Morath, from a distance, looked like your standard port town. Ships, homes, and some warehouses spread along the dock. Following Natsumi and Rylen, Tsuna’s expectations shattered at the sight of flashing signs, narrow alleys, many stores, and the amount of people they passed. It’s like I’m in Osaka again. I wonder how many people live here. Natsumi spun back and glanced at him. Surely to make certain that he was still behind her. A flow of wind grasped his arm, realizing Natsumi had reached out to him. Quickly moving her finger towards her lips, she dragged him down an alleyway.

A sigh escaped Natsumi’s mouth before she pinched her nose and inhaled through her mouth. “Like hell I’m giving my hard earned Drax to those guys. My blood was almost on this money! So, I’m gonna go spend it and you’re gonna help me. Rylen can’t gripe about it when it’s all gone.” She gave him a confirming nod. “Any complaints?”

Tsuna shook his head. “I have no choice because I’d otherwise get lost in the crowd.” Rylen was right not to call them a corporation. They’d have fired her already if she dodges responsibility this way.

“Wonderful!” Natsumi’s sharp canines showed themselves through her huge smirk. “The question is what to spend a thousand Drax on? There aren’t that many unique shops in this town and we’ll need to get something that we can't go back to Leora’s with. So they won't know we used it on junk.”

A faint rumble erupted from the crater Tsuna called a stomach. Remembering how long it’s been since he’d had food. Before he could suggest anything, Natsumi’s attention fixated on the origin of the noise. Those ears are more sensitive than Rylen’s. Speaking of which, what race is she?

Natsumi’s thumb launched upward in front of Tsuna. “I have approved your recommendation for food. There’s this great place a couple of blocks from here with an expensive menu that I’ve been dying to try. We eat, come back empty-handed and bellies full, and Rylen can’t say anything! Ohoho!” Pivoting on the tip of her toe, she stepped off.

Tsuna quietly chuckled as she stepped ahead. “It’s free food. I hope this place is good.”

***

Sloppy meat marinated in what appeared to be gravy and blended into a dish, splashed onto Tsuna’s face as the cat waitress dropped it down. The residue splashed on his face, leaving him deadpan. What the hell is this? He peered at the meal, then at Natsumi, who enthusiastically accepted her bowl, then turned his concern to the waitress, who studied him in a way that made him feel as if he were being targeted.

The tanned waitress’ tail unwrapped from her midriff and pointed straight down as she reached for a napkin and went for Tsuna’s face. “Let me get that for you, sir! My clumsiness got you all dirty!” She took the napkin and held out her other hand. “Just set your chin here.”

Tsuna’s eyes narrowed, immediately taking the napkin from her hand, then wiping his face. “No need, I’ll take care of it!” That ought to hold her off.

The waitress stood straight with a broader smile. Her eyebrow curled as she tipped her head toward him. “As you say! Natsumi’s trained you well. Any other human she brought in here would’ve fallen for that. They’re usually just horndogs looking for a good time.”

Tsuna eyed Natsumi, now choking on her food. “Does she draw in that many men?”

Natsumi’s fork clashed against her near empty bowl. “This again, Kiyomi?!”

The waitress shrugged. “It’s the truth, is it not? You’re the only Minhki who brings Humans and Elves to a joint in our district. Other Minhki would get as far from here as possible and slip away to a better part of town to not dine in a trash heap.”

As she alluded to the building, Tsuna glanced around the area. Appearing old in structure and in need of renovation eventually, if not soon. The chairs were hard and the wooden legs quivered with every slight movement, but practical. “Why is this part of town in as bad a condition as it is? It didn’t look that way from the docks.”

“They built the docks next to the human residential area, which is the newer part of town. Where we are now is what the Morath used to be before it grew. It’s a wreck, but we can barely get our hands on the tools to fix the place up thanks to the various vendors who won’t sell to Minhki. They hate us, it’s as plain as day.”

A sadness overcame Tsuna, producing a churn of emotions twisting around his gut. So, they treat people here like that too. His chest sank, looking around at the Minhki in the building. “Not all of us are like that. Not every human hates you because you are different.”

“It’s not the first time we’ve heard that one.” Kiyomi huffed as she averted her gaze. “Big mouth politicians from Elysia, fake heroes seeking to establish a name, they all come around here shouting that they’ll make things right for us. Make this place shine so that no one could even tell the old from the new. And every time it’s bullcrap. There was a time where it felt as if it were an everyday occurrence. It was enough to make me lose faith in our home being really fixed. That this is how we’ll be forever, because we don’t have the tools to do it ourselves or the means to leave. We make do with what we have and what we have is not enough. So save it. I don’t want to hear another lie.”

