Yang being the martial arts master and teacher to the whole of the hunters faction would go about his daily routine which involved heading to the dojo an hour before each days class to get some breath in. And today was not any different, as he was on his way there before the loud bang.
"Huh...did the students decide to come in early today?". Yang thought as he quickened his pace to find out just what exactly was happening. He walked briskly with his arms crossed behind his back holding his trusty fan as always.
"Hmm..looks like they are practicing already". Yang thought as he could hear the sound of fighting but what he met on getting to the exit left his mouth wide open. Three of his delinquents were in a fight with the strangers he had rescued a while back. The one he had first seen was Tuffy who clutched his chest as he looked to have passed out or something. Then off to the distance he could see a girl and his other student, the smaller of the trio Akira, similarly sitting backed to the wall as they seemed to have been taken out as well. And then the two left standing in a face off was whom he had considered his worst student not just because he didn't have any good prospect, but because he was the most undisciplined amongst all his students. This one who was known orin.
Yang decided he would not intervene and would watch to see the outcome of the fight and possibly find out more about this strangers, particularly the one facing off with Orin. For this was the one Damien had claimed used the shadow powers and ultimately making master Tofu proclaiming him to be the shadow Knight.
"Let's see what you got shadow knight". Yang thought to himself with a smile as he watched the fight go on. As the fight went on he was more inclined to believe Damien must have lied because the person in front of him lacked skill of any kind, he even thought his worst student had better prospect than his opponent who he faced off against.
All this thoughts and doubts were quickly washed away when something odd happened. The turning point of the fight had Rodney stretching out his hand and making Orin a literal sitting duck as the following events after that small gesture left everyone there in a state of shock and disbelief.
Yang had ultimately stepped in as it didn't look like his student's opponent was willing to let the fight end just that easily.
"You have done enough, let him be". Yang said looking at none other than Rodney who still had his fist paused in mid air on hearing the voice at the his back telling him to stop. Curious to know who would tell him to stop punishing this "animals" as he now saw them, he turned around to see it was one of the elders and leaders of the hunters faction.
"Fine". Rodney said turning around and heading towards a different direction. He was going to check up on Mia to see how she was doing. Yang seeing how he had not even the slightest glint of fear in his eyes when looking at him could only smile as he found this quite exciting and interesting.
"Hey...are you OK" Rodney said and immediately wanted to bite his tongue of in regret as he knew that was a stupid question to ask someone who just got beat up by three guys.
"I'm fine,...are you?".Mia replied looking at Rodney's mouth which was busted open from all the punches he received from Orin.
"I'm fine...come on, let's get you to the med center".Rodney said lifting Mia up who groaned as she got up and assisted her as she walked.
"When you get there, get people down here to check on these three". Yang said looking at Rodney who walked by with Mia's hand around his neck. Rodney had heard what the other had said but gave no reply and just looked to get his faction member some medical help for now as she looked to have suffered quite a lot.
While walking through the faction base heading for the med center, they had come across Erwin who looked to be sweating and panting.
"Hey...you found her, is she okay?"
"Who did this to you?!".Erwin asked as he was now clearly getting excited.
"It's fine, I handled it".Rodney replied.
"They touched you too?...oh now they are gonna pay!" Erwin said as he punched his palms.
"Yeah...why don't you give me a hand?" Rodney asked and immediately Erwin got the cue and went to grab Mia's other hand and placed it around his shoulder giving her support as they walked into the clinic.
The others had finally caught up with them at the medical center. And they all had the same reaction as Erwin.
"They are gonna pay when my leg's all healed up!" Blair said looking at Mia who laid asleep on the bed across his, most probably from the pain and exhaustion.
Johan the tall kid who stood with his back on the wall eventually spoke up
"If there's anything I hate, its bullies"
"They got lucky this time" Corey chimed in. One would think he was a plant with his smallish stature and green hair. He was considered the quiet one, but this event sure did expose a little bit about everyone as all they thought about was revenge.
"Like I said, its fine now. Those three would be brought in here, let's try to behave ourselves" Rodney said knowing fully well with the heat coming off his team members, there was every tendency for a fight to break out.
"You said the guy from the forest was there and he did nothing?... This whole event would have a bigger implication" Eiko said looking at everybody.
"What..why should we get punished?.. I mean they started the fight!" Blair said clearly frustrated with how things are handled.
"Yeah they started the fight...in THEIR faction". Blaze said in response to Blair's comment.
"So what?...we're supposed to fold our arms and watch one of our own get beat up?" Erwin said looking more furious about the entire thing than everybody else.
"Just look at her condition!" Johan said pointing at Mia. Turning their heads and looking in Mia's direction, it only fueled their rage the more.
"What Blaze said is correct, it is their faction. They have every jurisdiction to do what they like". Eiko said with a shrug.
And just then the three boys were brought in by some nurses. And as they passed by the legion gang, the ganger the latter had towards the former just seemed to disappear. The trio looked to be in worse shape than they imagined. One of them was awake and walked fine on his own, the other two had to be brought in on a stretcher.
" what did you do Rodney?" Eiko asked concerned as he looked at the two who were being pushed on the stretcher.
"My boy, they look like they were hit by a bus!" Blair said bursting into laughter but quickly calming himself down as he remembered there were patients who needed no noise.
"We will face whatever comes as a team!" Erwin replied with his arms folded across his chest. He looked calmer than earlier, one would think him seeing the condition the others were in made him relax a bit. This was true for the rest of them as well as they all just dialed back a bit.
"You...I'm afraid we need to talk". Yang said walking up to Rodney. Erwin leaving his position got in the way of the man.
"You can talk from here"Erwin said looking at yang who was slightly taller than him. The others stood up as well. The tension rose as the patients weren't sure if there wasn't going to be scuffle. They all held their breath in anticipation of what would happen next.
" Guys...its okay" Rodney said standing up from his bed. Still Erwin wouldn't let his eyes leave Yang's. Yang smiled and then turned around.
"Meet me at the dojo...alone" Yang said as he turned around to leave.
"You are not going are you?" Blair said looking at Rodney.
"Of course he is not going, its obviously a trap!" Corey said with his two hands held out in a gesture that said "this should be clear to everyone".
"I don't think it's a trap, I mean he could have acted here. After all he is a leader here remember?". Blaze said.
"That is why I think its a bad idea for Rodney to go see him" Erwin said with a frown on his face.
"I don't think its a trap, I think you should go Rodney. Let's know what he wants at least"..." Who knows it could be something totally harmless". Eiko chimed in to say.
"Let's just allow Rodney make his decisions please" Johan spoke up nudging at Rodney who sincerely wasn't paying any attention to the others as he was lost in his own thoughts but the nudge brought him back.
"Come on Rodney, do you wanna go see him?" Erwin asked and the others went silent waiting for an answer.
"Yes..yes I'll go see him" Rodney replied.
"Fine then we're are coming along, we can't take anymore chances"Erwin said.
" No...he must have a reason for wanting to see me alone. If I'm not back in an hour, then you can come" Rodney said before stepping out to head for the dojo.
"You guys are gonna follow him right?" Eiko asked knowing the answer already.