Heyo everybody! I am sorry for having arrived so late with this chapter. Thankfully, this chapter I managed to write when I got back to it, and I managed to respark my love for it as well. Here's hoping I can keep up the steam, and post another chapter in less than a month. Either way, Here's the 5th chapter, and I hope you all enjoy it!
Disclaimer: Any named properties are not my own, and they belong to their respective owners. Enjoy!
Hinomaru 'Onimaru' Ushio didn't even get much of a warm-up from his last fighter, and it showed in how much energy he had left to spare at the moment. Right now he was in his mawashi belt and nothing else, just taking a moment to drink from his water and dab himself with a towel. The fight may not have been long, but he didn't half-ass that face-off of his at all. Why should he?
Sumo as a martial art is too important to him, it's his life that he dedicated for so long. But its because of that level of dedication that he had to join the tournament despite it being an open invitation for all styles and all combatants. Hinomaru had to convince his captain to let him join, and that was after getting three people to join the Sumo Club at their school.
While the newbies, aside from the captain, weren't ready for this tournament, Hinomaru himself was ready to challenge himself here. And as a result, he had been ready to sign up for the tournament. Needless to say, so far he's still looking forward to the next match he has, although at the same time he is considering making sure that his next opponent doesn't…well, get the wrong idea.
In his opinion, Aino Heart is friendly, very polite, and eager to learn, if not also very naive. Hinomaru already knew that in a fight, whether it be Sumo or Martial Arts, you don't hold anything back, and even less than that you expect the opponent to hold back in return. After all, doing so seemed like a massive disrespect to the other opponent, and more importantly a betrayal to yourself.
Even so, it's not as if Hinomaru disliked Aino Heart. Quite the opposite, he knew she was fighting for a reason that she wanted to share but also knew to keep personally to herself. A good reason, he could assume, but it doesn't change the fact that he'd throw everything at her in order to win. Hinomaru Ushio owed that much to her. To his mother.
What a quick-snap match! One high-kick to the face and his opponent folded so quickly! This tournament's first round has officially ended with the winner of the 4th match!
Hinomaru noted the sound of the announcer speaking out loud the name of his possible next match if he wins the semi-finals. While it's still too early to call it an easy win, Hinomaru noticed that during Aino's fight…she had been holding back the entire time. However, that didn't sit well with the Sumo Practitioner. Why would it?
Fighters are trying to improve themselves or win for this match, and yet it still hurts to see how Aino doesn't know what to do. More importantly, the fact that she seems hesitant to really let the hurt be shown or be dealt.
It doesn't help the fact that to Hinomaru, he'd have to fight her really quickly this time. Not to end her, but to prove the point that she's coming at this with the wrong mindset.
He takes a breather, standing up from the bench and smirking to himself. Now's the time to smirk, for when he is in the ring, he won't waste time smiling until he wins.
Okay, Okay…just calm down, Just calm down…everything will be fine. I won't hurt him too bad so long as I don't use the Arcana, right? Aino walked along the hall, although she stopped by the hall that led to the ring. She could hear the voices of the crowd, and especially the rumbling that she felt from before. People are really getting excited for the first semi-final match…The match where she will be dedicated to winning. At least, that is the idea.
The plan she and Partinias came up with together was a simple one, but a reliably effective strategy if it works. To sweep Hinomaru off of his feet and too…roll him out of the arena. It seemed very simple, but Aino agreed to it because of the fact that she remembered how heavy he was. If Hinomaru is heavy like that, than it only bears mentioning that his weight could be his greatest enemy when being swept off his feet. If he loses his footing, then it's over!
Aino smirked to herself as she bounced on her feet, her body a bit electric now that she knew of a very quick way to defeat Hinomaru without hurting him. Just flatten him, and roll him out of the arena…like dough!
"Alright ladies and gentleman! Now for the first match of the second round! We have entered the Semi-Finals!" The announcer spoke with a huge amount of eclectic hype behind her voice, as Aino began to take her first steps forward down the hall and into the ring. She walked confidently and proudly, although it was laced with a bit of giddy excitement. "In this corner, we have ourselves the winner of the first match of the previous round! Someone who has arrived this far despite her pretty looks, will she score another win in this match!? Give it up for Aino Heart!"
