[IC] White Gull [Fairy Tail Spinoff ~ still accepting!]

[Squirrel98]

The year X792 had only just begun when Zane decided to start his own guild, White Gull. The name would represent the goal he had in mind, which was freeing every innocent human being from the dark guild Catamount. The inhabitants of the island Kaia had suffered for such a long time that some couldn't even remember anymore how the good times were. Catamount had gone too far and Zane knew that he wasn't the only one who thought that way. The problem was that most people were too scared to try and change the situation they were in. Even the people who could use magic were to scared to train and grow stronger. It took him a long time to convince some of the mages to join his guild, but finally he had convinced enough people to hold their first meeting. Most people wouldn't even know each other, but maybe that was for the best. That way they would be able to start with some strangers building a new home for themselves instead of solving issues.

His eyes were gazing at the glowing stars high in the sky. The day of the first gathering had finally arrived. Well, actually one could better call it 'the night' instead of 'the day'. It was too dangerous to do something like that in broad daylight. If Catamount knew about it, they would destroy every single human being who was even thinking about joining White Gull. Besides, most mages that would come to the meeting were probably beginners, so at that moment none of them would even come close to a member of the dark guild. It had to be kept a secret between the inhabitants of Kaia.

It was a beautiful night, perfect for the occasion. Zane could hear some of the Forest Vulcans making sounds, but he was far enough to avoid getting noticed by them. While sitting on one of the rocks, his left hand reached for the small notebook he had been carrying in the pocket of his pants. Of course it was too dark to be able to draw anything, but just looking at some of his own drawings with the light that the stars gave him calmed him down. He'd had nightmares several nights in a row. Some told him that no one would show up, while others told him that Catamount knew about the secret. Some even told him that the members of his new guild would be fighting all the time or that they would be too weak.

A deep sigh left his throat. Nothing would be gained by him losing trust in his own ideas and the people he had asked to help him achieving his goal. He needed to have trust in his new family... and in himself. His white hair was dancing in the wind, while his glance moved to the path, which was several meters further from where he was sitting. Never did he know that the forest was such a beautiful place. It would be perfect to gain inspiration for creating new beings. Even though the island wasn't big, he had never been there. When his parents were still alive, they always told him to stay away as far as possible from the forest. Several years had passed since they died, but he couldn't go against their will, so he kept on staying away from that place. Well, until the night of the first gathering.

His shoulder was still hurting from the work he had done that day and he had a hard time keeping his eyes open. The others would probably be just as tired he was. Would they even do the effort to come to the forest at that hour while being so exhausted? Maybe they would prefer to stay in bed. He had noticed that some of them were pretty enthusiastic about his plan, but he couldn't decide how important it was for them to take part in it. He had a hard time trusting people, even the most innocent ones. Would that mean that being a leader didn't suit him?

He sighed deeply for a second time. He couldn't think that way. He simply couldn't. He needed to have faith... for his father, for his mother, even for his dead twin brother. He pulled the drawing of Hunter out of his pocket and stared at it for quite some time. Deep in his heart he wanted to summon him, but he knew that he would probably pass out if he did so. It wasn't the time to become sentimental, he needed to keep his cool. The others could be there any minute. He closed his eyes for a second to calm himself down and put the drawing and the small notebook in his pocket again. 'Have trust, have trust,' he kept on whispering to himself, 'have trust, have trust.'

[Reshy134]

Aria Serotina looked up at the night sky, surprised at how clear it was. The stars shone bright above her, giving her at least some natural light to guide her way. She'd been through this forest plenty, given how close by she lived. She'd even gone looking for her brother a few times, but the Forest Vulcans presented enough of a danger to deter her. Still, she at least knew her way around. The cold was a different matter; all Aria had on was her dancer's clothes and a dark green cloak. She didn't exactly have much time to change, given how late into the night she had to work. Truth be told, she was completely exhausted. At this point, she was usually fast asleep in her bed after hours of nonstop singing and dancing; but this was important to her.

