Past Hector: Started this chapter right after finishing the last one, my most Freaky of Darlings! So… yeah, it probably won't be done anytime soon. Well, obviously you're reading it now, but still. It's been a while.

Current Hector: It's been a while indeed. Today is my birthday… that… that is a hell of a time gap. Alright, I guess this chapter is supposed to be an anniversary celebration-chapter thing for me managing to make 20 trips around the sun.

Future Hector: I'M OLD AS SHIT AND ANGRY AS HELL!

Current Hector: This isn't Trollian, get the hell out of here Future me.

(5 points for those of you who got the blatant reference)

Lysylta eyed her guest with curiosity, wondering if he had given up on making this seem like a purely friendly visit; even sending his guards away didn't do much to liven the mood.

"Tell me, Hiashi…" Lysylta started, cutting the man off in the middle of a comment about her place of residence. "Why did you come here?"

"Is it so difficult to believe that I see potential in you, and thusly wish to ensure we are allies?" Hiashi countered, calm and composed as ever. Then again, as professional as he was, the man couldn't help but sound like a father using simple logic to a child. "Tea seems like a good starting place that stands in the neutral ground of the culture gap I've heard you complain of."

"I have no difficulty in believing that is part of this visit, but you've already made this clear; I was thus asking about the other reason you are here." Lysylta pressed, lacing her fingers and giving an apologetic smile, "I'm sorry if you were going to be dramatic about it, but I hate not knowing things."

Hiashi didn't respond at first, instead taking a sip from his cup of tea. He seemed to ponder the flavor for a moment before his eyes opened and met with Lysylta's.

"Tell me, are you the kind of person that cares about politics or appearances?"

"Not particularly; if something greater than myself is at stake then I will show an interest, but I don't have the time to pay heed to things as inconsequential as politics."

"And your opinion on appearances?" It was a very leisurely conversation that was taking place, despite how uncomfortable someone would be in the same room as the two of them.

"A witch should always look her best." Lysylta replied simply.

"Indeed, as should anything or anyone that is frequently under observation." Hiashi took another casual sip of his tea. "My clan is obviously such a thing that must be observed; our Byakugan is quite powerful, and we're a strong part of Konaha's military. We are watched both for our safety and Konaha's, but this observation has been boiled down to appearances for some; we must adhere to the status quo to retain respect, and thus power."

"The status quo has a dazzling song, from what I hear."

"Indeed it does. Ultimately, it comes down to myself and the Hyuuga Elders to keep my clan in order; this means upholding the expectations of a Hyuuga in public, as well as keeping our hands out of potentially dangerous situations."

"Which raises the question of why you're here."

"You are not a dangerous situation at the moment, but you have the potential to facilitate one. Specifically, one regarding my daughter."

"Ah, that would explain this visit." Lysylta muttered to herself, fully aware that it was loud enough for Hiashi to hear. He either didn't care or didn't pay attention as he took another calm sip.

"I am glad that I have been the kind of father who she feels she may talk to, but there are certain limits to that joy based on her questions. I will spare you the specifics of our talk, but she was very curious about whether or not it was alright for two women to have relations; it's not a common practice in Konaha, as I'm sure people have been telling you for two weeks." Hiashi took in Lysylta's expression, somewhat impressed by her bemused poker face. "Now then, she didn't go into great detail herself, but it came to light that you were the source of these questions."

"I'm flattered she thinks of me that way."

"I trust you already know the main issue at hand."

Lysylta sat up a bit straighter as she stretched, rubbing a sore spot on her neck that had been there since she had woken up. She wasn't particularly scared or nervous; Hiashi's intent wasn't to intimidate her, regardless.

"Hinata is the heiress of the Hyuuga Clan; if it comes to the public's attention that she enjoys the company of other women, there will be a potential backlash that would damage your clan's reputation and disrupt its position within the no-doubt perilous political arena of Konaha." Lysylta finally responded, absentmindedly stirring her tea; Hiashi raised a brow as the spoon spun the liquid around, following the motions of Lysylta's finger even though she wasn't touching it. "Of course, that is just the damage it could do to your clan as a whole. She would still face issues all her own because of it."

"Even if Hinata were to pass her mantle to Hanabi, my youngest daughter, her choices would still reflect upon the clan heavily as my daughter." Hiashi gauged Lysylta's reaction, failing to see even a slight shift in her expression.

"And what of Hinata herself?"

"I cannot say that I would be able to bring myself to take action beyond verbal reprimand; the Elders, however, would hold more power than myself in such a scenario; banishment from the clan following the application of the Caged Bird seal would be the kindest thing they do."

"Caged Bird seal?"

This was the first time Hiashi had heard her voice change through the entirety of their conversation; what emotions it conveyed had escaped him though.

