The Systems Challenge

The sky was starting to get covered by dark clouds when there was a massive echoing sound of something falling down. Elmo was only certain that it wasn't a tree. Not with how many he'd heard falling since he'd been in these mountains, not with how the bear had knocked so many down when it had started running.

He wouldn't deny that he'd hoped that it was the bear collapsing so they could all be done with this chapter of this lousy competition. Even if they didn't get anything for beating the bear, not having Stanley and his group continue to be around would be reward enough. Just because of how he felt Stanley treated him whenever Elmo was around or how Frank was rather hostile to pretty much anyone who wasn't in his group, and sometimes even then.

If it had been announced that Harold had been killed right after he'd been 'sent' to get firewood, Elmo would have thought that Stanley or Frank had killed him, but without that notice, Elmo had to assume Harold was alive. Though, as he listened to what Stanley and Frank said in annoyance under their breath, he had a feeling that they didn't really think much about Harold, with how they occasionally mentioned him and not in a very nice way.

"Uh, shouldn't we start looking for some kind of shelter?" Elmo asked, not sure if the clouds gathering above them were dark because of the time of day it was or if they were otherwise storm clouds. "I'd rather not be stuck out here if it starts raining."

"Don't be a pussy, you little twerp," Frank snapped, not even looking at Elmo. "If you're going to let the thought of a little moisture make you wet yourself then you're just going to be in our way and you should go back and wait with the other dead weight."

Elmo stopped walking. He had been willing to accompany the others since Jonas and Kim were either with the bear, or were currently at least in that general direction. Yet, with what Frank had just said, he decided he wasn't going to deal with that. If he did continue on with them, he was certain that he'd merely receive more of that same ridicule from Frank and Stanley and be stuck with their negative attitude.

"Don't feel obligated to continue on," Owen commented as her noticed Elmo stop. "Go back and help care for Sonya. I'm sure Heather and Elin will probably spend most of their time tending to her, so they'll at least need someone to help them collect food and firewood."

Elmo looked at him, feeling a little surprised. While he hadn't really thought much about Owen, he did have the sense that Owen hardly even noticed him. Despite the fact that he seemed to almost always know what anyone was thinking at any particular time.

"Take Bart with you," Patricia added as she stopped herself and Bart with a hand on his shoulder. "He's a good fighter and he'll probably end up getting in a fight with Stanley's group if he continues on with us." Patricia looked back towards Stanley's group. "If only because they seem to need someone to try and bully."

"I can help," Bart protested.

"Don't worry about us," Owen replied. "Helping the other three might be a bigger help right now. We have no idea what other dangers there might be right now and those are our best sources of any kind of healing, should that prove necessary."

Bart sighed, clearly unhappy with Owen's response, but either unable or unwilling to debate or argue with him on the matter. It was clear to Elmo that the kid wanted to go after the bear, though he couldn't quite understand what Bart had hoped to manage with his staff.

Elmo accepted that his staff was a deadly weapon in his hands, but up against a giant bear, Elmo wasn't sure how useful that would be. Or at least at the size the staff that Bart had. Especially considering how tough it had been for any of them to have damaged the bear up to this point.

"Look at it this way," Patricia said. "You can be the first line of defense if anything attacks them."

Elmo wasn't sure why, but Bart seemed to perk up at that, like he liked the idea. Though, Elmo wasn't sure what the likelihood of anything happening out here would be. Not with how long they'd been in these mountains for without having encountered any real problems.

Yet at the same time, he also couldn't put it past the people in charge of the competition to put something in the area out of the blue that would be a threat. After all, they had made it clear that they had the capability of doing something like that and they did seem rather sadistic at times.

Besides, dealing with Bart was much more desirable for Elmo than dealing with Stanley and his group. While he could imagine getting along with Thomas, he didn't see Thomas leaving that group. Though, Elmo wasn't sure why he put up with the others in his group, he also knew that he ahrd a hard time understanding why people did certain things at times. So, this merely was just another item to add to that ever growing list.

