Guild Rivalry

[Elrowan Sabeur]

Elrowan had come to Magnolia for a particular request... only to find that his would-be client had already found another mercenary to take on the job. Those cursed Fairy Tail members... They were big enough already, but did they really have to go and steal other guilds' jobs? The mission had been specifically requested of Blue Pegasus, but being in Magnolia, some Fairy Tail wizard had decided to go ahead and do it anyway.

So now he was strolling the streets, no particular direction. His fist was tightened, his teeth gritted. He wanted so badly to beat Fairy Tail, but it was a difficult task when he was hardly given a chance. “No matter,” he decided, managing to calm himself... but his resolve would never waver! “I will simply take a Fairy Tail mission in recompense!” He said, to no one in particular, although he earned a few curious stares.

He burst into a dash, running all the way to the Fairy Tail guild hall. Without an once of hesitation, he slammed open the guild hall doors. “Fairy Tail!” He cried out loudly, loud enough to rival even the renowned noisy guild. “I am Blue Pegasus's rising star, Elrowan de Sabeur! Now then... you have taken one of our guild missions, and so I shall be taking one of yours on your mission board as recompense!” He strode meaningfully towards the board, or at least where he thought the board would be. He was set on his path; unless he met physical resistance, he would take one of Fairy Tail's missions!

[Kensie Barnett]

Even with it as hot as it was outside of the guild hall, Kensie couldn’t help but enjoy the warmth of her freshly cleaned and dried dress she had put on just minutes before. She was indoors, after all, where it was usually much cooler than the heat outside, and Kensie preferred heat over cold. She was actually in a pretty good mood today. Despite her lazy attitude concerning most of life, she was proud of herself when she accomplished things on her own, and she’d finally done her own laundry instead of having her parents do it. This was mostly because they were out of town for the week on a trip of some kind. Kensie hadn’t actually listened.

As the fourteen year old pushed open the door into the main commons, the door to the entrance of the Fairy Tail guild swung open with a bang, revealing a red-haired boy no more than sixteen or so who was certainly not a member of Fairy Tail. His introduction only confirmed this. He wasted no time strolling into the hall and right up to their own board, claiming they had taken a job from Blue Pegasus and that he was going to take one as payment. Kensie was pretty sure the requests were open to everyone… people just wanted help, after all. Still, his attitude intrigued her, and brought an impish smile to her face.

She strolled over to the boy, her hands behind her back as she circled behind him semi-nonchalantly and finally rounded to where she was in front of him. He was a good half a foot taller than her though, and was certainly distracted by the jobs Kensie wished *she* hadn’t promised not to take so her sister wouldn’t have a cow. “Like what you see?” she asked him, looking up with her hands on her hips. Her stance quickly switched to a more relaxed one once she got his attention, with her hands resting behind her cutely ribbon-adorned head. “You must because you didn’t even notice me,” she said, sticking her tongue out teasingly. “Why were you yelling so loud? I swear you’d wake the dead if there were any around here.” Kensie’s mood was a mix of playful and curious, and to help get the answers she wanted, she was turning on as much cute as she could as she addressed Elrowan.

[Elrowan Sabeur]

Elrowan was indeed lost in thought over the mission board. He had actually made it there unscathed; he had been hoping that a Fairy Tail member might take offense and actually get in his way. But of course not. It seemed the hot-tempered group was more tame than what he had heard. Well if they weren't going to stop him, then he'd just take the most valuable mission he could from the board. He was still debating about what to take from Fairy Tail, when a voice hailed him.

His intent gaze turned from the board, instead shifting to the little girl. At least, that's what he thought. They were probably close in age, but in Elrowan's mind, the petite figure was certainly much younger than him. He blinked in surprise when she stuck his tongue out childishly. Honestly, he probably would have missed her if she hadn't said anything. But he summed that up to his immense focus on the task at hand; he was rarely distracted from his goals. "You have my apologies, young lady. While my focus is for a just cause, it is certainly no excuse to overlook a fair maiden as yourself. Is there aught that you need? Perhaps instead of a Fairy Tail member, you would consider myself as a fair substitute," he offered, clearly both missing the guild mark on her shoulder, and assuming her to be a client instead of a wizard. He spoke not with intended flattery, but with the respect that he showed anyone he deemed to be a lady. While not a princess, at least not at first glance, the girl clearly belonged to some noble lineage.

