Ray and Masquerade's RP (The Struggle)

[Masquerade]

"Alexander, eh?" Masquerade spoke slowly. "A very fitting name for a noble. And, so it is to my understanding that you have or are currently developing your own race magic, right? If you are, then you should have no problem with regular magic. Trust me. I took the same path as you did. I learned my family's traditional magic first, the Azure Punishment. It's a pretty rare technique, so not many have heard of it." He took a moment to fill up the last cheesecake crust.

"See, the Azure Punishment is a fire elemental technique that centers around gathering sky and fire together and forcing them into sword skills, so in a way, it's not pure magic, but it works off of the same principles." He took a step back from the counter to take a look at his creations. "I'd say these look pretty good. Now it's time for some sauces and fruits."

With a playful giggle, the baker skirted off towards his icebox and pulled out two squeeze bottles-one with red sauce in it and another with a dark, creamy brown. He also took out a small wooden box full of ripe, freshly-picked strawberries. With the remaining ingredients in a bundle in his arms, he marched back up to the counter. He shook both bottles before squeezing their contents onto the three cheesecakes. Unlike some other bakers, Masquerade only drizzled his sauces on. He saw his food as works of art. He first did the red sauce, which turned out to be strawberry and followed up with another drizzle of the brown, which from the aroma could only be chocolate. The baker took in a big whiff of his creations and topped them all with the fresh strawberries--four per cake. He paused and thought for a second before reaching down to the shelf below the counter and pulling out some ginger leaves of which he placed in precise locations on the cheesecakes.

"There you go, friend," Masquerade said. "Three of my finest cheesecakes to be sure. Oh, and before you leave, perhaps you would like to see one of my Azure Punishment skills? One of my hobbies is learning about other race and family traditional magics. I'll also teach you a very simple spell so you can practice it. How does that sound?"

[Frisk E. Coyote]

"Oh, haha, trying is the word. I'm merely learning about the aspects of Sanity Devour, and I've pretty much grasped the basics. It focuses on tampering with psyches, senses and mirages. This is accomplished by bending light, so I presume light is an important aspect to mastering it." The dingo explained, chuckling lightheartedly. "But it is far too... how shall I put this... deceptive, for my tastes. I do not wish to show people false visions and illusions, so I've been investigating a more supportive branch of my bloodline's lore called Strife Erode." He said softly, bending over and leaning on the counter. "And lucky me, it uses sound as its medium, especially music. I haven't gotten very far with it, but I know enough to contribute more than just money to the town." He added, wagging his tail a little.

"I'm glad to hear that." Alexander said cheerily after hearing that he wouldn't have much trouble with regular magic. "Oh my, Azure Punishment sounds like a most impressive ability indeed." He commented with fascination. Sky and fire? Amazing. His tail wagged even more excitedly when he got a stronger scent of the cheesecake bases. "Oh dear, those smell heavenly."

The dingo watched the baker move around adding this and that to the bases. It was very entertaining and interesting to watch, quite similar to observing an artist or a sculptor working tirelessly on his masterpiece. A few chuckles of amusement escaped his muzzle as he watched, as well as a few soft murmurs as his nostrils caught scents of chocolate and strawberries. In a few minutes, they were done, and looked and smelled almost too beautiful to eat.

"Oh thank you very much, they look absolutely scrumptious! My servants and I thank you." He said delightfully as he propped a small pouch of silvers on the counter. "Please, allow me to pay you, if not for the pastries, then for the conversation and the show." He smiled at the baker in a friendly manner. "Oh yes please, I would love to see one of your Azure Punishment very much. If learning about other races' lore is your hobby, then I'd gladly share some of books with you!" He offered. "I've obtained quite a collection from various traveling merchants, peddlers and auctions. They're quite informative and a very good read."

[Masquerade]

Masquerade smiled with pleasure. "Ah, yes. I have been looking for some good reading material of late, and I find books that teach you something to be far more valuable than others. Thus, I might have to take up your offer. Let me get these for you and we'll head outside. As for your silver, I suppose I can take it. I suppose I really should, or Nothus might get mad at me," he concluded nervously while scratching his head. He took out some foil from below the counter and secured a piece over each of the cheesecakes. After that job was done, he scooped them up in his arms and joined Alexander on the other side of the counter. "Shall we go outside? I wouldn't want to accidentally destroy the bakery."

