A New Start [Intro]

The sky had already grown dark in the city of Rose Garden. The lonely streets were flooded with the gentle, glowing light of the Lacrima Crystals which lined it. It was quiet as she made her way down the deserted road, her clicking heels being the only indication of her presence. The shadows seemed to swallow the young lady, easily masking her small frame. She wasn’t one to make herself known; not in a strange and unfamiliar place. Though, by the way she made her way through the maze of streets, you would never think she was a stranger to Rose Garden.

The footsteps suddenly came to an abrupt halt. Valkryes looked up, her emerald eyes taking in the building that stood before her. It was a beautiful structure, as everything in this town seemed to be. It was big, yes, but it seemed to fit perfectly on its street-corner. An elegant sign was carefully placed above the large doorway, the letters written in a delicate script.

“Silver Moon Inn, huh?”

Taking a deep breath, Valkryes gently pushed open the Inn’s heavy door. As she walked inside, the lighted environment seemed to melt the shadows away, revealing the young mage’s form. She studied the indoor area, noting the multiple booths and tables, as well as the small bar near the back. In truth, it was the aforementioned bar that had caught her attention. While she wasn’t much of a drinker, bars always seemed rife with vital information and good conversation, not to mention the local gossip.

She made her way to the back the the restaurant, her boots continuing to click across the floor, keeping in time with her graceful movements. She made no eye contact with the other patrons, choosing to keep to herself instead. While she could be quite the conversationalist, the young lady preferred to simply listen in on others. Valkyres approached the modest-sized bar, quickly staking claim to an open seat. She propped her elbow against the bar-top, resting her head in her hand. All she needed now was a conversation and possibly a drink.

In the kitchen of the Silver Moon Inn was a pink haired man working diligently to put out food for customers, he wasn’t sure if Magnus was ok with him being in the kitchen yet but he greatly enjoyed serving people and he would if he could. He brought out a few plates of food to some of the regulars in the inn before he spotted a new face he had never seen before along with who he assumed to be another member of the guild. He served the dishes to the ones who ordered them before he ducked back into the kitchen again. After a while Gala emerged with a serving tray in one hand and approached the two.

He gently took the bowl from his trey and placed it down in front of the young girl along with a glass of tea.”you look a bit hungry so heres an Apple Risotto for you” he said with a small smile at the young girl before he glanced over to the gentleman beside her.”can I get you anything sir?” he asked politely as he put the small trey under his arm as he waited for his answer.

Magna or Magnus as a few mistakenly called him, though that did not bother him in the slightest, had been away for a short while on various jobs. Whilst the kitchen of the silver moon inn was his domain and one of his preferred places to be he could not deny that he was a mage of Black Rose. As such, from time to time at least, he went out on jobs to bring funds and recognition to the guild. Of course, he tended to take a few detours to gather rare and/or useful ingredients or to just try out some dishes at local restaurants in the area. He'd not been too far away this time, but still it meant he wasn't around to give or deny permission to use the kitchen to another relative newcomer, Gala. Though he was never one to turn down help in the kitchen, especially from someone with experience.

Now Magna owned the kitchen in a way few could. It seemed to be a part of his very body and when he was present it was almost as if the kitchen itself could tell and thus things seemed to go better. Not that they went badly without him there, but they somehow went better when he was there. Perhaps it was because he was helping everyone out, always seeming to be everywhere at once. Or perhaps it was the fact that the other chefs, some who had trained under him, didn't want to dissapoint him, but slacked off a bit when he wasn't there. When the cat's away, the mice will play and all that. He hoped this wasn't the case as he had tried to instill a strict rule that no matter what they should always put the best food out possible to the customers.

However, despite this ownership he was only fifteen or perhaps nearer 16 nowadays and so a few newcomer chefs didn't respect him as much. They soon learned the error of their ways especially when they thought of him as just an errand boy bringing in ingredients. His skilled with kitchen tools was famous, but few associated him with the titles Iron Chef or the Asura. They soon got a swift surprise, especially when he got serious and people saw why he had been nicknamed the Asura.

This time he entered the inn by the front door, perhaps five minutes after the newcomer, with a sack over his shoulder. With practised ease he grabbed the sack using the orange and white monkey tail extending from the base of his spine. Once that was done he removed his coat and hung it upon a rack nearby. It was quite filthy, covered for some reason in ash and soot. He himself wasn't much better, his face blackened by grime and soot. He walked over and looked at Gala. "That apple risotto looks great. Great presentation and aroma. Good job manning the kitchen whilst I was gone. Was hoping you'd give it a shot." he said calmly and then smiled. "Keep up the good work." With that he headed off into a back room.

