A Large Feast: A Meeting To Forget

A year. It had been a year since the legendary Scheherazade Pavus had retired with her husband to a vineyard up north. They were a lovely couple, one Gundahar had the honor of serving for quite some time. In fact, it was Solomon who'd vouched for him to join the Coral Peacock squad and it was Ms. Pavus who chose him as her replacement. And to think they showed such kindness despite knowing.. perhaps Gundahar's most treasured secret.

Regardless, it'd been a busy year for the new captain. Getting to know his team and making sure that their efficiency hadn't suffered from the change in management. Several dungeon runs a month. Some hands lost. A few legs chopped off. An eye sacrifice to some ancient god long forgotten. But no one died! And that's what mattered the most! The golden captain, in his favored golden robe and a face so covered in makeup one would think he performed for some rich noble, sat at the table he'd reserve for his colleagues months in advance. Now he had to conquer another dungeon. Friendship

With Ms. Pavus's retirement, the relationship of the Magic Knight captains hit a slight bump in the road. But Gundahar refused to be the reason for that. No! He needed to be someone they could rely on just as much as his former mentors. Gundahar slammed his chest in a dutiful salute as he promised to be as normal as he could be! That's why he booked a reservation for the most expensive restaurant in Clover Kingdom, the Lucky Clover. It was a beautiful restaurant meant for kings and other diplomatic meetings between kingdoms. And it cost him several weeks of pay in order to cover the upcoming dinner. But this was worth it. It was worth the upcoming weeks of peasant meals he would have to endure for this night

Gundahar sat at the table, nervously awaiting the others to show up. Maybe they'd forgotten! Or just ignored it...No. They wouldn't do that. He started to remember their names, just to make sure not to insult them upon meeting. *Iolo Goch, Sapphira Diamante, Rosanne Vermillion, Elizabeth Roselei, Celestia Lucifuge, Astro Silva...* Gundahar took a second in an attempt to remember his name. "Kellogs Glueface!" He screamed. *Was I not supposed to invite him...There was someone I wasn't supposed to invite...Whatever, not inviting someone would be making enemies. I'm sure whoever it is will behave in such a nice establishment.*

He waved a waiter and ordered a nice Blood Lilly Tea. It reminded him of his mother, the scent of the flower as she churned it into her poisonous potions. A real wicked *witch*. The most wicked if did say so himself. Gundahar slapped himself on the cheek. He needed to focus. He wasn't born of this nation and didn't have the same blood that its people shared. Which meant that this would surely be an uphill battle.

Everything was motionless. At least, thats what it was like to Rosanne Vermillion as she navigated from her palace room to the Lucky Clover. She had been invited by that new Captain. What was his name? Gutenburg? No, Gundahar! She remembered what it had been like when she first saw him, and how ornately he had been dressed. But Rose had no true opinion of the man, she remained truly neutral about how she perceived him. So there was no doubt that today would help her solidify an opinion on the man, and perhaps even spark a friendship.

Normally the lioness would have been carrying her wife alongside her, but Elizabeth had left a bit earlier. But still, there was no doubt that she would arrive before her wife. As she got closer and closer, she wondered who else Gundahar had invited. Hopefully not that Black Bull Captain, he was like a leech. And never had the decency to take a shower, as it seemed.

Rosanne came to a halt in front of the restaurant, and she stopped moving at such phenomenal speeds; the motion to the world returned, able to be perceived at a normal rate by Rose once more. A wall of dust shot up from behind her due to the sudden stop, but it soon faded. Bystanders stared in awe, and she offered a kind wave towards them as she stepped into the restaurant. The Captain spotted the host and smiled gently, a smile that seemed magical in its own sense. “Hi!” Rose exclaimed, now waving excitingly. “Thank you so much for inviting me!”

It had been a while since she done this; flying through the sky on the back of an eagle. Most days she traveled with her wife, for the sake of getting there faster and because it was fun. Even though sometimes she felt her eyes would fly away from her skull at the speeds Rosa went. Nonetheless, Liza chose her own route; the trip itself had been a restful endeavor so far, giving her time to think about everything happening as of late. Her daughter taking the first steps toward Magic Knighthood, another MK exam on the horizon, being empty-nesters, new assignments to be made, and promotions to be had.

Her thoughts drifted to the invite she had received, and the venue she was heading to. Would Rosa remember where the place was? She was rather bad with names...Liz groaned internally; maybe she should have waited for her instead of leaving first. Hopefully her wife figured it out; then again, she'd probably get lost and still arrive there first. Elizabeth spurred her eagle forward, closing the remaining distance as she pondered the inviter: new Coral Peacock Captain Gundahar. She knew he was good stock from how the outgoing Captain and Vice Captain vouched for him. Despite her poor drinking habits, Scherz knew quality when she saw it. Thus, Elizabeth trusted her old friend.

