[center][@Lunarlord34][@samreaper][/center] The walk from Crocus to Petunia town took roughly seven and a half hours. It left plenty of time for the pair to talk, or not, about virtually any topic they could desire. At the end of it, and some quick directions once they finally arrived in Petunia Town to locate Sapphire Farms. Petunia Town, as they would find walking the few dirt roads in it, was quaint. Small, still set in older ways, and with scant but a few buildings denoting the center of town - including the town hall, a general store, an inn that doubled as a restaurant and bar, and the post office - while plenty of homes and farmland stretched out around it. Sapphire Farms, unfortunately for Menzai and Alina, was located on the opposite end of town. After walking down a long dirt drive past rows of green houses, they arrived at the main storehouse. A handful of customers were milling about in the shop - looking over the flower pots on tables or flowering trees in pots toward the back - while workers busied themselves out back getting delivers loaded up into carts and trucks. An older woman oversaw the whole thing, watching the workers and directing ones that seemed to be doing things just a bit too slow or mixing up the orders. When they walk into the shop front, an older man is also visible behind a counter - ready to ring up orders. It is he who speaks up. "[color=wheat]New faces. Haven't seen a pair looking like you two around town. What can I do ya for?[/color]" The old man offered them a gentle smile, adjusting his bifocal glasses up his nose when he realized they crept down. [hr] [center][@Spectral][@Sho Minazuki][@Landaus Five-One][@Takumi Enishi][/center] The team agreed and ready, they set off. The most direct route to the museum would have taken them through the center of the festivities, but it was a deal easier and faster to simply go around it all. It meant only catching the sounds and smells of what the festival had to offer, but not having to push through the throngs of people milling about in the way. It also meant none getting distracted by vendors calling out their wares. The businesses throughout Crocus still saw an increase in foot traffic, but it wasn't as packed as the heart of the city and surrounding area. In no time at all, the four found themselves at a large building set a little ways back from the road behind a brick wall with wrought iron gates. The grounds were well tended, with sculptures and large replicas of olden war machines and canons, and a pair of small fountains flanked the entrance. The museum itself was much how one would expect - plenty of floors of actual displays, with people walking the halls looking at everything, or with tour guides. Approaching the admittance desk to gain entry allowed them to bypass having to pay, and were escorted through the halls by a guide straight down to the workshops in the basement, and to a large room that still managed to be cluttered enough to induce a sense of claustrophobia for those nervous about tall shelves packed with dusty books, and scrolls, and artifacts that look more dusted up for being in this room than wherever they were found. [url=https://www.wallpaperflare.com/static/586/897/97/anime-library-magic-laboratories-wallpaper.jpg]Carver[/url] sat at a table, with his back to the door. On the table was a large map of the mountain range just outside Crocus, on which he was marking potential routes to get to a location he marked on the map. The guide knocked solidly on the door, despite it being open, to draw Carver's attention that way. She then motioned for the group to enter as Carver straightened up, and took her leave as soon as Carver had given the group his attention. "[color=DarkKhaki]Ah, hello. Sorry, I didn't -[/color]" He glanced over his shoulder then looked back at the group. After adjusting his glasses, he put a smile on his face. "[color=DarkKhaki]I wasn't aware I had an appointment. I was just working on something. Apologies. I'm Carver Mandrake. And you are...?[/color]" [hr] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/501huyZ.png?1[/img] [img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/200629/d14e870c2957fddad1ff0fb69da13edb.png[/img][/center] Jobs out, his fun gone, Kaden sighed softly. If he stuck around, he'd end up roped into helping with customers. There weren't enough hot women in here to want to turn on the charm. So, rather than stick around to see what might come of just sitting around the guildhall sipping whiskey, the S-Class mage aboutfaced and headed straight back out the door. This was a festival, after all, and there had to be something - or [i]someone[/i] - interesting out there to keep his attention for at least a few hours. He just needed a distraction long enough to pass the time until more of the guild was back. Or maybe he'd find Tone - that kid liked sparring, so considering the other one was out, he could maybe get a good spar in with a dragon slayer; that was always interesting matches. "[color=plum]Well, well, well, if it isn't Kaden Penderghast,[/color]" called out a smirking blonde [url=https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/fcoc-vs-battles/images/2/2d/692354389194727edb56c744433ef94c--long-blond-hair-anime-guy-blonde-hair.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/340?cb=20170710033139]man[/url]. He laughed softly as he slapped an arm across Kaden's shoulders before they both stopped walking and the other man rounded to stand in front of the Fenixtear mage. "[color=plum]Man, I haven't seen you since that last job you pulled brought you close to Oshibana.