Here she was... Crocus. She hadn't come to the capital in a few months, busy as she was changing yet another dead end lead. Truly the more Alisa pondered on it, the clearer she realize just how much time she wasted on hopeless leads. Not that it ever deterred her resolve, quite the opposite. Bounty hunting the small fry to test and her abilities was all fine and dandy, but not once did she ever forget the name of that brought her into this life in the first place.

Black Sun.

And with every clue she validated or scratched off, she stood one step closer to finding out who and where they were. For now, it was time for a break. And by break this means, spend most of her day training, then either work on her art or go admire someone else's.

The weather was cold today, the cloudy autumn skies threatening an afternoon rain than never seemed to come. Yet whoever looked at Alisa might be inclined to think otherwise: Wearing a pale violet tank top and black bike shorts, she jogged around Crocus sweating like a marathon runner. This was simply the conclusion to an average training routine, aimed at exhausting the last of her stamina before a long, well deserved rest.

However, even tired as she was she not only maintained her coordination, but also scanned her surroundings every time she turned a corner and into a new block. And wherever she looked, she saw Halloween goods, Halloween goods everywhere. It wasn't surprising given how it was only a bit more than a week away, and it still made her wonder what kind of costume would she wear this year. She truly enjoyed trying out new outfits, and halloween was not only the time to be spooky, but more importantly the best time to think outside the box.

As for the people, she occasionally saw some sporting Guild Marks here or there, but so far none bearing the same as the one exposed on her midriff. All of these mages... Just how strong would they be? A pleasant, motivational as such greatly staved off her exhaustion, keeping her on the run for yet another block, not even feeling the weighted rings around her wrists and ankles. Every now and then she did yearn for a real challenge. A powerful opponent who she could respect, and do battle to her heart's content.

Clothes:

The sound of feet on pavement could be heard, coming from a shirtless man running through Crocus. It was funny, really. When Finn first discovered other people, he was far too shy to be seen by even a single person shirtless. Now, he was going through the Capitol of Fiore in only shorts, socks and shoes. It was crazy how the simple act of living could slowly change someone, whether or not for better or for worse.

Sweat dripped from the boys hair, face and body. The warm liquid contrasted with the cool air to make him get occasional chills when the breeze came through. It was a positive feeling, one that he desperately needed after his intense workout. Hair down to his mid back and tied in a sort of braid to stay out of his way, the young adventurer continued forward. He was not scanning his surroundings at the moment, but rather focusing on the path ahead of him. Should anyone wish to cross him, he'd deal with it as it came.

Turning one corner after another, Finn soon realized that he heard footsteps coming ahead of him. They were either heavy enough to be loud, or were moving similar to how he was. Stopping and jogging backwards and towards the middle of the street some, he'd have done so just in time to dodge an oncoming woman who was turning the corner.

Jogging, and as drenched in sweat as he was, the young lady wore equally revealing clothes as Finn. Albeit slightly caught off guard and embarrassed by seeing a woman dressed that way, Finn merely averted his eyes quickly, continuing to jog in place. He assumed she'd just keep going, and he'd continue back on his workout. He had no way of knowing, due to his averted gaze, that she was Blue Pegasus as well.

She ran, and she ran so far away, yet she still had enough left for more. Watching the people of Crocus go about their pre-Halloween business was interesting enough, but after jogging across over half of Crocus and only seeing more of the same, it started getting repetitive. That was, until a particular something, or rather someone, caught her attention.

"Araa, hello there Finn...!", she greeted the younger boy with a charming, nonchalant smile, followed by a soft chuckle when she saw him bashfully look away, "Long time no see~!", Still flushed and sweating from her intense workout, Alisa felt the burn even more as her heart rate gradually dropped - as well as the faintly glowing weights - but that didn't stop her from casually resting her her hand on her hip in a lax position.

Like most Guild mates who spent enough time at their Guild Hall, she knew this young man well enough, like her he was an adventurer, a powerful one at that, though he sought his power for a different goals than she did. Her fellow members of Blue Pegasus wer among the only ones privy to the secret behind Alisa's so far successful bounty hunting career. They and some other knowledgeable individuals could put a face to White Empress of Blue Pegasus, a powerful yet mysterious wandering sorceress who rarely showed her face. Alisa Vollan the woman, now that was a different story: Also representing Blue Pegasus, she had her more public Magical work and her modelling for Sorcerer's Magazine to give her some measure of reputation...