"Was I yelling?" He was a bit confused by her words. "Although I am normally a quiet and serious man by nature, I have been told I am a tad loud when something intrigues me." For a moment, Elrowan considered her words. It was not a saying he was familiar with, and he took the words rather literally. "Are... are you saying that you have had trouble with the undead?" He realized, thinking that was perhaps her original intention for coming to the guild hall. The spiritual realm was an extremely powerful one, and one that Elrowan preferred caution over bravery. If this girl needed help with some kind of divine power... that was certainly a serious task, and one that he hoped he had the skills to accomplish.

[Kensie Barnett]

The first thing that struck Kensie was that this young man considered her young despite obviously only having a couple of years’ difference… or at least that was obvious to her. Well, actually, she had trouble telling boys’ ages, but she wanted to think he was only slightly older and hoped she was right. She opened her mouth to correct him, but was immediately barraged with a confusing combination of flattery and horrendously wrong assumptions. She looked at him, stunned, for a moment, blinking like she couldn’t wrap her head around his words. Well, actually she almost couldn’t. Fortunately, she was a smart girl, and halfway decent at reading people, though she was much better at reading her family members.

“Um, I’m not here to pin something to the job board,” she said with a slight embarrassed blush at the compliment. She knew she was cute. She used that to her advantage. But she had never considered herself ‘fair’ as the old term went. She had only heard it describing princesses in… well, fairy tales. She pointed to the tattoo on her arm. It was a noticeable shade of pink that stood out against both her pale skin and her dark dress and hair. “… and there are no undead. I think. I hope.” She kept blinking as she tried to piece together what she thought of this kid. He was a strange one. Though she seriously doubted serious and quiet were in his vocabulary. He wasn’t the quietest person talking from this distance.

“Elwood Saber?” she asked, remembering his name incorrectly, her eyebrow arching as she shifted from unsure to a mix of unsure and intrigued by his oddity. “I’m Kensie Barnett! Fair Lady of Fairy Tail!” she told him with a cute curtsy, emphasizing his own flattering words with a pleased grin on her face. She had no idea he might actually take that wrongly, but she certainly didn’t mind more compliments, though she wasn’t sure why she was both a fair lady and a kid at the same time according to his words. Maybe a second glance had changed his mind?

[Elrowan Sabeur]

Elrowan was at least heartened to learn that the young lady before him had no troubles with the undead. That would have certainly been an arduous mission, and he would hate to see her beset by such a terrible fate. But her next few words were perhaps even more atrocious. First she butchered his name - and names were that which fully defined the entity of a being, and were most important - and then introduced herself as a member of the Fairy Tail guild.

Elrowan gasped loudly, staggering back as if he'd just been hit in the heart. The guild tattoo was plain to see now, and proved without a doubt that this lady was part of Fairy Tail. "My name... is Elrowan de Sabeur!" He corrected, dramatically flipping his cape for good effect. Well perhaps she had not heard his introduction very well earlier... so he could forgive her this one mistake. He had introduced himself to the guild and not her specifically. But just as quickly as he finished his introduction, his face had twisted back into horror.

"Lady Kensie, fate is indeed a cruel lady, for she has deigned to make us rivals." His hands clenched, mentally steeling his resolve. This wouldn't break him. He was stronger than this! [color=#3399ff]"As a member of Blue Pegasus, it is my solemn duty to complete any missions better and in a more timely fashion than Fairy Tail!" Gently he pat her on the shoulder, looking her in the eye very seriously. "You have my apologies, as your guild will inevitably fall into second place, due largely in part to my own efforts." It was not meant as a comment of overconfidence, but the apology of one who wished to win without hurting such a young lady.

