[center][h3][color=silver]Ferrin Astra[/color]- Yesterday Afternoon[/h3][/center]

Ferrin parted from Grane, his mind troubled by what he had learned. He emerged from the underground, and squinted at the light. [i]Sunset already?[/i] He thought, surprised. [color=silver]"Damn, a whole day wasted, and nothing to show for it."[/color] He shook his head. [color=silver]"I guess I will head back to the Twin, and come up with a new plan."[/color]

Suddenly his stomach rumbled. He winced. [i]Fighing that shadow thing, and using my magic like that really takes a toll. I will need food and rest before I'm in any shape to fight again.[/i] Ferrin pulled out his wallet and upended it in his hand.

A few wrinkled, faded bills fell into his Gauntlet's palm. [i]400 jewels[/i] Ferrin groaned and hung his head. [i]I came to get some form of income, not to trapised around looking for an incredibly dangerous rogue wizard, pro bono to boot. Maybe I should have charged the Twin at least something... Thinking of them, they will probably be as hungry as me.

I guess I have no choice, then. Sorry.[/i]

Ferrin wandered around, nonchalantly, sticking near large crouds, looking for the perfect target. It wasn't long until he found one, a gaudly dressed man with a cane a hat, an impressive mustache, and a small guard of some three men, who looked big, strong, and not too bright. The man was probably a noble of some kind. Ferrin discreetly followed him. They took a wandering route through the shoppping distiric, where the man bought a vase, and several expensive lacrima. Ferrin waited patently, taking note of where the man stashed his wallet. He headed back toward the colosseum, where the crouds were thicker. Ferrin ducked into a side street, and with magic, jumped to the roof of a building. 

He scanned the throng, tring to find his target again. For a moment, he thought he had lost him, but caught sight of the the three bodyguards. Swiftly, he used the buildings to run ahead of the man. He jumped down into another alley, covered himself in an illusion and a nondescript man stumbled out

He made his way into the crowd, angling toward the man, and his coterie. He picked up the pace, until he was half sprinting, weaving through the crowd, like he was in a hurry. John was in a hurry. He had a very important meeting to attend that he simply mustn't miss or he could lose his job. He push a man out of his way and suddenly there was another, too close to fully avoid. The man saw John running at him, and flinched away. John also moved, so that he only bumped into him, although with some force. "Hey, watch where you're going!" The man shouted. [color=silver]"Sorry."[/color] Was all John said. The man dusted himself off. "Honestly, the clumsiness of sone peopl--" his hand brushed where his wallet was. "Wait!" He hurriedly patted a few other pockets. "My wallet!" The three guards glanced at each other as they all came to the same conclusion at once. "That man!" They cried, then they took off after John. John, kept up his pace, dodging and weaving through the crowd. He lead the guards on a merry chase around several blocks before slipping into an alley, and rendering himself invisible. He waited, and the guards ran past. In his head, he slowly counted to sixty.

When he reached that number, there was no sign of them, so he dropped both illusions and he was Ferrin once more. He started laughing. [color=silver]"Man, that never gets old."[/color] He laughed. Sill chuckling at his fun he pulled out the thing he had gone through all that trouble for. The nobleman's wallet, pickpocketed when he had bumped into him. Ferrin dumped out the money and counted the bills. [i]38000...39000...40000 jewels! Not a bad haul. I still have my touch.[/i] He didn't feel the least bit guilty over the theft. The nobleman had plenty to spare, and Ferrin had a need. A long time back, that was the only way he was able to survive, by stealing and cheating. When he had joined Fairy Tail, that activity was quickly and abruptly stopped, but he still had the skills he developed from then.

Pocketing the money, and wallet, he found a pawnshop, and sold the nice, silk wallet to dispose of the evidence, and gain a little extra cash. Money in hand, and no guards trying to arrest him, he made his way back to the market, and bought some supplies. By then, the sun had nearly vanished below the horizon. Ferrin made his way out of town, and back to the camp where he had left the Twin.