Aino smiled the entire time as she walked over to the arena. Thankfully, she got used to the mat very quickly, and bounced on her heels with her ribbon still tied to her right wrist. She took a few breaths, and she felt confident in herself. If Hinomaru arrives, she'll be happy to tell him how far she has come right now.
"And in this corner!" The lights dimmed, and suddenly, a torrent of flame burst upwards into the vast emptiness of the arena, where heavy footfalls could be heard for all those…especially for Aino as she frowned for a moment from the heat and the intensity she felt. It was nerve-wracking needless to say, and she felt a bit…doubtful now. "We have a Sumo Practitioner who one-shotted his previous opponent out of the arena! He has an intensity and a demon-like visage during the match! So, what will he do this time!? Give it up to Hinomaru Ushio!"
These footsteps were heavy indeed, and admittedly Aino had to tighten one her hands together to not lose her nerve. However, she took a deep breath as she noticed Hinomaru's fiery glare and deep frown from the flames.
He's…ready.
It seems that way…are you going to back out? Partinias spoke internally to Aino.
No…not now. Aino deepened her cute frown, but she also tried to calm down.
For your love. For your family. Partinias spoke approvingly.
"Yeah!" Aino nods, trying to face-off with Hinomaru…only for her to realize as he gets onto the arena on his feet that he was…well, wearing nothing but a mawashi belt. Although to Aino it looked too much more like a giant piece of underwear that she couldn't help but realize she was staring too much.
No, No! Aino shook her head as she got rid of any impure and naughty thoughts from her head. It was just a belt! Yeah, it's just a belt. She returned to her cute frown as she stared down at Hinomaru. However, his deeper frown and fiery glare left her with chills, ironically enough.
"U-Uhm, I…I look forward to a great match, Ushio-san!" Aino nods firmly, her speech trying to not waver, but she gets into her stance.
"Wait." Hinomaru surprises Aino, by raising a hand to catch her attention. "Before I say what I need to say…I have to commend you for making it this far in the tournament. Even despite the last match, making it against me isn't something to be ashamed of."
"H-Huh? Ushio-san, what do you mean by that?" Aino raised a brow, but she seemed confused by how his glare remained the same…even if his voice was strong and firm.
"Just what I said. There's nothing to be ashamed of for reaching this far…but that's not all I wanted to say, Aino-san." Hinomaru remarked with a harshness to his tone, and that in it of itself is enough to make her flinch. "You haven't been taking this tournament seriously. It shows in the way you fought Mel, and it shows in your stance."
"W-What…?" Aino blinks, but she frowns in confusion and peevishness at that. Hinomaru is saying the same thing as that other guy? She's not taking this seriously? How could she not be? She's doing this for her family, and she's serious about not hurting people at all, so why did even Hinomaru share this sentiment?
"I don't know what you are thinking, and quite frankly its not my business to pry…but if you don't change that way of thinking…I'm going to knock you out of the ring with no hesitation." Hinomaru growled with a deep frown, his grit teeth and open stance making him seem as if he was posturing, but to Aino it felt entirely intimidating and bursting with intensity. "So, I'm going to give you one minute."
"A minute?" Aino blinks at that, but she tilts her head. "A minute for what?"
"For you to throw everything you have at me. I will just stand here, I won't even get into my stance…and I want you to throw everything you have at me for the next minute when the fight starts." Hinomaru stated with honesty and sincerity despite the intense glare. "If you manage to make me move from this spot or take me down to my knees, I lose."
"Oh?! It seems before the match starts, Hinomaru has issued his opponent a challenge! What a daredevil, but will Aino take the challenge in stride, or will she bow out now?!" The announcer exclaimed with excitement in her voice, as all the cameras focused on Aino's response.
Aino herself was focused entirely on Hinomaru's challenge, and she felt a certain amount of intensity and…surprising confusion. Why would he willingly give her a minute to even attack him while he doesn't do anything? It doesn't make any sense, and she was afraid of hurting him all the same it just isn't right.
"But…are you sure? If I punch you like that, then your definitely—"
"Don't underestimate me!" Hinomaru barked out with a shout so loud it made her flinch and widen her eyes. "I'm giving you a handicap, but that doesn't mean I am weak. Don't insult me like that."
"…o-okay." Aino lets out a nervous breath, biting her lip but taking her stance. "If you say so."
The crowd roars and cheers at the acceptance of the challenge, but at the same time murmurs from the crowd show how confused they were by the match itself.
