Kelthar simply played for awhile as Angelo sang it was perfect. And the Harmony was great. Soon however Kelthar put his Ukulele away, as it was going to be quite the train ride. He eventually after having a bit more of small talk with Angelo fell asleep. However in his dreams he had dreams of his failings. He could see in front of him his old house. he went running in and opened the door. No one was there, as he looked out the window he saw a mob coming towards him. He tried to move but he couldn't so he watched as they walked up to the house and tore the door off it's hinges. They grabbed him and carried him. He was screaming for them to stop.

In the train car he rolled back and forth back and forth in his seat as he slept. Suddenly all noise around him stopped. Some of the people started to freak out. Kelthar's nightmare was starting to affect his magic, and when it went off it was usually only in this time when he slept that it would activate like this.

Melina And Mithera
Melina took another long sip of the drink she had ordered from the bartender, grumbling about how the courier was almost an hour late now. She didn't like Acalypha Town one bit, it was far too flashy for her tastes, and the alcohol didn't taste very good at all. Mithera rubbed her neck against her to indicate she wanted a sip. Melina sighed, and held the drink up to the tiny dragon perched on her shoulder. They're still watering down all the drinks here. She complained halfheartedly. They could make a killing in this town tripling the price and not watering it down. I swear. If I cared enough, I'd have you walk to the next town over. Their rum is at least not watered down. Melina simply chuckled at her partners discomfort. That was most of the reason she visited this town, to annoy her. It was a small aggravation, so it wasn't too bothersome, and it was fun for both of them. Mithera had her own share of jokes she often played on Melina.

"Where's the damn courier though? He's well more than an hour late." Melina pulled out the small vial of Mayt's blood she had managed to attain. She had gone well out of her way to get it, all the way to Magnolia town and then some! "I hope your plan pays off Mithera." This was greeted with chuckling. Don't worry, I know exactly what I'm doing, though, if this courier doesn't get here in the next thirty minutes, I may claw out his eye. I don't like being this far behind schedule. Melina nodded, giving her drink one last go before simply switching to water. She put the vial of Mayt's blood back in her pocket, and thumbed the letter sticking out of of her belt. Mithera had dictated what Melina was to pen out, it was the next step of the plan according to Mithera, but Melina doubted the ploy in the letter would help. If Mayt hadn't secretly gone to someone yet, he will after this.

Speaking of the pawn, Melina decided it was about time to check up on him. She closed her eyes, searching down his blood through all the other people she was intentionally, and unintentionally, keeping track of. She pulled out the map she kept folded up where no man could look without getting slapped, and laid it out on the table. She ran her finger over it and stopped at Magnolia Town. She opened her eyes, checking, and nodding before folding the map back up and putting it away. Mayt was doing as he was told so far. Melina sincerely hoped Mithera knew what she was doing.

---

Mayt
Mayt rubbed his head, sighing, and asking Jarvis for the stiffest drink he had. He just wanted to get away from this whole ordeal for even a few minutes. Not caring if it resulted in a horrible headache in the morning. Forgetting for a short time, and not worrying, was what he wanted to do. He crossed his fingers that Master Jamie would find the blackmailer quickly as he went to finish his current glass before Jarvis got him a new one. His mind wandered, and he wondered what Sasha was up to right now.

Penny followed Damian out, clearly troubled, nodding as Damian spoke, following him as he continued. She wasn't too sure what she could say right then, and her head was full of things she had heard, spinning about over and over again. She blinked when they reached the next shop, frowning still "oh. Uh. The shop keeper probably put up some resistance or something" She said softly, her voice sounding disturbed and uncrtain.

"Damian, I've come across this before" She said softly, tugging at her packs straps "in a few small towns, and in the city without sound" She said, "A woman, with some men, I-I didn't put it together before, but...it seems like their moving from town to town, and city to city..." She sighed softly, "This woman is bad, Damian. Really bad. I need an adequate description" She said, "Lets see what we can do here" She said, heading into the store. She was worried that this was some sort of massive event, and that something bad was happening here. "We have to move quickly" She said, her voice shaking slightly.

