Fairly bad day

https://www.fairytail-rp.com/t31089-fairy-skelter

Walking through the market of Magnolia, there was a eerie tension that was passing through from south end towards the north. The source of this tension was the aura one man. The various residents of Magnolia seemed to be avoiding the pirate at all costs, no one knew why they were scared, there was a menacing aura, but it was more like a heated blade, focused and condensed, only meant for one target. His hands in the pockets of his red jacket, fiddling with a bunch of coins or small items left inside his pocket. Fantastico was not a man who enjoyed to act out of anger, revenge maybe, but anger to him wasn't very pleasurable as his calm demeanor seemed to kill the good feelings it can bring and leave just the negative bitter aspects. It was for that reason that he avoids the feeling of anger, it no longer seemed to give him any relief in the moment, just pain.

His eyes sharply gazed around the stalls, he was here yesterday and seemingly in a joyous mood, very happy and chatting up almost everyone in sight, his usual self. To those that saw him around yesterday, they knew something was up when the life filled eyes were now focused, piercing as he saw one stand. Since coming to Magnolia, Fantastico felt at home, the place seemed to fit his normal attitude and he could hardly find a fault, until last night. He approached a small stand that was selling genuine fairy dust, the very same merchant the pirate had bought a small bag of fairy dust from yesterday.

There was no customers at the moment, and Fantastico stopped just as he was about to pass, and he slowly turned to face the scrawny man. He slowly began to step towards him, not saying anything. The scrawny man looked up to see the piercing brown eyes stare right through him. "You waste of flesh, are you proud of yourself?" Fantastico said as he took out the small bag. He put it down on the table before he grabbed the man by the collar of his shirt with the other. "Remember me? I was here yesterday, I bought a bag from you. At first I thought it was rare to find fresh fairy dust, hell I even asked you where it came from."

The merchant was being drenched in his out sweat, he was not sure what the pirate was trying to say but all he knew was, he was afraid, and possibly dead. He managed to try and mutter out a response. "A... group of fairies, willing... it ain't illegal fresh if... ya know, it was, given, willingly."

Fantastico tightened his grip with one hand, before opening the bag with the other. Fantastico switched his grip to the the back of his head as he forced the man to look in the bag, where he saw the reason for the anger. There was half a fairy wing, still attached to the stem, covered in tiny blood with fragments of bone hanging off it. "Consent? Who would consent to having a vital part of their being ripped out! Look at that! There is no way your batch was obtained with consent! Your entire stock is dirty. I told you I needed clean! You gave me your word!"  

The scrawny merchant looked around, desperate for help. However the bystanders of the market, even the other merchants seemed to be backing away. Some were afraid or didn't know if they should step in, others were afraid to step in, the rest were simply appalled that someone they knew was selling a dirty batch. The man looked around, panicking. "Someone help! This man wants to kill me!" He said in a panic. However most of the bystanders were complacent, one of the kids even shouting "Shut up fairy killer! You're the villain here!"

WC 651

Arcadia was in the market shopping with a couple of her non-wizard friends that called themselves the Magnolia Seis. Only Layla and Sophie were along today, the others were busy saving the group's place in line upcoming concert tickets. The girls were here to pick up a few snacks, because if the Magnolia Seis wanted the best seats at the concert they would need to camp in line overnight.

The barefoot slayer and her two friends had visited a couple fruit stalls already with nothing striking any of their fancy so far. Arcadia wondered if they should have visited a couple bakeries instead coming to the market. She just hoped her favorite stall was open today. The bakery near Fairy Tail's guild hall had sweets that were hard to beat, but this one family had a stall in the market where they sold homemade cinnamon buns like Arcadia found nowhere else. Sadly that family's stall was not open everyday. She was about to give up perusing the selection of available foot to suggest they go look for the cinnamon bun stall when she heard the commotion down the way.

The half of the Magnolia Seis present at the market, all headed toward the commotion even as other bystanders drew back. Help had come for the merchant, just not the help he might have wanted. First Sophie, then Layla added in their own shouts of "Fairy killer!" Arcadia was just as riled up and incensed as her friends and some of the crowd. She had to take deep breath to keep herself from joining in the stirring mob mentality. As and Ace of Fairy Tail, it might not reflect will on her guild if she joined in our was seen cheering on the death of a merchant in the market.