A small sigh escaped the girl's lips as she walked. She could feel worry start to creep in her mind, as it always did. What if no one showed up? What if this little guild of theirs was caught? Surely, if it was, they'd all be killed. Or worse. Maybe they'd all get thrown into battle against the Forest Vulcans. At least she'd see Wallace again. Aria closed her eyes for a moment, thinking of her brother's face. She focused on the curve of his jaw, and the angle of his nose. She didn't want to forget what he looked like after all this time had passed. She wondered if he looked much different now, older and battle-hardened. It'd been so long since she'd seen him, and the last time she did, he...

Aria shoved the thought from her mind as she came across a young man sitting on a rock. She paused, eyeing him for a moment, before realizing it was only Zane. She brushed herself off, swept a few stray strands of hair out of her face, and then stepped toward him. "Hi," she said, keeping her voice quiet. "Am I the first to arrive, or...?"

[CelesteEste]

The forest was dark, and certainly not the sort of a place a girl like Azurca typically traversed. She didn’t even know why she was so keen on taking the invitation, it could be a trap, and she could only imagine what Catamount would do a rebel, yet, that guy she had met, Zane, he felt genuine, and the baker hand found a green bird over an orange tulip as she left work that day, which typically meant job opportunities in her personal horoscope.

Still, it was crazy that she was actually doing that, she didn’t even know if some forest creature wouldn’t attack her, though she was sure she could exchange her life for some pies. Slowly, the delicate figure of Azurca traversed deeper and deeper into the dark of the forest, until all of the sudden, the mage found herself in some sort of clearing. She looked around and saw the familiar shape of the man who had recruited her, as well as a woman who she had not met yet.

The baker patter her outfit, trying to brush off the leaves that had stuck to it as she traveled, and smiled. “Oh…! Hello.”she started, having arrived in time to hear the dancer's comment ”It seems you were the first, but now I am here as well.”

[Hammerman]

Helena Telmari flew.

She didn't fly in her human form of course. She couldn't do that with her flesh and blood weighing her down.

She flew in her fog form, slithering through the trees and bushes of the forest she was in.

She spread herself around as much as she could, so that she could detect if there were others going to the same destination as she was.

And indeed there were.

First, she was what seemed to be a dancer; her outfit hidden beneath her dark green cloak. She seemed a little bit cold. Her skimpy outfit certainly didn't help (which she imagined why she countered it by wearing the cloak), and her fog made the surrounding colder as well.

Then, there was the girl who looked like more of an ordinary villager. She wasn't sure why she would be recruited by him for such a dangerous guild, but she suspected that the girl was hiding something beneath that unsuspecting facade of hers. It was the only reason why he would invite her. They only needed skilled mages after all.

She let the two go on forward. She didn't like how the skies are bright tonight. She has more of an advantage in the dark where she could use her fog form to gain an advantage over the blinded.

Once they arrived at the clearing, she gathered herself. But not in the clearing itself. She didn't want the others to find out about her ability that early.

She then walked out from the trees in her human form with a smile. "Greetings, everyone!" She waved her hand as she approached the group. "I see I'm the third to arrive."

She still left just a tiny bit of herself in the form of a fog however, just so she would know if anyone else approached them. The range wasn't that big but she made the fog patrol their surroundings, just in case. Better safe than sorry. That was her motto. That's why her hair was short now, and her pantyhose was gone, as well as her bra and panties. Those were unneeded and no one would notice if they were gone.

[datadogie]

For all she knew, this was trap.

A test to see where her mind really laid, if Holly Vertila, the Crimson Chevalier, was really staying idle against Catamount. They could be watching her now from the shadows, to see if she was going to make it to her destination or if she was going to turn away and decide not to do it. They would be wrong if they presumed the latter - whatever happened, she supposed that she had already made her choice, and she wasn't going to go back. It wasn't like she personally had anything to lose from going, except her own life. Losing that would not be very good, however she knew that it was something that could happen, and something that she wished to prevent. At the same time, she wanted to put herself at risk, because if she didn't, she would most likely become trapped on the island. The could probably escape on her own, however she knew that she wouldn't be doing that.

The darkness of the night that surrounded Holly was something that most warriors had trouble in, something that they struggled with and found trouble fighting in. Whilst it was a disadvantage to those on the move, including Holly herself, she had become better attuned to it over time and learned it's advantages. Whilst it was harder to see it was easier to hear, being more quiet than the day. Nocturnal creatures still roamed, the wind still blew gently, but the peace could easily be broken, which it soon was. Some distance away, Holly heard talking.

