Hello, everyone. Welcome to another new entry for me. In this case, the third fighting game series I've done. In this case, one of what I considered the two great anime-esque fighting games there is, Blazblue. Kind of late, but it's been on my mind for a while, especially after playing Central Fiction on the Switch. Litchi's one of my favorite characters and…well, like many, by the time CF ended she'd been through the ringer. Sure, she came out alive and able to move forward with her life, but as per these stories, she took a hell of a beating. So, here's a story showing her continuing to move forward and finding a chance at second love. Obviously, it's post Central Fiction so no Ragna mentioning of any sort. But a look at the considerably better world he left behind.

I do not own anything.


The Doctor and Her Sunshine

Chapter 1-The Unexpected Gift


The second the alarm went off, Litchi was up. It'd been almost a month since the alarm went off, which wasn't a bad record. Still, it's loud cry told her that someone had just broken into the clinic. In a single breath she'd thrown off the sheets and was getting dressed. First were her glasses, then her clothes, and finally Mantenbo. She pressed the button on the front door as she zoomed out into the night. Linhua was probably up by now and she'd likely give chase by the time she'd gotten dress. Litchi hoped to have the intruders dealt with by the time her young charge caught up with her.

She wondered who it was this time. The lower levels had their share of criminals, potentially they always would as a perfect utopia didn't exist outside of one's dreams. A Hierarchal City certainly didn't, especially Kagutsuchi.

While she had turned in almost an hour ago, the night life was still going strong. She saw it as luminous blurs as her legs carried forward. As she ran, she saw people pointing at her, shouting at her. Apparently, this break-in wasn't a quite affair.

Her ears rung with the roar of explosions, ironically making her blood turn icy cold. Oh, wonderful. Just what I needed. Just let the place still be standing. The closer she drew to the clinic the more she could heard-the familiar sounds of battle. People were running in the opposite direction, fast at that. At least it meant she wouldn't have to worry about anyone being caught in the crossfire. Hopefully.

"Ms. Litchi, your clinic-" Someone shouted.

"I know! Just get away and let me handle it!" She never broke her stride. Her grip on her staff tightened as she came within view of her clinic, and the battle that was unfolding right in front of it. In seconds, her eyes examined every aspect of what was going on.

First and foremost, several things were on fire, including buildings. Including parts of her clinic. That was troubling enough, but Litchi continued to examine the rest of the scene. It was a battle alright, not unlike the brawls that broke out between street gangs from time to time. Litchi was ready to write it off as two gangs until she more cleanly examined the combatants.

Uniformed, and not simple rags but professional-looking uniforms that showed organization. They weren't NOL, that much she could tell. Bright red was contrasted by white straps they wore across their chests and backside. Some wore shoulder caps indicating rank, but whatever skill they possessed wasn't helping them much against their opposition. That was something else Litchi took notice of as they surveyed the situation, it was many against one. A lone figure wielding a sword alight with flames, the same that'd been eating away at the townscape. Even from where she was, several meters away, Litchi felt the heat, and sensed the seithr that ran through the weapon. Potent, powerful, more than enough to cut down a platoon, more so in the hands of a skilled wielder.

The flames coating the blade vanished. No, as she looked more closely, she saw they were merely channeled into the edge of the weapon, turning it bright red. While the power was still there, it was now more contained. It was an act that Litchi caw the practical purpose of, though she also speculated it might have been an attempt to reduce collateral damage. Such a thought matched the measured and precise slashes made with the sword, which left a fiery streak in its wake. A trail but no destructive waves that would have plowed into the buildings or people.

Her eyes traveled from the sword to its wielder. Young, likely no older than seventeen or perhaps eighteen at the most. Despite that apparent age, he moved like a trained warrior; Litchi quickly deduced he likely was one. She'd seen many, and treated a few. Time would tell if he'd be joining that number. From what she observed, it didn't look like.

His blond hair practically glowed in the fires around him, some of which might have been his own making. Their shine made it hard to ascertain the color of his eyes as they seemed to glow as well. She'd have to get a closer look at him if she wanted to see for certain.

He seemed on the verge of looking back at her, but the battle was still raging around him. What attention she might have gotten was quickly redirected back to one of his attacks. Blade made blade, his quickly cutting into his opponent's. The rest of his body went next.

"What is going on here?!" Litchi asked, knowing full she likely wasn't going to get a direct response. Or a truthfully one. Still, she did get the fighters' attention. She remained on guard as multiple sets of eyes fell on her, including those whose bodies were out of view.

It went without saying this wasn't a break in as she'd originally thought.

"The Litchi Faye-Ling, I presume?" Tall, jet-black hair with a beard; blood and sweated coated his face as he looked her over with curious, analytical eyes. Not the first time she'd been sized up, but she still had no idea who this man was or what was going on.

"And if I am?" She replied. After surveying the uniformed men, her gaze fell back on the teenager. He'd yet to make a move, but she saw him still tensed up and ready. It was his eyes that intrigued her the most. The moment they met hers, they softened showing concern for her. Well, that's informative. "Who are you people?"

"Let's say we can be your best friends if you're willing to work with us. We'll even see to it that your clinic is repaired after all the damage done to it. Making it bigger and better than ever, I'm sure you and your patients would appreciate that." The sells pitch. Not the worst she'd ever heard. Litchi had a feeling that the man meant it.

Her next question was an immediate follow up, "And the cost will be?"

"Oh, we'd just like your medical expertise for some…associates of ours."

"Don't do it." Finally, the blond teenager spoke, and of course. His eyes, still shining bright orange thanks to the fires around them, shifted between Litchi and the man. Any second he was ready to spring into action, potentially even against her.

"Lord Gawayne, please. At least show some consideration for-"

"With all due respect, I believe I'm going to have to turn down your offer." Her words cut through the air like a knife. "I've heard this before, and I do believe your associates aren't the sort I want to spend my time treating." As she spoke, she twirled Mantenbo about, easily smacking aside the assailants that'd been watching her. Their attack further confirmed that she'd made the right choice.

Across from her, the young man made his move, lunging for the one who'd been talking. Their swords met in a clash that kicked up a gale across the street. Litchi debated rather or not to join in; there were still others looming about, many who had their eyes on the blond teenager. He'd handled himself well, and she had little doubt he could continue to do so. Still, she was now curious as to what the hell was going on. What feud had swept up her clinic and left it a wreck? Litchi wanted answers, and that would work best if she had someone to talk to. She decided that the rest of the uniformed soldiers would do. Not to mention it'd save her some unwanted attention from the city law enforcement.

It was easy to deflect their attacks, melee and firearms alike. Litchi could see they were skilled, but nowhere near enough to take on her. Luckily, most of the townspeople had cleared out thus saving themselves from getting caught in the crossfire. She earnestly hoped one of them would catch Linhua and stop her from getting too close. Even if the girl knew to keep herself out of fights, the risk was always there. Especially since she had no idea what these men were capable of. That played a part in her swift elimination of each of them.

Working her way through them, Litchi took quite note of the insignia they each bore. Definitely not NOL, but she didn't recognize the wing-themed insignia they wore. She'd research it later, after her clinic wasn't in anymore danger of being collateral damage.

On the positive side, the fight was gradually moving away from it. Litchi was quick to note it was thanks to the young man.

His strikes were powerful enough to shake the air. She could tell there was no magical techniques involved, just physical strength. It was being used to force the bearded man, a commander perhaps, further down the street. Her intuition told her that it wasn't an accident-he was doing it intentionally. Still keeping her thoughts to herself, Litchi followed him, keeping Mantenbo at the ready. Behind her were a trail of broken and unconscious men, some of them were now most certainly in need of a doctor, but Litchi didn't think she'd be the one treating them.