[Kensie Barnett]

“Oh! Elrowan! Sorry,” Kensie quickly corrected herself as she gave him a quick curtsy in apology. Continuing to butcher a name was bad form,  and Kensie usually only let that sort of thing pass if it somehow made her seem more irresistible when she was trying to get something from someone, and Elrowan was currently not someone she was actually trying to do anything with except for satisfy her curiosity.

The flamboyant boy quickly changed his tune when he realized the girl hanging around Fairy Tail was a member of Fairy Tail. Immediately he apologized for… what? Being a member of another guild? Kensie was aware the guilds were rivals, and occasionally they got into fights over guild differences alone. It had happened here before, though she hadn’t been part of the guild to actually see it at the time.   It didn’t really matter at this point though.

“Um…” Kensie blushed slightly, clasping her hands behind her back and kicking at the ground sheepishly. “I’m not allowed to do missions yet. Not proper ones anyway…” She sighed, jealous that Elrowan could take on any mission he wanted. Why had she promised her sister? Oh yeah… the pleading and guilting. “So I don’t think you’ll have much trouble beating me personally just yet…”

[Elrowan Sabeur]

Elrowan closed one eye and seemed to appraise Kensie critically. Silently he accepted the apology and at least she had the dignity to get his name right the second time. Still, the curtsy seemed to prove her honesty even more, so he accepted her words as truth. Somehow his confidence was quickly turning to confusion and even a little bit of guilt. Instead of fighting back, Kensie was willing to take defeat. "No no, that is not the proper attitude of one of the infamous Fairy Tail," he insisted. "You will not be much of a rival, if you go down without a fight!" The fire practically blazed in his eyes, his fist clenching as if he could somehow give Kensie his own passion. "Besides, it is not a battle between individuals, but that of entire guilds. It is the collective whole of our passion which determines the winner in world renown." He had apparently already forgotten about his earlier statements of being the rising star, and taking out Fairy Tail mainly by himself.

After finishing his pep talk, the full meaning of Kensie's words hit him. "Wait... why are you 'not allowed' to take missions?" He wondered. "Surely that is too cross a punishment to be dealt with," he rubbed one hand against his chin, thinking over the reason why such a thing would exist. "Why, it would only hinder your own guildmates' efficiency in completing missions. We are at the age where every individual counts. Unless... Something ill happened in the previous mission!" He realized, nodding to himself as the picture became clearer. "Lady Kensie!" He grit his teeth. Though they had only just met, he was determined to help her. "Take me to your guild master! I will argue on your behalf to take missions. Surely you just need a worthy opportunity to prove yourself, and all shall be amended! If still there is any doubt in his mind..." Elrowan clasped a hand dramatically to his chest, volunteering his entire being. "...Then I shall come with you and ensure your success. It would hardly be a victory without Fairy Tail at its full strength, and I would hate to see such a talented wizard unable to use their talents!"

[Kensie Barnett]

Kensie blinked repeatedly as Elrowan kept getting more and more worked up, acting like somehow she was giving up or something. Now, she was a smart and rather cunning girl, but it was hard to keep up with this boy’s circular logic. “Oh! I might be able to do better than you. I’m getting stronger!” she told him eagerly. “It’s just that I promised my sister that I would wait to take the first mission with her to make sure nothing happened. She never explained why though, and she’s not here right now.” Kensie shrugged, going from an insistent pose to a more innocent and curious pose.

“No need to bother Mr. Taiga. He's now why at all!” she insisted, not wanting to get into trouble right now. She hadn’t ever really been able to speak to Ranor Taiga, and didn’t know him very well. She did know he was at once intimidating and comforting to be around… but she didn’t want to risk seeing him mad either, and kept away from him when she could. “Now… about that ‘Lady Kensie’ thing…” she stated quietly, shifting away from doing something that might make her guild or her sister mad at her. She could take people being annoyed with her because she was annoying, but she wasn’t purposefully someone who would break a promise or anything. Kensie took on a slightly more sly expression, though still managing to look more curious than devious.

