“Him?” Cassandra’s face crippled with immense disgust, “That guy who tried to kill you the second he walked in?”
“Yeah, over my tatoo!”
The diviner leaned down and picked him up by his stoney shoulder, propping him up so he could face her. “Hi,” She smiled in triumphant greeting, she would’ve left him there all night, but now he was a person of interest, and she couldn’t resist a clue on their dried up trail. “So I think you have some information for me, I’m going to release the spell I put on your mouth, but your body will remain immovable, is that okay?”
The man’s eyes bulged, vessels and eyelids tense with anger, the vein in his temple nearly popped from the pressure, “Oh come now, if you keep squirming how’m I supposed to take the spell off without you accidentally losing an eye?”
That stilled his stirring attempt at movement right then. A base layer of fear lit in his unblinking eyes and suddenly there was relief. His expression wilted from the one frozen in anger and he drank in a breath of comforting air, his body was still stiff, he knew because he’d tried to flex his hand, maybe even thoughts of attacking her again crossed his mind, but as far as Cana could tell, he had cooled off enough, and was unarmed, “So,” she continued, the confidence spewed off of her like a radiant aura, “You’ve seen this man?”
The guy looked at the wanted poster, his expression sparked interest and immediate recognition, then, he looked away, wanting no part of an interrogation. “Well, isn’t that funny, now you’re silent, well, let’s see, I was thinking about forgiving you for what you did earlier to me and that wall over there,” she motioned over her shoulder, a dent from her head was quite evident, “Because of the free drinks your friends bought me, but now, I’m angry, because this isn’t how an interrogation works, you got me? How about I start with this, if you don’t tell me, I’m going to kick you below the legs. An’ I warn you, I hit a lot harder when I’m buzzed.”
The man remained silent, his eyes evaded her gaze, but he knew he’d feel the slam of pain, just as his nose had felt when he’d hit the rocky ground beneath them. “Maybe I’ll even tell you where I got the tattoo, how’s about a trade?”
This struck interest. His dark eyes moved back to hers as a slug’s pace. He’d agreed. Cana was glad, because she had no interest in hitting someone who was defenseless, deserving or not, hitting someone helpless wasn’t delivering justice.
“You first, seeming how I’m the one with all the cards,” a clever use of wordplay as a few of Cana’s magical cards slipped out of the bag and hovered in the air, reminding him who’d put him in his current statue esque state.
“Alright, alright, I’m talkin,” lumberjack man began, his eyes flicking from Cana’s stone-cold determined gaze and the cards that seemed to wield all the power without her even having to move, “The man in the picture, I came at you because in an instant I recognized his tattoo and wanted to know who he was to you, it ain’t every day I see a tattoo so distinguished that matches another person’s. So, yeah, I seen him. He’s the guy who blew up my house with his crazy magic.”
Cana smiled, not because this guy’s house was blown to bits, but because, “That sounds like something he would do, hmm, do you know where his is?”
“If I did, he’d be dead,” he said in his southern drawl, “He blew up my livelihood, every secondary who’s house was destroyed has been searchin’ for him but it’s like he vanished without a trace, so it’s been a few months and next thang I know you’re walking in with the same exact tattoo, so I had to know where ya got it from. Guy goes around explodin’ people’s homes and don’t even apologize, that’s why there’s that bounty on his head.”
Cana showed her teeth, the man had struck a nerve, and it really wasn’t this guy’s fault, still this was her father and her guild’s good name, she grabbed him by the neck of his shirt and pulled his stone figure close, passion tingling in her fingers as the anger spewed in the words from her lips, “Listen, he’s a very powerful mage who wields the most destructive magic in my world, he was born with it, do you think his life’s been easy? Do you think he can keep that much magic in his body all the time? Could you? That takes an immense amount of self control, something a man like you doesn’t have if he’s pounding some woman up against a wall based on a tattoo she has! It was an accident and he’s spent his entire life trying to master his curse and he’s become one hell of a mage because of this, most of his life has been dealing with people like you who could never possible understand the hardships of never having a family to return to, let alone a building that you can rebuild and learn to call home once more.”
