The Great Race | IC

[firejay1]

As Eun-byul went back to hacking through the demons, she heard Min-Jee speak from her elevated position, looking straight at her, "Friend of yours?" There was almost kind of a smirk around her lips. My, my, how the cat had changed indeed.

Eun-byul didn't even flinch. She tilted her head up and smiled ever so nicely, parting her soft lips to say cruelly, "As much as you ever were, Min-Jee, my old friend." She turned away with a careless little toss of her head and yanked another mini demon from the air by the tail. It was a very very low level demon, so she simply told it to "die" with a hard wallop of her power, and it wavered a bit before simply exploding outwards. She was already ripping down other demons. This attack was an opportunity to start getting ahead in the race, as Ae-ra was proving quite alarmingly.

The Spider was hopping through the crowd of demons, appearing to have her version of a picnic. The more small demons she ate, the faster and more fiercely she fought, rather than getting tired out. It was a plenty good thing, because there were a lot of demons to take care of, and goodness only knew the true reason they were there.

When Dae-Jyung popped out of the relative safety of the Lotus Room to take a bite out of one of the demons, Ae-Ra was right near by, and she perked up slightly at the sight of someone who it looked like was fighting similar to her. Her extra eyes popped into view, little black marbles embedded in her face, and the two on the back of her head alerted her to a strong demon approaching her. What looked like a large, scaly monkey was flying at her, and she noticed that it wielded a sword that seemed to use the air to slice through things. It was a dangerous opponent. Not as strong as one of the Zodiacs, but nearly enough to give her a run for her money when she wasn't in good condition.

Without saying anything, Ae-Ra jumped atop the Dog's head and used it as a springboard to launch herself at the monkey, just barely dodging the sword and its wide rays of deathly air to dig her nails deep into one of the monkey's arm. Had it been more prepared, it might have given a more proper fight, but it was suddenly forced to deal with something hanging off of its arm, and jerked about mid-flight, attempting futilely to throw her off as she sank her teeth into its flesh repeatedly. She wrenched the sword from its hand as it started falling from the sky and started sending wild and deadly wind slices tearing through the other demons around, not bothering to aim away from the other Zodiacs.

 

[CrystalTears]

Park Junho

Location:
The Lotus Room

---

Interaction:
Hyun Ki & Dae-Jyung

---

Mentions:
Izzie, Ae-Ra

---

Tagged:
@SkittlesAndSpike @MaryGold

Without having the chance to reply to Hyun Ki, Junho found himself tucked underneath the Ox' arm. If he had to describe it, then he felt like a suitcase or a sack of potatoes as the arm was secured around his waist, with both legs and arms dangling uselessly in the air. Thankfully, Junho wouldn't be alone in the somewhat humiliating carrying position as Hyun Ki wrapped his other arm around Dae-Jyung and proceeded to rush the two of them inside the Lotus Room, or what remained of it anyway. The flames had been extinguished, but the burned wood was barely holding up pieces of the roof, the window was the only thing that had escaped somewhat unscraped from the sudden fire.

"I suppose. . . Or the mastermind might have something bigger planned," Junho agreed with Hyun Ki. The attack by the lesser demons was not enough to hurt them severely, despite their numbers. However, that did not mean the spirits wouldn't do anything as proofed by the bleeding wound on Hyun Ki's neck. Junho's position from sitting on the window still offered the Rabbit some added height, which made the injury much more accessible to him. He ripped off a part of his soaked shirt and then reached over to dab it gently against the bleeding wound. Fortunately, the rain made the fabric both cold and wet, which would do wonders on stopping the blood from running down the Ox' neck. Junho cleaned up what had managed to seep out of the bite and then wrapped it gently around Hyun Ki's neck, sealing it with a neat knot, so that there would be some pressure on the wound, but still allow the Ox to comfortably breathe. "Do be careful, while this is not an all-out attack, I wouldn't want you to be hurt," Junho voiced his concern before Dae-Jyung and his impulsive nature struck again.

A gentle hit to Hyun Ki's shoulder and the plan of having the Ox protect him and Izzie later, the puppy had already transformed into his animal form and bounced back into the horde of the lesser demons to take them out. "Wait, Dae-Jyung-ah!" Junho called out after the puppy just as he sunk his teeth into a lesser demon. "D- Don't bite them! You don't know where they've been!" The rabbit said concerned. Was it a good idea at all to bite them? What if Dae-Jyung got some sort of weird disease from biting one of those lesser demons? Or if they corrupted him? Or if it hurt him from the inside? "Scratch them! Don't bite! You need to be careful--!" Junho's sentence stopped as he watched the unknown girl spring into action again.

She was not a zodiac, but her powers were similar to his own. That was why he could see the slices, he could feel the motions in the air changing and how reckless they were. The girl did not care about who she injured, whether it be a demon or a Zodiac. Junho cared little for what he could and could not do in his position, despite his injured state, the Rabbit summoned whatever powers he could find within himself and made sure to protect everyone. The attacks that missed the demons were negated, Junho concentrating on finding every single one of them and eliminating the wind entirely, turning it back to harmless air before they had the chance to hurt anyone.

However, in doing so, Junho overextended what he had the energy to do. He became cold and dizzy. The rain hadn't done him any favor, his body temperature dropping rapidly due to it. As if things couldn't be worse, it was February and raining, and bunnies didn't do well in the cold and certainly not when they were soaked. Junho lost his balance for just a moment, threatening to fall out of the window sill, though Hyun Ki caught him before he hit the floor.

