Introductions are cool, I guess

Night time meant quality time with Mura and co. in the guild hall, his lovely shelter where he could experiment all he wanted with several, different beverages. Now, having a hangover the next morning would prove troublesome for the Guildmaster, so he swore off the alcoholic beverages during work nights… but the milkshakes still pepped him up.

“B-Boy, you’re good at brewing… well, anything drinkable, Adam,” he complimented his senior bartender at the guild, the brownette gentleman Adam, “Where’d you even learn all of this? Is there a school for bartending?”

“Not exactly, but I learned many things from my mother… she was a big fan of entertaining guests with exotic drinks, and I picked up on her many recipes and ideas,” he explained with a warm smile creeping up on his face, “Never was a guest allowed to leave her house without having tried one of her drinks… it often led to trouble, but she was sharply proud of her hobby.”

“Well, send a good word to her from me. She taught you well,” Mura replied before taking another deep sip of his milkshake. It was light-pink in color, tasted of milk and cherry, and it cooled down his throat. In the midst of his bliss, however, someone arrived and knocked on the gate… and it was someone new.

It was unclear whether Toketsu could see ghosts or not, but two orbs of spiritual energies appeared – a blue one and a green one. The blue one belonged to the ssamurai Kyuken, and the green one belonged to the dragon Zirconis. The two of them eyed the gate, Kyuken hoping it was a new gal, and Zirconis hoping that it wasn’t another-

“Alright, alright, jeez… so assertive,” Mura groaned as he rose up on his feet, stretching his arms and back a little before approaching the silver-haired male accompanied by the cutest, little Exceed. However, as Mura approached the Dragon Slayer, his magic power skyrocketed… and someone with those senses like Toketsu’s would be able to sense it. The weight. The tension in the air. The lack of oxygen. The searing, scorching fire throwing a tantrum on Mura’s back, a manifestation of his tremendous magic. The sheer break of air particles around them… and the glowing eyes.

“So… I think I know what your deal is, if you’re that determined to speak to me. Yeeaaahh, I know your kind…” he spoke to Toketsu in a deep, grunting voice. While Toketsu might not have known it, it was very unlike Mura to approach a guest like this, but there was a reason behind it. “You look like you came from far, far away, huh… probably had a hell of a travel to arrive here. Since you came all this way, I’ll let you tell me.”

Two, huge figures manifested behind Mura for pure intimidation; a humanoid male donning a long, white coat and red shoulder plates, and a dark-green monstrosity with huge wings stretching out. “Tell me what you intend to do right here, in the middle of the night, in front of Fairy Tail’s humble wood gate.”

Truth be told, he… didn’t like being this intimidating. But Toketsu showed guts, so Mura simply wanted to see just how confident this fellow was… just how far could he be pushed?

WC: 549
TWC: 1072

The outside was much different from inside the guild. It was very cold out there and in the guild was warm. Not warm with heat per se but warm with the sense of love. It was comforting to Toketsu. Even so, he had stepped into the guild and a whole new list of scents became known to him.

The warmth changed as the guild master approached him. There was suddenly tension and the air got thinner. This was the guild master’s doing in a form to intimidate the dragon slayer.

The guild master was spot on when he spoke about someone who traveled far and wide and through hell just to request an audience with him. “Such a response is something I’d expect nothing less of from you, guild master. I traveled far and wide, through blistering winds and scorching deserts just to get here. The train wasn’t an option since they make me sick and this little precious girl over here can’t fly that long and far.”

He then took note of the two figures that had manifested behind the guild master. He wasn't intimidated by them since all he was focused on was if they had anyone else like him. "Quite a neat trick you got there." He folded his arms and stepped forward. "You need not worry, I come in peace. I just need to know if they're more like me here. Do you have other dragon slayers in this guild? I'm specifically looking for a girl, she's kind of a pyro. I've been told I can find her here. I need her help finding someone important, my dragon parent." He then took a deep breath. "Either way, I could join this guild. You're quite famous for being a bit... wild. Another thing, I do lack friends other than my sweet little Frost here." He would take the exceed up into his arms and hug her affectionately. "So, what do you say, Master of the Guild?"

