[h3][u][color=D8BFD8]Nero -=- Guild Hall[/color][/u][/h3]

With a wounded look that screamed [i]Can you believe this guy?[/i] Nero shrugged, shaking his head disconsolately.  Inwardly he seethed, but managed to restrain himself from turning the ridiculous 'Time Lord' into a puddle.  He settled for a dismissive wave of his hand, using the Law of Embodiment to turn his flier into water.  No longer possessed of a solid form, it splashed from the intruder's hands onto the guild hall's floor.  When Nero reached down, he broke the curse, and the flier reformed just in time to be grabbed.  Surprisingly, it totally lacked water damage, which left only one big cause for concern.  

[color=D8BFD8]“Don't know what your problem with me is,”[/color] he remarked, his eyebrows folded in sorrow, an expression perhaps inappropriate for the situation.  [color=D8BFD8]“It's hardly my fault things turned out that way.  She could just have easily been a parakeet, and anyway, everything's fine now.  I'm serious about this spell; if the tests go well, my reward will be one-hundred-percent-genuine.  It matters to me.”[/color]  Nero addressed the stranger, not the guild master, knowing that he would receive no help from him...her?  It could have easily gone either way.  [i]Weird.  I'll have to find help on my own.[/i]  

He looked around until he caught sight of Trinity, and his face lit up.  [color=D8BFD8]“You again!”[/color]  he cried, as if she were a long-lost friend.  [color=D8BFD8]“I know I teased you about the ice arrows, but really, you're the reason that nobody got really hurt.  If you hadn't unfrozen Ginger, she'd probably be dead now.  That's more than the bozo in black ever did.  Before you ask, yeah, it is somewhat possible that I had a hand in it, but she deserved what she got.  Just bad luck that she became a monster.”[/color]  Free, though a penguin not known for his agility, now suddenly gave a tremendous push, and weaseled his way out of Nero's arms.  He waddled off deeper into the guild hall, evidently intrigued by the place.  The dark mage allowed him to go, happy to see his charge at least momentarily happy.  [color=D8BFD8]“When I get serious about something,”[/color] he continued, the smile on his face in every way the antithesis of serious, [color=D8BFD8]“My word is a good as my bond.  What I'm doing is an [i]original spell[/i].  I've been working on it for ages, but none of my Laws work on myself.  Maybe you'd be the one to help me, and earn yourself a wish?”[/color]