"Seriously, just tell me where he is! It'll make this go a lot faster!" The teenager's voice reverberated through the air alongside the clash of his blade against his opponent.

"Do you really think I'm going to give him up that easily!"

"Self-preservation's always been one of your strong points, Sullivan!" Another clash of steel, another shock wave. Her hair swerved in the resulting wind, yet Litchi kept on moving forward. All too quickly, she came upon the scene, both fighters still locked in a sword duel. Their blades moved as blurs to the untrained eye, but Litchi caught every slash and parry. It was clear who had the advantage. "You know you're not going to beat me! I don't want to kill you, but I'm not going to let you get away without telling me something!"

"I will tell you nothing! I will not betray my lord!" The bearded man snapped back.

KLANG!

There was a newfound intensity in the blonde's attack. His eyes bored into his opponents as he pushed against him. Litchi could have sworn she felt sweat forming across her skin; it grew by the second as she continued to listen in.

"You already betrayed my family." Came the low but heated snarl.

"My loyalty," replied the older man, not shirking under the force of the younger swordsman. "Has always been to only one, and one above all else. What I did, I did for him." Litchi quietly noted the man had some valor despite the crimes he was being accused of, and practically acknowledging.

Said acknowledgement further confirmed that she'd made the right choice, but again, what sort of feud had found its way to the 13th Hierarchical City?

Brimming with anger, the blond teenager went on a renewed attack, his sword flying faster. Within seconds, he'd overwhelmed his opponent. She saw blood spew from numerous wounds made across his body, yet few were fatal. As angry as the youth was, he was refraining from killing him. He wanted information out of him and that apparently came first. Litchi wanted the same, but again, her intuition told her that whatever this was, it was personal.

Then again, it'd also become personal for her with the damage done to her clinic.

She moved toward the fight, past the young swordsman. As she did, their eyes met-he managed to catch her movements. Up close, she finally managed to discover what color they were, blue. Blond hair and blue eyes. Not an unusual combination. Their ocular exchange lasted no more than a second, her attention turned back to the downed man, whom realized he was her target. Surprisingly, despite his wounds, he jumped backward. Litchi simply kept coming at him, intent on knocking him down and making sure he stayed down.

A barrier kept her from doing just that. It was rather strong for a last-minute defense, though that might have also been the point.

THUNK!

It was like standing beside a furnace. There were no visible flames but the heat was absolutely there. A glance at the edge of his blade allowed her to see its visible manifestation. Seithr morphed into heat powerful enough it could incinerate an entire building in seconds, all concentrated at the edge of a blade. A refined technique for sure.

That heat did a majority of the work in cutting through the barrier, quite fittingly like a hot knife through butter. Flacks of seithr hovered in the air before Litchi, though she had next to no time to pay attention to it. The swordsman was rushing forward as soon he'd cut down the barrier. Sticking to her plan to knock the man unconscious, Litchi followed suit. She had to put an extra pep in her step to outpace him.

The fleeing man noticed her near immediately. Fear shone in his eyes as he realized he was no longer alone. No doubt he believed she was going to kill him. Well, he'd be proven wrong when he woke up several hours later, under her interrogation, afterward, whatever the authority did to him would be the path he'd be on.

Her pressure-point strike never came. Litchi's honed senses clued her in to the danger, and she turned in the direction of it. Mantenbo was swung, just in time to deflect the blast of energy that would have likely put a whole in her. Immediately following the shot's trajectory, she saw that there were more of those uniformed men, now stationed on the rooftop. Undoubtedly providing covering support for the fleeing man. They laid down a barrage of fire now that they'd been discovered. Litchi knew she couldn't exactly leave them alone-meaning that the man would be getting away.

Boom!

Or not.

Behind her glasses, her eyes slightly widened as the arc-shaped wave of fire slammed into the gunmen. She heard their startled, potentially dying screams as the flames rapidly consumed them. Already knowing who was responsible, she turned back and saw the blond teenager running forward. He passed her in a blur, though his shout was undoubtedly directed at her.

"Sorry about that!"

Was that an apology to her for being in the line of fire? If so, she appreciated it, but it wasn't going to make her give up.

At least he's considerate. Her feet were moving again, her red dress and hair trailing as she returned to her original target.

CLANG!

Who kindly flew right back into her line of sight. The teenager had moved in what had been an unseen burst of speed, getting in front of him then knocking him back. Now, the wounded man was sandwiched between the two of them; he knew it was the absolute worst situation to be in, and there wasn't a shred of hope he was getting out of it effortless. He was bleeding badly from his numerous wounds, but he had some willpower as his eyes still burned with a stubborn defiance as he looked between her and the blond.

"Last chance, Sullivan, where is he?" The latter roared.

"Surrender." Litchi simply called. "Do that and you've got a chance to live past tonight."

She really didn't want to kill this man even though by all accounts, he wasn't exactly a pleasant person. That said, she would if she had to, especially if he tried to put Orient Town at risk to protect himself. While she had no proof, Litchi only had that instinctive feeling. At times like this, she had a sinking feeling it was going to be right.

Dark eyes looked between her and the teenager. In the far distant, the clamor of activity could be heard. NOL was likely beginning to arrive on the scene. They were almost a block away from the clinic, which she appreciated. Likewise, Linhua was probably still there, and hopefully being held back by the authorities. It was also possible she was either treating those who might have been injured…or stopping anyone from looting the clinic considering it had a gaping whole in the front of it. She'd like to know who was responsible for that.

As she feared, that gut feeling of hers was confirmed as she heard a chuckle coming from the man. That was not the response of a man who was cornered-it was the response of one that still had an ace up his sleeve. Litchi waited for it to reveal itself, quietly hoping it wouldn't be anything too extreme.

"Afraid my ride's here."

The moment she heard the bird's caw, Litchi knew it wasn't an ordinary bird. Based on the man's word, she had a feeling it was likely going to be bigger too. Looking to the east, she saw that she was unfortunately right. Amidst the lights, it came in, a giant winged figure that sharply contrasted the glittering buildings around it. Litchi saw blood-red eyes that radiated pure malice. That's all it took for her to realize that this animal had been infested with seithr. Its beak opened revealing pointed teeth that she knew could easily tear flesh from bone if they got a hold of something. But it wasn't that which she had to worry about, it was the sudden, powerful wind blast it unleashed with its wings.

Acting quickly, she deflected it with a swing of Mantenbo, then throw her prized staff directly at the bird. It flew faster than the bird could comprehend, and it paid for that with a very hard blow to the chest. Before recalling it, she turned her attention back to the commotion happening at the front; there were more birds, the size of humans thus large enough to carry a full-grown person. That included the bearded man, who had his opportunity to make a run for it on one of the birds. One of them, as there were many. And they weren't attacking the teenager.

In the lower levels of the 13th Hierarchical City, danger was a constant. Many criminals made their home in the lower levels. Being attacked by other humans was normal. Vicious, mutated animals? That wasn't so common.

It was sheer chaos, and it was absolutely attention grabbing.

"You bastard!" Shouted the teenager as he ran into the fray to stop the birds. Several were carrying people, who were predictably screaming in terror. Mantenbo returned to Litchi's grasp as she hurried to join him. As far as distractions went, this a mean but effective one.

They worked in silent tandem, her and the teenager. While the birds might have been a terror to ordinary humans, the same couldn't be said for them. More so given how motivated they were. Litchi watched the care in which the teenager rescued each civilian with. The anger showed on his face, though it lessened when he tried to reassure a few of them as he lowered them to the ground. She caught sight of a few ladies attempted to be quite physical in their gratitude, only for him to hastily shrug them off. Litchi went through the same with some of the men, and a few women.