"Well, it seems that the Maiden of Love is going to accept Onimaru's challenge! What will happen in this match between a maiden and the demon! Only one way to find out! Get ready…! FIGHT!"
So I just gotta punch him for a minute straight? O-Okay… Aino let out a few exhales as she hopped on the balls of her feet, and she examined how open Hinomaru's guard was. The Sumo Wrestler didn't even get into a stance as promised…but Aino's eyes wavered and she grew conflicted.
What is she supposed to do? That would hurt anybody, no matter whether or not they were blocking a punch or taking a punch in the face.
Now, she gets one minute to throw punches and kicks at Hinomaru with no interruption? While she didn't really want to go all out at all, she didn't feel comfortable trying to punch him while he's defenseless.
But she did take her stance regardless. After all, she has to win for the next finals.
Even so, she took her steps forward and threw a punch at Hinomaru's face. It was a simple jab, and admittedly a sloppy one compared to what she saw from Mel. However, she felt flesh and yet no stumbling. No cry of pain, not a grunt at all. Aino widened her eyes as she saw Hinomaru tank that punch to the face and not even flinch.
Huh? Aino blinked owlishly with her gaping mouth, but Hinomaru kept glaring sternly towards her, and she grit her teeth in determination and concern as she began punching and kicking Hinomaru.
"Ohhhhh! Onimaru seems to be taking these punches and kicks in stride! Not a single flinch, although they are landing with some force!"
The announcer's voice didn't distract Aino from punching as much as she could without exerting full force against Hinomaru. She didn't really know what else to feel or what else to do other than to keep punching him and try to hurt him.
That felt wrong, but she was gritting her teeth as she saw him just be unflinching. Aino didn't see Hinomaru move from his position, or even take any defensive slaps away from her punches! Hinomaru is just taking the attacks with a great amount of posture and stubbornness!
She keeps going and going and going and going.
Her jabs land, and then she goes for stronger overhands, full swing, and her kicks are trying to push him away, but she ends up pushing herself off of him instead. The attacks only get more sloppy as the seconds pass by. Her hands and legs are starting to burn, a lot, and she doesn't notice the wet feeling on her knuckles other than the unbearable burning of something tearing.
She grits her teeth, still sweating as she punches at Hinomaru for what feels like forever. She almost starts tearing up, but she doesn't cry. She can't cry right now in the ring, and not while her family was watching. She needed to win. She will win. She has to win!
She has to win.
She has to win.
"Are you finally done?" Hinomaru firmly remarked with a strong voice.
"…!" Aino stopped punching and she felt her fists trembling with a sharp amount of pain, she grit her teeth and widened her eyes at the same time as her knuckles are…scraped. Busted, even, as they started bleeding from having punched a living stone wall. No, she had been punching Hinomaru the entire time! Even a stone wall wouldn't hurt this much!
"Owowowowowowow!" Aino cradled her hands with pouty but also pained expressions.
Is that just how strong Hinomaru is? Is he so strong that he is able to handle this? Is that why he was so confident? No. Not confident. So sure of himself. As if it was a fact that he wouldn't lose.
"Oh, that's unfortunate! But what a stonewall performance! Onimaru has gone a minute straight without having flinched, moved or even blocked a single punch or kick! And while there are a few scrapes, no real damage seems to have been made! What is this absolute unit of a Sumo Wrestler?!"
"H-How…how did you handle all that?" Aino muttered with a sound of shock and widened eyes. Her expression showed a bit of disbelief, and yet she saw Hinomaru's expression of unrelenting fiery determination.
"A Sumo Wrestler doesn't block. We don't have the 'privilege' of having to use every body part to block. Instead, we charge forward…head-to-head, and body-to-body. All of our force and all of our lives are on the line whenever we enter the ring and begin the match." Hinomaru takes a stance, two fists on the ground as he leans over. "Our spirits, and our fire on the line every match. You, who came here with half-hearted strength and willpower, can't hope to win against that!"
Aino widened her eyes, but she didn't respond with anything other than a soft frown and grit teeth as she stared at him head on. Why does everybody keep saying that? She's not coming into this half-heartedly, and she hoped that Hinomaru would be able to understand that about her.
Fighters are prepared to get hurt in competitions like this.
Even if they are prepared to get hurt in a competition, that doesn't mean they should be. There is no reason, and that's just pointless harm.
