A Chance Encounter

**Date Started:** September 4th,
**Date Completed:** Ongoing
**Previous Role-Play:** N/A
**Users Involved:** User:Felosr231, User:PuddingCups

**Setting**: Common Region. Nairn
**Characters Involved:**
* **Fiona Morel**
* **Alessandro Fabbri**

## And So It Begins

Fiona took a deep breath, her tiny hands gripping the wooden shaft of her broomstick, her feet slowly but surely lifting from the ground she had walked upon her entire life. Her village and her family cheered and waved, whistling and clapped as their pride and joy took the skies. Looking down, they looked like ants! Ants in the witches forest. What a funny idea. As she got higher and higher the earth below became blurry, covered in a thick cloud of dark green brush, the tree tops that had defended the forest from the pesky eyes of the watchful.

Fiona had never seen a reason to fly this high before, in fact she had only ever left the Witches' Forest two or three so times in her life. What lurked beyond these borders was something frightful and frivolous, a new world for her to adventure. Sure it was exciting but equally scary. She had heard rumors of what happened to witches like herself in the land of clovers. It wasn't a pretty thought! Shaking it from her head, she flew onward taking one last glimpse of her home with a sickly sigh.

Not long after, she flew over the various regions that divided the foreign land, reaching her hand into a bandanna wrapped pack of homemade biscuits. They were tasty and made the ride a little less dull but just as Fiona flew over the Common Region, her jaw dropped as her hand reached into the pack to find.... NOTHING! She was shocked! Her stomach rumbled angrily as her brow furrowed. "I thought I packed plenty!" She huffed, crossing her arms before aiming her broom down. "Fine. I'll have to buy some. Hmph." She wasn't talking to anyone in particular, maybe the invisible person she blamed in her own place.

As the medium-sized township became larger and larger as she flew closer and closer, signs were posted on buildings and streets "Welcome to Nairn!" and other similar welcoming messages. The people of the village stopped and stared as the young witch descended to which she responded with a snooty nose-high hmph. "What are they staring at..." She mumbled. "Never seen a witch before." The thought made her laugh.

Reaching the concrete brick streets she carried her broom and found her way towards the shopping center, an extravagant market full of various booths and vendors. A fat man selling roasted cabbage and boiled ham, a sickly skinny looking woman peering over a crystal ball, an elegant and extravagant girl selling jewelry. Normal tourists might have gawked and groveled but this was nothing compared to the Witches' Forest and therefore Fiona paid no mind.

Roaming through the market, quite lost, she looked and looked longing for a bakery of sorts, anyone selling some deliciously sweet treats that would help tame her stomach for the ride. When she had lost all hope she decided it was time for a drastic measure, tugging on the tail coat of a large bald man he stumbled around angrily, looking down at the little girl in shock. "Why! Why! Get your hands off of me you... you witch!" He shrieked.

Fiona remained calm, staring at him blankly. "Could you be a gentleman and point me towards the nearest bakery?" The mans hands formed fists as he stomped the ground repeatedly. "Learn some manners you little heathen! Does that forest of yours not teach them! Learn your place!!!" He raised his fist as if he was ready to strike! Fiona was shocked, appalled even! Why did he talk so badly about her home? And why did he care! She just needed help... the shock paralyzed her why couldn't she move? Had she made a mistake... she prepared for the worst and hoped for the best.

As the grown man's fist was swung, a swift and heavy sword scabbard came down and slammed down on the back of the fist to protect the young witch. "Ho? What's a grown man like you doing assaulting someone less than half our size? Weren't you taught manners you over grown ogre? a man shouldn't be assaulting a lady let alone someone as young as her." The calm and collected voice belonged to a young, slim young man. He was smiling with a cool grin and had a fairly basic attire of just black pants and blue shirt along with his spikey hair. "How about I teach ya some." He then brings his attention to the scared witch, "Hey little miss, is everything alright?"

Fiona expected to be hit, her flinch had proved that much. Oddly enough, as she braced for the impact of a slap or a punch, it never came. Opening one eye, as if checking that way was safer, she saw a young boy. Certainly around her age, she was shocked. She had never heard of such kindness coming from the clover kingdom! Perhaps this was a rich knight on his way back from a gallant and heroic quest. The son of some rich noble she could become acquainted with. Brushing off her purple gown, as if that event could have possibly soiled them Fiona responded, her face forming its usual stoic expression. "Of course I'm fine. Thank you for your help but I'm afraid it wasn't necessary." Fiona then crossed her arms, pointing at the mans foot. The very man who had dared swing at her in the middle of a public market. His foot was growing a mushroom! He hadn't noticed and neither had anyone else. "I know how to handle myself." Fiona taunted, turning her cheek and looking away from the boy.

