A Warm Beatrix, A Cold Sage Pt 1
Magnolia, Train Station, Platform 13
True to this name, the white haired mage continued to uphold his title as he ventured towards the trainstation, he silent declined Beatrix's offer to pay for their tickets. Instead he paid for a sigle first class ticket. He never liked ecomony class, and surely Beatrix did to. Asusming that she would follow (Hoping that she wouldn't.). Sage said down at the nearby seat and opened up his duffle bag, fishing out a small novel as he opened the page from where he left off.
"............." Sage would continue to keep silent, Beatrix on the other hand would have a different opinion.
Beatrix had followed Sage all the way to the train, thankfully she had some kind of unqiue pass that allowed her puppets to ride free, likely due to the fact they were not considered real people and could reasliy be stored in the overhead compartments. Convenient. When she reached the booth, her infulance easliy allowing her to force the issue of her getting the seat within the same booth as him.
"I think we should talk about battle plans, since we cannot just go around without any direction! Allow me to see the poster please!"Beatrix held out her hand, all the while the white angel had picked her up from her throne and had placed her into the booth, the chair looked kinda confused at this.
" Ora, ora~ Go and get some snacks." She shooed the chair away with the black angel to obtain the needed snacks.
As Sage saw Beatrix order the white angle to get some snacks, he shurgged as he handed the mission slip to the girl before returning to his book. He had already made a plan to search the arround forest and beach. In his time of training, he learn that even the smallest clue can lead to treasure...or so to speak.
Sage sighed for the umptenth time before looking up the beatrix, deciding to hear her out and see her plan of attack, he sent a note her way.
>I'm all ears.The girl looked amused for a moment as he sighed, clearly he was so thankfuly to have her along so that she could provide such a lovely plan as she was about to give! Reading the note only comfirmed her guess, and after leaning back in the chair to get more relaced she gestured to the slip which she had already read.
"It is rather simple, looking around like a mad man wont get us anywhere. I can use up to ten of my faceless pupepts to look around for us while we ask around about if any other children have gone missing. If they have then I can use a child puppet to draw whatever happened to the child out." She looked a little spent on that fact.
"Of course it could all just mean nothing and she could just be lost. Still, betetr safe than sorry." Sage nodded, if was a excellent plan. It was true that he wasn't good with little kids, heck his facial expression and aura around him was enought to make them cry. Crossing over her plan with his. It was simple enough.
>Then we'll make this a two front plan, you interact with the civies in Cedar city, i will search for clues around the outskirts. Sage passed on the note to Beatrix, although we wouldn't admit it, his mission could go smoother with two mages working together, and yet serperatly. But the nagging feeling of a similar mission was about to take place. it wasn't a mission he undertook. He couldn't put his finger on it, but it was nagging him.
>If you would excuse me, i would like to read my book in peace.Beatrix nodded happliy when he had agreed to use her plan like that, it seems she was right about the fact that he could see just how wonderful working with her truely was! She sensed the chair and Shi returning so she motioned for Ari to help her sit up, which she did tho it seemed that the white angel took it on itself to brush the noble girls hair a few times before she just brushed the puppets actions off as if she was not fully in control.
"Would you care for any snacks? I had my servants bring as many as they could so that we could pick whenever we wanted." Taking a look she could not help but ask something she had been wondering for a good while now, after all she had seen him with that book, or others like it a few times.
"Do you enjoy reading?" ---
>Thank you, but no thank you.Sage didn't bother looking up from his book as the young girl offer up food for him to eat, having already eaten in the morning before napping at the guilds rafter. Sage wondered if this girl was going to be annoying, so far she wasn't. As long as she did her part and he did his. There wasn't going to be a problem. Soon Beatrix asked a question. To which he replied.
>Not particulary, but it helps pass the time. However the sudden urge of reading soon left him as he closed the book gently, folding the page where he was currently at. He soon opted to look outside the window, he didn't notice that the train was already moving towards their destination.
