Luckily- in Sia's opinion- the job they'd taken only happened to be a day's travel from Wisteria. She was even able to catch a glimpse of the large, pink wisteria tree that made up the center of the guild building before the sun dipped low enough in the sky that it became impossible to make out. As they walked- Sia tuning out Oren's constant complaints- her mind turned to the history book that was most likely still sitting on her bed. Legend said that the Starry Rose's wisteria was one of the oldest in the area and perhaps even the origin of the town name.

It was hard to imagine the place without the colorful guild so Sia found herself with no trouble believing the story. Just as they'd reached the front of the building, Hawthorne's hand touching the door, a figure came flying through it. Sia had just enough time to jump to the side and avoid being taken down like her teammate.

She was only slightly surprised at the identity of the man that didn't bother to remove himself from atop Hawthorne. Rather, the guy offered Hawthorne a lazy, almost pleased grin and braced one hand against the earth so that he was simply hovering above his now crimson faced victim.

"Well, hello there," he greeted. "That is a lovely look on you."

Oren scoffed, stepping past the two of them to enter the building. Sia could hear him yelling something about Gideon as he went. Obviously, Oren hadn't forgotten the rather low some that had been the reward for their job. Rather than focus on that, she grabbed the back of the much larger, dark-skinned male's shirt and moved to drag him off of Hawthorne. After all, she doubted Hawthorne would be able to collect himself any time soon in order to shove their guildmate away, which would have been what was required to get the guy to move.

"C'mon, Cross," she childed. "You know he hates it when you do that."

"Aww, but that's part of the fun," he protested.

"Right... so, I take it to mean that Sky beat you again?"

Only then reminded of the fight that had sent him flying through the door, Cross spun around.

"Not yet!" he replied. "That was just a minor set back is all! Just you watch, she'll go out with me yet!"

Then, abandoning the very few IQ points that Sia could even consider giving him credit for having, the man darted back through the doorway. She simply sighed, glancing down at the still frozen Hawthorne. How Cross thought that challenging one of the few S-Class mages in their guild to a fight would ever result in a win was beyond her.

"You okay?"

"... y-yeah..."

By the time that Hawthorne had managed to pull himself up- as Sia was careful not to touch him and make matters worse- and the duo walked through the doorway, Cross was already back on the ground. This time, his face was pressed into the floor with a certain female having planted a single foot against the small of his back. There was a rather smug expression on her face, her hand having a handful of his mid-back length blonde hair. Her face happened to be only inches from Cross's ear. Even from where she stood, however, Sia could hear the words being spoken.

"So, you'll yield, right? I've got a job to do. Some of the cutie rookies asked if I could take them out. Being the amazing girl I am, I said yes. That means I really need to go, as much as I do enjoy cleaning the floor with your face."

"...so no date then, Sky?"

The woman in question- Skylark- sighed and released his hair. The sudden action caused Cross's face to slam into the ground and her lips to curl up in amusement.

"You haven't won yet, kid."

Like everyone else in the guild ( the scene had occurred more times than any of them could be bothered to count), Sia dismissed Cross's whining voice as she started for the counter in the back of the main room. As was to be expected, a brunette a few years older than herself was polishing a glass behind the counter. When Sia hopped up on a stool the girl glanced up, a bright smile crossing her face.

"I thought you were back, Val," she greeted. "Oren was sorta impossible to miss."

Sia's lips twisted into a frown as she settled her chin on her hand, only partially paying attention as Hawthorne was enthusiastically pulled to the side by another guild member.

"Don't call me that, Phi."

Seraphina rolled her eyes, settling the glass on the counter. Almost instantly she'd pulled another into her hands, her eyes flickering past Sia (most likely to make sure that Cross wasn't breaking anything as he'd managed to cause yet another fight).

"If you didn't want me to call you by your name, Val, then you shouldn't have told me it."

"That's not fair," Sia protested. "My dad's the one that told you..."

Seraphina opened her mouth to retort- Sia could easily guess it was going to be something about how she'd use whatever name she wished for the girl either way- when a familiar figure was sent flying over the bar. She could only blink, honestly too used to the matter to be surprised.

"That's the second time today," Sia commented.

Cross popped up from behind the counter, a grin on his lips.

"Oh, far from just the second," he assured her. "Why-- Owww!"