But to the outside world, most believed these two women to be different mages, as she refrained from advertizing her power or skill as a mage in the same way she did for her cool beauty and shimmering art. The boys usually seemed more interested in the fine nuances behind her secretism, whereas Alisa herself had no such favoritism: "...What brings you to Crocus?", she asked, raising a quizzical eyebrow.

Finn quickly looked back at her, his eyes slightly widened in surprise. "What the flip?" He couldn't help but speak out loud when she finally registered in his brain. Even if they hadn't been in a guild, this girl was famous throughout Fiore. She was rumored to be one of the most powerful in the Guild, and he himself had always wished to get to know her better. Someone of her fame and prestige had to have earned it. Whether or not he ever got a chance to go toe to toe with her, he was happy that he finally got to run into her.

"Wow Alisa, this is wackzo. I didn't think I'd see you any time soon!" Offering a bit of a grin and running his hand through his now drenched hair, he offered a laugh. He wasn't entirely sure what to say to her, but she quickly directed the conversation for him.

"Oh, yeah, about that." he started, dropping his hand down and resting both of his hands on his hips. He explained that he and Jake had originally been planning to go to Worth Woodsea, but things had arisen. Jake was requested to stay behind by their Guild Master, and the guild master requested that Finn go to Crocus for a short time. With that explained, Finn just kinda laughed and shrugged. "It's whatevs though, figured I'd keep fit then continue on exploring Fiore for a bit!"

Finn had no way of knowing that the Guild Master and Jake had intended for him to better adapt to his own race by taveling Fiore alone finally. Nor could he have known that the Guild Master wanted Finn to run into his fellow guild mates. All he was doing was moving according to the plans of others for now, while filling in for himself in the middle.

Finn couldn't help but offer an amused smile at Alisa. It wasn't one of amusement at her expense, but rather at the vast similarities that he was seeing with himself. There were very few mages who would be out, training so hard at this hour. From what he had heard, Alisa was an actual mage and could use magic. The determination, willpower and drive that it would take to continue to work ones body alongside their magic at equal standards was impressive. He hadn't known her long, but he was definitely earning some respect towards her.

Crocus had indeed began preparing for Halloween. While the holiday simply passed over some towns, Crocus seemed to embrace it fully. Cobwebs, spiders, decorations everywhere and some places even doing themed events. They all seemed rather boisterous, and a positive experience all in all. To be able to go around and see it all with a member of his guild, and potential friend, sounded like it was too goo to pass up. Without spending much time thinking, Finn flashed her a smile and a thumbs up.

"Of course! Sounds like a great time!" Glancing at her and then down at himself once more, his face tinted red once again. "Perhaps we should show and change first though. I don't know how I feel about spending all day naked." He wasn't, of course, actually naked. Still, shirtless was enough to make the young man take notice of himself. While embarrassment wasn't running thick, it was noticeable enough to make him reconsider.

She wasn't too far off from the truth, he guessed. He was indeed shy as opposed to the other members of Blue Pegasus. Most of that had to do with his own absence from humanity, though. He had yet to grow fully accustomed to the norms and what he was. While he wasn't as embarrassed as he had been in the past, he was still slightly self conscious. All he could do was recall the words of his parents and Jake, telling him that being naked wasn't allowed by humans, and even being shirtless was naked. It wasn't meant to scare him- They just simply didn't know better.

"Haha, I guess. All that doesn't matter too much though!" He didn't care if he was seen as shy, or whatever he was seen as for that matter. Quite the odd mentality for a Blue Pegasus mage. That being said, he still very much so cared about his friends opinions. Although she was not quite a friend yet, she was still his guild mate- And one with quite a bit of fame and power.

When she asked where he was staying, he kind of laughed and glanced at her before giving her an answer. It was one of the better known "Shitholes" of Crocus, although there was no actual bad hotel in the capitol. Truth be told, it would be considered a decent lodging in most towns. Only here did it find itself falling short. "Should I meet you at your hotel when I'm ready then, and we can be off?"

Finn's hotel was approximately three blocks and a half from their previous location, however he was not completely spent. While he had cooled down to the point of being unwilling to to run, he decided to fast walk back. The walk itself only took about eight minutes. Once back, he made his way upstairs and to his room. The hotel had a rather weak air conditioning system, but the feeling of cool air on his skin was a godsend. Making his way inside, he basked in the feeling for a few moments before moving on with what he had to do.

Undressing and stepping into the bathroom, Finn quickly showered off and stepped out. Putting on his favorite blue shirt and some white shorts, he fitted his white hat upon his head and affixed his socks and shoes comfortably on his feet. For a brief moment he remembered his argument with Jake, about whether or not to bring more than one pair. "Your feet will be covered with sweat stink Finn, bring the dumb socks!" Letting out a slight chuckle, he made his way outside.