'At the pace, Cedar city will be in sight within another hour.' he mused lightly. He soon casted a quick gaze at the puppet, he had never seen a puppet user before, sure there was Sherry blendy, a former guild mate at lamia scale who used living doll magic. A noticed tug on his lip could been seen as he turned his head back to the world outside.
The girl decided to pick something at random, a bar of rich dark chocolate which she happly munched on with a smile across her face. However she noticed that her minion was having some ploblems with not accepting her offer so she motioned for the black angel Shi to do something about it. A moment later the note that Sage had placed down was covered by a mountain of snacks from the chair, obscuring it from Beatrix ever reading it.
"Enjoy, I have to keep the one that is working with me healthy after all! We dont have all that much time before the next stop so enjoy yourself! KWhahahaha~ Munch, munch~"Sage's right eye twiched with annoyance as he was covered with confectionaries all around him. 'This girl...' Close his eye he sent a pluse of magical energy around the room, before lifting his left index finger into the air, on command the snacks floated into the air before sage neatly piled the next to Beatrix in a neat fashion. A grunt of annoyance was sent her way as sage set his finger down.
>I'm not hungry, thank you very much.He was now praying that Beatrix would not taken advantage of his paitents. Settling into his seat, sage closed his eyes and started to nap.
Slowly but surely a wrapped snack cake slowly came down from above him, as if on a invisable string it bounced up and down like bait on a fishing line. The two angels were gathering the remaining snacks up into a basket. It seemed she had not given up on this, after all she had to feed him something, she was being so nice as to offer it to him as well.
"Either way, lets see. How long until we reach the next stop?" This girl was really testing his limits, he was beginning to think if this was a bad idea. But soon as they set foot in the city, Sage was have to grit his teeth and head to the lost child's families house to get some more info frmo them. After that he was head to the forest where silence would welcome him.
>......Half an hour.The snack cake ploped onto the table as Beatrix decided to just leave it there for the time being, her two angel servants had taken it on themselves to start brushing the girls rather long hair. Though she just decided to ignore their actions for the time being as they had half a hour to kill so why not start by asking some hard hitting qrestions? A smirk crossed her lips as she leaned forward on the table, her elbows supporting her as she rested her chin on her hands.
"If we are going to work together, I think we should know a little more about each other right? I must always keep a close and protective eye on those that work under me after all~ So, what powers do you have Mr 'Devil'?" Opening one eye, Sage stared at the young upcoming mage. Another sigh escaped his lips. 'Of course she would want to know how i came to be how i am, however.'
>You say that you must keep an eye on me, i find that hard to believe since i am 20 and your are 16, not near the legal age as well.He hid his smirk underneath his persona.
>You not need to be concerned about my wellbeing, i have been alone enough to take care of myself. The poeple i have trusted have long left me.Then it hit him.
>Are you familar with Makarove Dreyers words: 'There are people in this world who prefer solitude. But there is no one who can withstand it.' I am a living conradiction to those words. I have been alone and i've always liked it that way.Sage wondered if he should tell her about Black void Unlimited, but decided againest that, it would be a treat to see her reaction towards it.
>My current magic is Gravity, as you saw with the confectionaries before. My secondary and previous magic are none of our concern. I will not ask question, mainly for the fact I am not interested about you.Letting his lone eye close, he proceeded to sleep again, unfortunaly he would be awoken again. It seemed the Beatrix was going to grill him.
"Oh ho? I had heard you could achive much more, a intresting prospect to see it if you are keeping it hidden"Beatrix only remained smileing towards the man with not a hint of change, her very presence outdid most adults let along people her own age. One could clearly see the girls mayjor weaknesses and yet despite all this she was calm an forceful in all things... A intimadating girl to ordinary people to say the least. No matter their ages Beatrix clearly gave off the feeling that she was in control of this conversation.
"His words are wise, no one can truely be alone and remain sane... I am never alone, my connections and my feelings are far more powerful than any sort of isolation that would be placed on me."Staring at sage for a few moments she was checking over him, seeing what kind of person he was from his small movements and actions, each sigh told her something new. He had not stopped talking to her, so that was at least something that she could use for the time being.