In minutes, they were back on the ground, surrounded by shellshocked citizens. Litchi took a look at a few of them and noted the injuries they had. Slashed and bitten by the monster birds, but none of them seemed life-threatening. She counted that was a blessing.

Looking back to the teenager, she saw his attention was to the sky. His grip on the sword was tightened to the point his knuckles seemed to be turning white. Likewise, his face was contorted in frustration. Litchi saw the two options being weighed in his head: go after the man or stay here and help treat the people who'd been injured.

Sighing, she strutted toward him. "Go after him if you must. I can take care of these people."

His tight expression broke as he looked back at her. Now, amidst the lights of the city, she got a clearer look at him. Definitely youthful, with curly blond hair that reached down to his eyes in the front and the back. His eyes were brighter than she'd originally thought, in fact, she'd say they were more of an aqua-marine color, something of a rarity. It also explained why some of the women had been so forward, and likely would be if he stayed in town. He kept those eyes focused on her; like Litchi, he was fully looking at her for the first time, taking in all that she was while she did the same to him.

Even in her heels, he was taller than her, probably by a good ten inches or so. Not the first time she'd been outstripped in height. Most of the men she knew, including one in particular, stood a good deal taller than her, and this young man was no exception.

After what felt like hours, their mutual gaze broke. He looked around, his eyes falling on the wounded she claimed responsible for. Again, his eyes softened as he saw and heard them. Looking down, Litchi saw his knuckles begin to loosen. In that moment, she knew what his decision was.

His gaze was resolute as he finally looked back at her. "No, this is…this is my mess, so I'm going to clean it up."

"Well, then, that means you'll be helping me since this is my town." Litchi replied with a smile. She really could have done it on her own, but she appreciated the help. An internal sigh of relief went off within her as she realized she'd apparently chosen the right side in this conflict, whatever it was. "Come on, let's get to work."

Performing care in the middle of the street was something she was used to. Honestly, she had no idea how many times people had came to her as she was walking about, pleading for her help. Other times she'd acted herself, seeing someone injured from a number of things. Daylight or nighttime, Litchi simply did what she had to, and wanted to. This time would have been no different, but she had an unlikely assistant; as they worked, she found he had an ability that she found quite pleasing.

Either his weapon or his Ars Magus was centered on fire. His sword was sheathed behind his back, though the presence of fire remained, now in his hands. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw his hands ignite in fire, although not the roaring blazes that he'd used for combat. These were for healing. In the presence of the relatively minor wounds they were dealing with, it was just the trick. Seeing it made Litchi happy that he'd chosen to stay behind instead of continue pursuing the bearded man. She knew he'd begin his search again though. From what she'd picked up, this was personal.

Also, she remembered the names she'd picked up, namely his.

The sound of hers reached her ear as she finished up with her last patient. "Miss Litchi! Miss Litchi!"

Smiling at the sound, she stood up and braced herself. Linhua threw herself into her arms, and she immediately wrapped him up in hers, soothing her worries that she'd been hurt. While she did, she looked back to the blond stranger.

He looked good with a smile on his face, content and warm as they came. Realizing she'd noticed his staring, he looked away, giving her a better view of his blushing cheeks. She giggled in response; a stranger he may have been, it seemed she was having her usual affect on him.

Speaking of which, it was high time they were formally introduced. "Can I assume you knew who those people were?" she called, putting on an air of professionalism, but not to the point she was cold.

Looking back at her, the blush was gone from his face. A glint of seriousness adorned his eyes as he nodded. "Yeah, they…work for my brother. He's a…I'm trying to find him."

"Another criminal in Kagutsuchi," Linhua quipped before letting out a heavy sigh. "And this one just had to go and destroy the clinic."

"Um, by clinic, you mean the building about a block down? The one with the alarm?" Litchi and Linhua's brows rose as they looked to the teenager. His nervous blush returned, though they only got a brief glimpse of it. Arms at his side, he bowed quite low to her. "I'm sorry, but that wasn't them. That was me. I…kind of fell through the rooftop, then forced my way out the front."

"You what?!" Both ladies shrieked.

"Y-Y-You fell through the rooftop! You're the one who did it!" Anger quickly grew across Linhu's face. Litchi didn't blame her as she was angry as well, but she quickly reined it in so she could remain civil.

His word choice had caught her attention as well. Namely, the fact he said he fell through the roof. Aside from a few scraps and bruises-wait a moment. "Your right arm." Her eyes zeroed in on the limb, noting the smell of fresh blood that emitted from it. Likewise, it dripped from his forearm forming into a small puddle on the ground. Concern rising within her, she stepped forward and took hold of it, ignoring his attempt to ward her off. Closely examining it, she saw a hole in it, the results of a point-blank gunshot. Peering in deeper, she saw the bullet was still there, lodged in his flesh. "All this time, you've been fighting with this wound." Sighing in acceptance, she added another piece of information to her profile of him-he was one of those guys who fought on despite injuries. Not the worst injury she'd seen, but Litchi saw it as a representation. "Alright, we're heading back to the clinic. Salvage what we can."

"I'm sorry." The teenager confessed, though he looked ready to take whatever tongue lashing she was entitled to give him.

Linhua certainly wanted to give him one, but Litchi refrained from doing so. There were more important things to do-like getting his wound treated before he lost that sword arm.

As she'd done numerous times before, she tore off a piece of her dress and wrapped it around the wound. It'd do until they could get back and get the wound properly treated. The teenager muttered a quiet thank you, then followed her and Linhua as they began to make their way back. All the fighting had drawn a crowd, though Litchi was sure it'd disperse on its on before NOL had to usher people away. What concerned her the most was how much damage was done to her clinic. She hadn't seen the hole in the roof, only the hole in the front.

Despite that, she looked back at the strange teenager with little malice in her eyes. From what she'd gathered, it'd been an accident. Bitter to swallow, but not intentional. On top of that, he had helped out and showed a clear desire to limit the collateral damage to Orient Town's people. That counted for something in her eyes.

"I never caught your name." She half-lied. "My name is Litchi Faye-Ling, and this is-"

"Linhua!" Some of her anger had dissipated, perhaps as a result of Litchi's olive branch.

Naked appreciation showed on his face as he straightened up. Both she and Linhua came to a stop as well to fully face him. He wore something of a uniform of his own, except it was more combat fatigues, though those had been torn in several places, namely his right arm, the once gray sleeve being gone from the elbow down. She recognized the protective vest he wore, a black-colored piece of protective clothing whose scratches showed it'd done its duty well. His While they walked, she noticed a hood resting behind his neck, an indicator that perhaps whatever he'd been doing before had involved a good deal of stealth. Obviously, things had gone array, and here he was.

Such dark clothing contrasted his face and powers. His face more so as Litchi felt it had a certain shine to it as he faced him and Linhua with his bright blue eyes. "Gawayne Neeson, it's nice to meet you both, and I'm sorry for the damages I caused. You have my word, I'll pay for them, and help rebuild the clinic."

"You will? Really? You've got enough money to do that?" Linhua skeptically questioned.

"Pretty sure I do, and I'll help repair the clinic. If you'll have me, I'm pretty good at handiwork." He continued.

"I'll think about that, but for now, come on. We're getting that arm looked at."

And down the street they continued with the commotion still ongoing. Litchi saw her clinic had become a crime scene. While saddened and annoyed, she at least took solace in the fact she wouldn't have to worry about losing it or it being condemned. That would have made this the lowliest birthday in years.

