The Next Victim... uh, Friend [C] (Read 989 times)

[Electra]

Boredom was a terrible thing. Ellie kept telling herself that over and over while she was laid flat on her back underneath the shade of a large tree within a park that Magnolia sported. She sighed deeply, looking up at the shady canopy of leaves keeping her protected from the harsh sunlight, glancing to her side at the closed book she had been reading previously about a knight in shining armour sent to rescue a princess from a castle. Cliché, perhaps, but she was enthralled by such stories as they allowed her to delve into the childhood she never truly had. As such, she was fascinated by the strangest things, the smallest things undoubtedly, and just had to find out about them if she didn’t already know.

Her magenta eyes slowly started to flutter shut, but before they could do so, she felt something land on her nose. She looked down at the end of her nose, wondering what on earth it could be. Had an acorn fallen down or something? That being said, this wasn’t an oak tree, so that wouldn’t make any sense whatsoever. No, it was a strange-looking red beetle type thing with black spots on its back. She gasped in delight, eyes fixed entirely on the strange entity that had intruded on her boredom. Before she could gently pick up the ladybug, it flew from her nose and started a journey across the park. She never lost sight of her, and she felt like squealing in delight.

“A ladybug…” She murmured in awe. She had never seen one before and had only read about them in books, so she felt compelled to follow it and see what it did. How could it be a lady? Did that mean there were no male ladybugs? Well, obviously not due to their telltale name!

Completely forgetting about the children’s story at her side, she sprang up onto her feet and gave chase to the flying ladybug, hands held out as if she wished to catch it. She ran past small kids, shouting apologies as she knocked a few of them down by accident. It was their fault for getting in her way, after all. The damn thing was fast, she would give it that, and she couldn’t quite seem to gain on it enough to have a good look. That was when her luck truly turned. The insect flew and landed on a leaf, its strange wings fluttering as they were folded back inside its red shell of sorts. How weird… Ellie skidded to a halt, immediately crouching down on her knees to lean closer, right next to the ladybug, to admire and examine it.

Just then, she felt something hard impact with the back of her head, jolting her face forwards and she unfortunately got a nose full of pollen… and squished the ladybug. With a look that could kill, she shot up to her feet, holding the back of her head and yelling, “OI! WHO THE HELL DID THAT?!” at the numerous people surrounding her at present. A pair of kids were kicking a ball back and forth, and upon hearing her shout pointed at one another accusingly to try and get out of trouble. She would have rolled her sleeves up if she had any, and instead opted for cracking her knuckles in a menacing manner while advancing on the two boys.

It was a dangerous thing to anger Ellie, that much was for certain. Her temper could flare in seconds and not subside for hours, so those who knew her would keep well away at these times. Because she was fairly new in town, nobody was truly aware of her famous temper/ rage that ensued with it. She punched a hand into her other palm, eyes narrowing as she did so. “You made me kill a ladybug, you bastards!” It sounded odd, and she didn’t particularly care. The tone she used was enough to make the two boys squeal and take off at a sprint, with her shaking a fist angrily at their backs. “Yeah! Run you cowards!” She bellowed after them, pouting and rubbing the back of her head where the ball had made its impact.

“Bloody well hurt…” She sighed and turned on her heel, storming off in a random direction with her gaze completely focused on the ground, not looking where she was walking. Too late she would realise that somebody seemed to have materialised in front of her, when in fact she just wasn’t paying attention, and she proceeded to slam straight into them.

[Shishitaros Inazuma]

Shishitaros was new to the area of Magnolia and found himself lost in thought. These last few months had been a trying time in this city. It was becoming harder and harder for him to find work these days. There was a sense of urgency about this fellow. Shitaros had heard great things about the area and with a day much like this one. His agenda hadn’t been filled with any jobs as of lately and it seem there were times when he simply just wanted to give up. However, he couldn’t allow himself to do that. Or he would forever walk away from who he truly was. A man who persevered through everything that was thrown his way: the sadness, despair, loneliness. This was Shishitaros Inazuma.

The kids were enjoying the weather around him. Balls were in the air, the children enjoying this illustrious day were filled with glee. Shishitaros had to bask in this aura for a bit longer. It seem today was destined for relaxation, but in those onyx hues they saw things begin to slowly take course. There was a subtle uproar that occurred while; he sat down on a bench near some shade. Of course, during times of great weather and the flowers are blooming that the increase of insects would drive some insane, however it was embraced by Inazuma. He lived under a single minded philosophy at times and often saw himself being the best at that lifestyle. That was to live in the moment.

With the outrage going on around the corner it seemed Taros wasn’t the only one who believed in Carpe diem. He slowly begun to rise from his seat as the chokuto that was long his lower back would brush against the bench. He’ll bring his hands up towards the cowl of his cloak and remove it from his head. This allowed his ravenous locks to come into view as he decided to view where this ruckus was coming from. He’ll slowly make his way around the corner, but the type of air that surrounded this man was one full of confidence. During his passage some women were slowly chattering amongst themselves at how dreamy this one looked, but his eyes were astray from theirs. He saw no one. He continued his trek forward at least he would have until it came to a crashing halt.

