Interim, part 1 ("Demons" Epilogue)

It had been two hours since Yona ran from Jasper. The fact that she blushed in front of him made her both angry and uncomfortable. What the hell happened anyway? She was supposed to be in control! She was always in control... Now she paced near the beach and vented to her closest friends, the twins. Ronen didn't say much, just let her rant. It was usually best that way. Rani tried to help here and there, but what did she know of such things? Finally, Yona sat down against a large rock with a 'thump'. She sighed, irritated. "Maybe you should just go talk to him", offered Ronen. He'd known Yonaguni his entire life and never once had he seen her flustered this way. "And say what? 'Oh, hey, Remember how I bailed? That was funny!'...Real great, Ronen", she scoffed. Rani glanced between them. She had never seen her friend this way before, either. "Yona-chan, perhaps you should talk to someone with more experience with this sort of thing", she said shyly. Leaning her head back to stare at the sky, Yona asked, "Like who?". Then it hit her. Sharply turning toward her exceed companions, she started refusing. "Oh no. No way in Hell!", she argued. "What's the worst that could happen?", inquired Ronen. Yona glared at him squarely. "Really?", she said bluntly. "It couldn't hurt to ask", uttered Rani, glancing away from the dragon slayer's rage.

"Ask what?", inquired a familiar voice. Hanging her head, Yona sighed, "Shit." Blythe peered around the stones that encircled the trio. "Is everything okay?", he asked. He could tell something wasn't right. It was rare for Yona to drag the twins off somewhere unless something had really gotten under her skin. "Everything's fine", replied Yona, avoiding eye contact. Ronen cleared his throat and sent her an encouraging look. Rani stared with concerned eyes, trying to convey the same message. Yona sighed. She couldn't take both of them doing that at once. "Dammit", she said, getting to her feet. She stepped passed Blythe and looked around. They were alone. She slowly forced the words out, "Can I ask you something?". Unsure of what she was aiming for, he offered a kind smile. She began pacing again, completely out of her comfort zone. She'd always given Blythe a hard time. Most of her fun came from harassing him, really. Now she was asking for advice. What was wrong with the world?

Another look from Ronen pushed her on. Yona took a deep breath and stepped close to her team mate. "What I'm about to say is strictly confidential. If you ever tell anyone ANYTHING I said, I will personally kick your balls so far up your ass, Kavi will never find them again. Understood?" She peered at him menacingly. He nervously nodded. She had some way of asking for help... He took a seat near the stones and waited for her to speak. Slowly, she started telling him what happened and how she ran. "That's never happened before! What's wrong with me?!", she vented. Blythe glanced around the sand shyly. She'd never really opened up to him before. It was nice to see her trust, but if he messed up, it would likely never happen again. "The truth is always best", he thought, so he told her what Veda had said. "Intoxicating?...Like booze?", asked Yona. Blythe nodded. That should have made her feel better, but it didn't. There had to be something else. "So what if incubus are 'intoxicating' as the old lady said? It shouldn't affect me", she said stubbornly. Blythe offered a friendly grin. "Yona-chan, you're only human. It's okay to have feelings", he said, but it didn't seem to help. Taking a different approach, he asked how Jasper had reacted. "He was beet red, of course! He's always that color near me", replied Yona.

They spoke for a while longer, and eventually, it seemed like Yona had finally gotten a grasp on herself. She never said "Thank you", but she did give him a fast awkward hug before reminding him of his promise not to tell anyone. Then, she headed for the sea. It was nice having a guild so close to the ocean. It was the one place she could clear her head. Rani gave Blythe a grateful smile as she passed and Ronen simply nodded with an acknowledging smirk. The blood mage sat in the stone circle a while longer before heading in. How did he get himself into such things?

