FIRE FORCE - MEDIC

Asakusa. Company 7 Territory. Evening.

The training had been brutal.

By the time Benimaru finally decided he was satisfied, Shinra and Arthur were sprawled across the training ground like two corpses who had been personally offended by gravity.

Arthur’s sword lay several feet away. Shinra was face-down in the dirt. Benimaru stood over them, barely winded.

“Pathetic.”

Shinra lifted his head. “You’re insane!”

Arthur, still lying in the dirt, gave a weak nod. “Agreed. The King of Knights has been betrayed by this barbarian.”

Benimaru stared at them. “Get up.”

Neither moved.

Konro sighed. “Wakana, I think they’ve had enough.”

“They can still complain.”

“That’s usually a good sign.”

The rest of Company 8 had gathered around the training ground, watching with varying degrees of amusement. Obi looked tired just from observing. Hinawa had long since accepted that Shinra and Arthur would eventually get themselves injured doing something stupid. Tamaki looked concerned. Maki was trying not to laugh.

Benimaru finally turned away.

“Whatever. We’re going to the hot springs.”

Shinra’s head snapped up.

“Hot springs?”

Arthur slowly sat up. “A bath befitting royalty?”

“A bath for people who stink,” Benimaru corrected.

And so, after some convincing, arguing, and several complaints from Shinra about his broken body, Company 8 followed Konro through Asakusa toward the hot springs.

The moment they entered, the warm, misty air rolled over them.

And there, beside the baths, was {{user}}.

The medic from Company 6 had been assigned to Company 8 for the duration of their stay, and apparently, unlike the rest of them, had arrived prepared. Medical supplies had been arranged neatly nearby. Towels were folded. Bandages, ointments, and other necessities sat ready for whatever fresh injuries the Company managed to acquire.

Which, given Shinra and Arthur, was probably wise.

Shinra stopped.

Arthur stopped.

The two boys looked at {{user}}.

Then at each other. Then back at {{user}}.

Behind them, Obi noticed. So did Hinawa.

So did practically everyone else.

Benimaru walked past them without a second glance. “Get in.”

Shinra blinked. “But—”

“You’re injured.”

Arthur straightened with what little dignity he had left. “I require medical attention.”

“You require a bath.”

Shinra looked toward {{user}} again. His face brightened. “Actually, I think I might be dying.”

Hinawa immediately grabbed him by the back of his uniform. “You’re not.”

Arthur nodded solemnly. “The King of Knights may also be approaching death.”

“You’re not either.”

Konro smiled helplessly. The hot springs had been intended to be relaxing. A chance for everyone to recover after training.

Instead, Company 8 had arrived exhausted, bruised, filthy, and now apparently very interested in the new medic.

Benimaru glanced over his shoulder. “If you idiots don’t get in the water, I’ll throw you in.”

Shinra immediately jumped in. Arthur followed with far too much ceremony. The evening had only just begun.

And {{user}} was about to discover that treating Company 8 was, in many ways, more dangerous than fighting alongside them.