Putting an End to the Past Pt. 2

(Mandricardo's POV)

As we walked down the streets of the capital we got many stares from the people who saw us walking by, the civilians got scared at the aura that one of there upper paladins was releasing as Ruggerio followed me a stern look while they many soldiers looked at me prepared to attack just based upon the situation they saw.

"My Ruggerio, your scaring everyone half to death with that mean look your giving me, you really need to calm down or things are just gonna get hectic later." I said as I looked at him from over my shoulder.

But he didn't respond, but he did calm his aura down at least as we continued onward as we reached the city gates and made our way past them.

We headed further and further away until we reached a clearing well beyond the city's walls out of sight from any prying eyes, and then I stopped and turned to look back at him as he stopped to look at me.

"How long has it been since that day for you Ruggerio?" I had to ask because if I had to guess it hadn't been that long ago from how he looks at me.

"…. 5 years…." He says as he readies his blade while looking at me.

"Then I have to ask, you know of the throne of heros then if you and the rest of the paladins have been brought to this world right?" He just nods in response.

"Well it's been several lifetimes for me since we fought that fateful day, but like you that memory is still fresh in my mind." I say while not going into specifics of it all.

"So what? Are you gonna say that-"

"-I forgive you? Please not on your life, Ruggerio you still killed me and separated me from my wife, all because I had taken Durandal from Roland when he had fallen into madness, he threw it away so all I can say is that I earned it because he no longer wanted it." I say in a matter of fact kind of way.

"That blade is still not yours Mandricardo! If you didn't take it…. A lot of my friends wouldn't have died, and I wouldn't have had to die and be separated from my wife either!"

But I sneer back while hearing that, "So what hmmm? Your friends are alive, you have your wife once again from what I heard, I should be the one who hates your guts more than you do to me!" I shout out at him as I vent to him.

I then raise my blade and point it at him, "But fate seems to want us to fight again, this isn't because I hate you Ruggerio, no, it's because someone knows where my wife is, whether she is in this world or another one of the many separate realms from this one I do not know, all they said was find you and take you down and they will tell me, so let's put the past to bed then, huh? Ruggerio?" I say as I ready my blade and shield as I stare him down.

After hearing all that he gives me a stern look before summoning his true weapon, his spear that he held in on hand and his sword in the other.

"Fine let's end this." Is all he says as he readies himself, and soon it starts to sprinkle a bit of rain before quickly turning into actual rain.

It's like that fateful day all over again as we stared each other down before we launched at one another once more, but in the end I'm winning this time.

****

(???)

"You have been indicted, and your bail has been denied." And attorney says to there client who is being held in prison for one of the crimes they have committed.

"Haaa, because you have not confessed to your crimes plus the two other accounts for theft your bail is not allowed, I'll be blunt but you are about to #*+%**#*~^*}€#€*#*%**}*#*>**#*#**%#*}*#*%*#**# for trial, and I don't know how long it will take…" he says to his client through the window separating the two.

"What the hell?! Those 'Past Offenses' were just for borrowing peoples bikes when I was a kid!" The prisoner says right back at there attorney before clutching there head.

"Hell I'm not even in that gang anymore, I'm going to school, my grades are great and even my teachers want me to take my college exams…."

"…. Your not hiding anything from me right?" He asks back.

"I'm telling the truth! I told you everything and I'm innocent! You gotta defend me like your life depends on it!"

"Of course, I will do the best I can for you under the law to help your case, you'll be able to talk with your family after your trial, but some have sent you some clothes and other items you might need before your trial."

***

"What's the matter Ruggerio? I could have sworn you were stronger than this! Hell I only got one weapon while you got two and I'm still winning!" I shout out as I send a heavy kick to his chest that he barely blocks with both of his weapons.

Though Ruggerio was thinking a mile a second as he was just barely keeping up with me as he kept barely blocking the blows I throw at him.

*How?! How is he so strong?! I know he said it's been well over a lifetime for him but I thought he was just bullshiting with me! He looks even younger than he did back then, but he must be telling the truth if he has gotten so much stronger since then, but I haven't been sitting around doing nothing!* he shouts to himself internally as he begins to fight back with all his might.

"I can't die here! I have my friends and wife to get back to!" He shouts out to empower himself as he begins to give it his all as he fights back with all he's got.

