An Unexpected Journey

Karasuki Kitsuharu had ventured a long way from home. Between walking, hitching rides, renting horses and taking a hand drawn ancient ferry at one point, Karasuki had made her way to where all rumors began. The legendary Sabertooth guild was known for being a force of good, or so the stories said, but the important part is that Karasuki believed them. The twenty three year old had booked an inn for one night, very late the night before. It was mid morning now as she carried her bag over her shoulder and her most recent light novel in her hand. The purple haired woman wandered around the town called the Ace of Spades. It was an unusual name, she noted, but so were all places worthy and fantastic in her precious books.

Karasuki wore a long dark blue skirt which flowed around her legs as she walked. She wore her only pair of shoes, a dark brown leather shoe good for walking with a shortened heel. Her top was a plain white t shirt, soft from so much wear, and a light flowing tan vest left unclasped over her shoulders. She had a simple and monumentally precious emerald pendant hanging around her neck in the shape of a tree branch, a farewell gift from her adoptive mother, Isadora. "This has to be the place," Karasuki whispered to herself. From within her head, the villain's soul she was forced so share her small body with, replied to her. "It wouldn't surprise either of us if you were wrong again. You keep following rumors and taking us to nowhere towns. I bet this place is a disappointment too. Can I pick the next dumpy town we travel to? I'd like us to pick up some pretty girls while we're at it." Karasuki frowned outwardly, speaking aloud and forgetting to keep it all in her head. "Shut up, Geralt. You aren't going to ruin this for me. I'm going to stay positive!"

To her relief, he didn't reply, but she could feel him lazing about in her mind and stretching nonchalantly. He had better not make himself known or make her look crazy in front of the guild members. She wanted this so badly, she needed it; to find one's place in the world was critical for every main character and she was no different. Except for her life was real and her books were mostly fiction. She just had to find out if the rumors were true this time, and her life could finally begin. No more Masha, no more woes about love, now her life was going to be about improving herself and making a name in this world for helping to bring positive change. She felt Geralt laugh mockingly in her head and her smile quickly turned into a frown once more. This might be harder than the dreamer thought it would be.

Masha strode through the streets, trying not to give into the urge to grab one of the people whistling at her. Being good was hard. Feeding was becoming a chore rather than a pleasure as she used alternative measures to fill up. The only times she absolutely had to roll in the hay was when she was severely injured. Yet she was too good to be so injured. She tossed her hair over her shoulder. Yes Masha was that good. The thought stopped Masha briefly. Her teeth worried her lower lip. Maybe she should work a little on being humble. Then a dainty lift of her shoulders. Nah. She was already as humble as she could be. Going any further would smother the free spirit that Masha was.

Looking down at her ensemble, Masha adjusted strings at her hips. This wasn't one of her favorite getups but when dealing with the estranged spider princess, one dressed as noble as possible. Or at least slightly veering in the direction of the nobility's culture. Meeting Acantha was a pain anyways. The princess didn't realize that Masha was less inclined to help her out nowadays. Masha shuddered, fingers spreading over her stomach. She had vowed never again to carry another's offspring. The experience had been nightmare inducing. Luckily, Masha had come out on top for that bargain.

A woman passed by as Masha was deep in her thoughts. No. It couldn't be. She whipped around. It was. Masha recognized that figure walking away from her. Hours had been spent memorizing it. Her hands came up to cover her face. Her bracelets dug into her cheek. What was Suki doing here? Why would she show up in the Ace of Spades? Was she lost? Did she need help? Masha's heart gave an unbidden flip. Damn the blasted thing. Suki had broken it. Masha had sworn never again to try and be normal after her. To never put her heart on the line once more. There had been mistakes on both sides. More so on Masha's side but that didn't make the separation any easier. It also didn't stop the pang in Masha's heart seeing her again.

The succubus hurried after her ex. This could end terribly or it could end rather nicely. Masha was hoping for the later but knew things leaned toward the former. Her gloved fingers gently circled around Karasuki's wrist. "Suki..." Masha said softly, her voice trembling. She cleared her throat to try again. "Hiya Suki. Whatcha doing around here? I thought you... I thought you would have gone back to that little bookshop. You loved it there." The bookshop had been where they first met. A bittersweet memory for the succubus now that they'd broken up. "Or do you need the help of Sabertooth? I can help you out if that's the case. I'm with Sabertooth now. Ditched Savage Skull about a month ago now." There was the babbling. It was something she had only ever really done around Suki. She glanced at her chest and grimaced. Her guild tattoo was covered. Thanks to the way the dress was, there was no way to reveal it without being arrested for public nudity. Masha sighed at her misfortune. Perhaps Suki would simply believe her. There was a chance her ex had changed in the last eight months. Masha hoped that the bookworm would believe she was in Sabertooth. Otherwise, they'd have a pissy little librarian in the middle of Ace of Spades.

Yuudai yawned as he moved thru Ace of spades with a bar of steel in his hand and a backpack slung over his shoulder full of supplies, what kind of supplies why for the three children in harnesses around his chest. He had decided to take Lethe Akio and Setsuna for some fresh air as he went to Ace of spades to see how the guild was doing while he was on temporary leave due to his family being started. As he saw a girl with glasses looking around she seemed lost until one of the newer members Masha approached and she seemed to know the girl which made Yuudai decide to go over and introduce himself.

