Winx 10
Nearly two weeks after the battle with the Trix, Team Saber were hanging out near the stables.
The real Brandon cleared his throat "Guys, we gotta talk about the elephant in the room."
"Look if it's about me lagging behind dragon riding, Austin is helping me out." Timmy exclaimed.
"Yeah, we still have under 2 months before the exhibition." Austin added as he was tending to the team's dragons.
Brandon states "It's not that, Valentine's Day is less than a week away and with current conditions, we might be dateless."
"Seriously, I thought you were going to say something serious for once." Riven chuckled.
"Look just because you decided to be single doesn't mean the rest of us have to suffer." Brandon states.
Riven rolled his eyes "I thought you and Stella were already going out."
Sky explains "Yeah but with how I acted with Bloom, they haven't really talked."
Timmy nodded "Plus with you guys revealing your secrets, it's been hard for us to hang out."
"Well me and Bloom still have our weekly culture exchange hangout." Austin corrected Timmy.
"Same with me and Flora." Riven adds as he was checking his phone.
Brandon asked "But didn't you say you were done with dating after Darcy?"
"Yeah, but Flora is just a friend. Not in Austin's definition but someone I'm able to hangout with." Riven explained.
Jokingly Austin asked "If that's the case, what do you think about me?"
"A cousin that might get on my nerves but has my back." Riven answered with a smirk.
"Please you've teased me way more times than I teased you." Austin retorted.
From the loud speaker, the boys heard Saladin state "Team SABER, may I see you in my office."
Brandon stopped leaning against the wall and said "Well time to get to work."
The guys walked out of the stable and once they'd arrived to the headmaster's office, he cheerfully greeted them. "Well boys, it seems you five have really turned things around. After your midterm results and today's exercise, it's clear you're the best freshman team."
Brandon smirked "Was there ever a doubt it could be someone other than us?"
Saladin gave a soft smile to the brunette"You must work on that modestly Prince Sky."
The boys looked at one another until the real Sky stepped forward "They know the truth headmaster Saladin, we told them the other day."
Austin adds "They also know about me as well."
Saladin chuckled as he exclaimed "It's about time, while I was hesitant to place you 5 on a squad together, seems everything played out."
"Wait so did you also know that Austin knew my family as well?"Riven asked.
Saladin shook his head "No, that was just a happy accident. Though I did notice a resemblance between you and your uncle."
"Probably thought you were one of Kenny's potential love child from an old fling." Austin joked.
A slight chuckle escaped from Saladin's mouth "It's not impossible."
Curious ,Sky asked "I'm guessing there's more to this meeting than asking how things have progressed."
"You're correct, especially with all of your secrets revealed, I have the perfect mission for you boys." Saladin says as he showed them a picture of a man in his late 20's with white hair tied at the end with a topknot and a curved scar above his left eye. He wore a light blue kimono with navy blue hakama, wooden sandals with white socks and a daishō set of katanas carried at his hip.
"No way, you want us to go against Yukio!?"Austin exclaimed in shock.
Riven asked "So who's this Yukio guy?"
"He's a mercenary that me and Kenny faced a few times. When it comes to the sword, there's no one more deadly than him." Austin explained.
Brandon smirks "So we capture this guy and end an age old beef. Sounds pretty good on your part."
"Not only that but this will also help you ,Prince Sky. Yukio is known to work for Lord Yoshinoya." Saladin adds.
"Meaning he might know if Yoshinoya is involved in the missing taxes." Brandon exclaimed.
Sky pondered "He is a likely suspect, ever since these incidents started he's been paying off the tributes of villages outside his domain."
Excitably Timmy asked "Then what are we waiting for let's bag this guy."
That very night, as Yukio was at a bar counter waiting for a drink, Austin and Riven took the seats at his sides.
"So you must be the legendary "Blood Drenched" Yukio. I've heard great things about you." Riven said in a somewhat mocking tone.
The samurai was handed a shot of tequila and asked "Aren't you lads are bit young for a place like this?"
Riven scoffs "Look we have business we wish to discuss with you."
Yukio took the shot and says "There's only two types of people who know of my reputation that wish to talk business." He placed his hand on his katana.
"Those who wish to buy my skills or those who I get to test them on. So which of the two are you?"
Riven gulped as he could feel the bloodlust in the man's red eyes. While he's heard people declared to want to kill him in the past, this man was the first who made the threat feel more like a promise.
Austin states "We only ask for information, there's no need to cross blades."
Yukio glanced at Austin before unsheathing his blade to strike the beast tamer, but the attack was blocked by the Varia-Rod.
Instantly Austin switched the weapon to a reverse grip in order to block a a crushing blow from Yukio's sheath.
The samurai sheathed his blade and smirked "Seems the hatchling finally left the nest."
"H.how did you recognize me without the mask?" A hesitant Austin asked as he kept his guard up.
"Not many kids see my blade in action and live to tell the tale, fewer being skilled enough to block it." Yukio answered.
Riven actives his phantoblade as he gripped its hilt with all his might. He waited for Yukio to make his next move. But to his surprise, he heard the mercenary ask "So what did you want to know?"
"I've heard you've worked for Yoshinoya of Eraklyon before. Got any dirt on him?" Austin questioned.
Yukio took a moment to think "Yeah I've worked for that pig before, but you know me it's not about the money…."
Austin finished the sentence "It's about who could give you a challenge. So what do you know?"
Yukio smirked "I'll give you all the answers you want if you do me a favor."
Riven objects as he takes a step forward "You can't negotiate with him, it's obviously a trap to lower your guard."
Austin shook his head "Yukio is many things but he's not the type of person to use a cheap trick like that."
A few minutes later outside the bar, the rest of Team SABER was watching the entrance worry for their teammates.
"Are you sure they're alright, this could be an ambush." Timmy said.
Brandon tried to ease Timmy's worry "If what Austin says is true, Yukio is a loner. So I don't expect him to have any help."
They saw Austin and Riven walk out the bar with Yukio as Sky exclaimed "They got him."
As the group got together Austin says "He's willing to cooperate but he has a some conditions."
Skeptical at the mercenary's willingness to come in this easily , Sky asked "And what are those conditions?"
Riven explained "In addition for immunity, he wishes for an instructor position at Red Fountain."
Brandon chuckles "You can't be serious, we're really going to let him teach at the school."
"I can assure you, I'm qualified enough to teach you kids how to wield a blade." Yukio confidently states.
Sky scratched at his neck "You've known him the longest Austin, so what's your call."
Austin hesitated for a second before answering "Honestly this is our best option, we can't beat this guy without nearly getting killed."
"True but having him be a teacher is insane, we can't have a known man slayer on campus?" Timmy argued.
Riven states "He only wanted a recommendation, so it's not certain he'll get the job."
Sky sighed "Fine, we'll talk to Saladin about this. Until he comes to a decision, you're coming with us."
Yukio shrugged his shoulders "Sure thing kid."
Timmy voiced his opinion while placing a pair of stasis cuff on the white haird man "I still think this is a bad idea."
"Proably, but when has a bad idea stopped us before." Austin said.