The Long Road Home
~@The Irish Tree (NEP)~

"It certainly was good that he found you. And erm...this is a set of spare clothes Neil had on hand. I hung my dress out to dry at the guild, and had no other clothes available."

"...I see." Talia replied, not satisfied with the answer. "And do you recognize or know of this... particular sort of fashion?"

"Might I ask what you did for a living before joining the guild?"

"Well as a Cyclops, I started out forging stuff as a living." Talia began. "But I've taken an interest in... other pursuits. Like construction and invention and other similar fields." She elaborated. "When I found Kyle looking for help with his flying invention, I immediately signed up." She chuckled a bit. "I wonder how he's doing right now." Talia continued. "I wish I could've been there to see the maiden voyage."

"What about you, Miss Nephele? What were you doing before joining the guild?" Talia asked you in return. "Also, may I know why you are sharing a room with Neil? Are you two... together?"

~@Lmpkio (MOR)~

"Well lucky for you, You've just so happened to bump into one! I can heal your friend, just show me where he is and I'll get him patched up in no time."

"Really?!" The boy was ecstatic at your answer. "Well, follow me. She's not far from here."

The boy lead you through the village with a bit of urgency judging from his speed. "Hey uhh... may I know who you are? You know, to make things easier." He asked of you. "My name is Neil, by the way. I'm-- Me and my friends are from the guild just south of here. Have you heard of us? Well, we haven't been active long so probably not."

"It's-- It's a long story about my friend." The boy named Neil continued. "We had this, uh, fight last night. There's a bunch of hitmen who attacked our place looking for Bart, our guild leader. I... don't know much of the details but we were aided by this dragon-like woman who was a big help although she did blow the entrance open with her breath. She's working for us for now to help pay for the damages."

"I-I think her name's Titanica." Neil revealed the name. "She's a tad... scary, so I haven't really talked to her. Err, at all actually."

---

~@The Irish Tree (MAG), @Restalaan (YNG)~

Yang managed to find a mercenary named Ian North in Ambran to help in Kyle's burial. He and Yang returned to the crash site with a wagon carrying a casket.

After loading the body into the casket, Ian dusted off his hands. With his gauntlets still on so it made some clunking sounds. "Well, it's a damn shame what happened to Kyle." Ian remarked as he walked to the driver seat. "I remember hearing in Ambran that he was once just some dude who drew some pretty snazzy pictures. Those were probably the blueprints for the machine." He sighed. "I'll try to contact his friends and family. Although, he looks like he's someone from far away."

"You know," Ian then turned to Magnus and Yang. "There is someone in your guild that knows how to build an alternative flying machine." The mercenary cryptically revealed. "Not really 'know how to build' but he knows the basic foundations for it." Ian then embarked the wagon. "I'll leave it to you guys to figure out who he is."

"Ciao~!"

---

Just Business
~@Lmpkio (TCA), @Silver Carrot, @13org (BST), @AzureKnight (VRA)~

"Now is not the time for your little jokes, gremlin. What do we get for saving your perverted petty ass?"

"George, the assailant I fought implied that you are a drug dealer. I think we are all owed an explanation after we fought and killed on your behalf, as well as an apology for calling us a....a harem!"

"Now, leaving your rudeness aside... What exactly are you transporting? Surely you didn't expect me to believe that they are common trading goods when attacked by mercenaries this well equipped... It would be better for you to start speaking, George... It seems the girls are rather upset about what you said..."

"I sell drugs!" George cheerfully replied, more confirmation than admission. "Lot of demand for drugs. Oh, but my drugs special: Is demon energy-free! No risk of turning into monster or incubus! Very popular in human-only lands." He happily explained. "Keeping demon energy out is not easy though. Or cheap. Almost negates profits. Hahaha!"

"Now if you are not traveling harem, then who are you?" George inquired. "Mercenaries? A really weird band of adventurers? How did you guys even find me? By chance and coincidence?"

"Now for reward..." George paused as he looked at the barricade. "Unfortunately, I use all my goods to make barricade. Nothing to give you." The drug merchant sadly said. "However, I can have someone else pay you."

George began to explain. "Do you know Ravager's Rest? People who run from Varjo go there. They still bad people though so they raid nearby roads and towns. Especially Shrine Of Eros but they convert bad people into good people in time. However, bad people are just replaced by new runaways from Varjo and the whole thing start again." The merchant continued. "But I have idea how to permanently solve Ravager's Rest. If you do this, Shrine Eros will reward you for sure."

"What do you guys say?"

---

One Man's Trash
~@13org (FYR), @Restalaan (DIT)~

"All contestants! Please go to your assigned positions! The competition is starting soon."

The people in the gathering moved and shuffled. Bows and bundles of arrows were picked up or distributed as the competition's participants made their final preparations for the event. A servant handed Freyr a bundle of the special arrows. He could take it then and there but that was likely an unwise decision.

"The first three winners will then challenge each other. The winner of that match will then challenge the great Saburo Fujikiyo."

Freyr and Ditzy must come to a plan of action soon before it is too late.

---

Titanica continued to hold the poor drug-dealer in the air as she's forced to listen to his initial ramblings about his product. She has absolutely no need for these 'demon energy-free' drugs, granted they weren't exactly made for monster-kind in the first place. She let the others do the talking for her, answering on who they are and how they found him... up until a certain point that is. The dealer then began to talk about the reward that they were supposed to collect.

"Now for reward... Unfortunately, I use all my goods to make barricade. Nothing to give you."

Titanica's iron grip began to fasten considerably as a low angry grumble emits from the depths of her throat. Her eyes fastened on him like a predatory hawk to a rabbit, with her spines beginning to spark here and there.

"So you're admitting that this is all a waste of our time?" she asks ominously, her mouth already beginning to slowly open up and preparing to launch her breath at this cock-swaggling con-job.

It was then when the drug dealer said this.

However, I can have someone else pay you."

The titan's eyes began to slit as she looks at him closely with portentous intent.

"Then you better get talking." Titanica warned with a snarl, "We're already getting impatient."

He began to talk about a group known as Ravager's Rest, a group mostly comprised by runaway Varjians who happen to raid nearby towns and roads, with the Shrine Of Eros being one of them. He claims that if they hear to his plan on how to stop this vile group, the Shrine will surely reward them dearly for their work.

"What do you guys say?"

Titanica continues to study the dealer carefully, judging whether or not they should trust him or not. She has heard vague outlines of what the Shrine of Eos is and does, but hasn't made the trip there to see it for herself. However, it seems as from the bits she heard, it does match up with what the victim said. With a grunt, the titan drops the drug dealer to the ground and stands above him.

"If you're lying," she warns him carefully, "I will not hesitate to flay you alive. Now, where to the Shrine of Eos?"

---

---

---

With haste in their stride, Morgan began to follow the boy through the village. As they enter the market place, the boy was the first to ask who she is.

"Hey uhh... may I know who you are? You know, to make things easier."

"Of course!" the mothra girl replied willingly, "You can call me Morgan."

The boy paused briefly before replying.

"My name is Neil, by the way. I'm-- Me and my friends are from the guild just south of here. Have you heard of us? Well, we haven't been active long so probably not."

"A guild?" Morgan asked curiously. She has heard of many guilds throughout her time in this country. Some were purely human based, others solely monsters, and some being a little bit in between. And there's such a variety of them too. There were guilds where you could practice the art of medicine, or the art of professional cooking, painting, archery, toy-making, shoe-shining and many more throughout the land. They can be found in nearly any major town and in some villages. Morgan hasn't joined a guild yet, and really seems to have no intentions of being in one either, but perhaps if there's one that fancies her interest, she might give it a shot. "I have heard of many guilds. Chances are I may or may not have heard yours. You must be more specific."

Quickly she switched subjects towards the matter at hand.

"But I digress, what happened to your friend?" Morgan asks concerningly.

