Run it Back

by PSIness11

A second chance at life, abilities that defy physics, and a fantastical world of magic sounds pretty good at first. Until you realize that you've essentially gone skydiving without a parachute and been thrown to the wolves. Only option is to hit the ground running and not look back. (Self Insert) (Rewrite of Speeding Through Life)

2. Run up and get done up

Aches and pains dulled the once vibrant image of the forest to my eyes. Colors swam together with no pattern, resembling the motion of waves through the sea more than the swaying of foliage.

Dehydration, hunger, cracked ribs, torn up back and an implacable feeling I figured was magical exhaustion.

The subsequent dry heaving episode made me think it was actually just nausea.

Each played its own part; a symphony that resounded through my mind and body. Walking took most if not all of my focus, each step reminding me of my previous fight for survival.

One stood out above the rest though, a feeling that I drew the strength to move from. The soft feeling of fabric surrounding my torso...

Accompanied by the satisfaction of managing to get my favorite hoodie back.

-x-x-x-

Totomaru was a goddamn saint as far as I was concerned.

Our walk out of the forest was painfully slow, despite insistence from said wizard that we were close to the exit. We were quick to figure out that I could barely walk in a straight line by myself, so Totomaru had offered himself as a crutch. Despite all of his help, my injuries still throbbed with each step. The patchwork of bandages was enough to stop my back from bleeding, but did absolutely nothing for my ribs.

Shallow, quick breaths was all I could manage, lest my ribs voice their objections with another wave of pain.

"You doing alright there Dan? Need a quick break?"

Speak of the devil.

"No, I'm fine." I didn't have to look to know that I got a raised eyebrow. "The sooner we get out of here, the sooner I can crash for a week."

"If you can even make it there." Totomaru slowed down, gently bringing us to a stop. "You're putting enough weight on me that I'm basically carrying you."

"You're right, fuck it." I wasn't about to argue with the man who was literally carrying my ass to safety. "A break would be nice."

Totomaru's slightly smug expression was my reply as he slowly lowered me to the forest floor. I winced as I lied down, forcing the pain to the back of my mind. The forest floor wasn't exactly a comfortable place, but damn if it wasn't better than the gravel I had spent last night on.

I snatched the offered canteen of water, doing my best to not chug the whole thing in one go. As I slowly sipped, I noticed something I hadn't before about the canteen.

It was full, despite the fact I had drunk the entire thing that morning.

"Ah that?" Totomaru asked, noticing my curious expression. "Just a simple enchantment I had put on it, pour it out and close the lid."

I drained the rest of the canteen, clicking the lid shut. I marveled as the container slowly became heavier in my hand, and in no time it was full of water once more.

"Pretty handy eh?" Totomaru leaned against a tree, looking at me like a kid showing off his favorite toy. "Got that made after I took this long mission in a desert. They were all like 'Totomaru you'll be fine! A fire mage can handle a desert no problem!'"

He scoffed. "And I just let my dumb ass get gas-lit into two weeks of dehydration. Never again."

I laughed, despite the wave of pain the motion sent through my chest. It was great talking with another person again, even if the circumstances weren't exactly the best. Totomaru had this infectious good attitude that made it hard to frown, and I really needed a good laugh after yesterday.

"Did you have that bit prepared or just came up with it on the fly?" I asked, tossing back the canteen.

"Dude you have no idea," Totomaru replied with a laugh as he caught it. "You know how hard it is to bring up an enchanted canteen in conversation?"

"I'm gonna assume pretty hard." I let out a sigh, staring up at the midday sun bleeding through the canopy. "I ain't complaining though, I'm just glad I can keep water down right now."

A shadow crossed my eyes as Totomaru walked over, sitting down cross-legged next to me. My vision had started to clear after lying down and hydrating, finally allowing me to focus on something other than a blur of color.

I noticed something in his expression, as it came into focus; Totomaru's smile and playful friendliness were still clear to see, but there was also a glimmer of concern in his eyes. I felt most of the humor drain from the air, a serious tone arising in its place.

"Speaking of that, how are you feeling right now?" His smile was replaced with a focused expression. "I did my best, but I'm no doctor. We've really got to get you to one of those as quick as we can."

"Well I felt nauseous and half-dead before, now I just feel half-dead," I replied, my attention being forcefully dragged back to my injuries. "I don't know how long I could walk without needing to take another breather."

"And considering we've haven't really gone that far, we'll be out of this forest by next week." His brow furrowed into a thinking expression. "We can't risk going at a faster pace, you're just barely conscious and moving."

I felt my stomach drop at his reply. "What do you mean 'haven't really gone that far'?"

"Yeah… Don't move to try and look!" Totomaru snapped as I struggled to push myself up. "We haven't even gotten close to a quarter of the way out yet, and I'm not gonna risk jostling you around more to move quicker."

Cold reality set in with the realization that I wasn't out of the woods yet, both figuratively and literally in this case. The Vulcan was long gone, but the wounds it had inflicted didn't go away as easily. My life was still in danger; the ticking clock that signaled my second departure from life had never stopped its movement, it had only been extended.

"Hey… HEY!" A snap brought my attention back to Totomaru, who looked a lot more concerned than he had been a few seconds ago. "Are you alright? Your skin's flushed and you're sweating really bad."

'I am?'

Putting my hand to my forehead revealed that, yes, I was sweating, and my skin felt unusually hot to touch.

"Here, take some deep breaths and have some water." I felt myself being slowly pushed up into a seated position, the canteen being placed into my hands by a very worried-looking Totomaru. "Don't worry man, you're safe now. We'll figure a way outta these woods before you know it."

Mutely I grabbed the can, looking at my rescuer's expression of concern. It was strange that he seemed so concerned at me just going quiet for a bit. As I sipped, my mind was brought back to the fact that the person in front of me was an actual anime character brought to life.

'Might be the wrong turn of phrase, it's more fitting to say I was fictionalized.' It was a struggle to remember anything through the haze of pain in my head. 'Totomaru only really showed up once to fight Natsu, and maybe one more time?'

I felt a weird sense of guilt as I realized that the person who saved me was considered nothing much more than a throwaway villain in Fairy Tail. Not really a comforting thought considering my life was literally in his hands.

But this man was a goddamn saint as far as I was concerned. It was really hard to imagine Totomaru shouting evil one-liners at Natsu in a condescending way when he had patched me up and carried me through a forest.

Come to think of it, Totomaru was actually really just doing his job very well. He was technically on a mission right now, and had just found someone injured by the very thing he was here to deal with. That might have been why he was doing so much to reassure me and help.

Or he was just super extroverted and friendly, or it could be a bit of both. I had no idea, I didn't know the guy very well.

But one thing was for certain, Totomaru was far more than what had ever been shown in Fairy Tail. Which wasn't much considering he showed up for a single fight and was never seen again.