All that said, her eyes flickered back to the blond teen whose name she now knew. His offer to pay for the damages and help in repairing it had been genuine, that much she could tell with a glance. Litchi planned on holding him to the latter, if only because it'd make work go faster. But first his arm, that arm that he'd pushed so hard in fighting and healing. He was going to need it if he planned on making good on his word.


As far as damages went, it wasn't so bad…minus the gaping hole in the rooftop and the descending floors. It was as Gawayne had told them-he'd indeed fallen through the roof, and straight down to the bottom floor. Though she had no idea how high he'd fallen, she knew an ordinary person would have been sporting several broken bones if alive.

Gawayne had a few fractured bones, but nothing serious beyond the bullet wound in his right arm. By then, the blood loss was starting to become evident, giving Litchi more reason to act fast.

The damages were relatively contained to the hole and the immediate path from it to the door. Most of the medical equipment she used were still intact, as were most of the medicines. Still, she made a note to do inventory with Linhua when this was over with. Speaking of her, as usual, she acted as her assistant while they treated Gawayne in one of the backrooms. Her anger had largely dissipated. Maybe it'd take him following through on his word for it to fully fade.

As for Gawayne, she was thankfully that he was a model patient. Following her every instruction and making as cooperative as possible when it came to treating his injuries. First off, the bullet had to be dug out of his flesh. Litchi had seen numerous wounds, including bullet wounds. A few such slugs she pulled out, she kept for analysis. The one lodged in Gawayne's arm was probably going to be one of them since she sensed faint traces of seithr around it. Most of it had probably been depleted when it penetrated his skin, but trace amounts of it remained.

"They use," he winced. "Seithr-coated weaponry."

"So I see." She turned the bullet over in the light of the examine room. Probably nine millimeters in its original form. The fact that his arm is still attached and he was able to fight like that is a small miracle. "Not the first I've seen of this, though your body's remarkably resilient to have taken a shot like this and not have had the hand break off."

"It hurt, I can tell you that much."

"I can imagine." He remained relatively calm as she finished disinfecting the wound and getting it dressed. To be safe, she chose to wrap his arm up in a long arm cast; it'd hopefully hasten the healing process considering the healing qualities of the plaster. As she applied it, she noticed him quietly staring at it. "So, mind telling me what all that was about, Gawayne?"

"Like I said, those men worked for my brother, who's…on the run."

"And you're hunting him down. I picked up a bit of your conservation with that man, Sullivan." Litchi knew there was a story to this. A potentially long and complicated story, but she was no stranger to them. Hearing them and certainly not experiencing them. "You don't have to tell me everything, but…I'd appreciate knowing what caused this."

"I'm from Oogetsu, the 16th Hierarchical City." She immediately created a map and pinpointed the location. Oogetsu, located in central Europe, or what had once been Europe. Looking over his features, she found it explained certain things. "My family, the Neeson Family, we're…kind of nobility back home. Not on par with the Duodecim, but still reputable. We're kind of old nobility though."

"Old world. You mean like…pre-Dark War old world?" Linhua questioned with naked curiosity. Litchi shared it as it was rare to find someone with ties to the world that preceded the assault of the Black Beast. "You sure you're not just pulling our leg, Mister?"

Gawayne smiled at her as he shook his head. "Nope, though I'm kind of running a bit low on proof at the moment. I could come back with some later on if you'd like."

"We may take you up on that, but please, continue. I'm assuming there was some kind of dispute within the family?" Even she noted it was a little hypocritical for her to ask for him to continue his story then make a guess at what'd happened.

Not that he minded. "You're right. There…my older brother, Mordred. He killed our father, my other brother, and ran. I'm here to bring him to justice." His head fell low just as she finished wrapping his arm up. "And again, I'm sorry that quest ended up ruining your clinic. I'm also sorry it put your life in danger, Ms. Faye-Ling."

Her finger gently touched his chin raising him up. Those aqua blue eyes widened as they matched her purple eyes. "As you saw out there, I was capable of handling myself." She said with a smile before withdrawing her finger. "Also, you stayed behind to clean up the mess your brother's apparently made. Including offering to help out here. That's enough."

"Buuut, you did say you say you were going to pay for the damages." Linhua pipped up. "Since you're from a big wealthy family, does that mean you're-"

"Linhua," Litchi spoke. Her young charge looked depressed, but she doubted the idea had fully left her head.

"I can really do it." Gawayne stated. Linhua's eyes widened with a glimmer of excitement in them. As for Litchi, she couldn't deny that a part of her was interested in hearing him say that. Repairs weren't exactly going to be cheap, but they were doable. "Please, Ms. Faye-Ling, let me pay for the damages and help with the repair work. It's the least I owe you for all the trouble I've caused, including this."

"Yeah, especially since it's-"

"Linhua," she sternly chastised again. Her focus went back to Gawayne. Oh, how she knew that clear-eyed, determined look. He was going to keep pestering her about it until she agreed, or he was going to do it himself without her input. She might as well have given him her permission. Besides, him paying for the repairs would save her, and potentially those around her, some money. She knew the townspeople would chip in, even those who really couldn't afford to divert money from their own persons. Litchi felt an ugly knot forming in her stomach at the thought of potentially taking advantage of someone else's kindness-it was the last thing she wanted to do. "Gawayne," she spoke worryingly.

"It's no trouble to me at all. Just please, let me do this to make it up to you." His voice held that quiet persistence that told her he'd keep at it.

Litchi knew she wasn't one to criticize another person's determination. At least in Gawayne's case, it was far more well-meaning. "Alright, we'll talk about it in the morning. Do you have a place to stay for tonight?"

"We could always-"

"Yeah, I do. I've got a place." Linhua looked a little disappointed at that. Litchi decided she'd ask her about that at a later date. While he looked back at the door, Litchi knew what he was really thinking of lay beyond it. "Uh, we-I should probably cover up that hole I made."

"Well, if you've been around town, you know how many rundown buildings we have. Still, it sucks that the clinic would look like that." Litchi's little assistant pipped in. On that, she agreed with her.

"Do you have any blankets or sheets? It wouldn't be much, but I mean it'd look a little less…bad?"

"I've got a few. They'll do until morning." By which Litchi meant she hoped no one would get the bright idea to sneak in through the whole in the ceiling. No way a simple bedsheet or two was going to stop anyone, but it was better than nothing. "The police said they'll take care of the front entrance."

"It'd be nice of them if they could handle the rooftop." Linhua muttered. "Hmm?"

Gawayne flexed his right arm, though not enough to agitate the cast. "Show me where the sheets are."

Sharing a glance, Litchi and Linhua got to work. After all, the quicker they could do this, the quicker they'd be able to go back to sleep. Granted, she'd be sleeping a little uneasily with the clinic in such a state.

All it took was roughly three sheets stitched together to cover the hole. With that small amount of damage Litchi wanted to believe fully repairing it wouldn't be too much trouble. The hole in the front wasn't too bad either.

Standing beneath the stars, looking at the damage done, Litchi felt herself on the verge of asking more about Gawayne's experience. Had he been on an airship when he fell? How high was it? Would he do something that reckless again?

Stupid question. She thought to herself.

Back at the front, it seemed they were ready to go their separate ways, though only temporarily.

"How does eight o'clock sound?" She broached.

"That's fine, I promise, I'll be there." He confirmed.

Litchi knew for certain he would. After she'd seen of Gawayne Neeson over the last hour showed he was like a certain someone she knew, albeit a little less…intense. She wondered if she'd see that someone in a few hours. She had to figure out if she wanted to let him know what'd happened to the clinic. Preferable not since he had his own rebuilding to do, and she didn't want to distract him from that.

