1.1: A Knock on The Door!

BOOOOOM!

The explosion struck the entire mountain. Its impact sounded like a roar from an injured lion. Birds flocked everywhere, as Konami felt it from inside their home.

"Big Brother Tedashii…" Her concern was that they returned with good news, but she also felt left out not being able to help.

"What's the matter, sweetheart?" Sawashiki Katsuno. The father of Giyora came by, having seen the expression on Konami's face.

"Gram-pa? No, I'm sorry to have made you worry. I'm just…wondering what we'll have for dinner."

"Sweetie, when someone is in anguish, it's impossible to hide it from their loved ones."

Seeing that it was pointless hiding what she felt, Konami had the same depressing face from before her grandfather walked in.

"Come sit on my lap and tell me what's worrying you so much."

Konami took a seat as he got comfortable on his cradling chair.

"Grandpa, am I useless?"

"What kind of rubbish is that sweetie? Of course not. Everyone and everything has a purpose in life."

"I know that. But physically speaking, why doesn't Dad let me go with them, too? I'm also a ronin like big brother and sis…"

He smiles at her. "If I said it's because you are daddy's little princess, it would be offensive in my point of view. I'd say it's just a matter of time, sweetie. Tedashii will soon leave us to go for the apprehension, so sooner or later, Giyora must acknowledge that the house will need two more hands on the battlefield. Take Tedashii, for example. He was only trained to fight about five years ago because it's not about wanting to join immediately, but all about being prepared for that one day."

Konami's eyes lit again. "Right now, just focus on encouraging them both, pinkie swear?"

She smiles.  "With a cherry on top."

As she made that promise, the door suddenly opened. The sound of two teenagers who seemed to have just missed their graduation entered the house.

"ONE SHOT!! WE HAD ONE SHOT to beat Dad…AND YOU SNEEZED?!" Tedashii asked.

"I don't know what came to me… the blast went earlier than it was supposed to because of that," Yuri said while wiping her nose.

Konami, filled with joy, congratulated them both and ran towards them to hug them.

"WELL TELL ME. HOW DID IT GO?!"

"Err…"

They react the same, without knowing how to tell her what happened, as Giyora enters a beaten state and breaks their enthusiasm.

"Again." Confusion hits Konami and Sawashiki's faces after they analyze both parties' states. Indeed, it looked like they had won this time.

"Oh…. I see..."

The spark in Konami's eyes slowly disappeared, and that struck her father with guilt and sympathy.  "N-NO, YOU SEE… THEY PASSED THIS TIME. DON'T WORRY, SWEETIE, EVERYBODY IS HAPPY!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Wait, REALLY!"

She was again filled with her surprised face, as both Tedashii and Yuri couldn't believe what he said either. They failed back when Yuri sneezed, which gave their father a chance to counter and defeat them for the third time.

"WHAT! But you said that we didn't..."

"HAHAHAHAHA, YOU'RE FUNNY TEDASHII!"

~Whispers in his and Yuri's ears. "Don't make me change my mind!"

Tedashii and Yuri accepted the victory without question as they were officially relinquished from their father's spar routine.

Then the kitchen door opened as their mother, Izanami, walked in, asking what the big surprise was. Everyone just laughed and gathered at the dining table. The food was ready, so they all blessed it and ate.

"So Tedashii, have you thought about what guild you will join? I heard that there are only nine until this day. But I always liked the Black Bullets."

His grandfather asked, curious to see if his point of view had changed for his dream.

"Old man, I thought I already told you. I don't think there is any need for me to go to the Black-blah-blah. I will be a Last Hero and one day fight alongside one of The F5!"

"You moron! What if you don't make it in? Then what?!"

Yuri responds in anger as she is jealous of him, for he got to go to the apprehension while she still had a whole year to wait again. Silence struck the table after Yuri's retaliation, and then Tedashii's facial expression changed drastically.

"What do you mean not make it in?" He looked straight into Yuri's eyes as he asked that question.

"Huh? Uh… t-that's not what I-"

"I know how you feel. I also have to be realistic here. We went in that dream fight together…but only three of us are going. I feel sorry for you, Yuri. But what you don't understand is my reason. I heard that saying way back when I was a kid. I don't know from whom, but I know that whoever that was, THIS was also their dream for me. And that's why I've made it an oath to fulfill it with all I got! You'll see me as Tedashii today, THEN BARON SIR KATSUNO TOMORROW!!"

A spark flew in everyone's eyes, except for Izanami, as she choked on her food for a bit. The kids all ran to see if she was okay.

"Mom, what happened?!"

