Vivi hummed to herself as she adjusted her messenger bag over her shoulder, so the strap went across her chest. She was getting ready to take on that job to take down the wizard running around stealing from some towns not far from Magnolia. She had to get an early start since she didn't want that wizard getting too far ahead. Though before she went on the job, she'd have to go to Makarov to let him know she's officially taking it.
"Alright," She said to herself. "Time to go."
Vivi then proceeded to leave her room in Fairy Hills, so to hurry to the guild hall. She was excited to start the job. As she shut the door behind her, she saw Cana and Levy in the hallway.
"Morning, Cana, Levy." Vivi said as she started down the hall.
"Vivi, good-morning." Levy said smiling.
Cana grinned at her in return before taking a swig out of her wine bottle. Vivi sweat-dropped while wondering where Cana got wine at this hour. Though to be honest, Vivi didn't want to ask.
"Heading out for a job?" Cana asked.
"Yeah, I'm going to stop that town robbing wizard." Vivi said. "The reward is pretty high since all the towns he's hit are putting the reward together."
And all that jewel would make her wallet nice and fat. She, of course, has money left over from other jobs, but likes to keep the amount of jewel she has saved back high since her rent is so much. It's like a safety net to fall into if she hits rough times.
"That reminds me that Team Shadow Gear needs to get a job soon too." Levy said, sighing. "Rent is coming up after all, and I wanted to do some book shopping with any extra money I make."
"Well, I saw some book stealing gig on the board yesterday." Cana said. "There was a pretty big reward for it. Like 200,000 I think."
Levy perked up at the sound of "book" and "big reward", which had Vivi chuckling in amusement.
"That sounds right up your alley, Lev." Vivi said. "I'm about to head to the guildhall if you wanna join me."
"Sure!" Levy said. "I needed to meet Jet and Droy anyway. Do you want to come, Cana?"
Levy looked to the older girl, and Cana seemed to think about it for a second before taking a drink from her wine bottle.
"Nah," Cana said. "I might take a job tomorrow or something. Today I'll just kick back and get drunk!"
She then winked at Levy and Vivi before heading back to her room. Levy and Vivi exchanged glance while sure Cana does that every day. Levy then shrugged her shoulders, grinning as Vivi sighed.
"I really don't understand what is so great about drinking." Vivi said as she and Levy started heading out.
"Eh, I guess I don't either, but sometimes it's nice to do on special occasions at least." Levy said.
Vivi didn't even drink then. She supposes she gets her non-drinking habits from her mother's side of the family. Her mother, her mother's father, her mother's father's father all came from monk-like people who had very strict rules that forbid anyone of their people to partake in drinking alcohol. Now, they weren't the type of monks who swore off marriage and things like that, but they did live a certain lifestyle that was supposed to help them reach a certain level of enlightenment.
It was a practice that was developed in a small island nation known as Okami, and was practiced mostly by the wizards of that nation, which there were only few compared to how many there are in Fiore. Vivi's great-grandfather Ava practiced this lifestyle and used it to make himself a strong and disciplined wizard. And he came to Fiore hoping to pass on the lifestyle of his people to help better other wizards. He actually has a temple high in the mountains near the east where he teaches young wizards the art of Okami magic. He was an old man now pushing over a hundred, but he still had a lot of life in him.
Vivi doesn't follow the practice that her great-grandfather Ava teaches, but it is a part of her heritage. And she supposes some of the things her mother did—or rather didn't do like drinking stuck with Vivi even now that her mother is gone.
"I wonder what kind of book the boys and I will be asked to steal." Levy said, breaking Vivi from her thoughts. "It has to be important if a client wants to pay 200,000 jewel to get it."
"Most likely." Vivi said. "Maybe you'll get a chance to read it to find out what's so great about it."
"Maybe." Levy said. "How about you? Are you excited for your job?"
Vivi grinned because she was very excited to track down this wizard and take him down. She loves a good fight. She just hopes this guy can give her one.
"I'm ready for it." Vivi said, holding up her fist. "This guy might be strong, he might be dangerous, but he won't know what hit him once I get my hands on him. And that reward of 700,000 jewel is looking pretty fine, and I won't have to worry about sharing it with anyone!"
Vivi's grin widened while knowing that with that reward alone she can pay off her large rent bill, and still have jewel to play with. And she won't have to worry about sharing any of it, so if she breaks a few things it'll only really be a small portion of the reward she'll be missing. Man, she can't wait to take on this solo job!
***
"What do you mean I have to take the striper with me, Master?!" Vivi shouted in shock as she stared at Makarov.
She also pointed to said striper, which was Gray who rolled his eyes at her reaction. It wasn't like he was happy about this either. The rest of the guild sweat-dropped at her reaction as Makarov took a puff from his pipe. He then blew out some smoke as Vivi waited for a reply.
"My dear, I know you are a capable young wizard." Makarov began. "But something about the strange reports we received this morning about this job has me worried."
Vivi tilted her head to the side with her shock momentarily forgotten as she blinked.
"Strange reports?" Vivi asked.
Makarov nodded his head then took another huff from his pipe before blowing the smoke through his nose.
"We're getting mixed reports on how this thieving wizard operates." Makarov said. "The first few reports say he works alone. These new ones say there might be more wizards involved than they think. If he is working with a group, it would be best to take someone with you since we have no idea how many friends this man possess."
Vivi frowned since she didn't want to work with Gray, but she didn't want to tell Makarov no. And she didn't want him to worry. Besides, she couldn't ask Natsu and Happy since they went on a gig earlier today with Lucy—which turned out to be the book gig Levy had wanted. Not that she and Natsu allowed on jobs anymore together unsupervised to begin with. Then none of her brothers have returned either, so she guesses she'll just have to take Gray.
"Alright, Master." Vivi said, sighing then turned to Gray to point at him. "Let's get one thing straight, Frosty! You even think of going nude even once on this job, I'll kick your ass all the way back to Magnolia."
Gray scoffed, not looking too worried, which had Vivi growling in annoyance at him.
"Whatever." Gray said as he stuck his hands in his pockets. "Let's just get going already."
He started walking out the door only to be pegged in the back of the head with a mug. He hit the floor hard as Vivi stood there with her hands on her hips after throwing the mug.
"I don't think I gave you permission to tell me whatt to do." She said. "Now, hurry it up. I don't have time to wait for you to get back up."
She then stepped over his body to head out the door, and he glared after her before getting to his feet. As he followed her grumbling, some worried the two would kill each other before the job was over with.
"Are you sure sending them on a job together was a good idea, Master?" Jet asked.
"Yeah, those two hate each other like cats and dogs hate each other." Droy added.
"I am a bit worried." Levy admitted.
Sending those two on a job together was like sending Natsu and Gray on a job together. It just wasn't a good idea.
"I'm sure those two will be fine." Makarov said as he watched Vivi and Gray bicker as they walked down the street away from the guildhall, which had its doors wide open. "When push comes to shove, both of them know how important it is to back up family."
He then chuckled as he watched the two buttheads while yelling at each other. Though he was sure they'd come back with bumps and bruises caused by each other than the wizards they're going to fight.