"I don't know, maybe they sent you here to work it out?" Haku suggested hopefully, not having much of an answer aside from that, "I mean... There's no people here right? So there's no one in danger, and uh... Well you work with spirits and plants, maybe they figured... I don't know." He wasn't sure where he was going with that really as he grasped at straws, trying to find something to justify why T'charrl had been sent. All he knew was he'd come along in part because he was trying to make a friend and in part because he felt guilty; he'd followed orders out of cowardice and nearly hurt some good people, he had to make that up somehow. Lamenting how upset T'charrl was Haku rubbed at his neck, glancing around the wastes before smiling sadly. "I don't think so, maybe... This is how you get better? If you practice making plants grow maybe you learn how to use your power better?" he tried again, sounding a bit more confident as his features brightened, "That has to be it right? If you can make even some of these grow it means you're getting better at it. And that maybe means you won't turn into a monster then." ----- "Don't call me that Frost Demon, you haven't earned the right to," Ricken hissed, his face beet red from embarrassment and anger alike, "And you're right, I don't trust you. You were a wanted criminal up until a few days ago, you have to do a lot more than what you have to earn my trust." He'd accept Kiton into their ranks if he had to, fight along side him if he was forced. Yet that didn't mean he trusted the alien entirely, he likely wouldn't for a while yet. He was indifferent as to whether Kiton lingered or not and he'd say as much had Sasha not cut him off yet again. "Enough, both of you. We're here on a mission so quit arguing like children," Sasha said with an exasperated tone. Rubbing at one of her temples for a brief moment she sighed, looking back to her PDA and scrolling through documents to find a map of the area. "So the settlement they're holed up in should just be about half a kilometer ahead, and I'd expect they'll be pretty set in. We should be ready to have to fight through, and if we do it should be quick to save the hostages. Otherwise we can try sneaking through." Ricken frowned at the idea of sneaking, finding it both too tedious and impractical. With so many pirates around did they honestly believe they could do that? "I have a better idea. What if someone acts as a distraction, pulls them away and lets the other two get the hostages? If they're free then its no holds bars, we can give those bastards what they deserve." "But that's putting someone at risk by sending them off alone. They'll have to fight by themselves while the others sneak around," Sasha pointed out, frowning as she followed her brother's gaze to Kiton, "No, we're not volunteering him for it either. It's a bad plan Ricken, we'll find another way to do it. Kiton? Any ideas?" ----- Mmm... What time was it now? Yumi had returned to the lake promptly after she and Aito had dropped off the creature back at the facility, spending some time tracking Viral down. She had kept her distance just to be sure not to agitate him, not that she expected to be detected anyways. He'd managed to get himself down in some kind of tunnel by the looks of it with the trees several dozen meters away to begin with, so there she waited, figuring he'd come out when he was ready. To get a better vantage point she had taken to one of the trees near the edge of the forest, propping herself up as she awaited her friend's arrival patiently. Before long the sun had begun to set and Yumi, still without a shirt from the day's ordeals, curled up a bit tighter to keep warm in the cooling air. Some time later still and there was no emergence of Viral, getting so late that Yumi eventually fell asleep. When she came to the following morning he had still yet to emerge, yet she could smell him and tell he was alive and well even if he was underground. Needing a change of clothes and a meal she'd gone back to the house, promptly returning afterwards to wait again. By the time of dawn on the second day she swore she heard some rushing water, shooting a glance towards the dam and not spotting any valves released. Puzzled she directed her gaze out towards the lake itself, peering through the warm glow of the sun across the lake to try and spot any movement. And there it was, signaled first by bubbles rising to the surface and then Viral himself, breaking through and hastily moving towards shore. He seemed to be in a panic, clambering out onto the shore and breaking into a run. Where was he going? Dropping down from her tree Yumi took off after him, weaving through plants to try and catch her friend. "Viral! Viral wait!" Darn it, what had him in such a fuss? Doing her best to chase him it wasn't terribly hard, he must have been under there for some time and hadn't rested well, she reached him before long. When she finally did Yumi reached out and took him by the arm to stop him, smiling nervously as she turned him around. "It's okay Viral, I'm here," she said as she pulled him into a hug, ignoring the water still clung to his body as she held him. "Everything's going to be okay now, just relax and breathe."