Disclaimer: Black Clover is owned by Yūki Tabata, Studio Pierrot, and Shonen Jump.
Saga 16: All Right Now
Kikka Town Outskirts, Common Realm, Clover Kingdom (Afternoon)
Outside of Kikka's walls, a caravan of merchant wagons were being pulled by oxen.
And by the carts were several Blue Rose Knights escorting the merchants.
"Again, me and my men can't thank you enough for escorting us." The head merchant spoke to Juniper.
"All part of our job as Magic Knights sir." Juniper saluted.
"Even though the caravan is composed nothing but smelly men..." Sol grumbled. "Noire."
"Yes milady?" The pigtailed girl in the Blue Rose Knights robe spoke out.
"I need a refill."
Noire then jumps into the Knight's ample bosom.
"Ahhh~" Sol sighed out as she was sniffing on Noire's hair. "Girls are truly better then stinky men~"
"So that's how her hugging strength is so strong..." Juniper mumbled as she twirled her auburn hair.
Juniper then takes a look around her surroundings, noticing a few things.
Noire was still glomping Sol, Cygnus was quiet and focused, Lyra was adjusting her harpstrings, and Cole was basically the team's pack mule, as evidenced by his broom carrying numerous bags (mostly Sol's).
Poor bastard.
Juniper then looks around for her surroundings.
So far, so good.
"Now that I think about it..." Juniper mumbled. "Do they really need protection-"
Her thoughts are then cut off upon seeing a group of mages flying towards them.
"Sol!" Juniper yelled out. "Mages! 3 o'clock!"
"Alright ladies! Look alive!" Sol yelled out. She then shifts her head side to side. "Alright, where are they comin' from?"
"I said 3 o'clock, ma'am." Juniper pointed out.
Sol then turns to her left.
"That's 9 o'clock."
She then turns 90-degrees to her left.
"That's 6 o'clock."
Another 90 degree leftward turn.
"AH!" Sol exclaimed. "I SEE EM'!"
"Please don't tell me..." Juniper groaned out.
Before she can finish her sentence, Noire gags her mouth with her hand.
"Don't." The twintailed Knight stated. "Just don't."
"Regardless." Cygnus spoke out. "Methinks that the enemy mages over are about to attack, and Sol has already charging in."
"[Earth Creation Magic: Rampaging Mother Earth]!" Sol then summons a giant golem of hardened earth and dashes toward the hostile mages. "ALRIGHT LADIES! TIME TO KICK SOME ASS!" The golem swings its massive fists, but the flying mages just get out of its way with ease.
"HOLD STILL DAMMIT!" Sol's golem then picks up a large boulder and tosses it towards the mages.
"[Chain Magic: Grappling Shackles]." Two mages then wraps the flying stone with their magic chains and slings it back towards Sol.
"LIKE THAT'D EVER WORK!" Her golem then punches the rebounded boulder to rubble. Behind the rubble, the mages were gone.
"Where the hell did they go!?" Sol shifted her head in all directions.
"MA'AM! ABOVE YOU-"
"[Chain Creation Magic: Titan Cage]." Large and heavy chains then bind Sol and the golem to the dirt.
"[Water Magic: Droplet Bombardment]." Giant water drops rain upon the trapped Magic Knight, dousing her in water.
"[Lightning Magic: Berserk Discharge]." Lightning then spreads out like a net upon the soaked Sol.
The spasmastic voltage then shocks the hapless Magic Knight unconscious.
The rouge mages then turn their attention toward the others.
"Alright then." Noire then stretches her neck. "Let's go ladies."
The Blue Rose Knights then open their grimoires.
"Please protect the merchandise!" The head merchant pleaded.
The four Magic Knights then fly towards the coming rouge mages.
"Ok..." Cole mumbled while he reached out his hand towards them. "... I'll just stay here then." He pouts while sitting on the floor.
He then sniffs the air.
"Just what the hell is that smell?"
Meanwhile, the Blue Rose Knights were approaching the rouges.
"[Spatial Magic: Trapdoor]!" Two separate portals appear, one above Noire's head, and the other below the unconscious Sol.
Sol drops into the portal and into Noire's arms.
"[Ice Magic: Howling Blizzard]." Cygnus then blows a massive blast of frozen air onto the rouges.
"[Water Magic: Tide Break]." The rouge mage then spouts out a massive wave of water in front of his compatriots, blocking the blizzard by freezing it into a ice in the caster's place.
"Just as I've predicted." Lyra states in a monotone voice as she opens her grimoire. "[Pulse Magic: Phonic Break]." She then strums a tune from her harp.
The wall of frozen water then shatters like glass.
"Where did they go?" Juniper stated as she sees that the rouges were not behind the wall.
"LYRA! ABOVE YOU!" Noire points upwards toward the sky.
The rouges were descending from the sky with their grimoires open.
"[Chain Creation Magic: Dead Weight Presser]." Two [Chain Magic] users summon gigantic chained weights from the above.
"[Water Magic: Drowning God's Prison]." A massive ball of water descends toward the Magic Knights.
"[Lightning Magic: Tempest Pillar]." A huge bolt of lightning speeds toward their heads.