“Kya...” he would allow slip from his voice and he immediately began to look around him. He knew he allowed a very embarrassing noise to slip out. Taros slowly began to turn red from the strange noise he radiated, but tried to reign in his composure. That was when the young girl before him was brought to his attention from the small fragrance that any woman would dabble on their neck. The agile man would leap to his feet and then bend his knees slightly as he’ll offer his hand to the lady with a smile.

“Excuse me, miss? I do ask your forgiveness. I should have been watching where I was going,” cooed the well-mannered mage. He’ll bow his head towards her in respect and if she decided to take his hand. He would help her to her feet and then introduce himself, “My name is Shishitaros. And yours, my lady?”

[Electra]

The impact she felt was probably down to how fast she had been walking, and it sent her sprawling onto the ground in a very unladylike manner. She landed on her backside with a small “Oof” leaving her lips, immediately turning and looking at the afflicted area with a small pout. She was, as always, a magnet for trouble and hurt, it seemed. First there was that ball to the head. And now she had walked straight into somebody that made her fall straight over. She was about to leap up and yell loudly at the person that had dared get in her way while she was sulking, when a calm, composed and very polite voice addressed her from above.

She raised her head, magenta eyes widening in surprise at how… nice this person sounded. Her strange eyes met onyx-coloured ones, and she felt her rage slowly dissipating. How could she be angry at somebody so damn polite? Plus, he had called her ‘miss’. What a gentleman. He told her his name, Shishitaros, and asked for hers. She directed her attention to the hand he had held out for her to take, and used it to pull herself up along with his help.

She ruffled a hand through her long blonde locks and smiled gratefully at the young man, taking her hand back and placing both of her slender appendages on her hips casually. “D’you mind if I call you Shishi? Kehe, it’s shorter and sounds cuter.” She giggled mid-sentence, eyes wide with merriment as she grinned with delight. “The name’s Ellie. Great to meet ya!” She was never one for formality, even if her accent spoke otherwise. It was a strange twang in tones, that could sound very menacing when she wanted it to be. She busied herself dusting down her clothing (or lack thereof), and shielded her eyes from the glaring sun overhead when she looked back at the young man she had shamelessly walked straight into.

“Can’t say I’ve seen you around, Shishi. Are you new in town?” She asked fluidly to get conversation sparked between the two. This raven-haired stranger intrigued her. Although she was still rather new in town herself, she was the sociable type that had met a lot of people in a short space of time while being here, usually while she was in taverns or the Fairy Tail guild itself with a friend of hers, Kai. She usually kept some very shady company, especially since she liked to socialise with people down the ‘darker’ alleys of Magnolia. Heck, the dangerous ones always were the most fun, right? At least they were in her opinion.

She raised a hand from her hip and used it to fan her face, betraying the fact that she was feeling the heat, rather literally. And she was conscious that if she stayed out in the sun too long her pale skin would burn, and her face would break out in its characteristic freckles before long. “D’you mind if we find some shade to continue this conversation? It’s so damn hot…” Considering that she was dressed minimally, it was revealed just how badly she dealt with hot weather. Even in the middle of winter while wearing the same outfit she sported now, she would complain about being too hot.

A special case if ever there was one.

[Shishitaros Inazuma]

The surprise on the face of the young lady that had ran into him was shocking. It could be from his bedazzling looks or it could be the politeness that had overwhelmed her. To the Lightning God Slayer, it was a mere formality. He smiled at her as she would rise to her feet with his aid, and then proceed to dust what dirt had thought to accompany her since their impact. Shishitaros noticed her place her hands on her hips. He wasn't sure what to expect, but her words followed shortly.

There was a smile that came across the visage of Taros as his eyes were locked with hers. He always had a knack for not averting his eyes when listening to others. She mentioned calling him Shishi because in her eyes it was cuter and less of a mouthful when pronouncing it. That was fine with him as he'll just close his eyes for a second and nod with a smile as she continued on. Her name was Ellie...a very elegant and beautiful name. He felt he should complement her name, but that could possibly be pushing the envelope to fast on this chance encounter.

The young mage decided on another course and this time was continuing with his charm. He’ll gaze into her eyes as she finished with a response on how pleased she was to be an acquaintance of Taros. He’ll bow his head and return a very charming smile. Those onyx orbs would be closed off from the world as he’ll speak, “No, milady. The pleasure is all mines.”

Shishitaros had begun to realize her dusting herself off as he rose from his bow. He couldn’t help, realize the lack of clothing she had on. It didn’t bother him considering she had the figure to pull such a thing off. That was fine, but there was some who should know their boundaries and limitations with certain apparel. This young lady, Ellie; knew what she was doing. He’ll nod at her question of his arrival here in Magnolia.

“Yes, this is my first time here. I just arrived in town two days ago. So, I’m sorry if I wasn’t paying attention,” he muttered trying to deflect any self-blame she had on herself for their collision. The stoic expression would then etch its way upon Taro’s visage.

Then, he would narrow his eyes and slowly look around to see if anyone lost anything in their impactful meeting. Was this a chance of fate? The idea sounds ridiculous at this point, but that was how life worked. It always had a funny way of making things happen. However, Shishitaros would hold the mysterious card in his hand. He was new to the area and no one had sufficient information to even make a relative judgment of him if they wanted to.