“You’re fun,” she decided aloud. She never finished her sentence about being called Lady Kensie. She’d either forgotten about it as her brain whirred and looked for a way to be more entertained and less in trouble, or she had decided not to let on what she was thinking to Elrowan. “Are you suuuuure you have to run off just now?” she asked, trying to look as innocent and pleading as possible. She wanted to see what other crazy and entertaining things this boy would get into. She also wanted to be called ‘Lady’ Kensie some more.

[Elrowan Sabeur]

Elrowan was still dreaming about meeting with the Fairy Tail guildmaster. He thought Kensie mentioned something about being better than him, but he surely must have imagined hearing that. The innocent girl hardly seemed like the type to have an ego, especially with a challenging opponent like himself. "I see; I cannot possibly get in the way of family..." He acknowledged, backing down rather quickly. "The bonds of sisterhood are truly a precious treasure. In times of need, it is the bonds of blood which shine brightest," he nodded. His secret sister, Princess Meera who insisted on being called Kalika, was the person he depended upon the most.

Elrowan seemed to relax a bit, no longer insistent upon charging off to do a mission. Curiously he looked at Kensie when she began about the lady... only to comment on how he was fun. "'Fun'?" He repeated, honestly confused by the description. "I hardly see how matters of life and death can be considered 'fun', but I suppose they could lead to adventure..." He frowned, thinking a bit. The girl had gotten awfully close, practically begging him to stay, in her own way. "My lady, it is my solemn duty to see that fair maidens like yourself are well taken care of," he promised seriously. "Should you ever require my assistance, please do not hesitate to ask. Though we be of opposing guilds, you are still first and foremost a lady, and deserving of my respect. You ask because you require my assistance, yes?"

[Kensie Barnett]

Kensie lit up at Elrowan’s seeming willingness to stick around if she ‘required his assistance.’ She wasn’t sure what assistance she should ask for, because she wasn’t so much wanting assistance as to get to see what this odd boy would do to amuse her if he stuck around. She was starting to get the feeling he thought he was in some sort of fantasy world, which amused her more than anything else she’d discovered about him so far. He seemed pretty harmless, really, so why not enjoy whatever strangeness he brought her way on a boring day like today?

The fourteen year old shifted her weight so that she was standing in what she considered an exceptionally cute manner, giving him big, hopeful eyes. “Weeeell,” she stayed in the position, locking her hands together and swaying slightly. “No one else knows how to take care of a fair maiden like me, and I’m stuck all by myself today,” she told him. “You coooould stay a bit and be a gentleman.” She never lost that hopeful look, though on the inside she was practically grinning from ear to ear, believing he would say yes and she would get to have some fun.

[Elrowan Sabeur]

Elrowan was once again left blinking at the girl before him. Her request was much more humble than he expected. Normally tasks involved great quests of climbing mountains and rescuing damsels in distress. Simply keeping Kensie company was both a very easy and difficult task. As the daughter of a noble, Lady Kensie would certainly be hard to please. "Very well," he agreed, deciding to postpone his hunt for the Fairy Tail mission another time. "It would be an honor to escort a lovely lady like yourself." He gave her a small bow, showing his respect.

"As I am an outsider to this guild, however, I request that we move to the more general area of Magnolia," he suggested. General interactions were not exactly what he wanted in Fairy Tail. He was here as their rival, and he respected them. As such, it wouldn't do to chat casually with one of their own inside the guild hall. "Did you have a particular place or activity in mind? I confess, I am uncertain what would best be within your tastes." He was also quite unfamiliar with Magnolia. In truth, this was only his second visit to the city. He had heard much about the infamous Fairy Tail, but this was the first time within the guild hall. His first visit had been on the behest of another request, and that was actually within a neighboring town and not Magnolia itself, so he had only passed through. This was the first time he was spending any significant time within the town. Which meant pleasing someone like Kensie would be even harder...

[Kensie Barnett]

How hard could it be to please cute little Kensie? Well that depended on what she wanted, and she wasn’t entirely sure what she wanted right now. She was making this up as she went and having a blast doing it though. What fourteen year old didn’t want to be a princess for a day? Even if it was because their knight was strange and delusional. She couldn’t help but chuckle when he said it would be an honor to accompany her. “We could go to the marketplace,” she said with a shrug, not knowing just what she was doing, but knowing she was going to get a perfectly nice and enjoyable servant to entertain her out of it. It was all in good fun, and Kensie didn’t actually mean to mistreat him or anything.