“Masha you seem in decent spirits today and who is your friend?” he asked as he looked down at Karasuki and his violet eyes looked at her for a moment as his tails moved behind him fluidly as the triplets stayed asleep until Lethe got squirmy.”Shhh little one its ok Daddys here just go back to sleep” he said softly as he gently touched Lethes cheek with the back of his fingers and the child yawned before she went back to sleep.

Intense emotions arose within the violet haired woman as a familiar hand took her by the wrist. She stopped in her tracks, hearing the familiar voice softly speak her nickname. It was something only Masha had ever called her, everyone else preferring to use 'Kara' and Masha somehow choosing 'Suki' instead. Geralt took full advantage of the sudden blank out in Karasuki's mind, trilling in Karasuki's head, "She's baaack! And she's with Sabertooth! Oi, ye couldn't make this stuff up! It is too good!" Karasuki knew that Geralt had grown fond of Masha for plenty of shallow reasons and was surely enjoying this. "Look at that dress, mmm, it was a reunion that was just made to be! Damn!" Karasuki gently tugged her wrist away and as soon as she did she felt a wave of regret. Couldn't she just let Masha hold her one more time? Couldn't she just let Masha stroke her hair and take her by the hand? Karasuki spoke softly, her painful recollection of Masha's betrayal bringing her back to the present and to present circumstances between them. They were not friends. They were not anything anymore.

"Hello, Masha," She started and then paused. What was she going to say? For six months, she had not seen the woman's face and yet for six months she dreamed of her former beloved as if the woman was in fact a ghost, haunting her each night. She had grown and worked hard to become her own person, and part of that growth was the development of her own goal to join the guild Sabertooth. And life was so cruel as to set Masha up in the same guild. After all, without knowing Karasuki's desires, there was no way Masha could be lying about that. Geralt laughed at Karasuki's poor luck and Karasuki set her jaw firmly. "I'm still doing this. Not even Masha is going to stop me," She thought to herself. To which Geralt laughed again. Karasuki spoke aloud addressing Masha as calmly as she could, "I suppose you were right all along. When we traveled I realized my place was not inside of the pages of a book, it was real and I had to live it. I am surprised you joined such a prestigious guild, quite proud of you, Masha." It was fairly uncomfortable but the purple haired woman adjusted her red glasses and let out a breath, trying to relax and appear less tense. For someone so flighty and unpredictable it actually was significant that Masha had joined up with a legal guild and Karasuki had to give her due credit even if she was a adulterous heart-breaking harpy.

To Karasuki's great relief, a man with a bar of steel in his hand and triplet infants on his chest approached and asked Masha about herself. He was a bit strange, but then plenty of characters in her books had more odd quirks than he. She looked all the way up at him, feeling shorter than ever. Karasuki lifted her chin, not wanting to seem like she was dependent on Masha especially when she had once been so dependent on Masha. She could talk to strangers, she could introduce herself, and she might even be so bold as to explain that in fact Masha and she were not friends. Yet as soon as Karasuki opened her lips, it never failed her to be kind and polite instead of expressing those dark emotional feelings she had inside. "I am Karasuki Kitsuharu of the Edge of Time bookstore in Oak Town. I have come seeking out the Sabertooth guild as a prospective member. I have magic and I want to use it for something good, something important."

Masha felt a well of regret as Karasuki tugged her arm away. Her fingers clenched over the empty space it had left. She had screwed up their relationship. The pang in her breast shouldn't exist nor the yearning to try and fix what had been broken between them. Yet there was no reason to think Karasuki might ever want that. Masha's betrayal had struck deep. It was possible Karasuki wanted absolutely nothing to do with her anymore. Tears stung her eyes but Masha willed them not to fall. Karasuki probably expected a cold hearted bitch. She rubbed the back of her wrist over her mouth. It was lucky that she didn't have to wear makeup, her lips a natural vibrant red. Or not. That could have been manufactured by the scientists too, Masha thought bitterly. Still, she found she couldn't summon up the person Karasuki probably would expect her to be. It wasn't in her anymore to try and fashion herself to other people's whims. There was a deep seated desire to be her own person now.

It was impossible not to flinch at Karasuki's backhanded compliment. She deserved it but damn was it cold. When Masha opened her mouth to reply, Yuudai strolled up. Masha struggled not to shoot an irritated look at the man. She had only met him briefly when she first arrived but hadn't had much interaction with him since then. It was also a struggle not to point out any good spirits she had had vanished with Karasuki's cold reception. After being with her a year, Masha had a good feeling that some nasty thoughts were being shot her way under those kind words. "I'm not sure we qualify as friends, Yuudai. Karasuki is my ex." There was an awkward pause. Where to go from there? She didn't want to touch on Karasuki's desire to join the guild or talk about their past with a relative stranger. Either might get her a couple of scathing comments from the seemingly innocent woman.

She peered at the babies, entranced. They were also a good topic changer. "Your girlfriend give birth, big guy? They are absolutely adorable. Where's mom? What are their names?" Masha wrinkled her nose at the iron bar in his hand. "Do you always carry a giant iron bar around?" There was an urge to coo at the cute creatures but Masha didn't want to be rude and wake them up. That would force Yuudai to take care of all three by himself. Masha wasn't sure if the soft feelings she had curled in her chest were showing on her face. Probably given how open her face usually was. The scientists had always called her an open book. "Sorry for all the questions, big guy. I always wanted kids of my own." Masha patted Yuudai's arm with a smile.