"It's-- It's a long story about my friend. We had this, uh, fight last night. There's a bunch of hitmen who attacked our place looking for Bart, our guild leader. I... don't know much of the details but we were aided by this dragon-like woman who was a big help although she did blow the entrance open with her breath. She's working for us for now to help pay for the damages."

The moth's antennae suddenly stood straight at the description of this person.

"Oh?" she wonders as her head dangled briefly to her left, "Dragon-like you say? Interesting..."

Morgan began to ponder on who this monster lady might be. She has encountered many dragon ladies in the past, some of them being friendly, while others not so much. However, Neil mentioned that the person was "dragon-like", not necessarily being an actual dragon, and that she had the power to breathe a beam blast from, presumably, her mouth. There were only a handful of individuals and species that she currently knows can do such a feat, as the rest have been long gone for eons.

"And... mind if I get her name?" the moth creature asked rather eagerly.

"I-I think her name's Titanica."

Morgan's eyes grew as she stopped dead in her tracks. Was that who she has been sensing through all this time? Has a member of the long-gone Gojira tribe survived 'The Great Dying'? And it wasn't just any member of the tribe either. How has her long-time friend survived for all these thousands of years? It shouldn't be possible! Unless she somehow went into hiding and only emerged recently?

"She's a tad... scary, so I haven't really talked to her. Err, at all actually."

But one thing is for certain. Morgan must find her as soon as she can! Shaking out of her trance-like state, she looks at Neil with a bright glimmer in her eyes.

"After I heal your friend," she finally says to the boy, "Can you take me to her, please? Or at the very least tell me where she is so I can go there myself...?"

George's admission that he didn't know who they were or how they found him sounded the alarm bells in Eilidh's head. She ignored George for now and approached Bast. "I'm starting to wonder if George was the one who gave the Guild this job," she said to him, discreetly. "He doesn't know who we are, why we're here, and wasn't prepared to pay us." As she listened to George's counter-offer, she tutted irritably. "I know how to get to the Shrine of Eros, but even so, we're taking George with us. If this endevour leaves us with more battle scars and still no money, we will have to sit down," She put her hand on our sword hilt for emphasis, "and have a long talk with him."

@PaulHaynek@Lmpkio@13org

Bast Ragoczy

Bast couldn't help but raise his eyebrow after hearing George's confession. He didn't even try to hide that fact, in fact, it was almost funny how the man said that he sold drugs, almost like if he was proud of that. That was surely an interesting development that Bast wasn't expecting. But when George mentioned the Shrine of Eros and the Ravager's Rest, Bast raised his eyebrows once more. Maybe the weird little man had indeed something interesting to say...

"A way to permanently solve the problem regarding Ravager's Rest and the Shrine of Eros? That sounds interesting... I wonder what is your solution..." Bast said, looking to the man as Titanica threatened the man. Bast was indeed curious, but he would simply let things play out. If Titanica killed the man, nothing could be done...

"Oh, it seems that my friend just gave you a chance to prove yourself to be trustworthy... It's better for you to not prove her wrong." Bast said with a chuckle.

As Eilidh approached him, she turned to her, listening her words. She did have a point. All that situation was indeed strange. George didn't seem to know who they were nor he was prepared to pay them so it wasn't that likely he was the one who contacted the guild.

"Indeed, my dear Eilidh... It really doesn't sound like George was the one to contact the guild... Although what he said about how to solve the problem at Ravager's Rest sounds interesting... If I'm not mistaken, you took a liking to the Shrine of Eros, am I wrong?" Bast asked with a smile.

"When this is all over we may even take some time to walk through the town, maybe eat something together... What do you say?" Bast asked, with a smile, waiting for her reply.

@PaulHaynek @Lmpkio @Silver Carrot

---

---

Freyr

Freyr heard Ditzy's idea, nodding with a thoughtful expression. It would be too obvious if Freyr missed a shot on purpose... Maybe winning the competition should give them better chances... Maybe if he was able to talk with Saburo himself... Who knows.

"Maybe... Maybe it's best to do as you say Ditzy... Missing a shot on purpose would look so incredibly obvious to any experienced archer..." Freyr said, taking in consideration Ditzy's idea.

"Back in my home forest, we do have some arrows we do ourselves... Maybe he could be interested in the craftsmanship behind them. I can easily make some. Or maybe I could challenge Saburo to use my own arrows on the last challenge. I still have some made with authentic Vieran wood. It's hard to find outside of Vieran forests, but depending on the place we search for and who we talk with, we might find some as there are some merchants whom the female Viera allow to visit the forest to trade with them..." Freyr said, thinking.

But before either Freyr himself or Ditzy could think about any other plan, the signal was given and the competition was about to start.
After heading to the assigned position, Freyr was handed a bundle of the special arrows crafted by Saburo, together with a bow. The difference in size, draw weight and handling was noticeable compared with the bow Freyr used. It took a few practicing shots but after that Freyr had already adapted to that bow and corrected his aim.

Before the competition started for real though, Freyr looked around, trying to find Ditzy between the ones who were watching.

"Try to find Saburo and ask him if he is interested in Vieran arrows." Freyr tried to say to Ditzy. He didn't knew if he would hear due to all the noise of the competition, but he hoped he would understand what he was trying to say by reading his lips.

@PaulHaynek @Restalaan

@PaulHaynek,@Restalaan (YNG)
FF5353

There wasn't a word coming out of Magnus' mouth as he waited for Yang to return, tears continuing to flow endlessly from his eyes. He furiously rubbed away at them with an arm still supporting Kyle's body, but...

"I promised."

"I promised..."

"I promised........"

"I PROMISED..."

The minotaur said to himself before finally letting out a sorrowful wail. Tears dripped to the ground, and a few onto Kyle's left arm. Magnus sniffled, trying to not let his snot escape. It...wasn't a matter of how well he knew Kyle, or that there was nothing he could of done. At this point, Magnus was grieving to keep from snapping in frustration. In anger towards Kyle, to his machine, to himself, to the ground where he fell, animosity was building in Magnus, and his tears were all he could put his mind on to keep from snapping right here and now.

"C'mon then. Get mad. I've seen what you can accomplish when you do! C'mon Magnus, show Daddy what you're made of!"

...A familiar memory, a similar sadness, only he was smaller. His anger had ruined someone's body...his life only spared by Magnus' sisters' combined efforts to drag him away from a bloodied man. What he wanted then...and what he wanted now.

Magnus just wanted to stop feeling completely. Wanted to stop being a monster, and wanted to take it all back. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to just wallow in his misery until Yang returned. That's right...when Yang came back, everything would be fine. Everything. Everything would be fine. Except...he still had to tell Talia. Grabbing the right side of his head with his right hand, Magnus held onto his horn and tugged his head slightly, trying to calm himself a little before Yang returned.

---

Looking miserable, and with his eyelids red and puffy, Magnus would be where Yang left him, cradling Kyle's body in his arms. The Minotaur's chest entirely wet from his tears, his knees scuffed up a bit from kneeling in the dirt. Hearing Ian talk, Magnus clenched his left hand, then released it, now just wanting today to be over. His head however, did lift up when Ian had the body loaded into the coffin and wagon, and then mentioned that "Someone" knew how to build a flying machine at the guild. "Someone"...but who? And why would he tell them about that now of all times!?

Magnus would stand once more after Ian left, now almost entirely certain that he just...didn't like him. There was something about how he was always there that bothered him, as well as just how cryptic he was. Nothing was straight forward, and nothing could be taken at face value. Taking a deep breath, he would look to Yang, before bowing his head. "T-Thank you for getting help and um...I-I'm really sorry that you...had to see all this," he said, feeling ashamed that he'd ruined Yang's day, then left her to go do all the heavy lifting of finding someone to put the body in a coffin.

