Chapter 8

“You do understand the words that are coming out of my mouth, don’t you?” Chief Cassidy glared.

“Zero and two. No wins, two failures. If I was free to choose, I’d cut you off right here. But I must abide by the rules, and those rules require that you get one more chance. One more chance for you to screw things up, to kill an endangered species, or blow up a town.” Cassidy’s words were sharp.

The three men and two women responsible for killing an endangered species and blowing up a town stood solemnly in front of Cassidy. They took her words and did not flinch.

“However, when I look closely at the rules, they don’t say anything about having to assign you that third mission.” She tapped the book on her table as she made her point clear. She was not going to let them destroy anything else.

“But-” Ivory’s attempted protest was interrupted by a thunderous boom.

Roku stood by the wall; his palm flat on it. Everyone understood instantly, Roku had shaken the building.

“Is there a rule in that book of yours about the line of succession? Who’d be sitting in that chair if you got in an accident?” Roku’s threat was clear, but quickly shot down.

“Oh please, I know an empty threat when I see one. If you wanted to take this city by force, you would’ve tried already! But no, you need to do things my way.” Cassidy’s composure was not shaken by Roku’s threat.

“You recognize my strength! Then why? Why cut us off!” Roku’s power grew as his anger did.

“Because you’re too strong! You're careless! First the Peijun, for someone with real strength that should’ve been easy! Trivial! Then the bandit camp, yes criminals and raiders they may have been, but there were children there as well, and you turned their homes into rubble! You do not know control!” All the groups' failures were directed at Roku. Lee’s killing of the Peijun, Ace’s destruction of the town, Cassidy’s anger for both were directed at Roku.

“You are not strong enough to be careless. You are not strong enough for this to be overlooked. You are not strong enough to be irreplicable.”

“We are all at fault.” Lee entered the conversation. Roku may not have directly done either action, but he was responsible. They all were.

“Yes, you are. And so, you are done. Blacklisted. Finished. I refuse to take the chance. I refuse to entrust something fragile in the hands of a powerful child.” She spat.

“What about the house?” Ise asked.

“I cannot officially make you leave, as you have not been officially disbanded. But you will leave, there is nothing for you here.”

“If you can’t officially leave, then what if we stay?” Lee piped in.

Cassidy gave no response, save for the look of anger and hate she gave Lee.

“If we are too ‘careless’ and powerful to handle something fragile, then give us something we are meant to break. Catching an animal? Arresting a criminal? Those are not the tasks you need us for. Why use a sword in a place where a butter knife would be more suited?” Lee analogy wasn’t met with positive reception.

“I do not need you. We are not at war. We do not need rusted, unkempt blades with no scabbard. That would be foolish. A swordsman like yourself should know that would hurt us more than the enemy. You are not needed. You are not worth the risk.”

“Consider the house a parting gift then. We don’t cut you with our recklessness, and we get to stay. Isn’t that how you control a blade? By putting it in its scabbard?” Lee negotiated.

“Lee! Are you really okay with living as a freeloader here? I thought you were a better man than that!” Ise was stunned by Lee’s attempt to secure their stay.

“No, we will not be freeloaders. Consider it leave without pay. We stay at the ready until you find a mission you might need us for, or until your anger has faded somewhat. And until then, we’ll train, we’ll improve.” Lee continued his plea.

“So, I’m supposed to let you stay there, providing no work and no pay on the off chance that I might use you in the future because you might improve by then?” Cassidy’s anger did not fade.

“Yes. Either that or you think of a way that we can prove ourselves in a way that provides low risk to others.” Lee shrugged.

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“As the Chief, I manage this place. I manage each and every import and export, I manage each and every person and animal within these walls. When I find a bad product coming in, or a diseased animal, I do not keep it on the off chance it gets better, I dispose of it! There will be no freeloading, there will be no third chance, and there will be no low risk-”

“H-Hey chief? What should I do with these posters for the qualifier you wanted? The one where any team can sign up and compete against others in a safe officially sanctioned setting?” Cassidy, the assistant, interrupted Cassidy, the Chief.

“......Did you say any team can sign up?” Ivory asked.

“Yes, the sign-up sheet is right here.” Cassidy held up a clipboard with a paper on it.

Without a word, everyone grabbed a pen from Cassidy’s desk and began scrawling their names on it.

“What do we put for our team's name? Ace asked.

