However much it had appealed to them the night before to spend as much time as they could in Crosdelm, with daylight came the need to be out of town as quickly as they could manage. They were harboring a killer after all, as well as the Mage it possessed. Although Izuku would be lying if he said he had any desire to ever return to the magical city of nightlife again. Not after what he'd witnessed. Not with how the lifeless child he thought he had saved still plagued his waking thoughts.

They had discarded Fumikage's tattered Synod robes for warm plainclothes and a dark cloak that could hide him in their departure. There was no telling if anyone here knew him, he wasn't terribly talkative, and they decided it was better not to take the chance. No one would recognize him from last night's events at least… no one was left to tell of it except them.

Everyone was uncharacteristically quiet as Crosdelm shrunk behind them, even Denki seemed more focussed on the road than on his usual lighthearted commentary. It was clear why, but no one wanted to say it. No one wanted to point out how uncomfortable Fumikage made them, how on edge they all were that a Demon lurked in their presence, even if Kyouka could give every assurance that she had it under control. No one said it because deep down they all pitied the poor Mage more than they feared him. Izuku more so than anyone. Fumikage could just as easily have been Jano, used and manipulated by the wiles of Master Siphen, left to fend for himself against the power of an Ethereal Demon, broken down into a shell of a man by the horror he had experienced. Where at first Izuku had been angry at him for defending the man who had sent Jano to his death, now he felt so much like Kyouka did, that to save him would right some past wrong. Fix the horrible way Jano had died and repair something terrible Kyouka had done to someone else in her own past years. Foolish perhaps, but Izuku seemed to be drawn to lost causes lately.

At least he wasn't alone in that.

He watched Nana closely as they followed Denki's lead along the subtle directions Mina had left strewn about for them. Izuku should not have been amazed by her. She should have repulsed him, but so should Ochako and Shoto and Fumikage and even the elves and the Captain. But something about the way she spoke demanded something in those around her; not attention or loyalty even. It was faith. Faith that none of them were beyond saving, that their impossible mission was, by some margin, possible, that there was some way to come back from leaping off the edge. She was a wellspring of confidence, knowledge, and experience and, no matter how Master Shota would have scolded and berated the very idea, Izuku wanted to learn all of it. He liked learning, even if he never used the knowledge.

But right now the person who required his attention the most was the brown eyed girl to his left, staring distantly out at the road ahead. All of them were bothered, but she seemed more so than the rest.

"Is everything alright, Ochako?" Izuku whispered, leaning in his saddle towards her.

She shook clear of her thoughts and put on a bashful expression. "I'm sorry, it's nothing."

Izuku didn't believe it. "Come on, out with it."

Ochako waited enough time to seem like she was resisting bursting open like a geyser - she and Izuku were alike in that way, finding comfort in talking about their feelings - and then let the floodgates of her thoughts pour out.

"It feels terribly selfish and I really hate myself for it, but I can't stop thinking about how ruined that fun night was by all the killing and destruction. It's far worse that people died and I don't want to make light of that, but I also feel that the good memories are forever tainted by the brutal ending it had. I wish I could separate them in my mind, mourn the lost lives, but also remember experiencing the nightlife of Crosdelm fondly without guilt. I just can't, though."

"Well we can feel terrible together then," Izuku returned the guilty look, "I'm also mourning the loss of a wonderful night with you. It feels cruel that such perfect, innocent fun should be bookended with so much death and Demon fighting."

Ochako lowered her eyes and a sad smile played on her lips.

"Thank you, but I don't feel any better about it. And I let myself forget about Red for a minute, there. That's the worst part of all." Her face turned very red and she couldn't look at Izuku any longer. "We should never have gone out into the city last night, not while his fate is still uncertain."

"Well if we hadn't, then no one would have been there to stop the Demon," Izuku countered. He hated to see her looking upset. "And Eijiro wouldn't want you to be moping around or worrying about him either. I'm sure he'll think you're ridiculous for it and mock you mercilessly when we meet up."

Izuku chuckled and his joking tone lightened Ochako's mood a bit. One of her shoulders shrugged.

"I guess you're right about that. He can be ruthless; I won't live down my fretting. But if he's gone and gotten himself mortally wounded, he'll be the one who won't hear the end of it!"

This time they both laughed and Ochako gave Izuku a grateful smile for his attempts to divert her.

