---

"But..." Asahi tried to interject but yet again, the entire conversation got derailed before he even tried to support his point. This Oros person really just liked to cause chaos for everyone, always proclaiming about this and that. If it were up to Asahi, Oros would've been kicked out a long time ago if it wasn't inhabiting the body of their classmate. He still didn't know whether if Ayana's psyche was still deep down their subconsciousness or if she was completely replaced by whatever the heck Oros was claiming themselves to be.

There was then the small debate on whether they should stay in this camp until rescue came or they should seek out a way to go home themselves. From Asahi's point of view, there's definitely no assurance that the spot they chose to set up their new camp was the safest just because no monster had attacked them yet. It's only been the second day and he's already tired by the threat of danger from every angle. If there was a chance, a way to make all this come to an end and they can go home, he'll definitely take it.

He sighed exasperatedly and chewed some more of his food before speaking at Duncan. "I still want to go to that mountain. I've never felt anything like it from the monsters that we faced. I can't feel anything like it coming from the lake, the forest, or the skies. Just that specific place. Maybe... Maybe it could be another Awakened? Like us? Someone who got trapped in the Otherworld and is sending out some sort of signal for help? It could even be a portal, the portal that can take us home."

Asahi looked at the mountain looming over at the distance. "We're still not even sure how much time had passed over our Earth. We could be missing for like what, Earth minutes, Earth weeks, Earth years? Point is, I don't want to sit around and wait, I wanna do something. Anything! I wanna get out of this hellhole sooner than later!" Again, he ate a bit more before continuing. "Besides, I'm not like Shun where I'll just go anywhere blindly. At least I know where I have to go, I know my destination and y'all can easily find me anyway since everyone of you can see that." He pointed at the mountain.

"And I don't want anyone else dragging me down either." Asahi turned to Masato this time. "My powers are mental-based unlike Shun's. I can't waste my energy healing another one when I'm travelling and I need to conserve my strength against whatever's out there. With those big freaky beasts with muscles for brains, I can incapacitate them with just a simple connection of my thread to their head. I don't want another Awakened with me either, y'all need to protect our other classmates who didn't win the power giveaway roulette. Also, I am not crazy and I'm certainly not losing it. I know what I felt up that tower from that mountain and I could still feel it now even when I'm not up there so get off my soft perky ass and do something more useful than throwing your classmates over the tower." Asahi said as he crossed his arms.

"Another also, I also don't give a fuck about who wins your election. Not anymore. Do whatever helps you all sleep at night. I'll leave first thing tomorrow, cuz the sooner this is all done, the better. If I find something there, great. If I don't, also great. At least I'm not sitting around all day anxious about the next monster attacks or food poisoning or an allergic reaction from the food we just ate..." A look of horror washed on Asahi's face before he glared at them. "If any one of y'all had food poisoning, allergies, or god forbid even dysentery, I will not heal you and I will not be sorry."

Did Ayana have to be so dramatic? Shun bit her lip. Declaring that if the validity of her words was false, it would result in an execution seemed a bit much to Shun. At least everyone was taking her with more than a bucket of salt. However, did Ayana have to dump that bucket of salt onto her?

Shun clenched her fists as she heard Masato's not-so-subtle jab at her actions. She would've just facsimiled his face if she hadn't had a piece of mind. It wasn't like she was unsuccessful; she killed all those bastards and unintentionally supplied the camp with meat. Maybe a kick in the head would re-orient his thought process and make him appreciate her more.

"Hey! I would've lasted longer if I focused on myself more!" Shun protested childishly. It wasn't even her intention to survive. Whether or not the group of beasts were there, she would've traveled deeper into the forest and never been seen again.

Being made into an example was worse than receiving a lecture. Shun's expression darkened as another argument was taking place. An election. Masato or Ayana. Asahi's decision to try and reach the mountain top. Everything was getting into Shun's head, much to her displeasure. It was just like last night. Her missing energy started to come back to her as she shouted a protest against Asahi's mention of her name.

She should get out of here. The arguments were starting to become a headache. Shun wasn't a mediator, and she wasn't a negotiator. Nobody would take her seriously, what was the point of her being here? "Then just leave, Asahi." Shun casually said as she got up from her resting place. "For a person who wants to leave, you talk a lot." After stretching her arms, she looked over to the lake.

"Tell me if we do hold an election. I'm going to look at the lake." Shun said. She turned around to look at Ayana before returning her gaze to the lake. If Ayana needed her help, Going out alone was impossible, not that she was feeling it, since someone was probably going to keep an eye on her.

