The time had finally come. It was Halloween. Ragna had kept Rachel's letter with him this entire time since the beginning of October. He has not had any contact with Rachel since her reply. Ragna spent the entire time training, even getting some advice from his Master Jubei at one point. He felt nervous but he felt confident. However, the white-haired man still felt confused about this. He was going so far and out of his way to impress Rachel, who he fell in love with, although reluctant to admit it.

Recently, his stance and his thoughts on Rachel softened up. He started seeing her in a rather beautiful light. He could just imagine her; how her hair was blowing in the wind gently, how her eyes are red with calculating and analytic traits, how her impregnable confidence and demeanor was truly one-of-a-kind. If that wasn't enough, she actually has the strength to back up her trash talk. But Ragna sighed as he admitted to himself that it's because of how Rachel is, he was in love with her. He couldn't help but let a smile, slip, though. She IS the coolest girl he had ever met in his eyes and he doubted he'd meet another woman like her again.

Ragna went to the location of the letter where they would meet. It was supposed to be along the pathway to Ikaruga. It's nighttime with a relatively cool breeze that made Ragna shiver a bit. He scanned the area around him, searching for anyone that resembled her. However right in front of her, in the very next second, she was right there. Just appeared like that.

The shock of suddenly finding her right in his face made him leap back and scream. "WWAAUUGGGHHH!"

Rachel had her signature stoic expression on. "What? Do I not look good enough for you?" She was aware that she scared him but Rachel didn't care if she did or if Ragna was scared.

"Damn it, rabbit! Would you quit doing that!?" Ragna scowled at her as he clutched his heart area as he took deep breaths.

Rachel's face didn't move at all, still staring at him while holding her umbrella beneath her head. "Quit what? I'm simply greeting you. Is leaping back a few feet like a monkey and screaming like a four-year-old who shocked itself on an electrical outlet really how you greet those with astronomically higher social graces than you? I would expect you to at least put up your best sheen like I said in my letter, assuming you didn't rip it apart in the middle of reading it." Rachel's lips formed a faint smirk but it wasn't clearly visible to Ragna.

Ragna stomped around and gave a brief shout. "MAKE SOME NOISE WHEN YOU MOVE TO LET ME KNOW THAT YOU'RE HERE! YOU STARTLED ME!"

Rachel yawned with her free hand. "Right. Yell louder. That answers me."

Ragna stopped himself in middle of his tantrum, realizing what he was doing. "Oh right. Anyway, let's do this." He withdrew his sword, ready to fight Rachel.

Rachel gasped innocently with the motive to taunt Ragna. "Put that sword away, lest you rip apart my best dress I put on for you."

Ragna felt confused. "Didn't you say in your letter that you want me to defeat you in battle and force your surrender so that you'll be my girlfriend?"

Rachel sighed, annoyed at Ragna's colloquial language. "'Girlfriend'? That's another thing I'd like to address to you. I am not your 'girlfriend', nor will I ever be. I am a lady and I wish to be addressed as such. So you may, call me "Miss", or "Lady Rachel", or even "Madam". Those would be nice to call someone who you're trying to woo."

Ragna's eyes lowered slightly as he lowered his sword. His mouth slightly dropped. What the hell kind of answer was that? "...You didn't answer my question...Lady Rachel..." Ragna forced himself to call her that. "Word for word, you said that in your letter that you wanted me to do something I never did and that's defeat you."

Rachel shook her head, displeased with how Ragna interpreted her letter. "I told you, I have more than enough power to send your skull through a thick tree if I really wanted to. However, that's too dirty, nor do I feel like wasting my time humoring myself doing that for a short time. For you see, a battle can be many things. For instance, an argument is a battle of words which is won by wits and evidence. Tell me, Ragna. When did I say at one point that you and I were to fight?"

Rather than getting even more angry at Rachel, Ragna tried to calm himself down and try to respond rationally to Rachel's words. He could feel that he was testing her. He pulled out the letter from Rachel in his pocket and read near the end. "You said put up your dukes and your best sheen."

Rachel nodded at Ragna. "That's correct. However, you failed to do both."