****

On the bus along the way to #%*%%*#%^}^*#^*#*}*#<^*%*^#**##*#*^##*%*}^ the prisoner sat on the bus along with several other prisoners as well.

There were only three prisoners on this bus ride with two guards up front separated by a fence from the prisoners as they held there guns at the ready while the bus drivers seat was completely separated by a metal door from the rest of the bus.

"…. Did they say will arrive in 10 minutes?" They said to the other prisoner.

"What? How'd you even hear that from here?" Another says but then the slot connecting to the drivers door opened up.

"Will be arriving in 10 minutes." They said before shutting the slot again.

"…. How the hell did you know that before they even said it?"

"Huh…. I don't really know myself…. Weird…."

"Your a funny **^^*%* you know that? But I should introduce myself I'm #^*%^%%*^#^++%#*^*#*^^%^**%*+ I'm here because of robbery by the way, though it's kinda bad since this is my second time being here." They introduce themselves and why there here.

"I'm *^^%^#*+*#*+%*#^." They introduce themselves back.

"Hey, sorry to change the subject but…. Did you bring any money with you?"

They pull back and look at them weirdly, "…. Maybe?"

"Hey, looks like your new so I'm just gonna warn you, you better not be thinking you won't need cash in there, if you don't have a few hundred dollars it's gonna be pretty risky for you to make it." They say seriously back.

"And if you don't have any now have someone give you some during visiting hours, you need money to survive, got it?" They say giving some friendly advice.

"What the hell am I suppose to buy in prison Huh? Money doesn't mean shit there doesn't it? And where the hell are you hiding yours?" They ask back.

But they look away, "Can't tell you."

"Seriously dude? But I doubt it, they'd just find it during the body check."

"Please, there are plenty of places you can hide it on your body if you need to, at least if you don't mind it getting it a bit dirty, but having it in a plastic bag will keep it clean at least."

"Wait…. You don't mean…." They say while looking at there ass.

"Mhmmm, it's the best bet to get it through."

"That's just nasty…."

"But it'll save your life."

"…. But don't they check there though?"

"..... only so far…."

"No way?! You didn't-" but our conversation got cut off by the guards.

"Alright we've arrived, you two! Get off the bus!" One guard said pointing at me and another prisoner as they led us out of the bus leaving my new friend still in the bus to be brought to a different area of this place as we made our way off the bus and into the facility.

****

"Haaaaa haaaaa haaaaa….." Ruggerio was kneeling on the ground as he was only holding himself up by his spear and sword as blood was flowing across his body as I looked down on him.

"You give up Ruggerio?" I say pointing my blade at him as I wiped the blood from my lip.

"Hehehe *cough cough* yeah…. Do whatever you want…. I can't even stand up anymore…. Finish the job….." he said giving up completely.

Though when I got the notification that I wanted to hear I sheathed my sword and shook my head, "No, I don't feel like finishing you off Ruggerio, I just wanted to settle the score, unlike you it has many upon many of years since that day, the hatred I had for you has faded with time, but hearing you were here, alive and well, I needed to deal with you, and kick your ass at least for what you did, but that's it, nothing more than that."

"So what? *Cough* you just did this to beat me up? And feel better about yourself? That your much stronger than what you once were?" He said as he looked at me.

I then pull out a health potion and placed it in front of him, "Yes, and that is all it was to me." Say before whistling summoning Brigliadoro and hoping on before looking back at him.

"Goodbye Ruggerio, hopefully we never meet again…." I say as I begin to ride off back towards Nazarick from our battle.

All Ruggerio could do is clutch the ground in anger at the thought of him being so much weaker than me now compared to back then, but what can he do, the weak lose and the strong win, all he can do is get stronger so he won't lose again.

…

..

.

As I was riding back I looked at the last and final clue and put everything together from what I had learned from him.

American, the butterfly, not the same name as her last life and finally she has daddy issues, and there are only few women he knows of from media that she can fall into as I looked up at the moon under the night sky.

***

"Damn him! Damn them all! I took his stupid fucking deal and now I'm stuck here for another 15 years!" They said as they hit there before in anger for being fooled that their attorney was on their side.

All they could do was look up towards the sky from the small window in their cell at the sky above as they sighed.

****

"Yare Yare (daze)" they both said unknowingly together as they stared at the sky's above them both, but soon enough they will both meet each other once again.

***

Surprise, guess where we're going next huh?