Arcadia was sure justice for the fairies would be best served by turning the guy in to the town authorities, while vengeance for them would be more smartly carried out with fewer witnesses around. Not to mention, finding out if the merchant was alone responsible for the dastardly collection of dirty fairy dust, or was merely the end supplier in a dirty fairy dust ring. She turned her faerie green gaze back to her two friends to encourage them to bad on without her. "Hey Sophie, Layla. Why don't you two go try the bakery back near the guild house. I don't think we'll find any snacks in the market today. I'll join you and the rest of the Seis back at the ticket line soon as I can. Looks like I got some guild stuff to do first."

Layla and Sophie both looked at each other, clearly wanting to see something happen to the fairy killer. In the end, both of Arcadia's friends nodded to her and headed off to continue their search for snacks. She knew full well they would demand the whole story once she finished here and meet back up with them.

Arcadia stepped forward out of the crowd, not to offer the exact help the man was calling out for. She was stepping in to pay the good cop. If any information he had could save other fairies from the fate of being turned into dirty fairy dust, then she would consider ensuring he lived long enough to be arrested. "I don't think you have anything to worry about. He probably doesn't want to kill you. He probably just thinks you should go on a nice little walk with him into the woods to show him where you got that stuff. Now, if you tell us where you got it, how you got it and from who you got it, then I could probably take you in to the town guards myself. I'm pretty busy today though, so if you don't want to talk... Well, you can still go on that little walk into the woods with this nice man."

WC: 655
Arcadia WC: 655/3500
Thread WC: 1306

Fantastico heard a familiar voice from his side, and out of the corner of his eye he could see the blond hair and instantly knew who it was. Out from the mob he seemed to call to rise up against the merchant, came out one of the guild members, and not just any regular member but it was one of the Aces of the guild. Fantastico was not sure how to perceive this, as it was either good or bad. "Sblood, shite, the princess shown up, this can either be a great fortune or my grave, now the stakes have been raised and I think I'm finally getting excited."  He simply batted her an eye with an offhand greeting to throw her off balance. "Hey Arcadia, stand back kiddo, you're in the splash zone."

Hearing the voice of the Ace intervene in what he was praying wasn't possibly his execution at the hands of a ruthless pirate seemed to be a blessing. His eyes looked over to the figure of the blonde, almost ready to cry tears of joy until the reality of the ultimatum sunk in. He seemed to be frightened by either choice, and his sweating seemed to get worse when Fantastico said 'splash zone'. "I... I can't tell you, I'll die either way...." Fantastico sighed, he let go of the back of the man's head and grabbed him by the throat again before forcing him to stand back up. "Trust me, I don't enjoy killin' lower class criminals, such as marketeers who buy bad goods, but trust me, how I am now, for the first time in five years truly angry-"  He started to lift the man off the ground and look him in the eyes. "- consider me more dangerous to you then any military strength."

The frail man tried to pry open Fantastico's grip, his eyes were desperate to live. "Not like I tried to kill you or your kids, so why punish mine by putting me through this!"  He said trying to appeal to the humanity within Fantastico, however Fantastico threw him against the wall, he slid down as Fantastico finally raised his voice. "No, but you expect me to use dirty fairy dust for my little girl's medicine! I told you this dust was for that. I ain't much of a parent but I don't let my kids benefit from slavery of sentient beings or dirty goods."

The man, in pain and truly weighing his options decided that there was no way out. He stood up slowly, raising his hands. To him, he realized that he had no way out of it, so he chose to be at the mercy of the judicial system instead of an enraged pirate or a "Alright, I'll talk, I'll talk, I'll turn myself in. I hurt my back last week and my son was ill, so neither of us could do our daily run. So when I heard of dust traders I bought a supply from them, they looked and seemed shady but I didn't ask questions alright! I couldn't afford to go out of business. I met them a short distance from their camp in the East Forest, follow the river and you'll be able to see it!"

Fantastisco nodded, before abruptly turning around and walking away slowly, the old man breathed relief. "Alright, that's all I need to know. I am done with you."  Fantastico looked at the mob that was now stunned silent by witnessing what had just transpired, however he stared at those who were crowding the eastern path for a moment, before they all cleared out and Fantastico walked down the path. "If somehow there's a priest around, someone warn the devil that hell needs to make room." He said as he was passing through.

