Commander Yun

All the teams entered the playing field in different areas. A whistle sounded, indicating it was time to start the game. Yun led the team into part one of the outer reaches of the forest, away from the cave they saw earlier. The crew that set up the forest the night before the game did a thorough job, and included a river that ran through the center of the field.

During their meeting, Yun had told the rest of the group, "Our first priority should be to establish a home base."

"What about that cave?" Rei suggested. "It would be a good place to hide all of us."

"That's what every other team will think as well. By making the players feel like they're in a forest, survival instincts will kick in. What is it that we search for to survive?"

"Shelter, food, and water," Kaida answered.

"Correct. I'm sure some teams will see that and move away from the center, but most teams will want to take hold of that cave as a home base."

"And we don't want to be caught in the middle of a potential shootout," Jun added.

Back in the forest, Jun sent Alba to scout for any spots that could be used as a base. Yun turned to Kaida and asked, "Could you send Yami on a mission for me?"

"Sure what is it?"

"Don't take this the wrong way but right now, having him with us will draw attention due to his size. I think having him scout out other teams will be beneficial for us in the long run, and having him fly everywhere will make it difficult for other teams to pinpoint our location."

"I see," Kaida agreed and sent Yami on his way. It wasn't long after Yami had left that there was the first round of gunfire. "Already?"

"It came from the direction of the cave!" Kei exclaimed. "You were right, Yun."

"Let's hurry." He commanded. "We need to get settled and build up our defense."

Alba returned sometime later and directed the group to a small hill with a big tree at the top. Yun looked around and nodded in satisfaction. "Well done Alba. Being higher up will prove to be an advantage for us, and we can use the tree to look out over the forest." He turned to the others. "This will be our base. I doubt that any other team has made it to this area yet, especially with all the gunfire we've heard so far. Let's use this time to set up and take action."

Everyone moved to help set up their base for a strong defense. Using Asa's cloth, Rei and Kei tied branches together to make shields to hide behind. Jun strapped some of the shields to Dallas for him to pull up the hill. Together, Kaida and Yun placed the shields around the big tree. This provided a sort of fort for everyone to hide if they needed to retreat. During this time, gunfire consistently sounded throughout the arena.

"Yun, how many teams do you think are out by now?" Jun asked.

"My guess would be nearly twenty," Yun bit his lip. "Someone is on the move."

Once they finished, the team gathered around to hear their assigned positions. Kaida and Jun would be on the front lines, walking around and shooting at anyone they found. To everyone's surprise, Yun requested that Asa go along with them. "While Yami is out keeping other teams distracted on our location, Kaida is without her mythical creature. And for this type of game, Asa is one of the best creatures we've got. She is the most maneuverable and has some combative skills. I think Asa will be a huge asset to Kaida and Jun while they're out in the field."

Kaida noticed a concerned look on her friend's face. "Don't worry, Rei. Nothing will happen to Asa."

"It's not Asa I'm worried about, but you and Jun," Rei said sadly. "Asa knows you well and everything but she doesn't have a bond with you. What if she can't help you?"

"I have to say I'm disappointed. I trust her, Rei." Kaida put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "And you should too."

"Trust?" Rei shook her head. "You're right. I don't know where my mind has gone." She turned to Asa. "I'm sorry, I let my nerves take over. Do your best out there ok?" Asa gave a mumble which Kaida guessed meant yes.

As Kaida, Jun, Dallas, and Asa made their way back into the forest, the others stayed to hear their positions. Rei was to go on lookout duty up in the tree while Kei, Matsume, and Alba were to walk around the area and look for anyone heading their way. "What about you Yun?" Kei asked.

"I'm going to be setting traps."

"Traps?"

"Yep, Shuji didn't say it was against the rules to trap and then shoot."

"I don't know," Kei said. "It seems underhanded."

"I think it's a good idea," Rei countered. "This way we don't have to worry about getting shot at by the people in Yun's traps."

"Yes, and it improves our chances of keeping everyone on the team from getting out."

"Alright then. I'll begin checking the premises right away." Kei led Matsume and Alba around the hill to scout the area.

Yun watched Rei climb up the tree before leaving to construct his traps. As he walked, a surge of pain ran through his chest. He clenched his shirt and continued making his way into the forest. "I wonder if Kei is doing alright?" He asked himself. The medicine that they had received from Kaida that morning was wearing off.