February 17th: Marblebush

*Z is semi-ignoring Zeiss continuing to look around*

"Well this is quite... pequiliar..."

*Z turns back toward Zeiss.*

"Why should we head back? Scared?" *she taunts*

"Well, It just so happens that I am exhausted. I've been feeling like crap for the past week and have yet to find a cure. It's no use going into those caves at night when we aren't all at 100%."

Zeiss:
You find no functioning traps, several broken ones though.

Snarg:
If you spend considerable time examining the pattern and distribution you will notice that they tend to be more congregated towards the residential section of town.

In the ruins, after the entrance - Zeiss and Z-

Zeiss doesn't look at Z. He is examining his surroundings, carefully.

"Yeah, I am quite scared to face danger alone, with only you to call for help."

He finds the broken traps.

"Someone or something came here. These traps are... broken."

Spoiler:

Snarg returns after some time later. "I'm about ready for a long sleep after all this traveling, but it seems that the tracks are actually all over the residential area more than others." He stretches and yawns. "That's all I can tell you tonight and I think it'd do us good to not be snooping around ruins in the middle of the night after a long day."

"Agreed. time for some shut eye.... assuming I can get any..."
Araiguna starts to drag his feet clearly both physically and mentally exhausted toward his room.

Zeiss:
The traps look like they were broken by brute force, probably by Araiguna.

In the ruins, after the entrance - Zeiss and Z-

"Hmm. I think Araiguna has broken them, since he came in here to get artifacts..."

He turns to Z.

"Listen, you may be able to teleport us out of here in an instant, even you can be surprised... But if you really intend to continue, I suppose I will have to follow you."

He sighs after saying that, thinking that this was a bad idea to follow her. But he had to, since she helped him to get out of jail.

Snarg returns to the inn, and though several of the group are fast asleep by now, it's clear Z and Zeiss have not yet returned from the ruins.

Gwydo's plate armor shines faintly as it reflects the pale moonlight as he attempts to keep up with Zeiss as quietly as possible. (chingCLUNK, chingCLUNK)

Spoiler:

"Awwww, I was really hoping..." Snarg sighs and plops down in a chair in the inn. He rubs his eyes for several long seconds before standing and knocking on the doors of the sleeping party members. "Come on, get up now," he calls through the door, "the Z team hasn't hasn't come back from the ruins. I'm going in to find them and would appreciate some help."

"Pfff, let 'em," Rory said through the door when his turn came. He turns over in his bed. "They ran in on their own. I'm gonna laugh if they turn up dead."

*She raises an eyebrow at the insinuation that she wasn't dependable. Hell she wouldn't expect any of the group to depend on her, just like she would never depend on them.*

"This place is oozing with magic. It originates from somewhere ... uhh down... In my opinion that probably is the cause of your mite friends unnatural fatigue and the town's people's strangeness."

Zeiss looks at Gwydo who is twenty feet away, being their rearguard. Like before, Zeiss talks so that only Z could hear him.

"I do not understand magic. But I do understand that being just the three of us in these ruins which are radiating magic isn't the most... advisable course of action. So if you still want to continue, I will follow, but only because I have a debt to you."

*Z is a bit startled. She turns back toward Zeiss.*

"Debt?"

"Yes, a debt. You know, getting me out of jail. And using your ability to do so. I cannot really let you go in these ruins alone after that. But if you decide to go back outside, drink some tea like usually do and wait for the others, I would be really pleased."

He still examines his surroundings.

"Even I am not stupid enough to go wandering into ruins that are emitting this much magical energy. Though I don't plan on returning to town. As far as your debt there is none."

*glancing around one last time to see if there was anything of note, but finding none. She heads back out, and begins setting up camp.*

Zeiss sighs as he sees Z turns back. He walks besides her and says :

"Oh please, just indulge my poor feelings. I could not let you come here alone. But since you changed your mind..."

He signs to Gwydo that they are leaving.

"...Let's get out of here."

He decides to make camp with Z, feeling that the town was unsafe.

*Z pulls out some root veggies dicing them up as well as some fruits. She is heating some oil in a skillet over the fire.*

"Do you still have that bear meat Rory had you holding?"

Zeiss gets out of his sack a kettle with a box full of jasmine tea bags.

"No, I don't. The meat is in my fridge, in the wagon back in town. If you want some, go get it. You'll need my key though..."

He is holding two bags of tea.

"You want jasmine tea? I bought it back in Al-Zavros. It better be good, for the price I paid it..."

*Z instead pulls out a small portion of her dried meat. She tosses all of the ingredients into the skillet searing them lightly and tossing them a few times. She sits it down for a moment pulling out her tea kettle and filling it with water and heating it. She holds out a hand to zeiss for his jasmine tea.*

"Here."

He gives her a bag of tea, then takes a wooden mug out of his sack. Dragons are finely carved on it, the tails forming the handle. He pours his tea in it and eat some of his ration, which consist of dried food.

"Can you tell me what gender you are? Truthfully I mean. It is getting difficult with all your disguises. Don't know if I should say he or she. You strike me as a she."

Rainbow comes out of his sack, a piece of jerky in her mouth.

"Hey! I bought food for you and you eat mine?"

She runs off to Z's side to eat the jerky. He looks to Z.

"...Yeah. You are definitely a woman."

*Z is laughing at Rainbow's antics. She pours the boiling water over Zeiss tea dropping in a cube of sugar then dishes out three plates of her stir-fry. She hands one to Zeiss and one to Gwydo before mixing up two cups of tea and also handing one to Gwydo. Her's has two lumps of sugar.*

"I was born female. I'm not certain you could call me one anymore, but yes I was born female."