The chair creaked as he slowly tries to sit down, supporting himself by a crutch, Lucia stands by him just incase he slips. He sits down and Lucia does so as wel . The captian remained silent while fiddling with a box in front of him, the contents of the box, obscureed from them by its cover.

The captains looks up at them, he takes he's hand out of the box and reveals a pipe.

Smoke Lucia? Gesturing with the pipe

What kind is it? She says as she tries to see the contents of the box

It's wolf's bane, it's good for the eye you know.

Yes it is, but no, idon't like it.

Which is your favorite then? Perhaps I'll get some for you when I'm away on leave.

Your leaving? Gyo says.

The captain looks at him for the first time, dead in the eyes with a cold expression . Everything felt still. The look lingers. Gyo drops his head, feeling a bit ashamed. The captain turns back to Lucia.

So Lucia, which is it?

Dried mandrake.

What! He recoils a bit, you smoke that thing? Then he draws in closer to her.

Tell me, is it any good?

Oh it's righteous, once you get past the screaming of course, but the kick is out of this world

So I've heard, but I've never had the courage to try it, I've heard their screaming could be deadly. She nods

But since it's already dead and dried up, all you hear is more like a phantom scream, in your mind.

Really? It's all in your head?

Yeah, it's all in your head. The captain falls silent as he thinks it over then he bursts out laughing.

Must be something, I've only heard of mandrake causing troubles never thought they be good for a smoke, he laughs some more.

Well It was all in your head she says, he says laughing.

And your head can't kill you, he says laughing even harder, Gyo and luzia starts laughing with him although lightly.

Your head can't kill you, unless you're Gyo of course. Gyostops laughing, Lucia laughs even harder. The captain stops and turns to him

Gyo, how are you?

I'm fine sir. He looks at him keenly. I'm really fine sir. The captian turns to luzia

How is he?

He'll be better, with more treatment of course, it may take a little while but it's only been a few days since the battle, his body recovers quickly, he's already on his feet. or foot, if I'm been honest.

That's good, he nods, but how soon will he be able to ride, gyo looks at her too

Don't ask me that, I don't know, but as of now I wouldn't have him on a giant snail, let alone anything fast.

The captain looks at Gyo. Okay I see, he says, and you're certain the used magnus?

Gyo’s startled by the captain knowing this,what will he do?the thought crosses his mind, Gyo looks at her, she slowly let the heavy words out.

Yes, yes he did.

The captain breaks his stair from Gyo, he turns his focus to the pipe, lights it. He stares at it for a little while, as if in thought watching the smoke dance, he takes a puff and says

You know I never approved any of this, I never wanted to work with children. I told them we have enough men, but what are my words when my class means nothing. You should understand this being of he lower class than me. Don't get me wrong, I sympathize with the need to prove yourself, in fact I encourage it, but I only do so for adult, you Gyo are a child, a selfish child at that.

He takes another puff, savoring the test of it. You know that day, I had mail to deliver. Lucia chuckles little holding back his laugh. Only to find out that I'm missing a mail man….important papers Gyo , they were important papers.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

He takes another puff. You risked it all, didn't you, using magnus. But the bird, you almost killed.. He sighs, tell me why you had to go out there?

He takes a deep breath, watching the captains expression, he readies to speak but the look from the captain puts him on edge.

He resolves, he gets of his chair and bows his head to the captian

I'm sorry, you're right, I only did it for myself, I wanted to be recognize for saving them, the truth is I wasn't think, I wasn't afraid, It all, it all felt okay, I felt I belonged out there

You belong out there? In the death and ash?

Yes! out there I'm free, I just, I just want to fly.

The captains is a bit taken aback by his words, his pipe sits there in his hand the smoke simmering slowly around them. The captain looks at the him. He grabs his pipe again and hold it to his mouth, he side eyes Lucia.

Alright! Sit down, you've got to grow up Gyo, the tops won't let you run around here on a good curse, it just won't happen like that, I've been trying to get you one, cause as far as I'm concerned you should have one but it just not gonna happen yet. But I'll see what I can do when I get back to he capital

Why are you leaving,

I'm being posted else where

What?

Don't worry about it, you'll be fine

I wasn't worried about that! but why? Why captain?

Why? the tops, they've called me else where, what can you do about it. He takes another puff

I don't understand but why

I'm guessing, that it has something to do with does nobles kids, says lucia. The captain chokes on his smoke, Lucia takes note of this.

It's is isn't it, luzia says

I can't say, the captain, coughing lightly

It is, damn it they got them self in trouble now they're blaming you for it! Lucia scres

I did let them go out there, they are my responsibility afterall

But, but it's not fair, Gyo says

The captain laugh, it is what it's is

Are you sure a new position is certain

Maybe, probably something lower, I wouldn't mind it though, I don't like working with kids and all they seem to give me is kids. I'd like to keep you from war Gyo, your a bright kid, I've seen many kids like you. He looks down at a picture by his side. But my hands are tied. the smoke simmering over the faint image of a woman with two young boys. . I can't authorize it. the And even if I could you'll just steals a bill all over again.

But captain what would we do without you, he says

He burst our laughing, I hear you took down a Terrazor with only bill, if you did that, you can do anything , Gyo, anything! I'll stake my heart on it, know this no matter what happens, always belief in what you can do with your own two hand, not what I or anyone else say they'll do for you,but please go easy on your self. I beg you don't hurt yourself again.

