Ryoma

There he was, standing in the grand ballroom, talking with his siblings. Xander, Crown Prince of Nohr. It was almost startling to see how casual he acted around his brother and sisters, considering his and Nohr's bleak reputation. Regardless, Xander could already tell that he wasn't particularly fond of the man. Next to him stood Corrin, dressed in her usual outfit. It was one of the few times she faced no opposition towards it, considering that wearing armor in times like this was seen as a symbol of strength and might. It explained why the Nohrians did the same.

Corrin took a rather large bite of a rice dish. "Ya know, Elish's awright." She commented, her mouth still full. Ryoma couldn't even muster up the strength to be annoyed by his sister's less-than-refined behavior. He eventually decided it was just similar to how Hinoka would refuse to act like a "proper princess". Corrin swallowed her bite. "Though, I don't like the other sister. She keeps giving me these weird looks." As if on cue, Princess Camilla glanced over, her one eye not covered by her hair narrowing as she gave a rather odd smile. Corrin shuddered. "I hope that's not her attempting to hit on me."

"She's got some rather strong maternal instincts if I remember correctly." Ryoma explained, finding his sister's discomfort amusing. "Perhaps that's just what she's expressing?" It sounded like the more reasonable explanation to him, at least. Corrin didn't seem too convinced.

"So she's either expressing her warped maternal habits on a girl she just met, or she's hitting on the girl who almost got murdered by her dad. I'm not sure which sounds less weird." Ryoma was glad the Nohrian siblings were out of earshot; he couldn't have imagined the repercussions if Corrin had said something like that in front of Princess Camilla.

"Corrin, listen. Your wit never fails to…liven up a conversation." Ryoma was trying to figure out a nice way to make his point to his sister. "However, it would be for the best if you toned it down, just for the Gala." He smiled at Corrin, hoping his appeal would work.

Corrin grinned, looking back at Ryoma. "Not a chance." She laughed, and Ryoma eventually found himself laughing as well. Looking back, he realized that he had felt less constricted since Corrin had arrived. With her acting so crass and rude, he felt as if it gave him a reason to act somewhat less proper so often. He had smiled more often, spent more time with his siblings. He reminded himself to thank Corrin for it later.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything important." A voice spoke, causing Ryoma and Corrin to stop laughing. In front of them was Xander, looking rather stern despite the casual nature of the gala. "I thought it best to introduce myself formally. Ryoma and I met when I arrived, though we've yet to properly meet." He said to Corrin. Ryoma would have to make sure the conversation didn't go sour.

"Well, it's nice to meet you. I'm Corrin, though you already knew that." The princess greeted. Xander responded in kind before holding out a hand to shake. Corrin, the ever-masterful diplomat, refused to give his attempt at a handshake the time of day. Xander didn't seem to mind too much.

"My sister Elise tells me you've already met with her and Leo."

"Oh yeah. Elise and I go way back." Corrin said, stretching one of her arms. "I'm glad she and I could get over that time when I robbed her."

"I'm…aware, of your previous livelihood." Xander sounded uncomfortable just talking about it. "I'm surprised you're so casual about it. I assumed your brother would reprimand you for your past actions." Ryoma almost spoke out, but he knew he shouldn't intrude unless things grew too hectic.

"Oh no, he understands the position I was in. Steal to survive and all that. Not many other options when the Nohrian royal family can't run their country since they're too busy suppressing rebellions started because people don't like how they can't run their country." Damnit, Corrin…

"You're certainly one to talk about the correct behavior that a member of a royal family should display. From what I've heard, you seem to lack any semblance of proper behavior." Xander shot back.

"Sorry about that. If only I had been taught that kind of behavior when I was little. If only I didn't grow up on the streets. If only your monster of a father hadn't—"

"Corrin, that's enough." Ryoma interrupted. He couldn't let this growing argument get any worse. His sister tried to interject. "Corrin. No more." He said firmly, stopping her. She turned her gaze away, her eyes narrow.

"Whatever. If you need me, I'll be wherever all the good alcohol is." Corrin grumbled, storming off. Ryoma considered saying something to her but decided against it. He glanced over at Xander, only giving a simple nod before walking away himself. He was fully aware of the glare that Xander cast at him as he left.

Mozu

A gentle breeze tickled against Mozu's cheek as she stood on one of the sloped roofs of Castle Shirasagi. She hunched herself over in an attempt to make herself less visible, noticing that Niles and Rinkah were doing the same. The clouds hiding the moon were both helpful and hindering, providing more darkness that cloaked their movements but adversely made their visibility significantly reduced. She was just grateful that there were plenty of lights shining through open windows that gave her a degree of decent vision.

