Run, run as fast as you can. [Travelling - Magnolia]

[Rii <3]

Despite Syana's best efforts in trying to intervene, she got pulled away by Kasumi and ended up being dragged onto the train to Magnolia. As she found her seat, she sat down with her face turned to the window and a disappointed look in her eyes as she gazed at her reflection. Her eyes were forlorn and her mind replayed the events that happened. With the train still boarding, Syana just watching people walk past on the other side of the the station; her eyes focused on each one as they passed before heaving a sigh as she caught sight of the change in some of their bodies. That thing I picked up earlier... Some people have it, but how? With her eyes still focused on the other side, she listened to her surroundings which meant she was aware of what was happening beside her. Syana's hands were pressed against her lap and her cheek and her staff rested beside her; slanted against the seat. Luckily enough she really packed light so her clothes were ready by the time she got into the hotel and out  while on full alert. 


Syana could tell the chains she had summoned weren't going to last any longer, in fact due to her range from the pentagram; they probably snapped. Her mind raced over Aether. Was he okay? That man who lunged for him... A sense of disapproval and worry rolled in Syana's stomach and she felt sick, but swallowing her nausea and keeping a forlorn gaze outside, she just listened and waited. 

[Jimmydalad]

Kasumi sank into the seat opposite Syana, resting her feet. It had been a hectic day. Questions were spiralling in her head such as she buckled herself in. There was the bandit, who had abused those pythons. Just where was he now? Then there was the commotion in Onibas. So much had happened today, the blood had dried on Kasumi's clothes as she wasn't fast enough to change and wash them.

Kasumi was now wearing a simple white top with black shorts. She got her stuff together quickly, packing all her essentials and a few pairs of clothes with her. Kasumi had picked up the necessity of travelling light during her time in Fairy Tail. Her role as a representative of Fairy Tail in Onibas mandated her travel frequently between Magnolia and Onibas, reporting to Marika for updates about events going on.

Her chakrams were safely stored in her bag, but she still carried her staff around with her. She had her bag on her lap and was using it to prop her arms. Looking at Syana, she couldn't help but notice that something was up with Syana. In fact, she had been like that ever since the fiasco in Onibas.

"You ok Syana?" Kasumi asked in a worried tone as she waited for the train to get moving.

[Maddox Aquila]

Admittedly, Maddox felt pretty bad about up and leaving Onibas without managing to find his sister, but at least he knew that she had Atlas to keep her company for the time being. It wasn't the first time that they had been separated for an exaggerated amount of time, but this time he felt much more uneasy about the whole situation. Still, he had decided to assure Syana safely reached her destination before bothering to return to Onibas to try to find his sister. He was certain that a mage such as herself wouldn't be out of the limelight for too long. She would be easy enough to find when the time came for it.

Since he had already been travelling, all of his possessions were with him when they had decided to leave, so he hadn't any need to head back to pack his belongings as the girls had needed to do. Instead, he set off on his own in search of something very important - which was currently tucked against his chest in a frail looking white box.

He had spent so much time looking for it that he nearly missed the train, but he somehow managed to make it on time, even if he was panting a little. Drifting along the aisle in search of the girls, he rather easily spotted Kasumi's red hair among the sea of chairs, and just as he was making his way to them a man stopped beside them - a man much older than them, who was balding at the top of the head while what hair he had on the sides looked greasy. The guy had a bad air about him, and he flashed an expensive looking pocket watch as though to try to appeal to Syana and Kasumi in a misguided attempt to earn their favor.

Maddox, who was over six feet of unimpressed menace, cleared his throat from behind him before the man could say a word. The older man turned, likely about to say something to him, but something about Maddox's expression made him back down and scurry off down the aisle to safety.

A wise choice, no doubt.

Exhaling, Maddox dropped a somewhat tattered backpack on the floor as he took a seat next to Syana and stretched his long legs out, propping them on the seat across from them and effectively preventing anyone else from entering their little booth. There was a strange feeling in the air, one that made him warier than usual, so he felt it his duty to prevent harm from coming to the two young women.

Resting the white box on his lap, he flipped the cover open, revealing an assortment of cookies and miniature pies and pastries. He remembered Syana's love of sweets, even after three years of being away from her, but he had another reason for fetching them as well.

"Help yourself." He told them, setting the box down on the seat between himself and Syana, since there weren't too many places to put it. Glancing to the girl in question, he crossed his arms over his chest and exhaled. "You used a lot of your magic, Syana, I know you probably hate that we left as we did, but please try to eat at least one."