When he emerged again a few minutes had passed and he had managed to clean himself up and was wearing fresh clothes. This consisted of his trademark black shirt with the silver moon inn logo on the left breast. This logo was also present on the back and much larger. Around his wrist was a white headband and he wore simple brown bottoms. These were hard wearing and allowed free movement. His tail was currently curled around his waist. He moved behind the bar and began taking orders from some of the people nearby. His movements were quick using tail, quickly unfurled, and hands to pour, mix, shake and otherwise make drinks. For now he'd be on bar duty. "I'll leave you in charge of the kitchen tonight Gala. Gets the others used to you and helps you get used to them and the kitchen."

Valkryes turned slightly, sensing a new presence approaching the bar. Her curious green eyes followed the movements of the figure, though they were masked by her long, blonde bangs. She subtly studied him through her peripherals, doing her best not to stare. Doing that would only bring her unwanted attention, not to mention a wave of embarrassment. (That was something she had learned in a rather unpleasant way.) The young lady found she was intrigued by his comparably large stature, noticing he towered more than a foot over her. Intrigued, but certainly not intimidated. On top of his abnormal height, this man had long white hair and golden eyes, whose calculated appearance seemed to be in stark contrast with the scar that ran across a portion of his face.

She watched as he took the open seat next to her, resting against the bar-top. Valkyres wasn't quite sure if he was there because of her, as a new face in the town tended to draw attention, or if he was only interested in another drink. The scent of alcohol on his breath was less than subtle. Regardless, it didn't matter much. She wasn't about to start up a conversation. As she had made clear on many previous occasions, she was much more of a listener.

And of course, any intentions of silence were shattered as the stranger spoke up, his gaze trained on her. While she wasn't planning to hold a conversation, it would be rude of her to refuse him an answer. The last thing she wanted to do was cause unnecessary trouble.

"Nothing in particular, if you must know. I'm a bit of a drifter, and even I'm unsure of my own intentions. I know it isn't the most satisfying answer, but it's what I'll pass as the truth."

Valkryes finally looked up, fully giving him her attention. She still had the remnants of a calculating expression, but they were quickly smoothing out.

"I don't suppose you could tell me a bit about this place. I am new here, after all."

As she finished speaking to him, she noticed that another figure had emerged from the kitchen. She briefly studied his kind expression, but her eyes were inevitably drawn to the lovely-looking Apple Risotto he held. Her eyes widened in surprise as he placed it in front of her, along with a glass of tea.

"Oh, thank you. This looks wonderful."

Though her tone didn't betray it much, Valkryes was excited by the prospect of a good meal. Drinks were nice, yes, but hot food was always better. Especially when you didn't ask for it.

Galas smile grew as the girl seemed  to be very happy about getting a good meal.”your very welcome I’m Gala Tebiki a member here please let me know if you need anything “ he said kindly before he noticed Marschal had denied his offer of  service  with silence but for some reason it didn’t bother the Tanuki that much. When Magna then approached him Gala became nervous for a second before he was praised for his dish and the man smirked.”Thanks Magna but something of this level I could do in my sleep but I was a bit nervous about being in the kitchen since I just joined not that long ago” he said with pride in his voice about his work. He was not one to be arrogant  and he always kept his mind open  to new things so he could keep learning.

“Alright Chef leave the kitchen to me I’ll keep the cooks in line”Gala said as he headed back into the kitchen and decided to relay Magnas decision to them .”Alright the head chef said I’m in charge for the night so do you best and  kept the pace and quality  up. understand you get two strikes with me you strike out your washing dishes or taking orders got it!” he called out to the kitchen staff with voice that held experience and maturity in it and they all gave the Same answer “YES CHEF!” they said while Gala took his place at the Pass and  relayed orders to them while keeping an ear pointed at the conversation just outside the kitchen.

(OOC-This is Gala I just posted with the Wrong account my Bad )

Magna nodded to Gala as he headed back into the kitchen. He was curious as to whether it was just bragging of his cooking skill that allowed him to say the apple risotto was something he could cook in his sleep or genuine skill. If it was the latter then he would be a great asset who he might even be able to learn from. He was never one to say he couldn't learn. Cooking was something one could always learn more of. However, if it was the former, i.e. bragging, then it would be something Magna would have to wring out of him one way or another. A bragging chef was not one who would be that useful. They would belittle other chefs and not be willing to grow. So he hoped it was the latter.