---

Master Jamie whistled as she walked, grabbing a horse at a stable, she had soon made her way to Acalypha town. She got there in good time, using her property change to make the ground less hard to travel over. He knew that the blackmailers wouldn't be there, but it would be good to talk with some contacts in the town, as well as look for some support. There were magic users our there who weren't know, and weren't part of guilds. They were typically those close to middle age, the ones who had been hiding their magic their whole lives, and those were the ones that directed young and up in coming mages to guilds, or gave them advice.

And Master Jamie knew a lot of them. He took a little while, connecting and asking after any mages in the town, or surrounding towns, and eventually made her way to an inn. He slipped inside, grabbing a drink, and looking about. He was humming a tune, clearly at ease, and not worried, but she did keep her eyes adverted from anyone, and appeared to just stay to herself. He watched a woman briefly unfold a map, not lingering on anyone.

Before leaving Magnolia town, Master Jamie had been sure to make sure that his guild mark could not be seen, and that anything that would connect him to Phoenix Wing wouldn't give him away. She finished off her drink, and headed outside, catching the messenger just as he went to head into the inn. "E-excuse me, sir...can you h-help me a m-moment, m-my c-cat is h-hiding from me, and I n-need to c-catch her...b-but I n-need someone to help..."

She regretted her actions, but looking like the messenger in the messengers clothes enabled her to get close to the blackmailers. As she re-entered the inn again as the messenger, Master Jamie looked about, rushing in, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, something caught me up" Jamie said in the messengers voice.

---

Sasha and Lazarus spent the rest of the day being pampered, made over and generally made suitable for the FOREVER magazine. Sasha hated it all. As she was at the spa, being looked over, the expert tutted at the cuts and injuries she had received in the S class battles, particularly the cut on her forehead, which had slowly started to close over, but could still be seen.

As the beautician smeared make-up all over her, Sasha squirmed, and sighed, and generally made it known that she didn't like this, but nothing seemed to bother the beautician. Her hair was cut and styled, with the beautifican saying "Do you just hack this off with a knife?" Sasha didn't say anything, because that was exactly what she did, whenever she felt as if her hair was getting too long, she gathered it up, and just cut it all in one.

She grumbled, and practically leaped out the chair once it was done. Lazarus didn't seem to mind it, and Sasha glared at him. "I feel like I should be stuffed and in a little girls bedroom" She muttered, and let Lazarus lead her to the restaurant, "Two more days of this" She sighed.

Menina And Mithera
Melina growled. "It''s about time you got here!" She crinkled the map a little as she finished putting it away and startled Mithera a little with the suddenness of her getting up, wobbling at her perch on Melina's shoulder. Melina approached Master Jamie, fully convinced he's the messenger, and shoves the newest letter into his hands. "You know where to take this." Before Master Jamie had a chance to respond, Melina had already pushed him out of the way and was heading for the door. Mithera kept an eye on Master Jamie, glowering. Melina's little pet didn't seem to like the 'messenger' one little bit.

Don't leave town until he does. Mithera thought to Melina as they headed back onto the street, making an immediate turn towards the center of town. [i[I don't think everything's quite right here. I'm going to keep an eye out.[/i] To facilitate this, once they were out the door Mithera pushed off Melina's shoulder and took to the air, going high enough that she'd be had tp spot against the sky, but could easily look back down and be able to tell what was going on. She watched for the supposed courier, circling over the building.

Melina was uneasy once Mithera had taken off, not trusting the courier. She hadn't yet learned to sense if people had magic yet or not, so she just went by what she saw. But, she's never hears about anyone with magic that could allow them to look exactly like someone else. Even her own magic, Melina could only make herself look similar to someone else, and only for a short time. She worried, but pushed it out of her mind as she went to various stores, buying things and taken them to the small room she was staying in, before heading to a semi-fancy restaurant and taking a table by herself.