“You can just leave it blank for now, you don’t have to decide straight away.” Cassidy responded nicely, oblivious to the previously tense situation.

“So where should I set these?” She turned to the Chief.

Seemingly suddenly picking up on the tension in the room, she wordlessly set the stack of posters down before leaving the room.

“...Leave.” The chief commanded.

“We can participate though, right? We’re on the list and the rules do say every team can. You abide by the rules, right?” Lee smirked a wicked smirk.

“Leave.” Her face slowly became red, with either embarrassment or anger they did not know.

“What is it qualifying us for anyways?” Roku curiously asked.

“Leave! Now!” Cassidy yelled, and finally they abided.

***

Back once again within their home, an air of uneasiness swept between them.

“It's in a month, so we have a month to prepare.” Ise spoke, writing “31” on the board.

“Prepare? No need! That irritating woman already told us we’re some of the strongest people here! Why get stronger? You don’t think they want us to destroy a bigger town, do you?” Roku’s attempt at humor did not flatter Ace.

“No.....Ise is right. We do need to prepare. We are not a team. We are dysfunctional and reckless. We need to prepare if we want to succeed in this thing. Even if we don’t, we owe it to ourselves to try.” Lee spoke.

“But how? What should we do? Where do we start?” Ace asked. For someone with her strength, how are you supposed to train?

“I have a plan. I know what we need to do. No one has to listen, I’m not the leader and I can’t force you, but I think it needs to be done.” Lee answered.

“I have a couple ideas of my own. We’ll get through this together. We’re a team now.” Ise gave encouraging words.

“There’s something I need to do first. I’ll be back tonight.” Lee unceremoniously walked to the door.

“Wait!” Ivory yelled before Lee left. Everyone's eyes turned to her.

“If we’re going to be a team...What should our team's name be?” Ivory asked with seriousness to her voice.

“.......I don’t think this is the time.” Lee contained a laugh.

“No, she’s right. We’ll sound much cooler if we have a name.” Roku agreed.

“We can talk about this later, I don’t really care right now, just do something cool like ‘the band of the hawk’.” Lee barely contained his laugh as he waved his hand, signaling his intent to leave.

“How about ‘Deadly Alliance’. I think that’s a pretty cool name.” Ace gave a strange suggestion.

“I think we should refrain from that one considering our history thus far.” Ise politely shot it down.

“How about we each think of one and vote tonight? Will that be okay?” Lee asked, a chuckle finally escaping his lips.

Lee finally left the house leaving everyone to think. To think about the competition, to think about how if they fail it’ll all be over. To think about the mistakes they’ve made. To think about where to go forward. And to think about a cool name for the team.

“I liked Deadly Alliance.” Roku stood up from his seat and walked to the door.

“Where are you going Roku?” Ise asked.

“To get something to eat. I’m hungry.” Roku rubbed his belly as he spoke.

“......I’m kind of hungry too. Ise? Ace? Should we make this a group lunch?” Ivory asked.

“Yes” “No.” Ise and Ace spoke at the same time.

“.......I didn’t say to join me.” Roku grumbled as Ace and Ise followed him to the door.

“Hello there.” A strangely familiar face greeted the three of them as they left the house.

“Um, hello.” Ise responded to the man’s greeting.

“Won’t you care to join us? I can assure you the food there is divine.” The man pointed to a restaurant at the edge of town.

“Oh, where are my manners!? My name is Evan, I am an adventurer just the same as you.” He bopped himself on the head for forgetting such a crucial introduction.

“No, that place looks lame.” Roku turned to leave the conversation.

“Roku was it? I’m sorry but I must insist. The invitation was merely a pleasantry, you will be having your meal with me, and it will be at that nice establishment at the edge of town.” Evan’s tone never changed, it was still the cheerful tone he had the whole conversation, but the fakeness of it was very apparent.

“Listen to him Roku, the last thing we need right now is trouble.” Ise sternly told him.

“We’ll gladly accompany you Evan.” Ise gave a friendly smile. Roku grunted in annoyance and Ivory clicked her tongue in disagreement, but they both followed Ise nonetheless.

They walked up the hill silently as they approached the restaurant. It was a quant, quiet, little tavern at the edge of town. It would normally give a welcoming impression, but when guided there by a mysterious stranger, it has the opposite effect.

“After you.” Evan smiled as he held the door open for the group.

“Tsk.” Roku gave his final protest, before stepping inside.