"Well, my magic is made rather clear is it not? Though I am a little sad that you do not trust me of all people enough to tell me what you are capable of." ---
>There was a time.Sage mind started to wander back to the days of Lamia Scale, back when he was a S-class mage, Back when he, Hana, Stacy and Annabeth were the most powerful team in the GMG. But nothing stayed the same forever. Bountries shift and people change...much like the silent mage.
>Then hold on to what you believe in, that is all i have to say.Just like how Beatrix was seeing for any small movements or twiches. Sage kept her at arms length. It was proper manner to answer a young maidens question. Just like his aunt told him. There was nothing more to it.
>Trust is not the main issue here, i just want to be by myself.Sage would answer the maidens question, but at the same time, lead her around the bush. There was no need to stick her nose where it didn't belong.
"Bah, it is fine I will be here to make sure others do not bother you... I was wondering something...." She either did not understand what he meant by alone or did not care about that fact. However it seemed to not matter as she had already changed the topic onto something that was a rather sensitive issue, something she hoped would crack the mans rather stone like persona, even for a second. Besides it was not like he was going to tell anyone that the great Beatrix had a opinion on something so big as the guild.
"Do you ever miss the times of the old guilds? I would often be taken to visit some famous guilds when I was a child, just before the war... They felt so different than the current guild." ".............." Sage stayed silent, decided to thank her or not, he opted to wave it off. 'This girl...."
It came to attention that she would not leave him alone, not unless force had to be use, but doing that would prove unwise, he would have to deal with the guild and then the council. Something he would rather stay away from.
>The guilds in the past and the Guild of today...they are much the same, Just like now. I stayed away from the spotlight and worked in my own accord, did mission and took orders from the guild master. Sage knew that it would be polite to listen to her, feinting sleep would only insult her. Sighing once again, the white haired mage shifted position and got himself in a better position and waited for more questions to come his away.
"Attention all passenger, we will be arriving in Ceder city in 10 minutes.""No... They are not the same at all"For the first time her rather forceful yet cheerful tone had stoped, giving way to a rather sharp opinion that held some kind of grand passion behind it. The two angels had reached to brushing the rest of the girls hair, tho she just waved them away from her face so that she could talk to Sage. Her look held a lot of passion for the subject of guilds, she held the old guilds in such high regaurd.
"Family, that is what is differant. The guild today is nothing but a job, somewhere to learn and be apart of something... But the guilds of the past held true meaning, they were like a family and had close bonds that... I saw such grand guilds back then, but now? People in the guild hall may as well mostly be strangers if you are a low enough 'rank'">Family....Sage mind flashed back to his family and lamia scale once again...Sage gripped the arms of his chair as he breathed through his nose.
>Close bonds....friends.....disgusting.His calm yellows eyes would soon shift into blood red eyes with vertical slits, his white hair would become feral and wild. Sage would go back on his word and give his one and only question.
>Does 'family' treat you like a monster?She had finally done it, she cracked sage: but for the wrong reason. Not wanting anymore nor did he want her to see him enraged. Sage closed his eye and stood up leaving the blonde haried girl in the booth with her puppets.
>Not every mages advetnure was a Fairy tale. I'll come back for my bag later.Before he left her, he sent her one last note.
>Hence the reason i prefer the guild of today. I am a 'stranger'.Beatrix paused for a moment, both her angels looking towards the cracked Sage as he placed his last note before leaving, thankfuly not with his bag so he was at least going to come back for it. She felt like she had really steped on a land mine there, and without any chance to speak up before he left she had no choice but to remain sitting there until the train arrived at the station...
As time ticked by, the two mages arrived in Cedar city. Sage having cooled of reutrned back to the booth. Not saying anything to Beatrix, the white haired mage picked up his bag and exited the train. The would soon followed.
>We head to the lost girls family home. Then we part ways and regroup tonight.