RES University

"Kara's been crazy since before the Masked came along." Losveilos admitted quietly. "But Hazel..."

"I wish I could apologize to her." King said suddenly. Everyone turned to him, it'd been a while since the scientist had actually spoken. "For all the... all the things I've done." His voice broke a little.

Hazel glanced over, shooting an icy look at King, before storming off.

"I'm assuming something happened." Amethyst noted.

Gardenia shrugged. "We dunno the details. She's the only one from the original group left."

"Oh, hell yes. Someone give me the details so I can annoy 'er with it." Hoxton chuckled, then noticed nobody else was laughing. "Screw you, it was a bloody joke. Jesus."

"It was probably something really cliche." Lawrence muttered. "Did someone die?"

King nodded. "I... it was my fault..."

"Eh. Don't matter." Hoxton muttered. "What matters is that she's being such a dog about it."

"It's all my fault." King sighed, sitting down near a box of supplies. He'd lost any of his confidence or leadership ability since the meeting with the new group. 

Kara returned, a large patchwork bag around her shoulder. "So, Altair, how long a walk is it?"

"We'll reach the neighborhood a bit after dark."Altair replied. He'd been leaning against a wall, visibly out of breath, his cane beside him. 

"Oh. Damn. We might have to stop to eat." Kara muttered. "I packed food and stuff for everyone in the other room. Thanks, Altair. It's a good thing you can think, because you would've died ages ago, being all crippled and stuff and all." She aughed.

Altair just glared at her icily, but said nothing. There wasn't really a reply to that. 

"Tired already, bloody hell." Hoxton muttered, leaning against a door.

Altair sighed. No use in arguing that, because he was actually exhausted. He'd love to see everyone even try to walk if they were in his position, though.

"So, once the cripple over there catches his breath, we get walking." Kara declared with a nod.

"Shut up." Altair muttered.

"Shut the fu** up, Kara, or whatever your fu**in' name was. Would you like it if I shot your bloody legs and got you some crutches? Leave 'im alone. Twat." Hoxton snapped, standing upright.

Kara frowned, surprised at the retaliation. She stared, speechless for a few seconds, before muttering a quiet "shut up". 

Altair sighed. "Okay, okay... we should... go..." He wasn't feeling particularly up to it, but he never was. His bones weren't made like the others', he wasn't as fast or capable as them. But that was okay. Better than watching these two tear each other apart. 

"Don't let the dogs get ya down, mate. And by the way, I wasn't angry at you. More the fitter lookin' people. Twats, most of 'em." Hoxton muttered, helping Altair up.

"S-Still. Sorry, anyway." Altair replied quietly. 

"Oh, c'mon. Compared to the new group, we're at least tolerable!" Lawrence piped up. Amethyst shoved him, but her hand went right through. 

"Oh, don't get me started on you." Hoxton muttered.

Lawrence, strangely enough, laughed. "I haven't suggested to kill you, have I? C'mon, man..."

"You're annoying as hell, though." Amethyst pointed out, deadpan.

"Shut up, I'm annoying in that lovable way."

"Nah. Let's just... get going."

King finally seemed to pull himself together. He nodded curtly, though still seemed to be a bit out of it. "It's... this way." And he began to walk, the others following, Kara shoving him aside and taking the lead.

"Eh. These guys don't talk as much, despite being dogs." Hoxton muttered.

And so, the journey was on once more. 

It didn't take long for things to drift back into silence, as Masked were milling about in packs of a dozen or so. 

"This is gonna be so booooring." Kara groaned. 

Blair and Aria simply followed for the next few minutes, neither of them one for words, neither of them possessing the will to speak. At this point, their existence seemed to solely be acquainted with the groups for backup, perhaps maybe moral support as well. 

"So, Aria, how're you? Been quiet lately. You up to suhmin'?" Hoxton asked casually.

''Hm? Oh, nothin'. Just... thinking, I guess," Aria mumbled a reply as she kicked a stone. It skittered across the ground before abruptly stopping upon impact with a fallen metal rod. "There's not much to say about the apocalypse."

"Sure there is. It's, eh. Quiet. Horrible. Stupid. Stressful. Hm, what else.." Hoxton muttered.

"Well, we've basically been kidnapped by psychos," Aria said in a low voice. "That's a thing you could add."