As it was in the direction that she was to go, she continued to walk; very soon, she saw Zane, among three women. Holly did not pause in her stride, quickly arriving before them. It was a smaller group than she had envisioned. "Greetings to you all," Holly says, her voice soft, calm, and her face unreadable beneath her armour.

[Spectral]

Looking up at the clear, starlit night sky, Kouta takes in a deep breath before continuing on through the woods. Tonight was the night were he would meet with Zane and the others he had recruited into this new guild to stand against Catamount. It’s still getting to him that Zane had actually came to him and asked for his help. Most everyone gave him space over these years, so having someone come to him that wasn’t just commanding him to do this or carry that was quite shocking to him. A welcome one to be sure, however. Raising his arm, he closes his hand into a fist of determination. This was his chance to help everyone. To show them he truly wanted to help.

Of course, outside of Zane, Kouta knew nothing about what he can expect of the others. Would they be as open to him as Zane had been? He sighs, hoping that that is indeed the case.

As he gets closer to the spot Zane had given him directions towards, he begins to hear voices. Slowly making his approach, he finally sees several other figures talking amongst themselves. He felt relief as he saw Zane sitting there with them, so at least he found the spot with no issue. Pushing a tree branch out of his way as he enters the clearing, he speaks up to give notice of his arrival.

“Yo,” Kouta begins, scratching his head in slight embarrassment, “I’m, uh, not late for the meeting, am I?” He knew not how long they have been here. Hopefully, he hadn’t held them up. Or missed the start of the meeting.

[Barioth]

Killian clambered his way along the dimly lit forest path. His head was on a swivel as he slowly advanced. The last thing he wanted was to be in this godsforsaken forest, the place was filled with dangers and he wasn't exactly supposed to be here. Earlier, that night he had slipped out of bed and made his way to the forest, as per Zane's instructions, cautiously sneaking past any unforgiving lackeys of Catamount. Should he have been caught, they no doubt would have taken great enjoyment in punishing him for being out this late at night.

He was skeptical of the invitation but he was growing desperate. Fighting Forest Vulcans for a sadistic dark guild wasn't really the way he wanted to go, and it was only a matter of time before one of the two took his life. He wanted a way out, a way to get his life back on track and give Catamount what they deserved. Whether or not this was a trap, Killian decided he would see it through no matter what.

He stepped into the clearing and caught sight of Zane and the other 5. A ragtag bunch to be sure, some he had sworn he had seen before but couldn't quite put his finger on it. At the very least, it didn't seem to be a trap. There were no Catamount mages ready to put his head on a spike, and that was as good a start for him if any. He gave a weak wave and then settled on the outside of the group, his arms crossed."I hope this isn't all of us..."

[Squirrel98]

A soft sigh left his throat. He was relieved to see that the mages he invited were indeed coming to the forest. The first one to arrive was Aria Serotina. The celebrity immediately gained his attention when she was performing, so the moment he learned that she was a mage, he tried to convince her to join his new guild. Of course she wouldn't be one to fight one on one with someone, but she would be a good help for the others. It was nice to see that he had succeeded in scouting someone with such an interesting and unique kind of magic.

He didn't have to wait long for the second mage to arrive as they answered Aria's question before he could even open his mouth. It was Avinne Azurca, the pastry chef he admired. He totally didn't expect for her to have magic, but she did. Her kind of magic was just as unique as Aria's, but Avinne's would be more suitable for attacking people. That's why he wanted her in White Gull, she would probably get along well with Aria.

Helena Telmari arrived as the third mage. Her personality and magic were very different from Aria's and Avinne's. They were more violent and daring. The same could be said about Holly Vertila, who arrived fourth. Afterwards, Kouta and Killian Kaviar also arrived. Looks like that would be it for the moment. Although there could be others on their way, it might be polite to speak to the people who were already there. He closed his eyes for a second and straightened his back, so he stood on the rock, high enough for everyone to see him.