Her mentioning of shade brought up a rather good point. Taros had a cloak on, but it was also protecting his skin from the sun and now he could really feel it. The sweat glistening on his forehead as the perspiration ran down his cheek. He’ll take his cloak and remove it from his back. He’ll look over at Ellie once it was folded neatly in his hand and smile. He’ll hand it towards her, “Here you go. It’ll protect you from the sun. At least till we find us a nice spot to relax in the shade, Ellie.”

He’ll await for her to take the lead. So far so good his first interaction in a strange place where he knew no one. He had been wandering for quite some time, but it seems he could relax here in this place after all. This person seem to have some charm to her as well as this accent that intrigued him. Shishitaros wanted to learn more about her and this place, Magnolia.

Who is this Ellie?

[Electra]

Again with the politeness! Shishi called her ‘milady’, something that really didn’t fit Ellie, in her opinion, at least. She was much more rough-and-ready and informal when it came to meeting new people, and this nice demeanour of her current companion was continuing to throw her off-guard. There wasn’t much that could perturb her otherwise, but this… this was something that she honestly wasn’t used to whatsoever. She could deal with close contact, bawdy jokes, perverted jabs and incessant teasing, but somebody being so polite to her really was something new.

Her companion stated that he was indeed still new in town, to which she nodded her head in understanding. He had only been here for two days, and he apologised once more for him bumping into her like he had done earlier. She held up both her hands in a placating manner, laughing sheepishly as she shook her head. “No, no, it’s okay, don’t apologise! Accidents happen!” She told him cheerfully, showing that she was honestly fine with the little bump they had earlier. With that addressed, she returned her attention to the fact that Shishi was still new in town, having arrived two days beforehand. She had lost track of time and how long she had been here, but she guessed it had been… a week. Maybe a bit more; eight or nine days, perhaps. “I’ve been travelling all over Fiore, and came to Magnolia not long ago either.” She confirmed with a smile, hands clasped in front of her casually while she spoke.

After she had complained about being too hot, her companion took off the cloak he had been wearing (she wondered how on earth he was able to cope with wearing such a thing) and handed it to her, stating that while they found some shade this could protect her from the sun. She smiled gratefully and shook the cloak out, drawing it across her shoulders to protect her pale skin. “Thank you.” She told him wholeheartedly as she bowed her head slightly.

If there was one thing she hated more than reptiles, it was the sun on her skin.

Because Shishi was still new in town, and the blonde knew almost every area here already, she decided to seize control and start walking across the park, gesturing with her hand for her companion to follow. If she remembered rightly, there would be a crop of trees not very far away, all sporting large leaves that were good for shading a warm recipient. As she visited the park regularly, she had often seated herself below those trees while reading or socialising with people. These summer months really were a pain for somebody like her that despised harsh sunlight.

As she walked, she glanced to the side at Shishi, giving him a warm smile as she drew his kindly offered cloak around her shoulders better. It was large on her slight frame, but at least it shaded her body from the sunshine. Her face would have to wait to be shaded, and she hoped that it didn’t take long to reach the place she was planning on resting. “Where have you travelled from, Shishi?” She asked curiously, tilting her head to the side as her magenta eyes clouded over with confusion. “And I’m going to guess that you’re a mage too, mainly because I can kinda tell these things… and civilians don’t tend to travel a lot.” To say that she wasn’t overly intelligent, she was a quick thinker that made sense of things in her own strange ways.

Her creative mind was much better than the smaller logical part she sported, and she was able to figure things out using this aspect of her persona. She waited patiently for answers, looking at her companion and smiling as they drew closer to the trees on the not-so-distant horizon.

[Shishitaros Inazuma]

It seems that his new acquaintance was against his apology for the accident that occurred. It was manners that had taken over him and he felt that a sincere apology was needed in this case. However, it wouldn’t be for too long when Shishitaros began to scratch the scalp of his head. She had a weird way of acting around people, but it didn’t bother him. He was used to wandering alone and it had been a while since he had enjoyed the company of others. Perhaps, she could be the beacon of light to ward off the encroaching darkness in his heart and soul.

The two both seem to be fairly new to the area, but he imagined she had been around here more than him. Being the type of wanderer he was, there wasn’t much that tied him down. Friendships and those sorts of things came few and far between. These days it seem the declination of people that could potentially be a friend were depleting every day. Everyone was possibly trying to use the other for their own gain and nothing more. That was the worst case scenario that was roaming through Taros mind, but he figured Ellie would be a different person. So far it seems she was proving that to be right, but who knows the day wasn’t over. And with that said it left a lot of things unsaid as well.

He only smiled at her as she took the cloak from his hands, but if she paid attention to those onyx orbs of his; that distant gaze of Taros was almost as if he was looking through her. Shishitaros hid all his pain behind his smiles, but if one paid very close attention to his eyes. They often told the story of something deeper hidden beneath that outside layer. He followed behind her, but he allowed himself to only be a few feet behind. The weather was full of a sweltering heat and the perspiration was present on the face of Taros as he’ll wipe his brow of the sweat that was threatening to drop into his eyes. He had to admit this time of year was pretty extreme, but he had grown accustomed to it.

