After Serenity's little takeover of the guild failed, Serenity ended up getting expelled from the guild. It wasn't easy for Velvet to do, but he had to uphold his responsibilities as master over his feelings as a father. It was difficult for him to do, but it had to be done. As for the town, everything is back to normal there as well. Now that Serenity is gone, things have gotten a little quiet around the guild.
"Boy, ever since Serenity's expulsion, things are acting like nothing has happened." Mary said with her looking around the guild and saw how nothing really has changed. "No. I shouldn't say that. Since Serenity left, the Tri Flame is making a better attempt to bond with the rest of the guild."
"Now watch this. It's all in the wrist." Rocko said as he was playing a game of darts with some of the members and made a perfect shot each time.
"Yeah! Who has a request?!" Skrull said as he kept acting like a rockstar and was trying to perform for the guild. Even Jake was helping out around more by aiding the bar. All of the Tri Flame are working harder to bond with the guild because that's what Serenity would want them to do, and deep down a part of them wanted to. They saw that this guild does mean something to them now and they don't want to forsake it.
"It certainly seems like things have begun to settle down." Aster said with him joining Mary at a table. "Our new members are settling in quite well, and the Tri Flame are making a better effort to bond outside of Serenity."
"It feels like we can finally relax after all the chaos." Mary said as she is going to do just that.
"Let's take this!"
"Sure. This one seems simple enough." Mary looked to the job board and saw Maru and Sandy were going back to work.
"Hey, you guys. Maru, you look like you're doing better." Mary said. "Are you really going back to work?"
"Well, we still need to put food on the table." Maru said.
"Come on, Maru. Let's get going." Sandy said.
"Sure. Sorry, Mary." Maru said. "We'll have to go without you this time. I promised Sandy we take a job with it just being the two of us."
"I'm not complaining. I plan to just relax." Mary said. She let them go and the two of them were off. "Those two seem to do everything together, don't they?"
"More or less." Aster claimed.
"Hey, I have been curious about something." Mary said. "How exactly did Maru and Sandy meet?"
"Let me think... Maru has been in the guild for about seven years, but Sandy has only been around here for three years." Aster said as he began to share the story of how Maru and Sandy came to be.
...
Flashback
"Maru took a job on his own, and it took him to a rather far place." Aster narrated as he told the story. It all happened around three years ago. That job that he had to take care of...was dealing with a giant creature called a vulcan in the woods. That vulcan seemed rather mad with it trying to crush Maru with its giant fists, but Maru kept moving.
"Over here, you giant monkey!" Maru called as he wanted the vulcan to chase after him. That's exactly what the giant ape did. What Maru didn't know was that someone was watching the whole thing. Maru kept on running until he could see a ravine up ahead. Maru jumped for it and grabbed a vine for him to swing across, but the vulcan just had to jump. "Now I have you!" Maru held up his hand and shined a bright light that blinded the creature. That caused the vulcan to miss its landing and fall right in the ravine. Maru looked down and saw the creature was knocked out now. "That's why you should watch your step."
"Hehehe..."
"Huh?" Maru heard someone laughing and looked around to try and see who it was. "Is someone there?" He looked to see who else was there, and then spotted something moving through the bushes and making a run for it. "Wait!" He called with him chasing after whoever that was. "It's okay! I'm not going to hurt you, and that vulcan isn't going to be a problem now!" He tried to see who it was he was chasing, but he then suddenly saw something fly right out of the plants at great speed. "What is that?! It can't be a bird!" Maru tried to see what just flew off, but he wasn't paying attention to where he was going. He tripped over a root and started rolling downhill. When he hit the bottom, he blacked out.
...
Maru
"Hello? Can you hear me? Hello? Are you okay?" Maru could hear someone's voice, but he couldn't see. He finally found the strength to open his eyes. "Hello? Are you okay?"
"I think..." When Maru could see clearly, he was met with a cat face right in front of him. "AAAAWWWWW!" He screamed and tried to shake the sandy brown cat right off him.
"Hey! That isn't nice!"
"Sorry, but it's not everyday you wake up with a cat right in your face." Maru said, but then he realized he was still in the woods and there wasn't another human around. "Wait. Who said that?"