'That's the norm for Fairy Tail for ya.' Drinking another gulp of water, I handed the canteen back to a much more calm-looking Totomaru.

"You good now man?"

I fixed him with a questioning look. "I'm fine… What's up with you snapping on me? I just zoned out for a bit." I might've been out of it while trying to process, but his concern seemed very unfounded to me.

Totomaru opened his mouth to reply, but hesitated before he could. A range of emotions I couldn't manage to place flashed across his face before it settled into a somewhat worried look.

"Sorry man, just really want to keep you talking and awake," he replied after a while. "When I found ya last night it was touch and go for a bit before I was sure you'd be alright."

His response had that same cold sensation come roaring back to the forefront, accompanied with a wild flood of thoughts. It hadn't truly occurred to me just how many times I had come close to death in just one day. The first encounter with the Vulcan, where only unlocking magic had gotten me out of there. Trying to control my magic, where if I hadn't managed to take control of my momentum I'd have broken my neck crashing through the forest.

The fight with the Vulcan, getting pinned down and nearly ended right there if not for a sudden second wind courtesy of adrenaline. And the aftermath; the injuries on my body and mind that now plagued me, just as threatening to my life as the thing that caused them.

Emotions crashed through me like an avalanche. Wild bursts of fear, horror, and feelings I couldn't even describe flashed in my mind as I actually started to process how close I was to death.

'How close I was to dying again.'

That thought muted the world around me, dread filling my body as I started to hyperventilate. Sweat poured from my skin, the familiar feeling of adrenaline starting to creep into my mind.

"Dan? DAN!" Totomaru's shout nearly fell onto deaf ears as he shook me gently. "Snap outta it man, I'm not gonna let you go into shock again!"

Oh, that made sense why he was so worried earlier. He thought I was going into shock again and wanted to make sure that didn't happen.

The implication that I had gone into shock the night before, and was likely going into it at the current moment never hit me. My mind refused to process it further.

My vision began to tunnel like a camera shutter as I felt consciousness start to fade. Totomaru's shouts of panic and worry never reached my ears as I fell backwards onto the ground in a faint.

The last thing I saw before it all went black was a flash of purple.

-x-x-x-

A fog of color, blurring by in shades of blue and green-tinted in purple light. Details were lost in the whirlpool, the view almost periodically fading to black as consciousness came and went in brief flashes.

A feverish haze clouded my mind in those brief moments, the sick feeling permeating my whole body. Sensations of movement, heat and weightlessness flashed by in brief, fleeting moments.

It felt like I was in a warm hammock, a small comfort that lulled me back into the blissful darkness.

The next time I awoke, everything was white.

-x-x-x

My rise to consciousness was a slow, painful process. The sudden blinding white burned my eyes as I slammed them back shut. Squinting didn't seem to help very much, my vision was still blinded from the brightness as my eyes attempted to adjust.

A groan escaped me as my senses started to return. The aches and pains that had become familiar were now somewhat muted. I managed to register that the bandages wrapped around me felt different, tighter and a lot more complete.

Vision returned to me slowly, the blinding white fading into what looked like a ceiling you'd find in the average clinic. A quick look to the side revealed a rack with a bag of liquid hung up, connected to my arm with an IV.

That explained why my head felt so fuzzy. Painkillers.

The agony once so vivid had now been swallowed up by a comfortable haze that took over my mind at the revelation. Relief, sweet relief from the pain. I felt my body relax, not just from the painkillers but the comfort that I was past the worst of it.

I felt a soft cushion under my head, a quick look revealed that I was propped up with some pillows on what appeared to be a hospital bed. The room I had found myself in was small and sparsely decorated, save for a few pictures and some very natural-looking wood chairs.

Attempting to sit up had me struggling against a familiar unseen force. My body simply refused to move no matter how much I wanted it to, content to rest in the comfortable embrace of the bed. I found that keeping my eyes open was a chore as well, the sweet lullaby of anesthetic drawing me back into sleep.

'I'm alive. I survived.'

The thought sent a wave of emotions through me. Satisfaction, relief, surprise, and several others cycled through my jumbled thoughts. My vision started to close like a camera lens, and I was content to let myself slip back into slumber.

…

…

'Survived what exactly?'

Suddenly, I was wide awake. My heart rate must have spiked too, the thing I was hooked up to started beeping rapidly. That particular train of thought pierced through the haze in my mind, a brief of clarity pushing back against the anesthetic. A hot, manic feeling burned throughout my body as I started to hyperventilate. My head throbbed, the room around me fading as I tried to comprehend what that question implied.

My rapid breathing halted suddenly, a frigid and horrifying dread overtaking me. I struggled to consciously process it through a storm of emotion, but deep down I already knew what that question meant.

Did I survive the Vulcan? Or did I survive the car crash?

I survived. I'm in a hospital or a clinic of some kind. As far as I could tell all my limbs were still attached and I wasn't dying anymore. I was hopped up on painkillers and wrapped in medical bandages.

Was it all a dream? Did I just wake up from a coma?

The prospect that I had actually survived the crash had hope blossoming in my chest. I recalled the previous sensation I had when I first woke up in the forest, that sense of reality that assured me I wasn't dreaming.

I felt that now, despite the painkillers everything was too real to be a dream. My senses and surroundings all pointed to the conclusion that I had been injured and was recovering.

This wasn't a dream. This was all real.

Maybe I had been in a coma, and maybe I had dreamed it all up. Maybe my brain conjured up another world from my memories for me to experience as I healed.

But if that were true, why was it all so clear?

Why could I recall nearly everything that happened? My dreams were never so memorable, even the most significant ones I could remember didn't have all the details.

Hope was squashed under cold reality as I turned my focus inward. I didn't want to admit it to myself, I wanted to believe that everything was just a fever dream brought on by a traumatic accident.

But if it was all a dream, why could I still feel the gentle thum of magic within me?

That was the final nail in the coffin. All of the hope left me, replaced with a reluctant acceptance that felt like a void in my chest.

Now that the threat of death was no longer looming over me, my survival instinct had faded, leaving my mind free to focus on other things. Such as the horrible realization that I was alone in a world that shouldn't even be real, one that was different from my own down to the fucking laws of physics!

Survival instinct forced me to accept my absurd situation without a second thought. Trying to process that now had me more scared than when I first saw the Vulcan. A tight knot of emotions slowly began to force its way up my throat, threatening to break what little composure I had left.

I nearly jumped when I heard a soft knock on the door.

Panic jolted through me as I shoved my emotions back down. I was on the cusp of a mental breakdown and would rather do anything besides facing that particular mess of trauma. With considerable effort I slammed the emotional floodgate shut just as the door opened with a click.

