with who: Lucus Ryder
"Are you sure? Carrying you isn't an issue."She replied helping him walk by being his main support to bare' weight on. She listened to him ask why she wore her hood. "As far as I know, I don't have any personal enemies like you have with !small gang you seem to been fighting all your life...I guess I wear mine out of habit or maybe for the thought that if one doesn't remember my face then one will not dewell on a false dream of trying to be like me...I lived a life I am not proud of and I am afraid someday it will follow and harm others if one was to become attached...then again, I honestly think I wear it out of habit.She replied as she never really had a reason for why she wore her hood here and there. Maybe she was just use to one due to the environment. She once called home..who knows.

She listened to him speak of feeling funny before watching him pull out a black feather from his ribs as he quickly went down hill from barely standing to just beings unconscious, falling over. Amaya luckily moved with him as she let him fall on her back before she took a breath in "Strength don't fail me know...I have to get to the guild..master Jamie will know what to do.."she whispered pushing up with her legs, giving the unconscious Lucus a piggyback ride before moving in a rather quick walk towards the guild hoping Jamie or someone was there that could help him.

Trinity steps back after the Lightning mage left. She lowers her bow and leans up against Karn's side, letting the fur fluff around her. She reaches out a hand and rubs his side idly. The girl that had greeted her earlier left suddenly, but it seemed someone was already going after her. With some 'persuasion'. With combat ended, Trinity dispels her bow and turns around, nestling herself into Karn's big, furry side. After a moment or two, she figures this must be one of Karn's friends he was talking about. In fact, she thought she heard Karn call him 'Zero' before.

"Karn~," she chimes, reaching into her robes to produce the flyer in question. "Is this one of your friends you mentioned? I brought the flyer, uh... here it is." She moves closer to Karn's front, where Zenoram is, and holds the flyer she grabbed earlier out to Zenoram.

naster Jamie looked to the girl and smiled, "sometimes child, foolishness and bravery are the same thing" turning down a street that would lead to the guild hall, Jamie said "I am the master of Phoenix Wing. Fiore' strongest guild, if I do say so myself. Certainly the most....true" jamie expression turned to concern, "are you alright? Electricity is not a fun attavk to be hit with"

As they entered the guild, Jamie gebtly set the girl on a chair

“My...uh, condition. Of course,” Fleo responded, her attention diverted by a little white-and-gray goat in a nearby pen, who had begun bleating incessantly. A fly landed on his nose and caused the annoying mammal to flinch, lolling its tongue around in a vain attempt to persuade the bug not to return. A few seconds passed before Fleo grew bored of the spectacle. “The pancake place is about a block east from where that tavern used to be. I was headed there with Felix when the whole disturbance deal happened. Should be some pretty good eating, even for a waffle-lover, but for now you'll have to settle for eating my dust.” With that, Fleo spurred her magic forward, and shot off across the earth at high speed toward Magnolia once more.

-=-=-

“How much?”

The young woman at the till blinked. Ever since the weird cape-wearing guy came in, she had wanted nothing more than for him to leave. She relished the prospect of speaking with him even less than she did the idea of being in his presence. Without question she understood how unfair to a complete stranger such a brand of thinking was, but it could not be denied that he gave off a bad vibe. Even without the eccentric clothes, the disheveled candlewax-blond hair, and that unnerving everpresent smile, the sight of any guy above the age of twelve in a toy store typically meant trouble. She brought herself to look down at the item he placed on the counter, a statuette of an owl the size of a lighter, cast out of gleaming bronze. More of a trinket than a toy, but nowadays the boss needed all the variety he could get.

“Four hundred and ninety-nine jewels,” the cashier managed. It suddenly struck her what exactly threw her off about the man: he looked unreal. Skin pale enough to barely outclass buttermilk, a total lack of blemishes, and features that wouldn't have looked misplaced on a chalk statue all combined to make him look like a rowdy-haired, bespectacled manikin. Though he no doubt meant his smile to be pleasant, the cashier firmly concluded that he would have been less creepy without it. Deciding to perhaps do a public service, and prevent future awkward situations like this, she added, “But...sir, aren't you a little old to be playing with toys...?”

For a second, Nero did nothing. Then he let loose a sprightly laugh that resounded through the toy shop, as if the cashier's comment had been a hilarious joke. He handed over the money with hands garbed in pristine white gloves, still chuckling. “Nah! Aren't you a little young to be pregnant?” Nero nodded in the direction of the cashier's swollen belly.

Her eyes stung so much that the only indication she had that her customer was gone was the bell on the door.

-=-=-

Nero strolled down the sidewalk, feeling the crisp morning air on his face contending with the warm luminosity that descended from the only thing in existence to have a broader smile than he—the sun. His new owl bobbed up and down, up and down, tossed from one hand to another as its owner walked. Not everyone, it seemed, was as judgmental as the lady manning the register of the quaint toy shop, so Nero received many smiles in return for his own. What was the name of this city again? Manilla? Mahogany? Ah, Magnolia. Nero's heart soared to be in such a genial place. Nobody who laid eyes on his amicable grin dared to question it, or him, until the lad almost ran smack-dab into a boy half his age coming the opposite way on his sidewalk. “Whoa there,” he snorted.