Yuudai relized he had made an assumption he shouldn’t have and he rubbed the back of his head before he sighed.”Sorry” he said after a moment before he heard Masha start gushing over the triplets and he smiled a bit.”Yeah Ada gave birth recently and all three of them are healthy, as far as I know Adalinda is currently at work back at the company so I took the kids for some fresh air though hopefully the fact I left a note will save me from any anger pointed my way” he said as he gave a nervous chuckle as he had a feeling Ada was going to be mad at him for taking the kids on such short notice.

As the question of names Yuusai smiled again and he gently pointed to each one.”This one is Aiko and this one is Lethe and the Boy is Setsuna” he explained as the babys stayed asleep as he explained before Masha once again asked another question but this time it involved why he always seemed to have a metal bar with him to which he simple brought the bar up and he bit off a piece of it as he chewed the metal like it was a hard pretzel .”well I am a metal godslayer so its handy to have something on hand incase I get hungry” he explained before he heard Karasuki introduce herself and he bowed to her a bit being careful not to wake the triplets.”It is a pleasure to meet you Karasuki I am Yuudai Ortinbras and I am a member of Sabretooth as well just like Masha, while I cannot grant you access I can lead you to one of our Aces or the guildmaster and have them consider you for our guild if that helps” he offered trying to be helpful to the woman before him. When Masha patted his arm and gave him a smile the Hybrid gave her one right back.”Its alright I don’t mind answering and I am sure eventually you will have kids of your own” he said kindly.

Karasuki rested her hands in front of her, standing awkwardly to the side as Masha turned her attention to the babies that the male was carrying around. She considered walking away, slipping back into the morning crowds of bustling people in the town, but she didn't want to look rude. It sounded like the man was a new father, not just a babysitter and he proudly explained that the mother had just gave birth. The purple haired woman thought it was odd for him to be toting infants around, but they weren't her infants. It sounded like he did what a typical new father in a book would do, a clueless act of leaving a note. There was no way that this Adalinda woman was going to let him off easy for this one. She watched as he munched on the metal bar in his hand, proclaiming himself to be a godslayer. To that, Karasuki perked up and seemed more interested than before. She had never met a godslayer before! Karasuki smiled when he finally turned towards her.

"Well met, Mr. Ortinbras. I would be grateful to you if you could introduce me to the guild leader or an ace." His bow was a courtesy and so she returned it to him, bowing just a bit more than he had considering he was likely a much higher rank than her. Karasuki felt a series of butterflies in her stomach and put her hands together, using the thumb of her right hand to scratch and dig at the the backs of the fingers on her left hand, a nervous and anxious symptom that wasn't half as subtle as she thought it was. When Yuudai patted Masha's arm and suggested she may yet have kids someday, Karasuki had to force her smile to stay pleasantly upon her face. The thought of Masha moving on and having children kind of got to her, despite the fact that she was moving on as well. For once, Geralt said nothing about this.

Masha caught Karasuki's nervous tick. Maybe it was time for her to make her exit. She felt like she had overstayed her welcome with Suki as it was. They would have time to talk if she ended up joining the guild. No need to add more stress to Karasuki trying to join Sabertooth. Yuudai's kindness also wasn't helping Masha. She wasn't used to people being kind to her yet. She managed to smile at Yuudai, masking the pain his words sent lancing through her heart. "I doubt anyone could stand me long enough for us to have kids, Yuudai. I seem to drive away everyone that I care about or that cares about me." Masha struggled not to let tears darken her eyes. She didn't want to let everyone see her breakdown in the middle of the street again. "Well, I'm sure I'm making Su--sorry Karasuki anxious. I did kind of ambush her." Masha held her hand out to Yuudai. "It was a pleasure seeing you again, Yuudai. I hope your girlfriend doesn't strangle you." If Yuudai took her hand or several seconds after offering it to him if he didn't, Masha turned on her heel and disappeared into the crowd. Things were going to get interesting in Sabertooth with Suki around. That was almost guaranteed.

[Exit]

At Masha saying that she drove everyone away that she cares about or who care about her Yuudai simply shook his head as he didn’t think it was impossible for her to find someone she just needed to find the right person. As she vanished into the crowd Yuudai looked down at Karasuki and nodded to her before he took another bite of his metal bar.” Very well please follow me” he said as he motioned for her to stay beside him as they went further into the town to a location where they could get to the guild hall.

“ so Karasuki you said you wanted to join Sabretooth to do something good and important, well you have chosen the right guild, we seek to defend the land from those that would seek to do harm to the innocent. Its one of the reasons I joined since with my build Im better off fighting then most” he explained, not that someone that didn’t have his body type couldn’t fight but since he was born Yuudai had been training and building his strength to make himself better and better as time went on.

