Yona's Magical Epidemic Crisis

Yona Hisamori had been approached by Ruvel, her guild master, for a very specific mission. With the aid of her mentor and Ruvel himself, he asked her to lead the investigative role in Bellum. Yona had always wanted to see Bellum, despite the infamous ways they treated non-magical civilians. When Ruvel explained the crisis at hand it sounded very serious indeed. A disease which was spreading quickly throughout Bellum, going after only those with magic ability, had led the leaders of Bellum to believe that the Pergrande Kingdom was at fault. War was on the brink between the non-magical and magical extremists and still, the disease spread claiming lives. From what Yona gleaned through listening stoically to Ruvel, nobody had yet died directly from the illness, but the effects were so extreme many would have rathered death.

Yona knew she was asked for her knowledge, between the research she had done on her own with her plants and her father's journals and the hours of long studies with Sol, Yona had become quite adept in poisons and disease, and more importantly the ways to counter them. The green haired plant mage hadn't any real choice but to agree, knowing that this was the chance to prove that she wasn't just a powerful mage, but that she was deserving of higher rank and respect amongst the guild members. Or at least, that was what she was hoping for. It didn't escape her either that this problem was highly dangerous, something Yona could not ignore with her own curious nature. Just what was this unnamed disease? Where had it come from? And could she really prevent a full on war?

The questions plagued her mind as she tried to figure it out, packing up clothing, her notes and journals, and a crisp blank journal which she could use. She slid in a few experimental vials and containers, as well as a small pouch of a variety of plant-based ingredients. She dressed professionally and comfortably for travel, wanting to look like a real mage deserving of what she so greatly desired: not just rank and respect, but the trust that she was as capable as her mentor in handling difficult situations. Yona pinned back her bangs, hoisting them to the side so that she looked the part. Her dress was a collared and stiff coat-like uniform, white in color with black accents. The pleats were large and long, giving it a more professional than girlish style. She wore tall thigh-high white boots, tied along the sides with crisscrossing black strings. She wore a long black slip and stockings underneath it all, just peeking out from beneath the boots and dress. The high flared collar looked nice against her neck, just below her short green hair. Yona really tried this time to be a good representative of her guild, even more so with her travel and mission companions being the guild leader and an ace.

Once she had finished, the plant mage set out to meet Ruvel and Johann outside of the HQ. Yona went down the hall, through the large main doors, and down the massive stretch of white stairs. She had gone up and down these stairs countless times in the past year but this time it just felt different. From throwing things at pert young mage boys who had aggressively hit on her, to starting fights with strange men with anger problems, and even that time she had met Leylin, throwing a bouquet of flowers his way to try to hide that she had violently pranked the chef, Yona had herself carried around a childlike playfulness and an equally childlike lack of respect... this time walking through the entryway and out the door, she held her head high and walked with confidence. This time she had respect for the other mages around her and the place that she called home. If Johann and Ruvel were both already there, Yona would speak to them. If they were not, she would wait until they were before saying, "The first thing I would like to do is get to Bellum and talk to some of the ill mages there. The more we can find out about the circumstances, symptoms and times they occured, the better it will be for me to figure out what caused this illness." Ketsueki in her head smirked and spoke softly, "If you figure out what's doing it, do you get to name it? You should name it and get a sample. You know... for research~" Yona closed her eyes briefly in a silent internal sigh. The demon really was too much some days.

Yona's Clothing:

WC: 774/5,000

Ruvel had already been waiting at the docks for a long time, he understood that it would take a while before the one he had handed this task to would turn up. He was thinking about when this task had happened upon his desk and he was told what it had said, he had known that he didn't have much time to choose the one whom would deal with it, but at the same time he had to decide who would be best for the task; sure Sol would be a good choice for it given his affinity to poisons as a god slayer but he at current was busy dealing with their own possible pandemic on Tolgalen so he couldn't be disturbed. A day or two had passed and he went through many files with the help of his summons, trying find out those who had history with botany, herbology, poisons, venoms and diseases one mage seemed to stick out for all but one of these categories. The candidate worried him given how she had acted in the past but since the lessons from Sol, Johann and himself she had seemed to have got her behaviour in line for the most part and so reached out to the green haired mage letting her know of what was going on. She was informed that this was a matter of urgency and that all eyes would be on her and those she took with her. To his surprise she had asked him and later found out had asked her mentor to accompany her, given his status he couldn't exactly decline so accepted.