After some hours on the road they had to stop and rest the horses. It was a lull, a few minutes where they had no choice but to do nothing and, while Izuku used it to try and teach Ochako how to use her new staff, Kyouka took the opportunity to get to know their newest addition a bit better. The two young Mages did their practicing nearby so they heard bits and pieces of their conversation, but did their best to stay out of it. It was too easy for Izuku to get riled up again by the things Fumikage said. He wanted to scream at him over how wrong he was, but he knew that it wouldn't change anything this early into their tentative association. They all owed him some benefit of the doubt, Fumikage had already displayed trust in them by hearing their wild, nearly idiotic, plan to kill the Archdemon and still agreed to come along with them. He didn't seem bothered by Nana being a Renegade or Blood Mage either, but with a Demon living in his head he was hardly in a position to cast judgment.

"What does it feel like?" Nana asked him as she handed out their rations. Ochako and Izuku paused their practice to join in the dry, unappealing, but very necessary meal. "The Demon I mean. It doesn't control you right now, but it is still there. Can you feel it or hear it?"

Fumikage had begun eating voraciously, but after the question he placed the food down, appetite fleeing him. He swallowed like he was swallowing a knife and his head twitched.

"Of course I feel it," Fumikage said, "It feels like someone is watching over my shoulder every second an inch from taking me and dragging me into an endless darkness. It feels as if there is a pit of black nothing festering in my stomach, building to overwhelm me and when there is silence I hear its voice scrape like daggers inside my skull."

Izuku paused mid chew, unsure he still had an appetite either.

"Sounds… not great." Denki grit his teeth.

"What does the Demon say?" Nana asked, unaffected by the horrendous idea Fumikage presented.

His arms folded across his chest and Fumikage's fingers buried into his sleeves. His eyes were distant again. "It's conflicted, changing moment to moment. It screams for its freedom and then it rumbles of complacency. When it hears Kyouka's voice it sounds content, but some part of it thrashes in fear and I feel it thrum in my skull like a thundering heartbeat."

"I guess I wouldn't want to be restrained inside a Mage either if I were a terror of the ether," Kyouka shrugged one shoulder, "But then again I'm not evil personified and deserving of having my freedoms stripped, so what do I know…"

"But you said it also feels content somehow?" Izuku tried to eat again.

Fumikage nodded. His nails dug sharply into his arms for a moment, his eyes closing as if hearing too many things at once.

"This particular enchantment makes a creature susceptible to suggestion," Kyouka explained, "It makes them happy to listen. All I have to do then is make my request. When I sing to control a Demon, with any of the different enchantment forms, the sound is mesmerizing to them and calms their rampant evil tendencies. From there I can either use tone or words to guide them to do what I, or anyone with the right vocal skills, asks them."

"But it's also upset?" Ochako frowned.

Kyouka's smile faltered a bit, but she acted as if it hadn't.

"Not every time, but sometimes when a creature is enchanted it can retain its awareness. It knows its will is being subjugated, even if it can't do anything about it."

Ochako shifted uncomfortably and was the next to lose her appetite. "It sounds terrible actually."

Kyouka shrugged. "It's only a Demon. It wouldn't give you half the sympathy you've given it."

"I've read about some Magic that works a bit like that actually," Izuku took the analytical approach, "It's a difficult one to learn because it takes full concentration and makes it nearly impossible to do anything else while holding a person in your spell. My Master took the book away from me before I could get too many details, though, because the Synod doesn't actually allow it to be taught."

There was an elongated look from Nana, but she said nothing, avoiding getting either of them into a debate on Synod policies.

"I still think it's crazy that the damn things talk at all," Denki shook his head, finishing his rations effortlessly, "What do monsters like that have to talk about anyway? Who hates humans and elves more?"

Denki's eyebrows raised in surprise when Fumikage nodded.

"Yes, they speak often of hatred," his voice came out in a shudder, "The Infernos sing of their love of ashes and the smell of melting flesh. The Kaolin murmur in pride of the bodies they can crush and compress. Tempests laugh gleefully to feel their waters choke the breath from the lungs of the living. We named them Demon aptly… they think of little other than torment."

That was it for what remained of everyone's appetites and Nana gathered the remains of the food to be stored for later. But for Izuku it brought back the burning question from the night before, when Fumikage had first mentioned that all Demons spoke.

"How do you know what they all say?" Izuku ground his teeth to keep his temper in check.

There was not much color in Fumikage's face to begin with, but what was left drained and Izuku already knew the answer was going to upset him. The possessed Mage could not meet his eyes.