Karasuki watched Masha go, debating on calling out to her. It had been months and even if she was still angry, she missed Masha dearly. She looked after her for a half minute and then called out in a tone of 'extending the olive branch', "See you around, Masha." It was quiet and it was possible that the red head had not heard her, but Karasuki refused to let their past get between her and her future at Sabertooth. She straightened her back and looked up at the man as he munched on the iron bar. "Lead the way, Mr. Ortinbras. I appreciate you helping me." Karasuki tossed an overabundance of purple hair over her shoulder and held onto the shoulder strap of her bag, filled with books. She walked steadily beside him, a bit of bounce in her step from a combination of nerves and excitement. She was finally doing it, finally she was going to make something of herself and change the world and travel and do great things and... and... her brain continued to rattle on, listing and relisting the pros about joining a guild.

It helped to be so focused on the guild when she had the back of Masha's head etched into her mind at the moment. As Yuudai expressed that his strength and his body gave him the power to fight and defend for the guild, Karasuki stared at the children he carried. To carry three children around took some level of effort and yet he walked with ease. She imagined he must carry heavy weapons around or throw bad guys through bar windows all the time or something. Karasuki gave a bemused smile at the thought and lifted up her hands before her face. Still walking beside him, she noted she was not just smaller in height but smaller in frame. "I don't know if I would be much good in a fight, but I am willing to train until I am top tier. I want to help," She explained, giving Yuudai a sideways look. "I know I don't look strong, but someday... I could be." Geralt gave a bored chuckle and mumbled in her head, "Oi, keep dreamin' kid." After a pause, she questioned him, "Is the guild very far? It just looks like a bunch of shops down here."

Yuudai simply snickered at how Karasuki seemed to be doubtful about how good she would be in a fight and the Hybrid simply shook his head.” No one starts strong Karasuki we all train to get stronger” he explained, the hybrid then held out his arm and he would demonstrate his magics power as his fur suddenly became shiny and metallic as he glanced at her.”the most you can do is train your heart out and work on making your magic even more powerful, find your flaws and work to erase them” he encouraged. It was how he had progressed since he had started his mage career.

When he was asked how much farther it would be the Hybrid Simply shrugged.”Ill take you to a popular meeting place from there we will go to the guild” he explained. He honestly hoped that he would encounter an ace so they could bring her into the guild.

Ryo smiled as she sat behind a table at the bottom of the hill with the only path up to it at his right. Gora lay across the path blocking the lane to most. He was in his full battle form and as such he looked fairly intimidating. Yet, he was asleep enjoying the sun, and the peace.

Ryo himself sat down at a round table with three decks of Tarot cards laid out in front of him. The three decks were on offer and they were being selected by anyone who sat at the table. The large folding sign next to him read “Tarot Fortunes, Only 1 Jewel.” He was relaxing when he noticed someone coming towards him. Rather two someones. He looked to see Yuudai leading someone towards him, it was a pretty someone as well. When they got closer Ryo waved at them “Hello Yuudai! How’s it going?” he asked warmly to the pair before he looked to Gora. Mind to mind he scolded the beast “I know you like being in that form, but you shouldn’t be wearing it in the city like that. You’ll scare our new members.”

Gora lifted his great head and then looked to Yuudai and the woman that was with him and gave a deep huff of dismissal before he shrank back down to his traveling size the ice crystal fur sliding off of him to clatter on the ground gently. “Fine, Fine, but I like my battle form much more.”

Ryo sighed shaking his head as he turned to look back at Yuudai and the girl “So, tell me Yuudai, who is this lovely young lady that you have brought to our guild hall?” he asked leaning back in his chair which now upon closer inspection was made of dozens if not hundreds of playing cards.

The purple haired woman adjusted the bag over her shoulder as it began to slip and then flicked her long purple tail back over the front so that it bounced between her neck and collarbone. She held her novel with both hands as she walked, letting her fingers nervously run over the spine of the book and back. Here she was with a stranger and the only thing she had to go on was Masha recognizing him and the fact that a man walking around with three sleeping babies on his chest was probably not about to lie about what guild he was in. He was clearly proud of who he was seeing how he flaunted his children. Karasuki reached the top of the hill and then looked down, spying a man in red with a table, but what caught her eye was the enormous sized wolf, his fur glistening like spikes of silver in the light of the day. He was intimidating, to say the least, but compared to some of the things she had summoned, whether accidentally or on purpose, Karasuki was more impressed than afraid. It made only rational sense that if the man had him sitting out by his table that he was a friendly creature.

Whether or not that was true, she tucked her book under her arm and speed walked down the hill ahead of Yuudai. She moved swiftly towards them, Yuudai right behind her, and bent down to her knees. She always did better with meeting animals. Animals didn't care how awkward or improper her social norms were. Karasuki attempted to reach out and hold her hand before the canine's snout and bent her head down in a submissive bow, not wanting the wolf to mistake her for a threat. "I'm Karasuki Kitshuharu of the Edge of Time bookshop in Oak Town." She left out why she was with Yuudai and where she was headed, feeling no need to over-reveal to a stranger. Regardless of how his companion reacted, so long as it was positively (and you never could tell if such an act would be perceived as threatening or aggressive, or honorable given an animals' true nature), Karasuki would get to her feet and offer a hand to the man, which was odd considering her deep bow to his wolf. "So you read fortunes? I wouldn't mind hearing mine," She began to say before looking to Yuudai.