A familiar head of white and black poked its way into the room, Totomaru taking care not to make any noise as he entered. Seeing that I was awake brought a small smile to his face as he opened the door fully.

"You gonna stay awake this time?" he asked, no malice behind his words despite the sass. "Nearly gave me a damn panic attack when you passed out."

I opened my mouth to reply, words not forming as dryness gripped my throat. Totomaru rolled his eyes slightly as he raised a hand, a deep red light flashing into form.

It coalesced into a fairly complex-looking magic circle, magic taking shape to form a fiery pattern. The spell suddenly flashed to a dark violet, a rope of purple fire forming from the circle. I marveled as it wrapped around the canteen at his waist, carrying it through the air into my hands.

The canteen wasn't on fire, hell it wasn't even that hot.

'Purple flames. If I remember correctly that's the kind Macao was an expert in.' Guzzling down the water, I realized that's how he managed to get me out of the forest after I fainted.

"Sorry if I scared ya," I said, setting the canteen to the side. "I think trying to walk outta there was a bit too much for me…"

"Don't take all the blame, I was the one who tried to make you do it," he replied with a sheepish tone, pulling up a chair to the side of the bed. "Since you were awake and talking I figured it was best to keep you that way, was worried you'd go into shock again."

A moment of silence passed between us, an uneasy tension filling the room. I raised my head up to look at Totomaru, a somewhat guilty expression on his face. Despite not saying anymore, it was pretty easy to see that he was worried that he might have made my condition worse.

I didn't need a degree in psychology to know when someone was blaming themselves.

"I'm still alive and in one piece. I haven't been crippled for life, and I wouldn't be that way without ya dude."

I wasn't sure if I was trying to reassure him, or myself.

"Yeah…yeah you're right!" His aura of guilt evaporated along with the tension in the room. "Just…wish I could've made a better call at that moment, but that's all behind the both of us now."

"Not like you can go back in time and what? Save my life harder?" I laughed, relieved that the action didn't cause my ribs to ache. "Wouldn't be here without you man, I owe ya."

Any remaining negativity vanished from Totomaru as he smiled, silently accepting my thanks. Now that I got a closer look at him, he looked relieved and somewhat content? I wasn't surprised by the relief, but I couldn't place an exact name to the other vibe I was getting from him.

I didn't know why he cared so much. Why was a random, half-dead stranger in the forest worth all that effort? I was tempted to ask him, but I didn't want to ruin the good mood. But the urge was strong. I wanted—no, needed to know why one of Phantom Lord's Element Four had decided to save my life.

Why did the life of a stranger matter so much to him?

"Well Dan, I know a way you can pay me back." Totomaru's voice shifted to a more serious tone. "Don't get me wrong, it's a relief that you're gonna be all good after some rest. But the doc said that it'd take a couple of weeks for you to be back to full health.

"Listen, you're a pretty chill dude from my first impression, but not 'stay in another town for two weeks' cool you know?"

'Could've put that a bit more seriously dude?' I thought, still amused at the joke. 'Fine with me, I always default to humor too.'

"We're at a pretty small town near Dawn City in case you were wondering," Totomaru said, not that the name had any significant meaning to me. "Now that you're not about to keel over, I can arrange some train tickets for whenever you're given the all-clear. So you can get home y'know?"

He continued, not seeming to notice my expression dropping back into panic as I felt that same knot of emotions begin to rise.

"I've got work back at the Guild, gotta turn in this mission after all. Doc said he wouldn't charge you anything since you helped with their problem." He whistled. "How did you end up fighting that Vulcan anyway? This is the closest town to the forest and nobody here knew ya when I asked around."

His words hung on the air for a long time, silence once again filling the room. The upbeat tone died as quickly as it had come, an awkward air settling in the absence of conversation. Totomaru looked like he was about to ask another question, but stopped the second he met my eyes.

That tangled mess of feeling that had started to unravel despite any attempt on my part to calm it down. It choked my throat with sobs I couldn't force back, a hot stream of tears running down my cheeks as I barely held the floodgate shut. My eyes felt bloodshot as I vainly attempted to clear them.

A gnawing feeling of horror emerged from the knot of emotion, eating away at all of my efforts to suppress them. Painful realization of my current situation truly began to dawn on me for the first time. I felt my willpower wain drastically as the feelings forced their way out of the part of my psyche I had shoved them down into.

I wanted to escape it, to force it back into the cage and throw away the key. But I couldn't, I didn't have any painkillers for emotional pain, as much as I wished there was something I could do to avoid it.

I didn't register the room around me, stuck in my own head as I tried to process. My tears soaked the blankets as I tried to breathe in between choked-sobs.

A single conclusion rose from the turmoil in my head, one that I was forced to accept. I didn't want to, tried to deny the reality in a vain attempt to cling to my last shred of hope. Faces and memories crashed through my head in an avalanche, people and places that I'd never see again.

"There's… There's no way for me to get back home…" I managed to choke out, not sure if I was saying that to Totomaru or myself.

The dam broke, the knot of emotion finally unraveled as I broke down into sobs, forced to accept simple, cold reality.

I don't remember how long I cried, only that I let out everything until I was too worn out to even keep my eyes open.

-x-x-x-

Dan,

If you're reading this, I've already headed back to Phantom Lord. I don't mean to leave out of the blue, but it didn't seem like a good time to talk yesterday. Doc said you'd need rest physically and mentally for a while, and one of those really can't heal if someone keeps bringing up trauma right?

Listen I don't want to sound like I'm not serious, sarcasm and humor are my default unfortunately.

Didn't get the details, but you've got a week or two of recovery time before they'll release you. Enclosed in this letter is enough Jewel for a train-ticket anywhere in Fiore, figured it's the least I could do for you.

I know we just met, but you're a pretty cool dude and I'd never forgive myself if I just left you high and dry without offering to help. Whatever you do after recovery is up to you, but if you're looking for work Phantom Lord's doors are always open.

You've got skills, and Phantom's always looking for new members. (Fair warning though, it's a rough pack of assholes.)

Sorry if I brought up some painful shit, I'm not so good with tact sometimes and I kinda started throwing questions at you without thinking. Don't know the details of what happened to you but I can put the pieces together.

If you end up at Phantom, give this letter to the receptionist by the mission boards. It'll help wave you through the paperwork, and she'll let me know if you join. I'll buy you a few rounds to celebrate.

Sincerely,

-Totomaru.

-x-x-x-

A depressive haze hung heavily in the air, an unseen force that made the minutes tick by slowly. Each day dragged on longer than it should, the daylight hours plagued with a sense of apathy and hopelessness that made the cozy clinic room a cold prison.

Consciousness was an unfortunate chore that seemed to drain any energy that was mustered, both mentally and physically. The process of recovery left a strong feeling of exhaustion by the time the sun was an orange silver on the horizon, blissful dreamless sleep being the only reward for enduring it.