Ragna was shocked. "What? What the h-" Ragna stopped himself. He didn't wasn't going to fall under Rachel's traps. "I mean...how do you mean, Lady Rachel?"

Rachel formed a smirk, slightly wider than the last. She was getting impressed with how much manners Ragna was showing here. Although, she knew that Ragna was grasping to the last amount of sanity he had left. "A duke is supposed to represent a nobleman of corresponding rank. When I said put up your dukes, I meant put up your best mannerisms that's supposed to represent a nobleman. As for your sheen, I still see you are wearing that disgusting casual clothing. That jacket, in no way, represents gleaming and shiny attire. You don't represent a real man as you are dressed right now. If my relatives see me with you as you are, they'd think I'm becoming repugnant."

Ragna felt dumb now. He realized that's what duke meant before it became a slang word for beating the hell out of each other. Ragna felt a bit confused. Strangely, he felt quite comfortable talking the way he's now talking to Rachel. In fact, this felt better. "Okay. Well...I don't have any other outfits than this one. Do you mind lending me a hand...my Lady Rachel who looks so elegant tonight?" He forced himself to say that last part to earn some extra points from Rachel.

Rachel turned her head slightly to the side while still maintaining eye contact with Ragna. "I suppose I can spare you a tuxedo. However, you must prove to me that you can act like a man in tall stature."

Ragna groaned in his head. This was definitely not part of the deal. However, at this point, he knew better than to open his mouth and rebel. Knowing Rachel and the true meaning she left on the letter, there has to be something she's planning for him. Ragna played along to see what would happen. "Okay. What kind of errands are we going to run?"

With her free hand, she put her index finger vertically on her lips. "Shh." Then, with that same hand, she reached it out for him with her palm face-up. "Take my hand and come with me."

Ragna promptly walked to Rachel and gently took her hand. A portal opened up, warping them to the rose garden.

Ah, this rose garden. Ragna decided to put some thought into this place. As far as he knew, this was Rachel's favorite place to be. He took a moment to remember the times he came here. He remembers the arguments, the training he went through with her here, and all the tea that was sipped. Further thought caused him to look at a different view and properly appreciate a place like this. It was nice. The breeze constantly felt comfortable but that's most likely because Rachel can freely manipulate the wind here, considering this is her home.

"So...uh...Lady Rachel..."

"Yes?"

Ragna looked left and right once. "Why exactly are we here and not in a proper fitting room?"

"Because this is your fitting room." Rachel casually answered him right away.

Ragna's eyes widened. "Uh...out in the open? Where I can be seen at any moment? I don't think that it's a good idea."

Rachel's expression hardened into something more serious. "You forget yourself, Ragna. Remember, this is my territory. The only ones who can see into this garden are the ones who I allow. Nobody will see me or you. I assure you. Now...let's get your clothes changed into something more appropriate." She snapped her fingers.

Something red suddenly blinded Ragna's face. He became startled and utterly confused. "H-Hey! What's this? I can't see a thing!" Ragna then felt a breeze and his body felt cold. He felt bare. He couldn't see anything from out of the red coloring. Soon, he found out that he was completely naked.

He could hear Rachel's voice. "Do not move. I need you perfectly still for this."

Ragna did just that. Ragna's quickly finding out that letting Rachel do her thing is yielding much less venom than before. Soon, he his body felt tight in several places. He felt something also cover up his hands. Once the warmth was back, the redness disappeared. His eyes were briefly disoriented due to being blinded by pure red for a while. Ragna looked down at himself. He saw that he was wearing a black tuxedo as well as black pants with dress shoes of the same color. His socks also matched his pants and his shoes. Ragna looked at his hands and he could see that he that he was still wearing the black gloves he was comfortable with.

He felt tight but relaxed in this. It was an odd feeling but he went with it. It was like something restrictive but at the same time meant to make him feel like he wasn't held down by shackles. Ragna was really starting to like this approach he was taking. He gave a smirk as he took in his new attire. The more he went along with Rachel's scheme, the more interested and intrigued he became.

A faint smirk formed on Rachel's lips once more. "I see you're comfortable in your new outfit. The size fits just how I'd imagine it to be. It turned out much better than I initially thought."