"It is not a practice I am fond of but one that, like many things in Konaha, are enforced almost as law if only because they are old traditions. It is a seal applied to the forehead of the Branch house of the Hyuuga clan, which can be used to cause the bearer intense pain or even kill them if need be. It is used to control the Branch house. It also prevents the removal of the Byakugan, making sure that it stays within Konaha."

There was a time of silence as Lysylta stopped her stirring, taking the tea and sipping lightly. Just before the lack of noise became overly unnerving, the witch spoke.

"I do not believe it would be wise for them to pursue such a route. My own interests in Hinata aside, I do not think I could stand idly by while such a thing happened." It was said both slowly and calmly, a certain serenity to the words that made them all the more threatening. "And what are your feelings about this, Hiashi?"

"I believe that has been explained."

"No, Hiashi Hyuuga, the Clan Head of the Hyuuga has been explaining the political situation to me. I want Hiashi, Father of Hinata and Hanabi Hyuuga, to explain his opinion in this." Lysylta repeated, knowing full well that Hiashi had understood her the first time.

"My personal feelings have little place in this matter."

"But that does not mean they are any less significant."

"Perhaps." Hiashi reached over and took the teapot, tipping it with almost mechanical precision for the gentle stream of tea to fall to his cup. "What would you have me say? That I would support my daughter against tradition and risk a collapse in my clan?"

"I would imagine a father saying that."

The flinch was minor, though the falling tea made it all the more noticeable. There was a pause as he set down the pot and made a few handsigns. Apparently it was to silence the room, based on what her wards told her.

"…In some ways it makes me happy; I remember being a younger man, thinking of almost nothing but women. I worried that, when Hinata hit that age, something foolish would be done and she would be with child before her life had really started, or worse." Hiashi shook his head, clearing it of memories before he rambled. "Women could hurt her as badly as a man could of course, but there are no accidental children when two women lay with each other, no matter how reckless they are."

"And myself?"

"I know you as well as anyone who has asked me for my daughter's hand, and though you've yet to do so the principle still stands. As a father I wish only for the happiness and safety of my children, and I don't know if Hinata can find either in you or any woman. Who am I to call this anything but a phase, or disregard it a phase if it is truly how she is?"

"You're only human, either way." Lysylta looked distant for a moment, staring into her tea like she had found long lost memories within the amber depths. "I don't think that's for either of us to decide though; some things simply are, whether or not we understand them. The inner workings of my family are one of those things, for instance."

"Speaking of your family, The Queen's Right is something else I wanted to remark on, while I am speaking as a father."

Lysylta let out a listless chuckle, shaking her head and seeming to lose some of her youthful energy for a moment.

"I am not looking for trophy wives, Hiashi; if I decide to pursue a relationship, it is for the same reason countless knights have fallen to wicked beasts guarding fair princesses. I am truthfully not sure how I feel about having the Right; some days I am repulsed by the concept of splitting my affections, others I find myself understanding that love is not a quantifiable or finite thing. I find myself pulled in multiple directions regardless of the day, I suppose."

"Tell me, Lysylta, what are your feelings about this since you have pried mine forth, and seem so willing to talk?"

"…I believe it is ultimately her choice; no one but Hinata can decide her preferences." The witch locked eyes with Hiashi, surprising the man with the intensity of her gaze, "If anyone tries to punish her for exploring to find herself, or otherwise being true to herself, I assure you that they will have to go through me."

"Threats mean little to those drunk with power."

"Their sobering will be swift then. This is ultimately a matter for Hinata to decide upon; it has nothing to do with humans that time has left behind." Lysylta sat erect, reminding Haishi that she was as tall as most men in Konaha, yet somehow seemed to make herself much larger by the simplest changes in posture. "Though I may be the only Deth in Konaha, it does not mean I am alone in my ideals or my battles."

"You seem almost eager to come to blows."

"Perhaps it is just how I am." Lysylta's response was curt, reminding Hiashi that she was not human. It was difficult to keep in mind at points, but her logic and reasoning could be twisted compared to his, leaving her actions occasionally bewildering. "What has been said to Hinata?"

"I warned her about what was likely to come of it, and told her that no trouble would come of associating with you or being a friend to you. Anything more than that is asking for trouble from someone." Hiashi folded his arms, standing resolute under Lysylta's scrutiny as she considered his response. "What do you intend to tell her?"

"That any relationship she chooses to have is her own business, and that I would be delighted if she found a place in her heart for me." Lysylta chuckled after a moment, smiling playfully, "Of course, I may have to let slip how amazing breasts are; she should definitely consider that before making any decisions."

-¤҈¤-

Hiashi had excused himself from the conversation shortly after, citing some matter that needed his attention at the clan compound. He had most likely been telling the truth, but Lysylta felt that part of it was Hiashi needing time to plan his actions from this point out; he was in a complicated situation, and he had to manage multiple interests at once.