“My wife was inside,” suddenly Cana’s heart sank, the spell she’d cast on him released his body. They’d all lost people. Her mom, this guy’s wife. She’d let the anger get the best of her.
“The tattoo is the mark of our guild,” Cana bore it proudly, standing tall as she explained, “Which is a place where people with unusual skills get jobs and get to call home, we fight for what’s right and we do good things for people because we are good people. The guild’s name is Fairy Tail, and if I catch you harassing any of our members again, I’ll know, and I’ll come back for you. Now, we’re leaving Cassandra. I’m sorry about what happened to your wife.”
The two ladies left as the door clapped behind them, leaving the solemn mood behind in that room. The fresh air was cold and crisp in Cana’s lungs, she drank it up, sobering as her mind ran through what Gildarts had done. Of course it had to be an accident. Didn’t it? Gildarts, her father, would never do something like that intentionally. He’d never killed in cold blood, that she knew of, anyway.
“So, the man you’re chasing is a badass, who knew?” Cassandra chuckled, she was a little bit tipsy, “Is he really one of the most powerful mages in your world?”
“Yeah, he really is,” Cana spoke, her eyes distant as he moon was setting over the horizon, and they had a great view from their perch on this level of Minas Tirith. A great view of the darkness, which without the stars, would’ve left the moon lonely in the sky. Cana turned to her companion and offered a smile, “So you want to find an inn or something?”
The vampire nodded, “Maybe on one of the safer upper levels,” she hiccupped, all that free liquor had gotten the best of her and she didn’t usually drink.
…
When she awoke, the diviner served the oversleeping Cassandra some water and set it down on the end-table, then, Cana left, leaving a note, “Rest for today, I’ll be back this afternoon.” She assumed vampires preferred daytime slumber anyway and Cana wasn’t about to wake one up.
Cana was on her feet, curious as to what the day would bring, if that poster had happened any time soon (for Johnny knife-o, the wound of his wife’s death still seemed pretty raw), it wasn’t likely Gildarts would come back to the crime scene, especially when thanks to this poster, he was seen as a criminal. Unwanted confrontation, Gildarts had no interest in.
Today was a day on the town! She’d gone and looked at the new styles of the clothes in Camelot that were all the rage, styles were witchy and mysterious, dresses were dark colors and complimented a woman’s curves nicely. If Cana wore dresses, she’d have splurged, but they weren’t her style. Then she’d done some reconnaissance, talking about the catastrophe the infamous Gildarts had caused, speaking curiously about Camelot’s lore and uncovering details about their leader, Aragorn. The land was homey, mystical, and curious. There weren’t a lot of answers to some her questions, or maybe people just preferred not knowing.
Cana did however find out that there was a royal guard that patrolled around, trying to stop trouble makers when commonfolk couldn’t defend themselves, it was good to know some things never changed. This land wasn’t a free for all, there was order. In fact, it was mostly like home.
Cana had been walking down the street when she’d stopped at a billboard with Gildarts’ face pinned to it, but around his face, were jobs, like the classifieds part of a newspaper, it was kind of wonderful. Some were as simple as walking dogs, another held a rumor about a nearby dragon, another spoke about a fallen star and an astronomy guild. It was all so reminiscent of home, which reminded the wizard just how much she missed it.
To her left, another… Creature, had stopped. He looked a lot like Elfman when he was in his orc-demon form. He was tall, powerful and orcish. He had two horn-like striped tusks, a pale, dull colored skin, and a great big smile on his face as he looked at Gildarts’ poster.
“Hah-hah-hah-ha! It is good to know that the signs ‘re still up, means they haven’t caught ya yet.” His brutish voice boiled over her ears loudly, she couldn’t quite tell what his exact origin was, but she knew he wasn’t human, “Can’ believe you blew up a lil’ town, what a guy.”
