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Captain Yami readjusts the cigarette falling from his lips.
“I’m gonna ask this one more time. None of you punks have seen Asta at all?”
“Yes, Captain!” Comes a chorus of (terrified) responses.
Yami sighs. Loudly.
The kid had been gone from the Black Bulls hideout since morning. The only reason they knew this is because Nero saw him sneak out just before the sun came out.
…
Klaus and Mimosa are worried. Yuno didn't show up for breakfast, nor was he in his quarters. Mimosa nervously braids a vine of flowers as Klaus bites at his nails
“I think,” He starts, “we must go to Captain Vangeance.”
…
The supernatural clanging of swords made of pure magic (or anti-magic) reverberate through the field, past the trees and deep into the forest.
There is a tiny bout of silence as Asta and Yuno stare into each other’s eyes. Asta grits his teeth before yielding and flying upwards into the sky.
“Can't handle my strength, Asta?” Yuno taunts,
following right behind Asta’s black trail of anti-magic.
“Yeah, right. In your dreams, Yuno!” Asta shoots back, pulling out a katana from his grimoire and sending a long slash in his rival’s direction.
Yuno quickly dodges, repositioning himself behind Asta with a use of his Star Magic.
One powerful swing from the Spirit of Zephyr sends the anti-mage crashing into the ground. Yuno smirks.
Asta groans loudly as he emerges from the large crater now deep in the ground. He shakes his head, a growl building up in his chest.
Before Yuno can react, Asta shoots high into the sky, leaving an electrifying air of anti-magic behind.
Yuno sucks in a sharp breath, turning slightly as he hears the crackling of immense power building.
“Black Divider!” Asta shouts with all his might, holding up the massive anti-magic sword with two strong arms, positioning it to cleave right through Yuno.
At the same exact time, two large tree branches sprout from the ground, capturing both Asta and Yuno.
“Wha-?!” Comes an aborted sound from Asta’s lips. The branch tightens around him.
Yuno struggles against the hold, his sword dangling from his clawed fingers.
“What is the meaning of this?” Shouts a regal voice.
Captain Vangeance.
Wait, what?
Why is the captain of the Golden Dawn here?!
Asta angles his head towards the sound, and almost faints at what he sees.
Captain Yami is here too?!?
“Y’got some explaining to do, punk.” He grumbles, putting a cigarette to his lips.
Vangeance slowly lowers Yuno and Asta. They both come out of their united forms with their respective spirits, making the pressure in the air feel a little lighter. Liebe nestles himself in Asta’s hair, while Bell hides in Yuno’s breast pocket.
“Has something gone wrong? Why are the two brightest mages of the Clover Kingdom fighting?” Vangeance exclaims. The tree branches slowly descend back into the ground.
“We-” Yuno starts.
“On top a’that, you go around sneaking. Climbing outta windows and crap!” Yami cuts him off, staring right at Asta.
“Captain–!” Asta tries.
“I don't know what to think. I thought you two were nice, good kids. I never expected you to fight so violently.” Vangeance continues with a solemn tone.
Asta makes a confused sound and glances over at Yuno. His rivals shoots back a helpless look.
“Are ya tryin’ to get yourselves killed? This sort of animosity between squads gets the captains in trouble, ya know.” Yami sighs. “I can already hear Julius’ lecture.”
“Please, just explain what's going on.” Vangeance pleads.
“There's clearly been a misunderstanding.” Yuno starts, huffing.
“Yeah, what are you guys talking about?” Asta shouts, moving closer to Yuno.
“Y’don’t gotta act all innocent, kid. We heard ya fightin’, we saw ya fightin’. There isn't much more to it.” Comes Yami’s bored reply.
“But we weren't fighting! Well, I guess we were, but we didn't mean it!”
“A sparring session.” Yuno supplies.
That makes Yami and Vangeance pause.
“I… what?”
“What don't you get?!” Comes a shrill voice. Asta watches as Bell flutters out of Yuno’s pocket.
“Gosh, you captains sure are dense! My dear Yuno just told you he was sparring, so take his word for it!”
Yuno grabs Bell by the back of her dress and pushes her back into his jacket.
“Bell’s right. I'm sorry, Captain, but Asta and I were just playing around. I would never hurt him.”
“Not that much, anyway.” He whispers, just for Asta to hear.
Asta is charging up a retort but startles when he feels Captain Yami’s ki building.
“Playin’ around? That's what you pipsqueaks call this?! You damn near leveled the forest!” Yami yells, gesturing behind him.
“We… Huh.” Asta responds intelligently.
“I guess we went too far…” He continues, rubbing at his neck.
“Ha! You guess? That's rich–” Yami is cut off by a slim tree branch branding itself against his mouth.
Vengeance, bless him, simply sighs.
“What Yami is trying to say is that you worried us. Using such strong attacks for a simple sparring session seems intense, don't you think?”
Yami struggles with the makeshift gag behind him.
“I dunno… we do this all the time.” Asta mutters
Yami sends a withering glare in his direction.
Vangeance sighs again. “Okay. Okay, we understand. But next time, please let us know.”
“Of course, Captain.”
“Sir, yes sir!” Asta tacks on, sending a three-fingered Clover salute his way.
Captain Vangeance nods serenely and begins pulling Yami away with him. Yami has started thrashing violently now. As they disappear into the forest, a “Don't you do that again, Goldilocks!” echoes throughout, displacing the birds from their perches in the trees.
Asta and Yuno stare silently.
“Weird.” Yuno huffs.
Asta hears the magical trilling of Yuno’s spirit form beside him.
“But, we weren't done, were we?”
A grin spreads throughout Asta’s face as he immediately unites with Liebe.
“Not even close!”
The two rivals blast off into the never ending sky, becoming blurs of green and black in the distance