Ban and Y/N keep their positions, just glaring into one another's eyes as the other three sins just watch with anticipation as to what will happen next.

"It's said that close friends often fight. It that the case here?" Gowther questions.

"I don't think it's a fight." King replies.

"Nope, more like a show of dominance I see it." Meliodas says, resting a finger on his chin.

"It's said that friendship is a beautiful thing. Is it?" Gowther asks, tilting his head.

"Excuse me?" King asks. Ban just smiles to the woman before using his whip to wrap around the Holy Knight's heart and tear it out of his body, all Y/N could was gasp.

Back at the boar hat, Cain was now welcomed in as he's now sat on one of the stools at the bar, Elizabeth now pouring some ale into a mug for him.

"I see, so Meliodas and Y/N survived? I'm so glad to hear that" Cain says, nodding.

"Here." She places down the ale in front of Cain, resting his hands back in front of her, a warm smile on her face towards the old man.

"Sorry about this. Hate to trouble you, Princess."

"It's fine." The old man takes a big gulp from the ale before looking back to Elizabeth with a smile.

"Still, I was surprised when I saw you. Your noble features and soft voice are so like hers. I really thought that Liz had come back to life. If that girl were still alive, she'd be a woman in her prime right now."

"Oh, was she your daughter by any chance?" Elizabeth asks, and Cain shakes his head.

"Liz was her nickname, she had the same name as you, Elizabeth."

"What?"

"She was Meliodas' girlfriend, and Y/N's best friend, almost sister." Cain says, causing Elizabeth to gasp.

(Italic-Underline = Cain talking)

"Liz was a knight from an enemy nation who bungled a night raid on Danafall. She was captured and sentenced to death."

A young woman, looking almost exactly like Elizabeth only with short red hair and a not so soft look, sits tied up in the middle of a large group of Holy Knights, the said group holding up weapons and shouting at her.

"And the ones who came to her rescue was none other than Meliodas and Y/N, who were the captain and lieutenant of Danafall's Holy Knights then."

Meliodas and Y/N walk through the crowd and stand on either side of the woman, Meliodas was his hand raised up and Y/N with her eyes darting all around the crowd, waiting for any sudden movement.

"Naturally, the others shouted out their objections."

The group of Holy Knights all begin to shout and point at Liz, ordering her to death and sending threats to her, completely ignoring Meliodas and Y/N's opinions of not killing her.

"If so, then that makes all of you our enemy!" Meliodas says with a smile, Y/N cracking her knuckles.

"And we all know you don't want that." She adds, glaring around at the other Holy Knights.

"What!" The entire group of Holy Knights shout in surprise, while Liz gives them both a look of shock, that she had been spared and saved by two very young looking people.

==

Later the three are in a room of sorts, Y/N is say down at the table, munching on her food while Meliodas holds up two plates, staring to Liz. The woman herself now untied and out of her armour.

"You are so naïve."

"You think so?"

"Don't say stuff like that, he'll just take it as a compliment." Y/N asks, shoving the food into her mouth. "Believe me, I've called him many things."

"Hey, don't give me that!" Liz shouts, as Meliodas just places the two plates down, "The only reason you did that is 'cause you're after my body!" She says, pointedly towards Meliodas, she then looks to Y/N. "And god knows what you want me for, probably to eat me since you act like a mutt!"

"Ouch, that's not very nice. Besides, I don't eat people." Y/N says, smiling to her.

"Well if either of you touch me! I'll beat you to death!" Liz threatens, only for Meliodas to come behind her and place his hands on her breasts, pushing them up.

"Now come on, don't get so worked up. Let's just have dinner." Y/N just spits out her food and slams her hands on the table, standing up.

"Meliodas!!!!!" She shouts.

"Stop that!" Liz says, pushing him away. Y/N begins to chase after the blond haired man with a wooden spoon raised.

"Stop being so pervy towards women!!"" She shouts.

(Okay so, in this case the Mutt can be a definition for someone who is incompetent or stupid, a fool overwise. But also ironically that Y/N is also a Mutt, technically)

Elizabeth now sits besides Cain, as he continues telling the story.

"It turned out that Liz had been sold as a slave to that enemy nation. Because of that, she didn't trust anyone but herself. But maybe that was what you'd call a fateful encounter. Even as she complained bitterly that he was a naïve man and Y/N was just a mutt, Liz gradually grew attracted to Meliodas and began loving Y/N like a sister. She was a girl who had an uncommon charm herself, and the rest of us began opening up to her. Of course, that was from a time long past."

"I can't believe she thought they were naïve and a mutt. Sir Meliodas is just very...very kind, and Y/N can just be quite, laid back at times...that's all." Cain just chuckles

"Do you know the reason why he won't carry a decent sword around with him?" Elizabeth just shakes her head, "He's too powerful. No one who's crossed swords with him has lived to tell the tale, and he doesn't like to put himself in that situation. At the same time though, I also think he can be too gentle a soul." Cain reaches into his cloak, pulling out a small sword and placing it on the table.

"What is that?" Elizabeth asks.