This time around, he took his time walking to her hotel. Crocus really was a beautiful town, and only five blocks separated the two hotels. By the time he arrived, the decision came to him. Should he go inside and wait, or stay out. The air conditioning once again called his name, but the sun was out perfectly to bask in, despite the autumn chill that occasionally presented itself with a breeze. After momentary consideration, Finn made himself into a lobby, dismissing the person who offered to help and quickly explaining his situation.

Sitting on a couch for about ten minutes, he finally caught a familiar wisp of dark purple hair. Looking up, he saw Alisa was now dressed and seemingly ready to explore. Smiling, he stood up and quickly rotated his shoulders, as if the small time sitting had allowed his back to begin to stiffen up. Without thinking, the words that Jake and his mother had ingrained into his head presented themselves. When you wait on a woman, you can't just let her know you been waiting. You gotta smooth it in. Be nice. Compliment them. Just say-

"Wow Alisa you look amazing!" Was that right? He wasn't sure, but the positivity in his voice and smile on his face weren't just for show.

Finn had almost been caught off guard by the blush, and likely would have reacted differently if he were anyone else. For him, however, he chalked it up to the effects of a compliment. When people noticed anything about someone, the person would get happy. It was just nature. The less noticeable, the better. A kind of assurance to the one you're with that you do pay attention, and that you care enough to bring it up. It was how he felt when people complimented him on his fighting. The boy hadn't been with the world enough to care much about comments on his looks, despite his embarrassment with the lack of a shirt earlier.

As she questioned where they should go, Finn began to contemplate it for a moment before realizing something. "I've got just the thing!" With that, after a reaffirming nod to Alisa, he began to lead the way. While they were indeed side by side, it would be obvious that he was half a step ahead of her for their journey. "I actually found it when I first got here! It's this big thing that just- Ah you have to see it"

His words of excitement were, luckily for him, not childlike. Rather, the tone one would hear from a man who was passionate about a long standing interest of his. A hobby that he couldn't resist the urge to share- Adventuring. And now, if only temporarily, there was someone who seemed as excited about it as he was. As he began to lead them through the streets, his pace much slower than a man on a mission, he glanced at her. "So how have you been Alisa? You're like never at the Guild. People always bring you up though!"

"Well," he began as they turned yet another corner, the streets beginning to fill with more and more people. "Be careful. I know you've been doing this for a while now, but you have a family in Blue Pegasus. Me and Jake can always offer a helping hand." His words came from him without any amount of weight to them. He was not reminding her of some vastly forgotten truth so much as he was stating something that, to him at least, seemed as obvious as the sky was blue.

As he had finished though, he turned the corner and stopped, a broad smile on his face as he raised his hands above him. They were near the gardens, but what lay before them was a much rarer site. Halloween decorations adorned the streets, hanging on lamp posts and buildings alike. Shop keeps found themselves dressed in ways that accented their shops, while a vast majority of the people there had either a costume or black and orange clothes. In the exact center, almost as if it dared to challenge the Halloween vibe, was the most extravagant fountain that Finn had ever seen. Tall, marbled, with separate fountains to spray a multitude of water within it- All of which was casting a multi-layered rainbow.

At night, with the moonlight hitting it, the fountain would likely give a more ethereal vibe. For now, however, the look was a stark contrast to the streets it was surrounded by. Glancing back at Alisa with a broad smile, he turned his body and beckoned her forward, both hands allowing her to take the lead. "Well? Let's go!"

The two of them had made their way to the square, and although Finn was often daft to his surroundings, he certainly noticed her change in atmosphere. The girl became more withdrawn as more people appeared on the streets. Her eyes, quick as they were, would be noticeably darting around as he glanced back at her. Her head was like it was on a swivel, trying to keep track and monitor everyone that was around. He gave out a mental sigh, not actually making any physical motion or sound of doing so. He should have probably thought this through better.

As if to comfort him on his own mistake, however, she brightened up as they reached the center. The girl was very obviously still stiff, but it had gotten better. That was a good thing, hopefully. Maybe this crowd was more manageable for her. He'd do his best to stay close to her, just in case she needed an emergency escape. As she took in the surrounding, obviously pleased by it, she pointed to a game.

Glancing over at them, he looked for any that he might remember from the arcade. Soon enough, however, the realization that there were no familiar things set in. "What are they?" His voice would come out suddenly, and if she'd turn to face him she'd notice his quizzical stare and tilted head. "Where I come from there were no games- At least not like this. It's all so funk. What do they do? Which ones are fun?"