He was a little worried about if he had made the right call but this was the first decision he had made by himself since his brothers mysterious disappearance, so making him the one whom had taken sole control of not only the trading company but the guild that was only known to a select few. He stood in a white suit as he normally did blonde hair easily seen, his dual coloured eyes glistening in the sunlight as he waited for the one whom was taking lead and one of his aces to turn up. By side stood Oykai who seemed irritated and bored that he was the one who had seemingly drawn the short straw to take care of his summoner, he himself was dressed in his normal hooded white male kimono and hakama. When he heard Yona's voice he couldn't help but quietly groan "Well if it isn't the little Yona girl, grown up since our last encounter or are you still an immature brat that loses her temper?" he enquired remembering the training grounds were Ruvel had shown her that her anger and arrogance done nothing but worked against her, that only seeing him as a child could have cost her his life if he really wanted to do her harm. It wasn't always bad however as she had been reunited with her little brother Saito and finally understood that she wasn't alone in the world.

Ruvel wasn't sure on what the other was saying and Oykai had no way to translating it back to him "Living are annoying..." he commented in an irritated way "I told you he doesn't understand and I can't tell him what you said, I don't understand his language. I'll see if one of my cousins can do the translations but they might be in meditation at current." he said his eyes covered by his hood. "I can however give you an update on the situation, those who have been infected are in quarantine you won't be able to talk to them, the doctors might be tight lipped but you could likely get some information on the symptoms; if I am feeling nice I will even break the quarantine and ask the mages the information personally since well my kind don't get sick from mortal diseases, but don't expect a miracle." he said calmly

Word Count: 665

Bellum. Why out of all places did it have to be Bellum. Why did Johann even agree to this. Perhaps it was becuase he still felt responsible for the girl and her, well, "situation", perhaps because he did not want to see her fail, but one thing nonetheless remained true. Both Pergrande and Bellum were places he held not only disdain for, he despised them with every fiber of his being. Bellum for the blatant discrimination against those who were unfortunate enough to be born without magic, such as the Vice President himself, who had only obtained magic, as he had learned later in his life, thanks to the other entity that had been sealed inside and had now merged with him. Pergrande for the exact opposite, the rounding up and purge of all things magical, thousands upon thousands, of not millions of souls lost to the world forever thanks to narrow minds. Thus, when he had been asked to prevent a war between the two nations he had almost laughed out loud and would have responded with "Let Bellum and Pergrande wipe each other off the maps of Earthland" if it hadn't been for two facts, the fact that a vast part of innocents would be displaced, mutilated and killed by a war of that scale, a dramatic disaster that could have devastating effects for what would possibly be all of Earthland, and for the simple fact that Yona had asked for his help. The girl knew that Johann would never deny a request like this, even if personally, he could have cared less for both of these states and their governments especially, no, in fact he would have happily participated in their complete and utter destruction. He was not happy, feeling rather malcontent, actually, his emotions additionally influenced further by Mars, who himself was upset with the fact he would be sent to stop a war. The horseman of war acting as the bringer of peace. How ironic. As far as the Second Seal was concerned, lasting peace could only be obtained one way and one way only, the eradication of the weaker.

And yet ... the two would manage still, now finding themselves standing next to Ruvel, the Guildmaster of the West Fiore Trading Company, near the docks. The weather had gotten cold again, especially right here by the everflowing waves, but still more temperate than further inlands where snow and ice had already found their way back to the island nation of Tolgalen. The Vice President of the Trading Company remained stoic, expressionless, his eyes unmoving and centered on nothing in particular, lost in thoughts until his mentee arrived, turning his head and acknowledging her arrival with a nod. He couldn't help himself but feel instinctive disdain for the summon that had been tasked with supervising the young summoner at this particular point in time, speaking to himself the short phrase "Talking about projection ..." when the void dweller called Yona a brat and went on about how the living were oh-so-annoying. He really could never catch a break from these people, could he ? He sighed. Johann would accompany them, but he would only act as a backup in case he was really needed. The God of Strength's defining trait had been, after all, bestowed to him as a title by the Magic Council. "Let's get this done with so we can avoid something that everyone would regret in the future. We don't want a burnout for you and your sister, after all, do we ?" he turned to the summon, a barely visible, sly grin on his lips. Oh this would be so much fun

