Nox stared up at her terrifying guild master with fear flowing through her veins. The giant man was impossible to read but Nox couldn't help but feel he was angry. As he stared down at her Nox could swear she could see a fire in his rage-filled eyes. Regardless, she stood her ground and refused to back away. The weak Nox was gone, and the strong Nox remained. As Nox waited for Takeshi to make the next move she thought of all the possible scenarios in her mind. She was surprised to find that one she didn't think of became reality.
"Ahahahahah," Takeshi laughed.
"Huh?" Nox said to herself.
"Oh man, you got some guts kid," Takeshi said between laughs, "I thought you were gonna piss yourself."
Nox still stood in confusion. The man before her was nothing like the Takeshi she had seen. The dangerous and angry looking hobo now looked happy and carefree. His smiling face didn't match with his body and look, it was as if he had stolen it from someone else.
"I think I'm gonna like having you around," Takeshi said as he grabbed a chair from the corner of the room. He gently pushed the chair that rolled on its wheels to Nox. She easily caught the chair even though she was still confused.
"Have a seat," Takeshi said, "You wanted to talk right?"
"Oh, uh yeah," Nox said as she sat.
Takeshi uncorked a bottle on his desk and began to drink heavily. He stopped after several moments and tipped the bottle in Nox's direction.
"Wanna sip?" He asked with a grin.
"I can't," Nox said apprehensively, "I'm only seventeen."
"So?" Takeshi said, "It's not like you'll get hammered off one sip."
"Uh, I, uh," Nox stuttered as she tried to think of another excuse.
"Calm down kid," Takeshi said as he laughed once again, "I was kidding. Besides this stuff is so strong you might actually get hammered."
"Are you serious?" Nox said in disbelief, "What would you have done if I said yes?"
"I would have let you drink it," Takeshi answered truthfully, "That would have been pretty damn funny."
Nox sat in silence. "What kind of place did I join?" She thought.
"So, you don't like that I'm hard on Hitsu?" Takeshi said suddenly, "What you got a crush on him or something?"
"What? Of course not," Nox said flustered, "I just don't get it."
"Don't get what?" Takeshi asked as he began to drink once again.
"Well, Hitsu just seems like such a nice guy," Nox explained, "He tried so hard for my family and he seems so honest and hard working. A lot of people would love to have him on their team I'm sure. So why do you act like you want him to leave? It's not like it would be hard for him to find another guild."
Takeshi finished off his bottle and sighed. He looked up to Nox and for a moment she could have sworn she saw sadness filling his eyes.
"Nox, why do you want to be a hero?" Takeshi asked.
"Huh?" Nox said. Takeshi's question seemed out of nowhere but Nox answered regardless. "Well, I want to make my family proud and I want to fulfill my mom's wish for me to be happy. As a hero, I think I can do both."
A smile crept onto Takeshi's face. "That's a good reason Nox, I respect that." Takeshi reached onto the desk and grabbed another bottle. "You and Hitsu are similar but very different."
"What do you mean?" Nox asked.
"I mean you two both have very different goals as heroes," Takeshi explained. "Now a leader would push all of their students the same way. That would help some but hurt others. A good leader on the other hand pushes their students in different ways. They treat all their students the way that would help them the most. For example, you need praise when you do well, confirmation that you are doing a good job, and you need encouragement when you fail, a push to keep you from falling. Do you understand?"
"I think I do," Nox replied, "I'm sorry I didn't realize before. You're just trying to be a good leader."
"No need to apologize," Takeshi assured, "Most people don't want to accept that kind of leadership."
"There's one thing I don't understand," Nox said, "I get you have to be hard on Hitsu but how does that help him?"
Takeshi's smile grew and for a moment he almost giggled.
"Did Hitsu tell you why he is a hero?" Takeshi asked.
"No," Nox replied, "I don't think he has."
"Well then," Takeshi said as he uncorked the bottle in his hand, "That's something you should ask him."
...
Nox walked down the second-floor hallway without trying to hide herself this time. Her interaction went much differently than she thought it would as she was still left with a question. As she approached the boy's room she couldn't help but feel slightly anxious. Why wouldn't Takeshi tell her Hitsu's goal? Nox reached the boy's room and looked inside past the open door.
The boy's room was the exact same layout as the girls. One of the beds and accompanying nightstands was occupied by Hitsu and Juno. Hitsu lay on his stomach in the bed watching one of the televisions while Juno lay curled in a pet bed on the nightstand. The rest of the beds were empty as they awaited the members of the guild that had not yet joined. After a moment Nox knocked on the doorframe to get Hitsu's attention. The sound caused Hitsu to look over at the girl.
"Hey Nox," Hitsu said casually, "What's up."
"Can I ask you something?" Nox said.
"Yeah, sure," Hitsu said as he sat upright in his bed.
Nox entered the room and sat at the bed across from Hitsu. As she sat she could feel the nervousness coursing through her veins despite not knowing why she felt that way. She felt as though she was about to break some unspoken rule despite Takeshi telling her to do so. Hitsu watched on patiently as he waited for Nox's question. Finally, Nox worked up the courage to force the question out of her mouth.
"Why do you want to be a hero?" Nox blurted out.
Hitsu didn't answer immediately only helping fuel Nox's nervousness. When he did answer he answered as casually as could be.
"Oh, that's easy," Hitsu said as he stood from his bed.
Nox looked up to see Hitsu's face was covered with a smile and determination filled his eyes. She watched as Hitsu walked away from the beds and to a more open part of the room. Once there he stopped and looked at Nox once more. Hitsu raised his right hand high into the air with a single finger pointing to the sky, the same pose he preformed in the shopping district.
"My name is Vansu," he said confidently, "and I'm the hero who's going to make the entire world smile."
...
...
...
"Huh?"
...
End of Episode 24