"Hey, Ms. Litchi? Why didn't you let me tell him that it's technically your birthday?"

She knew that question was coming, though she was glad Linhua waited until they were well on their way home to ask it. "Because there was no reason to make him feel worse about it than he already did, Linhua." She gently answered.

The little girl puffed her lip out before that pout morphed into a frown. "I see what you mean. He was pretty sad about it."

"Yes. When someone knows they've done something wrong, sometimes you don't need to make them feel any worse about it. More so if they're already trying to make amends for it as Gawayne was."

"So, how much money do you think he'll give us to repair the clinic?"

Linhua," She chastised again. She merely stuck her tongue out in a humorous laugh. Litchi joined her, "Whatever it is, we'll take it. We'll ask for no more beyond that."

"Okay, okay." Just as she hoped that was the end of the conversation, Linhua flashed her a cheeky grin. "I am kind of glad we'll be able to see him again, Ms. Litchi. He's kind of cute."

"I suppose so." She was not going to play this game with her ward, entertaining as it was sometimes. Not tonight, and certainly not tomorrow.


It was a beautiful morning which promised to be another scorching hot day. The weather-manipulating Ars Magus tended to turn the heat up in July, generally agreed upon to be the heart of summer. If it got too hot, the city's executives would turn down the heat, though such voices usually had to be loud enough, and potentially high up enough.

Personally, Litchi didn't have a problem with it. She'd gotten used to it to be honest. So had numerous other residents, albeit heatstroke was still an all too common phenomenon. She only hoped there wouldn't be too many cases today with the clinic temporarily out of commission. Or parts of it.

To her relief, the clinic was the same as she'd left it the night before-no more than a couple of hours ago. She did a quick scan of the inside. Nothing stolen and nothing else broken.

"Ms. Faye-Ling?" Called a voice from the front.

"I'm here!" She called back hurrying back to the outside street. In moments she was back aside, the first person her eyes fell upon being the boy who'd literally fallen through her roof the night before.

He was different. The same yet different.

First and foremost, he'd changed out of his clothes from the night before. Now he was in more casual wear, jeans, sneakers, and a red t-shirt. Basic, normal, none of it hinted at the origin he'd given them last night as a member of the upper class. Nor a warrior fully capable of holding his own in a fight. Speaking of said fight, all the reminders of it were gone, particularly the cast she'd attached to his right arm. That immediately drew her concern.

"Oh no, please tell me you didn't take it off because you wanted to be tough!" She bemoaned rapidly closing the distance between them. With delicate care, she reached for his right arm. "I'll fix you a new…" Feeling around his forearm, her eyes widened in shock. Gawayne wore an unapologetically smug grin as she continued to feel around his arm, her delicate touch gradually giving way. "Your arm…how?"

"I'm a faster healer, especially when the sun's out. Still, you certainly helped get me started on the journey." Turning his arm over, she saw the faint race of scarring, proof that the wound had been there, but it was undoubtedly on its way to fading away. Litchi look back at him, noting how his face seemed to literally shine before her eyes. "I brought the money, and some…things I think might help you."

For the first time, she noted the duffle bag he'd been carrying over his left shoulder. She wondered what was in it, but her attention was pulled toward the card he'd reached into his wallet and pulled out. She recognized the golden color as belonging to the wealthier class, the sort that lived several levels above her clinic and home. While it wasn't the same as the top-class black cards, used by the super wealthy, it was still enough one could live comfortably for several years.

And Gawayne was just giving it, giving one, to her.

"Gawayne, I can't take this. I thought you'd be writing a check or something. This is…a little much." She defended. As far as the wealthy went, Litchi knew they could be a mixed punch just like other social classes, although at times there was a stronger leaning toward snobbishness. While she hadn't detected any of that with Gawayne, she was worrying that he seemed the type to throw money at a problem, even with just intentions. "Better yet, just use the money to buy me the supplies for repairs. There's no need to go this far for me."

The good news was he didn't look offended. "Okay, I just…guess I was being a little more direct. You can tell me what you'll need and where to find it. Oh, and speaking of supplies, I brought these." Putting the card away, he gently pushed the duffle bag into her arms. "Since you're a doctor, I think they might help you. I mean, they can be if you know how to use them."

Litchi expected many things as she unzipped the bag, but what she didn't expect to find were…herbs. Sealed in airtight vacuum bags to preserve their condition. Wide-eyed, she began looking through them. Several she recognized, but a few were completely new to her. She immediately guessed they must have come from the far west as several plants grew in different types of environments created across the Hierarchical Cities.

"Gawayne, these…" her voice trailed off as she lifted one up to examine it in its vacuum seal. To her inner joy, it was in prime condition thanks to his sealing. The same no doubt went for the rest. Putting it down, she looked up into the teenager's eyes, a beaming smile quickly forming on her face. "Gawayne these are…incredible. Thank you. Thank you so much."

That strange shine around his face grew as he smiled back at her. "Glad you like them, or that you can use them. Some weren't easy to get, but that was half the fun of trying. I put some recipes on how to use them in there too." That made it all the better, though she knew some of the recipes to use a few recognizable herbs by heart. Her softened gaze stared deeply into his eyes, igniting a blush that she giggled at. "So, that's one half of my apology. The other half is fixing this." He indicated to the hole in the clinic. Almost all the shards of broken glass were still there, exactly where they'd been left.

Her eyes deviated between the clinic and Gawayne, two sides fighting within her. She didn't want to give to one side, yet she also did. Litchi wanted to blow the idea off. Something about it seemed almost…painful.

The decision was debated and settled, all in a few short minutes, or that's what it was on the outside. On the inside, Litchi could have sworn it was long enough for the sun to have reached is zenith in the sky. "You're…right. I'm going to need a couple of things, including a lot of wood, metal, a new window, and some new furniture."

"I'm here, including as your personal mull." He laughed.

"How generous of you, but do you really know what you're getting yourself into?" She coolly retorted.

"Willing to take my chances." He boldly proclaimed.

There wasn't another internal war within her. Something she felt oddly grateful for. "Fine then, let's get going. We've got some shopping to do."

A nice start to what she felt was going to be an eventful day. Well, her birthday had already gotten off to an interesting start.

Gawayne hadn't exactly been joking about being her pack mull. He really was good at it; no matter how loaded up their cart became, he continued to effortlessly pull it along. Apparently, he had a bit of experienced at the job, as well as repair work. Not skills she would have expected from a blue-blood, although he had been traveling on his own for roughly the last year.

One year of hunting down his brother. Litchi hid the resonance that caused within her behind a smile. Not as long as hers, but…he'd been at this for a while.

Not that she was ever in doubt about his gold card, but she got to see it work with her own two eyes as they made plenty of stops throughout the morning. Raw supplies, three to six to eight-figures worth of money. After the first two purchases, Litchi was content with being quietly amazed. Then there was the ease in which he carried everything they'd bought on his back and in his arms. It certainly got him applauses from the people they passed; news of last night's scuffle had undoubtedly spread. The story had also probably got embellished by now, and would become further warped by the time night fell.

Getting all the materials was the easy part. Once they made it back to the clinic, she believed it'd be the hard part.

"Ms. Litchi!"

"Ms. Faye-Ling!"

"Hey! You're back earlier than we expected!"

"Well, what were you expected, she had a big hunkin' bodyguard."

"Don't you mean-"

"Linhua," Litchi simply said, a knowing smile on her face. That was all the assembly needed to pipe down, at least for a little while. While most of them had their eyes on her a fair number were looking at Gawayne and the cart of supplies he'd been pulling. That he'd pulled all by himself.

