A young, eccentric man trotted through the market. Everyone was currently trying to sell their goats, due to an incident where a male goat escaped, and broke into every single female goat pin, supposably aided by magic. That was well over a year ago, and now everyone had way too many goats.

To use magic so carelessly made Apollo go green with envy, even if it was a remarkable prank. He had no apparent mystic talent, even with his genius-level intelligence, photographic memory, and master potion-making skills. Even with the mysterious drawback, it never did stop him from dreaming of one day becoming a master sorcerer.

That wasn't only because his mother was very sick, and every sorcerer he worked up the money for couldn't help her. It was also to assist in his research toward his more lucrative goals. His mother obviously came first, but he couldn't stop watching after his own interests. Otherwise, life would become meaningingless, or so she claimed.

As he continued lurking around, looking for anything other than goat to barter for or swindle, a gruff looking man caught his eye.

The man was one-armed, carrying some sort of magic machine in his right hand, rather his only hand. Apollo admired how cleanly his arm had healed. He must have been crazy rich to get it that way. Still, what had Apollo drooling wasn't that, it was the fact that his theory was correct! There was indeed a way science and magic could be combined, and this man was living proof of it.

Apollo's newest vision became clear as he put on his game face, flushing away the envious green. Potions were no longer the limit in combining the two talents. He approached the man casually, blond hair radiating in daylight. "Wary traveler!" he called out in a strong voice, chest puffed.

Murmurs followed from the crowd, who were used to his trickery by now, unlike the innocent man before him.

"Get lost," the man spat, instantly crushing the supposed innocence.

Apollo's heart sank, but he wasn't done yet. There was no way he was letting his man leave. The machine clutched by the man's hand was remarkable, the metal so refined. It had to be sorcery! It was so incomprehensibly sleek, blue glowing cylinders traveling all across it. It was almost like it didn't belong.

"Kind sir, I may appear as just a quirky man in his mid-twenties, but may I inform you that I am a renowned wizard in the ways of combining science and sorcery. I would be more than happy to take a look at your device, and ensure that it is in perfect working order," Apollo tantalizingly offered, every word singsong. "Relax, payment can be after."

The man seemed to consider it, or at the very least amused by it. Apollo tried his best not to gaze too harshly at the machine while the man stared him down. Apollo failed spectacularly, his mind taking as many snapshots of it as it could for future use.

"I said get lost," the man repeated, voice low and menacing.

Apollo cursed silently, letting him go. He wound up watching the man closely, and the machine even closer. The man briskly traveled through town, soon reaching the outskirts, and then the forest.

"Perfect," Apollo sneered, having no regrets from following the man. His hand rested on one potion in particular from his moderately sized pouch. With the two of them soon to be alone, lady luck was beginning to shine once more.