In The Times Of Fairy Tails

Astedia
​

“I wish I could do more to help, but I do offer you this.” The Queen said, putting a bell around Brietta’s neck. “Ring the bell if you need us. Good luck, Sapphire Eclipse.”

Astedia: Forbidden Forest​

Annika peered down below, after a long time of flying, under her she saw an icy cliff, and inside of the cliff's opening a forest. "Looks like the perfect place to find a measure of courage."

Brietta dropped the group in the middle of the forest along with the other Pegasus, who then promptly flew off somewhere else. The forest trees were giant, and the ground was all dirt. It was horribly dark.

“Well here’s the place.” She said. "The deepest part of the forest."

“Why don’t you guys look around?” The Princess said, looking down from a tree she was by. This was only a piece of floating land, from under her she saw another layer of the forest under this one.

~ Mission Information: Look on the left, right or continue to walk straight or backwards ~

 

Ren looked around suspiciously at the trees, strongly suspecting at least one of them to harbour positive opinions of Wenlock's fashion sense. “You watch yourself, trees,” he whispered into the wind.​

Now to explore this place. Actually, scratch that. Peggy had claimed that this was the deepest part of the forest. And yet, they were almost definitely, as far as Ren's eyes could tell, on a floating island above the rest of the forest. Which in turn made this 'deepest' part of the forest also the highest. Did that make sense? Ren wasn't so sure, but he put the thought aside for now.

It was time for him to decide in which direction he would walk, because of important plot reasons, probably. Going right was too obvious. Going left was the opposite of right, so therefore it was the least obvious, and by virtue of that nothing would actually be there because whoever had hidden whatever they were looking for would know that they would figure out that it was the least obvious direction, thereby making it the most obvious direction, and at this point had figured that the person trying to find said item had reached a point in their logic so convoluted that really it didn't matter which direction was the most or least obvious.
Ahem. With those two directions scratched off the list, Ren now considered forwards. Ha, waaaay too dangerous. There could be wolves, or bears, or evil toadstools, or even a root he could trip over. Obviously the safest way was to go backwards.
And so Ren did. Grabbing his crotch in one hand and throwing out his other one dramatically, he began to moonwalk as 80's pop music played in his head. It was glorious.

 

Drosselmayer's Mansion



Sara's pov:
She stood there staring at her hand in amazement. what was that green glow? did she just use magic? She had no clue she could do it. The thought of it frightened her.
Then there was a talk about a Sugar Plum Princess. Well she had no clue who that was. Someone that was the princess of plums? hum... maybe how should she know. Then Clara said the nutcracker was a doll and then the nutcracker clamed he was not a nutcracker. Well maybe he was sugar plum prince. "find the sugar plum..." Wait...
"What were you?" She asked the nutcracker. She then stood there afraid what would she do if there was another battle. She could not use her bow for fear of hurting the people around her and that green magic was an accident and she had know clue how she did it. She felt useless. At least Thea could do something. Maybe if she sneaked away no one would notice her.
She started taking steep away from the group. I can't hurt them she thought. The look of fear in her eyes as she steeped away.

 

The group had slowly descended downward into a forest after embarking on their pegasus princess and company, and were now on their way to find a measure of courage...wait what? As they got off of their trusty flying steeds Lucia turned to the other group members and was about to ask just what a 'measure of courage' was...because that was quite the ambiguous description. In fact, she was pretty sure a measure of courage was usually some sort of description of an event rather than an actual physical object. Then there was also the idea that it could have an object referred to as a "courage" and they just needed to take a ruler or something to it, and measure it...or something. While she was about to ask the group about it, she was briefly diverted by Hasu just sort of...doing something...and going his own way to search for the measure of courage elsewhere. Lucia was a tad baffled by it and just sort of said, "I'm going to go...that way, cover more ground and all" she pointed in the left direction. She then addressed the group and said, "also, let's meet back up here if we find anything of interest." Taking one of her knives, she lodged it in the ground and said, "this way we know where we started off." With that, Lucia had walked away from the rest of the group to go courage hunting. Oh! Maybe they were looking for a dog.

After Charlotte said her piece, it was becoming evident that the girl, Calxiyn, had most likely gotten herself caught by whatever impassibility that was guarding this mountain. It was then that Ra had offered to go to the mountain on the group's behalf during this night time reprieve in order to fully scout out just what there was out there. However, Charlotte had decided to interject in this claim as well, saying, "Ra, I can not let you, in good faith, go on your own towards this mountain. If whatever was at that mountain had managed to stop and capture you, then we would be down one more person and no better off in this situation." She then thought more on it and said, "besides, if the moonlight is all we have to fear, then the canopy of the forest trees will provide a shelter quite unlike this tent here. As such, if you go, then I shall accompany you as well."

