Forgiveness for the jerk

As Eleo and Randy strolled toward the team, the others were just starting to stir.

Everyone looked dazed—Olorun rubbing his head, Kenji shaking sand from his hair, Chiyo stretching her arms, and Timmy flopped over Kawai, blinking up at the sky.

Tony squinted. "Uh… Eleo… w-who's that?"

Eleo beamed. "Oh! This is Randy! Y'know—the guy who tried to kill us?"

He threw an arm around Randy like they were old pals.

"He's part of our team now!"

The team blinked.

Then—

They all burst into laughter.

Olorun slapped his knee. "Man, I must still be knocked out. That was a good one!"

Kenji snorted. "Yeah, hilarious. You had me for a sec."

Chiyo chuckled. "Right—the guy who nearly murdered us? Joining our squad? Suuure."

Timmy nodded. "That would be… incredibly reckless and unwise."

Kawai added an amused "Meep Meep Meep Meep."

Their laughter echoed through the desert air…

Until Tony went pale and muttered, "Uh… guys? I… don't think our fearless leader is joking."

Silence.

The wind swept across the dunes.

Everyone turned to Eleo, eyes wide, expressions frozen.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?"

Chiyo immediately stormed forward, grabbing Eleo by the collar and shaking him like a bobblehead.

"ARE YOU INSANE?! YOU LITTLE IDIOT! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS?! HE TRIED TO KILL US, AND YOU'RE JUST—WHAT—ADOPTING HIM INTO THE FAMILY?! NO! NO!! I REJECT! I FULLY REJECT!"

Meanwhile, Kenji drew both swords, pointing them straight at Randy's chest. His voice was cold, flat, and full of fire.

"So… you're the sniper. I guess that means you're not walking away from this."

Olorun cracked his knuckles, stepping up beside Kenji.

"Yeah. I'll make sure to take you out first, before you try and kill my friends."

Kenji side-eyed him. "What makes you think he wouldn't just kill you first?"

Olorun scoffed. "Easy. I'm too strong. Plus, I can see into the future."

Kenji raised an eyebrow. "See into the future my ass. And you're not that strong. Humble yourself."

Olorun's voice dropped. "You wanna fight, hedgehog?"

He grabbed Kenji by the collar.

Kenji didn't hesitate—he grabbed him right back. "Yeah, I do."

The two immediately started brawling, trading punches, kicks, and furious insults like two rabid alley cats.

Randy stood there blinking, his eye twitching slightly.

In his mind:

What the actual hell did I just sign up for? I thought they were a squad. This is a goddamn circus.

Then he felt something.

Tiny taps.

He looked down.

Timmy was punching his boot with all his might.

"I'M NOT SCARED OF YOU, YOU BIG MEANIE!"

Each punch bounced harmlessly off Randy's shin.

"I'M SMALL BUT I'M DANGEROUS!"

Beside him, Kawai puffed up its cheeks and stomped its flippers furiously.

"MEEP! MEEP MEEP!!"

Randy just stared.

A Minari… and a plush penguin-thing that trips on air. Are they seriously fighters?

He sighed internally.

These guys are… unique. Like, dropped-on-the-head-as-a-baby unique.

Tony dusted off his coat and crossed his arms. "Welp… welcome to the team, I guess."

Randy smirked. "Thanks for accepting me."

Tony raised a bony brow. "Mmm… wouldn't say that just yet. I mean—you did try to kill me and all my friends."

Before Randy could respond—

WHAM!!

Eleo suddenly came flying through the air, crashing straight into him, and they both tumbled into the sand in a heap.

"ACK—MY SPINE!" Randy groaned. "And my pride…"

"Nope!" Chiyo shouted, fists clenched. "I still refuse to work with this bastard!"

Timmy stomped a tiny foot. "Yeah! He tried to kill us!"

Kawai puffed up, flailing a flipper. "MEEP MEEP!!"

Randy pushed himself up, wiping blood from his mouth. "Listen, girly—you're still alive, aren't you? You should be thankful I didn't beat you up!"

BOINK!

SMACK!

CLONK!

Randy hit the ground instantly, three cartoonish bumps swelling on his head like mountain peaks.

Chiyo stood above him, fists steaming. "Say that again. I dare you."

Eleo stood up from the sand and brushed himself off. "Guys, guys—look! I know it's gonna be super, ultra, mega hard to accept him, but…"

He looked around, eyes honest for once.

