What You Stand For

I sighed and walked into the bathroom. Candi was washing Trinity's blonde hair, and Gloria was going her own, while Mei was soaking up to her eyeballs.

I was surprised to see that Lesha only had her feet in the water and she was wearing a large white shirt that was like a dress for her. I took my boots off and pants, keeping my underwear on.

"How was your talk with the wicked one?" Lesha asked me as I sat down beside her and slipped my legs into the water.

"It was good, after all of our experiences with Dyster, it was nice to talk to her again," I said while slipping an arm around Lesha's waist, and she leaned into me.

"I guess it's good that you are starting to get over that. I mean, Healia is a pain, but as you just said, a pain is better than a problem, but remember that a pain can turn into a problem," Lesha said as she leaned into me.

"I know that, but it has been taxing, and it was nice to see a familiar face from home, I am not turning into a God follower!" I said with a mock tone of outrage.

"Good, let's leave these girls to get washed up, Braum is still downstairs waiting for you. Plus there are more things that you have to do with the Guild yet, right? I will come with you, and then later you and I will come back and lock the doors for some of that almost time," Lesha said, leaning up to give me a kiss.

I turned and met her lips, slowly brushing my hand down the side of her. I let my hands run into her soft hair that somehow always stayed knotless.

I smiled as we pulled apart, but I pulled her in for two more short kisses, and she bit my lip before letting go. That sent a warm shock through my body that made me wish that we were alone.

I basked these little exchanges that we had, the intimacy, and the love that I felt from her. It was hard to think that less than a month ago, I didn't know this feeling existed.

Both of us stood up, and dried off our legs, and got dressed. The other girls were relaxing in the water, so we left them be, leaving the room.

"What do you think Joker thinks of Braum leaving his Guild?" I asked Lesha as we left the room and headed back down the long single flight of stairs down.

"I don't think Joker minds, and I talked to Braum a bit, but my head was still pretty messed up this morning. From what I got, Joker doesn't see this as him leaving his Guild. As you said, you plan on bringing everyone under your banner," Lesha said as we continued down the stairs.

"I hope that's the case, but it still has to be a kick for Braum to want to join us, right?" I said as we got to the bottom level.

"I guess you will get the chance to find out, Joker is over sitting with Braum," Lesha said as she pointed to a table close to the bar in the southwest corner of the hall.

I looked over and the two waved us over like we had just walked into a bar and they were waiting for us. Lesha and I walked over and took seats opposite the two men.

I also noticed Victor and Alana sitting off in the far opposite far corner. I had completely forgotten about them and left them to wait in the corner, but I would deal with them after this.

"I see you work fast, and almost held up your end of the deal so quick! Still, I think it's for the best that you hold off fighting Dyster," Milo/Joker said to me.

"Yes, I let myself get a bit carried away with him, but he did insult my girls," I said sliding my arm around Lesha's waist, and Milo grinned at us.

"I will keep that in mind, along with the other thing on the "how not to piss Kiada off list", haha," Milo joked, but then became more serious. "So, my man here wants to come to join you. I also have a strange feeling that even though you almost whooped the shit out of him, Hershal probably isn't far behind."

"I am sorry, I don't want to steal your' member," I tried to say, but both of the men started to laugh.

"We were just laughing about how Joker would ask to join if he didn't have the prior commitments of running his own Guild," Braum said with a laugh.

"What? Why? I am a nobody that just came into town, and I have already started a mountain of problems," I said in disbelief.

"You just came into town, but I can promise you that there isn't a single soul that doesn't know your name or what you stand for. You're one of a kind and I would like you to take Braum on and Hershal when he is ready. These boys are rough and tough, but they are some of the best, and I think Hershal will be wanting to thank you," Milo said with a smile as he stood up.

"Hershal will want to thank me? For what? Almost beating him into the ground? I can slap around again if he feels uptight like that again, no problem," I said with a smile, but Milo shook his head.

"No, I will let Tim and him tell you. That power you have is something else. I heard reports from what actually happened to the Ground Pounder boys when they attacked you. Now, that is something that I could hardly believe, but after five people told me the same thing I had a hard time denying it," Milo said, shaking his head, but I just smiled at him.

"I am here to make some changes, and Braum, where would you like this? Lesha and I need to go over and talk to their other new Guild members," I said, reaching out to Braum.

{Author note}[Thank you for getting to 50 stones so quick! Keep voting every day! Thank you!]