But with each rising sun, the weight of it all seemed to lessen just a bit. Time chipped away at the depressive haze bit by bit, a slow process compared to the physical healing. Each day was better than the last, the fatigue disappearing after the first several days.

Processing the harsh reality took longer, but gradually the haze dissipated as the mind sorted through its emotional turmoil.

By the time the first week was over, all trace of injury was gone.

-x-x-x-

I'd be released tomorrow.

Physically I had recovered completely, ahead of schedule no less. The former exhaustion and injuries that nearly ended my life now seemed like distant memories. My body felt better than it had in a long time, healthy and with a newfound sense of strength borne from my transition to this world.

The doctor, a kindly older gentleman, had periodically checked on me throughout the duration of my stay. He was a welcome relief from the oppressive boredom, which was honestly just as bad as the mental breakdown.

The lack of electronic and entertainment devices didn't really dawn on me at first, but after hours of lying in bed starting at the ceiling I wanted nothing more than to have my phone back. Electricity had been replaced by Ethernano in everyday life, a change that I'd have to get used to despite not wanting to. I would have filled the void by getting to know the ins and outs of my magic, but the doctor had shut that down before I could start practicing.

I knew that Earthland Mages were a lot more durable than the average person, and it didn't take long for them to bounce back after getting injured. What I didn't know was that you actually had to have a full capacity to reap the benefits.

The doctor's full explanation of all nuances and theory surrounding the phenomenon had left my head spinning; thankfully he had dumbed it down enough for me to understand the basics.

'The process of utilizing Ethernano sets Mages apart from the average person on a fundamental level. Having that mystical well of energy in your body changes how its internal processes work.'

Rest, nutrition, hydration. All of them were required for the body to heal itself, if one was lacking then recovery would be a lot longer and more complicated. According to the doctor, one's capacity for Ethernano was an additional part of the healing process for the magically inclined.

As the body draws on nutrients to heal, it also draws on magical energy as well. It fueled the process, speeding up natural recovery provided that you had a full tank. Just as a lack of nutrition would stunt your recovery, a lack of Ethernano had a similar effect.

Not that I knew exactly that worked, but I wasn't about to go against doctor's orders. Getting back to 100% a week ahead of schedule was enough proof for me.

'Sure it's cool and all that I'm out of here in half the time,' I thought, flopping down onto the bed. 'But that means I'm just forced to figure out what the hell I'm going to do much sooner.'

Though I had gotten past the mental fatigue of my breakdown, I was far from being ready to process the full scope of my situation. That same knot of emotional pain had only started to unravel, and the thought of confronting it had me wishing that I actually had slipped into a coma.

Tonight was my last in the clinic; after that, I was on my own with nothing but the clothes on my back and the ten-thousand jewel that Totomaru had left for me to buy a train ticket. Considering that Earthland' currency was based on the Japanese Yen, I had about one-hundred dollars to my name.

Not exactly enough to live off of.

I reached over to the nightstand, snatching up Totomaru's note and skimming through it for what felt like the hundredth time. Couldn't bring myself to be mad at him for making an hasty exit, I'd have done that same in his shoes. Nobody would stick around for long while a complete stranger had a mental breakdown.

As friendly as he was, we still only knew each other for essentially less than a day.

The thought brought a wave of curiosity and disbelief at the same time. I had always remembered Totomaru as nothing much more than a minor villain with magic that conveniently countered Natsu, albeit not for long. The same comedic nature from the anime was there, but with none of the mocking sense of superiority.

There was far more to him, far more to everyone than met the eye. All of the characters I knew were real, and were not as one-dimensional as I had come to know them.

My sense of curiosity sparked a flame that immediately hijacked my train of thought and proceeded to start multi-track-drifting. The same question I had before came back to the forefront of my thoughts.

Why did helping a complete stranger, why did helping me matter so much?

I wanted, no, needed an answer. It didn't take a genius to figure out that Totomaru had to have gone through something that had a profound effect on him, but the devil was in the details.

What had happened that made a smug, sarcastic side-villain into someone who didn't hesitate to save a stranger's life? Someone who was personable and friendly but who also simultaneously revelled in the destruction of their rival guild?

Curiosity gave me drive and direction, a welcome change compared to being dropped into the world with a hundred bucks and no plan.

Totomaru did extend an offer to join Phantom Lord…

A brief spike of hesitation entered my head at the thought. Phantom Lord wasn't exactly the most friendly guild, not to mention that mutual hate-boner it shared with Fairy Tail which escalated into full-on war.

That hesitation was crushed under the fact that I needed some kind of employment if I didn't want to sleep outside, and Totomaru basically said I'd be able to join without issue…

'Well, the alternative is trying to find other work while living off 100 bucks. And that's like what, maybe 3 nights at an inn?'

And like that, my decision was made.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

The landscape passed by in a blur, trees and clouds not much more than a streak of color through the train window. Black clouds billowed from the smokebox as the locomotive chugged along the tracks, wheels and pistons loudly and rhythmically propelling it forward.

Idle chatter filled the room as people settled in, children running up and down the isles with unbound excitement. The waitstaff emerged from another car, jotting down drink orders and checking on passengers.

A commotion near the front of the train-car caught the attention of many, the curious among them seeing a group of children crowded around a window. Excited shouts and squeals of joy drew a greater crowd, the adults gasping at the sight while the children waved.

I waved back, nearly laughing at the look of disbelief and exasperation on their faces.

It wasn't often you saw someone keeping up with a train on foot, after all.

-x-x-x-

Arriving at Oak Town really nailed home how different Earthland was.

The entire town was situated on a hill next to a river, surrounded by mountains and lush pine forests. It gave a very strong 'old castle town' vibe, circles of fantasy-esque buildings intermixed with the nature around it. Phantom Lord's guildhall sat atop it, looking down over the rest of the town.

Every color I could name assaulted my vision as I walked through the streets, a fantastical array of decorations both magic and not. Vendors of all sorts of trinkets and treats lined the streets, each with something new for sale as I glanced around.

I could barely keep my mouth closed, all of the new sights and things created an atmosphere of wonder and curiosity. It was almost too much stimuli to handle at once, my mind losing its train of thought trying to take it all in.

'Is this culture shock?' I wondered, continuing my path towards Phantom Lord. 'Because I'm pretty out of my depth here.'

Shaking my head, I turned my attention to my approaching destination. The Guild Hall stood out amongst the rest of the town, a massive castle that loomed over all of the other buildings. Brick and cobblestone made up the majority of the structure, a towering wall of battlements, spires, and actual towers topped with green tile. The entrance was adorned with Phantom Lord's name, along with several banners hanging about the castle.