"Heh! Well i guess you really didn't. I'm sorry I just saw what was going on couldn't let it happen." The young man responded with a chuckle to his voice, "that's some interesting magic you have there." He then swung his sword and scabbard and as he walked past the large man, the impact of the attacks were felt at once and dropped to the floor. "You do look a little lost though, you're from the witches forest right?" The young man's tank skin and facial features differed than most others from the kingdom, showing he was actually a foreigner.

One eye seemed to zoom in as the other shrugged, he had a lot of questions. "Of course it's an interesting magic." She hmphed, listening to the rest of what he had to say while ignoring the loud hippopotamus sized thud of the man falling. "Of course I'm from the Witches Forest." Fiona said, grabbing her conical hat. "It doesn't take a genius to figure that out." Her eyes were closed and her nose in the air as she retained her high and mighty stance, opening an eye to take another good peek at the boy. "And where are you from?" She had assumed the Clover Kingdom before but something about the boys appearance seemed off. He didn't look like most of the people in the town. Not that everyone looked a like, but you can tell.

Every face is unique but there are features attributed to all the regions. Features this boy lacked. Much like the beauty of the witches from her forest or the sharp features of nobles. This man was a mystery. Fiona had always liked mysteries. Perhaps it was one she would solve.

"I'm from a few miles away, a small village in the foresaken realm, but my family is from another country called 'the land if the rising sun'." Despite her attitude towards him the young man remained friendly and smiling while talking to Fiona. His voice and smile gave off a carefree and happy feel to him as a whole. "I'm Alessandro by the way, Alessandro Fabbri." His grimoire opens up and he seals his sword and scabbard in it. He then walked back and approached the young witch and extended his hand out for a handshake.

Fiona scoffed at the words. Forsaken Realm. What a dirty godawful place, the words Land of The Rising Sun were no better. She had never actually been to that land but she had heard rumors. Rumors of dragons and swordsman, truly a different world. It was surely better than the Forsaken Realm. Fiona wish the boy had lied, claimed he was from a noble house of sorts. At least to her anyway. She was already a witch, to be seen with a weakling... a less-than commoner like him? Well what would people think!

"If you're from the Forsaken Realm how can you use magic. Most of the people from that dreadful cesspit wouldn't know magic if it hit them in the face." Fiona tapped her staff on the stones in anticipation, watching as the boys grimoire swallowed his sword. "Were you simply born lucky? Blessed? Or are you perhaps using party tricks like some cheap magician in hopes of getting by!"

"Well aren't you a spit fire huh? Well your ideas of 'where you're from determines your strength' doesn't apply to me." The young man began as he placed his grimoire inside its satchel which rested over another sword and scabbard. "My family is from a far off land and because if that we're looked down on and kept at that realm." He then brought his hand down seeing the witch had no interest in shaking his hand. "But if strong magic is what you want to see I can show you a thing or two after eating." He then begins to walk away in the market before turning his head back, "You were hungry right? There's a bakery by here that's pretty good."

Despite their reputation around the kingdom and the fate they received all over Clover, Alessandro showed no hate towards the little witch. He treated her like any other person not really caring for where she came from.

## Baked Goods

Fiona began to speak, to deny what he was saying. Your home, your strength, their systematically linked! But maybe... he was an exception. His next sentence proved just that. So he and her were similar. Well, at least in the land of clovers, they were outcasts. If Fiona wasn't so stubborn and prideful, they might have skipped down the street singing a joyful tune unfortunately that isn't how life works. "You can't be serious? A commoner questioning the strength of a witch! It's unheard of!" She shouted at the boys proposal. Was he wanting to spar? She gripped her staff, a strong grasp which faded at the mention of a bakery. "Oh! Uhm..." She thought about lying but her grumbling stomach gave her away. "Fine." She huffed, following him to the bakery.

It was a nice, quaint place. A hole in the wall as locals called it. The woman running the place was nice enough, running from behind the counter with a mountain of dough in her hands and flour covering her apron. "Hello loves! Welcome to Mamas Bakery! You two look quite hungry, ain't ya?" She winked, waving them to come and look at the available treats. She placed the dough on the counter and began rolling it out, leaving Fiona's face to look through the glass.

"I don't know what I want..." She said, puzzled at the large selection. The woman huffed, giving a slight chuckle as she brushed her powdery hands on her dress and approached the odd couple. "Well you two look a little dazed! Never seen such gooodie goods before. I recommend the apple tarts! Fresh out the furnace just five or so minutes ago! My treat."