"I did. You just pushed me off." Maru looked down and saw it was the cat that was talking to him. "What's the matter? You've never seen a talking cat before?"
"A talking cat?!" Maru said as he was rather freaked about the whole thing. "There's no way! How can a cat be talking?!"
"I don't know. I just am." The cat said with it also showing a set of wings and was flying. Now Maru was even more freaked.
"You can fly?!" Maru said.
"Yeah. So can everyone else." The cat said. He showed that Maru was actually in a tiny village that was filled with flying, talking, magical cats. Maru couldn't believe his eyes.
"What is this? Some sort of cat paradise?" Maru said.
"I don't know. I've always known this place as Exceed Village." The cat claimed. "I brought you here after that tumble from when you were chasing me."
"That was you? Who are you?" Maru asked.
"My name is Sandy." That was how Maru and Sandy met. "Now I have some questions. Who are you?! What are you?! Where did you come from?! How did you shine a light?! Why were you fighting that big monster?!" He was asking all of his questions at once, but Maru covered his mouth to stop him from talking.
"Easy now. You're one chatty kitty." Maru joked. After meeting Sandy, Maru wanted to talk to whoever was in charge of this cat village. That was when he met with a white cat.
"Hello. We don't get many human visitors. My name is Shagotte. I was once the queen of the exceeds, but I denounced myself of the crown a long time ago. I'm not much of a queen these days, just a fellow exceed doing her part to help her people."
"So, your kind are called exceeds? I've never even heard of your kind before. Well, I hope I didn't cause you any sort of trouble." Maru said. "I was here because I work at a guild and I took a job to deal with a vulcan around here. When I saw something in the bushes, I chased after it to see who it was."
"It's okay. You don't have to explain anything." Shagotte claimed. "Sandy told us everything because he was the one that brought you here."
"Yeah, and you're heavier than you look." Sandy said.
"We don't get many humans around here, but fill free to stay and help yourself to some food and water." Shagotte said.
"Thank you, but I don't really like fish." Maru said.
"We don't only eat fish. Come on." Sandy said with him showing around. Sandy was the one that helped Maru out around the village. It seemed fitting for these cats, but was rather small for a human. Still, it looked like everyone was doing well and seemed happy. Thanks to Sandy, Maru was treated to some vegetable and water.
"Thank you. It's really nice of you to treat me like this." Maru said.
"I've heard a lot about humans, but I hardly ever got to meet one." Sandy said. "Humans can do magic, too? What's that mark I saw you have on your arm?"
"The mark? It's my guild emblem. I'm part of a guild called Phoenix Flame. I've been there for about four years." Maru claimed.
"A guild? I've heard of them, but I've never seen them. What is it?" Sandy asked.
"A guild is a place wizards like me can find work." Maru said. "There are many through the whole country, and much more."
"Does that mean you've been to a lot of places?! See all kinds of creatures?! Met all kinds of humans?! Also, how come the creatures that look like us can't fly or talk?!" Sandy said as he sounded quite excited.
"If you're going to keep talking like that, you might need to get yourself some water." Maru said.
"Good idea. My mouth is already tired from flapping." Sandy said with him going over to get some water.
"Sandy keeps bugging you with questions?" Maru looked and saw two other exceeds talking to him. "He's just rather curious about the world."
"Sandy is still pretty young. He hasn't seen much of the world, but he keeps hearing things about it. He just likes to know more about what's out there."
"Sounds like he's one curious cat, but that isn't really a good thing for them." Maru joked. Joking aside, Maru and Sandy seemed to be getting along rather well. They spent most of their time together getting to know each other a little better and learning more about humans and exceeds. The two of them found themselves enjoying their time together. The time just seem to flyaway with them, but it was getting rather late. Eventually, Maru would have to go back home. "Well, it's been fun, and thanks for the help, but I think it's time I got going."
"Do you really have to leave?" Sandy asked.
"I've got to get back to my guild eventually. They're going to worry and wonder where I am if I don't go back." Maru said. "Still, if you want to hang out a little longer, maybe you can show me the way out. I don't know where I am right now."