All things considered the man was likely to be an ally; the whole of his clan might not end up being, but the two of them seemed to share similar values. If nothing else he seemed appreciative of the fact that Lysylta believed that this was Hinata's choice and that she wouldn't do anything unwanted.

The conversation had set Lysylta on a slightly more direct than she had been on prior, however. The issues of the Queen's Right and any relationships she wanted to pursue weren't things she wanted to leave brewing overly long.

She would endeavor to have some level of finesse, of course, but Tyro had taught her that if a problem arises the best solution is often a direct approach. Hinata was definitely her top priority at the moment given that morning's events, but Tenten was the next stop.

Lysylta almost faltered in her even gait at the thought; Tenten slightly confused her. There were times when Lysylta thought that the girl was coming on to her, and others when she was sure they were just friends with a mutual understanding of dedication. Her own feelings had been a little less fluctuating, though Lysylta did intend to leave it up to Tenten regarding how they proceeded. Again, the solution that she was going with was the direct route.

A certain level of care had been taken by the witch to arrive after Kurenai had left, entering from such a direction that the jounin would be none the wiser to her presence as she searched for Hinata. Lysylta had been visiting daily for about a week—having learned Kurenai's exit route in that time and visiting Tenten after spending an hour or so with Hinata—and had somehow managed to kiss the violet-haired girl on each occasion.

All things considered it was probably why the girl went home with questions.

"Boo." Lysylta whispered, making Hinata jump at the sudden sound from behind her. The quiet "Eep" she made drew the attention of her teammates, but they just offered half-hearted greetings and went back to their conversation; it was pretty clear at this point that the witch came to talk with Hinata, and trying to come into the conversation was difficult enough and hardly worth the effort with how quickly one was kicked out.

"L-lysylta-chan, you sh-shouldn't scare p-people like that." Hinata turned, flushed but smiling lightly as she tried to scold the witch. Lysylta prepared to overdramatically clutch at her heart as though wounded, but her purpose in coming her today changed her mind.

"Hinata, would you mind coming with me for a bit? We need to talk about something." Lysylta let her tone be serious for a moment, catching the Hyuuga off guard considering how relaxed and playful the lycan generally was. "This is a bit private; would you be willing to come to the trees?"

"I-I…uh, Su-sure."

"If either of you try to listen, I will personally transmute your genitals into Shock Lizards and leave them fused to you." Lysylta warned, eyes flashing for a moment. Kiba raised his hands in surrender while Shino shuddered slightly; neither knew what a Shock Lizard was, but having one for a dick would probably rank high on the suck-o-meter. Or not at all, depending on what Suck-o-Meter you were using.

The two watch as Lysylta gently led Hinata off into the trees, a hand on the heiress's back guiding her despite the lack of resistance. When the witch was satisfied with the distance she turned and face Hinata, doing her best to keep her face even despite rolling a bit of the inside of her lips between her canines.

"What did y-you want to talk about?" Hinata asked, a hint of nervousness creeping into her voice; aside from the day of the witch's aptitude test, Hinata couldn't recall seeing her expression as anything but relatively playful. Part of her was wondering if they were about to go beyond just kissing in the woods, but she tried to ignore that trail of thought before it got the better of her.

"I want to know what we're going to do."

"Do about wh-what?"

"Do I really have to answer that Hinata?"

There was a brief pause as the Heiress let her expression drop, seeming as though she stumbled upon a bad memory.

"I… my father spoke to you, didn't he?"

"Yes. I appreciated the warning, but to be perfectly honest I don't care about that; where I come from I'm more likely to catch shit about being a lycanthrope than being interested in women, and by "catch shit" I mean people would legitimately be trying to murder me." Lysylta added, feeling that it would help drive the point home. Still, that point wasn't the one she wanted to make at the moment, "That said, I want to know what you want. I would be a little sad if you wished to have me as nothing more than a friend, but I would not blame you for valuing peace in your life and I would recover."

"He said that it would cause a lot of trouble for my clan too."

"You are the Heiress; I can't change the facts, and I'm honestly unfamiliar enough with your culture to argue them. Still, whether or not we pursue this is your choice and I assure you that I will do everything in my power to make sure you are safe. If it were in my power to keep this from reflecting on your clan in a way they didn't like, I would do it as well if you asked."

"I…" Hinata managed to stumble through several syllables, trying to start a number of sentences and cutting herself short as she tried to assemble her thoughts.

"You can be blunt, if you need to be." Lysylta offered, wondering if the girl was too used to having to carefully word her sentences. Hinata shook her head, leaning back against the tree behind her while her hands busied themselves by wringing eachother.

"What do y-you want?"

"I want a lot of things." Lysylta replied, sighing at her own vague answer. This was probably going to be the best chance to bring the Queen's Right up. "I'll be more specific in a minute. Hinata, before you decide I need to tell you something that complicates this situation further. Has anyone told you that I have something called the Queen's Right, or what it means?"

"N-no, what i-is it?"

