Segue: Collab with @Dane
Before the Dutchman took off

Prior departure, the respective Thought Projections of Ur and Ifrit, huddled.
"Like it or not, it is unwise to stoop on the level of the aggressor, especially if they're older than you, Mizore is, and Mizore does, state your grievance, I do not condone her actions, there will come a time but she got us closer to Arius, making up for the loss of 300 years ago, our fallen friend, fellow founder, turned Demon."
Ifrit's brow furrowed in slight frustration. "Mistress, I don't think you understand the situation like I see it. Yes, Mizore is invaluable to not only this guild, but to us as well. But we have to put a leash on her. Her actions are a threat to my employees, your guild members. I... I don't think her actions have the health of others in mind."
"Our." Ur emphasized as she put her finger to his mouth with a coyly smile, whispering softly. "We're a family Ifrit." She turned to the other side of the couch in her starkness. "Have you not forget the binding vow that all the S-Classes made towards Mizore, I myself included?"
He sighed. It's impossible to argue with Ur. Ifrit walks over to the side of the couch and sits on its arm. "I am a God, Ur. It is... hard for me to find fraternity with the others. I'm used to a kind of distant reverence an acolyte has with their patron, or an employee with their boss. Not like this. And last I remembered, I only made that vow because you did. I was against the whole idea."
Ur, amused, chuckled. "A God enslaved by the vision of another God~" said so whimsically. "25 years on this Eden, from birth to godhood, you still think like a child. Experience is timeless, Ifrit, for that draws the parallel-differing and unmeeting lines of experience and wisdom." Said so deeply and meaningful. You made that vow because Gilgamesh showed it to you upon his defeat at your hand before absorbing him, has gotten you weary." She hugged him from the back as her chest pressed against his back. "Try to loosen up and understand the human soul, lest their paths astray" pinching his ear tightly.
Ifrit chuckles. He's unphased by the open display of affection. Whether he's used to it by now or simply welcome's a rare moment of vulnerability, he does not say. "In honesty, Ur, I still wonder my place in all of this. A man-made god, who killed divinity to inherit their place, and embroiled in the blessings and benedictions of his mother, a primordial. It all sound so bizarre, doesn't it?" He turns around to look Ur in the eye. His are filled with a melancholic weight. The odd curse of a youthful body but ancient spirit. "I... promise I will try to understand the human condition better. But, in the future, can you at least tell me before you recruit another lunatic into the guild? I'm supposed to be your right hand. It's hard to follow in your light if you keep me in the dark."
She briefly stole a kiss from said God's lips, purring as she teased. "Don't be such a baby~ don't be so Iffy, Ifrit." She said so endearingly. "Do not let byproducts of time, be the ultimate judge, for the future is malleable ~. Do you perhaps, regret meeting Mizore's ambiguous existence or your godly mind has yet to embrace the gravity of maturing reality?" The very same words rippled unto Ifrit's core, Ur echoing the very same words as the Time Goddess, Kronos. Mizore predates Ifrit, for she's a first generation member of Fenix Tear while Ifrit is fourth. Ur drew lines upon his abs. "What is is then, young God?"
A small flush fill's the god's face. Such intimacy... sometimes he forgets the blessings of mortality. He grab's Ur's waist and brings her into and embrace. "Mizore is something I should be. An ancient power, a force made flesh. I... still have a lot to learn. By all accounts, I am young. But I have a religion, a legend, a corporation, an ancient power and divine responsibility. Something someone of her stature should have... not me. In a way, I fear what I am. I fear what she is. I fear what our differences may do to the guild." He leans in and whispers in Ur's ear "Using my own mother's words against me. Cheap shot." He chuckled.
Thought Projection ended as Ur and Ifrit, husband and wife, met in the flesh. "You're quite the multitasker. Mending the Flying Dutchman since the Battle of Eramanet, Sun Dragon God, Atlas Flame. Unfortunate, we failed to protect him in time, now the Sun Village is frozen. Comparison is a thief of joy. There are things that cannot be unraveled without the proper notion. No matter, husband, forgive me for my insulting cruelty. You may not like it but being partly human, that side of yours could be nurtured. Your divine side needs to be balanced. But you're right. I'll be more forthcoming, for the guild, for you and for our children."
"Thank you, Ur" Ifrit whispers. "Speaking of which, why did you want me to repair the Dutchman? Is there a mission happening soon?"
"Yeah. I met Arius and Aki is his son with the Firelord, out of wedlock. I don't intend to use the boy for my own leverage, I'm going to save him just because his fugitive of a demonic father, can't. I'm going to Shangri-La's Imperial Court to stand trial and testify for Aki's life.."
Ifrit’s brows furrowed. “Are you sure this is safe? The Firelord isn’t known for her tolerance of people like Aki. Especially if it’s her bastard, it might seem as an attack on her legitimacy.”
"Firelord... Craïstine Shangri-La. We once weren't always at odds. That's another story. I know her well enough to observe the boy's career with great interest." Ur said.
“What would you have me do, my love?” Ifrit asked. His eyes stared into her soul. He feels the weight of untold years in her. He sees her power. He sometimes wonders how he looks to her. An old, divine soul in the body of a young mortal. Nonetheless, he’s happy to be a part of her story.
She put her finger on his lips. "Now. Now. We got things to settle. I know for sure, that the trial goes well for Aki. Now, you can be two places at once, don't interfere on the Quest that Mizore got them unless life threatening, go search for a Dragon Slayer, our guild could use one."

