Divert The Great Flood! (Hana & Zenneth)

Alexander just chuckled as he grabbed several sheets of metal and started patching the hole up. He was chuckling because Hana was wrong in Alexander’s point of view. There was no point in being alone, it actually was more dangerous to be alone. He slapped on the sheet metal and started the patch job saying, “And nobody to help you up when you are down in the ground. No people to contrast and share opinions that could make you stronger. No people that makes this world exciting and new. Nobody to help you become stronger. Nobody to understand you, but instead loneliness. Without people, there would be no point to become stronger. It would all be just a hollow dream.” Alexander understood true loneliness, how many times was he denied simple things in life? Alexander continued contemplating some more as he continued helping fix the damn. People were already returning to the job and assisting the 2 of them as they gathered back. Hopefully his fire magic and Hana’s Metal magic would be enough to fix this.

Alexander continued, “However that is all opinion. There is one thing more important than friends and that is freedom. Freedom to be able to choose what kind of person you want to be. Freedom to choose what path you choose in life. Freedom to be your own person! Nobody should have to make your life, it is yours to build! So follow your dreams and belief, but no matter what it needs to be your choice. Not the will of others.” Alexander stayed quiet for a bit longer for it to sink in. She needed to live life on her own and not whatever code she was told to live. This behavior and attitude was not normal, it was controlled and Alexander felt very opposed to it. He then chuckled, “I talk too much.”

Hana thought carefully about what Alexander said. He was right in a way, that without anyone to fight before, she wouldn't have a reason to become stronger, and that it would simply be living in a hollow dream. There wouldn't be a reason to live or fight. "Perhaps you're right. After all, I have two important people in my life. If I were to lose them, I doubt I'd have a reason to live anymore." she admitted, as she began to put together the few sheets of metal she had picked up with her magic to cover up a part of the hole, whilst keeping alert as people gathered around to help so as to make sure that there weren't any more explosive-carrying idiots making any more holes for them. It surely wouldn't be nice to spend hours fixing a the entire dam, or maybe they might even have to rebuild it if the damage was great.

The girl continued to work on one side of the hole, using tiny amounts of her magic to keep the sheets of metal together so that they wouldn't fall apart, all the while listening as Alexander continued speaking to her.  However, her stopped moving when she heard his last few words. Follow her dreams, and make her own decisions? That was tough. She was terrible at making decisions. Or rather, she was never one who got to make decisions. She simply took orders, carried out her assigned tasks, and then repeated this process. She supposed it did sound a little boring and restricted, but in her opinion, that was her being filial and proving her loyalty to Takashi... Wasn't it? "I suppose you do talk a little too much. But... Is listening to a parent's advice counted as being controlled?" she asked.

Alexander listened to Hana’s answer to the first part of his speech, this caused him to smile a little bit more. So she had people that she cared for, that was good for that meant that there was conviction in her. Conviction to protect her family and to maybe make them proud. There was nothing wrong with doing that, but he could also not sympathize with her on that aspect. Alexander had no real family beyond the people that he adopted in the team. The family forged in the fires of battle and joined with the hope to be much stronger than originally planned.

Alexander continued sealing the sheets of metal into the damn, the effects were already immediate as the water levels slowly lowered, clearing the place of water in a hurry. This made movement a lot easier for him as he no longer needed to trudge water. Alexander was tired, mostly from the manual labor than the actual combat that he went through. Alexander wiped some sweat from his brow and watched as the place slowly drained of all water. The terrain would be muddy and the full damage on the property could be shown in the woodwork. This bastard was going to pay regardless.

Alexander stretched his back, still contemplating an answer for his companion, but settled with one. However it was pure hearsay due to lack of experience, but it seemed a logical guess. Alexander just said, “Depends really. Parents are supposed to guide and raise their children, but in the end let them flee their coop and make their decisions. There are exceptions and have controlling parents, but most guide the youth…” Alexander just chuckled, but his face was not the happy go lucky face that he always had. Instead the mask was temporarily removed and a bit of sadness showed on Alexander’s face. The Flame Demon Slayer was doing the exact same thing as Hana, but instead of being emotionless he was showing fake emotions to have people not worry. He was thinking about his lack of a real family and just silently stared at the ground.

