"You sure this is the place," asked Vesper tilting his head. "Seems a little...grandiose?"
"Yeah I'm sure," replied Eva confidently. "Lelu took me and Freed here once 2 years ago. Her parents are nice. I head her mother was quite the spitfire in her youth."
"You know who were looking for," asked Mai. "I mean we are a little different from when she last saw you."
"No worries," Celine gave a toothy smile. "I've got Lelu's scent." She frowned as her brow furrowed. "It is a little different though. Like mixed with a slight dog smell. Maybe she got a pet? Hope its friendly."
"You have problems with dogs because you're catfolk," inquired Mai innocently.
"That's kinda racist isn't it? Eh, don't care. But no they just don't like me for some reason."
The group entered the massive hotel and turned right toward the internal tavern. The twin Orc bouncers waved them in.
"They're at table 16. Big table, can't miss it." Said one as they passed by.
"Thanks," said Mai cheerily.
The orc grunted, but nodded to her.
As they walked in Mai pointed to a group sitting at table 16.
"Hey that's my friends. HEY JACK." Mai took the lead getting to their meeting.
They all introduced themselves to each other. Each group surprised to run into familiar faces.
"Mai...you look....uh, different," said Jack hesitantly.
"Her too? None of you guys look like how I left you," said Lelu as her eyes darted between her old friends.
"Look who's talking. You're not exactly that frail little girl who left the school," the minotaur pointed a finger at Lelu.
Lelu blushed slightly, made more apparent by her white hair. "Yeah I have grown a little. But what about you guys?"
The mages school students looked at each other sheepishly before the heavily tattooed half-elf spoke up. "That is my fault. I wanted to help Mai here after she suddenly grew to human size. And well, we all came out a little differently. I got these," he lifted his hair that was covering his forehead to reveal a pair of horn nubs, "and my friends got to be like they are now. I'm Freed by the way."
"W-wait. Hold on. You said Mai changed first? How and when," asked Vect curiosly.
Freed shrugged. "We were practicing spells and she just grew suddenly. Uh it was mid to late September I think."
Vect's eyes went wide. "The 28th?"
"Yes....why so specific," asked Mai.
Vect groaned. "We had something happen to us on that date. We found this cave while on our way to the BTC. Inside was this fruit and we ate it and it....I guess 'enhanced' us."
"This fruit look like a purple apple," asked the weird naga.
Jack slowly nodded "that's a little too specific."
"I find legendary objects fascinating. If I'm right, you 4 somehow stumbled across what is known as the Champion Fruit. Its is described as increasing the capabilities of its consumer. A little of an immediate power boost, but it shines when its effect is allowed to work over time. It makes the consumer able to get stronger faster than most. But it's full effects aren't documented fully."
"Well that explains our sudden age skip. But why did it affect Mai if it really did," asked Sara.
The naga pondered for a moment. "If some kind of magical bond was formed between Mai and you, then the fruit's effects could have used that to reach Mai....and through her and Freed's attempts to help her got to us maybe. That might have been why we transformed like we did. From the magic traveling along that bond getting altered."
"But what bond? We never made any bon-......" Vect, Sara, and Mai all turned to look angrily at Jack.
"Oops?" Jack shrugged. "Hey how was I supposed to know it was magical? It's never done that before in my village before."
"It was never done with an elf, fairy, and a succubus before was it," asked Mai. "3 creatures with very potent magical blood."
"No, only humans."
They sat in silence for a few minutes until the catfolk spoke up. "Well, now that that is solved, let's get to know one another. Hi I'm Celine, and who is this hunk," she eyed Jack up and down. Vect could hear Lelu growling deep in her throat. Evidently Celine heard her too as she eased away from Jack.
The night went on relatively routine, they introduced themselves and chatted about where they were from and what they like to do. As the night drew on, they realised the time.
"We should probably be getting back to the school, we've got registration for the tournament tomorrow. We've missed today's chance for first registration," said Freed as he stretched.
They split up and retired for the night.