"I'm sorry. . ." Junho apologized. "I'm feeling a bit. . . faint. . ."

 

[MaryGold]

February 1st

The Lotus Room
​

​

Monster by monster, the lower class demons were easily taken down by the likes of the Zodiacs and they could have been Zodiacs. They had stood no true chance from the moment they had appeared, though they had been large in number. There had an abundance of them in the beginning, a blinding storm of demons, but many had fled and others were killed until the what remained could be counted on a single human hand. It was but a few moments before they too were struck down by the Dog, the spider who appeared and the Dragon had finished off what appeared to be the largest and intelligent of the monsters. Before it could draw its last breath, flames swirled around it and vanished along with the beast to only Phoenix knows where.

As soon as the Phoenix saw that the walkway and street in front of the all but destroyed Lotus building was no longer infested with demons, he stepped off of the roof and floated down, defying the laws of gravity. "You all did rather well," he noted, quite literally in his small journal. With his final notes written down, he shut the book and sighed. "I would have loved to continue our meeting today, but with this … inconvenience, we'll have to pick another day to gather."

Shoving his book into his coat pocket, Moon Bong frowned. "For today, you may go as you like, continuing your work or whatever it is you do in this world. I plan on investigating this attack and fixing up the Lotus Room. After it is repaired, your scores will be posted. That's all I have to say."

---

@Greenie @SkittlesAndSpike @CrystalTears @Iceydaze @firejay1
​

 

[Greenie]

*

It was hard for her not to let Eun-byul's words sting, and had Min Jee not been preoccupied with the demons coming their way, she might have even felt the sting of tears. Perhaps she even deserved it for her earlier snarky remark. For now, however, she pushed those dark feelings away. That was the past, and she had learned from it. If drowning had taught her one thing, it was to be cautious of everyone, even those who were seemingly innocent.

She wasn't surprised to see how dispassionate Moon Bong seemed as he addressed them once more, very much doubting he wanted to continue any meeting. He'd seemed rather weary from the beginning, and she didn't think she was the only one who had noticed that. He did take the attack seriously though, and that was a relief.

Nodding respectfully when he finished speaking, Min Jee looked away from the Phoenix, eyes roaming over the others. What would they be doing next? Did they live nearby? The apartment she was staying at was far enough that she needed a taxi.

Well, I suppose I should get going... Clearing her throat, she spoke aloud. "I will be off now," she announced. There was a slight pause, and with an afterthought she continued. "If anyone needs a place to stay... I have room for a couple more."
​

 

[MaryGold]

Soo

Interaction: Iseul, Min Jee || Mention: none.
​

Iseul could be quite sweet, especially when he wasn't voicing his mind too much.The bird did not have a filter, but he did have a heart and Soo was very appreciative of it. Her fingers brushed against the cloth wrapped around head that stopped the any further bleeding. "Thank you, Iseul." She told him sweetly with a soft smile playing on her lips. She truly was grateful even if he had called her an idiot and rejected her not long ago. Not that she actually felt that way toward him, but rejection was rejection all the same.

She had only glanced to the door once during the chaos, but had no intentions of going out there, especially when she saw the one most liable to danger, Junho, was came inside in Hyun Ki's arm. Iseul had even stayed away from the danger outdoors, so, she focused on investigating the mark engraved onto the floor. "I don't know if there is." She answered him as she tilted her head to the side slightly.

Where there was yin there was yang. At least, there should have been, but the other half was nowhere to be seen on the floor. She searched around a bit, shoving aside light rubbled, but found nothing in her search. And sure enough while she looked, the battle was over and the meeting along with it.

"Let's go outside, maybe we can talk to Moon Bong about it." Soo tugged the corner of Iseul's sleeve, gesturing for him to follow her out. "You can also give Seo Yeon her scaly friend back." She smiled at Ki who perked up at the mention of his Mistress.

Soo stepped out just in time to hear Min Jee offer invites to stay at her place. Almost instantly Soo forgot the issue she wished to bring to the mystical bird. "Really? If you'll have me I'd love to stay with you." It would be the perfect opportunity to get to know the cat who could have been one of them. Min Jee would also be a wonderful ally to have in this race, she seemed smart, skillful in battle and quite frankly she smelled really good.

Tagged: @Iceydaze @Greenie

---

Hyun Ki

Interaction: Junho || Mention: Dae Jyung, Iseul
​

One moment Hyun Ki was observing the battle and watching out for the rabbit both and the next took him by surprise when the very same reckless rabbit attended his wounds and told him to be careful. Hyun Ki was at a loss for words and actions in that moment, it was terribly embarrassing and something he was not at all used to. Luckily, Dae Jyung once again stole away his attention and the ox was able to look away and recompose himself only after smacking his forehead and ruffling his brown hair. "You're one to talk," he grumbled, much like the silly elementary schoolers that he taught every other day.

He was able to take back on his stoic position and watch Junho give DaeJyung directions. Despite the very serious situation they were in, it took him a lot not to laugh. Junho sounded like a mother fussing over her child. Only a smile had reached his lips but vanished just as soon as it came when Junho collapsed, he immediately caught him and breathed a sigh of relief. If anything happened to him while he was right beside him, he'd never forgive himself. Also, Dae Jyung and Iseul would forever hate him.

"I can see that," he shifted the rabbit slight in his arms so that Hyun Ki's arm wrapped his shoulders and Junho's head rested against his shoulder.

Fortunately, they didn't have to wait much longer before the danger died down outside. Sitting at the broken window, he heard every word Moon Bong said very clearly. While he would love to investigate himself and get to the bottom of the attack, they all could use the rest. Especially Junho.