"Good evening, everyone. I am glad to see that I am not the only one who is tired of Catamount's dictatorship. They took over our village, they ruined our childhood memories, they destroyed the confidence of our people and make them work for them to get nothing in return. It is time to get our town back, our people, our dignity. They took it by power, so we are going to take it back... by power! Of course we aren't strong enough to beat them right now. A lot of mages tried to fight them in the past and gave their lives to protect our home, we have to become stronger than they were back then. I think I don't have to tell you guys that it has to be kept a secret from the people of Catamount. That means that we will keep on gathering at this specific place in the middle of the night, so they won't know about us until we are strong enough to scare them off to somewhere that isn't here!

You all know who I am, Zane, a mage with Imagination Magic and the founder of this new guild. However, you probably don't know each other. The one to my left, Aria Serotina, a mage who is able to use the supporting kind of magic. Next to her, Avinne Azurca, a pastry chef with the ability to manipulate pastries and sweets. Then we have Helena Telmari, someone with a more violent kind of magic that uses fog. Holly Vertila, one of the strongest people in the second group. Kouta, he is together with me in the first group and uses Earth Magic. And last, but not least, Killian Kaviar, someone with magic that manipulates gold. And Killian, I will immediately tell you that this is indeed not all of us. However, instead of waiting for the others, I recommend you to come to me for your guild mark and talk to each other. It is important that we become a family. It will help us with our training and with becoming a team who can combine their magic to defeat Catamount. Becoming a family is the first step to scaring Catamount away. Our bond is what will make us strong!"

[Hammerman]

As the others came, so tingled Helena's senses. She could sense them approaching one by one, which was a good sign that they weren't affiliated with those Catamount bastards. Part of her was stirred by their movements, enough to tell her that they were there and that they were coming over to their direction.

Well, well, well, we sure have quite the band around here...

One mage was dressed entirely in armor; her face covered by her helmet. Does she have something to hide? I could turn myself into a fog and insert myself through the breathing holes of her helmet to feel how her face really is underneath it, but that would be really quite the rude thing to do now, wouldn't it?

Another one came and this time it was actually a male for once. And the really beefy, muscly type too. And here I am getting worried this guild would just be a full-on female only guild with only him as the sole male and leader. People would think we're his harem or something, she thought with a chuckle. At his question whether or not he was late, she replied with a smile, "Nah, you're not. We haven't even started yet."

After him, there came another mage of the male persuasion. Less beefy than before, and more shifty-looking, at least, according to her first impression of him. The way he said that he hoped they weren't all they had certainly didn't help him gain any points with her. I don't trust him. Seems to be the kind of person who would betray us if we're ever at a disadvantage.

And then, finally, Zane the leader decided to speak.

Well, that was a decent speech, she thought once it was over. It wasn't that long and it got straight to the point. I'm not sure if I like him telling the others my magic like that though... Well, at least thanks to that, I now know the basics of who these people are that I'm supposed to be working with.

"I'll go first," she announced with confidence, as she walked to the front to receive her guild mark.

[Reshy134]

Aria's head turned as another girl's voice came. She gave the girl a soft smile and a nod; she wouldn't admit it, but the sight of her actually brought some relief. If she'd been the only one to show up, that would pose some rather serious problems. But before she could say anything, yet another girl showed up. It was a bit strange, but Aria could swear it got just a bit colder when she arrived. Still, she seemed lively enough, which Aria supposed was a good thing. From behind her, Aria could hear footsteps; soon after, a woman (at least, from what she presumed) fully clad in armor appeared. Something about her was just a bit unnerving; perhaps it was the fact that her face was hidden. Next up was a rather brutish looking man who towered over the rest of them. Aria almost felt intimidated just at the sight of him, until he opened his mouth. The embarrassed tone with which he spoke indicated to her that perhaps his personality was a bit softer than his appearance.

"No," she responded, her voice gentle. "We all just got here, actually,"

Finally, another young man approached the group, before settling on the outside of the little ring they'd formed. Something about the reluctance in his mannerisms-the weak wave, the crossed arms-made Aria wonder if, perhaps, he didn't want to be here. Still, he voiced a valid concern: if this was all of them, or even most of them, they had a lot of work to do. At that moment, Zane spoke up, causing Aria to turn her attention to him. The passion in his voice stirred something deep down in the young woman; she found herself straightening her shoulders, and a determined expression made its way onto her face. Power...was that all that stood between them and retaking their home? They might be a small group, but Catamount was spread out all over the island. If they could retake even one small village, maybe they would stand a chance.

