- What can I do to get stronger? – Asta asked Nacht, the Vice-Captain, while they were walking to the Captain's meeting.
- First, you need to be more honest with yourself. – He answered with a smile on his face.
However, Asta didn´t understand what he meant by that. What this has anything to do with being stronger? The boy thought that he needs a train, and this has nothing to do with feelings. At least he thought it. But then, he met Yuno and the other captains in the meeting. The meeting wasn´t the most pleasant one. Because of what happened to his captain and the captain of the Golden Dawns, everyone was feeling depressed. Things got worse when they knew what had happened to the Heart Kingdom.
- So, what happened to your arm? – Yuno asked him when the meeting was over.
When Asta explained what had happened though, Yuno's reaction wasn´t the most pleasant one. Asta was surprised by his friend's reaction. Of all the people, he should have known what it was like to not be stronger enough. He should have known better than judge him for trying his hardest. Asta didn´t know if it was because of the situation or he was just tired, but when Yuno told him that he was just like the rest of the Dark Triad. Asta exploded.
They started fighting like they were kids. It took 2 captains to stop them and made them come back to their senses. Asta couldn´t handle it anymore. At this moment he let out his build-up frustrations. He started talking about all the things that had been inside him for a long time. Everyone looked at him surprised by his reactions. Yuno just nodded and he could see a small smiling from his face.
- I think you finally started to understand what I said – Nacht said patting his head like a proud dad would do.
Asta smiled from it. So, he should just let his frustration out. That could be easy, he thought, because now everything seemed bad. Once he saw the other Bulls, he decided to be honest with them. He started to talk all the things he had never shared with them. His insecurities, what he likes, and didn´t like about them. He could see that they were surprised by his attitude. But at the same, they were glad that he was starting to open himself more to them. He was showing his weakness side.
With that, he realized his power also increased. He could see that he was finally getting stronger with his anti-magic. He also realized he was becoming more mature by it. He was finally accepting his feelings and he felt confident enough that he could rescue his captain and get his revenge from the Dark Triad. Everything was going alright until the moment Noelle threw water on him for something he may have done. Actually, he didn´t even know what he had done to her acting like that way.
- Stop that childish behavior of yours, I hate when you do this, you looked like a spoiler girl – he said to her. It was the first time he was confronting her like that and he felt good for it.
- Your idiot – she replied brushing a lot.
- Look, Noelle, nobody here likes your tsundere attitude, we just accepted it because we like you, but if you don´t stop that nobody will ever respect or like you beside us. – He continued in confidence.
He could see that everyone was looking at him when he said these words. He didn´t understand why though. It wasn´t like he was lying. Nobody liked that part of hers, but at the same time, they accepted her. He was about to say something more, but then he saw her face. It was the first time he saw that face in front of him. She was trying her hardest to not cry. He didn´t understand why she was like that. He was just being honest to help her.
- You are right, I'm sorry to be such a troublesome – she said.
He smiled at her and he was about to say more things, but she just turned around and left the room. He could see Vanessa trying to go after her, but she just pushed Vanessa away saying she wanted to be alone. Asta was confused. He thought he was doing a good thing. Someone should have already said these words to her. She also needed to be more mature to her feelings. She needed to grow up if she wanted to have a chance with the Dark Triad. But then he saw his friends looking at him like he made the worst mistake possible.
- You shouldn´t be so honest, Asta – Magna said to him.
- But I was just trying to help her – he tried to explain.
- Asta we know, but the way you said it, it wasn´t right – Finral explained to him.
After that, he tried to apologize to her. It was easier than he thought. She said he was absolutely right and she was the only one who overdid the things. She said to him that she would try to control her feelings and get stronger from it. She also said that she would never try to hurt him again. He was happier when he heard that. It meant that what he said was for the better.
But then, things got weird. After this conversation, they weren´t talking at all. It wasn´t like she was avoiding him, but she just didn´t talk to him in the way she used to. She was more careful with her words and whenever he asked her to train with him, she was always quiet. He was becoming annoyed with her attitude. It was like the Noelle he knew was gone. He could also see that the others were uncomfortable with her new attitude too. She was acting like some prim-and-proper lady without any emotion. She was colder.
The boy could see that the other Black Bulls were trying their best to make her acting more natural. But none of these things were working. It wasn´t like she was mean. Actually, she was very nice to everyone, treating them in a respectful manner. If it was another girl, it would be cool. But it was her. And he could see her eyes had this sadness expression too. Asta didn´t know exactly what he had done until Vanessa came at him.
- Please, talk to her Asta – she said with a sad expression. – Since you told her those things, she isn´t the same anymore.
- But I told the truth, she should take this advice and growth – he said feeling angry with this conversation.
- Asta, have you ever thought that she may have her reasons to be like that? – Vanessa asked. – Think about it – she said leaving him alone to think about it.