^{Team Grae@Aguy@Noob5674@Petulant@Digmata | Team Ur@JrVader@Thanatos 7@SaduWildcard@The Jest}
As Team Grae arrived at the Ishgar Continent in the Fiore Kingdom, their ship had rendezvous at Fort Hargeon. In the shadows Ifrit, Mio and Mizore watches the four youngsters through a Lacrima. An hour has exactly past.

Ur talked to Mio, Ifrit and Mizore from her own Lacrima. Word got out, that after an extrenous process in the courtroom trial, Aki's execution, was called off but should if he were to drink the blood of innocents, his execution will be immediate. Akane has placed a seal on Aki, it's an ancient runic formula that would only let him vamp up, if he gets permission from a guild member. However, before completion of the choker, Yuna went wild at the mere residual leak of her magic power, Aki again is a runaway.

Yuna consumed the magic power residing in that choker but because it's of higher saint quality, she didn't fully freed Aki from the transformation enchantment, it was just Yuna herself being able to pop every now and then.

Ur explained the events to her confidants.

"Yeah. Aki ran away. We are back to zero but I have an inkling, a certain someone has relocated him to Fiore. Yuna is a Saint Class, Cursed Spirit – from what I have been told by Alice. Aki himself is an anomaly even for a newblood Vampire. So he may as well be considered a Wizard Saint, not by title but by prowess.

Yeah...yeah...don't give me that look Mio, Ifrit.

I did kinda let him get away, Yuna got me taken by surprise, Akane. I knew it from the start when Aki saw Mio without even having a Guild Mark. That boy is special."

Back to Team Grae...

Yozora tagged along with Team Grae, because Voss was there to begin with.

"I just bought an Exceed, Voss-sama. I will call him Fortune!" Fortune was a nod to Voss first gravure catalogue.

Sora looked at Aiko while playing with her Exceed that's literally a firecat.

"Don't be so gloomy now, Aiko-senpai. Mizore-san promised to give us a vacation at Swordland. I've been bugging her for weeks!"

Sora somehow smelled blood within 5 kilometers, but she just ignored it, she thought her dragon senses were on safe day or she sense the women thing.

"Oi slacker. I dunno what Valerie-chan thought earlier but it's really hard to believe that someone like the Bluegraver is actually the thing. Are you really that guy or you're just a cross-dresser, wacko pizza boy?"

FYI - Valerie, Voss, Aiko and Yozora all joined the guild in the same year at August, they're in the guild for two years now.

"You think someone like the 'Bluegraver' would be a Second-Class Mage? You reaaaally think your senpai is that amazing to be the exception like that?"

His argument sounds plausible to those unaware, but he's been dragged to local White Creed courts more times than anyone else, off of licensing issues alone. Any credibility his credentials once had has long since been lost among those in the guild...

That, and everything coming from Grae, tends to sound fraudulent in tone. And that smug look on his face. Okay, it's mainly his face and tone doing it. It's definitely going to draw attention, though, which is the point in all fairness.

"While the S-class are probably gonna keep watch, I'm still captain by seniority for ground mission, so we're going by my order. So-" He turns to glance around town as Yozora hears a quiet tick as Grae looks away from the group before turning back. "-we'll be going assuming the mansion's gonna have eyes and ears around town."

While the contrast between Grae talking over plans and...every other time with him could be considered strange, nobody in the guild would find it that extreme a jump. And of course it's by his own explanation, said many times before. ("Eeh, strategy is just talking a lot and thinking a lot; None of it requires me to do actual work~.")

"So, we're going to be investigating around under the pretenses of me being on another one of my jobs instead to act as cover. Mansion's gonna be over in that direction of town, so I'm gonna drag their attention onto me near there while everyone else goes paired to investigate the locals about anything sus going on."

