A Blue Twilight

Akeya silently observes the sight in front of her, the grand island on which Clover Town resides, with the Guild Hall of Blue Pegasus rising above everything else. The entire island looks like it came straight out of a story about ancient times, when gods governed the lands and all days were peaceful. Akeya grimaces at the light, which has started to bathe both the island and the ship she is on, and pulls at the hood of her cloak, between that and the mask hiding her lower face only her dark green eyes remaining visible as she peers at the docks. She had hoped that she could avoid this by setting out before even twilight was showing itself, but she hadn't accounted for the fact that most people actually prefer to only travel in broad daylight, and sailors don't like setting out when the darkness is still blinding them. As such Akeya is forced to hide underneath a large cloak as the sun sends its rays down from above, not even a single cloud in the sky to give Akeya some hope of finding shade. Maybe she should have chosen a guild located somewhere else, maybe in a deep valley with big mountains surrounding it.

Yet, besides making sure that her cloak is covering her, Akeya does not show any of her irritation at the predicament caused by the attraction most people have to light. As much as it may annoy her, it's not their fault that they prefer the brightness and warmth offered by the sun compared to the dark chill cloak of the night. It's not the fault of the weather that Akeya herself has such a dislike of this brightness. Of course, it isn't Akeya's fault either, it just being who she is, so the price of being a reasonable person is that Akeya has to endure this without having anybody to blame. As soon as she's on land she's heading for the shades.

The ship reaches the harbor without any difficulties, and as soon as the opportunity arises Akeya gets herself off the wooden deck, exchanging it for the stone of the docks. The other people, travellers, tourists and sailors alike, who were with her on the trip, subtly walk around her. It isn't like Akeya had acted hostile, but it looks like these people aren't used to her silent aura of concentration and dignity. They had tried to talk to her a couple of times, and Akeya had talked back, but it looks like they still picked up on her nature. Akeya shrugs slightly, dismissing them all as she starts heading from the docks into the city, still completely covered in her cloak, with the dark brown mask covering the lower half of her face, as she tries to find a route towards the Guild Hall which doesn't require her to expose herself directly to the rays of the sun. She really should have chosen a guild in a valley. Or maybe just in a cave.

There was something about the docks of Clover Town that just got to Nikolai. Watching the calm water really helped relax him. He wanted to try and go sailing again at some time just for the fun of it, but remembering the results of his last attempt shot shivers down his spine. Looks can be deceiving; that water was not to be trusted. Sighing, he stretched and looked around the docks. Today was a rather boring day. He wanted to get out and do something, but couldn't find the motivation to do a job. 'It looks like a nice day to just stroll the town though. Clover's always so calm and peaceful, so why not try to get to know it better?' Heading back into town, Nikolai looked around, deciding where to go first, but something else caught his eye.

Seeing the cloaked figure walking through town, alarm bells went off in Nikolai's head. 'I'm probably over-reacting, I mean, it's just someone walking around in a cloak, in the middle of the day, they probably have nothing to hide. Still I guess it wouldn't hurt to check up on them. It could be someone dangerous, or someone lost. Right, I can handle this, it's just a simple conversation. Calm yourself, just walk over there and ask "Is everything alright? That cloak looks rather strange on a day like today." Then again, they could take that offensively, it does sound rather judgmental, maybe I should just ask if they need any help? But then I seem nosy. What about if I-' Too focused on his thinking, Nikolai suddenly found himself standing in front of the hooded figure. Looking down at them, he blushed and went into full embarrassment overdrive, trying to figure out how to handle himself. He was completely out of his element with people, and without proper planning going into it, he froze like a deer in the headlights. He gave the figure na awkward smile. "H-Hi there... I-I-Is everything alright?"

After some searching Akeya has finally found what looks to be a path towards the giant building in the centre of the town which completely hides her from the sun, making her relax a bit, and making her be a bit looser with her cloak. The hood slides a bit backwards as she makes her way forwards, allowing some strands of her black hair to creep out from underneath it. Now that she no longer has to deal with that issue she takes some more time looking at her surroundings. While the geographical location of the town is not exactly to Akeya's liking, she has to admit it still looks rather nice. The buildings are nicely made and taken care of, the people appear to be prosperous and happy... and there's a man standing in front of her.

Akeya comes to a halt as the stranger suddenly steps in front of her, underneath her cloak shifting her stance slightly. The man is a bit larger than her, about her age, and has got a good physique. While she doesn't know him at all, she can see that if he were to have bad intentions he'd be a handful. However, she doesn't exactly feel like he's a threat. Hell, if she is judging him correctly, he's as surprised about what he's doing as she is, and has trouble not bolting. This judgement of the man is only reinforced when he starts speaking. A slight stutter, indicating that he's having trouble figuring out what he should do or say right now. An extremely careful and polite question, showing that this man is not used to this. Which just makes it stranger that he would do it right now. Akeya realizes that some people might believe her cloak is hiding trouble, but this man certainly doesn't look like the kind who'd just walk up to people and demand that they state their business, even if they're rather strange looking.