"So Marschal. Want me to fill up the gourd of yours? Got some Emerald Wine, Rainbow Fruit wine and some Summer Whiskey." he said and then looked at the newcomer who he'd only just registered. "And for you miss? The same drinks apply plus we have a lot more. Name it and i'll let you know if we've got it. If we haven't i'll go check my special supply. Might have some there." He said with a friendly smile. "Oh and welcome to Silver Moon Inn."

Valkryes listened intently as the man spoke, though her somewhat vacant expression seemed to suggest just the opposite. She gently traced her fingers across the counter, most likely unaware of what she was doing. It was a nervous habit of hers, so she didn't always register that she was moving her hand. She wasn't drawing anything in particular; she was simply tracing the patterns that had been left by time.

After a moment, the blonde seemed to snap out of it, drawing her hand back towards her body. She now looked over to the dish that had been left before her. She wasn't 100% sure of what it was, but it smelled appetizing enough to find out. The mage looked over, spotting a fork that had been neatly (and rather conveniently) placed nearby. She quickly laid claim to it, taking the utensil in her right hand. She dug it into the risotto, taking a small bite to test the waters.
Though she said nothing, Valkryes was surprised by just how good the dish was. It wasn't the best, but it was still noteworthy. Being a drifter, she has visited many different places. That said, she had quite an array of experiences to weigh things against. This one, so far, was a good experience. The food was good, that much was for sure.

Once she had taken a few more bites, Valkryes set her utensil down and once again looked to Marschal's direction. She had continued to listen to him, even as she ate. She soon learned of Silver Moon Inn's resume, as well as its connection to Black Rose. The young lady had known that the chain of Inns was connected to a guild, Black Rose, but she had no idea to what extent. This lead to a bit of surprise when the man mentioned that this specific Inn served as the guild's Guild Hall. In thinking about it, she found that to be strange. The building didn't seem fit to house a base of operations. Still, she had seen stranger. She supposed it worked out one way or another.

Valkryes nodded her head in thanks, not feeling like verbally expressing it. Just another quirk of hers. She was indeed grateful for the information, though it was mostly things she was already aware of.
As she felt a long silence fill the lull in conversation, she spoke up again. Something Marschal had said had peaked her interest.
"You mentioned having once been a drifter, didn't you? What made you stay here?"
Her eyes narrowed slightly, but not in a menacing or really even noticeable way. She was just studying him again. Valkryes couldn't deny that she was now curious about him. That one off-handed remark had very much intrigued her. She then noticed that she too had forgotten to introduce herself. It wasn't something that tended to cross her mind.
"By the way, my name is Valkyres."

As she waited for a reply, the blonde noticed someone appear from behind the bar. He had a friendly air to him as the other man had had, but this one definitely seemed to be more in his element. She hadn't even noticed him there until he'd spoken to her, making her wonder just how long he had been there.
"I'm honestly up for anything, as long as it isn't too strong. Just bring me whatever you'd recommend."

Attached to darkened black stained purple wrists, bruises resembling ropes, burns from such objects settled painfully over the marks, pale fingers struggled. At the current moment? She was engaged in a life or death battle, scratched up finger's with entirely worn away nails gripping desperately at slick material, an item so smooth it felt as if it would just fall from her shaking cut up hands and fall to the floor in millions of tiny pieces! However the mage could not allow her precious carried item to meet such a horrid fate, she'd get this thing open yet, skeletal arms feeling rivet's of agonizing pain washing over them as she stubbornly continued on with her task. Every single move the young wind mage committed to, was something that was likely not best the course of action of her currently frail and deteriorated body. Even with a beast lineage she was currently unaware of, the body of any given living creature could only take so much before it was broken beyond all repair. In recent day's? Jiyu had thought she'd hit that point of no return, encounter a day when her fight was no long  and she'd struggle for air her lungs had become incapable of breathing in. However that day had never come, and now she had to fight even harder to make sure such trouble never returned for her, or at least if such trouble did return, she could take care of herself this time.

