[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/Pt9pPoO.png[/img][/center] Hakuren: “Knowing everything and being able to be prepare for anything. Where’s the fun in that? To dwell in constant safety. In a never-changing state. That is a very forlorn way of living. A life of nothing ever being new and unknown is monotone and grey. It’s secluded and stoops you lower than a sheltered little snail. In fact, not knowing anything about something is the best. It gives you two options. To learn or to ignore. Chose the first and you’re progressing. Chose the latter and you could be considered an idiot or a genius. Whichever comes first. No matter which one you pick, you’re making a decision, so you’re actually progressing nonetheless. The more you learn, the more unknown things sprout up. Complaining that you don’t know anything and wanting information to be served to you on a silver plate, so you can examine and sort it, is the same as saying you no longer wish to learn. In other words, you’re a coward. Heh, and don’t get me wrong. Being a coward’s actually pretty handy. Not feeling fear is a mark of an idiot. But being afraid to get out of your comfort zone and tackle the problem is a very pathetic type of cowardice.” Inadi looked like he was on the brink of tears as Hakuren went into one of his smart people speeches again. Another thing she hated about him, always blabbering about things she didn't understand. Why couldn't he just speak straightforward and to the point? Instead of rambling in some extra dialogue like he was some riddle generator. Harper was the one with that last name anyways. Scratching her head, she was about to hush Hakuren down because of how affected Inadi looked to be from Haku's supposedly harsh insults. But with a tap of his staff to the cave's flooring, a giant block of ice shot up from underneath the poor boy, carrying him to a height unsafe to jump down from. “Now, Inadi, make like a chicken and cluck! Make like a chicken or we’re playing “Pin the icicle on the Inadi” 'Wow, this guy is something else...' she thought to herself. Jasper already disliked him enough, but bullying someone who had just gotten hurt both physically and emotionally was just plain horrible. at this point, her anger towards how rude he was being overpowered her fear of him and she stomped towards him with a pout on her face. Bringing a fist back to charged it up, she eyed the back of his head with flames dancing in her pupils as she surged her punch forward and right into his arm. For her, it felt like the hardest jab she'd ever performed in her entire life. That aside, it was probably the only punch she'd ever thrown in her life and it was absolutely pathetic. It did no damage at all whatsoever and the only victory it accomplished was to cause his arm to swish forward from the touch and swing back down into place. If anything, it probably only felt like someone was trying to get his attention. Seeing a white blur wiz past her and Haku, she realized that the dragon had left their presence and she almost broke out into a run after it if it weren't for the guides going into a freak panic trying to get them behind boulders again. She wasn't sure what it was this time around, but she was most certainly not too keen on encountering another troublesome opponent to fight. [b]"I told you Melissa! I sensed a cloud dragon here and my intuition is never wrong." "They know we're here- they just don't care enough to make the effort to kill us all- and if they decide you're annoying them, you're dead."[/b] Jasper didn't dare take a peek at the witches everyone was so afraid off. Just seeing their reactions upon catching a glance at the two was enough to scare her into curling up into a fetal position at the corner between the boulder and the wall. Staring straight ahead, her heart jumped like she was speeding down the steep part of a roller coaster after hearing Lesley's knee pop. She held her breath, clutching Ace's arm for some kind of support or protection from whatever lay beyond their hiding spot. Inadi was giving them a look that somehow made her feel reassured that everything might turn out alright. Jasper gulped as she heard the witches talking about how afraid they were. The old hags definitely knew they were there; joking about how scared the humans were feeling at that moment then proceeded into purposely spilling their plan out to the humans as if they wanted opposition against what they were doing. Taunting them into battle. It was intimidating how confident they must with their powers to even just lay out the crimes they had done in pure daylight just to have them running back to Sol to tell the prince which was most likely part of the witches wishes to wage war against the kingdom and to add on some fun and adrenaline to the mischief they'd started. The trek back to where they'd come from just hours ago was for sure the most tiresome thing ever and made her feel like their climb there was utterly worthless because now they just went and turned right back around. Yet, Jasper was never one to complain and even if she felt like it, she'd keep it all to herself. As the castle came into view, so did all the chaos and destruction that the possessed dragons had caused involuntarily. That's why they returned, to reveal the hidden threat behind why the normally peaceful creatures were now reaping havoc on the kingdom. ----- Tobias was taken aback by the news about the witches. He didn't seem to believe it, but they all chipped in as witnesses to what they had heard. Once he accepted the reality of it all, they came to the conclusion that the baby dragon on the mountain was one of the dragon's that weren't under the witches mind spell. Another amulet was brought into play but this time, it was for the puffball in the cave. It would shield the innocent thing from the witches controlling wrath and allowing them to communicate the message about what was going on with its misbehaving relatives. [b]"It may not be a regular dragon, but this challenge is much cooler than making a baby dragon laugh."[/b] ----- A renewed sense of responsibility had given her a source of motivation as they once again made their way up the mountain. By now, she had more trust with her climbing skills and relied on her memory to lead them to the cave. If they'd been able to make it there before, and come out of it, she was sure they'd be capable of retracing their path back and she was right. As the cliff came into view, she followed to crowd onto the ledge and they all made their way into the cave for the second time around. Ace was right, if the baby dragon liked Lesley so much upon seeing his pink hair before, then he would probably be a key figure to luring it back and getting it into their safety. As she continued farther into the dark hollowed rock, she stayed close to Ace. Inadi's arm was still a little beat up so she kept a close eye on him as he maneuvered over the uneven terrain. "Be careful alright? And tell me if you feel any pain. I'll see what I can do okay?" she offered kindly with a soft smile spreading over her face as she walked near him with Ace leading just a foot ahead of them. Lowering her voice to a low murmur, she motioned for him to come closer as she cupped her hand to block out what she was about to say from Hakuren's hearing. "Don't worry. You're not alone. He bullies me too," she gave him a sympathizing frown as she skipped over a protruding stone. [hider=Please Haku don't make the two poor beebees suffahhh][img]http://avvesione.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/working-05-inami-smile-blush-uneasy-enjoyable.jpg[/img][/hider]