---

@PaulHaynek,@Lmpkio (MOR)
A9A9A9

Nephele shook her head at Talia's questioning of whether the cave dragoness was familiar with this "fashion" of Neil's. And slowly shook her head at the question of her and Neil being an item. "Our room placement was decided at random. Though, he has proven to be a rather good roommate. He keeps it tidy, and was kind enough to lend me clothes to use." Putting a hand over the top of the shirt, she hummed. "...Though, a bit too flashy color wise for my liking. Oh, forgive me. Before I joined the Guild, I...lived in a cave." ...Yep. That sure sounded professional. Dr. Nephele Megalos, PHD in caves. Hurriedly correcting herself, she added: "W-Well, I mean, I lived in a cave yes, but it was to do an important job. I was the guardian dragon of a village...but I felt it was time for them to venture into the world themselves.

Netting her claws together, Nephele couldn't help but smile as she realized just how...lively her life had gotten since joining the guild. Before, the most eventful thing in her life was the occasional battle against vermin trying infest her cave, or hauling an entire cow back to her cave for a feast. Now, there were people of all sizes and shapes, voices and gestures, all under a single roof. The days of sleeping on a pile of gold were long past, and while she had surrendered her wealth, she now realized she had become richer in a far more important sense. "Would you tell me of some of your other inventions, sometime? I've never been a tinkerer myself, but I'd love to see your work in action." she requested, her lips tugging into a small smile as she waited with Talia, wanting nothing more than for her to recover in this moment. Conversation was nice, and to make friends was even nicer.

@The Irish Tree

Yang Bethlehem

Yang looked at the larger boy and bit her lower mouth at his apologies before she forced herself to relaxed and gave him a reassuring smile.

"It's fine, no need to worry about me so much." She reassured Magnus with a hand on his shoulders, and then gently pulling him to her level closer. Magnus would find that despite Yang smaller stature, she was no less weaker as he was brought down before Yang's two arms went around his neck.

She then hugged him, and felt a bit ticklish at his hair mane but she ignored that. She gently pat his back like she would to smaller children, one that she had done for at her temple.

"If anything, I should apologized. I could have stopped him, or at least, be more pushy-" Yang voice cracked for a moment under her voice but she clamped it up with all her disciplined before she sniffed once and broke the hug. A forced smile on her face greeted Magnus.

"What's done...is done." She turned away from him as her shoulders sagged. Yang cleared her eyes as she gestured for Magnus to follow her. "Come on, let's go home."

"Besides, we should probably find out the person Ian was referring to. That way, if the flying machine idea is possible, then Mr.Kyle's death wouldn't be in vain." Yang shifted the topic as they head back for the guild.

Her mood was completely down the drain now, she had thought yesterday was bad but today seemed like a kick to her guts while she's down.

---

@13org@PaulHaynek

Ditzy Stoneclub

Ditzy nodded alongside Freyr explanation and thinking aloud as he listened to what he said intently. It wasn't long though as the competition soon about to start and Freyr had to leave for his position.

Ditzy cheered at the side, or at least, as much as he can. He hadn't really went to much competition, and often was just stuck understanding the rules.

Archery was more simple though, hit the arrows in the middle! So he didn't need to think too much on the rules.

Then he saw Freyr mouthing something to him, which he tilted his head sideways as he watched what the Freyr said. He tapped his lips in contemplation for a moment, thinking what on Freyr said.

Try to find Abundo and ask him if he is into viagra? Ditzy wondered just why Freyr wanted to do that or who Abundo was.

Slowly though, and after enough repetition, Ditzy slowly pieced things together as Freyr was asking him to ask Saburo if he's interested in Vieran arrows.

He smiled and nodded eagerly at that before turning around to find Saburo. Ditzy soon headed and search for who Saburo is and how does he look like.

Ditzy soon figured it was best if he asked one of the guards, surely they'll tell him who Saburo is, right? With that, he approached one of the eastern looking guards and with an innocent smile to him.

"Excuse me, is mr.Saburo free? I have a question for him." Ditzy started slow as he asked as politely as he can. "I want to ask him more about arrows."

The guard will see Ditzy short stature simply as a teenager, albeit one with horns and dressed weirdly with strap around his chest and short pants that was typical of female goblins.

@PaulHaynek @Lmpkio @13org @Silver Carrot

"Hmph, harem? He wishes, I've only met this guy a short time ago." Snapped the demoness at George's inquiry.

Vară was about to lose it after hearing the man was a drug dealer and had no money to pay them, but Titanica beat her to the punch. Apparently a group of runaway Varjo rejects called Ravager's Rest are attacking a town known as Shrine of Eros, if they liberate the village the inhabitants will more than likely reward them.

"Fine, but you had better not be lying old man!" Said the demoness with an angry tone.

The heiress then make her way to Bast and tugs at his shirt for a moment. "Hey, um...we're not going to get in trouble for killing a bunch of innocent men and saving a drug dealer, right?" She said in a nervous tone.

---

@PaulHaynek @13org @Restalaan

Unsure of how to be of assistance, Nagara decided to accompany Ditzy and assist in location Saburo. She figured that two heads were usually better than one. However, she had a different idea that her hobgoblin comrade.

She had made sure to get a whiff of the arrows that Freyr was given, and had hoped to pick up on Saburo's scent as she searched the grounds for the man.

"Ah, the competition is starting! I hope Freyr does well! I'll do my best too!" Said the ice dragon in a cheerful tone. She made sure not to get too distracted from her mission, though she was quite interesting the the archery contest.

The Long Road Home
~@Lmpkio (MOR)~

"After I heal your friend, Can you take me to her, please? Or at the very least tell me where she is so I can go there myself...?"

"Uh, umm... okay, I guess? Sure." A little startled from your sudden excitement. "She's at a quest right now but I think she'll be back at the guild once we return."

"Anyway, it's nice to meet you, Miss Morgan." He said with a sincere smile.

~@The Irish Tree (NEP)~

"Our room placement was decided at random. Though, he has proven to be a rather good roommate. He keeps it tidy, and was kind enough to lend me clothes to use."

"...I see. At random, huh?" Talia replied. "Well, I hope there haven't been any... awkward moments between you and Neil." There are though but it was up to you to reveal that or not.

"Would you tell me of some of your other inventions, sometime? I've never been a tinkerer myself, but I'd love to see your work in action."

"Oh, I haven't actually invented or tinkered anything major. Or minor, I suppose." The Cyclops corrected. "Kyle's flying machine was my first big work. I was introduced to many new concepts working on that thing. I still like forging, by the way, but I'd like to... you know? Branch out."

~@The Irish Tree (NEP), @Lmpkio (MOR)~

"Hey, Neph! Talia! I'm back!" Neil returned to the parked wagon with Morgan. "This is Morgan. She can help Talia with her infection." He then turned to Morgan. "Talia's the Cyclops on the wagon. I'll leave her to you, okay?"

Neil then went over to Nephele. "Hey, how's Talia holding up?" He asked first. "Listen, I-I think I should apologize for suddenly striking out." Neil continued. "I-I know that you are much more knowledgeable in this world so... that was kinda idiotic of me to go look for help. I'm sorry." The boy sighed. "I guess it was all so fast. I wanted to get help for Talia as soon as possible."

Meanwhile, with Talia and Morgan. "Hello, Miss Morgan." The Cyclops greeted. She looked like any other Cyclops, although Talia here looked pale and clearly sick "I... We, kinda got into a little scuffle last night that resulted in... this." She motioned to her injured shoulder. "It was supposed to be healed but... I guess it didn't stick."

"So you're a healer around these parts, Miss Morgan?"

---

Just Business
~@Lmpkio (TCA), @Silver Carrot, @13org (BST), @AzureKnight (VRA)~

"If you're lying, I will not hesitate to flay you alive. Now, where to the Shrine of Eos?"