Since that conversation, some days had passed. Noelle was still the same and he was getting angrier with her. He realized that he missed the old her. He realized he missed when she threw water on him or called him "bakasta". As weird as it can be, he realized he liked these moments. It felt good, it felt like they have a bond. He never thought too much about it. Because he knew she trusted him a lot. But after what he said, it seemed like she put all her walls up again.
These walls were annoying him. He doesn´t like it at all, he didn´t want to walk in the ice while talking to her. He wanted the old Noelle back at any cost. Now he realized that she didn´t need to change because he liked her for the way she was. She was his friend after all, and he accepted her. Realizing his mistakes, he tried his best to talk to her. But every time he started to talk about what he said, she always avoided that conversation. It was like she was afraid of him.
He felt bad for it. He didn´t want her to feel like he didn´t like her or anything along these lines. He wanted to clear the misunderstanding. But it was harder than he thought. She couldn´t even look at his eyes. It was like she thought he could break her heart at any time. He felt worse when he realized that. The last thing he wanted was to break her heart. For him, she was one of the most important people in the world. He thought she knew that. But apparently, what he said made her feel like she wasn´t even someone worthy of his friendship.
- Noelle, please, look at me – he said and she looked at him confused – now, talk to me – he spoke.
- I don´t have anything to talk to you, Asta – she said calmly in her voice. He felt angrier.
- Don´t act like that, be normal – he almost screamed.
- But I'm normal, I'm just trying to be the person you said I should be – she explained looking at him.
But her eyes didn´t lie. She was sad. He could see for her KI that she was trying her best to not disappoint him. And he didn´t understand that. Why his opinion was so important to her? Why did she care so much to his words? Why did she change in the first place? Then it clicked him. As someone who was rejected by her family, she was afraid that people wouldn´t like her. She was afraid that if she showed her true colors, the bulls or he wouldn´t like her anymore. Of course, he knew she had this kind of problem. But he thought that if he said that, she would open herself more.
- Noelle, I just said those things, because I want you to be true to yourself – he explained, a little tired.
- I know Asta, I'm not mad at you for saying those things, I think you are right – she said trying her best to smile.
It was a fake smile. And that made him mad. Why she couldn´t even smile properly to him? At this moment though he realizes another thing: she had this kind of behavior as a mechanism to defend herself from the others. Even though she trusted the Bulls, she still had a part of her that was afraid of showing her feelings. He wanted to say that she doesn´t really need that. That she could say the things she wanted to them. But he realized that for her it would need more than words. He realized he had never talked to her about her problems or anything. She was never honest to him. Honestly speaking, maybe that's why he said these words to her in the first place. He wanted desperately to her, to be honest to him.
- I'm sorry, I shouldn´t have pushed you so hard – he confessed. She looked at him more confused with his words.
- I thought you didn´t like the way I'm right now, I thought if I became more prim and proper you guys wouldn´t be annoyed by me – she explained.
He could see everyone looking at them. Vanessa was about to say something, but he interrupted her with his hand. He made the mistake. He should be the one correcting it. He took a bit of breath, looked at her eyes for some seconds, and approached her. He could see her brushing a little from it. If it was another time, she would throw water on him and say something like: don´t be so near to me. But this time, she was also afraid of saying or doing anything. He felt bad for it. Because that could also mean, she was afraid of him.
- Noelle, you are amazing just the way you are. I said these words to you that day because I wanted you to open yourself for us, for me, I wanted to you to know that I think you are one of the most beautiful people I have ever met, I'm proud of you – he confessed, he could see that he was brushing from it. He didn´t understand why though. He was just being honest with her.
- Asta – it was all she said. He could see she was trying her hardest to not cry. She took one step back like she was trying to run from him.
- So, I want you to be back to the normal because I miss the old Noelle, I like that Noelle with her insecurities and so on. Because that Noelle was the girl I like the most – he explained.
He could see everyone looking at him confused by what he said. He didn´t understand why they were so confused; it was the truth. She was his best friend, and he was sure everyone also loved her. When he said that though, Noelle got more embarrassed and tried to run away, but she felt, and in almost like an instinct he caught her.
- Be careful – he said smiling to her while hugging her.
However, she didn´t thank him for that, instead, she just threw water on him making him fly away from her. He could see everybody laughing at it. Again, he didn´t understand why she did that. Actually, he doesn´t know if he will ever understand fully well. But he was fine with that, he likes her for the way she was, so he accepted her flaws the same way he knows that she accepted his. If she has trouble showing her feelings, he would give her time to that. He still doesn´t like being hit by water, but he also didn´t care that much. As long as she was there, she was amazing, and there was nothing he would change on her.
What do you guys think? I had this idea when I saw speculation about how Asta could become stronger. So I decided to mix it with some interesting moments.