-

Elsewhere, far below the guild, Jasper was trying his best to pay attention. His brother had brought down the files for the current guild members. Kavi had just finished going over team two, Callie and Domino. Noting Jasper's disinterest, he closed the folder and waited for a response. Realizing he was being stared at, Jasper shook himself to attention. Kavi sighed deeply. "It's Yona, isn't it?", he asked, hanging his head in his hand. Jasper's deep red complexion was answer enough, but he stuttered, "Wh-what makes you say that?". Kavi sent him a look that told him he wasn't going to fool anyone. "What did she do? I told her to leave you alone", said the dragon slayer. Jasper fidgeted while he thought. "You mean she greets everyone like that?", he asked shyly. Kavi narrowed his gaze. "That depends...What did she do?", he repeated. Knowing he wasn't going to get out of the conversation, Jasper told his brother what he wanted to know. When his words ran out, Kavi stared into the distance with an irritated look on his face. He tapped his pen absently on the table. Finally, he turned and apologized for Yona's actions.

"She has a very 'hands on' approach to certain things, namely other dragon slayers...I'm sorry you had to deal with that so soon. I had hoped my warnings would at least delay the inevitable", sighed Kavi. Jasper's hue changed colors again as he stumbled over the question, "She kissed you?". Kavi's sharp response was almost hilarious. Jasper quickly stifled a laugh at his brother's expression. Calming himself, Kavi corrected him, "No, she bit me...She's...troublesome." Trying to lighten the mood, Kavi told Jasper about the time his team had met Sabertooth. Yona was quite the handful during that trip. Jasper slowly relaxed as they spoke. It seemed that maybe he wasn't a target, after all. Besides, he thought, what would she possibly want with an incubus? After all, he was just a monster...

Eventually, Kavi left his brother to rest. He'd left the guild files behind just in case Jasper wanted to look over them on his own. When he headed out through the sanctum, he crossed paths with Veda. The look in her eye made it clear she had something to say. "My sweet, Kavi", she started. "Here it comes", he thought. "Do me a small favor and don't trouble yourself over what happened", she said, wearing a frail smile. It figured she would know. It irritated him that she had done nothing to stop it. "I know you're just concerned for Jasper...We all are...But he's been away a long time. He's missed a lot interactions that he should have had by now. Remember, we kept aging while he was trapped at nineteen for last several years...Maybe it's not fair of me to expect everything to fall into place, but...Just give them a chance...For me." The plea in her words was the same in her expression. Kavi sighed. He couldn't say 'no' to that. "All right. I'll let it be for now", he ceded. Veda hugged him in thanks. She was so glad to finally have all of her boys home again.

-

A few days later, Jasper was recovering well. He was still wobbly on his feet, but he was moving much easier than before. It would still be a while before he could climb the long staircase up to the guild. So, various teams took turns coming down to greet him instead. Today he was meeting team three for the first time. Koko, though silent, seemed very sweet. Yung-Li seemed reserved, but even Jasper was aware of the shy way he glanced at Koko. Van, of course, was the loudest. He told stories of some their jobs and how he and Yona made money off suckers at the local bar. Jasper listened with a pleasant expression, but as time went on, it became very clear that Van had a interest in Yona beyond being friends. The incubus said nothing of it. Frankly, it wasn't his business. It did remind him of the last time he'd seen the dragon slayer, though, and that made him squirm a little. "Are you all right?", inquired Yung-Li, noting the movement. Koko quickly signed something with her fingers and her team mate nodded. Placing a hand on Van's arm, Yung-Li said it was time to go and that Jasper needed to rest. Pleasantries were exchanged about how nice it was to meet one another and they departed.

As the door closed, Jasper yawned and stretched deeply. It was nice to finally meet everyone, but it was tiring just the same, Puck had warned him that it would take time to get used to his own skin again and it was clearly true. The energy bonds that hold one's self together were slowly weaving back together, but it was exhausting on Jasper. His soul had remained behind, but his mind was gone for a along six years. The triangle of his existence was coming together, one day at a time. He just had to be patient. At least the pain had largely subsided. He was ready for a nap when his keen hearing picked up Van's word outside. "Yona! We still on for poker later?", he heard. Oh, no...She was back...Now he had to figure out if was her that intrigued him or the fact that he felt honor bound to repay her for saving him. "Now or never", he sighed.