Whatever you want to get out of this tournament, you're not going to get it if you go at it only half-assed.
Aino cares about her family, and is doing this tournament to win the prize money and support her bakery! Why is that such a half-assed reason for these people? The fighters here? Why does Hinomaru seem to think so or feel so?
Aino didn't know what else to think, and it seemed to be drown out by the pain in her knuckles at the moment. She looked down at Hinomaru, but she was surprised by his position…and she widened her eyes–
"Spirit." Hinomaru's firm voice cut clear through the shouting of the audience and her own thoughts…before she felt an immense burst of air hit her in the face.
Hinomaru already charged at her, and Aino could barely react as she felt her entire body being slammed. Next thing she knew, she was in mid-air with barely a gasp and no time to breath. After all, Hinomaru just slammed his entire body into her, and now she felt as light as air. The spinning lights didn't help, and now she felt her body crash down on something hard. However, Aino didn't know where she was. All she could feel was an immense amount of pain, from her body and the sudden slam of it all as well.
The referee's voice rang out, but she couldn't really make sense of it. Her consciousness was fading in and out, as she felt her entire body lurch from the force of that body slam. She was close to losing consciousness, but at the same time she wasn't sure why.
Why does it feel like she lost?
Hinomaru reared up, as he stood in complete shock and a bit of a concerned expression. After all, he slammed his full-weight onto Aino, and he knew that usually his sport wasn't meant to be used against people who weren't trained for it.
"What an impressive display of endurance and explosive power! Unfortunately, for the Maiden of Love, she seems to have been caught off guard by Onimaru's forward charge! That alone knocked her out of the arena! The winner is Hinomaru Ushio!" The announcer shouted over the microphone, and seemingly with a bit of excitement on her part. The crowd roared and cheered, leaving Hinomaru feeling proud of his sumo, although he also jumped off the arena and went over to Aino, who still laid down on her back on the floor.
"Hey, you okay? I really went a bit hard back there, but I hope you're not seriously hurt." Hinomaru asked with a smile that finally eased up as the match was now over. He didn't have any problem with Aino. Especially since the only real thing he wanted was for her to learn about why they were here and why she had a reason to be here.
Even so, he held a hand out for her to pick up as she opened her wincing eyes. However, she seemed out of it as she raised a hand shakily to grab his own before he hoisted her up on her feet. Hinomaru looked at her expression, and wondered whether or not she was having a concussion.
"I-I…" Aino blinked, but she slowly opened her eyes more consciously before…a slow but shocked expression spread across her face. "I-I…d-did I lose?"
"..." Hinomaru seemed to be noticing that look on her face, and while a pang of sympathy did hit him, he also knew that was mostly just him being too kind for his own good here. However, kindness wouldn't do anything to shake the truth. "Yeah. You lost."
"I see…" Hinomaru patted her on the shoulder firmly. He winced a bit as he might have hurt her shoulder a bit by accident there before he noticed her expression. She bit her lip, before taking a deep breath and closed her eyes before slapping her own cheeks. She smiles, but Hinomaru felt she was forcing it. "O-Oh well, it's just one tournament, right? It's not like I…I wanted to win this tournament."
"Aino," Hinomaru sighed, but smiled a bit. He knew she was forcing herself to be calm and optimistic. "We both know, that's a lie."
"..." Aino kept her smile, but she nodded slowly as she glanced down at the floor. Her eyes were shadowed by her hair, and Hinomaru nodded. "Hey, I shouldn't really be saying this after I beat you, but…I think you should stay for the end of the tournament. Not that I think you'd leave, but you should be able to learn something if you stay."
Aino remained silent, nodding as she hummed. She started shaking, but she spoke out. "Okay…thank you, Ushio-san."
"No worries, Aino-chan." Hinomaru nodded, but he held a firm but determined smirk to himself. "You got a good head on your shoulders, you got that?"
Hinomaru turned around and went back to the hallway that led to his locker room. However, for the moment, the former Middle-School Yokozuna had a frown on his expression. This victory was too easy, all the same. Like the previous one, and this one he knew why it was easy.
Aino was holding back, and she underestimated Hinomaru regardless of her kind nature. That didn't sit well with him, but he knew it wasn't anything malicious or even petty. He just wished that Aino knew better, and had a chance to show her true abilities all the same. Maybe that's why he encouraged her to stay and learn something from the rest of the matches.
