The sun rose to signal a new day in the town of Magnolia. Tori made her way back to the wreckage of the Fairy Tail guild hall as surveying the damage needed to be done in order to start organizing repairs. The Dragon Slayer had stayed the rest of the night in the small apartment she rented on the other side of town, as well as a couple of other members who didn't have anywhere to sleep without the guild being in good repair. As she departed, said guild mates bid her farewell and thanked her for opening her doors to them in light of the previous night's crisis. As they headed off to work, they mentioned they'd stop by later and see if there was anything they could help with, assuming repairs would begin immediately.

After walking for about a thirty minutes to reach the guild hall, she sighed as she struggled to understand Kon's mind. Why would he do this? What could his reason possibly have been for this? But then she thought it didn't matter. She would get answers from him in time and what was most important was that no one was hurt. She walked around the perimeter of the building, deducing that most of the damage was to its western wall. The entire side of the structure was destroyed, leaving rubble scattered across the area.

Going back to the street, she surveyed it from a father distance and noticed some stones in the other walls had shifted, but not so much so that they had to be completely rebuilt. Although the bell tower that normally was perched atop the guild hall was completely gone. She couldn't even tell what rubble that lied below had once housed the bell, which lied on the ground, broken nearly in half with dozens of cracks throughout it.

She simply stood on the sidewalk, a cup of coffee in her hand that she had picked up along the way. Where in the world to start? Could the guild even fix all this? Or should they gather some outside help?

As she had been throwing herself from one job in to the other to distract herself from breaking her 'pretty little head' over causes where she had no answers on. She was now thinking about the solution, she was in running gear, a crop top in a minty colour. Her sport leggings were all black and her hair in a high ponytail swinging from left to right. She had heard so many things that she didn't understand and had so many tasks to do that she didn't dare or tasks she didn't want to think about anymore. She had heard rumours, something about the Fairy Tail guildhall and it was all very vague and very distant that she hadn't understand a single thing. Because she mostly stayed on the other side of town or was busy doing jobs, she hadn't been looking at the so called disaster what had happened. Right now, she planned to go and see it for herself and hoping it was just a rumour.

As she was running through the almost empty streets at this part of the day, most people were working and most tourists were in town eating or drinking, she headed towards the guild. Right before she actually arrived she could see that the building which usually held a chapel or belltower on top was gone. She slowed down and walked towards the building closer, she felt bad for intruding about it but apart from that she was a Rune Knight. She bet her colleagues had been here but that didn't mean she couldn't ask if something was already done for them. When she arrived closer she noticed more damage, probably not even all. She knew Fairy Tail was a roudy guild but she was sure they wouldn't destroy their own building.

Her neko eyes scanned the perimeters and she noticed someone she had seen in Crocus. Oh right, not the best situation to meet again and she still didn't know her name. her ears standing backwards, showing her own awkwardness and uneasiness, she walked towards the woman, "Hi. Sorry to intrude again. We met before in Batra's inn?" She could remember very well because she had accidentally listened in on the conversation and the woman hadn't been very happy, she shouldn't been very happy about this one either. She knew vaguely that she was a Fairy Tail member, as she had heard her say that in Sieghart Mountains, which now seemed ages ago. "What happened?" she said turning her eyes back on the Guildhall. A disaster. But which one?

As she stood there, deciding how to proceed, she heard a familiar voice call out to her. Facing the origin of the sound, she saw the orange haired woman from the inn in Crocus. She reintroduced herself, but again with no name, and simply asked what had happened, turning her attention to the guild hall that now stood in shambles. Tori waited a moment before answering the woman, as it was difficult to conjure the words to do so. If she was being honest, she was still in a slight state of shock over what had transpired the night before.

"We were attacked last night." she said simply. There was no use in sugar coating what had happened. Any fool could see that the guild hall was attacked, as no amount of rowdiness could have caused this kind of damage. Sure, Fairy Tail was a rambunctious group and were known to destroy a building once or twice in the past, but never their own. The guild hall was sacred. It was their home. Tori's home. She sighed before speaking again. "I was just getting an idea of what kinds of repairs were going to be necessary. To be honest, I don't think we have enough people to get this done quickly. Things are really looking up for me, aren't they?" she said sarcastically, remembering what the orange haired woman had said back in Crocus about turning things around for the better.

With all the things that had happened to Tori over the past few weeks, it suddenly hit her that she had no idea who she was talking to, nor did her visitor. They hadn't introduced themselves back at the inn or here in Tori's home town. Tori giggled slightly as she realized her blunder and turned to face the woman and extended her hand. "I can't believe we haven't done this already. Sorry, my manners seem to have been taking a vacation lately. I'm Tori of Fairy Tail. Nice to 'officially' meet you." she said this with the gusto and pride one would expect from a member of the Fairy Tail guild, choking back her inner pain for the sake of formal pleasantries. "And what shall I call you, miss?"