"I'm Marschal Leigh, one of the members of Black Rose, and thus, an owner of Silver Moon Inn,"

    She heard his voice, and her head turned, odd colored eyes sparking with something as she bit her quivering lower lip, closing her dual colored eyes. While everyone else was out there greeting someone new from the word's she could hear and make out? Here was she, a pitiful little five foot woman struggling with a simple container of food in the kitchen! It was pitiful and two years ago this would have never played out, she'd be out there teasing the person who had just arrived, or at least shamelessly play flirting with patrons. However she'd never gotten the chance, because they'd taken it away from her, for two long years they'd taken everything from her and given her only unending darkness; It wasn't the thing's they'd done that hurt Jiyu the most thought! kazehime? Was hurt, damned and murdered the most by one simple fact, she still felt at most times, like she was being held there, bound so tightly with no escape, utter darkness, not knowing what they'd do to her next or if they intended to kill her, which at some points she thought might be best, but in the end she was always to stubborn to allow death as an option, it had payed off in the end.

      "Marschal!" her enchanting voice flew into the air carelessly, the tone of it being near shouting but so hoarse as if she had used her voice way too much recently, the voice of someone who spent the whole day screaming at the top of their lungs. Only? She'd sent two years doing it! Until he'd swept in like the prince in shining armor she never asked for, never claimed to need, and swept her away, back home. To say that the silver haired man was one of the only member's of the guild that Jiyu could trust and look to right now, well she'd never admit it, but the statement was true. Out of everyone there? The short woman stormed up to the man so much taller than her, even sitting at the bar as he was and standing as she was,  they were a dwarf and giant when compared beside each other; Yet the midget of this equation was holding up a jar of sardines to the large male's back, her eyes staring straight up at his silvery hair, green and blue orbs holding the scene around her without fear, for her fear was reserved for other things. "Open this for me"

      She made her demand, her body trembling slightly and her breathing somewhat heavy, as if she'd been struggling with the jar for hours. In her state? She'd only been fighting it for several minutes. Now all she could do was wait. As she stood there, Jiyu tapped her leg against the floor, the move naturally without and intent drew attention to her lower legs, for the first second looking at them you'd think she was wearing some weird colored tight leg warmers, however only a second later it was easy to realize she was wearing nothing like that, instead her entire lower legs were painted in a large continuous bruise as if something had been recently removed from them. FINALLY the female turned her head towards the new comer, a jarring action considering the entire left side of her face was still scraped and bruised, a burn mark on the other cheek, , similar burn marks visible across her collar and arms left visible from the bikini top she was wearing. "I'm Jiyu."  speaking she finally took a seat at the bar, plopping down in the seat next to Leigh and pushing the sardines next to him, looking over expectantly, because if he didn't do it for her, she'd start fighting with the jar on her own again.

        It was only now sitting there, that she became once more aware of her current state, crossing her arms over her chest and upper torso, sighing slightly behind a bitten lip. Now that she wasn't fighting but waiting? She felt vulnerable again. Why had she left her jacket up in her room? Slowly she forced her arms against the bar, convincing them to stay lowered even thought it left her long hair as the only defense against peering eyes.

Galas ears perked up when he heard his name being called and he turned towards Marschal and nodded as he nodded as he moved out of the kitchen to take the sardines”sure I think I have just the recipe for these it‘ll be just a few moments” he said as he headed back into the kitchen, the cooks were working hard and very diligently as the Bakedanuki kept a watchful eye on them. He was a tough task master but he only dealt out punishment if it was deserved.”Chef we are almost out of one of the soups!” one called out to him.”Alright start working on another batch of it in the mean time have the servers push other dishes till its ready” Gala told them loudly but calmly.

Grinning slightly he reached into one of the fridges and grabbed two containers he had brought with him today both had very rare ingredients in them. After a few moments Gala brought out two plates.”Alright sorry for the wait here you are miss, it’s a Sardine crostini with million tomatoes and sunshine cheese please enjoy” he said as he placed the plates in front of both Jiyu and Marschal so they could eat and taste his cooking.

Two drink requests had come forth for Magna. Both were interesting ones in their way. The newcomer, or guest depending on your perspective, had requested a not so strong alcoholic beverage whilst Marschal had requested a juice or some other suitable drinks accompaniment for Jiyu's sardines. However, said sardines were not all that the drink would have to suit because Gala had skillfully made crostini using two rather rare and delectable ingredients that were a favourite of Magna's when it came to cooking. They were very hard to prepare so he was quite impressed that Gala had succeeded. They weren't just special preparation ingredients, but went beyond that. Yes, Gala would be a truly useful person in the kitchen. It seemed he understood food and the harmony's between them and also appreciated them greatly. It also seemed he understood that the customer came first and that rare ingredients should be used if it would enhance the dish.

