[u][b]Back then, in the Imperial Palace[/b][/u]

Craïstine Shangri-La watched the court proceedings with the usual disinterest she usually had. Members of the Fenix Tear appeared, as spiritual projections as were their wont, and she almost interfered with her son, Siegrain, prosecuting one of them. But since nothing came out of it, she stayed her hand.

Then came him, this Aki Kunihasa.

She knew him, of course. Likely better than the boy knew himself, at that. She watched the court proceedings until Alice, her [i]perfect[/i] little girl sought to interfere. She was such a precious thing, championing unintentionally for [i]his[/i] little project. If HE wanted his spawn kept out of her court, he should've taken far more care. But make a pressing case for him, her darling daughter did, and with a small lift of her fingers to show her approval, she allowed it.

Until everything went wrong.

The ghost following the boy, because of course she could see the girl, went feral. It was nothing disastrous, nothing she should herself interfere her in. Because she was likely the only one who could perceive the shadow causing it. Damn that man. If he ever appeared in her palace again, she'd gut him. Bloody fucking fool.

But Craïstine Shangri-La watched the whole scene unfold behind her silk screen, finally responding to her son and heir Jellal: [b]"My foreknowledge didn't tell me this, no... but nothing that has transpired disturbs anything that would jepardize your ascension. Son."[/b] She laid a comforting hand on the back of Jellal's hand.

---
[u][b]In the present, with the main Fenix Tear Group[/b][/u]

Valerie had felt a headache ever since they disembarked from Fenix Tear's admittedly magnificent airship onto Fiore soil. Why had Mizore given her this toil? To lead an actual [i]S-Rank[/i] mission. She wasn't ready for that sort of responsibility! But... but she knew it was coming up eventually, so she had to just pull herself up by the bootstraps. As she was lost in her thoughts, Yozora came back with a surprise purchase of what she called an Exceed. A cat with wings, how peculiar. Then Grae suggested they all split up, which as team leader in a completely foreign land, Val found both wise and idiotic at the same time. They could certainly find out more about their mission's circumstances, especially if SHE went playing her songs in a tavern. [i]Everyone[/i] was talkative and willing to share the news with a foreign bard.

As Valerie was musing the aspects of Grae's plan, she didn't notice the entire world itself stop as if the sand in an hourglass halted mid-fall. But Val knew immediately who was behind this. She had experienced this same cessation of time many times before.*

[b]"'Nia! This isn't funny! I'm on a mission, for my guild! Stop it!"[/b] Valerie yelled out into the stopped space, feeling creeped out by everyone's frozen faces. She spun around a few times, trying to find the perpetrator. On her third full spin, Valerie found her. A small girl of ten, with skin as black as ink, blood red hair like herself, two goat-like horns jutting and from there following the crest of her head, and those fainted, white, peculiar scars like crosses that were etched onto every part of her hairline, except her pitch black forehead.

[b]"You will find what you seek, Val, but be careful. I will try to calm the spirit with him, but I can make no guarantees."[/b] And as soon as that creepy child made her creepy announcement, she was gone and time resumed. Val exhaled deeply, mostly to let out her frustations.

[b]"Alright. Grae is right. We should gather more information about our target. We're in a foreign land, after all. But unlike Grae suggested... Aiko, you can come with me or not, I won't force you. i'm going to a tavern or a few to collect info. [i]Everyone[/i] loves a foreign bard."[/b]