#|pre-war|

They've been hearing several complains as of late...

All coming from the same person, they learned soon enough after a few tiring and hasty travels. Each recounting always speaking of a person with the same traits and clothes, or if not then similar in designs, and an accent no doubt from outside their lands...

Normally, they wouldn't even bat an eye...

But blood had been shed, of several people, and often with witnesses being no wiser as to why. And though they knew why, they couldn't help but see the guest in their kingdom was unusually reckless, in the way of handling bounty hunting and similar vigilante activities, a... concerning matter, specially given the unstable ground between the magical and non magical. Enough wrong steps would break the painfully kept peace they tried to hold, and let loose a war that, no doubt, would many people in the process. Something they couldn't afford to happen, not when there were many works to finish, things to correct and mend in their kingdom...

So an agreement was made, eventually. With Agar and Thanneth volunteering for the task. Unorthodox, mayhaps, and yet, neither could go without the other. Being opposite ends of the spectrum of concern, one had to balance out the other's whims and ways. Something both agreed to annoyed groans, but understanding minds that knew their flaws and strengths, if not the wisdom of others.

" This should be the place, if my informants are right with our target's latest movements and directions given by travelers. "

" So it would seem… want to pass over the plan, again? "

" We enter, you try your friendly nonsense, disarm the idiot into compliance and proper education on how to be a bounty hunter " The blond woman says, shaking her head. Arms crossed as she makes a quick gesture to change attires, and soon enough dispelled is her formal attire, replaced with an expertly decorated dark armor of intricate designs and patterns. " Failure to do it, we simply take her prisoner over public endangerment by reckless destructive bounty hunting without the licenses on foreign land and disruption of the several laws for both magical and non-magical activities, as well as potetial dirruption of the relationship of magic and civilians. "

" Sounds about like the usual... you want to bet which one is more likely to work? " The man questions with an amused smile " My charming nonsense and persona? or your idea to brute your authority over her by threat of being charged crimes? "

" I don't think it is needed " She snorts, shaking her head. " But... I would wager about five gold coins your's will fail, with a punch to your face and a kick on your balls. "

There is a sound, arguing, then glass shattering.

" Shall we? "

Thanneth nods, pushing the door open. Agarwaenor entering and narrowly dodging and catching a flying empty jug, eyebrow lightly rising in amused surprise. Now this brought back memories. The red eyed man chuckles, shaking his head before taking a deep breath and raising his voice over the ruckus.

" Golly golly! All parties calm down! We don't want to ruin our precious drinks graciously given at this fine establishment don't we? Absolutely terrible to lose the booze! "

“ Seeing the children’s faces, when they get used, and have fun... it is enough, you know? I don’t know if I’ll be ever ready to have mine, but seeing children, teens and even adults sometimes having fun...  “

“ That is enough, for me... it means I am doing something right at least... “

“ Not... because they can be sometimes... handfull, not really. I’ve worked with harder humans more often than not, that is par for the course for my job. As a headmistress, as a mentor. Such... isn’t really as much of a deal, you get used to those things with humans, we just... like to make things difficult for others, I guess... “

“ It is... their fragility... “

“ Human children, with enough intent, can strike down other monsters... I haven’t seen it, but I have seen kids get... agitated, hit one another hard, and it... it puts into perspective just how... vulnerable they are. A child can do that, imagine what an adult, weathered by the world’s harships, could do to other monsters. I can only... shudder at the idea, let alone mages... “

“ If humans were to turn on them... if the king was to declare war... “

“ I can understand their fear... their wariness. A dog smaller than the wolves around them is bound to be skittish, often on the defense and alert to threats, I can understand them wishing to keep secrets or a distance. More so when I myself do the same with them and humans alike... They are just... so... fragile, sometimes I fear I’ll ruin a hand from shaking it durning a stressful day, sometimes I fear a punch going through all way to the other end of someone’s skull, just because my patience just... left me... it is terrifying... I don’t blame them for fearing my kind... let alone think as they do after a long while of... difficult relationships... “

“ But... despite all that hardship, I still want to try... even if its stressful, tiring and it mostly seems like a waste of time. Even if I’m not seen in a different light to that of my kind. Because... what else do they or I have left then? No one will try to build bridges, nor build them, over night by selfless whims... Those kind of persons... they hardly live long these days, hardly even get to the place I am to be able to pull them off... If I didn’t try to make an independient Academy for both races, no one would, if I didn’t seek to build a place were we could share and mingle and build bridges long lost, no one would turn an eye towards the idea... “

“ Someone has to try and salvage what remains and build whatever they can from it, right? Someone has to see that sinking ship, and patch it until it can reach shore and be repaired well... “