“Did you, uh, know him?” Cana asked innocently as she turned around, her gaze was serious, and she accidentally directed the seriousness at him.
“Huh?” Whompt tilted his head, looking down as he towered high above the little human woman who’d dared to talk to him, “Did you say somethin’ miss?”
He’d given her a pass, a chance to take back what she’d said, though they both knew his big pointed ears were sharp enough to know she was speaking to him. She stated again, more confidently, “Can I buy you a drink?”
“Hmm, a lady buying me a drink,” his dark, stout hands met his chin as he contemplated her offer, “It has been a while, and while the sun’s up, I guess I’m here in Minas Tirith on pleasure, lookin’ for a job. Well miss, since this board is clean and ain’ got what I’m lookin’ for, I’ll take you up on that. Th’ name is Whompt.”
They went back to Tenny’s and it seemed drinks were still on the house, as the bartender confirmed with a wink. Cana went about her conversation politely, “So, I’m Cana, and I won’t lie, I invited you here because it seemed like you knew about the man on the poster we were both looking at.’
Whompt’s dark, ogre eyes flicked to her belly, matching the two tattoos together in his mind, just as the bartender and the man who had been dressed like a lumberjack had. Cana would not cover it up for her journey, it was a proud symbol of Fairy Tail and she wasn’t ashamed.
“Guess it depends who’s askin,” Whompt continued, narrowed eyes and drinking his golden-colored beverage with ease, he’d kept his cool, suspecting something like this to happen as it had happened before. “Who were you to him?”
“A friend, a fellow guild member,” Cana gestured to her belly which he’d already noticed, proof.
Whompt rolled it around in his mind, “You can say yer friends all ye’ want but you could really be chasin’ him down for his bounty, not that a powerful prime like him couldn’t handle a secondary like you. If I were you, I’d ferget about ‘im, friend, guild-buddy or bounty on ‘is head, he’s trouble, and he’s especially dangerous with that thing talkin’ in his head. You best steer clear if you know what’s best for ya. I don’t want no trouble, and you shouldn’t go lookin’ fer it either, even if he happens to be from your world.” Whompt slurped another drink down and Tenny filled him up, “Thanks.”
“My pleasure,” the man went to refill another man’s near empty glass, leaving them alone.
“That’s not going to happen,” Cana said with sudden determination. The passion and focus in her eyes was almost reminiscent, and they were almost the same color as the fire-haired mage’s. Whompt narrowed his eyes and sniffed the air. The results of his animalistic nose were more than curious.
Interesting. It seems they share the same blood, He thought, “Oh, and why not? A real friend would heed my warning.”
“I… Have a promise to keep,” of course, the promise was to herself, but there was a promise on the line.
“Do tell?” Whompt challenged.
They drew to a stalemate. Whompt waited in the silence triumphantly, sipping the warming liquor and munching on peanuts that he cracked on the side of the bar, or peeled back the shell with his sharpened claw fingernails.
Cana’s eye twitched. Here goes nothing. “We’re related.”
Whompt already knew, based on scent and slightly on mannerisms. Though humans all looked the same to him, “So what, ye got a death wish on yer brother, cousin, son?”
“Sounds like you’re awfully protective over someone you don’t know,” Cana reposted.
They were at a standstill, but to her favor now. Whompt sighed, “Kay, I don’ really care how yer related, but I do care what you want with ‘im, like I said, he’s a dangerous Prime, secondary Cana, don’ you know that means ‘e is immortal?” Cassandra had said something about that, sure, but Cana hadn’t really believed it, assuming it was some sort of vampire thing. “Someone ‘o is immortal and dangerous, you gotta rethink yer chase after ‘im, y’know?”
Another guzzle of ale quenched past his gillet. “I know, and I know the risks, he would never hurt me.”