That's not to say he didn't want to build her up, but he came to this Junior Martial Arts Tournament for a reason. He wanted to show his Sumo to everybody in the audience and to other prospectors as well, so he didn't want to hold back against her. At the end of the day, Hinomaru furrowed his brows but smirked, as he prepared himself for the finals match.
"Aino…?" Partinias asked with concern, although she was also laced with a motherly tone that showed she knew the possibility of defeat. Her love for Aino wasn't lost on the young maiden.
But Aino walked on her own two slumping feet, her eyes cast downwards. Her knuckles are scraped and still bleeding softly. She was walking along the hallway, but her mind was spiraling down the question of how to face her mother and father. However, at the same time she was…concerned.
I lost… Aino didn't even have it in her to cry, although she frowned softly. She failed to win at the semi-finals, and not to mention didn't even manage to put up a good fight against Hinomaru. The crowd still roared and cheered the entire time, although Aino didn't know what to do about her parents.
What is she supposed to say to them?
That she promised them the prize money and support for the Cafe, only to lose?
That she failed? She didn't even know what else to do, as she doesn't understand the loss.
…
That's…odd. She was just here for her family's business, and the prize money so if she did lose that wouldn't be too much of an issue. However, what is going on? The feeling in her chest was because of the slam by Hinomaru, right?
So, what is going on?
"You lost." Aino blinked as she heard a familiar voice, looking up to see that fighter from before. The same blue-haired fighter, with the baggy pants and beige-eyes. He leaned on the back wall of the hallway, while Aino looked at him with a confused look.
"...yeah. I did." Aino blinked, but she frowned a bit with a pout. "It hurts. Weirdly enough."
"That's usually what happens when you get body slammed in the ring, that shit hurts anybody." The blue-haired young man spoke, but he propped himself on the wall while crossing his arms with a calm look on his face.
"...but it still hurts." Aino hums, frowning curiously.
"What hurts specifically?"
Aino looked up at the young man, but she felt a bit curious so she just spoke honestly. "I came here to win the prize money for my family's cafe. I just wanted to promote my family's cafe if I won, and…I lost. It's not like we were going poor, or anything, and a friend of mine doesn't even know I am doing this for my family. I love them a lot. This doesn't have that much of a stake to it, and I know I shouldn't feel upset but…I do. Why do I still feel upset?"
Aino didn't really understand much of her own thoughts at the moment. After all, what's a loss going to do to their business? Nothing. Her family wouldn't think less of her, now she realized, so if anything the loss of the match meant that she wouldn't have to hurt anybody either. THankfully, she didn't hurt Hinomaru…even if at the expense of her knuckles.
So why is it that when she loses this match? A match with no real huge stakes…she feels upset and bothered by it? She never felt this before. A stinging pain in her chest.
"Because you lost a match. That's plain and simple." The young man spoke, but he seemed to be calm as he got off the wall and stood to face her with his hands on his hips. "When you fight in a tournament, you want to win it no matter the stakes. That's what it means to be a fighter when you step into that ring."
"..." Aino blinked, curiously tilting her head all the same. She hadn't been thinking that hard about it, but then she remembered Mel. "...is that what Mel must have been feeling?"
"That's what I have been telling you, before right? He's already dealing with that loss by himself. ANd now you have to deal with the loss by yourself." He spoke as if he slowly started to make sense to her, and now Aino felt as if she had been…misunderstanding the entire tournament and why people like Hinomaru, Mel, and the man in front of her joined.
"But…what am I supposed to do? I won't lie, I did have fun but it doesn't feel enough for me to have fun. I wanted…I…" Aino stammered a bit near the end, but she did frown in thought as much as she could. "What is there left for me to do?"
"Well," The young man pauses, but he states with a serious expression. "There's two choices for you to take honestly."
"Two?" Aino blinked.
"Yeah. There's two choices, and one of them is simple. You take that loss with you, learn from it, and then grow from it. Believe it or not, that's not as simple as I am making it out to be. You are taking that loss pretty well, even if it stings a lot for you." The young man spoke with a relaxed smile, but gave way to a calm frank expression. "Because most people always end up choosing the second option. Taking that loss, giving up, and always making excuses for themselves. They 'didn't stand a chance', or they 'lost because of a fluke', or other excuses like that."