Alice looked at the blonde before looking back at the Building. She sure had hoped for a nicer answer than this, no matter what it was. She couldn't help but sigh, why did people do that, she simply couldn't understand. She turned to look back at Tori with a sad look in her eyes. They always seem to meet in the conditions of bad things. She frowned as to wonder if it was her place to ask more information, more because her curiousity than the Rune Knight issue that was always like a sort of burden on her back that she not always minded. She listened when the blonde continued to explain about rebuilding and she nodded, than finally decided that the question she wanted to ask gave her an opening on to continue the conversation. "I don't want to say you attract these things. But it looks like it." she said with concern in her voice.

She was still thinking some things to say and how to form her sentences when something was pointed out that made her open her mouth, look a bit in panic before smiling in an awkward fashion, "Well so are mine. Nice to see you again Tori. I'm Alice. Alice Baskerville." She quickly cleared her hand from possible sweat on her sports legging before shaking hands with Tori. She would look at the building again, "Tell me if you find me annoying but are the Rune Knights informed? Maybe they can help." not wanting to immediately say she was one of them, but she would certainly help if the knights agreed to it.

She was very curious but apart from perhaps Rune Knights, it was none of her business, it was Fairy Tail's business and she wasn't very aware of what they might think of the Knights interfering.. She had to play it carefully. Even though their short conversation she had rather liked Tori, which was maybe a bit weird because it wasn't a very nice conversation but still, she had this feeling.

The orange haired girl whom Tori finally knew to be called Alice returned her handshake with as much fervor as she was offered, which made Tori smile slightly. From the looks of it, she was a truly kind person, the likes of which Tori really needed in her life at the moment. As the woman spoke, she was obviously concerned for Tori and her guild, but Tori continued to stare at the wreckage. She then heard something that made her sigh heavily before responding. Alice had asked if the Rune Knights had been informed, suggesting they might be able to help the situation. In what capacity she meant, Tori had no idea, but she was sure enough about to drop a bomb on the orange haired woman that she likely wasn't expecting.

She took a deep breath, struggling to find the words, simple as they were. Letting out the breath, she simply looked at Alice and in a cold stare and tone, spoke. "Unfortunately, the Rune Knights are responsible." She would give time for Alice to digest the words and let them sink in, as this was probably very troubling to hear. The Rune Knights are supposed to be symbols of justice and peace. Yet here the two women were, staring at the hall of a guild beloved by thousands, destroyed for little to no reason by one of those very symbols. Tori would simply wait for the orange haired woman to reply before saying anything else. She knew Kon was responsible, but at the same time she pitied him. The sound in his voice when he was that he wasn't okay made her believe him. She wanted to make sure she didn't reveal this information to anyone who didn't need to know, at least right away. After all, no one was hurt and Kon hadn't done anything that she could not forgive. And at this moment, that's all it took. No other members, not even the guildmaster, had seen him or at least identified him. Only time would tell what would happen now.

The heavy sign from the Fairy Tail mage made her frown. What was there wrong with the Rune Knights? Sure she understood that they weren't the best of friends. Considering their natures but to hear that sigh, it surprised her. However that wasn't all of it, she took a step back and stared at the cold tone as well as the stare from Tori, "But that's not possible." she said, shaking her head softly, "I haven't been honest. But I am, I am a Rune Knight. There was no such order. There is no way that the Rune Knights would do such a thing. Please, tell me if you can." She had the feeling, that she needed to know.

Her hazel brown eyes got bigger as she made a realisation and she hoped that she was wrong. She turned pale and took another step back to stand up straight, "When did this happen?" She recalled vaguely that Tori said last night but if it was around three nights ago or so, than.. it couldn't be the thing Konstantin had meant now could he? "Tori, as just a curious person and not a Rune Knight, forget that, I, I need to know." she was sure as hell looking desperate and she was aware of that. "Please, please tell me." Oh man she felt like a horrible thing, she felt like she was doing something wrong. It was none of her business and yet it might be all of her business.

Tori listened as she got the reaction that she was expecting. Alice was extremely distraught by Tori's declaration, almost even heartbroken judging by her physical response of stepping back. Maybe she thought Tori would lash out or something?

