They were one day away from Sabertooth. Nox's heart was squeezing a little with every steps she took and she was dreading being alone again. As much as Sting could be annoyingly loud, and Rogue sarcastically cryptic, she loved them dearly. Like brothers. The two Exceeds had also found a place in her heart, and Lector had surprisingly token a liking to her. She would often sit by the fire at night with the two Exceeds asleep on her laps, especially ever since they had started recognizing the forests around their guild. Often, she would catch looks Sting and Rogue threw her way. She saw sadness in them.

Nox did not like goodbyes. They were annoying and often pathetic. However, she knew they deserved one and she could not simply leave in the night, as she would have normally done. They did deserve better. Grinding her teeth, she sat down for the last night with them.

Rogue and Sting were telling her tales about Sabertooth when they mentioned an even that happened a year ago; the Grand Magic Games. Immediately, her attention perked up as they explained the purpose of the thing.

"_so... you guys compete every year?"

"_yeah. And so far, we have won for seven years. We are the Number One Guild in Fiore."

"_and you are competing this year?"

"_yes, of course. Why?"

"_nah, no reason." There was one though. She was going to sign her guild up for it. She was going to have a laugh this year. A smirked appeared on her lips.

"_that smile give me the creeps, Rez." Warned Rogue as Frosch and Lector flew from the shoulder of their respective dragon's to Rez's lap.

"_now, why would you say that?" all three of them burst into fits of laughter, as the fire merrily dance in front of them.

Yes, this was their last night together and yes, she was sad to leave them but it did not mean she couldn't enjoy herself so far.

Frosch was bawling her eyes out, as she clung to Rez's cloak. The woman awkwardly patted the little Exceeds back, as she drew her hood up.

"_when do you guys want me to say goodbye?" that was a hard question. They would gladly keep her longer, but if they started crying in front of Sabertooth, it would be embarrassing. Seeing the silence, she made her decision.

"_let's say goodbye now, and I'll walk you there, okay?"

She was immediately engulfed in a group hug. She snaked her arms around her friends, and patted their backs. Sting was unusually quiet, whilst Rogue was trying to keep the tears in his eyes from rolling down his cheeks. She gave them each a separate hug then took two small bells from her backpack.

"_these are very easy to use. The one on a white chain is to call me. Don't you dare hesitate to use it!" She gave that one to Sting with a warning look. "And the one on a black ribbon is to call you, Rogue. Give it to that woman."

He turned crimson.

"_what, huh... what woman?" he stammered. Sting and she shared a look before laughing. He shook his head to the side, and took his earring off.

"_don't you dare forget us." he said, handing it over. She took it and put it on her own ear.

"_don't YOU dare forget me." With a peck of each of their cheeks, she picked Frosch up in her arms whilst Lector flew on the top of her head, lying down on the comfortable hood. The twin dragon slayers shouldered their backpack and each on one of her sides they started walking to Crocus.

.

The second goodbyes had been much colder than the first, exception made of Frosch who was still clinging to her hood whilst Lector was trying to hide his face in Sting's hair. Both dragon slayers had a poker face on, but she could see past it easily and knew they were sad. They had said their goodbyes in front of the guild's building before each of them gave her a quick, one-armed hug. She smiled slightly before pulling the Exceed away from her and handing her over to Rogue. With a wave of her hand, she turned around and disappeared into the crowd.

Sting and Rogue stood there for some time, trying to drill into their minds that they were now back to four, and not five. Inhaling sharply, they turned their back on the crown that had swallowed their friend and stepped into the guild building.

The hooded figure came out of the forest under the moonlight. She quickly made her way through the deserted streets before reaching the amphitheatre. The huge stone building looked gloomy at night, but this did not stop the figure in any way. She swiftly walked into the shadow, disappearing completely into darkness.

Asoka was tidying up her desk, when a hooded figure materialised in a corner. She was about to scream when a gloved hand covered her mouth. Her eyes wide, she saw the figure loom over her.

"_don 't worry. I simply want to join the GMG."

The shaking woman designated with a trembling finger a formulary on her desk. The gloved hand grabbed it and looked at it intently. She freed her mouth, before waving her now free hand in front of it. Typed letters appeared to fill the gaps on the sheet and the guild stamp materialised at the bottom of the page. The hooded figure then dropped the letter onto the desk and turned to her.

"_I seemed to understand the GMG organization will book hotels for us?"

She could only nod, not trusting herself to speak. Nox sent a short nod.

"_I will be waiting."

.

When Matamuto came in the following morning, he found his colleague on the floor, still shaking from her meeting of the previous day.

Nox was lying onto the ground in the forest when she heard the flapping of wings. The raven she had sent in the morning to retrieved the information on her sleeping arrangement seemed to have finally come back. Extending her hand when the beautiful black raven came into the clearing, she felt his claws onto her arm and smiled a little at the clever animal. He held a missive in his beak she got hold of, and flew to her shoulder after a pat of the head. Peeking over the shoulder of the hooded woman he was on, the raven seemed to read the scroll she had unsealed.

After a few minutes, the raven flew off into the sky, as the hooded woman started walking to the hotel she had been assigned.

So, she was sharing with Sabertooth?