"Oh no no! If they see me, they get very mad." George waved his hands and shook his head from the ground. "They not big fans of what I do or what my products are. They surely put me in jail or at least do something that will be very annoying."

The drug dealer stood up and dusted himself off. "What I am saying is: We make plan and prepare to take down Ravager's Rest for good. We contact Shrine Of Eros only when it is time." George explained. "I know people who can help break open the fortress. Although, I will need help gathering them all. Your help, specifically, if you want to get paid."

"I will not lie, this might take long time. But I assure you reward will be great. Your names will be famous throughout region." George continued. "You will be loved by Eros Shrine and maybe even get discount from traveling merchants."

George walked to a covered, rather large object near the barricade. He then took off the tarp covering to reveal a living horse hidden beneath it Embarking it, he continued. "I contact you for the first step, okay? I will introduce you to acquaintance who you need to recruit for plan. But first, I must know his whereabouts. I tell you where he is once I contact you." With that, the drug dealer rode away.

The quest was done. The guild members were free to return to the guild or do something else.

---

One Man's Trash
~@13org (FYR)~

The competition began and everyone began shooting their targets. Some were pathetic, some were decent and some were truly skilled. You were one of the more skilled ones but not the best, however. After the first round, some of the competitors were thanked for joining and dropped from the competition. You were pretty safe from being one of them but you needed to be better if you wanted to duel Saburo.

A break was called to give the competitors some rest before the next round. You saw Ditzy and Nagare conversing to a guard, likely about Saburo, but suddenly you were poked in the back. You were probably surprised but it turned out, it was a familiar face. "Heyo, Freyr!" Haley greeted you happily. "Sorry for being late. There were some stuff back at the guild that delayed me. Nothing to worry about though."

"So! What're we doing?"

~@Restalaan (DIT), @AzureKnight (NAG)~

"Excuse me, is mr.Saburo free? I have a question for him. I want to ask him more about arrows."

"Why do you want to know about his arrows?" The guard asked. "Regardless, you cannot see him. He is busy watching the tournament." He rebuffed Ditzy.

However, a hand on the guard's shoulder startled him. "What? Lord Fujikiyo?" Indeed, it was Saburo Fujikiyo. He was in his Eastern armor of red and black colors with a helmet and mask to conceal his face. He pulled away the guard who understood that he would be dealing with Ditzy and Nagare himself.

"Why do you seek my arrows, little one?" Saburo asked Ditzy. "Do you intend to replicate them? Steal my style?" He also had a long nodachi with him so Ditzy and Nagare need to choose their words carefully regarding Saburo's accusations.

---

~@ShwiggityShwah~

You returned to the guild after abruptly leaving for a while. Whatever the reason was for leaving, it has been dealt with and you have returned. The guild building looked the same as ever although there was a glaring hole where the entrance used to be. It appeared something punched through it though as to what you had no idea.

The dark clouds hung over the night sky, preventing the Moon from shining what limited light it had. Thus, the area was almost as dark as pitch. The only source of light was the guild headquarters. It almost looked like a beacon in the darkness. You approached the building and you saw a familiar face looking over the hole in the structure. "Damn, this is gonna be expensive."

Bart noticed your presence and was first to speak. "Ozzy? Ozzy, it's you!" The guild master recognized you. "You left abruptly when you were last here. I... can't remember the reason though. What happened?"

~@ShwiggityShwah, @The Irish Tree (MAG), @Restalaan (YNG)~

Magnus and Yang returned to the guild by nightfall. The dark clouds that hung on the sky the entire was still there, obscuring the Moon and making the whole place very dark. Only the guild headquarters provided light, shining like a beacon amidst the darkness.

The two approached the entrance only to see their guild master talking with what appeared to be an owl-looking Harpy. "Hey, you two! Welcome back!" Bart noticed them and waved them over. "Ozzy, this is Magnus and Yang. Magnus, Yang, this is Ozzy." Bart introduced them to each other. "Ozzy here is..." The guild master attempted to find the right words but ultimately could not. "I'll let him explain."

"What about you two? You were going on that 'flying machine' quest, right?"

@PaulHaynek

Talking to Bart, despite its brevity made Ozzy give pause that he might have been out of touch with the policies of this country. He wanted to make a good first impression but he almost assuredly ended up embarrassing himself, or at least that's how he perceived it. He bid the kind Guild keeper a good day and a thank you before swearing to return. He wanted to also make sure he wasn't going to be a waste of space. He needed information, and resources. Again this was all

A quick trip to the post office and the library of the nearby village should certainly get things back on track.

A book on the history of the area led to another book. This led to another book. This led to some news clippings, which led to another book. Before he knew it, Ozzy had lost track of time and it was dark out. He immediately flew back to the Guild House, and thankfully its lights were still on, considering how dark it had gotten, almost as if a storm was brewing.

He noticed the hole, his harpy eyes seeing the damage. "Holy smokes! What happened? Is everyone alright?" He landed, his feet spreading to grip the ground with his claws. Bart asked him, and Ozzy felt embarrassed. His look determined but face red. "I'm so sorry! I know you offered lodging, but I didn't want to be mooch, so I set for some funds to pay for it. I also needed to do some research, and I lost track of time and-" He bowed his head, his wings cloaking him. "I'm sorry for being rude." He said, almost as if the hole was his fault.

@Restalaan@The Irish Tree

His apology was interrupted when Bart made comment of two others approaching the guild hall. He turned, still looking quite ashamed, even though there shouldn't be a reason for it. He raised his head, seeing a minotaur... male? And a human woman. Their species were instantly and immediately identified, through his extensive knowledge on monster subspecies. Males were extremely rare but not unheard of (Afterall, he fell into that category), and the very fact that he ran into another one here, it was a research subject that was just too good to pass up. He then noticed his companion and potential mate, a blonde woman. Their attire could mean other aspects but right now he was just excited at the prospect.

His eyes lit up as he opened his mouth but instead, remembering how he screwed up (somehow) and didn't want to interrupt Bart.

But then he introduced him. It was like opening the flood gates, Ozzy was beaming, even in the dark. He spoke, happy and corgial. "Ozmodius Skyway!" He said, excited, his head bobbing up and down in bowing nods, his feathers shaking and his goggles almost falling off his head. "Anthropologist! Studying human monster relationships and their effects on cultures. It's very nice to make your acquaintance." He grinned.

---

"Oh no no! If they see me, they get very mad." George quickly explains, while revealing that he isn't wanted there for the sinful products that he carries and will put him into jail if they catch him.

Titanica snorted at the statement. Obviously a holy place that promotes whatever heavenly virtues would, without a doubt, turn away a simple, low-life drug dealer. She continues listening to him as he explains that they need a plan to take down Ravager's Nest. According to him, he knows people who can break through the fortress, although he'll need their help to find their whereabouts in time. Still, the Titan was very suspicious towards George. She has dealt with several others through the years who promise much for their efforts, but leave very little to no reward.

"And just how long do you plan to find these "little friends" of yours?" Titanica asks cautiously, not holding back her intensive gaze towards the feeble man.

"I will not lie, this might take long time." he admits, but still assures that they will be paid once the mission is done. They will be supposedly loved by the Shrine of Eos and that they might collect added benefits for their heroic work, such as traveling discounts. If what he says is true, it will certainly be a nice benefit for the guild, as well as speeding up Titanica's departure. She must remember to talk to Barth and ask how much she must pay to repair the door when she gets back.

George then explains how he's going to find an acquaintance that the group must recruit in order to initiate the first step in their ambitious job. Once he does, he'll contact them. He then hops on his horse and rides away down the hill.

The titan began to relax as soon as he departed, the lack of his presence already making her feel better. While he still left a relatively bad taste in her mouth, perhaps this job wasn't a complete waste of time. If the drug dealer can be trusted, they should expect to receive the next phrase of their job within the coming week or following week at most, if not sooner. All they need to do now is wait and hope he informs them.

