She recently did a quest at this place, but now she had a bit of a free time and she figured she should just chill and draw. She had her sketchbook and her pencils and just sat down and decided to draw the cathedral itself. She never got to draw or master draw buildings. And the Kardia Cathedral was quite the treat in regards to buildings. It was big and special and decorative. It wasnt as bland as a normal house. She glanced a bit towards the right because she knew her home was in that direction. Her old one. But she merely took a breath and decided to draw.

She wasnt as talented as others, but she wanted to at least try and improve. Drawing was nice, it was something you can get to do alone. Sure you can do it with people, but she didnt really have people. And she was still a bit shy when meeting new people or hesitant to approach them. Besides, she was kinda ashamed of showing her stuff to others because she knew she wasnt good. Just an average and mediocre artist.

Ryuuji had given Kaori a spa day to be pampered, he time on his hands so he had gone to take a walk and see what he can find to do to amuse himself while he had a day to take on alone for a bit though he felt bad he didn't stay at the spa with his wife he knows that she was safe there and the people there were looking at him weird and it kind of made him uneasy he guessed that they could tell that he was different than them. One of them had even tried to say that he was some kind of elf but he was clearly not an elf and was clearly a bear demi-human which most could tell that just by looking at his boorish face and his head strong attitude that he was not scared to be and he saw a what he thinks is a woman drawing and he guesses he will walk over and meet them.

"You an artist or you trying to refine your talents?" Ryuuji had walked up on her from behind without even a thought that he could scare her or cause her to panic or mess up her drawing as he had been just focused on finding out what the woman was up to and not really the whole thought process of the reaction he might get from being so crass and walking up on someone without making a intention of approach clear as he was both soundless and scentless he both made no sound when walking but also was not very easily tracked or sensed to be getting closer to someone that was other wise absorbed in a hobby.

She heard a voice asking if she was an artist or someone merely wishing to refine their talents. Sally looked up and saw Ryuuji. She recognized him as a guild mate, but never really interacted with him. Merely just seeing him from a distance "I am just trying to refine my skills" she looks at the Cathedral "Usually buildings tend to be the way to go when it comes to art basics. Just cuz of the easier shapes." she explained but then looked at hers and sighed "Im not that good at it" she was harsh on herself, sure she was not a pro like Mimi from Blue Pegasus, but neither was she the stick figure level of amatuer. She was that weird uncanny valley middle of not good but not bad.
She was disatisfied with the art because it looked like her art was missing something. Some oompf. It looked off in her eyes, but she wasnt sure what was it. Proportions? Positions? Hectic lines or shading? Something didnt fit to please her, but she couldnt nail the flaw

"I see I don't really know anything about art so I can't be of any help to you." Ryuuji summons up a few pieces of mirrors and he messes around with his own view of the building with them making some of it look stretched or blurred outside of the center of the view of the building and he keeps looking around and then back to her and he smiles as the mirror made her look distorted and he laughed a little at the fact that it made her look funny. He then sat back and he looked at the building and he did realize something about the building was indeed off like it seemed a bit lopsided in a way and he wonders if there is someone hiding part of it with a magic for some reason or if they had only built it off sided. He tilted his head and he wondered where it all was and if there was anything that he had needed to see but couldn't see it if there was something.

"Oh thats ok. Its still nice you came by to say hi" she spoke rather casually as she doodled more. But she sighed and closed her sketchbook and looked up at him. She saw he summoned some mirrors which made her look at this all curiously and tilt her head to the side like a lost pup. The mirror reflections look like something you'd see at a carneval or circus. She looked at the magic and the reflections in awe. And then looked at him "Were you a circus boy? What kind of wonderous magic is that?"

She considered asking him about guild stuff, like if he knew her from there, if he even noticed her and such. But she tossed that conversation aside before it even started, curious if he had a past of showmanship and dazzling of people. Even drawing be damned, she wanted to learn about him and his magic

Ryuuji narrowed his eyes at the woman as she asked him if he was a circus boy, what was that suppose to mean was she calling him a joke? "I ain't from no circus and it kind of bugs me that you call me that, do I look like a clown to you?!" He hears her ask him about his magic and he looked a bit ashamed that he had gone a little off the handle to quickly and he sighed then he spoke again to explain his magic. "It is called mirror magic it is mostly a defensive magic." He didn't know how to better say what the magic did or how it was done as he was not fully sure himself he had just learned it cause it sorta just happened when Kaori told him that he should learn how to use his own form of magic but his magic turned out to just be a bit of a dud as it was not powerful or explosive.