"It's something Liz once tried to give Meliodas as a gift."

"Thanks, but I don't need a sword. I don't wanna kill anybody." Meliodas says, waving Liz off, who is holding the sword. Y/N stands besides her with arms crossed and a frown,

"You know, once day you're gonna wish you had this sword." She says, shaking her head.

"So I accepted it for him, and I've been holding on to it ever since." Cain says, as Elizabeth continues to stare down at the sword. "And Y/N, she may not look it but she had the kindest heart out of everyone. Have you ever noticed when she fights, she tends to be quite gentle with them, playful even?"

"Like when she fought that man at the festival?" Elizabeth says, thinking back to Y/N's fight against Caesar, and how she was "playing with her food" as Meliodas described it. 

"Exactly. She was always someone who could never kill someone who didn't deserve it. She'd always find a way to save them, killing them only if they have threatened someone close to her. However, I remember looking at that girl once, seeing her kind smile yet her eyes never matched, they always held some sort of sadness in them whenever she stared at Liz, as if she knew what was going to happen...And even now, I see that sadness in her eyes as if everyone she looks at is a ghost of her past...a regret of not being able to save them.

Back with the other Sins, the monster is resting in it's knees with it's hand-fingers holding it up, Ban rips his arm out of Y/N's tight grasp, huffing while Y/N just frowns and glares towards the monster.

"Ban...why'd you have to kill him." She asks, looking up to him with cold eyes.

"All I did was bring the curtain down on the crappy life of some guy who turned into a monster. Trust me, I did him a favour."

"What?!" Y/N yells, getting up in Ban's face. Meliodas stands between them, smiling sheepishly up at them. "Who gives you the right to say he had a crappy life, huh!"

"Okay you two, let's calm it for now." Meliodas says, looking between the two.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe the fact he allowed this to actually happen!" Ban says, gesturing to the monster. Y/N grabs him by his jacket, teeth gritted and cold stare.

"You think he allowed this! No one would wish this upon their worst enemy!"

"Both of you, look!" King shouts, causing Ban and Y/N's eyes to snap away from each other and back to the beast, Y/N dropping her hold on Ban's jacket. "I think he's whispering something?"

"Even though his heart's been gouged out, he's still seeing the illusion that I gave him." Gowther says. Y/N just looks to the man in sadness, wondering what life he had lived, and the life he will leave behind. Suddenly the monster's 4 heads let out a roar.

"What the hell is this? I know I ripped his hear out." Ban says with a shocked expression before releasing, "Damn it! So, he's a demon too?!." The monster begins transforming as the four heads become one giant head at the top, it's hands splitting to make another pair of arms and hands, giving him now four. "Why'd the Holy Knight turn into a demon?! What's going on?"

"I know him, it's Dale... He became a Holy Knight about ten years ago!" Meliodas says.

"Yeah he was a father, and he always said he wanted to be just like us, so his daughter could be proud of him." King says as they remember the young man holding his daughter and smiling at them.

"How'd he end up like this?" Y/N questions, looking to the man with sadness.

"He's coming." Gowther says, and the monster begins running at them.

"Hey Dale! You remember me, right?" Meliodas shouts, standing in front of the monster.

"Wake up, Dale!" Y/N shouts, standing besides the short blond man. Ban suddenly kicks Meliodas and Y/N in the side, getting them out of the way.

"What are you doing dumbasses." Ban shouts, before turning back to see a sudden fist come at him, however he's too slow and his top half explodes with the punch.

"Ban!" Meliodas shouts.

"Stay down Captain, lieutenant!" King says, summoning thousands of daggers to rain down on the monster, "Let's do this! Fight fire with fire!" However he stops after realising the daggers aren't hurting him and barely stabbing into him - instead the monster somewhat chuckles and pushes all the daggers out. "In that case..."

"Stop it King!" Y/N shouts, looking up at him. He looks down to her, seeing her begging eyes.

"But, Y/N?" King says before he's cut off by the monster spitting a ball of green at King, catching him and pulling him to the ground harshly.

"KING!" Y/N shouts.

"Dale, cut it out now!" Meliodas says, sitting besides Ban.

"There's only one guy who ought to cut it out." Ban says, now regenerated as he sits up topless. "That would be you!" Ban says, punching Meliodas in the face, who falls to the floor. Ban then turns to Y/N, going to punch her only for the woman to catch it, clenching her fist tightly to break his wrist, but he doesn't even flinch. 

"Ban just struck the Captain and tried to hit the lieutenant" Gowther says, "Why is that?"

"Gowther, why don't you help us out and fight, too?" King asks, slowly standing up.

"Could you let me think it over a bit?" Gowther asks.

"Seriously?" King shouts.

"Hate to say it Gowther, but now isn't really the time to think it over." Y/N says, watching the monster as she walks over to Meliodas.

"If you're not into this, get the hell out of here." Ban says, walking past the two and towards the monster. Meliodas slowly gets up as he looks to Ban, Y/N glaring at the fox sin, "Two half-ass softies can't save Jack, you'll only get us all killed."

