[center][h3][color=C2B280]Fleo Plector – Outside Guild Hall[/color][/h3][/center]

By now, Fleo's idea of Nolan's demeanor dictated that he would spurn the hand offered to him by Lucas, but the dusty woman nevertheless waited a moment so see if he might rise to the occasion.  When he unsurprisingly faltered at the challenge, Fleo shrugged and took Lucas's hand instead, trying her best to beam at him.  “Welcome to the coolest ride this side of Hakobe!  Fleo Plector, at your service.”  Though Amaya had neither voiced her concerns nor grown pale yet, Fleo got the distinct impression that not all was well with her.  Not many people would just climb into a cab and stare out the window like that.  If the cause for her consternation was personal, however, she was certain to prove as reticent as Nolan when it came to opening up.  Fleo decided not to trouble the snowy-haired girl with questions.

With no further delay, the carriage was off.  With no interest in giving his attention to his fellow cab-occupants, Nolan entertained himself by fiddling with the vehicle's controls in a seemingly endless endeavor to coax more speed from it, so that the ride might cease all the quicker.  True to her earlier resolve, Fleo departed the carriage before long, and slid alongside it using her Sirocco as she took in the sights beyond the perimeter of Magnolia.  Having come to the city by train, her curious, thrill-seeking eyes had missed much that the countryside had to offer, so there was no shortage of scenery for her to take in.  After thirty minutes' worth of scooting, she pulled open the carriage door and hopped in again, eager to describe some of what she'd found.  The cattle in this region, she explained, represented a totally different stock from any that she'd previously beheld, and it was with relish that she showed a snail the size of a baseball she'd picked up along the way.  

Following her enthused exhibition of all that she'd encountered, however, Fleo lapsed into a nap.  Whether as a result of all the Siroccos she'd summoned so far today, or especially engaging dreams, she remained asleep for some time, oblivious to the actions of her teammates.  

The sun was well overhead by the time the carriage jerked to a stop.  The sudden motion woke Fleo up, and she sleepily peered out around.  Her first sight was Amaya, who looked remarkably, horribly sick.  So worried was Fleo that she didn't look outside to see if the carriage had halted at their desert destination or merely at a waypoint en route.  Only Nolan, commander of the controls, had that knowledge presently.

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Though at first unaware, Nero quickly became aware of Ayame's squeezing when it threatened to squash his narrow frame.  The mild pain distracted him from his menacing of Ariel, causing him to try to peer under his arm in alarm, though of course his cloak blocked the view of the little girl winding him.  [color=d8bfd8]"Huh?”[/color]  Most of the cruelty and derision drained from his demeanor, as if Ayame had pulled out a bath plug lodged somewhere in his spleen.  The sights and sounds of the hall, lost in the sudden haze of tunnel vision, surged back to him, and he realized that he hadn't been breathing steadily.

At the warning, Nero waved a hand. [color=D8BFD8] “Wouldn't be Phoenix Wing without my quarter-hourly warning from Master Anti-fun.  Don't get your knickers in a twist, I'm not gonna throw away free meals that easily.”[/color]  He didn't bother saying that what looked like threatening discourse masked what amounted to begging for Ariel to not accept his offer.  Judging by the two-faced girl's frowny sigh, she was starting to look inward for a solution, not to him.  That was one of the duties of genies, too, not just to keep the balance of wishes with pros and cons but to encourage, one way or another, for people to find their miracles in themselves.  Those were, Nero had grudgingly realized after reading about genies of lore, the most meaningful.  Of course, he still loved helping people.

As Ayame loosened her grip, Nero pivoted around and patted her head.  [color=D8BFD8]“You don't worry about me next time, Aya,”[/color] he chided.  [color=D8BFD8]“I guess it's hard to believe, but I know what I'm doing.”[/color]  He chuckled to see her blush at her own musical instinct.