[Rii <3]

Syana's eyes were solely on the window alone when Kasumi sat down opposite her with a sigh of content. It seemed like the world was moving forward, but she had stopped. Her mind played the scene over and over again. The man who had lunged at Aether had something weird about him. All Syana could remember seeing was his body system had black marks shrouding the vital points; she couldn't see them clearly and the ghastly aura was enough to make her cringe. She acted on impulse.
With her eyes outside, she just watched everybody walk past and adjust her staff with her foot as she felt it begin to lean to the other side.
"You ok Syana?" Kasumi's voice filled Syana's mind and she gave a brief "mhm" in reply, but kept her eyes on the outside world - too aloof to respond fully. 

It was beginning to grow close to the train's departure and it was just Kasumi and Syana who was sat down despite a bunch of people grouping in. A man began to talk to them and Syana's eyes moved to him; he was holding a pocket watch up or something that looked like one and clearly interested in selling it, but Syana just focused on his body for several seconds before looking away and outside again.
Suddenly the man's voice seemed to trail off and then disappear and the seat beside Syana began to cause a ripple affect as someone sat down.
Syana recognised the sensation of the cloak of her dear friends touching hers and she turned her head slowly to see that Maddox had sat down beside her. Looking between him and Kasumi for a few seconds, the last whistle blew and the train set off; Syana's gaze moved straight back to the window, her face pressing up close to the point she could see her breath forming on it.


The sweet smell of pastries filled her nose and she inhaled softly, slowly while trying to mask it. As nice as it smelt, it wasn't something she fancied. Her mind was full of what she saw and nothing - not even sweets, were going to pull her from that. 
"Help yourself." The all-so familiar voice rung through the air and Syana could tell that he was concerned and yet the atmosphere felt severely awkward. "You used a lot of your magic, Syana, I know you probably hate that we left as we did, but please try to eat at least one." He was trying to coax her, but Syana just didn't feel like eating something as delicious and creamy as a pastry or crunchy like a biscuit even though she wanted to take one. Swallowing back the saliva that built up in her mouth, she continued to gaze onwards and forced herself to say something she KNEW she'd regret.
"I'll pass, but thank you." Seconds passed before Syana decided to continue, "That small man... Something wasn't right. His blood stream wasn't normal. It was tainted..."

[Jimmydalad]

Whatever it was, Syana wasn't up for talking about it. She wondered if she should press the issue since it seemed to be bugging her friend. Eventually, she decided to leave the issue alone for now. If Syana wasn't going to talk, she doubted trying to pry it out of her would make her feel any better. Instead, she slumped in her seat, wondering where Maddox had gone off to.

A balding man approached them and began talking, trying to convince them to buy some expensive watch that he was trying to pawn off. There was something off about that man, a seedy air that was hard to ignore. As the man continued with his pitch, Kasumi glared impatiently, hoping that the man would be able to pick up on her body language and leave them alone. It was at that time when Maddox arrived and his intimidating presence managed to scare the man off. Kasumi gave him a grateful look as she sat down, her attention shifting back over towards Syana.

A concerned look formed on Kasumi's face as the train began to set off. At this point, Syana still seemed to be deep in thought. She looked at Maddox, indicating Syana with her head as if asking him to try and help out. When Maddox offered Syana the sweets, Kasumi unconsciously licked her lips. It would probably be inappropriate to ask now, but she would have to ask Maddox if she could have some of those delicious looking sweets sometime.

"His bloodstream... was tainted?" Kasumi repeated, pleased that Syana finally said something. She knew Syana had support magic, but she never realized she could monitor people's bloodstreams. Her words did give her reason to think though and Kasumi went about trying to remember everything about the man she was talking about.

"The way he was talking... At first, I thought he was a bit of a lunatic so I thought he was just exaggerating. However, if his bloodstream was tainted, that changes things." Kasumi was making logical progressions towards a final solution. As soon as she made the final connection, dread washed through her body.

"Do you think he had DCD?"

[Maddox Aquila]

Maddox frowned to himself as Syana refused the sweets that he had offered her. Scratching at the side of his neck as he tried to think of a plan B, he realized Kasumi was eyeing up the box of sweets and promptly picked it up once more, silently offering her some since he had gotten them for the girls to share after witnessing the horror of a naked pervert, followed by an angry dwarf in pajamas that wanted to start a fight with said pervert.

As he listened to Syana and Kasumi speak of the taint in the man's blood, his brows knit together and he frowned softly, contemplating the possibilities while also making a mental note that Syana's powers seemed to have evolved in the three years he was apart. She could barely heal a cut on her finger, back then, but now she could apparently detect things in peoples bodies.