Yona had seen Oykai from afar in his white hooded kimono, but she hadn't caught sight of the face below the hood. The plant mage hoped almost desperately that it would not be Oykai, someone she could not stand to be around but once she spoke and got close enough to Ruvel to hear Oykai's voice, Yona knew who it was. She didn't know what he had against her and why he felt the need to taunt, berate and insult her all the time. Of course, she had lost her temper. She was a twenty one year old with a traumatic past. Through scant observation and conversation, Yona had been able to discern that many of her guild mates had harsh histories: Adalinda and the dragon obsessed cult, Cirven and that dark look in his eye whenever he gave her personal advice, and of course, Johann whom she helped face his demons, in a more literal way than she had expected to. Why was it when she lost her temper it was some exhilarating phenomenon worthy of Oykai's annoying pestering. She swallowed her instant retort and spoke calmly with an even tone, "I think Johann said it best. You're projecting. Have you grown up since last we met, or are you still some sort of spirit-bully?" She shook her head, "We have more important things to do than quibble, so if you could stay focused," Yona clasped her hands and gave him a smile which overcompensated for her lack of amusement, "That would be just great."

Yona took Johann's sigh as a sign to push forward and just let it go. Perhaps, she and this nameless man would forever be locked in quarrel. It grieved her somewhat, knowing that when she eventually did die, she still would not find escape from him. Then Johann spoke in such a way, a slight smirk on his face, and Yona's eyebrows raised in unison, surprised. She blinked for a moment, trying to understand and not laugh. Had her mentor just suggested they move on, and then dove in for one last jab at the summon? Yona cleared her throat, choosing not to fall into a fit of giggling. Ruvel depended on her to ask her to do this job, and an entire kingdom's worth of people seemed to be depending on her too.

She scratched her cheek and said nothing, allowing Oykai to give her the update on the situation. A quarantine might have seemed wise but if she could not access the sick, then how could she learn of how the disease spread, or how it started? "I'm not sure there is much danger to mages in general," Yona said to Oykai, "But without being able to be sure, it seems most wise to ask you for your help in breaking the quarantine, if it comes to that. I guess the first thing to do when we get to Bellum will be for me to meet with some of the local medical experts and authorities. If I can collect a series of symptoms from them, we won't have to break quarantine necessarily."

Yona started walking to the boat waiting for them, a speedy and small vessel built for fast travel on the sea. It was just what they needed to get to Bellum. "If I can surmise some sort of timeline for the symptoms, what order they happened in," the mage said turning to Johann and Oykai, "I think that I can figure out what is causing the sickness or what the intended route of exposure is. I might even be able to figure out what the relation between symptoms and symptom order is to estimate the disease's potential for death, and not just the conditions the sick are in currently." Yona walked up the docks, up the wooden ramp, and boarded the vessel. She nodded to the captain and crew as she walked across the main deck, looking out at the expanse of sea ahead. Yona continued talking, but more to herself than to those with her. Yona was trying to process all of her thoughts out loud now, working case by case based only on the information Ruvel had provided from Bellum's aid request.

The sick had plenty of symptoms but what was standing out the most was the mage's strange aversion to light once infected, and the complicated aphasia the afflicted were dealing with. "So far, none have actually died. None seem to have problems with their blood. All of their words are coming out as gibberish. Clearly, aphasia, but clearly... the brain? Or could it be something else. Maybe something in their vocal cords. I don't suppose I could cut into the throat of any of the mages without serious risk." Ketsueki chimed out in her head than, clapping hands together with utter glee at the thought. "Oh yes, cutting open their throats. I can't get sick either, like that guy in the hoodie. You should let me drink of one of them. They might not survive anyway.. mmm.." Yona shuddered and rubbed her temple. Ketsueki was always inside her head now, and there was no escaping his obnoxious banter. Hopefully, the sail was swift and she could proceed to Bellum without any major interruptions.

WC: 774+877= 1651 /5,000

The young CEO remained still as the conversion happened he knew for a fact that Oykai couldn't translate a single word back that was being said so didn't even bother trying to ask him to do so, it would be a waste of time and breath the former they really didn't have on their sides from what he was made to understand. He never did like the country of Bellum for how they reacted to those born without the gift of magic, just because you had been blessed with the stuff didn't make you more privileged than those who weren't. He remembered for the longest time he couldn't use magic though he couldn't recall if it was because he wasn't born with it, was to fragile for his body to handle it or if his home didn't allow it from those still being 'trained' in their roles for the new utopia. To be honest the whole situation there felt convoluted and he was glad he wasn't part of it any longer but still thought of those often who still had to live it day in and day out. He would have to return to that place eventually to end it eventually, but he wasn't ready for such a thing. The task was hard for him and though a lot stronger than he once was there was still much for the youth to be frightened about when it came to his former 'home'.