She would then tell Tori that what she said was impossible, which caused the blonde's eyebrow to visibly rise, almost on its own. Before Tori could rebut, the orange haired woman went on to say that she was herself a Rune Knight, and that there was no order to attack the guild. She also staunchly defended the Rune Knights' innocence in the matter. Tori believed every word she said. She knew that this wasn't the fault of the Rune Knights as a whole, or even a small group. This was the fault of one troubled man. After collecting herself, she then asked when it happened, despite Tori having already told her. The news must have jostled that from her memory. She claimed that she needed to know, not as a Rune Knight, but as a curious and obviously worried person.

"It was last night. Probably around 2 or 3 in the morning. That's why I have this coffee. I normally don't drink the stuff, but when you're up half the night because a building was wrecked while you were inside, it's a bit tiring." she said with a somber, then sarcastic tone of voice. It was common to try and use humor to make a bad situation seem not as bad. But when the momentary giggle wore off, she grew stoic again. "I believe you, Alice. I really do. This wasn't the work of the Rune Knights, neither as a whole nor a select group. Just the work of a single man, who is clearly not well." her voice dropped as she spoke, both out of shock and worry.

Her eyes looked sad, scared perhaps too. She didn't want to believe the words that might be told to her. Last night. She knew it, she had heard Tori say it before. She was nog only sad that there was no way of her to help at the moment, but her heart was aching because she was afraid for the answer. Afraid she couldn't take it. There was already so much on her mind, so much she tried to ignore. Lacie. Ophelia. Konstantin. Not even in the order of importance because she couldn't pick that order, Lacie would fall off but that didn't matter now.

With an almost trembling lower lip she listened to Tori, she didn't look at her but looked at the ground. Last night. Last night she got a letter. It had been late, she had been awoken by a knock on her door, well she wasn't asleep, she had been drowning in her tears. She had found a letter underneath her door or well their door, a letter from him and he left her. Unexplained, not needing her or maybe needing her but she didn't know, she didn't understand what she needed to do. She nodded vaguely. There were easy things to do but she couldn't. She was actually holding her breath when she heard Tori say she believed her. The work of a single man.

She couldn't help, her confusion, her fear and her hurt made the tears appear in the corner of her eyes. She had been stronger but not when it came to this. She wouldn't cry because she hated that, she was on the edge though. Her mind was exploding, she knew that but she had to say something, she let the breath get out of her mouth slowly and her shoulders dropped, "That man.. it was Konstantin wasn't it." If this woman didn't know him, she had just give up his name, but she seemed to know much more. Her head turned to Tori with big scared eyes, "Not well? What do you mean?" She was shaking, she hated to feel this weak but it just hit her on different levels. "You, you do know him? Do you know him well?" she couldn't even form sentences anymore. Keep it together, Alice she thought to herself. It was this time her time to break down and not Tori. She didn't mind that much, she was sure Tori would understand as they had understood each other in Crocus.

As Tori spoke, Alice physically responded. Her lip quivering, the tears she was holding back with all of her strength, Tori could see it all. Alice was absolutely devastated by this news, as if she knew exactly who was responsible and the truth of it crushed her very spirit. It was like she was internally suppressing what she knew to be the truth, and was trying with everything she had to refuse to acknowledge it as such. She could barely even breathe, the truth hurt her so badly. After Tori finished speaking, it seemed the struggle proved too great as Alice let go a breath and her shoulders dropped in defeat to the reality. She asked the man's name. She asked if it was Konstantin. The name Tori couldn't bear herself to utter. Yes, he killed a child, but in pursuit of achieving a greater good. Yes, he attacked Sakama, but to defend innocent civilians as was his duty as a Rune Knight. But attacking her guild hall...he had to have had a reason. He would not have done this for no reason, because he showed her no hostility, but compassion, back in Crocus. Tori let out a breathe just as large as the one Alice had let escape.

"Yes."

She looked at the ground, waiting for her to respond to the news. She would ask what the blonde meant when she said he wasn't well and asked if Tori knew him him well. She was visibly shaking while she talked, barely able to even stand from the looks of it. It was obvious that Alice was close to Kon, much closer than herself. It surprised Tori that all of this was new information to the female knight. The blonde took a deep breath and let it escape before she would explain.

"The attacked woke me up. I was sleeping on the second floor when it happened. I ran around trying to find the cause when I passed a window and there I saw it. An armored knight standing on top of a huge, white creature. I ran out to that balcony to investigate when it hit me." she explained, making sure not to leave anything out. "The armor, the Rune Knight cloak, the striped horse, it all pointed to him. But that wasn't how I knew." she paused. "It was his scent." This comment would likely confuse Alice, unless she had dealt with Tori's kind before. While it was common knowledge that Dragon Slayers existed, unless one had dealt with them on a personal level they wouldn't be aware of small details like their heightened sense of smell. To ease her confusion, Tori would go on.