WC: 330
TWC: 1, 402

"Master Kensho, you aren't fooling anyone with that tough act." A tapping of shoes upon the sturdy wooden stairs of the main hall alerted both Mura and Toketsu to the presence of a newcomer. Aven was dressed in more casual attire, today, a white button-down shirt and jeans, which gave him a rather relaxed and inviting aura. He shook his head, as he reached the bottom of the stairs, and strode lightly over toward them. "As powerful of a wizard as you may be, your magic doesn't lie: even a newborn could sense your lack of murderous intent." Stopping a few paces away from Mura, the Ace seemed mostly unaffected by the vibrations and disruption around them, save a frantic billowing of his clothes. "It's no way to treat a guest," He turned his attention to Tokestu with an apologetic gleam. "Things have been rather chaotic, lately, and I'm afraid the entire guild has been rather wary of strangers. With that in mind, we do have quite a few Dragon Slayers that have joined recently, one of whom does control flame, if you'd like to speak with them on your own time."

Aven took a moment to think, his perception of the world around him slowing to a crawl, as his thoughts raced. It was a strange coincidence that so many Dragon Slayers were appearing, and so soon after Elysium's attack on Magnolia. With the link between Elysium's Guild Master and the Dragon Race, was it possible that the two events were connected? As he set the thought aside, Aven spoke once more. "Before we discuss any joining of the guild, introductions should be in order, yes?" With a small sweep of his arm across his chest, Aven performed a short, yet regal bow. "I am Aven Alveron, one of the Aces of Fairy Tail. You introduced your little friend as Frost, but we haven't had the pleasure of your name." Aven straightened as smoothly as he'd bent, looking expectantly at the newcomer and his companion. He hoped Mura didn't mind his intrusion too much, but invitations for membership had grown... lax. After everything that had happened, it was a bare minimum that potential members be vetted at least a bit.

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…

This guy didn’t appear too… intimidated. Not at all, actually. He began confirming that he had travelled far and wide to come here, not having been able to take the train for… that reason… he was a Dragon Slayer?!?

“Oh! That must mean that he’s a-“

“Dragon Slayer?!?!?!?!”

In the meantime, Mura just… stood there. Was his little scene not affecting the lad in any way? Was he doing something wrong here? Mate even complimented on his neat ‘trick’ as if it wasn’t life-threatening at all! What was this bullshit?!

“… H-Huh,” he let out in mild curiosity. A single drop of sweat fell off of his face as the white-haired gentleman asked if there were other Dragon Slayers in Fairy Tail. Well, to his luck, the guild did enjoy the company of… uhh, 4-5, right? Yeah, wait, no, 5! He could count 5 solid Dragon Slayers in Fairy Tail! Hopefully, he hadn’t forgotten some poor soul…

Althea, one of his Aces, a rapscallion and a Water Dragon Slayer.

Zachary, a shooting star and a star-shooting Dragon Slayer!

Mitsuo, a heartwarming soul, generous like the wind of a Sky Dragon Slayer.

Akemi, unique in her own, secret way among the others as a black-and-white Dragon Slayer.

And the newest recruit; Nymara, fierce and passionate in her path as a Fire Dragon Slayer!

Damn… for a long time, it used to be just Althea. Zachary was the first in the list, apart from afore-mentioned, who came to possess Dragon Slayer Magic, and then the rest followed in either by joining the guild or learning Dragon Slayer Magic afterwards.

