Many Years Ago
On the corner of Main Street in Oak Town, Violet Garden Bakery was hidden amongst the various shops and restaurants.
It served various breads and pastries, desserts, cakes, and cookies. The place was decorated with multiple plants, making it more inviting to those willing to sit in.
It was mildly popular, and any previous customers would say it was a good experience. The woman who owned it, Beza, ran a good business. In her late twenties, with rich chocolate-brown skin, frizzy brown hair, and almond eyes, it was hard for some to believe she was a mother at such a young age.
"What's taking so long, boy? We got work to do."
But one look at her son, a self-proclaimed waiter and counterman, and the resemblance was clear as day.
"Come on, mom. I was trying to fix my hair." An 8-year-old, Boze mumbled, trying to force his frizzy hair out of his eyes. Squinting angrily as he failed, "I spent an hour fixing this and nothing. Can't I just cut it? It keeps getting in my eyes. It's the worst."
"You touch that hair I gave you, and your eyes will be the least of your problems," Boze's mom said, lightly smacking a wood spoon atop his head with a dry snort. Now hurry up. I'll only make you work a couple of hours today since I'm feeling nice."
"Really," Boze rubbed his head and asked suspiciously, "What gives? Is someone important coming? You trying to get rid of me?"
"I might if you keep asking questions and don't get your behind to that door."
"Okay, okay, I'm going," Boze replied, unlocking the front door.
He turned the lacrimal sign to open so they could officially start their day. His mother baked anything they didn't have on hand, and Boze doubled as the counter and waiter, ringing up orders and bringing people food if they wanted something.
It wasn't that hard, mainly because even if they got a decent number of customers throughout the day, they rarely had a rush of people at any given time. That was just how their shop was.
Moderately successful and moderately busy.
"That'll be 12 jewels," Boze said, ringing up three muffins for a young couple who looked to be on their first date. The guy was nervous, and the girl mirrored his awkwardness with maximum effort.
I hope you choke on your food. Boze smiled as he handed the couple their food and watched them talk about nothing for the next half hour. The conversation was awful: "How was the weather yesterday?" Come on, man, do better.
Why do I have to listen to this? Boze lamented as he slumped over the counter, listening to the two sets of customers go about their day. It wasn't like he wanted to eavesdrop; he'd rather be reading a comic book or something. However, recently, reading had been giving him headaches, so he avoided it.
Plus his mom might chew him out if she thought he was slacking, so his only amusement for the last couple hours had been eavesdropping.
And boy, was it boring.
When is something interesting gonna-
"Pardon me." Someone said suddenly, startling Boze so badly he fell out of his chair. Hissing as he rubbed the welt on the back of his head and looked up, unsure if he'd fallen asleep at the counter.
How else could he miss the freaking giant man in a green coat and hat? Waiting patiently at the counter, practically towering over everything in the shop.
"I'd like to order a scone." The man said politely, tilting his head and looking at Boze. Or maybe he wasn't? It was hard to tell with the blindfold.
"3 jewels," Boze grumbled, standing up and fixing his chair as he heard his mother peer her head out the back door. "Boy, what happened? Did you-"
Boze tried to hide his embarrassment as he looked over begrudgingly. His eyes quirked as his mom looked at the man with the blindfold and stopped, her attitude changing instantly as she saw the three jewels the man held in his hand.
"Oh hell no." His mother said, walking over and putting her hand on her hips, "Put that shit away, Aria. You know your orders are on the house."
"But-"
"You trying to scam me?"
"I don't think paying for my food is a scam." The man, Aria, apparently, sighed. Pocketing his money, he turned towards Boze's mom, "You know you don't have to give me things for free. I feel bad if I order something and don't pay for it."
"Nonsense. You saved my life. You already paid for it." Boze's mom said sternly, swatting a shell-shocked Boze as she asked, "What'd he order?"
"Scone."
"Two scones, coming up." Boze's mom said, pointing at Boze as she left. "Next time he stops by, remember he doesn't pay. Don't let him pull a fast one on you."