She recoiled a bit and flinched because he kind of went at her. She wasnt really making fun of him rather she was amazed by his abilities. And the funny mirror reflections reminded her of fun stuff like a circus and carneval which was meant to bring joy to people. So she wondered if he was someone with a circus background. She did fell quiet when he did go off on her, but somewhat relaxed when he explained it was mirror magic, a type of defencive magic

"I see.... uhm... I really liked it.... looked real fancy and such" she said and pulled up her hood in attempt to hide her face or hide herself as much as she can. She was still sitting as she was drawing before, so now she just hugged her knees, not knowing what to say. Probably regretting any words she said and thinking that she's just not good with people. She wished the guild master was here. And she missed her friends who moved away.

He looked at her and tilted his head seeing her put her hood up now. "Wait shit are you scared of me now?" He grumbles where is Kaori when he needs a hand with dealing with people as he was not very good with people as he is a bit more excitable and stubborn. He sat next to them woman and he wonders what he can do to fix this as he had messed up and now he needs to dig himself back out of this situation on his own as he was just wondering and hadn't any plans with his wife and if she heard that he caused issues with another guild member she would give him a good talking to that he would not soon for get so he was going to have to make this better.

"Uhhhh my name is Ryuuji and who are you and please don't be scared of me I got carried away." Ryuuji just tries to keep playing it cool as he was going to have to find a way out of this situation.

When he asked her if she was scared of him, she honestly didnt have a straight answer. Yes would be most likely. Or maybe no. Its just her own low self esteem and past experiences that made her feel that way, basically trauma was the culprit. She got that kind of rough treatment a lot so she just kinda learned to deal with it. Just not in the best of ways.
"Im fine" she said softly, not really answering his questions or properly looking at him in the eyes.

She noticed in the corner of her eye that he sat beside her. He spoke to her again, but this time more awkwardly which did make her relax more "Im Sally... Im your guild mate... and its ok... its not your fault im like this" she was always a bit of a shut in with a fake facade of bravado and bravery and just one scary shout was enough to make her metaphorical mask crumble. After a bit of a pause she spoke, but again not fully saying what she wanted to say "I liked your magic" but not saying what the fun reflections made her associate it with "Sorry though if I upset you"

"Well if you are really okay let down your hood and show your face no need to hide your face if we are guild mates unlike that strange bastard Kaito with that creepy mask." He shivered remembering that for the longest time he thought Kaito was a ghost as no one seemed to notice or stop him when he came through the guild and the man would like blink in and out of one place to another and for a bit Ryuuji thought he was insane. He moved the mirrors so that the other woman could look through them and at them as he needed to try and help her to smile and feel safe around him.

Ryuuji layed back onto the ground and he looked up at the slow moving clouds in the sky as he was not sure what he was doing or even to why he was doing it. "You ever feel like you are just a cloud floating and the wind just shoves you a whole different way?" He asked this with a curious sound in his voice as there was nothing he knew besides wondering and being lost in the fog of the unknown. He doesn't know who or how he got here or even why he was here but he was and he needed to solve some of the mysteries.

She would lower her hood and look at him, though she still felt so insecure and uneasy about it. If she could, she would break eye contact or something to make it easier to hide.
"Kaito has a nice and cool mask. I made one too" she fiddles with her fingers and shyly looks down "I like to craft stuff..." speaking of masks, she wished she had hers, it made her feel brave. It made her feel like her true self.
She would notice the mirrors and she would faintly smile, but still now feeling guilty she upset him and made him go out of his way to cheer her up.

Ryuuji layed back onto the ground and he looked up at sky. She looked at him curiously as he spoke to her. He asked her a question that sounded metaphorical.
"I never really thought about clouds" she looked up "I dont know how I could describe that I feel." maybe she would feel like a needle in a haystack. As in she's the needle surrounded by hay. Not belonging like the others. Black sheep fits too. Sort of like that

"That is a good hobby to craft things I am not knocking that. Just he kind of gave me the willies it was like a very scary aura he has and it is hard to say what it really is that he has but it scares me." Ryuuji was being honest about it as he was indeed scared of Kaito but he wouldn't admit that to Kaori but this other woman he guessed that it was okay as she probably wouldn't judge him for that as she seemed to have met Kaito as well and maybe she would have had the same feeling.

"Clouds are free they get to go where ever the wind blows them, so they aren't bound to the ground like they are shackled to a rock that drags behind you." He sat up and he wonders if that was really the wording that he should be using or not but he had already said it as people on the ground feel stuck there and he hopes one day that he could be used and use his magic in a great way but for now he is still weak and he needs to get moving.