All this goes through Akeya's mind quickly as she studies the man for a couple of seconds, her dark green eyes intently focusing on him from beneath the shadow of the hood and the black hair now partly covering her forehead. After having completed her study of the man Akeya nods quickly, still staring intently at him.

"Greetings. I am fine, thank you for asking."

While Akeya's response is polite and straightforward, she says it rather curtly. She was planning to head straight to the Guild Hall, and while she's trying to be nice and patient with people now that she has left her home the sudden obstruction of her path has made her slip back into her usual tendency of saying what she wants to say with as little words and as quickly as possible.

"Is there a reason why you are talking to me?"

Nikolai found himself wanting to just run. Run away and pretend this never happened. After all, who was this person to him? He could just run, never see them again, and pretend this never happened, at no consequence to him. Yet, despite how hard he urged his legs to move, they remained rooted in place, crippled by his own fear. He tried to calm himself and analyze the situation. 'Right, before me is a figure I've never seen before, taking a back street to the guild, wearing a cloak. I think I have a right to be concerned. Right, I do! I have no reason to be scared, I'm just protecting the safety of my guild. I mean, this could be an assassin or someone headed to the guild. An assassin... who I just.... entered a back street with.... as a member of Blue Pegasus... I did not think this through...'

Nikolai took a deep breath, trying to kill his nerves. He could handle this. He could do it. He looked at the figure before him, listening to them as they spoke. Some of their hair was coming out from under the hood, and he could see a bit of their face alongside it. When he heard the voice, it all clicked in with him; it was a woman. Suddenly, his fear increased two fold. Not only was he starring down a potential assassin, he was staring down a female potential assassin. He couldn't show fear now, he had to be brave. Despite his best attempts though, his every action showed fear. He stared her down, forcing himself to speak. "I-I came h-here to see w-what you were doing. As a m-member of Blue Peg-Pegasus, I felt th-the need to make s-sure everything was al-alright, since y-you were walking around in-in such an appearance." He was dead.

Akeya watches the man, whose every action further gives her the impression that he wasn't used to this, didn't actually want to do this, and would rather be anywhere but here, holding her up and talking to her. Even considering the fact that her cloak would make her suspicious looking, she has trouble believing this man would walk up to her without an actual reason. After all, this town is the home of the famous Blue Pegasus guild, and there are supposedly several living legends who have settled down here. If he really did it solely because he found her suspicious he could just as well have alerted other mages, instead of doing something he so obviously dislikes doing.

However, that still leaves the question: What is his reason then. Akeya's eyes quickly scan the surroundings in front of her before settling back on the man. They're in a simple back alley, with not much space for movement and few people. There are also enough shadows here, so if he was trying to pick a fight she should be able to deal with him, although no matter how he acts she doesn't believe underestimating his fighting abilities would be wise. Still, the landscape is in her favour.
But even knowing that, and considering what possibilities the man could have approaching her, Akeya first wants to see if she can deal with this without resorting to force. She just arrived here, and if she was involved in an incident not even an hour after stepping off the boat things would become a lot harder for her. Hearing what the man has to say Akeya once again stays silent for a couple of seconds before speaking again, her eyes boring into the man.

"I am heading for the Guild Hall of Blue Pegasus. I just arrived, and I want to join the guild. As for my appearance, I do not like the light. It is a downside of my magic. Does this satisfy your curiosity?"

Nikolai couldn't help but feel on edge around her. She wasn't hostile, but her attitude clearly wasn't friendly either. Because of that, Nikolai's usual nervousness was amplified. Still, at least she made it clear that she wasn't there to harm BP... or him, by extension. Maybe he was being too trusting, but she had no reason to lie about that. I mean, if she was there to hurt him, she could do it right now. He didn't like standing in the alley. It was tight and closed, making it hard for him to make full use of his magic.

Deciding it would be best to keep an eye on her, as well as get out of the alleyway for safety, Nikolai gave a less nervous smile. "W-Well, if you're here t-to join Blue Pegasus, I should a-accompany you there at least, since I-I am a member. W-Would you care to f-follow me?" Nikolai turned and started continuing down the alleyway, leading her towards the guild. He was starting to calm down now. She didn't seem rude or impolite. Nikolai took another deep breath, relaxing himself. He turned back to face her, giving her a small smile. "I'm Nikolai, Nikolai Granit. Nice to meet you...?"

Akeya waits for the man to respond, still wondering what his actual intentions are, and what he was planning to do. He still doesn't show any signs of hostility, but he could be hiding it. Either way, Akeya hopes that this is resolved soon so she can be on her way: She may have enough shadows here, but she still would prefer being indoors, seeing how the sun is slowly rising.