"I'm so not feeling it." Shun muttered to herself.

@AThousandCurses@Erode@Yankee@baraquiel@Vertigo

As the conversation swirled around camp, the frown remained on Oro’s face. They still didn’t all seem to understand what they had to do, what needed to be done. Some still seemed to be in some form of denial about the reality of the situation. Losing a bit of her patience as she spread her arms either side of her, raising her voice as she began to speak again “There is no salvation in sitting around here and waiting to be rescued, no one from the school, our parents, or anyone else is going to come to save us from this place, I doubt they will have any idea about were we all disappeared off too, they can search all they want, but the likelihood that they find us is slim to none, not to mention they would be in the exact same situation as us if they even do make it this far and discover this world, now isn’t the time for foolish dreams, if we want any hope of ever returning back to the world we came from, we will have to rescue ourselves……” Oros quickly countered the suggestion. Great conviction and determination filled her and her voice. Taking this all extremely seriously, as corrections needed to be made and the hard facts needed to be accepted. Finding the idea foolish, knowing that to sit around and wait in the slim hope that rescue would find them was an unproductive use of their time.

They would have a much better chance of rescuing themselves at this point then sitting around waiting and praying for a miracle. Why do that when you can create your own miracle, your own salvation. “We can sit here for two weeks, but what happens when we are still here two weeks later and there hasn’t been any sign of rescue? Do we just give up? Throw a pity party? This place we find ourselves in may look like a paradise right now, but what is keeping it from turning into a nightmare the moment more of the beasts end up here, after all this is a vital source of water, and water attracts living things, so it wouldn’t be out of the question for these beasts to find us here eventually” Oros continued on as she tried to cut away at each suggestion that was made. Finding many of them to be bright eyed and arrogant optimism, not rooted in the reality of the situation that they found themselves in. Oros knew that she would need to chip away at this falsehood until more of her classmates accepted the totality of it all.


The conversation soon turned towards that of an election. Something that Oros could throw her own support behind for once. It would at least give her a way to open their eyes to the truth that she held so dearly. Maybe even allow her to lead them all to the promised land,even if it meant displacing Masato from his leadership role. He was too hesitant, he didn’t have what it took to be a leader outside of school issues as far as Oros was concerned. Despite how good of a class president he was during normal circumstances, this was no longer a purely school issue.

Tilting her head aside as she had to ponder the idea for a moment“An election? So be it, I will submit to such a process if that is what the rest of the camp desires for now, even if I feel that we would be wasting valuable time and days by not acting faster, if this is a means and a way to get what I desire, to help open all of your eyes to the truth, then so be it…” Her sapphire eyes locked onto Masato as she spoke. She had no real ill will towards him, but she knew this had to be done if there was any hope for the truth she held so dearly to be accepted by the others. She wished she could have avoided it entirely, but Masato was a man of conviction, and despite her efforts he had been hesitant and resistant to accepting what Oros had to offer.

Her attention soon turned towards the sound of Asahi and then Shun. A flicker went through her blue eyes as she made eye contact with Shun as she gave a short nod of acknowledgement. Shun had a great point, one that Oros could get behind. But even so, she knew that dealing with Asahi was still something that needed to be handled. “Leaving alone on the journey to the mountain as I said before would be completely foolish…..” Her voice was quiet as she slowly approached Asahi until she stood right there before him. Hands on her hips as she looked up at him with a smug grin plastered across her face, her wild white hair and her intense blue eyes all firmly before him.

“There is something there, that much is without a doubt, but if you go alone, you won’t accomplish what you seek, I have seen it….I have seen the truth A-Sa-Hi……” Leaning in closer as she spoke “Shun may have a great point, you do speak a lot, but I do not always find the true meaning behind what you say…If I were you…I’d wait until things have been decided and we are able to move together as a group….or perhaps you are fearful of what the truth holds for you…. A-Sa-Hi…..” Leaning back as she finished, her voice quiet but filled with great intensity and interest. Oros knew her words would likely have very little effect on Asahi or his decision. It was still her duty to try to get him to accept the truth, even if he so stubbornly refused it and gazed upon Oros as some kind of abomination. Rocking on the heels of her feet, she clasped her hands behind her back before taking a look around at all of her classmates. Knowing that these next few moments, hours and days would shape everything, the future of it all being at stake.