Paingodsson said
Kelthar simply played for awhile as Angelo sang it was perfect. And the Harmony was great. Soon however Kelthar put his Ukulele away, as it was going to be quite the train ride. He eventually after having a bit more of small talk with Angelo fell asleep. However in his dreams he had dreams of his failings. He could see in front of him his old house. he went running in and opened the door. No one was there, as he looked out the window he saw a mob coming towards him. He tried to move but he couldn't so he watched as they walked up to the house and tore the door off it's hinges. They grabbed him and carried him. He was screaming for them to stop. In the train car he rolled back and forth back and forth in his seat as he slept. Suddenly all noise around him stopped. Some of the people started to freak out. Kelthar's nightmare was starting to affect his magic, and when it went off it was usually only in this time when he slept that it would activate like this.

Angelo looked at him seeing he was thrashing around and Angelo started to think he was having a nightmare, he was going to ask if he was okay but no sound came from his mouth. Angelo started to wonder what was happening but Angelo thought the guy had problems controlling his magic when he's having a nightmare. Angelo started to shake him and wake him up knowing he had to be the train why their wasn't any noise knowing that spring must have happened to him to make him have a nightmare that causes his magic to work in his sleep.

Kelthar jolted awake, "What!? I'm here!" he exclaimed as at the same time the sound of a train could start being heard. "Are we there? What happened?" He said looking around at his surroundings then he looked outside and saw they were still not there he sat back down as he showed just how upset he was that they weren't there. "What's up Angelo?" he asked obviously not realizing what he had just done. He stretched out though and just watched the outside as he thought about how beautiful it was, but more thought about his dream, how had he not ran, it probably would've been a reality.

Damian frowned as she said that she'd heard of it in other towns, and then frowned even deeper when she said that she'd heard of it in the City without Sound. Didn't Sasha say her and Mayt ran into a dark guild there? He followed Penny inside and looked around at the damage done, remembering Penny's theory of the owner having put up a fight or something like that. "Must have been some impressive resistance if there's this much damage done," he muttered, walking up to Penny before she reached the owner to talk to him.

"Penny, if this group is from the City without Sound, I think I know who they are. Some kind of Dark Guild. Your sister and Mayt squared off with them once already while doing a mission there." Having said that, he let her go to talk to the owner while he investigated the shelves again, looking for any thing that would betray what kind of magic was used. One of those times I wish I knew tracing magic...

Paingodsson said
Kelthar jolted awake, "What!? I'm here!" he exclaimed as at the same time the sound of a train could start being heard. "Are we there? What happened?" He said looking around at his surroundings then he looked outside and saw they were still not there he sat back down as he showed just how upset he was that they weren't there. "What's up Angelo?" he asked obviously not realizing what he had just done. He stretched out though and just watched the outside as he thought about how beautiful it was, but more thought about his dream, how had he not ran, it probably would've been a reality.

Dude what kind of nightmare were you having?" Angelo asked slightly freaked out at not being able to make any noise or hear anything "I don't know what happened but you stopped all noise in this area, I would have yelled at you and nobody would have been able to hear it" Angelo said not knowing he had that kind of power with his magic at all

Master Jamie waited until he was sure the twosome wouldn't come back or wouldn't turn to see him, before approaching the bar, shoving the letter deep into a pocket, he had no right to read or open it, but his negation magic would neutralize any magical effect and said to the bartender in his own voice "your strongest ale, Sammy, none of the water down crap you serve either"

The bartender roared with laughter, "I never know what body you'll be next, Jamie"

Jamie just smiled, and leaned against the bar, return, returning to her shy girl form, accepting the drink "so that woman, how long has she been around"

A few moments later, Master Jamie downed her drink in three deep gulps, and headed outside, whistling a merry tune. She had a wave of negation magic around her unseen. It took master Jamie a while, but she eventually found the woman, heading to what appeared to be a decent restaurant. Jamie sat down outside the restaurant, knees against his chest, trying to appear like a normall girl who kept to
Herself, maybe been bullied, drawing in the dirt on the road with a finger.