“Maybe not now, but…” Whompt considered it and weighed against telling her of the Malefactor and just what it does to people, “The Omniverse can change people, maybe them strong’r an’ weak’r based on their skills. If yer lookin’ fer him you ought to know what he did in this land, the strong are feared and not always welcome. It seems that is often the case in all worlds…”
Whompt thought in retrospect to some of his experiences. “If you’ve seen him and can point me in the right direction, I’d be forever grateful,” Cana took a big slug of ale, “Beats running around here in circles hoping for him to show up.”
Maybe not, Whompt had thought, his head still sore and rattled from…
“Alright, I’ll tell ya, but he’s not been looking fer you, or I guess, ‘e didn’t mention it. I last saw ‘im in the forest verse called the Tangled Green. We did a job together, he seemed like a swell guy, but honey, ‘e has got probl’ms of his own and you best remember that. Don’ go gettin’ him mad aroun’ other people.” Whompt’s glass was refilled kindly by Tenny.
To Cana, it didn’t seem like he was lying, though it was hard to tell with those dark, beady little eyes pinched up in his large skull, still, the brute seemed content, though he didn’t smile giving up that information.
“Thanks, I really appreciate this, and don’t worry, I don’t plan on getting him mad, he’s usually happy to see fellow members of the guild, in return for your kind favor, I’ll tell your fortune if you like.” Cana pulled out her tarot cards and began to shuffle them.
“How’s a gal not know where to look fer a prime when she c’n see the future?” he grunted.
“Still not used to the verse system here, it jumbles them, as I’ve only ever been to the one with the volcanoes, I’d have to know more or visit more to interpret them correctly, but people’s futures don’t change based on the verse they are in, so it should still work fine. It is a special skill of mine,” she added hoping to return his helpful favor.
“Where I’m from we got a tradition, didn’ often do things with knowin’ our futures, as people always tried to evade em’ so I’m afraid I’ll have to pass. Livin’ in the presen’ has worked out quite nicely for me.” Whompt informed her, winking as he raised his glass, free booze. She smiled too, agreeing it was one of life’s small pleasures. Plus, the company of two new acquaintances.
Their glasses clinked together once more.
“Yeah, over my tatoo!”
The diviner leaned down and picked him up by his stoney shoulder, propping him up so he could face her. “Hi,” She smiled in triumphant greeting, she would’ve left him there all night, but now he was a person of interest, and she couldn’t resist a clue on their dried up trail. “So I think you have some information for me, I’m going to release the spell I put on your mouth, but your body will remain immovable, is that okay?”
The man’s eyes bulged, vessels and eyelids tense with anger, the vein in his temple nearly popped from the pressure, “Oh come now, if you keep squirming how’m I supposed to take the spell off without you accidentally losing an eye?”
That stilled his stirring attempt at movement right then. A base layer of fear lit in his unblinking eyes and suddenly there was relief. His expression wilted from the one frozen in anger and he drank in a breath of comforting air, his body was still stiff, he knew because he’d tried to flex his hand, maybe even thoughts of attacking her again crossed his mind, but as far as Cana could tell, he had cooled off enough, and was unarmed, “So,” she continued, the confidence spewed off of her like a radiant aura, “You’ve seen this man?”
The guy looked at the wanted poster, his expression sparked interest and immediate recognition, then, he looked away, wanting no part of an interrogation. “Well, isn’t that funny, now you’re silent, well, let’s see, I was thinking about forgiving you for what you did earlier to me and that wall over there,” she motioned over her shoulder, a dent from her head was quite evident, “Because of the free drinks your friends bought me, but now, I’m angry, because this isn’t how an interrogation works, you got me? How about I start with this, if you don’t tell me, I’m going to kick you below the legs. An’ I warn you, I hit a lot harder when I’m buzzed.”
The man remained silent, his eyes evaded her gaze, but he knew he’d feel the slam of pain, just as his nose had felt when he’d hit the rocky ground beneath them. “Maybe I’ll even tell you where I got the tattoo, how’s about a trade?”
This struck interest. His dark eyes moved back to hers as a slug’s pace. He’d agreed. Cana was glad, because she had no interest in hitting someone who was defenseless, deserving or not, hitting someone helpless wasn’t delivering justice.