At the mention of her name, Aria perked up and pushed her hood off her face. She gave a small, sweet smile to the group, though she stayed quiet. Her eyes traveled to the other members of the group, silently noting each of their names; she didn't want to forget any, of course. One person, however, stood out to her the most: Holly Vertila. Upon hearing that the woman belonged to the second group, Aria's eyes widened just a bit.

If she was in the second group, maybe she knew Wallace.

But that could wait. Aria looked back up at Zane, a soft smile on her face. He had a way with words, that was certain; he'd also done a decent job of introducing everyone, though she figured she'd need to get to know them on her own time as well. At the very least, Zane made her feel like they had a chance. Of course, if they failed, they'd all be publicly executed; but if this was to be a new family for her, then she'd need to believe in all of them. Especially Zane. Putting their little group together couldn't have been easy, but he seemed confident enough in them. There was something about that that Aria could respect.

As his speech ended, Aria clapped for a few seconds until the Fog Magic girl-Helena?-stepped forward to receive her guild mark. Aria took the chance to collect herself, before approaching Holly with a few determined steps. In truth, she wasn't sure what to ask, or even what to say, but she just needed to know. As she stood before her, Aria uncrossed her arms and met Holly's eyes (all she could see beneath her helmet), and gave her a polite smile.

"Holly, right?" she spoke. "I was just wondering if you...perhaps know somebody in the second group. His name is Wallace? Tall, sharp features, pink hair and pink eyes? He uses Requip Magic." Aria didn't explicitly mention he was her brother, but she figured that, if Holly did know him, it'd be pretty obvious. She and Wallace looked very much alike.

[CelesteEste]

Azurca waited patiently after others appeared, she didn't have exactly the most presence, especially when she was in the same vicinity as such exceptional people. A third woman appeared, she had gentle looks but a serious expression, the fourth one to arrive did not have an expression, she wore a helmet, and her name was one she thought she knew, but she couldn't pinpoint from where exactly, she never paid attention to the news until recently. For some moments she was almost smirking at Zane, thinking the boy had had a certain bias towards mages of the opposite gender which was surely teasing-worthy, however, a second male figure soon arrived to dispell such assumptions, a handsome tall man who spoke in a tone Azurca would describe as cute, soon after the third male appeared, and asked a valid question to Zane.

"I would not worry too much about numbers, Catamount is not loved, and they fear most of their own mages, rarely trying to unleash their full potential. If we help each other out, we can make the difference." she told in a sweet and hopeful tone, having first waited for Zane to finish his speech.

She then joined the line to have her guild mark placed on her body, of course, since she would be stuck waiting for a short bit, she decided to bring out a bag full of pastries. "Does anyone want some?" It wasn't impossible that some could be suspicious at food being offered in such a meeting, though the fact Azurca was quick to wolf down on some fruit bread could be a strong counterpoint to such feelings.

[Spectral]

Wiping his brow, Kouta lets out a relieved sigh that he was in fact not late to the meeting. ”That’s a relief,” giving a grateful nod down to the two who answered him. No surprise to him that he’s yet the tallest one amongst the current members gathered. Rarely has he met others who came close to matching his height since fully growing.

With the arrival of the new guy, he sees Zane stand upon the rock he was on as Kouta stepped into the area. He stood silently there with the others as Zane made his speech to everyone. Kouta nods with the points that he makes about how Catamount needs to go. Not like anyone who was here was going to argue otherwise. But perhaps the part of the speech that got him most was him saying they should come together as a family. It was something he new little about, but was something he always wanted. Family was having a place to belong. Family looked out for each other. And for someone like Kouta who didn’t experience much of either, it sure did sound like something worth protecting.

When it came time that they were to line up for their guild marks, he already knew where he wanted his. With no reluctance, he goes ahead and takes off his shirt, laying it across his shoulder as his bare chest lay present. He was going to have Zane place the mark upon his upper back, right between the shoulder blades. He makes a vow to himself that he will lend all his strength to the guild. That even if times will be rough, he is ready to carry everyone upon his back to the end.