"Was he intoxicated on alcohol or drugs?" Maddox asked, his arms still firmly crossed over his broad chest. "Poison can also cause strange changes in people." He added, that part he knew first hand because he had spent most of his life specializing in the stuff. He cast a stray glance to Syana, worried about her and yet not sure what he could do to help cheer her up.

However, Kasumi soon mentioned something that he was unfamiliar with, drawing his good eye towards the redhead. "DCD?" He echoed, looking between the two. Having just returned from a long stint far away from the eye of society, he was understandably unfamiliar with the disease.

[Rii <3]

"His bloodstream... was tainted?" Kasumi sounded like she didn't believe her. Watching the world move by faster than Syana's eyes could see, she finally turned her attention towards the two and nodding her head. It was hard to explain, she knew that much. 
"Was he intoxicated on alcohol or drugs? Poison can also cause strange changes in people." Maddox chimed in and Syana's eyes moved towards his arms, watching them for a few seconds before pressing her hand to them, eyes completely avoiding the sweets despite wanting to just grab them all. 
She shook her head and pressed her cheek against the cool window glass, realising just how nice it felt against her face. Her hand didn't leave Maddox's arm once, though. 
"It's not easy to explain," The light mage stated quietly. "It seemed like as my magic grew stronger, I could see things. I can see magic in people's bodies and determine how powerful they are. I can tell where poison is too..." A sharp pain quickly sliced its way through her mind and she dismissed it with a quick shake of the head. She had used a lot of magic indeed and it seemed her magic took longer to recuperate than a normal Mage's would. Ignoring the pain with a straight face, she parted her lips to continue. "You know diagrams in books where it shows you where magic flows? I see that, but it's fluid and moves." Chewing her lower lip for a few seconds, she nodded her head.


"The way he was talking... At first, I thought he was a bit of a lunatic so I thought he was just exaggerating. However, if his bloodstream was tainted, that changes things." Kasumi spoke up and Syana watched her, a warm smile finally forming on her face as she leaned over and rubbed the girls head affectionately. 
"I just acted and I don't know what happened..." Syana's smile faltered and she retreated her arm as the pain shot through her head once more, but alas she  kept the pain hidden. She was used to it anyway and it wasn't as bad as it used to be. 
It seemed Kasumi began to think and Syana watched her expectantly, her colour seemed to wash from her face and what came out of her lips surprised the girl.
"Do you think he had DCD?" "DCD?" Maddox seemed surprised by what Kasumi said and Syana's eyes moved over to the window once more; her other hand finally had left Maddox's side and had found its way towards the cookies. Picking one up and taking a small bite, Syana felt relief flood her body and she realised just how hungry and tired she was. Taking another small bite, she kept her cheek pressed to the window. 
"I thought that was a myth..."

[Jimmydalad]

Kasumi picked up one of the sweets, shooting Maddox an appreciative grin as she threw in into her mouth. She found the chewing process helpful for her thinking as she listened to Syana and Maddox. Maddox offered possible explanations for the man's behaviour while Syana explained her powers. As much as she wanted to believe that it was just intoxication, the possibility couldn't escape her mind. She did take pleasure from Syana's head rub though.

"I wish DCD was a myth." Kasumi said, biting the bottom of her lip. "It would've made dealing with it much easier for everyone." She looked from Maddox to Syana, wondering how much she should tell them. Syana didn't seem the type of person who would betray Kasumi and Maddox was Riley's brother, which made him okay in her book. Stiffening her body, an unmistakable tone of professionalism was present in her voice.

"DCD or Deadly Crow Disease. It's an epidemic that has been slowly spreading around Fiore recently. No one knows where it came from and finding cures for it have been difficult. The only real sign that anyone knows is that they develop a full-body rash that break out into spots. After that, it's like the spots move, focusing on one spot and forming a shape of a black bird. It's lethal to humans while mages lose their magic. If the man was infected, that was why he was talking of death so much. He probably was trying to infect us."

Kasumi let the implications of that attack hang in the air. If they weren't careful, they could've been infected with DCD and not realize it until it was too late. She was glad they had gotten out of there quickly. Kasumi tapped the bottom of her chin, taking a short time to pause before continuing.

"The disease has frightened the people. Some are blaming mages for it, arguing they are the cause since they don't die from it. This has caused tensions between the humans and mages to be very strong, almost painfully so. Guilds are scrambling to find any clue towards a solution or a cure. So far, we've got nothing."