The woman kindly handed them both a tart, waving them to go sit down. Fiona was shocked at the kindness. This woman and this boy, they were perhaps some of the nicest clover citizens she had met so far. Strnage how that works. A land she had thought was nothing but ranks and backstabbery proved to be so much more. Fiona smirked, the witches forest was still better. Sitting at the table, she bit into the tart and gave a faint smile as the flavors exploded in her mouth. "I think you're wrong." She commented, speaking of the boys earlier speech. "Power is dependent on many things but where you come from surely matters. You might be from a foreign land but you were raised in the Forsaken Region! Were you not? How strong can one from such a place truly be." Fiona barked, readjusting the hat on her head as she devoured the sweet apple treat.

"Thank you for the food Ma'am!" The young Alessandro exclaimed as he received the apple tart and bit into it. "So good! These are really good! Two thumbs up all the way!" he cheerfully announced before taking another bite of the fresh warm pastry. The flavor while 'simple' was truly memorizing and delightful. He then heard her comment over his speech from earlier and before swallowed the food in his mouth. "Hmmm I guess in a way you're right, where you're from does influence your strength in some way." He then cleaned his lips with a napkin and popped another smile, "If you want I'm more than up to demonstrate my strength to you." Alessandro then stood up and used his napkin to clean up after the both of them, wiping the table for crumbs. "How about we spar? Now that you got some food in ya I bet you can fight way better."

Fiona eyed the boy. He was so eager to fight. It bothered her slightly. "As if I would do anything of such a barbaric nature. We're in the middle of town, are you trying to get arrested! There are laws here! Rules! This isn't like the Forsaken Region." It wasn't that Fiona couldn't fight. In fact, in her village she was by far one of the most promising young witches and if this wannabe knight truly wanted a fight, she would give him one but there is a time and a place! Neither of which were at a bakery within the common region.

"Well of course I didn't mean here and now silly!" He then let out a small giggle and adjusted himself. "I meant we can leave the town and have some sun out in the woods. Of course if it's too 'barbaric' for you I don't mind your refusal. I kind of wanted to see your magic at work is all." The way he spoke you could tell his words were genuine as he had no hostile intention towards Fiona. "I was also looking for some training to get better prepared for the coming Magic Knights Exam."

He then took a better look at her hat and wand, "*She sure seems to have a dislike towards the forsaken realm. That wand does seem pretty neat too!*" These were just the random thoughts he was having during the conversation.

Fiona was all but ready to give him a stern talking too, prepared to shun him for even suggesting a battle! Then he brought about a good point. A fact that shocked Fiona. She thought the less-than-commoner wasn't capable of thinking! Surely this was a rare occasion. A diamond in the rough mine of thoughts in that dense little head of his. Fiona smirked. The Magic Knight Exam. The exam that would give her power and privilege, money and fame. That, and most of her ancestors had been knights. It was practically her birthright and if he was her competitor... well one of the many, it might be good to see what she was going up against.

After all, keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Then of course, she would have to assume he thought the same way! She began to sweat. Did he want to see her magic? So he could find a way to combat it? To get around it? Exploit her weaknesses? Surely the lion would not outsmart the lioness. It seemed all but impossible. There were so many factors to consider but there was a way around it... she knew what he didn't. Still the question beamed, would she accept?

The young witch girl tapped her staff several times, as if she came closer upon the answer with each tap. "Fine. If it will get you to leave me alone." She didn't know if it was the best idea, to engage battle with someone she had just met and so casually too! But one thing was for certain, she wouldn't show him half the tricks up her sleeve.

"Awesome!" The young mage chanted as he threw his fist into the air passionately! He reached out and grabbed his broomstick, "Alright maybe we should fly off a little nearby? This is going to be so much fun! You're magic looked so cool earlier too! I can't to see it in action!" He then stepped outside the shop and stood on top of his broom before lifting off the ground. "*I hope she's plenty strong! I hope! I hope! I hope!*" he thought to himself as he flew out of town hoping the witch keeps up with him. He knew how serious the Magic Knights Exams are but also was super amped up for a fight, for some training!

## A Battle For Bonding

Fiona ignored the boys rather annoying comments. The Forsaken Region didn't have much magic so no wonder he'd be impressed by something so simple. If a fireball grazed his cheek he might have fainted with excitement. Still, if that alone had enticed him the rest of Fiona's spells were sure to shock him. That was for certain. Thanking the woman who had so kindly fed them, she placed a few coins in the palm of the bakers hand before exiting the building, mounting her broom and once again taking to the skies.

