Homecoming? (Intro)

Vandrad probably needed to wear something more formal when it came to partaking in his new official duties. He had plenty of professional outfits to choose from but… well, it had simply hadn’t crossed his mind. He’d been operating within Fairy Tail’s walls for well over a year and he’d created a routine that was not easily broken out of. Yet it would have to; now that Mura had offered him a role as an Ace within the independent guild, he had a substantial amount of responsibilities tacked onto his everyday. He was happy for it, all of it actually -- he understood that being promoted to an Ace was a mark of respect and trust, one he took to heart. He’d liked Mura from the moment he stepped into the guild, disinterested in his younger-looking features and rather marveling at his strength. One who looked so young but carried himself with such power was worth respecting and following and Vandrad had without question. And now here he was, operating as Fairy Tail’s Taskmaster and Treasurer.

It was a good thing that Vandrad was organized to the point of compulsion. As the son of a duchess, he’d been educated on how to maintain funds and cultivate wealth rather than spend it frivolously. A hilarious contrast, considering his mother donated much of their earned income to the less fortunate in hopes of raising other people out of squalor but then again, that was, in a way, a form of investment. Nonetheless, the prince had already created a checklist and an organization chart for himself so that he knew precisely what needed to be done. Now Vandrad found himself at the job board, as he was often seen at on most days, but this time he was recording down requests, detailing the information. Against that list was a breakdown of the guild’s members; detailed information regarding their personalities as well as their capabilities. As Taskmaster, he was put in the unique position of taking the requests put in by individuals, businesses and other guilds and relating them to a member of Fairy Tail that could best complete the request without issue.

It sounded like boring detail work to some but it gave Vandrad an opportunity to present useful challenges to the Fairy Tail guild. He could help his comrades grow in strength and power without having to be directly involved, as he had been in the past. It was arguably the part of the job that the prince was most looking forward to. As he finished up his notations, he walked over to the desk where the fairies were tending, asking if he could see how they organized so he could mesh into their system. They gave him a quick and brief explanation of where they kept records, how they sorted paperwork and who had access to what.

He was just finishing up there when a young man entered the guild. Vandrad’s gaze lifted from the fairies for only a moment to notice the stranger before turning his attention back down to finish up the conversation he was having. "I’ll be sure to follow the same organization. Thank you,” he replied to them, giving each of them a curt but respectful nod before finishing up a note on his datapad. With that matter resolved, he tucked the electronic device under his arm and approached the blond haired man just as he asked who he needed to talk to about joining. "I can help you with that,” he said as he walked up to Mitsuo. "Prince Vandrad du Wolff, Taskmaster and Treasurer of Fairy Tail,” he introduced himself, offering his hand out for the young man to take.

Vandrad was significantly shorter than Mitsuo, a full four inches shorter to be exact. But it was hard not to include the massive growth of hair that erupted from the prince’s scalp and rose up to stand just above the younger man. Vandrad was a man sculpted of muscle, practically outlined against the blue jumpsuit he wore over the larger portion of his body. The armor plating over his chest stood out against the rest of the guild’s attire, looking more like a soldier than a guild member.

The younger man reached out and took his hand, giving it a firm shake and introducing himself as Mitsuo Takahashi. Even more interesting was the revelation that he was a former Fairy Tail member, meaning he had departed the guild for one reason or another. He apologized for disappearing before speaking of how much it meant to meet Vandrad, asking if he should bow. "I’d prefer you didn’t. I introduce myself properly to show respect to my upbringing but I am hardly a fan of the customs that come from being a prince. You can just call me Vandrad.” Best to get that out of the way ahead of time before it caught on. His reveal as being a prince had only come in recent months, his secret outed by the gossip columns of the Sorcerer Magazine. It had been a long time coming but he hadn’t been happy that his chance to offer an explanation had essentially been ripped out from his control.

As for the attacking guildmates, Louie hardly counted as a person, let alone any kind of mate. But he digressed. Mitsuo remarked about his hope that he would be accepted back, stating that he had missed the guild. "If you’re a returning member, I am sure there are members that will remember you. But before I allow that, I’ll have to ask a few questions before I can commit to fully inviting you back.” New members were easier -- they were fresh, green, ready to jump into the fray without issue. They could be taught the rules and learn to live by them without issue. Someone returning from a time away, a former member, offered a slightly more complicated hurdle, depending on how they spent their time.

Vandrad pulled up his datapad again and turned it back on as he brought up a brand new document. He hadn’t had time to prepare member documentation yet, having only had the opportunity to create a very basic foundation. Flicking his finger through a few screens, he leveled his gaze back on Mitsuo. "During your absence, did you ever reveal any information about Fairy Tail’s inner workings to non-guild members?” He waited an answer and then made a notation. "When you departed, was it of your own volition or were you expelled?” Two very important questions to ask, though he assumed the answers for both of them right away. After all, one didn’t just casually walk back into a former guild that he had been kicked out of and/or betrayed by giving away information.