"Hmph, sloppy." Noire huffed out.
The attacks then hit their mark.
"LYRA! NOIRE! CYGNUS! SOL! JUNIPER!" Cole yells out as he scrambles back to his feet.
"Oh relax, we're fine, you big baby." A familiar voice called out.
Cole then looks towards his rear, seeing a portal open up behind him, revealing the aforementioned Magic Knights coming out of it.
"[Spatial Magic: Safe Space]." Noire declared. "Don't assume we're dead from that attack, pack mule."
"YOU SCARED ME HALF TO DEATH!" Cole yelled out.
"Well that's because you never had any combat experience." Cygnus stated.
"AND WHO'S FAULT IS IT, HUH!?" Cole yelled out while ripping off the bag straps over his shoulders. "BECAUSE LAST TIME I CHECKED, I'M THE ONE BEING WEIGHED DOWN BY CARRYING ALL OF YOUR SHIT!"
He then opens his grimoire.
"For once, let me do something meaningful for this squad, because I am not going to spend the rest of my life with you guys cleaning up after you!"
Wind then concentrates to the palm of his hand.
"[Wind Magic: Stream Shot]!" Cole flicks his finger, sending a buckshot of wind toward the four rouges.
One of them knocks them off of their broom.
"[Lightning Magic] user is down." Cole stated. "I'll snipe from the rear, you guys get in there and kick some ass."
"Sound plan." Juniper replies. "Any complaints?"
"Allow me." Lyra states. She then opens her grimoire.
"[Pulse Magic: Flatliner]."
She then strums her harp, letting out a shrill note that fills the air.
The remaining three rouge mages go numb and keel off of their brooms.
"Cygnus." Lyra spoke out. "Our finisher."
"Yes, let's." Cygnus opens her grimoire.
"Behold..." Lyra utters out.
"... Our power!" Cygnus cries out.
"[Ice & Pulse Compound Magic: Swan Song]!"
The falling mages are encased in a block of ice by Cygnus's aria.
With one last strum from Lyra's harp, the glacier shatters along with the mages encased in it.
"And that's that." Cygnus dusted off her hands.
"Umm... Miss Aurora?" Juniper points upward.
The remainder blocks of ice then falls from the air and onto the wagons, breaking a part of the main cart, spilling its goods...
... And a human leg.
"YOU IDIOTS!" The head merchant cried out. "I TOLD YOU TO PROTECT MY MERCHANDISE! NOT DESTROY-"
"Hey..." Cole spoke out, pointing toward the leg. "Is that a person!?"
"I-I-I-I assure you!" The head merchant stuttered out while he was blocking the male Magic Knight's view. "I-It's nothing! Really!"
"Bullshit." Juniper stated. "You're all hiding something, aren't you?"
Meanwhile, Sol slowly wakes up.
"Uhh?" The Knight mumbled. "... Did I miss somethin'?"
"Well, we fended off a group of errant mages that were trying to raid the caravan, but methinks that we might've stumbled into something a little bigger." Noire stated.
"What do you mean by that, huh?" Sol moaned out.
"I don't think these merchants are just ordinary merchants."
"Move aside." Cole then shoves the boss aside and digs through the rubbish, revealing an unconscious nude woman with a black metal collar around her neck.
Cole then sniffs the air, the putrid air begin stronger in his nose.
"Someone help me out!" Cole stated.
Without a word, Juniper rushes to his side.
With that in mind, the two then dig through the planks, uncovering more collared women.
The more they dig, the more the putrid becomes the stench.
The stench of piss and feces.
"Shit..." Cole uttered. "What the hell is going on here!?"
"The fact that now you all now know too much." The boss spoke out from behind.
At that moment, all other merchants jump up from their carts and open their grimoires.
"What the hell's going on here!?" Sol cried out upon seeing their clients turn on them.
"I think we uncovered a human trafficking ring and now they're going to try to kill us." Noire stated while she opens her grimoire.
"Shit..." Sol cursed. "Those guys back there did me in real good..." She grunted in pain.
"I have to say." The boss stated to the male Blue Rose Knight. "For a pack mule, you're quite observant, aren't you?"
"No." Cole answered. "I just have a really weird luck running into things that I don't want to find out about."
"But how did you pick up the scent of the women I wonder?" The boss rubs his chin. "Pah who cares. There's thirty of us and only half of you lot are in any condition to resist."
The boss then turns toward his underlings. "Alright! Kill the pack mule, but I want the women alive!"
Before the traffickers can charge in, the remaining brigand mage, the [Lightning Magic] user, jumps out behind the wagon, with its grimoire open.
"[Lightning Magic: Thunder Lash]." A whip of electricity then lashes toward the boss and the two Knights.
"LOOK OUT!" Cole then knocks Juniper away from the thunderbolt, striking him and the boss in her stead.
"COLE!" Juniper cried out.
The brigand mage then continues to attack. "[Lighting Magic: Berserk Discharge]."
Masses of thunderbolts dance out of the brigand, shocking the rest of the traffickers indiscriminately.