"At least I'm not the one holding secrets within them." he said with a shrug helping the young summoner onto the boat and getting him settled in his normal area "In honesty I don't reap often, I'm primarily a hunter of those who fell through the cracks." he said to the taller male as he took a seat on the edge of the ship "Demiari is a reaper who dislikes her task I don't fully understand why she would find a disdain for something she's been doing for as long there has been things with a pulse and taking breath." he said his voice showing true concern for his twin sister, the only thing that he could come up with was her upbringing in this cycle of her life, she had been raised outside the realm of death and made to kill because of greedy and immoral mortals. These were people he would happily reap without a second thought the moment he met them but his sister had been tight lipped on such things and he knew it was a waste of time to ask his cousins because they never answered anything without permission. "Reapers are rare but there are still enough of us to deal with an apocalypse if needed, so a good old plague is child's play in honesty." he reassured the elder male a small grin on his face seeing the sly smile on the others.

He chuckled hearing Yona speaking once more "I don't project little Yona girl, I am quite the open book on everything other than my name." he said finding it somewhat amusing that the other would think such a thing of him. "So feel free to ask me anything and I will answer it..." he took a moment to think on what he just said "Oh, yeah I don't tell you anything on Rui, not my place sorry." he said wanting to covering his bases, he knew for a fact though still in a powerful position within the mortal realm very little was actually known about him or his past even by those he held closest. "I don't need to grow up and I am not a spirit or I'd be hunted by one like myself." he let the other know his eyes closing as he listened to the crashing of the waves against the ship "I'm always focused little Yona girl, comes with being a guardian to someone and my normal day job." his voice seeming distant as he spoke this time around his eyes still covered by the hood of his kimono top, he didn't really care one way or the other for her tone or her lack of enthusiam she wasn't his concern unless her name ended on a scroll he was given or she was a soul that slipped through the cracks.

Oykai remained silent allowing the green haired mage to speak and shook his head "An epidemic is always a dangerous thing, for two reasons little Yona girl so on this your way of thinking is flawed." he said his voice stoic as he spoke. "The pathogen is contagious to mages and being that this country is magically heavy means ninety percent of the people there are potential victims, including any that might cross the borders; if that was not enough there is also the danger of panic people die both ways and if any leave that are infected well... lets not think on that shall we." he said knowing that he had made his point clear. "I am immune to disease due to what I am, the three of you however are still susceptible to whatever this is however." his voice never lost its neutral tone as he spoke opening one of his eyes "Death claims all eventually and were my sister and him are bonded to Rui so can not claim him due to the contracts we have with him, if another comes we won't interfere with their work." he explained knowing just how fragile his summoner currently was "He is my concern, you two not so much but it is his wish that we as summons help the family that he has adopted and so will do my best to do such a task. That being said if it was a choice between him and you two I'd push you off a cliff without a second thought." he said honestly his eye closing once more, he was unsure how the other two would take his words but he really didn't care, he never did understand the need to sugar coat things.

He laid down on the edge of the ship looking to the stars above continuing to listen to Yona's words "Well all disease follows a pattern but then all life does, but like all things they evolve and change so symptoms from earlier patients to older ones might be different." he explained he had no clue what it was, he hadn't been given the orders to go reap or he'd be there already, then again if he did then he still wouldn't be able to give her such information as that would be information of the immortals at least til she figured out things. "Lets hope so little Yona girl or that nation is going to become a ghost town in which no one will be willing to enter, then there is the quarantine that would happen if not it being 'cleansed'" he said not going into what he meant by the last thing, he had seen it several times over many of his own cycles and it was never pretty but what people done was none of his concern until they died. "I never said none had died, to assume as such is just wishful thinking on your part." he said calmly rocking with the boat but never showing any chance of him falling off where he was laying "Also no one said the issue wasn't their blood that's you jumping to assumptions." he continued his eyes closing "And you would have to break the quarantine to be able to do anything and the doctors aren't going to just let you do that." he finished, all Ruvel had previously been able to tell her was just palimony findings of the doctors, a lot more had happened since then but it wasn't information he could give due to the life and death clause reapers had.