The marketeer almost collapsed before looking at Arcadia. "Thank you for stepping in, I shant give a thought to what he would have done if your presence was not around. If you'll excuse me, I think I need to go turn myself in. Look I legitimately did not know it was dirty, I should have checked but it is an innocent mistake..." He began a slow walk away towards the jail, with his head down and the occasional insult thrown at him.

WC 715
1366

Arcadia watched and listened. The slayer stood, fearing for a second her bluff might be called and that she might have to actually lower herself by defending scum who would deal in dirty contraband. It's not that she did not want to see a merchant of fairy death pay for his crimes, but in her personal history she had made some treasure hunters pay the ultimate price for desecrating the never melting ice of her mother's corpse. To mortal eyes it was but a dragon shaped glacier, to the slayer it was where her mother gave her life so that she might live to see the future.

She still regretted not giving the treasure hunters a chance to know what they were really doing, and that perhaps made the slayer's heart a tad more lenient than others might be in this situation. There was also the fact a dead man could not reveal his source. If the man was stupid enough to not talk now, then she would have happily helped the guards get him to. Arcadia was relieved and happy when the merchant was smart about things. She did not really care to cross the pirate either.. As a warrior of the ancient kingdom Dragnof, she had seen just enough war to not be eager for violence. Not to mention, the danger an original dragon slay faced of losing out to her Dragon Seed to be a monster bigger than a dirty merchant.

Despite her preference to avoid violence, the merchant would be mistaken to bank on the barefoot slayer forgiving him for his crimes and letting him go free. If there was to be a a fight, she would not shy away from it. Her faerie green gaze remained fiercely stern. She watched as the pirate strode off down the eastern path, the crowd making way. Arcadia maybe one of the few who didn't move a step, instead turning her fierce faerie green eyes back on the merchant. She did not point directly at him, but more upward with her forearm and pointing digit leaning ever so slightly in his general direction. ”What you have done is unforgivable. Those fairies very likely had families of their own. I'm greatly disappointed you thought so little of them and your community that you did not come to your friends or neighbors instead of this. You even could have come to Fairy Tail. I would have helped you find a substitute to help you get the clean dust, or gone myself. Maybe not for free, wizards have to eat too, but we cold have worked something out.”

Taking out her dimensional scissors, her expression finally softened into a kinder smile, ”And as long as you are up front with the guards we might still be able too after you have paid your debt to society. I'll personally see what I can do for your family, while you're away. They shouldn't have to pay for your crimes, unless they were in on it. I suggest you hide nothing from the guards.”

With that she snipped open a portal directly to the inside of the Magnolia guardhouse. Arcadia liked to think of herself as kindhearted, but she was going to make sure the merchant could not get second thoughts and flee as soon as he was out of sight. She guided the merchant through the portal into the guardhouse. With a quick explanation of what the man did and was here to turn himself in, she left the rest up to the guards. The portal closed behind her, and she snipped open another one out into the East Forest. Even before her second portal closed behind her, the barefoot slayer had conjured countless tiny ice particles around her to act as tiny mirrors and prisms to displace her image a few steps away from where she truly was. The rainbow ring she wore quieting her steps completed the misdirection. It was a common precaution she took when heading into potentially dangerous situations.

With her image displaced, she sniffed around for scent of the pirate and began her search for the camp the merchant described. As dangerous as the pirate seemed back in the marketplace, she had a feeling he would be an ally she needed in this hunt.

WC: 715
Arcadia WC: 1370/3500
Thread WC: 2736

Fantastico kept walking down the Eastern path, reaching out of town and once he thought he was out of town, he pulled a cigarette and lighter out of his pocket, putting the cigarette in his mouth he flicked open his lighter, but out of the reflection in the silver lighter he could make out a golden haired head with green eyes behind him at a distance. After he lit his cigarette, he put the lighter away slowly and this time he was able to gaze at the reflection and was simultaneously curious, annoyed, and glad. Curious to why the girl was following him, annoyed that he might have to deal with her if she doesn't like his methods, and glad that there was someone else chasing down the Fairy hunters.  Not saying anything, he soon suddenly stopped after something caught his eye.