Kensie had already started off towards the main entrance to the guild hall, tapping her chin with one hand while the other arm crossed her torson and formed a place for the tapping finger to rest on. “It’s very kind of you though,” she decided to say, turning and giving Elrowan a ‘proper’ curtsy. It was what she considered proper, anyway. As they walked outside, Kensie untied the ribbons in her hair and retied her hair into a ponytail, instantly feeling the heat of this especially warm day. Her imp form could take it… but she wasn’t sure what this boy would think of her suddenly growing wings and a pointy tail. “Lead the way, my good sir,” she said, getting into character as the mood struck her to.

[Elrowan Sabeur]

Elrowan nodded at her request. He completely failed to notice that she was speaking in a way similar to his own, but the curtsey was appreciated. She had done so earlier, and now again - she was quite the formal little lady. The marketplace, huh... Elrowan had no idea where such a location was, but he figured it would be in the more populated area of Magnolia. Blindly he turned and lead the way, his thoughts moreso on how best to please the finicky lady. This certainly seemed like an outing that a noble would think of. Alas, though Elrowan was of noble birth, he had been raised by commoners and so knew little of the high class life.

One pedestrian got a little too close to Lady Kensie. His path would have lightly brushed her, but Elrowan roughly jumped in the way, shoving the man just out of her range. "Make way for the fair lady, peasant!" He shrieked, gaining the attention of a few people passing by. He glared heatedly at the man who had nearly touched Kensie.

"What the hell, man?" The man gave Elrowan a very strange look. He was angry, but more weirded out than anything, instead walking around the pair. Elrowan dutifully watched until eventually the man wandered far enough away.

Elrowan sighed, a little upset but managing to calm himself. "My apologies, Lady Kensie," he turned to her. By some miracle, Elrowan's sense of direction had actually lead them to what looked like a shopping district. "Some people can be terribly rude." It seemed he was apologizing on behalf of the other man and his own actions.

[Kensie Barnett]

Kensie was quite enjoying herself, even when Elrowan was rude to that one guy he practically shoved out of her way. In the weirdest, most delusional way… it was kind of flattering. She couldn’t help but let out a nervous chuckle and an apologetic wave when the man was so obviously angry though, trying not to let Elrowan see. Once they were finally in the marketplace, she started walking ahead, looking around at things she wished she owned and things she just thought were pretty. She wasn’t going to make this strange boy spend his money on her though… well… not much of it anyway.

“I’m thirsty,” she told Elrowan quietly. “Could you get me some – er… would you please acquire me some lemonade?” she said, trying to sound like what she thought a lady might sound like. She made sure to try and sound like it was a polite request from a lady and not the whiny request of an adorable child that usually worked on people. Elrowan was different than them, and required a different tactic. She figured he might be a decent cup holder too. She hated how cold her hands got when she had to carry around her own lemonade, after all…

[Elrowan Sabeur]

"Lemonade?" Elrowan repeated. That was a very specific request, just like he expected from a noble woman. Kensie was still a bit young for tea, but lemonade seemed like the perfect drink to fit her. "Yes, of course," he agreed naturally. "But first, we will require some lemons..." He frowned. Elrowan figured that Kensie had very particular palate, and only the freshest squeezed lemonade was fit for her. Yet he couldn't take her into a grocery market - such was not the best place for someone of her caliber. Already his mind was working on a solution, of how he could find the ingredients without dragging Kensie around.

He was still brooding when he noticed a lemonade stand, only a few steps away from them. "...Ah," he realized. Perhaps that was why Kensie had made such a suggestion to begin with. "Hold on just a moment, please," he told Kensie, moving closer to the stand. Mainly he was making sure that the lemonade would be of sufficient quality. Yes, the lemons were on display with a small sign that said 'freshly squeezed lemonade - 3j'. A small child manned the station, the stall low enough to accommodate his height. A customer in front of him seemed satisfied with his purchase, downing the entire glass in one swig. Elrowan watched suspiciously until it was his turn.