The three of them were dressed in pitch-black cloaks, with hoods over their heads in order to keep their identities hidden to any potential onlookers. Niles carried a backpack filled with the necessary equipment for the heist, though he didn't seem to mind the extra weight too much. They were each armed with just a standard dagger aside from Rinkah, who also had a blunt club at her side.

Niles grabbed a rope from his backpack, tying it to the edge of the slanted roof and slowly feeding it down the face of the wall until it stopped in front of a windowsill. He gave it a few tugs, testing its sturdiness. After confirming it wasn't about to break, he nodded to Rinkah, who took the rope in her hands and slowly maneuvered herself over the edge of the roof, planting her feet on the wall. Still holding on, she began to move her grip further down, walking down the wall and towards the window.

Mozu was so focused on watching Rinkah descend that she almost didn't notice Niles motioning towards her, indicating it was her turn. She had still yet to properly get over the prospect of rappelling down the wall, but she knew she'd have to do it regardless. She took the rope in her hands and approached the edge of the roof. A deep breath in…a deep breath out…she was ready. With shaky legs, Mozu stepped over the edge of the roof.

Flora

Manage the foods, make sure they're stocked up. Clean up any messes that don't require you to get in the way of anyone. Flora's job was simple. Why did he have to come in and muck everything up?

"Flora." He stood in front of her, silver hair controlled by a single ponytail. It was immaculately presentable, just like the rest of his appearance. He always had an obsession with being perfect at everything he could be.

"Jakob." Flora responded back, giving the same cold tone that he had given her. Of course, he had to be here. It had to be him who interrupted her work. "I certainly didn't expect you to be here, tonight."

"I can imagine so. After all, you were unaware of my recent change in status. I now serve as one of Lord Leo's personal retainers." He sounded so damned smug behind his official tone. It drove her mad just having to listen to him.

"I'm sure you must be giddy just saying it." Flora's voice had its own bite to it, one that was completely intentional. "You never were one to turn down the chance to pursue your own ambitions, no matter how short-sighted they were."

"And you were never one to shirk responsibility. If you can change, perhaps I can as well."

"What do you want?" Flora asked, more of the venom showing in her voice. Jakob merely gave her one of his sickeningly smug grins.

"Why, just a simple dance, if you aren't too busy. I'm sure you wouldn't mind a break from your work to enjoy a few minutes of the gala." He paused, letting Flora notice the music playing. A tango. It always was her favorite. Flora would have loved nothing more than to rebuke his offer entirely, but her sense of etiquette prevented her from doing so. Begrudgingly she approached, letting Jakob put one hand on her waist, his other hand holding onto hers. She grabbed his arm as the music played. "I assume you remember the steps?"

"Naturally." Flora answered. They looked eachother in the eyes, both giving an unflinching gaze as they began, stepping in tandem with the music and their own footsteps. "What about you?"

"How could I forget?" Jakob asked. "Not after we danced so many times." The violins playing punctuated their every step, their every movement and turn. "I merely asked because it seems you've become rather forgetful of a few things. Your responsibility, for example."

"Don't play dumb, Jakob. You're fully aware of why Felicia and I left Nohr." A quick spin interrupted her. "We would never have survived after the mistake we made." How dare he accuse her of being in the wrong? She was stuck with an impossible choice, and the only reason she could make it was because she had an option that would keep her sister safe.

"Perhaps. It seems you were too cowardly to stay and find out for yourself." Jakob insulted, letting her lean back before pulling her back up so she was standing straight. "I could have helped ensure your safety. I was already trusted by Lord Leo, I could have pulled strings." The insult was gone, replaced with what sounded like worry. Flora knew better, however. She knew he would never care.

"And risk losing the chance to rise in your position? Oh, I'm sure you would have followed through." The music was growing more intense, likely building up to a lull. "Even if you had, it wouldn't have been enough to save us."

"It was enough to save your people." The lull hit as the music calmed down, leaving only a singular viola playing a suspenseful tune. Flora felt her heart try to leap out of her throat. Jakob didn't fail to notice her surprise. "Not a single member of the Ice Tribe was harmed. My position ensured I had the power to make that happen. Perhaps my ambition isn't truly as abhorrent as you believe."

"Jakob, you…" Why would he do it? Why would he protect her people? There was nothing in it for him, but he did it anyways. That is, unless…no. There was nothing left between them. Nothing but malice and anger. The music picked back up, and their tango resumed.