[/color]" "[color=burlywood]Nah, you got hit one too many times, Salvis. Last time we saw him was two months when Soryu had us come to Crocus to deal with some stuff. Remember?[/color]" The [url=https://i.pinimg.com/564x/70/d3/af/70d3af686e8b77eef0ee9de9f80d597e.jpg]new speaker[/url] stopped just behind Salvis' shoulder. Both men stood about even height with Kaden, but sported Steel Hydra guildmarks - Salvis on his left hand, this new mage on the side of his neck. Kaden smiled, though like the smirks the other two sported, it was anything but friendly. "[color=tomato]Teague, Sal, funny running into you two here. How's Oshibana been?[/color]" "[color=burlywood]Business is as good as ever. But you wouldn't know that, would you?[/color]" "[color=plum]Oh come on, Teague, who can blame glory-boy from looking for easy fame?[/color]" Salvis chuckled and nudged Kaden with a friendly elbow. "[color=plum]If I wanted quick, easy money, maybe I'd slum it with some indie trash too. I mean, how long do you really thing the times will be good for a shit guild like Fenixtear?[/color]" "[color=tomato]Well, considering we're in the favor of the people, and since their popularity there's been jobs going to us that Crocus hall would usually take...Can't say I'm bored as often here as I was in Steel.[/color]" Kaden laughed, and Salvis joined him. The other mage lost his smile to a darkening look in his crimson eyes. "[color=burlywood]Yeah, we'll see how much you joke about that soon enough. Indie guilds are shit, and Fenixtear is no better. This fame that nothing guild is seeing is fleeting. Especially considering rumor has it your new guild master pretty much shit on the council after that dragon fight. We'll just see how long things stay good if she keeps pulling shit like that.[/color]" Kaden laughed more. "[color=tomato]Oh, I get it. You're jealous I got attention for leaving the guild and you're still pretty much nothing. Just some sloppy A level that can't stop trying to throw down with someone better than you. Teague, you've been jealous I get preferential jobs since we were both Bs in Oshibana.[/color]" A toothy grin spread on his face as he leaned forward, eyes narrowing a little in unspoken challenge. "[color=tomato]Then I scaled you in power ten fold faster than you ever could make up power. Want to show you're big shit now that I'm an indie guild mage? News flash, just being part of Steel Hydra doesn't make you big shit. Being powerful would - and you'll never be powerful. So might as well set your sights for something other than ever hoping to get into Black Curtain and be realistic. You're stuck with Steel until you retire, mate.[/color]" The ground rumbled and cracks formed in the street around the three mages. Pedestrians moved away at the strange occurrence even as Kaden and Salvis laughed. While they didn't react much, Teague threw a punch toward Kaden. Kaden sidestepped, and grabbed his wrist to help knock the other mage off balance and throw him to the ground. "[color=tomato]Really? Gotta work on that temper, Teague.[/color] Salvis sighed softly, shaking his head with a smile. "[color=plum]Kaden, you know what happens now...[/color]" He rolled his shoulders and stretched his neck, but the smile never faded. "[color=plum]Can't have an indie rat making us look bad.[/color]" Kaden smirked and stepped back a bit. "[color=tomato]Nah, you guys will do it all on your own.[/color]" Then immediately ducked under the next punch thrown his way from Teague, and tackled the guild mage to the ground. [hr] [center] [img]https://i.imgur.com/2a2Qvr0.png?1[/img] [img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/200611/e27c881e7bd0977fcd1c2798ebaa7a72.png[/img] [@Zarkun][/center] Ria laughed softly. "[color=aqua]Yes, you're quite right. Your issue is nothing like Felix's. His is a hereditary trait, not magical overload. That seems like it will take a bit to train up. But perhaps books in either the guild's library, or my personal library, might have suggestions for how to train your body up to your magical power without increasing your current magical power. It likely wouldn't be good to increase your current magic reserve levels until you can handle them. It is certainly unique; I've researched a lot about various magics and this is the first case I've heard of anything like yours.[/color]" She shrugged lightly as she watched the sky as they walked. Familiar and comfortable with the city as a whole, she generally didn't need to watch where she was going. It wasn't hard to absently avoid walking into something when you were used to moving around unseen obstacles all day at work. She at least lucked out in not being clumsy. "[color=aqua]I also know a few bookstores in Crocus that could possibly help us find something. I'm sure there's a solution out there somewhere that can point to the answer of the question of what [i]is[/i] going on, and what could be done to assist you.[/color]" Her smile broadened as she looked back at Damian. "[color=aqua]Besides, I wouldn't blame your father for this either. It likely has nothing to directly do with his suggestion to not train further with it. Likely this would have come up regardless. Parents do what they believe is best for their children given the understanding they have. Especially if they aren't familiar with the magic at hand. My own parents shared very little in common with my magic, as does my sister. Clan Gospel almost exclusively had ice mages - exclusions being my mother and myself, and even my mother wasn't a water mage.[/color]" She shrugged lightly. "[color=aqua]But we learn and compensate. Seeing a magic doctor was a good first step, but it doesn't sound like he had the full answer. The full answer is out there, I'm sure.[/color]"