Now, Mura was just standing there, thinking… his whole façade thrown away. It only worsened his feeling when Aven remarked that his tough act wouldn’t be taken seriously by anyone who met him… what a knife to the chest. It ended up with Mura finding himself at the corner of the guild hall, having left the gate open for the Dragon Slayer to enter, while the shaman himself was on his knees with his hands on the floor, despairing. “I-I was really trying…”

“Huh… maybe he’s just ice-cold! I like that!” the samurai ghost commented in delight.

It was true that they had a Dragon Slayer who could be described as a ‘pyro’; Nymara. Did he know her? “Hmh… yeah, we have a few. Uh, Aven, would you happen to be a Dragon Slayer as well?”

“Don’t you even- I swear, this is killing me inside…”

“J-Just calm down, Zir, nobody’s going to kill you… you’re already dead, remember?”

“Doesn’t change the fact that I’m a featherless chicken surrounded by meat grinders!”

“Jeez, relax… not all Dragon Slayers are about killing Dragons, as much as the term implies it. Didn’t it all start with them just wanting to learn some cool magic from marvelous creatures?” Mura explained to try and calm Zirconis down, that crybaby.

“… You said you needed friends, right?” Mura spoke to Toketsu. It honestly spoke volumes about the person; he was tremendously lonely if he stated his intent to make friends out openly – especially to who were essentially strangers to him…

It felt… relatable. Little Mura, a foreigner, walking into the hall for the first time with meager Fiorian vocabulary… what a time.

“You will make friends here, I tell ya. Although, I’m not sure about your dragon parent… gotta elaborate on that.”

WC: 565
TWC: 2339

Aven chuckled, as Mura mused about his being a Dragon Slayer. "If I were fortunate enough to possess Slayer Magic, I wouldn't have needed to use roundabout methods like Circles against you, now would I?" It'd be a long while since the two of them last sparred; if he recalled correctly, it'd ended with a Seeker Circle barrage, back when his Circle Magic was more formidable... or rather, back when his Magic System was normal. Looking over the aura that the newcomer, introducing himself as Toketsu Kurodo, gave off, Aven guessed the sentiment wasn't too far removed from the truth. Aven had a similarly inhuman Magic System, though his wasn't dragon-related, so in a way, he and Toketsu weren't all that different; and yet, at the same time, they could hardly be more opposite.

The two began speaking about bonds and friendship, a good sign. They were also treated to a bit of Toketsu's history, and his raising by an Ice Dragon Royal named Frostzenai. Curious, how fickle dragons seemed to be with their pupils... perhaps, he'd investigate the matter further, seeing how many Dragon Slayers had recently joined Fairy Tail. However, when the dust had settled, Aven raised his hand in a halting gesture. "Not so fast, Toketsu. You're speaking as though you've already been accepted and initiated into the Guild, and for some reason," Aven gave Mura a mirthful side-glance, "Master Kensho seems to be on board, although you'd only just met." Returning his gaze to Toketsu and Frost, Aven shook his head, his expression far more neutral than before. "All things considered, I'm not of the same mind as Master Kensho. Perhaps you could humor me, and give me some proof as to both your intentions, Toketsu and Frost?"

Aven walked past the two of them toward the door, rotating his shoulder in a warmup exercise, neglecting to keep eye contact as he went. Bravado was not Aven's strong suit, but he'd watched Vandrad do it enough, and he needed to know whether this new recruit would be a help or a hindrance to Fairy Tail. As an Alveron, I'm a man of my word: however, life has taught me that blindly trusting the words of strangers can lead to misery. If you wish to join, then I'd rather you speak with your actions, as they cannot lie." Stopping in front of the door, and cracking it open, Aven turned his head to regard the three behind him. "If the two of you can land a blow on me, I'll give my approval. Is that alright with you, Guild Master?" There was a gleam in Aven's eye, one that Mura would know well: it was the telltale sign of a plan, and a herald of confidence. After all the time they'd known each other, Aven had little doubt of the other Wizard's trust in him, but he asked regardless, his mind skipping back their headaches with previous members. Then, more than ever, it was important to be cautious.

