the sound of air being cut alongside some soft notes was familiar to aero, the weight of the staff was a bit different but he could adjust with time. putting his practice to a stop he affixed the staff to his back before heading towards his room he had to change clothes, the Grinine, for the most part, wore animal product clothing. females usually had plain clothing, short sleeve loose shirts, and high cuff pants. on the other side, males wore highly decorative togas. this difference in style was for one simple reason male skin, for they to carry during pregnancy and after their skin had to be a certain texture or young wouldn't survive long. that and they didn't do much work.

their skin was maintained by a certain amount of air flowing under their clothing, this clue aero into how he should dress when lose togas was a bad idea, like when he was hunting dangerous animals. the fabric offered little protection, and ones that did weren't loose enough and would give him rashes from the lack of air. after many weeks he found a solution, clothing he could change make tighter or losses depending on what he needed.

his mother made it very decorative but practical, keeping it in the loose state aero went to join the team. they were waiting at the front of the choose, "oh!" seeing them a realization struck him he fought all of them before and won. their names were escaping him at the moment but he remembered ab ti about the fights. "are you sure you wish to come with us?" a share wielder girl Aero fought twice asked. "yes I'm sure now let's go or we'll miss our ride," he was already feeling tired.

they made it in time to get on the carriage, the females were thankful silent for the first few petals then they started trying to talk to him." look I don't want to talk to any of you, especially you .... ax girl." the saber wielder seemed to notice something about what he said." do you not know our names?" aero was looking elsewhere he wasn't proud of this fact.

"hoe could you not know our names, we've all fought you before!" the chain wielder cried. aero turned to her slowly with a look of boredom," your fight didn't make an impression worthy of remembering your names." they all reeled from that his words stung, the look in his eyes stung. it hurt in a way they have never felt before, a guy so beautiful and skillfully didn't see them as anything worth remembering.

"our names are not worth remembering, that incredibly cruel." the ax girl commented, clutching all 8 of her fingers." how cruel, how very cru-" her words were cut off by aero laughing, a clear mocking laugh."I guess now you know how I felt, each one of you came up to me unprompted. each of you acted like a was lost that a made a mistake by choosing to come here. just because I'm a guy that meant I shouldn't fight, that I couldn't. even after I fought you and won your view of me didn't change, you think I'm fragile."

"you are fragile guys weren't meant to f-*crack!* she didn't see staff until the end smashed into her jaw. putting it on his back aero stalked toward the ax wielder, "listen here ax girl, the one deciding anything about me is myself. not else decided anything for me, no one has that right, not even my mother with how much I love her."

'control your pride, my lord,' the helper interrupted mostly to prevent a fight but his lord's pride energy was leaking out. " now keep your mouth shut or I will shut it," with that Aero returned to his seat and worked on calming himself down. the ax girl wanted to say something but saber put that to a halt, they rented the carriage so they had no right to destroy it in the fight that would surely happen if this line of conversation continued.

"So has anyone seen the news about the dancer?" aero and the ax girl stayed out of the following conversation actually aero didn't say a word to any of them the entire two-day ride in the carriage. 'my lord don't forget your goal in coming here,' aero grumbled that he knew what he had to do. he just wanted to do it less than before.

"listen up I'm leading this mission!" his declaration caught shocked everyone." zaltess walk this plane that can not happen," the ax wielder was the first person to respond. "why because I'm a guy?" he reached for his weapon. when the ax wielder the saber wielder stepped between them, "why do you want to lead?"

"I want to experience leading!" Aero told them plainly hand still on his staff ready for a show of force." all alright, they say you never learn without trying." then saber forcefully moved ax away from Aero until they were out of the male's hearing range." why did you agree to that? a guy shouldn't lead." saber held up a hand to after being whisper yelled up. "maybe you're right about that. I'm not too sure but the fact is that he's stronger than any of us, or need I remember he hit you before anyone could react!"

ax grumbled something unpleasant," look when the mission is completed I won't stop you from doing whatever you want." saber then walked back aero, "what's our first course of business?"

"information what do you all know about Derks," they complied with their information the one who knew the most was tonfas wilder. she knew their tracks, diet, and preferred habitat. "okay that should be good stay in hearing range and spread out, look for the tracks." aero turned towards the high grasslands before and marched forward not looking back to see if they followed or not. saber tonfas and crossbow followed, "I can't believe this," ax growled out before following into the grass.

"they go through this area a lot," aero mumbled looking over the tracks he found. they pretty fresh at least a day old though, staying low he filled the track seeing where they went. he followed them right up to a pile of bones, at least they weren't Grine bones. studying the bone he was able to determine how long they've been laying here, not every long seeing as there were still bits of meat attached.

"you know being a leader means following your own orders right," saber stepping out of the grass looking over the bones. "I'll have to remember that fact," he asked if she found anything of interest "same thing you found tracks and bone."

"mm, let go check in with the others," two meals in this area meant they were more than a few Derks or a few were staying in the area both were bad things. Derks weren't totally social animals preferring small groups, which lead to exceptions mean bad things for them. Derks were also mobile creatures moving all the time even in their sleep.