He opened the bakery door, freeing the pleasant aroma of its prison. The fragrance burst into the air of the Archaeic night, drifting dreamily over the many buildings of the city. The sun was starting to rise in the far east, mixing in oranges, yellows, golds, and violets into the neverending black of the night sky. Dawn was approaching. Masquerade sighed. "Well, I had hoped to get at least a little sleep, but I've gone longer without it before." He laughed cheerily. "I hope everyone else is already awake because I plan on making a bang this morning. The technique I have planned to show you is quite a beautiful one, if I do say so myself. I'm proud of my ancestors for creating such an aesthetically appeasing skill set." The baker whistled and a rapier appeared at his side. "But, I can't perform it without my favorite weapon." He turned back and smiled at his new friend. "Perhaps one of your people can take these," he said and nodded towards the cakes in his arms.

[Frisk E. Coyote]

"Haha, I take it your friend is fast asleep?" Alex cocked his head to the side slightly, his corners of his muzzle turned up in a light smile. "Oh yes, of course, outside. A fire would be most tragic indeed, I would be quite upset should my favorite bakery go down in flames, and so would my servants." He replied, following his new friend out of the bakery. He was terribly excited about all this, as his energetically wagging tail showed. Anything to do with magic excited him, and it was uncommon for him to actually witness any up close so he could take notes. Mental ones at least, he had a very keen memory.

Alexander's coachman and butler, who were waiting for him outside his carriage, took in the wonderful aroma the bakery released once the doors opened. When the young dingo noble emerged after the baker did, they flanked his sides worriedly. He was after all, not the most healthy of individuals, and they had not exactly condoned him going out so early in the morning. He needed his rest. To their relief, he was just fine. He looked healthier even. Alex waved at his servant-friends as they got to his side, assuring them that he was well.

The dingo faced the horizon to watch the sun fill the scenery with the first tides of weak morning light, a beautiful sight to behold. He turned back to face the baker, smiling a little brighter now. "Yes, sleep is such a bliss to partake in." He agreed. His weak body included natural insomnia, so it was difficult for him to sleep himself. "Oh I am quite excited already, good sir!" He chuckled. Now he couldn't wait to see he Baker in magical action!

"Allow me, sir." Siad Alex's butler, taking the cakes off him and placing them in the coach.

[Masquerade]

Masquerade nodded to the gentleman taking the cakes. "Thank you very much, sir." He smiled at the excited noble. "Well, I hope you're prepared for a show." The baker drew his rapier slowly so that the sound of the metal sliding against the sheath was drawn out and exaggerated. He held the slim, silver blade in front of him. The handle was silver like the blade with several thick, intricate rods were bent and woven around the handle. They gleamed with in a combination of pale moonlight and the reborn light of the sun.

"I hope you're prepared for a masterpiece of combat," Masquerade spoke, his voice saturated in anticipation. He faced the empty street in the opposite direction of his spectators. He bent his head and concentration and spoke an incantation. "Bear witness to the articulated precision of destruction: Etincelle Fleur!" The baker leapt elegantly into the air swinging his rapier one way, a fine red powder falling from the blade. He continued zipping through the air, swinging his blade left and right, more powder falling, condensing in the air. When he swung for the final time, Masquerade landed on the ground gracefully. He held the blade of his rapier to his mouth and with a quick movement, bit it. The sound of teeth against steel was like a detonator. The powder ignited instantly forming a mass of fire in place of the powder cloud. Of course, it didn't stop there. The fires created by the explosion started forming into flowers--the untame flame blooming forth like a bud in the morning when the first rays of the sun touch it ever so gently.

The baker waited for the technique to fade away, and then waited for a response from his new friend.

[Frisk E. Coyote]

The servant nodded at the baker silently in reply. The servant was a rather stiff-looking red fox anthropomorph with sharp eyes, and looked rather prim and proper. Fiercely loyal to his master, he was rather glad to see the young noble so energetic and excited as he had been rather frail the whole month, even more so than usual, and getting tired more and more often. This bit of excitement was surely good for Young Master Krauzer's health.

"Oh, yes I am, sir Masquerade!" Alex cheered slightly, beaming. "That's a beautiful rapier, I'd like to add. Is it an heirloom?" He asked curiously, admiring the blade and its intricate hilt. He watched the exhibition and execution of the beautiful Azure Punishment magic, his bright, innocent eyes wide with wonder and joy. When it was over, the dingo's eyes were filled with boundless happiness and satiation. "Oh Masquerade, I've never known fire to be so beautiful before! Your skill is surely first rate!"