“You first, seeming how I’m the one with all the cards,” a clever use of wordplay as a few of Cana’s magical cards slipped out of the bag and hovered in the air, reminding him who’d put him in his current statue esque state.
“Alright, alright, I’m talkin,” lumberjack man began, his eyes flicking from Cana’s stone-cold determined gaze and the cards that seemed to wield all the power without her even having to move, “The man in the picture, I came at you because in an instant I recognized his tattoo and wanted to know who he was to you, it ain’t every day I see a tattoo so distinguished that matches another person’s. So, yeah, I seen him. He’s the guy who blew up my house with his crazy magic.”
Cana smiled, not because this guy’s house was blown to bits, but because, “That sounds like something he would do, hmm, do you know where his is?”
“If I did, he’d be dead,” he said in his southern drawl, “He blew up my livelihood, every secondary who’s house was destroyed has been searchin’ for him but it’s like he vanished without a trace, so it’s been a few months and next thang I know you’re walking in with the same exact tattoo, so I had to know where ya got it from. Guy goes around explodin’ people’s homes and don’t even apologize, that’s why there’s that bounty on his head.”
Cana showed her teeth, the man had struck a nerve, and it really wasn’t this guy’s fault, still this was her father and her guild’s good name, she grabbed him by the neck of his shirt and pulled his stone figure close, passion tingling in her fingers as the anger spewed in the words from her lips, “Listen, he’s a very powerful mage who wields the most destructive magic in my world, he was born with it, do you think his life’s been easy? Do you think he can keep that much magic in his body all the time? Could you? That takes an immense amount of self control, something a man like you doesn’t have if he’s pounding some woman up against a wall based on a tattoo she has! It was an accident and he’s spent his entire life trying to master his curse and he’s become one hell of a mage because of this, most of his life has been dealing with people like you who could never possible understand the hardships of never having a family to return to, let alone a building that you can rebuild and learn to call home once more.”
“My wife was inside,” suddenly Cana’s heart sank, the spell she’d cast on him released his body. They’d all lost people. Her mom, this guy’s wife. She’d let the anger get the best of her.
“The tattoo is the mark of our guild,” Cana bore it proudly, standing tall as she explained, “Which is a place where people with unusual skills get jobs and get to call home, we fight for what’s right and we do good things for people because we are good people. The guild’s name is Fairy Tail, and if I catch you harassing any of our members again, I’ll know, and I’ll come back for you. Now, we’re leaving Cassandra. I’m sorry about what happened to your wife.”
The two ladies left as the door clapped behind them, leaving the solemn mood behind in that room. The fresh air was cold and crisp in Cana’s lungs, she drank it up, sobering as her mind ran through what Gildarts had done. Of course it had to be an accident. Didn’t it? Gildarts, her father, would never do something like that intentionally. He’d never killed in cold blood, that she knew of, anyway.
“So, the man you’re chasing is a badass, who knew?” Cassandra chuckled, she was a little bit tipsy, “Is he really one of the most powerful mages in your world?”
“Yeah, he really is,” Cana spoke, her eyes distant as he moon was setting over the horizon, and they had a great view from their perch on this level of Minas Tirith. A great view of the darkness, which without the stars, would’ve left the moon lonely in the sky. Cana turned to her companion and offered a smile, “So you want to find an inn or something?”
The vampire nodded, “Maybe on one of the safer upper levels,” she hiccupped, all that free liquor had gotten the best of her and she didn’t usually drink.
…
When she awoke, the diviner served the oversleeping Cassandra some water and set it down on the end-table, then, Cana left, leaving a note, “Rest for today, I’ll be back this afternoon.” She assumed vampires preferred daytime slumber anyway and Cana wasn’t about to wake one up.
Cana was on her feet, curious as to what the day would bring, if that poster had happened any time soon (for Johnny knife-o, the wound of his wife’s death still seemed pretty raw), it wasn’t likely Gildarts would come back to the crime scene, especially when thanks to this poster, he was seen as a criminal. Unwanted confrontation, Gildarts had no interest in.