"I'll take you back. After all, you don't have your wheelchair anymore." It had been burnt and crushed. And they were blessed that Junho hadn't been as well.

Tagged: @CrystalTears

---

Seoyeon

Interaction: Ae-ra || Mention: Haneul, Eun-Byul
​

Seoyeon was very glad to be on very friendly terms with the dragon, more so after seeing him fatally wound the spirit that had attacked them. If Haneul wanted, he could have destroyed her in one go. He was a water based creature and she a fire one. It was also a good thing that he was generally very kind, polite and non violent. She could only imagine what type of damage the dragon could do if he really tried. Which began to make her wonder if they could be allies and help each other out through this race.

If this fight did one thing, it showed off almost everyone's abilities to some extent. Seoyeon was able to size up the competition better. After all, every single one of them had changed since the first race. They were no longer young naive and weak demons, but they were all still seeking something great that only this race could give them.

And speaking of contestants.

Her dark eyes wandered over to the newcomer who displayed terrifying power. She was so small and cute looking. But when Seoyeon remembered her literally sucking the life out of many demons, she found her to be a scary component.

"And who might you be?" She raised an eye at the small spider girl. For a brief moment, Seoyeon glanced at Eun-byul. During the battle, she looked as if she knew her.

Tagged: @firejay1

 

[firejay1]

It is not required to be loved in order to love.​

---

It did not occur to Ae-ra that the invitation the cat was making might extend to her. She didn't interact with her fellow demons very often. She chewed on the remains of the last demon absent-mindedly, her eyes wandering around in a clear indication that she wasn't paying any attention to the Zodiacs or even the Phoenix. In truth, the race didn't concern her at all. She understood what it was, on some level, but she was just here to take care of the increasing demon problem. She was pleased this meant the Zodiacs were going to help her on the protect-the-humans crusade she'd started oh so long ago, and that was all. All the same, she didn't know the Zodiacs well, and she sure didn't think any of them might like her.

She was so distracted by the meandering traces of her own thoughts that she didn't understand, at first, that the other girl was talking to her. She blinked uncertainly at the other girl, then looked around her to make sure she wasn't talking to anyone else. The Spider understood the question, but she hadn't been able to hear it super clearly. The other girl was a soft talker. So, without thinking about it, she walked closer and placed her hand against the other girl's sternum, eyes shifting without fully meeting her eyes. All four of her front-facing extra little black marble eyes fixed on the girl, though it was impossible to tell from the outside. "I'm Ae-ra." She spoke clearly, but in a timid voice. "I'm the Spider. Uhm. Who are you?"

---

@MaryGold

 

[Greenie]

*

To be honest, Min Jee hadn't expected anyone to accept her offer to stay at her apartment, so when Soo readily accepted her offer, she was surprised, and it showed on her face. This surprise changed to happiness just as quickly, and there was an actual grin on the Cat's face. Soo was probably one of the nicer zodiacs, like Dae Jyung and Junho, so to have the chance to get to know her was prospect she was looking forward to.

"That's great!" she replied, managing to keep herself from sounding too enthusiastic. "It's a little far from here so we'll need a taxi..." She pulled her cellphone from her purse before looking around at the rest, wondering if anyone else wanted to join. She didn't ask though, instead punching in the number of the same ahjussi who had dropped her at the teashop.

He was, of course, very happy to come to her aid, not having been too please too leave her there in the dead of the night earlier, he and promised to be there in the next ten minutes. Putting her phone away, Min Jee looked over to Soo and gave her a nod. "Taxi should be here in ten minutes."
​

 

[Spekkun]

Dae Jyung

Dae Jyung was stunned. In the midst of combat, someone new jumped off his head. He would have been miffed had he not realized that he'd seen the same thing in a video game before! He had successfully performed a combo move with someone, and he didn't even mean to! He was pretty impressive! She had bitten that demon pretty good as well! Oh, wait...he bit a demon!

Dae Jyung began spitting, cleansing his mouth of demon blood while Moon Bong spoke to everyone. He was so busy spitting and gagging and whining, that he didn't hear a single word the Phoenix had to say. So when he heard 'That is all I have to say' he stood there looking stupefied and confused with one ear folded and his head tilted. Oh jeez...did he miss anything important?

Eh...probably not! It was just Moon Bong, and the race already started! As far as the dog was concerned, he had all the important information he needed. He trotted over towards Ae Ra, tail wagging as he did. "Hi new person! That was some pretty good teamwork out there! We had some good synergy!" He gave a small bow of his head. "I'm Dae Jyung! Nice ta meet ya!"

It was just a small introduction to the new person. He had heard Min Jee offering a place to stay and, as much as he loved his comfy little cardboard house out on the roadside, he appreciated being indoors too, it was much warmer! And it was wet outside today! "Min Jee, Min Jee! Wait for me! I wanna stay with you!" He called out to the cat zodiac.

Haneul

Haneul let out a sigh of relief now that the combat was over. When Moon Bong mentioned that he was going to look into the demon attack, he was tempted to offer his services as well, but he remembered that he had a race to participate in. "Thank you, Moon Bong." He replied to the Phoenix, trying to sound as respectable as he could.

He glanced around at everyone, watching them talk for a moment before letting out another sigh, this one of exhaustion. Between the demons and having everyone in the same room again, he was tired. It was great to see everyone's faces once more, but he felt as though he should return to the sea until the next meeting, or should he seek the others out, or, if, in some strange twist of fate, they should seek him out.