"Doubt we're not gonna be pointed towards them eventually, given who we're dealing with, but if they think we're just biting a finger instead of going for their throat, we can hit him hard before they expect it."

The plan is already set to start on landing, as Grae holds no mercy for a target.
And certainly won't miss a chance to slack off even more as he accounts for everyone to be in the optimal positions...

"Anyways, remember to stick to your buddy while you go 'investigating', alright?"

He looks at the inevitable pairings between the five members here: Yozora and Voss to go on a date, Aiko and Val to find clues about the Mansion, and him by himself. To slack off and carry the important job of dragging away any spies Everlue might've put in the local area, and lower the 'tail' they're gonna cut off.

Truly, he is the strongest slacker there is. Now then, time for the strongest to go where the kids aren't as used to fishing for info...
That is, he's looking for lunch. Whether it's seedy taverns or cafeterias by the port, those are the places with the loosest lips and the best place to slack at.

---

Aiko took a brief moment to stare at the Exceed, a cat of red and black colors who seemed to be based on her colors. She will not think further of the implications.

So the vampire fled, was that her fault? Nit exactly this guild's insanity will get him if he is disturbed by her attack.

"There is no need for that." she replied although her eyes betrayed the excitement she felt at the possibility of visiting the Land of Swords. Oh masterpieces she would get to see, hell even the swordsmen who will definitely be there. She could spar with right?

If she just assualted them like a brigand, its not like they will have choice if they don't want to die. Not that she's a bandit, she's just insane.

"Although, I cannot refuse if things are already set." she added as desperately tries to keep what little dignity she has left.

---

It was the last thing Aki heard from Mio just after her "Test" against him, fighting some twisted Direwolf in her domain right before getting arrested and thrown into trial. The days have been nothing but "interesting" since he was thrown into Fenix tear, and it's hardly even been that many of them.

The Trial itself, he wasn't paying much attention to, his thought knee deep in paranoia for why he's even put on trial to begin with. From his perspective, after all, he was about to be executed, "rescued" from said execution, dragged to a guild to join it, got tested by a ghost in Dreamland, and then immediately arrested and put on trial in the Imperial court, likely to get sentenced to death all over again, thus coming full circle.

The only difference in his mind between the first and second time: Fenix Tear's involvement.

The only reason he can think of: Reigning in and selling out a "Monster" for profit.

Normally, Yuna would be trying to give him rationale to keep him from spiraling, but they removed her from his head, and so he was lost in his thoughts.

The trial proceeded without much incident as Aki's thoughts burned with anger, only to be aggressively doused in despair. He didn't even bother to look up at those who prosecute and looked at him with judging eyes.

While he wasn't listening to what everyone was saying in the trial, what could reach him wasn't anything he hasn't already heard before.



Good Ankh, it was like he was back in his village all over again! This whole thing was pointless; it was just adding insult to injury! Just shut up and get it over with!

It was then he heard something he did not expect to hear near the Trial's end.



The voice itself sounded about as kind but firm as the words, not the kind of voice one would hear in a murder trial, and certainly not the words one would say to a potential murderer. After spending all this trial with his eyes cast downward or closed, not paying attention to much of anything going on, he looked up towards what seems to be the judge's area, where the Empress seems to reside, and saw a woman with long locks as red as his own. Now that he's got a good look at him, the Prosecutor also has red hair just like his own. It wasn't too much of a surprise; it all but confirmed what his village taught him about red hair in Hizuru being a symbol of nobility. More notably was the overlooking the trial, and someone behind her, sitting on a throne behind some kind of magical veil where only their silhouette could have been seen. But Aki could see closer, could see beyond it, and noticed it to be another woman.

Aside from cosmetic differences such as age and hair length, these two women looked practically like twins.

The one behind the veiled throne looked somewhat older than the other out in front, and had a sharp yet disinterested look in her eyes. There wasn't any hatred or malice, just indifference, as if she's seen hundreds of Vampires standing trial and grown tired of it. By the looks of things, she must have been the empress herself. Doesn't come as much surprise then; he probably looks like an ant to her, and this whole trial a farce she's obligated to take part in. She clearly wasn't the one who said that, so it must have been this other one standing at the judge's podium.

That one looked so similar to the Empress it felt unreal, but she was younger, and that fierce look in the Empress' eyes were nowhere to be seen in this one's. Her eyes were softer, rounder, there was more of an innocence to her in comparison. Yet her face still looked firm, taking this matter seriously. She must have been the one who said it.