Seeing the venue come into view below, the eagle dove, headed straight down before cresting lightly. As it landed, its wingbeats kicked up dust, creating a bit of spectacle as the great construct was revealed upon said dust settling. She climbed off before looking around; no sign of Rosa. Perhaps she should wait outside? Elizabeth dispelled her eagle before her stomach rumbled. Maybe waiting inside would be better.

The woman pushed open the door to the establishment, listening to the ebb and flow of conversation as she walked through. Her relief was palpable when she found Rosanne already sitting down. "So you did find the place Rosa; and once again arrived before me," she shakes her head, smiling a bit. "Hey, Gundahar was it? It's nice to meet you properly. Thank you for the invitation." She extends a hand to shake.

Gundahar shook her hand, revealing the surprisingly soft hands of the captain. He smiled at the two women with an almost creepy grin which he then shapened to a more natural happiness. "Ms Elizabeth and Ms Roseanne. Thank you so much for coming!" Gundahar was extremely ecstatic that these two had made it. Two of the esteemed Magic Knights captains and his seniors.

"Please, take a seat! Order whatever you like, everything is on me!" Gundahar said with a grateful warm expression. "The others will be arriving shortly."

Rose giggled at Gundahar’s excitement. It was a pleasant surprise, and he seemed genuine enough. As the two senior Captains sat down, Rosanne greeted Elizabeth as she normally did; with a kiss. She gave no second thought it to, after all they were married.

She turned to face Gundahar, her brilliant smile visible. “Anything?” she questioned. “Thats so kind of you, thanks! But I think it’d be best to wait for the other Captains before ordering, you don’t want to make them think you prefer the two of us over them. Especially because I know you’re trying to make a great first impression, but don’t you worry, I adore you already!”

Elizabeth, shook his hand warmly, noting their softness. "You're welcome; we should have these more often. It's good for camaraderie," she added before dropping her hand to her side. Her smile broadened a bit as she took in the newest captain's potent enthusiasm; it proved infectious.

She kissed her partner back, holding her for a second longer. As soon as they were seated, she pondered what to order before ultimately staying her hand. "I agree; once everyone is here we'll order something. Besides, if you let Rosa start now, she'll eat you of house and home," Liz added before smirking a bit.

"Anyway, how has the adjustment been? I know it's big shoes to fill."

"S-sorry and thank you!" Gundahar said while happily rubbing the back of his head. His face a bright red at Rose's kindness. She seemed motherly. Almost like a big sister that he always wanted! Although they warned against it, Gundahar was already starting to actually prefer these two. And the fact they possessed a treasure which none other could take away from them. Regardless of stigma and social standard. Yes. These two started to mean more to him than any other. If only his mother had similar feelings...Regardless, Gundahar's excited smile turned into a warm grin.

He took a second before answering her question "It's been fun. I mean, having to keep Ms Pavus's legacy of focusing on exotic dungeons, we've managed to almost reach her previous record for treasures collected. But I'm hoping to also steer the Coral Peacock into a more supportive role. Sharing our treasures with other squads to ensure that we are all equipped with necessary power to defend our kingdom."

"I'm also super excited about the upcoming exams. I mean, I remember mine as if it was yesterday. Though I'm afraid that no one will want to come with a new captain."

"Oh please," Rosanne responded. "If they don't, they're clearly not worth it. You were handpicked by the last Captain to be her replacement. You'll make an excellent Magic Knight Captain, Gundie dear." she said, providing a nickname that she would begin to use for the man.

Filling in the fraught silence that succeeded Gundahar’s statement was the beautiful melody of a lute, being plucked elegantly across its soft strings. It was a tune of peace, yet with a hint of curiosity, as if inspired by an adventurer themselves. The more experienced magic knight captains would come to understand what this tune meant.

Then, stepping through the door of the restaurant was Iolo Goch, captain of the Green Mantis, playing his lute with pleasure. He smiled.

“Fret not, Gundahar. Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorry, but only saps today of its joy,” he hummed in harmony with his melody. He walked closer until he was standing face to face with Gundahar. “Besides, young child. Never worry about not being recognized. Instead, strive for to be worthy for recognition.”

He stopped his playing and put his lute upon his back. “There is no doubt in my mind that you’ll get young squires’ earnest to join your squad. Coral Peacock are the dungeons hunters! The explorers! Yes? You offer something unique that the other squads can’t hope to accomplish. That is adventure. Oh, how I wish I was a peacock. But, even if you believe that not to be enough, sometimes beggars can’t be choosers. Most Knights don’t get a choice. It is usually but a single squad that extends invitations to them. They’ll have no other options but yours, Gundahar.”

Iolo chuckled. "Or perhaps I should also call you Captain Gundie as well?"

Charging down the dark and busy streets of the clover kingdom a horse could be seen, slipping through crowds and jumping clean over trade stands. Aside from its enhanced speed and strength was the fact that it wasn’t truly a horse to begin with. A shimmering purple horse could be seen pulling up in front of the most famous, expensive and luxurious restaurant in the kingdom, The Lucky Clover.

