Forgotten Memories, new friendships. (Ryo and Mashyuu social)

After two weeks of seemingly aimless wandering Mashyuu stood upon a hill looking down at the bustling city that held the Ace of Spades, for one reason or the other the newly revived Wizard was drawn to the land and seemed to know how to get to the city without even trying to find the place. He pulled his hood down and let his wild hair flow in the warm morning wind. Tapping his foot on the ground once he exploded into burst of sand and rolled down the hill, reforming at the front gate of the town.

Mashyuu's blue eyes darted around rapidly, taking in familiar scents, sights and sounds as flashes of a life once lived raced through his mind. The Wizard took a deep, shuddering breath and looked at the ground, his red shoe covered feet making the perfect thing to focus on as he started to walk almost aimlessly. Without paying attention the man weaved through crowds of people until he stepped through the front doors of the Ace of Spades bar. He didn't say a word to anyone while he headed for a teleporation lacrima and grasped it, vanishing into the Sabertooth guild hall.

The man wandered the halls, his rough fingers running along the walls as memories floated to the surface of his thoughts. "I was Mashyuu... I lived here and this." He stopped at his room, the door layered with dust from not moving, Mashyuu grasped the handle and pushed it open. Trinkets from battles past littered the small room as did his a hammer that he thought was gone when he hit the ground. He walked to the weapon, called by it's power and picked the heavy hammer of various color up and let his body get accustomed to the weight and the magical effect it had on him, slowing him down while he held it in his hands. "Good in a pinch against a slower foe.... Wouldn't count on this though." Mashyuu mumbled and placed it down on the mantle of his room. He checked his reflection in the mirror and compared it to a near by photo. He had changed. His hair was no longer styled but naturally wild, his body was larger, as if it had gotten used to having the power of a god inside it, and his face had become less gaunt and more filled out. Still his eyes were the same, as was the location of his brown Sabertooth guild stamp on his chest. He cracked a smile and headed back to the bar below him...

Sitting alone at a round table Mashyuu watched the patrons while sipping on a glass of hard whiskey. From time to time his attention was drawn to a man in red, Mashyuu knew him from a battle involving a dragon at this very location but couldn't place a name to the face.

Ryo sighed as he sat down at the bar drinking a large glass of whiskey. He was here after another one of those insane missions he had been getting. Retrieving flesh eating horses from the cursed lands rose to the heights of stupidity and irritation. He couldn’t believe why he would do a job like that, but he was going to have to continue on with those kinds of jobs. It was just a feeling he had, and his feelings were usually never wrong. As he sat there drinking he noticed that there was someone who came into the bar looking travel worn.

Nothing seemed to be wrong at the moment, but Gora walked in shortly after the one sitting at the table now. He huffed as he sat down next to Ryo, being as big as he was his head easily cleared the bar’s top. Presently his voice appeared in Ryo’s head “Ryo, that’s Mashyuu, he is back, but he’s not the same.” Ryo slowly set down his glass turning and looking towards Mashyuu who sat down at a round table. This made Ryo’s eyes go black as pitch in irritation. He had no idea what had happened to the youth after the fight with the dragon, but he did know that he hadn’t seen hide nor hair of him since it happened. This was tantamount to desertion to Ryo, and anyone who would abandon the guild was as good as a traitor in his eyes.

He slowly rose from the table pulling out a pair of playing card decks moving towards the table he let them fall and form around him as wings, armor, and additions to his coat. He stood in front of the table slowly putting his hands on the table cards spilled onto it forming into spikes as he leaned in “Mashyuu…Where have you been…You’d better have a very good explanation for your absence or you shall regret stepping foot into this guild hall.” He said coldly as he slowly sat down in a throne that was made of cards right as he sat down. He slowly folded his hands in front of him watching the dragon slayer with his eyes still dark as coal and his claws seeming to grow ever so slightly his fangs poking out of his frowning face.

Gora came over and sat down next to Ryo without much interest in what was going to happen being that he was bored

Mashyuu watched the man in red and his...friend, started to walk over while the man cast a spell to create armor and a weapon. The last group that did anything like this were all dead outside of the city. Mashyuu clenched his fists as the man drew closer to the table and placed his hands down, creating a set of spikes on the wooden top. Dark blue eyes drifted from his drink to the man giving out a vague threat. "I assume we knew one another in the past. For that sake I won't swallow you where you stand. Now have a seat and share a drink while I tell you what happened." Mashyuu kicked a chair out across from him to slide out next to Ryo.

Lazily Mashyuu sipped on his drink and set it down on the table, eyes darting around for a bit then digging in his pocket. Without a word he set two rings on the table. "From what I remember. I was married to a woman named Kanix. A guild master from Fairy Tail. This was a secret. Something about a dark Wizard. As it is, these rings were our wedding rings and have power. However I won't use them because I caused her death, and my own." Teas of pain and regret ran down his face while he placed the rings back in his pocket.

"I watched a cult, who were trying to kill me as a sacrifice for a demon lord, kill my wife. Then my best friend.... After that I was killed. I have no idea why I'm here, only that I was drawn here. I don't know how long I've been dead or even who you are. So, if you are going to try to kill me, lets get it over with. If not I hope maybe you can help." Mashyuu explained then took a big swig of his whiskey, eyes locked on the man before him.