"It was nice to see you all again." He spoke out loud. He was about to take his leave when he realized he didn't see Junho or Hyun Ki. Realizing they were still inside he wandered indoors to bid goodbye to the two, pausing when he saw them in the room. "Ah...Hyun Ki, Junho." He greeted, frowning. The rabbit's wheelchair was no use anymore.

"I was going to take my leave, but..." How could he leave when Junho didn't have his wheelchair? Sure, Hyun Ki could carry him, but perhaps he could help out a little. It was the least he could do. "Perhaps I can help you home, Junho? I can give you both a ride or simply keep you from getting wet."

 

[CrystalTears]

Park Junho

Location:
The Lotus Room

---

Interaction:
Hyun Ki, Haneul & Iseul

---

Mentions:
Soo

---

Tagged:
@SkittlesAndSpike @MaryGold @Iceydaze

"I'm sorry Hyun Ki-ah," Junho apologized with a sigh as he allowed his body to slump a bit against the ox' warm embrace. He had little choice in this situation. His wheelchair was a melted mess underneath some smoking rubble, and he had no chance of crawling back to his apartment. It was nearby, but that was still pushing it.

Moon Bong arrived after the demons that had foolishly decided to stay were gone. The Phoenix told them to do as they wished, and while Junho wanted to go and investigate the attack, he was in no condition do to so. Plus, he highly doubted that Hyun Ki would allow him to go anywhere else, but home.

Haneul, the Dragon, poked his head inside. Junho knew Hanuel wasn't one for big gatherings like these, he enjoyed the solidarity of the sea. However, even the lone Dragon offered to assist him home, Junho was a bit surprised. Thankfully, it didn't show on his face as he instead mustered up the strength to smile brightly at the thoughtful Haneul. "I'm so sorry to trouble you Haneul hyung," Junho started. "But your help would be greately appreciated. Please allow me to serve you some tea when we get to my apartment, as a small thanks," the Rabbit offered to both Hyun Ki and Haneul.

"Do you mind if I bring someone else as well?" Junho asked before he looked over to where Iseul and Soo were standing. "Iseul hyung!" He called out to the Rooster. "Ppo Ppo is at my apartment and is probably eagerly waiting for her master to pick her up," Junho smiled. "Would you like to accompany us to my apartment? I'll be serving some tea and warm us up from the rain. I got some spare bedrooms, so if you wish to stay the nigh you're free to do so."

 

[MaryGold]

Soo

Interaction: Min Jee, Dae Jyung || Mention: none.
​

Soo could have hopped for joy when Min Jee happily accepted her. And to add to the fun, Dae Jyung possibly would be joining them the both of them within in the Cat's home. He was a very excitable one, therefore, she knew not a moment between them all would be boring. They would have plenty to speak about and do by keeping an eye on the dog, seeing how Junho wouldn't be there to do it himself. Whether Dae Jyung recognized it or not, a lot of them viewed him as the dogs guardian.

"Awesome, that's not long at all." Remarked the joyous sheep as she knelt down onto a knee beside Dae Jyung. "Can he come too, Min Jee, please? It'll be fun!" Soo asked as she pet the glossy fur of the Shiba Inu. By far, Dae Jyung's first form was the cutest of all forms concerning the Zodiacs, in her opinion. "Do taxis allow you to bring in animals?"

A funny question to ask. They let in demons of all kinds under the pretense that they were humans, of course. But if Daejyung was to come, he'd have to shift into his human form again. It was better that way in order for them to avoid any trouble. Still, she wanted to enjoy marveling at his glossy and soft coat. What shampoo did he use? Knowing Dae Jyung probably none.

Tagged: @Greenie @SkittlesAndSpike

---

Seoyeon

Interaction: Ae Ra || Mention: none.
​

Did this Ae Ra touch her without so much as thinking about it? And did she seriously ask who Seoyeon of all people was? Was this demon pulling Seoyeon's leg or simply that clueless? And being clueless could be interchanged with being ignorant. How long had she been living on this earth and was it underneath a rock? Because it was simply unacceptable.

Seoyeon's face did not betray her by displaying the feelings slight distaste and disapproval she held for the spider girl already. Instead, she met Ae Ra's eyes and narrowed her own slightly at the smaller girl. "I am Seoyeon, the snake, a zodiac. I have a year named after me, maybe you've heard of it?" For a minute, Seoyoen considered removing the Ae-Ra's hand from her body. She did not like to be touched without consent.

"Did you come here to make your participation in the race known or do you have any other ulterior motive?" If it was up to Seoyeon, she would have remained quiet about her participation in the competition until it benefited her to do otherwise. Unfortunately, being a zodiac made your involvement broadcasted to the supernatural world.

Either way, this spider girl was a foe or friend to be feared. And it bothered Seoyeon that she knew next to nothing about her.
Tagged: @firejay1

 

[Iceydaze]

Iseul "Izzie" Kim

Iseul looked around for the matching sign once more, as Soo focused on the lighter bits of rubble. Once he realized it was all for naught, the rooster zodiac couldn't help but let out a frustrated sigh. The meeting falling apart with someone as great as Moon Bong around, wasn't something he had expected to happen. Granted, you couldn't expect much when it came to gathering the zodiacs together, but an explosion followed by a horde of demons was a bit out of the ordinary.

"Could it be one of us did it..?" He mumbled more to himself than to Soo. He couldn't recall whether the mark had been there when they entered. If it had been, surely the phoenix would have noticed, right? However, he also wasn't sure whether any of them were even capable of the act in the first place. Pulled out of his thoughts by Soo's tug, Isuel nodded in agreement. His grip on Ki tightened slightly to keep him from running away at the first opportunity. It wouldn't do for Ki to go back to his owner without being reminded that she was the one who abandoned him in the first place.

