Playing Pretend

Mission:

Ryo sighed as he arrived in Clover town and waited at the park in town for not only his partner, but also the girls who hired them. He wasn’t sure why they would want to hire two wizards, but all the job posting said was “Wanted two good looking male Wizards.” That was all it said, but Ryo wasn’t going to complain it paid decently well, and he couldn’t see how two girls could have any missions or tasks for them that would be beyond their ability to handle. So now all he had to do was wait for Ian and the girls to arrive. They had specified this park, and the time, but Ryo had shown up early and had advised Ian to do the same. They did want to make good first impressions for not only themselves but the guild as well. Ryo looked forward to this mission as it would be a lot easier than the last one he had taken. The thought alone made him shudder and shake his head in distate.

Ian his footsteps could be heard over the hard brick ground as he ran to the park. He would not be late he just couldn't a good impression was a good start for everything as he looked at his watch. He still had five minuts left yet. He could see a bench in the distance, on it was Ryo he went to him and sat down sighing hard. ''God I am so glad I made it in time'' He said as he looked at ryo taking a breath and took a sip of the water botttle he had been drinking of when he sat down. ''SO how are you it has been a time since we last saw eachother'' Ian said blushing as the feeling came back up again. God it made him so obnoxious around Ryo but luckily in the time tht they had not seen each other he had learned to surpress the feeling of it so he didn't mind anymore. He wondered when the girls would come and if Ryo knew more then he did.

Ryo heard the footsteps of his partner in the game before he saw the boy himself. He finally turned and saw Ian running as fast as he could. Ryo thought this peculiar after all the boy was a wind element mage. Wouldn’t it have made more sense for him to fly? He thought to himself. Still he wasn’t going to say such a thing out loud. Instead he pulled out a brand new box of playing cards. He slowly broke the seal on the new box and took the cards out beginning to shuffle them frowning at how stiff they were. Still as he shuffled he spoke “I am doing well my friend. It has been a time, and I must admit I would’ve been grateful for your help on my last job, but alas it was a one player game. Now this job on the other hand is a tag team event.” He looked up to see two very lovely girls approaching them. Ryo smiled and nodded his head to them shuffling the deck once more “Our clients right on time yet.”

Ian listened to him and had not expected at first that he would call him his friend, and he was even more suprised that he would have liked to have Ian on his mission. ''Yeah I heard about you're mission, some new people in the guild were talking about a card mage who cleared a difficult mission so I knew it had to be you and you had been gone for a few days so I noticed'' Ian said smiling as he looked around to the direction the two girls were coming from. He knew their names for the job application, it were serinity and hope. He knew the personalities too and since he was the more nicer one and ryo the more cool acting one they should think strategic how the parents of them would believe them. Otherwise it would be a problem so they would need to do some background checks as well. Anyway he looked at the girls and gave them a kind smile as they came closer. He wondered why they were too ashamed to tell them. However it was not his job to think he just had to do nice and make sure the parents would believe him.

As the girls approached one of them walked up to Ryo. She was wearing black pants under a forest green skirt, and a nice red colored blouse, her shoes were actually boots that were also black in color. She smiled at Ryo and nodded her head "I'm picking this one Hope. He's more my type you know?" She smiled and took Ryo's arm in her's "My name is Serenity and you are?" Ryo smiled and gently lifted his hat in a salute to the girl who was now on his left arm "A pleasure to meet you Serenity. My name is Ryo, I am a card mage. I would be more than happy to be your fake boyfriend for the day." Serenity giggled slightly as she leaned on him "I wouldn't mind if you didn't fake it and just became my boyfriend." Ryo smiled and shook his head lightly "I am sorry my dear, but I don't quite start that way. At any rate let's be off, we don't want to be late." He led Serenity away with her directions as to where he goes.

Ian listened to the girl that went to Ryo as he looked at Hope and rubbed the back of his head in shyness. She just giggled and took his hand. She had long blond hair, with a red t-shirt and with a long blue skirt and small blue shoes with straps. ''Well uh nice to meet you hope I am Ian'' He said as he became close to Hope. ''You don't need ot be so shy'' She giggled as she followed her sister. ''Glad you two are helping us out'' She said as she looked at Ian with a happy smile and he smiled back as she was at his arm. ''Ah no problem we're allways happy to help damsels in distress'' He said smiling as he looked at Ryo and thought that he would much rather be the one that was on his arm, but he shook his thoughts away as he began to begin a conversation with the girl about magic which she seemed really interested in and soon they had something to talk about as he follwed her to where she needed to go.

