[h3][u][color=C2B280]Fleo Plector -=- Tree near a Hillside Farm[/color][/u][/h3] [color=C2B280]“My...uh, condition. Of course,”[/color] Fleo responded, her attention diverted by a little white-and-gray goat in a nearby pen, who had begun bleating incessantly. A fly landed on his nose and caused the annoying mammal to flinch, lolling its tongue around in a vain attempt to persuade the bug not to return. A few seconds passed before Fleo grew bored of the spectacle. [color=C2B280]“The pancake place is about a block east from where that tavern used to be. I was headed there with Felix when the whole disturbance deal happened. Should be some pretty good eating, even for a waffle-lover, but for now you'll have to settle for eating my dust.”[/color] With that, Fleo spurred her magic forward, and shot off across the earth at high speed toward Magnolia once more. -=-=- [color=D8BFD8]“How much?”[/color] The young woman at the till blinked. Ever since the weird cape-wearing guy came in, she had wanted nothing more than for him to leave. She relished the prospect of speaking with him even less than she did the idea of being in his presence. Without question she understood how unfair to a complete stranger such a brand of thinking was, but it could not be denied that he gave off a bad vibe. Even without the eccentric clothes, the disheveled candlewax-blond hair, and that unnerving everpresent smile, the sight of any guy above the age of twelve in a toy store typically meant trouble. She brought herself to look down at the item he placed on the counter, a statuette of an owl the size of a lighter, cast out of gleaming bronze. More of a trinket than a toy, but nowadays the boss needed all the variety he could get. “Four hundred and ninety-nine jewels,” the cashier managed. It suddenly struck her what exactly threw her off about the man: he looked unreal. Skin pale enough to barely outclass buttermilk, a total lack of blemishes, and features that wouldn't have looked misplaced on a chalk statue all combined to make him look like a rowdy-haired, bespectacled manikin. Though he no doubt meant his smile to be pleasant, the cashier firmly concluded that he would have been less creepy without it. Deciding to perhaps do a public service, and prevent future awkward situations like this, she added, “But...sir, aren't you a little old to be playing with toys...?” For a second, Nero did nothing. Then he let loose a sprightly laugh that resounded through the toy shop, as if the cashier's comment had been a hilarious joke. He handed over the money with hands garbed in pristine white gloves, still chuckling. [color=D8BFD8]“Nah! Aren't you a little young to be pregnant?”[/color] Nero nodded in the direction of the cashier's swollen belly. Her eyes stung so much that the only indication she had that her customer was gone was the bell on the door. -=-=- Nero strolled down the sidewalk, feeling the crisp morning air on his face contending with the warm luminosity that descended from the only thing in existence to have a broader smile than he—the sun. His new owl bobbed up and down, up and down, tossed from one hand to another as its owner walked. Not everyone, it seemed, was as judgmental as the lady manning the register of the quaint toy shop, so Nero received many smiles in return for his own. What was the name of this city again? Manilla? Mahogany? Ah, Magnolia. Nero's heart soared to be in such a genial place. Nobody who laid eyes on his amicable grin dared to question it, or him, until the lad almost ran smack-dab into a boy half his age coming the opposite way on his sidewalk. [color=D8BFD8]“Whoa there,”[/color] he snorted. [color=3EB489]“It's really you!”[/color] For a terrifying moment, Nero seized up, wondering if he had perhaps stumbled into trouble. One look at the eager features of the grimy-haired kid in front of him, however, convinced him otherwise. [color=D8BFD8]“Sure is! The real question, however: who the heck am I?”[/color] The kid grabbed Nero's glove with both hands, making the older boy flinch, before gushing out what passed for an explanation as he tugged him along. [color=3EB489]“That's funny! You're the Genie, of course! One of my friends told me all about you. Is it true that you can grant wishes? Can you make water into soda? Ooh, how about rocks into money?”[/color] So caught up in the child's enthusiasm was Nero, he took no notice at all where he was headed. [color=D8BFD8]“Maybe that last one,” he conceded. [color=D8BFD8]“But money's such an overdone wish! Nobody wants penguins anymore. They're really great—you should see Jerry! Such a card.”[/color] He started to chuckle, but paused when he opened his eyes. He stood inside an unfamiliar building, a cafe judging by the woody smell and plentiful cups. The stripy walls, the weak yellow lighting, and the glossy dark furniture gave off a homey, established sort of vibe. Nero allowed himself to be pulled to a booth in the corner, where an old man and two near-identical women sat sipping their drinks. [color=D8BFD8]“Classy place!”[/color] admired Nero, and impetuously seated himself with the strangers. [color=D8BFD8]“Hi there! Don't you just love making friends? I certainly do. Almost as good as making enemies!”[/color] All the joviality suddenly drained from Nero's sunny face. When he opened his eyes, the sclera shone a light yellow in the poor light, and his irises glistened like obsidian marbles. [color=D8BFD8]“Which are you?”[/color] At length, one of the ladies responded. She put a hand to her porkpie hat and tipped it dramatically. [color=C04000]“When you think about it, we're all just people, you know? And it's only human nature to want stuff, you know? To have glorious dreams and to dream of bringing them to life—ah, certainly you know! You know, you can call me Trip.”[/color] [color=D8BFD8]“The pleasure is all mine!”[/color] [color=E62020]“And I'm...Ginger,”[/color] her lookalike broke in in a sultry, rich voice that eased by like molasses, luxuriously slow. She fixed her nut-brown eyes on Nero's own, and he almost giggled out loud to see her trying so hard. [color=E62020]“As far as famous wizards go...you're not too high on the list, Genie, but you're just the sweet thing we wanted to see.”[/color] She gestured to the silver-haired man and the boy. [color=E62020]“You heard my cloying sister Trip. Honey over there calls himself Statloff, and the little sugar is Free.”[/color] [color=D8BFD8]“Does that mean I can have him? He'd make a splendid penguin.”[/color] Ginger giggled through her teeth, seemingly not surprised in the least. [color=E62020]“Tempting,”[/color] she purred, [color=E62020]“But not today. How about something sweeter...ten thousand jewel, maybe? And all it would take is one delicious wish.”[/color] All hostility had vanished from Nero's face. That upbeat grin had returned again, and he treated the assembled people to a hearty guffaw. [color=D8BFD8]“Is that it? You had me at 'it's'. What can I get for ya? A potbelly? A poncho? Longer eyelashes? Oh, I know! You want to know what it feels like to be made of clay!”[/color] [color=E62020]“Actually,”[/color] Ginger broke in, [color=E62020]“As yummy as that sounds, the wish isn't for me. Or...any of us. I was there at Coil Town, you see.”[/color] Nero cupped his chin for a moment, deep in thought. [color=D8BFD8]“Coil Town...”[/color] he said, at length. [color=D8BFD8]“Oh, that! Were you one of those affected? So sorry. Don't know [i]what[/i] got into me. Honestly though, you lot were headed for bowel trouble anyway. One bowl of that corn is enough to turn a minute in the outhouse into a week-long fiesta.”[/color] Free laughed out loud, and was promptly shushed by Trip. All the while, Statloff said nothing, but his pale green eyes glittered with amusement. Ginger blushed prettily and angled her own porkpie hat. [color=E62020]“Fortunately enough, my bowels were untouched. My lover, unfortunately, was not so lucky. That's how I know of you.”[/color] [color=D8BFD8]“So who is this wish for?”[/color] The group stood up. Nero rose with them, excited by the sudden air of business. Statloff spoke for the first time, in a rumbling baritone that would have been right at home calling a wrestling match. [b]“We will take you to them.”[/b]