The smile that she sent his way took him by surprise and he’ll begin to slightly flush. He wasn’t used to dealing with women who could be so damn cute. Yet, he was only being polite, but as they continued searching for the place to rest. He was wondering what would possibly be going through her mind. Then, she popped the question inquiring about where he had come from. He wasn’t too sure who to address the question, but he’ll look at her with his onyx orbs as they’ll continue to move forward. He’ll look up towards the skies as the birds flew overhead.

“I recently came from Oak Town, but I began my journey from Mt. Hokabe. I don’t have no collective memory of how I ended up there and who was with me, but now I’m here,” he answered her question with grace and then thought on the other for a while.

“I am a mage, but I have seen my fair share of civilians travel. There’s some who are what I like to call extreme tourists. However, that is no concern any longer about my origins. I’ve been wondering who I am and where I came from for a long time now. I do know my adventure has awakened me to a brand new world that I didn’t know exist. And I want to see what fate has in store for me,” replied Shishitaros with a new found sense of determination that seem to be as steely as the gaze he had locked onto Ellie.

“So Ellie, tell me what I should and need to know about you?”

[Electra]

While they walked, the blonde continued to fan her face with a hand, sighing deeply and directing her cool breath upwards to ruffle the front-most bangs that framed her face and in an attempt to cool herself off, if only slightly. Every little helps, right? She couldn’t believe how hot it had gotten so quickly, and she didn’t like it one bit. That being said, it was approaching late afternoon, when the sun was at its strongest, and she should be in shade by now otherwise those damn freckles would come out, and well… she wasn’t overly happy about this fact.

She noticed that, while looking at her current companion, he seemed to… gaze straight through her as if she was transparent. She knew that look, the look of a truly troubled person. Heck, she sported that self same look until she garnered better self control to keep herself looking happy no matter what the situation and how terrible she felt. When she smiled at him, she saw the blush that stained Shishi’s cheeks and that made her smirk slightly. Somehow, things like this always ended up as a game for her, one that she enjoyed playing rather a lot. Messing with the emotions of men, like guys usually did to girls was something that sometimes did knowingly, but otherwise did without even being the tiniest bit aware.

Her companion averted his gaze up to the skies while he spoke of where he had travelled from. He had recently come from Oak Town, and before then had started his journey from the distance Mt. Hakobe. “Goodness, that’s a long way away.” She stated with a small whistle leaving through her slightly parted lips, nodding slowly to herself while she let that sink in. Her limited knowledge in geography of Fiore taught her the basics, indeed, but mostly, she was rather… clueless. What Shihi said next caught Ellie completely by surprise. He had no memory of why he was at such a place, or the people with him there? He said it in such a calm way; if she had lost memories like that, she would be frantic, distraught and all the rest of it.

Well, different people dealt with things differently, she guessed. But even so… losing memories was a huge thing to just shrug off as being ‘nothing’. She looked at her companion curiously, magenta eyes wide with shock at what he had told her. That being said, she wished she could forget almost all of her life growing up at home with her family, but she was unable to do anything about that now. “That seems pretty weird.” She commented with a small nod, as if trying to comprehend it properly in her mind.

The strange raven-haired young man told her that he was indeed a mage, and he had actually seen numerous civilians travelling. To say that Ellie led a rather sheltered life would be an understatement; in many ways, she was old beyond her years with the wiles of women, but in others she was as naïve as a young child. “Really?” She asked in awe, eyes wide as if she wasn’t quite able to believe it. Civilians… travelling! What was this madness?! It seemed that Shihi’s journey was one of enlightenment; he was searching for himself and he was already beginning to find it. This made her smile at him in an encouraging manner, holding out a hand and firmly patting it on his shoulder after she turned around to face him properly. “Keep on going and never give up! That’s something that you need to keep on reaching for.” Her words were simple, but held a lot more body than the typical ‘pep talk’.

She blinked wide-eyed when he asked her to talk about herself, something she had been expecting but not something she was looking forward to. “Huh… well… I left home about two years ago, and I’ve been travelling ever since! I love reading, eating dorayaki and well, enjoying what life has to offer, I suppose.” She smiled innocently, spying shade up ahead with an eager eye. Her pace subconsciously quickened to reach it faster. No way she was able to tell her whole life story, no way José.

[Shishitaros Inazuma]

The sun’s beams were pressing hard, but to the unmistakable and very icy feeling that was starting to come off of Shishitaros. There wasn’t too much that would faze him as they continued to seek out a shady spot for them to relax. Hopefully, Ellie would find such a place and soon. Then again why was he placing his hopes on her? She hadn’t been here any longer than he had in a sense and wouldn’t know about all the cool places. Although the young man cared not, he was just trying to enjoy life and find a truer path. Memory hazy since arriving in the Fiore area, but that was all he had left to do and that was to move forward.

The blushing that came across from him was uncharacteristic of him considering his ways with charming ladies, but when in the presence of someone as cute as Ellie well things don’t always turn out your way. That was one thing that had been a valuable lesson for Shishitaros as of lately. He had to take what the world offered him and put one foot in front of the other. She stated that how far he had traveled was considered a long way, but he just smiled as they continued to move forward. He’ll stop for a second and reconsider the distances between Mt. Hokabe and Magnolia town. Then, his eyes would widen and he’ll look at her with a surprised expression.

