Valryssa Scarlet, Dragon
Fire Guild
Fire Guild Headquarters, Dracora, Raya
[Destination: Tyanis, Dyrin]
@Gaster

Valryssa looked over Izuru a second time, working from her toes to the top of her head.

“You’ll do, I suppose,” she finally said with a curt nod. Tilting her chip up, she continued, “I’m known as Valryssa Scarlet within the Guild, but you may refer to me as Valryssa or ma’am—nothing more, nothing less.”

She emphasized the last part; one (more) thing that irritated her was nicknames, and unfortunately her name seemed a natural target for such treatment.

“Since we are traveling together, I would like a brief overview of your abilities and talents, particularly your capacity with magic and—”

“Mistress Valryssa!”

Valryssa stiffened at the call, recognizing the voice with a flash of irritation. She closed her eyes to reign in what little patience she had and turned on her heel, spotting the culprit easily. A barefoot young man was shouldering his way through the crowd, waving his hand at the duo near the Kindred Flames. He looked human, with bronzed skin (most of it exposed as per his culture) and short-cropped dark hair; what gave away his identity, however, was the pair of ebony horns rising from his temples.

He was one of Valryssa’s students, a bright-eyed, over-eager Ifrit named Bahram. While he had more enthusiasm for his education than half of his fellow apprentices, Valryssa found him to be overbearing and honestly annoying at times. Still, he put up with her, and she couldn’t help but be a little impressed by that. At times. Now, however…

“Bahram!” Valryssa raised her voice. “You buffoon! What are you doing here? Can’t you see that I’m busy at the moment?!”

Bahram skidded to a halt, the pure-white smile on his face slipping into shock. But only briefly. It returned when the Ifrit bowed his head. “Of course, Mistress—we’ve been alerted of your mission and—

“Then why are you here?” she demanded, lip curling. A relic of her days as a dragon, when she could properly bare her teeth.

He looked confused for a moment before saying, “Oh, well… I’m coming along, too.”
“You?!” Valryssa blinked. Bahram, of all people? Granted, he was a prodigy among the Guild’s hopefuls, but he was a greenhorn in every sense of the word. The Ifrit had little if any experience in the outside world, and was about as naďve as a newly-hatched chocobo.

“Yes, ma’am,” the youth straightened, shouldering a pack that Valryssa had failed to notice earlier. “The higher-ups think that this is a great first mission for me! And it’s even better that I get to go with you!”

The buffoon grinned from ear to ear, oblivious as ever to Valryssa’s bristling. The dragon knew of the dread most of the students held concerning her teaching and personality, but in all her experience Bahram was the only one who actually enjoyed her. Dumb or simply innocent, she couldn’t decide.

Valryssa sniffed and straightened her spine, regaining her composure. At this point, she couldn’t disagree with the Guild’s decision—but when she came back, she would be sure to give them a piece of her mind. For now… at least she could keep a closer eye on this one’s education.

“So be it…” she grudgingly accepted. “But Bahram, you are as late as ever!”

Bahram flinched, but his smile turned sheepish. “Sorry… Had a hard time packing.”

She looked down at what he was carrying… which wasn’t much. “…Is that all? Don’t tell me that’s what you intend to wear to the Icehorn.”

He looked down at his bare chest and feet and frowned. “What’s wrong with this?”

Valryssa growled, and rubbed at her temples—a habit she had picked up from the humans. “We don’t have time for this! We’ll pick you up something in the Skybound City, but for now we should get going. We’re to meet up with an Ice Mage, and I’d rather not keep them waiting.”

Turning to Izuru, Valryssa said, “Izuru, this is an apprentice of mine—and apparently another companion for this quest. His name is Bahram. And Bahram, this is Izuru.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” Bahram bowed, his ever-present smile growing wider.