“It's really you!”

For a terrifying moment, Nero seized up, wondering if he had perhaps stumbled into trouble. One look at the eager features of the grimy-haired kid in front of him, however, convinced him otherwise. “Sure is! The real question, however: who the heck am I?”

The kid grabbed Nero's glove with both hands, making the older boy flinch, before gushing out what passed for an explanation as he tugged him along. “That's funny! You're the Genie, of course! One of my friends told me all about you. Is it true that you can grant wishes? Can you make water into soda? Ooh, how about rocks into money?”

So caught up in the child's enthusiasm was Nero, he took no notice at all where he was headed. [color=D8BFD8]“Maybe that last one,” he conceded. “But money's such an overdone wish! Nobody wants penguins anymore. They're really great—you should see Jerry! Such a card.” He started to chuckle, but paused when he opened his eyes.

He stood inside an unfamiliar building, a cafe judging by the woody smell and plentiful cups. The stripy walls, the weak yellow lighting, and the glossy dark furniture gave off a homey, established sort of vibe. Nero allowed himself to be pulled to a booth in the corner, where an old man and two near-identical women sat sipping their drinks. “Classy place!” admired Nero, and impetuously seated himself with the strangers. “Hi there! Don't you just love making friends? I certainly do. Almost as good as making enemies!” All the joviality suddenly drained from Nero's sunny face. When he opened his eyes, the sclera shone a light yellow in the poor light, and his irises glistened like obsidian marbles. “Which are you?”

At length, one of the ladies responded. She put a hand to her porkpie hat and tipped it dramatically. “When you think about it, we're all just people, you know? And it's only human nature to want stuff, you know? To have glorious dreams and to dream of bringing them to life—ah, certainly you know! You know, you can call me Trip.”

“The pleasure is all mine!”

“And I'm...Ginger,” her lookalike broke in in a sultry, rich voice that eased by like molasses, luxuriously slow. She fixed her nut-brown eyes on Nero's own, and he almost giggled out loud to see her trying so hard. “As far as famous wizards go...you're not too high on the list, Genie, but you're just the sweet thing we wanted to see.” She gestured to the silver-haired man and the boy. “You heard my cloying sister Trip. Honey over there calls himself Statloff, and the little sugar is Free.”

“Does that mean I can have him? He'd make a splendid penguin.”

Ginger giggled through her teeth, seemingly not surprised in the least. “Tempting,” she purred, “But not today. How about something sweeter...ten thousand jewel, maybe? And all it would take is one delicious wish.”

All hostility had vanished from Nero's face. That upbeat grin had returned again, and he treated the assembled people to a hearty guffaw. “Is that it? You had me at 'it's'. What can I get for ya? A potbelly? A poncho? Longer eyelashes? Oh, I know! You want to know what it feels like to be made of clay!”

“Actually,” Ginger broke in, “As yummy as that sounds, the wish isn't for me. Or...any of us. I was there at Coil Town, you see.”

Nero cupped his chin for a moment, deep in thought. “Coil Town...” he said, at length. “Oh, that! Were you one of those affected? So sorry. Don't know what got into me. Honestly though, you lot were headed for bowel trouble anyway. One bowl of that corn is enough to turn a minute in the outhouse into a week-long fiesta.”

Free laughed out loud, and was promptly shushed by Trip. All the while, Statloff said nothing, but his pale green eyes glittered with amusement. Ginger blushed prettily and angled her own porkpie hat. “Fortunately enough, my bowels were untouched. My lover, unfortunately, was not so lucky. That's how I know of you.”

“So who is this wish for?”

The group stood up. Nero rose with them, excited by the sudden air of business. Statloff spoke for the first time, in a rumbling baritone that would have been right at home calling a wrestling match. “We will take you to them.”

Jamie's response sounded like something her parents would tell her. That thought got sidetracked by the mention of being the guild master. T-the guild master, really?" Probably not the best way to respond to the news but it wasn't something she actually expected to hear. She knew that Phoenix Wing was here but didn't think she would run into them, much less find herself being carried by the master.

Brought into the guild hall she looked around as she was set down. It was a very nice place, much better that the other halls she'd had the chance to visit. Realizing that she was asked a question she took a breath and smiled a bit. "Eheh, yeah I'm alright. I think. At least I can feel my legs again. I think hitting the cart hurt more than the lightning." She rubbed the back of her head and neck which did indeed hurt from the impact. Her expression did show a little concern of its own as she looked at her other hand curiously.

Zenorams demeanor didn't changed quickly, but the transition was clear. From his cheerful laughter dying to silence and his eyes slowly growing wider and wider. There was a job? About... Pretty much finding and getting rid of Hemlock. He didn't even know how to take this. "C-can I see the..." He stopped and his eyes became fierce.

"Gimme that." Zero was back. He was currently standing about three steps away from Karn having snatched the paper from Trinity. His grip on the paper tightened as he read. "This is bullshit. Fucking bullshit!" He snarled as he clenched his fists around the ends of the flyer. This was impossible. From the information it must have been those damned villagers. "Those motherfuckers." He couldn't even imagine they had enough money to pay off this reward. "Karn. We're goin on this job." His voice emerged in a sort of low growl.