Magna focused and two glasses appeared before him. One of these was fairly small and was traditionally used for sake. Next to this appeared a round pink containers with a wooden cork lid marked with the word Maboro. These he slid over to the newcomer. "Maboro sake has a sweet, mellow taste that should compliment that apple risotto of yours." he said knowledgeably and then looked at the other glass which was traditionally used for sodas and a strange translucent fruit-like ingredient appeared in his hand. With careful precision he pressed it a specific point and the liquid that was contained inside poured out quite rapidly into the glass fizzing quite a bit. "Supear juice is as good as any soda and is said to be the ultimate autumnal drink. It should go well with the sardines." It was a drink that had the fizziness of soda water and the taste of pear, persimmon and chestnut combined into one sweet fruity flavor. The taste would change as one drunk it meaning it was a very fun drink.

Valkryes carefully lifted the sake glass from where Magna had set it on the bar. She raised it to her lips and took a small sip before setting it down to her right. It was definitely sweet in flavor, but not overpoweringly so. She could tell it wasn't that strong of a spirt, something which she was grateful for. the blonde liked to drink now and again, but due to her smaller statue, she was unable to hold her alcohol well. Two or three light drinks were the most she could safely do.

After taking a sip of her sake, she peered around Marschal, trying to get a look at the newcomer. It was hard to see her, due to her height and the relatively large coat resting on her shoulders. The fact that she seemed to be trying to hide herself didn't help either. Valkryes sighed and leaned back in towards the bar, taking another bite of her apple risotto.

"Well, I have to admire the resolve it takes to go back to a place you've abandoned. It isn't easy to swallow your pride for that." She let the subject drop, noticing Marschal's shift in tone. She took another sip of her sake.
"This sake is very nice. Good choice." She quietly complimented Magna's choice.

It seemed to be near perfect, just like the chef's apple risotto had been. Valkryes could get used to this. It had been a while since she had considered it, but maybe she could stay here. She loved traveling; she'd done it for so long. Going from town to town, taking whatever jobs she could find. But maybe it was time to rest, at least for a while. She looked around, taking in all of the people gathered around the inn. It would be a big decision, but it seemed like now was the time. She sighed, her mind made up.

"Hey, Marschal, you said you're part of Black Rose. I.. I think I'd like to stay here for a while, as part of your guild."

It was surprising with how much they were seen together, in all honesty, Jiyu had not actually seen Marschal’s magic yet. While she knew it was based on booze, just how he knew hers was based on wind? They had not actually went on any missions together that required them to use their magic, sure they’d went on missions, just not jobs that request the use of magic, and neither mage was one to needlessly consume their magical power by using their spells outside of training or daily events where the use was required. Of course in the end thought, Marschal never having used his magic around Jiyu was not exactly the truth. When he had rescued the short female from her two year captivity? The drunken magus had used his magic, but the wind user had been unconscious or too worked up to really notice any of it, so she remained unknowledgeable about most things concerning his magic, just as he remained clueless to several aspects of hers. However, that was something that could not remain for long, sooner or later it was inevitable they would use their magic around each other, and nothing was wrong with that, and while their was nothing wrong with that, it was a thing long time coming.

She had arrived just in time to hear the tail end of his answer to Val at a loud volume, which mean she had heard most of it, due to her sensitive hearing. Finally hearing that? Caused the somewhat damaged mage to understand why he had taken so long to save her, despite insisting she had not needed to be saved, that she had it and would have escaped on her own, eventually, while deep inside knowing the only escape besides for in Marschal’s arms would have been into the arms of death. However more so than her understanding, there seemed to be something that changed in her eyes, with the knowledge he had come back for Ruminal; It was clearly some sort of admiration, or whimsical expression, screamed out in her eyes. To know he had come back for his son? Might have given her a higher opinion of him, considering that her own father had not been there for her when they’d lost her mother, he’d drown himself in liquor, instead of being there for her, believing when she said someone had set that fire, that someone had killed her mother. It almost looked like she wanted to say something, but the wind user said nothing, smiling softly as she looked up towards the taller man from her seat beside him. Ruminal was lucky.