"You make my intentions sound so sinister." The man sniffled, thoroughly scolded as Boze's mom laughed and went back to the kitchen. Leaving Boze with the first interesting person he'd seen all day.
"So you saved my mom?" Boze asked as the man shrugged, "I suppose you could say that."
"What happened?"
"I'm not sure if it's a story for children." The man frowned, looking like he would ignore Boze's question. Something Boze refused to let happen.
"I'll let you pay for your scones." Boze offered, watching as the sucker tilted his head, before coughing up six jewels.
Boze pocketed them quickly, planning to slide them into the register on the following order.
"So? How'd you save my mom?" Boze turned back eagerly, watching as the man chuckled amusedly and said, "It's not as grand of a story as you'd think."
"I seriously don't believe that."
"Curious child." The man sighed, "Well, it happened about seven years ago. I fought some bandits raiding a Desierto caravan of merchants and travelers. Your mother was one of the people I protected."
"How is that not a cool story?"
"It happens more often than you'd think." The man shrugged, and Boze gawked. Watching in stunned silence as the man chuckled, "She was actually shielding a baby if I recall. You grew well."
"I," Boze stammered, glancing away as he crossed his arms and muttered, "Course I did."
"He got it from his mother." Boze's mom said from the door, startling Boze as he turned and saw her carrying a bag of scones.
She walked over to Aria, practically forcing them into his hands before turning to Boze and cocking her head, "Now give him back the jewels, boy."
"What jewels?"
"Boze." His mother narrowed her eyes, and Boze gulped. He took out the man's six jewels and handed them back to the similarly defeated man.
The two silently mourned their failed plan before Boze's mom snorted and pinched his ear, "What am I going to do with you, boy. Already trying to sneak a deal behind my back. Can't even imagine how much trouble you'll be when you get a girlfriend."
"Ow, ow, ow, come on, Mom!" Boze squirmed in protest. "It wasn't even a good deal!"
"No shit." Boze's mom snorted, realizing his abused earlobe, "Only reason I ain't grounding your ass. Now go on, you already worked enough today, and I promised to let you go early."
"You just don't want me to ask any more questions, " Boze muttered. "Since when are we from Desierto? I thought we were from Oak Town."
"We are now, and you can ask me all the questions you want about Desierto later." Boze's mom rolled her eyes, "but Aria's a busy man. He doesn't need to deal with story time on top of that."
"I truly don't mind."
"Course you don't." Boze's mom scoffed, "You probably wouldn't mind if someone socked you in the face and robbed you blind."
"I feel like that's an exaggeration." The man frowned as the two adults started conversing. Boze took it as a sign to leave before his mother changed her mind and made him work an extra shift.
He was about to head around the corner and upstairs before he caught a snippet of the man's conversation with his mother.
"You should see about getting his eyes checked..."
He didn't really understand until his mom took him to the doctor the next day, and he was told he needed glasses.
It turns out getting glasses wasn't that hard. He picked out a pair that didn't look dorky, pretty much looked like shades, and wore them. Picking a pair was easy.
Getting used to them took a little longer.
It had been 3 years, and they still felt a little weird.
"It's cuz you got purple lenses." Sue snorted. She was a girl a few years younger than him who moved into the apartment complex across from their shop.
Apparently, her father and she moved to Oak Town from some distant country—Alcatraz or something—and his mom decided he'd be the one to show her around. Not so subtly, he mentions that he should act like a gentleman, or else bad things will happen.
Regardless, their parents ended up getting along, so now they hang out more often than not.
Boze would consider her a friend.
Even if she was a snarky shit sometimes.
"Why didn't you just get regular ones? Was it to make you look cooler?" Sue teased, poking at Boze's purple shades as he swatted her hand away, "No."
"Yeah, right."
"Hey, I'm serious," Boze complained, lightly kicking her shin since the first time he tried to do it for real, he almost broke his toe.