With their introductory quest having come to a close, Titanica begins to turn back to the direction of which they came.

"We should head back to the guildhall." she bluntly blurts as she starts slowly walking back home.

Unless the others already had other plans to kill the time.

---

---

---

"Uh, umm... okay, I guess? Sure. She's on a quest right now but I think she'll be back at the guild once we return."

"Thank you." Morgan replies softly with a smile, "It would be nice to reconnect with an old friend..."

Neil also smiled back sincerely at her response. "Anyway, it's nice to meet you, Miss Morgan."

The Mothwoman simply nodded back.

Soon after, the two would reach the location of where the friend is. Morgan slowly flutters towards over to it and begins to quickly inspect for any injury.

"Stay still, little one." she says soothingly to calm the friend down as she continues inspecting, "I will heal you up no time. Just show me where it hurts."

Bast Ragoczy

As Bast waited for Eilidh's reply, he felt someone tugging at his coat. It was Vară, asking him if they would get in trouble for saving George, a drug dealer and killing the 'innocent' mercenaries. Truth be told, Bast himself didn't care much about that situation. The mercenaries attacked them first. He only defended himself. Innocent or not, they were already dead.

Other than that, Bast didn't expect the overconfident and spirited demoness could show such a cute and adorable side as she tugged his coat with a nervous expression.

"Oh my adorable, little Vară, who knows? Innocent or guilty, we were merely defending ourselves. They attacked us without asking questions. The outcome was obvious..." Bast replied, with a smirk.

"But you know... Nobody needs to know what really happened here, don't you agree, adorable Vară? If what George said turns out to be true, the Shrine of Eros will certainly thank you for what we did. And well... If it's not... we can always turn him to the authorities..." Bast said, shrugging. For him, the outcome of that little misunderstanding was really of no importance.

"By the way Vară, I didn't know that the proud, confident heiress of the Riemsianne house had such a cute and adorable side..." Bast said laughing.

Just as Bast finished talking to Vară, George started talking again, saying that the authorities wouldn't be glad to see him. But as fishy as that man sounded, it was undeniable that solving the problem of Ravager's Rest was indeed a good thing. Plus, if it turned out to be a lie or if the plan doesn't work, they could simply take him to the authorities... Or maybe simply kill him.

"The little man sounds fishy, but I'm rather curious about where this will lead us..." Bast said as George rode away.

"We should head back to the guildhall." Bast heard Titanica saying, as she slowly started walking back to the guild.

@PaulHaynek @Lmpkio @Silver Carrot @AzureKnight

---

---

Freyr

As the archery competition continued, Freyrcouldn't help but let out an unsatisfied grimace as he shot his arrows. Even wielding a different bow, Freyr was still a natural at wielding it. He was born and raised with a bow on his hands, but it was undeniable that he was already accustomed with his personal bow. The one the competition gave them was too small and light, making Freyr a bit uncomfortable when shooting it.

Ditzy and Nagare were already trying to speak with Saburo when the break was called. If they were lucky, Saburo would be interested about the Vieran arrows. In the meantime, Freyr had to concentrate himself and try to do his best with a bow that was unfit for his size and his skills. As he was drawing the bow, trying different stances to see which one would feel better for him, he felt something poking his back.

Turning to see what it was, Freyr was greeted by a familiar face and a pleasant voice. It was Haley. According to her, she had some things that delayed her back at the guild but she was finally there.

"So! What're we doing?" Haley asked, with the same refreshing, cheerful tone that was characteristic of her.

"We are trying to get one of these arrows..." Freyr said, taking one from the quiver and showing it to Haley.

"To deliver them to a weird couple that seems to... collect... things from nobility...?" Freyr said, still a bit confused about how to describe that... exotic couple they met.

"The master craftsman responsible for those arrows is Saburo Fujikiyo. He forbid anyone to take his arrows from the competition, but we still need at least one... Ditzy and Nagare are talking to him to see if he would like to trade one of his arrows by one of mine, a Vieran arrow... In the meantime, I need to win this competition to be able to face Saburo himself." Freyr explained to Haley while still examining the bow he was given.

"But... the bow that we need to use for this competition is very... different from mine...." Freyr said, putting both bows side by side as he showed them to Haley. The difference between both bows was immediately noticeable. While the competition bow could be easily drawn by most people, Freyr's bow was much more difficult to draw and to use, thanks to it's unique shape, wood and handling. Even for someone who didn't know much about bows, it was clear that those two bows were completely different from one another.

"It would be much easier if I could use my own bow, see?" Freyr said as he got one of his own arrows, his own bow and aimed at the target that was being used at the competition. In a swift motion, Freyr nocked the arrow, twisting his wrist a bit before shooting it. The weight of his own bow, coupled with the way he shot the arrow sent it spinning through the air, not only hitting the target with an almost impeccable accuracy, but going through it, piercing it completely, making the arrow get stuck on the thick wooden frame that was being used as a support for the target.

"I still don't understand why Saburo is so... paranoid with his arrows. Arrows are meant to be shot. Be it hunting or fighting." Freyr said as he walked towards the practice target to fetch his own arrow from behind it. Since they were on break, it shouldn't be a problem for him to go there since most of the other archers in the competition were either talking with each other or adjusting their bows.

@PaulHaynek @Restalaan

"You deserve to be in jail," Eilidh muttered under her breath as she continued to listen to George's spiel. The plan wasn't one that Eilidh had an issues with, but she was wondering whether it would even come to fruition. Once he was gone, Eilidh turned to the others. "If I ever see him again and he doesn't have the 'acquaintance' with him, For his sake I hope there's somebody with me to hold me back. And don't worry, Vară. Innocent men don't hound a unarmed target accompanied by a gang of gladiators, with intent to kill on sight. My guess is that he angered a far-from-innocent party."

Eilidh's only other contribution to the conversation as they began to head back was to clear her throat and step on Bast's foot deliberately when he started to tell another woman she was 'cute' and 'adorable'. "Yes, we should take a walk through the Shrine of Eros and eat something," she muttered. She didn't put much weight on it. She didn't want to break his foot. Nevertheless he'd get the message.

@PaulHaynek@AzureKnight@13org

Adorable little Vară...

At these words, the demoness grew quite the ferocious expression on her face. If there was one thing Vară didn't like, it was being patronized.

Immediately letting go of Bast's coat, she decided to follow Eilidh's lead and stepped on his other foot. While Vară's small feet probably won't hurt that much, the heat she placed in her heel just might.

"Learn your place around nobility, you dolt." Vară spat in a indignant tone. I'm already quite upset, I suggest not making me madder!"

Seeing Titanica make her way back to the guild, Vară wondered if there was anything else to do. Feeling underwhelmed, she admittedly craved a little more diversion.

"It's a little ways back to the guild hall, why don't we stop somewhere along the way and grab a bite to eat?"

Vară mainly wanted to stop at a tavern or restaurant because she had been fighting hunger since they started, due to not having a decent meal in days.

@PaulHaynek@13org@Silver Carrot@Lmpkio

---

It seems Lord Saburo found the pair instead of the other way around, and he seemed to already be suspicious of the two. Nagare had heard the man was very meticulous about his arrows, she supposed that it would be natural for one to be on guard for that reason.

The ice dragon would have to choose her words with careful thought. "Greetings Lord Fujikiyo, we are honored by your presence." Said Nagare with a respectful curtsy, speaking in a tone as eloquent as she could muster.

"My friend and I are well aware of your legendary hand-crafted arrows, due to this, we wanted to know if you were interesting in arrows from foreign regions." Nagare hoped by buttering him up he'd lower his guard and be more willing to listen.