She patted at her long blue skirt and then added, "Well, I wouldn't normally mind. It looks fascinating, but Yuudai here is escorting me somewhere and I wouldn't want to inconvenience him." The fact that the man insinuated that this area, the bottom of the hill, was the guild hill was more than an oddity to her. It was something to quietly reflect on as she gazed at his impossible card-based chair. Adjusting her glasses, she considered speaking, but did not, prompting Geralt to speak in her mind to her. "Nice, good'n proper. Almost like yer one of them, fer now." Karasuki set her jaw and tried to keep a pleasant look on her face. Geralt wasn't so sure about her goal to join a guild and she wasn't going to let his posturing dissuade her.

As Yuudai spotted Ryo sitting at a table he waved at him as he approached with Karasuki in tow “hey Ryo its been a while, I have been good just taking the triplets here out for some fresh air just gotta make sure Ada doesn’t try to kill me for taking them and just leaving a note” he explained as he rubbed the back of his head. “oh yes this is Karasuki a potential Guildmember” he explained as Kara introduced herself. As the familiar blue hair of Gaia appeared Yuudai smirked as the triplets yawned and remained asleep

At the question of if the kids were his the hybrid nodded.”Yes they are mine they were born not that long ago” he said as he gestured down to each one. “this is Akio Lethe and Setsuna” he said pointing at each one and Lethe opened her vibrant purple eyes that matched his own and looked up at her father which made the hybrid smile as his muzzle show off his fangs in a wide and soft smile” hi Little one did you have a good nap?’ he asked softly as the girl looked from him to the others with wide and curious eyes.” Little one these are Daddys Friends” he explained even though he knew that she would not understand yet

Ryo watched with great interest as Yuudai and the woman he was with came towards him and Gora. The woman was the more interesting of the pair, however. She immediately made her way to Gora and did the strangest thing. She knelt before him and offered him her hand with her head low in a very respectful manner. This was the most unusual thing that Ryo had ever seen someone do with Gora. Not that it wasn’t the proper way one would approach an Alpha wolf or even a Beta wolf, but for humans to do it was very unusual.

He nodded his head in approval of the gesture he couldn’t deny that it was very polite of her to do. Gora himself sat up a bit straighter looking like a sphinx from Egypt. His fur was as white as snow, but his eyes were a brilliant sapphire blue. He stared at the girl making sure that he didn’t look away and held his head above her as well as perfectly horizontal. He waited and watched her until she was done when she held her hand out to him he slowly lowered his muzzle towards the offered appendage sniffing it three times before giving a huff and leaning back to look at her. Turning his head towards Ryo he tilted his head in inquiry“What do I do? She isn’t in the guild, and yet she’s very polite.”

Ryo cleared his throat and yet before he could speak it seemed that the newcomer wasn’t done yet. She asked if he read fortunes to which he nodded his head smiling “Well, I do indeed. Oh, and that is Gora. As for your fortune, I’d be happy to read it right now or anytime you’d like.” He said gesturing to the three different Tarot decks that were on the table in front of him. He looked to Yuudai and then to the children that he seemed to have. He had heard that Yuudai had some children of his own, but he hadn’t seen them. He had to admit that they were fairly nice-looking children. He gave a bow of his head but he wasn’t able to speak before Gaia arrived. He smiled very slowly as he enjoyed the feeling of being runover with words. He actually didn’t mind it at all. Instead he looked to Gora with a raised brow “I wonder if I even need to speak ever again. After all, it seems everyone is ready to speak for me.”

Gora tilted his head in the other direction “Well, that sounds like it would be quite the boring thing if you never spoke again. You like to talk a lot after all.”

This comment made Ryo smirk and he cleared his throat standing up and holding his hand over the table. In a flurry of movement, the table, the tarot cards, and even his chair shattered into hundreds of cards before flying into his hand as the regular playing cards. He then took the stacks out of his hand turning them into a single deck box filled with three times the number of typical cards. He pulled the hat off of his head and placed it over his heart bowing to Karasuki “Karasuki it is a pleasure to meet you. I am indeed one of the two guild masters of Sabertooth as Gaia here so kindly introduced me. I believe that Yuudai was bringing you to the guild hall so that you could meet either myself or my co-guild master Kite. So, are you looking to join our guild?” he asked in a warm inviting tone. The smile he gave was calculated to show only the tips of his fangs as he didn’t want to unnerve or scare the potential newcomer.

Karasuki felt slightly awkward once more, holding her hand out still to the man in red, expecting a handshake, as was common when meeting people. He gave the name of the large wolf and Karasuki spoke it softly to herself, "Gora. Nice Name." She drew her hand back and let it hang by her side once more, knowing it was going to be much more strange of her to leave her hand up and waiting, expecting something from Ryo. When he offered to read her fortune, Karasuki smiled brightly. She looked down at his table, her brown eyes lit up with flecks of copper and gold as she browsed the images on the cards. She had found card reading fascinating, though knew nothing about tarot. The truth was that it seemed too much like fiction in the ways others had spoken of it in Oak Town, but the images and cards reminded her of the books she so loved. She could not help being curious. She was about to heartily agree, and ask Yuudai for permission and the time if he had it when a young woman approached them.