"I didn't get them cuz they were cool," Boze said, jerking his thumb at the giant guild hall atop Oak Town. It could be seen from nearly anywhere in town, but it was clear as day in their favorite hangout spot on the roof of his mother's bakery.
"I got it cuz I'm gonna join Phantom Lord." Boze smirked, "Gotta represent the colors somehow."
"You could've just bought a hat."
"Hats are dumb." Boze rolled his eyes, "I spend good time making sure my head stays cleanly shaved. Like hell, I'm gonna let a hat cover it up."
"Yeah, wouldn't want people to miss their reflections in that thing." Sue snorted, ignoring the bird Boze flipped her way as she glanced at the guild hall, "So you're joining them, huh?"
"Damn right, I am." Boze said, "The second mom lets me start practicing magic. I'm gonna join."
"You know there's an age limit, right? Most people don't get in till they're 16."
"Yeah, most people." Boze smirked, "But I heard that if you're decent, you can get in when you're 14. That's the actual age limit, and I'm only three years away."
"Why do you want to join so badly?" Sue asked, resting her chin in her fist as she glanced at the guild hall. "Everyone I've talked to since I got here says the same thing. I don't get the big deal."
"Yeah, cuz you're from Alcatraz-"
"Alvarez."
"But here." Boze said, waving around to the town, "Phantom Lord is the best guild in Fiore. It is a big deal, because it's the strongest guild. Hell, It's one of two guilds run by a wizard saint."
"What's the other one?"
"Fart tail or something, but seriously." Boze said, "Phantom Lore is the best, and people want to join it for a reason. I want to join it for that reason. I..."
Boze faltered, glancing at the store beneath his feet as he muttered, "I don't want to work in a bakery my entire life. It might work for Mom, but not for me. I wanna do something cool with my life. And Phantom Lord's the coolest, so I'm joining."
"So you do admit you got those purple glasses cuz they're cool."
"Yeah—wait, no. Don't put words in my mouth." Boze glared as Sue laughed. Shaking her head, she snorted, "Well, if that's the case, maybe I'll join."
"I thought you said wizards were 'dumb and needlessly flashy?'"
"Most are." Sue said, "But some are good warriors, and Dad said the guild master and his ace are the best he's ever seen. It might be fun to join."
"Your dad gonna let you learn magic?" Boze raised an eyebrow, "Isn't he all punchy kicky."
"He's a martial artist, and yes, he will." Sue rolled her eyes. "He has magic you know? He doesn't hate it that much, he just thinks relying on it too often isn't a good thing. It's why he never uses it."
"Seems weird to me," Boze shrugged, "If I had magic, I'd be using it all the time."
"If only." Sue shook her head mockingly, ignoring the second bird Boze flipped her way.
"Hey," She smirked, "Phantom Lord does a partner system right?"
"It does."
"Then, when I join, let's be partners."
"Why?" Boze asked. "I'm three years older than you, remember? I'm going to join earlier than you. I'll have to take a partner before you get in."
"Then we'll cross that bridge when we get there." Sue shrugged, glancing away nervously. "But you're the only real friend I've made since I moved here. I don't want to be paired off with a stranger."
"That's not my-"
"Please," Sue whispered, and Boze stopped. It wasn't like Sue to ask for things, and he didn't even know she could say 'please'.
"Fuck," Boze grumbled, turning away from the heat in his face, "Fine. Whatever. If you get in, we can be partners. Just don't get in my way."
Sue was annoying sometimes, but her dad trained her to fight, so he knew she was good at it. Plus, he already promised, so he couldn't take it back now.
"I'm not gonna stop till I get to the top."
He was a man of his word.
Boze had been called a lot of things.
When he was a kid working in his mother's bakery, he was a sweetheart. When he had to wear glasses because his eyesight was shit, he was unlucky. When he shaved his head out of spite because his mom refused to let him practice magic till he was old enough, he was a 'damn dumbass.'