"...Vampires are not like other demons born to their nature. Some are born that way, but most vampires were once human; the demonization process for them acts as a virus infecting a victim into forced conversion. All evidence and testimony presented has proven to the court that Aki Kunihisa was one such victim, a former human inflicted forcefully with vampyrism. But as we don't know when he was bitten, the question of who the Kunihisa family still remains with doubt. Therefore, The court would like testimony from the defendant, regarding when he was turned. ...Ur-San, I apologize in advance, but I'll need to borrow that choker of yours for a bit." She said. Without waiting for a response, pointed towards Aki, a tiny ball of white light floated just above the tip of her nail, and as she moved her pointed finger as if writing something, the ball followed leaving a trail of white fading light behind.

When she was done, he noticed something different about the magic surrounding his choker, the feeling was still restricting, but in a different way than before. He couldn't see it himself, but the runes on the choker changed, both in shape and color. It seems this woman managed to overwrite the runes originally on the choker with her own.

"...Defendant, State your name and occupation for the court." She asked. Aki raised an eyebrow as he looked towards her.

"Aki Kunihisa, Former hunter, no current occupation. ...!!" He said, before gasping and looking taken aback. He wasn't going to say anything but the words came out on its own. Almost on instinct he touched the choker itself, did she add some kind of control rune to it!?

"Kunihisa-San, you were a human up until the moment of the tragedy, is that correct?" Aki nodded in response. "Please testify to what happened that night." Alice said. Aki looked down at the podium he was standing in front of, clearly hesitant, but as the runes on his choker glowed, the words started coming out in spite of him.

"We were out in the forest together, there was rumor of some horrific monster that threatened the village's existence nearby, something bad enough to warrant all of us uniting to fight against it. During the search, I...There was this sudden pain like something was stabbing into my head, my senses were getting overwhelmed and I...I blacked out. When I came to, They...They were all dead, every last one." Tears starting to well up in Aki's eyes as he tried resisting the spell Alice placed on his choker, not wanting to remember that day. Alice looked at him with sympathy and pity, it was easy for her to see how much he's been through in such a short time. Still, she had a job to do; she couldn't let emotion get in the way of the truth.

"...One more question, Kunihisa-San. ...During that hunt you and your family were a part of, before this blackout or perhaps even after, did you see anything suspicious in that forest, anything at all?" She asked.

"I...I don't know. Everything about that moment was blurry to me, it all feels like a fever dream now. I...I think, there was a shadow. Far off into the distance among the trees. I couldn't make anything out of it...But...I think it was after I saw it that the pain started. When I woke up...There was nothing." Aki said.

Alice, lost in thought, looked towards the veil behind her where her mother resided and watched over the court, then towards Siegrain and Aki's lawyer, before finally closing her eyes. With a wave of her finger, the mark she made on Aki's choker faded away, coming off in pieces and dispersing like glowing white dust in the wind.

"...The Court is ready to announce a verdict. Everything seen and heard suggests the possibility of a third-party who could have sired this boy into becoming a Vampire, and by extension could have been the perpetrator of this murder. However, the Prosecution's case is compelling. As we have no eye witness testimony save the defendant, and the defendant admitted to blacking out during these murders, it becomes just as likely that Kunihisa-san unintentionally killed them during the painful transition, and while he is just as much a victim, the dangers this implies cannot be ignored. ...Knowing this, on the charge of the massacre of the Kunihisa Clan, the court find the defendant, not guilty." Alice said. Needless to say it caused an uproar in the audience as the room went loud fast. Aki himself was utterly dumbfounded by this decision, especially it sounded at the end like she was gonna put him to the axe after all. Why on earth would this lady find a Vampire like him innocent of his charges? Nepotism towards the Nobility perhaps, but even then why do it for a monster, noble blood or no?

Well, it seemed he was about his answer as Alice slammed a rune-inscribed gavel upon the desk, the sound being thunderous and letting out a wave of magical energy, the room once again going silent.

"Order in the court! I'm not finished yet! ...There is no proof showing one way or the other that this boy killed his own family. However, that's not the only charge he has on him. Though by circumstances beyond his control, there is no denying that, as a Vampire, he is a potential danger to society. Evidence provided the prosecution has shown that danger between the time of his turn, and his capture and..."failed" execution..." Alice's eyes looked towards Ur, knowing she was responsible for the stopping the Execution. For some reason though, there wasn't any anger or frustration in her eyes...A mild annoyance to be expected, but Aki couldn't quite make out any other emotion she was showing.