Word Count: 1,314
Total Word Count: 1,979
@Yona @Johann

Sol moved around at the Docks of Bellum, he had gloves on his hands and a hazard mask on his face along with his company uniform which was always pristine and in good condition, Sol had arrived delivering some goods and helping a few companys before the quarantine had gone into effect and he had not been allowed to leave much to the Void Dwellers annoyance, so now here he was currently on the docks of the lake irritated and wishing this quarantine could be lifted so he could go home, sure he was now immortal but he didn’t want to be stuck here for who knows how long when he could be doing more useful like paperwork or making more vaccines .

The Deathless had tried very hard to get any information about what was going on and from what he could grasp the illness was targeting mages which was why Sol was currently wearing the mask and gloves to keep himself from getting infected as well since apparently this sickness was deadly as well which had the Void Dweller on edge. The few days he had been here before the quarantine had been fine at first, his delieverys had gone off without a problem due to his shadow storage portals he used but it seemed that after about two days things had started to get more and more problematic. People had begun to get scared and Sol manage to keep calm but he protected himself the best he could. After two more days and multiple people being killed from the sickness the population of Bellum were on edge and on the edge of mass panic as everyone seemed to worry about catching the sickness.

Sol then glanced out at the water as he saw a vessel approaching and as it got closer the Void Dweller smiled a bit under his mask as he saw two familiar faces on it and he waited as they would dock before he walked up to the three. He knew Yona and Ruvel easily but the last one the male he didn’t know but as they would disembark off the boat Sol would bow in greeting.”Its good to see you Rui Yona this would be better if the circumstances were different I’v been stuck here for a good few days since the quarantine took effect” he explained gesturing to the mask before he looked at Oykai and he bowed to him as well.”it is nice to meet you as well Sir” he said being respectful and polite the man before him was Albino just as Sol was which made Sol wonder if potentially he was like him in a way.

Yona swiped her hand over the fabric of her uniform dress, brushing no doubt imaginary dust away and maintaining a clean look. The man with Ruvel had always gotten under her skin. Why couldn't he just treat her with a little respect, or at the least, like the same mage she was compared to everyone else. She had proven her loyalty and her dedication, she had proven that she could be humble and apologize to right wrongs, what else did he need from her to stop his constant berating. He suggested that Ruvel, Johann and herself were going to be at risk for this disease, but Yona was not convinced. The doctors believed it traveled through magic, affecting only those with magic, but that was a grand assumption in and of itself. When Oykai had overheard her going over symptoms, possible explanations, and in general running through scenarios out loud, he had to interrupt her to tell her how stupid they were. She had given him an annoyed tired look, considering she hadn't expected him to comment on everything she had had to say. The plant mage lifted a hand to her forehead, telling herself it was too early in the day to be fighting with this guy.

"If I want to break quarantine, there isn't a doctor there who can stop me. I'll take whatever punishment they think is fit, and you certainly don't need to bring Ruvel in with me or come at all if you are so worried. It was only an idea. It's just some light brainstorming, now if you'll excuse me," Yona made her way past him and Ruvel and walked to the opposite side of the boat. She stood there overlooking the waves. It brought a feeling of peace and a sense of calm to her that she was grateful for. The constant chatter in her head started to quiet as she gazed at the sea and she sensed that Ketsueki had grown bored and fallen asleep. Still, the guy wasn't completely wrong, so when a hand touched her shoulder and she turned to see Johann there, Yona was not surprised. She complained to him of his annoying habits and manner of speaking and Johann managed to assuage her concerns. It was then that he reiterated something Oykai had said about not breaking the quarantine and keeping herself and Ruvel safe. Worse yet, he confessed that he was not going to be joining them on the mission, having some other urgent business to handle. Yona would have to find a way to deal with Oykai on her own it would seem.

When the boat docked, a series of workers moved forward to draw the boat down the dock before tying it in a good position. No sooner than they had stepped off the boat, Johann had vanished and Sol had appeared. Sol's cheery demeanor was in stark contrast to the violence she had witnessed in the last time she had seen him. She had concluded that poison lessons were on pause while he dealt with the aftermath of the situation and nearly dying by his hand and his poison had made Yona perfectly fine with taking a break. She looked up at him, facing his mask, and wondered if he was thinking about the last time they had interacted as well.

"Stuck here for a few days? They wouldn't let you leave, Sol?" Yona asked him. Then she chuckled to herself a little, "I don't imagine anyone could stop you if you really wanted to go, but it was probably boring and an inconvenience, and not much more. Have you heard about the," Her voice dropped low, "Disease? We are here to investigate it and I am leading the job~" Yona showed a bit of pride in her tone but gave him a chance to answer. She looked at Ruvel and despite his kid-appearance, she knew that if things became dangerous, Ruvel was going to be a major asset. Standing there on the docks, it was only a minute or two after they had begun speaking when a tall man in dark blue mage robes strode down the docks towards them. He seemed to be all business and was carrying a set of papers in his arms.