"But... But first..." It was Zenoram again. "How do we go about getting the guild stamp and taking this up? What are the rules for taking a job?" He was asking the questions Zero had failed to take. "Ah... My apologies for Zero's rudeness." He then said as he handed the flyer back to Trinity. "I'm Zenoram, by the way." He introduced himself after indirectly introducing Zero. This might be confusing for the girl, but he wasn't really focused on explaining himself and Zero's condition. That could wait. Until then he could be thought of as Crazy.

Amaya VanIsis - Phoenix Wing Guild Hall

It took Amaya awhile to get Lucus to the guild hall. She stood outside the door before adjusting the unconscious Lucus on her back before kicking the door, managing to get it open after a few hard kicks. She pushed it the rest of the way with her shoulder, nearly stumbling in from almost losing her balance. "Master Jamie! He needs help! He's been poisoned by someone from the group he is supposedly been looking for...the one his supposed father control. I don't know what to do for him!" Said Amaya Laying Lucus on to one of the tables in the guild hall. Amaya was a little frantic for the fact that she never had to save someone from poison. She wasn't even use to seeing or saving someone from death.

She took off her coat, making a makeshift pillow for his head as that was the least she could do as she hoped their guild master would know what to do to save Lucus. She opened the bloody area of his shirt where the feather once was. "This feather was in his ribs..."She added examining it.

"It was a joke Fleo." Well that went over her head, but that was fine. As long she knew he kept his promise then everything would be just fine. What wasn't fine was that his presence was replaced by a goat making an unnecessary racket. Jeez, he knew that he wasn't mister personality nor did he think he was all that intriguing, but God dammit he certainly was more interesting than some livestock annoyed with a persistent little bug. Once she was done paying attention to the small goat, she told Nolan the directions to the restaurant followed by her telling him to eat her dust. A race huh? He wasn't one to turn down a challenge. "How about you eat some ash?" Black ashes burst from his feet and palm, propelling him at high speeds after the Dust mage.

Lucas opened his eyes and jumped up as quick as he could, ready in a fighting stance. Something was different, he was in a forest and the air was non existent. "You're still not awake Lucas." The voice came from all over the world, Lucas spun around, trying to find the source. A figure came from the tree, it was... Lucas. An almost exact duplicate except where Lucas wore blue and had blue hair, this figure had red. "Who are you?" Lucas called out. "I'm you. Well, a part of you, i'm the manifestation of you're emotions. Guilt, forgiveness hatred. All of them." Lucas's eyes wandered around the world before him. "Okay, this is in my mind then. Why are you here?" "Come on Lucas, this one man crusade against you're father, you feel guilty about not doing anything for you're dying mother." He smiled, "Shut up! I tried to fight, you know that!" Lucas was getting angry. The red Lucas held up his hands and Lucas flung up into the air, his shirt came ripping off. His scar on his back started to sting. "If you were fighting, then why do you have that... You showed you're back as you RAN AWAY. Just like you're father you too are a coward." Lucas fell to the ground, he leaned on one knee, face pointing down, "THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO TO THAT MAN!!!" Lucas screamed as he ran head on towards the red Lucas, "Crash: Bakuhatsu Tsuki! (Explosion Thrust)" Lucas's fist started to glow and when he was in arms length from red Lucas he shot his fist through the air, narrowly missing red Lucas's face. An explosion erupted at the end of his fist but red Lucas replied with an attack of his own, erupting in Lucas's chest. "You can't beat me, you're emotions control you..." "This feather was in his ribs..." Amaya's voice echoed throughout Lucas's mind, Lucas got up and smiled, "Guess we'll have to finish this off some other time..."

Master Jamie chickled with amusement "yes child. The guild master, Jamie. All though I may take many forms, I am the one and only master of Phoenix Wing" as the girl "well, I think you should rest a time. Would you like something to eat or drink?" he asked, having no intentions of letting the girl go until she was sure she was alright. "what is your magic?" jamie asked, but was then distracted by Ayama coming in with the mage from earlier.

Jamie didn't even hesitate, going behind the bar, he came back with a clear bottle full of bluish-green liquid. She moved towards the boy, and without a word, forced him into a sitting position, and shoved the opening of the bottle into his mouth, tipping it up, virtually forcing Lucas to drink"drink it all.- health potion"

Jamie wasn't going to have to worry about Ariel going anywhere for a while. Especially since she had been looking for the guild anyhow. She didn't get the chance to explain anything or answer the questions before some others came in that drew the master's attention away. Not in any position to help she watched helplessly as some potion was forced down the poisoned one.

This was surely a hectic introduction to the guild as a whole. She could only assume that the many that were out at the two events were part of the same guild. If these first few minutes were any indication then things were going to be exciting. Smiling she spoke to herself. "Almost there papa."

Waiting for the current crisis to die down she didn't say anything until Jamie was done and could turn to her again. "I'm a little hungry. I think my pack got fried in the attack. Anything will do." In the commotion she hadn't realized that the provisions she had been carrying was missing. It could also have just been left but it didn't have many things of real value. "Oh, and right now I can use water and fire magic. They both kind of just appeared one day for some reason. I almost burned the house down. Good thing the water one came first." She nervously chuckled. Having no idea that having dual elemental magic was unusual in itself.