Here it goes…

"I'm the only Werefox in the Deth Pack; Due to that and a couple other factors I qualified for the right to have multiple partners. It's not something I have to use, but my family will most likely expect it of me. Not only that, but if we were together then there are two other factors that you should put thought into. The first is simple: If I enter a relationship like this, it's because I have the intent to marry by the end of it. I don't do flings."

Hinata nodded slowly, taking this in. She seemed oddly unfazed by the Queen's Right, which would have been a good thing had Lysylta not been unsure of how to interpret that.

"The o-other?"

"It relates to the first; I'm going to outlive you by several centuries at least. I'd have to pass on Lycanthropy to you at some point if we want to remain together for more than a century. There are perks to it, of course, but abandoning one's right to call themselves human is not something done lightly."

Hinata let the information sink in, thoughts swirling behind closed eyes as she tried to pull a coherent sentence from the maelstrom.

"I… Don't even really know if I like women like that… like this…" Hinata started, her words even and slow enough to avoid a stutter. "But I do like you; I've been told not to say love lightly, but I think that it's what this will turn into with just a little time."

Lysylta smiled, pleased by her answer. The witch reeled herself in before she got too giddy, reminding herself that it hadn't been a definite yes.

"And the complications?"

"I don't think I could do f-flings either. I guess… the other part is something that we'd have to deal with later." Hinata looked at Lysylta to see if her statement about there being time left was true; getting a nod, she continued, "The… this is going t-to sound terrible. Th-there's always been a chance H-hanabi and I might marry the same man, so I've… it's not a… I've thought about it."

"And?" This was fairly important after all.

"Who else?"

It took a moment for Lysylta to register the question, having been expecting a direct answer.

"That… is a matter of debate at the moment. Tenten Mizuhara possibly, but I'm not entirely sure of her feelings towards me; I was going to find her after I spoke with you. I don't think there's anyone else in Konoha that I'm really taken with, or that's taken with me."

"T-tenten?" Hinata seemed a bit surprised, more color flooding her already bright cheeks; apparently the two knew each other. There was a pregnant pause before she spoke again. "Would you love me less if you had another… person?"

"No. I wouldn't love them less for having you either."

Hinata nodded, silently considering everything for a few minutes. She was glad that Lysylta was content to let her think; any pressure beyond what her own mind and heart were giving her might have made her faint.

"Can I su-summerize just so I kn-know for sure what you're asking?" There was a nod, and the Heiress went on, "You're… asking me to… M-marry you, basically? And become…like you, and share you w-with someone else?"

"I have an idea for the Queen's Right, but I don't know if it will make it any more appealing. The rest is..." Lysylta cut herself off from making the long-winded remark, smiling lightly, "Yes, Hinata. I'm basically asking you if you'd like to marry me and give up your humanity. You can… probably leave the relationship any time before the Lycanthropy part, but any damage that will be done will happen as soon as people figure out we're together."

"…Thank you. You…can leave me if I'm not what you want in a…wife. It's only fair if I can leave because of that."

Silence was almost becoming a third speaker in their conversation at this point, though the two of them ignored the non-existent words in favor of awkwardly staring at each other.

"That was basically a yes, right?"

Hinata let out a nervous giggle, feeling almost lightheaded; her chest certainly felt funny, and there were more than a few butterflies flapping about in her stomach.

"I-It was." She admitted, taking a hesitant step forward after a moment of thought, "I…think w-we're supposed t-to… y-you know…"

The girl was practically made of adorable in Lysylta's opinion, and the fact that she twiddled her fingers like that when she wasn't sure what to be doing with them only escalated her higher on the ladder in that regard.

The kiss was a bit different from the few they had shared over the week; it was slower, yet a bit more intimate as the two wrapped their arms around the other. It was short and sweet given that Lysylta begrudgingly pulled back before her hands started wandering, but it was still something she had savored on the same level as mastering a difficult spell; perhaps even moreso.

"I believe I said I would explain what I wanted earlier." Lysylta started with a smile, enjoying the fact they were still at least hugging each other. Hinata nodded, her face managing to stay a fairly consistent level of red; Lysylta could feel a bit of tension in the hug, but the girl was basically rebelling against a lot of things that would invariably bite her in the ass later. Simply put, the witch didn't blame her for the slight apprehension. "I want many things; power, my own castle, to leave behind more powerful magic than the generation before me, and I want company while I pursue those dreams. Company that I can spend my life with, that I can kiss and hold."

The girl relaxed a little, giving a still-red smile. Lysylta grinned back, keeping her hands on Hinata's sides in an attempt to cull the urge to wander.

"Do... do y-you mind if we g-go a little slow?" Hinata asked, looking down; she felt embarrassed for asking such a thing when they had already been kissing before any formal relationship. She really hoped that Lysylta's giggle wasn't directed at her.