She followed the boy (who seemed to know the way) until they reached a clearing in the surrounding woods of Nairn. It was the wilds, not owned by any person in particular but more likely the animals that roamed and lurked about. It was a large circle, a natural wooden arena of sorts filled with stumps and fallen logs, with a large boulder randomly placed about. There were plenty of options to hide behind or to take the higher ground on, something Fiona made a mental note of. Descending into the clearing, her feet tapped the earth with reassurance her staff twirled between her finger tips as she pulled her hat tighter around her head, creating a sinister shade on her face.

Pointing her staff at the knight Fiona then looked up, the sunlight shining on her once darkened face, "I won't be going easy." She said with a humph, looking back down and mumbling something under her breath.

Alessandro just closed his eyes and smiled before declaring, "I wouldn't want you to go easy on me." His grimoire quickly flew up in front of him and the pages began to flip through until it stopped and landed on a page. A sword hilt began to emerge and Alessandro drew out a finely crafted sword, a slim and beautiful katana. "I know you look down on me for where I come from, but..." The sword the began to have a blue aura around it, the magic power around the young man became much more apparent. Despite the sudden change of power, the boy was still smiling and he quickly took off running towards Fiona! "Here I come!"

Fiona watched as the elegant katana emerged from the book doused in a fiery blue aura that danced and swirled wildly around the blade. A single blink drew the boy closer, he was fast. As her mind raced time seemed to freeze, things went in slow motion; as a way for her brain to process what was happening. She grunted as the boy reached her face, "I was counting on it." Her grimoire had opened as mushrooms sprouted from the ground and formed a circle around her, her staff digging into the ground as the sword swiped the brim of her hat, ripping it slightly but none the less she had escaped that swing. If the boy hadn't noticed in time, he would find himself stuck in a circle of mushrooms, his magic being drained.

Fiona's breath grew heavy. She didn't enjoy physical combat. She was a strategist and if she couldn't finish him off quickly, or at least create distance between them, the knight would surely beat the witch.

"*She didn't block, so she's not a physical fighter.*" he thought to himself as he observed her agility and being able to dodge his initial attack, before feeling his magic started to be drained. "Well that's neat." He said while thinking while out loud. The blue aura around the sword began to grow as it was absorbing the mana in the air. This was his sword's ability, to absorb the mana in the air and fueled the young man back up with magic just as quickly it was being drained. He buckled his knees and pounced at her closing the distance and escaping the circle of mushrooms. "You'll need more than just a slight ambush than that!" he yells as his prepared for another attack.

"**Sword Magic!: Allevamento Cisalpino!** The aura around the sword was then became much more refined as it he cocked him arm back and released a swarm of sword thrusts soon followed along, each projecting after images, giving the appearance of multiple arms attacking.

Fiona grimaced. The boy was resilient. The sword was pesky. But he was reckless. As he once again charged towards her Fiona now prepared to block, twirling her staff. She knew the attack had a lot of power behind it but she was confident that what she couldn't block, she could take. "Silly sword swinging knight. Brain will always triumph over brawn." She said, allowing him to edge closer. The blade struck and struck, it seemed to be an endless march of swinging. Fiona grunted as her staff attempted blocked attacks, at the risk of breaking while others grazed her magically protected skin which still gained slight cuts and bruises.

What the boy didn't know is that yes, Fiona was taking these attacks but it was for a reason! Her grimoire had glowed as she cast the spell Witches Butter. The more the boy struck the larger these mushrooms grew, growing from his bodies skin and blood as if it was soil, cutting them off or removing them seemed nearly impossible and more and more continued to blossom and sprout. These hungry fungi would feast on his strength and as they did the attacks would become slower and softer, allowing a panting, weakened Fiona to take a break.

Taking several steps back she grabbed a nasty gash on her arm, her staff with cuts and rivets, only surviving thanks to the special magical witches wood it had been crafted out of. She knew that she hadn't defeated the boy with this, things weren't that easy, but it would surely slow him down and give her time. Time to recover and think about her next move as he attempted to deal with her own spell.

Fiona gasped a bit between words. "Do you know the difference between you and every buffoon with a sword? Strength. Take it away and what is left! Nothing! Charging into a battle and knowing nothing about your opponent! How idiotic and foolish! For all you know that spell, this spell, it could kill you!" It was true and it had become painfully obvious that Fiona had a great disadvantage. Her physical strength was little to none and the boy surely out scaled her there but magically, in Fiona's eyes, there was little competition. If only it was up to magic alone. Unfortunately, sword magic didn't work like that.