"Okay..." Sandy said with him flapping his little wings, but he sounded disappointed that Maru had to leave. The two of them were on their own now and in the woods until they reached the point to part ways soon. "This is about as far as I've ever gone in the woods."
"Thanks. I'm sure I can find my way from here." Maru said, but Sandy still seemed up set about him leaving. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah. I just wish you didn't have to go." Sandy said.
"If you're so curious about humans and what's out there, why not do a little traveling? Are you not allowed because you're rather young?" Maru asked.
"I wouldn't even know where to go or what to do. The world is such a big place and I don't really know anyone." Sandy claimed.
"No one knows everyone in the world. There's just no way anyone would know that." Maru said. "Not knowing is actually part of what makes the adventure fun. You might be a little young, but there's no reason you can't go out and see what's out there if you're so curious." It did sound like something for Sandy to think about, but he still didn't seem sure. "Sandy, you know..." Suddenly, something stomped down near them and knocked Maru away.
"Maru!" Sandy called, but then that same something grabbed him. When Maru was able to see what it was, he saw it was the vulcan from earlier.
"This ape again?! I thought he was already taken care of!" Maru said.
"I don't like that little trick you did earlier." The vulcan claimed.
"The giant monkey can talk?!" Sandy said.
"You're a talking cat. It can't be that freaky to you." Maru debated. Suddenly, the giant ape tried to swing its arm at Maru, but Maru was able to avoid it.
"I wouldn't be so jumpy if I were you or I'll crush the little kitten. All nine of it's lives will squeeze right out." The vulcan threatened. Maru was stuck now. He couldn't fight the vulcan without putting Sandy at risk. He tried to think of what he was going to do until he looked straight up and saw a hive right over the vulcan's head.
"Fine. I'll beat you by just standing right here." Maru said.
"I don't think you understand. You're going to stay perfectly still and not fight back!" The vulcan said.
"That isn't fair!" Sandy said.
"I won't need to." Maru said. He fired a blast of light and managed to hit the hive. The hive was knocked right out of the tree and it landed right on the vulcan's head. When that happened, a whole swarm of bees flew out and thought the giant ape was the one that attacked. Naturally, the giant ape got scared and freaked with the swarm attacking it. He swung his arms around and was forced to let Sandy go. Sandy flew through the woods with Maru able to catch him. "You okay?"
"I think so." Sandy said. "Lookout!" Sandy used his wings and was able to push Maru out of the way before Maru got stomped on. The vulcan ran from the warm with it chasing after the big ape. Even a mighty ape like that couldn't deal with a swarm of angry bees. "That will teach the big ape. Right?"
"Hopefully." Maru said.
"Well, I guess that means you have to go now." Sandy said. Now that the vulcan was dealt with and Sandy was unharmed, there wasn't much reason for Maru to stay.
"You know, this doesn't have to be goodbye." Maru said. "If you're so curious about what goes on out in the world, why don't you come with me? You could join the guild."
"What?! Really?! I could?!" Sandy questioned.
"Yeah. It doesn't matter to us if you're human or not." Maru said. "What do you say? You want to come?" He asked with him holding out his hand. Sandy seems to love the idea.
"After that, Sandy left his village and went with Maru. Those two have been inseparable ever since. It wasn't easy for Sandy, but that's why he sticks with Maru and goes almost everywhere with him. Back then, Sandy felt safer and only knew Maru at the time, and Maru has been taking care of him ever since."
End of Flashback
...
"Wow. So, they helped each other." Mary said.
"Yeah, and those two do seem to make a good team." Aster said. "It was a little weird for us at first when Sandy came around, but we all came around to it in no time. Back when Sandy was a little kitten, he was adorable. Couldn't really turn him away even if we wanted to. It's been like that for the last three years."
"That's some story." Mary said with her getting some insight into Maru. 'I have to admit that Maru really is something else. He seems to have this way to connect with people and bring out the best in them, and apparently with cats as well. At least, he sees something that others might not like he did with me. I'm actually really glad it was someone like Maru that brought me here.' She thought as she feels grateful to be working with a great pair like Maru and Sandy.