Surprisingly, she actually knocked. Jasper thought he was nervous, but he had no idea of the pounding heart on the other side of his door. He invited her in, of course. It would be rude to refuse company. They held a slow, awkward conversation about nothing in particular beyond, "How are you feeling?". Eventually, that route died out. This was driving her crazy. She was Yonaguni, the sea dragon slayer! No mere man should send her so far off balance. "About the other night", she blurted quickly. Jasper did his best to reign in his blushing reflex. It almost worked until their eyes locked. Dropping her gaze, she said in a low tone, "Sorry if I freaked you out...It's kind of my thing..." Releasing his held breath, Jasper replied kindly. "It's all right...It was...a surprise", he mumbled. A few minutes of silence drifted in. Breaking it, Yona said, "I heard about you being addictive or something...Is that true about all incubus?". Jasper nodded without looking at her. Even though he'd never met another of his kind, he had read much of their history. Yona relaxed in her seat as she sat back. If it really as true, then she still had her footing. "Even the girls?", she ventured. "Succubus", stated Jasper. Yona sat up straight with a mixed look on her face, half amused and half shocked. "Do what?! Now who's being forward?", she laughed. Her laughter only made the red on his face deepen. Finally, he forced out an explanation. "A succubus is a female of my kind...I didn't mean anything by it." She let it slide. It was no fun harassing someone when they'd killed the joke. Idle chatter took up another twenty minutes before she left.

Once she was gone, Jasper laid in his bed and stared at the ceiling. He'd moved from his mother's room back to his own. It felt strange being home again. Where had those six years gone? His thoughts ran rampant as sleep evaded him once more. Was he really still just nineteen? Kavi really was the big brother now if that was the case. What of Aldegund? His dad said he'd taken care to see that she never returned, but was his body truly free of the witches fingerprints once and for all? And, Yona...She was another conundrum all together. He repeated their visit in his mind, replaying each word and studying each gesture. It was almost as if she was a little scared, too. Maybe he was just over thinking things. Either way, Kavi didn't seem too pleased about the stirring emotions. Did he have something against the girl or was just being protective of his brother? Mom seemed to know, but said nothing one way or another. Dad had to leave again, shortly after everything had happened. He'd taken the young witch, Dalia, with him. There was no telling when he would return home again or even if Dalia would return with him. There was so much to think about...

Several days passed and Jasper finally had strength to climb that staircase. The guild was throwing him a "Welcome Home!" party. He'd met each member now and though it served to calm him a little, he was still uneasy. The guild hall reminded him of all of the friends he'd lost while imprisoned. Kavi and Veda had told him about the attack that wiped out their previous family. Jasper tried to smile for his new friends, but his brother could see through it without even trying. He knew it would be hard, but all recoveries have unpleasant parts to them. One of those would be coming to terms with the loss of the old guild. Thirty lives lost, friends gone forever. The new guild seemed friendly, even welcomed him with open arms despite his appearance, but it just didn't feel like home. At least, not yet.

Blythe presented Jasper with a cake, made by their own Koko, which was a nice surprise. Van and Yona took turns refilling his drink. "Booze is good for the soul!", beamed Van, clearly already buzzed. As usual, his buzz came with a transformation. There were only a few types of drunks. Happy, angry, and clingy to name a few. Van was obviously the clingy kind. He watched as Yona dodged and pushed Van's advances away. "Yona-chaaaaaaaaan, come back! You're supposed to marry me!", whined Van. "You're drunk, you asshole! Go sleep it off!", she laughed, clearly not taking his love seriously. "What does that matter?", asked Van, stumbling into her. Holding himself up with one arm wrapped around her shoulders, he teased, "Come with me. Then I'll sleep it off." She rolled her eyes. "Sleep is the last thing you have in mind, you old perv. Now get off", she retorted, ducking free from his grip. She laughed as his face hit the floor. "So mean", he cried.

Kavi took a seat beside his brother after while. "They're a loud bunch, but they're good people", he stated, watching everyone's antics. Jasper grinned faintly. They did seem that way. Jasper watched with amusement as Kavi struggled to contain a giggle. Still in the floor, Van had a hold of Blythe's leg and was pleading with him to make Yona stop being so mean. It was good to see Kavi smile, even laugh again. He'd always struggled with his inner darkness growing up. It looked like Blythe really was just what he needed.