Today was a day on the town! She’d gone and looked at the new styles of the clothes in Camelot that were all the rage, styles were witchy and mysterious, dresses were dark colors and complimented a woman’s curves nicely. If Cana wore dresses, she’d have splurged, but they weren’t her style. Then she’d done some reconnaissance, talking about the catastrophe the infamous Gildarts had caused, speaking curiously about Camelot’s lore and uncovering details about their leader, Aragorn. The land was homey, mystical, and curious. There weren’t a lot of answers to some her questions, or maybe people just preferred not knowing.
Cana did however find out that there was a royal guard that patrolled around, trying to stop trouble makers when commonfolk couldn’t defend themselves, it was good to know some things never changed. This land wasn’t a free for all, there was order. In fact, it was mostly like home.
Cana had been walking down the street when she’d stopped at a billboard with Gildarts’ face pinned to it, but around his face, were jobs, like the classifieds part of a newspaper, it was kind of wonderful. Some were as simple as walking dogs, another held a rumor about a nearby dragon, another spoke about a fallen star and an astronomy guild. It was all so reminiscent of home, which reminded the wizard just how much she missed it.
To her left, another… Creature, had stopped. He looked a lot like Elfman when he was in his orc-demon form. He was tall, powerful and orcish. He had two horn-like striped tusks, a pale, dull colored skin, and a great big smile on his face as he looked at Gildarts’ poster.
“Hah-hah-hah-ha! It is good to know that the signs ‘re still up, means they haven’t caught ya yet.” His brutish voice boiled over her ears loudly, she couldn’t quite tell what his exact origin was, but she knew he wasn’t human, “Can’ believe you blew up a lil’ town, what a guy.”
“Did you, uh, know him?” Cana asked innocently as she turned around, her gaze was serious, and she accidentally directed the seriousness at him.
“Huh?” Whompt tilted his head, looking down as he towered high above the little human woman who’d dared to talk to him, “Did you say somethin’ miss?”
He’d given her a pass, a chance to take back what she’d said, though they both knew his big pointed ears were sharp enough to know she was speaking to him. She stated again, more confidently, “Can I buy you a drink?”
“Hmm, a lady buying me a drink,” his dark, stout hands met his chin as he contemplated her offer, “It has been a while, and while the sun’s up, I guess I’m here in Minas Tirith on pleasure, lookin’ for a job. Well miss, since this board is clean and ain’ got what I’m lookin’ for, I’ll take you up on that. Th’ name is Whompt.”
They went back to Tenny’s and it seemed drinks were still on the house, as the bartender confirmed with a wink. Cana went about her conversation politely, “So, I’m Cana, and I won’t lie, I invited you here because it seemed like you knew about the man on the poster we were both looking at.’
Whompt’s dark, ogre eyes flicked to her belly, matching the two tattoos together in his mind, just as the bartender and the man who had been dressed like a lumberjack had. Cana would not cover it up for her journey, it was a proud symbol of Fairy Tail and she wasn’t ashamed.
“Guess it depends who’s askin,” Whompt continued, narrowed eyes and drinking his golden-colored beverage with ease, he’d kept his cool, suspecting something like this to happen as it had happened before. “Who were you to him?”
“A friend, a fellow guild member,” Cana gestured to her belly which he’d already noticed, proof.
Whompt rolled it around in his mind, “You can say yer friends all ye’ want but you could really be chasin’ him down for his bounty, not that a powerful prime like him couldn’t handle a secondary like you. If I were you, I’d ferget about ‘im, friend, guild-buddy or bounty on ‘is head, he’s trouble, and he’s especially dangerous with that thing talkin’ in his head. You best steer clear if you know what’s best for ya. I don’t want no trouble, and you shouldn’t go lookin’ fer it either, even if he happens to be from your world.” Whompt slurped another drink down and Tenny filled him up, “Thanks.”