"Do you know the difference between you and that man from earlier?" Alessandro began, "He wears his hate distaste for others on his sleeve while you question why someone like him was so mean towards you." A small aura surrounded his skin as he swiftly sliced off each individual mush room, cutting them directly where the mush room and skin met. "*They stole a lot of my physical strength, and cutting them off only added to that.*" He then gripped his sword tighter as he looked towards the petite witch. His grimoire flew in front of him and it's pages flipped until it landed on the right page and a jet-black katana shot out and landed in his hand. "But if I want to be a magic knight! If i want to be a captain! Then I can't let people look down on me so easily!"

Alessandro then charges forward at full speed twice as fast as before and cocked both swords backward to "**Sword Magic!: Marea Di Napoli!**" As the sword with the blue aura lead the second one wa manifesting a pseudo form of Water Magic as a giant tidal wave soon came from the blade and formed behind Alessandro! "*She's really strong and smart! Man she's cool! But even so, I refuse to let her look down on me so easily.*"

Fiona's brow furrowed. He had gotten the mushrooms off? She held her staff tighter. Anger started to take it's course but she managed to stop it from taking over. It seemed so unfair, for a magical combatant like herself to be forced into close combat. Once again she found herself paralyzed, unable to move. Maybe out of fear, similar to the situation with the man in the market, or maybe because her mind had become so overwhelmed about what to do next.

Yes Fiona had been smart, there was no doubt about that. Magically adept as well. But she had made a fatal mistake, underestimating her opponent. So what was left? She could feel the power raging from the boy, the magical aura his sword emitted turning into a dangerous tidal wave. Fiona knew that if that hit her in any way, shape, or form, then this was a fight she would lose. She shook her head. No she was losing either way but she would lose with her dignity in tact. But how? Her mind pounded as it tried to find it's next move but it was only when her grimoire flipped to a new page and shined a brilliant green color that the answer finally came to her.

"Dryad's Saddle!" She shouted, extending her free hand. very quickly, white roots covered in mushrooms enveloped his blade, seemingly taking over as if turning the weapon into it's puppet. Fiona fell back as the boy drew closer, the roots on his blade tightening in a way which caused the sword to move so strangely. It was like he had to fight for control of his own magic! Luckily, the spell had worked and thanks to that, his spell had missed. But where was Fiona? On the ground, tired, holding her staff similarly to a cane in an attempts to get back on her feet.

And then, Fiona did something shocking. Her hat fell over her face as her tear ducts opening allowing a waterfall to escape the corner of her eyes. She snorted and sniffled, blowing snot all over her witches hat! "You win! You win! Dumb commoner. I can't believe-" She cried between words, huffing and heaving. "I can't believe I lost to a stupid wannabe knight!" Falling to the floor once again, banging her fist on the earth. Almost as if she was embarrassed, she refused to look at the boy.

Alessandro stepped forward and looked down at the young witch, observing her crying. He then extended a small handkerchief and placed it in his hand and smiled. "Don't cry little one, you gave me one hell of a fight." He then placed both swords back inside his grimoire before he let himself fall to the floor on his back next to Fiona. "You were incredible! The way your spells drained my strength and magic power! So cool! I had to drain my sword of it's magic just to do that last spell, if it failed no way would I be able to keep going. You're way smarter and I just got lucky." He spoke with complete honesty, knowing full well he couldn't continue to fight if needed.

"Hey you have a bunch of nicknames for me, but I told you my name earlier. You mind giving me yours? If you don't mind."

Between sniffles, Fiona managed to calm her eyes. It seemed like the boy was teasing her! Even if he admitted that she was smart and powerful, a loss was a loss, he was rubbing salt in the wound. Mounting her staff like a broom she stared at the boy, pointing at him dramatically. "You want to my name! Well hear it, and remember it stupid knight!" She paused briefly, her voice stern and serious. "I am Fiona Morel of the Witches' Forest and one day we will fight again! Do you hear me! We will fight and it will be me who emerges victorious!" Fiona brought her thumb pointing at her chest, tilting her head as she took to the sky, mumbling "Stupid boy." Under her breath with a sigh before vanishing into the distance.

Why Fiona had left? Maybe out of anger or embarrassment, or maybe it was her way to reclaim her dignity as so proposing a hopeful challenge that gave her a glimmer of self respect. Would they fight again as Fiona had deemed? Well, that was out of her hands. That was up to fate.