"If you'd like to hear more, we have a friend who can provide you with details.~"

@PaulHaynek @Restalaan

@PaulHaynek,@Restalaan (YNG),@ShwiggityShwah
FF5353

Magnus was taken by surprise, both by Yang's actions, and by her incredible strength to basically force him to a kneeling position. A warm hug was what met Magnus on the ground, and his eyes went wide. The warmth of someone...anyone, was the greatest feeling to him. Gently wrapping his arms around Yang for the moment, Magnus closed his eyes. The smell was different, as well as the size, but this sensation was just like when his oldest sister used to comfort him as a child. Yang's words drew his eyes back to her, pupils getting small as he realized how...isolated he'd made Yang feel.

Gulping as he heard her sniffle, Magnus clenched his fists, feeling terrible for not acknowledging how much this would hurt Yang as well. But, in a way, Magnus was glad that Yang hadn't gone up with him. He wasn't sure that anyone, regardless of skillet, could survive a fall from that height. Rising to his feet the minotaur felt like crying once again, before clapping his hands against his cheeks, putting red marks on them before he nodded. Steam billowed from his nostrils as he crouched low, charging forward towards Yang and grabbing her, tossing her overhead in a deft move, before catching her on his back, arms supporting her legs as he nodded, ears flapping up and down once. "Mm! I'll make sure of it! Kyle's dream won't die, if there's someone in the guild that knows how to make it reality," he said before starting to run forward, pushing himself physically to keep his emotions dampened a bit. This was also for Yang's sake...part of him wanted to return the favor for the hug, and as such, he did something his younger sisters loved doing with him; Minotaur Piggyback riding.

---

Letting Yang down by crouching once they reached the guild, Magnus flopped onto the ground panting with his belly up, having run a majority of the way there to keep the ride "fun" in his mind. While certainly a ridiculous idea, it was definitely a testament to Magnus' stamina that he ran such a distance carrying someone for so long at top speed. He took a second to compose himself a bit, before realizing that he was embarrassing himself in front of Bart and...someone who looked familiar. Scrambling over was his course of action, cheeks a bit red with embarrassment.

Magnus was almost startled by Ozzy's overabundant enthusiasm, timidly bowing his head as he spoke. "O-Oh, uh, Hello! I'm Magnus. Nice to get properly introduced to you, Mr. Skyway." he said, feeling like whatever an "anthropologist" was, it must have been a big deal. Was it like a president? A president of Anthros?

Bart's question of the job had Magnus at a loss for words, the minotaur sweating a bit before he hung his head and clenched his fists. "T-That um...Bart...it didn't work. The client he...h-he crashed. Is Talia still in her room?" he blurted out, feeling that Yang had been through enough today. As such, he unfortunately felt it would be best for him to break the news to her that Kyle was no longer with them.

---

@PaulHaynek,@Lmpkio (MOR)
A9A9A9

A slight tilt is the only answer that Nephele initially gave at Talia's question of whether she'd had any "awkward" moments together with Neil. Rather bluntly, she'd respond further by saying: "He walked in on me bathing once a few days ago. However that was because he heard me trying to kill a cockroach." she explained, before trying to think of any more. There was that time that she'd awoken and had turned in her sleep enough to completely shed her coverings, leaving her bare in the morning...but it seemed Neil had slept in, facing away from her. As such, nothing else came to mind for her. She was more interested in Talia's life experiences, which brought a smile to her lips. "I see. I hope that your inventions succeed. If it wouldn't be too much trouble, could I see you work sometime?"

The dragoness' ears perked up as she heard Neil's footsteps, as well as the one she presumed was a doctor. Making room for her, Nephele felt it might be best for her to step out for the moment, but was stopped by Neil suddenly apologizing. She was caught off guard by that, her owl-like ears twitching as she looked at him confused. "I-It is fine, but...I know less about this town than you do, regardless. I've spent my life living in an isolated cave, after all."

She was so caught up in Neil's apology, she scarcely had time to examine the mothwoman entering the wagon, which she presumed to be the doctor. Something felt...odd about her. Nothing more than a gut feeling, sure, but Nephele felt something familiar about her...like she'd met something like her before. Was it because she was friends with Maria? No...wait, that would be racist, wouldn't it?

She had no idea why, but Neil apologizing over this had her somewhat flustered...after all, he'd found a doctor. There was no need to apologize. She did however plant a palm on Neil's head and smiled at him. "You did well, Neil, finding a doctor so swiftly. I've never seen a mothwoman like her, though. Also, refrain from saying things like 'This world' in public. It might catch attention." she said, watching the wagon.

"...I hope that Talia will be fine."

@The Irish Tree@ShwiggityShwah@PaulHaynek

Yang Bethlehem

Yang yelped a bit when she was carried by Magnus before given a piggyback ride, she was too shocked to say anything for a moment but she smiled after a bit.

"Thanks." Yang tightened her hold around him and rest her face on his back. It was nostalgic, to say the least since the last she was given a ride like this was by her master when she was a child.

Much to her surprise, Magnus had carried her and ran at a constant pace without breaking at all until they're at the guild house. She herself probably was only capable of maybe half-distance of what Magnus ran. She was once again amazed at how wide the world was, she had never thought such a feat was possible.

I need to focus more on my training.

"Take a breather." Yang waited for Magnus to recompose himself and they stepped in. She greeted master Bart with a bow as she prepared herself mentally for their report.

Her eyes, however, fell on a small monster girl that looked like an owl if her guess was spot on. She wondered if this was a new addition to their guild. Hearing master Bart introduced them to each other, she raised one of her brows for a moment.

Him? She wondered if master Bart made a mistake in addressing the latter, but then again, it wasn't like her mastery of the language was perfect. Yang put it aside when the newcomer made her introduction.

"Nice to meet you, Ozmodius Skyway." She bowed her head and brought her hands together respectfully to Ozmodius, her accent clearly indicating that it was of foreign origin, similar to those from the eastern lands. "I'm Yang Bethlehem, disciple of the White Tiger temple."

She didn't know what exactly the second part meant but the way she carries herself reminds her of those Hakutaku, beastmen scholars. Perhaps she was one?

Ah well. Yang pushed those thoughts away, it wasn't her business to delve deeper.

Then when Bart ask for a report, the moment she dreaded arrived. She sighed and was about to speak up before Magnus spoke out first.

"Our client machine failed mid-way in flight." She said but tightened her fist at that before lowering her shoulders. "It was my fault, I, once again take full responsibility on the matter."

At this rate, she won't be surprised if master Bart asked her to split open her stomach as a punishment.

---

Ditzy Stoneclub

@13org@AzureKnight

Ditzy looked upwards at Saburo, his interest rose as he saw the man sword. He had never seen that one before, it was so different from the usual swords he had seen.

When Saburo asked his question, Nagare opted to answered in between the time it took Ditzy to formulate his answer. A moment passed but he replied to Saburo, he had seen it briefly from afar but they looked very different.

"Freyr said your arrows looked good, and he wants to compare Vieran arrow to yours!" He answered truthfully and innocently with a wide smile before he tilted his head sideways. "And papa said stealing is bad, so Ditzy won't steal."

He also wondered how one steal style, perhaps Saburo meant the way the arrow dress up? But arrows don't dress up, do they?

"But you look strong, why make arrows? Ditzy don't understand." Ditzy then pointed to the longsword behind him, he was curious to know why. He didn't look like a smith or Fletcher from appearance. Then a moment of inspirtation struck him as he figured an answer to his own question.

"Oh, it's fun, right?" Ditzy said.

Making stuff was fun, he recalls his father face each time makes a drawer or cupboard for them to sell. He always had a big smile on his face and often proud of it, at least, until Ditzy accidentally damaged it.

Bast Ragoczy

Most of the girls, Eilidh included, weren't pretty happy with what George did and apparently, Bast wasn't the only one considering him to maybe want to trick them or be just lying about that 'acquaintance' of his. That said, their mission today was over and it was time to decide what were they going to do.

