[center][h3][color=C2B280]Fleo Plector – Vehicle Lot[/color][/h3][/center]

Before entering the vehicle selected by her companion, Fleo took a moment to marvel over it.  Aside from trains for insurmountably long-distance transit for which relying upon her Sirocco would be vastly impractical at best, public transportation went for the most part unused by Fleo.  It was her pleasure to glide along the country roads beneath the vault of sky, breathing in the balmy breeze, giving audience to the chirping insects and sampling the perfume of whichever flower caught her wide-open eye.  To be free, and to move freely, gave the dusty woman joy like nothing else.  In fact, if this carriage happened to traverse a particularly palatable patch of terrain between the city and the desert, she fully planned to exit the carriage and scoot along on a carpet of dust.  Still, unfamiliarity breeds interest, and Fleo gave the carriage a brief but intimate run-over before climbing inside.

The dour mood of Nolan succeeded not in breaking her excited optimism.  After jumping slightly when the vehicle began to move of its own accord, Fleo slid over to the window and watched the buildings wash by.  From the outlook of the streets, she knew they were headed back toward the guild to pick up Amaya and Lucas.  Honestly, it still surprised her that nobody objected to the name 'Powder Keg'.  While not bad for a first attempt, it carried the connotation of a livewire, ready and waiting to explode at any moment.  Fleo cast a glance at Nolan, sitting glumly in the seat and avoiding her gaze.  It wasn't hard to imagine the brusque boy letting loose with his ominous Ash God Slayer magic for only a minor annoyance.  

A minute jerk announced that the carriage had reached its destination.  Fleo promptly poked the door open, stuck her head out, and cheerily shouted, [color=C2B280]“Come on, guys!  Get your butts over here so we can go kick some butt!”[/color]

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The sight of Ayame so pleased with her new garb did not alter Nero's expression a smidgeon; it already perfectly encapsulated his gaiety.  Sure, some people hated serving others, but seeing or hearing someone appraise the work of your hand favorably always provided a sense of fulfillment in his eyes.  [color=D8BFD8]“My magic?”[/color]  He said, momentarily distracted by an approaching figure, whose definitive movement toward [i]him[/i] of all people sparked a weird sort of feeling.  [color=D8BFD8]“Er...my magic!”[/color]  He regained his composure, and pushed up his glasses in such a way that made the guild hall's light shimmer off them.  This gesture, he thought, was silly, but it carried an air of studious mysteriousness sure to befuddle or at least entertain a young girl.  By now Ariel had drawn almost as near as Ayame, captivating his attention with her blue clothes.  In a moment, he decided, he'd have to memorize those too.  [color=D8BFD8]“I wield a magic like none other!  There are wizards who dabble in curses, yes, but there are few who create them, and only one who makes them [i]frickin' awesome[/i]...and it is I!”  [/color]

Nero slipped a small book from his pocket and popped it open, from which he began to recite officiously: [color=D8BFD8]“Retrogression: to temporarily reverse direction!  Escalation: to rapidly increase!  Atavism: to return to a former state!  Affliction: to grip in illness!  Augmentation: to boost power!  Raiment: clothing!  Embodiment: to bodily represent!  Manifestation: to make appear!  These I wield—the Curse Laws!”[/color]

Nero placed his palm in front of his eyes, leaned forward, and held up his other hand behind him in a stylish pose.  He could only hold it for a moment, however, before he started to crack up.  Once recovered from that, and back in a more ordinary posture, he sought fit to reply to Ariel.  [color=D8BFD8]“I wasn't trying to, but then again, maybe I was.  I endeavor to get everybody's attention, to have all eyes on me.  I'll settle for yours, though.  Metaphorically, of course, I wouldn't have anywhere to put them right now if you took it literally, tehee!”[/color]  Nero replaced his little book and adjusted his hair slightly, suddenly self-conscious for whatever reason.  Perhaps someone else was cursing him?  Unthinkable!  [color=D8BFD8]“Can I offer you a wish?  That's usually what people want from me.”[/color]  A slightly overdone curl to his ordinary smile belied yet another experiment of his.  If Ariel indeed differed in both appearance and mind when she changed between her orange and blueberry states, there was a good chance that her feelings were in tumult.  Nothing was easier to make something out of than nothing, Nero reasoned, so he aimed to discern the extent of Ariel's interest in him by offering his ordinary service.