  She caught her breath as she realized the spotlight around her.

"See! She choked after hearing you living in the clouds!"

"Did you NOT hear my amazing speech a while ago?! She just swallowed too fast, right mom?"

"..."

"Huh, no. I am alright. I just forgot to tell you that…Daniel asked if you could do his errands for him again."

Relief was found in the whole family, but only food was found around Tedashii's mouth. He instantly began to gulp half of his food when he heard errands.

Munch, Munch, Munch.

Half his bread was still hanging out from his mouth as he tried to mutter words.

"Ichs Alrayt u'll gut tu ut rawyt awai." (It's alright, I'll get to it right away).

Relief altered to disgust in Yuri's eyes.

"HOW FRICKEN OLD ARE YOU?! DIDN'T THEY TEACH YOU TO EAT WITH YOUR MOUTH CLOSED?!"

Tedashii swallows the rest of the bread in one swoop and heads towards the door. He grabbed his favorite blue jacket before he headed out.

"Wait, Tedashii, I said you can do them AFTER eating. What should we do with your food?"

His mother asked.

"Keep it for me by the front door. I'll eat it when I come back."

He smiles back at the family as he closes the door behind him. That smile traveled along everyone's faces, leaving them a bit downcast that he would have to go after two weeks for this year's first apprehension.

"Wow, it still surprises me that I won't see his face more often," Yuri said.

"He may have been lazy at times, delusional, and sometimes pretty annoying, but he always held a special place in our hearts. That cannot be wagered on." Sawashiki said.

Everyone had finished, so Giyora went out for fresh air, Yuri went to her room, Sawashiki went on his cradling chair, and Konami set Tedashii's food in front of the door and waited for his return. Izanami sat down for a while, thinking of what Tedashii had said on the table.

"What does he mean by that?"

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Meadow Town was a small town located at the bottom of the mountain. Tedashii went around getting all the necessities that Daniel requested. Daniel Misaki, the older brother of Sanji. He was a stay-at-home young adult who had to take care of their sick mother. Sanji was always looking for a job as they didn't have a stable income in the family. But now that he got selected for the apprehension, this gave Sanji hope to help out his family.

Mrs. Os-Blancos gave Tedashii the last bit of groceries that he needed.

"It will be quiet without you in town, Tedashii." She said.

"MOM, you have been saying that to half of the other teenagers also going," Sasha said.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Os. I'll come by to visit. I might be back with a guild robe!"

They laughed together. But then, Mrs. Os-Blancos sat with a worried face.

"Hey, Tedashii. When you go to the apprehension, look after my daughter, will you? She's leaving with you tomorrow, so please look out for her."

Sasha looked at her mother's face and saw that she hated hearing that her daughters had to go for these apprehensions. But for this request, Sarah Os-Blancos was who she was referring to—one of her three daughters. Tedashii and Sasha hugged her and left her a tip on the counter. She smiled, hoping that he would keep his promise.

"HEY, TEDASHII! Bring some snacks for the road. I'LL BRING PILLOWS!" Sasha said while waving at him goodbye.

Knock-knock

"Coming!"

The door opened, and he was glad that it was only Tedashii. But Tedashii could see that he wasn't fully rested at all. He still had cuts on his fingers from the cooking, and his hair spoke for itself regarding how much time he had for himself.

"Hey Dan, here's your order of everything for a week."

"Ha-ha, thanks Tedashii. Sorry to always put you on the spot to do this." Daniel said.

"Speak for yourself. What I'm doing is nothing compared to everything you do."

Silence struck for a few seconds.

"Hey, Daniel. It looks like you need an extra pair of hands. Mind if I and Sasha help out?"

Daniel was shocked that Tedashii didn't ask him for money this time.

"Huh? Wait, I thought you'd ask for something in return or-"

"HEH! You take me for a raider or something?"

They laugh together as Tedashii walks back, telling him he will return with Yuri to help. Daniel was glad to know someone felt for him. Knowing Sanji was always out, it was a good thing Tedashii always passed by to fill in for his friend.

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KNOCK-KNOCK!!

Someone knocked on the front door, and Izanami jumped in relief when she heard it.

"Konami, sweetie, could you please go see who it is? Mommy is still doing the dishes."

"TEDASHII IS BACK"

Konami sprung out of happiness and hurried towards the door.

"Sweetie, are you sure it's Tedashii?"

"Yes, it is! He always likes to play Knock-and-Run on his own…house…"

She quickly opened the door but was stunned to see who it was.

"Konami sweetie, who is at the door? …Why did you suddenly go quiet?"