"...It has been shown that he had restraint in his actions and choices of target, showing a sense of control. Nonetheless, a Vampire's bloodlust overwriting the senses is a well-known phenomenon that we cannot ignore. On charge of public endangerment, the court finds the Defendant guilty. However, In light of new information and the previous Verdict hereby overturn the death sentence given upon capture. Instead, In the name of our Firelord Shangri-La, I sentence Aki Kunihisa to indefinite probation and rehabilitation. Ur-San, You and your guild's actions regarding Aki are noted. Your indictment is low-priority, but know that it will happen. Until then, I am putting you and your guild in charge of his probation, and restraining his Vampirism. Know that if he harms and drinks the blood of innocent lives, we'll be forced to reinstate his execution, and hold your guild responsible." She then said. This in particular made Aki tense up, knowing that he was now truly stuck with this asylum of a guild, he almost wished for death. It was around she finished speaking that the Fox lady - that little fox that was on Ur's shoulder apparently - stepped up to add more runes to the Choker. Immediately, he felt...different, it's hard to fathom for him, but he felt...closer to how he was before all this vampiric nonsense happened to him.

But he also noticed something...Wrong. A feeling of dread and concern he couldn't explain crawled down his back. But it wasn't because of this lady - nor the other one, as intimidating as her silhouette was - it was...

"...Yuna?"



He could hear her grunt in pain, hyperventilating as she did. Connected as their souls were he could feel as she felt, that dread and concern, the fear and anxiety starting to bubble up, it wasn't his; it was hers. He looked over to her with Mio, she was clutching her head as if suffering a major headache, her eyes glowing green rather than their usual red coloring.

Aki....I...get out of there...! She said amidst the noises.



Aki looked around; he knew whatever was causing her to be like this had to be somewhere in the Court room as the audience's noisy nature started riling up again.



But before he could find the cause of whatever's happening to Yuna, All the noise stopped...all the noise. Including that of Yuna's pained gasps and breathing.

"Yuna...? Yuna!"

But no response. Taking a look towards Yuna and Mio, then looking around, it all made sense.

Everything was frozen, not literally, but rather, time itself seemed to Pause, with only Aki himself moving. He's heard of Time magic capable of this kind of thing, but he's never seen it in the flesh.



He heard a voice among the absolute silence. Turning towards it, there was someone in front of him, between the witness stand and the Judge's podium, standing at what felt like the center of the room. A small girl, with red locks and eyes much like his own, giving him a light smile as she stared at him. Was this another noble-lady? Was she the one who froze time?



She then said, and without elaborating, as he blinked, she seemed to vanish as if never there to begin with.





With that, Time unfroze...

And with it, chaos awakened.



...Aki couldn't exactly remember what happened next. The rest of his time there was like a fever dream. He remembered that Yuna seemed to explode into green light everyone around could see, white particles and what could only be described as black ectoplasm began raining down, as if raining and snowing at the same time, the room became lighter, as if he was floating in the air, people were all screaming and panicking as the courtroom began to fill with fluid shapes he couldn't recognize, entities he never seen before almost like a nightmare, Yuna herself seemingly covered in some mixture of white light and black thick liquid, shaping into an almost monstrous shape of her own, but he couldn't quite see or remember what it was. Almost in a flash the entire courtroom was just a pit of bedlam. parts of the audience seats were on fire and crumbled, people were running for the doors as monsters were suddenly destroying the courtroom. Alice may have been fighting them? Or was it Ur and Akane? He wasn't sure... he couldn't focus enough to see it for himself. It felt like the whole courtroom was practically falling apart around him. But what really sealed the deal was that in the distance, by the doors exiting the courtroom, he could see a familiar silhouette...He was certain. It was the same shadow he saw that day.

...Then his mind went blank, all he remembered after that was his body, light as a feather, seemingly floating away.

When he woke, he was somewhere else completely, just outside Hizuru's capital it seemed. A green-haired Yuna lying beside him but facing away from him, breathing heavily as if injured. Her ghostly body was seemingly phasing in and out of reality, as if she was but a glitching hologram. He tried to put his hand on her shoulder, but of course, it phased through her.

".҉.҉.҉I҉-҉I҉.҉.҉.҉.҉.҉.҉I҉-҉'҉m҉ s҉o҉r҉r҉y҉.҉.҉.҉A҉k҉i҉.҉" She said, dispersing into a white smoke and flowing into his choker.

He had no idea what happened, but one thing was very clear to him. He had to run, run as fast as he could, as far away as he could, for both their sakes.