The party went on for most of the night. Eventually, the mages either went to bed or passed out where they were. Kavi turned out the last of the lights as he stepped over Van's snoring form. "Come on. You can sleep in my room. Those stairs back to yours are probably more than you can handle right now", he said, helping his brother forward. Six years without booze, six years without a liver to process it. Jasper was pretty out of it. He never questioned where Kavi was going to sleep. Once Kavi had gotten Jasper into bed, he closed the door as quietly as possible. A few doors down, one remained open for him - Blythe's room. It was rarely used. If left to sleep alone, Blythe would sleepwalk and no one would know where, or with who, he'd end up. Thus, he stayed with Kavi most nights. It felt a little odd switching rooms at first, but that feeling faded when thoughts of other options presented themselves.

The next morning, Jasper woke to the sound of a knock on the door. Sluggishly rolling over, he realized what time it was. Sitting up with a splitting headache, he gratefully accepted the coffee in Kavi's hand. He glanced around and put together where he was. Kavi had moved into a room inside of guild a long time ago. He still had a room down in the sanctum, but he tended to stay above ground, where he could keep a closer eye on his comrades. "Where did you sleep?", asked Jasper, half yawning. A shy grin crept over Kavi's lips, but he simply said, "I found accommodations." Once the coffee took hold, they headed back downstairs. Jasper was impressed to see Van back to his rambunctious self. Apparently he was quite used to getting drunk.

Over the next few days, Jasper's strength and endurance improved rapidly. He could now come and go from the sanctum as he pleased without help or worry. Kavi had suggested that he get out into the city again. He meant for Jasper to get some air and see what had changed, but Jasper knew that part of it was meant to let the newer citizens get used to his appearance. He went back to wearing the regiment's uniform when out and about. It hid his tail well, one less thing for people to gawk at. He stuck out all right. Blythe was more than happy to walk around town with him. Even though he was technically older, he'd taken to calling Jasper 'niisan'. Blythe's sweet expression showed that he was oblivious to the stares they were getting, but Jasper took them in stride. He was used to it. Sure, he could hide his ears under a hat or something, but gray skin is harder to conceal. They had ceased moving. Jasper was lost in his thoughts at first, but then he noticed Blythe glued to the bakery window. "Did you want to go in?", he ventured. The sparkling stars in Blythe's eyes were rather amusing. "Can we?", he asked meekly.

An hour and few slices of cake later, they continued on. Spending time with Blythe really did comfort Jasper. He knew that he didn't have to worry about Kavi as much now and he was really glad they had found each other. He never asked about their relationship. They would talk about it if they wanted to. Instead, they swapped stories from childhood and tales of old friends. Blythe really lit up when he talked about 'Jeel-kun' and Fairy Tail. It seemed the team had quite the adventure not long ago. Though it did make Jasper wonder, what did Veda do with the liquid they had retrieved? Did she really drink it? And if she did, what consequences were lurking?

He was quickly pulled into reality by the sight of a man crashing through the bar window in front of him. "Not again", sighed Blythe. Jasper looked to him in question. "Kavi-kun's not going to like the paperwork", mumbled the blood mage. As the guy staggered to his feet, the cheers from inside died down. Yona stepped through the broken window. "Grab my ass, will ya?!", she said, sending the man flying down the street with a powerful wave attack. As she turned to go back in, she noticed her guild mates. "Oh, hey guys", she said nervously. Jasper watched in silence as the owner of the bar handed her a note of paper and quietly swept up the glass. Blythe took the paper from her. "Noooo, he's gonna yell at me! Give it back! No one has to know!", she said, trying to retrieve the bill from her nimble friend. "Know what?", inquired a stern voice behind her. She froze as Blythe stepped from her reach and handed Kavi the paper. He sighed heavily. "Again?", he asked, moderately annoyed. "He deserved it! The jerk-off grabbed my ass!", argued Yona. "Ask Jasper! He saw it!", she said, shoving him forward. "Go on, tell him!", she encouraged. While Jasper searched for words, Kavi simply told Yona to go home.

She wandered off, muttering to herself as Rani caught up from inside. "Forgive her. I don't expect you to be stuck in the middle of her messes", said Kavi. When no response was heard, he glanced up from the bill. Jasper was watching Yona walk away. A slight wave in front of his face was enough to snap him out of it. "Blythe, make sure she stays out of trouble until I get back", said Kavi. Blythe nodded and followed orders without question. Kavi set a hand on his brother's arm. "Come on, we need to talk."

To be continued...