Along the railings, I could spot various people mulling about. As I got closer I could make out their figures better, all sorts of outfits/aesthetics that were somehow casual and fantasy-esque.

A distinct purple mark stood out among them, one that would soon be on me.

'Sounds more like joining a gang than getting a job, guess they're one in the same in this case,' I thought, finally reaching the front of the building.

The entrance was a lot more intimidating up close, now that I was in the shadow of the massive building. Twin wooden doors emblazoned with the mark stared back at me, the portal that'd throw me into a completely foreign environment, yet familiar all the same.

I knew Phantom Lord, rivals of Fairy Tail, contender for the top guild, and run by a cruel man bent on revenge. Not exactly a place that was likely 'new member friendly' considering Totomaru said it was basically a pack of assholes.

But curiosity kept me there, the need to know why someone from this particular guild had cared so much. Not to mention this was quite literally the only connection I had in the entire world, so my options weren't exactly diverse.

"Eh whatever," I said to myself. "In for a penny in for a pound."

I pushed open the doors.

A wave of noise hit me first, sounds of chatter and music reaching my ear as I walked through. Rows upon rows of tables and benches lined the floor of the giant main room, divided between seating areas and a large furnished space that was like a pub. I spotted several people weaving their way through the space, barmaids and a waiter or two getting orders and rushing between the seating space and what looked like a kitchen.

Sunlight illuminates the tall room, bright rays peeking their way through the windows and rafters. The glow highlighted the swarm of color, people with every kind of outfit filtered by me as I made my way through. Not many of them paid me any mind, the few that did barely took more than a glance before returning to their drink.

Ahead of me was a central desk space that was built into the wall, flanked by large boards on either side. Several attendants worked the desk, taking papers and assigning what I assumed were guild missions. A large crowd gathered around each board, shouts of anger and arguments coming from the center.

The rough nature of the place didn't escape me. Even just a good look at some of the wizards revealed a certain edge to them, and to put it bluntly a lot of them just screamed 'thug' to me.

And I was right in the middle of it all.

'Wow Totomaru, you didn't mention that I'd feel like I just walked into a den of wolves,' I thought, struggling to force down my bitterness. 'The receptionist by the mission boards right? I'll get registered and take the first mission I can get my hands on.'

I hesitated as the thought crossed my mind, did I actually know what I was getting myself into? I had already decided to join Phantom Lord, but how did I even go about doing missions for it? I only knew how Fairy Tail did theirs, which amounted to telling Mirajane which one you wanted to do.

Shaking my head, I approached the main desk area. Thankfully most of the crowd was around the two mission boards rather than the desk, and there wasn't anyone in line. The receptionist was a girl who looked about my age, short brown hair and dressed in what looked like a uniform of some kind.

"Hello, how can I help you today?" she asked. Her friendly indifference reminded me of my days in customer service.

"I'd like to become a member," I replied, pulling out Totomaru's note. "I got some kind of 'letter of recommendation' from a member, he told me to show it when I signed up."

A glint of recognition entered her eye as she took the paper, skimming it briefly before putting it under the counter.

"You're here a week early." Reaching under the counter, the receptionist pulled out a small box and a single piece of paper. "Not everyday someone gets recommended by an S-Class, how'd ya do that one?"

"A whole lotta luck."

"Fine fine, you don't have to give me all the juicy details." She chuckled, handing me the piece of paper. "Just sign and initial here and I can give you the guild mark, don't worry it's not gonna hurt."

'Huh, where do I want it?' I thought as I signed, briefly considering before rolling up my sleeve.

"Here, right on my bicep. I'd like it to be blue."

She took the paper, reaching across and stamping my arm. There was a brief moment before she pulled the wooden stamp off, leaving an ocean blue mark on me. It looked like an eye with a tail, curling down between two downward spikes.

A quick moment, but it signified so much more.

"Oh, I almost forgot!"

I blinked, seeing the receptionist fumble around underneath the counter. After a brief search, she popped back up with an envelope that looked like it was stuffed to full. A scribbled 'For Dan' was on the front as she handed it to me.

"I was told to give this to you if you joined, something about you deserving the reward more after all you went through?" She shrugged. "Not that I know what it means, but there's about seventy thousand Jewel in there."

…

'Oh.'

Mutely, I took the offered envelope. In my current situation it was practically a blessing, one that only added to my growing curiosity surrounding Totomaru. Not that I was complaining, but the need to know why had started to live in my head rent-free and I needed some answers.

A growling sound snapped me out of my thoughts, my stomach making itself known to both me and the receptionist. I blushed a bit as she laughed, pointing me towards the bar.

"You can get something to eat over there, or start a tab if you want." She smiled, waving me away from the desk. "Welcome to Phantom Lord!"

Answers could wait, I needed some food first.

The mild embarrassment left me quickly as I made my way to the bar, pocketing the envelope in my hoodie. As I approached, I got a better look at the people who were now my fellow guild-mates. More than a few of them had their eyes on my pocket, having noticed the envelope.

I felt a small chill down my spine as I caught some of their expressions, a few of them were a little too predatory for my liking.

'Yep, a fucking den of wolves,' I thought as I sat down. 'Thanks for the welcome gift Totomaru, it just painted a target on my back.'

The section of the bar I was at wasn't very occupied, only one other person several seats down from me. Most of the crowd was around the mission boards and the main seating area, thankfully.

My eyes scanned across the room, struggling to pick out any familiar faces. Nobody in particular stood out to me, though I doubted that any one of the S-Class would be hanging around in the main crowd.

"What can I get ya?"

A voice snapped me out of my search. One of the bartenders stood across the countertop, his outfit seemed far more casual than the people working reception and taking orders. Just a simple t-shirt with our guild mark and jeans.

"Got a menu?" I got my answer as he lazily pointed to a board behind him. Various food items and drinks were displayed.

"Uh… Just give me the special for today and whatever you've got on tap," I said, getting a nod from the bartender as he wrote my order down.

A large wooden mug was quickly placed in front of me, a bit of foam spilling over the side. I brought it to my lips, taking a greedy swig of the ale. A familiar bitterness filled my mouth along with a foreign taste I couldn't pinpoint.

I set it down with a satisfied sigh, it had been a bit since I had a good drink and I intended to enjoy it. Not that I was about to get day-drunk immediately after joining, but a drink or two felt deserved after that week of clinic food.

'Eat, figure out how missions work, and then take the first one I can get.' My original plan repeated itself in my head as I took another sip. Totomaru's gift had given me somewhat of a safety net in terms of money, at least securing me a few days before my funds would be low.

'Still, I've got to get my situation straight first. Getting a way to support myself? Check.' My nose caught the scent of something delicious, and I could see the bartender approaching with a steaming plate.

'Getting something other than mediocre clinic food? Check.'