When the man finally speaks again Akeya raises her eyebrows slightly, then nods silently and waits for the man to start walking before following him. This is maybe not the most ideal solution, but at least she can keep an eye on the man now, and she can finally continue heading for the Guild Hall. Besides of that, it might actually help if somebody who is already a member of the guild leads her in. They're probably more likely to accept somebody who is taken in by one of their own. Once the man introduces himself Akeya quickly responds.

"My name is Akeya Kuusai."

Still, even seeing how this might actually work out in her favour, Akeya feels compelled to find out just what this man was thinking when he blocked her path.

"Tell me. Why did you suddenly stand in my way? Judging from the way you act, you normally don't do this. Rather, you look like you really dislike doing this, so you must have a good reason."

Nikolai wasn't actually expecting her to talk at all. He had pegged her for the silent type, so he was rather shaken when she did. Continuing forward, he sighed, stretching out his arms a bit. He decided to keep his eyes ahead, not turning to face her, as to stop himself from getting nervous. "Well, I noticed you walking around, and like I said before, a person walking around in a cloak in the middle of the day is rather... suspicious. I ended up intercepting you without intending too though. I was so focused on my thoughts I never really realized I was moving till it was too late." Nikolai let out an awkward chuckle at the part, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm... Not exactly the smartest tool in the shed sometimes."

As they continued up the path, Nikolai could see the Pegasus Grounds coming into sight. He sighed, it looked almost like a safe haven to him currently. He started to move a little quicker, hoping to get to the Grounds as fast as possible. "I'm sorry if I bothered you at all, I'll take full responsibility for the inconvenience. As such, I owe you a favor, at least, and will be in your full service for the day, helping you with whatever you need. It's only fair." He turned to face her, giving her an awkward smile. "I-Is that enough?" While Nikolai seemed awkward, he was completely genuine and serious. He is one to pay back his debts, as well as fix any of his mistakes.

Akeya pays sharp attention to what Nikolai says in response to her question, trying to see if he's hiding something. However, for as far as she can see, he is telling the truth: He did what he did not with any ulterior motives, he just noticed her, found her appearance strange, and before he even realized it himself he had stepped in front of her. Not exactly the smartest move either, but Akeya is glad to know that it's just a case of the man doing something without thinking ahead, and not something sinister she'd have to deal with later.

She stays silent as she continues following Nikolai, not commenting on his explanation. Now that her curiosity was satisfied she returns to her normal quiet self, studying their surroundings as they pass through the city. After all, if all went well she'd be spending a lot of time here, so it'd be good to learn about this city quickly. When Nikolai speeds up Akeya follows his example without complaint, although now her cloak starts softly flapping around her legs. Once Nikolai halts and turns around Akeya also stops, looking at the man for a couple of seconds before shaking her head.

"That is not necessary. If you lead me to the Guild Hall, and if necessary back me up while I apply for membership, I will consider us even."

Nikolai stared awkwardly at Akeya. She seemed so blank and emotionless, he didn't know how to handle it at all. He couldn't gauge for any reaction, and was purely trying to take a guess. At least she wasn't forceful, or doing anything to unnerve him. That was a plus. He had a hard time against women, but someone quiet and composed like her he could handle. Still, just because he could handle it, didn't mean he was necessarily good at it. He gave her a small nod, and started moving towards the Guild Hall. "Alright, I think I-I can show you the way, follow me."

As they moved, he continued. "It might not be necessary, but it is what I wish for. I don't like feeling indebted to others, as well as feeling like I inconvenienced them. So, I give back more than I take. There's nothing wrong with a gift. Consider it part of your welcome to the guild." He turned and gave her a small, warm, non-awkward smile, before turning back. As the pair walked, he looked around the area, starting to think a bit. e didn't like judging people, but he was slightly curious; Akeya didn't really seem like the type to join a guild like Blue Pegasus. "So, why did you chose Blue Pegasus out of all of the guilds?"

Akeya kept staring at Nikolai, when he claimed that he'd show her the way nodding and following him. From what she had seen so far of this man she wasn't very impressed, but at least Nikolai appeared to be a nice and somewhat intelligent person: The biggest flaw Akeya had found so far was that he became flustered and nervous extremely quickly, and so far as character flaws go that isn't the worst. Although she wished he could at least stop acting like the situation is awkward. He was the one who walked up to her, and now he's the one acting like he doesn't know what to do.

Once Nikolai explained his tendency to overdo his attempts at returning favours Akeya only nodded, which Nikolai likely couldn't see due to him walking in front of her. Another indication that Nikolai is a decent guy. When he asked why Akeya joined Blue Pegasus out of all guilds, however, Akeya frowned, trying to give a quick answer which would satisfy Nikolai's curiosity.