---

//Day 3 | Location: Nameless Forest - Lakeside
_{@Vertigo@baraquiel@AThousandCurses@Nakushita@Yankee}
In the end, nothing came out of that night’s discussions. That was the thing with stubborn self-belief, after all, the thing that came when head-strong individuals who were literally superhuman butted heads. No one was going to physically restrain Asahi, and no one could stop Duncan from coming with the pink-haired youth either. Masato remained quiet and unbending, his countenance clouded as the madwoman, Ayana, once again challenged his leadership. Shun, finding no true solace, followed in Rin’s example, and disappeared once more.

Closer by this time, due to the life-debt she owed Oros, but still positioning herself as an outsider to this strange community instead.

Nothing was resolved, only some things were decided. There would be work in the morning still, things to make. People ate, night watches were decided by lot, and gradually, the exhausted students made their way into a shelter that was looking just a bit more comfy than it was the night before. Upon springy boughs they slept, cuddled up or splayed, their snores sounding loudly in the silence of the forest around them.

Perhaps Shun’s violence had granted them this moment of peace.

Perhaps tomorrow, they would be faced with greater tribulations still.

---

Some did not sleep.

Kumi had stayed up the entire night, processing all the meat by herself. She was just boiling it, of course, but cooked meat lasted longer than raw meat, and the broth only became more flavorful the more time she spent on it. It was a labour of love for the daughter of a ramen shop owner, and there was no escaping her when she saw Asahi and Duncan crawl out of wherever they thought to sleep.

“Here,” she said, brusquely, wiping at the soot that clung to her nose. “Don’t think its enough, but its better than nothing. And go drink up a couple bowls of these too. Who knows if there's a river out there?” She handed over three bento boxes full of just boiled meat and fish, then ladled another two boxes worth of soup for the two soon-to-be explorers to drink. There was a sense that she didn’t approve of what either of them were doing, but she wasn’t going to sabotage their best chances of returning either.

Others woke up early by nature.

Against the morning mist, Sasuke was up once more. Only injury could keep him from performing his morning exercises, after all, as his limbs flexed and bent, seeming to manipulate the very fog that swirled around him. The Bansen school of aikido focused on the sensing of energy, in both humans and in nature, and for an instant, Asahi felt as if he were transported back to reality, back to Kuroshio, watching the serene martial artist go through his routine as always.

But that routine stopped, and Sasuke turned to face him. Sometimes, one was simply called to act, no matter what the thoughts of others surrounding them were. He recognized that resolve, that inevitability in Asahi then and there, knew that there were no words to be exchanged. Instead, there was only the smallest nod, a silent message. Sasuke was confident that the two would return.

Then there were those who woke up out of necessity.

As Duncan tried to figure out how he’d store Kumi’s bounty without a backpack, Haruko crawled out from the shelter as well, bleary-eyed and bedheaded. Through the haze of half-sleep, she looked up at her boyfriend.

She was neither generally apathetic like Kumi, nor was she resigned to faith like Sasuke.

So, of course, Haruko had to ask, her words muffled as she bumped her head against Duncan’s chest.

“Do you have to go?”

By the time Shun woke, Duncan and Asahi were long gone on their own adventure. Shun didn't think too much as it was their own decision to leave the camp by themselves. She also wasn't the one who could criticize their situation, since she did the same thing yesterday. From what she gathered, other than Ayana, no one noticed her disappearance nor seemed to care that much.

Such was the life of an outlier.

Shun stretched her limbs and walked over to eat some of the breakfast that had been prepared. They were in a good situation, but who knew how long that would last. Savoring the last of the breakfast, Shun contemplated on what she could do for today. She wasn't particularly interested in interacting with her classmates, and she didn't want to sit still.

"I'll patrol the area, get a walk-in." Shun said as she up and left the area. The forest was a serene and quiet, yet could be awfully deadly. Shun wondered if the deer she had seen earlier would appear back to take a sip from the lake. Hopefully, it didn't and hopefully it didn't bring any friends. The last thing she wanted right now was to get into a brawl. Shun was still savoring the glory from her last fight.

@AThousandCurses@Erode@Yankee@baraquiel@Vertigo

Ayana had to admit, she was impressed by how stubborn and hardheaded some of her peers could be when they made up their mind. Even if she felt they were totally in the wrong, that they should listen to what she had to say. They continued to remain blind to the truth, they continued to deny her, to push her away. She desired only one thing and that was to help, for them to believe. It was the only way they would make it out of this alive as far as Oros was concerned.