"One steak and eggs special," he said, setting down the food. "You want to pay upfront or start a tab?"

"Pay upfront, how much is it?"

"Fifteen-hundred Jewel."

"Here's two-thousand, keep the rest as tip," I said, thumbing through the envelope and handing him the cash. "Mind if the new guy asks a couple of questions about Phantom?"

"This is the first tip I've gotten this shift, as far as I'm concerned you're a fuckin' wizard saint," he snarked, taking the money. "Shoot, I've been here a few years so I got a decent lay of the land."

"How does the guild handle missions?" I asked just before digging into my food. "I've got an idea but I'd like to know details before trying to take one."

"Well it's pretty simple, ya just take one from the board and bring it to the front," he replied, gesturing to the main desk area. "Some missions have requirements, like number of wizards, time constraints and such. As long as your group or you meet all of 'em you can take the mission."

I nodded, washing down the food with another drink.

"Then you gotta travel to wherever it is, the guild will cover it depending on the mission." The bartender picked up a glass, idly wiping it down. "Meet the client, get details and do the work, after that you get ya reward. If there's any damage the guild has to cover it, and you don't want that trust me."

'Yeah, probably not a good thing to piss off Jose Porla.'

"I hear you man, appreciate the help." Wiping my mouth, I leaned in a bit closer. "I got another question though, could you just give me a quick rundown of what I should look out for here?"

He raised a brow, fixing me with an expectant look. We locked eyes for a brief moment of contest before I relented, sliding another bill onto the counter.

"See, you're already getting it." He chuckled, pocketing the bill. "If you want to get shit done here, you either barter for it, bribe someone for it, or if ya strong enough you can take it. Phantom Lord takes in just about everyone who wants to sign up, so it's a rough crowd of wizards all lookin' to make their livings."

"It's a dog-eat-dog type of place," he continued, pointing at the pocket of my hoodie. "And that envelope you got there is a juicy-looking piece of meat that more than a few people already got their eye on."

I nearly choked on the final bite of my meal, quickly forcing it down with a swig of ale. A sudden sense of danger hit me, sending a chill down my spine as I felt several gazes fixed on my back.

"If you want my advice, try to keep a low profile and watch out for teams and the S-Class especially," the bartender said, turning to head towards the kitchen. "Wizards here are always looking to make a quick buck, by force if they have too."

"Well you sure hit the 'cryptic bartender' vibe on the fucking nose," I snarked, getting a middle finger in return as he left.

Despite my sass I didn't ignore his warning, my attention snapped back to that sense of danger I felt. A familiar feeling started to creep back into my mind, that sense of being completely out of my environment. I felt several pairs of eyes on my back as I focused my senses, that same predatory look I saw earlier.

I glanced over at the glass rack behind the counter, the eyes of my reflection glowing a light blue as a trickle of magic entered my brain. I could feel the disjoint between mind and body as my thoughts accelerated, the movement and light I could see in the reflection slowing to a crawl.

'You know, I really need to name this thing. It's damn useful for thinking things out quickly, and I feel like I'm Neo while using it.'

A small smile crept onto my face as a name came to mind, a sense of nostalgia coming over me as I remembered my time watching the old Matrix movies.

'Bullet-Time.'

'Huh, my first technique. Or would 'spell' be more accurate?' I mused as I ceased the flow of magic. 'Come to think of it, I've never used a magic circle before. Do I have to actually make them, or have I just not noticed my own yet? What if they're required for spells and I've just been bastardizing this thing the whole time?'

I really needed to sit down with someone and get a full-on magic lesson, or I was just gonna work myself in circles trying to understand it all myself.

The shuffling of seats beside me snapped my attention back, bullet-time activating out of pure reflex. My eyes darted back and forth; three other people had sat down adjacent to me. One to my right and the other two on my left, I got a slow-motion view as they scooted their stools in.

The one to my right was big, taller than me by a good few inches and with far more bulk. Short black hair shaved into a mohawk, a tattoo that ran down his face onto his arm. His hands were in his pockets, and I could spot some sort of object in there too.

To my left was a skeevy-looking dude who was about 5'4 on a good day. His light brown hair was done up in a ponytail, and he was wearing a leather jacket that hid most of his torso. Some sort of holster was on his hip, the jacket concealing whatever it was.

The third had longer black hair that barely reached his shoulders, and he was a good two inches taller than the second guy. He wore a long black coat that stretched to his boots, and strapped to his back was a sheathed straight sword.

And each one of them had the Phantom Lord mark on display.

'Wonderful, my fellow guildmates are about to extort me,' was my bitter thought as I dropped bullet-time, the glow in my eyes fading before any of them could see it.

"Hehe, what up new guy!" The skeevy one slapped a hand on my back with mock-friendliness. "We noticed that you just signed up, welcome to the guild!"

The bartender's advice about not making a scene played itself over and over in my head. The absolute last thing I needed right now was drawing the attention of one of the not so friendly S-Class, or Jose Porla himself.

I forced down a sarcastic reply in favor of raising a questioning brow.

"You see dude, Phantom's all for new people joining. It's why we have so many branches y'know?" His tone alone sent a spike of annoyance through me. "But the one here in Oak Town is the main one, much more elite than the rest.

"Listen, it's your first day so I'm not gonna blame you for not knowing how things work around here. Ya'see at the main branch there's a fee to join up, and that cute little receptionist forgot to let you know."

I was almost surprised that he could talk with the amount of bullshit coming out of his mouth.

"So she asked us if we could—"

"Listen." My tone was short and sharp, causing the three to pause and look at me. "I'm not stupid, I know what this is."

I didn't want to get into a fight literally less than an hour after I joined, and I certainly wasn't about to fork over Totomaru's gift to some fucking Phantom Lord randos. Part of me wanted to tell them where they could shove their 'fee', but I held my tongue.

"We really don't have to get into the whole 'hazing the new guy' thing," I said, taking a swing of my drink. "How about I buy you guys a few rounds, maybe some top shelf stuff, and we all go our separate ways."

There was a pause as the three-shot each other questioning looks. The hope that I could talk my way out of this faded as they started to chuckle, going into full blown laughter. It quickly faded, replaced by an intimidating air with no trace of their previous tone.

"Well well well, look at this negotiator here." Grinned the skeevy one as he leaned backwards facing toward me. "Guess we can drop the whole act then.

"Not everyday ya see someone join up and get an envelope of cash, kinda makes a guy jealous right fellas?" He waved to the other two who nodded, the one with the sword hovering his hand near his blade. "Most of us have to work for our pay, kinda unfair don't you think?

"So I'll put it simply, you give us your little 'signing bonus' and we won't put you into debt with medical bills capachie?" he said, flipping his jacket open. "We're getting that envelope one way or another."

