Getting with the times (Job/Solo)

Sorano stared at the crowd of people who had gathered in front of the stage today, staring up at the eager salesmen who rambled on and on about the products they flashed in front of everyone's greedy eyes. The iLac was a product that had already been selling successfully for a couple of years now, slowly becoming a bit of a household item. Kids would clutch the small, conveniently mobile technology in their eager hands on their way to school, and politicians had begun using the devices to connect with a wider audience over the Lacrima Net. Sorano's own ace Arcadia used the handy item often when planning events for the guild - the girl was excellent at what she did, and much of that skill seemed to involve this mysterious iLac as well.

After having seen her connect with Garnet through the device during the new member's initiation, the letter mage had finally decided it was about high time she got a move on and tried to connect with the modern world herself. Despite having a large Lacrima she used in her office, the letter mage still continued to rely on the inconsistent methods of telepathy and other magical means of instantaneous communication, instead of utilizing the lacs everyone else seemed to be using these days.

And so here she was, staring out at the large crowd of eager people. In order to prevent magical tampering, iLacs - legal ones, at least, could only be obtained through specific locations in the Neutral Grounds. Even as Sorano raised a finger, tracing out a letter in an attempt to cast a spell, even the familiar hum of ethernanos operating in her body could be felt. It was a vulnerable feeling - the child without her magic was no stronger than the average teenager. But here she was, a mere few minutes away from receiving the product she had come for.

Maneuvering through the crowd, Sorano picked up the end of the line, falling into place in the wait for an iLac. The lady in front of her in line instantly whirled around at the sight of the rather slight girl, and went off on a tirade about how technology spelled for the future generations of Fiore, and how she should leave the line and get herself a good solid education in before dirtying her mind with magic and the such. Unfortunately for the letter mage, there was little she could do besides nod awkwardly, wondering how the woman would react if she knew who exactly she was, and of Sorano's history in the magic industry for the past three years.

She'd be spared the effort however, by the woman's slow grumble as she pulled open a copy of Sorceror's Magazine, only to see Sorano's face imprinted into one of the pages.

"Oh."

That was the only syllable that left her mouth as she skimmed swiftly over the page, realizing that it was the Saint of Tranquility she stood before.

The rest of the wait would be blissfully peaceful, as Sorano bought her iLac, and made her merry way out of the Neutral Grounds. It would be interesting to see how this product acted, that was for sure.

537/500 words