Hearing the little threat about being swallowed almost made him laugh, but instead he only smiled widely showing off his fangs as he leaned back against his chair there wasn’t much else to be said, and so he decided to allow Mashyuu to explain himself. As he looked at the rings that the slayer put on the table the card spikes slid off of the table to join Ryo’s coat fitting themselves into the patches. Listening to the story Ryo seemed to relax ever so slightly wondering what he would do in that situation as well. Being married to a dark wizard wasn’t something that he really could understand, but he had a feeling that being loyal to someone like that would make one do all kinds of thing.

Having heard the whole story then he simply nodded his head letting his features relax and form into the persistent features that had always defined him. With that he slowly spoke “I am sorry for your losses. I know how it feels to lose someone so precious to you.” He said as he did so Gora put his right paw on his partner’s leg showing some support. Ryo didn’t react and just continued “I had assumed the worst when there was no trace of your body after we managed to fight off of the dragon. There are many things I won’t swallow and a traitor is one of them. My only job is to protect this guild from all forms of threats and this includes traitors.”

He smiled as he pets Gora’s head slowly “Now, I can try to help you in some kind of fashion. The first thing is that my name is Ryo Knetegawa. Since you have left I became the Paragon of Fate, and our guild has changed hands again. Still, I have stayed here as I always have watching and making sure that this guild stays safe.” He gently pat Gora’s head “This is Gora, and he helped evacuate citizens of Ace of Spades during the attack.”

Now crossing his arms and looking at Mashyuu with his own calm hazel eyes “What help do you possibly think I could offer you aside from filling in the gaps in your memory?” he asked with a raised brow slowly.

At least Ryo understood that Mashyuu didn't simply leave because h wanted to. "To be honest, I don't care who is leading the guild. I don't even remember what it is to be in a guild. I just need a place to call home for a while." Mashyuu went on to explain while he reached for his drink to finish it off.

"Turns out I used to be a dragon slayer. But... now I'm something else. I don't understand how to harness or control this power. I need a teacher. I now contain the power of a Deity inside me. When I'm in danger I just start killing, no control over it. I called down a meteor from the sky and killed a man with it yesterday afternoon... I have no idea what I'm doing in the world anymore." He did't want to ask for help, but if Ryo was going to offer, who was Mashyuu to keep to himself?

Ryo couldn’t help but smile at this he didn’t care about who led the guild either. He was going to support them no matter what, and he given his track record so far that is exactly what he has done. He shrugged his shoulders lightly waving around to the room “Well, if you would like to stay this guild is still your home. You didn’t abandon the guild, and you didn’t leave it of your own choice so we still welcome you with open arms.”

Ryo slowly raised a brow hearing the trouble that Mashyuu was going through and he slowly rose to his feet stretching “Killing because you are in danger is not anything to be ashamed of. However, senseless killing is not the answer to anything. If you feel that you are in danger of killing without purpose, and losing control of your powers I can help you, and I have helped people in the past. We can’t have you roaming around with powers you can’t control. I’m afraid I don’t know much in the way of taming the powers of a deity, but magic comes from within and I know how to keep inner demons, under control.”

Gora gave a huff as he stood up his head clearing the table by a good amount again. This made the wizard smile nodding his head “The best way I can help you is to take you under my wing. Should you be willing to follow my lead.” he said seeming to wait for an answer.

Mashyuu sat at the table in silence while he considered his options. He had never had a mentor other than his mother. His mother taught him the basics of Earth Magic, perhaps that was why he could still remember her. He also remembered the jacket she gave him, the one that held a bit of her lightning slayer magic that was now destroyed. He would have to master that with the lacrima in his room. Eventually Mashyuu stood up and reached his hand out in a non-threatening way.

"Ryo, the only teachers I've ever known taught me how to be a better person and how to use my head before my fists. I'd be happy to learn from someone who can teach me something new. Thank you for your help and friendship." Mashyuu shook Ryo's hand and felt a wave of relief wash over him and take away the fear that was welling up inside his heart just moments prior. Things were starting to look better for the man who had lost everything and had to learn how to be himself once again.

Ryo smiled as he shook hands with Mashyuu “I may have some things to teach you that you haven’t learned before.” He said as he looked to Gora “Well, looks like we have a new student partner.” He looked to Mashyuu smiling “Gora will be around as you’ve most likely guessed. So do remember that you’ll have to get along with him.” He moved back to the bar and as he did the barkeep handed him another drink.

He pounded it down in one huge gulp and looked to Mashyuu smiling widely “Well, we shall start your lessons soon. I have a few things to work out, but soon enough you’ll be accompanying me on some work, and we shall have a chance to put lessons into action during a practical situation. The best way of learning is through doing after all. In the meantime, try not to kill anyone who isn’t a threat to the guild or its members.” He said with an amused smirk on his face before he pulled the hat off of his head waving it once as a salute before leaving the bar heading off to get some things in order before his next job and his new job of teaching this slayer how to keep control of himself.