I opened my mouth, likely for a sarcastic reply before it got caught in my throat at the sight of the revolver that was now level with my stomach. It was a sleek black metal with dark wood finish. I was close enough to spot what looked like several magic symbols carved into it.

"You should just give up, not like you have—"

-x-x-x-

And suddenly, I wasn't at Phantom Lord's bar anymore.

I was back at the lake, staring up at the Vulcan as it loomed over me with an expression that I could never forget. The smug sense of assured victory, the sadistic satisfaction taken out of preying on the weak, the threat of death hanging heavy with just the sight of it standing over me.

That same, fucking look.

I could see the exact same assumption on his face as he raised the gun at me, whatever words he spoke falling onto deaf ears. The assumption that I'd already given up, accepted the inevitable, and was just going to roll over and take it.

And my magic roared forth in protest.

-x-x-x-

Bullet-time activated before he even finished his sentence, my eyes lighting up blue as the world slowed to a crawl. The rest of my body followed suit as I flipped the now empty mug around and slammed the base of it directly into his nose with a loud crack.

Maybe it was a result of me not fully processing the different situation I was in, because the sight of a gun leveled at me immediately activated my fight or flight. I didn't consider that he might have just used Guns Magic, didn't think of the consequences, didn't even consider the current situation as a single phrase ran through my head on repeat.

'Guns are not used for threats, they are used for action.'

My arm lashed out like a whip, latching onto his wrist with a vice grip. The gun was wrenched out of his hand as I twisted until I felt a pop, the arm falling limp as it was dislocated. He didn't get the chance to scream as he started to fall backwards, an aura of blue surrounding his form and accelerating him into a flip.

A vicious backhand sent him flying before either of his friends could draw their weapons, his form crashing down onto an empty table with a snap of splintered wood.

The sight of his broken body briefly snapped me out of it; the realization that I had just beaten another person half to death in a couple seconds gave me a sick feeling in my stomach.

Said feeling was immediately abandoned as a sword flashed out towards my neck.

Bullet-time was the only reason I managed to duck, nearly losing an inch of hair as the blade swung past a second later. A pulse of magic allowed me to dodge a fist from the opposite side, a quick dash putting distance between me and them.

A deafening silence froze me in place as I felt hundreds of eyes on my back, the rest of the guildhall's attention focusing immediately to the commotion. Sweat broke out on my forehead as the seconds ticked by, a heavy sense of tension palpable in the air. My eyes darted around the onlooking crowd, half expecting them to rush me.

I wasn't prepared for the wild roar of excitement.

"A fight?" "Finally some damn entertainment!" "Yo he got knocked the fuck out!" "Thousand Jewel on the new guy!"

I could barely make out a few sentences from the flood of noise, all of the tension leaving in seconds as the crowd swarmed with activity. Jewel was pooled onto tables as people placed bets, excited shouts and jeers were thrown at me and the other two indiscriminately, and the attention of the entire guild was now locked onto us. A wide circle of people formed around the bar area, the crowd roaring their demands for more.

Not exactly the reaction I had expected.

'Well how the fuck was I supposed to know that getting mugged would escalate into literal fight club?' I thought, already feeling adrenaline starting to flood through me. 'Did I really expect everyone to act like normal people in fucking Phantom Lord?'

I glanced over at the crumpled form of the gunman, out cold in a pile of splintered wood that used to be a table. The limp arm, bloody-broken nose and the nasty bruises were a sight that would normally have me disgusted. The fact that I caused all of that should have sent me into a fit, horrified at my actions.

I didn't feel any of that. Only a sense of relief that he wasn't a threat anymore.

The other two had gotten up from the bar, both of them now fixing me with hesitant glares in contrast to their earlier confidence. The edgy-looking one with the sword cast an angry glance around at the roaring crowd, probably pissed that their mugging attempt had turned into a show for the guild. The bulky one with the mohawk angrily ground his teeth as he stared at me with murder in his eyes, a set of knuckle-dusters now on his hands.

I'd never fought two people before, let alone with weapons – and actually thinking about it, the Vulcan was the first thing I ever really fought. Random knowledge and advice from friends and family in the military was the only thing I had to go on, along with various things picked up the internet.

But lack of experience was hardly an issue in the face of my magic.

A bitter taste entered my mouth as that thought crossed my mind. If I wasn't careful I could damn well kill them. Even though I knew that wizards were far more durable than the average person, getting hit in the neck at hundreds of miles per hour would put down just about anybody.

'They were willing to shoot you in the gut for essentially seven-hundred dollars, why should you care what happens to them?'

Shaking my head, I forced the dark thought down. A right to self-defence wasn't a license to kill, it was just a reason to do everything you could to live. Sometimes that might mean killing the other guy, but if you didn't have to, that was just bloodlust.

But that didn't mean beating the shit outta them was off the table.

"Shoulda taken my offer dipshits." Cracking my neck, I fixed my gaze onto the duo. "We could've all been drinking and having a good laugh, but I'm guessing y'all ain't the brightest."

'Both have weapons, does their magic relate to them?'

"You think you're hot shit because you beat Kevin?" Edge-lord snapped, his tone not matching the nervous expression. "Guess you don't know not to mess with the Steel Fangs newbie!"

"Oh, the three stooges have a name?" I snarked, a trickle of magic entering my eyes. "Bet that's real scary to all the Dark Guilds, they must be shivering in fear from three thugs who mug people for a living."

'Get them angry, put them off their game even more.'

Edge-lord grit his teeth as laughter erupted from the crowd, a chorus of 'Fight! Fight! Fight!' being raised after the taunt. He looked ready to charge me and probably would have if Mohawk didn't put a hand on his shoulder. I didn't catch what was whispered to him, but Edge-lord's expression relaxed a bit.

"You caught us by surprise, but this is still two versus one," Mohawk said as the duo stepped forward. "If you hand over that envelope, maybe we won't beat you ten-times more than what you did to Kevin."

'Distract them, get them talking.'

"And what sorta magic do you have to back that up?" I asked, my heart beating in my ears as magic built up in preparation. "It took me three seconds tops to put your leader down, what chance do you have?"

'Don't give them a second to react, the type of magic doesn't matter if they can't cast it.'

"How about we show you?" Mohawk grinned, adjusting his knuckle-dusters. "You might be fast, but that doesn't mean shit to someone a lot tougher."

'Strike first, strike fast, strike hard.'

"Take Over: Aspect of—"

A flash of blue was his only warning before my fist slammed into his neck, cutting off the technique before a magic circle could even form. He dropped onto his knees with a choked scream of pain, clutching his throat and gasping for air.

Edge-lord barely had time to swing his sword before I whipped around to him, my arm lashing out and grabbing the leg of a barstool. In an arc of blue the improvised weapon slammed into his legs, taking them out from under him as his face hit the floor with the wet snap of a broken nose.