Hana continued to place one metal sheet after another, stopping to look down at her feet when she had felt the water around her feet slowly sink, then noticed that Alexander had already fixed most of the dam. She placed another metal sheet in place, before looking back down to her currently muddy shoes. Eh, no big deal, she could always clean them some other time. She sighed in relief, knowing that their job of fixing the dam was over. She looked around, eyeing the damage the flood had caused. The streets weren't as flooded as they were before, but they were definitely dirty. Hopefully, Hana and Alexander wouldn't have to be the unlucky ones cleaning up the mess. She stepped back, then took a look at the entire dam. They better not have another idiot blowing it up again, after all the work they had done to fix it.

Her bright red gaze shifted to Alexander when he answered her question, failing to notice that her partner's usual bright, friendly smile wasn't there anymore, and had instead been replaced by a rather sad look. "Oh. I see..." she murmured after hearing him day that parents should allow their children freedom, doubting Takashi for a moment before scolding herself mentally. What am I even thinking? I even doubted him... she thought disappointedly. He was, like Alexander said, guiding her like other parents. He had given her freedom as well by allowing her to live separately with Mikoto, and even allowed her to join a guild. She pushed the thought aside, before asking Alexander, What are your parents like then? Are they controlling?" she asked, curious as to know what his parents were like, though she didn't consider the fact that he, like some others, might not even have any parents at all.

Alexander went completely silent as Hana sked the question. His face dropped as he kicked the water and caused ripples in the water. Alexander looked down in the ground and saw his face in the receding water. There was sadness, hate and loss on his face as the water sank into the dirt, forming mud. Alexander still remembered that fateful day when his house was burning and his parents being set ablaze. The flesh peeling from the bones and the smell of barbecue, only his sister was spared. Hand outreached to try to save him, but there was no hope, only burning and pain.

Alexander finally said, “I wouldn’t know of my previous family… But the one I made wouldn’t seem so. All I know is that I have one laid back sister, a crazy brother, an innocent sister and a very calm but caring sister. All of us dysfunctional in our own special way, but when was family normal.” This was Alexander’s way of saying he replaced his family with that of the Radiant Dawn. He then walked in front of the crowd of people that had gathered and Alexander called out for everyone to join him. Alexander had a plan to bust the guy.

Alexander called out, “Due to eye witness accounts we have determined the perpetrator is a Caucasian male, blonde and in his early to mid-adult age. He was about medium height with…” Alexander was actually bullshitting around, because every single detail he gave was matching about 70% of male population of this town. Thus it would encompass them all basically, but it would get the criminal nervous.  In fact it made him so nervous that a male in the crowd yelled, “How the hell did you know that? I was wearing a mask!” Alexander just facepalmed at the man’s stupidity and told Hana, “Please beat this guy up so that we can go home.” Alexander was amazed how easy this was.

Hana tilted her head in confusion at Alexander's sudden change in behavior. Had she said something that she shouldn't have? This was rather strange. All she did was ask if his parents were controlling. Although... She might've failed to consider that not everyone had parents who were still alive and kicking. How inconsiderate of her. So he has siblings as well. But... I'm curious to know what happened to the...? she thought, wondering if they had somehow been killed, or there were other reasons. She decided it was best not to ask for now lest she got him riled up or more upset. It wouldn't be very nice of her to ask too much about his personal affairs.

Hana scanned the crowd carefully for even the tiniest bit of clue or reaction that would give away the culprit's identity as Alexander spoke, giving a description of the culprit. She however, already knew that his simply saying useless facts, seeing that the description he'd given apparently matched most of the male population of the town, before the culprit so foolishly exclaimed in surprise, exposing himself. Hana stared disappointedly at the man who'd given himself away. That was much easier then expected. She had expected it to be a bit more challenging for them to locate the man. When told to finish off the male, Hana nodded. "With pleasure." she said, quickly making her way towards said culprit who was pushing his way through the crowd, panicking, before he was pushed towards her by own of the townspeople. He begged for mercy, and Hana knocked him out with a few strong, hard kicks, then handed him over to the authorities to handle him. She then approached the mayor for their reward, both her and Alexander receiving many thanks from the grateful townspeople.