Still several feet away, the man had called out to them, "I need your names, the name of your boat, where you have come from and your reason for visiting Bellum." To Yona, it sounded like the ordinary tourist routine. "I am Yona Hisamori, this is Ruvel, and this is," She faltered twice in her sentence. She didn't know the man's name still and she realized she hadn't known Ruvel's last name either. "This ship belongs to the West Fiore Trading Company and we are here to provide insight and assistance with the investigation surrounding an outbreak of some sort of sickness here." The tall man had quickly penned down everything she had said to him, but gestured towards Oykai and Ruvel, "I need full names please." Then the man turned his face to Sol and said, "You too. Also, the name of your boat. We must be thorough for the records." Yona blushed a little, embarrassed that she couldn't provide him with the information. What had she expected going into this country? Had she really thought that she would be able to just walk right in and get the royal treatment? With an ongoing disease outbreak and investigation, she supposed that this was the normal reaction.

After the others had spoken, the tall man, still penning everything down without so much as glancing at the forms in his hand, gave a nod. "Well, if everything is in order with these forms, I won't hold up your business here any longer. Though, understand that your boat will be searched and documented as well. You will not be allowed to leave Bellum until permission and clearance is earned or granted for the lot of you." Yona looked up at Sol realizing he had just been dragged into this by the man mistaking him for having arrived on the boat with her and Oykai. It also made sense to her now why Johann had vanished so swiftly, being able to avoid all this paperwork was likely critical to his urgent business. The next step was finding someone who was an authority on what was going on here, a doctor, a patient, someone who could direct them to learn the full gamut of symptoms since last they had checked in.

Yona looked around the dock and frowned. "We need to approach the quarantined area, I think. That's our best bet for finding a doctor or someone who will talk to us." She aimed a curious look at Sol, "Assuming you're with us now, maybe you know where the quarantine's outer edge is?" Sol was probably bored and she grinned at him, knowing he wouldn't give up the shot to finally do something productive after days sitting around here.

WC: 1651+1186 = 2837 /3,000

Oykai chuckled he couldn't believe just how easy it was to get under the green haired woman's skin, he felt like a cat that was unfairly playing with a mouse. This made the small toddler like Ruvel to look up to him in confusion, he didn't remember a time where he actually heard Oykai chuckle in such a way. Watching the body language for any cues so he would know what was going on, Oykai place his hand flat on his head before turning it so his index finger was on his forehead. Ruvel nodded understanding what was being said though looked concerned as Yona would head to the other side of the ship with Johann. He knew there was much more going on that he would understand in his current condition but there was nothing he could do, he was truly at the mercy of those he was meant to trust to fill in the blanks he couldn't fill in himself at current. He didn't want to even try and push matters as he knew he would just be told the exact same thing so went to the spot he normally sat quietly, it wasn't as if he could converse with anyone after all. He just homed there was nothing wrong between Oykai and Yona but that was something he'd eventually find out about he was sure.

Before long he had fallen asleep, it seemed his younger body needed more sleep than he normally ever had and so had awoken just as they had docked. He had to wonder if his summons had kept him asleep for the entire time, it wasn't uncommon when he was first getting use to ships but Barthenz had forced him to remain awake even if he didn't want it. He knew that given this was his life now he had to get use to it eventually so though hard and he tried to argue he still lost and remained awake. That being said however he was dragged onto ships still for the longest time after he got use to remaining awake on the things. He still preferred to travel on Bennu's back and though he would be able to hold the party of three there was still the fact he didn't want the phoenix harmed by what ever illness was affecting magic users within Bellum and so they took a ship that didn't hold any mages on board but themselves.