"Wait..." Juniper realized. "What about the-"
"Already got em'." Besides Noire, the captured women were transported to her one at a time. "[Spatial Magic: Intervention]." She then turns toward the [Lightning Magic] user. "[Spatial Binding Magic: Lock & Key]." The brigand is then trapped in a translucent cube.
"Thank you, Miss Blanche!" Juniper spoke out.
"No prob." She replied. "Go nuts, new kid."
"RIGHT!" Juniper then opens her grimoire. "[Leaf Magic: Cultivation]!"
"You think..." The boss coughed out. "A few leaves will take us out!?" He then slings his arm around Cole's neck. "One wrong move, and your little pack mule dies."
"Trust me." Juniper sneered. "I don't need to move."
The boss then feels something underneath his clothes.
"What the hell!?" The boss cried out. "Why-WHY DOES IT FEELS S-SO ITCHY!?"
The boss releases Cole, and flails around the ground while scratching all over himself.
Along with every other trafficker, who are also scratching themselves like dogs infested with ticks, fleas, and lice.
"If you've just let me finish, then I would've of told you." Juniper stated.
"THEN WHAT THE HELL IS IT!?" The boss yells out.
"[Poison Ivy]."
The traffickers then start screeching and clawing as their skin starts to form red patches as they roll around the dirt.
"GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!"
"Only if you and your little ring come with us, quietly."
Meanwhile, Sol herself was stomping on one of the trafficker's balls.
"I'll apprehend them." Cygnus then opens her grimoire. "[Ice Binding Magic: Ugly Duckling's Nest]."
The thirty traffickers are sucked into the vacuum of cold air, which then forms into a basket of ice containing the now restrained traffickers.
"Aw c'mon!" Sol cried out. "I wasn't done with the bastard!"
"Leave the rest to the officials, Miss Marron." Noire replied. "As for you Cole." She then approaches the male Magic Knight.
"Yes?" The young man turns around.
"For a pack mule, you didn't do too badly." She huffed.
"Like I said." He responded. "Let me do something meaningful for this squad other then clean up after you guys. Not all men are perverts and scum as you perceive to be."
"Come on." Cygnus spoke to Noire. "The basket ain't going to carry itself to the officials."
"Right, of course." Noire opens her grimoire. "[Spatial Magic: Message in a Bottle]."
A magical bottle encases the basket, shrinking to a size that she can fit into her hand.
"Send: Wizard King's office. Message: 'Merchant caravan that the Blue Roses were assigned to escort turned out to be a part of a human trafficking ring. Rescued kidnapped women found under cart floorboards. Apprehend them immediately'."
The bottle engraved with the message on it and the traffickers inside it disappears from her hand.
"Now then." She then turns to her [Lock & Key]. "What to do with-"
Before Noire can finish, the [Lightning Magic] user then disintegrates to dust, right down to the clothes that the brigand was wearing.
"WHAT THE HELL!?" Juniper cried out. "DID THE BANDIT JUST DISINTEGRATE!?"
The Blue Rose Knights stand in shock.
"Now that I think about it..." Cygnus uttered. "The bandits weren't found after [Swan Song]. I mean, the combination spell is powerful, but not strong enough to cause cryonic failure."
"Whatever it was." Lyra spoke while adjusting her harpstings. "The fact that it doesn't change the fact that we've fulfilled our objective as Magic Knights."
"So all's that ends well, ends well?" Juniper stated.
"I guess." Cole spoke out. "So anyone know how to wake them up?"
"I got it." Juniper then opens her grimoire. "[Leaf Recovery Magic: Aromatherapy-Peppermint]."
A sharp yet refreshing scent fills the air, rousing everyone up from their tired state.
Except for the freed women.
"What the..." Cole then approaches the women.
"HEY! HEY! HEY!" Sol yelled out. "JUST WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKIN' OF DOIN'!?"
"THE COLLARS!" Cole yelled back. "THEY'RE BLOCKING OUT ALL MANA PASSING THROUGH IT!"
"So that's why..." Juniper then shuts off her magic. "Cole, how strong are you?"
"Built up a few pounds of muscle during my years carrying around the other Knights's stuff. Why?"
"We're removing them by hand." Juniper replied. She then grabs onto the collars and tries to pull them apart.
Cole then approaches Juniper. "I'll grab one end, you grab the other."
"Got it!" Juniper then moves to the left side of the women.
"Ready? Now pull!" The two then tug on the collar apart.
With a sharp *pang* sound, the collar comes off of the woman's neck.
The woman slowly wakes up.
"Hmm... where am I-"
She then looks down to find herself nude, on which she then tries to cover herself.
Cole then rips off a tarp from one of the wagons and tosses it to the awakened woman.
"So." Cole then turns to the other Knights. "Who's up for physical labor?"
Unknown Location, Diamond Kingdom (Afternoon)
"Milord. Prototype Units #62 to #66 have been disposed of."
"Hmph. They've held out longer than I've expected."
"Well, they were once part of the Diamond Kingdom's elite guards."
"Whom all of them I've disposed of personally and turned the rest to test subjects."
"Yes, milord. Permission to send the Early Production Units #1 to #5 out for field testing?"