When he tried to get into Phantom Lord at 14, he'd been called 'nothing special.'
And when he got in at 16, he'd been called a decent kind of stubborn.
He had been called a lot of things.
A liar was never one of them.
So when Sue got into Phantom Lord at 14, he and his former partner of a few months split ways, and he joined up with her.
She called him a simp and a softie, but never a liar.
And when he challenged one of Phantom Lord's golden children, he was called a brave son of a bitch by a lot of the guild members.
Sue wasn't one of them.
"You idiot," Sue snorted, sitting by the window of the family bakery as she chewed on a chocolate chip muffin. "What'd you do a dumb thing like that for?"
"How's it dumb? I just challenged him to a spar."
"Yeah, in front of the whole guild." Sue snorted, "Ever hear of biting off more than you can chew? You just told everyone you'd eat a mountain."
"A mountain? Come on. Don't tell me you actually buy all that crap." Boze rolled his eyes, "I don't think the dude is as good as everyone says."
"The guild master trained him."
"Yeah, trained. Past tense. They haven't trained in months." Boze crossed his arms, "I don't know about you, but I ain't going to worship the dude when all everyone ever says about him is secondhand. No one's ever even seen him fight, and the one time we hear about it, he gets his ass beat so badly it made the news."
"He was fighting Makarov's grandson. I think that gives a little leeway."
"Doesn't change the fact that he was supposedly on Laxus' level," Boze scoffed, "Just like he and his buddy are supposedly the future of the guild, just because one used to train with the guild master, and the other gets his ass beat by Aria every other day."
"It's actually every week now." Sue laughed, "And yeah, when you put it like that, it sounds odd. And I do agree that I don't think pretty boy is all that."
"Thank you."
"But I also don't see you challenging a wizard saint or the ace."
"Cuz they have better stuff to do than babysit."
"Sure." Sue rolled her eyes, ignoring Boze's glare as she finished her muffin and said, "Well, I guess if you do end up winning, you could try your luck with the guild master. Maybe he'll train you instead."
"The hell do you mean, 'if?' I'm gonna win." Boze narrowed his eyes, "You think I can't?"
"I think you got a shot." Sue shrugged, "But I also think you shouldn't be running in all cocky. Dad said the thing that's killed the most warriors in the world is arrogance. You don't want to die, do you?"
"Seriously, Sue? It's a spar." Boze rolled his eyes, "Don't try to turn it into a life lesson with one of your dad's dumb metaphors."
"Hey, they are life lessons and you could use some." Sue clicked her tongue, "Hope Vera kicks your ass."
"When he's on the ground, I'll accept your apology."
"Apology my ass."
"You don't have an ass."
"You son of a," Sue started, standing up out of her chair before glancing over Boze's shoulder and sitting back down.
"Lovely lady."
"Thanks, Sue." A voice said behind Boze, and he felt the terror of the gods enter his body.
His eyes widened as he looked up to see his mom with a wooden spoon raised. "I'm glad someone's well-mannered."
Boze yelped as he felt thin wood smack against his head, holding his scalp as his mother snorted, "Now quit saying such nonsense to such a lovely young lady or I'll give you one of your old shifts back. And last I remember I didn't pay you to slack."
"You didn't pay me at all."
"Just listen to your partner, boy," his mother said, picking from his plate and eating a scone she dipped in honey.
"She's got twice the brain you do."
"Thanks, Ms. Kane." Sue giggled, getting a jump scare as Boze's mom lightly smacked her head with the spoon, "And how many times have I told you to call me Beza? Don't make me repeat myself."
"Sorry, Ms. Beza."
"Better." Boze's mom smiled before walking away, "And don't let my son's attitude get to you. He wants to act like a fool. Let him."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence, mom."
"Confidence has nothing to do with it. I can be damn sure my boy is going to win." Boze's mother waved her hand dismissively, "But the second he starts saying the same thing is when shit goes south."