"I have two ideas of what going on, saber looked at him to go one," one is mating season the other is afterward." he didn't have to explain to her why both these were bad, the first meant very horny and temperamental Derks the later when Derks that were protecting there young. both promised a difficult battle if they got caught, finding the members of their team they shared information." so what the plan leader?" ax asked mockingly aero ignored her and turned to tonfans asking her what she knew about derk habits during and after mating season.

"they stay near large bodies of water to keep any young they have safe, it also helps feed them with aquatic plants." crossbow spoke up after her," I know this area a bit and there a late body of water about seven-length north or northwest from here." aero sighed before tightening his clothing.

"Unfortunately," we have to lay eyes on them to complete the mission so be very quiet and ready to fight. stay hidden in the grass and don't bleed." with his orders done they moved out as quietly as they could, aero remained completely focused keeping an ear out for anything other than them. seven lengths weren't that hard to cover but trying to be a silent as possible added a few petals.b

"may the zalts help us!" the number of Derk was high Aero kept losing track a 50, "this will be a stamped soon." aero agreed with saber this was stamped soon, they need to retreat and send a message so this Derk could be slathered before they slathered a village or a city.

"well I guess there wasn't much to your strength!" ax commented as they retreated. "well that just proves I best you in brains and brawn, I don't even have to say anything about looks." he didn't even look back at her leading the retreat, he probably should have and he could have stopped her next action," I will not take that even if you are a male!"

"oh no!" crossbow said interrupting the silence that filled the girl yelling, they weren't out the drek's hearing range." run!" ordered all of them abandoned any notion of stealth breaching into full sprints aero took up the back unsheathing his staff. "create instructions!" they didn't understand what he went until he was humming a melody one most students at the school knew.

the end of his staff coated in a fireproof and clear residue caught alight, swinging the burning end he clipped a derk the had gained on them. a low swing spread the fire the grass scaring the beast and allowing him and his team to gain a better lead." you set the field on fire what if it spreads!" ax yelled at him.

"This is you fault so sip it, also this place had to have rained recently or the ground wouldn't be this soft!" ax twitched because he was right about the second thing she would deny the first. the continued running leaving unleashing obstacles or diversion when the derks caught up, which was often because they were fast.

seeing the end of the grass coming insight Aero started another melody between his rapid breathing. the moment he passed the border he unleashed the melody's power, fire much stronger than before took the form of a wave it burned the grass and the derks that followed. the grass was quickly turning into a sea of flames but he didn't care.

joining the other on the cart the first thing he did as it started to move was socking the ax wielder, once she was on the ground he turned to the others. "anybody hurt?" they shook their heads looking at the ax wielder got on her feet, "good now who want to give are report because that seems like a fun conversation."

"Why don't you*grunt* give it dear leader!" ax climbed to her knees only before aero to use her as a chair. "I know exactly what their gonna say if I talk to them, something about me not being able to handle it because of my gender and that I should retire my fighting career actually there gonna say that no matter who talks to them but if I go there's gonna be a fight!" he sounded resigned to this fact but also incredible annoyed.

"not it!" saber declared a moment later. crossbow filled her example, " the zaltes have abounded me!" tonfan groaned no one of them knew that ax going to be the one to make the report, they weren't even sure if they were gonna see her again.

"What kind of gift should I bring to her burning?" crossbow whispered to saber who smacked her on the arm. "he's not gonna kill her, he gonna put her in a medic center though." the later he done many times to many people. the carriage ride was silent except for the grunt from ax as she tried to get out from under aero but after a few petals he knocked her out with a blow to her spine which she recovered from quickly so he did it again.

when they arrived at the school they went there different way except for ax who was out for the moment.' my lord I should say that the girl with the ax had pride energy overflowing, the beast has already noticed and is trying to take advantage of it but the companion interference is still running strong.'

"interference?"

'yes as instead of dealing with every overflowing pride they created a way to interfere with the beast's attempt to content to said pride.' Aero hummed as he arrived at the weapons workshop, he needed to redo the fireproof resin plus he wanted to see how if there was any danger from its first time using it, besides in training.

"Could I use the interference?" the helper told him no,' with the current level of your abilities it would take your life. you must grow much more before you can, but the good news is that your lord level has grown' Aero steps faltered hearing this information.

"why? I didn't do that much leading," frontally the helper knew exactly what to say, 'making sure no one is left behind that is the action of a leader. you stay at the back to defend and to make sure no one got left behind even though you could have left them all in the dust. when you were helplessly outmatched you ordered a retreat to not risk the lives of your team.'

"oh," he didn't think those meant much but apparently they were leader-like. "okay what should I do?" he asked the helper as he pulled the fireproof resin from the shelves and a brush to apply it with,' the best thing for you to do is deal with that ax girls pride before the beast uses her to attack you. and before you say she, not a threat the would give her strange but powerful abilities'

applying the last of the resin, "okay I will deal with her. but mostly because it just another reason to send her to the medic center!" he hopped she was ready.