Welcome to Gaia! ::

Wait. Soldiers? Shun stared as it seemed that two of the clawed folk were referred to as soldiers. Making them sound militaristic did not help with his wariness towards them. The red eyed one didn't have much more insight on their target either. If the rogue really was 'crazed from pain', whatever that entailed exactly, it probably meant they were going to be more difficult to reason with.

He also noted the...cat and bird that entered the scene. What the hell was going on here?

Then, to make matters worse, one of the kids started going off. This is why it was a bad idea to have all these people here with them. He couldn't expect everyone to keep a level head.

"Oi. Calm down," he said lowly, sternly, "This is neither the time nor the place to be picking fights with one another."

He did not want to have to deal with a potential brawl, and he was not beyond dragging someone's a** downstairs or even knocking them out if it really came down to it.

After pocketing her phone, America eyed the group of weres and the outburst near them with a wary readiness that eased back within moments. She didn't think any of them were out to hurt anyone, but they'd seemed so on edge and admittedly new this whole...werestuff thing, the girl couldn't help but tense up at the chance they might get set off.

Turning to Melina, America finally noticed the bright and lovely bird that had appeared, and her hand went to her mouth. "It's so pretty, my goodness. Suits you, gotta say." And here she winked, because of course she did.

"You know I once saw a van, it had a barbarian princess riding a big old bear into battle painted on the side. Was nerdy as ********, but hella cool all the same." America nodded at the memory, "What I mean is, I wouldn't mind being a barbarian princess riding a giant bear into battle. Might be hard on the floors, though."

The werewolf tilted his head in acknowledgment to Chris, uttering, "Mr. Watts." A small peace offering. There was a sort of war going on right now and they needed all the allies they could get.

Lucas' heart swelled when Jamie put on a brave face, managing to crack a smile for him. He really wanted to pick him up and carry him out of this mess, but he knew Jamie was as much a part of it as any of them and deserved to make his own decisions. "Proud of you," he murmured when Jamie was close enough, extending his hand to lightly ruffle his hair again.

"Alright, Princess," he agreed with the split. Before he could say anything else, Lily piped up with Team Husbando. The most awkward half-swallowed laugh came from Lucas, like it was choking him. "I'd go with that team too, if I could. Take care of him for me, Sunshine." He thumped his chest with a first to clear the choking tightness, an actual grin appearing for the briefest moment.

Until another red-head appeared. They were multiplying. He lifted his chin, the scent of blood thick on her; it was the blood on Thorne. He could only connect the dots in so many ways before he nodded to her, trying for a smile. "Cheese may be of more use than bullets." Lucas looked at Thorne as they were made to separate, his smile a little more thin, expression tight against his better judgment. They were both Army soldiers and having them on separate teams wasn't a bad idea at all, but...damn if he didn't want to stay with him. The ghosted farewell was hard, but no harder than texting him before he'd met with the Pack to go into Other Ashdown. Now it was just --

Shouting.

Lucas visibly straightened, visibly bristled, setting his jaw and turning with that borderline wild look in his narrowed red eyes. His prosthetic clawed hand flexed, his tail ridged in outrage. His tongue worked around his sharp teeth and he had words locked and loaded, ready to fire, but was momentarily derailed when Thorne and Chris got in the way. And they...they stood up for him and his Pack.

They understood.

He swallowed his anger, as sharp and telling as razor blades, and let it go. They had a killer to find and he couldn't let a scared child add him to the ranks of mindless murderer. He reached out to Lily before she was too far gone with Thorne, trying to impart some comfort. "We'll pick our battles, and this is not one of them," he told her, and partially told Jamie. They couldn't forget why they were there. They only had so much time to keep the other from disappearing. "Keep your eyes open -- keep all your senses open. And you?" He looked at the screamer. "Don't upset him. We're all trying to keep our s**t together here."

Snorting derisively at the kid called 'Shiloh,' he turned back to the bathrooms and tried to look around for signs of passage -- claw marks, blood, a scent that might alert them. Lucas had no idea how their presence was any more of a benefit than anyone else's; he'd try the best he could.

Chel watched as a minor fight-not-fight broke out.

Jesus Christ they were really all going to get killed.

Chel didn't hide behind Jack so much as she gripped his arm with the mom death grip. Her eyes went to Shun through the whole endeavor, waiting for him to start kicking the crap out of people. It just seemed like a thing he would do once a fight broke out. Lay down the law or whatever. Talk of animalian soldiers had her worried.

"Diana," she corrected Jack slowly, fingers still buried in the folds of his jacket. "I don't know these people," she whispered. "M'not leavin' you alone with people who are ready t'fight over nothin'." To kill was hanging on her lips but she let the phrase drop. She wouldn't leave Diana or Connor alone either. Her eyes scanned the lower floor, looking for the purple head in the crowd.

"But I still think we should bounce."

[ Voting for moving to the first floor/downstairs ]

Thank god for Jamie stepping in honestly. The way the tension seemed to seep out of Shiloh was well. It wasn't quite comforting or reassuring, but nice in a way. A needless fight wouldn't break out, or at least not at the moment and Chris intended to stay around to make sure that it wouldn't occur again. He wanted to stay by his students as well, this was all sorts of well. Weird.

"It's fine Shiloh," Chris said, glancing back at Jamie. "I wouldn't mind an explanation either though Jamie. I can even maybe explain some stuff myself," He offered. A trade for a trade seemed fair.

He was still going to search the bathrooms with them though, but he could focus on that now that it seemed everything had mostly calmed down.

chris watts || 20/20

melancholies

saedusk

"Hey, Fitness Queen..." Falco called over to Lily, bending down to try and heft the... dear god what was it... fifteen? twenty pounds of cat and hair that were apparently his new buddy, at least to judge by the fact that, while he'd seen cats with green eyes, that particular shade of green was a new one on him. "...Wierdness buddies?" He suggested, holding HotLips up like an peace offering, though he knew he'd have to explain later. His weirdness was... less obvious than hers... and he felt kinda shitty when she'd retreated after the Bella Lugosi thing.

...Also hell he was not used to feeling like anything resembling a voice of reason... but compared to McStabby over there...

The more Jamie talked, the more he started to settle, the more his breathing started to even out. He hated to use Jamie as a crutch, but it was an ungodly amount of relief having him here, despite the circumstances. He found his gaze wandering up to his ears, then to his buck-teeth somewhat visible as he spoke.

"Okay..." he sounded a little put out, but also somewhat determined. Whoever this b*****d was, they needed to pay.

"Thanks Mr. Watts..." he duly noted his teacher, taking another deep breath. His hand found his pocket and the box cutter he had stashed there—oh, he forgot about this. So he really could have cut them... but anyway

"I'm with you." he told Jamie again, firmly. He'd go with him to the bathrooms.

Shiloh Beaumont: 20/20 HP