As it came to a halt a woman could be seen on its back. She shimmered even more than the jewels the horse was made of, her beauty was immeasurable. At a second glance it was clear this was the Magic Knight Captain of the Azure Deers, Sapphira Diamante

She swiftly dismounted her horse and with grace and elegance strutted to the doors of the Lucky Clover. As she opened the doors to the luxurious dining establishment she could hear a song playing emanating from the walls of the restaurant, she swiftly noticed this was most likely Lolo Goch, Captain of the Green Mantis’s.

“There must be incredibly late if I arrived after Lolo Goch. Hello all, my apologies for my tardiness. This party is meant for us to all meet and here I am making a horrid first impression.” Sapphira would say as she approaches her fellow captains or at least those who have arrived. She held her hand out to Gundahar in an elegant manner which almost screamed nobility. “Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Sir Gundahar. I’m the captain of the Azure Deers, Sapphira Diamante, I’m sure you knew that though.” She let out a light laugh with her hand still held out towards Gundahar.

Iolo looked over at Sapphira. “Um, Sapphira, Sapphira!” he interrupted briefly.

“My name isn’t Lolo. It’s Iolo. As in, the first letter is an I, and the third letter is an L. Iolo!”

Sapphira looked at Iolo up and down, there seemed to be a vein popping from the top of her head she hated being corrected though, she was clearly wrong. “It was a small pronunciation error, wont happen again...Iolo.” Sapphira’s hidden anger shines through her words though, she quickly composed herself and returned her gaze to Gundahar.

"I must apologize in advance for my tardiness, as I seemed to lost track of time while over looking the available information for new possible recruits". A elegant voice called out from above as the heels of the Violet Orca’s Captain, Celestia Lucifuge made contact with the ground and her large crimson angle like wings dispersed into a thin mist. After bowing slightly she glanced around to see who had already arrived Before raising an eyebrow in surprise at seeing Iolo.

"It’s wonderful to see you again Captain" she started before pausing laughing slightly. "Pardon I mean Iolo, some habits are hard to overcome especially when I’m so used to seeing you as my Captain from my rookie days in the Green Mantis". She finished with a pleasant smile before acknowledging the rest of the captains.
"Lady Sapphira, Lady Elizabeth wonderful to see you both." she greeted with a friendly smile albeit strained once she turned to Rosanne.

"It’s good to see you still in good health Rosa". She stated with a bittersweet and forlorn yet friendly smile before turning towards Gundahar and giving him a cutesy. "I hope all is well with you Gundahar" She stated once again smiling brightly.

Gundahar was a bit overwhelmed. So much power. So much nobility and royalty and they all had such wonderful rapport. These were the captains of the Magic Knight squads. The men and women he was meant to stand equal too. But beyond that, it felt great knowing that Ms. Pavus had thought to highly of him. And so he greeted the newcomers with a slight smile. He would've answered sooner but Iolo's magic melody seemed to captivate him. Taking him away to a distant land...He'd heard of this power only once before. Back when he...

"Welcome Captain Iolo, Captain Celestia and Captain Sapphira. And thank you for the kind words Captain Iolo, and you can call me whatever you like." His mannerisms were not of Clover Kingdom. Still, he projected an air of sophistication that knowledge. He wielded the power of a captain. Only a fool would overlook it.

"Uh umm," Gundahar started. "I think we're just missing Captain Kellogs of the Black bull," An honest mistake spoken out of a pure heart who received bad information from his vice captain. Probably still upset that he'd try to hit on her earlier. "And we can all begin!"

Iolo turned to face the newest captain addressing them. There was something different about him. Something unique that Clover mages seemed to lack. Well…some clover mages had it.

He took a step forward until he was in Gundahar’s utmost personal space, and simply sniffed the side of his neck like a monster does its prey.

“Ohhh!!! I see, I see now!”

There was a silence that followed. An awkward silence. A silence that perhaps the newest captains, excluding Celestia, would be unaccustomed to.

“You have some of the Witches’ power dwelling in you, huh? So Cool!!!”

Rose almost spat out her water, creating a loud snorting noise. After the initial embarrassment, she swallowed the water and laid her glass aside. What Iolo had said surprised her, and he was never wrong about that kinda stuff. The lioness also expressed the same joy Iolo had. "That is cool!" she squealed. "So like, a descendant of a half-witch? Or are you a witch? Is that even possible? Are you a he-she? Or would it be a she-he?" the woman released a bombardment of questions, all directed towards Gundahar.

“*Wow another witch has joined our ranks...and he’s a male or so it seems, this could be interesting.*” Sapphira thought to herself. She began to return her mind to the conversation, hearing Rose’s barrage of questions aimed at Gundahar. “Rose, it’s impolite to ask so many questions, you should know that. You never know his situation, it could be sensitive.”

Rose pouted. "Buuuuut its coooooool thoooo."

Iolo smirked. "Or are you just jealous that he's the cooler, Witch?"