"I have heard them. In the quiet and the dark. Often when I grew tired the ether overtook me and I would commune with the other side. Their voices would wake me from sleep, their shadows have haunted my bedside."

Kyouka touched the side of Fumikage's face, but he didn't seem to notice. There was horror etched into her expression as she turned his face towards her. Still he looked right through her.

"No wonder you look like you haven't slept in years," she clicked her teeth, "Did it happen every night?"

"Not every night," he blinked and seemed to notice her, pushing her hand away, "But fear was more than enough to abate sleep for the remainder."

Izuku's sternum burned and his heart sunk in his chest. He was certain that all of these misdemeanors could be attributed to the dead Master Siphen, the Mage was as pale and pure as the driven snow besides the gray tips of his fingers and there was no way he had enacted the spells he spoke of and still looked as he did. Some grave injustice had been done, but worse still was the young man's determination to believe the lies. His heart broke for the torment Fumikage had experienced and he wondered if Jano had gone through anything like this. If Demons had haunted Jano's dreams, if he had known even a moment's peace before his death.

"We could help you sleep," Ochako offered, the first cheery sounding voice any of them had heard since they had stopped, "I know a few spells and I'm sure Izuku and Nana know some as well."

Hesitantly, Fumikage looked at each Mage and then back to Ochako with a slow shake of his head. "Nothing has ever helped before. I am a Mage too, I know the spells you are talking about. They won't do anything."

Ochako's rosy cheeks flushed with disappointment, but she nodded understanding.

"If you would like to try, anyway, just let us know," Izuku backed her up with a hand on her shoulder, "We're all in this together now, so don't be afraid to ask us for anything."

He meant what he said and it felt strange. Izuku knew in his heart that, as of last night and even this morning, he had hated Fumikage for what he had done, for the lives that could not be brought back. But now, despite how little they had in common, when he looked at Fumikage he only saw Jano Midoriya, his chosen brother. For all of his swift book learning and great retention of knowledge, Izuku was far from wise in his choice of loyalty. He knew it and yet he made no attempt to fight it.

Fumikage seemed just as surprised by the offer and the warm, sympathetic smiles that surrounded him. At first he looked anxious and wary and then peculalary moved. His lips parted to respond, but when no sound followed, he opted to just nod a few times.

"Well that's more than enough lollygagging," Denki stood and brushed his pants, "We have an appointment to keep with a bunch of hooligans and we're already a day late."

They had gathered the horses and set back on the road in the next half hour.

Try as she might, Momo couldn't tear her eyes away from the bloody cloth in Mina's hand. Shoto didn't appear to feel the dabbing or hear the annoyed grumbling of the elf trying to examine his wound under the half dried blood. His mismatched eyes stared out past the treeline where they hid, sifting thousands of thoughts at once.

As the elf fussed over the Mage, the Captain and Commander were busy readying the horses for a long journey. They'd thrown the few things they had, and the recently purchased supplies, haphazardly onto the five horses and rushed from town as fast as possible to meet Mina, Shoto, and Momo. They were taking the necessary time to make real preparation for travel now that the alarm bells of Silgholme were a distant echo.

Eijiro lingered close to Shoto while Mina tried to get the encrusted blood from Shoto's arm, but he still seemed mostly disappointed that he hadn't been allowed to hunt down Hitoshi. Maybe he was just hungry and the hawk form of the Mage looked appealing.

As for Momo, she stood aloft from it all, still shaken and watching Shoto as a single thought cycled on repeat through her mind. He got hurt because he protected me. This is all my fault...

Guilt wracked her to think of how she had become so paralyzed and useless at seeing Hitoshi again. He didn't have to put her under a spell, her fear had done all of his work for him. If Shoto hadn't knocked her from her daze she wouldn't have even thought to run, she'd have just quivered where she stood until Hitoshi had taken her and forced her to go back to Tarlson.

"What did that Mage do to you?" Mina asked, lifting his arm into the light despite Shoto's quiet protest, "The wound sealed up so cleanly I can't even tell."

"He stabbed me. It wasn't terribly deep, but it was deep enough."

"Really?" Mina stared harder at the red, freshly formed skin, "You wouldn't know looking at it."

"The Blood Magic closes the wounds on my person when I use it. I suppose it's a natural defense against bleeding out, even if there's damage left beneath the skin. I'll use some healing Magic on it later, it will be fine."