A second later, she felt something touch her lap, while her gaze was elsewhere, trying not to look at the staring eyes around her. The sensation of the fabric slithering down and settling against her jean covered legs and touching her stomach slightly? Caused the wind mage to nearly jump, looking down with fear in her eyes for a second, before she realized what it was, and looked up at marschal with a degree of shock, before she smiled softly at him. Before anything else? She wrapped the jacket around her marked up body, nuzzling her nose into the fur lining it, once the jacket was on. “Thank you.” but had she really looked that uncomfortable? Damn, it hurt to know she was not even half as confident with her body now, as she had been when she was kidnapped.

“Jerk, you know I like raw meat better.” it had been a shock to some when she first joined years ago, that she hadn’t wanted that damned steak cooked. Of course, over something so small she could not stay upset at the drunken mage, leaning over to let her head rest against his arm. Once the food came out, she once more showed that she had to have been raised in a barn or something, using her fingers to eat, even though she had a fork right next to the plate. However it was shocking, she ate rather neatly for using her fingers. “I’m old enough to drink you know, though I don’t” actually whenever it wasn’t on Marschal, she hated alcohol, despite the fact that when it was on the man, she found it comforting.

“That sleepy port town gets boring after so many times Marsch.” finally, having finished her sardine cooked meal, she stood up, the glass for her drink being held between her two small scraped up hands, the jean shorts on her legs shifted slightly, her body stumbling a single step back as she grinned. “Everyone standing here is part of it, I guess you included now.” after pacing a few steps, the wind mage fell back into the seat beside marschal, this time much more visible as she was leaning against the counter, backwards.

Gala gained a small smile on his face as Jiyu enjoyed his cooking and from a glance it seemed like Magna was impressed with him as well, the head chef would be even more impressed when he found out his nickname in the kitchen was The Indra due to his godlike skill with food. Upon hearing the newcomer Valkryes wanted to join the guild the Bakedanuki he felt she had made a good choice.”you’ve made a good choice miss, I just joined myself and after traveling for over two hundred years this is the closest thing to a home I have plus the guild master is the same as myself.” he said before he focused on removing his disguise

After a moment his form seemed to shimmer before his features changed a bit, his hair turned from a coral color to a deep green as two Tanuki ears popped out from his hair and a large bushy tail appeared behind him as well and swayed in the air slowly. Gala normally didn’t like showing this form to others but seeing as two of his guild mates were not human either it put him at ease a bit.

At the mention of someone joining the guild and him being an ace he smiled. Well, he smiled a bit more. He was already smiling due to being told his choice of a drink was excellent. "I can accept you within the guild." he said and twirled his hand around causing a small hammer to appear in his hand. It looked almost exactly like a small tenderizing hammer except that rather than spikes it had the emblem of the guild. "So where would you like your guild mark placed?" It could technically be placed anywhere and he had heard, and seen, it in really odd places before. He remembred hearing of a dark guilder who had it on her blind eye. That was really really creepy. Then there was the guy who had it on his tongue. Girls in particular seems to have it in the strangest places. Or at least the most provocative places.

Valkryes raised an eyebrow but kept her mouth shut as she witnessed Gala's sudden transformation. She certainly hadn't been expecting him to do that. She was surprised by the ears and large tail that had seemingly appeared out of thin air. Judging by what he had said, the mage could come to the conclusion that he wasn't the only member of Black Rose who had such features. Was their guild master really the same way? Valkryes knew she'd figure that mystery out sooner or later.

But now, she turned her attention to Magna and the foreboding meat tenderizer-like object in his hand. She quietly wondered where it had come from, as he hadn't even holding it earlier. Only, upon closer inspection, she noticed that wasn't what it was. Instead of a spiked side, like the instrument would usually have, there was a mark which she assumed to be the guild's emblem. That must be how they placed emblems, she assumed. When Magna asked where she would like her emblem to be placed, Valkryes didn't have to think about it. She had already made the decision long before hand. It had taken a while to finalize her choice, but she was sure about where she had chosen. It was a spot partly hidden by her coat, but still visible. It was perfect.

She stood from her seat at the bar, gracefully moving the stool back into place. She reached for her chest, taking hold of her sunset-colored overcoat and unzipped it. She then unbuckled the belt underneath it, then slipped the overcoat off, revealing a red, bando-like top and a pair of black shorts with empty gun holsters at her hip. The mage gently laid the overcoat on the bartop before looking back to Magna expectantly. She was ready.

"I'd like it over here, on the front of my right hip."
She gestured towards a space the had been previously obscured by the coat. The mage smiled softly, content with her choice to stay. All that was left was to get that mark as proof of her choice.