Sitting up he would rub his eyes a little looking at the blanket that had been placed upon him while he rested before folding it and placing it to the side before standing and heading to the gangway to meet up with the others. To his surprise he wouldn't see Johann but Sol would be standing there to meet him. When the backwards and forwards conversation happened between Yona and Sol all he could do was stand there blinking in confusion, more so as a guard seemed to start asking questions. He watched as Yona tried to answer the questions but seemingly couldn't "I swear my dear you'd forget your head if it wasn't screwed on, and you're such a joker." Oykai chirped with a warm voice sliding his own albino hand into hers. "This is my beautiful wife Yona Hisamori, I am Jasper Hisamori and the youth with us is Ruvel Mizune. He is the CEO of the West Fiore Trading Company and was summoned to help with the outbreak." he said his mannerisms seemingly changing from how they were normally mainly to mess with Yona's head. Just to make it seem that much more believable he lent in and kissed Yona's cheek. "The ship we travelled on is called Calming Fate, we understand but please don't damage anything in your search and have you need any information the manifest is with the captain." he continued before pointing to Sol "He was already here." he explained to the guard Ruvel blinking in confusion as he had no idea what the hell was going on at this point.

Word Count: 675
Total Word Count: 2,654

As Yona  looked up at him Sol felt a flicker of guilt go thru him due to the last time the two had met, the last encounter was supposed to be a educational trip into Tolgalens forests but she had snatched  a precious item from him and he had gone wild due to being so angry and snapping. She asked him if they really wouldn’t let him leave and he nodded “yes they wouldn’t let me leave due to this being a sickness that effects mages especially and even I am not immune to this  most likely so they prevented me from leaving due to not wanting it to spread more” he explained before he sighed.”Though they would not even allow me to help them once I found out about the sickness” he said before he nodded at her words.”It has been irritating since I could be doing so much more Yona I could do Paperwork or be working on more Vaccines but no Im stuck here” he said his tone was annoyed.” But I have heared a bit about the sickness and if your leading this job Yona then I will assist you the best I can” he said with a small smile under his mask.

As the mage in blue robes came up and started to question them Yona was quick to answer some of the questions  but she was stumbling as well  before he was suddenly asked a question though before he could even speak up Oykai  spoke up and  acted like he was Yonas Significant other and even mentioned that the deathless had already been here  to which Sol nodded to the mage.”Indeed I was here before they arrived I am Sol Terumi a Vice President of the West Fiore Trading Company and I will be helping with the Outbreak as well” he explained before he heard  Yona ask if he knew where the outer edge of the quarantine zone  was and the slayer nodded. “I do know where its at and I will guide you three to it” he offered before he waited for the Mage to finish up before he  would start to lead the group thru the city towards the quarantine zone, just a glance would show just how scared many of these people were as they  looked at Ruvel and Yona and Oykai with suspicion  as Sol pulled out three Biohazard masks from his  shadow portal and offered them to the three.”You might want these just to be safe” he suggested since he was not sure how the illness was spreading so the masks were be a safe precaution.

As they got closer to the edge of the quarantine it seemed as if all the people were off the streets and only some doctors and military personnel  being on the streets and the group was now getting odd looks due to them being that far in the city and not being doctors or military.

Yona had turned to hear what Oykai might say by way of introduction. This would have been the role of Johann, to take charge with knowing all the paperwork and the ship names, and everything not field related. Yona had hardly lifted a pen unless coerced to for the paperwork at WFTC. Oykai's voice was surprisingly kind, taking her by surprise. Luckily for her, the blue robed mage had focused on Oykai's words and not her expression. She was able to wipe the look from her face and keep it off, but it didn't get easier to keep up with the facade when she felt Oykai slip his hand into her's. She glanced at his white hand holding her's, feeling a rosy flush on her cheeks. Her mouth went dry and she was half happy that the man with Ruvel, who introduced himself as her husband, Jasper, was able to lie to eloquently.

She enclosed her hand around his, minding that she had to aid his lie for it to truly succeed. Her hand felt warm with nervousness and she set her jaw in an awkward smile, trying to play the role of a wife when she had never even dated anyone seriously before. Oykai's change in personality, tone of voice, and everything gave her a sudden new perspective on him. Was he really faking this that well? Or did he have a warmer heart than he had usually projected? When he leaned in to kiss her cheek, she had to close her eyes, knowing whatever look she expressed in them would not be hidden from the robed man in the slightest. She was rendered nearly speechless during this time, her face heating up even more. To her advantage, the robed man had looked her and Oykai over and nodded with a knowing smile. "Kind of a nervous one you have there, Mr. Hisamori. Everything else seems to be in order. I will take care with the ship to be sure no damage is done." He bowed his head to Sol as Sol explained himself and penned something down on the papers in his hands. He turned and started calling out to some dock workers securing the ship to the port's wooden dock.