Blinking a little as he looked to Trinity as she mentioned the job, he transformed back into his human form and took the rolled up parchment from his belt and looked it over. He had grabbed the job earlier when he saw it. Trinity must of grabbed the dragon one by mistake. Watching as Zenoram took it and examined it before briefly Zero came out and announced they were going on this job. Understandable, since it had to deal with Hemlock.

Scratching the back of his blonde head he nodded with a smile. "Okay we can do that." he cheered before pausing and looking to Trinity before trading the flyers with her. "Really sorry Trin, I need to help Zero-kun and Zenny with a family matter. I promise, next job I'll go wih you." he chirped, hugging her happily with a purr that pretty much begged for no sadness to come from his friend. He himself wouldn't mind her coming along, but he had Chimera promised Hemlock he wouldn't tell anyone about him.

Letting go, he cheerfully grabbed Zenoram's hand and started skipping to the Guild. "Well let's just go find GM and let him know you'd like to join and go on this job." Karn cheered before bolting to the guild.

When reaching there, he found the Guild Master with several others. Bounding over to him, the girly dressed boy and gingerly pushed Zenoram in front of him. "GM! If possible and if you'll let us, me, Zenny and Zero-kun would like to go on his job. I think they are wishing to join then guild as well." he said gleefully as he held out the Dragon flyer.

“Hah!” Fleo panted, now utterly out of breath but hyped enough for a hearty breakfast to make sure that her companion knew just how much he lost. “Ya might be able to kill gods, but Sirocco was the first spell I learned! Like the element she controls, a Dust wizard tends to travel far and wide, at a dizzying pace.” She threw herself against the pancake shop's brick wall for support, chest heaving. Despite the exuberance coursing through her veins, Fleo couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness sting at her, a rogue gnat recalling sensations best forgotten. “Plus...I was really anxious to move around. You can guess why.” After a few seconds, the tawny-haired girl forced herself to perk up. “Wow, what a downer! Here we are at the font of syrupy goodness, and I'm bringing up the dead past! Let's head on in.” She wasted no time in doing so.

She wasted so little time, in fact, that she almost conked heads with Felix. Clearly set on her priorities, Fleo silently bemoaned her mediocre height—even sixteen-year-old kids just out of their growth spurts stood as tall as she, if not taller. After only a couple seconds standing still as a statue, lost in her thoughts, Fleo managed to salvage the situation. “Felix! Sorry if I kept ya waiting. There were...issues. Head off if you need to, don't let me hold ya back any longer.”

With a farewell smile to tide him over, she stepped aside to let the young mage pass, dusting off her burnt-orange coat as she did. The last thing any patron of this cluttered, cheerful restaurant needed was a topping of earthy goodness on their breakfast. After casting a look back toward Nolan -she couldn't help but remain cautious around him, even after telling him her secret, probably because of exactly that- before seating herself at a table for two near the window. A menu, waiting candidly on the furniture's surface, attempted to keep itself firmly anchored by way of slippery edges, but its slickness couldn't keep an eager, hungry sorceress at bay for long. She scooped it up, flicked it open, and began to scan the list of items. “Croissants? Are you serious?”

A garcon materialized near the table. He didn't just walk up swiftly and stealthily, which in itself would have been impressive given his girth; he literally came into being. Never a big fan of surprises, Fleo nearly rocketed out of her chair. The menu clattered to the floor, but as the garcon stiffly bent over to retrieve it, Fleo piped up, “Sorry! Let me get that for you.” A pillar of dust formed beneath the menu, lifting it into the air and foiling its slippery edges once and for all. Fleo plucked it from the dust and set it on the table. “Just startled me, is all. Was that teleporation magic?”

“Yes ma'am,” the garcon replied in a slight northeastern accent. “But no, I'm not with any guild. I get asked that a lot. Can I take your order?”

Realizing that she hadn't yet decided, Fleo took the opportunity to point out Nolan. “Um, take his first.”

-=-=-



“Here we are.”

As hotels went, Nero had to say this one failed to impress. Maybe he didn't like oak, or maybe its facade stood too sheer, but on the whole the building screamed mediocre. When it came to granting wishes, however, he did not discriminate on taste in inns. Not everyone had the luxury of being able to sleep everywhere. Treating the other members of his little group with his typical closed-mouth smile, Nero followed them inside.

While Statloff had showed them the way here, Ginger instinctively fell into the lead now that crunch time approached. She passed by the front desk without halting or so much as looking, and while it seemed for a moment that the attendant was going to inquire about the odd procession in her establishment, the aura of vague hostility emanated by the group dissuaded her. Not for the first time, Nero wondered what wish he was granting, but in the end he didn't care so much. As long as it made someone happy, it was worth it. Ginger, with her porkpie hat, expensive coat, and chocolate-hued dress, seemed every inch a woman used to getting her way, one that a gentleman would want to please. No doubt that's what she saw in him.