"Isn't there usually…I-I mean, not to sound too optimistic," Aino stammered, but she also spoke as she let his words sink in for a brief moment before she asks. "Isn't there a third option?"
"No. There isn't." The young man's expression turned serious and hard, making AIno flinch. "If there was a third option…then everybody would take that third option. Convenient, but it doesn't exist."
"I see…" Aino hummed as she looked down, not sad, but rather contemplative now. Is…that what she should do? She's taking that loss well, at least that's what he said, but she doesn't really have any other excuse other than she just didn't want to hurt Hinomaru too badly. But instead, she ended up getting hurt and knocked out of the ring with Hinomaru not having taken any meaningful damage.
Maybe there was some merit to the idea of what he said before. Aino was holding back, and maybe that wasn't the best thing to do logically…but it was more than that.
She had held back because she assumed she would win just as she was, just by virtue of having an Arcana. She was…truly arrogant.
That thought frustrated her for a moment, but she also didn't feel like giving up. Call her stubborn but Aino never was one to give up too easily, whether it be in baking, athletics, or even her worst subjects. Because she cared about improving, and loved her family and friends to improve.
But this was something she never experienced before. The need to improve…for herself.
At least, that's what she thinks this feeling is.
"Guess you already made your choice." She looked up to the young man, who stretches his arms and scratches the back of his head as he relaxes and nonchalantly begins walking away. "If your not leaving immediately, be sure to watch the last two matches. You don't want to miss it when I get to the Finals."
"Huh?" Aino raised a brow and tilted her head, almost feeling silly as she never asked his name. "W-Wait, what do you mean? A-Actually, who are you? I never got your name last time, and I realized you haven't ever told me your name either!"
"...oh, my name?" The young man looked back at the maiden with his beige eyes, sharp as a sharks, but a smirk as sharp as his fists. "I'm Woo-Sol. Cha Woo-Sol. Be sure to remember that."
"W-Woo-Sol…as in–a-ah, right I didn't introduce myself! Ah, Ah…M-My name is Aino Heart! It's a pleasure to meet you!" Aino waved her arms, before bowing at a perfect 90 degree angle. However, she looked up to meet his eyes before pouting.
Because he was blinking flatly. "That's a weird-ass name for a pun."
"Aaaaaaahhhhhh! I get it, okay!" Aino pouted as she flailed her arms side-to-side, but heard Woo-Sol snort while turning away and walking down the hallway before he disappeared.
Ugh, I swear…do people always need to ask about my name? And…why was it that he…felt like he had more to say? Aino blinked, pouting but frowning in thought as she crossed her arms before hissing as she realized. Her knuckles were scraped even still, but she…didn't mind the pain as of now.
Well, that was a lie, the pain was unbearable. But she'd get through it. And she'd learn from this.
"Aino…are you alright?" Partinias spoke from within her soul, and Aino took a deep breath, before having a determined expression on her face.
"No, Partinias. I'm not. I lost." Aino stated clearly, but she took a small breath to pat her cheeks, and then…she smiled. "But maybe I can learn something from this. See what I should do after I see the last two matches. Hopefully…Hopefully I figure out what to do."
"I see…" Partinias spoke, but her motherly joy could be felt, and she giggled. "I do love it when you're stubborn."
"Mhm!" Aino giggled with a silly tone at that, but she walked along the hallway, on her way to where the rest of the fighters would be watching from the audience. For now, she just needed to learn a bit.
After all, Hinomaru and Woo-Sol may have had a point in some way.
She doesn't know why Fighters fight for themselves, or even for their own reasons.
Maybe Aino Heart can find her own reason to fight, if she sees what its like when two fighters battle their hearts out. Something she's missing…but something she wants to understand.
Now, I am sure many might be wondering.
'That fight was short! And not to mention anti-climactic'
Well, that was the point of this chapter. Aino underestimated Hinomaru even after a close win against Mel Masters, it was only likely she would get surprised and body-slammed by Hinomaru's charge when she explicitly went into the fight with a half-hearted plan.
However, now with that being said, Woo-Sol finally is named! For those who didn't know, his appearance was back in the 4th chapter already, but I never got to naming him immediately.
From here on out, just be aware that some parts of the story might be different, including POV now. So, either way, thanks for reading this story, and it is good to be back! Make sure to leave a comment and like on the thread!
This has been TuriMaelstrom, and I'll see you on the horizon.