---

Penny went up to the owner when Damian let her go, giving her apologies for not being here sooner, and gathered what information she could from the owner, who was distraught, but was grimly moving on, slowly cleaning up the mess and working through what was taken. He had a few bandages on his forehead, shoulder and hand, giving the appearance that he had indeed fought the intruders.

Penny grimaced when she turned away, heading over to Damian "more magical artifacts taken. Apparently they believed he had more magical artifacts then he did-which he did, but he didn't given them up without a fight. This is bad, Damian. I'm worried" she said softly, starting out the shop, feeling sick.

Damian follows her out and leads them towards the last shop on the street, this one no where near as torn up as the last, but there was still minor damage done to the outside. "Don't worry, we'll check with this shop, speak with the Merchant Guild's leader and then station ourselves in the next shop that's likely to get hit." He paused outside and before going in, searched around the outside for something to indicate which direction they'd gone from here. "Go on inside and speak with the shop owner. Be sure to ask if they wore animal masks and if he saw which direction they ran after coming out. I'm going to use my familiarity with the battle field to see what I can see."

He noticed an alley around one side of the shop and stood at the opening, looking inside with a frown. Something about it didn't feel as an alley way should. Which was empty, and it didn't feel empty.Summoning a knife blade, he tossed it down the alley way, walking away to inspect the rest of the area around the store. The blade had been 'programmed' to grow into a slim tower blade if it came across anything out of the ordinary. It was a signal he'd used in the past when doing these search and stop jobs.

Mithera saw through Jamie's ruse almost as soon as she walked out of the bar as the little girl. She hadn't seen a little girl walk in, at least, not one that would account for the one walking out. Mithera circled around overhead a little more before diving down and pulling up just before hitting the ground. Landing with soft taps right in front of Master Jamie. Keeping with what she looked to be, Mithera slowly approached Jamie, walking on her two legs, her tail swaying behind her, and her wings shifting to keep her upright and balanced. She rubbed her neck gently against Jamie's arm, cocking her head and looking at her. She had always somewhat enjoyed imitating a less intelligent life form.

Melina ordered a small meal and began to eat, glancing around. Mithera was being quiet, meaning she was either planning, or had found something. Melina trusted her ally to take care of any problems she came across. She took a sip of her drink, and leaned back in the cushy chair, nodding politely to her server.

Master Jamie looked up when there was the soft taps, staring at the creature with a small frown, shifting as if she was afraid of it, and pulling her arm back when it rubbed it's head against her arm. "H-hi" Jamie said in a soft, shy voice. He didn't know if he had been seen, or if the beast was just friendly, but Jamie was suspicious. If had, after all, been with the woman who has given him the letter.

Her hand went to a pocket, as if checking that letter was still there, and a soft crinkle of paper could be heard. It took all of Master Jamie's will power not to smile slyly. The scar on the back of his hand could be visible seen as she touched the pocket. He didn't have his negation magic in effect right then, and did so deliberately, believing that the creature wasn't magical. Jamie rose, stepping back as if worried about the beast. And then she activated her negation magic, sure that if the woman kept company with this beast, then it had to be more then it seemed. "Wave magic" Jamie muttered "negation!"

---

Penny nodded , pushing the door open. Neither of them had noticed the blood smear on the door frame, and she regretted that was she headed inside, staring wide eyed at the mess, , the destruction of the shop, and the blood stains over the counter. There was no sign that the owner was there, and Penny shuddered, not hesitating, she darted out the store, kicking with her foot as she did a cat mask. She had enough sense to pick the mask up, before practically falling out the shop into the sunlight.