He takes another puff, this may be the last I see of you two for a while. He exhales the smoke and says.

Lucia take care of him, his an idiot, he won't take care of him self o nmatter how hard I beg him. And please hide the agent better this time. She nods.

He takes another puff. Gyo’s a bit teary eyed. Gyo, know I may be hard for you, put try to take care of that bill, they're deadly creatures of course but for you to get the most out of it, you have to treat it better. With the shape it was in, it's a wonder it ever made it that far

Images flashed through his mind, images of the Bill’shostile red eyes, hungry eyes he looks up to it from the ground, the image is a blur, but the eyes

Where did they find me, he asks the captain

Crashed on a small floating island, they say it was about to eat you wen they got there, the smoke from its body lead them to where you were.

He drops his head and stares at his bandaged hand. It wanted to it me, memories of the a bill eating a corpse flash through his mind. He gets cold sweat contemplating how close he'd come to dying again.

Now you two get out of here! Go eat something Gyo, I got work to to do .

Lucit gets up to help Gyo, she helps him get up using one crutch then she hands him the other, they head for the door.

The captian mumbles something loud they turn back to him, he has the pipe in his mouth. Burst out coughing,

Gyo I'd appreciate it if you'd show’d my replacement the same respect you've showed me. He smiles streaching his mustache.

I don't know him yet captain. But I'll try

Alright you do just that, the captian says with a bright smile

He turns to leave, bye captain

Bye Gyo.

They walk past the dark cold street, Iite with torches, they could see in the distance bright orange glows dance on the walls of recked buildimg, they could see shadows of people moving past it, some dancing, the glee of a party echoes through the streets as they get closer and closer to it

What are they celebrating,

The passage day remember, the day we joined the clouds, as it's said

But we're at war, if anyone gets to celebrate is me, I killed the terrazor, saved the whole batch, what have they done

Move along, there's that arrogance again, one of this days that's going to get you killed

They get to the origin of the glow, they see a large bornfire with people laughing, singing and dancing all around it. He sighs in disapproval.

Lets go get something to eats at the food court

Can't we join them, I'm sure they've got food.

I can smell mandrake Lucia I'm not stupid. Let's go.

Are you accusing me of some? She says as they walk along. You don't just like crowds, yet you want every body to see how cool you are

I don't, want every body, they just can't resist me, i mean imagine being this cool, I find it hard to resist myself.

She's burst of laughing, speak of dillusional, my, you're really something kid.

They walk into the food court, he stumbles in slowly with he's crutch. Lucia streches her back

Boy that walk felt longer than usual,

Sorry about that, I know how you love to keep to time

She taps him hard on the back, he shrieks in pain, oh don't worry about, she says. You're still my patient afterall, so watching you, I'm working in a way.

He smiles, blushing abit he scratches his hair. Thanks.

Hey it's him! they hear a murmur, they turn to the crowd and almost every one's looking at them.

Hey! What you all looking at! never seen a hot girl before!? Luiza yells at them

No it's not that,

She recoil back. What? are you saying I'm not hot?

Huh? It's not that either, the man says

We heard what the boy did

Huh!? She looks at Gyo

It was the bravest thing I ever heard, another voice yell

I didn't know he was this young, another voice says

The the man starts clapping and soon they most of them join in.

Gyo stand there frozen on he's feet, he could only look on as they cheered for him. Lucia smiles at him and takes him by the arm to support him.

They walk in, one the guys get up and give him his sit so they wouldnt have to walk down the hall. As he sat down he could see a few feet down the lonh table Marco frowning bitterly.

He look aways, then a man comes over with a plate full of food, he drops it in front of him

Woah! He looks up to the man, I'm not sure you got the wrong person

He chuckles, eat up, good soidier need good fuel.

Really? Your sure? The man nods. He takes a bite and his face lites up. He begin digging into it then he stops all of a sudden, turns to lucia

Lucia, how soon could I ride again?

Shut up already, and eat, you're getting on my nerves

Come on when?

If potion I gave you goes well then in a weeks tops, as long as theres no internal damage to you, you should be fine, now don't bother me. She taps her finger on the bench, seeming uncomfortable.

Wanna go smoke, I've be fine on my own you know.

Really,?, he nods reassuring her, she darts out of there in a flash, he sighs. She's got a problem, he says to himself.

He over hears Marco murmuring

I'm cursed, he says, I'm cursed.

Come on marco it's not that serious, another voice says

What do you mean it's not serious I got saved my a flithy lurker

He's right there

So what! how could I ever earn my family name now when he's cursed me

Should he have left you to die you idiot, a loud voice screams

A young boy about Gyo’s age, gets up from his seat and point at Marco

You ungrateful idiot, you should be be asgame, in fact you should be thanking him,

What'd you says to me lurk, you scum of the earth worm, how dare you talk to me, he graba the food off his plate, it squishes in his grip escaping between his fingers. He throws it at the boy he doesn't dodge,hitting him around his face and upper body

He sighs. Takes of his glasses, honestly you should be ashame being saved by the very person you look down on, maybe your less than a lurker

What did you say!?

This enrages Marco. He could barely keep it together, Marco looks at Gyo, looks aloof, chewing his food with the spoon still in his mouth, he's looking at the boy who had defended him.

Oh boy, his going to get killed, Gyo says to himself.