[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/h5xf31C.png[/img][/center][hr][i][b]//Night 1 | Location:[/b] Nameless Forest - Lakeside[/i]
[sub][@AThousandCurses][@baraquiel][@Nakushita][@Yankee][@Vertigo][/sub]
Tensions rose undoubtedly as Ayana responded. Akito’s smirk was implacable in the face of her words though, the brown-haired delinquent clearly unphased by her ramblings. Perhaps it would have been different if the two of them were alone, but in a group like this? No fucking shot.

[b]“Right, right,”[/b] he drawled, [b]“So what you’re saying is that you wanna be the leader here, yeah? Replace ol’ Masato over there? Cause I’m not hearing anything that proves the whole ass truth thing you’re talking ‘bout here, ya fucking weirdo.”[/b]

[b]“Shut up, traitor.”[/b] Kogen snarled, from his position in the outskirts of the group huddle. [b]“You know nothing of the power we bear.”[/b]

That just drove a laugh out from Akito. [b]“Oh shit, the crazies are banding together! Feels good to have your del-”[/b]

Whatever he planned on saying next was cut short. For all the small successes that Kogen had gained, he still remembered the humiliation as well, the betrayals both long past and very recent. It was all the excuse that he needed to rush Akito, demonic armor surging out from within his core as he grabbed the youth by throat and slammed him into the ground.

Akito gurgled, hands clawing ineffectually against the superhuman grip that kept him pinned. The demonic visage before him, before all of them, showed no signs of stopping though. It was something that had been a long time coming.

[b]“H-hey!”[/b] Tsubaki tried to intercede anyways, standing up in a hurry. [b]“Kogen, calm down! Those are just words!”[/b]

[b]"Kogen!"[/b] Daisuke strode up as well, though he kept his distance. [b]"Akito was out of line, but this is too much. We can't have fights like this happen!"[/b] Especially not when this was a crystallization of the 'tyranny' that was possible between those who were straight up superhuman and those who weren't.

A couple of the others tried to reason as well, but at the same time, Asahi’s own tempers flared, pink threads weaving out from his fingertips. Despite his bravery, his confidence, he knew too that his own reserves hadn’t filled up. Ayana was, after all, perhaps the one Awakened other than Masato who was the ‘healthiest’ of them all. She had only been smothered by one of the hulk-phants, and had only been knocked out by Shun. She had expended the least energy out of them all, and thus had the most to give. Could he handle her?

Whatever the situation was, Rin decided that she didn’t care for any of it. As far as she was concerned, the meeting was over and they were all just messing around now. Without another glance, she turned, returning to the small lumberyard and workshop, only sparing a quick comment towards Kumi, as if recognizing that a fellow ‘artisan’ ought to also avoid getting caught up in this.

Of course, Asahi’s own threats wouldn’t just be left unanswered, as Ayana’s sister-in-law sprang up between the two of them. As far as rumors and hearsay had proliferated, the students had only understood Asahi’s powers as some sort of healing magic, but what was this? [b]“Hold up, what do you even mean by that? Asahi, what the hell do those things even do?”[/b] Tensions rose further, the fashionista’s eyes set into a distrustful glare. [b]“What are you trying to do here?”[/b]

Sasuke stepped up with a calming gesture, hands raised placatingly. [b]“Calm down. Asahi’s jus-”[/b]

[b]“She’s not talking to you, Sasuke.”[/b] Ayano bounced up now, Fujita a reluctant ally to his girlfriend’s eagerness to square up alongside her friends. [b]“Dunno what that guy’s up about, but Ayana was helping m…y boyfriend build the shelter with a buncha the other girls. Until, you know, Shun over there knocked her out for no reason? Sheesh, wonder why Asahi doesn’t think she was contributing!”[/b]

[b]“Doesn’t excuse the fact that she’s actin’ crazy,”[/b] Mayumi responded, a sardonic half-smile on her face. [b]“You really gonna think she’s alright after hearing that?”[/b]

And as everything looked like it would bubble over, two separate conflicts flaring up, the Awakened and the unawakened both butting heads over something that had nothing to do at all about their future plans, Hana stepped behind Masato.

Her words, as neutral as ever, nevertheless held a peculiar edge.

[b]“This won’t be solved with words alone.”[/b]