"I admire him. I wish I can be just as cool as him. Or at least be a fraction of whatever he is." Kaito was like a goal. Maybe not a relationship goal, but if she could be as useful and strong and brave as him, at least a bit. To protect this guild and be helpful, she'd be happy. She was a useless mess for now. Did she idolize the guy? Maybe. But who else did she have to look up to in order to get better? Besides, Kaito wasnt bad. If he was, she wouldnt idolize him now would she?

As they moved onto talking about feelings and clouds, she didnt know how to decribe her own feelings. She listened to Ryuuji and nodded "Yeah... in that case I dont feel like a cloud... I only recently just got to taste that freedom when I joined the guild. I never even traveled much outside of Magnolia. I had like a quest with Kaito at Hosenka. And once a solo quest there. I still dont know much of the world out there... Im sad that my only friends got to move on and live elsewhere... One of them kept in contact with me..." but she was starting to be scared of that connection which saddens her. She heard her friend was at Phantom Lord, but had bigger plans than that. Plans that involved finding the most wanted man in Fiore. And she knew she'd invite her if she had the chance. Sally was scared thats for sure.

"Why do you admire him? Has he done something worthy of admiration?" Ryuuji has no clue about the guy outside of him just being a high ranked mage but it seemed like every tom dick and harry was able to just rank up swiftly almost like the god of this place just gave away free ways to rank up faster than should naturally be possible and so he was not impressed by rank as anyone cans just fly up the list and get there so he wasn't impressed.

"Oh so you were just left behind like a runt to the wolves?" He asked that question kind of as a joke but at the same time he was waiting for an answer that he figured was not going to come to him as she will probably tell him off and he will rebuttal that he sees why she had been left behind by the others.

Sally tried her best to describe to Ryuuji why she did admire Kaito from the actions he heard about Kaito via his reputation and about his magic, as well as mention Kaito's personality which she mostly said as her point of view as  an imperfect and idolized version of the recollection. She even mentioned Kaito's companion whom she had high praises for. She wasnt really fangirling as to grate someone, but just being sincere in looking up to her senior who had experience and adventure behind him, someone who wasnt all talk and no show. Someone who really did care about the guild and the good of the people. Maybe she was naive to like Kaito that much, but for now, he was the only good role model she had. Was that a good or bad thing was up to any other onlooker. But for now she chose Kaito, something she probably wouldnt be able to mention to his face how much she idolized him.

"I dont know..." she said sadly and tried to explain the situation "I was the youngest in that friend group. The eldest of the group was an orphan who lost his family and was living in fear because he was a werewolf. He didnt feel at home in Magnolia and just left to adventure elsewhere because.... something bad happened. The other person who was a girl, she had her relationship being broken up and wanted to seek her chances and opportunities out of Magnolia, she just kinda ran away from home and her parents, because her parents were kinda too restrictive for her. Giving her everything but she lacked that freedom. It was like a false freedom, so when she got the chance she went to Hosenka... and then later Oak I heard. And lastly the other guy... Jules... erm... Julian rather. A nice guy, he wanted to find a job here, but it never worked out. One time he got accused of stealing from the shop he worked at. It was kinda sour for him. Last I heard, he went to look for work far away like in Astera. I think he'd wanna try and live a simple life, but it never works out for him.... I stayed here because well... I have a family and... I was too scared to run away with my other friend, even if my parents are a bit....neglectful." she saw sad, and pre emptively wiped away any tears that would be welling up "I dont know am I coward and should have I left to be with her."

She knew her friend joined Utopian Demise because it was a dark guild, and now she is in Phantom Lord, also pretty much a dark guild. She was afraid of being a real criminal. She doesnt know would she be able to do what she did once. Just thinking about what happened that one time caused her hands to shake as the trouble making they did had gone too far.
As much as she loved her friends, it was undeniable that they were a toxic connection. But she couldnt discern which one was the one that was pushing for the criminal agenda. She remembered what Jules once told her that they all felt like an aspect of a killer and united acted as one.

