"I think we can pick out five… no four so that we have a total of five residents working with us. Hopefully you can help me pick which ones exactly we want, but with a few people we can start working on a n," suggested Green.


    "Hmm… yes that sounds like a good idea," said Tophat "How did you pick me for this? I believe that I''ve met expectations well and I do hope we can repeat the process."


    Green shrugged and said, "Honestly it was just the pocket watch. The rest of your outfit helped as well, but I was specifically looking for a Thyme with a pocket watch. Um… hmm…" Do I mention that everyone was swapping outfits? Sure, why not? "the thing is, before I entered into the fire ring everyone was changing their outfits around. I saw one of you with a pocket watch a few times in a row and was looking for another."


    Tophat looked concerned at this revtion. "You said this was before you entered the ring?" Green nodded, "Hmm… I don''t really know what to think about that. I… I don''t think I was ever not myself… but I suppose I wouldn''t really know in that panicked state would I? I wonder why our attire swapped around so much. I do notice that nobody is picking the same house multiple times in a row… which while weird is… eptable enough. Hmmm… I don''t really know what to make of it to be quite honest."


    <i>*Well you took that rather well. I''m d but… I don''t really know what to suggest now. Ignoring it? I mean really, what did I expect as an answer? Granted the chance they knew something was too good to pass up… but now I feel a little silly I was so hopeful.*</i> "Well… perhaps we should just focus on the others? Four people sound good? How do we want to pick them?" asked Green.


    Tophat looked at Green with a raised eyebrow at the tant attempt to switch topics. ''She'' wasn''t the biggest fan of just ignoring the bombshell Green had dropped on ''her'' but… there wasn''t exactly much to be done about it. Perhaps Green could carry ''her'' outside of the mes and then they could look back in… but what would that really aplish? Tophat could also see that it wasn''t happening anymore, though the housing thing was still strange. "Indeed… I suppose we want to pick them based on… usefulness perhaps? Take that guy for example," said Tophat.


    Green followed Tophat''s pointed finger to a wiry Thyme with baggy pants a long sleeve shirt and a nice pair of leather gloves that, while expensive looking, were also obviously well worn work gloves. "Yup I can agree with that. If we''re going for that sort of thing what about…" Green trailed off as she pointed to another Thyme. This one was about average height but had a nnel shirt on and arms that looked more like tree trunks then human limbs… and it wasn''t because of the dryad''s bark like skin texture.


    Tophat nodded, "Right, I think those are two good picks for lifting things. Is there anything else we might need or want to look for? I can''t really think of anything other than perhaps needing some of the stronger residents for lifting supplies, maybe logs. We might be able to build something to get across the fire and muscle always helps."


    Green thought for a moment before she spotted an old weary looking Thyme with grey hair. "What about that one? Maybe they know some secrets of the ce?"


    Tophat shrugged, "I''m not sure… this is a resort during part of the year and a logging camp during the rest." <i>*Well that answers that question,*</i> "but… for some reason I can''t remember which one it currently is. I do know I run the general store… however that''s it. If they stille around during logging season they have to be an old veteran and might be useful… but if they''re just here on vacation…" Tophat trailed off, point obviously made.


    Green tapped her foot a few times debating if it was worth it or not but ended up shrugging and saying, "I think it''s worth the risk. We need calm heads at the moment and even if they aren''t from around here their age should give them some experience at the very least. Personally I think it''s worth the risk. The question is… who do we want for the final person?"


    Tophat gave a sigh, "Honestly I don''t know. I''m leaning towards just… not bothering with the final person until we have a bit of a n. I like the three we''ve picked out. Two lots of muscle and a pinch of brains. If we find out we need more help we can recruit extras… but it''ll already be a bit of a mess with just three. We can''t be certain they''ll all want to help, or be calm enough to help. Now… who do we start with?"


    <i>? *Good question… I want to grab the older looking Thymest because I feel like with a big group they''ll be easier to convince. The other two… I can probably fight them if I need to but… there really isn''t anything personality wise to go on.*</i> Could be a gentle giant or a super macho man. "I guess we''ll just have to see. Now, shall we grab them together?" asked Green.


    "Sure," said Tophat. The two headed off together towards the closest choice which happened to be the buff Thyme. They walked up to ''him'' before circling the figure a few times looking for a response they didn''t get. Tophat motioned for Green to do whatever it was she''d done the first time, and Green frowned realising she''d been waiting for Tophat to do something, not realising Tophat had no real idea on the process to wake someone up despite it being so simple.


    Getting herself together Green shook the figure and had a split second to react to the fist that came swinging her way. It wasn''t overly fast and Green dodged it easily, but didn''t return strike, she simply watching carefully as Buff looked around with a somewhat dazed look on ''his'' face for a few seconds before the eyes cleared up and ''he'' said, "What… what''s going on?"


    "We''ll exin in a moment if that''s ok?" asked Tophat softly. Buff looked at the sound of the voice and seemed to think for a full minute before FINALLY nodding in eptance. With one more added to their numbers they moved over to the next target. The older looking Thyme was actually closer, but Green moved past them to the gloved Thyme, despite the funny look Tophat gave her.


    Green resolved herself to once again be the one waking them up, so a quick shake on the shoulder and Green was stepping back. This time the Thyme didn''t react violently instantly, just shaking their head a bit before their eyesnded on Buff and they stepped back into a defensive martial arts position, "I don''t want any trouble," said Gloves.


    Buff rolled they''re eyes and flexed a little bit but didn''t say anything, simply looking to Green for queues who promptly looked at Tophat. Tophat rolled ''her'' eyes but began speaking. "We''re locked in a ring of fire currently. We have deduced that a panic spell has been cast over the residents. We need either a way to leave the fire, perhaps a hidden tunnel, or by making something to get over the mes, or alternatively a way to remove the mes. Finding a water pump, or perhaps the artifact we believe is keeping the whole thing functioning."


    Gloves looked uncertain, "Well who put you in charge?"


    Buff shifted their body slightly to stand in the path between Gloves and Tophat, not blocking line of sight, but making their presence known should things get too heated. "Nobody really," said Tophat, "I wanted Green to continue leading but she seems to have past the buck off to me. I was just the first person she woke up."


    "Why ain''t she showing us around?" asked Gloves


    "Well SHE," interrupted Green, "is from outside of town. I''m here helping the firefighters but it''s not like I know any of you or theyout of this ce other than what I can see. I thought it was better to pass things off to someone else and Tophat looks like she knows that she''s doing"


    Green was a little surprised when ''Tophat'' just epted the name ''she''d'' been given. Didn''t react at all as a matter of a fact, just a nod at the start acknowledging Green was from out of the fire. Gloves frowned at this, "In that case, perhaps I should take charge. I know my way around quite well in fact."


    Buff just let out a slight growl as ''he'' leaned forward, showing they weren''t impressed with the suggestion. *<i>Dammit. We don''t even have thest member and they''re already fighting.. Bother.*? </i>