"We can go at whatever speed you're comfortable with; I've got nothing but time Hinata." Lysylta replied with a grin, "I know that I said this was basically a proposal, but we're girlfriends until there's a formal wedding and that can be however far away it needs to be. The Lycanthropy can be postponed until you feel ready as well; we go at what pace you find comfortable."

"Thank you; it means a lot to me." Hinata smiled, leaning into the hug and resting her cheek over Lysylta's heart.

-¤҈¤-

"Can I have a day to think about this?" Tenten asked, sitting across from Lysylta and Hinata. This meeting had been a bit out of the blue, and Lysylta's directness had been a little… jarring.

In essence, Tenten had indeed been crushing on Lysylta; her own preference had long been for women, and the witch ended up fitting a bill that Tenten didn't know existed. Her plan had basically been to try and subtly court the lycan; needless to say, it had just been blown from the water.

"If you need the time, yes. I would like an answer soon though, if you could." Lysylta responded, hesitating for a moment before she continued, "There… is something I would like to suggest about the Queen's Right, since you're both here."

"What i-is it?" Hinata had been wondering since Lysylta had alluded to it earlier; the wait hadn't been long, but the suspense and speculation had been bothersome nonetheless.

"Right now, it's set up to be that I'm supposed to be the crux of the relationship; I doubt I'm going to take anyone other than you two into my heart, but the point is you'll both be connected to me. The issue is… well, first is an issue of jealousy; I promise I won't love either of you less because I have two wives and I'm not going to play favorites, but I won't always be able to balance time well. Beyond that it means if there's an issue with me then it could throw everything out of order."

"Making this sound like an amazing way to have a relationship." Tenten deadpanned, earning a poke to the forehead from some unseen force; presumably it was Lysylta's doing, given her smirk.

"I think it should be less like a tree, where I am the center of things, and more like a Web, where everyone is connected."

There was yet another silence as Lysylta's meaning sunk in. Tenten laughed and leaned back against the training post; she was glad that they were alone.

"So you want Hinata and me to date too?" She summarized, shaking her head with a smile of disbelief. "This is actually happening, right? I'm not just dreaming?"

"I assure you I'm quite real. What do you two think, though?" Lysylta's voice took on a sudden, nervous quality that made both girls snap their attention to the witch. There was a bit of color to her cheeks and the look of trepidation on her face seemed so foreign to her features it was almost unnatural. Needless to say, the two found her rather adorable in the moment.

"I…understand the reasoning." Tenten started, sighing, "I still want some time to think though; I mean, I'd be crazy to say no to such pretty ladies, but I want some time to figure out how this is going to work. At least for me, that is; I guess you two already had your thinking time."

"I und-derstand too." Hinata added, blushing a bit from Tenten's compliment. "And y-yeah, I… I've w-worked it o-out. It'll be a little w-weird at f-first, but like Lysylta s-said this is g-going to be a r-really l-long relationship; If we d-don't love each other a little, it might cause some issues later on." Hinata finished, stutter slipping from her speech near the end. "Besides, it m-might just happen on its own anyway."

"It might. I've never been in a relationship, but I've been told love make weird things happen." Lysylta remarked, continuing her train of throught before she could think better of it, "I've also heard orgasms can cause one's natural magic to do weird things to the room, but that's not really…umm…"

Lysylta had the decency to blush alongside Hinata and Tenten, though she had the privilege of pulling the rim of her hat down to hide her face.

"So, is there anything else I need to know?" Tenten asked, trying to keep her head clear of what Lysylta would look like during the throes of passion. Then again, the door was basically open for her to pursue those thoughts now.

"Y-you should kiss her." Both the kunoichi and the witch turned their heads to give a questioning look to the Hyuuga that had spoken, causing the girl to blush an even deeper red while she fiddled with her fingers. "L-Lysylta has kissed m-me a few times… so s-she should kiss you t-too."

"I… am okay with this if you are Tenten." Lysylta let go of her hat, cheeks still alight. Her tone of confidence was still there, but it was softer; trying to give Tenten the chance to refuse if she wanted to.

"No tongue; I think I can handle a normal kiss though, if you'd like." Tenten did her best to be a bit sexy with the last part, motioning the lycan over with a finger.

It was odd seeing someone move so gracefully on all fours, though Lysylta manage to make the movements natural and almost predatory as she closed the gap with a sultry smile. Hinata watched as their lips met and held for a moment as they both leaned into the kiss, wondering if that what it looked like when Lysylta kissed her.

There was a slight pang of jealousy, which she had expected, but she trusted Lysylta. The pang aside, this was actually pretty hot to watch. The surprising part came when Tenten made the same "come here" gesture towards her when Lysylta pulled back.

"W-what?"

"We're supposed to be even, right? Get over here and kiss me." Tenten beckoned, smiling welcomingly and hoping that it wasn't apparent how fast her heart was beating and how nervous her own request had made her. Hinata flushed, looking to Lysylta for some sort of input.