Ragna slowly moved his arms around to get himself used to the feeling of wearing such a tight outfit. "I just have a question, though. Did you see my naked body when you were changing me?"

"Yes, I did." Rachel answered almost right away, without hesitation.

Ragna's mouth gaped open as he winced. "Uh...don't you think that's an invasion of privacy?"

Rachel's smirk faded and soon a stern look formed on her face. "I told you. You are going to follow what I say if you want the night to go smooth-sailing for yourself. Besides, I've seen your naked body before."

Ragna blushed and traced a finger around the collar of his suit. "Uh...what do you think of it, Rachel?"

Rachel could feel the temperature rise in her face but she was very good at hiding what she was really feeling. "It's well-toned. Although, it hasn't changed much overall from all the times I've seen you naked."

Ragna groaned meekly. He was hoping to hear something more complimenting from Rachel. But knowing her, she wasn't going to give him an ego boost any time soon.

"I know what you're thinking. But context matters." Rachel said as if she knew exactly what Ragna was thinking.

Ragna's eyes popped, as if she were a mind reader. "H-Huh!?"

Rachel gave a taunting yawn. "Oh please. I know you too well. You were trying to make me give you an ego boost. Let me tell you that context matters in everything. Most people have minds of a filthy serpent. There's nothing inherently enticing about a body unless you make it enticing in your mind. The same goes for a female's breasts, a man's organ, buttocks, and a woman's sex. Context matters. I was thinking nothing perverted as I was merely changing you. Tell me, how is it possible to change you without seeing anything?"

There she went with her long but true explanations again. Ragna wasn't sure on how to answer Rachel. In fact, he couldn't tell if she was asking him a rhetorical question or not. "Uh...it's...impossible..."

Rachel scoffed at Ragna but then smirked shortly after. This time, Ragna noticed this particular smirk. "It seems as though you're learning how to embrace things from a different perspective. You're doing well, thus far."

Ragna shook his head. "And now you decided to roll with the compliments. I just don't get you sometimes, Rachel."

"What do you think of me?" Rachel asked, ignoring Ragna's comment.

"Huh?"

"What? You got corks in your ears? I'm asking you see in me that you are smitten with me."

Again, Ragna had no idea how to answer that. He didn't know what Rachel was expecting. He wasn't expecting her to be swayed by his words, that's for sure. At this point, he concluded that he just had to come out and say what he really thinks of her. He started to talk, all while scratching the back of his head in nervousness. "Well...I think it's nice how you're...just unfazed at anything, especially THAT man."

Rachel's stern expression didn't change. "Yes? And?"

Ragna stuttered for a bit, then continued. "I just think you're awesome on how you can back up your trash talk on people, how you can manipulate the wind, and how you're a strong woman overall."

Rachel yawned. "Too vapid."

Ragna could feel his temperament smoldering. But he breathed deep in order to keep his cool. "Alright, well... You're the best." He wasn't thinking anymore. His mouth just ran. "There's no other girl that tops you. You're strong. I know I can trust myself with you. I know that you're unafraid of anything." Ragna's true feelings started coming out of him but, he couldn't hold himself any longer. "...You were always there for me. You always helped me whenever I needed you. Your eyes are...impeccable with how calculating they are. You're extremely adept with what you do and I absolutely admire that about you. You don't fear anything, not even defeat. This world is so damned yet you took on the role to protect it, which can drive a man insane. You're just indescribable in general that I ended up...falling in love with you. Although, I don't like to admit it."

"Is loving me a bad thing?" Rachel asked in a tone that made her seem like she was offended.

Ragna shook his head a few times before answering. "No. That's not it. I thought you would think me loving you is a bad thing."

Rachel's pupils seemed to have lowered down into the grass without closing her eyes.

Ragna noticed this. He felt something foreign from her. It felt like sorrow. "Rachel?" He called out with a mixture of concern and surprise.

No answer. Instead, a tear dripped down her eyes.

"Rachel!?" Ragna called out again, louder this time and with more concern.

Still no answer.