"Both of you are exaggerating." Boze rolled his eyes at Sue and his mother. Sipping his drink, he said, "Just wait. I'll kick his ass and show you how confident I deserve to be."
Boze had trained relentlessly to get his magic up to snuff. Learning magic that helped cover the weakness of his shitty eyesight.
"You can even bake me a cake for afterward."
He hadn't slacked off once, and compared to a guy who couldn't even keep the silver spoon they'd been given, he deserved to be confident.
"Cuz I ain't gonna lose."
Unlike that idiot, he was confident he wouldn't let this chance go to waste.
The day of the spar arrived, and it was more packed than Boze would have expected. The guild hall was packed, and in the center of the giant ring of people Boze and Vera were left alone to duke it out.
"Twenty on Vera!"
"Thirty on Vera!"
"I'll go ten on the underdog!"
With some betting courtesy of Sol of course.
"Give me fifty on Vera!"
"What the hell, Sue!" Boze growled as Sue laughed from the sidelines. Joking with the white-haired girl, Mira, that was paired up with the blue-haired guy.
Obviously, not everyone in the guild was there—hell, the ace and the guild master weren't even there—but many of the mages from Oak Town were. Word had spread quickly that Vera was fighting someone.
Boze wondered if word would spread quicker when he lost.
"Are you ready?" Boze asked, adjusting his shades as Vera grinned. "Sure, whenever you are."
"Perfect." Boze grinned, a purple magic circle slowly spinning at his feet as he watched Vera touch the sword at his waist. The crowd turned up to a roar before Boze stalled, narrowing his eyes as he questioned, "What are you doing?"
"What do you mean?"
"Where's your magic?" Boze scowled as he noted Vera wasn't doing anything other than touching the sword at his waist.
"Don't you have shadow magic or something? Bring it out?"
"I'm good." Vera shrugged, the hall quieting at the sheer audacity as he doubled down.
"I can beat you without him." Vera smriked, "But feel free to use your magic, though. You're gonna need it."
"Oh yeah?" Boze's eye twitched as he released his magic and raised his fists, "Prove it."
Boze watched as Vera raised an eyebrow before shrugging and moving his hand from the sword at his waist. The crowd cheered even louder as he approached, and Boze bathed in it.
Minus Sue's shouts of 'You arrogant dumbass, if he doesn't want to use magic, just hit him! He's wide open! I swear you're such a guy.'
Boze ignored her, cuz no, this wasn't Boze being cocky. This was him being confident.
He'd taken up boxing since Sue ragged in him to learn some form of discipline, so he wasn't gonna back down from a little hand-to-hand.
If anything, this little exchange was her fault, so she had no right to complain.
"Bring it on, Ve-" Boze's words were cut off as a fist slammed into his chin, knocking his head upwards and staggering him. His eyes were wide as he heard his glasses crack and had to get his feet back underneath him, raising his guard as he gnashed his teeth.
"You fucker," he growled with an aching jaw as he stepped into range, letting punches pepper his guard for a moment before slipping in a jab. Opening his hand with his fingers angled near Vera's eyes to try and startle him into making a mistake.
It didn't work.
Bize cursed as Vera raised an eyebrow and tilted his head back, leaning away from the bluffing hand and twisting to the right. Vaulting back in a smooth but unexpected way, Boze found his guarding hand bruised by a kick that came out of nowhere.
What the fuck is this dude doing?
Boze scowled as he tried to figure out what the dude practiced, he didn't listen to Sue's martial artist fan girl rants to not know at least a little bit of it.
Is he just doing random shit?
Boze didn't believe it at first, but when Vera firmed a punch to the liver and immediately responded by grabbing Boze's neck, shooting his knee into Boze's sternum, and kicking his legs out from under him, it was clear he didn't practice any set style. Or maybe he dabbled in a lot of them? It was hard to tell.
It was just what worked and what didn't. What he was willing to take to give. He was going off talent, instinct, and experience, and it was pissing Boze off.
