𝙏𝙃𝙐𝙉𝘿𝙀𝙍 // 𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙪𝙚 𝙭 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧

𝙛𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙪𝙧

// Change P.O.V //

Soft footsteps bounced quietly around the cavern walls as Yukino clutched tightly onto Kuschel and Frosch, both of whom were soaked in the salty water.

The woman who saved them, a tall, dark-skinned redhead, carried Past Sting in her arms as he had managed to pass out. Lector was sobbing and clinging onto her arm.
"Thank you so much for saving us, thank you thankyou so much," he blubbered.

Meanwhile, Past [Y/N] squinted at her suspiciously.

"It's nothing, Lector," the woman hummed, smiling graciously, "I missed you, you know."

Yukino gasped aloud.
"How do you know Lector?" she asked with wonder in her eyes.

Minerva, who walked beside the woman, gave a chuckle before beginning to explain, "this is Lakyn Flaneur, an old compeer of Sting and Lector before they joined Sabertooth. She is a God Slayer."

Everyone, aside from Lector, gasped in awe.
"A God Slayer? Just like Orga!" Yukino exclaimed.
"Who is Orga?" Lakyn cocked her head.
"Don't worry," Minerva touched her shoulder.

"Um... Minerva, how are you even here?" Yukino quickly changed the subject.
"I felt rather seedy about this job you all had taken, so I traveled to the village and, by mere coincidence, happened to meet Lakyn," Minerva explained.
"Minerva had stopped to help a child get their kite free from a roof gutter, and I saw her Sabertooth stamp when her blouse rode up," Lakyn took over, "I'd gotten quite excited, I'll admit, because I knew that Sting had joined that guild before we parted ways."

Yukino nodded and smiled.
"So, you two were very close?"
"Definitely!" Lector chimed in. Lakyn harrumphed and turned her head the other direction, cheeks darkening.

"Oh, I see," Yukino giggled, "it was puppy love."
"From the way she spake of him, it seems it still is," Minerva agreed amusedly.
"I'll admit my curiosity, I haven't seen Sting for so long and I wonder what he looks and acts like now," Lakyn said.

"Oh, Sting's amazing! He's so handsome and cool, and really strong too! He could definitely beat you in a fight now!" Lector chirped.
"I wonder if he even remembers me..." the red-haired woman sighed, "it's been so long, I wouldn't be surprised if he forgot even my name."

"He writes about you in his diary," Lector said, helpfully.
"Sting has a diary?" Minerva's brow quirked.

At that exact moment, Past Sting awoke with a cough.

The group slowed down and eventually stopped as he regained his bearings.

"Sting! You're okay!" Lector began to blubber again.

The young Dragon blinked a few times, bleary eyes focusing onto Lakyn, who carried him silently. He gasped loudly.

"Sting, are you okay?" Past Rogue asked. The aforementioned blond scrambled out of her arms and stared at her with wide eyes.
"Sting?" Past Rogue repeated. Past Sting went bright red, seemingly with uncontainable glee.

"It's you!" with that, he bowled into Lakyn, nearly knocking her down.
"Ah," Minerva watched the situation.

"Lakyn, I missed you so bad, you don't understand! Oh, you're so tall and I missed you!" the blond shouted into her midriff. The redhead was seemingly overcome and patted his hair helplessly.

"I, um. I guess that settles it," Past Rogue blinked. He looked to Past [Y/N], who was still squinting.

"What is it?" he lowered his voice to ask her.
"Don't worry. I'll tell you later," she shook her head. She then turned to Yukino, decidedly ignoring Past Sting and Lakyn's interaction.

"Do you think our future selves are okay?" she asked.
Yukino sighed and nodded, "I'm sure they're fine."

"That bad lady looked really powerful..." Lector fretted, "the bat one."
"Fro thinks so too!" Frosch nodded.
"I agree!" Kuschel added.

"Nothin' that I can't handle," Past Sting had gotten over himself.
"What about my future self?" Past Rogue asked, concerned.

"Ahh, [Y/N] won't let anything happen to him," Minerva chuckled and shook her head, "anything."
"She can be quite scary when it comes to him, actually," Yukino agreed.
"Well, they are incredibly close after all," Minerva said.

Past [Y/N] grinned and nudged Past Rogue, waggling her eyebrows.
"Well, that makes two people who've said that now. Guess we really are destined to be buddies," she said, "isn't that cool? You're stuck with me."

"Wait, did you say [Y/N]?" Lakyn blinked, "I used to know a girl with that name."