Ragna quickly ran to Rachel's side. This was definitely strange to him. He has never seen something like this out of Rachel before. She was crying? That was something so astonishing coming from a girl like her. "Rachel, what the hell's going on here? You're scaring me with the waterworks."

Rachel slowly lifted her head up to look at the white-haired man. The tiny petite blonde girl suddenly found her own heart beating hard from inside her chest. She couldn't remember the last time she felt this way. "Ragna, I want to know something. Do you really want to be with someone so contrasting to you such as me?"

Ragna's eyebrows rose, finding her question odd. "What do you mean by that? I should be the one asking that question. I'm foul-mouthed, loud, and generally a giant asshole. Yet, you said that you felt the same way about me. It's odd, isn't it?"

Rachel nodded. "It certainly is odd. Listen to me, Ragna. You...and me... We're not supposed to be...like this. Yet here we are, acting like fools in some knightly romance. It feels so insulting that I developed these kind of unwanted feelings for you." Rachel turned her head away from Ragna, uncomfortable to face him. It strangely felt like she was admitting defeat.

Ragna leaned over slightly to make sure he was still facing Rachel. "Unwanted feelings? You mean to say that you don't love me back?"

Rachel turned her face back towards Ragna and said with earnest, "No, my heart is captured by you. However, it also comes with the feelings with uncertainty and doubt. With what has happen and what is yet to happen, I highly doubt that both of us will live to see our love prosper."

Ragna could see where Rachel was coming from. A human-vampire hybrid and a destiny-imbued vampire together would make a rather odd pairing. However, their lives don't allow them a moment's rest. She had a point. How would they find time to spend together in peace if they tried to pursue a proper relationship together? Neither of them denied their feelings for each other but they can't pursue these feelings as well. Ragna didn't want to say to her that he can't love her. He wanted to find some way to make it work.

After a few seconds of staring at Rachel being unsure, Ragna broke the silence. He felt his chest starting to warm up, the more he stared at Rachel, as impolite he knew it was. "Rachel, are you fine?"

Rachel took a few seconds to answer his question. "I'm not sure, anymore, Ragna. It's mystifying to me."

"How is it mystifying?" Ragna asked, now worried. If Rachel wasn't sure of herself, then surely something is wrong.

"Think back. Remember. When Terumi burned your home down. Do you remember lying there, waiting for death?"

Ragna became irritated in an instant. "Damn it, Rachel. Why do you have to bring that up? Of course I remember! I remember it clear as day. I thought I was going to die. But...then you came along and saved me. ...And for that I owe you my life."

"Which brings me to my next question: Do you feel like you're obligated to love me because of what I did to you to help you keep your life?" Rachel asked him with the most serious tone.

It was an easy question for Ragna to answer. He knew it in his heart that he wanted to be with her. "No. I love you because I WANT to be with you, not because I feel like I have to. I mean hell, no girl even comes close to you...and I can't seem to meet any normal girls but I don't care at this point because I fell for you at some point and hard. I really do trust you and even though two people like us aren't cut out for the quiet life, we can still make something work between us, once we can."

Rachel took a deep breath. This is why she felt this way about him; he's very resilient and he's not one to lie about something as serious as this. She knew him and he still remained the same throughout the years she knew him but she also knew that this was a good thing. "Your convictions are strong as always, Ragna. Whether it's by luck or foolhardy courage, nobody has ever displayed the hardened confidence and breathless achievements like you have while having the barbaric strength to back it up."

A smile formed on Ragna's face. He felt something anew wash over him and he went along with it. "Rachel, I'm really grateful for all that you've done for me. Listen to me, Rachel. God only knows who's body this really is and I have no idea what you really do feel for me inside but I really do like you. I just...I just don't want either of us to die on some asshole's errand of a mission. I can't live without you, Rachel. I don't want to live without you. Without you, I won't even get a break from the many assholes of the world. I'm really not a big one on sappy stuff but I can't go two days without wanting to see your face again. Just seeing you makes me feel relief."

Rachel returned Ragna's smile with one of her own. "...You are truly an idiot, Ragna. However, you're the kind of idiot that's amusing to be with. I cannot believe that I'm in love with such an idiot. If you play with my heart, though, I can promise that your life will end in an instant. Do you swear that you'll be loyal to me, and only to me?"