Returning to her small little shelter that she had made earlier upon their arrival at the lake. Oros was able to get a good rest despite all the chaos and conflict that had torn into the peace that had existed previously. She had kept an eye on Shun from a distance, making sure she didn’t get herself into any more trouble. Being satisfied she had gone to bed, having no intentions of trying to physically stop Duncan or Asahi from leaving in the morning.

When the morning did come, Oros had awakened bright and early. Even though she had no intention to physically stop them, she still felt she should try to speak with them one last time before they headed out. Perching herself upon the branch of a tree just outside of camp and on the path to the mountain that Asahi and Duncan wished to travel alone.

She had arrived way earlier then she needed to, but she felt it was better to be safe then to be sorry. She wouldn’t want to miss this one last chance to convince them to change their minds, to wait for the vote. To wait for the decision to be made for the entire class to join them on the mountain expedition.

Oros couldn’t understand why they insisted on trying to do stuff alone, or with very small groups. They were only making it harder for themselves, lowering the chance of not only their survival but the others as well. There was power in numbers, safety in numbers and even more importantly more heads to think and solve problems with.

When Asahi and Duncan did finally arrive, Oros waited little time to hop from her perch upon the branch. Landing right before them as she stumbled towards them losing her balance and colliding and rebounding off of Duncan’s impressive and massive form which sent her falling back the other way. Hitting the ground she quickly got back to her feet and dusted herself off as if nothing had gone awry. Balling up her left fist and bringing it to her mouth as she let out a little cough.

“So, you both are determined to venture off on this suicide mission together, I won’t stop you from leaving, though I still strongly believe you should remain in camp until things are settled, we keep splitting off into smaller and smaller factions and groups, we need to stick together, to believe in the truth that only I can share with all of you….there is power in numbers….strength….but everyone wants to throw that away, to be some kind of hero, no one is going to remember you if you run off and die, never to return as it just increases the likelihood that everyone else meets the same fate, that is all I have to say, I have spoken all that I have to give….” Oros addressed the duo one last time. She doubted her message would get through to either of them. But it was worth one last try, even if she knew Asahi especially saw her as a liability, as insane. But even so, it was her duty to attempt one last long shot.

---

Asahi weakly groaned a bit when he woke up. He was not the early riser growing up and he never aspired to be one but as the saying goes, one needed to go out of their comfort zones to get out of hell. He also used a bit of his power last night to connect with Kumi and Hiroshi, knowing their culinary expertise and knowledge about what they learned on this island so far respectively might help him out on his side-quest. He also gave them his years of aikido experience though it was too bad all he could give and take were just their knowledge and not their muscle memory.

He rubbed his eyes open just in time to see Sasuke doing his morning stretches per usual. It brought him back to those times in the past when they were just students at the dojo. He remembered watching the protege for a few minutes before acting like he just woke up and started to join him. Did Sasuke knew it by then? Asahi didn't know but back then, he'll give anything just to go back to those simpler times.

Looking at him now made Asahi feel elated that Sasuke's getting a lot better since his near-death injury. He won't say it to anyone but he had nightmares seeing someone's skin color turn to that sickly grey, especially when that someone was Sasuke.

He also realized the black-haired teen didn't give Asahi the same butterflies in his stomach anymore. Being stuck in a place where they could be killed any second could really change someone's perspective in life. Asahi began to think about why he even admired Sasuke in the first place. Did he wanted to be like him or be with him?

He saw the look he gave Tsubasa yesterday, and remembered the way he looked at pretty girls walking by the steet or models on TV. Asahi knew nothing would come out of this yet stubborn as he was, he kept on with it for years. At the end of the day, all that he's left with were mere fantasies. Was that going to be Asahi's future when he got out of here?

At the end, Asahi gave Sasuke a nod back. He wished he could say anything to him, have a little talk, but like always, Asahi grasped for scraps as he was left with just wishful thinking.

He got out of the little shed he was sleeping at and accepted Kumi's bento box, seeing her eyebags darkened. "Oh... Thank you for this." Asahi said, in awe of her determination when it came to food. "We'll get out of this hellhole sooner than later. It's not a promise because it's a fact." He further said to reassure her, and most likely to reassure himself too.

He set it aside for a bit and went to the edge of the lake to do some stretching of his own, hearing some of his early bird classmates wake up and go on to do their thing. The sun rose over the horizon, gradually painting the sky in vibrant hues of gold, orange, and violet. The mountain was making its presence known as well. Asahi still couldn't forget that feeling he experienced yesterday. He had so many doubts running through his head but it's too late to back down now. One way or another, they will find a way to get back home. Asahi will make sure of that.

