The sun was beginning to sink into the horizon by the small group emerged from masters office, looking a lot worse than they did when they entered. The bubbly blonds shoulders had slumped forward and the tall Kurogane yawned as they stepped over the threshold. Only Erza, Lucy, Natsu, Happy and Grey remained at the guild, too curious to return home.
Erza caught a glimpse of a large purple orb in the centre of the study as the door swung shut behind Sakura. "Lacrima?"
"Miss Scarlet, how nice of you to wait for us." Fai, to weary to plaster on his usual persona, simply smiled at Erzas gesture of kindness.
"My pleasure." The red head nodded. "I assume you found what you were looking for?" The boy Syoarans eyes fell to the ground along with his shoulders. "Or not?" Erza surveyed the rest of the group, all but Fai looked dead on their feet.
"Your master was very much helpful." Sakura said, her soft voice only barely audible. "Though we are no closer to finding my lost item."
Natsu looked confused, a common occurrence but one which was acceptable in this situation. "Was he helpful or not?" Grey demanded, his bitter tone caused by the fact he had to spend the whole day with Juvia on his arm while he waited.
"He told us what kind of magic we used, and how that could be used" It was Syoaran who was the first to speak. "Using something called a Lacrima. But he could not help us locate Sakuras feather." Suddenly the lack luster made sense, Master must have used a definition lacrima; lacrima which drains magic power to categories it.
"So what magic do you guys use then, eh?" Natsu burst in barely allowing Syoaran to finish. "Castor or holder?" he was like a child buzzing around them, eager to find out what his new opponents could do.
Fai smiled graciously, just as Erza expected, taking the energetic boys questions in his stride. " I use a type of holder magic. I'm correct to assume that I need some sort of magic item in order to use magic, yes?" He looked to Erza for reassurance and once he had received it he re-adjusted his attention to the pink haired boy. "Kurog-pon also uses Holder magic though your master informed him that his sword can act as a vessel for wind magic" Fai look surprisingly proud for some reason, he just looked at the tanned man and smiled briefly as he spoke.
"Sakura and myself are castors." Syoaran gave shifted over to Erza. " I use a fire type of castor magic though the master was unable to determine specifically." Natsu was beaming like an idiot, he'd never had a fire buddy to fight with- not one who was close to his age at least. It was that notion that got Erza thinking of the age of their guests: Fai and Kurogane seemed to be of a similar age and so did Syoaran and Sakura but as a quartet the difference seemed peculiar- she made a mental note to investigate further later.
"And you? Why kind of castor are you?" Grey asked, shirtless. Syoaran did not seem too pleased with the semi-naked man near Sakura, she reacted to the nudity in a similar way to Lucy when she first arrived. It was odd for the re-quip mage to see Greys stripping as abnormal, she'd grown up with it after all but the new guest reminded her that her friends weren't quite 'normal'.
"He couldn't tell. He said it may have something to do with the magical interference but he couldn't be sure." She replied shyly, Grey was clearly disappointed that he didn't have an ice sparring buddy like Natsu- who was currently draped over Syoarans shoulder practically begging for a fight.
"This should be discussed further in the morning." The group turned to see Makarov sitting in his usual spot on the counter smoking his pipe. "I've arranged lodging for you all at Fairy Hills, Grey please take them to Mira, she's arranged room allocation." Grey huffed as the group turned to head home for the night- Natsu still bragging and shouting about Syoaran powers like they were his own. "No- Erza, you stay. We have things to discuss."
Erza watched as Lucy waved fair-well as the group disappeared into the darkness of the night. The guild hall was eerily quiet as Natsus shouting melted into the night. "You wished to talk to me Master?" Erza strode over to the man on the counter, passing through the ring of white smoke he had just blown out in front of him.
"Yes, the blonde one- Fai?" Erza nodded. "I tried to test his magic but something was blocking it." He took a long and thoughtful draw of his pipe, he held it for a second before releasing it into the air. "I believe he possesses magic." Before Erza could voice her confusion the master raised his hand. "Magic not from our world. I'll like you to keep an eye on him for me, whoever he is he is a strong mage. Stronger than anything I've seen." Now that had Erza startled, Master was one of the strongest mages he knew the ten strongest on the continent yet he feared this dowey eyed foreigner.
"I will Master but I don't understand, why are you so worried?"
"Because Erza, that ripple of magic energy that disrupted magic this morning came from that man." Erza had assumed the interference had only affected her but if the Master had felt it aswell then something was surely a miss. "I'm not sure if he's aware of it yet himself but his magic is powerful here. Possibly more powerful than anywhere else he's ever been. And a man who doesn't know his own strength? Now that is truly terrifying."
Erza considered her masters words carefully on her walk home. She'd chosen to take the long route through the woods in order to avoid the buzz of town, she has too much clouding her brain as it was. The night was a still one, the only was created by that of forests wildlife none of the cities grumble leaked through the trees, it was like the forest was all that was or ever would be. She suddenly thought that maybe she should've just walked through town: there was nothing out here to distract her Makarovs words just kept replying in her mind over and over again like a record snagged on a crack. Fai was dangerous. Gentle Fai. Mannerly Fai. But then again, so was everyone she knew: Natsu, Grey and Lucy all were very capable of taking a life but she trusted them enough not to. Whereas Fai, Fai was an unknown, he could be capable of anything. Not to mention the grand quest the travellers seemed to be on, how far would they go to get this 'lost item' and what is it? Could it be the real danger?
Before she'd realised it she'd arrived at Fairy Hills. Bathed in the light of the entrance halls lights she surveyed who was still up at such a late hour: Mirajane still had her lights on along with two others room, which she had believed to be vacant. The new guests must be staying in those, she assumed. With a soft sigh she entered the building now truly suspicious of Fai and the others. If only she'd left them in the market that morning maybe then she'd wouldn't be burdened with such worries. Whatever happened though, she was certain it would change everything.
AN: This one doesn't feel as well written as the last two, sorry about that. Also sorry for taking so long to update, I'll try and be more regular but no promises. Please review with your thoughts.