"...but how could we get there? It's a pretty unknown place...it would take us quite a long time to find it."
"Zeta knows it...", Hazel piped up.
Ice turned around to her, eyebrows rised: "How do you know about that?" "Simple. He told it to me once." Chie clapped into her hands, excited. "That's great! He can help us with it then!" "Not so fast!", Ice raised his hands. "I am not so sure about this. Why would he even help us in the first place?" Chie rolled her eyes. "Isn't it obvious? Snow here can ask him for us. Would you?!" and she turned to the brown-haired girl. She grimaced a little, unsure if this was such a good idea. "I could try."
"I am still not sure about this. He is not really that cooperative..or much of a teamplayer."
"And not very keen about us either, don't forget that!", Chie added amused.
"I don't know what's so funny about that?!"
She just shrugged, ignoring his annoyed glare. "This is just how he is.", Hazel calmly exclaimed , while walking towards the door. "I see what I can do. I am not sure if he'll agree to my proposal, so keep that in mind." and left.
"Is it alright?", Sakura, who only had followed that conversation silently, asked.
Ice shrugged. "I guess so. She knows what she is doing."
"For some reason he seems to tolerate her. Like her even." Chie mused. "Some event must have happened between them we know nothing about."
"Maybe for the best." Chie laughed a little about Ice's audiable annoyance in his voice. He clearly didn't like Hazel being so friendly and close to someone like Zeta. But at the same time, he didn't want to know anything about it. Maybe this was just his way, to keep the peace of their little group. "What are we doing now?"
"We wait.", Ice answered Sakura accordingly. _
Hazel entered the large building, which used to be a storehouse. But got rebuild heavily to now act as Zeta's home. His and that of his men. A small group, but a strong one at that.
She carefully looked around, even though she knew she was allowed to enter and most of his members seem to have accepted her. But she knew not everyone around here liked her. For them, she was a nuisance. Someone who had to much influence on their leader. Hazel would personally deny such claims.
After a quick look however, she noticed that no one was here. "Hu...all of them gone?! I wonder if Zeta is even here then..."
Making her way up the stairs, she was checking every room she came across but found them all empty. "Guess not...", she sighed.
"You looking for me?!", a familiar voice suddenly piped up from behind her.
She jumped to the side, not excpecting for someome to be here.
"Still scared of me?!" She grimaced: "Yes, if you sneak up behind me like that!"
"Oh come on, I didn't sneak up behind you." But going from that amused smirk on his face, she knew exactly he did it on purpose.
"Anyway..." and he walked past her, to let himself plumping down on the armchair. "What do you want?"
"I didn't expect you to be here...with everyone gone, I thought you left too."
"Not answering my question..."
She sighed. "Right..."
_
"You don't like the guy, we know. You also like it even less if Hazel is with him."
"It's not that I have something against Zeta, Sakura.", Ice frowned.
"It's more like he can be quite 'moody', to put it simple. Even towards her."
"That..is true."
...
"I have a favour to ask you..."
"What favour?"
She felt a bit uneasy, with him watching her so intensely.
"We need to go to the far north..."
He narrowed his eyes: "The land of the Icedragon?!"
"Well, yes..", she nodded. "...and I know you have been there before."
"So I know the way there...right?!"
Hazel didn't reply, but nodded again.
"Tsk..."
Leaning more into his armchair, his eyes still focused on her: "And why would I want to help you or your friends out?"
"We believe there is someone of interest for all of us. One who holds a similiar power like we do."
"You told your friends that I know a safe way there, right?!"
Bemoaned to find the right words over his question, she avoided to look at him directly while answering: "I did. I thought it would be-..."
"Not interested." Hazel stopped, the undertone in his voice clear for her to hear. It didn't help that his eyes, still staring at her, added that he was annoyed.. angry even. That reminded her why people tried to avoid him. He was to handle with care and right now she knew it was best to leave. So she did.
Wordless she turned around.
"One of your friends is a dragon, right?! Ask her, instead of wasting my time!"
Hazel didn't reply and just left.
The little group looked up, when they heard a door opening. "You are back alrea-...oh, you don't look like it went well.", Chie frowned a little.
"What happened?", Sakura asked curiously.
"He doesn't want to help us out."
"By the look on your face, it doesn't seem like he just told you a simple 'No' as an answer?!", Ice mused, crossing his arms.
Hazel looked around a bit, nodding slightly: "I think he didn't like the fact I told you about him knowing a way there..."
"He got angry?!"
"Kind of."
Ice shook his head, feeling confirmed about his opinion over Zeta.
"That was predictable.", he scoffed. "You may want to keep your distance now. That guy is better off on his own."
"Ice...", Hazel started. "I know he doesn't seem like the nicest guy, but you know as good as I do that he's not a bad person."
He sighed, defeated.
"Maybe. But he doesn't give us much to work with. For some reason he still chooses to stubborn and be rather off by himself." Ice shook his head. "Whatever. We need to find another way to get to the far north."
"Don't you know a way there, Sakura?", Hazel asked, hesistating before adding "He thought you would be able to..."
The redhaired girl rolled her eyes.
"What a surprise. Because I am a dragon, I just HAVE to know right?! I don't, however. I grew up far away from there, in a complete different area." Hazel opened her mouth, but Sakura was faster. "Don't worry, Haz, I am mad about that guy, not you."
"He's difficult."
"I've got an idea!", Chie suddenly piped up.
"I do know someone who travelled around in many different places of this world. He may know." Ice nodded. "Good. Then we should pay him a visit..."
Zeta starred out of the window, lost in thought.
"Uh..Boss?"
He startled slightly, turning around to look at the one interrupting his thoughts: "What is it?"
"Uh..nothin'...but you seemed a bit absent-minded.."
Zeta shook his head. "I just got something on my mind."
He returned to look out of the window, when he noticed his gang member still hasn't left.
"You need something else?", he asked sharply.
"N-no Boss, all good!.." and he quickly walzt off.
Satisfied, Zeta went back to his thoughts.
He probably was too harsh with Hazel earlier. Just the fact she told something around...something he meant for her to keep it to herself. He sighed. Of course he didn't know how much she had told them... those were her friends after all and she only wanted to help them out...
Slowly, he started to smile a little. Perhaps there was a way to make up for it...
"What do you got there?", Chie asked curiously and tried to look at the little package Hazel held.
"We'll find out soon enough. Just let me unwrap it..."
Hazel looked surprised at the now opened package, when she saw a box with her favourite cookies.
"Oh! Who could have sent you this?"
"I don't know. I-..." It was then, when she noticed the little note which only read 'Sorry'.
"Is it from Zeta?!", Chie mused, after spotting the text on the note too.
"I bet it's from him. I knew he liked you!"
"Would you stop that already!", Hazel responded annoyed, if slightly embarrassed.
"Hey..we all like you too after all, right?!", Chie smiled innocently.
"We sure do!", Sakura agreed with a wink. "Only Ice is too busy liking someone else."
Ice, who just heard half of the last part, not knowing what the three girls were talking about: "What?"
"Nothing!" and all three laughed about his very confused face.