"Whatever you say."

"Who was he?" Eijiro asked.

Shoto stood while he considered his answer and rolled his sleeve back down, grimacing as he pulled the hunter's jacket back over that same arm. The movements obviously pained him and he sealed his eyes tight against the bite of the injury as he fumbled with the jacket buttons one handed.

It was difficult to watch and Momo only bore it a few moments before she stepped entirely out of herself to do something about it. It was the very least she could do after he saved her life again. Shoto had started to speak, but his words faltered when Momo, knocked his hand away and took over buttoning the jacket herself. He didn't move as she slid the fastens into place, eyes transfixed on her in confusion.

There was a time she would have called herself bold, she was a Yagi after all, but she had been devoid of any such gumption since Hitoshi had thrown her world into disarray. It was oddly comforting to take charge of something, even if all it was was helping Shoto not catch his death of cold. It was a further comfort to know that she could stand this close to him without feeling the need to cringe away because he was a Mage. Surviving a dire situation with someone changed things and after he had so confidently assured her that he would never hurt her and put himself in harm's way for her, his role in her eyes was forever changed. His rescue the day before had been different. There were many possible explanations as to why he had done it and he couldn't even be given full credit for the act. But this time there had been no dragon scaring away the attackers. This time it had been all him. This time Shoto had rejected his own and an offer for a clean slate for her sake. When presented with an enticing bribe, he'd still chosen to defend her. That alone changed everything about how she saw him.

"Thank you," he stumbled over his words as the final fasten at his throat was put in place.

Mina had an eyebrow raised and smirked to herself, but Eijiro just shifted anxiously, waiting for Shoto to finish what he was going to say. The Captain was not paying them any attention, but Tenya did have his eye on her and it reeked with the need for caution. Momo's boldness fled her under his stare and she became instantly sheepish as she stepped cleanly away from Shoto, waving a hand for him to continue. He watched her a moment longer. A moment too long in fact and she felt that horribly annoying weight in her gut. She promptly refused to acknowledge it.

"There was a time I considered him my friend." Shoto cleared his throat and peeled his eyes off of her, "Hitoshi Shinsou. We spent our last three years of formation in the same Magesterium. At the time he was someone I respected, but now… he's gone down a path I do not recognize."

Eijiro seemed saddened by that.

"He is a vile assassin," Tenya added, emphasizing his words with a rough cinch of the saddlebag on his horse, "I too thought he was nothing to fear when I first met him in Tarlson, but he has proven all of us wrong."

"But why?" Momo made an exasperated noise, "Why is he still after me? He was not under orders from Lord Enji and when he escaped the castle he said he had no real reason to harm me. Coming after me now to return me to the Todorokis is a political move and yet he is not working for the one person who would benefit most from my capture. I do not understand!"

"It's not our biggest concern right now," Captain Katsuki patted the side of his horse, everything now situated on its back, "You have a potential Contest of Inheritance to think about now, so we'll only be safe in assuming everyone has a stake in wanting you deposed until proven otherwise. That tells us to stay cautious and trust no one, which was already my plan. And none of it is going to matter if the Archdemon burns the kingdom down anyway, so save the cross examinations for when we make it out of Dalem."

The Captain had made it clear time and again that he deferred to her when it came to who was in charge, but whenever he spoke with that tone of finality it felt the same as when her own father gave an order. She knew she didn't have to listen to him, but she did not question following his judgment either. It really was too easy to have faith in the soldier types that surrounded her. The familiarity was comforting.

"You know how much I hate to agree with you, Captain," Shoto sighed and mindlessly held his arm, "but you're right. We shouldn't waste anymore time."

Momo couldn't find any reason to argue either so she nodded to the Captain and then to Tenya. "Very well. Let's get somewhere safe."

"So we're just leaving then?" Eijiro shifted on his heels and turned a downcast look to the road that ran by them, "We won't be waiting on everyone else to catch up?"

Mina grabbed the boy's shoulder and gave it a fond shake. "Your little buddies will make it back to us, don't worry. Denki knows what he's doing."

"I could go look for them," Eijiro suggested, suddenly getting excited, "I could find them easily from the air and get around much faster!"

The Captain's flattened hand smacked harder than it should have against the back of Eijiro's head. "Don't be stupid. You'll get yourself killed or we'll have an army of glory hunting bastards chasing us down to get your head by the end of the day. We have enough problems."