Child labor was a sad thing, but Elrowan supposed that the poor had to make their money somehow. The lemonade seemed fresh enough, and he could help out this poor child, it seemed like a good deal all around. When he returned to Kensie, Elrowan held out the lemonade triumphantly. He hadn't even thought twice about spending the money - it was a small thing for him, and held the potential to pleasing the little lady. "I hope it is to your liking," he said truthfully, offering her the drink. "A mere child was manning that lemonade stand. I know that many people have hard lots in life, but I hope one day to see a Fiore where all children can play instead of work..." He confessed.

[Kensie Barnett]

Kensie was already sipping on the lemonade, wide-eyed and satisfied when Elrowan spoke up about the lemonade stand. She’d been able to see the child, and judging by the stand, the child was one who wanted to make money to buy something himself, not child labor. Still, Elrowan amused her to no end, and she was perfectly happy to play along. “Me too,” she nodded, stopping her sipping only long enough to answer and nod. She already felt better with the cool class. She didn’t drink anything all that quickly though, and the sips were rather small. After downing about a fourth of the glass, she made a satisfied sighing noise and handed the glass to Elrowan. “Thank you,” she told him politely, expecting him to hold the glass for her.

What should the pair of them do now? Just sitting around and talking would both be boring and a waste of this wonderful opportunity. It might have been a little one-sided due to the girl’s immaturity and the boy’s delusions, but they were already friends as far as Kensie was concerned. She wasn’t just taking advantage of him, she was having a blast and hoped he was too, in his own weird way. “What would be a fun... activity for a lady like me?" she asked Elrowan, making sure to try and look formal when she asked the question. “I’m having such a hard time deciding.”

[Elrowan Sabeur]

Elrowan nodded as Kensie expressed sympathy for the poor child. The girl was amazingly in touch with the plight of the poor. Since Elrowan had come from a low-class family that had adopted him, he often found himself thinking of those less fortunate than himself. Without a second thought he took the offered glass, holding onto the lemonade for Kensie. It was a little hot out, and Elrowan thought of using the lemonade's perspiration, morphing it to cool off his own forehead... but he thought that using his magic that way would be bad form. The lemonade, even its perspiration, belonged fully to Kensie.

He frowned ever so lightly when Kensie asked what would be fun. Not because he was displeased with her question, but because he was honestly uncertain what to suggest to her. "I have heard tales of a theater in Magnolia..." He suggested. The Magnolian theater, while not as grand as Onibus's, was still rumored to be a great source of shows and music. Elrowan wished that there was an ocean nearby, because he could definitely show her a few tricks there. They were just parlor tricks really, but his water magic could be used to entertain, though he was uncertain how impressed someone in Fairy Tail would be. Or... hm, he had never done that before, but it was worth a try. "Magnolia is a diverse town, and I have heard talk about a place called 'aquarium'... Supposedly, it has all manner of fish and other water life. It might have some fascinating creatures," he suggested. In truth he was a bit interested too, having never seen such a place before.

[Kensie Barnett]

At the mention of the play, Kensie’s eyes went wide for a second before she chuckled at Elrowan. “There’s not a play there right now… I’m um… going to be in the next play…” she replied with a slight blush. She was working reeeeally hard at it, after all, and was very proud of herself, even if it wasn’t wizard related. Or nobility related… as far as she knew…"...but the aquarium sounds great! I’ve been there a couple of times. The fish are so pretty.” She obviously approved of Elrowan’s idea the way she lit up.

“I can lead the way if I need to, as long as you hold my drink until I need it.” Kensie had decided that him holding the drink was a rather sweet gesture, even if it had been her idea. She wasn’t asking much else other than accompaniment at this point. “Unless you know the way, of course, my Lord Elrowan,” she curtsied with a wide grin, getting back into character again as the blush from her talk about the play faded.  Even if it was because he was crazy, Kensie liked a little bit of make-believe. Being in the play had taught her that much.