---

//Day 3 | Location: Nameless Forest - Lakeside
_{@Vertigo@baraquiel@AThousandCurses@Nakushita@Yankee}
“Don’t be a coward now.”

As Duncan leaned down, Haruko raised her own arms up, wrapping them around his neck to pull him down further into a quick kiss. Just a brush of the lips, a softness and warmth that disappeared a moment later, before she took his package of cigarettes and took a step back too. “And if you wanted to ace the whole quitting thing, you wouldn’t be keeping one with you either, dummy.”

There looked like there was more left to say, but if either of them kept talking, it would never end. A glance towards Asahi, who was getting waved off by Kumi, and then Haruko too turned away.

“See you, Duncan.”

It didn’t take long for that golden ichor to leave Duncan’s body. His core was warm once more, and he carried more food with him too. Asahi was in a similar situation, feeling more energetic than he had in days despite the heavy feelings in his heart. What would change when they return? What would remain the same?

Kumi yawned. Her secret for not thinking or worrying, it seemed, was to simply do what she had always done. “Just clean out the containers after you’re done with them. Mold grows after two days.” She managed a smile at Asahi, before heading back to the fire. “Sounding a lot more reliable these days though, Asahi. I’ll hold you to that fact.”

And with that, the two boys disappeared into the woods, towards that singular mountain in the distance.

...only, of course, to come across Oros.

---

This morning, the forest really was just serene and quiet.

Perhaps it was a consequence of Shun’s violence the previous day, having cleared out that den of monsters by her own. Perhaps it was simply that such monstrous threats were an anomaly to begin with. The woods around her were quiet as she strolled in a wide perimeter around the students’ campsite. It had been a slow morning for most others, her classmates content with enjoying the remnants of a restful sleep and a full stomach, even though Hana and Hiroshi were both up and about in getting the place in a better shape.

It was an opportunity for Shun to rest, at least. A chance for her to enjoy her solitude and to feel her own body continue to recover. There was still a faintness that lingered in her limbs, a weakness in her tendons as she stepped over brush and roots, but any pain that she had felt from tearing apart her body had disappeared, leaving only the pleasant buzz of a remembered victory. And now, her body was refuelled properly. She had strength enough to go even more wild than she had before, if she wanted to.

Up above, twenty meters high, there were claw marks upon the trunks of trees, the lingering scent of something bestial.

Perhaps there would be another battle on the horizon after all.

She could track those claw marks or inform others of their presence. She could do neither, and instead continue to enjoy this artificial peace, born from ignorance and apathy. An outlier could do whatever she wished to, after all, and none would even notice she did it.

The trees were whistling, whatever birds were chirping, and the novelty of the silence soon became an annoyance to Shun. After spending some time, Shun was now tired of resting and wanted to do something for a change.

Patrolling around the woods, while relaxing, was also starting to become boring. Same trees, same leaves, same claw marks. Wait, claw marks? The new discrepency wasn't there before, which meant something new was going to happen. "Maybe it'll be fun," Shun murmured to herself as she observed the claw marks.

She'd have to investigate to find the perpetrator of these claw marks. She could handle a group of monsters, putting aside the fact the near death experience, so Shun was confident she could handle a few more monsters. If not, she'd retreat and inform the others of the impending invasion that she'd inevitably lead back to the camp.

Whatever the case, it was the better to rip off the band aid now rather than later. Shun attempted to make a covert effort to follow the markings. A new experience was awaiting for her.

---

"Hm." Asahi nodded in reply at Kumi while feeling another heavy weight being put on his shoulders. He swore, if his little side quest to the mountain turned out to be an epic failure, he will gladly throw himself over the tower by the lake over and over again. Probably best he didn't say anything to her back then but on the other hand, it did feel nice to have some sort of reassurance.

Once everything was settled, he set off with Duncan on their journey to the mountain. The sun had begun settling on its rightful throne up in the cloudy blue skies, giving the duo a nice amount of light and warmth on the cool morning.

Asahi could also hear Nature gradually awaken all around them. Birds sung their beautiful songs as the chirpings of insects joined in, playing an orchestra of life and vigor. Different kinds of animals would have awaken as well, readying to start their day hunting for food and other stuff animals hunt.

He just wished none of those beasts would hunt the duo. Of course, nothing will ever be easy in this god-forsaken place.

"Oh fuck my ass... Asahi angrily complained upon seeing Oros who's seemingly waiting for them.