"Negative. Wait until the commotion dies down. In the meantime, get mass-production of the General-Purpose Units #1 to #50 started."
"Understood milord."
Blue Rose Knights Base, Common Realm, Clover Kingdom (Evening)
"So let me get this straight." Captain Charlotte spoke in a stern tone. "The merchant caravan that you five were escorting were attacked by four rouge mages, Sol went in and got incapacitated from her recklessness, Cole discovers that the same merchant caravan that you were guiding happened to be slavers, Cygnus and Lyra apprehends the slavers while Juniper and Cole rescues the captured women, and after Noire delivers the slavers to the Wizard King directly in bottle, out of all things, find that the brigand mages all but disappeared after being defeated."
"Not disappeared, Captain." Juniper stated. "Disintegrated, as in, the bandit turned to dust, on his own."
Captain Charlotte then slumps on her seat.
"Sorry big sis..." Sol grumbled out.
"Like I told you several times, call me 'Captain'." Captain Charlotte scolded.
"Sorry sis..." Sol spoke out.
"I guess there's no cure for your stupidity, Miss Marron." Cole snarked.
"YOU WANNA GO, YOU SON OF A BITCH!?" Sol the picks up the male Magic Knight by his collar. "JUST WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU CALLING STUPID, HUH!?"
"Then tell me, Sol." Cole spoke out. "What's my name?"
Sol then winds back her fist and flings it towards his face, striking his face.
"I don't even bother with disgusting men like you." Sol then drops Cole onto the floor.
"And no one likes a uncouth person, whether man or woman." Cole spoke through his bleeding nose.
"WHY YOU-"
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Captain Charlotte then opens her grimoire. "[Thorn Binding Magic: Snaring Brambles]!"
Both Cole and Sol were dangled up in the air, upside-down by their ankles.
"Listen up you two." The Captain snarled. "I've just had it with the two of you making a ruckus around here!"
"But sis..." Sol stuttered out. "Why you're blaming me for it?"
"If it makes you feel any better." Cole spoke to Sol. "I'm about to receive the same amount of ass-whooping as you are."
Sol then flails from her snares.
"Sol. Cole." The Captain glares at both Sol and Cole. "You left me with no choice."
"PLEASE TELL ME-" Sol panicked.
Then tears start streaming from her eyes.
"PLEASE DON'T KICK ME OUT OF THE SQUAD-"
"[Thorn Creation Magic: Tough Love Cuffs]!"
A pair of manacles bound to Sol's right wrist and Cole's left wrist.
"Sol." Charlotte glares at the trembling Magic Knight. "Out of all the Knights in the Blue Roses, you were the most problematic in terms of overall behavior."
"What do mean, sis!?" Sol stuttered out. "I-I've done nothing wrong!"
Meanwhile, Cole just rolls his eyes, as he's resigned to this position long ago.
"Your rampant and immature hatred of men, while understandable, it also has been promoting more of your... unacceptable behavior." The Captain sighed out. "You always charge in headfirst without regard to your other teammates, you tend to bully the male members of this squad more than the others, and every time I try and correct you, you insist on calling me 'sis', not 'Captain', while we're on the job."
"AND WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT!?" Sol cried out.
"I'll put it in a way that you might understand." Captain Charlotte then clears her throat. "Sol, your actions and behavior up to this point have made clear that you're no better then the 'filthy men' that you despise."
Upon hearing those words, all color on Sol's face fades to white.
"As for you, Cole." The Captain then turns to Cole. "Out of all the male members here, you were the most prone to speaking out against your superiors."
"Captain, permission to rebuke?" Cole stated.
"Make it quick."
"Thank you." Cole then clears his throat. "I'm an advocate for gender equality."
"And does that excuse your behavior?" The Captain retorts.
"No, but at least I'm telling you on how I preserved my sense of dignity over the past three years in this squad." Cole bites out.
"Elaborate." The Captain stated.
"Well here it goes." Cole sighed out. "Twelve years prior joining this squad, I was just some slum rat crawling around in this stinking town who had a father that left the family, a mother who slowly fell into alcoholism and debt, and an older sister who died from my mother's drunken beatings."
"My god..." Juniper muttered out.
"I was ten when the old hag died of disease, and I was left to fend for myself." Cole continued. "I took up various odd jobs, banditry, mugging, whatever it took for me to survive in this filthy world. Then during one day, I was walking around town, heading to the chapel in the middle of the town for a confession before I turn myself in to the authorities, but then, I saw a child falling from the roof. With my [Wind Magic: Updraft], I managed to catch him before he could really hurt himself."
Cole then snickers out slightly.
"Little did I know that a Noblewoman was nearby, and I accidentally flipped up her skirt." Cole sneered out. "So of course, me, a commoner street rat that tried to save another commoner boy, and her."
His thumb points toward Sol.
"A girl from a Noble family and a Magic Knight to boot." He laughed out. "I was lucky that I ended up in indentured servitude in this squad."
"So why didn't you leave?" Captain Charlotte asked.
"What can I say?" Cole answered. "It beats prison. And even though I were to walk free, there are other people that I've pissed off in the past and they really want my head."