“My pleasure,” the man went to refill another man’s near empty glass, leaving them alone.
“That’s not going to happen,” Cana said with sudden determination. The passion and focus in her eyes was almost reminiscent, and they were almost the same color as the fire-haired mage’s. Whompt narrowed his eyes and sniffed the air. The results of his animalistic nose were more than curious.
Interesting. It seems they share the same blood, He thought, “Oh, and why not? A real friend would heed my warning.”
“I… Have a promise to keep,” of course, the promise was to herself, but there was a promise on the line.
“Do tell?” Whompt challenged.
They drew to a stalemate. Whompt waited in the silence triumphantly, sipping the warming liquor and munching on peanuts that he cracked on the side of the bar, or peeled back the shell with his sharpened claw fingernails.
Cana’s eye twitched. Here goes nothing. “We’re related.”
Whompt already knew, based on scent and slightly on mannerisms. Though humans all looked the same to him, “So what, ye got a death wish on yer brother, cousin, son?”
“Sounds like you’re awfully protective over someone you don’t know,” Cana reposted.
They were at a standstill, but to her favor now. Whompt sighed, “Kay, I don’ really care how yer related, but I do care what you want with ‘im, like I said, he’s a dangerous Prime, secondary Cana, don’ you know that means ‘e is immortal?” Cassandra had said something about that, sure, but Cana hadn’t really believed it, assuming it was some sort of vampire thing. “Someone ‘o is immortal and dangerous, you gotta rethink yer chase after ‘im, y’know?”
Another guzzle of ale quenched past his gillet. “I know, and I know the risks, he would never hurt me.”
“Maybe not now, but…” Whompt considered it and weighed against telling her of the Malefactor and just what it does to people, “The Omniverse can change people, maybe them strong’r an’ weak’r based on their skills. If yer lookin’ fer him you ought to know what he did in this land, the strong are feared and not always welcome. It seems that is often the case in all worlds…”
Whompt thought in retrospect to some of his experiences. “If you’ve seen him and can point me in the right direction, I’d be forever grateful,” Cana took a big slug of ale, “Beats running around here in circles hoping for him to show up.”
Maybe not, Whompt had thought, his head still sore and rattled from…
“Alright, I’ll tell ya, but he’s not been looking fer you, or I guess, ‘e didn’t mention it. I last saw ‘im in the forest verse called the Tangled Green. We did a job together, he seemed like a swell guy, but honey, ‘e has got probl’ms of his own and you best remember that. Don’ go gettin’ him mad aroun’ other people.” Whompt’s glass was refilled kindly by Tenny.
To Cana, it didn’t seem like he was lying, though it was hard to tell with those dark, beady little eyes pinched up in his large skull, still, the brute seemed content, though he didn’t smile giving up that information.
“Thanks, I really appreciate this, and don’t worry, I don’t plan on getting him mad, he’s usually happy to see fellow members of the guild, in return for your kind favor, I’ll tell your fortune if you like.” Cana pulled out her tarot cards and began to shuffle them.
“How’s a gal not know where to look fer a prime when she c’n see the future?” he grunted.
“Still not used to the verse system here, it jumbles them, as I’ve only ever been to the one with the volcanoes, I’d have to know more or visit more to interpret them correctly, but people’s futures don’t change based on the verse they are in, so it should still work fine. It is a special skill of mine,” she added hoping to return his helpful favor.
“Where I’m from we got a tradition, didn’ often do things with knowin’ our futures, as people always tried to evade em’ so I’m afraid I’ll have to pass. Livin’ in the presen’ has worked out quite nicely for me.” Whompt informed her, winking as he raised his glass, free booze. She smiled too, agreeing it was one of life’s small pleasures. Plus, the company of two new acquaintances.
Their glasses clinked together once more.
![[Image: -Gildarts-fairy-tail-35651033-300-180.gif]](http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/35600000/-Gildarts-fairy-tail-35651033-300-180.gif)
"I have never met a strong person with an easy past." -Atticus