To the people of the Blue Pegasus guild, it must have been a peculiar sight to say the least. The giant puppet was carrying the fragile-looking maiden toward the guild building. Each of its steps caused a small tremor to rock through the ground due to its sheer weight, till it finally came to a halt in front of the lobby leading deeper into the building.

The receptionist was looking around in bewilderment, clearly not sure what to expect of this occasion. And neither did the maiden that was being carried it seems: "Martin, will you finally tell me why you have brought me to the guild hall of Blue Pegasus? Last I checked my agenda did not involve any business meetings with the guild?"

Upon hearing the words of his master the puppet lowered his gaze toward her. "Affirmative: You have no scheduled work appointments today." Upon which Kairaiko smiled sheepishly at her puppet. "Then-" But the puppet quickly resumed its explanation. "However, it has been observed that ever since your parting with the Blue Pegasus magus Daiko Flayme, Master has become increasingly restless and sad. Therefore, since Master's health and mental well-being is of the utmost importance to us, it was decided to make a change in your schedule."

The puppet's words earned a dumbfounded look from its creator. She certainly had not placed such an advanced artificial intelligence onto her puppet with its last maintenance! "What do you mean, a change in schedule?" To which the puppet replied. "Our predictions state there is a ninety-nine coma ninety-nine percent chance you will feel better spending some time with the suspect."

Wait.... WAIT WAIT WAIT! WHAT WAS HE PLANNING?!

Suddenly noticing the audio boosters on his shoulders to pump up into activity the voice of the puppet resounded through the entire building. "Statement: Daiko Flayme, please proceed to the entrance of the guild hall at your earliest possibility to take up responsibility for my master's state of being! Caution: denying this activity humanoids call a date is NOT.AN.OPTION."

And Kairaiko? Her face had turned scarlet, burying her face into the torso of her puppet, her small hands pounding lightly against his chest as she whispered in embarrassment: "Someone please flayme...."

Daiko was outside, but on the other side of their guild hall. For a day as bright and warm as today, he was out helping Blue with exercises. Blue loved water sports, so Daiko had gone the extra mile to provide with a large, red volleyball that he was sure Blue would love to smack around the surface of the water.

Blue had grown a lot since he and Sofia found the little lad after Daiko killed its mother. It was in self-defense, though! And he made sure to take the corpse with him and transform the murdered mother into food and other things like dream catchers and amulets! He made good use of her remains, as a sign of respect. He hoped that Blue would forgive him, should the sweetie ever get to know…

But then, he heard a loud exclamation calling for him! It had his hair flaring up in surprise, but listening further to the robot-like words vibrating towards him… wasn’t that the golem he met? The one serving Kairaiko, the sweet lady with the wheelchair! Yeah, he remembered her! Wait, why was she here?

“Respon- wait, did I hurt her?!” he panicked, switching gazes between Coda and Blue while his hands flickered around in front of himself, “Coda, watch over Blue! I gotta fix this!” With that said, he sprinted back into the guild hall, leaving Coda to entertain Blue with more water volleyball playing… much to Coda’s chagrin as a small, light bird like her couldn’t catch a volleyball effectively. Not without it popping.

Daiko’s panicking form quickly approached the golem-puppet carrying Kairaiko, his eyes sparkling with growing tears as he expressed his worries: “Kairaiko! Are you alright? Did I do something to you?! I didn’t mean to hurt you, if that’s what happened – here, I can heal you, just stand still-“

It was clear as day that the birdbrain had missed the memo. Someone ought to make things clear to him.

Seeing Daiko approach looking all worried and with tears in his eyes the poor girl's cheeks turned scarlet as she rapidly waved her hands in a panic. "N-no you didn't do anything to hurt me Daiko!" However, before she could try to say anything else the giant puppet gently scooped up his master from her seat and rose onto his feet, marching toward one of the smaller puppets that had been driving... a wheelchair?

The puppeteer could already feel her embarrassment intensify ten-fold as she was carefully deposit in the wheelchair after which the giant puppet started to march toward Daiko. "Statement: It is reassuring to hear that you intend to take responsibility." Attempting to lift the take-over mage by the scurf of his neck like a mother cat snatching up her kittens the puppet started to march over toward Kairaiko and unceremoniously dropped the poor boy right behind the wheelchair.

"Please take good care of master during your date together."