She saw Damian and she darted to him, shaking, but feeling better when she was by his side. "The...the shop keeper isn't there" she said "blood. Found this" she held out the mask to him, her face completely white, or for a minute it looked like she might faint, but she didn't. "They tore the store apart, while leaving the outside untouched. I'm scared, Damian. I'm worried that...that I know what they are looking
For"

Kelthar looked shocked as he stared at Angelo. "I-I-I-I-I'm sorry." he said completely taken back. He was so frustrated with himself how could he have been so careless! He cursed himself out in his head as he looked at Angelo. "I'm sorry but I can't tell you nor do I want to tell you what it was about." he said quietly. He slightly turned his head from looking at Angelo. "It's something that ended but I still am haunted by it every now and then, I am incredibly sorry for disturbing you, I promise you I have better control over my magic than that it was just, I don't know... I'm sorry." Kelthar said as he stuttered through it. He knew they didn't have long but he wished they were already there. He didn't want this conversation it was too awkward.

Paingodsson said
Kelthar looked shocked as he stared at Angelo. "I-I-I-I-I'm sorry." he said completely taken back. He was so frustrated with himself how could he have been so careless! He cursed himself out in his head as he looked at Angelo. "I'm sorry but I can't tell you nor do I want to tell you what it was about." he said quietly. He slightly turned his head from looking at Angelo. "It's something that ended but I still am haunted by it every now and then, I am incredibly sorry for disturbing you, I promise you I have better control over my magic than that it was just, I don't know... I'm sorry." Kelthar said as he stuttered through it. He knew they didn't have long but he wished they were already there. He didn't want this conversation it was too awkward.

Hey it's alright man" Angelo said softly looking at how he was acting, apparently it just have been a really bad so Angelo knew he shouldn't pry. Angelo simply patted his back lightly " it's alright, were in the same guild remember I'm here if you want to talk out not but I trust you." Angelo said softly knowing he must have been feeling bad but Angelo only hoped that he has family in the guild to support him if he lets them, Angelo included.

Mithera gave Master Jamie another sideways look, and took off, lifting herself up in front of the Guild Master with powerful wing beats for her size. She dropped a little and shook as she felt the magical negation, and was mentally glad that it didn't take magic to sustain her forms. She gave the magician another odd look, this one more genuine that the previous, and tried to perch on the Master;s shoulder or head or something, so she didn't have to constantly work to stay still. Mithera tried to keep herself from groaning though as she felt the connection with Melina be temporarily stifled, but not destroyed. She had grown so used to their minds being linked that she felt half empty without it.

Melina stopped in the middle of wiping her face when she no longer felt Mithera. She knew Mithera was alive, for now, she could tell that when the connection was stopped that Mithera had been completely fine. She was willing to give her other half twenty minuted before she went looking, and finished the motion she had stopped in the middle of, going back to finishing off her plate and ordering a second one. The food here really wasn't that bad at all.

"Finally back.." Sho thought as he entered the guild hall. "That old man made me do twice the work i was supposed to do...but i guess it was good exercise carrying those barrels around the town...whatever..." he mumbled, walking towards the bar. As soon as he got there, he climbed on top of it and assumed his cross-legged sitting position. Turning his head to Jarvis "Hey...Jarvis right? Anyway, Mayt told me you rent rooms to guild members. Do you have a room for me? And get me something to eat if you can, anything really. I'm starving right now..." he said and petted his growling belly, "Shhh, shhh everything's going to be alright. Food is on the way."

Damian stood up and held up a ring with a lightening bolt on a green gem, a small, almost inconspicuous amount of magic energy still residing with in it as Penny showed him the mask, but his face grew dark when she said there was blood in the store. "Then I'm right about them getting more violent with each shop. The first one to resist must have been enough to set them on edge and not want to take chances." Taking the mask, he holds out a small knife blade to Penny and looks back at the shop. "This will guide you to the Merchant's guild, it's not far from here. Let them know we're here to deal with the thieves and that we'll be by as quick as we can to let them know the thieves are dealt with."