 

Astedia

Amanda's pov: For some reason the directions up and down were not options. So it couldn't be floating in the air or underground for some reason. Seeing Ren picked backwords and Lucia picked left she desided to pick right. What really bothered her tho was that they never really got any answers to there questions.

Drosselmayer's Mansion

Jack's pov: "Were should we start looking first, also how are we going to get around when we are all small". This princess could be anywhere and if it was far it could take them a while without being normal size or transportation.

 

So the Mouse King had a weakness to shoes, apparently. Something to note for later. For now though, there were a myriad of questions that needed answering, and not really any way of having them answered. How had they suddenly been shrunk, why was there a talking Nutcracker, and where the hell was fucking Evanora? Not helping, that much was evident, and leaving them without the leadership a group like this needed.
This group. Just look at them. That child was prating on as only a child can, Silvia apparently had cracked and was wandering aimlessly away from everyone else, and Sara and Jack were pondering the most inane trivialities they could conjure up from their limited minds. God, they were a bunch of complete jokes. I should fucking leave them all behind and get out of here myself, she thought, glaring furiously at them all. Pathetic wasters.
In short, Mizuki was pissed. It was time to take control of this situation, and do everything possible to sort out this mess. Seeing as everyone else was busy being not helpful, that unfortunately left the task to her, the one who preferred to not to be at the front of things.
She stepped up to the Nutcracker and grabbed him by the collar (he totally has one, work with me here). “I'll be the one cracking nuts if you don't tell me right now how we can find this Princess. And don't tell me you don't have some idea, because if you don't have anything, then we don't need you, and that means you die.” She glared at him icily to emphasize her point. “Now talk.”

 

Drosselmayer's Mansion

Jack's pov: "How we can find this Princess. And don't tell me you don't have some idea, because if you don't have anything, then we don't need you, and that means you die.” Mizuki had said.
He steeped forward. "Your not going to kill anyone, he didn't even attack us. I won't let you hurt anyone here" he rose his staff in defense. He hoped some of the others were on his side such as Alessia.

 

Drosselmayer's Mansion



Sara's pov:
She stopped in her tracks when Mizuki said she was going to kill the nutcracker. There was not enough letters in the alphabet to describe what she thought of Mizuki. That was putting it nicely. If Mizuki turned out nice and happy one day the earth would implode. Then Jack stood in front of her defending the nutcracker. Another fight oh no not so soon. If Mizuki killed that made Mizuki no better then her. After all she killed to. She would not allow this. what she would do she had no idea. her fighting was useless so what could she do?
"STOP" Her voice surprising her self. She began making her way back towards the nutcracker.

 

Drosselmayer's Mansion


​

“Hey settle down now, Maybe I can help” A voice said. An owl flew from the mantle piece, giant compared to the Guild Members. She placed herself between the Nutcracker and Mukuzi, fluttering her wings to push them both aside. “You will find the Sugar Plum Princess on an island past the Sea of Storms.”​

“But that’s impossible to cross!” He continued to be on his guard, glaring at Mikuzi.

“Dangerous, but not impossible.” She corrected.

"Fine, if that's what we need to do then so be it." The Nutcracker walked off, and the Owl motioned the group to do the same.

“Well, aren’t you coming.” He asked. “What are your names, by the way, I need to know what to call you. If we're traveling together.” He said.

“Us? With you? In there?” She asked, pointing the mouse hole. “Well I did tell Evanora I wanted to go on an adventure, but I’m not magical like all of you.” She sighed. “Besides, how would we get back?”

The Owl pondered this. She flew up to the ballerina on the Christmas tree, and took off the heart shaped locket from it. She dropped it in the hands of Clara. “Once you’ve found the Sugar Plum Princess, open the locket and you and your friends will return back home.”


~ Mission Details: Join the Nutcracker on his quest by going through the Mouse Hole OR continue to ask more questions ~

 

Of course she couldn't be left alone to do her work. Of course someone full of a petty sense of righteousness had to declare the Nutcracker's life sacred. And of course, it had to be those vapid stooges, Jack and Sara.
If it hadn't been for the owl, both of them would have faced being skewered on the end of Mizuki's sword. Thankfully this owl had something useful to tell them, the location of the princess. The one helpful piece of information they'd received all day. Now that she had something to work with, Mizuki could calm down, concentrate. Her energy could be directed towards a concrete goal, rather than on hating those around her. Yes, now she had a job and a means of doing it. That was all she really wanted, to be honest.
She marched off after the Nutcracker, ignoring his request for names. As far as he is concerned, she thought, I am danger.

As she passed by Jack and Sara her anger suddenly returned and she gave them a furious look. She would have to warn them not to interfere with her again, for the sake of the mission. “You two imbeciles, do you really think I would get rid of the only person we had that could possibly help us?” she demanded. “Are you really so clueless that you can't tell the difference between a threat and a promise? Idiots. You didn't stop to consider that there would be no profit from killing him, and yet the possibility of all he knew while he was alive, did you? Well I did. Next time, don't fucking question my judgement.”
Turning on her heel, she strode away from the two, determined to ignore them for the foreseeable future. Right now, she had a Nutcracker to terrorise and a princess to find.