"What the fuck are you doing here? You should be back at the camp helping the others. We can't have three Awakened all together! We need to help defend the base!" He added, putting his hands on his waist. "What got into your fucked-up mind that made you think you can come with me- us? I thought you were so adamant about winning that stupid election?"

@AThousandCurses@Erode@Yankee@baraquiel@Vertigo

“Temper, Temper” wagging a finger in Asahi’s direction as her smile never left her face. “There is nothing wrong with me, I have only discovered my true self, the true self that I tried to forget long ago, the election is important in its own way, but there are many other things that you both are quite mistaken about….though you are right about one thing for once, you both are wasting time....” Giving a disappointed shake of her head. Collecting her thoughts, she knew her words would have little impact and little meaning to either of them. They both were far too stubborn to ever want to believe her, or listen to what she had to say. No matter how reasonable, or how thoughtful she approached this, she knew the likely result of it would be the same in the end.

Her blue eyes shifting from Asahi to Duncan as she spoke “It is your limited thought process and views that are keeping you repeating the same futile cycles over and over again in a never ending nightmare, scout this, kill that, rinse and repeat until the inevitable happens and everyone ends up dead” Admonishing them as she turned her back towards them as she let out a small sigh. Still shaking her head as she could not understand why they continued on the same path that had only led to misfortune for them thus far.

“As I said before, I have no intentions of stopping you, you may claim that I’m the insane one here, but instead of sticking together as a group, you both wish to abandon it and rush off needlessly, there is great strength in numbers, how many times must a small group, or someone alone rush off into this wild land and get up injured or worse before it starts to get through those thick skulls of yours….” Oros muttered as she glanced back over her shoulder at the two of them. A fiery intensity burning in her sapphire eyes. Letting all of her thoughts and opinions loose, putting all of her emotion and intensity into what she had to say. Taking the matter seriously, even if there was little hope it would change what they planned to do.

“The hypocrisy amuses me greatly, if you ask me, I’m the most sane and reasonable one here, pursuing the most likely route for rescue…it has become clear to me, that you two in your selfishness have not only weakened the group as a whole by leaving, but you are putting both of yourselves at risk needlessly, what resides in those mountains that you seek out, it may just be the end of you both, but don’t say I didn’t try to warn you, toodles A-Sa-Hi, toodles Dun-Can…” turning her head back around as she began to leave, giving a small wave of her hand. She wanted to return to camp before too much time passed, there was still much to do and little time to waste. She had said what she had wanted to say, though she doubted either of them would take her words seriously. But something told her deep down that they would come to realize the error of their ways.

---

//Day 3 | Location: Nameless Forest - Lakeside
_{@AThousandCurses}
Maybe it’ll be fun.

With those words, Shun broke off from the group once more, taking confident strides into the forest. It was strange, how accustomed she had grown to it now, straying from others into a forest that was nameless, yet was no longer entirely unknown. Her presence scattered the bugs and the birds nearby, prey-creatures who knew not to remain within the presence of an Awakened, and her eyes made it easy to track those claw marks high up on the trees. She could reach that height if she wanted to. If whatever creature that made those marks thought it safe to stay up above, it would soon understand the folly of its ways.

So of course Shun advanced, stepping over roots and pushing through brush, covering ground quickly even as her internal timer ticked down.

But when the allocated time came, whatever monster she pursued had yet to emerge. The signs, however, multiplied. Overhead now, far more claw marks sliced into the bark of the trees. Upon some, the bark was entirely stripped off, leaving grooves in the sapwood. And the faint smell of animal refuse could be detected too, dark nuggets on the soil. This was another group. Perhaps more numerous than even those wolf-bears. They hadn’t approached the lakeside camp en masse, but members of their troop must have scouted it out anyways.
They must know now, of the new inhabitants monopolizing the lake.

Whether that was sign of a future attack, or if the presence of the troop was more a threat for Duncan and Asahi though, was unclear.

Nothing seen except for the feces of creatures five times her size and claw marks reminsicient of a cat scratching a pole. Shun couldn't bare the smell as well as the boredom the accompanied with it. Either way, she had accomplished her goal. They needed to on alert and find a way to evacuate the camp if it became necessary.

Without much of a word, Shun decided to continue her treck back to the camp. Every so often, she would turn her head and tried to see if anyone was following her. The last thing she needed was to get ganked against by a pack of animals. There wasn't enough energy or craze in her to fight another brawl by herself after all.

It took her approximiately an hour later to return back to camp. She had been a little lost, but managed to navigate her way back to the camp after finding a few familiar trees. "Everyone, I have potentially bad news." Shun announced in a cheerful way in an attempt to deliver this information as fluidly as possible. "I came across some monster feces and scratch marks that were this big!" Shun stretched her hands out to emphasize the size.

