Bittersweet

Chapter 6: A Difficult Choice

"Yukino!" Minerva cried, her trembling hand reaching out in a hopeless manner only after she realized it was too late.

Everyone in the guild stood frozen as they laid eyes on their celestial mage, who after being violently thrusted at the wall, slid down to the floor and landed in a continuously spreading pool of her own blood. Red streaked the wall behind her, leaving dark stains.

To say that Minerva was angry would be an understatement. As her guild mates quickly rushed towards Yukino, Minerva turned around to face Sting, and without even the slightest hesitation, punched him across the face, hard. He would've gone flying if Rogue wasn't holding onto him so tightly in fear.

"What the hell is wrong with you, bastard?!" Minerva screamed, raising her voice, "HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO YUKINO?!"

Sting readjusted himself as if Minerva's punch was nothing but a light touch to his cheek. "She was getting too close to my Rogue."

"Excuse me?!" Minerva went in for another punch, but Orga grabbed her wrist, restraining her.

"My lady, please calm down, this isn't how we should deal with this—" he began, but was cut off when Minerva violently jerked her hand away.

"You nearly killed her!" she continued, rolling up the sleeve of her dress as she readied another punch. However, before she could land a blow, Rogue stood in front of Sting protectively, holding his arms out. Minerva scowled, ready to push him out of the way. "Move, idiot! I have to deal with him—"

"No, stop," Rogue said weakly, his voice trembling. His knees shook suddenly, and he felt as though he might collapse any second. "Don't hurt him."

"You're gonna forgive him? After what he just did?!"

"Calm down," Rufus interjected. "There has to be a logical explanation."

"I don't care what kind of explanation he gives me, what he just did is unforgivable!" Minerva yelled, tears filling her eyes, threatening to spill out.

"Go help her," Orga urged, trying to distract her from Sting. "She needs you."

Minerva stopped, her heart beating quickly in her throat. After glaring at Orga for a couple of seconds, she angrily turned around in defeat, rushing towards Yukino and pushing everyone aside. She knelt down beside her, pressing the side of her face to Yukino's chest. She didn't hear anything, and she felt sick to her stomach.

"Is Yukino-san going to be—" one of their guild mates began.

"Be quiet," Minerva hissed. Her eyebrows knitted in fear and confusion as she pleaded for Yukino to be alive. It took a couple more seconds, but finally, when she heard a single heartbeat, she let out a breath of relief.

"Will she be okay?" Dobengal asked, twiddling his thumbs nervously.

"She should be fine if we get her to the hospital as soon as possible," Minerva said in a calm but urgent tone. "I'll transport her there with my space magic. I need some help, so I need a few of you to come along."

A few of the guild members nodded, stepping forward. Carefully, Minerva picked Yukino up, not wasting even a second as she teleported the select few of people including herself and Yukino to the nearest hospital. Before she disappeared into thin air, she glanced at Sting one last time, giving him a threatening, impulsive glare filled with pure hatred. Once they were out of sight, Rufus and Orga turned to Sting and Rogue, giving them an angry but confused stare.

"What is the meaning of this?" Rufus questioned, crossing his arms across his chest.

"I-I can explain, I think," Rogue swallowed, pushing Sting behind him.