"Ban."

"Sir Meliodas!" A voice rings from above. The group look up the cliff to see Elizabeth, breathing heavily with a small sword clutched to her chest.

"Elizabeth!" Meliodas shouts.

"Take this!" Elizabeth throws the sword down to Meliodas, both him and Y/N recognizing it.

"That sword." They both think

"Hey Meliodas, I still want you to accept this sword, all right?" Liz asks, holding the sword up to him.

"Sir Meliodas, it's not that Liz wanted you to fight! It's that she wanted you to live! Don't you understand? You're someone who stands up for what he believes in, and if that's your Sin, then I'll carry that burden with you!"

"You fine with that? Making a woman go that far..." Ban didn't even get to finish his sentence before Meliodas jumps up into the air to grab the sword, unsheathing it.

"I hope you can forgive me!" Meliodas says, before his eyes clock to Y/N's saddened expression, yet a small smile and a nod to him makes him continue. "Both of you -" Before slicing the monster, no...Dale into pieces. Dale slowly crumbles before collapsing, smoke covering the area as Meliodas sheaths the sword back, smiling up to Elizabeth.

"That was amazing Captain!" King says, getting a piggy back from Gowther. 

"Impressive." Gowther adds.

"Hey, King...sorry about getting you hurt." Y/N says, looking down and frowning. King begins to slightly worry.

"I-It's fine, it wasn't your fault at all! Please don't blame yourself! I can take it" King says, shaking his head and waving his hands at her. 

"Yeah, I knew you could pull it off, Captain!" Ban says, smirking. "At least one of you have some sense." Ban says, directing that towards Y/N. Meliodas and King look to the woman, expecting her to blow but all she shows is a smile.

"Sure sure, whatever you say. Just you wait Ban, because one day you're gonna wish I was gentle with you." She says, laughing lightly. The three sins, minus Ban and Gowther, begin discussing Dale while Ban walks over to the man, who's body is still fused with the flesh of the demon, yet something piercing his stomach, catches Ban's eyes.

"A human transforming into a demon, is that really possible?" King asks as Ban pulls on the fleshy plant looking thing before it rips out of his stomach.

"Hmm, could be a course or maybe some kind of experiment?" The fleshy plant suddenly opens it's eyes and shows it's mouth, wiggling at Ban.

"No way." King says, staring at them. "You think they crated a man-made Demon?"

"Guess so, and they used a Holy Knight to do it." Y/N says.

"But that means someone had to go behind the backs of two Holy Knight Grand Masters. Could it be true?"

"Yeah." Meliodas turns around to face him. "And there's a good chance that a Holy Knight Grand Master's directly involved."

"Then it's either Dreyfus...or its..." Ban holds up the plant looking thing, it's eyes beading at him, before a light arrow pierces its side, causing Ban to look to the direction in which the arrow came from.

"Hendrickson." Gowther finishes, staring at the small plant demon.

"You figure out something?"

"Yes. The person likeliest to be involved in this incident...is Holy Knight Grand Master Hendrickson." The small plant demon squeals before Ban wraps his hand around it and squeezes it, tossing it to the side.

"I'm getting hungry, let's get back." Ban says, walking past Gowther. Y/N however walking towards Gowther and Dale, kneeling down besides the man.

"Are you there?" Dale whispers, eyes closed and voice weakened.

"Yes, I am indeed present." Gowther replies, adjusting his glasses.

"Well, thank you...so much my friend." Dale says, weakly smiling.

"Friend? Do you think so, I heard that a friend is someone who's dear to you. Was I able to become your friend." Gowther stares down at Dale, waiting for an answer, but the man had already passed. "Please, Dale, tell me!"  Y/N just closes her eyes, resting a hand on top of his chest, feeling what was left of his life drain completely, as she feels his soul leave for someplace better.

"I'm sorry Gowther, but he's gone. I sense him no longer here." She says, patting him on the chest before standing up, and the two stare down at him. "His daughter would have been so proud of him, I'll be sure to tell her when I see her, whenever that it..."

"I wonder, do people shed tears at times like these?" Gowther questions, Y/N nods. 

"Some do, especially if you were close to them. Some shed tears out of love for the dead, the regret of not saying what they had to. Some even cry out of pity for them..."

"And what kind of tears should we be shedding?" Gowther asks, starting up at the woman. She just smiles down at him. 

"We don't, we instead smile and give him honour for what he has done for everyone." Y/N looks to Gowther. "Not everyone has to cry for the dead." She pokes him on the nose, smiling, "Hell when my day comes, I hope you all celebrate and drink ale for me, don't want any tears." 

Elizabeth looks past the group and over to Gowther and Y/N, more specifically at Y/N, seeing her smiling down at the man, and all Elizabeth can do is slightly frown.

"Seeing her kind smile yet her eyes never matched, they always held some sort of sadness in them...Even now I see that sadness in her eyes as if everyone she looks at is a ghost of her past...a regret of not being able to save them."

【Ａｓｐｅｎ】

Completed: 27/09/2023

Published: 27/09/2023