"Dammit." Boze wheezed as he rolled out of the way of a boot about to crush his nose in. Getting to his feet quickly, he wasn't ready for the lightning-fast jab that slipped past his guard and crunched against his nose, sending him sprawling.
Fuck! Boze panicked as he hastily rolled to his feet, expecting to take a hit or two on the way up.
Instead, what he got was his opponent mockingly tilting his head, smirking with a slight grin, "Huh, I thought you'd be completely shit. Not bad."
"You asshole." Boze felt a vein in his head pop, his anger blinding him as he ditched his broken glasses. Biting his tongue, he heard Sue's voice from the roaring crowd, "Stop being stubborn, idiot! He's out of your league when it comes to this stuff!"
"Don't you think I know that!" Boze snapped, scowling as he felt blood trickle down his nose and wiped it. Looking back at his opponent.
Vera was waiting patiently. He wasn't even out of breath after the whole exchange. His endurance must've been insane.
It was also obvious that he didn't consider Boze a threat as much, as he was content to let him recover.
"You're a prick, you know that?" Boze clicked his tongue as Vera shrugged. "Been called worse."
"Yeah, well, it's true." Boze narrowed his eyes, "But you're better than I thought you'd be."
"Now that's a new one." Vera raised an eyebrow, not looking too displeased. "Usually, people curse me or praise me because of Jose. So what's with you? You didn't believe the newspapers?"
"I only believe something after I see it for myself." Boze said, surprised to see Vera grin.
"Fucking awesome. Good on you for having a brain."
"Prick." Boze cursed before he took a deep breath and relaxed. Grinning from ear to ear as his magic power flooded his system, he said, "Hope you don't mind! But I can't beat you hand to hand, and you said it yourself. Magic's fair game!"
"That is what I said." Vera grinned, settling himself as his hand lingered on the hilt of his katana, and his other beckoned Boze to continue.
"Ready whenever you are."
That was all Boze needed to hear. He let his magic flow, and a purple magic circle flashed at his feet. Spinning clockwise as he readied his opening spell.
"Sound Magic," he smirked as he saw Vera take a shaky breath, eyes wide and trembling.
That was good, the sooner the prick realized he couldn't win without magic the better. Boze wanted a fight, not a handout, and he'd prove he deserved one with his opening move.
One thing Boze learned after dealing with his shitty eyesight is that not being able to rely on a sense, even a minor one, is confusing to most.
It gets them off their game, and against someone who seemed as reliant on their physical ability as Vera, it was the perfect way to tilt the odds in his favor right out the gate.
"Silen-" Boze's spell faltered as he watched Vera vanish, thunder ringing in his ears as he felt a hand grab his coat and yank him back.
What? Boze blinked in confusion as he fell on his ass, the entire ordeal passing by so quickly he didn't even have time to process it correctly.
But the first thing he noticed when he did, sent shivers down his spine.
He noticed Vera's dark expression, his chest heaving and his face contorted in a red-hot rage. His malice was so palpable it made Boze's skin crawl.
Blind bloodlust was the only way to describe it, and the electricity cracking across Vera's blade made even the air seem as violent as he was.
The only thing keeping Vera at bay was his blue-haired friend, Siegrain, if Boze recalled, holding back Vera's katana with a rock hovering over his head.
Vera's blade dug deeper into the rock, and Siegrain flicked his hastily made shield to the side, momentarily yanking Vera's sword out of the way.
Then Siegrain immediately leveled his hands towards his friend, cradling a small ball of fire under his palms with an expressionless face.
"Plume," Siegrain said, and an explosion of fire turned the stale air into a blazing heat. Boze covered his eyes as he heard the spectators panic and dive out of the way, just before something crashed past them and into the guild wall.
Boze saw dust bloom afterward and hide the impact, but Siegrain shot towards it with floating magic before it even dissipated. Settling into a flying knee, he soared straight into the cloud, and a loud crunch echoed through the silent guild hall.
After a few silent moments, the cloud dissipated and revealed Vera slumped against a crater in the back wall, blood splattered across his nose.