She would sigh before she continued speaking. "I haven't been fully honest with you either, Alice. But what I'm about to tell you, you cannot tell a soul." She couldn't believe she was going to confess to Alice. No one knew what Tori was about to reveal, not even her closest friends. But for some reason, she knew she could trust Alice. She just hoped Alice wasn't also a Dragon Slayer. The reason Tori withholds this truth from people is so other Dragon Slayers don't come after her and hurt her friends in the process in pursuit of the fabled title of Dragon Emperor. She knew there would be people who would stop at nothing to claim that throne, but she knew Alice wasn't that kind of person, even if she was one as well.

"Alice. I'm a Dragon Slayer. A such, I have a heightened sense of smell far beyond that of an average person. I recognized your scent as you approached me earlier, since I familiarized myself with it back in Crocus. Because I've met Kon before, I knew his scent as well. That's how I knew it was him, even though he was in armor." Tori would give Alice a moment for that information to sink in before she would continue. "I shouted to him. I demanded answers why he was doing this. What we ever did to him..." A tear started to trail down her cheek. "He simply looked at me, even though I couldn't see his face, I could hear the despair in his voice. He just said 'I don't know. I'm not okay.' then he just...left." Tori spoke softly, tears continuing to fall as she stood her ground without crumbling, never taking her eyes off the guild hall that now sat in ruins. "I just don't understand. I don't know him extremely well, not as much as you clearly do anyway. But we've fought together. We defended the Magister's Index together, although there was that child. But that was for a greater good, much as I hate to admit it. He was there to fight Cell. He picked me up at my lowest in Crocus. I know he's a good man. But something is wrong. Something is terribly wrong." she finished, as she realized that she didn't want to send him to prison. He needed help, and if Tori was any kind of friend, she was going to make sure he gets it.

She didn't want to hear it. Because she knew the answer was a positive one. Confirming what she didn't want to hear and confirming something that she couldn't understand yet. She held herself, trying to stop herself from shaking and taking deep breaths to not cry, again she hated crying. She had cried enough last night and she couldn't think too much about it, about yesterday, about the letter about anything. She bit her lip when Tori said yes. Yes it was Konstantin. Yes it was her boyfriedn. This was the issue that had happened which he was sure would make things different between them, forever, something like that he had said.

Her eyes were unsteady as she looked up to Tori, listening to her explain exactly what happened. She tried to distract herself, trying to be more professional but what she said to Tori was true, forget she was a Rune Knight and see her as a person that was curious and that needed to know, and here were the answers she couldn't stand or understand. She held her breath again and swallowed difficult as Tori explained, she shook her head, actually she didn't want to hear but she had to brace herself. He had done something wrong and just as much as she didn't want to know about it, it was still the truth and she would have to see it, have to know it, have to talk about it and understand.

She finally started breathing again when Tori said something that sounded familiar to something Selena had said and it wasn't related to Konstantin at the moment. She frowned, looked at Tori and she understood immediately how important it was to keep this a secret as Selena had told her as well. She hadn't seen Selena in a long time. Last was in Era with the attack, so she nodded, "I promise. I won't tell a soul." She knew the consequences if she told someone and she didn't want to bring any harm to either Tori or Selena. The conversation turned back to Kon and she couldn't help but gasp as she was told what he had said to Tori. That's what he meant? Did she had to stay away from him for a while? She looked back to the ground, she wasn't strong enough to not hold back the tears anymore, especially not since she noticed Tori was crying. She wanted to tell her, tell Tori she was his girlfriend but the words couldn't leave her lips at the moment and her pained looked changed into one with surprise, child? He had told her about the index, weeks ago. Months ago when they had just started dating, the attack on Crocus. Oh god.. he had told her that he couldn't tell her something, he had been hardbroken. "He.. he killed a child?"

Her legs weren't strong enough to support her anymore and she simply fell through without really noticing. Her hands covering her face and she was crying, so hard and so heavy that no sound came anymore. She was lost, totally lost. No idea what to say anymore or what to think, she did love him, so much and he did need help, he did! He made choices with a reason, all she knew about him, he had always chosen the side that made the most sense, that was necessary. The greater good indeed! He was not okay and he ran away from her. What did she need to do?

After Tori finished speaking, tears continued to stream down her face. Looking over at Alice, she could barely hold back the tears any longer. It looked like one more bit of information would push her over the edge. Tori decided to stop, as she didn't want to cause further emotional harm to the already damaged woman. But that plan was ruined when Alice asked about the child. Tears still streaming down her face, she simply nodded before the scene flashed back in her head. The wolf and rat tearing the child open, her blood spilling out onto Era's streets. Tori's knees began to buckle and her legs refused to hold her any longer. She fell to the ground almost simultaneously as Alice did, her screaming into her hands silently.