[Masquerade]

The baker chuckled in response and sheathed the rapier. "First rate skill? I'm not too sure about that. I am only a baker, after all. I don't know how well beauty would fare in a real battle." He whistled again and the rapier disappeared. "As for my weapon--I suppose you could call it an heirloom. My parents are dead. I'm only 16 years old, you know. I found it in my dad's study one day when I was searching for a favorite book of mine. I asked my nanny what it was and she told me that it belonged to my father. So, I took it." Masquerade sighed. "Growing up with no parents tends to be a tradition of my family, unfortunately."

From inside the bakery, footsteps could be heard. That's when the door slammed open. In the doorway stood the serpentine bird, Nothus Viper. His eyes were ablaze with anger and Masquerade knew this wouldn't turn out well. Nothus approached the baker. "What the HELL do you think you're doing this early in the morning!?!" he yelled.

Masquerade laughed nervously. "I didn't destroy anything." He gestured to the buildings on their street. They were unscathed. "I was just giving a show for my new friend here." This time, he gestured to Alex.

Nothus approached the excited noble. "And who the hell do you think you are? Planting ideas in this psychos head, eh? He's crazy, you know. He'll do anything."

[Frisk E. Coyote]

"Oh, but I don't think social status defines skill..." Alex reasoned, smiling at the baker warmly. "I for one think that you're an excellent practitioner of magic, if not only for your bloodline's Azure Punishment! And to be fair, your performance looked as deadly as it was beautiful." He said honestly. He was brutally honest, oftentimes to a fault. He looked a little concerned that he had touched on a fragile subject, though Masquerade didn't seem bothered. It was hard to tell with that mask on. "Oh, I apologize, I didn't know..." The dingo said tenderly. "I've lost my parents too, not too long ago, to bandits. However, I didn't know what to feel or say about that, it seems... my family's tradition tends to be that we're often broken."

Alexander perked his ears up at the sound of heavy footsteps coming from the bakery. "Is that your-" He said, but never finished what he was about to say as an intimidating bird-reptile hybrid came out of the bakery and yelled at Masq, causing Alex to wince in slight shock. He waved at Nothus meekly as Masquerade gestured at him. His ears swiveled back and lay flat against his skull nervously as the hybrid partner of his new friend loomed over him. "I- I am Alexander Krauzer, a mere customer. I meant no harm, I was only curious about magic, I'm sorry if I caused you any trouble." He explained humbly, and half-bowed apologetically.

"Lord Alexander," The fox butler from before stepped in front of the dingo, separating him from Nothus. "You need not take this abuse from the likes of him!" He scolded and faced Nothus. "Step away from the young master."

[Masquerade]

Nothus looked into the sky and laughed maniacally. He kept laughing for what seemed like quite a few minutes, hunching over one minute, slapping his thigh the next. When he calmed down, he looked at Masquerade and pointed to the butler. "Can you believe this guy? 'You don't have to take such abuse from the likes of him.' Ha! Pathetic."

Masquerade rushed up to Alex and knocked Nothus to the side. "You'll have to excuse him. When he doesn't get a lot of sleep, he can get pretty...well, you know. You've just experienced it." He looked at his assistant baker. Nothus was glowering at all of them, but remained silent. He flicked his tongue out angrily. "And that's why he won't be attending the party tomorrow."

"WHAT?!" Nothus suddenly bursted out loud. "I'm going to that damn party!" With a quick movement, he was right in Masquerade's face. After a few seconds of glaring, the feathered serpent relented. "Besides, you need your assistant, right?" He looked to Alex. "Hey, I'm sorry for getting all upset, but you of all people must understand why I'm like this. It's not every morning you get to wake up to the sound of explosions." As difficult as it was, Nothus bowed his head in apology. A warm breeze tousled the feathers on his head, and his black cloak swayed gently.

[Frisk E. Coyote]

"R-right..." Alexander said in a tiny voice, rather intimidated by Nothus, but after a while, he perked his folded ears back up and was relaxed once more, though he looked as weak as he did when he first entered the bakery. "Reynard, its quite alright, please stand aside. That is Sir Masquerade's assistant." He placed a paw on the fox-butler's shoulder. Reynard stood his ground for a moment before loosening up and standing aside, bowing briefly.

Alex examined Nothus' features for a while, and found that it must've been difficult for him to apologize like that. "I know good sir, I understand. I am sorry, I apologize, its my fault. I wanted to see your friend's ability... Perhaps I should not have agreed to." The noble bowed his head humbly. "I apologize for robbing you of some sleep."