Iseul made his way out in time to hear Moon Bong dismiss them. Seeing as how Soo seemed to forget to let the phoenix know of the mark, Iseul spoke up instead. "You might want to start off with the mark on the ground that Soo found. I don't know about you, but I don't recall it being there before." He was full of suspicion as he looked over all of the zodiacs, his cold gaze lingering on Min Jee for a little longer than usual. If any of them were to blame, she would be the most likely suspect. After all of these years, there was no telling how she felt about not gaining a spot in the last race. After being taken out last time, it wouldn't be surprising if she wished to return the favor.

While the rest planned on what to do, Iseul heard Junho calling him over, reminding him not only of Ppo Ppo but also of the snake on his arm. No longer interested in Ki, Iseul removed him from his arm and carelessly tossed him towards his mistress. "Stupid snake, you don't abandon friends. Lose him again and I won't return him next time. I know plenty of children with a greater sense of responsibility than you will ever possess."

Feeling he'd said enough, Iseul rushed over to Junho. All of the previous anger left him. Instead, his brows furrowed with worry at the thought of his beloved rabbit waiting for him. "Of course, I would love to spend the nigh-" Suddenly noticing how weak Junho appeared, Iseul felt a little guilty. Junho must have spent quite a lot of his energy to send Ppo Ppo away. On top of that, he probably also helped the others fight off the horde in the cold rain. Now he wanted to serve them tea? Not happening. "We should go as soon as possible. Your tea isn't to my taste, so don't bother. I'll make it."

---

Zodiac:
Interactions:
Location:
Extra:

Rooster
Soo & Seoyeon @MaryGold, Junho @CrystalTears
The Lotus Room
Attire & Ppo Ppo

 

[Spekkun]

Strength has more than one form.​

---

A gentle smile graced Haneul's lips, and he raised both of his hands as he responded ot Junho, "No, no, it is no trouble at all. It's a simple matter for me to fly you, and anyone else who would wish to tag along your home." He nearly politely turned down the rabbit's offer of tea, but he didn't wish to be rude. He hadn't seen everyone in some time, let alone spend honest to goodness time with them. He didn't want it to look like he didn't appreciate the company or the offer.

And he did love tea.

"I would love some tea, no matter who's making it." He told both Junho and Iseul, a small laugh escaping him. "The company would be nice." Despite his somewhat abrasive nature, it was funny to see how much Iseul cared for Junho.

"One moment," Haneul told the group, taking a brief step backward before changing out of his human guise. Gone was the young man in glasses, now replaced with beautiful, teal-scaled, serpentine dragon. His body was long enough that he had made a brief circle around Hyun-Ki, Junho, and Iseul. He took a moment to revel in the cool water falling from the sky, letting it wet his scales before moving around a bit, lowering himself to the ground so that it would be easier for the group to climb on top of him. "Please, let me know if you need my help getting on board." He was sure that Hyun-Ki would be able to lift Junho aboard, as well as climb on himself, along with Iseul, but he was willing to make it easier for them.

Though he felt a little bad for thinking it, he was grateful that the building had been destroyed enough that he was not cramped inside. His dragon form was open for everyone to see, all of the zodiacs and even any humans that might have taken notice. Having been in the oceans for so long, Haneul had seemingly forgotten the importance of subtlety. The idea that humans would see him had not come to mind even now, largely because he didn't see it as a problem.

"Oh, my apologies!" Haneul told the group. Shifting back to this form was like stretching for him. And being in the rain? It was perhaps the most heavenly sensation he could think of. He'd enjoyed it so much he nearly forgot he was meant to keep the bunny dry. With but his will, the rain seemed to shift to the side, actively avoiding the zodiacs and the ruined teashop altogether. He figured that the others wouldn't appreciate being wet either. "There we go." He commented, lowering his head so that it would be level with the others.

 

[Greenie]

*

Min Jee blinked at the question before a small grin found itself on her face. She crouched down so that she could look the inu shiba in the eyes and nod, and then she reached behind his ears with both hands to give him a hearty scratch.

"Of course Dae Jyung can come," she finally replied, patting his head one last time before standing up and nodding at Soo. "I don't know the Ahjussi's policy on animals in the taxi, but I'm sure he can make an exception... he was quite a nice name, rather concerned I was travelling alone so late at night."

As she stopped speaking, she looked around to see what the other zodiacs were up to for the time being. She had practically felt Iseul's eyes on her earlier, but it hadn't been anything flattering- no, she had been quite sure those eyes carried negative thoughts her way. Which didn't surprise here, and she would hardly be surprised if anyone else was thinking whatever he was.

Well, aside from Soo and Dae Jyung. And Junho. Those three felt too wholesome for the world.

Her people watching was very easily interrupted when a dragon appeared in their midst. So this is Haneul's true form, she thought to herself, eyes a little wide as she took in the sight. Truth be told, she was a little envious of those who would be receiving that dragon's ride. It occured to her then that she actually didn't know much about the dragon. Did he also think the same, that the cat shouldn't have come?

There was no time to think further though. From the distance, Min Jee could hear the sound of a car approaching, and the distinct engine sound was familiar. "Soo, Dae Jyung, let's get going."