Eijiro frowned and rubbed the place he'd been struck. He looked ready to be angry, but then his shoulders sagged forward and he sighed in resignation instead.

"Fine. It's just so slow on horseback…"

"It'll be slower dragging your carcass so don't get any ideas, kid," Captain Katsuki sucked his teeth and stomped back over to his horse.

"I don't even think you're older than me. You're the kid." Eijiro shook his head at the Captain's comment, but he didn't seem upset at the Captain, just at his circumstances.

Mina gave the dragon a fond nudge against his shoulder and jerked her head towards her readied steed. "Come on ya' ragamuffin, you can ride with me this time."

Eijiro paused to share a look with Shoto, which ended in a shrug from the Mage and Eijiro climbing onto Mina's horse behind her. Their silent ability to communicate would never cease to confuse and amaze Momo. She wondered momentarily what it must be like to simply think at someone and them understand.

That being the queue for everyone else to mount up, Tenya helped Momo into her saddle - he didn't have to, but he liked to do things like that when he could and she was not going to stop him- and then he and Shoto followed suit.

Mina took the lead and inched her horse to the edge of the treeline. A fist flew up at those behind her, silently demanding they stay still and quiet while she assessed how safe it was for them to get on the road. Momo expected it would just be a moment, but she held that fist much longer than any of them could sit through comfortably.

While the waiting edged on, Momo shifted closer to Tenya, a sense of safety calming the uncertainty of this whole day when in his proximity. Noticing her gravitation towards him, he gave her a kind smile and she quickly remembered why she'd fallen so easily for him. But at the same time something felt very different. Her stomach did not burst with butterflies to look him in the eye, her cheeks did not flush, she was simply as ease, able to acknowledge his incredible qualities, and yet that girlish flighty anxiousness was gone like it had never been there. It made her peculiarly relieved, to simply not want him like she had before. It was peaceful. She knew she had no future with him and he would never shake the way he felt for Fuyumi, so this was truly the clarity she had been wanting all along. She thanked the Anther for her good fortune in friends and hoped it was a sign of maturity.

And while she found that serenity within herself, Captain Katsuki discovered a growing impatience. He nudged his horse forward to come level with Mina and stare at her angrily. "What?"

Mina turned her fist to an aggressively pointed finger, jabbing roughly at him, not giving him a verbal response. Katsuki pursed his lips and huffed hot air, but was quiet as requested. Then the hand fell and a bright smile crossed Mina's lips as she spurred out onto the road to stop in the middle of it, facing away from Silgholme. Eijiro clung onto her for dear life, still unused to riding horses.

They all followed in a line, Tenya taking the rear to always watch Momo's back. They reined in to a halt around Mina and faced where she was looking.

"What's going on, you- Hey!"

Katsuki was cut off by Eijiro suddenly leaping off of the horse and running up the road towards a moving blob on the horizon.

"Where are you going?" shouted Katsuki.

Mina got her horse moving after him and waved them along behind her. "It's them. Better late than never!"

The living movement ahead of them was growing clearer by the second and Momo could make out the shapes of horses and riders. She had no idea how Mina had noticed them and knew it was them before they had even come within sight, but she guessed those prominent ears had a lot to do with it.

Captain Katsuki forced an angry expression as he followed casually after them, but the dip in his shoulders showed the relief he was trying to hide. Momo couldn't say she felt anything but some sympathetic relief for her companions as she didn't know these new people from any others. But when she saw the smallest, softest, most genuine smile forming on the corner of Shoto's lips Momo's heart dropped down to her belly.

He protected me. He saved me.

Momo went cold, looked to Tenya and then back to Shoto and realized what was happening inside of her again, only this time the circumstances could not have been worse.

Ochako was off her feet, lifted clear from the ground by the muscular arms of the dragon-made-man that spun her about and threatened to crush the girl's bones in his enthusiasm. She was in tears but managed to laugh at the same time. Shoto and his half of their separated group brought their horses to a halt facing the six horses and riders over the heads of the emphatic dragon and the bubbly Renegade Mage reunited in the center of it all.

"You're late!" Katsuki barked at them and Shoto fought the need to scowl at his rotten attitude. Couldn't he just be grateful they were alive and well?

Nana and Izuku were both in the midst of dismounting while Mina and Denki brought their horses close enough to hit the back of each other's hands together in a fond, but casual greeting. They truly had not been the least bit concerned over finding each other again, unlike the rest of them.