"She has a point; I mean, if you're comfortable doing that right now." Lysylta scratched her cheek sheepishly, a bit more color coming back to her cheeks, "Of course, it'd be kinda hot if you did."

"You don't have to, but I have to say I've thought about kissing you more than once Hinata-chan." Tenten added with a wink, reminding the Hyuuga that both Tenten and Lysylta had been seated in their preferences a lot longer than she had.

It was less of a crawl and more of an awkward scoot along the ground, but Hinata soon rested beside Tenten.

Lysylta watched as the two kissed, reveling in slight disbelief as she watched the two lock lips; this was something she had been wanted to see in person for quite some time. Not the two of them specifically, of course, but now it was just icing on the "Two-women-are-kissing-in-front-of-me" cake.

"I th-think that I'm going to e-enjoy this relationship." Hinata smiled, blushing alongside her company.

"W-well, I still want to take a day. Just to get my head straight." Tenten reminded, stuttering for just a moment.

The two kunoichi jumped slightly when Lysylta sprang to her feet, lashing out with her arm and grabbing the air before jerking the appendage back. Were it not for the scream of surprise and the shinobi skidding along the ground towards them, they might have bothered to ask what she was doing. They sprang up in record time; Tenten with a kunai in one hand and the other over her scroll pouch, Hinata slipping into the stance for the Gentle Fist and activating her Byakugan.

The man's momentum was canceled by Lysylta's foot planting itself on her chest and pinning him to the ground; invisible threads forged of her mana bound the shinobi's hands, fingers, and feet to the ground as well.

"You've got ten seconds to explain why you were spying on us before I start up an experiment to see how quickly a liter of water from Hell will burn through you." Lysylta's voice came out as cold as ice, the air crackling around her as she increased the pressure on his chest.

"W-Wait! I'm member of Konoha, not an enemy spy!" The man frantically shouted, jerking his head to her bicep; a headband bearing Konoha's leaf was tied there, though the answer did little to appease the witch.

"Seven. Six."

"Lysylta-chan!" Hinata scolded in slight disbelief that this was the same woman she had kissed earlier. She reminded herself though, as Tenten was no doubt doing, that many people changed when they were dealing with potentially dangerous situations.

If nothing else Hinata's words stopped Lysylta's countdown, though she didn't let the man up.

"You haven't answered my question. I suggest you enlighten me before I decide to stop listening to Hinata."

"D-Don't hurt me! I was just heading back home and… well you don't just pass by a bunch of women sitting in a training field making out… err… don't hurt me please?"

Tenten and Hinata turned a bright red, the former about to at least kick the man in the head for being a pervert, but a crackling sound drew their attention to the lightning arcing between the fingers of Lysylta's hand.

"I'm going to make this very clear: If you lie to me again, I will kill you and tear the answers from your ghost."

The tone of finality was choking. The man swallowed, weighing his options; eventually, he took the path that might let him live.

"The Shinobi Council and the Hyuuga Elders assigned me to keep an eye on you and report your activities to them. I… look, I don't care what you do, but I think this sort of thing was part of why they asked me to OKAY THAT IS PAIN!"

"Lysylta…" Tenten said slowly, getting the lycan to look at her from the corner of her eye; she saw fury in the glance, possibly from both being lied to and spied on. "Not matter how messed up this is, he's still a leaf shinobi."

"…Where I'm from I'd have every right to show you exactly what your internal organs look like, but you're lucky that I'm in a budding relationship; I've heard ignoring what your partner is saying and disemboweling someone in front of her isn't the best way to start things here." Lysylta remarked, voice still icy as she removed her foot. "Leave before I change my mind, and tell your employers two things for me, got it?"

"Y-yes ma'am!" The man stayed on the ground, waiting for the messages.

"First, let them know that if any actions are taken against either of these fine ladies because of their relationship with me… well, let's just say I'm going to introduce people to Lycanthropic Diplomacy." Lysylta bared her fangs to make a point, her eyes flashing crimson for a brief moment as a sign of her heritage.

"O-of course! Wh-what's the second message?"

"Tell them to pay for your hospital bill and any medications you are prescribed; I'm fairly sure I at least cracked a rib and you're bleeding from being dragged over here."

"….o-okay."

The man slowly stood up, backing up slowly and disappearing after a tense few seconds.

"I'm sorry about that; I don't like being lied to or spied on." Lysylta apologized, sighing and shaking her head as she turned to face Hinata and Tenten. "It's probably a good thing you saw that though. I mean, I wouldn't ever be that way with either of you, but I can be a bit violent. Oh, no, not like that, I mean I'd never hurt you or anything—I mean, if you're into that then I guess, but I mean It can be hard to control. I mean, shit, I…uh…" Lysylta gave up, hanging her head and settling for a defeated "Well fuck" before looking up like Hinata and Tenten were about to pass righteous judgement on her.