Before Bast could ask or even say anything to Eilidh, she came to his direction as she cleared her throat, calling his attention and stepped on his foot just as he finished messing with Vară. Bast closed his eyes leaning forward a bit with a clear grimace of pain as Eilidh did so. He was lucky that his foot wasn't broken in tiny pieces. Despite the pain, Bast couldn't help but let out a discreet laughter as he heard Eilidh muttering that they should go to the Shrine of Eros to eat something. Her jealously was nothing short of adorable. Painful, but adorable.

"Ouch. My adorable Eilidh, are you jea-" Bast started to say, but was interrupted by yet another jealous/angry woman. This time, it was Vară. Despite her displaying such cute and innocent behavior, she still had a... well... very 'fiery' temper... The arrogance in her voice in part ruined the adorable and innocent charm she had earlier, but Bast couldn't help but to be amused by her reaction. Someone could use learning some manners...

"Learn your place around nobility, you dolt." she said, with an indignant tone as she stepped on Bast's other foot. While her tiny feet wouldn't do much harm themselves, she also heated her heels with her magic, making it quite painful despite her size.

Bast could only repeat the same pained expression from before as he, for the first time since he came there, used his cane the way it should be used, supporting his own weight as he leaned forwards.

Bast's formal shoes, which had survived bloodthirsty kings and queens, bandits, mercenaries, creatures and countless other kings, were finally ruined by naught but a jealous and an angry woman...

"Quite... the attitude for one whom calls themselves 'nobility' don't you think? I guess I should be insulting you instead of complimenting you, I suppose?" Bast said with a dissatisfied expression towards Vară.

"Amongst all the secrets that surround our world, woman are still one of the most difficult ones to fully grasp and understand..." Bast muttered to himself as he took a step forward, using his cane to help him walk.

"Shall we go then, my dear Eilidh? Just wait a bit for me, I can't walk too fast right now." Bast said with a sigh and a chuckle.

@PaulHaynek @Silver Carrot @AzureKnight

---

---

The Long Road Home
~@The Irish Tree (NEP), @Lmpkio (MOR)~

"You did well, Neil, finding a doctor so swiftly. I've never seen a mothwoman like her, though. Also, refrain from saying things like 'This world' in public. It might catch attention."

"Ah yeah. Sorry." Neil sheepishly apologized. "Don't worry though, I make sure that it's only loud enough for you to hear."

"I will heal you up no time. Just show me where it hurts."

"It's just my shoulder. Neil said it didn't heal properly or something." Talia showed you her injured, bandage-covered shoulder. "I was shot by one of those gun-things when we were attacked. Hurts like hell then, hurts like hell now." She chuckled.

------

The damage to Talia's tissue was deep but it was nothing Morgan could not handle. In an hour or so, the Cyclops was fine again and ready to go. With Nephele at the helm, the guild members plus Morgan were ready to head back to the Guild headquarters.

"Many thanks, Miss Morgan." Talia said. "I'm sure we will find some way to repay you for your services. We have gold back at the Guild but we may need that to repair the hole that our friend, Titanica, made on the building." There was tone of disapproval at the last remark. "It's going to be costly..."

"Well, Morgan here wants to meet her so... I guess that could be her reward?" Neil suggested, sitting beside Talia on the wagon.

"Will that be enough? She had essentially saved my life, you know?" Talia replied to Neil. "Oh, before I forget. I must also thank you, Neil. If it weren't for you, I would have written this off as a simple fever and my condition would have worsened." The Cyclops looked at Neil with a fond eye and an earnest smile.

"Ah, it-it's no problem, Talia." Neil was flustered from Talia's sudden fondness. "We're uh, we're guildmates. It's uh... we should be looking out for each other, right?" The boy stuttered, struggling to look the Cyclops in the eye. "It-It's nothing, really. I'm glad you're okay, T-Talia."

Talia giggled at her teasing of Neil before moving on. "Don't think I've forgotten about you, Miss Nephele. I must thank you as well."

---

~@Lmpkio (TCA), @Silver Carrot, @13org (BST), @AzureKnight (VRA)~

It took some time but Titanica was convinced to at least grab a bite along with the others in the Shrine Town of Eros. The guild members reach the place without incident, only the view of the great grasslands the region has to offer.

Night had fallen when the guild members entered the shrine-town but the darkness only made the place shine even brighter. Colorful lights adorned the buildings and the shops. Some of the decorations even glowed with pink lights. There were even some plants that glowed but the presence of these would probably not fare well if seen by more holier people. The town was lively, probably even moreso than during the day.

However, the activities of the day differed from the night. While there were still shops selling products and services, the guild members could see plainly there were a LOT of couples being... intimate with each other. In public. While such sights were likely sickening and awkward in normal places, they were a common sight in this shrine-town dedicated to love and romance. In fact, it was the guild who stood out. Not by much though considering the party composed of one man and the rest women.

"Welcome, travelers, to--" A familiar voice and figure flew to meet the guild members. "Oh, it's you." Gina was clearly unhappy at the sight of Bast and Eilidh. "You know what? I'm sorry. You approach here as guests. Please forgive my behavior." The Gandharva continued.

"Welcome to the Shrine-Town Of Eros." Gina curtsied. "The domain of Eros are of love and romance. As it is with this town. And as it is with its services." The Gandharva welcomed the guild members. "Would you like something to enhance your love life? Maybe you are just looking for a romantic dinner? A room for the night perhaps? A long night?"

"I see some new faces among you. New members for the guild?" Gina asked about Titanica and Vară.

---

One Man's Trash
~@13org (FYR)~

"I still don't understand why Saburo is so... paranoid with his arrows. Arrows are meant to be shot. Be it hunting or fighting."

"And gold is meant to be spent but Dwarves and greedy Humans hoard it all the time. You get what I mean?" Haley shrugged. "But you're right. This Saburo guy's kinda being a tightass about this."

The Siren began thinking, surveying the competition. "I can help you out, you know?" Haley began. "If you're having trouble with this, I can..." The Siren looked sideways before whispering. "...give you an advantage." Haley winked. "A little distraction over there. A small gust of wind over here. And you can win this no problem."

"It's underhanded, sure, but we need that arrow right? And for that, you need to meet Saburo." Haley suggested. "I mean, I'll feel bad about it and... you know... Just-- Just tell me if you're on board, okay?"

~@Restalaan (DIT), @AzureKnight (NAG)~

"Greetings Lord Fujikiyo, we are honored by your presence. My friend and I are well aware of your legendary hand-crafted arrows, due to this, we wanted to know if you were interesting in arrows from foreign regions. If you'd like to hear more, we have a friend who can provide you with details.~"

"But you look strong, why make arrows? Ditzy don't understand. Oh, it's fun, right?"

Saburo laughed a hearty laugh. "Indeed, little one. I take great joy in the art despite me being just an above average archer. One must be adept in all skills if one wants to be great, after all."

"And you, Dragon." Saburo then addressed Nagare. "You chose your words quite carefully. However, I will hold all that to your offer. Unimpress or unamuse me and I will retaliate for my honor would have been stained by gracing your lies." Saburo warned Nagare, and Ditzy by extension.

"Now then, is there anything more about these arrows that you know or are you simply the craftsman's messengers?" Saburo indulged in Ditzy and Nagare's offer. "Is the craftsman here? Participating in this tournament?"

---

~@ShwiggityShwah, @The Irish Tree (MAG), @Restalaan (YNG)~

"I'm sorry for being rude."

"Hey, it's all right. You had your reasons." Bart accepted your apology. "Anyway, this hole... is a long story. Basically, we were attacked but we had unexpected help. The 'help' did... this. I guess you can call it collateral damage."

"T-That um...Bart...it didn't work. The client he...h-he crashed. Is Talia still in her room?"

"Our client machine failed mid-way in flight. It was my fault, I, once again take full responsibility on the matter."

