Episode 20

Episode 20, A Full Team!
The group reached the town, greeted by an audience of worried civilians who had seen the dragon but feared approaching the hills. A group of people took Yugami from Yo, rushing him into a small house, Kanon continued to drag Dura into the same room on his own; Yo watching the group with a sigh. Kyoko still seemed spaced out but was going with it, walking with the group but staying quiet. The old man from the Inn earlier was seen in the house, astonished by the return of his daughter. He ran to hug her, but she shrugged him off away from her. He watched her, mixed emotions. Rage, he had been worried sick for her and she greets him like this? Pain, something could've happened to her that had changed her. Yo blinked at the man's reaction, reassuring him.

"She's just a bit freaked out. Winter told her to kill him.."

"Did she..?"

"No! Ofcourse not. We left him there, he's stuck."

The man grasped hold of the nearest thing to him, a broom at the time, bouncing up in preparation.

"Right! We'll go and get him! Bastard!"

He shouted on his way out of the house. A small crowd of people with him could be seen following him out to the hills, off to catch a 'murderer'. Yo sat down, thinking on all the events that had just conspired. She had joined a guild, witnessed ground breaking battles that she'd never seen before, took a mission on, taken part in a ground breaking battle and saved a little girl from a powerful Mage. These were things she didn't take into account came with the job of joining a guild, she just saw what the magazines put up of the guilds having a good time enjoying themselves and what not. She looked over to Yugami & Dura who were laid down being seen to now and thought if it was all really worth it. Kanon was sat on the other side of the two, watching Dura mainly. He admired the great strength Dura showed up in the heat of the battle, fighting something twice his size and strength on his own just so someone he wasn't even close friends with could ensure the safety of his comrade. He had no evidence that Kanon would stay with Yugami, as far as he'd seen Kanon didn't even want to be there he could've just left them to die, Kanon found that fascinating. Someone could have such bold trust with the once enemy in the instinctual province of battle.

"So. What's it gonna be?"

Winter asked, trying to watch her but she kept moving about around him, almost like she didn't want him to keep his eyes on her.

"I dunno. What do you want it to be?"

She asked, almost a provocative manner to her voice now. She was obviously someone who manipulated her voice to induce the others feelings, messing around with Winter here where he could do nothing about it was something twisted. She took a step over to the torn strairs, picking up the Ice Box that Winter had been using before. She threw it up into the air, catching it with ease as if it were a ball.

"Nice little Ornament you've got here. Lose one of your toys so you get another?"

"I never lost you. You left. Why do you keep talking about it as if I-"

"Threw me away? Because it's essentially what you did."

Storming over to him, aggression controlled her posture and approach, her expression clearly stated she was a force to be reckoned with. She looked him in the eye, her head tilting slightly, going further and further as she continued to explain until at a 90 degree angle, her head looking snapped off her neck.

"You found me, fucked about with my head, ruined me, and dropped me when you found something new to do. I walked out after I became worthless, and my Master makes me feel better about that now. Or well he would, if he were here. But Guess what?"

She said, sticking her tongue out at him, lifting her arm & slipping her ruff off to reveal the same brand that was on the male on X Island. It was faded, but seemed to be returning upon her skin.

"He's coming home."

Winters eyes widened, a gulp to hold back the fear trying to rip it's way out in to the open. His lip started to tremble slightly as he watched her so happy about this.

"Kill me now."

He demanded of her, trying to tense under this skin tight prison. Struggling he couldn't help but watch her jump around in an eager blur as to what this meant. Coming back to him, she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before placing her hands on him, one either side of skull and twisting in one single relentless motion. Cracks echoed through the hollow walls as his head dangled lifelessly now and she cackled in amusement.

"There you go. You're the first, only 4 More to go!"

Returning to the house, Dura was starting to wake up. Still laying, his hands were clasped over his face trying to hide the lights beaming down on him until his eyes could adapt to them.

"Why is it so bright..?"

"You're in Heaven."

Joked Kanon, Yo giggling behind it subtly as Dura groaned from his lack of energy.

"Why are we here? Let's go home we're done.."

"Not yet, still no payment. And just cos you're awake, Yugami's still in pretty bad shape."

Dura looked over to Yugami who was shirtless, bandaging coating most of his abdomen. He was still asleep, exhausted from the fight with Winter withholding his injury through it. Kyoko looked around the room, slightly bored. Getting up, she shook her head slightly before leaving the room to see what was going on outside. She could see the group of men coming in from the hills, her father with them, but closer to the east was a man alone approaching the town watching the house, or her. His hair was pale white, alike his skin which had tears from under the eyes down the cheeks. He wore what looked like a lab coat, a dark shirt underneath and plain trousers. He seemed an educated man from this distance atleast. Kyoko stayed outside watching him until he came within hearing distance.

"What do you want here?"

She asked, looking like she was in some kind of huff as he made his arrival.

"I'm here looking for some casualties?"

He said, licking his lips as he watched her, eyeing her. What weird acts for someone who looked like a doctor around a child.

"Who called you? They're in here.."

She asked, allowing him in with reluctance to stop assistance.

"Nobody, I just knew something was up here."

Watching the way he acted, Kyoko noticed that as soon as he lost eye contact with her, he stopped licking his lips, generally seeming less weird. He looked down at Yugami's bandages, pulling them off quickly before placing his hands over the wounds. Focusing, he closed his eyes placing his concentration into the matter at hand. When he removed his hands, Yugami's wounds were completely gone.

"How'd you do that?!"

Asked Yo, surprised at his amazing healing capability. This was something she had never seen, heard or read about before. It was remarkable, he seemed to be able to just put his hand on a wound and it'd vanish in seconds.

"The Magic of Life, give and take but with it you can heal anyone, even yourself from the most fatal of wounds."

"It sounds amazing.."

He smirked shyly and nodded at her acceptance of his skill. He turned to Kyoko, starting to lick his lips again as he walked toward the door.

"Why are you doing that?"

Asked Kyoko, curious toward his awkward actions approaching her.

"Do what?"

"Leave. You come and help me out from nowhere and think I don't want to repay you? Join our guild We could use a doctor."

Said Yugami who was awake now, leaned up against the headboard of his bed so that he could look out toward the male who had sped up his recovery so greatly.

"A bit hasty Yugami!"

Yo claimed, glaring at Yugami who seemed to pay no attention to it whatsoever.

"What do you think?"

Yugami asked the male who was seeming eager to get out at this stage.

"Uh. Yeah, sure then whatever."

Yugami smiled at his reply, Yo shocked.

"There we go! Only one more member left to go!"

"What about her? Is she a member already?"

The doctor asked pointing to Kyoko. Yo continued with her shocked impression unlike Yugami who was actually considering it.

"You can't be serious! She's like, what. Ten?!"

"You saw what she can do out there Yo, her Star Magic is invaluable. She'd be an asset from the get go, so yeah. Kyoko, join our guild!"

The words 'Star Magic' saw the Doctors acting up spark again, he started to become slightly shifty. He watched her aimlessly, almost entranced by something relative to the fact she was a 'Star Mage'.

"I guess so. I don't see how I can come home to my father after learning how to use this magic.. If you would train me to use it, I'd be grateful.."

"Of course we can. We're here to help. And that's a full team! Call Rai, we're entering the Grand Magic Games!"

Click here for episode 21