"Eh, you're all just impatient," Denki snickered, winking at the Captain and then full out smiling at Mina.

At the back of the group Kyouka remained firmly seated on her horse beside a shrouded man, hiding behind the cover of a hood. Shoto didn't recognize him, nor could he see his face to truly tell, but his suspicions were immediately alight and his joy at seeing his companions make it safely back to them took a backseat to the unsettled feeling in his chest.

"I can't believe you flew off like that! You could have died!" Ochako was in a fit when she finally touched ground again and the Dragon just kept smiling at her, "Do you have any idea how worried I have been!"

"Did you get a staff?" was Eijiro's uncouth response, spotting the long wooden piece strapped to the horse she'd leapt off of.

"Don't change the subject!"

But the subject wouldn't hold much longer when Izuku - who seemed no worse for wear after Shoto had nearly killed him two nights ago - slipped between them to grab Eijiro tightly by his shoulders and barrage him with questions over his wellbeing. He and Ochako were a matching set of relief and anxiety bursting out in innocent passion.

With a small pat on Ochako's shoulder, Nana kept walking past the three, fixated on Shoto as her eyes filled with a worry that was not relieved by seeing the faces of those she had been separated from. Even distracted by his questions over the newcomer, his priorities became muddled amidst an intense knot forming in his chest.

Shoto dropped off of his horse to meet Nana. There was so much to say. I'm happy to see you alive. Thank you for saving Izuku. Are you disappointed in me for the battle at the Pass? Can you forgive me for failing us?

But he didn't get out a word of it. His ability to speak vanished with the sudden press of a strong, caring body against his own and the strange security of arms squeezing around his back and shoulder, enveloping him. Nana had inadvertently crushed his injured arm in the embrace but he couldn't even feel it. He couldn't express any feeling except perhaps a warm pit in the middle of his stomach and an inability to move.

The embrace from his teacher was still slowly processing when she let him go and came to her senses. There was no regret or awkwardness from her over the act and her hands stayed firmly placed on his shoulders when she was finished. "Shoto, are you alright? Since the battle I couldn't stop thinking about what that Fallen Mage said and-"

Shoto's gut lunged. "Nana!" He said her name sharply and dared to pass a look behind him to the Queen and the Commander, who were watching all of them with distant curiosity. They cannot know. The Queen won't trust me if she knows. None of them will.

Luckily Nana was quick to understand his tone, letting it go as soon as it had come up, though he was certain this wouldn't be the end of it between them. He wasn't sure how much she, Ochako, or Izuku had heard or remembered of what was said between him, Touya and Natsuo, but he prayed that it was very little.

Nothing more had a chance to be said as Izuku took Nana's place, coming in for an unrequested hug before Shoto had the chance to swat him off. Izuku knew Shoto didn't like these sort of physical affections, but always seemed to get into his personal space anyway - although the relief at seeing Izuku well and alive after what Shoto had done to him almost made him forget his aversions. This one only lasted a moment though as Izuku's embrace came with a sharp pain in Shoto's arm and his light exclamation had Izuku scampering back.

"I'm so sorry, what happened to you?" Izuku fretted as Shoto gripped his arm, "Are you injured?"

"He's fine," Katsuki spoke for him, eyes dark and scowling across the menagerie of wandering horses and their reunited riders to glare at Kyouka and the darkly clad man at her side, "Who's that and what's he doing here?"

Even Ochako and Eijiro's fussy reunion was made silent by the question. It was clear by the hesitant looks passed around them that it was a touchy subject and none of them wanted to be the ones to explain. All except Kyouka, who returned the harsh look to Katsuki with folded arms, confident and aggressive.

"He's my responsibility, you don't have to worry about him."

"That's not what I asked."

Commander Tenya moved his horse a bit closer as the static heat between the Captain and the bard intensified. "All of you but this man have been vouched for already and we have found that acceptable, but for the sake of my Queen's safety I too must know what stranger you have brought among us."

Kyouka held that stubborn stare on Katsuki a moment longer and then gave Commander Tenya a kind nod. The shared mood between the Captain and bard was relentless, but seemed to have no affect on their attitudes towards others.

"His name is Fumikage Tokoyami. He was a Synod Mage and has since been afflicted by an Ethereal Demon. The Demon is under my control now and will only remain that way if I stay close to him or if an exorcist purges it and kills him. He is willing to help us in exchange for my help so he's coming with us to No Man's Land."