Nero's ruminations came to a grinding halt as the woman in question pulled open a door and ushered the group inside. The bespectacled lad found himself in a miniature gymnasium, complete with workout equipment, lacrima-enchanted treadmills, weights, and only two people using them. The couple working out, a man and a woman whose awful but identical orange-and-brown tanktops could only have meant their unity, looked up from their exercise to see the new arrivals and instantly froze. A few silent moments passed, the man staring at each person's face with a mixture of fear and defiance on his own, while his partner seemed more confused than anything.

Since dramatic tension ranked low on the list of Nero's favorite conversational quirks, he determined to put an end to it. “Good morning!” He cried, gathering the attention of everyone at once. “I hear there's some sort of special thingie that needs doing.”

The seated man stood and spoke in a low, serious voice. “Ginger, I know why you're doing this, but listen to me. We've argued, but it's not worth whatever you brought...” he gestured to Nero, who waved good-naturedly. “...him for. Can we just talk about this?”

Ginger gazed at him as she might a clod of pond scum. “Talking's what got you into this, York my dear. What was it you said? You called my girlfriend...hmm, a whore.” That luxuriant tone came quicker now, no longer sticky, drippy molasses but sand, threatening to cascade down and bury the man alive. Nero's smile, meanwhile, now showed his teeth.

The man held his hands up in a gesture of placation. “I don't deny it. But I said it because she is, not because of her...orientation. I know we've had a rivalry for a long time now, but I'm not out to get you because of who you are.” His tone was beginning to rise, just as Ginger's fury was beginning to break. Her cheeks quivered as he continued shakily, “You've got to understand, I'm trying to help--”

“No, you understand!” No trace of humor, or kindliness, or rationality shone in her nut-brown eyes as she shouted, shaking the wooden walls. Nero watched intently. Free, however, stared at the ground, while Trip seemed bored if anything. What is she waiting for? Nero wondered, glancing around at the assembled people. He found the features of Ginger and York, surprisingly, to be the most interesting. Oh, of course, he realized, as Ginger began again. “I don't need your help. I'm not 'attention-starved' or 'abandoning my judgment' or anything you've said. You've been the one judging, hon, ever since we were kids. You never approved of the choices I've made, and now you're taking it out on my sweetie! Well, it's about time you felt the same way. Nero!”

“Yes, crazy bitch?”

The behatted woman didn't seem to hear his words, only his voice as the confirmation of his presence. “Two months ago, York asked that woman,” she pointed a finger at the black-haired lady still seated on a piece of gym equipment, who remained motionless. “To be his wife. He said 'I want this to be the biggest thing that's ever happened to us'. Nero the Genie, grant his wish.”

Still wearing his eternal vestige of contentment, Nero pulled off his glasses and started to polish them. His eyes were open, which wasn't usual for him. As he cleaned, Trip and Statloff moved around to the windows, drawing closed the drapes, and a metallic click announced that Free had locked the door. Finally, Nero donned his spectacles, and examined the faces of both the accused and the accuser. “Seems a bit petty, don't you think?”

Ginger raised an eyebrow. Her hand slid toward a coat pocket. Seeing her so serious about her revenge made Nero laugh out loud. “Alrighty then! First order, Law of Escalation!”

His voice resounded with a hum of energy, but no magical circles appeared in the air. For a moment it appeared that nothing happened, but since Nero kept his gaze on York's fiancée, the others did as well. Quite suddenly, the woman gasped, and her body started to swell. Her belly grew at an an alarming rate, pushing out over her pants and spilling into her lap. Her hips doubled in width, ripping her sweatpants in several places. Thrown off balance by the dramatic change in center of gravity, the woman toppled to the floor, a jiggling mass of fat barely contained by her clothes. York stared in shock, Trip broke out into snorty laughter, and Ginger leered smugly, but the show wasn't over.

“And for today only, two for the price of one!” Nero sang. “Law of Escalation.”

Just as quickly as his fiancée grew, York began to shrink. In no time at all, he had been reduced to a dwarf, complete with stubby arms and legs. Nero expected that he was a fourth the size of his bride-to-be, if that. The man sank to his knees, devastated and speechless at the unfairness of it all.

The laughter continued, and Nero watched the expressions on the faces of those in his group. Even Statloff permitted himself a little humor to see York's fiancée struggling on the ground. “Man, I sure do love being petty. Doing terrible things to people I don't really know with poor reasons or no reasons at all. It's just so...damn...funny.” Nobody paid him any attention, but if they had, they would have heard a dangerous twinge in his upbeat voice. “I summon the power.”

Trip's laugh transformed into a sharp, fearful inhalation as she found herself suddenly being encased in cloth. No—she was cloth, her entire body rapidly becoming limp fabric stitched together into the shape of a doll. Her scream was snuffed out as the curse overtook her head, and the shrinking doll fell to the floor. Over in the corner, Statloff retched, suddenly overcome by dizziness and nausea, and he plummeted face-first into his own mess. Free saw this and started to yell, but his cry turned into a quack mid-way, and in a burst of black-and-white feathers the boy became a penguin.

Ginger whirled around, seemingly shocked that someone would betray her righteous cause.“Nero...?” She said uncertainly, her eyes flickering around the room. York's despair had become grim satisfaction. “What are you...we didn't ask for this!”

