"It's a nice idea Max, but I think it's bit much on your own right now." The man carried a few crates along the tent filled street, he was an honourable butcher, a victim who had both their work place and homes burned in the fire.
"But, I know magic now! And I really think this town could experience thousands of benefits when it comes to its rejuvenation." The fifteen year old Max had taken a lot of time studying geography, economics, magic in order to persuade the town that a magic guild was a good idea. He started the pitch with his father.
"You're not just doing it to impress Miss Caito are you?" His father raised an eyebrow at his son, "or in hope that Miss (l/n) will come back?"
"No!" Max argued, embarrassedly tucking his hands into his pocket as he walked, "I don't want to impress Marie, this is for the town! And I could care less if (y/n) came back or not."
"I see, well I suppose I would of done something similar to impress your mother when I was your age..."
"This is not to impress Marie!" Max shouted at his father, and it was the truth, "its more... to protect her I guess."
His father glanced down sympathetically, his aura switching for intentionally annoying to kind.
"You see how everyone always surrounds her, asking her questions, trying to force out information she doesn't even know, questioning if the old mayor had enemy's, stuff about the town records, how is Marie meant to know? We were only eight when that stupid fire happened." He crossed his arms sadly, "it's too much for her..."
"You think she needs protecting?" His father asked almost confusedly,
"Yes!" Max answered, "we'll sort of."
Again, his father sighed before they reached their destination. Another tent in the middle of the street, inside his father had built a make shift butchers shop, no where near as helpful as his original shop, however he made an effort (like the rest of the town) to continue working even after the disaster, a positive show of resilience. At the back of the tent where three blankets to work as beds, hidden by another sheet. His mother probably sat behind it. His father lay down the boxes just in front of the entrance.
"Well, if you're not to busy with this guild stuff I need you to run an errand for me."
"This isn't a joke Dad! I'm serious!" Max found himself getting grumpy again.
"Okay okay!" The man defensively put his arms in front of his face, wondering where his son inherited his temper. "I just think you need to wait until your a bit older, get more support."
Max looked down, knowing that it was true. There was no way he could do this all on his own right now.
"Anyway," his father placed a few coins in his hands, "I need you to run and get me some milk, we're out. Thank you."
Max didn't say anything, just accepted the money and walked in the direction of where he could get some. The best shop was near the entrance to the town, his father hadn't given him much and he knew he could by the cheapest pint there. The entrance was one of the few untouched areas, the edges of the town were the places that were most likely to have avoided the blaze since it started at the middle.
It took maximum fifteen minutes to reached there, he was about to enter the shop when he saw an unfamiliar face at the entrance.
A boy, his age, maybe a year or so older, stood my the arch that signalled the entrance. He had a backpack over his shoulders and a map in his hand, he glanced around confusedly. The thing that stood out the most was his white hair, messy and in a pony tail, he was relatively tall as well.
"Excuse me!" He spoke when he noticed he had Max's attention, he scampered over like a lost dog. "I'm sorry, I think I'm a little lost. Would you help me?"
Max nodded, his face skeptical as it always was.
"Erm," the boy reacted when he didn't give an answer, "is this Lavender Town?" He questioned causing Max to nod. The boy confusedly looked around, noticing the damage in the inner parts of the area.
"There was a fire recently, did a lot of damage, does it not say there that this is Lavender Town?" Max wasn't going to take any stupidity today. He pointed to the arch that usually said 'Lavender Town' in big letters.
"It doesn't actually." The boy shook his head, he started to become a little more composed as he understood where he was. Both stepped in front of the arch to find out that there were no letter on it, and there was no sign of the town they were in.
"Strange..." Max muttered, was it a bit too much to assume it was damaged in the fire. It would of more likely been vandalism.
Max looked over at the boy, who just stood awkwardly for a while, waiting for a conversation Max was not in the mood for it to continued. Soon enough, Max hinted that he was going to leave, the boy seemed to know where he was now any way.
"Wait!" He called to him, "I was told there a magic guild here, can you show me to it?"
Max gave him a strange look. "There's no guild here..." he sighed, for a moment, letting his conscious slip. "At least not yet..."
"Not yet?" The boy questioned,
Max become embarrassed at his slip of the tongue, "pay no attention to that!" He sighed, "I just, mean, um," he realised his idea sounded a bit stupid, in front of a stranger, "intend to build one here..." he paused again, "eventually."
The boy looked intrigued, the features were relatively mature for his age, but he managed to look like a excited child in that moment. "Really? That's cool, what's stopping you!"
Max sighed, not sure if he should explain the whole thing to a complete stranger. "Well, for starters I'm only fifteen, I can't be a guild master yet, and I'm one of like, three people who know magic in this town, I've got no one to help me either..."
"That's sad..." the boy agreed. He pondered for a minute, not giving Max the opportunity to leave yet. Eventually he came up with something.
"Why don't I help!" He grinned at Max, who just gave him a confused and exhausted look. "I mean, it doesn't have to be an official guild just yet, not till your eighteen. But I can help plan it you know! And I know magic."
"Hang on how can you help plan it?" Max sighed, trying not to get his hopes up.
The boy almost bashfully avoided eye contact, an innocent grin on his lips. "I'm, training to be an architect... I could probably help with designing a building and stuff! And I'll assume you could help with management! It'll be great!"
Max was still sceptical about the boy. His optimism seemed misplaced, as if he was taking advantage of this fire and Max. But out of desperation, he accepted the other boy's offer.
"Brilliant! I've been looking for a place to settle anyway!" He smiled at Max before holding his hand out. "I'm Kokuzo, it's nice to meet you."
"Max," he replied, his face showing a little bit of happiness and emotion. His mind swimming with positivity thoughts of how he could protect the town and most importantly, Marie.
From then on out the two worked together to build the guild. Marie was overjoyed about it and it was as if a new trio had been formed for a while. Kokuzo had showed them his magic, while claiming that it was really useless in a fight, Max decided to teach him some of his own. Soon enough more people began to join, starting with Akio and Akira, who brought the strongest magic to guild even to this day. Followed by Riko, who eventually taught Marie and Kokuzo her magic. Many others followed and the tiny guild grew into a homely environment, and the town flourished with it. Once Max was eighteen it became an official guild, taking part in the Grand Magic Games, and having actual jobs being sent to them.
Out of spite, or loneliness, he wasn't sure. But he wished you were here, to see what your home had become.
But it was built in the hands of a traitor.