Her blue-haired charge boldly walked up to her with one of her cheeky grins. "Yeah, I called everyone so they could help out! From the looks of it, you brought just what we needed! I can't wait!" A quiet roar of approval went up from the others.

"Damn right we're helping out!" One of them shouted. "There's no way we're letting you do all the work on your birthday!"

"And there ain't no way we're letting you miss out on your birthday party either!"

Knowing the cat was out of the bag, she shot a brief glance in Gawayne's direction. His eyes expectedly widen, only to return to their regular size as he moved back to the cart he'd been carrying. Once more, her intuition spoke to her, this time telling her she and the blond teenager were going to be talking again.

On the positive side, that hopefully meant he'd be sticking around to celebrate her birthday, even if it was going to be different than she initially expected.

Her mind turned back to the clinic. It was a little past eleven, and with so many hands working to likely sundown, there was a chance it'd be back up and running at full capacity quicker than she expected.

-O-

She and Linhua remained on alert as the repair work proceeded in near hundred-degree heat. Everyone was well aware of the risks, but worked none the less. Amongst the workers, Litchi kept an eye on Gawayne, but not entirely out of fear for his health. She'd seen she had little to worry about on that front, both during their morning shopping and while the clinic was repaired.

Originally, she'd been watching him throughout the morning for any signs of distress, but there were none. Not only did he look perfectly healed, he proved it with all the physical labor he effortlessly performed. Said labor was happily applauded, though Litchi kept hers in moderation in contrast to several others. Specifically women who happened to pass by or be part of the workforce. She didn't question if they were there to actually work repair the clinic or catch some eye candy, although she knew several did appreciate the clinic and look up to her as a role model.

Gawayne continued to make good on his words. He knew how to do repair work alright, although he wasn't above taking tips, advice, and direction from others. Particularly without complaint. That was an admirable trait in a worker, desirable even. Granted, Litchi was sure he was only doing it because he wanted to.

Subtly, she continued to observe him throughout the day. Even when she received some…expected visitors to the clinic.

"Boobie lady!"

Litchi expected to hear that name today. It was as inevitable as day following night. Still, she'd have preferred it if it wasn't in a situation like this-particularly with a newcomer to town within earshot.

As with most reasonable dreams, they were torn to shreds by the claws of Taokaka.

She turned just in time to catch the Kaka girl flying at her. "Good after-ooh!" Down she went, feeling the hot ground beneath her, although it wasn't a painful fall. More concerning was the affectionate nuzzling she was enduring from the cat girl above her.

"I head something happened to the clinic and meow was worried about you! I'm so happy you're alright!" The rest of her statement was lost to her usual hyperactive babbling. Litchi could interpretate it, but she was feeling a little disoriented.

"Yes, yes, Taokaka, something did happen to the clinic, but as you can see, everything's fine!"

"Great! That means you can enjoy your birthday! Especially now that meow's here!" In a comedic panic, she grabbed at the younger girl's hooded head before she could bury herself in her breasts as she liked doing. No way! Not here! Not in front of so many! Again!

After a few seconds of comedic struggling, she finally pried the perverted Kaka off her. Cheeks ablaze, she did everything in her power not to look behind her. The snickers and (imitated) cat calls were more than enough for her. "Taokaka, I'm…happy to see you, but please. Stop doing that!"

Taokaka never lost her grin as she plopped onto her feet. "I came to help out!"

"Well, that's much appreciated, Tao, truly." Another set of hands, exactly what they needed. Granted she had little idea how much help Taokara would actually be. Sure, she'd became more motivated over the last few months, but she was still…herself. At best, hopefully she wouldn't get in the way. Nor would she mind the new addition to Litchi's life.

Repairs quickly resumed, although with a new more eccentric member. To Litchi's relief, Taokaka didn't disrupt things too much…nor did she show an overwhelmingly amount of interest in Gawayne after their initial greeting. She was sure her association with the Kaka was something else he was going to ask her about. Based on how he treated her no differently than the other works, it seemed he bore no spite against them. Though Taokaka was just one of an entire tribe.

Listen to yourself. You're sounding like you want him to stay in town. Litchi wasn't exactly against it. So far, he'd been pretty good company.

At least, he had been on the premise that he didn't know about her. About the things she'd done. With any luck, his business in Kagutsuchi would be completed before he could learn anymore about her. It'd be the best for the both of them.

Sunlight bathed the clinic and the myriad of people working on it as Litchi looked back at it from the street. A momentary survey of how things were going and what a view she had. Dozens of people, wall merrily working together on her humble little clinic beneath the midday summer sun. Quite a scene?

But not one you deserve. Not after what you did. The risk you put them all at. Chimed a cold voice. It didn't catch Litchi by surprise. This was something else she'd been expecting as the day got underway.

The voice was right. She didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve all this help, all this kindness…but she couldn't bring herself to turn away from it. No doubt it was selfish of her, appalling in the face of her previous selfishness. Regardless, she couldn't turn away from it, nor could she stop enjoying it.

Roy…I…I hope you're happy as well, there in the Boundary. I want you to know I'm trying. I'm moving forward as best I can. And I've got people who are helping me do that, pushing me forward. Little by little.


There was always going to be a party, and not even the clinic's damages were enough to stop that. It helped that said damages were eighty-percent complete by the time the sun finally went down. The holes in the rooftop and the front were fixed; thanks to the constant sunshine, even the paint was drying incredibly fast. Knowing that, the workers had been quite careful in making sure there weren't any mistakes. That hadn't stopped a couple of them from playfully splattering paint over each other.

Litchi was happy to watch, especially as Linhua joined in the fun, and so did Gawayne. It was a good thing he hadn't worn white, otherwise he might have made himself into one big target. When it came to paint, anything colored white was simply begging to be given color.

With the sun's descent, the party started. People were already showing up at the clinic, which would be host to it. The best idea while they were repairing the place? No, but everyone was flocking there and she wasn't in the mood to turn them away or try to move it somewhere else. A small part of her didn't want to move it though, so it was, in the words of many, "party at the clinic." Or the street outside of the clinic.

One never would have known it was a crime scene the day before. Not even the NOL officers who attended seemed to be in the mood to bring it up. Several of them didn't even seem to mind the Kaka.

What had once been rare was becoming more common, at least in the lower levels of the city. Humans and Kaka intermingling with one another. Drinking had a tendency to bring people together, as her current party was showing.

She still made sure Linhua had not one drop of alcohol. Anyone who dared to give her some was getting kicked out of the party. Literally. Luckily, it seemed like several were more content to hog all the booze for herself, albeit they tried to get Litchi to share in some.

"Hey, you're at your best when you've got a little bit of liquor in you!"

"No, I'm not! I'm…I'm…"

"Come on, just let it go! We're alive after that mess, so let's enjoy it!"

"I am enjoying it! I'm just trying to keep from saying or doing something I'll regret. Unlike you."

Kagura would have been a good addition to the party, and she knew he'd have gladly joined in if he could have. So would Bang. Both men had their respective responsibilities, and Litchi wasn't one to tear them away from it. Knowing them, they probably sent her gifts to show their appreciation, as did several others. Linhua had likely hidden them back at home, waiting to reveal them when they finally turned in for the night.

Despite that, Litchi still somewhat wished the party wouldn't end. She was having a good time watching from the sidelines yet still mingling with everyone. Until she decided she needed some alone time.

The truth was she just needed some time to remind herself that it was okay to enjoy herself. Enjoy the party being held in her honor. Honor that was undeser-

"Ms. Faye-Ling? Ms. Faye-Ling?"