“You’re right! Man, I guess I’m so used to traveling that it never occurred to me,” he said out loud to himself as he’ll bring his left arm across his body and begin to apply pressure on his triceps with his right hand. He was stretching his arms out and he needed to get the other one stretched as well. He began to alternate through stretching exercises as they continued walking. He was pretty sure she would see him as a weirdo at this point, but a stranger with no memory of how they arrived at a place was more like the definition of out of this world.

“Yes. I kid you not. There are civilians that often travel to new places all the time. Enjoying the sites, I guess you could say they are a lot like us,” reasoned Taros as the raven haired mage finished with a big stretch and walked forward. Then, what really caught the God Slayer off guard was that she turned around and began to give him a pep talk in which he play was simple, but full of pause.

“Eh. Yeah. That’s all there is to enjoying life right. Is living it to the fullest and I will burn my name in the essence of time,” Taros said as his eyes narrowed and she could catch a slight glimpse of the serious side of Shishitaros. He was a enigma to all who meet him, but mysterious in a lot of ways. His own demons still clawed at him from the inside, but he didn’t let that deter him from his goals in life.

He noticed how quick and frantic her answer was. That meant she possibly endured some hardships growing up and the fact that she had been away from home for two years. It had something to do with the way she responded. Must have been some bad experiences and plus, to not even go home to check on the family there. It made the wary Taros think on that for a second, but he just gave her a smile as her pace seem to speed up. It seems they had finally made it to the shade and so with that Shishitaros followed with a sly grin on his face. He couldn’t help, but chuckle to himself at the thought of this person being so brave and out there.

“You know something…You’re something else. Maybe, you’ll accompany me one day when I leave this place and go to the next town. My adventures will never reach a screeching halt for I have no home to go to, but who knows what the future holds, right?” The words of a man; who had long came to terms with the world around him. This was the Lightning God Slayer, Shishitaros Inazuma.

[Electra]

A hand constantly fanned the blonde’s face, keeping her breathing slower than usual to avoid over-heating herself. That was the last thing she wanted in this heat, and it would be embarrassing if she randomly collapsed because of a bit of sunshine. She had never been brilliant at coping with heat, and she assumed it was because her mother had characteristic orange hair, slight freckles and pale skin. Even though Ellie hadn’t inherited the hair colour, she knew that she was cursed with the inability to stay out in the sun for too long much like her mother had been as well. She was glad that the shade she spotted was only a short distance away now, and she could barely wait to lay down on the cool grass and relax in such a way. Who could truly relax in this sweltering heat, anyway?

Shishi didn’t seem to realise how far away Mt Hakoba was from the rest of other towns and places in Fiore, and he stated that it must be because he travelled so much and so often that he lost track of distance and time. The blonde understood such a feeling, as her travelling was very much the same in nature. She would hop from place to place rather quickly, but she had taken a particular liking to Magnolia and the people here. Maybe her stay would be longer than she anticipated…

She didn’t particularly notice her companion stretching while they approached the shade, but gave him a small smile out of politeness all the same. Heck, she was used to stranger people than him; she was one of those individuals. At times, she couldn’t even understand herself, what with her irrational phobia of reptiles and needles, and her obsession with children’s fantasy novels. She blinked in disbelief when Shishi confirmed that civilians were beginning to travel much further now, almost like… travelling mages, like Rogues. How strange. She shook her head slowly while she comprehended this fact, brows furrowing a little as she did so. “Huh…” She murmured, guessing that civilians were human, just like magic users. They had the right to travel, of course they did. It just caught her unaware, that was all.

In many ways, she was still naïve to how the world worked. Her knowledge of magic was limited to her own abilities, and she was clueless about even famous magics like Re-Quip and Slaying types. She nodded her head in agreement when her new friend stated that enjoying life was all about living it to the full, giving him an enthusiastic smile to encourage him. “That’s right!” She claimed brightly, shifting the cloak on her slender shoulders.

She was rather glad that he left the issue of her past alone and her smile softened into a barely detectable one that spoke of her thanks, even if she wasn’t looking at Shishi while doing so. Her eyes widened when she was called ‘something else’, wondering what he meant by that? She was unique? Different? He offered for her to come travelling with him, and mentioned how he had nothing tying him down because he didn’t truly have a home. Ellie understood and could empathise with that feeling; her own home was somewhere she despised and had washed her hands of years previously. There was something keeping her here in Magnolia, however, that she didn’t like to admit to herself, let alone other people.

“I dunno, I’m quite comfortable with being here at the moment.” She smiled apologetically at her companion. “But you should enjoy your travels, for sure! Like you said, you never know what can happen in the future.” She glanced ahead and a delighted sound left her lips as she hurried into the shaded area in front of them. They had made it! She unfastened the cloak from around her shoulders and promptly collapsed on the grass with a deep, contended sigh, crossing her arms behind her head and lounging there quite comfortably. Her magenta eyes closed while a relieved smile touched her face, shifting her body around a little to get comfortable. “This is so much better…” She breathed softly.