Not a word of it sounded real to Shoto and he had no idea how to react to it. He turned to Nana and Izuku, asking without words if what she was saying was true. They each nodded, Nana with acceptance and Izuku with a touch of shame.

"He's a little creepy, but he's a nice kid," Denki shrugged, leaning forward on his horse.

"He smells like the ether," Eijiro tilted his head at Fumikage Tokoyami, "Even worse than you."

As soon as Eijiro said it, Shoto could feel it too, the sense of unease he'd gotten immediately from Fumiakge and why. It reminded Shoto of the Honing Stone, but he could feel the ether ebbing off of Fumikage from ten feet away, when he couldn't feel the Stone in Nana's pocket a few inches in front of him.

Katsuki's jaw was tense, angry. The Commander beside him looked shocked and turned back to Queen Momo, uncertainly. She didn't seem any less surprised or uncomfortable than the rest of them.

"You approved of this?" Katsuki stabbed at Nana with disbelief, "I thought you were supposed to be the wise old lady who made informed decisions, not idiotic bleeding heart acts of charity!"

Nana crossed her arms up at him. "First of all, to an elf I'm practically a child, so you can cram the old lady talk. Second, when have I ever given you the impression that I'm calculated or have some pristine military mindset? If I did I certainly wouldn't have dragged your ass from the fronts. You were of clearly no value to me outside of being a 'bleeding hearts' charity case."

There was steam coming out of Katsuki's ears and he almost dismounted to turn this into a real fight, which Nana did not look serious enough to be inciting in the first place, but was interrupted by Ochako throwing up hands between them. Shoto found it surprising, but then he hadn't known the girl very well or very long.

"Hold on, the last thing we need is to start fighting after we've finally all made it back to each other!" Ochako's cheeks were very pink, but it was more out of ferocity than embarrassment.

Patting Ochako's shoulder, Nana dropped her mock offense to be serious again. "You're right, my dear, I shouldn't tease the Captain when there are bigger concerns to be had."

Katsuki sucked his teeth but settled back onto his horse.

While they had been passing uncouth words, Eijiro had wandered through the mess of horses and stopped in front of Kyouka and Fumikage, watching with a cocked head. Kyouka smiled easily at him, but the Mage beside her shifted uncomfortably. Shoto watched them every second, no longer hearing the bickering and apologies going on beside him. It was hard to pay attention to them when Eijiro's voice was in his head with a running commentary.

"Captain doesn't like the new fellow, does he smell ether on him too? He doesn't look scary, but he feels scared."

"He doesn't exactly look friendly." Shoto's lip turned down at the new Mage.

"He's small and fragile, how much harm could he do? Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"There's a voice inside of him."

"What do you want from me?" Fumikage's voice was not as Shoto expected. It was deep and rough, older than he seemed to be, but tight and cautious under the red gaze of a strange boy.

"It's alright," Kyouka assured him, "This is Eijiro. He's our friend."

As suddenly as a dam breaking Fumikage hands clamped against the sides of his head, inadvertently pushing his hood away from his face to reveal the tensed expression and deathly pallor of his skin. Everyone stopped what they were doing and what they were saying to get a look at the newcomer's face and to watch his frightful reaction which had come on so suddenly. Shoto reached for the staff strapped to his horse and the Commander and Captain had hands on their sword hilts.

"Don't!" Kyouka shouted, vicious and protective. She took the reins of Fumikage's horse and grabbed his hand, still pressed to his head, with her other. "What is it doing?"

Fumikage shook his head, "It senses something from him and it won't be silent. Make it be silent!"

"No. We talked about this, you have the power to quiet him, with even your internal voice. Just remember the tone and words. It's your mind and not the Demon's. You have to assert your power over it or else you will never be free of it."

The air itself felt darker than before, thicker on Shoto's lungs as he waited for something to snap and for the lot of them to be under attack by an unmatched Demon force. Even those that had vouched for him were tense and looking to each other with concern. The Commander put the Queen behind him and his sword was already drawn.

"Not here, not now!" Fumikage shook his head, "They do not trust me. They will never trust me."

"They will if you show you can keep the Demon under control," Kyouka remained the embodiment of calm, hardly even noticing the weapons and cautious looks pointed at them.

"What if I tried talking to it?" Eijiro asked Shoto.

"You can do that?" Shoto thought back.