"All I ask is for a little trustness. As your leader."

Tony raised a brow. "Wait, Eleo… are you friends with this guy now?"

Eleo shook his head. "NO. No-no-no. I hate him. Like, a lot."

Randy gave a thumbs up from the ground.

Eleo continued, "But we need more people to help us fight the strongest, right? So even if he sucks—like, majorly—we need him."

Randy staggered to his feet. "Yeah! What he said! I can be super useful. You guys just haven't seen the cool parts yet—"

Kenji and Olorun immediately stopped fighting just long enough to glare at him and say in perfect unison:

"BOOOO."

Randy groaned. "I'm trying to be nice…"

Olorun crossed his arms. "Well then try harder, desert boy."

Kenji sheathed his swords, deadpan. "Actually, stop trying. I hate it when you talk."

Randy blinked. "...O-okay." He put his hands up slowly. "I'll shut up."

Olorun frowned harder. "AND I DON'T LIKE SILENCE."

That was the final straw.

Timmy, Tony, Kawai, Chiyo, and Eleo all burst out laughing.

Kawai rolled back into the sand, flippers in the air, squeaking,

"Meep meep meep meep!"

Randy sighed, rubbing his bruised temple. "Alright, alright, look—I'm very, very, very sorry for trying to kill you guys. Okay?"

They paused.

"I was broke, alright? You guys have the highest bounty tags I've seen since… well, ever. I needed the money. I didn't know you were this weird—uh, I mean funny. So I deeply apologize for my horrible actions."

The team stared at him for a beat.

Eleo smiled. "So… what do you guys say?"

Chiyo immediately pointed. "Jerk. Jerk. Jerk. Jerk."

Olorun grinned and joined in. "JERK. Jerk. Jerk."

Kenji, Timmy, and Tony followed.

Even Kawai joined in, proudly flapping:

"Meep. Meep. Meep. Meep!"

Randy facepalmed. "Yes. I know. I know. I deserve that…"

Eleo clapped his hands together. "Sooo… do you guys accept him?"

The group went silent. A breeze passed through, carrying dust and tension.

Kenji spoke first, his arms crossed, expression unreadable.

"…I don't know about the others. But I don't trust him."

Randy arched a brow but said nothing.

Kenji looked Eleo dead in the eyes. "But if you want him on the team, I won't argue. Just know I'll be watching him."

Randy gave a short nod. "Fair enough, samurai. I can live with that."

Olorun grumbled, crossing his arms. "Still don't like him…"

Chiyo huffed. "I'm not apologizing if I punch him again."

Timmy shrugged. "As long as he doesn't step on me, I guess…"

Kawai did a slow blink and let out a long "Meeep..."

Tony gave Randy a sideways glance. "Don't get comfortable, sharpshooter. If you try anything, I'll bury you so deep in sand, you'll forget what sunlight is."

Eleo smiled wide, totally unaffected by the threat level in the air. "YAY! Group agreement!"

Randy smirked. "Alright. Great bonding. Now—how about we hit that market?"

Timmy perked up. "It's going to take a little while to get there from here, so we should—"

"Actually…" Randy interrupted, tilting his head, "follow me."

The team exchanged confused glances but shrugged and followed.

They climbed a small ridge, following Randy's confident stride through the dunes. The wind picked up, and a faint sound drifted through the air—chatter, clinking metal, music, voices.

As they reached the top, the world opened up before them.

The Market of Noya.

Built into the canyon below, it was a bustling, layered maze of tents, wooden bridges, and sandstone shops, glowing under the warm light of hundreds of paper lanterns strung between tall poles.

Stalls lined every path, selling weapons, exotic fruit, Soul Orb trinkets, maps, armor, enchanted scrolls, spices, potions—and a few things even the law wouldn't name.

Children ran between carts, salesmen yelled over one another, and banners flapped in the desert wind with colorful crests and merchant symbols.

The team stood in awe, silent.

Eleo's eyes sparkled. "Woooooooooah…"

Chiyo blinked. "Okay… this is kinda amazing."

Kenji's hand instinctively went to his sword. "Too many people. Stay alert."

Olorun sniffed the air. "Is that—fried cactus meat?!"

Tony grinned. "Now this is more like it…"

Timmy held up the map, nodding. "Yup. Market of Noya. We made it."

Kawai leaned over the edge, arms flailing in excitement. "MEEP!!"