Elmo didn't pay attention at Bart saying his farewells to Owen and Patricia. He doubted that it would take long, but he also wondered if he really should wait around. Stanley and his group certainly weren't waiting for Owen and Patricia, even though Elmo was confident they were aware of what they were doing. Yet at the same time, because they weren't waiting, he felt like it was more important for him to wait. If only to set an example as to what should be done and how different he was from Stanley and his group.

"Ready?" Bart asked miserably, pulling Elmo out of his thoughts.

"Yeah," he replied, not sure what else to say. Especially with how unhappy Bart clearly was with the situation.

Elmo knew it wouldn't take them long before they returned to where they'd left Elin, Heather, and Sonya, but for some reason, he felt like it might almost be too far. Not that he had any clue as to why he felt that way. Just that the sensation was there.

Both of them walked in silence and Elmo was at least pleased to listen to the ambient sounds of the mountains around them. The birdsong and sounds of small animals in the underbrush somehow felt comforting, despite how foreign it all was to Elmo. He knew that he'd still prefer to be back home in an urban or suburban environment, but right then, it the environment around him felt calming somehow.

"What do you think Stanley's about?" Bart asked suddenly as the sky continued to get darker. "Think he might turn on us at any point?"

Elmo shrugged. Reading other people was not his forte and he certainly wasn't going to try and figure that out right then. However, he also wasn't sure what response he should give. Especially since he had a feeling he should give one.

"Uh… I-I'm not… that is…" Elmo stammered and stuttered, feeling like he was making a bigger problem than he had initially with the subject.

Bart instead merely sighed. "Yeah, I thought as much," he commented, like he hadn't expected any different from Elmo.

Which left Elmo unsure as to whether he should feel insulted, if he was being belittled by the kid, or if Bart was merely remarking on his read on Elmo. Which was a situation that Elmo had never been able to figure out how to resolve on his own. Even now, he felt at a loss as how to read the situation altogether.

Yet, rather than making him feel even more alienated, somehow, it made it feel more at ease around Bart. He couldn't explain it, it was merely that somehow he felt like he could relax around Bart more than even he had around his family. Much like he had around Elin, though not so much as with Jonas. Despite his best efforts.

When they were mere minutes away from coming into view of Elin, Sonya, and Heather, both of them stopped as a sudden noise to their right pulled their attention to a large bush by a copse of trees nearly encompassed by dark shadows. By the amount of rustling, it was clear that it wasn't just another small creature moving through it.

Elmo unconsciously stepped behind Bart, though he didn't really feel threatened by whatever was in the bush. He couldn't explain it, just that he still felt rather relaxed. Although, there were times when his instincts had failed him, which had gotten him beat up several times in high school, he still didn't feel like he needed to worry.

The sun had already gone down, making all the shadows to continue to grow and deepen as night started to fall. The evening announcement hadn't yet occurred, though Elmo wasn't sure when it might happen. He barely started to think about that when something emerged from the bush.

It looked to be a young man, though Elmo had a hard time telling from the shadows. As far as he knew, it was an adult, but it was at least clear that he didn't have a weapon of any sort.

Still, Bart readied his staff, clearly not letting his guard down.

"I'm sorry to bother you like this, but I'm looking for my sister," he said, making Elmo wonder why he thought that either of them might know anything about his sister. Although, given their surroundings, Elmo couldn't say that the young man had many options. Given how they were essentially in a wilderness.

"Who are you?" Bart asked, his tone making Elmo wonder if he'd attack if the young man didn't answer.

"I am Grisha. My sister is Elysia. Have you seen her? I-I don't even know if she's here. All I know is that I was suddenly pulled here from our parent's nest," he answered, the desperation in his voice making Elmo wonder if maybe this young man was even in his right frame of mind.

Besides, what did he mean by 'our parent's nest?' While Elmo felt like the name Elysia was familiar, he couldn't quite place it. There were just a few things about this young man that screamed that it was involved with the competition, yet at the same time things that Elmo just couldn't explain or understand.