“I AM NOT!!” Sapphira’s loud outburst was directed towards Iolo, her angry outbursts were no strangers to the captain, essentially Iolo. “Please Iolo I would never show jealousy, it’s not a good look on me. So please... refrain from making your incessantly annoying comments.” She would say covering her mouth shielding it’s view from Gundahar though, a vein could be seen clearly on her forehead directed toward Iolo.

Rosanne giggled at Sapphira's little outburst, quickly sharing a knowing look with Iolo. She feigned some airheadedness, deciding to mess with her fellow Captain. "Whats wrong, Sapphy?" she asked. "You have a vein bursting rather profusely..." the lioness murmured. Rose turned to face Gundahar. "You'll have to forgive her, she's very self-conscious about her forehead veins."

Liz pulled Rose's ear slightly in response. "It may be cool but give him some space. Nagging him incessantly will only make him more uncomfortable; never mind you're not giving him any time to speak," she scolded lightly before turning to Gundie, "Apologies for Rosa's behavior, Gundahar. She's always this way when she finds something interesting. And stop provoking Sapphira, Rosa." She released a long suffering sigh.

"Liiiizzziiie." Rose pouted, teasing her wife. She proceeded to gasp loudly. "Me?? Provoke someone? I would never!" she exclaimed, with a great deal of sarcasm.

Iolo nodded in agreement. “Yes, My dear fellow Captain Elizabeth. I, Iolo Goch, of House Goch vouch for Rosanne’s genuineness. She would never intentionally provoke anyone, for she is the fairest of all women!”

Rose mockingly bowed as well as she could in a sitting position towards Iolo. "Why thank you, Captain Iolo of House Goch." she said, with a preppy tone. "I applaud your kindness, oh kind sir. Might I add, you're quite clearly the most handsome of all men, Sir Goch."

“Oh god no!” Sapphira ducked down hiding behind Elizabeth aiming to hide her hideous forehead vein. “IOLO, I WILL KILL MYSELF AND DRAG YOU DOWN TO HELL FOR THIS.” A thundering roar echoes from behind Elizabeth’s back it wouldn’t be clear to Gundahar yet that this voice was, in fact, Sapphira Diamante during and angry outburst. She verbally berated Iolo as she tried to get her forehead vein down before embarrassing herself further.

Rosanne opened her mouth to make an 'o' in an exaggerated manner. "SAPPHIRA!" she exclaimed, a tone of shock audible. "How could you ever insult Sir Goch, the most handsome man of all?!"

Iolo tilted his head to the side. "I-I didn't even say it that time. Perhaps the vein isn't getting enough blood to her head. Could it have burst?"

Rosanne nodded meaningfully. "Could explain why she's all red..."

No! To think that someone could smell *that*. And like that, his secret had almost became public news. And then the bombardment of questions left Gundahar frozen. He tried to figure the best way to explain it. And that was a hearty laugh. "As expected of the famous Iolo Goch." Gundahar smiled. "Yes. My mother is a very powerful witch of the forest. Though i prefer to leave those type of things in the past. But its okay. We are comrades. I must rely on you all as you have to rely on me. So transparency is key." Gundahar said with a genuine smile. But his sharp purple eyes rested on the man known as Iolo Goch.

Elizabeth sighed again. "Lay it on a little thicker Rosa, I don't think he's quite felt the glow yet," she commented. Liz glanced at the figure hiding behind her, her hair rustling in the wind generated from Sapphira's roar.

"Children, children...must I separate you? Never did I think I would have to babysit all of you at your age," Liz remarked before shaking her head sadly. She wagged a finger at Iolo and Rosa both.

Sapphira rose up from her prior position hidden behind Lizzie’s back, flipping her hair back and returning to her prior elegant and beautiful form. “Thank you, Lizzie. For allowing me to hide behind you and shield myself from those heathens.” Sapphira would say before scowling at both Rose and Iolo.

Elizabeth nodded. "You're welcome Sapph. They're like children sometimes...no sense of civility. It's sad really," she commented.

"What a fuss." The man that had just arrived at the table was none other than the captain of the Silver Eagle squad. Dressed in a simple black attire, contrasted with his pale skin and silver hair, Astro supported every step of his towards the nearest chair with a wooden cane in hand. Although it had no functional use as Astro himself was a healthy man in all aspects, it added a charm to his overall imposing figure.

"I heard *someone*..." His gaze centered in Sapphira for a single second. "... screaming from two blocks away. I'm not sure if I'm relieved or embarrassed that such noise came from the mouth of one of my fellow comrades." He finished, finally sitting on the vacant chair.

Iolo tilted his head slightly. "W-Why would you be relieved at her screaming?" His eyes lit up. "Wait, woah! Astro, I didn't know you were into that kind of stuff."

"Ugh." Astro coughed, cleaning his mustache with a piece of white cloth, purposely avoiding the other captain's question. "I'm glad to see you here gathered tonight... and Iolo, good night to you too."