He saw a shimmering gleam from the cracks of what appeared to be an empty birds nest nestled int he divide from where a tree grew in two different directions, he stopped staring at it for a moment, before he knelled down to pick up a small rock. He lightly tossed it up and it landed in his hand for a moment, checking it's weight before he tossed it into the center of the nest. The next second there was a sudden clank of metal as four round quarters sprung up and locked, forming a silver bird cage like trap that was glimmering from the rays of light touching it. He whistled for a moment before he pulled down the cage, it was on a chain pinned into the tree. Inspecting the cage, he seemed not impressed. "Damn, whoever is running this operation knows what they're doing, Fae silver traps. A fairy has no hope of escaping this, damn stuff is sick, negates a fairy's magic but if it ever got in their blood it kills them painfully. Been a while since I saw the stuff, but I doubt Fiore lifted the ban. However this configuration, it's a lethal class, very few use them given that it's inefficient, it kills three out of five captured fairies, which spoils the dust if left too long. Not to sound like one of them, but it's more efficient to let them live."

He ran his fingers along one of the sides, feeling the rough edges. "Worn out, I can practically feel the lives this had taken, this has been worn and overused." Fantastico pulled the chain out of the tree, and then tossed the cage in the water before looking towards what he thought was Arcadia, speaking in a . "Well Snow Princess, I'd tell you to keep your head down but these traps are well above your head. But yeah, I don't think you wanna be here, this is about as grey as it can get, chasing after a ruthless bunch of international criminals. I warn you, I won't hold back lethal force if I feel like it."

He stopped to look what he thought was Arcadia in the eyes, a serious gaze was being carried. "I'm not a evil man, but I have a code, and I don't let anyone that enslaves sentient beings off the hook easily, and if that means taking the lives, so be it. I gotta know, if I kill those slavers, will you come after me next?" Breaking the tension, he shrugged it off in the next moment. "Ah well, if it comes to that I might gotta improvise, I got a bit of a busy day, still gotta get some dust later, need to start the batch by six, so it is ready by seven, plenty of time to keep things on schedule."

WC 620
TWC 1986

Arcadia was both glad and wary at once to have tracked down the pirate. She had followed her nose after first picking up traces of his scent. Now that her faerie green gaze caught glimpse of a figure ahead that certainly him, she slowed down to watch and see what he might find. The barefoot slayer only approached when it was clear he was aware of her presence.

She stopped to fish the silver cage trap out of the water, using its chain to strap it to her satchel. First she dried it off by freezing the water clinging to it and shaking or knocking the resulting ice off. Arcadia glanced over at the pirate strangely once the cage trap was secure. She was more puzzled by his use of 'Snow Princess' than offended or annoyed. Shag her head, the barefoot slayer let it slide. As an ace of Fairy Tail, she was sure a few people she didn't know personally was aware of her magic's basic nature.

She offered a short explanation of why she was collecting the cage trap, "Possible evidence." ' She left displaced image to face him while finished his piece. Arcadia did listen to every bit of it too, but she also was sniffing and keeping her ears open for any sign the fairy trappers were nearby. Her ring did many things, and keeping her footsteps silent was one of the most useful, as it also silenced the jangling of the silver trap from her satchel. Made it easier to not give away her real position until she wanted to.

Once he finished, Arcadia was ready to reveal herself for dramatic effect.  Her displaced image distorted and shifted to reveal her standing a free steps to the left. "Not everything is always as it might first seem. I believe, me and you think more alike than you realize. I have no problem with criminals meeting justice equal to their crimes. Use all the lethal force you need. However, there is one difference. I have a guild and family in it to think about."

She paused for a moment as if something just struck her, "Was that supposed to be a short joke before? About the traps being over my head... Eh, whatevs. Point is, I can't just go around putting down every criminal I sniff out. Someone in Fiore's powers-that-be would surely take notice, and might punish my guild family for my vigilantism. They are much more understanding if I can at least show I made effort to take them in alive."

Arcadia as Great Ice Wyrm:

Scale of Arcadia as Dragon to a Human:

Once more for dramatic effect, she revealed one more thing about herself. The young girl grew covered in ice, swiftly growing into a 30 meter (100 ft) long Great Ice Wyrm. A dragon sculpted purely of living ice that never melted. Her head alone was the size of an average human and was more than capsule of swallowing one whole or a couple bites. As a Great Ice Wyrm, Arcadia still held the same kind, sparkling faerie green eyes as she does as a human. It was a sense for her to fit Berwyn the trees, but she had room enough to lower her human-sized head down to the pirate's level. Her voice was also similar, but carried more resonant qualities as a dragon. "More importantly, as a warrior of ancient Dragnof, I will not dishonor myself by killing those who have surrendered. I WILL be taking anyone who surrenders into custody. If they don't then I have no qualms showing them how the fairies probably felt. No powers-that-be can fault Fairy Tail or me if of it happens in self-defense."

