. I don't know how he does that." Ryuu then sits down near the couch before smiling at Night. "Mmm. I really wonder what Sai's up to. He appears out of no where at the meeting. Then, after it's over, he offers to help me find you. And now he's got to help a secret friend. I just wonder what kind of stuff Sai's gotta deal with," Ryuu finds himself musing aloud. "I think, to a grass dragon like you, grass'd taste good," Ryuu goes on to say. Deciding to drop his wondering about Sai and his world. "Maybe we should try eating some grass. I may not be a dragon but I'll eat some grass with you. Oh yeah! Night, the dragons are so cool! When they came to the meeting you could tell they weren't like us. There was one that could survive off of just breathing in air. And a man that calls himself Salamander. And there was also this one guy who ATE METAL! It was so insane. I wish I could be in your squad, Night. You dragons are the coolest."

On the path leading towards the home in which Ryuu and Night are in, are two cloaked figures. Both wear the same type of cloak as Ryuu though theirs have golden designs rather than silver ones. One walks confidently, lifting their feet and lowering them with great care. The other drags their feet through the dirt lazily, even kicking up dust. Once they reach the door, the smaller of the cloaked figures knocks lightly and waits for someone to answer.

"Okay then. I won't eat any grass, thanks. And I wouldn't know if you feel different physically or not," Ryuu confesses. He also hears the knock on the door and stands. He waits in the room, hearing Night's crack at him and Sai, and laughs.

As soon as the door is opened, the smaller cloaked figure shoves her way inside, "Ryuu~!" The figure chimes in a pleasant little sorprano voice.

"M-Makka, that's rude! You shouldn't just barge in-" the other figure whimpers as they reach a hand out a little as if they had tried to grab the figure before they barged in.

"Don't say my name out loud!" The smaller figure scoffs as Ryuu frowns.

"Yet you can say my name out loud? What are you doing storming into Night's house like this Makka?" Ryuu asks angrily as the small figure removes their hood. Their brown eyes stare into Ryuu's brown eyes for a moment before she giggles.

"I guess I forgot my manners," Makka jokes as she walks over to Ryuu and extends her arms outwards. She wraps them around Ryuu who sighs. He eventually hugs her back before gently pushing her aside.

"I'm really sorry about that, miss Night. I didn't think she'd storm inside after the polite way she knocked on the door," the other figure says apologetically as they remove their hood. The only thing that can be seen is short, white hair slicked down and a white mask covering their face. "My name is Tama Sonnie. Something has come up where our less experienced members need to be accompanied by someone of higher level-"

"He's calling us weak," Makka says with a pout as Tama shakes his head swiftly 'no'.

"N-No. I'm just saying you guys don't have a lot of experience out in the field so-"

"You're just making it technical, Tama."

"I'm sorry," Tama finally says as Makka sighs delicately.

"It's all right. I'm just messing with you, Tama. Don't get so down after that. I am weak, bottom line. You need to get more of a backbone or else Hikai is going to eat you up," Makka finally says as Tama laughs nervously. Ryuu shakes his head before turning to Makka. Outside, Tama makes no attempt to enter. He just stands there as if waiting for Night to say he can come inside.

"Tough love?" Ryuu asks as Makka nods. Ryuu knew that Makka wasn't very mean. Especially when it came to Tama, her new squad leader. "You should apologize to Night for barging in like that though." For a long while Makka and Ryuu just glare into one another's eyes. They look like children who are suing their glares to decide is what was said should be done or not.

"But-" Ryuu starts as he looks over to Night only for Makka to laugh.

"She said it's fine so there," Makka mocks as Tama slowly enters. "Tama, you know you're still wearing that mask, right?" Tama seems to gasp and touch along his face before sulking.

"I always forget I have it on," Tama explains as he raises a hand and removes the mask. His sickly yellow eyes roll around in the sockets as he looks from Makka, to Ryuu, and then to Night. A shy smile stretches across his face as he stows the mask into his cloak. Dark red rings can be seen under Tama's eyes, though they are meant to be a bright red. It's a sign that he has either been sick or hasn't slept in days. Red dots are beneath those rings but their reason is unknown. "Thank you, Night. It's nice to finally meet you as well. Actually, it's more for protective purpo-" Tama starts only for Makka to run towards him with her arms flailing.

"Don't go saying that all casually! Some people tend to freak out when you say stuff like that! Naomi said that Kaze literally lost it before!"

"The air dragon? Ah yeah. But that wasn't because-"

"Just don't cause worry when it isn't needed," Makka states as Tama sighs.

"Sorry," Tama whimpers as Makka turns to face Tama and shakes him by the shoulders.

"BACKBONE!" She bellows as Tama cringing in fear.

"Y-Yes, Makka-sama!" Makka thwacks Tama on the head which causes him to duck into the kitchen and huddle up under the table.

"What did I tell you about using those Japanese honorifics! Don't do that!" Tama whimpers beneath the table as Makka storms over to it. Ryuu stares in horror as Makka tugs Tama from beneath the table.

"Too much tough love Makka," Ryuu cries as Makka freezes. "You're scaring him."

"Leaders aren't suppose to show fear," Makka mutters but releases Tama. Tama laughs nervously as Makka pouts and walks away. She makes her way to the living room and plops down on the floor. "So, are you having fun with your FRIEND Night?" Makka asks as Ryuu averts his gaze from her.

"Aren't you supposed to be teaching Night things, Makka?" Ryuu asks but Makka continues to stare at him, awaiting a response to her question.