A Zoo in the Fog (PersonaxZoophobia)

The 'Culture Club' and Zill's Appreciation

            Jackson eventually left the Velvet Room, his gear for the shadow world gone. Probably back at his home. He couldn't shake the feeling he had from before. The fear of loss, it shook his very core. Even to the point that he pretty much forgot the dip in the puddle he just took. He just walked on to school and kept his head down. The thoughts ran through his mind, Zill being killed by a shadow, the team failing to save who was in the TV, not being able to get Autumn in time before he took a hit, each of these scenarios ran through his head. May it be with different people or slightly different in some way, the worry just kept creeping up on him. Maybe he wasn't cut out for this. But he was one of the only ones who COULD do it. And without him in the TV world, his friends would be at a major disadvantage. Having someone with multiple personas, all of which that can hit any weakness a shadow has, it's one of the biggest advantages the team could have. Though Jackson felt another thing. Something akin to unworthiness. Like he wasn't the right person to hold this. He never did anything noteworthy in his life, so why him? All he could be noted as is that weird kid that keeps getting into freak accidents. All these thoughts were interrupted when someone placed their hand on his shoulder. It was Autumn.

"Jackson? Are you alright?" He asks. This prompted Autumn to look up at him. How long had he been walking? He was already in front of the school.

"Oh, yes. I'm alright. Shouldn't you be in class though? The bell is about to ring." Jackson said as he soon noticed the time. The bell for class was about to ring and everyone was getting to their classrooms.

"Zechariah wanted me to get you, and Zill and Kayla if they made it to school. But they don't seem to be showing up." Autumn said simply. "Are you sure you're ok? Are you anxious about what he'll choose?"

Jackson shook his head. "No... I mean, yeah! I am a bit anxious but that's not why I'm like this." He said, nervously rubbing his arm.

"... Let's talk after what Zechariah had told us what he's going to do." Autumn gives a reassuring little smile. Jackson felt a little envious. His cousin had died just a few weeks ago, but he seemed confident enough in what they're doing. All enough to smile. "I'm here if you ever need to talk. So is Zill or Kayla. Now c'mon. We shouldn't keep Zechariah waiting." Autumn began leading Jackson to Zechariah's office. Now Jackson couldn't help but smile. His worries being pushed back a bit. Autumn seems reliable, and seems to put trust in him. Even seems to regard him as a friend with the little time they've spent together.

"Hey, I could say the same to you too. We should be the ones supporting you." Jackson says, smiling up at Autumn.

"Well, friendship should be a two way street, right?" Autumn asks. "We should be able to share our burdens and be able to help each other mutually." Jackson gives a little nod. He couldn't agree more. He couldn't count all the times he has confided in Zill and Kayla, or the times they've confided in him. It was reassuring that he knows that he has friends that have his back. Autumn would knock on the office door, and Zechariah would open it up.

"Good morning you two. I take it that Zillion and Kayla couldn't make it?" The large cheetah asks. He seemed like he actually got some sleep, but how much was questionable. He probably spent some time researching what Jackson had told him about.

"No. Zill is tending to Kayla who is still very exhausted." Jackson said, a bit of the anxiety returning to him. "We'll... tell them about anything you tell us."

Zechariah nods, inviting the two into his office. They would both sit down in front of Zechariah's desk while he took his own seat. Even though the cheetah didn't have a chair. It would've been too awkward or uncomfortable for him. "So I have been reviewing the facts of both the case and what you told me Jackson, and I've come to a conclusion." The cheetah's smooth tone didn't give any hints of disapproval or approval. It worried Jackson to no end. Why did he have to say it like that? Why make him worry even more about the answer? If he's already decided, then just say it already! Jackson wouldn't have to wait too long for that answer though. "Seeing as how we can't give any authority figures the powers you both possess without putting them in immediate danger, I need to rely on you both." Zechariah gave a little sigh, regretting that he had to rely on students for this, but he had little other choice. The other choices he did have still involved them anyway. Jackson and Autumn couldn't help but sigh in relief. Seems like even Autumn held a deep worry in himself as well. "However, I wish to take a supervision role of your activities. It would be unwise to leave this alone." Zechariah then says.