Hoping she made her point, she returned to golden-haired human form. Arcadia smiled more warmly, "I'll make you a deal. Since it's highly unlikely these criminals will just surrender by walking in there, why don't we say you can go in first. You can foo whatever you need to, then I'll come in to 'save'  the ones smart enough to give themselves up and help you route whoever doesn't. Ultimately, we're on the same side here. I don't want to fight you, if it can be helped."

WC: 706
Arcadia WC: 2076/3500
Thread WC: 4062

Post for a roll?

The member 'Fantastico' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

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'Monster Dice' :

Fantastico noticed the girl picked up the trap and was almost shocked by the act. "Is that girl asking to get thrown in jail? Being seen with that alone can get the authorities so far up your rear you'll see the handle of the sword before you can even blink."  He had a feeling in his gut there was something wrong, but he couldn't pin his finger on an exact reason. By the time he saw the shimmering, he realized he was talking to a fake. He mentally cursed himself for falling for it as he saw the figure shimmer. He double checked the status of the Elemental Flintlock in his inner pocket and it was still ready to draw, but he didn't try to reach for it yet. He merely decided to let the scene play out as he took another drag of his cigarette as he saw the presumably real Arcadia standing near where the illusion was. He was slightly annoyed with the girl. "Damn, she seems to have almost every annoying quality the women in my life have. Gotta admit, gotta see if I can get her to teach Clarise a thing or two later."

However, he wasn't totally shocked to hear her stances on morality and punishment of criminals. When he joined Fairy Tail under a false name he did not get the feeling that everyone there was a law abiding citizen or morally upstanding. He nearly chuckled as the girl had figured out he was making a short joke, but he was still annoyed that she had the nerve to lecture him about family, after the display he made back at the market. However he thought there would be no surprises left, but when the girl had transformed into a dragon he backed up a few steps, gazing in awe at the sheer beauty of the ice Dragon. He raised the back of his hand to lightly feel the ice scales of the dragon. "Damn you're beautiful as the morning sea, at the very least the second most beautiful Ice Dragoness I've ever seen..."

Fantastico snapped himself back out of his daze, remembering who exactly he was talking to, however he started to really wonder about the girl's species at this point. He was unsure if she was a ice dragon that learned to turn into human, or a human that became an ice dragon. However he was visibly disappointed when she returned to her human form, he continued to listen to the rest of her speech, he knew that he had no time to make an enemy out of her. "Well, at the very least you won't attract the whole crew over or make them run away more then you might have. We can't exactly be conspicuous with you turning large. But yeah, I won't kill any cowards that surrender, except for the boss. There is no way he is walking away, one way, or another. I ain't one for being conspicuous, but makes no sense giving them time to react."

He was about to follow the stream again when he stopped, he instantly reached for the Pirate of the seas key within his pocket and he flicked up the idol revealing the key, it glowed red for a moment before he flicked his wrist, and the Key saber formed in the air. He grabbed it with the same hand, and inserted the key into the lock. He saw the shimmering in the distance and recognized the sound of chatter, mostly aggressive. With his free hand he rose it slightly to indicate that there was something in the distance coming before pulling out his elemental flintlock with the other, he flicked his wrist while pulling back the hammer to allow it to absorb some air.

He waited about a minute before he sighed, disappointed with their pitiful stealth attempt. "Come on out, your cover was blown a kilometer away, even though mine was blown by a bloody mile." Out from the bushes and trees in several directions came the various men, armed with thick leather and iron armor, all of them carrying various weapons including swords, spiked maces, spears, crossbows, and a few guns. There was approximately fifteen in the crew, however the one that appeared to be a leader gave a silent order to stop and prepare.

"Wait a minute, you, no, it couldn't be, the nameless son of Jarko, Fantastico of the Red seas?" Fantastico knew he had a reputation among various groups, normally outside of Fiore's vast sea of drama. He studied the bald man with seven scars along his neck, trying to remember who he is. "Am I still called the nameless son? I orchestrated the biggest robbery on one of Bellum's most secure banks and still can't escape the rat bastards shadow."