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It was a little suspicious that Toketsu wanted to meet their local Fire Dragon Slayer so badly, but hearing his story, maybe it wasn’t too farfetched… did Dragon Slayers know each other that well? Nymara sure didn’t even know that there were others like her out in Earthland, and here the white-haired Dragon Slayer stated the very opposite opinion.

So his name was Toketsu Kurodo… that sounded very Midijin. Mura couldn’t help but notice a lot of people from Fiore having foreign names like that, regardless of whether they hailed from other countries or not. Toketsu didn’t look like a Midijin, however… but since Mura hadn’t been in his home country since his honeymoon and several years before that, lots could’ve changed in the demographic. A topic for another day, perhaps…

With Toketsu and his adorable companion Frost wanting to join the guild for those reasons, Mura turned to look at Aven. Him and his darn Circles… but he had a point and, albeit politely, called out Toketsu on his hasty assumptions. Mura had his ways to know more about people, but maybe he was unconsciously already getting along with who was still somewhat a complete stranger?

But this was where Aven’s role stepped into play! Mura couldn’t help but raise a big smile.

Aven’s plead was simple; land a hit on him, and Toketsu would prove that he, at least, wasn’t completely incompetent… why did that remind him of someone else from days past? Now that it crossed his mind, Toketsu did have bright hair like that one… that one… huh…

“That’s fine with me,” Mura gladly replied, seemingly not doubting that Toketsu would be able to give his best from his Dragon Slayer Magic, “You’re better at reading people than I am, so I leave his little entrance exam in your care… j-just don’t push him too hard, okay? He may be a Dragon Slayer – no offense, Toketsu – but you don’t use any Ice Magic yourself, Aven…”

WC: 329
TWC: 3730

Toketsu hadn't had a gleaming first impression, by Aven's standards, but his willingness to face a challenge to meet his goals was admirable, at the very least. At the moment, as Aven made his way out in front of the Guild Hall, he was still unsure whether Tokestu's acceptance was an act of bravado, bravery, or ignorance. Regarding the young man's icy gaze when addressing Mura, he would've ventured ignorance, but it was no matter. Aven wasn't one to move forward with baseless assumptions, and thus a small test was required.

Wasting no time, both Toketsu and Frost shot into battle, a sure sign they'd practiced quite often. Aven watched them silently, his eyes closely follow Toketsu: this was a match, not a battle, but the same general practice applied. A few feints and calculated airborne maneuvers later, and the two of them attempted to split up his attention, and trap him into guarding two attacks at once. Their actions spoke of experience, but the telltale sign Aven was looking for was nowhere to be found. Their confidence stemmed from something, and finding that source, here, was his main objective.

The two completed their setup, accelerating and surrounding him in a torrent of blistering cold. Aven remained unmoved, as Frost circled around back, she'd notice that Aven's eyes followed her instead. A tactic Aven himself used often, it was clear that Toketsu was using his boisterous actions as a diversion for his partner to strike. An admirable plan, if they'd been facing a less observant opponent. Both Toketsu's fist and Frost's assault would find nothing but air, and a scattered collection of pitch black particles. From a hundred feet behind Toketsu, Aven spoke, now standing with one hand in his pocket. "A good try, but I'm afraid speed isn't on your side in this match. If you're going to succeed in landing a hit, you're going to need to show me what you're truly capable of. Otherwise..." Aven waved his free hand, and a cloud of dark particles gathering under him, manifesting into a solid shape as he sat in what looked to be a pitch black leather armchair. There was a slight gleam in his eyes, a mischievous smile on his lips, and as he sat, a sudden pressure emanated out from his body, causing loose pebbles and dust to rise into the air and away from Aven. The force wouldn't feel natural, or even magical: it was an ominous, eerie presence, one that would wildly fire off the natural instincts of any creature, warning of imminent danger. More than anything, the spectacle was a signal to Toketsu, one the Ace hoped was incredibly clear: if Toketsu didn't give his absolute best, he wouldn't get anywhere near Aven.