And Kairaiko? Well, she had buried her face into her hands, too embarrassed to look at anyone right now. Meanwhile one of the maid puppets stepped beside Daiko, deciding to take pity on him, and whispered softly. "What he means is you should spend some time with our master: She has missed you since the time you spend together in Joya."

Oh thank goodness… she wasn’t hurt. It was still weird to see the giant puppet pick her up as if she was an infant, but maybe it was because she didn’t at all look like any damn infant. Maybe she didn’t like being picked up like this… but she built them, right?

Once he saw the wheelchair, his eyes widened. Things were starting to click inside of his bird-like brain… the reason they called him was because the giant puppets were being mean! Hella mean, rude to a T! And what on earth were they on about with ‘responsibility’?! They were just bullying Kairaiko at this point, and Daiko would want none of that. “Hey! You shouldn’t embarrass Kairaiko like that! Isn’t she your bo- oh, w-wait, why am I floating?”

And with a heavy drop, his feet now stood behind the wheelchair carrying Kairaiko, with Daiko blinking in a state of shock. And the golem-like entity mentioned this being a date… was he going to go on a date with Kairaiko? But weren’t dates for couples? Daiko was worried for a second, not wanting to make Kairaiko uncomfortable after the help she’d given them – especially since he was wearing her outfit right damn now – but another puppet who was dressed as a maid straightened things out. “Oooohh… I missed her too! Coda also missed her – but she’s with Blue right now. Here, let me take you to them.”

And as if in his element, Daiko grabbed the handles to the wheelchair and gently pushed forward, driving Kairaiko to the outside of the guild hall – only this time, she got access to the other side with the giant pools, green and bristling floors of grass, and access to a channel connecting to the ocean further ahead… a channel where Coda was flying around a large, serpentine creature with pale, shining scales and dark, deep eyes. A sea serpent of some unorthodox species, with a much friendlier appearance than the common serpents possessed… and it was having fun trying to chase Coda as the bird neared the water here and there.

“Hey, Coda! Kairaiko’s come to visit, come say hi!” Daiko exclaimed, driving Kairaiko closer to the waters so both Coda and Blue could approach the maiden. While Blue stayed in the water, her… or his… their neck was long enough to reach over to Kairaiko and glare down at her, tilting their curious head at the new face.

Coda, on the other hand, remembered Kairaiko and immediately perched on Kairaiko’s lap to demand scratches, perking her avian head straight up to glare at Kairaiko’s chin. “C-Coda, you’re not being very reserved right now…”

It was rather fortunate that Daiko had chosen to take her to Coda and Blue, because honestly, she had no idea how long she could continue enduring the embarrassment. When they finally arrived at the pool the sight of the mysterious sea serpent playing around with Coda earned a slight blink of curiosity from the merchant lady, a hand reaching for her chin as she pondered for a moment. "Fascinating, I didn't hear anything about Blue Pegasus hosting an assortment of exotic species among their members, which makes me presume the one you called 'Blue' is an animal companion of yours, like Coda?"

However, when Blue showed to be more reserved in its approach, Coda was far more energetic, almost straight up flying toward her and landing on her lap. Daiko's words earned a soft giggle from Kairaiko. "It is alright Daiko~ I missed her as well- isn't that right Coda?" Gently raising a hand from the armrest of her wheelchair the girl proceeded to tenderly scratch the back of Coda's head, fingers trailing down along her neck and among her feathers, clearly possessing knowledge of where Coda would prefer to be touched the most. It was all part of her studies and experience in animal handling, and as she gently rubbed along Coda's chin, right underneath her beak she turned her attention toward Blue.

"Hello Blue~ My name is Kairaiko, but you may think of me as 'Kai', it's a bit of a difficult name to remember otherwise, right?" She smiled at the sea serpent, gently closing her eyes and opening them in a slight blinking motion, making sure not to avert her gaze from the sea serpent: A sign she was affectionate toward them, and when she raised her free hand lightly toward their head, making sure to approach it from the bottom to show she wasn't a threat, she waited for them to sniff it to recognize her scent.

"You should make sure to keep a close eye on them Daiko, while Hargeon is very safe from crime, there are people willing to do bad things to get their hands on rare beings like Coda and Blue. And I would never be able to forgive myself if anything happened to them, especially knowing how sad it would make you."

She turned her gaze up at Daiko and smiled gently. "How long have you known Blue? I believe not as long as you know Coda, right?"