After confirming his identity, a few of the men looked over to Arcadia and shuddered in fear. "If he is Fantastico, does that mean the ice dragon, was, no, it can be, the unchainable Ice dragon Schrena!" Rumors were gossiping among a few of the trembling men, before they dropped their arms and ran away screaming that they don't wanna die. Fantastico remained silent, figuring he could use the fear to his advantage. However he finally recognized the leader of the group. "Your Conner Steeljaw, Adjutant of Jackson Rider's fairy hunter group, I remember now, from the Shadow Auctions, your boss managed to get the anti magic armor."

The other man nodded, still taking a defensive stance with the few men he had that didn't run. "Aye, I remember, we never spoke but I remember the look you and your Red Wind cohorts gave us! You wanted to kill us then and there, and let me tell you, I wanted to kill you as well, how dare you look down on us! We're the same you and I. But first, I gotta know, is she really the mother of-"

Fantastico shot the ground to interrupt his speech, clearly annoyed. "Oh come on, I brought my daughter to the shadow auction, you know she looks nothing like this one. This isn't Shrena for crying out loud, she's some chick from Fairy Tail. If this was Shrena, you'd never even have time to piss let alone an ambush" The man sighed relief before he started his charge wit. "Oh good. Still, why did you bring your daughter to an underground auction?"

Twisting the key, Fantastico charged up the energy before he released a wave at a few of the men. Connor dodged but two got it, and Connor proceeded to charge at Fantastico. "Okay, there was a sitter but she bailed!" The two men locked blades for a moment. "I feel that, nearly had a take your kid to work day myself." He said before tried to kick Fantasico, but Fantastico countered with a kick to throw him off balance then landed on top of him. "Right, how is little Jimmy? He's what, twelve now?" Two men were charging at Fantastico but he rolled causing them to strike Conner by accident. He let out a scream of pain. "Yeah, even though he's not so little, he bulked up a bit. Always a shame, but you have it rough, five daughters right?"

Conner proceeded to drop his sword and result to try and punch Fantastico, but he blocked with the side of his saber. "Six and man, being a parent in this line of work is rough, I'm doing some jobs in Fiore as things have gotten rough with one of them." Conner tried to push against the blade. "I feel that man, things are rough all over!"

Meanwhile, the rest of the men surrounded Arcadia, preparing to make a move, when they all shot each other a glance. Two of them had muskets, and the other two had spears pointed at the two. "Does anyone remember how to slay a dragon?"

WC 1322
TWC 3308

Arcadia was intrigued at the idea this man had meant enough ice dragons to qualify her as second most beautiful. In her curiosity, she let herself be sidetracked a moment, "I hope I get to meet this most beautiful ice dragon some day. I've only ever known of two ice dragons, and I'm one of them. My mother was the other. She was the most beautiful dragon I've ever seen, and there were a lot of dragons that called Dragnof home."

Moving on to their verbal pact, Arcadia figured that was the best she was going to get under the circumstances. She nodded her agreement, "Deal." There was no time to further amend it either, her nose telling her they had company. Barely a second later, her new partner was already confronting their quarry.

The barefoot slayer pouting briefly, "Well, that's not fair. They make it too easy when they come straight to you. Hunting them down is half the fun." The influence of her Dragon Seed slipping through a bit more than normal.

Arcadia willed herself into Dragon Force, her blonde hair blanching completely white and faerie green eyes turning a glowing crimson. A palpable chilling aura frosted the air immediately around her. The air so cold around her, it was difficult for others to move their full speed.

Arcadia in Dragon Force:

She listened in as Fantastico bantered with this Conner Steeljaw. When she heard he was not the ringleader, the barefoot slayer giggled and smiled, though this smile in Dragon Force had a something of a predatory gleam not present in her usual effervescent smiles. "Sweet. The hunt isn't over after all."

Another giggle or chuckle escaped her when many of them ran away, "This Schrena sounds like some dragon. Lucky for you, I'm not her. From the sound of things, I'm a more merciful dragon than she is. That means you have a chance to live. All you have to do is surrender. If you choose to fight, I can't guarantee your safety. Fighting would be a mistake, and possibly your last one."

She did her head at those who surrounded her. "You really should've listened. On the other hand, if you really wanna know how to slay a dragon, I'll tell you. First, you havta find a dragon to teach you Slayer magic. Since as you already pointed out, I'm a dragon. I'll be happy to teach you. Here's lesson one!"