Bart was silent before heaving a heavy sigh. "Don't blame yourselves, I'm sure you did whatever that was asked of you." The guild master consoled Magnus and Yang. "Besides, I don't think either of you could have known. You did your best in the situation, I'm sure." He added. "It's still a shame though. Did he give you anything before he... failed?"

"Oh and Talia was taken to Mahigan by Neil and Nephele. I heard her injuries from last night opened up so she had to be taken to a healer." Bart answered in regards to Talia the Cyclops. "You want to be the ones to break the news to her or should I or somebody else?" He then asked.

"Anyway, I'll get supper ready. Meanwhile, you guys can get to know each other for now." Bart said as he went inside, referring to Ozzy not knowing who Magnus and Yang were for the moment. "Come on inside, guys. It's getting cold.

---

"It's a little ways back to the guild hall, why don't we stop somewhere along the way and grab a bite to eat?"

A large grumbling gurgle could be heard emitting from Titanica's stomach immediately after Vara finished. The titanic realized at how famished she was, having only relied on absorbing the mana around her for the past weeks. She almost forgot how real food actually tasted. Giving in to the temptation of hunger, she agreed to eat with them once they came to the Shrine.

Later that night, the group finally entered the Shrine of Eos after a long and tiring journey. Titanica expected this place to be rather holy and filled with religious imagery, similar to a temple she once visited to regarding a certain moth tribe. However what she saw instead was more... intimate. Every couple and harem there was going at it like rabbits and had no intentions in stopping anytime soon. Even the shops were selling several questionable items, such as skimpy bikini wear, purple spiked cucumbers, black beads of eight, some kind of weird lotion, purple spiked cucumbers connected to a waist-strap, tiny donuts wrapped in square packages...

Latex suits? Taco models? Handcuffs? Blindfolds? Flashlights...?

"The hell is all this stuff?" she'd ask audibly to herself as she continues walking with the rest of the group.

Clearly she still hasn't caught up with the times yet.

Soon enough the group bumped into what appears to be the owner of the place - a rather voluptuous and skimpy dressed harpy with fiery wings and... nipple lances? The more Titanica looked at her the more uncomfortable she began to feel. She feel like she absolutely didn't belong in whatever hell-hole this place is. The owner began to explain where they are somewhat and asked if they wanted something to do regarding romantic things. Eventually she noticed both her and the demon lady.

"I see some new faces among you. New members for the guild?"

"Temporary." the titan immediately blurts out as she crosses her arms, "We were told you had a job that needs taken care of."

A sound of ecstasy nearby distracted Titanica for a brief moment as she glances over to see white custard splatter onto someone's face.

No really, they have a real intimate relationship with custard pies and eclairs. Just look at them gorging on them and smearing that thick sweet white goodness all over their faces. Rather disgusting really.

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Morgan's patient was a blue-skinned female cyclops, who mentioned something about her shoulder hurting after having been shot by a gang of thieves. Carefully she unwrapped her patient's shoulder and saw the gunshot wound. It penetrated rather deep into her tissue, however this is something she can easily heal up. Using her magic, the mothwoman's hand began to glow a warm yellow hue and proceeded to wave her hands over the small hole. The yellow particles that came off her hands slowly drifted down to the wound and slowly but surely began to heal the gunshot wound.

Within the hour, Morgan's patient was healed up and ready to go.

"There we are!" she announces cheerfully as she plants her hands on her hips, "All good! Just try not to use that arm for extensive activities for the rest of the day and it'll all settle by tomorrow."

The cyclops thanked the mothwoman admirably for her services.

"Many thanks, Miss Morgan. I'm sure we will find some way to repay you for your services. We have gold back at the Guild but we may need that to repair the hole that our friend, Titanica, made on the building.]It's going to be costly..."

The healer was going to reply more on that subject before Neil interjected for her.

"Well, Morgan here wants to meet her so... I guess that could be her reward?"

"Will that be enough? She had essentially saved my life, you know?"

"Fine by me!" Morgan answers with a confident smile and a thumbs up, "I'm not the type to rely solely on the whole money-money thing anyways. Your satisfaction is all what matters to me!"

After a small chat between the others, the mothwoman's excitement could no longer bear to wait any longer.

"Show me where she is!" she asks in a childish glee, "There is so much I need to tell to my friend!"

The Shrine of Eros. The last time Eilidh was here, she didn't kill a single person. An evil man is alive today who shouldn't be. The beauty she could see around her was tarnished, tainted by the bittersweet sting of failure and internal confusion. She didn't feel like she did the right thing when she struck down that Wizard, giving in to her own rage and bloodlust. She didn't feel like she did the right thing when she let the Archwizard escape in this very Town in a selfish attempt to be a good person. It was beautiful, though, she had to admit. Though, the locals were...unashamedly candid tonight. Eilidh tried to shut out the sights, sounds and scents as a bright blush grew on her face and she kept her eyes forward and rooted to the floor.

Gina was less than pleased to see Bast and Eilidh, and that was understandable, but she was still polite and accomodating. Eilidh responded respectfully with a bow. "There's nothing to forgive. We are all relieved to report that we are not here primarily on business. And, uh...we are all hungry and weary for we have travelled, but food and rest is....all we will be needing in terms of hospitality. I cannot speak for my companions but Centaur customs are very strict on what you can and cannot do before marriage."

@PaulHaynek@Lmpkio@13org@AzureKnight

@The Irish Tree

The minotaur spoke first, and while immediately Ozzy had to take a step back from his observations to realize that the gentleman was indeed, large, massive, and probably built, well like a minotaur. But Ozzy, being a harpy of quick study and perception noticed how he presented himself, and that is, rather shyly. It made him vastly more approachable then his appearance would suggest. And when he responded with a proper greeting, Ozzy simply beamed his usual youthful grin.

"If I can call you Magnus, you can call me Ozzy. I hope we get along." Having met with a number of different cultures, his chosen words were always a bit more blunt. He even offered a handshake, his 'cape' raising along his arm as if they were connect. His hand would be lost in the big guys, but it was a proper greeting.

@Restalaan

Very foreign, her accent generally had him stumped. It was very rare accent and that was probably why he wasn't immediately stricken by her fashion sense. Usually he could pick out a particular style from his travels, but this woman represented something entirely new. He was right to be excited. She could be from Zipangu! A country he was eager to someday visit.

He offered her the same handshake, knowing very well that might be something her culture might not know/approve of so if she refused, he would just smile all the same. "A pleasure, Miss Yang Bethlehem." he made an effort to say the names, help him remember. His head tilted a little bit, the odd feather eyelashes dropping over one side of his face, his hands going immediately to his chin. "White Tiger Temple?" He turned a little bit. He knew he never went there, but- "Sounds familiar, did I read about it?" he asked himself giving an audible little sigh as he closed his eyes. He quickly bounced back. "I'd like to hear all about it sometime. Namely, what's a disciple do?"

@PaulHaynek

They both began to talk answering Bart's question, and Ozzy was quick to take a step back, raising his hands. "Op, sorry." He said a little embarrassed and getting out of the way. It was important guild business and he was the newbie. He listened to both sides converse about a job, a job that he figured did not go as well as they hoped. He wanted to know the specifics, but that wasn't important in the grand scheme of things. He tried to observe, learn what he could through piecing the snippets of info together. Maybe an extra pair of eyes would be able to help next time if there was a follow up.

Bart, as Ozzy seemed to understand, was a very roll with the punches kind of fellow Ozzy concluded. He invited them all inside, including himself to dinner. He was keen on the whole team building but he looked to Magnus and Yang if they were up for it, probably tired from whatever bit of heroics and tribulations they just had. Still, Ozzy wasn't about to gain say the master again and began to follow.

He looked at the 'collateral damage' in the guild hall and made a comment. "I'll try to help with that Master Bart if theres time. I'm not a carpenter, but at least I wont need a ladder." And he stepped inside, hopefully for good, he stopped at the door, holding for his two new guild acquaintances.