Her defeated tone reached out to the other patrons of the shop as they gave her sympathetic nods. The restaurant fell silent in the reality that their home may never become more than what it was. Shockingly, Tsuna slammed his fist into the table. “You’re right to feel how you do because people lied for their own benefit. And now a stranger comes in saying the same things they did. You may not believe me, but I understand it all. I understand that treating others differently because of the way they look or even their culture is wrong. And because I understand that, I swear here and now!” Tsuna spoke up, the words escaping his lips as uncertainty took its place. Too late to turn back now. “I will bring you the tools you need!” The feeling escaped. His pride swelled, chest deflating as eyes around the room fell onto him. Kiyomi’s eyes latched onto him and another Minhki gave him a similar look to the degree they were obviously staring. The girls in the room followed suit, each of them showing an expression akin to Kiyomi’s. I might’ve made a mistake… This is a lioness den!

Natsumi’s hands slapped on the table, rattling its rickety legs. The room’s attention drew to her as she proudly raised her voice. “I’ve told you that my man is the one with the apple red hair and the scruffy face!” She turned her attention to the staring women in the area. “And if any of you here have eyes on him, I’ll kick your ass!”

Was she even paying attention? Everyone else is staring at her now, so… The restaurant fell mute again as Natsumi sat back down. Turning calmly to his bowl to evade the spotlight, Tsuna grabbed a slice of meat and nibbled on its edge. Hey… This is pretty good. Its texture was smoother than it looked because of the brew in the bowl.

Kiyomi placed a finger on her lip, gesturing towards Natsumi. “Way to keep up with the conversation, Natsu. If this isn’t your man, then he is available, yes? This one gives me the feeling that I can actually trust him. Maybe, if he does what he says, some of our girls can reward him with something… Special.”

Tsuna’s eyes went wide, noticing Natsumi’s fervor leaving as she stared at him. The attention returned, sweat forming in his palms as he gulped. “I’m married.” The room erupted in a synchronized gasp.

“Married!?” Natsumi and Kiyomi yelped. Natsumi grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled herself closer. “Why did you never tell me you’re married?”

Tsuna sarcastically jerked his head with an expression of bewilderment. “W-Why would I bring that up when you never asked?! We just met!”

“That’s the stuff you bring up to a girl you just met!” Natsumi said.

“Like hell it is, you weirdo!”

The scrutiny of him waned as the two shouted and the restaurant returned to normal. Natsumi released him, then sat back in her seat before twirling her tail into her hands. “Then tell me about it. Surely you’ve a story to tell. Like a reason you’re here without your partner.”

Tsuna took another bite of meat. “Y-yeah. As you know, Natsumi, I’m not from around here. Where I’m from, I was happily married and was searching to get the two of us a place.” It only took a second for Natsumi’s tail to perk up and start waving. Clearly, she was interested. Kiyomi leaned closer, her ears perking up as he began.

Natsumi turned a glare towards the third party. “Kiyo, aren’t you supposed to be working!?”

“Tch!” Kiyomi’s mood changed fully as she strode away. “Whatever.”

With Kiyomi gone, Natsumi leaned forward and planted her elbows on the table to hold her head up. “How long have you been married for? I wouldn’t have taken you as much of a romantic, but you’ve clearly gotten more comfortable since you’ve been off the market.”

Tsuna heard an unmistakable purr roll from her question. Oh no. I think I just made a mistake. Though his answer removed other eyes from him, now he was in Natsumi’s. I need to figure out a way to spin this. “Newly married. We were together for most of our lives and the day came where we were both honest with each other.”

“Newly wed? Then why are you here? You hitched a ride with Zio and Old man Rylen, but wouldn’t you prefer to be together with your forever partner?”

“I do. More than you’d think.” The events in Japan and at The Crossing played in his mind. What could he have done if he knew this power was resting within him the whole time? “I need to figure out how to protect her. Yesterday made me realize how dangerous it is for people who can’t defend themselves. If something were to happen.” His story contorted with reality. Licking his dry lips, then taking a breath, he looked Natsumi in the eyes. “I have a power that I’ve never had before, and it scares me. Controlling it could take years or the rest of my life and that’s time I can’t afford to waste.”