When he hears the girl, Azurka if he recalls, presents a bag of pastries, Kouta’s stomach growls in hunger. Catamount only provides them with so much. And with his size, it often ended up never really filling him up all that much. His hand started to make motion to the bag, but he stops himself. It would probably be rude and scary to just start grabbing some like he almost just did. Getting some composure back, he looks down towards the girl in front of him. ”If it is alright, I would like to have some...please.”

[datadogie]

Few others arrived after Holly, it seemed. Thankfully, it appeared that the Guild was going to be turning into a Guild and not a harem for Zane - it was just convenient that the first to arrive were female. Holly took a few moments to look at them both, studying them and their features. While she had lowered most of her worries of it being a trap, she still remained cautious. The larger a gathering was, the more likely it was for it to be spotted.

Holly had heard many speeches in the past. Warriors in the second group trying to lead allies into battle, those who claimed they could do great acts for everyone, and a speech down to herself, telling her what exactly would happen if she tried to stand up to Catamount in front of the second group. Those speeches came in variety; some of them were actually quite good, but a lot of them were poor, false promises. But the speech was only one part of it; what was spoken in the speech had to be true for those below you to really believe in it. She knew a fair amount about preparing and giving speeches for as one of the top of the second group, she was practically forced to keep her allies going, to keep them fighting against the Vulcans to save them from Catamount. Until the time is right, that is.

Though slightly pessimistic, there was only one piece of Zane's speech that Holly believed, and it was that she was one of the strongest people in the second group. The rest of her beliefs would come in time, would be proven out by the actions of those around her. She found it hard to believe in words without the actions to prove them - that did not mean that she didn't support the speech, however. It had good intentions and was filled with good will, and that was what was needed. A light in the darkness.

Holly, whilst deciding which hand to get her guild mark on, was soon approached by Aria. The emotionless face that was her helmet turned to greet the girl, despite the gentle smile hidden on her face beneath the metal when she heard what the girl had to ask. At Aria's description of Wallace, Holly recognised him in her head, and knew who she was in relation to him; pink hair and pink eyes may as well have been describing herself as well as it was describing Wallace.

"There is two things that keeps Wallace from rising to the top, rising to be one of the best of the second group. One of them is Catamount. They see how powerful he could be, how skilled he is, and they hold him back, they make sure that his skills are used only against the Vulcans. I am powerful and skilled because they let me be an idol for the second group, to give them courage, but Wallace his own courage, his own strength, and a will inside of him. If Catamount were not holding us back, all of our skills would improve, but he has the will to shoot for the stars."

"There was two things that are holding him back. The first was Catamount, and the second is his worry. Wallace worries for his sister, his questions to Catamount being brushed off without an answer. Many a night have I heard Wallace's worries and his fears, his private wishes for his sister to be doing well. But his worries drive him on, so that he can grow strong enough to find his sister."

"Your brother is fine, Aria. Don't worry about him, he can handle himself."

[Squirrel98]

When the last words came out of his mouth, it felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He didn't have to worry anymore about his speech or how many people would come to the forest. The only thing left was giving everyone the guild mark. His hands went into the pockets of his pants. The right hand felt the notebook he had pulled out earlier, while his left felt the stamp that he was searching for. He took it out of his pocket and used his right hand to slightly stroke it. That was it. The time to officially start his guild had come. His eyes were focused on the stamp, while he used his magic to make it change color several times. He stopped manipulating it when the stamp got a soft red color, similar to the color his eyes had. It was exactly the color he had imagined his guild mark to have. He took a deep breath and put it on the left side of his neck. It wasn't easy to put it on himself as he couldn't look at what he was doing, but he had a good feeling, so a bright smile appeared on his face.

As he was lost in thoughts for a moment, he didn't notice Helena immediately. When he did, he shook his head and walked some steps closer to her. The girl with the brown hair moved him, almost to tears. It wasn't the way she looked or the way she behaved, it was more like... She would be the first one besides him to carry the guild mark. The first step towards defeating Catamount would be taken, the first prove that he wasn't alone. Again he manipulated it and he stopped at the moment that the stamp was covered in the color of her eyes, almost like he was guessing which color she would choose.