 

Drosselmayer's Mansion

Jack's pov: This Mikuzi was asking for it. "I can do what I want. You can't tell me what to do. Maybe if you were nicer I would do what you say. We follow what Evanora would want us to do, and what is right within the guild and what they would want us to do, not your kill threats to get what you want. You feel you would get you answers better that way when you could have just asked nicely. Even as threat you never tell someone who is helping you that your going to kill them. I will question your actions and your judgment if i want expellcaly if it is someones life. You also shouldn't call people names". He could beat her if he wanted. He wighted a while for her to disappear and desided he would walk with someone he could trust that was not Mizuki.

 

Drosselmayer's Mansion



Sara's pov:
She watched as a owl showed up and broke up the fight what a relief. The Sea of Storms was the way to the Sugar Plum Princess. It was said to be Dangerous, but not impossible. Well nothing new there her life was full of this. He watched as the owl gave a locket to Clara. It reminded her of the one she lost. "How do we get there if we are so small? We sport wings and fly?" She asked whoever she was to ask questions.“You two imbeciles, do you really think I would get rid of the only person we had that could possibly help us?” Anger filled her as she listened to the to not enough letters in the alphabet to describe Mikuzi. That was no threat she could somehow tell. He emotions was getting to her now. "You don't know what it like to kill. The grief that plays at you everyday. The wishing that you could take it back. There is no going back." Sadness filled her voice as she spoke. "I live everyday wishing I could take back the life I took. It was all because of this curse bow. She then threw her bow down in frustration. Then she turned as listened to Jack. He was being all me me me in a way. Mikuzi's way well kind of worked. Sometimes asking nicely just does not work. kill threats was wrong but sometimes force is necessary. "You both need to learn a little respect. Quite frankly she had enough of this. She was disappointed in both of them. She could feel hate coming off Jack all directed towards Mikuzi she was wrong, but so was he kind of. "Are you always so..." her voice trailed off. Was Jack always like this? "You don't seem to take everyone point of view when you think. Taking someone's life is wrong, but are you any better?" She told him. He was attacking Mikuzi sure he had a good reason, but not everything needed to be said. Maybe Mikuzi would not be so bad if she had a friend. She would get one if she was not so rude and respectful. " I would not be surprised if Evanora would talk to both of you." Her emotion running that whole conversation. She was ready to set off. at anymont if anyone so much as got her more angry. She then walked started walking away. Would thinks be beter without her here. She was not sure herself why she was still here. she came to this guild for money, but it turned out not to be as easy as she thought it would be. She stood away from everyone sadness in her face.

 

Drosselmayer's Mansion

Jack's pov: "There is always a way to get information even if asking nicely doesn't work. What other point of view is there? Killing anyone is wrong even if they are evil, better to jail them. Better Mikuzi maybe, everyone else probably not but if you know what is right in your heart you can fix anything even a friendship." He then turned to Alessia. "I'm sorry about earlier you broke the nutcracker, and i said something, I feel like if I said nothing everything would have ended up better."

 

Drosselmayer's Mansion



Sara's pov:
Oh no she just told everyone she killed someone. Welp to late now. She wondered what everyone thought about her now. She would forever be labeled a killer by the guild now. Then jack spoke her thoughts. He wanted to Jail her how lovely. Please good luck with that. She was use to life on the run. He called her evil in a sense. Maybe she was. "If you know what is right in your heart you can fix anything even a friendship." What a load of baloney. "rightness does not bring people back from the dead." She said sadly. She wish this guy would shut his mouth. Anger creeping onto her more now any moment she would seat off.

 

​

After he'd given his suggestion on splitting up to find Calxiyn and the others had both said their piece and thrown in some own ideas of their own, the curse possibly affecting them was brought up. If the light from the moon hitting one's bare skin was how someone was cursed with this curse, then Veilen was probably the one as the biggest risk, his upper half anyway. Ra then suggested that he goes and checks the temple alone, saying that his armor could aid him in resisting the curse. Ander and Charlotte then spoke up about joining him in his trip. "If we have to reach the temple, then why not all of us go. It gives us more eyes to possibly spot Calxiyn with, plus should there actually be something guarding the temple I'm we we can handle it just fine."

Zwei looked left

 

Mizuki, intent of focusing on the missions, didn't even turn back to face Jack as he pettily asserted his free will and opinions of her, or Sara with her ignorant warnings about the perils of taking a life. She merely brushed off their clueless, self-righteous declarations, not deigning to give them the impression that they were people she would consider equal enough to argue with.
Besides, she was calming down now. There was a concrete goal now, directions to the princess, and the Nutcracker presumably could lead them there. With something to focus her mind on, Mizuki could mostly ignore this foolish argument as background noise. Hopefully the two, and everyone else, would catch to the fact that she did not want to talk to them wherever possible, and so would leave her alone.