Ryo walked with Serenity who seemed much more interested in him than he was in her, but of course he knew the reason for this. He was just simply here because he wanted to help a woman in need. He didn’t like lying, he didn’t like this particular job, but he couldn’t turn it down now. He had already accepted it, and he wanted to help these girls. Still as he walked he peeked a glance at Ian and as he saw him with hope something twitched in his heart, but what it was he couldn’t even begin to fathom. Still he kept his attention on the sister that was currently draped over his arm. He tried his best to stay involved with what she was saying, but in all reality it was a very hard task. They finally arrived at their house and upon their arrival there were several other people there all mingling and talking in the large front yard cooking, talking, and being a family. Ryo was a bit put off as his family upbringing was very different than this. Serenity smiled and looked up at him “This is my family. They are a bit rowdy, but they are good people. Come on.” With that she dragged him over to them smiling widely.

It was pretty interesting talking to hope. She had a lot of fun things to say and she had the same interests as him which was pretty fun. Maybe they could stay in touch after this mission and hang out as friends sometime. They soon arrived at their house. It was a pretty old house, like in old style but he could see the inside was pretty modern. Time had flown by it had looked like they had just started to talk and not that they had been on their way for a pretty long while. ''Thats my family'' She said smiling. ''I am sure you will like them'' She said as Ian followed her and she went to her mom and dad. ''Mom, dad this is my boyfriend Ian'' She said as they looked around and Ian shook their hands. ''Nice to meet ya how are you'' He said as the parents told them that they were fine and looked at serenity waiting for her introduction as hope was happy. They seemed to approve.

Ryo smiled as he mingled with some of Serenity’s family. They were all very nice people, but he wondered why she would have to lie about having a boyfriend. Still he was playing a part. When she pulled him over to introduce him to her parents he smiled and took his hat off putting it over his head as he bowed in greeting “I am honored to meet you. Your daughter is a very wonderful woman.” As he stood up and put his hat back on his head he looked to her parents smiling. Serenity’s father seemed to be okay with Ryo, and her mother blushed slightly seeing how formal Ryo was capable of being. The rest of the family get together. Ryo was very happy to meet this family, and everyone was very kind hearted and such. After a few hours things started to die down and Ryo looked to Serenity “I’m sorry my dear, but I have to go. I do have a lot of work to get done.” Serenity looked a bit sad, but she smiled “I understand my dear. Don’t worry.” She leaned up and kissed him. Ryo was a bit surprised, but returned the kiss just long enough so he could leave. He turned and looked to Ian smiling “Well come along Ian. We’ve got more work to do.”

Ian had been talking with the family and he was really getting around with hope. They were really getting friends and she was really fun to be around, plus she couldn't be any better to a friend. She was trying to give all her friends enough attention and tried to help everyone from what he heard. She seemed like a pretty girl and if she would continue like this he wold be sure she would get a mage boyfriend for real but he knew it wasn't real. However she had asked if they could have been friends and he had agreed and told her where to find him, she was really sweet. He could hear ryo say that they would have to go and he patted her back. ''Well we will speak with eachother right'' He asked hope when she nodeed and said: ''Travel home safe, as she gave him a kiss on his cheek and he petted her head as he followed Ryo. When they were out of the house and like far: ''So how was serenity Hope was pretty nice and we became pretty good friends, I actually think she is a wizard but doesn't know it yet i just got that vide from her'' He wondered what ryo would say.

Ryo walked with a purpose, but pulled out his deck of cards and began to shuffle them repeatedly. He looked over at Ian as he caught up to him. He put on a rather fake smile for his friend's sake "She was nice, but a bit too pushy for me. It's like she is trying to fit some kind of image, that she doesn't even want to fit. I'm not quite sure why this is the case, but it is. Anyway I am glad you had a good time. I got our rewards." He didn't want to talk too much and give away the fact that he was in a rather sour mood due to some kind of emotion he couldn't understand. He had to first figure out what it was, and then he possibly could understand it. Still he wasn't going to bring it up directly with Ian as of yet.

Presently, he smiled at Ian and handed him his part of the reward "Anyway Ian. Let's get back to the guild hall and see if there is another mission we can do." with that he increased his pace and headed to the guild hall.

(exit)

Ian could hear him say that serenity was pretty nice but that she was a bit too pushy for his like and he could understand, He would not have liked to kiss someone which he would have never met and so didn't he, luckily hope was a girl that wasn't pushy and just kissed his cheek which was enought convince the parents which he didn't mind thought it wasnt of love but it was more of a friendly kiss that they had. However when Ryo handed him the reward he couldn't help but feel, a bit oddness come from ryo. It wasn't really irritation nor anger but it was something in that area. Also the expression on his face gave a lot away it looked a bit unhappy a bit jealous but most of all like he had bitten in something sour. He wondered what was wrong and brought out of his thoughts by what ryo said. ''Sure I am sure Master will be glad to hear about our succes'' He said with a smile as they walked forward.

(exit)