Pomp and circumstance was certainly part of the reason Vandrad didn’t liken his existence to merely being a prince. But he wasn’t a fan of the way people put on fake tones and embodied phony characters in some kind of pathetic way to earn favor. Vandrad had always been a man that respected strength and the drive to improve one’s self and while respect was due every now and then, he’d much prefer someone be rude for the sake of improving themselves than to simply roll over hoping for some kind of free giveaway. Mitsuo continued his thoughts as the prince turned the attention over to asking questions, stating that the first time he’d joined, Heero had given him some kind of lecture and then touched his hand. Heero was the former guildmaster, the one that Vandrad had learned later had been the victim of the raven-haired witch from Elysium. Whether the man had still been alive or dead didn’t much matter -- the carnage that the psychopath had inflicted was beyond reprehensible.

Mitsuo answered the first question firmly enough, explaining that he mostly traveled in solitary fashion. He had a few connections but they had simply been for the sake of business and he hadn’t even sought to dredge up his time with Fairy Tail. Vandrad made a note of the answer, nodding softly before he turned to his second one. It gave Mitsuo pause, perhaps a bit surprised to be asked the query, but he explained that he had not been expelled. He went into detail about how the guild’s past had drastically changed; when he’d joined, they were a legal guild and held to the highest standard under Heero’s guidance. Then he mentioned another former guildmaster, Kanix, whom Mitsuo had worked with. Eventually she had risen to guildmaster and the entirety of the guild’s mission had changed, forcing the younger man to depart. A pang of frustration rippled through Mitsuo’s person, his emotional response loud and clear to Vandrad’s empathic senses.

Vandrad noted the response quickly before he glanced back at Mitsuo. He went on about Magnolia accepting Fairy Tail once more and their change back in a direction they once were. He’d felt a desire to return and finally gave in, in hopes that he’d come back to a guild that was different but better aligned with his own personal direction. "I’ve been here about a year, so I have missed out on any personal experience with Fairy Tail’s… sordid past,” he told the younger man. "However we do not operate as a legal guild, as I’m sure you’ve heard. There is a balance that you’ll learn about as you reacclimate yourself. I have only the history books about Fairy Tail that I’ve looked through to go by but I can tell you, you’ll find a different guild from the one you imagine. I apologize if that comes across as harsh but I would rather help you understand the world you’re rejoining sooner rather than later.”

"With that said, I’m sure you’ve at least heard about the recent attack from the dark guild Elysium. Security is on high alert and protection of the guild and its members is the number one priority of the Aces and guildmaster. We’ve suffered some losses but we survived and we will grow stronger for it.” It was the first time Vandrad showed anything akin to emotion beyond cold and calculated. There was a slight ripple of anger in his voice as he remembered the sudden assault and destruction of the guildhall. It was a wound that had not healed and the members of the Elyisium would pay dearly for their treachery, with both their lives and their livelihoods. His dark eyes flicked back to Mitsuo. "I hope you understand the need for questions ahead of time. Fairy Tail does not suffer betrayal easily and I had to be sure. I don’t know a lot about the former guildmasters, only that one is still within our ranks. A Leonard Dragonbane, I believe. But you seemed to have gone through a decent amount of time and change within Fairy Tail’s walls. Having you back will be a benefit and I think Mura will appreciate seeing you. So if you’re still interested, I’d be happy to officially induct you back into our ranks.”

It seemed that Vandrad’s bluntness hadn’t swayed Mitsuo away from his task. Rejoining Fairy Tail was still a burning blaze of desire in the younger man and, perhaps, was further coaxed by the news of Elysium’s attack. He listened as Vandrad orated to him the reasons for his questions and then left open the possibility of turning back then and there. While others would think it better to encourage one to ‘stick it out and see how it goes’, the prince had never been like that. Even within the ranks of the Bellum army, he would always give people a chance to walk away. People that couldn’t handle the realistic nature of their commitment weren’t fit to continue and there was no reason in trying to push them to be what they didn’t want for themselves. Fairy Tail had gone through a trial and lives had been changed as well as lost. He could not allow passionate sign ups that would lead to devastation or death, not when he could outline exactly what the future was.

Mitsuo was unshaken by his words. Instead, he rolled up the sleeve of his left arm and presented his bare flesh to Vandrad. He stated that he would be honored to rejoin, understanding why he’d been put through an interview and wishing nothing more than to join the desire to bring Elysium to justice. He then took it an extra step and outlined what kind of magic he used and what he was skilled in. He told Vandrad in intricate detail, the prince quickly jotting down notes on his notepad as he listened. He nodded as Mitsuo rightfully assumed that his standing as the Taskmaster meant that knowing the guild member's magic would be a benefit.

"As Treasurer, I organize the guild’s funds and keep track of their invoices, along with other monetary transactional documentation. As the Taskmaster, I am in charge of organizing the jobs posted on the board and recommending them to members of Fairy Tail depending on their strengths and weaknesses. Your information is appreciated.” Vandrad reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box, placing it on top of the datapad and opening it up. He retrieved the stamp from inside and spun it around in his hand, taking a firm hold of it with his fingers. Once Mitsuo verified where he wanted the stamp, the prince would bring the stamp down gently, pressing it just enough for the entire imprint to land flat on his flesh. And then as he pulled it back, it would seal upon his flesh, magically changing to a color that Mitsuo himself felt drawn to.

"Welcome back to Fairy Tail, Mitsuo Takahashi.”