Michael is the instinct of the killer, Jen is the brains of the killer, Sally is the heart of the killer and Jules is the brawn of the killer.
Michael is leading them on an almost primal level: therefore the instinct; the  first impulse that guides. Jen is very observative and streetwise: therefore the brains, because she is more calculating. Sally is shy and more caring, almost putting her feelings in front of everything: therefore the heart, as she seems to be the main pull-back preventing  them from just going on a murdering spree. Lastly, Jules, is extremely loyal and willing to clean up the dirty work and the heavy lifting (literally) just to stay on Michaels's good side: therefore the brawn, as he does as Michael asks him to do, but has difficulty actually killing ,because muscles alone help with killing, but cannot kill without the mind and an impulse to start the act. All of them together are the killer. And that is why he thinks as a group, they work so well or unwell depending how you look at it. They are like a puzzle and as soon as 1 puzzle disappears, the puzzle is no longer whole; thus as soon as 1 member disappears, the killer no longer exists.
It is actually why, she managed to come here to Fairy Tail and be at peace somewhat. And why Jen as the killer brain went to pursue a dark guild ambition. She always wondered where did Michael go. She has not heard from him in a long time.
Even if they were horrible people together, she missed them all. Was that bad of her?

Ryuuji has no idea what she is even going on about or why she feels that she has to trauma dump on him as he had only asked a simple question and he was not asking for some long winded back story that has nothing really to do with what he was asking and could have simply been that she was not left behind that everyone simply just had other things they wished to do and he sighed as it seemed that he had just run into one of those cry baby naggers that seem to think every tom dick and harry cares about their super long and needless to share backstory and added in people and names he has no idea who they even are which made the story completely useless to him and he kind of just wants to walk away from his needless hassle of this woman. He knows if he does that Kaori will probably give him a talking to about not treating a guild mate correctly.

He guessed that the only choice was to fake that he cared about her long winded and needless story."Oh that is so interesting of you and your group. Not so sure that makes you a coward just meant you knew that you needed to grow a bit more even if that was a lonely road for you so that you can be better and stronger to not get left behind the next time." He really didn't care as she had really made this whole meeting about herself and that was rude in itself so he was not really off to a good start with the image of her.

She nodded "Right" and she considered actually travelling west, she was a guild member who did quests. Surely now she can travel that far away. Maybe she should ask Kaito for advise, but she at least wanted to meet the guild master. What if she goes to find her friend only to miss the guild master thats coming back
"Do you know when the Guild Master is returning from her trip?" she asked Ryuuji, hoping he'd have an answer. She wondered should she wait for Judith or actually go and find the people she cared about, even though she knows those people are technically bad for her. She heard Judith was a motherly person and she desperatelly needed a good parental figure. As much as she liked Kaito and idolized him, part of her doubted he had the answers. He looked like the big brother type and big brothers can also mess with their younger siblings. So Judith was the absolute safest bet

He is starting to wonder what this woman's game is as there is no way that he would know when the guild master would return as he is just a no body on the bottom rung of the ladder. "I am not in the trusted circle of people that would know that info. But with Kaito currently acting as the guild master while she is away it is probably going to be awhile before someone is to see her return." Ryuuji was just simply stating a fact that if someone is currently stepping in then the guild master will probably be away for a very extended amount of time but he aslo knows that he could never really get a finger on the strange way that the guild master carried herself on the normal of days but he was not going to speak an ill word about the woman as he is not really in a place that he can speak like that.

"So what do you plan to do when you are stronger?" He wondered if this woman was as nice as she seemed or if she was more of a problem child and he would have to deal with fall out of befriending her later when she betrays the guild, he thought about it and why he even cared as he could just as easily be the guy that does evil or goes back so he shouldn't be throwing stones as he lives in a glass house.

She nodded "You have a point" Judith might be away for a long time which is a big bummer for her. She wanted to meet the fabled motherly guild master. She wanted a true mother figure to look after her, even though she know the time to have a mother is long gone. She was an adult and she shouldnt crave something as childish as a mother. But the amount of loneliness and neglect she had experienced had certainly left her some scars she had to deal with.

Now he asked her what is her plan when she gets stronger "Uhmm.... good question. I mostly aimed to get stronger for self defence. But I guess I'd love to be useful to people. And I'd love to adventure into the great unknown" Sally on her own wasnt bad. Her main problem was others, influencing her or forcing her to do bad. She had people in her life who were a bad influence. But now those people were gone. So for now she was good. Hopefully those scars wont make her do something she'll regret

He has no idea why that came as a big shock to her and for some reason hearing her say this kind of bugged him as that was just common sense for anyone that stopped to think about it for more that half a second. "I worry about if you might not be a bit too naïve to be just rushing head first into going that far." Ryuuji was not sure what he could really say to her outside of this but he did wonder if what she was showing the true mentality she has or if she was faking to be so dense to keep his guard down as Kaito seemed more like a big brother type than the big a scary monster that people had stated that he was like but he was nice to him and his wife and gave them free jewels without asking for anything and that was something that bugged him on a deeper level.