Gaia Sabin, as she introduced herself carried with her a book and a ferret and Karasuki stared at the ferret. Even as Gaia introduced herself, moving to stand beside her, the violet-haired girl gawked. The ferret reminded her of Genro, her summon's companion who was a weasel with a temper. Of course, she and Genro got along fine now, but at first, he was a nasty biting little thing. It took a long time to earn his trust. When the ferret chirped and blinked, Karasuki tilted her head. "Yeah, I'm Karasuki Kitsuharu of the-- oh," She stopped and blushed. She had already said this. "You said it right, Miss Sabin. We have plenty of books and original copies at the Edge of Time bookshop. Stop by anytime. It is good to meet you and... Noya." Part of her wanted to feed the creature, but she had nothing to feed him. She stepped back a bit nervous and wished she could shrink under the table of cards. Karasuki adjusted her glasses and ran her fingernails over her left thumb, a nervous little tick. Luckily for her, she could stop prattling like a nervous child and stop marketing like she was still back in that bookshop helping customers there. She wanted to be part of the guild and yet she kept talking like she was an ordinary woman back at home. The woman beside her was an Ace, one of the high ranked positions in the guild she wished to join. Karasuki hoped she didn't look completely foolish because even though they seemed nice enough Karasuki knew that they were powerful mages and the mages in charge of the guild.

Karasuki turned her eyes towards Genro, wondering if it would be so terrible in her introductions if she returned to kneeling on the ground with the respectable wolf. She had seemed to earn his approval, at least for the time being. With the others, she wasn't quite sure where she stood. With a slow jerk, she bounced her bag's strap back upon her shoulder and held onto it with both hands, her novel resting under her arm. As Gaia and Yuudai discussed the babies, Karasuki felt herself slipping inward, trying to escape how uncomfortable this was. Meeting new people whom she desperately needed to impress made the young woman a ball of nerves and she knew from experience that people didn't hesitate to call her out on it. All the bullies, adults and children, from Oak Town, had frequently pointed out her weirdness. After the many years of being told she was an oddity, she really just wanted a place where she could belong. "Yer not goin' to be normal, and that's a good thing ye know. Just stop starin' at yer feet or fidgetin' 'round. Ye'll be fine." Geralt spoke to her in her mind. It was strange of him to be so nice, but then she supposed he didn't want her to miss out on this opportunity either. She stood there looking at her feet and then turned her gaze back to the cards. Her eyes scanned them over once more wondering what her fortune might actually be. Would she join the guild? Was she destined to be a mage? Would she rise up through adversity? Or would she end up on the streets, unable to afford to return home, a failure with her dreams crashed down around her?

She extended her delicate free hand, moving it from the bag strap to the table, touching a card with a sparkling star upon it. "Hmm," She uttered softly to herself. Ryo cleared his throat and Karasuki jerked her hand back, wondering if she had done something wrong. And then, in a flurry of motion, all of his cards, the table, and his impressive chair swarmed into a whirlwind of paper squares, blurring before her eyes. They returned to Ryo's hand and it seemed an effective way to capture everyone's attention. He removed his hat and gave her a bow in a flamboyant gesture that made the former bookkeeper blush. She smiled up at the guild master and gave him a polite nod in return. It embarrassed her but with all her thoughts frayed, she hadn't actually heard Gaia introduce him as the guild master. It seemed there were two to meet and Karasuki held her breath, glancing between the new faces looking at her.

His tone was warm and his voice was welcoming. She exhaled and clasped her hands before her, relaxing for the first time since Masha had slipped away and left her with these strangers. His fangs appearing through his smile didn't bother her at all, giving her actually a level of comfort. She was better when she saw that people were as odd as she, or at least not perfect and normal like the civilian population in Oak Town. "It is an honor to meet you, Mr. Ryo. It would mean a great deal to me if I could be a part of Sabertooth. I have heard so many good things," she said genuinely. Her nerves seemed to fade as she spoke to him, relaying what she wanted, expressing herself in more clear terms, "I would have loved it if you read my fortune, seeing as I don't have any idea where I am headed or what I should do. I have long hoped that fate would see fit to use my powers to help others." Was there a test? Did she need to show her abilities? Did she need to prove herself? Quickly she added, "I am prepared to do anything to become worthy of this guild."

Yuudai Smiled a bit at Gaias praise and he looked down at the three.”thank you   Gaia me and Ada were up for a while trying to think of names” he explained as he heard the woman mention that it was most likely a very irresponsible thing and at that the hybrid rubbed his head a bit.”Yeah perhaps but in my defense I had no idea when Ada was going to be done with work” he explained, though if Yuudai was honest he knew that he was going to get an earful when he got home to his mate and he knew he should have asked before taking the triplets.

But to be fair he didn’t know how long Ada was going to be at work and he had needed to go and visit the guild anyway.”well Ryo I got her here now I need to check on a few things in the guild hall before I return to home. But I will return to active duty soon” he said as he bowed to both Gaia and Ryo before he smiled and bowed to Karasuki. “I hope to work with you soon Karasuki” he said as he headed for a waypoint that led to the guild.

[Exit]

Gora didn’t mind Noya climbing on him, granted he wasn’t approving of it, but still, there wasn’t much he could do about it. Noya was a member of the guild even if she was just a pet. He allowed her to climb up onto his head giving a bored yawn as she settled into her place. When Gaia gave her apology, he huffed showing her that he didn’t mind it all that much.