The white-haired man gave out a chuckle as he brushed off his nose. "I don't have to think twice about that. Of course, I do."

Rachel closed her eyes, still keeping that smile on her face. "Very well, then. I surrender my heart to you."

Ragna felt slightly startled from the sudden deceleration from her. He won, just like that? "I'm not sure that I'm following you."

Rachel slit her eyes, slightly irritated. "I was hoping that you, of all people, would recognize when someone gives their heart to you. Unless you don't love me after all, idiot."

Ragna frantically shook his hands in front of his face. "Hey, hey! I'm just startled that I won your heart just like that!"

Rachel's gaze went up to Ragna's face. Her face curved a faint smile. "Ragna, you already know that I have high standards. For me to say something like that, don't you think you've become an exception in my book, that I trust you?"

Ragna rolled his eyes to the side while turning his head the same way. "I just need to get used to you trusting me, as funny as that sounds. I mean, I don't think I've been this close to you as I have now."

Rachel maintained her smile while facing Ragna. His maturity certain came with time but she was genuinely happy that he was maturing. "Ragna, I hope you understand the importance of taking things from different angles and other perspectives. I noticed how you tried to restrain yourself from being all mad like a dog with all bark and no bite. Talking can be like fighting. For you see, a debate or an argument is a battle of wits and words. Violence is almost invalid in a debate or an argument because even if you batter the person soundly, if the person had clear evidence to support the argument against you, you've already lost. Words can be a verbal weapon. Like with your Azure, you must use your wits and tongue wisely. Think things through, don't be two-faced. Learn to be flexible, to avoid being one-dimensional. That is the key to finding the shortcut to victory, Ragna."

Ragna took a deep breath as he took in that lecture he'd received from Rachel. Ragna realized that he truly appreciates her company and her advice. He felt safe with her. He knew that in his short life, he still has much to learn. "Thanks, Rachel. I appreciate it. You're really the best teacher a goofball like me could ask for."

Rachel gave out a taunting yawn. "Your thanks is to be expected. However, you're welcome. You cannot deny though, that you're still a dog in training." Her face formed a smirk from that.

A period of silence befell the two for a bit. Then, in the next few moments, the two started laughing together. Ragna never heard Rachel giggle in his life. It was the most wonderful sound he had ever heard. It was a sound only an angel would make, and he loved every sound of it and every second he could hear of it. Ragna couldn't hold himself back anymore.

Ragna came closer to Rachel, and then wrapped his arms around her, gently embracing her. It was like he thought of her before, she is the coolest girl he had ever had the honor of meeting and knowing in his life. Ragna loved this new perspective that he was taking, thanks to Rachel's advice, although cryptic. If Ragna actually thought about the meaning of her advice, he would eventually get what it meant...if he bothered to think instead of taking a badass attitude towards just about everything.

Ragna loved Rachel and he welcomed the feelings for her into his heart and accepted them. Rachel was no different. He was foul-mouthed and lacked manners from time to time but she couldn't deny that he's the most dependable and resilient man she had ever met. Her deepest secret that she has yet to tell him is that her own resiliency was in-part inspired by his own. Perhaps when she judges for herself that he earned the right to hear that from her, she'll tell. But for now, it's a secret locked in her heart.

Inside, Rachel's room, Ragna had the roses in his face again, blinding him. He was standing near the dresser. "Why is this shit happening? Are you changing me again?"

"On the contrary..." She trailed off her own sentence.

"What is it? Just tell me what it is!" Ragna said impatiently.

Ragna could hear the faint sound of clothes. Could it be that she was the one who was changing? That was a possibility. Was it going to be a white dress? It would certainly be something intriguing to see, considering she was always wearing that black dress in front of him.

"Alright, Ragna. You can look now." Rachel snapped her fingers to make the roses disappear from Ragna's eyes.

It took a second for Ragna to recover his vision but once he did, what he saw almost completely made him trip over backwards and fall to the floor. He stumbled a bit but then regained his footing. This was something out of the ordinary but certainly something worth wondering if he was in a dream. She was in a...swimsuit?

