[center][h2][color=lawngreen]Grasidia[/color][/h2][/center]
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As the two rounded the corner out of the alley and back into the street, Duncan looked over to Grasidia with a smirk. [color=darkred]"Ya know, you don't look like I thought you were gonna look,"[/color] he told her, prompting a raised eyebrow from Grasidia. [color=darkred]"I did a little bit of research into your guild for the last couple weeks and I was under a completely different impression about you, Grasidia."[/color] The man's strange invitation was already concerning but now he seemed especially suspicious. [color=lawngreen]"I'm not sure what you mean,"[/color] she spoke up but Duncan didn't elaborate any further. He only chuckled to himself briefly. The two continued down the street in silence for another moment before Duncan stopped. [color=darkred]"I've talked with several witnesses to the... ahem, [i]dragon[/i] attack in Era. I even talked to my friend, Ajax. We're both obligated to assist the Magic Council in any way we can, you see..."[/color]

Grasidia stopped next to him. [color=darkred]"One of my duties is to investigate guilds like yours. Suspicious guilds that appear one day with powerful mages? Always catches my interest. The dragon you fought wasn't really a dragon I've been told, but I'm sure you already knew that..."[/color] Now he crossed his arms over his chest and faced Grasidia. [color=darkred]"I was also told that a particular member of Fenixtear was an Etherious demon. Would you know anything about that?"[/color] Grasidia's eyes widened as she realized what exactly was going on. This man somehow [i]knew[/i]. Her eyes narrowed once the shock subsided and she held the bouquet of flowers down to her side. [color=lawngreen]"None in our guild is a demon,"[/color] she told him, an aura of danger and threat practically radiating from her skin. [color=lawngreen]"Do not... test my patience."[/color]

Duncan's lips formed a confident smirk, his eyes refused to avert from her gaze. [color=darkred]"Ah, I like that look,"[/color] he said. [color=darkred]"I always wanted to be with a tough woman. But you're not really a [i]woman[/i], are you?"[/color] Grasidia felt something inside her tick, an instinct being triggered. On a complete reflex she grabbed Duncan by the shirt with her free hand and whipped him around, slamming him into the wall and pinning him there. He seemed briefly surprised but unharmed, and his smug grin very quickly returned. [color=darkred]"See? This is what I was talking about."[/color] [color=lawngreen]"Be silent! If you continue insulting me and my guild I will... I will put you down."[/color] Her threat only earned another chuckle. [color=darkred]"Oh no, not like this you won't. Why don't you transform and then give it a try?"[/color] Now Grasidia was getting really worked up. She couldn't stop herself from scowling but she used every fiber of her being to not strangle this man. [color=darkred]"Come on, I've killed your kind before. I know this isn't your true form. Did you really think you could hide among us with your evil plans and nobody would notice? If you let me go before you transform then you won't stand a chance."[/color]

Every one of her instincts were screaming at her to kill this man. The passerby in the street were beginning to stop and stare at the scene and she knew it. Grasidia had to physically strain to not strike out at him. After a moment of silence she threw Duncan to the ground, but not particularly hard. He landed on his butt, a look of genuine shock on his face. And the second he looked back up at Grasidia she threw the bouquet of flowers right at his mouth. [color=lawngreen]"Don't follow me,"[/color] she told him, already stomping her way back towards the guild. She hardly made it a few steps before she noticed a strange shadow dart across the ground past her, stopping in front of her. And from this shadow emerged Duncan, blocking her path. [color=darkred]"Man, I was [i]really[/i] wrong about you,"[/color] he admitted, though Grasidia tried to walk past. Instead he held his arm out, catching her and preventing her movement. A normal person wouldn't have hoped to stop her with just one arm, but now it was Grasidia' turn to be surprised again at his strength. [color=darkred]"Listen,"[/color] he began, his tone no longer arrogant and his volume hushed so only she could hear.

[color=darkred]"I've never seen an Etherious like you before. Not only do you look so human but you've been working with humans for years. You even refused to attack me. Your existence is an anomaly, and I admit that I was wrong in my assumptions. But you are a demon and I can't just let you go."[/color] With his other hand he procured a white calling card with a symbol of a black stage curtain on both sides. He presented this card to Grasidia. [color=darkred]"Join my guild, Black Curtain. You can continue to help humans and I can keep a better watch on you."[/color] [color=lawngreen]"No."[/color] [color=darkred]"I'll give you some time to decide, but if you refuse then I won't keep your secret any longer. You will always be a danger to the people of Fiore. Ajax told me that you were different but I didn't believe him, now I do. But my obligations still remain. If your secret gets out, or the Council finds out who you are, then you will surely be killed. Possibly by me."[/color] Grasidia took a step back and walked around his outstretched arm, refusing the calling card in his other hand. [color=darkred]"And, of course, Fenixtear would be punished for hiding you."[/color]

This was enough to make her stop. [color=darkred]"If you come work for me, nobody will ever find out about you."[/color] This time Duncan took Grasidia's hand and placed the card in her open palm; she made no attempt to resist. [color=darkred]"Think about it. But before you use this time to run and hide, just know that I [i]will[/i] find you."[/color] She looked down at the card in her hand, confirming that it looked the same on both faces. Then she looked over to Duncan. [color=darkred]"Don't get me wrong, I still want to destroy you and your kind,"[/color] he continued. [color=darkred]"But... killing you isn't justice. Your existence is an opportunity that we cannot pass up. I will be seeing you again, Grasidia."[/color] With his final line he faded into darkness, returning to his shadow beneath his feet and then zooming off down the street.

Now she was alone again, with this Black Curtain card in her hand. [i][color=lawngreen]What am I going to do?[/color][/i] she wondered as she began slowly walking back towards the guild.