[Maddox Aquila]

Maddox's expression softened slightly as Syana touched his arm. It was a simply enough gesture, and truthfully she wasn't even sure why she was doing it, but he's take what he could get when he could get it. His bright green eye raised from her hand to her face as she started explaining her magic, and he nodded, impressed. "It seems you've progress quite a bit in my absence." He complimented, feeling relief wash over him as she finally gave into the sweets, he smiled and turned his attention to Kasumi to hear her explanation.

His expression grew grim as he took in everything that she had to say. "I see..." He whispered, suddenly feeling a whole lot worse for not finding Riley and dragging her along with him. A quiet, albeit burdened sounding, sigh left his lungs as he processed everything that Kasumi had told him.

He sure picked a hell of a time to come back to Fiore. "A magical disease." He mused, mauling the thought over as he cast a glance around the train, suddenly very self conscious about the fact that a whole lot of the people around them had gotten on at Onibas.

"Do you know if it's naturally occurring or something man made?" Maddox asked, which of course had a lot of implications behind it but there were a lot of messed up people in the world who would be happy to see others suffer. Being an assassin himself, he knew what it was to sell death - though this was out of even his league.

[Rii <3]

""It seems you've progress quite a bit in my absence." Syana turned her gaze towards Maddox and gave him a smile.
"I wish DCD was a myth. It would've made dealing with it much easier for everyone." Syana watched her, blood running cold and a stone dropping in her stomach and with the train motion, Syana felt sick. As she processed what to say, Syana decided it was best and do what she always did: Keep a smile on her face.
"DCD or Deadly Crow Disease. It's an epidemic that has been slowly spreading around Fiore recently. No one knows where it came from and finding cures for it have been difficult. The only real sign that anyone knows is that they develop a full-body rash that break out into spots. After that, it's like the spots move, focusing on one spot and forming a shape of a black bird. It's lethal to humans while mages lose their magic. If the man was infected, that was why he was talking of death so much. He probably was trying to infect us." 
Syana lifted her hand as she took a bite into the cookie, it was small, but it was still a delightful taste and Syana knew that she had to thank Maddox sooner or later. With her mind travelling and taking in Kasumi's explanation, her green eyes focused on the outside with a slow chew.

"The disease has frightened the people. Some are blaming mages for it, arguing they are the cause since they don't die from it. This has caused tensions between the humans and mages to be very strong, almost painfully so. Guilds are scrambling to find any clue towards a solution or a cure. So far, we've got nothing." Syana began to ponder what to do. Suddenly she gripped onto her staff. Maybe she should go back and help that little man. 
"I see..."  Maddox replied. It seemed he was taking this all in as well and Syana found herself wondering it too in depth. If there was so much threat, wouldn't that mean that Onibas was now under quarantine with everything around it. Syana's head seemed to pulsate and her fingers tightened around the cookie that she seemed to be eating at a slow pace. What happened to Aether once she was dragged away. Syana's eyes moved to Kasumi and she felt slightly angry at the girl for pulling her away; that anger disappeared soon after and Syana could understand why the girl did so after, but Syana needed to go back.

"A magical disease. Do you know if it's naturally occurring or something man made?"  Syana completely missed this, but she began to ponder more on the illness and what she saw. As the stinging pain in her head throbbed, she closed her eyes and took a slow, deep breath. Her eyes moved to someone who walked past seeming pale; their face was shiny - a clear sign of beads of sweat running down their face. They didn't look well and seemed to stagger as they walked. Syana's eyes closed for a few seconds and then she opened them and focused on the person. She could see the disturbance in the persons body, it wasn't anything like she had seen before. It honestly looked like a bad case of travel sickness. The more she focused, the stronger the strain in her head began to throb. She snapped the concentration almost instantly and began to ponder what to think of it all. There was none of that spooky, haunting smog that was in their blood system; it was just clear, disturbed by the nausea within the stomach that caused the heart race. When the person was now at the bottom of the carriage, people were clearly parting ways so they had a clear route to the bathroom. Her hand on her stomach and the appetite she had for the cookie disappearing, she placed the cookie on her leg and focused outside the window. 
"I need to go back," That was all that left her lips. 

[Jimmydalad]

Kasumi looked on silently as the two of them processed the information she provided them. Her face was contorted into a frown, her mind thinking back to the situation with Fairy Tail in regards to the disease. She most definitely would need to inform Marika that she had possibly seen DCD in Onibas. If so, she had to wonder just how many people were infected. Kasumi spotted the slightest bit of anger in Syana's eyes, but it soon dissolved, so she decided to leave the issue alone.