"Like I said, I do whatever it takes to survive." Cole answered. "And if it means to take crap from the same woman who got me into this mess in the first place, then yeah, I'll live as long as I live."
"WAIT!?" Sol cried out. "THAT WAS YOU!?"
"What can I say?" Cole spat out. "I just have a really weird luck running into things that I don't want to find out about. And yet, here we are. eye to eye, and you none the wiser."
"YOU'RE CALLING ME AN IDIOT AGAIN!?" Sol then flails her arms toward Cole's direction.
"PLEASE STOP IT!" Juniper cried out.
The whole office goes into shocked silence at Juniper's outburst.
"Miss Marron. Mister Evans." Juniper spoke out. "If you keep holding onto your grudges, then you not only fail as Magic Knights, but as people as well." Then tears start coming out of her eyes.
"I do not care if you're a Magic Knight or an ex-crook." She teared out. "All people live. And living is more then surviving!"
The whole office goes silent again.
"Just what do you know..." Sole muttered under breath. "JUST WHAT THE HELL DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ME!?"
"SOL!" The Captain yelled out. "I'm imposing a gag order."
The briers then wrap around Sol's mouth, gagging her.
"Both of you are remaining bound together until further notice, understood?"
"Yes ma'am." Cole stated as he and Sol were slowly let down from the ceiling.
During the who conversation, Cygnus fainted on her feet, Lyra was wearing a blank expression on her face, and Noire was pinching her temples upon seeing the mess.
"Sol and Cole will be denied of their reward due to their misbehavior, and the rest of you will have you payments cut by 20%. Acceptable?"
The four Knights nod.
"Dismissed."
The four Magic Knights with the other two bound together, with one crying, and the other looking dead inside.
Demon's Base, Clover Kingdom (Late Afternoon)
*BANG*
The shot from the Tanegashima cracks the stone in front of its barrel.
"Well milord." Phenex asked. "How is it?"
"Dunno." Astaroth surmised. "I mean, sure. It packs a mean punch, the range is really good, but it feels... kinda unwieldy for me."
"Yeah, I can see that." Leif remarked. "The trajectory ain't a straight line."
Astaroth then looks at the dented rock.
The mark was on the rockface's upper-left, not the dead center that he was aiming for.
"Prince Astaroth." Leif asked. "Can I give that weapon a go?"
"I dunno." Astaroth muses. "You know how to aim with it?"
"Worth a shot." Leif then takes the Tanegashima from Astaroth.
The dark elf boy first adds the black powder into the chamber, loads a lead ball into the muzzle, pulls back the flint and steel hammer, points the barrel toward the rock, steadies his posture and breathing, right before he pulls the trigger.
*BANG*
Dead center.
Leif turns around and gives the Demons a v-sign.
"Hey Phenex." Astaroth spoke to the elderly Fallen Angel next to him. "Can you let him have the... the..."
"... The Tanegashima, milord?" Phenex replied.
"Well, I don't see myself using that anytime soon." The Prince stated. "I'm more of a hands-on kind of guy."
"Hohoho." The Demon chuckles. "If the Princes says, then the Prince commands!" He then turns to Leif. "Take good care of it, you hear?"
"Permission to name it, Prince Astaroth?" Leif's eyes glittered.
"It's yours, so why the hell not?" The Prince answered.
"Then I'll name this weapon 'Dáinsleif'!" Leif proclaimed as he raised his named Tanegashima into the air.
Hage Village, Forsaken Realm, Clover Kingdom (Evening)
"Hey everyone!" Nash bursts through the chapel door with an envelope in hand.
"Nash-nii!" Recca, Aruru, and Hollo rush to their current oldest sibling.
"Is that?"
"Yep!" Nash nodded. "A letter from Yuno-nii!"
"Yay!" The kids cried out.
"Oh my." Sister Lily appears from the rear rooms. "What do we have here?"
"Sister!" The kids cried out as they rushed to her side.
"Yuno-nii sent us a letter!"
"Here! Look!" Nash then shoves the envelope to Sister's face.
"Alright! Alright!" She then snatches the letter, opens the seal, and she begins to read it.
To everyone back in Hage,
I finally became a Magic Knight after passing the exams, and the squad that I've joined was the Black Bulls.
I could've easily joined the Golden Dawn, but if I did that, I would lose Asta and myself from all the glitz and gold.
So upon joining the squad, I've got to meet lots of new people.
First was Captain Yami Sukehiro, a foreigner from the East who ended up in the Clover Kingdom that worked his way up to being Captain after the Clover-Diamond War.
He's a little rough around the edges, but compared to the nobles, he's at least honest compared to them.
Then there's Vice-Captain Magna Swing. Like Captain Yami, he's also a bit of a roughneck himself, but the guy has a heart of gold and a sense of honor like no other.
Next is Finral Roulacase. A self-proclaimed ladies man, but in all honesty, he's hopeless.
With that said, he's still my senior and overall, I don't think he's like the typical noble.
Then there's Vanessa Enoteca. She's a witch from the Witch's Forest, and despite holding onto the neck of a wine bottle every time I see her, she's a kind enough person to be around.