As she dreaded, she received a hearty guffaw from the dark mage. She shrank back as his mocking voice beat against her like waves on the beach. “You really, really did ask for it. Total stranger, bad reputation, playing like a pawn, meting out misguided justice? Asking for me was asking for trouble! Didn't you ever read the old myths about genies? I don't give my left kidney who's guilty. But, uh, these curses aren't gonna cast themselves. I wonder what you are, deep down...? Besides the blood and guts, I mean. Let's find out!”

-=-=-

One minute later, a full-grown female manticore, eyes alight with mad rage, smashed through the front door of Mayford inn. Spikes shot from her tail and stuck into asphalt, concrete, wood, and metal alike, though mercifully no townsfolk were hit. They scattered the scene, but any who stayed would have seen a strange sight: chasing after the manticore from the ruined entrance to the inn was a strangely-dressed young man in a porkpie hat with a penguin tucked under one arm. He seemed to be enjoying the whole, weird ordeal immensely. “Law of Embodiment!” He called hopefully, but a crate of tomatoes turned to stone rather than the manticore. “Crap! The Law of Raiment!” A sombrero blinked into existence over the manticore's eyes, but lack of vision only made the beast madder. More spikes shot into nearby buildings, one of them very nearly impaling Nero's foot. This was going to be interesting.

Trinity was handing the paper to Zenoram when he suddenly just took it from her. It stunned her, really, seeing the sudden change from a calm, gentle demeanor to... this. Did she hit some kind of trigger with the flyer she brought? She watched the man fume and burst, before... reverting.  He turned his attention to her and she accepted the flyer back from him, though she barely managed to introduce herself. "Uh... Trinity."

Before she could say much more, Karn was busy apologizing to her. She wrapped her arms around him and sighed softly, "Maybe if you hadn't invited me to come with you in the first place." She starts pinching him to show her irritation. "You'll just have to make it up to me later. Go on, now." She gives him a little shove to send him on his way.

She huffs and turns to look at the collapsed building behind her. She'd love to help, but... archery isn't known for its utility. So she would play, instead. Something with a strong beat, to work to. She starts with a snare drum, and slowly builds a peculiar march before she starts to clean up the mess of the destroyed tavern.

Wait. What was that noise? It sounded like-

Location: Edolas Capitol

"Do you even know what you're exactly? What exactly is this balance or disorder that can happen?" Edo Shutler said while he saw Bryht take off in his bird form. "You should be aware that what you're talking about is nothing, there was never a balance. Both our worlds won't be effected if one enters another. For one, magic has nothing to do with this balance. Are you aware that our magic was thrown into your world, has your world changed after all our magic was sent to your world? For us, we're probably seem a bit primitive to you Earth Landers, yet we had magic before and now we don't and not much has changed. So how can you just assume that magic will destroy our worlds if we're still here. Second, how does us Edolasians going to your world change anything for your people. That titan there is proof enough that will be fine. With Gentsai power, he can grant fresh crops to pick and eat when ready, it stands about over three times the size of this Capitol, enough space for the people that are joining, it has enough to provide for us.

Stepping back, he raised his arms up in the air, showing that he had no weapon and only his metal plated armor on. "I can see that you're preparing yourself for a fight, but I only came here to talk and not have words result to violence. You asked how beneficial this is for both our worlds, it doesn't really hold much. We only plan to stay and advance our knowledge, learn and gain from what we lost and more. You you Earth Landers do seems different. Your guild could of done nothing, yet your people decided to be that force that changed the current affairs of this world, a world that you didn't belong too. Why do you assume that we'll do the same?" His arms fell back and he began walking towards the titan, but before he left he had to say one more thing. "Before this, I lost something. Once I lost it, I realized a few things. The main thing being that I don't others to go through what I been through, something that Gentsai and I share. That is why I must go to Earth Land, to find a way to prevent others from losing the same thing. Now if you can excuse me, I have a vessel to board." Leaving as he finished and walked towards the titan.

Off in the distance away from Edo Shutler and the two Earth Landers, a shadow could be seen moving across a wall without its person and heading towards the titan as well.

A figure dressed, head to foot, in black, blacker then night, darker then the darkest shadow, with only their eyes glinting out of the depths, walked down the streets of Magnolia.

They appeared to be quite tall, reaching just over six feet, their body, despite the bulk of the clothes, seemingly quite thin, and they walked in a stride that was definitely male, giving the impression that they were indeed of that gender.

At the sound of commotion, coming from what appeared to be an inn, and sighed softly. "Tsk, Tsk. Someone causing mischief. Honestly, if you're going to be bad, can't you be more...subtle about it? Well. Can't have one fool making a fool of the rest of us, can I?" Their voice was deep, with an odd musical tune to it. as they sighed again, and followed after Nero.

"Of course, the mischievous Genie, half-assing his way through his magic, merely making a fool of himself completely. Why people continue to ask for his help, I'll never know. Perhaps they are bigger fools then he is"" The figure shook their head, and seemed to walk in a weary way. "Little more then a child, playing around with things he shouldn't be"

They had soon closed the distance, and without stopping, whacked Nero over the head as they passed him. "foolish child" they said, as they continued after the manticore.