"Helena, it's nice to see that you accepted my invitation", he said as he was remembering their first meeting. There were many people who acted nicer to him than she did. However, he still thought of her as a good asset to the team. Although she wasn't as innocent as Avinne or Aria, he considered her to be special and a very good person. He didn't know if he had arrived at the right timing. She had just assassinated someone when he invitated her to the guild. Maybe it was dangerous for him to be there. Or maybe she didn't like it to be alone and in that case it was the perfect timing.

But instead of thinking about her reasons for being there or becoming emotional, he could better act like a real leader would. "Thank you for taking the first step, breaking the ice a bit. I hope that our guild will become a new family for you, so that you won't be alone anymore. Have you already thought about the color or the location for your mark?" He tried to put on his brightest smile as he noticed that the others had already started some kind of conversation.

[Hammerman]

"Well, we'll see about that," Helena replied to him with a wry smile. For now, she really had no intention to "create a new family" with the people here. She was only joining them because they shared a common goal, that's all.

"White," Helena sternly answered. "And I want it here."

She then confidently pulled the neckline of her dress downwards, forgetting the fact that she currently wasn't wearing her bra. It gave Zane a nice view of her cleavage if he were to look downwards, and he would since he was taller than her.

"Here, just above my chest below my neck." She told him.

Once he put the mark, she released the pull on her neckline and returned to join the others. She then heard Azurca offering them some food from her bag of pastries.

Hmm, should I take her on her offer? But what if it's poisoned? Do I trust her?

She then examined her face as closely as she could from a distance. She began judging her on her looks and mannerisms. Did she look suspicious? Was there something off about her?

In the end, she decided that she was innocent. With a sigh, she walked over to her and said, "I'll take one." with a polite smile.

@Squirrel98@CelesteEste

[CelesteEste]

Kouta all of the sudden taking off his shirt was enough to make Azurca stop casually chewing a pastry, blushing softly at the sight, not exactly shy, but not exactly indifferent either. She looks up and down at him, as he approaches and looks weirdly pensive about the pastries she is holding, causing the baker to tilt her head slightly in soft confusion.

”If it is alright, I would like to have some...please.”

The contrast was definitely the cutest part of it all, Azurca nodded and laughed. "Oh of course, of course. Take as much as you want, you sound like you need somethin to fill the stomach! I can make new ones with magic anyway if we run short, so come, come, don't be shy!" she told in a sweet tone, happy that someone was interested in her cooking skills.

It didn't take long for a second person to appear, having been tattoed already, Helena had returned to the group and said "I'll take one."

The magical baker nodded again. ”Oh sure thing! You look like you would like... grape! Or lemons... Hmmm. I have a few flavors here, pick the one that seems the most appetitizing." with a smile she handed her new guild sister the bag, allowing her free reign to pick anything she wants in whatever quantity she desires.

@Hammerman@Spectral

[Barioth]

"I would not worry too much about numbers, Catamount is not loved, and they fear most of their own mages, rarely trying to unleash their full potential. If we help each other out, we can make the difference."

Killian put on a pensive face and shrugged. If you say so... He muttered as he paced outside the gathering of people. More had arrived and he started to take a closer look at those around him. The girl in the armor stood out to him the most as familiar. She had been part of the same group as him, fighting the Forest Vulcans leading the charge. The Crimson Cavalier...Chevalier...? He didn't remember exactly but he did know that she was pretty famous amongst the group. Killian more often than not preferred to keep his head down and go unnoticed in their fights against the Vulcans.

Killian listened in on Zane's speech, the guy certainly seemed like he had some sort of a plan. Perhaps they could make something work, or at the very least, deal some damage to Catamount. The brown haired girl, Helena, stepped forward to receive her guild mark. Earlier he had sensed something from her gaze, distrust perhaps? For as sweet as she seemed, maybe she was sharper than she was letting on. Killian gave a wry smile as he stepped further into the group, taking a place behind Helena to receive his guild mark. The handful gathered here seemed capable enough, or more capable than they appeared. He pulled off his boot and rolled up his right pant leg. Place it on my calf, trying to keep it incognito if you know what I mean. He had come here desperate for anything and this was turning out better than his initial expectations. Let's see where this goes.