I'll wait until I'm 21 until I accept her drinks, don't worry.
Then there's Luck Voltia. He's a few years older than me, despite looking a lot younger than me.
With that said, I'm a little terrified of him, for he's honestly the most bloodthirstiest person that I've ever met.
I'll wait until I get a little stronger until I can talk to him eye to eye.
Or at least, strong enough to not have my head separated from my neck.
Then there's Charmy Pappitson, the self-proclaimed gourmet of the Clover Kingdom.
She's a really nice person, cooks for the whole squad with her magic, and all in all, a really sweet person.
Oh, and she eats enough food to make even the most well-fed of Royalty puke.
Then there's Gauche Adlai.
Unlike Vice-Captain, who only looks like a thug, this person was once one. But it turned out to be that he had to provide for his younger sister before he became a Magic Knight, so while I can sympathize with him, it doesn't change the fact that I've unwittingly signed up to put my life before his sister's against my will.
God help me if I get on his bad side.
Then there's Grey.
He's the kind of guy who just stands in the corner and rarely speaks, but he's a nice enough person.
Then there's Gordon Agrippa.
He only looks terrifying, but he's a genuinely nice person and he's a good friend to my new friend that I've met during the exams.
And finally, there's Jericho Platina, the guy I've met during the exam, and an ex-royalty.
The guy's the human embodiment of chivalry and aspires to be a diplomat for the Clover Kingdom so that he may end the hostile relations between Clover and Diamond Kingdoms.
Also, he's built like a castle. He's ripped.
And he's not afraid to throw a punch to anyone that harms a woman, or insults his mullet.
Oh, I forgot to mention Noelle Silva.
She's a noble that I've faced during the exams, and also joined the same squad that I've joined, but I get a feeling that she didn't have a choice in the matter.
She's a little insensitive, but she also has a lot of problems that she's bottled up inside her.
Me beating her twice didn't help matters. I just hope that I can help her out in the end.
Well, that's all I have to say about my new life.
I wish you guys all my luck.
- Yuno
P.S.: I just finished my first mission with the Black Bulls.
Here's half of my pay for the well that we planned back a year back.
The orphans look at the sack with the yuls inside.
"SORRY IF I'M LATE!" Father Orsi burst out of the door, ruining the moment. "Eh? Is that a letter from Yuno?"
"Yes." Sister Lily nodded.
"WELL, HOW IS MY BOY!?"
Sister Lily smiles. "He's in good hands."
Kikka Town, Common Realm, Clover Kingdom (Morning)
Yuno, Noelle, Jericho, and Vanessa were walking in the bustling marketplace of Kikka Town.
"Here we are!" Vanessa, now dressed in clothing, states. "Welcome to Kikka Town!"
Around the Magic Knights were civilian and Magic Knights alike that were shopping in the stalls for food, gifts, or magic tools.
Yuno catches eye on Magna heading into one of the bigger magic shops with the sign "Flying Witch" with Crazy Cyclone in hand, Finral was flirting with women passing by him, with varying results, Gauche was flying on his broom with bags gifts and toys hanging from it.
A drop of blood drips onto Noelle's robe.
"Gross..." She then tries to wipe the blood off with her handkerchief.
Yuno then spots Grey transforming into a petite blue-haired woman, sneaking herself into a shop. Gordon himself went inside of a tea shop to buy more tea leaves. Then there's Charmy, eating what it seems to be an amalgamation of bread, tomatoes, cheese, pasta, beef steak, rice, shrimp, hamburger steak, salmon, and more cheese on top.
It was like watching a slaughter. So terrifying, yet impossible to look away from.
"So!" Vanessa spoke out. "What do you guys want to buy today?"
"I think I need a field kit, extra pairs of leather gloves, a utility knife, a pair of tinted-lenses goggles, and other things that would prove to be useful on the next mission." Jericho stated.
"I need something that would help me control my magic." Noelle stated.
"I need something that can record images and a few Moguro leaves for potions." Yuno stated.
"Tools are that way, Moguro leaves are in the tea shop, and as for you Noelle, wait for those two before we get started." Vanessa states.
Noelle nods as Yuno and Jericho make their way to their respective locations.
Meanwhile at Flying Witch, Magna was in a factory-looking warehouse where brooms were being custom-made by commissioned artisans and craftsman.
One of the commission craftswomen, a woman with dirty blue overalls and a dusty white shirt under it, and a red bandanna wrapped her head with a few strands of lavender hair jutting out underneath, approaches to the Magic Knight.
"Hey sis." Magna spoke to the craftswoman.
She then smacks Magna in the face. "I thought I told you already, I ain't coming back to Rayaka-"
"RAYAKA VILLAGE IS DEAD!" Magna yelled out to her sister.
"... What?" The woman whispered out.
"Everyone..." Magna bit out. "Everyone's gone... The whole village was burnt to the ground..."
The woman sighs out, not knowing what to do with this recent turmoil.
"Hey Angra!" The foreman from the distance yelled out. "Another commission for you!"
Angra sighs out. "... Wait here for a bit, okay Magna?"