He collapsed at Siegrain's feet in an unconscious head, Siegrain sighed, almost relieved. Then he picked up Vera along with his weapons. Glancing around at the stunned spectators.
"Vera forfeits." He said, and the two vanished as Siegrain used magic to disappear, leaving the entire guild in a shocked state of confusion and fear. The whole ordeal passed so quickly that it gave most people whiplash.
It all happened so fast and was so confusing that it wasn't until Sue rushed to his side and shook his shoulder that Boze realized he was frozen in a cold sweat.
"Boze! Hey! Are you good?" Sue's voice snapped Boze out of his confusion, bringing Boze back to the now loud room as everyone broke into whispers. Trying to figure out what happened.
Boze couldn't even hear the various voices. He was too busy looking at his hands and realizing they were shaking. He was too busy noticing the pain in his chest and realizing his heart was hammering out of control and his breath had been way too quick.
And when he finally could calm down, to recuperate after the shock, he realized something warm was trickling down his neck.
"Boze," he heard his partner ask, seemingly freezing as she and a couple of others trying to check up on him realized the same thing he did.
Boze heard a few gasps and rampant whispers as he put his finger to his throat, right by his artery, and pulled it back. The image of his now red fingerprint clouded his mind.
"He..."
It was blood. Blood trickled down his neck
"He tried to kill me."
The guild hall didn't quiet down for hours after that.
It took a week for things to settle down afterward. Boze had to get new glasses and had to work triple shifts at the bakery after the heart attack he nearly gave his mother when she found out.
Any other time in his life, he'd despair at being stuck in the bakery.
Now, he was just grateful he didn't have to return to the guild for a while. It made his day more manageable, not having to worry about the pitying looks people would send his way or the embarrassment of almost being killed in front of everyone.
It was a blessing he'd never admit, getting even a week to just work at the bakery and ignore the rest of the world. Slowly but surely, getting over the memory of his life slipping to the edge of his palm, spending his time working or talking with Sue or some of the other friends he'd made at Phantom Lord.
It shouldn't have been surprising when it ended all too soon, on a day his mom called him from back in the kitchen.
"Boze, switch with me. You got a visitor!" She yelled as she barged the kitchen and took over Boze's progress on the cake without another word.
Boze almost asked who it was, but when his mother started whipping the batter with the force of an ox, and he noticed her pissed-off expression, he decided to just go check for himself.
"Alright," Boze said, heading out to the lobby and looking at a nearby table. Flinching slightly as he saw who it was, a guy with black hair, red eyes, and a nose that was still bruised. He was poking at his chocolate muffin in an almost cowed manner.
Boze ground his teeth, debating returning to the kitchen before deciding against it.
Instead he walked over casually, he refused to be tense around this fucker, and claimed the seat across from their guest.
"The hell do you want?"
Vera flinched, "Nothing."
"Nothing?"
"Okay, obviously it's something. Just give me a second, okay?" Vera mumbled, not nearly as confident or proud as he had been a week ago.
"I'm still trying to figure out if your mom poisoned my muffin."
"Is that why you're acting so fidgety?" Boze snorted, "What? She scares you or something?"
"Said if I tried anything, she'd hang me by my balls and charge me extra."
"That sounds about right." Boze smirked, watching as Vera sighed and moved his muffin to the side. Rubbing his neck awkwardly, he lowered his head and sighed, "Look, I came here to apologize."
"You?"
"Yeah, me." Vera grumbled, looking up with narrowed eyes, "I'm sorry, okay. Last week was a shit show, and it was entirely my fault."
"Sounds like a light way of putting it."
"Wel,l there's no other way to say it." Vera huffed, crossing his arms, "I fucked up. That was supposed to be a spar, and I turned it into something else."
"Something else?" Boze scoffed, unable to believe what he was hearing.
"Is that what you're calling it, asshole?" Boze glared, "You tried to kill me. And for what, cuz I was using magic, and you didn't like it? You shouldn't have talked shit if you weren't ready for it."