As damaged as Tori was from Kon's actions in the past, they were clearly nothing compared to how hurt the orange haired woman was. Just how close were they? It didn't matter. All Alice needed was to know someone was there. Tori inched towards Alice, still on her knees, until she was close enough to put her arms around the knight and pull her in for a hug. She held her close, and tried consoling her as best she could. She didn't know what to say without knowing the extent of their relationship, so this was the best she could do.

Alice looked through a gab of her fingers towards Tori as soon as she noticed she collapsed as well. It meant again that the answer was a confirmation of her question. Once again she had hoped it would be a denial but it wasn't true. Why does it felt like she went from a happy go lucky world, full of happy colours and rainbows to make it even more perfect or so, like a fantasy world into a black and white world where it felt like all the happiness was drained from her. Did she knew Konstantin or was it all an act, though it seemed that Tori genuine believed he needed help and that would mean that it wasn't an act. Just as she wanted to believe, but everything that she wanted to believe was taken away from her and crushed by the official answers and possibly the truth.

Alice wasn't used to hugs, so she caught her breath before she eased into Tori her arms and cried and cried until no tears weren't able to form. She had lost her best friend, her companion Ophelia, by some stupid accident. She might have lost Konstantin and she didn't know how to react anymore, her chest hurt, especially the place where her heart was. It felt like how it would be described as a broken heart but not everything was lost yet and she had to hold on to that. When she finally could calm down a little, she muttered a: "Thank you." She leaned a bit back and gave Tori a weak smile, "Do you, do you believe he needs help? Do you think it would change anything?" She wanted to tell Tori so badly about her feelings, but would it bother her, to hear something like that? "The reason why I asked you to forget for this moment, that I am a knight," she said between the last sobs, to catch her breath again, "Is because apart from that, I'm Konstantin's girlfriend."

Tori silently consoled Alice for as long as necessary before she eased back from the blonde. She asked if Tori truly believed that Kon needed help, and if it would change anything before then revealing that her and Kon were in a relationship. "I expected you were a lot closer to him than I was. I figured you had a love for him based on how you reacted, so you really didn't need to admit it. I already knew." she said reassuringly, trying to ease any worries Alice may have had about being judged. "Don't worry, Alice. We'll find a way to help him. I promise."

"Would you like to come inside? Most of the damage is away from the bar, so I should be able to make you a decent drink. The guild master usually hires people who know what they're doing, but I'm pretty sure I can find some recipes." she offered. Since Alice had heard her say back in Crocus that she had never drank before, she wouldn't be at all upset if she turned down the offer. But it was the thought that counts, right? After all, Tori did consider her a good friend given what all had transpired.

She had felt as much at ease as she could be at this moment of course but it made it easier with Tori around than anyone else. She would notice this later in the near future too but for now, she had no time to think about that. She couldn't understand what was going on, or what she needed to do at all. It was indeed obvious that Alice loved him, still she wanted to say it outloud. She wanted to say it to people instead of believing that she sort of had to keep it a secret because they well had been and sort of were in the same organisation. "I sure hope we do." was all she could say because she didn't know what else to say or do for that matter in this whole disaster that was her own disaster too.

She stood up after Tori offered her to go inside and she looked at it. "I like the offer, really I do. Thank you but I just need to figure out my feelings at this moment. Thank you Tori, I appreciate what you told me." she brushed the last tears from her face and turned around and half ran, half walked back towards the bed & breakfast. She had to make a new decision again.

Exit.

The blonde rose to her feet at the same time as Alice. It appeared the orange haired woman had calmed down and collected herself, which Tori enjoyed more than anything else, given everything that had happened. She listened as the female knight decline her offer, as she fully expected, and explain her reasoning. It seemed that Alice was going to indeed take time to process everything she had learned regarding her beloved and she wanted to take a rain check on the drink. Tori understood and bid her new friend farewell before she took her leave back towards the town and its folk.

As she walked away, Tori decided to go back into what was left of the guild hall and begin surveying the damages. The bar was still in good repair and it had been a trying couple of days. Even though it was early, Tori felt a stiff drink was in order to calm her nerves. She walked through the front doors, which were shockingly in good shape, although ajar from the calamity of the night before. Looking around the room, other than the giant portion of wall that was gone, the building seemed to be in mostly good shape. Tori shook her head in disbelief thinking about the monumental task that was ahead of her, as well as the rest of the guild.

-exit-