Arcadia summoned a skin of ice to afford herself extra protection against any lucky blows. The ice-armored slayer held up one hand, palm forward and all fingers fanned out. The two muskets being brandished against her suddenly seized up, unable to fire. All the mechanical parts in them had been flash frozen in place by ice. The spears held by the other two brutes were covered in ice too, but without moving parts that hardly impeded their function. They may have been more difficult to grip.

Nonetheless, none of the four men had a chance to bring their weapons, shower or iced over musket, to bear in melee. Arcadia stomped her let foot in her very next motion, spreading ice out across the ground. In a hurry it had spread out around the men and encased their feet up past the ankles. With time, they might struggle and break free, but for now they were not going anywhere.

The ice-armored, barefoot slayer did not let up. She drew her arms in close to her chest, and used her stomping foot to push off into a pirouette. Taking a deep breath, she unleashed a roar of wintry fury. The torrent of arctic mist and razor sharp ice particles was spread three hundred sixty degrees around her as she roared all through her pirouette.

The four men were coated in a shiny veneer of ice, their flesh and clothing torn and ragged on whichever side bore the brunt of her icy roar. Despite all that, and still being frozen in place, one of the men with a spear held onto his wits. He raised and threw his spear straight for Arcadia's torso. Releasing it before her little roaring spin was finished, Arcadia had no real time to react. Her summoned ice armor absorbed most of the force, plus all slayers were made of stern stuff. The blow bruised a rib and knocked her to the ground, yet she was there for barely a beat. Before the sight of a fallen slayer could hearten the other men into fighting free of the ice, she had tapped into her dimensional scissors and opened a portal underneath herself.

Arcadia and the spear both fell through, coming out of the other side of the portal about a hundred meters up in the sky. The portals closed behind her, and she spread dragon-like wings of hoarfrost abruptly sprouting from her shoulder blades. Grabbing the spear out of the air, she folded back her hoarfrost wings to steer herself from a tumbling freefall into a controlled steep dive.

Charging magic power into her left hand, Arcadia grew five spikes of ice from her fingers. She flung them down on the fast approaching men below. Two spikes struck down one man, another man was made lame by a spike hitting his leg. The other spikes stuck harmlessly into the earth. Arcadia spread out her magical hoarfrost seeing, and pulled out of the dive. Her wings were only for gliding, but momentum carried her a little higher going into a banked turn. She grew one more ice spike in her right forefinger, flinging it down into the shoulder of the man already hit in the leg. Arcadia was sure she would not need to worry about him rejoining the fight. Two down, two to go.

She entered into another dive as she came out of her turn, folding back her wings again to gain speed. The ice dragon slayer readied the spear inn both hands, choosing one of the remaining men to target. Both began to flee, so she leveled out her flight path to pursue.

Having watched half their number taken out of the fight, and the way Arcadia vaguely resembled a small humanoid version of an ice dragon with her ice armor and dragon-like hoarfrost wings, the last two men might be forgiven for giving into the same fear that drove away many of their compatriots earlier. Arcadia switched her focus and pursuit onto the man falling behind the other. She was closing the gap between them both, but fast running out of altitude.

Arcadia closed in on her target and folded in her wings to drop down on him. She drove spear through the back of his shoulder in the midst of driving him face first to the ground. Getting up, she dusted herself off and broke off most of the spear. She left part of it in the man's shoulder to taken out once medical treatment could be given without further danger to herself or her temporary new partner. It was to soon to use her dimensional scissors hands-free again, so she removed them from her pocket. She snipped open a short range portal back to Fantastico and the man's other downed compatriots. The barefoot slayer dragged her last catch back through the new portal. She let the last man get away, not wanting to abandon her new partner in the middle of a fight.

The third man would be left near his other defeated or fallen comrades. Arcadia was unsure if all of them had survived, but like the third man's shoulder, clearing that up would have to wait. She tended to her own injury first, touching the soothing chill of her only healing spell to the bruised rib and contusion left behind by the spear.

She had no doubt Fantastico could handle this man he seemed to be acquainted with. Arcadia stayed alert and ready, more expecting some other trick up the fey hunters' sleeves.

WC: 1328
Arcadia WC: 3404/3500
Thread WC: 6712