"You're adorable when you're stumbling for words." Tenten laughed, flicking the Lycan on the forehead. "You've been doing your best to be kind and polite as hell around me this week; It's not like I expected you to be that way all the time. Plus I think he kinda deserved that all things considered; I guess this is part of those complications you mentioned though, right?"

"Yes. I have a feeling that the village will be trying to observe me for quite some time; the next time I decide that I don't appreciate it I'm going to…" Lysylta stopped herself from finishing her sentence, opting for an awkward laugh before pretending it hadn't happened, "Well, I have my house warded, so no one can set foot on the property without permission and you can't see anything through the windows; it'll look like the house is empty."

"What w-were you going to say?"

There was a brief silence before Lysylta replied, feigning a disarming smile.

"I really don't think you want me to tell you that." She had tried to sound cheery enough, but she was mentally kicking herself for starting the sentence at all; this world was significantly less violent than her home and if the constant looks were anything to go by her threats were seen as fairly horrific at best and excoriatingly inhumane at worse.

"Probably not, but now I'm too curious." Tenten shrugged, trying to smile a little wider. People weren't always who they tried to appear to be; Lysylta, as a rule of thumb apparently, had been doing her best to seem "human" for the two of them or kind at the very least. It wasn't overly hard to tell that between the detail she would describe some magic and the fiasco with the spy that she was a bit "rougher" than she cared to admit.

"…It was basically going to be a remark regarding finding out how long it would take a white-hot pebble to burn through a body after I make someone swallow it. Happy now?" Lysylta asked, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"That's not so bad, see?"

"Yeah, but the thing is I can actually do that to someone." Lysylta reminded, thankfully managing to not mention that she had done so before; it had taken roughly an hour. "Can we switch to a topic not involving my tendency to cite my ability to inflict pain on others?"

"U-uh… D-do you think I s-should go home?" Hinata asked, having been waiting to ask the question. "H-he said the Hyuuga Elders…"

"Oh… shit. They would not like this whole arrangement, would they?" Tenten asked, biting her lip. She had totally forgotten Hinata's family was a part of this equation; Now that she thought about it her own parents were either ignoring her sexuality or were okay with it—though the latter seemed highly unlikely given some of her father's rants— but they weren't likely to take this well.

"You can both stay with me if anything happens." Lysylta offered, sighing, "I was hoping that this would take slightly longer to become an issue, but I suppose everything moves faster with humans. How… involved, do you want me to be with your clan Hinata?"

Hinata looked touched by the offers of housing, but she seemed slightly confused by Lysylta's question, prompting the Lycan to continue.

"What do you m-mean?" She asked, her head tilted slightly.

"Would you rather have me stay out of things as much as possible or do you want me hanging around a lot?"

"I…would you m-mind t-trying to stay c-close? I've heard…st-stories about this sort of th-thing."

Lysylta laughed; it started as a soft giggle before evolving into full blown hysteria. She stepped forward and, incorporating the action into her step to make it all a fluid motion, grabbed both girl and dragged them into a hug that ended up burying their faces in her breasts because of the height difference.

"You are adorable!" She shouted, still laughing; the two girls did their best not to flush a bright red at the embrace and both failed miserably. It only served as fuel to Lysylta's laughter when she let go and let them step back. "I don't think hovering around will help anything, but I have something just as good if you'd prefer."

Hinata watched Lysylta slip off her hat—reminding herself for the umpteenth time that the fox ears were real—and rummage through the apparently internally-huge article. Tenten would have raised a brow if she hadn't seen the woman stick her entire arm in before.

"What's th-this?" Hinata asked upon being handed what looked to be a tiny scroll of parchment; Lysylta handed one to Tenten as well before answering.

"It's basically a… well, a beacon of sorts; mana and chakra can activate scrolls the same way, so all you have to do is pump a bit of chakra into the scroll and it'll activate it." Lysylta explained, donning her hat and smiling as she went on, "Once they're active, I can either teleport to the scroll's location or teleport the scroll and its holder to me. Given the… ambiguity of that system though, I'll be teleporting to you. It can be for anything you want me present for, or if you need to get out of some place fast."

"That's pretty useful; I'd hate to drag you into something though…" Tenten trailed off as Lysylta shook her head.

"They're more intended for if anything goes wrong in Konoha; I don't think everyone is going to just roll over and leave us be, and you two might need the lifeline if things get bad. I'm offering a bit of faith that no one is going to attack you or anything like that, but if you find yourself being harassed or if you just need someone with you for something, use them." Lysylta explain, frowning slightly a moment later, "That being said, I'm always ready for combat and don't hesitate to use the scroll if you need backup for a fight. You two are dear to me and it would wound me to see any harm come to either of you."