As she looked at Daiko she couldn't help but find her cheeks flush up again. That kind and considerate attitude of his really felt out of place in the reality she had come to take for granted. There were so few people who were able to truly express such warmth in their behavior without any acting or deception. It truly was heartwarming to her, to think there was someone so pure and gentle in this world that she had thought to be so cold and cruel.

"Daiko really is gentle, isn't he Coda?" She continued to gently rub her finger along Coda's feathers, caressing her lightly after which she started to wonder again. Why was it that she longed to meet Daiko again? To feel that same warmth again... Was it.... Not even able to finish her thoughts as she realized where her mind was going she rapidly turned her gaze back toward Coda.

By the Kami's... don't tell me I: Kairaiko, a merchant who should have clear control of her emotions has fallen in love at first sight?

Was that why she had longed to see him again? She wasn't sure, but perhaps the little adventure her puppets had send them to would help her discover the answer to that.

”Nah, Blue is Sofia’s companion. He… or she… just likes to hang out here,” Daiko nonchalantly explained, glancing up at Blue’s giant face near them while Coda enjoyed the petting of her neck and head feathers, cooing almost like a non-avian for a moment…

Kai was a sweet nickname. Daiko would keep to calling her Kai, too, since Kairaiko often made his tongue feel all rubbery. Kairairarararararararairararara… and Blue took the name to heart as well, being as intelligent as s-h-he-she-he was… seriously, Daiko, just ask Blue what they’d prefer to be referred as- oh wait… he didn’t know sea serpent language. Sad. But Blue did, and in a way, so did Kai as she blinked slowly only to be exchanged by a slow-blinking Blue feeling safe in her presence. Thinking thoughts like ‘this little lady means no harm, so I trust her’. Even her scent was new but fragrant to Blue, taking a few heavy sniffs that might’ve caused some fabric and Daiko’s hair to flutter in Blue’s direction.

Kai felt worried for the two creatures and the dangers looming around them, since exotic animals were often hunted for reasons not involving eating or building things. And for those who went with those reasons had no mercy to find in Daiko, and Kai noticed that despite him not saying a word about it. He tilted his head at first, but he nodded rapidly: “They won’t be in danger again. The entire guild’s watching over them, and we all love our colorful mascots… Blue’s obvious, since Blue’s blue and Blue Pegasus’ also blue, so Blue’s blue mixes well with Pegasus’ blu- ow.”

Coda had decided to grab onto Daiko’s face with her beak in protest, thinking herself just as iconic a mascot as Blue. “Y-You too, Coda… but none of you are flying horses, s-so I guess you lose points in that area,” Daiko joked around, still having Coda hang by his cheek with her strong beak biting in as Kai was curious as to how long he’d known Blue, “A-About a few years, now… me and Sofia met Blue when h- they were an itty, bitty kiddy… although Blue’s mother tried to eat me. S-Still sorry about that, Blue – I hope you can forgive me.” Daiko did feel bad about killing Blue’s mother, but beasts were violent and many sought to eat him and many others – it was a miracle that Blue stood out from their peers, and it was a miracle that Daiko wasn’t mortally wounded from being swallowed whole.

Coda thought that Daiko was weird but cute. That was it – the lesbian bird had many things on her mind, and Daiko was rarely one of them… but it still felt weird to be called gentle, even if Daiko overlooked the fact that it was a compliment. “G-Gentle? I don’t know, I’ve often been called brutish… but maybe that’s because of Lamia Scale. They were very brutish back in the day, but they were also proud of themselves, and so am I!” Pumping himself up by clenching his fists, raising them up and puffing his cheeks and chest, Daiko expressed just how much pride he held in himself after all the years of experience as a mage both in Lamia Scale, past its grievous end, and the many years to follow here in Blue Pegasus. Despite what he’d lost, he didn’t stay down for too long, and he kicked himself back up again.

Coda returned to Kai’s lap for more cuddles, fully infatuated with the merchant puppet master. “Now, now, all of Hargeon’s waiting for us! Let’s take a look at the ocean next,” Daiko suggested, turning Kai’s wheelchair 180 degrees around and waving bye to Blue, “Take good care of the guild, Blue! And please don’t eat too many seagulls, okay?!” Daiko replied before scooting past the guild and into the streets of Port Hargeon – a port through and through, in heart and spirit, with shining rays, exotic culture, and blue themes everywhere with fragrant aromas of food and drinks to boot.

“Wait… since you’re from a merchant family, maybe you’ve already visited Hargeon before? Perhaps sailed here, or-or maybe you have a giant puppet that can transform into a boat…”