Magna slumps on his Crazy Cyclone that he brought with him.
Outside, Yuno and Jericho return to Noelle and Vanessa with bags in hand.
"Alright!" Vanessa claps her hands. "Now shall we head to Noelle's destination?"
The two youths nod as the four make their way.
On their way, Yuno overhears a few people gossiping about them.
"Hey..."
"Aren't they the Black Bulls?"
"Ugh, they look so mismatched..."
"Get away, get away from them..."
"Kind of a shame that they have fine-looking girls with equally fine-looking men..."
"That's what you expect from the Clover Kingdom's worst squad..."
"Ignore them." Jericho states.
"I've heard nothing." Yuno states.
"Keep it that way."
The four then stop in front of a brick wall.
"We're here!"
"Um, Vanessa." Yuno speaks out. "That's a wall."
She then goes through the wall like if it wasn't there.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" Vanessa stuck her head out through the "wall". "Come inside!"
The rest of the Black Bulls follow the witch.
Yuno, Jericho, and Noelle then find themselves in an alleyway with stalls and other vendors.
"Welcome to the Black Market!" Vanessa addressed the group in this dark, yet lively alleyway. "In here, you'll find the kind of items that the normal stores won't sell. The items that they sell here are a little temperamental, but nonetheless, they're pretty powerful."
"Yo Vanessa!" One of the underground vendors spoke out. "I've got new items smuggled straight from the Spade Kingdom in my inventory! Stop by later, ya hear?"
"Yeah! I'll have a look later!" Vanessa waved to the elderly vendor.
She then turns toward the other Black Bulls. "So you guys want to take a look around?"
"I try anything new, provided if we don't run into any sort of trouble." Jericho shrugged.
Yuno just nods.
"Come with me, Noelle." Vanessa then grabs the silver-haired girl's wrist. "Don't get lost, you hear?"
"I know! I know!" She struggled to keep up with her.
The two male Black Bulls are now left to themselves.
"Holler if you run into trouble, you hear?" Jericho stated.
"Yeah." Yuno then walks towards the alleyway while Jericho takes the same direction where Noelle and Vanessa went.
As Yuno walks by the alleyway, he then sees a familiar-looking person accompanied by one male and one female, handcuffed together.
"June!" Yuno runs toward the girl.
"Oh?" She then turns around to see a close friend. "Yuno! It's been a while!"
"I guess." He then looks at the handcuffed duo.
Upon closer inspection, the cuffs seemed to be made of thorns, with small cuts and pricks around their wrists.
"So, who are they?" Yuno asked.
"Fellow Blue Rose Knights. Got into trouble after one of them punched the other in the nose while the other heckled her to no end." Juniper gestured toward the downtrodden duo. "Apparently, we're here to gather information for our next mission. Also, I'm their babysitter."
"So soon?" Yuno spoke.
"Guess that's being a Magic Knight for ya." Juniper sighed out. "Also, I've got your letter, but I never had the chance to read it."
"I've read yours." Yuno stated. "You seem like you're in good hands."
"Heh. You're not wrong." Juniper then sees the handcuffed duo kicking each other's shins.
While that happens, the thorny cuffs around their wrists begins to tighten, digging the briers into their skin and bone, causing them to stop upon registering the pain.
"... I'll see you soon." Juniper then takes the two Magic Knights towards elsewhere.
"DAMMIT! NOT AGAIN!"
Yuno then hears a familiar voice. He then turns his attention upon a small table occupied by a Green Mantis Magic Knight and an old lady holding cards with a huge sack of yuls next to her.
"Hohoho. I have the ability to see the future." The elderly woman boasted.
"I'LL GET YOU FOR THIS LATER!" The running man then bumps into Yuno.
"HEY ASS-" The man stops himself upon seeing Yuno's face.
"Oh... it's you, bah-ha." The Magic Knight trembled.
"Wait." Yuno paused. "What's you name again?"
"IT'S SEKKE! BAH-HA!" Sekke yelled out in frustration.
"Oh sorry." Yuno stated. "You were the one who puked in your own marble."
"BAH-HA!?" Sekke exclaimed in a dumbfounded tone. Before he can say anything, his eyes turn toward the two female Magic Knights.
Noelle and Vanessa.
Sekke then dashes toward the two like a bolt of lightning.
"Hello fair maidens!" Sekke greeted towards the two. "Just what fair maidens like you two doing here in such a place like this? Why, I shall be the one to escort you two out of her-"
A kick lands right between Sekke's legs, again.
"BAH-HA!?" Sekke gasps out. "Not my bah-halls again..."
"Sorry about that." Juniper then shows up behind the two Black Bulls. "Looked like that guy was bothering you two."
"Thanks." Vanessa stated.
"Yeah. Thanks..." Noelle meekly spoke out.
"Fancy running into you two again." Jericho then shows up behind Yuno and Juniper.
"Wow! Small world, ain't it?" Juniper exclaimed.
"To be fair, the Black Market is rather cramped." Jericho stated. "Oh, by the way. I've heard words of a purse snatcher flying around here-"
"NO! MY WINNINGS!" An elderly voice cried out.