"No clue." Kasumi informed him dejectedly. "If we did, we would've had an idea how to approach the illness. At the moment, we're just taking stabs in the dark." She felt pathetic as she could only watch people get ill, with no clue how to came about or how to cure it. She pondered the issue, trying to grasp at something they could go off, but Kasumi knew very little regarding details of the illness.

"And what, get ill with everyone else and lose your magic?" Kasumi shot out, gritting her teeth and focusing her attention on Syana. "The guild has already tried healing magic. Whatever DCD is, it can't be cured purely by magical means. Plus, you look like you're about to collapse and if there is DCD flying about in Onibas, who knows how many people are already infected. Even if you could cure DCD, you don't have enough magic to cure everyone and you might kill yourself trying."

As soon as she finished, Kasumi looked towards her bag. Was she unnecessarily harsh with Syana? Her intentions were good and pure. She probably wanted to help. The problem was, if she tried to help at the moment, Syana would more likely add to the problem rather than dissuade it. Additionally, Kasumi didn't want Syana to get DCD or put herself at risk of getting the illness. If she did, Kasumi wouldn't know how to react. She turned back towards Syana with an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry if I came off harsh. I just don't want my friends to get DCD, especially when we don't have a cure." Kasumi admitted, blushing slightly as she looked down again, slightly afraid to make eye contact.

[Maddox Aquila]

Maddox shook his head as Syana, of course, began to insist that she needed to go back to Onibas, which he had basically been waiting for since Kasumi had started talking about the disease. However, he didn't even get to say anything on the matter since the redhead hopped in to reprimand Syana. Somehow he felt relief knowing that Syana had someone like Kasumi to watch out for her. As much as he liked to be around her, he knew he couldn't be there all the time and knowing that there were well grounded people around her helped to quiet his discontent.

"Miss Ito is correct, Syana." He eventually added, his tone much softer, calmer, than Kasumi's had been. His face remained unreadable as he spoke, not even so much as hinting at his innermost thoughts. "What they need right now is researchers, not healers. When the time comes that they have a need for healing magic, I am sure you will hear about it." He nodded softly, once more glancing down the aisle of the train. There was a chance that people on the train had this DCD, and he was beginning to wonder if he shouldn't do something to keep them from spreading out across Fiore. He was sure Syana wouldn't like whatever he would do, though. Blinking slowly, he turned his gaze back to their booth.

"In the mean time, the best thing we can do to help is to stay healthy and help elsewhere. Plague brings panic, panic breeds disorder. There will be plenty of other people that need healing in the days to come." He promised, stretching a hand out to lightly pat her on the knee. 

[Eternal Mage, Aether.]

-Moved-

[Rii <3]

As Syana began to grow more and more irritated, the words Kasumi said about the whole ordeal angered Syana to the point her own eyes shown it for only a brief  moment. It was then like Kasumi herself seemed to up on the anger that Syana had herself, but that soon disappeared and the subject carried on. "No clue. If we did, we would've had an idea how to approach the illness. At the moment, we're just taking stabs in the dark." Syana decided to look outside the window at this point as they spoke, watching the scenery fly by before finally stating what she wanted to do - even if it was too late.
"And what, get ill with everyone else and lose your magic? The guild has already tried healing magic. Whatever DCD is, it can't be cured purely by magical means. Plus, you look like you're about to collapse and if there is DCD flying about in Onibas, who knows how many people are already infected. Even if you could cure DCD, you don't have enough magic to cure everyone and you might kill yourself trying."
Her outburst caught Syana off guard and the girl sat there with her lips agape and trying to process what the girl had said. Syana's eyes looked to the side for a few seconds before she shrugged. Surely Syana would be fine if she went, right? Right?

"I'm sorry if I came off harsh. I just don't want my friends to get DCD, especially when we don't have a cure."  Kasumi apologised straight after and Syana watched her for a brief moment longer before realising the scenery had changed and the familiar station of Magnolia town had began to form around her. 
Miss Ito is correct, Syana. What they need right now is researchers, not healers. When the time comes that they have a need for healing magic, I am sure you will hear about it."  Maddox added and Syana just sighed in defeat as she looked at the station begin to form around them while the train slowed to a halt, picking up her staff and standing up - the biscuit fell onto the floor and as she leant down to pick it up, the pain that she had forgotten about so briefly had shot through her head. Her eyes ached and she closed her eyes for a few seconds before straightening up with the cookie and placing it in her pocket. She'll put it in the bin as she got off the train (Even though she was a little wobbly.)