[Shishitaros Inazuma]

It would seem Shishitaros would not have a companion on his journeys throughout the world. He was soon to be leaving Magnolia in a couple of days, but alas he had grown accustomed to traveling alone. This was the life of a wandering mage or so he thought in his case. Needless to say not too many knew of his strange trait when using his magic, but he didn’t have the need to show anyone. There was no one who had gained his trust or even his friendship, but this young lady, Ellie, had gained his companionship. Albeit it for only this moment or further downs the line a comrade she had gained.

“Well I can understand the need to stay here for a while,” he would respond to her words as they finally reached the shade. She would immediately remove the cloak from her shoulders and relax under the tree. While he had a tick that constantly happened when he remained still in one place for far too long. The lightning god slayer began to pace around the tree for a second before coming to a rest and leaning his back on the tree. His raven locks fell to his cheeks and he’ll prop himself up with his foot on the base of the trunk. Shishitaros would follow up with crossing his arms and closing his eyes as he began to think back on when this great journey all began.

“Traveling isn’t a problem. I enjoy it a lot, but at some point I must find a place to call my home as well. However, it’s sometime gets a bit lonely on the road,” he began, but stopped immediately. He didn’t want to return to that folly of a world called despair. He preferred to live in the moment at the time and he was actually beginning to understand that there was a world of magic that he hadn’t came across. Then, there was the discovery of his own past as well. To never understand where one’s origins came from could be a thorn to one’s side, but for now living on was the key to his success. Then, he’ll nod his agreement to the shade feeling so much better. That was when his onyx orbs gazed up into the sky watching the clouds above pass overhead. Sometimes, he wondered what it was like to be so free…then again he was just as free as the wind was. Shishitaros was bound to nothing here in this town and no one.

“The road can be so lonely at times," he muttered to himself under his breath as he closed his eyes and let out an emphatic, “Hmph.” It seem he was getting slightly frustrated with himself as well as trying to move forward. He often found himself taking steps back as well. Now it was time to move forward no time to be held back by trivial matters.

Carpe Diem! Seize the day!

[Electra]

[OOC: Blargh, hangover…]

The blonde reclined happily in the shade that she had been blessed with finding, her magenta eyes still closed with her breathing coming softly to calm herself down and aid in her cooling down to boot. She wriggled her fingers and stretched them individually, enjoying the feeling of the cool grass at her back and all the way down her body as it seeped into her very core. Ah, shade… so much better than sunshine, and so damn under-rated too. She felt bad for declining Shishi’s offer of travelling with him, of course she did, but at the same time she really didn’t wish to leave Magnolia.

She had gotten accustomed with the townspeople and it was a friendly place to be with nobody prying into long-forgotten pasts. She could live here in peace with those she had made bonds with, even if it was for a little while longer than she usually stayed in one place for. Although she wouldn’t admit it to herself, she had met one person in particular that stopped her from leaving Magnolia. She cracked open an eyelid to look at the raven-haired male resting his back on the tree providing their shade, tilting her head back to see him due to the angle at which she was laid. A small smile touched her lips at his words, about how he could understand her need to stay here for a while longer. “I like this place. I like its hustle and bustle and all the people here.” She said casually with a small shrug, as if that explained it well enough for her companion.

She could empathise entirely with Shishi as he stated that travelling on the road could get lonely. She had felt that since leaving home, but for her, it was better to feel lonely than she had felt while still living at home. “You’re more than welcome to stay longer if you want to!” She claimed brightly, rolling over onto her stomach and propping her chin up with steelped fingers. Her legs lazily kicked in the air as she laid there quite comfortably, a small smile still tugging at her lips. She enjoyed the company of this young man; he was friendly, polite and different to the others in town.

Her companion seemed frustrated with himself as he murmured that travelling alone was indeed very lonely at times, and he fell silent once more. Ellie lowered her hands, and with them she lowered her head too to rest on the cool grass beneath her. Her pink eyes merely took in the form of Shishi for a while, noticing how he was uptight and annoyed about something, presumably at himself for feeling lonely. It was normal, and it was human, and she would be surprised if he felt any different. “I may not be able to travel with you now, but we’ll still meet again! You can bet on that.” She claimed happily, a bigger smile tugging up at her lips as she said as much. She liked extending a hand of friendship out to people, that much was clear, and she wished to do so for Shishi… should he accept it, of course.

[Shishitaros Inazuma]