@Squirrel98

[Dark Light]

ARDEN THORN

A rustling grew in the nearby bushes, growing closer and closer. Suddenly the shrubbery split open and gave way as a wide relieved smile emerged.
A young man stepped out of the vegetation, blonde hair disheveled, cheeks blushed from panting, emerald eyes half concealed by the heavy eyelids still recovering from the recent sleep he just had.
His clothing was twisted or backwards, signifying his sudden rush. Twigs and leaves were strewn throughout his attire having caught on his clothing in his late night rush.

Taking a few steps towards the group putting himself into the clearing, he folded over putting his hands on his knees as he desperately tried to regain his breath. Between his heavy panting he began to speak on short dry breaths, still his voice held some semblance of a charming allure despite his short words.

“He.. (heavy breathing) ...ey.” He mutters, still looking at the floor “Sorry...”(heavy breathing)I’m...”(still heavy breathing)
Late.”(Soft breathing)
”Hey is that pastries?”

Arden’s eyes suddenly lit up as he stands upright and points inquisitively in the directions of the snacks. Wasting no time he heads straight for the goodies, ready to dig in and help himself if no one else objects.

[Spectral]

”Thank you,” he replies back to the small girl thankfully, his hand moving to grab some. He ends up closing it around a few of the confectionaries, cupping the hand to act as a bowl as he brings his hand back up.

Truth be told, he was rather excited by the treats in hand. How long has it been since he had sweets such as these? Probably some time before Catamount took power, he sadly thinks. Catamount loves to keep the more luxury and high quality items for themselves, while everyone else got by with whatever was less of interest to them. Even if by some miracle there was any available to the citizens, the prices were way more than Kouta could ever afford.

Picking one of the pastries out of his hand, he takes in the flaky texture of it. He next caught the smell, a wondrous aroma he had only smelled in so long, as he brought it up to his anticipating mouth. And with the first bite, he felt his taste buds erupt in flavor. His eye go wide as he experiences a taste he has not had anything close to in some time. He swallows it, his eyes glancing between the remaining pastries in his hand and the girl who brought them.

“This is great!” Kouta exclaims, quickly downing another as soon as he says that. “These have to be the best things I’ve eaten in… years, I’d say!” Praising Azurca’s pastries.

Kouta Reaction

@CelesteEste

[Reshy134]

Aria let out a shaky breath as Holly spoke, though she did her best to contain it. She hung on every word the woman said, desperate to know as much as she could. At the very least, though, Wallace was alive. Before then, all she knew were bits and pieces and maybes; but knowing that he was alive, and well, and getting stronger brought her more joy than she'd had in a long time. Aria nodded as Holly spoke, her soft smile growing across her face; most of all, he still worried about her. After all these years. The fact that Catamount saw him as a threat was a terrifying thought, but also somehow a bit funny. Wallace was a big softie, last time she'd checked.

Swallowing her nerves, Aria gave Holly a grateful nod, trying to find the right words to say. "Thank you, Holly," she managed, her speech unstable. "That...means more to me than you could know. If you see Wallace, tell him, um..." Aria paused, hesitant to ask that much of a stranger. Yet, what choice did she have? "Just tell him I love him."

At that moment, another voice chimed in, offering pastries. Aria gave one last polite nod to Holly, before turning and stepping in line to receive her guild mark. And, of course, get free food. Quality pastries were a luxury now, and she certainly didn't have the cooking skills to make them for herself. She waited patiently as Kouta and Helena picked out their own, unable to decide what to get for herself. Finally, Aria settled on a fried croissant, gingerly lifting it out of the bag. "This is very kind of you. Thank you," she said, before taking a small bite. To her surprise, it was absolutely delightful; perhaps she just hadn't had good food in a long while, but the way it melted in her mouth...her eyes widened a bit, happiness evident on her face.

Just then, someone-a young man-came stumbling through the woods, apparently late to the party. Aria was apprehensive, if only for a moment, until he suddenly perked up at the sight of the free pastries. She took a step back, giving him room to search through the bag, though she couldn't help but wonder who he was. "Hi there," she said, a playful smile on her face. "If you don't mind me asking, who are you?"

@datadogie @CelesteEste @Dark Light