Ryo waved away Gaia’s apology “I don’t mind you introducing me. However, I was speaking more to her, than to Yuudai in any event. I’m not usually clear, do forgive me.”

Now that the misunderstanding was cleared up, Ryo smiled at Karasuki nodding his head “I would be happy to allow you to become a member of our family. Within Sabertooth, you could do many great things.” A bit of mischief appears in his eyes and he nods his head “I will be happy to read your fortune, but not here, not just yet.” He said turning to look at Yuudai “It is always a pleasure. Please take care of your family before you worry about this. I’ll happily take over from here.” He waved goodbye to them.

He noticed that Noya was producing tarot cards and he moved closer to her and Gaia, so he could inspect the pair. He looked at the tarot card that Noya had produced and smiled nodding his head “Death, how nice. I would highly agree with that. Death, a new beginning, the end of a past. Gaia, you have a truly talented little partner there. I must say that I am highly impressed. I suspect she gained such skills from you and watching you.” He then shook his head reaching into his deck box to pull out a single card. This card he manipulated and formed until it took on the form of a Sabertooth guild stamp. He made his way over to Karasuki with a smile on his face “Tell me where you want the guild tattoo and I shall be happy to apply it and welcome you officially to our guild.” He said his smile spreading a bit more to reveal the barest tips of his fangs.

As soon as Karasuki was stamped he allowed the card to burst into purple flames. He gave a bow “Welcome to our family.” He said before he turned to look to Gaia “Now then, I believe that Karasuki wants a fortune read. I think that we can do that for her. I will provide the cards, and you Gaia and your fascinating little ferret shall do the reading itself. I know that with your skills it should be easy for you to accomplish.” He held out his arm “Karasuki, would you please take my arm and we shall take you up into the castle above. I have a very, very fun idea for your reading.” He said the mischief on his face growing ever more pronounced as if he was excited by his own idea.

Gora rose to his feet and in the blink of an eye entered his battle form now a wolf of ice, and crystal. He pushed open the great gates with his head leading the way up the cobbled road to the castle. Ryo waited for Karasuki to either accept or deny the gesture, and in either event, he would walk along with Kara and Gaia heading to the castle.

Karasuki chose to take Geralt's advice, relying on two things in order to feel safe and uncomfortable in this new situation. The first was the fact that Masha was in this guild; as much as it was an inconvenience, she knew she could not trust the woman with her heart, but she knew that there was no way Masha would ever lead her into harm. If Masha was in Sabertooth, on top of the good rumors she had heard, then indeed this was a good guild to join. The second thing which made her feel safe was the kind and informal way with which Gaia and Ryo spoke to her, despite the fact that they were in places of leadership and authority for the guild. Just trust them, she thought to herself, take a leap of faith. Some things in life, the main character in a story just had to go and do with only gut feeling to guide them. As Noya, the white ferret moved to Gaia's pocket, Karasuki blinked thinking to herself that the blue-haired woman apologized a lot.

When the mustelid pulled out a tarot card with a picture of a skeletal dragon and scythe, Karasuki tilted her head. "Well that's creepy," Geralt remarked, his words overlapping that of Gaia, to which the bookworm had to agree. When Gaia apologized once more Karasuki gave her a forgiving and soft smile. "So you're a card user, too. I'm afraid I have no experience with cards, but it is a fascinating magic." When the Ace commented that Noya's pick had been accurate, Karasuki felt a chill at the base of her spine. Surely a dragon of bones was not a good sign. The chill went away quickly however as Karasuki didn't put much stock into the cards and even less, she decided, into cards drawn by ferrets. Gaia apologized again and Karasuki shook her head, lifting a hand in supplication, hoping that Gaia would let her peer at the card a bit closer. She lowered her hand back quickly when Ryo made his way over speaking with a flourish. Karasuki found herself enjoying the guild master's presence; clearly, he was a person who lived life to the fullest, and that was just what Karasuki was planning to do with her own life. She had moved abruptly out of Oak Town and away from the bookshop into the world of unknown events and places in order to find her own niche.

When Ryo announced his joy at allowing her to join the guild, he spoke of it as a family. Karasuki's brown eyes lit up eagerly. She bounced on her toes once, trying to contain her excitement. "Within Sabertooth, I will do many great things. I promise!" Karasuki swore, her hands still clasped before her, though now they were raised to her chest in the thrill. A family? She had her adoptive mother, Isadora, but not a full family. And a guild? This was going to be quite the adventure. It was just like the time she summoned Tasuki for the first time and the fire user had made a contract with her. Her first summon: that was the last time she was this enticed by what the future could bring. This right here and now was the moment she had been waiting for. This was her moment. “I will be happy to read your fortune, but not here, not just yet," Ryo had said, but she caught the glint of impishness in his eyes and in his smile. When Ryo looked at the tarot card, calling it "Death", Karasuki found herself leaning in to look at the card with him. She wasn't afraid, simply more curious. "A new beginning, an end to the past," she mouthed gently before her lips spread into a grin. Death was a nice card; maybe she trusted ferrets drawing cards after all.