Rachel was wearing one of those full-body, skintight swimsuits. The shoulder straps were red, while the rest of it was black. Ragna never properly pictured Rachel naked before but he took this opportunity to observe her bare skin. Her shoulders looked so broad. The arms looked frail but at the same time had a bit of strength to them. Her body was so well-toned. Her legs were not too different as well. Her feet looked almost perfect. No peeled skin, perfectly cut toenails, just perfect. Her physical body was perfect in this eyes.

Rachel crossed her arms and turned her head downward and to the side. "I'm waiting for you to make your judgment. I'm getting rather cold here."

Ragna wasn't sure what to say about this. This was really sudden for him to be looking at Rachel in a swimsuit. Never in a million years did he ever picture Rachel in a swimsuit, especially one in which it really outlined the body. "I'm not sure why you did this. What's all this about?"

A small vein popped in Rachel's head as she crossed her arms even tighter. "This is your reward for proving your heart to me through words. Go on, say some perverted things your mind is thinking about me right now. It's your reward for tolerating my quips and cryptic qualities for as long as you have and then falling in love with me."

Ragna merely smiled with teeth opened saying, "You're just perfect, Rachel."

Rachel still didn't look at Ragna straight in the eye. "What? Is that all?"

Ragna nodded. "Yes. You're just absolutely fantastic the way your body looks."

Rachel could hear the sincerity in his voice. She sighed with a slight sense of relief. "I was worried that you would comment on my lack of breasts."

Ragna shook his head. "Those things are so overrated. You could have the biggest knockers in the world but if you're just a plain bitch then it doesn't matter jackshit."

Rachel's eyes glanced over to Ragna with her head still turned to the side and a smile formed on her lips. "Well said. Don't overdo it though. Can I change back to my signature dress again? I'm going to catch a cold before too long."

Ragna shook his head yes while smiling. "Sure. Also, thanks for doing that for me."

Rachel's lips formed a mischievous smirk. "Would you like a look at my outlined buttocks, though? You might never get the chance to see me in a swimsuit again."

Ragna's face flushed deep red. "Hey! Shut up, will you?!"

Rachel exhaled while resisting the urge to giggle. "I jest."

Ragna crossed his arms while turning his head to the side as he growled. "Still, thanks for rewarding me, I guess..."

Rachel still held a smile on her face. She slowly began to change back into her dress as Ragna's head was turned. "It is as I've said before. I had many admirers in the past. There were some that made a strong case but the bulk of them didn't even hold a candle. Many of them were infatuated by my beauty and didn't hold up to my very high standards when it came to manners. However, the intriguing thing is that I was the one who fell for a man instead of a man falling for me this time around. If I told you that you are the very first person who had ever made me do what I did and say what I've said, would you believe me, Ragna?" By the time she had asked her question, she was in her dress again.

Ragna turned back and scratched his head, slightly confused. "I suppose I'll have to take your word for it and as an honor. But, why me? Why an asshole like me?"

Rachel took a moment to think of her answer then nodded once she thought of something. "Maybe...I wanted to be someone different from me while fulfilling my own standards. After all, differences truly make the world go around, don't they?"

"Now that you mention it, they do." Ragna couldn't resist a chuckle after saying that.

Rachel clapped her hands twice in a "chop-chop" manner. "Now that I know that you're fully committed to me, I would like you to follow my everything I tell you to, no exception. You're going to have to start by getting rid of that outfit of yours once you can fully abstain from using your Azure. Also, we have to teach you some manners that you need to make use of while you're in my domain. I will you allow you free access and reign to go wherever you please but be careful of what females you interact with because if I get a hint of flirtatiousness from that particular female, I will be displeased. You are to tell me your curfew for when you are returning and where you will be going so that it'll be clear that no secret is being kept from me. Is that understood?"

Ragna's jaw dropped for a split second before picking it back up. "Is...that a joke, Rachel?"

Rachel gave a smirk to Ragna. "No."

Ragna groaned then felt the tightness in his suit again. "Can I take this off already?"

"No."