Lucien felt embarrassed by what had occurred. The expressions Ten's brother made with his body were something he never did before.
However, on a greater note, the young man was afflicted. He now came to understand why Shinji looked after Tsukino most part of his life, mistaking it for romantic feelings.
'This is dangerous. I don't want to be possessed again, if possible.'
The thought of him getting possessed while he is with a certain stupid Blondie made his hair stand. Who knows what that obnoxious pervert would do?
Taking deep breaths, he calms down. Thanks to the distractions, he is no longer depressed about the vision. Also, his mind is now thinking straight.
'Could it be that among 'us' they're certain people who have a stronger link of emotions: just like Shinji-kun and the person who made him care for Tsukino; me and that pervert?'
During the first day he saw Ten, Lucien thought, he was swinging that way for a second. However, thinking of the Main Character's predicament, he dropped it all on his birthmark קדושה—אפס.
Interlocking his fingers, he places his hands on the tree truck for his head to rest. Closing his eyes, he clears his mind.
'I hope to get a good sleep before a good hunt.
'I'm reaching my limit in the number of words I should say on a daily basis.'
***
Tsukino had seen everything that occurred. Although she didn't know that Lucien was possessed, she liked that side of Lucy... maybe, he is back to the good side.
That being said, she isn't going to give up on her previous agenda.
The gray eyed girl is determined to defeat Lucien, instead of killing him like before —even though ruthless, he is still human inside.
Walking up to him, she unsheathe one of her kitanas, pointing it at his neck.
"Lucy-san, I challenge you to a dual."
Tento facepalms with a sigh, interjecting as he felt pity for Tsukino's schmuckiness.
"Just drop it. They're people like us who want to be like him. You have never been bullied before, so you don't know how it feels. Just let him be, he is doing his own right."
"Traitor!" Tsukino hissed, "Do you think he will spare you when the time comes?"
"I never followed you, nor anyone. I just got pulled around because I'm weak."
Before Tsukino could say a thing, Ten replies her other question.
"I'll rather be killed by him than rubbish, at least I would've died because my opponent is stronger, not because I was the weaker one."
Tsukino furrows her brows, inciting an errant smile out of Tento.
"Why are you bothering yourself with me? I was talking to myself, and you happen to answer. I never knew you were crazy."
Tsukino's face contorts, feeling the edge to swing her sword, and cut the head of the obnoxious boy. Taking a few deep breaths, she composed herself.
"If I'm crazy, what about you?"
Ten's smile didn't waver. His gaze swept past the forest, the beautiful girl in a blue kamishimo, before resting on the canopy of the tree he was resting.
"What a lovely day."
Tsukino felt her head boil, but calmed down. The young man before her is around the same age as her brother; she couldn't let herself try into engaging in a verbal brow with him.
Fixing her gaze on Lucy, she repeats her earlier request.
Lucien didn't flinch at the kitana pointed at his larynx. His eyes closed, he replies:
"You win."
Ten chuckles, but Lucy had more to say before Tsukino:
"You might have lost, but you have won. Everyone is a winner. Reflect on what made you lose. Develop from the way you lost and make yourself stronger.
"Don't fuss over defeat because that's experience. At the end, all that matters is that you're breathing. Even if you lose one thousand times and manage to keep your life, you're better than someone who won one thousand times and died.
"You're smart enough to understand the meaning of my words. Create your own art based on the way you lost, and I tell you this, you will always win.
"This includes you, Phiri."
Ten gives a small nudge at those words. He didn't need a reminder, as the First Tama-Artist once said: whenever someone is being given wisdom, listen. Who knows, it might be helpful to you or someone you meet along the way?
Tsukino, on the other hand, clicks her tongue.
"I don't need your advice."
Lucy opens his left eye, staring at the girl with a languid expression.
The birthmark aside, Lucien is slightly fond of Tsukino. She is able to keep her sanity in such a place where people are ready to betray their families. In his eyes, she is more human than anyone: pure and chivalrous —a heroine who is willing to suffer for a stranger.
That being said, it's her biggest flaw; he had to advise.
"Stop being naive. It'll come a time for you to realize that the world is big, it can't be saved by one person. In the end, only a few shall be saved and be able to drink with the King of Kings in his banquet."
"That's from the first Tama-Artist!" Ten jerks up as a fanboy —look-a-like—, he instantly recognized.
"Tsukino, you should read the Journey of the First Tama-Artist when you get the time."
Tsukino rolls her eyes, grimacing.
"I'm not like you."
She stores her sword, turning around.
"I'll save everyone, and I'll let you beer testimony to it."
As she walks away, Lucien closes his ember eye.
"She is more like Shinji."
"Huh?"
Ten was bamboozled by his words, blinking a few times. Although they might've been a thing between them, the two where fire and ice.
"Why do you say so?"
"Both of them are stubborn and share a relatively same dream."
"I see."
Seeing that his word count for the day was near its limit, Lucien addresses coldly:
"Rest while you can. We're going to fight a stage 3 profound beast, to determine whether we are ready to face a stage 4 beast. Make yourself useful, I don't want trouble with your brother."
Although, Tento was perplexed that he was being taken in as a side-kick, he answers:
"Yes Sir!"
'Mama did say, I would find someone to assist me in my journey before I turned twenty, could it be him?' Lucy thought, ready to sleep.
'The effects of the birthmark are getting to me. Just how much does his brother spoil him?'