*The crowd makes it to the Garrison, Aiden hits the buzzer on the gate, Marley walks over with a smile, he opens the gate with the code* Marley: Welcome back. I'm glad to see you back in one piece. *Loses his smile* Uhm… two pieces. *Marley looks behind Aiden* And you have a whole group! *He smiles* Seems like you pulled it off Aiden! Aiden: *He smiles* I did my best as you can tell. Can you give me a "hand"? Marley: *Marley laughs, He turns around and does a "come with me" motion with his right hand* Come on before you actually die. Everyone follow me! *Everyone walks in, Marley opens the medical building door, everyone walks in* Monika: More already Marley? *She turns to see Aiden, her pupils shrink* Aiden!? *She jogs over* What the hell happened!? *She takes Aiden's arm from Javier, she puts it back in place and starts healing it, the arm reattaches, Aiden moves his arm around, Monika puts her right palm on Aiden's chest over the center of his "X" cut and starts to heal it, the sword stab in his shoulder also heals* *she puts both of her hands on his cheeks* Now let me see that handsome face. *His face heals, she blushes with a smile* Just like I remember it. *Everyone stares in amazement* Isaac: Excuse me miss! We have some people with injuries, can you please help us like Aiden? Monika: Of course! I need the ones with injuries to line up please! Any scratch or cut, please line up! I will help! Aiden: Thank you Monika. Truly, you saved my life. Monika: I'm always going to be by your side. I told you, I will make sure you never suffer again. *Aiden smiles, Monika quickly raises her right pointer finger at him* But you owe me dinner. Aiden: *Aiden Blushes* Dinner? Monika: Yeah! They will start paying you! Aiden: *frowns* I'm not even getting paid and I'm almost dying on these missions… Monika: *She smirks* I'm already getting paid! Plus, that wasn't a mission, you went and did that on your own time! Aiden: Then by us dinner. *Monika growls* Monika: Why won't you just-! *Aiden cuts her off* Aiden: *Aiden grabs her right hand with both hands, he chuckles* I'm kidding, when I get paid we can go to any place you want. You deserve it. Monika: *Monika blushes so badly she is red, she pulling her hand away* Okay okay. Stop that. I have people to heal. Aiden: *chuckles* Then stop flirting with me. *He turns around and starts to walk away* Monika: *she growls, she turns to his direction and yells at him with spiky teeth* I'M NOT FLIRTING!! YOU GRABBED MY HAND!! *Aiden laughs as he walks away, he walks towards the rooms, he approaches the counter and talks to the nurse* Aiden: Hello, I hate to bother you but is there someone named Rylet Tsuyoi in one of these rooms? *She checks the clipboard, she finds it* Nurse: Yes there is! Room 22! Aiden: Thank you. *He walks towards the room, he knocks before opening, Rylet is laying in bed watching TV with a few bandages on him, he glances over, his eyes widen* Rylet: Aiden! *He gets up and runs over, they hug, after a bit, they part from the hug, Rylet gets a good look at Aiden, He notices Aiden's clothes, the shirt having an “X” cut and his sweater sleeve being completely ripped* What happened? If I had to guess, you were messed up pretty good but Monika healed you. Aiden: *Aiden scratches the back of his own head with his right arm* Yeah I did… but before you say anything, it was to save those I left behind at the school. Rylet: Did everyone make it back alright? Aiden: *Aiden's eyes drift to the right before he looks down with disgust and shame* We have a few people missing but if I had to be honest, I don't think they survived because the hallway and theater was filled with corpses. Most didn't even look like humans. They were just piles of blood and meat. Rylet: *Rylet puts his left hand on Aiden's right shoulder, Aiden looks up at him* You did your best alright? Don't think for one second you failed them. Aiden: But I-*Rylet cuts him off* Rylet: You can't be everywhere at once. The first step of being a hero is that you can't save everyone. You can try but you will only hurt yourself. Please don't bring that type of pain to yourself. *Aiden stares at him before hugging him, Rylet hugs him back* Aiden: It sucks… I wish I could save all of them… Rylet: I know, your heart is in the right place Aiden but it can get you killed. Keep being strong, Keep doing what you are doing and you will be the best hero out there. *Aiden parts from the hug and lets out a big smile showing his teeth* Aiden: *he chuckles* Will do! Rylet: *he smiles* Stop being such a weirdo over everything I say. Aiden: Well, you are all I have… *he softly smiles as he looks at the floor* It means the world to me that's all. Rylet: Don't be stupid, you got mom too. You know you can tell her anything, especially after everything with Desmond. Aiden: *Aiden loses his smiles as he starts at the floor* Rylet: *Rylet stares at Aiden before getting nervous* Aiden…? Aiden: *Aiden sighs* I forgot everyone at the school because… I saw the apartments under attack so I ran there... *Aiden takes a deep breath, having an shaky exhale* I got to the apartment and… I found mom under the roof debris… she was badly hurt… I couldn't save her… *he clenches his fist* And those monsters… they are called fiends… it ate her soul and became one with her… so I did the right thing. *Rylet hugs him* Rylet: I'm sorry I wasn't there for you… *Rylet tightens the hug, Rylet is also holding back his tears* Dammit… mom… Aiden: *Aiden has a deep inhale and exhale, He puts his right hand on Rylet’s left shoulder, they parts from the hug* It's okay. Mom wouldn't want us to cry. I also promised her I wouldn’t shed another tear. That's why we are here. Rylet: *Rylet looks around* Yeah I wanted to ask Monika that but every doctor that comes in to check on me they never tell me. Aiden: We're at a place known as Humanity's Garrison. It's a place known as the home of Fiend Exterminators. Rylet: Fiend Exterminators? Aiden: It's a long story that even I need help remembering. The monsters that we've been seeing are called Fiends. We are at a training camp for people who want to kill them. These people are like me Rylet! Rylet: Wait, like super strength? Aiden: Yeah! They have power like Monika! I think we found our answer! This place will help me and Monika! Rylet: *Rylet thinks to himself* I'm not sure how I feel about staying here. Aiden: *Aiden nervously scratches the back of his head with his right hand* Well about that… Rylet: *Rylet slowly looks at Aiden* What did you do? Aiden: Iiiiii… sorta… joined them… Rylet: Are you stupid!? Why would you do that!? Without my input!? Aiden: Hey look! I can make my decision without you! This place would be good for me! Rylet: Yeah, good for you when you are dead and don't have to worry about anything huh? Aiden: No! When I master my power, I'm going to kill all these fiends and make mom's dying wish come true by saving everyone! Rylet: Well my wish to mom is staying too! *Rylet gets in Aiden's face* I'm joining the Fiend Exterminators! *He walks past Aiden, towards the door* Aiden: *Aiden’s pupils shrink, he turns to Rylet fast* What do you mean you are joining!? You will be killed! Rylet: *Rylet opens the door, halfway out the door Rylet stops and looks over his shoulder* I told mom I will always look over you, so get used to it. *He smirks* Don't fall behind. *He walks out* *Aiden stands there before slowly balling his fists up, clenching them so hard he bleeds* *A few seconds go by before Aiden walks out, Rylet walks towards the healing area, Marley is watching over everyone with his hands behind his back, Rylet walks over to Marley* Hey, are you Marley? Marley: *Marley looks over his left shoulder* Huh? Oh yeah! That's me! You must be Aiden's friend! Rylet: *Rylet stares Marley in his eyes* Let me join you guys. Show me how to get stronger. Marley: *Marley stares in Rylet's eyes too, Marley chuckles* Normally I pick my students but you know what? Why not! You are a friend of one of my students and your eyes say it all! Those eyes don't lie! *Marley stares at Rylet for a bit before talking* But you do understand what you are getting yourself into? Rylet: Are you calling me-?*Marley cuts him off* Marley: I'm not calling you weak. I'm being truthful, you would be eaten alive in this world. We do have non Mabiki users working here but our best fighters without mabiki fighting a mabiki user are like an ant fighting a dinosaur. If you are willing to accept such a harsh reality and risk your life then be my guess, but I won't accept someone unless they know the truth. You will have to put in some insane amount of work, Aiden does ten push ups, you do ten fold until you waken your mabiki. Rylet: *Rylet's eyes widen* I can awaken power like Aiden's? Marley: You won't be as strong as him, he is truly something special. Hopefully he can put in the time, You will see what I mean. He will surpass all of us. *Marley gets lost in his thoughts* I know he will be the one to save this world, to take it out of my hands. If anything bad happens to me, Aiden will be here. Rylet: *without hesitation, Rylet speaks with a serious face* Sir, these students will have to keep up with me, because I'm going to pass them all just you wait. I will be the one to save everyone. Marley: *Marley snaps out of it, he looks at Rylet, smiles and chuckles* Welcome aboard! Then that means you're worthy of an elemental ring! Rylet: *Rylet gets a confused look* An elemental what? Marley: It's a non Mabiki user's way of being able to fight back! We will continue this but right now we need to get some rest! Let's head to the real apartment buildings and get you settled in! *Marley gets a poker face* I also need to do that with Aiden and all the kids he saved… *Marley sighs* Let's go. (To Be Continued…)

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