Damian looks down the alley way again before setting off for the shop. He stops though and pulls out a small blue lacrima and hands it to Penny. "This is linked to one I have. Jarvis gave them to me before we left." Putting it in her other hand, he once more approaches the shop. "Contact me if you run into trouble or see any hints of our mask wearing friends. I'm going to start tracking them." With that, he opened up the shop, growling in anger at the sight, before stepping in and closing the door behind him.

A smile flicked across Master Jamie's face, "ah" he said with a chuckle, so the beast was a shape shifter then. Took magic to change forms, but not to sustain them, or so he thought. She let the smal dragon land on his shoulder, reaching up to grasp it gently, as of he didn't want to hurt it.

She turned the creature around to her, studying the small dragon, for that was what Jamie believed it to be at the moment. "Well, you're cute, I'll give you that. But looks can be deceiving" she mused, looking into the store, "you were with that woman in there in te inn. I saw her with the map and you on her shoulder. Are you her pet? Or is she yours?" She said, still in the shy girls voice, adding a hint of curiosity to it. "Some animals clearly believe they own their masters after all" she stroked the small dragons neck, trying to make it seem like he just thought the animal was just that.

---

Meanwhile back at the guild, Jarvis saw Sho return, and called him over "Sho, the master wishes someone to go here, and wait for her. Or for his signal. Whichever comes first. If you want to fight, you probably have a chance at it if you do this" he held out a map

---

Penny was torn. She didn't want to leave Damian, but knew they had to alert someone. She looked about, searching for a way to do both, to stay with Damian and tell the merchant guild. She saw a kid, and quickly writing down a note, and going over to the kid, "there's 1000 jewel for you now, and 1000 jewel once you deliver this, if you can get it to the merchant guild"

The kid stared at her, and took the note. Penny watched the kid run off, and hoped that he would deliver the note, and she moved off towards the shop, taking a deep breath and heading inside. She slipped inside looking about. "I'm here" she said to Damian

Mithera stretched her neck out, letting all of it be petted at once. She loved it when people petted her. She let Jamie pet her for a bit before leaning back again, using her long tail and wings to balance her. She lifted up her front leg and pointed at the restaurant, in the direction of Melina, then pointed to herself, puffing her chest out proudly. She put her paw down for a moment, before pointing to herself twice, as if saying "I'm mine!" She let herself be pet for a few more moments before rubbing her neck against Jamie's cheek, and then tilting her head, and lifts a paw, limply thrusting it at Jamie to indicate her.

Melina couldn't give Mithera much more time, she was running out of gems in her pocketbook, as well as appetite. She leaned back in the chair, just wanting to relax a little before heading outside and picking up her 'pet'. Something she never dared to risk thinking when Mithera could hear what she was thinking. She pulled out the map and double-checked that Mayt was where he was supposed to be, then folding it up and putting it away.

Damian was in the middle of examining the counter where there was some of the most blood muttering to himself about how it seemed the flow of the fight had gone. "-ow here, likely broke the skin, not lethal immediately. From there, the owner seems to have fought off whoever slammed his head down and then knocked someone into a shelf behind him." He stepped behind the counter to look at the broken shelf, several shards of glass all around the area. He continued like this around the shop, stopping at every major site of blood or damaged shop before stopping at the biggest spot on the floor, clearly where the shop keeper had been killed.

"And this is where it finished, with what looks like something sharp driven through the keeper's chest and then he was left there until he was dead, the object removed by the thieves and then the left." He lead the curious Penny back outside to the alley way he'd thrown the knife down. "And fled down this alley way. Meaning they're not far if we're lucky." Sighing he turns around and jumps when he finds Penny there.

"Gah! Penny! I thought you went to the Merchant Guild."