@MaryGold @SkittlesAndSpike @firejay1 ?
​

 

[firejay1]

It is not required to be loved in order to love.​

---

Before the other girl could speak, another one of the zodiacs came by: the Dog. He was speaking with such verve and vigor that she could hear him just fine... and he was pleased to see her! She wasn't quite certain why, but it made her happy. Had she been a dog, her tail would have been wagging. Unfortunately, however, Ae-ra was the Spider, not the Dog, so as excited as she was by this strange new development, all she managed to do was give the Dog a blank look, not even managing to introduce herself before he was gone again. How pleasant! They had done a teamwork!

She wasn't given the time to brightly go try to converse with him, though, for the girl in front of her responded, still in that soft voice. Ae-ra tipped her head to the side slightly, hearing her better through the hand on the other girl's chest, but she didn't quite understand why she would ask if Ae-ra had heard of the year of the snake. "Yes, I have heard of it." She said, her voice and expression vaguely suggesting that she was speaking to someone not very bright, though that wasn't her intention. "It is nice to meet you, Seoyeon." She blinked blankly. "What ulterior motives? This race is just to fight the demons to help the humans, right? Isn't that why you are here, too?"

This conversation was being a bit confusing to her, so she frowned, but then a flash of movement caught her eye, and Ae-ra turned her head and promptly did her version of sparkling with excitement, which was nothing more expressive than her mouth growing very small, her eyes growing wide in an expression that just as well may have been surprise or disappointment or any other number of things. She let go of Seo-yeon, and in a flash had bounded forward, landing lightly atop the dragon's head in a comfortable crouch, her feet just shy of his brows, his horns just a short ways behind her. The rain wetting the dragon's scales made the surface slippery, but Ae-ra didn't seem the least bit unsteady. When the rain seemed to flow away from the dragon, she craned her head around excitedly. The Spider was not fond of rain. Not only were they getting a dragon ride, but with the rain all avoiding them! She shifted her weight from foot to foot, then pushed off with one foot into one, almost ballerina-like spin on top of his head. She was very excited.

---

@MaryGold @SkittlesAndSpike

THE RAT​

Eun-byul was somewhat underwhelmed with the end of the initial assault. She had thought they would have wanted to make a statement with this first fight, and perhaps the assault itself was the statement, but if so, she wasn't sure what the point of it was except to test their skills and powers. All that had really happened was that the zodiacs had cut down the little demons one by one, until their numbers had dwindled quietly. When the Phoenix came floating down, tallying up their scores, it almost made her feel uneasy, as if the whole thing had been staged, but she knew better. Their "scores," she supposed were the most important outcome... probably.

She wondered slightly what more to the meeting Moon Bong hadn't managed to finish saying, but perhaps the most annoying thing was that he was postponing it while they figured their way around earth. She had not been on earth since she had become a zodiac, and she had nothing but awful memories of it. She had not prepared a place for herself in this hellish mortal world, but she had assumed that the worst that could happen was having to fend for herself as a rat, again. When Min-Jee offered her own home for whoever didn't have a place, though....

Eun-byul stayed quiet as everyone naturally split themselves up, and finally she made her decision. As the taxi pulled up to the group, the Rat held out her hand and raised her voice, smiling sweetly and striding forward. "Wait for me, Minjee-ah. I'm going with you, if you don't mind. I don't have a place to stay either." They would see if the Cat truly had changed enough to say aloud that she wasn't welcome, as she'd no doubt think to herself at least.

 

[Spekkun]

There is joy to be found in all the world.​

---

Each pat Min Jee gave Dae Jyung was the best pat he ever had in his life. Every pat was the best pat he ever had in his life! The dog zodiac stayed close to the cat, practically leaning against her leg, his tail whipping back and forth as he waited to go. When she called that she was ready to go, he was quick to rush towards the street, ready to hop in the cab when it came.

But of courses, he forgot his manners! He turned around, practically jumping when he did, and inhaled deeply. "Goodbye everybody who's not going to Min Jee's house! I'll see you later! Good luck in the race and be safe! Have fun! Don't get into trouble! Stay away from black cats, they'll steal your luck!" He started to face the road again but his head snapped back once more. "But not Min Jee! She's not the luck stealing kind!" Phew! He didn't want to offend her by grouping her in with those kind of cats. Those kinda cats were bad news!

---

@Greenie

 

[Greenie]

*

Min Jee blinked in surprise. Was Eun-byul actually talking to her? Why? Why not go ahead with Haneul, Hyun-Ki and the others? She didn't trust her former friend, not a bit- being pushed to ones death did that to a person. And yet... the cat did not want to seem petty. Her pride versus her inner anguish... and naturally her pride won. She didn't want the other to see her anything but strong.

Plastering a smile on her face as she moved her hand away from Dae Jyung's furry head, Min Jee looked to Eun-byul and gave her a small nod. "Of course, there's enough space for you, there should be enough space in the taxi as well." The words were spoken just as the car came to a stop.

Min Jee quickly opened the passenger door, poking her head in to look at the man. "There's a few of us," she said in a slightly apologetic. "They're my... family." That was the easiest way to explain it. Looking back to the others, she nodded towards the taxi. "Let's go, I know I for one could use some sleep."
​

@MaryGold
@SkittlesAndSpike
@firejay1​

 

[MaryGold]

Hyun Ki

Interaction: Haneul, Iseul || Mention: Min Jee, Moon Bong, Ae-ra, Dae-Jyung
​

Haneul was absolutely one of the kindest out of all the Zodiacs. Hyun Ki would even dare to say that he was the best because unlike some softer Zodiacs he was a lot more cautious about himself. Unfortunately, altruistic beings like Soo and especially Junho, did not have that common sense. It made Hyun Ki wonder how on earth, quite literally, he was able to survive. Humans didn't have the best reputation for being kind and reasonable. And he should know, he taught a class full of elementary students. They were a handful. And always constantly making him worry, but not as much as he found himself worrying about this dummy bunny.