Sensing his discomfort, Natsumi leaned back. “You’re talking about anima, aren’t you? Trust me, that fear you have isn’t unique. For me, it was like running from my shadow until I flew headfirst into a kirin. It terrified me at first, but when my anima swooped me away from a jacked up jaw from its hooves, I accepted it. We’ve all had it once. Well, those who can control it. Skip to some years later and now I’m a pro! Able to call up wind without even thinking about it! Sounds pretty cool, right? But we’ll talk about me later. When did you realize you could control it?”

“Yesterday and it just kind of happened. My heart doesn’t beat anymore. It stirs like a roaring motor, burning me up from the inside. I don’t sweat, but it feels like I should. Fire can shoot from my hands, but I’ve never been able to bring the fire out of my body until I’m in danger.” He wiggled his toes. “I even incinerated my shoes.”

“What you describe sounds like something that happens to everyone. Except for your heartbeat, we should get that looked at. Allow me to give you a brief tutorial on control. Do you know what ethertwisting is?” She held her finger forward before Tsuna could answer. A rush of wind whirled around her finger, converging at the tip into a ball. “It’s the control of the users’ ether and how they can ‘twist’ it with the surrounding ether. When you turn that ether into something that is unnatural, something bent to the user’s whim, we call that anima.”

“Huh… If people could do that, then why would they need to use guns?”

“Not everyone can do this. Even people who have an excellent control of their ether. Which is why that garbage known as ‘ethertech’ exists. Don’t tell Rylen I said that, by the way. The hardest part is learning how to twist outside ether with your own.”

The sphere on her finger sounded like a breeze in an open field. The direction of the wind shifted every second, going from left to right, upward and downward, rotating atop her finger. Tsuna held out his palm, tunneling his focus into his hand. A moment longer he stared, yielding no result. “I couldn’t do something like that if I tried. It all feels so hopeless. There has to be another way to protect her, otherwise my life may as well be over.”

Natsumi’s eyebrow jerked as she tilted her head. “Not much self-confidence you have there. If you don’t believe in yourself, what could you ever achieve? It’s obvious you’re putting too much concern on your partner than yourself. If you’re in no shape to take care of yourself, how can you expect to take care of her?”

“Because I can endure. I’ve suffered in silence for so long, I know nothing can break me down. My town treated me like an outcast. Friends turned their backs on me. Labeling me a delinquent, because of what I look like… And now that I think about it, they only reinforced the reason I did it. I became numb to their titles and judgement. It became my identity. A delinquent who stole, fought, lied. A boy who had no hope of succeeding, who everyone thought they’d find dead in an alley. I thought so too… Until she came into my life. Losing her is something I won’t stand for. If something did… I’d… just…”

“Stop.” Natsumi hopped out of her seat. “Relying on her will get you exactly what you’re afraid of. Think, if she were to disappear, then what? You’ll go on a warpath? Hurt people? That line of thinking is very unhealthy, and what you need before anything else is to heal. Otherwise you’ll keep letting yourself down until you’re in the darkest of places where even her, your brightest light, won’t reach.” She drew a sack from the inside of her jacket and set it on the table. “Kiyomi!”

Her sharp pitch pulled Kiyomi’s questionable attention from another table. “Yeah, Natsu?”

“I’m leaving you extra money, so save it for my next visit. I have work to do and you’d better not forget that I left so much!” Kiyomi returned a gentle smile and a waving tail. Natsumi’s eyes fixed on Tsuna. “And you! Blaming yourself for things out of your control! Luckily, you have Natsumi Lu’Kara to show you the right way! All you have to do is take the first step!”

Enthusiastically, she moved her hand in front of him, urging him to take it. Have I been playing a victim this whole time? What could I have done back then?! What else was I supposed to do? There’s no proving anyone wrong when they already doubt you. Once you fail, it only makes their beliefs fact. What should I do? He gave a plain response. “I’ll do whatever I have to.”

“That’s not a suitable answer! A Villain does what they have to, a thief does what he has to. Doing what you can is all that matters and we have to accept what we can’t control and what we can. Can you take that step?”

The air around the Minhki had shifted. His eyes fell towards the ground, then shot back into hers. Could she be right? Maybe it’s not too late! This world could be a new start! Hope gathered within his heating chest as his arm flung back, then into hers. The clash of their palms reverberated through the building and shaped a grin on Natsumi’s face.

“That was your first lesson and we’ve got a long way to go! Believe in yourself and nothing can stop you!”