[Elrowan Sabeur]

Elrowan did not know the way, and he was grateful that Kensie did. "As a foreigner to Magnolia, I am still learning its general infrastructure. So lead on, Lady Kensie," he insisted, not to proud to know that he needed help. He was glad that she was excited about the idea - he was too. Unlike her, he had much to look forward to. Who wouldn't want to see a replica of the ocean, but one where viewers could walk between the waves and see the fish? And of course, Elrowan retained the drink, not minding that he was holding it for Kensie.

"You are truly in a play?" Elrowan returned to her earlier comment. It had definitely caught his attention. "That is amazing, Lady Kensie! The fine arts are worthy causes to pursue, and I am certain you would make a beautiful idol." Perhaps too beautiful a figure. Kensie had a certain cute charm about her that was certain to enamor anyone she performed for. Did everyone deserve it? Probably not, but theaters were public. "You should be careful about becoming too famous, though. Dangerous come with such things," he added seriously, frowning a bit. He didn't want to scare her with all the possibilities, but performing for the public did have its drawbacks.

[Kensie Barnett]

Kensie had no trouble finding the aquarium. Fish were beautiful creatures, and the way they floated gracefully in the water… Kensie often wished she could touch them like a cat or something, because they were adorable, even if they were slimy. It took a bit to arrive, though, since Magnolia was one of the bigger towns in Fiore.

“Truly,” the ebon-haired girl nodded with a girlish chuckle. “I’m playing a ghost kid who’s a lot like me… only conniving and a bit crazy.” Kensie was a bit conniving… but she didn’t say it. She also didn't exactly understand what it meant. She'd only heard the others use the term. She spun around happily, stopping long enough to do so. “I’m a lovely idol, or so I hear,” she responded with another giggle. She knew she was cute. It worked for her.  She didn’t actually want to brag, but she was young enough and superficial enough that hearing how pretty she was made her incredibly happy. Her mood had perked up noticeably with that last compliment.

Then Elrowan decided to play the gentleman and warn her of being too famous. He seemed genuinely concerned, so she didn’t get mad or frustrated at him. “I’m a wizard though,” she protested. “I can protect myself well enough I think,” she sounded insistent, but still rather happy. One more twirl that caught her dress and spun it around as well only proved that.

[Elrowan Sabeur]

"Hm..." Elrowan thought. Kensie was indeed a Fairy Tail wizard, which meant she had to be reasonably strong. Such a fact was easy to overlook when traveling with her. She seemed so much like a happy young lady, that Elrowan had a hard time imagining her fling spells. Clearly she possessed the talent, though. "You speak true. Any fiend would be in for an ill surprise, likely not expecting your wizardry talents, Lady Kensie." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, thinking of Kensie in the play. "A ghost kid is not the role I expected you to have. Are you certain they casted you right? I would have more expected the lines of a princess. Or perhaps a ghostly princess..." There was a chance that Kensie really was a princess. In that case, perhaps that was the very reason why they had decided not to do so. "Then again, I suppose it would be better to keep a low profile..." If there were too many similarities, people might pick up on Kensie's nobility.

Elrowan was completely amazed at the aquarium before him. It was exactly as the stories said, with glass panels separating the salty sea between the viewers. And in the midst of the mini-ocean, a myriad of fish swam about. Some swam with great energy, while others flitted by lazily. "This... is truly breath-taking," his eyes shone as he watched the fish. "Magnolia is certainly a town with many wonders. How do you suppose they transport a slice of the ocean?" It seemed like a mini miracle. Certainly taking an entire part of the ocean, and finding the right one with fish, would be a difficult task indeed...

[Kensie Barnett]

A princess, huh? He thought she was worthy of being a princess? Kensie couldn’t help but chuckle happily at his accidental compliment. She wouldn’t argue with him. She was her daddy’s princess, according to him. He kept going, saying perhaps it was best to keep a low profile, which at first Kensie didn’t connect to his other statement, but then she realized he actually thought she might be a princess. Her grin only grew then. “You’re a sharp boy,” Kensie told Elrowan in a hushed tone, her copper eyes dancing with glee. “I like that about you. That and the fact that you know how to treat a lady like me.”