---

It hasn't been that long since then, He and Yuna were now on the run, court orders be damned. The entire experience had taught him not to trust a soul beyond himself and Yuna. Which bring him to another country altogether: The Hargeon Port of Fiore. How they even got here is a complete unknown to him, he can only assume Yuna's weird magic had something to do with it. For Aki personally though, where he goes doesn't matter, as long as it's as far away as possible from the village and Hizuru, a place where he can live in peace...Course being a Vampire, he guesses that's not gonna be anywhere pleasant. Oh wait, in a way he's not anymore, not as long as this damn rune formula that fox lady put on him still holds. Well, maybe that's for the best, it's not like he welcomes his vampiric life anyways.

For now, he needs to lay low in this port town, find somewhere he could hide from everyone, and take a second to actually think about what to do next.

Stepping into a back alley, he took a minute to catch his breath. It felt like everything from the court's aftermath was a fever dream, and that he's just been running non-stop.

"How you holding up, Yuna. You feeling any better?" Aki asked.



It seemed she hasn't fully recovered from whatever that freak out of hers was. There was some kind of static he could hear muffling the sound of her voice, like the thought-communication was a faulty phone with poor reception. It was hard to make out what exactly she was saying. He hasn't gotten used to it yet, but hopefully it's just a temporary issue and she'll go back to normal in time. A black smoke came out of the choker, forming into a small black cloud above Aki's head, swirling around, it began to glow with a green lining, and move towards the red sword on his waist, embuing it with a green aura of some kind.



He still couldn't quite understand what she was saying, but he could definitely guess by what he little he could hear.

"Are...Are you sure? ...Thanks Yuna, rest for now." He said. Taking a few steps out of the Backalley, he began searching around for somewhere he could make a safehouse of some kind, until spotting a rather lavish mansion nearby.



Hopefully it was deserted, but even if someone lived there, it seemed large enough to find a hiding spot he could use for a time.

On the bright side, now that he was in a different country an ocean away from Hizuru, at least he won't have to worry about Fenix Tear chasing after him for a while.

Back then, in the Imperial Palace

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 perfect little girl sought to interfere. She was such a precious thing, championing unintentionally for his 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: "My foreknowledge didn't tell me this, no... but nothing that has transpired disturbs anything that would jepardize your ascension. Son." She laid a comforting hand on the back of Jellal's hand.

---
In the present, with the main Fenix Tear Group

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 S-Rank 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. Everyone 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.*

"'Nia! This isn't funny! I'm on a mission, for my guild! Stop it!" 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.

"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." 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.

"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. Everyone loves a foreign bard."

@The Jest — GM Post Part 1
At the mansion itself was the esteemed tycoon alas mafiaboss of Shirotsume town & his honorable name is Count. Bartholomew Everlue, a First Class Mage.

The events before him panned out like the flowing river, his spirits, entangled with their abilities, coursing through as Barty is the conduit. This union, supersedes the need for celestial star dresses, for it is called Zodiac Drive; as it is the mastery of a lifetime. Zodiac Drive channels the portion of the Celestial Spirit's power to its very Gatekeeper, while useful, it is a dangerous ability, for unbinding is difficult.

With the power of Aquarius, Sagittarius and Virgo, flowing through Barty – he uses the chimeric ability; Universe Icelus: Haunted House of Hunters. The incantation is a modified Domain with a verse taken from the ancient scriptures of the Goddess of Dreams, Nyxen Dremyss. Virtually making him omnidirectional, for sole purpose of having no witnesses.

Before realzing it, Aki found himself already caught within the open domain.

As t'was indoors, deadshut, there was no water yet the sensation felt like water, as Aki sudden shift of gravity, messed him up, drowning even though there's no water yet the movement in the surrounding area felt as though it's submerged in water.

Agua Residencia — a conceptual spell, being the byproduct of Everlue's Domain, a forbidden spell of Aquarius. Normally, it is a Water Genjutsu spell that would make foes, feel the sensition of drowning but because of it being Universe-induced, the sure-hit effect, bypassed Aki's Reflector.

Indoor Fish — a Spiria-constructed fish spell, in this case, Aki is swarmed by tons of magic-eating Piranha Pack.

"Lord Arius told me that his son was coming. However, I do not intend to babysit just yet."

Chiron Snipe — Everlue channelled the eyes of Sagittarius, allowing him to see everything in a subatomic level within his Domain.

"Oh? The mark on his neck, Fenix Tear. Interesting. If I capture him, I perhaps may join the Oracion Siete."

Flashback

Count. Barty. A man of your status fits the Oracion Siete. Arius said.

Being a Mafiaboss in the dying criminal underworld is a post-mortem profession, don't you think so? The Mafia has long since dwindled due to the Firelord's anti-crime campaign and no matter where you Mafias run away, the whole world hands them over to Hizuru.

For the sake of thrilling evil plans, Barty. Joining a Dark Guild would be fun.