Sapphira once again found herself angered by Iolo’s annoying comments though, this time she couldn’t stay mad. The elegant captain usually angry at the sound of Iolo’s words...Laughed?! “Hahaha!” She couldn’t hold back the laughter directed at Iolo’s most recent joke.

"... What's so funny, Sapphira?" Astro polished a cup of glass with the same cloth previously used. "... Not that I expected any good sense of humor from one of the most unladylike woman that I've ever met. Laughing at such jokes... pathetic."

Rose lit up at the sight of Astro, smiling brightly at him across the table. "Hi Astro!!" she exclaimed, waving at him like a child.

Sapphira looked at Astro with disgust as she stood from her seat. She stood over Astro, her heels created a large gap in height between the two captains. “I can show you something real unladylike if you want, Astro.” Sapphira would say as she cracked her knuckles looking down at Astro, all the while still looking as graceful as when she first entered the fine establishment. “Beating up and old man isn’t on my list of things I won’t do, so I have no issue shoving my designer heel up your ass.” Sapphira turned abruptly the train on her outfit smacking Astro in disrespect as she found her seat once again next to Lizzie. “*I can’t stand that man*.” Sapphira would think to herself before turning back to the conversation disregarding his presence.

Astro didn't even bother to look at Sapphira. He finished polishing the cup, putting it on the table; calmness was the only expression on his face. The man was old, and old meant experienced; beating a kid's ass to put them on their place was something that he was used to and quite enjoyed, to be honest. But, for the occasion, he prefered to maintain the composure and let the feelings speak for themselves.

"Don't get so mad, child. One day your head might explode with anger." He said, quickly changing the subject. "And it's so good to see you, Rosanne. You and your wife, actually." Astro smiled, his lips barely showing behind his mustache.

"How're you doing, Astro?" Rosanne asked, still smiling at the man. "Gotta say, I like your suit. Did you do something different?"

"You're so kind." Astro said, fixing his collar. "It's just the usual look. I've been using more black after Elena's death, and it quite fit with my daily routine. Being captain and a lone father seemed more easy on theory." He had a sad expression for a moment, converted in a timid smile.

Sapphira winced in the realization she threatened a widowed old man. She racked her brain, wondering why she must be angry at all times due to the simplest of comments.

“I’m sorry for your loss, Astro. We all met Elena at one point and I’m sure all sad to see her go. From what I’ve seen you’re doing a great job raising your daughter and I’d like to take this chance to apologize about my angry outburst. How is your daughter by the way.” Sapphira crosses her legs and looked at Astro with an apologetic smile.

Placing a comforting hand on Astro’s shoulder while giving a Sapphira a bewildering look as she always found the Azure Captain to be a bit uncultured, at least by her standards anyways. "Honestly Sapphira for a Lady of Noble lineage and blood you tend to act as brash and uncultured as a typical commoner which while isn’t something that is bad, it is something that is unbecoming for both a Magic Knight Captain and a member of the noble House Diamante". Celestia stated as she took a seat next to the Silver Eagle Captain.

"Has any of you taken a look over the newest Magic Knight applicants, from what I noted we have quiet the promising batch this year with three in particular." She asked her fellow captains in an attempt to stead the conversation away from its current topic and into a more pleasant one.

Astro received the support of all captains present just fine, nodding his head for Sapphira in concordance to her words. However, given the new topic brought by Celestia, he decided to give his own point of view in the discussion. "Three four-leaf clovers this year. One is already a rare occurence, but three? It's insane."

Sapphira disregarded Celestia’s statement, never looking in her direction, having been focused on Astro and the rest of the conversations. “That was unexpected, at the very least. I have my eye on the wing magic user, Andreas. I can’t wait to see what he brings to the exams this year, how about the rest of you?” Sapphira would say before waving down a waiter for a glass of wine and taking a long sip.

“Clover is so interesting,” Iolo begun, addressing the captains around the table as he took his seat. “There are always surprises. From new magics, to grimoires. Everyone here knows that I was blessed with a four leaf clover grimoire myself…but, there is something interesting in knowing that three got a four-leaf.. It really raises the inquiry on how many people are bestowed with four leaf grimoires across Clover, eh? Because, from my knowledge, only one was a nobleman. The two are peasants. Mere commoners!”

Iolo’s smiled widened.

“Think of all the commoners that never get their grimoires. That never have the opportunity. And think about the ones that do, that don’t even consider applying to the Magic Knights. Think of all the untapped potential out there!”

He paused.

“So, I’ll be looking towards the peasants as I always have. I feel that this year is a year of unpolished diamonds, who will lead this nation to prosperity.”

He gave Sapphira a pointed look.

“Though, be careful Sapphira! That Wing guy may just take your job!”

Sapphira returned Iolo’s gaze. “I would welcome such a thing. If my student were to surpass me that would only make me a greater teacher. It would also grace me the gift of never seeing you again, or at least, not as often as I do” Sapphira sat back doing doing a great job at quenching her anger, before taking another sip of wine.