"Thank you, Lysylta-chan." Hinata stepped forward and embraced the lycan, smiling. It was part of her nature not to want to bother her new girlfriend, but at the same time it was a huge relief to know that Lysylta could be there at a moment's notice. The heiress was slightly surprised when Tenten joined in the embrace, blushing a bit at the Hyuuga's questioning gaze.

"I… just thought I should get used to the whole group hug thing." She bashfully tried to pull back but Lysylta's arm kept her in for a few seconds before the embrace ended.

"This will be an odd balancing act; A relationship focused on one person is unhealthy, which is what the Queen's Right would make this out to be. That's why I wanted us to be more… open with each other; still, you two can have your own actions as much as I can. It doesn't always have to be a group thing if someone doesn't want it to be." Lysylta sighed and folded her arms, lips twitching down for a fraction of a second. "This is going to be complicated."

"Most relationships are; at least you two look like you'll be worth it." Tenten replied, getting a blush from both of her companions. "Alright, I'm going to head home before I get all mushy and try to wrap my head around this." There was a brief pause before she spoke again, "I…uh… thanks for talking to me about this; I was all set to make an ass out of myself."

"I'm sure it would have been adorable enough for me to let it slide." Lysylta smiled, trying to imagine what the girl had in mind. "But I won't keep you; go ahead and take some time to riddle this out."

"Thanks. I'll see you two tomorrow I guess."

Tenten lingered for a minute, unsure of whether or not she was supposed to say "I love you" or hug them before leaving; eventually she decided to just smile and leave, not entirely comfortable with doing anything more.

Lysylta turned to Hinata as the heiress let out a deflating sigh, raising an eyebrow.

"That w-was nerve w-wracking."

"Only a little; I was worried this was going to blow up in my face." Lysylta loosed a relieved chuckle, scratching her cheek sheepishly, "Truth be told I don't know much about human relationships or reasonable time-frames or pacing or anything like that; I don't know that much about relationships in general, now that I think about it."

"How d-do relationships work wh-where you're from?"

"All I know is that the Fae can court a prospective partner for decades if not a century or so before anything really begins." Lysylta explained, shrugging, "Lycanthropes tend to be pretty much the opposite; I'd say in most lycan relationships it's more like learning as you go. It's understandable given that Lycans are closer to animals than the mortal races; the courtship might be as complex as any other, but it's amazingly brief. I think the Alphas "courted" for about a day before Tyro turned and married her."

"That's… w-wow." Hinata's eyes were wide at the prospect; They had only been seeing each other for a week, but at least their conversations tended to forge a better understanding of the other person. "W-what did they do in that day?"

"I… don't remember all that well; The Alphas don't talk about the past much. I'm pretty sure that Tyro saved her life about three times, stopped a dragon from flattening an orphan, and then proceeded to literally turn an entire city to ash because of some idiotic war said city was trying to start. Pretty sure that sex was involved at some point too."

Hinata didn't have a response to that beyond her face turning a bit redder at the mention of sex. It was in that moment that she realized having a relationship with Lysylta meant sex would be involved.

She was going to, at some point, have sex with Lysylta.

Possibly Tenten too.

Or both at-

"Hinata, are you alright? You look a little distant." Lysylta pressed her hand to the girl's forehead, wondering if all the blushing was actually a sign of some human illness she didn't know about. She knew that the girl blushed a lot about silly things sometimes, but this had to be a record.

The witch wasn't entirely sure what Hinata said in response since the Japanese came out far too fast for her to understand, but it looked like Hinata realized that as well and composed herself enough to answer again.

"I-I'm f-fi-ine! Just a-a little h-hot out here!"

It was a terrible excuse, but hopefully one that Lysylta would buy; it was decently warm today, but the unbearable heat of summer aging into fall had passed a month ago.

"A little, I suppose." Lysylta shrugged, reminding herself that her own endurance for temperatures was different from even the most hardy of humans. In doing so she reminded herself that she needed to get home to check on the potion she had brewing however. "Hinata, I need to get back to my house and tend to a brew that I've been working on; I think you should go home and prepare for whatever may come of this, but keep that scroll handy. I'm going to do my best not to be busy for the next few weeks."

"…Thank you."

There was a lot more that went unsaid behind those two simple words. The embrace they shared was simple and short; their parting bittersweet.

It was only once the door to her study had closed behind her that Lysylta broke the calm façade and jumped in the air, excited elven flying from her lips faster than most would have been able to keep up with. She grabbed her journal and chronicled the day's events, controlling the quill with her magic while she tended to the brew.

It seemed that life amongst humans was about to become more exciting, if nothing else; the witch smiled at the prospect.

Well this one took forever. We're entering finals week here at Penn State, so don't expect much from me for a while. That being said, I'll probably end up doing 99% of a bunch of chapters, then leaving them alone for a month. Because I'm evil… or lazy. Probably lazy.

Anyway, Happy Holidays my freaky Darlings!