If you can pass this audition, I will hand over one of Oracion Siete's sub-guilds to you, I've been meaning to hand over Eisenwald to a man of your caliber.

I should warn you, it is a three-way audition. Other two candidates are having their audion elsewhere. Only one of you shall pass.

Flashback over

Aki is outcold, unconscious, after Virgo's ambushing kick; Virgo Kick.

Water spiraled forth the trajectory, Everlue emerged from the portal.

"Ah yes. If not for a Water Devil Slayer Enchantment spell alongside Aquarius's watery spells, your Ghost girlfriend could have broken you out. Lord Arius's Intel is useful. No, he wanted me to be part of The Seven. I will be the one!"

With his hand on his forehead, Everlue gleefully declares himself a rightful member to be part of Oracion Siete.

Audition wasn't over yet.

[color=2e3192][/color]Lamy is the Guild's assistant librarian. Most of the time she is doing the bidding of her lady mio. However, as one more senior member of the guild, she does participate in several missions.

All changed When the new kid showed up, she had an awful feeling about him. He looked so painfully familiar and, worst of all, mio seemed interested in him, and she'd been a pet for mio long enough to tell it wasn't just because he's a vampire.

Apparently, the court case went tits up and told i could tell by how much mio was laughing. It's most likely that she did something and got a result she wasn't expecting.

But apparently it's my terrible, no-good day because Ur hush is going to ask me to find them because apparently everyone else is on a mission or whatever.

I was originally going to just completely ignore it After all if my gut feeling was correct. I would want to strangle him myself.

But…

Mio,” Don't disappoint me. Bring him back to me.”

And like that, everything in my brain activated my purpose of existence is to serve her whims.

“ Bunny soul Trickster Hare hop hop.”

It took only a couple of hours for me to truck down. After all, my nose could find him anywhere.

“ Pant pant, how did he end up so far away? In such a short amount of time? He must be the child of that devil Pant pant bunny bunny. “

She follows her nose to a mansion. Of course, the child of that devil had to live in the most grandstanding place that man loved for his theatrics.

Eventually, the mansion, seeing Ake or Aki, one of two She didn't bother remembering his name, getting beat up, nearly blowing her disguise. For how bad, she wanted to laugh at him.

Mio,” Don't disappoint me.”

Those words sent a shiver down her spine even for her, someone who's been a long-time companion of mio
It's hard to tell when she's watching or not. After all, she's a being that can be anywhere and everywhere simultaneously.

“Bunny soul Hercules Rabbit hop hop.”

Now, with the ability of gravity, manipulation falls through the roof in an attempt to crush this man.

She sentences a kick that has enough force that easily sends a high-rank monster flying like it was nothing.

“ Unfortunately for you mister, lady mio, what's him back at the guild in one piece.”

@Petulant@Digmata@Aguy@Noob5674 — GM Post Part 2

"Rierie! I'm going with you and Aiko. Girl pals need each other! Besides, if I soon is going to be the next Guildmaster after Auntie Ur, I gotta surround myself with my girlfriends huehue." Sora said with endearingly petting tone towards her friends.

Yozora Fushimiya is none other than Ur's biological niece, who happened to grew up in the guild. This 14-year-old, fancies herself as the next Guildmaster of Fenix Tear, she's widely known as Sora by nickname. Bubbly as she is, the three girls all are under the tutelage of Mizore, out of the three, Sora is the most energetic.

In terms of dynamic, she's the first to ride along whatever Valerie recommends.

"Come on, Aiko~ don't be shy now!" She pinches Aiko's cheek like the junior she is.

Little did she know that calling Aiko without the honorific of senpai will be the death of her in a comical way.

What in the phoenix? This scent is familiar. Since we're just near Shirotsume Town, that means that feline is here too.

"Rierie. I know a Tavern that might suit us. Auntie did tell me that we got an iaison here, let alone a branch of Fenix Tear, shouldn't we go there for supplies first? Like we kinda went here with little supplies, plus, we could use a nice hotspring bath, whatya say?"

She sighed and cut whatever nasty facade bar fight-ish, she got with Grae.

"I agree with your plan, Grae, except that it kinda sucks. Plus my Dragon Senses are tingling. It never fails. I know a pathway to follow and my gut tells me, all of us are headed towards the same area.

Furthermore, this is still a probation. This Quest is a big factor on us. Mizore, Ifrit, Akane and Mio are all watching. Auntie will decide on who gets to partake the S-Class Exams. Then as future Guildmaster, I don't intend to lose.

Not even to you, Voss-sama." Sora winked.