Finn glanced at Alisa as he saw her prepare herself for the ordeal. He had understood her disbelief at his inexperience, but it was the truth. Most of the people at the Guild knew nothing about him. It wasn't that he hid it- On the contrary, to him it was normalcy. Jake never told him to hide it, and the Guild Master didn't seem to care what Finn did with his own past. That being said, Finn wasn't one to go around talking about himself unprompted. There were better things to do than force people to hear about his life story.

His thoughts were cut short as he saw a fire light in Alisa's eyes. Her body tensed, her eyes dilating as if she were about to enter battle. Finn's own moth found itself agape, if only slightly. Something about seeing her this way, he realized for a moment that Alisa really was incredibly beautiful. A blurring motion quickly caught Finn's attention as his eyes darted towards the game beside him. Before his vision could make it, however, a hammer slammed into whatever it was.

Catching the tip of its head, Finn gasped and put his hands to the side of his head. This was a carnival game?! Killing tiny, defenseless animals? This was considered normal? She didn't even seem hungry! Within a moment, however, another of the mechanical moles popped up and Finn realized the error of his assumption. Face turning a noticeable scarlet, he glanced at Alisa right as she finished the fast paced game, asking if he wanted a try.

Normally, he would. The game seemed fun after all. Now that he was embarrassed, however, he just wanted to get away from the source. "Ehhhh how about we play another!" As he suggested it, he avoided her gaze, instead staring at the ground beside her.

Finn pondered the question for a moment, the blood in his face slowly receding enough that he didn't look totally embarrassed. "I don't know... Why not... Strength?" He hadn't a clue. He had no idea how strong he had to be, or coordinated. While he had decent confidence in both, who knew what the games would test. As they made their way over to the strength game (Alisa obviously leading the way), Finn eyed the game before him. He couldn't decide what caught his attention more- The game, or the thick mustached fellow who was yelling beside it, daring people to "Test their strength!"

Stepping forward and grabbing the hammer, Finn couldn't help but grin as the man yelled about another challenger stepping forward. Mages could become strong- After all, muscle development was not unique to those without magic. Normal people could develop strength, as the fields did not toil themselves. Adventurers? They lived every adventure by what their body could handle. They fought with only their bodies capabilities. They had not only strength training, but their daily lives and every request they went on, all increased their power.

Gripping the hammer, Finn went to lift it- Only to feel it slip out and fall to the ground. The handle was slicked? Glancing to the grinning announcer, Finn felt his cheeks flush as the man yelled about the poor young boy being barely able to lift it. I'll show you, his mind raged as he gripped the hammer again, this time hard enough to turn his knuckles white. Lifting the hammer in an arc above his body, he crashed it down with perfect aim upon the platform that had been pointed out to him.

The gong shot up like a rocket, crashing into the bell with incredible speeds. Everyone cheered instantly, the announcer himself congratulating Finn and daring others to come up. The young Pegasus was shocked for a moment- The man had mocked him, yet was still happy he won? The realization that it was all a ploy to get more people to play set in, and Finn couldn't help it.

He laughed.

Heavily, from from the bottom of his stomach, Finn laughed. Before long he felt tears forming in his eyes. The onlookers, one would think, would assume Finn crazy. The joy, innocence and sheer emotion on his face, however, had an odd effect. The crowd themselves started laughing, and before long he turned his joy to Alisa. "That was- Slamikow! Ah! Thank you so much!" He couldn't help it. When he got excited, he said the things he said around Jake. Which included made up words. Such as Slamikow.

Nodding his head enthusiastically, his laughing slowly died down. The two would go around trying out many more of the games, allowing Finn to get a feel of them. The test of strength was one of the few games that he was able to beat Alisa's score. She was every bit as impressive as the rumors said- And this wasn't even her in a serious setting. The urge to see her for real, in the middle of a mission, was growing within him. He enjoyed their time together, and soon the day gave way to dusk.

Despite her likely not needing it, Finn went ahead and followed Alisa back to her hotel. She didn't need protection, and that wasn't the reason he did so. He felt like he had made a real friend today in Alisa, and a connection with her he'd never expected to make. Walking back with her to the hotel was the only way he knew of extending their time together before they'd part ways once more.

"Thanks for today, Alisa." With that, he flashed her a smile. "I wasn't expecting to have this much fun in Crocus. We need to do this again- And make sure to stop by and see me in Hargeon. You owe me some jobs, remember that!"

[Exit]

[quote="Alisa Vollan"]