Chapter 10: Fuyuki Shido: The Beastmaster's Flight

A/N: Originally I was going to put Shido's fight scene in with this chapter, but I decided to put that in the chapter after this one.

As light began to peek into Ginji's closed eyes, the world before him once more began to shift into focus. It was then, that Ginji's sad eyes focused on the person sitting next to him, smoking a cigarette. At first Ginji was confused at the sight of the one he had so clearly killed, until the clear trademark words rang into his ears. "Did you have a nice dream?"

These words brought Ginji into realization as he leaped at his partner happily and grabbed him in a fierce hug. "Ban-chan! You're okay!"

With a regular smirk, he replied, "Of course! Did you really think you could beat me in fight?" As he fully recognized his surroundings, Ginji questioned Ban. "Say Ban-chan, where is Shido and Kazu-chan?"

"Oh, they're over there," Ginji's eyes began to follow Ban's finger, to the sight of Shido and Kazuki collapsed on the floor, devoid of any motion. "Well, let's leave them." Ban said smirking, as he got to his feet.

Ginji however thought differently. "Ban-chan! How can you say that? They're our friends!" Ginji quickly scrambled over to help his fallen comrades. After a series of quick jolts to Kazuki and a kick from Ban to Shido, did they wake up.

"Oh great," Shido moaned, annoyed, as he saw Ban, "the last person I wanted to wake up to."

Ban devilishly replied "Hey, be grateful, I could have broken my foot kicking your useless body awake."

"WHAT!" leaping to his feet, as if he was never injured, Shido and Ban locked glares. Meanwhile, off to the side, Ginji was apologizing rapidly, over and over to Kazuki for injuring him, despite Kazuki replying over and over that it was okay.

After a couple of minutes of this, they got to their feet and realized they were back where they started, depressed and rejected. Kazuki, of course, was the first to speak. "Well, that got us no where. Now what?"

"Good question Itomaki. We tried to discuss about this and that failed. We tried fighting, Shido got his ass kicked, and that didn't help either." Ban said, pondering over the recent events.

"What did you say! I didn't see you winning any fights either!" And once more Shido and Ban were at it again. Arguing and yelling at each other while Ginji and Kazuki watched.

Fortunately, however, a sparrow flew in and landed on Shido's shoulder, breaking up the argument with its rapid chirping. Shifting his attention from Ban to the bird he listened intently. This resulted in a loudly exclaimed "WHAT!" as Shido started to head in the direction of the exit.

"Hey Sarumashi! Where the hell do you think you're going?" Ban yelled out. "We're not finished here!"

"I can't talk. Madoka hasn't returned home yet. I have to go check on her!" Shido yelled over his shoulder as he ran into the sunset.

"Ah damn! Well, I guess Shido solved his problem. Damn it! Why him?" Ban yelled to no own particular. Drawing looks of confusion from the remaining other two men.

"What do you mean Ban-chan?" Ginji inquired questionably. Obviously if Kazuki didn't get it, then it is a hundred percent that Ginji didn't get it either.

"You know what I mean, it's the old "guy-goes-to-save-damsel-in-distress-and-earns-her-love-for-hurting-himself(this is Shido we're talking about)-and-they-kiss(ugh)-and-live-happily-ever-after" situation." Ban explained

"Wow, you actually thought it through for once, Ban." Kazuki said, regarded him warily. "But that still leaves the unanswered question. What are we going to do?"