[WP] "Yes! YES! YES!" They shouted in unison.

...

"Ahem- Alright." Five sets of eyes watched me from the polished stone table of the ornate room as I cleared my throat. "So, I called us all here today, because I figure its been long over-due for everyone all to sit down and discuss the recent events as a team."

Quiet nods of agreement met my words. I took that as a good sign.

"As the current leader of Adventure Team Barnacle, I'd like to officially thank everyone for being here- alive. I know we've had some close calls recently, what with the Holy Wall's Soldier battalion, the basilisk, the car crash, the royal Guards..." I trailed off, catching wind of lowering spirits. "But we're all here, we're royally employed, and we're all just fine."

A polite hand raised. Young Julius, a boy no older than sixteen by my best guess looked nervously at the sudden shift of attention. I gestured to receive the waiting question. "Yes, go ahead."

"W-why is the team name Barnacle?" He asked nervously.

I held back my grin with a serious reply, "That's because we're tenacious: we keep on hanging in there." Folding my arms, I surveyed the team with a confident nod. "It fits us perfectly."

"Well... I-I think we could have a better team name." Julius said, nervously, glancing at the others at the table with a bashful expression.

"I agree." The other youth at the table, a rougher looking boy with dark hair spoke up set his hand down loudly upon the stone, drawing away attention. "As Third in command and seniority of this Adventurer's Team, I second that motion: We need a cooler name." Lars rose up from his chair as he continued. "I mean, we killed a bloody Basilisk for god's sake: Team Serpent Slayers is a way better option."

"Now wait a second, Lars." I raised my voice in an effort to take control back over the situation. "We all agreed: No more Basilisks. Why would we change our team name to suggest that we might be killing more Basilisks?"

"Ah... well..." The rough looking youth scratched with an embarrassed expression at his wild-looking head of hair. "It wasn't that bad, was it?" Lars mumbled, innocently.

Beside him, Young Julius let his head slump to the table and a unanimous grown of displeasure uttered from the other present members. A shovel clanged loudly on the stone as my second-in-command spoke with finality for the rest of the group. "No. More. Basilisks."

Her ears twitched, as she left the odd choice of weapon where it lay- a fitting mockery of the round-table. Distantly, I saw several grateful nods from the others, Lars falling back to his seat with an unhappy expression.

"Fine. maybe it was." He accepted it quietly, almost giving up before I saw the spark of rebellion flame back to life. His eyes shifted their attention back to me, confidence suddenly restored. "But Julius is right. I still think we need a better team name."

"Hold up, listen here! Team Barnacle is a great name." I defended, pointing back to my trusted second-in-command, whose ears still appeared to be twitching slightly at distant memories involving giant snakes and dark tunnels. "It's a much better name than Goblin-stompers, or Ghoul-Squishers. Isn't that right Sola?"

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Glancing over, I found the look of support that I'd been banking on from my most-trust companion was instead a lackluster expression of indifference. At best, the Elf's shoulders shrugged, hands upturning with a half-frown and the slightest impression of pity.

"Well... not to be too critical, but Julius and Lars might have a point..." She replied. "The current team name lacks... Well, pizzazz you know? Nobody is going to remember a Barnacle."

As I glanced up in disbelief across the table, the two most silent members of my team remained stoic, beyond slight nods in the Elf's direction. Julius, Lars, Sola- and now the mages Eron and Sandra to boot.

It was a betrayal from all sides, as if the gilded rug of royal crests had been pulled out from beneath my chair.

"So... you really hate team Barnacle?" I sat down slowly, hands falling to my beard as they rubbing away the shock of this sudden revelation. "All this time?"

"I think we can do better." Sola replied, patting my right shoulder gently. "Team Shovel-Swingers is a much nicer name."

"Hell with that!" Lars shouted, drawing his sword in an awkward motion to throw it over top the previous weapon atop the rounded-table. "Team Silver Fang is way better!"

"Team Trench Spades!" Sola shot back, adamant.

"Team Moon Howls!" Lars seemed to growl.

"I-I was thinking team Thunder-bolt." Julius piped in, Lars and Sola quickly shifting the frowns in his direction. "You know, just because Sandra and Eron can both shoot lighting, and that's really... cool..." Julius trailed off beneath the growing pressure.

"I like that name." The ever silent and brooding Sandra spoke up, supportive of Julius's suggestion as she eyed Lars with an intimidating glare. "I think we need to have a powerful title." As she spoke, I felt the hair on my neck rise, as if an electrical storm were approaching. "What about you Eron?"

As Sandra turned to her companion, the bald man who sat quietly observing the conversation, my hopes lifted. Eron was the reasonable sort. Serious and level-headed, whatever he said, the others were bound to at least consider. Waiting for the others to quiet, finally Eron spoke.

"I've been thinking, in light of the recent events that we should change our name regardless." He stood formally, hooded cloak falling away to his shoulders to reveal the sword and leather armor he'd picked up along our travels with a dignified stance. "Something that has troubled me greatly these past weeks."

A sober silence overtook the room, all eyes shifting back towards me.

"Out of respect for our Leader and his faithful comrade's demise, I believe we should call ourselves the High-Undying." Eron spoke with the faintest hint of sorrow as he stared at me.

What was he talking about- oh.

Leaning back in my seat. I watched both Lars and Julius slip into quiet frowns- barely a tremble away from tears, and a very real expression of Guilt slip over Sola's face- her ears twitching slightly again. And there I was thinking that they all would have completely forgotten my car was totaled beyond hope of repair.

A rather sturdy set of Fruit-vendor stands, followed by a large onslaught of holy magic, followed by maces and swords, followed by fire and pitchforks. The city might as well have been burning a witch.

"We're sorry for your loss. You have showed more dignity than many, in the face of a trusted companion's death." Eron continued to speak, bowing in a formal manter as he motioned with a gesture of Western-Respect. "Though I did not know of the High-Undying Long, I know it was a steadfast creature. A Beast of Burdens that carried us all through the Wastes and beyond."

I watched in disbelief, as even the icy Sandra motioned with respect, nodding in my direction. "Now wait just one more second-" I tried to stop the motion already pressing itself to fruition as the others began to stand; each more sober than the last. "It was just a car!"

"The High-Undying was the nicest demon I ever met!" Sola cried, ears drooping. "It was my fault."

I had to stop myself from nodding in agreement at that, as I made my last ditch efforts to stop the inevitably approaching decision. "Hold on! What about Team Barnacle-"

"I vote for Team High-Undying!" Lars stood up, snot dribbling from his nose as Julius quickly joined him, putting their hands towards the center of the table.

"I do too!" Julius shouted, as Eron, Sandra, and Sola all rose to join them.

"It is decided then." Eron spoke humbly. "In honor of our fallen comrade. Let us be known as Team High-Undying."

"Yes! YES! YES!" The others shouted in unison, leaving me to rub at my forehead beneath the force of an oncoming migraine. I'd long lost the motivation to correct these things. There was no point. Absolutely no point, I'd have better luck arguing with a brick wall.

But for god's sake: It's Hyundai.