"I couldn't find them, but the group of monsters was bigger than the last one that ran into us. So, I'd like us to come up a run away plan in case that happens~" Of which she wasn't going to participate in. Shun knew that she'd be one of the few having to fight back the monsters while Masato ran away with the others. It'd probably be fun though.

---

Asahi pursed his lips while listening to the mad ramblings of the person before him and Duncan. He's also a little irritated on how people have been treating him since last night when he revealed he felt something in the mountain. He won't even commit to this stupid 'side quest' if he wasn't so sure about this feeling he experienced yesterday, and he certainly won't leave the comfort and safety of being with his classmates.

"Ugh, what a hassle..." He grumbled after Oros made a big show of being dramatic and turning their own words against them, as if they weren't one big giant walking hypocrisy themselves. He did consider the pros and cons of letting Oros join them though. On one hand, having three Awakened together on this little expedition could improve their chances of survival. On the other, Oros was too much of a wildcard. There's never any telling of what they'll do in a life-and-death situation especially when they're alone with Asahi.

"Hold your horses, crazy woman. Man. Abomination. Whatever the fuck you are." Asahi called out to Oros and sighed before turning to Duncan. "Okay, Duncan. One last pitch. I'll take Oros with me instead. They don't have any unique skill sets they can offer to the class anyway, and they won't be much of a liability since both of us have heightened strength and stuff. I suggest you go back to the group so you can be one additional muscle slash tank for them and they'll feel safe knowing they won't run out of your healing blood."

Asahi paused for a bit before continuing. "Also, not to think negatively but this is just me thinking about the hypotheticals. If things do go sideways and I can't make it... They'll always have a strong healer they can rely on. Also, your GF will be worried sick about you. So, what do you think?"

@AThousandCurses@Erode@Yankee@baraquiel@Vertigo

Just as Oros was about to leave, Asahi called out to her. Stopping mid step, her back remained towards them until Asahi had finished. After a moment's consideration,she slowly spun on her heel to face them. A quizzical smile of amusement spread across her face as she tilted her head aside. “Oh? This is a sudden turn of events, I’m surprised you’d want to be anywhere near little ole me…..”

Pausing for a moment as Duncan tried to convince Asahi otherwise, her sapphire eyes shifting from Asahi to Duncan. Bringing her pointer finger up to her chin, tapping away “At least someone listened to a small piece of my wishes and desires, though I suppose that is to be expected….” Stretching out her arms above her head as she stood up on her tippy toes.

With a long groan of satisfaction and muscles feeling a sense of relief, she let her arms fall to her side as she rocked back onto her heels “But, Duncan is right for once in this case, I would prefer you to wait before venturing off on some Indiana Jones adventure, it may very well be your last crusade, what you find may just be your doom, I do not understand why either of you are insisting on running off into the unknown, has no one been paying attention to what has happened to those that have ventured off from the group? Would it not be easier to wait until we can move as one, there is strength in numbers, safety in numbers, the more we split up, the higher the risk becomes for everyone, that is just pure fact….” Letting out a small sigh of disappointment. Trying to get her point through to them, though she doubted that it would have much of an impact.

A flicker shot through her eyes as a thought came to her in that moment.“However, Asahi’s offer does…..intrigue me…it would make far more reasonable sense for me to venture out with Asahi if you continue to insist on leaving….” Holding out her palms either side of her as she gave a shrug “Just look at me, I’m not the most physically gifted, I’m not the strongest, I may be awakened, but I’m still not even close to the same physical prowess as Duncan…my strengths lay in other areas, areas that could be more useful for trying to make sense of this mountain mystery that you are so determined to try to throw your lives away to find….” Brimming from ear to ear as she made her observation. Asahi had thrown down the gambit, but would he stick with it, or would Duncan’s words sway him. It was time to learn more about Asahi, it was an opportunity she wasn’t going to let slip through her grasp. Just what kind of man was her little pink haired classmate, Oros couldn’t help but wonder.

---

//Day 3 | Location: Nameless Forest - Lakeside Camp
_{@AThousandCurses@Yankee}
Shun returned without much aplomb, though a couple waved at her when she emerged from the brush. The beginnings of a second shelter was being built now, supervised by Mayumi. No doubt, gender-segregated shelters were going to be a necessity moving forward, in order to prevent the group of students from devolving into unchaste barbarism. Others fashioned together new tools, weaving nets to more efficiently catch fish or watching Hana as she demonstrated the basics of setting up a snare trap. While they were good on food for the time being after Kumi had spent a night cooking up all the monster meat, having more sources was never a bad thing.