don't ever look back. Shitaros was just looking at the skies and kinda allowed his mind to drift away again. Those ravenous locks dancing with the light breeze that would come throughout the area. It had been a while since he relaxed like this and in the company of someone who genuinely shared his sense of adventure. He knew his place was always on the road wandering and coming across unforeseen adventures. That was his way of life now and it all was for naught. He would continue to meet interesting people around the way, but his main focus would be moving forward in life. He didn't have time to take a step back, but whenever he came across something that may have reminded him of his past. The mage would take note of it and even look into the source of that knowledge. There was somethings he would have to figure out eventually. One of those were how did he come across this power...and why did it feel so natural to him. "I can understand. Don't worry. Life moves on like a conveyor belt. And so must I, unfortunately. I never sit in one place long," he'll pause as his gaze once more found itself on the horizon. This time there was a sad look that really came upon his visage. It was almost as if he had lost someone dear to him, but it wasn't her fault for declining his offer. It was a feeling that Taros couldn't shake from deep within his conscience. "Its as if theres something or someone out there calling for me. Its nice to take a break from it so teh stress doesn't get to me. However, when my frustration mounts itself firmly on me...I don't want to make the mistake of not following something that calls at my soul. Right?" Shitaros asked her as he'll keep his eyes up towards the skies before dropping his head. Those thick ravenous bangs fellow over obscuring his facial features and the expression that was on his face. That thought often drove him into a dark place in his mind. However, he’ll try to get out of there without bringing a poopfest on the party. He was in the company of someone cheerful and he would hope to maintain that high level of spirits along with her. This was how he felt, but he needed keep certain things to himself. That was when another chuckle escaped his lips and he found himself slowly inching a smile across that face. Although that smile seemed empty it also had a dark aura about it. “Guess we’re all dealt a fatal blow when we are born on this world. Whether its good or bad is up to us. The hand that life deals us…heh. Some would fold by now, but that’s something I can’t bring myself to do,” he said with confidence brimming in his words although if you saw that empty smile on his face. You would think otherwise. This was the troubled side of Shitaros. Maybe before he leaves he'll possibly visit Fairy Tail. See if they could provide some interesting information that may jog his memory a little. That was when he would say the name of that guild under his breath. It was only audible enough for him to hear it, but if Ellie was listening really close and her mind focused on only him. She would be able to make out the words. "Fairy Tail."

made by amb tanz

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[Electra]

The blonde was laid on her stomach, looking at the dark-haired male that kept her company at present with a curious look set deep in her magenta-coloured eyes. She often wondered why people seemed to sad and depressed because of some things, especially since she had more than enough reason to act as such and chose not to. It wasn’t a mean kind of ‘Hey, you have no right to feel that way’, but rather a kind of curious thought as opposed to anything malicious. She didn’t wish to ask because that would be wrong and very odd, and it may well offend the poor guy. Shishi didn’t know where he come from or why, and had no memories whatsoever.

He seemed sad that she had declined his offer, and she felt guilty for doing as much. But she really didn’t want to leave Magnolia Town, that much was obvious in the way she thought about the place and acted about the possibility of leaving it. As bad as she felt, she wasn’t about to change her mind about her decision. It was then that her companion started talking to her in riddles, and she had trouble keeping up with Shishi’s round-about way of saying things. Eventually, after he said ‘right’, her brain seemed to make sense of what he was telling her. Basically, he felt that something was calling him, and he had to continue travelling to find it because he hadn’t found it in Magnolia. She blinked as she realised that he had asked a question of her, and cleared her throat to make it seem as if she had completely followed what he had said the whole time. “Can’t say I know the feeling, but… it makes sense.” She offered hopefully, not feeling overly confident about her answer having any huge impact on her companion’s lifestyle choice due to her poor choice of words. She never had been particularly clever or witty with speech.

What he continued to say went over her head too, about how life became an analogy for a card game and it all depended on what you as the player was handed and how you dealt with it. Ellie blinked slightly and rolled onto her back, furrowing her brows as she tried to make sense of it all. This time, she had no such luck, and instead nodded slowly like she was contemplating great philosophical questions of life instead of simply not being able to understand. She would never admit that she wasn’t able to understand something, because it would make her seem like an idiot, and she was far too proud to lower herself to such a level.

She perked up considerably when she heard a small whisper, picking out the key words of ‘Fairy Tail’. That was Kai’s guild! She had been there on the first night of arriving in Magnolia, and the white-haired mage had shown her hospitality, as had the rest of the guild. They were a great laugh and had plenty of booze; making them people that she could happily get along with. “Did you say Fairy Tail?” She asked for clarification, rolling over onto her stomach as she looked at Shishi eagerly, pushing herself up to kneel on her hands and knees in front of him as she awaited an answer. “I’ve spent quite a lot of time there, it’s a cool guild.” She commented as if she had a real ‘in’ with the guild members there, when in fact she wouldn’t be surprised if everybody had forgotten her by now.

Of course, the high consumption of alcohol they all drank would aid in that endeavour…

[Shishitaros Inazuma]

