Gol just stood still as he watched Navy run off.

'She should be fine...right?'

The garden at their home was rather expansive. This was mainly due to his mother's unique hobby of collecting Forest Willows. More specifically collecting Willows with funky mutations. All the trees may look the same at first glance but that couldn't be further from the truth. The trees were mostly harmless, but one never knows with mutated trees.

'We need to grab her before it gets too late'

The sun was beginning to set, it was already getting late. The trip from the beast's lair had taken them all morning and finally ended around mid-day. After they had arrived home, they ate, showered, and changed clothes. Gol had wanted nothing more than to just head to bed and take a proper nap. Something he almost got to do until his mother tore his sheets off him. She had chided him stating he couldn't just doze off with an important guest in the house.

Gol had hoped his mother would sympathize with his situation after seeing how worn out he had become. He had hoped to take it easy for the rest of the day. A hope that was in hindsight pointless. Navy didn't look tired and visibly repulsed at the mention of a nap while Teen would rather die than ever admit she was tired. This stunning combination resulted in his mother assuming he was just being lazy. His mother was no joke sadly. Her threats like the one of sending him to their room would likely result in him being forced to do catch up work while he waited for Navy to finish.

'Is a little break so much to ask for?'

With how late it was Gol knew they needed to head back soon. Something he was beyond eager to do. He just needed to clear a small issue.

"The moment we find Navy both of you ought to apologise"(G)

Gol glared down the shameless cheaters who froze at his words.

"F-for what?"(T)

"A-apologise?"(V)

Gol could only intensify his glare.

Navy might have been fooled by them playing dumb, but Gol was not. The first game of target was beyond difficult. The target used in the game was specially made by his father. It had the ability to move somewhat autonomously. Hitting the target would be a tough job for anyone. Anyone but him. Often when Gol would skip classes, he would go to shoot off stones at the target when he couldn't sleep. He had become something of a little pro at the game. It was because of his extensive mastery that he knew both of them were cheating. No one was that good at the game on their fast try.

It was not obvious at first but the longer the game went on the easier it became to see. Teen used small very controlled explosions to give her shots while Vultur manipulated the cold winds to give him an edge. Navy should have noticed this if she paid proper attention to them. Instead, she'd go sulk after missing shots while occasionally glancing at the throwing party. It also didn't help that Teen would mercilessly taunt her after every failed shot. Going so far as to call her a sore loser whenever she was just about to catch on the ruse.

Gol knew he should have stepped in and called out the cheating the moment he noticed it but he held himself back. The main reason he did was because of Navy's reactions to the whole situation. Navy was just too open and expressive. Whenever she missed a shot, she would stomp her feet and march a few paces away. Her tail would swing wildly behind her while a faint blush would make its way on her face. Gol couldn't help himself and allowed the cheating to continue for the sole purpose of seeing Navy's adorable reactions.

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Navy was a major softy. A fact she seems to hate completely to the point of going to unreasonable lengths to prove she was tough. A prime example would be her continuing to play in Kings. Gol was certain the only reason she did so was to prove she could stay just as long as them despite reaching her limits multiple times.

Gol knew they had messed up to the point Navy was becoming paranoid. She kept insisting the target just randomly disappeared, eyes were watching them, and that there was cheating in the second game. Even though Gol had picked that game in particular because both cheaters couldn't cheat. Navy just had some bad luck in the King's game.

"O-okay fine"(T)

"Y-yea..."(V)

Ignavus was panicking.

The boy was not waking up nor was he breathing.

Ignavus had earned a lot of titles in his life. Child murderer was not one he was keen on earning.

'Mana what did you do?!'

Ignavus received no response from the mana hiding away in his body. This helped to annoy him further because he could tell she heard his call. His mana felt like a separate entity from him. They were connected but not like before. The movement of mana within his body felt scarily foreign and familiar at the same time.

'Please help me out!'

Ignavus felt his mana flat out refuse his request.

'Why?!'

Holding the boy in his lap, Ignavus let his panic and anger grow.

'Just listen to me!'

Ignavus tried to force his mana to flow. To bend to his will. To make it just like before.

Feelings of immense disgust flowed directly into his brain. Feelings so strong and so true he felt like throwing up where he sat.

'I-I didn't k-know...s-stop p-please'

It didn't stop though.

The mental assault continued while time seemed to have stood still.

A chant echoed in his mind.

A word. A feeling.

Freedom.

The feeling slowly dissipated as he felt his mana retreat. Going into a dormant sleep like state.

'This damn body!'

Ignavus was breathing hard. His hair clang on his face as he felt his body start to relax once more.

That was by far one of the worst things to ever happen to him. He had never felt his mana voice such open rebellion. Why was a part of him denying himself? Why was it even able to go against him?!

'I'll show that bastard something...'

Ignavus was mad. If the fact that his mana actively went against his wishes was not enough, it actually harmed him. He had never heard of such a thing happening to a person. When the mana first awoke, he knew it was different. It flowed different, it reacted different, it was simply not the same, but he was never really too concerned about it. Mana was simply an extension of oneself. Even if his body changed, he at his core was the same. At least, that was what he believed. The fact that the mana insisted he refer to her as a she was damn concerning. Why would it do that?

"Wow"

Ignavus' eyes shot down to the dead boy's body whose head was resting on his lap. He had completely forgotten about this cheat.

"You!"(I)

"Me!"

"Y-your alive?!"(I)

The boy quickly sat up and stared at Ignavus. Black eyes without an end greeted Ignavus.

'How disturbing'

'More importantly'

"What are-"(I)

"I am madly in love with you! Please go out with me!"

"..."(I)

Ignavus' brain simply refused to process the words spoken by the boy. He let the words hang in the air. It was not something he was going to accept.

"Will you please! From the moment I saw you I knew it was meant to be!"

The boy cupped Ignavus' hands in his and brought his head closer to Ignavus' own.

'GROSS!!'

For the second time today, Ignavus felt like throwing up.

He pulled away from the boy and quickly stood up. His head swiftly searching for the appropriate choice of words.

"What is wrong with you?!"(I)

"I was struck by something, something hard... and that something was called love!"

'The only thing that did strike you was a block which appears to have knocked your senses away!'

Ignavus had had a long day. He was not in the mood to entertain nonsense. It was too late for that.

He walked closer to the boy and proceeded to steal the stupid pointy hat right off his head. Ignavus only came for proof. He was not here to engage mad children. After grabbing the hat, he turned around and began to head back the way he came.

"H-hey where are you going with my hat!?"

The boy ran up in front of Ignavus, blocking his way.

"What do you want!?"(I)

Ignavus had lost interest with this strange kid. He didn't care to hear his story.

Hearing his tone, the boy changed his approach.

"D-don't you want to know why you’re the only one who can see us?"

Ignavus was mad but mistakenly let his curiosity shine through and get the better of him.

"Why...?"(I)

The boy revealed a smug smirk.

"I have no problem telling you, none at all... it would just cost you a little something."

The boy promptly sat down and patted the ground beside him.

Ignavus couldn't help but let out a low growl. This kid was trying to play with him.