And having a chance of stalling a monster, perhaps, wasn’t too bad either.

That, of course, was only one monster though. When Shun marched up to the center of camp and announced the presence of an even larger group of monsters than before, however? The chaos wasn’t instant, but the trepidation was palatable. There were only half the Awakened in the camp presently, after all. Oros had disappeared, and Asahi and Duncan were both off towards the mountain. With such great numbers…

“A plan’s not going to be enough,” Hiroshi said, matter-of-factly. “We should act immediately on this. Preparations only matter when the foundations have been laid beforehand.”

“Isn’t the lake the best we got?” Ayano spoke up. “If we run away, they’ll just find us again! We can’t even really hide from them, because, you know…”

They all knew, of course. None of them (except maybe Hana) was a covert specialist. Just by living, by making a fire and building a shelter and cooking food they were attracting attention.

Sohei turned to the sole member of the Aeronautics club, and the girl who was the camp’s principal architect. “Rin, could we build a fort with what we have?”

She looked at the rest of them, then shrugged. Lifting up a thick log that had been cut for the new shelter, the girl lifted it up and then cracked it over her knee. It splintered, broke, and fell to two halves after a couple attempts.

“A no, then,” Daisuke said, folding his arms. “We could call back Asahi and Duncan. Shore up our defenses. Then when the monsters come,” he smacked his fists together, “we give them a reason to leave us well alone.”

“‘We’? You mean like, five people at best, right?” Masami was skeptical. “Don’t know if you forgot, but Yuki died because of one of those monsters. And that was when literally every boy in the class was trying to hold it down! What the hell are we going to do when there’s more of them than there are of us?!”

Daisuke scowled, but Maki stepped on his foot before he could say something he'd regret.

“I don’t want to leave here.” Yukiko’s own voice was quiet, scarcely heard, overshadowed by Sasuke’s calm tone as he spoke up. “We have enough cooked food to last, and we can bottle up water as well. There’s nothing wrong with breaking camp if the conditions do not favour us.”

“Christ, you're all making something outta nothing.” Akito folded his arms, having drifted back to camp after seeing the commotion. “If those monsters were the man-eating type, they’d have attacked last night, right?”

Mayumi fixed him with a hard stare, then abruptly turned towards Masato. The student council president had been quiet for much of last evening and this morning, no doubt lost in thought regarding matters of leadership, of Oros, of keeping the group together. But if he was going to use his authority, this was perhaps the best time to do it, or everyone was more liable to talk and discuss rather than act.

“Masato? What do you think?”

---

//Day 3 | Location: Expedition Through the Nameless Forest
_{@Nakushita@Vertigo@baraquiel}
In truth, none of the trio really understood how things happened.

Certainly, there was no trust between Asahi and Oros, and on the other hand, Duncan was caught between wanting to return to Haruko and wanting to do some generic manly thing so she wouldn’t be disappointed in him. The mountain awaited them all, but it wasn’t as if it would disappear the next day either. With only three Awakened back in camp now, the ‘defenses’ present felt less and less secure. Shun was flighty, no one knew what Rin’s thought process was, and Masato didn’t have any ‘real’ powers outside of his body.

And yet, despite all this, they continued on, conversation fading away as they powered through the wilderness. Forced to go along with Asahi’s pace, being the slowest but most sharp-minded individual in the party, the group navigated through the roots and the dense foliage, their shoes leaving imprints upon the dark soil. There was a musky, earthy scent in the air now, coupled by the sounds of strange animals too distant and distorted to tell the direction of. On occasion, one of the trio had to climb up a tree in order to reorientate the groups direction, keeping an eye on that fang-like mountain in the distance, but while their surroundings continued to take on a gloomier atmosphere…nothing attacked them.

They were alone, indeed, within this forest. Left alone by whatever creatures dwelled within, as they continued to advance for an hour unimpeded, stopping only when a sweet smell entered the air.

Only when ‘forwards’ was blocked not by a wall, but a dense, yellow fog that smelled of honey and daisies.

Monsters based off of mutated animals were understandable. The Otherside had simultaneously popularized and made taboo such topics, after all. But what on earth was this? Was it safe to breathe? Should they advance, when they would be entirely blinded by it? Was this another monster, or was this a phenomenon of weather in an alien world?