"Blue Pegasus is a renowned guild, and together with the inhabitants of this city itself this place should have plenty of mages who have studied the nature of magic itself. Also, while Oak Town has a bigger library when it comes to magic, the library Blue Pegasus possesses is also notable. Basically, I thought that out of all the legal guilds my chances of studying magic would be highest here."

While talking the Guild Hall quickly became larger in front of them, its size allowing it to appear like some kind of miniature hill perched in the middle of the city.

Nikolai listened to Akeya intently, feeling her reasoning was fair enough. He kept his eyes focused on the guild hall in the distance, a wave of relief coming upon him as they entered the Pegasus Grounds. From here on out, it wouldn't be much longer; he would help her join the guild, say his goodbyes, and then go hide away from people for the rest of the day. Sounds like a solid game plan. Stopping at the entrance to the grounds, Nikolai turned to face Akeya and gave her a small smile. "Here we are, welcome to the Pegasus Grounds." Turning back to the grounds, he pointed towards the largest building in the area. "And that g-grandiose place is the main hall."

He started to walk towards the hall, assuming Akeya would follow him. Walking around the grounds always seemed to calm him. The general peacefulness of them was relaxing, and it made him feel safe. He wondered if Akeya would feel the same; he could barely judge anything about her. Part of him wanted to inquire a bit more, she was going to be a guild mate after all. However, he couldn't bring himself to push any farther. He had gone enough out of his comfort zone for today, he didn't need to push himself. As the pair approached the guild hall, he tried to think of something to say, but he couldn't bring anything to his mouth. She probably felt nice and calm with the silence, but to Nikolai it just made him feel more and more nervous. 'What is she thinking is she judging me is she mocking me she probably thinks I'm an idiot and is gonna badmouth me to the entire guild they'll all think I'm an idiot and I'll be laughed oh god why did this happen to me what did I do.'

Akeya watched Nikolai's back as he continued walking in front of her. So far he had been quiet and withdrawn enough not to irritate Akeya, which she was grateful for. However he also was making it quite clear that part of the reason he was so withdrawn was because he was feeling uncomfortable with the whole situation. Akeya wasn't particularly surprised by that: She knew she's not the easiest to get along with. In fact, most people quickly stop trying after their original friendliness is met by Akeya's inherent tendency towards silence. And Akeya was fine with that. One of the reasons she was hard to get along with was because she didn't really put any effort into it. While she could appreciate somebody to talk to from time to time, she felt just as comfortable on her own. So, the result was that Akeya had few people she actually had a relationship with, and she had come here with the idea of doing the same as she did back home.

However, seeing just how uncomfortable Nikolai was, Akeya began thinking about maybe changing her approach, if only slightly. She might be used to it, and the people at home were used to her, but now she was in a completely new place, where nobody knows her. Back at home they knew her from when she was small, so they had plenty of time to get used to her: These people would simply be confronted by her wall of solitude without warning or preparation. And while Akeya might be able to get by without any help, from what she heard about guilds there was supposed to be more to them than just the group you joined as a place to get your jobs and earn promotions. It would be presumptuous to call it a new family, but people who are part of the same guild were supposed to look out for each other.

Considering all this Akeya nodded at Nikolai when he smiled at her, then looks around. From close up it looked even more impressive than from the docks, a thought which Akeya voiced.

"I have to admit, this all is rather impressive. It helps understand the way most people speak about Blue Pegasus."

She once again followed Nikolai when he started walking, the way he moved showing her that he was at least slightly more relaxed by now. However, it was still clear he wasn't really happy with the current situation. Normally Akeya would have spend this time inspecting the Grounds a bit more, but she decided that if she were to be part of this guild, she'd at least have to make an effort to join in. Besides, looking at Nikolai, it would be unfair if his attempts at being welcoming were not at least partially met. Walking a bit faster Akeya joined Nikolai, falling in step next to him instead of staying behind him. While she was still looking at the Grounds rather than him, it was clear that she was addressing him when she spoke.

"You know, there is no need to be so tense. I realize that so far I have not been very responsive, but that is just because I am not a very social person. I thank you for going through the trouble of leading me to the guild, and I apologize for making you feel uncomfortable."

She turned her head to look at Nikolai. She still carried that air of intensity and dignity, but now he might also sense that she was genuinely trying to help him relax.

"I understand if you'd rather go do something else now that you've shown me the way here. You've already helped me more than I asked for, and possibly more than I deserve, thanks to my behaviour. I would appreciate it if you were to help me get accepted into the guild, but I will not ask you to stay if you don't want to."

Akeya felt silent after that, waiting for Nikolai's response. She just said a lot more in one go than she had said in at least a week, but as much as she liked silence, it was becoming clear to her that she would have to become a bit more social if she were to join a guild like Blue Pegasus.