A quick kick knocked the sword out of his hand, sending it clattering across the floor.

Magic coated my leg in a thin aura of blue as I turned towards Mohawk, who had just barely started to stand up. Planting my other foot forward, I whipped my leg around in a soccer kick that crashed into the side of his head. The aura transferred to him along with the momentum, accelerating his form as the kick sent him skipping across the floor.

There was a crack of wood as his head broke through the side of the bar, slumping over into unconsciousness.

One down.

I walked over to Edge-lord's struggling form, the glow of magic fading from me as I planted a foot onto his back, pinning the wizard to the floor.

"You know, I bet you're kicking yourself over not taking my offer," I said, grinding my foot into his shoulder. "Coulda avoided this whole thing, but noooo you had to stroke your egos by threatening the new guy."

A stream of curses was my only response as he struggled to push me off.

"How's that working out for you now?" I asked as I stomped down, cutting off the flood of swears that'd make a sailor impressed.

"You fucking bastard!" he shouted, sounding more like a whine with the broken nose. "Don't think you can get away with this shit, we'll make you fucking regret it!"

"What? Is the little baby man angry that his team got their shit kicked in?" I sneered, putting more of my weight on his back. "Don't you fucking forget that you started this, ignored the chance to talk it out, then threatened to fucking shoot me in the gut if I didn't hand over some cash."

He didn't reply, thrashing around beneath me in an attempt to get out. I grabbed his wrists as he tried and failed to throw a punch, twisting his arms behind his back.

The crowd had stopped the cheers in favor of either counting their new winnings, cursing at the Steel Fangs for losing them a paycheck, or getting back to their meals. More than a few of them watched me with fear and unease in their eyes, refusing to make eye contact when I glanced in their direction.

So much for keeping a low profile.

A sudden thought entered my mind as I looked back to the beaten group of thugs. I couldn't help grinning as my eyes fell on their weapons.

'This would be the perfect time for an Uno reverse card.'

"You know what? Imma do the wizard equivalent of taking your shoes," I said, letting Edge-lord go as I stepped off.

The bottom of my shoe slammed into the side of his head before he could lash out at me, knocking him onto his back. He struggled to his knees, an array of emotions plastered across his bloody face.

"...W-what?"

"Y'all got some pretty nice stuff for a pack of dipshits," I snarked as I picked up his sword, looking at my reflection in the blade. "I think I'll take it."

A look of horror and dread appeared on his face as I walked over to the other two, snatching up the gun and knuckle-dusters. Now that I had a closer look, I could make out the detailed inscriptions on the revolver. They weren't glowing or anything, not that I had any idea what they were for in the first place.

"You think you can just take our stuff?!" he shouted, getting to his feet. "We need our weapons to do missions!"

"And I needed the money to not be out living on the fucking street, but did you care about that?" I shot back angrily. "Did you care when you pulled this shit on other people?"

He opened his mouth to reply, the words refusing to come out as he struggled to come up with an argument.

"Not so fun when you're the one being mugged huh?" I said, resting the sword on my shoulder. "Take off the sheath."

"...No," he replied in a barely audible tone. "Not the sheath too."

"You either give me the sheath, or I'm taking the sheath. Your choice."

Several seconds passed before he unhooked it, handing it over with a dejected look.

"That's what I thought." I said, turning towards the guild entrance. "If I catch you pulling this shit on someone else, your hospital bill is gonna be seven digits capisce?"

He grit his teeth with a forced nod, fists clenched and shaking with anger.

"You're gonna fucking pay for this," he growled. "You just put a giant target on your back newbie, you've got no clue who you're messing with."

I fixed him with a flat look, glancing around at the unconscious forms of his team with a raised brow.

"Damn, that's crazy. Y'all get on that after you get out of the urgent care." I laughed, turning my back on him and walking towards the door. "Funny you said 'gonna pay for this', because I had the same idea."

As I walked, several people who were still in the circle scrambled out of my way. More than a few people said a quick greeting or compliment about the fight, before backing up and out of my path.

"After all, the Steel Fangs are gonna be paying for all the broken chairs and the hole in the bar," I said, glancing back at him. "Unless you want me to take your wallets and pay for it myself?"

If looks could kill, I'd be dead on the spot.

"Glad we can agree on something." I didn't wait for a reply as I walked out the door, holding a middle finger behind my back as I went.

-x-x-x-

Fresh air filled my lungs as I walked along the streets of Oak Town, the evening slowly approaching as the sun descended across the sky. Golden light illuminated the buildings, casting long shadows across the path.

The atmosphere was lively, a low hum of music filtered through the doors of a nearby inn. People walked the streets, a few of them already stumbling over themselves as they moved from bar to bar.

The windows were aglow with color as I walked towards the inn, the glow of magic and firelight seeping through the stained glass.

I felt the adrenaline and tension fade from my body as I took in all the sights, finally relaxing after dealing with all of the guild's bullshit. My thoughts turned back to my counter-mugging of the Steel Fangs, a sense of disbelief entering my mind and refusing to leave.

'Did I really have to go that far? I know I kinda freaked out when he pulled the gun, but I just could've just knocked them all out now that I think about it.'

The weight of the sword on my back felt foreign to me, not uncomfortable but still off. I didn't even have a place to keep the weapons other than on my person, and I had no idea what I was going to do with the gun.

'I took their weapons for no other reason than to give them a taste of their own medicine. And I didn't even stop to think about it, I just wanted to hurt them in the same way they tried to hurt me.'

That feeling of being taken lightly, like I was just another person they could prey on. The assumption that they had already won, and I was just going to roll over and die—

I blinked, the phrasing I used stopped me dead in my tracks.

'Die?'

The realization hit me hard, conflicting feelings welling up from the same knot of emotion I almost forgot about. Memories of my first day surfaced, the sick sense of satisfaction I got from making the Vulcan realize I wasn't easy prey. The elation of wiping that fucking look off its face had a grin forming on my face before I could stop it.

Those were the same feelings I had when crushing the Steel Fangs.

And they were not the Vulcan. Even if I had felt like the situation was the same, it wasn't.

I felt disgusted and satisfied at the same time. It felt good to put them in their place, I couldn't deny it. But because I took that same satisfaction, I had only reversed the situation and become the one looking down on them. And being anything like the Vulcan sickened me to my core. It was a double-edged sword that threw another knot into the ball of emotion that I had kept shoving down.

"Well Dan, guess you've got some trauma to work through," I thought aloud, heading toward the inn. "I wonder if Totomaru is around? I gotta talk to someone about this, it ain't gonna solve shit if I just let it stay in my head."

…

I'm still keeping the stuff though. Those assholes deserved it.

-x-x-x-x-x-