"So yeah Grae, I smell a big ass Tavern here somewhere, I'm going there now!"

Sora touched a lever, however, she messed up, little did she know her skirt was caught by the spike's barrel.

It happened so fast and now she rolled down hill.

Suffering motion sickness.

Objective: Chase down Sora, who knows whatever y'all looking for are there.

In Fiore, at Fenix Tear's landing

Valerie liked Yozora. She was an inspiration her, despite their similar age. She had a clear goal in life and was so determined to achieve it. Become the next Guild Master, after her aunt Ur resigned, of course. It wasn't a simple plan with no hiccups, oh gods, no. But it was the kind of goal Val could respect. So when Sora pestered her to team up with her and Aiko to look for a tavern, like she already planned anyway, she wasn't going to object.

"I gotta surround myself with my girlfriends huehue." Val blew air out of her nose, followed by a chuckle. She had NEVER thought about boyfriends or girlfriends, not even during the free period of her current life at the guild. Back home, with mom, had been nothing but sheltered. To the EXTREME. She wasn't actively trying to avoid such thoughts, but... Voss and Grae were the only boys her age worth nothing, and neither rung any any bells. And neither did any of the girls. Not Aiko, nor Yozora. Even if Mizore and her mature lavisciousness did make her blush, Val was sure her boss didn't tick off any boxes in whatever directory she had for a future boy- OR girlfriend.

But when Sora voiced her dissent at Grae's plan (because it really was best they split up AND she knew Grae would best work his shady social skills alone), she was about to object. But all that was thrown into disarray when Yozora's attire was caught in the wheels and their resident Dragon Slayer went rolling helplessly downhill.

The actually important bits and pieces of Mizore's lessons about leadership immediately kicked into the forefront. "Grae, do what you do best. Voss, any help your Celestial Keys can give me stop that rolling wheel of cheese that is Yozora, now is the time! Aiko, you're the quickest of us on your feet! I'm going to speed you up and hopefully slow her down if I can help it! Got it?! GO!" Val barked her orders as a bead of sweat formed on her forehead. Her first time as team leader and there was already trouble before any found them. She reached for her back and the lyrebow strapped to it, knowing she had no time to waste before Yozora rolled both out of her sight and thus her range.

Completely unbidden, memories sprung to her mind, of a strict "uncle" of sorts she had in the noble household: "There is no point in slowing down the perception of time if someone will go faster than you regardless. Your lyre can do more than affect perception. Grind to a halt the air around them, that'll slow them down."

Val heeded her nuncle's lesson and plucked the correct sequence of strings of the lyre on her back and the notes shifted the world as the spell took effect. The air around Yozora's rolling form grew sluggish, increasing friction and drag in the air around her, slowing the poor girl down.

And the chase was on.

-----------------------

In the Imperial Capital

Her ever dutiful daughter, Alice, handed the Empress two scrolls. Both missives from the same department, Genbu's. Very few reports reached her personally. Craïstine had a literal army of officials that neared in numbers the total her standing military had to run her whole imperium for her if the situation demanded. But still... she showed no obvious care for the two scrolls handed to her be most precious sword and shield.

Her eyes scanned the contents of the first one: "One of the Observatory's targets led to bait, the second one unseen. ...spike in mana density recorded after kill. ...massacre follows, enemy weapon retrieved and delivered for further analysis."

The Empress lights the scroll on fire in the nearby brazier and throws into the flame, her expression unchanging and neutral. So she indeed was not the only one who might gain strength that way. And only one of the two signals the Observatory claimed to be there were present. Miscalculation? Or something else? But it was good they had a sample. Anything to gain an edge to hold against the neck of these unknowns.

Craïs opened the second scroll, the one was actually expecting. "All targets accounted for and under observation. Target A entered previously marked location, asking for further orders." She burned this letter too. Then finally did she turn to Alice.

"Tell Genbu to keep an eye on this foreigner, and any others who might arrive to our lands. Tell her to lure them in, if need be. They might be of more use friendly than dead. As for the situation in Fiore... tell our agents to do naught, but observe. Do not engage under any circumstances. If discovered, flee without a fight and kill themselves if irrevocably cornered. And if you can... leave a trail of crumbs to the Dark Guilds we've discussed before. Better Fenix Tear goes investigating into the more obvious avenues and not us. I can't be bothered to deal with their leader to bring me before the White Creed Council again."

"Aye aye sah!" Valeria, taking the lead on Yozora's slip-up, inevitably has the group catching attention, and so he's more than willing to listen. And as everyone's on their magic and catching up to our runaway dragon slayer...

Uh, Grae's gone missing. It only takes a moment to realize why.