"That's isn't the reason why-"
"Then what's the fucking reason, Vera?" Boze snapped. "The hell kind of excuse you gonna make for what you pulled? Huh? You were tired?"
"I'm not making excuses." Vera narrowed his eyes, "And no, me being fucking tired had nothing to do with it. I overreacted because you're magic..."
Vera fidgeted anxiously, scratching his chest, "I haven't seen your magic in a long time, and when I did, it brought up some bad memories. I was blindsided. It won't happen again."
"Bad memories? I nearly died, dude. I'm gonna need more than that." Boze said, his lips thinning as Vera kept his mouth shut and looked away guiltily. Refusing to speak.
"Unbelievable." Boze eventually scoffed, "You know what? Whatever. Sure, Vera. I'm sure you won't pull that shit again."
"The hell is that supposed to mean?"
"It means I don't care about your bullshit apology." Boze said, ignoring Vera's glare as he stood up and framed his hands on the table, "The only thing I care about is that I challenged you to a spar, and you agreed. You said it was fine to use magic. Even if you 'didn't need it.'"
Boze was pissed. He nearly died, he would've died if Vera's friend didn't step in, but what did Vera get?
Nothing.
The guild master hadn't said a word, and Vera didn't get in trouble for nearly killing a guild mate.
It was bullshit.
Vera could walk in here with a vague excuse and call it an apology. While Boze had to deal with people throwing him pity parties everywhere he went cuz he was blindsided in a spar Vera agreed to. A spar Vera escalated out of fucking nowhere.
It was bullshit, and Boze wasn't gonna take bullshit.
"You played dirty," Boze said, giving one last glare before he left. He still had a shift, and the sooner he got that prick's name out of his mouth, the better.
"Next time, don't expect me to play fair either."
It brought up 'bad memories.'
Present Day
The incident between Vera and Boze happened months ago, and since then, Boze avoided Vera like the plague. He trained on his own time so he can make food on his promise to the bakery.
He hadn't figured out how he'd do it, another challenge seemed pointless, and he didn't trust Vera not to pull some bullshit a second time.
But the S class trial dropped out of the sky, and it was like the perfect opportunity was gifted to him on a silver platter. He didn't plan on wasting it.
So, he spent the first day of the trials gathering allies, convincing people who also didn't appreciate Vera's little stunt back in the guild hall to team up.
And when they found Vera, tired and injured on the second morning, it was like a dream come true.
"You look a little worse for wear, Vera." Boze grinned as the other continued to circle their target. They kept a good distance to ensure he could escape their ring and waited for Boze's command.
"What happened?" Boze mocked, "Did metal head really fuck you up?"
"He's stronger than you'd think." Vera said, glancing at his entrapment with a dry chuckle, "Guess you're not looking for a rematch."
"Told you I wasn't gonna play fair."
"Still. You brought a lot of people with you."
"You gonna complain?"
"Nah," Vera rolled his eyes, "That would be a waste of air."
Boze frowned as he watched the bastard, tired, injured, and surrounded, act like nothing was wrong. He even addressed him and his group casually, without a hint of animosity or concern.
"Feel free to attack me all at once. I'm injured, so it's your best bet." Vera motioned casually, inspecting his sword, which hummed with static.
"There's no rules against it. And you have enough people that I probably won't win."
Boze's neck prickled as he felt the air shift. The discomfort slowly but steadily rose in him and his group, who watched in cautious silence as their target looked at them and laughed.
"But just know," Vera smirked, lightning crackling from his blade. The memory of it soaring to Boze's neck flashed through everyone's mind.
It was only a moment.
But to everyone in attendance for that fateful spar, it was enough to keep their feet rooted.
"The first person to attack me," Vera said, grinning viciously as he pointed his sword at Boze. Confidently, arrogantly, and snidely.
"Loses an arm."
Against all expectations, the second day began with quiet uncertainty.