Breathing a sigh of fresh and dry, though still cold, air, Hyun Ki offered a small and soft smile at Haneul. "Thank you, Hanuel-ah." He really couldn't say that enough. Not only did he offer to give them a ride, but he had also cleared the rain. Hyun Ki couldn't have asked for me, even if the rabbit was already wet, it was better that he no longer get constantly rained on. No doubt, he would still catch some sort of cold -- if he hadn't already -- but Hyun Ki would do his best to minimize how sick he got. Which meant there was no more time to waste.

No more time to waste ...

Why did it just now dawn on him that receiving a ride for Haneul would mean riding on top of him? In the sky? It wasn't as if Hyun Ki was scared .. it was just ... Ox's weren't meant to fly. He was a creature of the earth. And as a creature of the earth, part of him wondered if it was already too late to turn Haneul down and suggest them all to take a taxi like Min Jee and the others. Besides Moon Bong was giving the group an exasperated look. It was quite clear the Phoenix wasn't very keen on letting them fly through the air.

But then ... when Hyun Ki looked down at the shivering rabbit ion his arms and saw how ready Iseul was to go and how helpful Haneul was being, how could he chicken out -- no offense to Iseul. "Okay. We're getting on now." Hyun Ki stated the obvious as he stepped forward before stopping to watch Ae-ra hop on board with ease. She was practically dancing on top of Haneul. He would have to push forward with his ridiculous fear of heights and climb aboard.

Firstly, the Ox set Junho on top of Haneul before just as easily swinging himself aboard as well. Once he was on, he sat behind Junho and wrapped his arms around him tightly. Just so he wouldn't fall, no other reason ... so they both wouldn't fall. What if they both fell? "Iseul!" Hyun Ki spoke up. "Maybe you can use your strings as seatbelts, please ..." He had no idea how Haneul flew. The dragon seemed calm, but perhaps he was just as boundlessly excited as Dae-Jyung when he was in his element.

Tagged: @SkittlesAndSpike @Iceydaze @CrystalTears @firejay1 @Greenie

---

Seoyeon

Interaction: Haneul || Mention: Iseul, Ae-ra
​

SeoYeon scoffed. It was directed at both the spider and the rooster. Iseul was lucky that she wasn't in the mood for deep fried chicken tonight. And he also saved her dear servant Ki. She didn't know Ae-ra that well just yet, so she left her be too. The snake wasn't who personally went looking for trouble anyway. Least of all after what happened today. With the attack of the demons who Moon Bong would be investigating and the start of the race that would bring new havoc, she would have to rest for the start of this thing. So, for now, she would leave the rooster and spider be.

Everyone was preparing to leave. From what she saw, the tiger had already left them and so had Joon. That damn roommate. The idiot Moneky was talking to Moon Bong about one thing or another. The Phoenix didn't look as if he was heeding any of the Monkey's words. Seoyeon saw no reason to stay here, not now. There was a lot to be done in the morning.

Her eyes looked between both the taxi and the dragon. She decided to go to the dragon route. Sure that moronic skinny legged chicken would be there, but so would Ae-ra and she hadn't finished talking to her yet. "Wait for me." She strolled over and expertly hopped onto Haneul's head. She sat with her legs folded and her arms crossed over her chest as she inspected the spider girl. How did someone with such terrifying power look so innocent? Demons were so strange.

Tagged: @SkittlesAndSpike @Iceydaze @firejay1

---

Soo

Interaction: Dae-Jyung || Mention: Eun-Byul, Min Jee
​

So Eun Byul would be tagging along? Soo would be lying if she said she wasn't at all surprised by that. She held no ill feelings toward the rat but she also knew that the rat and cat didn't have the best history with one another. Of course, none of them really knew what happened between them except for the two themselves. But the rest of them had a pretty good guess that might as well be the truth. Still, it looked as if she was making an effort to make amends. Or perhaps Soo was thinking too much into it.

"The more the merrier," Soo decided with a little smile. It wasn't as if it was her choice to reject or accept Eun Byul anyway. And she did hope that they could all get closer in spite of whoever won this race. It was the one blessing, that they all get drawn together or they would be pulled even further apart. Soo that the former was happening so far.

She patted Dae-Jyung's head once and softly to gather his attention once more. "Let's go." She repeated Min Jee's command before leaving his side and slipping into the back seat of the taxi. She hoped the driver didn't mind his seats getting wet because Soo was soaked. Thanks to Haneul, however, she hadn't taken on any more rainwater. She also wondered if the man noticed that bit of clearing too?

Likely not, humans couldn't even see demons. They could, however, see the disturbances they caused.

Tagged: @SkittlesAndSpike @Greenie @firejay1

 

[Iceydaze]

Iseul "Izzie" Kim

Watching Haneul transform into his original form was definitely a wonder to behold. Simply watching him soar around freely left Iseul feeling both envious yet excited as he anticipated the joy that was to come. He had always wished to fly. The Emperor had gifted him wings long ago yet he lacked the ability and was forced to watch birds come and go as they pleased while he remained grounded indefinitely. His eyes lit up at the thought of finally getting a taste of the skies as his mood brightened considerably. Like a flower in bloom, a rare smile graced his features, giving him an air of warmth.

