Ariana Hasani
Jia clapped his hands together gleefully but Aria... well, she didn't share his enthusiasm. Now it wasn't anger or disbelief Ariana felt; it was more of a "this-isn't-going-to-work-out-well-but-there's-nothing-I-can-do-but-accept-it" feeling. Surrender, perhaps. Either way she merely nodded her head. "If that's what you feel is wisest, Master Jia." she said in a quite monotone as she straightened up, no longer leaning on the chair from a moment ago.
This, however, did not see to be the correct answer to Tatsuo.
"What?! You're kidding me right?! This has to be some sick joke!" Tatsuo yelled in fury and disbelief, "I'm Tatsuo Dread the Dragon Slayer- the freaking Komodo! I don't need a team! Especially not with this jack off! He'd only hold me back!" He shouted accusingly, pointing at Dyandin (though there was really no one else he could've been referring to). Dyandin, ignoring this, put in his two sense; "I rather refrain from agreeing with the housepet's beliefs, but he's right about forming a team being redundant." however was barely heard as Tatsuo was becoming increasingly more enraged. And unfortunately Aria could feel it, with or without her emotional sensing abilities, and it was beginning to have an effect on her. "I don't need a team, I don't need anybody! Other people can't keep up with me!" He screamed, and Aria could feel her body starting to shake despite her increased efforts to ignore it. She should leave. She should leave right now.
However, as she calculated the possibly of her slipping out of the room without drawing any further attention to herself, someone's hand shot out and grabbed Aria's shirt collar and she was pulled over to the infuriated Dragon Slayer with the call of "Hey you, purple girl! Hey!" Roughly turning her to face him, Aria found herself staring directly into golden eyes with her own lavender (and significantly widened) ones. "Tell him you don't want a team. Tell him you got it under control!"
Aria opened her mouth. She wanted to say that Jia was the Master and he knew best, or that she was inexperienced and for a more dangerous mission it would only make sense that someone accompany her (though, perhaps not these people....). A small part of her wanted to straight up tell him No and especially to let her go. But she was unable to speak. The mark over her chest was burning like a branding iron and everything had suddenly become blurry. 'The Curse... His anger, my fear... It's activated the Curse.' were the panicked thoughts that were racing through her head, 'Stay strong. Stay conscious. C'mon Aria, get a grip. Please... don't have an episode here, now, in front of everyone. Focus...' But her body was shaking badly as she gaped at the Komodo. To her relief Dyandin stepped forward, parting Tatsuo and Aria with a disgusted "At least act like a gentlemen when next to a lady, Ruffian." She took an unsteady step or two backwards before bumping into the chair she'd been leaning on a moment ago (gods bless this chair) and practically collapsed in it. 'Breathe. Breathe. Stay calm. Don't let him get to you.'
Dyandin, his good-deed-of-the-day completed, picked up the mission paper from the desk. "If the guildmaster wishes for it, I won't argue," He said, turning to leave the room, "My subjects may hold my baggage for me while I complete the mission. As for the rampallian, he may dig his own grave." Miya turned and followed him out, apparently having no qualms with the concept of forming a team. Aria heard her introduced herself to Dyandin as they exited.
Meanwhile, Jia made a general motion with his hands indicating that Tatsuo calm down - who was understandably infuriated that Dyandin had just turned his weapon into dirt again. "Tatsuo, this isn't... fear, is it?" he said suddenly with a small, knowing smirk, as if this peculiar realization had just dawned on him, "I mean, it's one thing to pick a fight with someone and duke it out with them directly, just one-on-one. But it's another thing entirely to test one's strength on the battle field against another opponent. You're not worried that Dyandin will prove to be a more efficient wizard and fighter than you, are you?" The tone of voice that lawyers would likely use on their opponents' client, as it was one that put Tatsuo in an unfavorable position; if he denied this claim or tried to insert a different reason, it would just make him seem more guilty of the accusation. It was a lose-lose situation and Aria might have felt pity for the Komodo... if she weren't currently trying not to have episode. Fortunately she was regaining control quickly.
Turning from Tatsuo again, leaving his words to linger, Aria saw the guild master's brows furrow and he started muttering to no one in particular. "Now, I feel like this team is missing something..." Jia mumbled to himself, tapping his chin slowly, "Hm... What is it? What is it?"
'Logical thought? Foresight, perhaps?' Aria thought to herself, but of course didn't dare say that out loud (not like she could from her position - her vision had only just cleared up, thanks to her breathing techniques, but she was still shaking like a Chihuahua). She glanced over at the Master and was somewhat... confused. He had this... confidence about him, despite his muttering, as if this were merely a part of an act. Not the normal powerful-guild-master confidence, but the confidence of a music writer with the first few notes on an otherwise blank page - it didn't seem like much, but in the writer's mind it was a masterpiece that was yearning to have it's story written. Like that writer, maybe the Master knew something she didn't.
Or maybe, just maybe, he enjoyed putting random people into teams without any regard for how well they'd function simply because he enjoyed watching them crash-and-burn.
...Okay, probably not that one, but she had only known him for a month so she couldn't say for sure.
Master Jia snapped his fingers, pulling Ariana out of her thoughts again. "Amaya. She'd be the perfect addition to the team." he said, then sat back down in his chair and leaned back, obviously very satisfied with himself. Aria sensed... more than just satisfaction, though. There was a smugness to his aura that again implied that he knew more than what he was revealing and it gave her the distinct impression that he had some kind of rhyme or reason for this seemingly "random" grouping. In fact, if she were to be extremely perceptive, it occurred to her that it was incredibly convenient that they'd all gathered in the same place at this particular moment in time.
"Make sure you all get Amaya before you leave on your new mission - Dyandin has all the details of your mission in his hand. Make sure no one is to be left behind. And, if Amaya has any questions, she's free to come to me about it before you all leave." Suddenly Jia was standing and busily ushering (well, more like forcibly removing) Tatsuo from his office, Aria having to almost dive out of the way. She had to admit, she was impressed by Jia's strength. "Now go on. The sooner you leave, the sooner the mission gets done. Hurry back, be safe, and don't kill you teammates." Were his oddly motherly parting-words as in a matter of moments, the four of them were outside the closed door of Master Jia's office once again. In a state of stunned silence, Aria looked between her new teammates, not entirely sure what she was supposed to do or think at this point.
"I... guess we're a team now." she said quietly to no one in particular.