Upon his arrival they looked up, expectedly. [color=0076a3]"Well?"[/color] Colt asked. [color=0076a3]"Find anything?"[/color] Ferrin sighed and sat on a nearby log. 

[color=silver]"Nope. Not a single lead."[/color] Their face fell. 

[color=ed1c24]"Well, what a lot of help you are."[/color] Claire scolded.

[color=0076a3]"Sis!"[/color] Colt protested. 

Ferrin held up his mechanical hand. [color=silver]"Its all right. I found nothing today, but tomorrow could be different. By the way, I go some food." He said, as he set down the stuff, and pulled out various spices, vegetables and raw meats. Colt looked at the stuff, confused. [color=0076a3]"That doesn't look ready to eat."[/color] He said, doubtfully.

[color=silver]"That is because it is not. I am going to cook."[/color] Ferrin proclaimed, proudly. There was a brief moment of doubtful silence, the only sound as the crickets, softly chirping.

[color=ed1c24]"Y-you can cook?"[/color] Claire asked, incredulous.

[color=silver]"Of course I can! Why would you think that I could not?"[/color]

[color=0076a3]"Well...you see...uhhh...you don't really seem like the cooking type..."[/color] Colt stuttered.

Ferrin scowled at them. [color=silver]"And what, exactly, would the cooking type look like, hmm?"[/color]

[color=ed1c24]"Oh, hey. Is that a owl?"[/color] Claire asked pointing up at a tree.

[color=silver]"No it is not," [/color] Ferrin said without looking. [color=silver]"And it be damned if it is. Answer the question."[/color]

Their eyes turned blue, but they didn't move, otherwise. [color=0076a3]"It looks like...uh....I donno..."[/color] Colt managed.

[color=silver]"If you have no idea what it looks like, then you cannot say that I do not look the type."[/color] Ferrin said. He turned away and went back to preparing the food.

The twin hung their head. [i][color=ed1c24]Nice going, genus. Real smooth talker.[/color][/i] Claire thought to Colt. [i][color=0076a3]Sorry, he is so intimidating when he is angry. I was just at a loss for words.[/color][/i]

Ferrin, whose back was to them, smiled. [i]Messing with people is fun[/i] He thought. He laid out wood in the fire pit, and with a quick spell, he set it alight. With that started, he grabbed a pot, and filled it with water from a nearby spring. He walked back to the campsite, and set it aside. Next, he took the meat, deftly sliced it into cubes, and chopped up several of the vegetables. He had gone slowly, taking his time, and by the time he was finished, the fire had burned to coals. He set the pot of water on the coals, and frowned at the coals. [i]Not hot enough.[/i] He cast another spell, heating them up and causing the coals to glow orange-red. While he waited for the pot to boil, the Twin stood up. [color=0076a3]"We are going to take a walk around."[/color] Colt explained. Ferrin merely grunted in reply. 

When the water finally boiled, he chucked in the meat, vegetables, several spices, and poured in a little wine. He placed the unused stuff in a bag for later. A few minutes later, the savory aroma of the stew pervaded the camp. Night had fully fallen by them, but the almost full moon rose high, providing enough light to see by. 

Drawn by the smell, the Twin wandered back. [color=0076a3]"That smells amazing."[/color] Colt said. [color=ed1c24]"Hey! Ferrin, is that food for us, or just decoration![/color] Claire called. Ferrin grinned at them, as he got out some bowls, spoons, and bread. [color=silver]"Come on, see for yourselves."[/color] He called back.

They ate his delicious stew over the fire, and as they did, they talked. Mostly it was about unimportant things, all three of them were reluctant to talk about their pasts, but nonetheless, they got to know each other well. The mood was happy, jokes were swapped, stories were told, and food was devoured. They talked long into the night, long after the last morsel had been consumed.

Afterward, they rolled up in their blankets, and fell asleep.