Rose giggled. She had managed to grab a bottle of wine, almost finishing it in one swig. She had picked up a bit of a drinking habit from her old friend, Schez. She'd have to invite her and Solomon over one day, it was customary for the godmother to meet her goddaughter after all. "The four-leafs are going to be ridiculous..." she said, letting out a hic. "I want the red-head with the fire magic! It'd do the Lions well!"

"My darling daughter mentioned that one of the Four-Leafs mentioned he wanted to join your squad, Gundie!" she called out, remembering how Gundahar had feared no one would want to join his squad. "The er...beast magic boy, I think. He's Eve's son, right Lizzie?"

Iolo squinted his eyes momentarily at the mention of Eve’s name. “Cain Monroe. That’s the child’s name,” he confirmed. “He’s quite talented from the looks of it. Though, he’s still fairly new to his magic. I expect that his grimoire was what actually revealed what his affinity even was.”

As he spoke, his eyes were seemingly lost in his consciousness, fixated on the surface of the table. “For reasons beyond your comprehension, I’ve kept tabs on the child for a while now,” he continued, lifting his head up to face the rest of the captains.

“His mother Eve is equally impressive too! I mean, she’s the perfect example of a commoner bestowed with immense magical talents and powers. She’s living up to her full potential. Plus, she’s beautiful! If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve thought she was royalty you know, hahahaha!”

Rosanne set her bottle of wine aside. "Sooo, ignoring Iolo's child stalking dillema, are we all ready to order?" she asked. "Our grateful host was kind enough to bring us to such a *lovely* place."

Elizabeth came back from her own thoughts with the question posed. "Yes, he's Eve's son, though they seem to have a fraught relationship. She rarely if ever mentions him..and when she does it's unflattering to say the least," Liz responded before shaking her head. She always wondered why the two of them seemed to be at odds.

"Of course; I didn't come here to talk all day." She flagged down the waiter. "We're pretty much ready. Who wants to start? I'm still stumped between two dishes so I'll order last."

"I like soup!" Iolo noted. "I'll take the finest soup you have! Oh, but um...spare the meat. In fact, correction! I'll take the finest VEGETABLE soup that you have."

He folded his arms and nodded.

"And the strongest liquor you have as well."

The waiter tilted his head to the side slightly. "Um...yes sir."

"I'll have pasta!" Rose exclaimed. "You can put whatever on it, I'm sure it'll be tasty. Oh! A glass of chocolate milk too, if you don't mind."

The woman turned to Iolo. "So, why *are* you stalking this Monroe kid?"

“I wouldn’t necessarily call it stalking,” Iolo replied. “But, I just have always known there was something special about him. I call it my Captain’s intuition. It’s never wrong, you know.”

Rose laughed. "You're weird, Iolo." she said. "But its endearing, thats for sure."

"That's code for stalking potential recruits," Elizabeth commented before adding, "I've decided actually. I'll take the italian sausage on a bed of marinara and stuffed tortellini. As for a drink I'll have a bottle of your finest sauvignon blanc. Thank you."

The waiter writes this down.

Iolo’s eyes fell upon Elizabeth. “Hm, though Elizabeth. I actually do have a request to ask of you, if you don’t mind.”

"Hmm? What is it?" she asked. She took a sip of her water, finishing the glass. Another waiter came to refill it.

"I need to borrow Eve. It’s of the utmost importance,” Iolo answered.

She frowns. "Borrow Eve? What for?" Liz continued, "this is rather out of the blue."

“For a date, of course. We’ve had an encounter before, but from our last talk, it seems that you keep her busy with various responsibilities which doesn’t let us see one another often.” Iolo tilted his head slightly. “Is there something wrong with my request?”

## Battle of Philosophy

"The beast boy?" Gundahar said with a slight smile. "I've seen Beast Magic in action and even worked alongside your Vice Captain, Ms Rosanne. Its truly a frightening magic. But one which has been proven to be the antithesis of the common ideal of mages. I'll definitely have an eye out for him. I'm also looking at the Kira girl. Although I'm not a fan of royalty." Gundahar said the last part nonchalantly. Although it could've cost him major social points.

Gundahar had been lost in the chaos. But more so happy that he was finally apart of it. He spent his time listening and drinking, learning as much as possible. He could tell he wasn't going to like Astro and kinda found Celestia too pompous. But overall, he enjoyed their company with a smile. However, it was hard for him to follow the conversation. It jumped erratically. Which was probably a good thing. The Clover Kingdom's Magic Knights probably had the best communication and teamwork among all the kingdoms.

Gundahar turned to the waiter with a slight grin. "I'd like your finest seafood platter." Gundahar wasn't used to eating out like this. But he knew he liked seafood. He soon turned back to following the conversation. He needed to learn as many people as possible.