Elrowan seemed rather enamored with the fish tanks as they started to walk through the Aquarium. Kensie thought the fish were pretty, but he… seemed obsessed with how people caught the fish. Kensie frowned at first, but then she started giggling again. “They don’t transport the whole ocean, silly. They catch the fish and get water and things, then decorate the tanks. It’s a lot easier than slicing up the ocean… however you do that…” Kensie shrugged, far more entertained with being a secret princess than the fish tanks, even though she loved the pretty fish as well.

[Elrowan Sabeur]

Elrowan whipped around to face Kensie. The secretive tone she'd used, what she had just said... was it possible that Kensie was indeed a princess? He met her glittering gaze, momentarily frozen, his mind racing to catch up. There was just one problem... the princesses of the realm had their memories of royalty taken away from them. Could Kensie have somehow regained a portion of her memories? Or was this some kind of trick? No... Kensie didn't seem like the kind to lead him astray.

"I... I understand," he said quietly, turning back and managing to compose himself, so as to keep her secret. "If there is anything else you desire, Lady Kensie, please do not hesitate to ask. I also, have been enjoying our time together." Kensie had multiple talents and hearing about her accomplishments amazed him. She had a certain prestige of nobility about her, but still was concerned for the common folk. "I only wish that I could stay in Magnolia longer..." He watched the fish swim by lazily. Perhaps Magnolia, and Fairy Tail, were better than what he'd given them credit. After spending more time here, he could certainly see the appeal of the larger guild... especially since it attracted ladies like Kensie. Actually, Kalika was probably wondering where he was. Elrowan hadn't exactly announced that he was parading over to Magnolia.

[Kensie Barnett]

Kensie giggled as she stared idly at the fish swimming around in the tanks. Elrowan was enjoying their time together too, huh? That was good, because Kensie was having a blast. He might be a bit crazy, but she found him super fun. Besides, she wasn’t lying about being a princess. Every girl was somebody’s princess, right? At least that was what she told herself. He went on to express that he wished he could stay in Magnolia longer. “You could, you know,” Kensie told him in a pleasant voice. “You’re the kind of gentleman that any girl likes spending time with,” she told him. “It would be sad to just have you disappear from my life so soon, being all the way from Blue Pegasus and all…”

Kensie had started watching an octopus crawl around in a tank. She found octopuses a strange mix of gross and enthralling, the way they could fit through the smallest cracks and just squeeze through. She wasn’t walking around as much because of it. She reached over and took her lemonade from Elrowan, starting to sip again idly. Part of her was hoping that her pause in conversation would convince him to stick around a bit longer or something, since him leaving obviously brought down her spirits slightly, even if she’d be fine pretty quickly. She wasn’t sure it would work. He might respond to her actually begging… but first she was going to try seeing how observant he was.

[Elrowan Sabeur]

Elrowan was oblivious to most social cues. Yet somehow Kensie knew just where to hit and at the right time. So he smiled at Kensie, appreciating her sentiment. She wanted him to stay. "Knowing that you desire my company is a wonderful present," he told her truthfully. "However, I cannot stay for long." Little could be done on that matter. He had a duty to Blue Pegasus and Kalika. The kind of gentleman any girl likes spending time with, huh... His gaze drifted back to the tank, watching the strange-looking octopus. The sea beast, while ferocious looking, actually seemed quite tame when behind glass. A few seconds passed before he jumped lightly. The last thought had felt very natural, but it wasn't his.

... It was just another reason why he couldn't stay. Watching himself around the people close to him was already hard. If he spent more time with the same people, they would be more likely to pick up on Alastor. Perhaps he should devote more time in figuring out how to separate the two of them. That Crisis woman had certainly been interested in separating herself from her curse. "Lady Kensie, I am glad we got to spend today together. We might be from rival guilds, but I still respect you very much, and would care to see you again. Although it may be good-bye soon, it will not be permanent," he promised. "My travels bring me all over Fiore, and I am certain I will see both you and Magnolia again. So please, do not worry yourself."

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