don't ever look back. Although those onyx orbs stared out in the horizon as he smiled to himself after he finished with his barrage of philosophical answers and questions. The young man seem to find himself more so in awe at the scenery. The clouds slowly moving along in the sky free of restraints. It was all a reminder of himself as well. Shishitaros could see himself as well slowly traversing through the skies as well. Funny thing is that he was actually able to do so as well via lightning. However, this was no show and tell so he'll pass on that opportunity. He couldn't help, but think about the first time he traveled through a bolt of lightning to land nearby. It was invigorating, but now he was used to traversing these lands on foot. That's how he would meet people like Ellie, but now he had also noticed most people find a place that is just right for them. He was still looking and his journey had just begun. Did she really understand? The mage couldn't help, but ask himself this question as he sat there leaning against the tree. At that point he kinda figured she didn't get what he was saying completely. However, he often caught himself talking in riddles, but Shitaros was always good to make up for it when someone asked him for a better explanation. It just didn't seem like that was going to be the case with this one. The two were well from two different worlds in a sense and one had established themselves more than the other. Shishitaros being the latter at this stage in his life, but that was fine as the young god slayer rose off the tree and took a few steps forward. He looked over the horizon and there was a smile that came across his visage. This time it wasn't as empty as the others, but held some warmth behind it. It was almost as if talking about it had cleared his mind from the distress and depression that often gloomed up someone's day. Shishi was now a young man who had come to understand the ways of life through his journey. It also seem to come natural to mutter just the right things at times. For some odd reason it seems that Ellie listened very hard during the times where Shishitaros sought to merely speak out loud to himself. It was a habit that had gotten out of control lately, but in certain situations it had came through for him in a pinch. Seeing as the words Fairy Tail were the exact things needed to move on from this rut he found himself in. The mage looked down at her as she seem all excited by the mentioning of the guild. That was almost a case to put Taros off on even thinking about going there, but he decided to give her a shot at it. Looking down at her and smiling as his eyes were close with this one. One of those peaceful, everything going to be alright smiles. He'll nod to her with an assuring, "Mhmm." "Cool guild, you say? I wonder if they could assist me in anyway. Plus, it would give me a chance to meet people who use all kinds of magic," stated Shishitaros as he'll walk forward away from Ellie directly into the sun. He'll turn behind him and look at his cloak and wink at Ellie. He wouldn't be needing it as he had grown accustomed to this kind of weather through all his traveling. When one constantly moved a cloak had one or two means to an end. One was to keep cool when it was too hot and warm when it was too cold. The second would be to conceal oneself, but the latter wasn't the case. Shishitaros wondered shoul d he meet these people. Then the decision came to him without a second thought. He'll start to walk off from Ellie as if he meant to leave her there alone. Then, he'll stop and look over his shoulder, "So...mind leading the charge to Fairy Tail?" He asked with a sincere look on his face as he'll start scratching his chin with a goofy smile coming across his face. One of those charm induced smiles that could catch people off guard.

made by amb tanz

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[Electra]

The blonde watched as Shishi stood and walked out into the sun, turning and winking at her slightly after eying his cloak. He was telling her to use it again? That being said, he had been talking about Fairy Tail and about whether they would be able to help in any way, so perhaps it made sense that he would wish to be shown there. Ellie sat up, looking curiously at the dark-haired travelling mage, wondering what it could be that the guild could help him with. He started to walk away from here, seemingly deciding to leave her alone. She was about to protest very angrily at him, but he stopped and turned around to look at her, flashing her a grin as he asked if she would mind taking him to the infamous guild. She blinked wide-eyed before slowly getting to her feet, scowling at the sunshine and stretching her body out a little to prepare herself. Fairy Tail was… a challenging guild to enter at any time, she knew this much, especially since becoming rather close with one of its inhabitants.

“Well alright.” She yawned slightly, a small grin finding its way onto her own face as she stooped down to pick up the cloak and wrap it loosely around her slender shoulders, drawing the hood up so that it shadowed her face slightly to avoid sunlight touching her pale complexion. She began to stroll to her companion’s side, pointing off to the side where a small pathway led to the exit of the park, casually saluting Shishi as she walked. “They’re a pretty rowdy bunch though, just to let you know. Oh, and you might want to look out for certain members while we’re there. Moira’s this old hag that transforms into weird things, and then there’s a strange girl that will sniff you like she’s a dog… a guy who flirts with everything, male or female… huh…” She laughed at the memories she had at the guild; those times surely had been interesting, for sure.

She stretched her arms out while she walked, knowing the way from here pretty darn well since she practically seemed to live at Fairy Tail as of late, meaning that she could get there from any direction in Magnolia without really thinking about it. Her feet would lead her there time and time again, even if she meant to be going to her own hotel room. “I’ve got a good friend there, Kai. He’s a Re-Quip mage and scary strong. I mean, he even managed to beat me in a spar…” Her latter statement was a joke, and she accentuated it with a huge smirk and cheerful laughter.

From here in the park, it wouldn’t take them long to walk to Fairy Tail; five minutes at the most. She kept the lead, thinking about the possible greetings they could be met with. The guild were rather famous for their constant party-like atmosphere and friendly welcomes, much like she had been greeted with when she first arrived in town. It wasn’t like Raven Tail, the rival guild in town that had been condemned as a little ‘creepy’ and basically the anti-Fairy Tail in many cases. Ellie hadn’t personally been in the guild, but she decided against doing so after hearing the numerous tales from guild members in Fairy Tail. Rightly or wrongly, this was a different story, but it was ultimately her decision. It wasn’t like she was actually going to join a guild, that would be crazy! She may have decided to stay in this town a little longer than usual, but she never made any commitments with her life, not even real friends that she kept.

It was clear that she was happy while walking to the guild, as the smile on her face didn’t fade whatsoever as she did so. They rounded a corner in town and she pointed proudly at the large building ahead of them, sporting the famous Fairy Tail insignia for all to see. “Here we are! Welcome to Fairy Tail!” She claimed proudly as she led the way up to the large double doors at the entrance, pushing them both inwards to reveal the liveliest guild in Fiore.