Elizabeth waves a finger. "I don't keep her busy so much as she requests said responsibilities. If anything, I usually cut her off when it comes to them; she's diligent and dedicated Magic Knight who loves her job," she responded before smiling slightly, "there's nothing wrong, it was just an odd request. You should be asking her, not her Captain."

"Oh, I agree with you, Gundie!" Rosanne exclaimed. "Royalty sometimes gets so, so annnnoyyying! But I'm sure the kids of this generation are less...stick up the bum like."

"I hope so. Magical Power doesn't dictate who you are as a person. In fact, talent breeds laziness. The work of others using genetic engineering often results in children of immense power but little resolve. They don't cherish what they have and lack the fear of losing it. Its this fear which makes you fight harder and stay upon the line of truth."

Gundahar sipped his tea. "People like to think that the gods chose them for their Magical Power. But I heard a funny quote from a commoner in the church. God only protects babies and fools." He laughed.

"I wish I could agree with you, but your assumptions are partially wrong." After sipping on a glass of wine, Astro cleaned his mustache from the red liquid with a napkin. "There's no place in royalty for those without resolve. It doesn't matter how much power do you have, where you came from or how many leaves you can count on the cover of a book - if you don't have the resolve to build that up from the ground, then you're just a worthless mage; and worthless mages don't have a place among royalty." He continued. "We fight to be on top and we're praised for it, we have our privileges and we use them as we please; but be sure that, at least in my House, blood is not a free pass for such commodities."

Gundahar laughed. He wasn't of Clover Kingdom and lacked the inherit fear of royalty. "If that's what you tell yourself to sleep at night." Gundahar smiled at Astro. His smooth face filled with an almost calm magical power that belonged elsewhere. He wanted Astro's respect, but cared little for it if it meant betraying his ideals. "At the end of the day, there are more *worthless* mages in royalty than among peasants. Peasants and commoners have to build their bodies in order to perform the hard labor required for royalty to eat without limitation. Genetics play a huge part in magical control and reserve. Those blessed with a gift do not need to work hard to hone it. They are given a free pass that many do not have. And such, don't need to work hard to achieve the same level of success of their more normal peers."

Gundahar sipped his tea. "Even among our future magic knights. If we take the years that the commoners and peasants have spent to stand equally to the royalty and nobles, there will be two different realities. One filled with constant strife and struggle in order to overcome their curse and the others, a life filled with lavishness. A warrior who mastered the sword and a fool blessed by the gods. Without that blessing the fool would still be a fool. But the warrior has engraved the sword's teachings into his very soul."

Gundahar was serious. A sudden change in the evening. His mentor, Solomon, had been a peasant thief who fought his hardest to become the Vice Captain. He saw what hard work and perseverance brought one and honored those who had to climb to the top more than those who was blessed. He cared little for the approval of his colleagues, if it meant becoming a soulless puppet of fate.

Sapphira has been idly sipping her wine for far to long, she felt as though she had to join the conversation. The current topic wasn’t the best one to join in on, but hey, who doesn’t like a little controversy.

“I’ll have to agree with Gundahar on this one.” Sapphira’s voice would now come back to the conversation. “I’ve had more than enough of posh mages who believe royal blood is all you need to be great, the fact that most of the captains doesn’t help with expelling that ideal.”

Sapphira took a sip of wine before going on. “I’ve seen and experienced first hand exactly what this of commoner blood must go to simply to get where nobles are placed at birth, it’s a shame.”

“To question the choices of the god’s themselves. To label those they have blessed as fools. What hubris that echoes from the mouth of but a mere human.”

Iolo chuckled. “But how beautiful! Is this the fate of mankind? It’s potential? The potential to question the choices of the gods? To rebel against their creators and divine rulers?”

He paused to take a sip of his liquor. He looked upwards slightly, his eyes yet again lost in his thoughts.

“Iolo, I see a glimpse of it now; the value of this country you spoke of. This country that you loved so much!”

His eyes refocused to Sapphira and Gundie. “I want to get to know you both more. How very interesting you are!”

"There are no blessings in this world, Mr. Gundahar." Astro took another sip of his wine. "Yes, the path may be easier, but it's not lacking effort from both parts. The many lineages of royals, from Silvas to Vermillions, didn't surge out of nothing with their privileges and commodities." He paused for a bit to clean his mustache once again.

"We weren't royals at our beggining days, but mere commoners with a dream of becoming the strongest. The struggles that a commoner may face now are already imprinted in our blood. Yes, we may not work as hard as a peasant to hone our skills, but we fight to maintain what we already have - be it status or power. And only the strongest mages carry the weight of royalty, as the worthless ones are viewed as hidrances even among our ranks." Astro cleaned his throat. "At the end, what everyone wants is power; and it's not wrong to pursue that."