The young woman straightened her back and shoved out her bare left arm. "On my left inner forearm, that's where I want it. Where everyone can see it," Karasuki gushed. Bashfully, the summoner added inquisitively, "Perhaps in the shade of gold?" Moments later when the guild tattoo was placed, Karasuki admired it in the light of the morning sun. "I'm happy to be part of it," Karasuki said, responding to Ryo once more. Her eyes gleamed, full of adoration as she looked up at the guild master and then at the Ace. "Thank you both so very much." Karasuki went back to gazing, almost infatuated with the new mark on her arm, branding her as one of them. At the comment of her fortune being read, Karasuki untucked her book from her arm and hugged it to her chest, listening as Ryo planned out a fortune reading. This was the most electrifying day of her life. "Aren't ye a bit over-doing it. I mean, congrats and all, but try to act normal," Geralt said inside her head. She calmed down for a second and then tossed her purple hair with a single hair flip. "No way. This is my dream coming true. I should be happy. Besides, my normal is sitting curled up on the floor reading a book. Not exactly what I am going for."

At first, Karasuki missed Ryo's words, though his raised arm gave her the gist of what he had said when she was wasn't fully paying attention to him. "I have a very, very fun idea for your reading.” Gora transformed into a crystalline armored wolf and led the way down the cobbled road. She admired the castle ahead and then raised her finger, "One second." Karasuki opened up her bag, revealing a plethora of clothing and books. She stuffed her novel inside and then zipped it back up tight. The new Sabertooth mage swung the bag back over her shoulder, then smoothed out her tan vest and midnight blue skirt. Her heels clicked on the stone as she made her way to the guild master and slid her arm through his with exuberance. "I'm not sure I trust you when you smile like that, Mr. Ryo," Karasuki teased, her eyes determined, "But I'm ready for whatever you have in store for me."

Ryo smiles and gives her the guild mark that she wants. It was wonderful to see that she was so happy and eager. Not to mention the fact that Gaia was happy with the compliment that he paid both her and Noya. As they walked up to the castle and she asked him if he was sure that the cards would be okay with that, he laughed shaking his head “Don’t worry, these are just regular old tarot cards. Nothing to be worried about. The tarot cards that I used to use for my summoning way back when I could actually summon things.” He looked to Kara with a smile “You see before my current condition, I used to use my keys and a special deck of tarot cards to form actual keys and summon creatures through the gates the cards are connected to.” His eyes grow a faraway look in them.

Gora gives a loud bark startling most everyone around and a flock of birds hanging out on the cattle. Ryo shakes his head smiling “Oh sorry about that. Anyway, as I was saying.” He says following Gora through the double doors into the castle’s main hall “I have a fun little trick to play.” He says as he walks into the center of the room and pulls out a deck of cards. He filled the cards with his magic and then handed the deck to Gaia “I usually let the one I am reading touch the deck before I deal the cards, but you do it your way. The only trick here, is that when dealing the cards, I want you to throw them as far from you as possible in front of us.” He said with a smile.

The little magic that he had put into the cards was that whatever way Gaia threw the cards they would grow to be 10 meters tall. Depending on if she read cards using shapes, they would take the shape she desired the cards face down ready to be flipped, once flipped they would become vertical, or horizontal depending on the shape to show them all a giant reveal of the card. The reading would entirely be up to Gaia along with the style of reading she would be giving.

Karasuki was content as the two began to speak with each other over the next step. She had gone out of her comfort zone to try to appear outgoing and extroverted but the happy go lucky facade was beginning to wear on her. That was not to say that she was unhappy, Karasuki was just tired of trying to come up with things to say. She wasn't always good with small talk and tended to go quiet when small talk or third-party conversations were about. With her arm still looped in Ryo's, she walked at his speed. Her short legs keeping up with his elongated stride. As he explained how his cards worked and the way his summoning used to be for him, he got an odd look to his eyes. She pursed her lips and gave his arm a gentle pat, hoping to say something reassuring. Gora gave a loud bark and Karasuki jumped nearly out of her skin at it. Then she laughed, seeing the birds fly away and Ryo return to the present company.

As they entered through the double doors of the castle, Karasuki's eyes and ears went to the surroundings. It was as if she had walked into a fairy tale herself, the impending castle so much grander than she had ever pictured despite all of the books she had read about castles. Karasuki had released Ryo's arm and missed him imbuing them with his magic. She missed him passing them off to Gaia as well. Instead, she rotated in a tight circle, her wide eyes and grin taking in the splendor of the building. From the architecture alone, she felt awe-inspired. The violet-haired female looked down at her left inner forearm, tracing the symbol with her right hand. The golden mark meant she was a part of something more now. She was officially more than a girl with an unusual knack for summoning things out of books. She was more than the book keeper's adoptive daughter and more than the shop's best employee. Now, she was a real mage in a real guild. A place where the things she did would actually make a difference, and in connection to that, she was in a place where she too would matter.

Karasuki managed to hear the end of what Ryo was saying and perked her head up again, a little embarrassed to have been caught not paying attention. "A fun trick to play. Your magic in the cards, but Miss Sabin playing them out? That sounds interesting indeed." The new member of the guild stepped forward, drawing her eyes away from the castle walls and archways, returning to Ryo's side. Three summoners standing altogether, playing with magic. Was that really a good idea, she mused to herself.