In a mild voice that carried over the streets, they said "Lost Magic: Ice of time" people around, those that had taken cover, or hadn't run at the Manticore's approach, might feel a wave of cold, as the Manticore was frozen in ice, time hurriedly moving forward, and freezing the moisture in the air in less then three seconds, encasing the beast in ice. The figure watched, seeming to wait, to see if their magic stood against Nero's.

"One..." They said musingly, watching the ice.



Before Edo-Shutler could go too far, a ball of fire landed on the ground barely missing him. Penny held another ball of bright red, flickering flames, in her right hand. "You know nothing of our world, you utter, ignorant, stupid fool" her expression was more than serious, angry burning, flickering like fire behind her eyes.

"You have no idea the troubles our world has been through. But beyond that, your foolish, arrogant jerk wad. Your world, the people of your world, they mistreated magic, but before that, the balance was equal magic. the way your world used magic, badly, upset ours. Its barely settled, and now, you want to do this, you want to throw in an influx of the very people, descendants of course, that detroyed this worlds magic? No. I won't let you"

She shook her head, and said "Fire Transformation: Phoenix Form" Flames engulfed her, forming her phoenix form, "Because I'm a god damned fool myself" she muttered to herself.



When they were all on the legion, Sasha couldn't help herself. She climbed off, and darted back into the Edolas Guild hall. She looked about, and dashed to Ben. She hugged the boy, the now familiar pain aching in her chest, her heart. And she knew in that moment, that she wouldn't removed the guild mark on her chest, wouldn't cover it.

It meant Family.

She smiled, wobbly, and dashed back out, onto the legion, settling on Lizzy, next to Lazarus, leaning against him, feeling comfortable, content, and safe near him, like she was. She smiled, and as they began their flight towards the capitol, Sasha called to Mayt "Are you sure you know how to fly Lizzy?"



Waiting to see if Lucas would recover, Master Jamie looked back over to Ariel. "Interesting. An odd combination, water and fire. And yet, I suspected you will be able to do wonderful things with it" He said, rising, and going back over to the bar, figuring that Lucas would be okay.

Just as she went over to Ariel, with a plate of food, hot enough that steam was coming off it, and a glass off water, setting it down on the table, Karn came in with his usual bundle of energy, pushing Zenoram in front of him. Jamie took the flyer, reading it, looking to the Dragon Slayer boy, "I can understand why you would wish to go with Karn on this job. While I do not doubt your willingness to join the guild, and you wll be most welcome here, as i suspect you have a bit in common with our Ayama, are you just joining to undertake this job?" Jamie's expression was serious as well as his tone

Mayt glanced over when Sasha got off, but didn't say anything, looking back over at the fake Karn. "Impersonating someone is obnoxious, whether the person you're impersonating is from here or Earthland, and copying a dead person is just plain inconsiderate." He smiled a bit, before looking back over as Sasha called up to him. "I thought that was what our little impostor up here was supposed to do. Other than that, no, I don't." He said back, speaking loudly so she'd hear, and leaning over with his arm extended for her to grab on to. "And I don't think we can wait much longer. Anyone who's not with us in a moment needs to get a teleportation lacrima."

Trinity had dismissed her instruments when she started running toward the commotion. She called her bow and quiver forth, drawing an ice arrow as she rounded the street corner. What she saw was more excitement than she she had been expecting, but she decided it was a good thing she arrived on the scene. There was already quite a bit of collateral, she could see, but it didn't seem like anyone was hurt. There was some curious happenstance here (the penguin?), but besides that, things seemed rather straight forward.

The fighting bard dashes her way into the scene, taking a few bounds to get up a stack of crates and finally leaping up onto the rooftops. She runs along the shingled roofs. "Archery Magic: Rapid Draw!" She uses the magic to duplicate the last arrow fired, and stops to shoot Ice Arrows at the Manticore. Instead of piecing, these arrows would explode into ice on impact. If she could freeze it in place, they could subdue it and take it somewhere where it belongs. Once she's shot three at it, she starts running again, moving along the rooftops and firing two more. She'd probably really piss it off like this, so she'd better be ready to dodge.

Though in a heroic effort to pursue the rampaging manticore the dark mage successfully avoided repeated impalement, tripping, collision with lampposts, and frowning, all without allowing his penguin friend to slip out of his clutches, he proved unable to avoid a impersonal but nevertheless painful slap to his cranium. Instantly, his eyeglasses popped off, Free squirmed out of his grip, his new porkpie hat fell to the ground, and it was difficult to tell which upset Nero more. [color=D8BFD8]“Noo!” He cried, in an exaggerated falsetto as the spectacles hit the pavement, shattering one of the lenses. If looks could kill, the back of the darkly-clad entity's head would have been obliterated by the younger wizard's affixed glare, who gave a short, wry laugh. “Now how am I going to read your epitaph?” he admonished.

Rather than responding, the ominous intruder released a spell. Nero smirked when he heard the lost magic's telling incantation. Spells whose incantations exactly revealed what they were and what they did combined a lack of creativity with a lack of forethought. Spending little time ruminating about the marauder's choice of words, Nero turned this way and that, searching for his slippery companion. He spotted Free waddling at breakneck speed toward a nearby shop, and watched with no small amount of amusement as the penguin tried the door, failed, and resorted to diving headfirst into an empty plant pot to conceal himself. His good mood restored, Nero turned back to see the troublesome manticore stopped cold, literally frozen mid-roar. It took a lot of effort to resist the temptation to transmute the icy prison into a veil of stone, thereby entombing the monster, but Ginger probably didn't deserve such a fate.

