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

[color=D8BFD8]“Heeheehee, indeed!”[/color]  The sight of the girl so worried sent Nero into fits.  [color=D8BFD8]“I understand completely.  This one time, I tried to use the Law of Atavism on a whole squad of guild losers at once, but one of them was a Reflect wizard, and bounced the whole thing back at me.  You thought being one thing was weird?  Trying being [i]four[/i] crows.  [i]Simultaneously.[/i]  For [i]six hours[/i].  Talk about a bad air day.”[/color]  He replaced his glasses and blinked, trying to remember why he hadn't turned that ice-wielding stranger into a puddle of snot when he'd had the chance.  With a sigh he placed them on the couch, oblivious to the incoming presence.

Swooping in from nowhere into business that didn't concern him, Prince received a full-on-glare from Nero, whose happiness only returned when the gargantuan subhuman set the obviously-terrified girl down before retreating to lech elsewhere.  Only after had Prince departed did the dark mage realize that he'd leaped to his feet, hands balled into fists.  Seating himself once again, Nero chuckled wryly to himself and endeavored to relax.  Despite the population in the guild hall, with Ayame gone off the the ladies' room and Trinity inexplicably elsewhere, Nero enjoyed a moment of privacy.  [color=D8BFD8]“Careful,”[/color] he muttered to himself, steady of breath.  [color=D8BFD8]“Wouldn't want another Rabinborough.”[/color]

After a minute Nero stood up, bored and not at all wanting to continue waiting.  He wandered around the guild hall for a brief time, laboriously locating the bar, the stairs up to the rooms, and the lavatories with blurry eyes.  Several times he almost ran into people, including Ariel -which may or may not have been coincidence- or Jamie, with a mug of what Nero was able to identify after squinting as kool-ade.  Having identified the general vicinity where Ayame had gone, Nero installed himself in the wall beside a potted plant, and waited, experimenting how far he could see away from his face wit his hand.  When Ayame reappeared, he predictably didn't see her, but by lucky coincidence she crossed his narrow field of vision.  Having long ago decided what clothes suited her, he stole up behind Aya and chirped, [color=D8BFD8]“Your wish is granted!  I call upon the Law of Raiment!”[/color]

Nero waved his hands, and a downy mist spread from his fingertips to Ayame.  They whipped around her, stirring her ratty garb and teasing them into new shapes.  It happened very quickly; in the space of three seconds, Ayame's attire had changed into a black long-sleeved blouse, white jacket, red ribbon, and sumptuous pink-tinged scarf every bit as soft as the belly of a hedgehog.  Surprisingly, she also wore glasses that clashed with color scheme completely—rectangular purple rims encapsulating indigo lenses.  Like a hero snatching a bite to eat, Nero reached out and plucked the glasses away, and put them on himself.  [color=D8BFD8]“A little small for me, but it'll work.”[/color]  He blinked to readjust his eyes.  [color=D8BFD8]“Hey, I did pretty good on you for bein' blind!  Like 'em?  Very sporty!”[/color]

-=-

This time Fleo didn't laugh.  After a brief, rather morose thought about what could have caused this to him, the dusty woman took off after Nolan, suspended centimeters above the ground on a swirling Sirocco.  [color=C2B280]”Party status: started!”[/color]  After only a moment of hyped gliding Fleo found her progressed barred by a confrontation in the doorway.  Naturally, Jamie stood on one side, but on the other stood a formidable-looking man with hair that might have as well been a steel brush, alongside a slightly-unnerving girl dressed totally in black.  

[color=C2B280]“Uh...Team Powder Keg is going off on the Rogue Magician job.  That's, um, me, and Nolan, and Ayame.  Lucas whatshisname is coming too.  See...you later?  Master!”[/color]  With her interruption complete, Fleo turned and zipped away, leaving literal dust clouds in her wake.  

Though she had no way of tracking Nolan, she was able to retrace his steps easily enough by navigating herself to a nearby transportation depot.  Among its carriages, magic-mobiles, and other delightful methods of conveyance, Fleo soon discovered the agitated Ash God Slayer.  Feeling it best not to bring up the subject, Fleo happily consented to an optimistic silence, awaiting her fellow guild members to join her for their first job.