Yona looked up at Sol, then opening her vibrant green eyes. She wondered if he could tell just how embarrassed she was by Oykai's display. She listened as Sol complained of all he could be doing but hadn't been able to, her mind starting to wander back to Oykai beside her. Why had he used that, of all things, as his lie? Had he no other secret plausible identities? He couldn't have given his real name? A fake name? Why did he have to drag her into his lie!? She turned her attention back to Sol and said politely, "It sounds like a grand old time. I am glad we showed up in time to find you then, though. You could really be a great help here."

The plant mage hadn't dared look at Ruvel, having no idea what sort of look Ruvel might give her. He might not understand their words, but Oykai's actions were fairly suggestible and obvious to interpret. There were no hand gestures Yona could make to explain about Oykai's lie, at least no gestures she could make to Ruvel. "Yes, we can follow you then, Sol." The woman said distantly, moving to start following behind Sol, trusting his expertise and trusting that he had been here long enough to figure it out. She felt a light weight, a tug on her hand, and upon realizing that she had never let go of Oykai's grasping "husband" hand-hold, Yona finally released him. "H-h-how, I mean where is it," Yona started to ask after a few minutes, trying to focus her thoughts on what was at hand. The military personnel and medical examiners on the road helped steel her mind for the job again.

Yona took the mask from Sol, almost arguing because she had her own Onyx Moon mask somewhere on her person. Of course, that mask would be a horrible way to reveal her secret identity and the connection of WFTC to the guild. "Thank you," She said to Sol. She held the mask with both hands, looking over the quarantined area with a squinted and investigative gaze. There was a tall wire fence put up and a second one a few meters past it, a good way to secure the area at least to start. By the size of the shipping containers and machinery nearby, Yona thought it was safe to assume that they were preparing to increase that security if anything within the quarantine became seriously worse. Yona strode up to the doctors and lifted a hand in greeting, "My name is Yona Hisamori. My group comes with me from the West Fiore Trading Company in order to lend a hand here. I need to speak to someone who knows the details of what is going on here."

The doctor listened and his face hardened as she continued speaking. "I am Malik Wakanga, chief medical executive, and I am afraid we don't need your help. We are handling this internally and very well, thank you." Yona looked shocked and glanced back at Ruvel. She lifted the flap on her bag and revealed a folder, sliding out a piece of watermarked paper. "I think you're mistaken, Mr. Wakanga. We are here to help. We accepted a contract, this is obviously more important than a simple business contract, but we have one nevertheless. We were invited here." Yona shifted uncomfortably as he reached out a hand for the paper with an impatient grab. His eyes scanned the paper, then the group, then the paper again. He sighed, shoulders slumping and then returned the paper with a tired look. "Call me Malik then, if we are equals here. And who are all of you?" The doctor waited for introductions with a perfunctory gaze and then returned his attention to Yona, "Looks like the city requested you and that's over my head. Come, we can talk in my office. They have a little one made up for me in that tented area."

He gestured for the group to follow and indeed around the side of the building, where a luscious garden bloomed and gave way to a small park, a series of flat-topped white tents had been arranged. Malik rubbed his face, the wrinkles around his eyes reminding Yona of her father. This man was somewhere in his middle age, or older, with brown hair that had not yet grayed and brown eyes that seemed so tired, that Yona wondered, not for the first time, just how bad the situation really was. "Malik, how many affected? What are the symptoms? It would help me a lot if there was a cataloged list I could look through to understand the timeline here," Yona pressed him, eager for the information, not taking much regard for the man's needs himself. Malik swept his way into a large tent, pointing at the chairs around the edges as he moved to take a seat at a cheap makeshift desk covered in stacks of papers. "I have all that. Don't you think I have looked at the symptoms? Don't you think I have spent hours staring at the timeline?!" He gestured with his hands wide behind him and Yona finally noticed a series of wires, strings and things attached to them. It was an array of photos, hastily made descriptions in barely legible doctor script, and even folded patient reports, with names and ages stamped on the outside.

Yona took a breath but not a seat. There was no time for sitting. "I'm not here to take over. But my team here, we have fresh eyes. Let us have a look, give us a chance to help. We won't be in your way," She implored with a softer tone. She had apparently been too abrupt and sharp and the guy was on defense. Malik got to his feet again, looking like he wanted to argue some more, his whole body held tense and still in front of Yona, but he said nothing. Then he exhaled and gave a nod, walking towards the exit of the tent. "Go on then. I have other things to attend to."

WC: 2837+1420= 4257 /3,000
Turned in exam, will complete as job