Meanwhile just outside the restaurants doors two figures walked up to it. One of them continued to walk forward. "Wait here Alana. It'll only take a second. The man the voice belonged to lets out a large sigh and raises his hand getting ready to knock on it gently. He then smacks his hand onto the door, smashing it down with chunks of the wall along with it. With his path now opened he casually continues walking inside, stepping over glass and debris without concern. "Hey there you guys, sorry for being late, had a hard time finding my ride." He said as he made his way to the captains. This man had long red messy hair with a ragged black cloak and ragged clothing and had three scar marks on his right eye. This man was Korag Gildamesh of the Black Bulls. As he made his way to their table he grabbed a near by chair and placed it in an open spot and sat down beside them. "Hahahaha good to see you again captains."

"We'll have to finish this another time, Captain Astro." Astro's response was shocking. For it had a bit of truth within, as expected of someone his age. But even among royals, few possessed his wisdom and insight. Gundahar found himself wanting to engage more in this debate, but was interrupted by the last of the group. And with an excited smile, Gundahar extended his hand.

"Captain Kellog's Glueface! I'm Gundahar, the new captain of the Coral Peacocks."

Elizabeth groans as she watches the decimation of the restaurant's entrance. There's only one person who would be pig-headed enough to do such a thing. Sure enough, she saw the familiar mop of red-hair and hulking figure to match.

"Korag. Is it that difficult to open a door by hand?" she asked.

Iolo smiled. "No worries, Elizabeth! Gundahar said that everything is on him, remember? Yay!"

Korag swung his arm over his shoulders and started patting on him. "Hahahahahaha so your the new guy hu? Well welcome aboard. The names Korag btw, I appreciate the party your making here, allow me to be the first to make a toast in your honor. AY WAITER BRING MORE BOOZE HERE." He pulled out a mug hes been carrying and started drinking without even cheering to him. "Whatdya mean Liz? i did use my hand. i knocked and it opened." He said with a drunken grin.

She massaged her forehead. "Using your hand to open the door, not blowing a hole in the building with your hand. Those are two very different things Korag and as a fellow Captain I expect you to know the difference," Liz retorted, unamused.

It was then Gundahar had noticed the massive hole in the wall. Between that and his obnoxious behavior, Gundahar understood what his former captain meant. It was like Gundahar sat in between two extremes. And he had no idea what to do. Hell, he'd have to probably wash so many dishes to cover those damages.

"Captain Korag, please keep it down. I need you to behave." Gundahar asked. The golden captain were not like the others. His magical power began to radiate from his being, releasing a force that resembled the rejuvenating power of an electric shock. "If not, there's going to be a problem."

With the words of the new captain empowering his actions, Korag's drunk and friendly expression suddenly grew serious as he glared back at Gundahar as if he just became completely sober in seconds. "What was that?" immediately after saying that, the force of Gundahar's radiating magic power was had mysteriously vanished, as if scattered apart suddenly as Korag released a magic aura around him, it was calm and steady but gave the feeling of being unleashed violently if pushed to far.

"Hey, Korag!" Iolo jumped in, grabbing a bottle of his own liquor from the table. He slid it across the table towards him.

"Take a drink man! Don't let the noob bother you, hahahaha! We're too old for this stuff, right?"

But Gundahar wasn't one to be taken easily. He stood up as his magical power continued to grow. "These other captains might be willing to humor your immaturity, but I'm not." Gundahar spat. "You buffoon. Either behave or you'll have to leave."

As he glared at Gundahar for his demanding behavior towards him and his lousy first impression, Korag was suddenly seen sitting in his chair chugging from the bottle Iolo gave him. "Ahhhh, Hahaha you got that right man, gotta love the ambition the newbies bring with them, always think they can take on the world." He said as he was suddenly back to being drunk as he was before. "We'll be seeing that during the next magic knights exam as well wouldnt you agree?"

Korag turned towards Gundahar and grinned widely as he offered his mug. "Hey Gunndy wanna drink? It's your party after all."

Having once again seemingly lost herself in her thoughts in connection to the new Rookies, Celestia had completely missed the arrival of Korag so when she finally retuned to the real world and saw him, she was a bit notably surprised especially considering he was one of the older captains and the most Illusive one.

Curiously glancing around to ensure she hasn’t missed any other new arrivals, Celestia casually scanned the room before giving Korag a bland look as she greeted him. "It seems I once again got lost in my own little world". She began before pausing to try and get the correct words to say. "It is "good" to see how alive and well Korag although I am surprised that you decided to show up giving you rarely made any public appearances these past five years."

"No manners, as always." Astro thought to himself as the captain of the Black Bulls arrived. Despite his animosity towards the men, he preferred to get another bottle of wine to deal with his presence for the rest of the night.

"Hahahahahahaha!!!!" Iolo's laughter erupted into the room, filling the deafening, awkward silence generated. "This is what I live for. This is why I remove myself from my duties to come to these events. The interaction of the captains, of the world's strongest is always so very interesting. Don't you think so?"

He took a sip of his drink.

"We are the strongest in the entirety of the Clover Kingdom, and yet, even we can't help but squabble like little children with one another."

His smiled widened.

"It pleases me that despite our strength we can have simple human interactions. That's all. I can't help but love you all."