'Okay, I think someone's taking things a liiiitle too seriously,' the announcer said, taking back the mic. 'It's just a game show, kid,' he muttered. 'If you didn't want to participate, you shouldn't have agreed to come on the show.' The announcer clearly didn't know the circumstances. Putting his showman face back on again he hopped over to Sniff. 'And you are?' he asked.
'Sniff Letloose,' he replied simply.
'And, you're from The Wild Hunt?' the announcer went on.
'Yep, we all are. And in the name of The Wild Hunt, we're gonna beat your stupid challenges and win that prize!'
'Woah, fighting words all round from our contestants! Give 'em a cheer!'
Back at the Guild, the door to the courtyard burst open and a member ran in; everyone looked round. 'Do we have a lacrina vision in here?!' he yelled.
'Yeah, in the basement,' Willard replied calmly.
'Hook it up! You have to see this!'
In a dingy bar somewhere, the small lacrima vision was on. Some of the patrons were watching Mage Battles it with mild interest. One such patron was a cold-looking woman in her late twenties. She had silver hair, a form-fitting dress and sandals on. In fact, she looked completely out of place here, and not just because she was almost the only clean thing in in. She sat at the bar, a cocktail in front of her, one eye on the screen, unphased by the stares she was getting from some of the male drinkers.
When the contestants were introduced on the screen, her interest was piqued, though her facial expression didn't change. 'What have we here? Okami, Tora, Dante and Sniff? It's news to me that they've even teamed up...' she murmured. 'I wander what it's about...'
'Hey lady, gonna let me buy you a drink?' a large, dirty man asked as he approached her and slammed one sweaty palm on the bar.
'As you can see, I already have one,' she said, not taking her eyes off the screen.
'Yeah? Well maybe you want another? Maybe back at my place?'
'Hey there friend,' said another voice. The owner of the voice had just clapped his hand onto the large man's shoulder. 'I think the lady's okay,' the voice said in a calm, would-be friendly tone. The huge man turned to confront the owner of the voice and the offending hand. He was met by a young, good-looking man wearing black trousers, a white shirt and a black waistcoat. He carried a black cane. He had fly-away light brown hair and a cocky look in his eye.
'Get lost, pretty boy,' grunted the large man.
'Care to lay a wager?' the young man said, spinning his cane and ignoring the insult. 'Betcha can't tell me the time.' The large man grinned a toothy grin and raised his left arm to look at his wristwatch. But there was no watch on his wrist. In anger and confusion, his angry eyes darted to the cocky man. The cocky man was grinning and dangling a watch from the head of his cane.
'You f-!' Before the man barely had time to start his attack, the cane had struck him a blow to the side of the head faster than a normal eye could see. The man slumped to the floor, upsetting several drinks as he well.
'C'mon, Mercury,' the woman said unemotionally. 'We've got somewhere to be.' She stood and strode out, followed by the cocky man and the stares of everyone in the bar.
Back on the ship, Doppel had the stand once more. 'Ladies, gentlemen. I would like to make one final announcement before we begin today's festivities. I would like to announce that on today's show, live in front of the nation, I intend to find and claim the hallowed, the mysterious... Heaven Magic!' There were gasps from many viewers, including back at the Wild Hunt HQ, where they had succeeded in rigging up the spare lacrima vision and were gathered round, watching intently.
'I don't know if these guys are bad guys, per se,' Sniff said to the others, now that the microphones (but unfortunately not the cameras) were out of their faces. 'But somehow I don't like him making a spectacle out of a Lost Magic.'