"Just Litchi," she called. To her relief, he didn't have any liquor in his hands. He was still three years too long to drink. That probably hadn't stopped several from making him offers. "Gawayne, you should be inside."

"I'll be back in there in a second. I just…I wish you'd told me I crashed into your clinic on your birthday." Splotches of pain remained on his shirt and paints, yet he still looked none the worse for wear despite spending a whole day moving, lifting, and hammering. The kid was still brimming with vitality.

Ah, to be young again. She inwardly chuckled. "I didn't want you to feel bad. Besides, birthdays aren't always breaks for people, especially in this town."

"Yeah, I've heard that, but I still wish you'd told me."

Leaning against the railing, she didn't look back at him. That'd have been too much coupled with the feminine laughter that seemed to spark blushes on his face. "If I had, would you have gotten me a gift while we were out?"

"Yes, it'd have been something else I owed you." There was little distance as he joined her against the railing. Beyond them stretched out a portion of the city, a sea of lights mirroring the sea of stars in the sky. It was a moonless sky, yet the night was still so bright. "Actually, what I mean is…I wish I could have known so I could have celebrated with everyone else. You know, if you're lucky, people let you know they're happy you were born on your birthday. You've got a whole lot of people who are happy to have you."

It felt a little easier to look up at Gawayne. His sympathetic smile was a sight she found surprisingly great solace in. "Thank you, Gawayne, but to answer your original question, I just didn't want you feeling any worse. You were sorry for what happened, even though it wasn't your fault. That was all I needed." A laugh unexpectedly burst from her lips. "Although I did really appreciate having you helping me out in the morning. You were also a big help in rebuilding the clinic."

"Told you I make a good handyman." He cracked.

"Gawayne, if you don't mind me asking, exactly how did you fall through the rooftop?"

His smile turned crooked; he knew she wasn't going to like the answer from that. "I…was…fighting with Sullivan and his men on their airship. Some things happened, and I…fell out the side. Wish I'd known where I was falling otherwise I'd have tried to have stopped myself, or picked a better landing spot."

As crazy as it was, Litchi believed he might have had a way to do either of those things. Right off the top of her head she could think of several people who could do the same. Not to mention several who could survive the same fall he had without any major injuries. "Regardless, as a gift to me, could you try not to fall out of airships from now on? Or jump out of them? You strike me as the type that'll do that."

"I'll do my best, doctor." He grinned.

Litchi sighed knowing off the bat he probably was going to fail. All she could hope was that he wouldn't land on anything too painful, or fall and break something important. Alternatively, she wasn't too far away to treat him.

"The ship got away, but most of the crew were captured, so they're off the street, but there's still Sullivan."

She spotted the immediate shadow on his face. "You two…knew each other before, huh?

"We weren't overly close, but I looked up to and respected him." Litchi stopped short of asking if it was the same thing with his brother. "Still, I always knew he was more loyal to Mordred than anyone else. So…I guess it's no surprise he chose to follow him."

"Gawayne," she beckoned. "I'm…I'm sorry I drew you away from your mission."

"Don't be." There was a sudden force in his voice. She looked back to him and found herself gazing into that furnace-like intensity she'd glimpsed in battle. Thankfully, it wasn't aggressive. "Ms. Faye…Litchi, I crashed into your place and made a mess of things. That was on me, so I took responsibility and fixed it. If I hadn't well, I wouldn't be able to call myself a man, especially a knight."

"Ah, so you're training to be one of those?" She questioned with amusement.

"Well, no plated armor and all that. Still, families from Oogetsu do stick to some old parts of European tradition, that includes knights. We Neesons have produced several for the last century. All my brothers were trained to be knights."

She knew a ninja, long after the nation once known as Japan had ceased to be. Likewise, she knew a swordsman who served his liege with almost samurai-like devotion.

Such training had undoubtedly been how he'd learned to wield a sword. Correspondingly, his brother knew how to wield one as well, or any other type of weapon since knights could use multiple weapons besides the blade.

Her mind began working with the information she had, including it with what she'd learned the night before. Primarily, the offer made by Sullivan popped into her mind after almost a whole day of being forgotten about. "Gawayne, did you ever catch up to Mordred? Injure him perhaps? Or anyone important to him?"

"You're wondering about that offer made to you last night, aren't you?" It seemed he hadn't forgotten the finer details of last night. "When Mordred…ran, it wasn't just me, he burnt a lot of bridges, leaving a lot of people wanting to take him down."

"I did a quick look into him. Mordred Neeson. A seven-figure bounty. With attention like that, he likely wants quality medical care on staff in case he gets injured, right?"

"Yeah. None of our family's medical staff went with him. At least none of the ones who could treat him if someone seriously injures him."

"And a back-alley doctor like myself is exactly who he'd prefer." She theorized. Gawayne's nod was confirmation. "He wouldn't be the first crime lord to come to me seeking my services. Or attempt to coerce me into working for him."

"I promise, I won't let them touch your clinic. Or you and Linhua."

"Gawayne, I appreciate ethe sentiment, but…" The wind kindly reminded her what sort of person she was talking to, as well as what sort of story she'd just wondered into. Both left her still and dumbstruck.

"I know you can take care of yourself, and your daughter. What I'm saying is my brother and his organization are my responsibility and I'm not going to let them just run wild. It's just…after last night, I've got to be more mindful of the collateral damage."

"I'm sure the townspeople would appreciate it, but don't let it completely consume you. We townsfolk of Kagutsuchi are tougher than you might think."

She had a hunch her words sunk in despite the lax smile he wore. "Yes, ma'am. Uh, you're not against me calling you that, are you?"

Sighing, she crossed her arms and cock her head in mock contemplation. "Hmm, I appreciate the respect you're showing me. It's actually a little refreshing, especially from people your age. On the flipside…hmm, I suppose I don't mind it." With that settled, she turned back to his declaration. She did appreciate it, but she also wanted him to know she was capable of protecting the things important to her. "You believe that your brother will turn his attention to me? I'm not the only back-alley doctor in town." Although she was the best. Anyone who asked around town would learn that, although her refusal would likely be reported back to this Mordred. Either way, Litchi would be making herself ready.

"I'm hoping he'll just find someone else. Preferable another doctor that he'll just be able to pay off. You don't have to worry about all those goons of his you knocked out. Not unless they try to break out of jail. He's just as likely to leave them jailed and unavenged."

"Quite a compassionate leader." She snarked. "So, you think he's going to be staying somewhere in the city?"

"I think so. Frankly, I've got no idea why he came to here. Maybe he plans on building up his forces since this place has a few dozen criminals." Litchi could certainly see several of the thugs around town joining this Mordred. She doubted it'd end well for any of them, but that's why crime bosses recruited from the lower levels-the gullible and desperate made for easy pawns. "Until I know he's left town, I'll be staying here."

Hearing that set something off within Litchi. Joy? Concern? A little bit of both? They came together in a simple statement that ironically gave way to neither. "I see."

"Thanks for not sounding so depressed at the thought of me sticking around."

"Oh no, that doesn't bother me." It was actually more of the opposite, not that Litchi let him know that. Well, not yet. "Listen, Gawayne, if you're going to be in town for a while longer…I want you to know that the clinic's open to you. However long you're staying, whatever you get yourself into, you're welcome to stop by the clinic. Don't ever think you'll be turned away. At least not unless you do something ridiculously stupid." She concluded with a teasing smile.

That broad, happy smile of his really was cute. "Got it! And thank you! I'll try not to abuse your hospitality."