"I hear its voice. It's no different than you. It's of the ether just like us and that connection is how Dragons communicate."

Shoto was sick to think of himself as being "of the ether". Did he truly believe it? If so, what would that make him? Unsalvageable, just like Hitoshi had said.

Shaking away his own conflicts, Shoto nodded to the Dragon. "If it will make him stop, then by all means."

Eijiro's voice went quiet in Shoto's head and suddenly the boy's red eyes were locked immovably onto Fumikage's. Fumikage was quiet too and for a heartbeat there was no sound, not even the rustle of the wind in the trees.

"What is happening?" Queen Momo asked while everyone else bated their breaths.

"Eijiro is attempting to speak to the Demon," Shoto explained.

Ochako became instantly enraged. "Why? What would make him think that was a good idea?"

A shake of the head was all Shoto could give her, unsure how to lessen her concerns or explain that he'd given Eijiro the go ahead for yet another dangerous endeavor. He had a lot to answer for and the list of things Ochako would need to shout at him over was getting exceptionally long.

"Jiro," Katsuki practically cursed the bard's name at her.

"Give him a minute! Trust me for once, won't you?" she snipped back, arms tense, trying to hold the unraveling Mage together.

"You're joking, right?"

"Katsuki, now is not the time."

"You're right. Now isn't the time, you're busy trying to get us killed. So when is the right time? Where do I schedule time to call you out on your bullshit when it's not inconvenient for you?"

"Fuck, why are you always like this? You're so intent on demonizing me you can't see past your own nose."

Katsuki laughed aloud, mirthless and bitter. Shoto's gut was twisted out of shape and the horses were stomping their feet, antsy and unhappy as the Dragon attempted to speak directly to a Demon and the bard and Captain had a shouting match over their heads. None of them had the gumption to interrupt or intervene, afraid of even moving amidst the rising tension.

"You are truly unbelievable. There's no difference in this world between you and that monster inside this Mage and you have the stones to ask me why I demonize you? For fuck's sake! It's just like you to play the damn victim!"

"That's not what I-"

"I should never have let you leave the fort. I should have sent an entire battalion after you. The fact that you walk free today is a travesty!"

"Shit, Katsuki, will you just-"

"Don't use my first name like we're friends. You know how much I despise you. You know I have every reason not to trust you. I hate being in the same room. I hate that you are even here. If it were up to me you would never have left Dawnsend. You'd be rotting in a cell or you'd be a bloody lump at the end of my sword. And it wouldn't be so damn frustrating if you didn't act like nothing ever happened! Fucking hell, you never even-"

"I'm sorry! Alright! Dammit all, I'm sorry! Is that what you want to hear? Because, damn it, I am."

Stunned silence dropped like a flood of rainwater over them all, but it was not from Kyouka's shouted apology. It was the harsh gasp from Fumikage and the slow opening of his eyes. He still seemed afraid and tense, but not in the heat of a power struggle this time. From the ground in front of him, Eijiro grinned widely and turned back to everyone.

"He agreed to settle down for now," Eijiro clasped his hands behind his back.

"He?" Ochako struggled to find words for a moment as she met the dragon in the middle of the road, inspecting him for injury like an anxious mother hen.

"The Demon," Eijiro nodded and then beamed back at Fumikage, "You were really amazing, I wish everyone could have seen how strong you were!"

Fumikage seemed to catch his breath most suddenly and he stared at Eijiro like he had never seen someone smile before. It was pure wonder and amazement.

"Th-thank you," Fumikage shuddered when he exhaled, "It is quiet now…"

In the moment of silence that followed, everyone breathed relief, except Katsuki who quickly spurred his horse and tugged the reins to make the animal turn back the way they had come.

"Everyone mount up, we've wasted too much time," he said coolly.

Looks of confusion were exchanged and the expression on Kyouka's face was unlike any Shoto had seen on her before. It was… remorseful? It didn't seem to fit the shouting match they'd just witnessed which had raised more questions than answered about the already shrouded past of those two.

"So you're letting Fumikage stay with us?" Kyouka yelled after him, her voice almost catching.

Katsuki reined in his horse and turned around to wave hand motions at the others to hurry up and do what they were told. They all responded to his threatening gestures and swung into their saddles, Eijiro opting to share Ochako's this time.

Katsuki then fixed Kyouka with a calm, but still unfriendly stare.

"He won out over the Demon, he can stay. But you better know what the fuck you're getting us into."