"Naive? In what way?" she scratches her head "Do you think I wont be of use to people if Im stronger?" she asked a bit more worried, because she did want to be useful to people. Being helpless and useless was something that pained her and made her sad. Family wise she remembers that being thrown to her face as an insult, by her father of all people. She wants to speak her mind and say a point, but would get completely shut down and thrown out of a discussion because she didnt have any merit to her work and would be reminded of the harsh truth, how back then she 'didnt earn a single jewel'. It was a repeated cycle of mental abuse where she went. So she either keeps her mouth shut or speaks her mind completely when someone lets her open up. She didnt really have an in between.

But now she just wondered what did Ryuuji mean by being naive. Was going out to do quests and adventure not possible? She wanted to though. Others do it, why cant she? Was she really that bad? No, maybe she just needs a drink to relax. She hasnt done that in a while. Though she wondered, if she was never going to be of use to the guild or meet the guild master, was this guild good for her? Or was she better off joining Phantom Lord or where ever her friend is. At least she'll have someone who cares about her

Ryuuji rubs the back of his head as he thinks as this woman had seemed to have taken this a good bit sideways from what he can tell. "I was more meaning you were far to quick to trust me that I was not going to hurt you. Blind trust will only get you used and maybe even turned into someone's slave or get you back stabbed. You need to be more metering with your trust before it costs you, your life or freedom. Power is only useful if you get to actually use it." Ryuuji is talking from experience and his wife trusting someone that she shouldn't and it cost her dearly and gave her a constant fear of it happening again or getting worse for her. Plus the old shogun was a very mean and cruel woman so she constantly had men wandering the forests around their village so they had to be careful of strangers as they might be spies for them and would lead to one or more of them being murdered to show who was the one in actual control and could kill them if she wanted to.

"Oh... I figured I could trust guild mates" though maybe she wont? Well, she will take his words to heart and be careful from now on. But loneliness and a yearning for companionship can lead to foolish mistakes because one just wants to be accepted and part of a group.
"I'll be careful" she told him just to vocalize that she'll pay attention to that and not be as trusting. Perhaps she should talk to Kaito and ask him about travel. Sure she was an adult, but she figured she should inform her temporary leader about her whereabouts and going ons.
If anything she seemed more determined to reunite with people she knew. So did that mean she should go West? It certainly piqued her interest as she was being filled with a newfound determination. In her mind it seemed to be perfect. If you cant make new friends then go and find old friends.

Ryuuji looks at the woman then rubs his temples as it feels like this woman might be not so bright as she seemed to miss the point he was making. "You can trust the guild you are in and Kaito. Show up early on Wednesday morning for "waffle wake Wednesday" you will get to see Kaito in an apron." Ryuuji thinks he had poked at the woman enough for the teasing of her and testing her resolve. He wonders why she was so flippant and easy to manipulate. " Why do you act so small when you can stand tall? Do you like to be dominated or something?" He figured he should ask as he needs to know that he was not making her feel any certain kind of way as he is not on the market and he doesn't want to have any issues.

"I guess I should also ask what your goals are. Are you aiming for anything special?" He really wonders if she might have some bigger goals and not that she just steps once she is on totally solid ground and avoids risks and not aiming high.

Ryuuji confused her, he thought she was naive that she was far too quick to trust him. But the only reason she was quick to do so because she knew they were guild mates, if he was some rando she truly didnt know, she doubted she would've been so open and trusting to him. The way he spoke to her made it seem as if he didnt want her to trust even guild mates. Hence why she said that she could she could trust guild mates, she figured she had enough brain cells to know when to open and when not to to people, she wasnt stupid. So what did he want from her, she didnt get him at all. Now speaking of trust she wasnt sure if she could trust his next sentence Show up early on Wednesday morning for 'waffle wake Wednesday' you will get to see Kaito in an apron. Yeah right. He really was taking her for a fool because she had her own personal insecurity and issues. And that made her blood boil. But she had to breathe before she lashes out flippantly

She looked at him when he asked her why did she act so small. Did she like to be dominated
"I am small" she gave a curt and short answer as to not bore him. Of course there was plenty of background issues that break down a person and their self esteem and she was that case. In a way she got force fed that trash from a bunch of people from her past that she accepted it.
He again asked her her goals
"I just want to belong" again she gave a short answer as now instead of being open, she was closing up and putting away her drawing as stuff as if preparing to leave.