Instead, Nero approached the spot where he glasses had cracked against the street, scooped them up, and placed them back on his head. A rogue chip of glass toppled from the frame and cut a light scratch across Nero's cheek, but if the dark mage took any notice of this, he said nothing. Instead, he cupped his hands around his mouth and called, “Cool spell! No, really. N-ice of you to step in and catch the monster!” Nero doubled over laughing at his own puns. “Shouldn't kill her though,” he recovered quickly, “This week's my murder break.” The unmistakable sound of incantation kept him from continuing, and as he watched, some crazy lady raced across a nearby roof, firing a slew of arrows coated in pale, frosty glow. All Nero could think was 'genius' before the projectiles unceremoniously smacked into the already-thoroughly-frozen manticore, adding another layer. The new ice, judging by its glossiness and greater transparency, looked by all accounts inferior to the outsider's Ice of Time, to boot. With the beast incapacitated to an even greater degree, Nero decided to spend a moment or two making sure that the newcomer knew exactly how silly she was.

“Good grief! Ice!? What an original and useful spell!” Nero placed a palm to his head, using his other to wipe off blood from his cheek as a more sentimental gentleman might wipe off a tear, and chuckling in a mixture of hilarity and disbelief all the while. “Since you're so eager to contribute,” he yelled, “Why don't you watch her 'til she calms down and turns back? Should only be a minute or so, I wasn't really trying this time!” Nero waved with both hands, span around on his heels, and waltzed over to where Free still struggling. He grabbed the penguin's feet, one with either hand, and yanked the bird out of his plant pot. Free squawked in outrage but could only flap his flippers feebly as Nero tucked him under his arm and started back toward Mayford Inn, the forlorn porkpie hat lying on the pavement forgotten evermore.

He walked quickly, not wanting to encounter either the shadowy brute or the scatterbrained archer before he had wrapped up his business. Fortunately, York -still very much a dwarf- had followed him to the inn's entrance a few moments ago, and now stood there watching. “Why did you curse us if you were going to turn on them the whole time?” he demanded.

Nero held up two fingers. “Three reasons. One, I wasn't going to turn on them until Ginger threatened to shoot me. Two, cursing is awesome. Three, I wanted to make everyone happy.” York, full of indignation, tried to interrupt, but the dark mage steamrolled over him. “The way I did that was by fulfilling the goon squad's horrible wishes, giving them a few moments of sadistic pleasure, and then satisfied your desire for retribution -or justice, take your pick- by cursing them as well. Plus, I'll bet they'll figure out in ten minutes or so when their curses wear off that messing with someone they didn't understand was a bad idea. Anyone who figures that out is happier in the long run. By the way, I expect you to become normal-sized any second now. Your chick will as well, but if you want a honest guy's honest opinion, she pulled off the adorably-plump thing pretty well.” As always, it was tough to tell if he was serious. Leaving York behind, he exited Mayford's destroyed front porch and returned to the street. Free squawked again, and Nero ruffled his feathers. “Yours is gonna last a little bit longer, li'l buddy. It's time you had some positive influence in your life.” After taking a moment to consider the irony in his statement, Nero cracked up yet again.

Nolan had decelerated the rate of the ashes propelling him as the restaurant came into view. This was one of those rare moments when he was actually out sped by someone though he respected that her magic was meant for speed as well, like the scattering dust that her magic uses. He soon slowed down to a stop. "Impressive. Just don't let it get to your head dust rag." Nolan quipped to Fleo, smirking at his remark before it fell back down to a grimace as she mentioned her unfortunate past. For someone who is supposed to be cheerful, she wasn't all that cheerful. Then at the flick of a switch Fleo perked up and wasted no time entering the restaurant with Nolan following after her.

Looked like she was originally meant to meet up with this boy that she nearly butted heads with because of what Nolan had done to her previously. He just kept to himself and followed after her as they made their way to the table. The unsure glance that she gave him couldn't had been a dead give away that she still didn't trust him, but then again who could blame her? The God Slayer just made her sob her eyes out and in all honesty he wasn't even going to follow after her to check on her or apologize until his guilt got the better of him. Still he didn't apologize.

Nolan sat down and looked down with disinterest, glancing down at the items as he coughed up a small puff of ash from his mouth. It was too loud with so many people talking for his tastes, but he would endure it for the meantime if the food was any good. He rested his head on his propped up hand and looked out the window with boredom plastered on his face. Even the teleporting gorilla of a garcon who made Fleo flip out still didn't phase him! His ears twitched when Fleo told the garcon to take his order first. His head tilted so he could look at the garcon with his black eyes, piercing and cold like an endless abyss that swallowed all light. "Black tea with whole milk and honey. As for the main course, give me whatever is most popular here."

"So how do you know me?" Nolan asked Fleo out of curiosity. He wasn't exactly famous and he certainly hasn't been around for awhile due to a long mission.