"...I may just get tired of waiting."

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[Word Count: 412.]

The town of Magnolia has once again regained its glory, its loyal citizens having returned after they were scattered during the invasion waged by the dark guild known as Elysium. Time passed on from that disaster and, since then, the people are still dealing with the tragedies that befell them and the loved ones who were lost in the chaos. In a show of resilience and unity, the Magnolians would return to their homes once again, the town itself being resurrected like a flow of invigorating blood raising a dead man back to life. Determined to prevent any reoccurrence of catastrophe, the apprentice baker MoRueran acted as the self-proclaimed guard dog of Magnolia, his Erythrite Domain sensory being activated periodically to scan for incoming living presences that were approaching either the town or the rebuilt guildhall itself.

As this was during the night, a sleeping Mo was resting soundly in his little bed in the basement of Billiam Feyson's childhood home where his aging parents lived. Then came a particularly potent presence that was heading towards the guildhall. How the red brawler knew this was both in memorizing the direction of the guildhall and that each of its guild members coincidentally exhibited incredibly strong flows of life due to powerful wizards possessing a greater affinity with magic. This greater aptitude was to the extent that magic has become intertwined with their individual life forces. It was by the visitation of a new and strong life force-- orbited by a much smaller one-- that forced the non-mage fighter awake and on his feet.

After doing some small errands for Billi's parents, mostly minor chores around the house, Mo moved as a red blur towards the guildhall to investigate the new arrivals and their intentions. This was the original plan, except by the time he arrived near the guildhall, the childlike fellow was both drowsy and yawning. He had already receded his life-sensing abilities when he got close enough because he didn't want to risk reading the guild master's or the present aces' life forces and knock himself out from sensory overload. Of course, even with this precaution, Mo was still affected by a heavy aura of dread that hung over the rebuilt hub of Fairy Tail as well as having an instinctual feeling that a great threat was close by. But it wasn't coming from the new arrival. Immediately returning to high alert, MoRueran slowly and cautiously opened the door, only to see that the guild master was relaxing while watching the two newcomers fight against Aven Alveron, one of the guild's Aces.

Being a fringe member of the guild, Mo was more often either working at the Yummy Reborn Bakery-- a store rename that Billi thought was appropriate-- and doing jobs abroad than being present at Fairy Tail's home base itself. This would be, since their encounter during the dark mages' attack, the first time the apprentice baker would properly meet a senior member of the guild besides its current leader. Waddling towards Mura, the red-coated weirdo pointed towards the prospective new members and made his inquiry. "Much punching to be giving I can, yes?"

@Mura Kensho @Toketsu Korudo @Aven Alveron

Mura made not a single comment afterwards. It was all in Aven’s hands, and by the looks of it, he gave Toketsu a run for his money. The Dragon Slayer was intent on proving himself along with his companion Frost, but they were dealing with Fairy Tail’s Alveron! Even when Frost and Toketsu got him cornered from two sides, Aven left nothing but dark dots in the air for the two to hit, while his form appeared further away from them in less than the blink of an eye.

… That’s not a Circle?

Mura settled in a cross-legged position and watched the bout intently, snickering at Aven’s remarks towards the duo. He knew Aven enough to know that he was likely just provoking them to do even better, like one of those bodybuilder dads would do in the presence of their milk-toasted younglings. The Guildmaster’s attention quickly got taken by the red-coated brawler who arrived – Mo of all people, a dude often absent from the guild hall due to one mission or another, with quite a… unique vocabulary. It reminded him of his own homeschooling in the guild when he joined Fairy Tail – all those Fiorian words and meanings…

“They’re actually being tested by Aven, Mo. You can watch, but you shouldn’t just jump in and punch random people… n-not unless they’re asking for it, I guess.”

WC: 228
TWC: 5244