"[Wind Creation Magic: Bandit's Wind Cloud]!" A man flying on a cloud with a bag of yuls in hand soars by the group of Magic Knights.
The snatcher then tries to take what Jericho was holding onto, but the bandit instead gets clotheslined off of his flying cloud by Jericho's bulk, sending the bag of yuls flying off of his arms, scattering gold everywhere.
By complete accident, mind you.
"Found him." Jericho looked down at the fallen purse snatcher. "Oh, and here." He then hands a package to Noelle.
"What is it?" Noelle stated while she was unwrapping the package.
Revealed in the wrappings was a silver wand with a eagle motif on it.
"Apparently, the residents in the Spade Kingdom are liberal in their use of conduits other than grimoires." Jericho stated. "That one, I had to haggle for it and managed to get it for 45% of its original price-"
The bandit then wakes up, snatches Noelle's wand from her hands, and makes a run for it with his [Bandit's Wind Cloud].
"Bah-ha! Fear not!" Sekke suddenly springs up back to his feet. "I shall retrieve it for you!" He then opens his grimoire. "[Bronze Creation Magic: Sekke Shooting Star]!"
"OH GOD!" Noelle averts her gaze as Vanessa gives a thumbs-down to his tacky vehicle.
"Allow me to assist." Jericho then opens his grimoire. "[Platinum Creation Magic: Highway Star]!"
A hog motorcycle made of bright platinum is mounted by Jericho.
"Ripoff!" Sekke then speeds off in his vehicle.
Jericho then takes off with his own, surpassing Sekke in a matter of moments.
"NO FAIR!" Sekke shouted out. "WHY'S EVERYONE KEEP SHITTING ON ME TODAY!?"
Jericho then passes the bandit, cutting him off.
The bandit then goes up into the air, only to be met by Yuno.
"[Wind Magic: Towering Tornado]." The bandit is then sent flying off of his cloud and lands in front of Jericho.
The snatcher then tries to pull out his dagger, but the Black Bull kicks it out of his hands before restraining him.
The eagle wand then drops onto the floor.
"Wait a minute!" Sekke declared loudly. "I was the one who was supposed to catch the purse snatcher!"
The snatcher then tries to get away, but Jericho stomps on his calf's back, pinning the poor bastard down with his own weight.
"And besides." Sekke's voice then begins to soften. "If Captain Jack finds out that the other squad caught the bandit, he's probably going to make mincemeat of me..."
Jericho rolls his eyes as he then hands the downed bandit to the pitiful Magic Knight. "I hope this will make you feel better... or at least not tempt you to commit suicide by Magic Knight Captain..."
"Bah-ha!" Sekke's attitude then goes 180 as he places the captured brigand. "Well why thank you for your cooperation!"
The four Black Bulls and the three Blue Roses watch with a collective blank expressions on their faces as the Green Mantis rides off with his objective.
"In hindsight, I pity him." Jericho surmised.
"For me, he's too pitiful to be pitiable." Noelle addressed.
"I'm surprised that he's even trying." Vanessa pointed out.
"Seriously Sol, if you're going to punch someone in the face-owowowowowowow-" Cole stops as the cuff around his wrist begins to dig into his flesh and bone.
Yuno meanwhile, just remains indifferent to all of this.
"You gonna say anything?" Juniper spoke to Yuno.
"Sorry. Can't think of any."
To Be Continued...
Author's Notes: This is meant to be a filler chapter and a beginning of an original subplot B.
In short, the original arc will be planned as Juniper's own story. This original story arc will focus on expanding the characterization of the Blue Rose Knights and make them slightly more relevant (Original Characters, canon personality expansions, and whatnot).
I dunno, just a thought that I had floating around.
But all of that and more will come after the Dungeon Exploration Arc.
But still, this chapter was another brutal one to write. Can't wait for the Dungeon Exploration Arc.
So, the recap;
Juniper's first mission as a Blue Rose is successful, at the cost of unearthing a few unsavory things from both sides.
The Diamond Kingdom is experimenting with new "Units".
Captain Charlotte now has enough of Sol's crap and reprimands her... by handcuffing her to another guy.
Astaroth gifts the prototype matchlock rifle to Leif, the new ambassador of the Dark Elves, who than dubs it "Dáinsleif".
Hage Orphanage gets a letter from Yuno.
Kikka happens, with Magna meeting up with his runaway older sister to tell her the grim news of her birth village and family.
Noelle gets a different wand early, courtesy of Jericho.
... And everyone else is acting the same as usual.
Hypothetical Voices (for funsies):
Cole Evans: Ryota Ohsaka (JPN), Matthew Mercer (ENG)
Noire E. Blanche: Satomi Arai (JPN), Lisa Oritz (ENG)
Cygnus Aurora: Hiromi Igarashi (JPN), Alison Viktorin (ENG)
Lyra Echo: Ai Kakuma (JPN), Maxey Whitehead (ENG)
Angra Swing: Akeno Watanabe (JPN), Rachel Glass (ENG)
So what do you guys think of this chapter?
Leave a review or comment, for I'd like to know what my audiences are thinking.