The boy glanced sheepishly up at the fuming girl beside him, one hand settled on his throbbing head.

"Sera...."

"How many times have I told you to stay away from the bar when you fight?!"

"... today, or ever? Because if it's today, it's only been ten times and I think--"

"Cross!"

"Heh, if I promise not to do it again..."

"Don't bother," Sera grumbled, turning her irritated gaze back to Sia. "Honestly, you'd think he'd have learned by now..."

Sia simply giggled, her amusement only growing when Cross stuck his tongue out when Sera wasn't looking. As if she'd been able to see him, however, she instantly slammed her fist down on his head again. The action effectively sent him sprawling behind the bar counter once again. Sia sweatdropped, pulling herself up to check that he hadn't been hurt too horribly. As she did, they were joined by yet another guild member. His attention was fully focused in Cross's direction, however, brow knitted in slight concern.

"Are you alright?" he asked. "Keir didn't hit you too hard, did he?"

"Naw. A little brat like that couldn't hurt me," Cross replied instantly.

"So that's what happened," Sera added, glowering down at Cross. The man instantly put on an innocent look. "What's that face for? It wasn't my fault..."

"You know if you hit on Rhett, Keir will get angry," Sera scolded.

"Not my fault the brat's possessive."

"Pretty sure you guys are pretty similar in age, Cross..." Sia added.

"He's only a year younger," Rhett agreed.

"But he acts like a brat, so a brat is what he is."

Before anyone could argue the logic- as reasonable as it was- a green-haired teen suddenly appeared at the counter. A pouting expression colored his childish face, arms immediately latching onto Rhett. No one reacted, this being yet another familiar sight to the guild members. After all, there was a reason that a popular nickname in the guild for Keir happened to be "Yandere A."

"Stop talking to him," Keir ordered, shooting Cross a sour look. "I don't like it."

Cross grinned.

"That insecure, kid?"

"No. Rhetty is mine," Keir pressed in response.

The group- Rhett excluded- sweatdropped as a set. How exactly that sentence was a response to Cross's teasing comment, Sia wasn't certain. Shaking her head, she glanced over the rest of the room, faintly surprised not to see another green-headed boy.

"Where's Kain?" she wondered aloud.

Keir's sour expression stayed in place as he brought up the answer in his head; eyes studied Cross as if the man was about to jump over the counter and steal Rhett away.

"With Waverly. She's sick."

That caught the others attentions as well.

"Sick...?" Sera wondered. "How'd that happen?"

Keir shrugged.

"She ate concrete."

"... she ate... concrete."

"Uh-huh... stop looking at him! You can't have him!"

With that declaration, Keir dragged Rhett away. The boy simply sighed indulgently, allowing himself to be pulled along with little concern. Sia shook her head, turning her gaze back to the counter in time to find Sera smacking Cross upside the head onced again. Deciding that perhaps now wasn't the best time to be asking the girl for some food, Sia slipped down from her perch and- careful to avoid where Keir was now animatedly telling Rhett the "dangers" of talking to Cross- slipped over to the request board. After all, the request board had been her original intention in coming to the guild after they'd returned.

Sia wasn't exactly the best when it came to keeping ahold of her money. It was the main reason she was often going on jobs- she rarely had enough money to pay her rent. This particular time it wasn't her fault, however. Like Oren, she'd thought that the extermination job would have wielded a bigger payout.

"Oh! Most of you are here!"

Blinking in surprise, Sia tilted her head back. The guild ceiling- if you could call it that- was rather particular in the Starry Rose. Branches of the Great Wisteria cut through the building, much like a tree house. It was a strange enough sight it usually caused quite a few stares when other guilds visited. Sia, however, was used to the sight. It wasn't that that had her attention, no, it was the sight of their guild master sprawled out on one of the branches, her hands holding up her head as she regarded all of the staring guild members with a bright smile.

"I have news!" she added cheerfully.

"... news you'll come down to share?" Sera asked, her tone indicating just how little faith she had in the answer.

Completely and utterly sidetracked, Varya cocked her head to the side, her chin still settled in her hands.

"Why?" she questioned. "Is it hard to see me?"

"... no. Trust me, we all see you, Master."

"Good! Anyways... I've got news! I've decided we're going to enter the Grand Magic Games!"