#daxnedscul

There was a library nearby the housing district in Whisperwood that Colette frequented. Like every other building in this part of the city, it was beautiful and sunny and airy, sunlight filtering in through the glass domed ceiling. 

Today she was carrying a small bundle of books in her arms towards the front desk to check out. A couple were ones she thought her friend Raine might be interested in. But unfortunately, as she rounded a corner a bit too quickly— “Waugh—!”

...She bumped into someone. Not very hard, but the suddenness of it startled Colette into falling backwards on her butt, dropping a couple of her books onto her lap. As Colette made contact with the floor, bright pink wings of light popped into existence behind her. 

If there was one thing he could praise about this country it was the upkeep of the gardens and parks. While they paled in comparison to his rose garden, they were pleasant and quiet. A wonderful place to take a stroll and not be bothered. So he thought, but among a line of azalea bushes he spotted a child with an open book in her hand looking frustrated. He stopped in place contemplating on whether to keep walking as if he had not seen her. He groans to himself when he sees no guardian watching her. He unfortunately had a bleeding heart when it came to children, especially those that seem to have been neglected by their wards.

He approaches her and twists his wrist, and in an instant a single rose stem pops into existence in his palm. Blood tries to ignore the persistent nausea that accompanies the simple magic, his smile betraying discomfort at the corner of his mouth. He presents the still-blooming red rose to her with a flourish. The petals grow full and healthy within seconds.

So Mariela trudged down the sidewalk feeling sorry for herself, that is until she saw a crowd of people bustling along their way. At the center of the crowd was a little girl. She must have been Emily’s age. Lost and looking distressed. It must have been hard for her to break through a gap. Mariela just had to help. She walked quickly towards the group and started flailing her arms, making it seem as if she was tripping on a rock. People dispersed to either side and Mariela bowed left and right, apologizing for her clumsiness. All that was left behind was the girl.

“Heeey there. Are you alright? It was rude of them to just not pay attention to when someone needs help, huh?”

Fritz was tired -- so, so tired. He had barely made it through his most recent rift venture; his classical Latin was admittedly rusty, and the first person he'd run into had been a Gaul. Once he entered Rome he had been totally and completely screwed. Unfortunately, he hadn't been able to collect whatever clue his brother had left him before he had nearly been enslaved for barbarian activities.

The moment he got into hot water, he ripped open a rift and stepped onto the streets of Wisteria. He hadn't been as precise as usual due to his panic, so he opened it much further away from his small townhouse than he had planned. Fritz let out a dejected sigh as he started the hike back home -- Lord above, he just wanted to sleep.

As he passed under the tree canopy lining the sidewalk, he saw a young girl on the other side of the street getting pushed around by some kids. She looked nonplussed as the three boys taunted her; he wondered if she was used to it. Still, he couldn't in good conscious continue to let them bother her; Fritz halfheartedly jogged across the street.

"Hallo! You know --! It is not acceptable for young men to bother young ladies as you are currently doing--" Before he could continue the boys immediately tucked tail and bailed. One of them turned around and pulled a rude face before the group turned a corner.

“... You must be a fool to have wandered into this place.” Her voice echoes against the wall of the cavern. “Or, perhaps you just have a death wish...?”

 As the greater grail begins it’s manifestation behind her, tendrils of shadow form in the center of the room to give her physical form. She turns to the other girl, corrupted red eyes glinting in the low light.

“... A child...? Here?”

As the smallest of her shadow giants dance around the girl’s feet, Sakura stares in shock. How had she not considered this...?

Finding himself again in the woods of Whisperwood, Waka sat high up in a tree with his flute pressed to his lips. The melody he played wasn’t a happy one; it called to a time where all the natural joy and beauty were lost to a terrible curse. Yet something about it brought a sense of calm.

As he played, he remembered how the land of mortals, along with that of the plain had been cursed and was in need of healing. Now that the world he was from was on the verge of collapse, which was how he came to be here, the melody seemed fitting.

"Not something per se, but rather you." The professor stops before the girl and begins rummaging through her bag, in between paper-clipped reports and graded quizzes she finds a small stack of folded brochures. She pulls one out, an informational booklet on a school in Waypoint.

There's a rather medium sized box and in that box is an assortment of different kinds of tea. She figured if the lady was going to eat cake, she could drink tea with it. There's no note or anything.

She's surprised, to say the least! She brings in the gift and smiles as she examines it's contents.

"This is so cute... I wonder how I can pay her back for it?"