"I just don't want you abusing that durability of yours. I understand you're pretty tough, but there's no need for you to push yourself to the extreme. There's…there's no need to get yourself killed trying to stop your brother." Listening to his story had undoubtedly caused a resonance in her, one that could have done without. Regardless, there was no stopping it. At least she could make sure Gawayne didn't find out about that.

"Ms. Litchi,"

"Just…listen to me." At least she got her emotions under control. "I know this is important to you, extremely important, but you should still value your own life. I'm sure there are people back in your homeland who care about you. Also, make sure you don't lose yourself to this." Or maybe she didn't have them as under control as she thought. Her hands tightened against the railing.

"You know, I heard the same thing just before I left. There were people that…my aunt and uncle didn't want me going after Mordred. Heh, he was always stronger than me."

Litchi suspected that was just one of many reasons, though the least sensitive one. "You felt like it was your responsibility." She said in a voice half-way between defeated and tender.

"Yeah. To be honest though, it was also a little more…selfish than that." She turned to him, noting the appropriately shameful smile on his face. "This was finally my chance to face him and prove to him how strong I'd become. How strong I could be. Sure, it'd be to make him pay for what he'd done, but the only way I'd be able to do that would be beating him in a fight, something I could never do." He looked to her, that shameful smile in full view. It reached up to his eyes. He knew he was using this mission of family honor to settle a personal score, not exactly admirable.

But to Litchi, it was understandable. If a sibling rivalry was going to be settled, something as dramatic as patricide seemed like a good backdrop.

"Just thought I'd let you know what you're setting yourself up for. Not exactly as noble as I made it out to be." Gawayne offered with truest sincerity.

She shook her head, "But not as bad as you may think. I don't think it's wrong to seek to settle a personal score in a matter like this. You'd be surprised how many people I've met have used larger conflicts as backdrops to do that."

"Good people or bad?" he pressed.

"Both. What I'm saying is, my offer still stands, Gawayne. You're not the first person I'd be fixing up after settling a personal score, and you won't be the last." Taking a deep breath of the warm summer air felt almost relaxing. So did looking at Gawayne's face. He seemed relieved; she knew that worry he'd been wrestling with just a moment ago. The fear of judgement and rejection, the latter of which she'd experienced firsthand. She was glad she didn't have to put him through the same thing, although his dilemma was considerably less heinous than hers. "I just go back to my original statement, try to take care of yourself, alright?"

Light returned to his smile, restoring it to its full glory. "I'll do my best. Don't worry, I'm not going to go out and intentionally get myself banged up just so I can come see you."

"Been talking to some of the regulars." Litchi laughed.

"You know some of them actually brag about how often they come to see you."

"Yes," she sighed, albeit with an ongoing smile. "I'm aware." He snickered into the night. Hopefully he wouldn't be joining that particularly group of patients. "They've been excellent practice for Linhua."

A bout of laughter ensued between the two of them. "Great way to get her some practice in! And dissuade them from doing stupid stunts like that, though it doesn't seem like it's worked as much as you'd like."

"I'm fine with it. The point is they're better off than when they came in. Physically speaking." Distant booms caught her, and his, attention. Far away in another section of the city fireworks were going off. It was the best way to break the tranquility of the night.

"Guess you're not the only one celebrating tonight. Hope they don't mind you piggybacking off them."

Isn't that lucky. Litchi supposed watching them go off gave her another reason to stick around. Her and Gawayne, who she guessed would head back when he did. She surprisingly found she didn't have a problem with that. Just like in the morning, he was proving to be good company, the kind that maybe she'd been missing out on.

She did wonder what the fireworks were celebrating. Someone else's birthday? A family gathering? A marriage proposal? A marriage? So many answers, though she'd likely never know. All that mattered was someone had something to celebrate and she was happy for that.

They stood together in a silent watching of the fireworks. The fireworks were a myriad of colors that illuminated the moonless sky. Though the moon had a natural beauty if its own, mankind had found ways of rivaling it, especially in its absence. Not to mention painting the black night in a plethora of colors not naturally possible.

Litchi was happy to enjoy it, but more so with company. Gawayne had a fondness for red, orange, and yellow-not so surprising. Personally, red was her favorite color as well.

"You know, I heard that years ago, red was an important color in a land called China."

"The homeland of my ancestors. Of many here in Orient Town." She expanded on. "Personally, I always just took to the color, but it learning that did make me feel a little bit of connection with my ancestors. What of you, Gawayne? How much of the pre-Dark War world did your family hold onto?"

"A lot. A whole library's worth of knowledge they've guarded for nearly the last century. There's a few other families that have done the same. One of my first quests was actually tracking down a couple of stolen artifacts. Kind of boring, but I…ended up having a bit of fun. Not to mention I got to read some of the books myself."

Anything from before the Black Beast's rampage was an object of antique. Correspondingly, they'd fetch a good price on the black market, especially depending on the item. For aristocratic families such as the Neesons, it made sense they'd so tightly hold onto them. She felt that sending Gawayne after such objects might have also been a way to test his delicate hand as such antiques would have been quite sensitive. Especially to the fire he seemed to wield.

The fireworks show ended with a bang. A set of the loudest and brightest ones going off in quick conjunction to one another. Distant as it was, Litchi could swore she heard the thunderous applause from almost half a mile away. Gawayne must have heard it too, and he even joined in with a few claps.

"So, does that mean it's time to head back?" He questioned.

"I'd say so. Any longer and people will start to wonder, or worry." If Gawayne's absence went unnoticed, she'd really have reason to worry. Despite that concern, she smiled at him with visible affection as he broached the next question on both their minds. "Is this the part where you offer to walk me back to the clinic?"

That cute little blush came to his face. "I'd like to, but I know if I do it'll look suspicious. People have probably noticed both of us are missing from the party. I can go in through the back if you want. Or hurry back, or wait until-"

"Gawayne, it's fine. Let's go back together." An image of the two of them walking arm in arm flashed in her mind, only to be laughed off into the night. Walking back side by side would have been enough. No need to push it.

Gawayne apparently felt the same way as he casually slipped his hands into his pockets on the walk back. His dirty blond hair and tall stature stood out amongst the natives, although not so much with the other foreigners that walked the street. Regardless, a handful took note of him, particularly a few ladies who eyed him as they walked by.

But she noticed his attention never strayed from her. "Thanks for letting me help out and celebrate your birthday, Ms. Litchi."

"Thank you for actually sticking around and helping fix the damages."

"You say that like you've run into guys less considerate."

"A few, but I know a few ones, and now I know another. One who's…company I've come to enjoy." Though he kept his grin in moderation, Litchi could still sense the sparking joy her words had ignited. She didn't want to say something had been ignited inside of her as well. Some sense of happiness that came with knowing he'd be hanging around town, and perhaps seeing more of her.

There wouldn't be in harm in that. Perhaps more importantly, she could help him do what she ultimately tried and failed to do so many times before. Maybe.


So ends chapter one of what was initially a one shot story. Now I'm looking at roughly two more chapters to wrap things up. I went back and forth thinking about it before deciding the story I wanted to tell would take a few chapters.

As you've guessed, the OC is based off Gawain of Arthurian mythology as is his family. Obviously, instead of being the younger brother, this story's Mordred will be the older one instead of the youngest. The name Gawayne is itself based on an alternate spelling of Gawain's name (there's quite a few). As for the surname, Neeson, it comes from actor Liam Neeson, who did in fact play Sir Gawain in the 1981 movie, Excalibur.

The next chapter should be up in a little while, and it's going to include a good amount of angst thanks to a certain doctor, but it'll be balanced out by a whole lot of fluff. Until next time!