With a practiced wave of his hands, he released countless of threads and whipped off the ground, landing behind the overeager spider. Not once did the thought of plummeting to his death mid ride ever come to mind. Haneul's scales were a little slick from the rain but not to the point that anyone should fall off at any point. It wasn't as if they were human after all. When Hyun Ki brought the issue to his attention, Iseul couldn't help but crease his brows in confusion. To his knowledge, the ox was undoubtedly one of the stronger members in the group. For him to worry about falling was strange to say the least. However, one look at Junho's frail state and all doubts were set to rest in the back of his head.

Without hesitation, Iseul carefully crafted makeshift straps to keep both the rabbit and the ox safe from any unexpected turbulence they may experience. Not too worried about himself, Iseul took a seat, his long legs crossed before him and leaned back onto his palms. Focused on the skies that Haneul cleared for them, Iseul finally noticed that Haneul would pose a challenge himself later. Since the dragon kept to himself a lot, it was hard to properly gauge the extent of his abilities. Although the thought worried him, his appreciation for the free ride outshone any worries that came to mind. All was well with the world for the moment. Even the annoying spider demon twirling mindlessly on Haneul's head didn't bother him in the slightest. "The sooner we go, the better. We're all ready when you are, Haneul."

---

Zodiac:
Interactions:

Location:
Extra:

Rooster
Hyun Ki @MaryGold Junho @CrystalTears Haneul @SkittlesAndSpike
The Lotus Room
Attire & Ppo Ppo

 

[CrystalTears]

Park Junho

Location:
The Lotus Room

---

Interaction:
Hyun Ki, Haneul & Iseul

---

Mentions:
Ae-Ra

---

Tagged:
@SkittlesAndSpike @MaryGold @Iceydaze @firejay1

In hindsight, Junho should have known better when Haneul offered to take them back to his apartment. Unlike the rabbit, the dragon hadn't spent most of his time together with the humans or even attempted to live like a human. Haneul didn't think twice about transforming in the middle of the street, granted he was a very beautiful and majestic dragon. The teal colored scales, in a funny way, matched the ocean that Haneul resident in, but Junho thought the scales were even prettier than the ocean. Junho would never be able to swim in the ocean, as it would be too cold for him, but this was as close as he could get without a long period of sickness following suit.

Junho seemed to be the only one knowing that this wasn't the best way to travel, the girl that had attacked recklessly earlier, was all too eager to jump on top of Haenul's lowered head to get herself a dragon ride.

"Hyung!" Junho exclaimed somewhat panicked. "Maybe this isn't--" then again. It would be rude of him to disregard Haneul's actions, especially after he transformed, and Junho should have picked it up from the context clues earlier. The only one here who was the closest to "flying" would be the wind manipulator himself. "Nevermind," the rabbit ended up saying with a smile. "Thank you for your troubles," the younger ended up thanking and gave the dragon a polite bow. It wasn't too easy to do so in Hyun-Ki's arms, but it worked out nonetheless.

He could tell that Hyun-Ki was a bit nervous, on second thought, wasn't the Ox afraid of heights? Junho decided not to voice it out loud, he didn't want to rub it in, and he was very grateful for his assistance. Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing his wheelchair got smashed, it would be pretty hard to balance that on top of a dragon. He took a small peek down to his useless legs. They were still bleeding a bit, but the cold rain had helped stop it. Considering how he was about to have guests over, Junho wished that he looked a little bit better and that they didn't have to take care of him. He had such a frail body, which hadn't changed over the hundreds of years, but his legs had. A little bit thankful that he couldn't feel the pain in them now, he did wish that Hyun-Ki didn't need to carry him and Iseul fasten him to the dragon.

"Thank you Iseul hyung, but. . . shouldn't I make the tea?" Junho decided to make an attempt of treating his guests at his own apartment once more. "It feels a bit weird to have guests over and have them prepare the tea. I'll try my best to make it how you like it!" The rabbit insisted though he had a feeling that Iseul wouldn't budge.

 

[Spekkun]

There is joy to be found in all the world.​

---

"Sleep? Sleep sounds good...especially after food!" Dae Jyung jumped into the cab without much care. He did try his best to make sure he didn't get anyone else wet, even though they already were. "When we get there, I'm gonna pass out!" He was saying that now, but it was more likely that once he got there his energy reserves would be full once more and he would find something else to occupy his time. For now, however, the dog shifter made himself comfortable in the cab and tried his best to keep his tail from going nuts and whacking his friends.

---

Strength has more than one form.​

---

"Huh?" Haneul's eyes shifted upwards as he tried to look at the girl spinning on top of his head. She was the girl that had shown up out of nowhere. He wasn't sure precisely as to who she was, but he was surprised that she would simply jump on his head without a second thought like that, not that he minded much. Her spinning wasn't causing him any discomfort, and if no one else complained about her coming with, then surely it was okay, right? "I suppose we have another tagging along, then." He chuckled.

"Please do hold on tight everyone. I shall do my best to ensure that the ride is smooth and comfortable for you all, but also that we make it to our destination in a decent amount of time." As he spoke his serpentine body began to move as he began to fly into the air. "Goodbye Min-Jee, Dae Jyung, Eun-byul, Soo, Moon Bong! Please do take care and good luck in this race! I hope to see you again soon!" And with that, the dragon took off, soaring into the sky. He took care not to fly too fast or high, in case the rain were to become a thunderstorm, but he did not take his time either. The wind roared as he flew, and his passengers were able to see the water streak by around them, doing its very best to avoid touching anyone on the dragon's back.