It wasn't to be. Before Mizuki had gone very far she had been approached by the child. She stopped in her tracks, frowning down at the little girl, irritated by her talk of dollies and god knows what else. Someone had better get and keep the kid out of her way, or she had no doubt she would blow up on her.
And yet, something stopped Mizuki from lashing out at the child. The little girl's hand. It tugged at her own, not in a forceful or commanding manner, but in a way Mizuki hadn't ever felt before. It was... inviting. Confusion swept through her mind, trying to figure out what the girl wanted. She looked into the other girl's eyes, searching for some ulterior motive, or something in her demeanour that would alert Mizuki to her falseness.
Her eyes are innocent. Her hand is warm. Any irritation she had towards the girl was gone, now replaced by confusion, anxiety, and suspicion. The suspicion suddenly took precedence. Even if this girl was genuine, it was possible that someone else was getting her to do this. Her eyes flicked around, scanning for this other person. Alessia? Probably not... Jack and Sara, that would be a joke. Silvia is too weak-minded to be behind something like – She stopped her this thought process suddenly, looking back down at the child. There wasn't any dark motive here. And the child wasn't seeking out Mizuki's company in particular. She merely wanted the argument to end. She wanted things to be peaceful and happy again. Of course it's not me she cares about.

Mizuki drew in a breath to speak, intending to order the child away, but the girl distracted her by tugging on her arm again. Her hand was so warm and soft. Somehow this little girl was still making Mizuki second guess herself. At this point, she didn't really know what to think.
Mizuki took another breath, and forced herself to calm down, to speak in a clear voice that wouldn't betray the anxiety she was feeling. “What is this?” she asked calmly, glancing at the small hand on her arm and then back to the girl's eyes, looking into them intently. Mizuki watched to see how the child would react.

 

Gaius had listened to people voicing their opinions. It was strange, standing there but not saying anything, it was like he practically hadn't been there at all. However, he decided that now was the best time to speak. He wanted to complete the job, but he wasn't about to ignore the fact that one of their guildmates were missing. "Veilen's right, we should all go. Faster we get her back, the faster we can continue on with the job" Gaius said, agreeing with Veilen and also looking to his left for some unexplained reason.


Skadi hadn't said anything when Silvia had said she didn't need the help. She didn't need any thanks, and she didn't see the point in pushing it further. She simply smiled and nodded. Later on, after all the crap with the sugar plum princess had gone through, she was a little sceptical. They were supposed to go venturing through a house they weren't familiar with, trying to find a fairy that may or may not exist, to help a nutcracker that was somehow alive, fighting talking mice...all on the word of an owl? It sounded a little hard to swallow. However, the others seemed to want to go through the mouse hole, especially Thea, so Skadi turned and started walking towards it. "Well, it's not like we're going to be turned back to our regular size standing around is it?" the girl asked simply, entering the mouse hole.​

 

Dale listened to them talking. They all seemed keen to get outside and find Cal... Which would be troublesome that was for sure however it made sense. They didn't actually know where she was. Therefore, they needed to find her before something bad happened. Anything could happen to her- Anything. Especially since she had flown off in the direction of the mountain and the light, she could be in danger. Besides, the villagers wouldn't be too much of a problem to deal with. They could get past them with minimal difficulty. Dale sighed. It looked like he was being pulled into this venture regardless of whether he wanted to or not. Unfortunately, they were making sense and he had a feeling that he may have difficulty stopping them if he tried. At least, peacefully. S-Class mission Dale. I need to work with them.
"Then I suppose we shall try and find her." Dale decided. He stood up and opened the tent flap. "This mission is too potentially dangerous to leave a teammate lying around somewhere injured. Besides, she might be at risk of getting hit by this curse they speak of, so we'd better find her quickly just in case."



"It's fine Jack. I doubt it made any difference. No matter what, we'd have been here." Alessia said. She then turned away. She almost interfered with the conflict to try and get Mizuki to calm down. However, not only did an owl do that but also Thea. The woman looked... Strange. She didn't know what look she had on her face, but it was something nearing confusion she thought. Since that was being dealt with, she began to pay more attention to the Nutcracker and their task to find... Some sort of Sugar Plum Princess...? She didn't know what a Sugar Plum was, let alone why it would have a Princess but it certainly didn't sound like any sort of person she'd ever heard of. It sounded like some strange sort of food to her.
"I'm Alessia. Do you have a name, Nutcracker?" She asked. Then she remembered something. Oh goodness I dropped him! "And I am so sorry I dropped you earlier. I hope your arm is okay."