"They didn't need to be punished for your own mistakes. I merely expressed that to someone who was able to do something about the fact." Flora felt fury once again return to her. How dare he try and spin this so she looked like the villain!? Before she could answer, Jakob stopped. In her frustration, she hadn't even noticed that the music had stopped. "Give Felicia my regards. Goodness knows the poor girl's probably still anxious about the whole ordeal." And with that, he was walking away.

Flora felt her hands ball up into fists. That slimy, two-faced, smug, arrogant…Gods, why did she have to fall for him? Why did he have to fall for her? As Jakob continued walking away, he didn't even look back once. If he had, perhaps he would've noticed the tears going down Flora's face. Perhaps he would've noticed her eventually follow after him.

Niles

Alright, so far so good. Anybody who had spotted the trio had been swiftly knocked unconscious and dragged somewhere out of sight where they wouldn't be able to let anybody else know. They had already made it to the corridor leading to the Royal Treasury. All that was standing in their way were the guards standing in front of the doors. Niles peeked from the corridor, moving his head away before they could spot him. He turned back to look at Mozu and Rinkah. There was no way none of them would be noticed. Although, who said being noticed wasn't a good thing?

After the three formulated a plan, Mozu walked out from hiding with her hood down, her shy and meek usual self. "E-excuse me?" Mozu asked as the guards stood alert, ready to draw their weapons. It was a good thing her knife was hidden beneath her cloak. "I'm so sorry, I got lost and I can't figure out which way it is to the gala…"

One of the guards cautiously approached Mozu, untrusting but ready to help in case she truly was just a lost girl. Once he got close enough, Mozu shifted her weight and slammed into him, enough to knock him to the ground thanks to his lack of preparedness. The other guard drew his katana as Mozu grabbed the fallen guard's blade, raising it. Rinkah ran out, drawing her club and swiping at the guard who was still standing. It was a solid blow to the head, knocking him unconscious. Just as Mozu stopped to breathe, the guard she had tackled grabbed her, having recovered when she wasn't looking. He wrapped his arms around her throat, beginning to choke her as she tried to pull his hands away.

Rinkah charged at the two, grabbing the man's arms and forcing them apart, allowing Mozu to escape from his grasp, choking and gasping. Rinkah quickly followed up with a blow to the head, leaving him out cold. Niles emerged from his hiding spot, grinning. "Rinkah, hide the bodies. Mozu, check them for keys. If you don't find any, pick the doors. Use what I taught you."

"Where are you going?" Mozu asked as Niles began to turn away. He stopped, looking back at her.

"I've gotta secure our escape route. Shouldn't be too much trouble, so long as nothing in the plan has changed too heavily." Mozu and Rinkah nodded. Niles turned back and headed down the halls, making sure to avoid being spotted whenever possible.

Just as Niles thought he was going to be able to make it out of the castle without being detected, he felt a pair of eyes on him. Looking to his side, he spotted the blue-haired maid, Flora, staring right at him. She wasn't stupid, she knew he wasn't supposed to be there. Of course, she wasn't exactly in a great position either, considering that there was also a silver-haired man who, up to that point, she had been kissing rather passionately with her back against the wall. It was enough to make Niles give a lecherous grin. "Hey, I won't tell if you don't." He said, holding a finger to his lips.

Niles stifled a chuckle as Flora stepped away from the man, straightening out the skirt in her uniform and fixing up her hair. She cleared her throat, walking away and leaving the man alone, glaring daggers at the thief. This time he couldn't hide his chuckle as he walked away, stepping outside of the castle.

Felicia

It was hard not to hear the sound of various items bumping against eachother coming from down the hall. Felicia, who was busy mopping the floors, let her curiosity get the better of her, walking down the hallway and towards the sound, still clutching her mop. As she got closer, the sound seemed to suddenly stop. Despite the alarms it set off in her mind, she continued walking down, eventually turning a corner.

She was almost immediately grabbed and slammed against a wall, feeling the cold blade of a knife press gently against the back of her neck. "Rinkah, don't!" A voice cried out. Felicia didn't move, understanding that Rinkah would have no problem killing her then and there. Rinkah's hand roughly grabbed Felicia's wrist and spun her around so she was face-to-face with the girl, only inches away from her.

As Felicia looked Rinkah in the eyes, she noticed for the first time how…empty, they looked. There was so little behind them. Her eyes, her face, they began to bring back memories. "I knew I'd seen you somewhere else…" Felicia's voice was barely a whisper. Images flashed in her mind. A dark, quiet room with only one inhabitant. A stuffed bear, torn in half. A bloodied knife. The realization finally hit her. "You're—"

Before Felicia could finish, Rinkah grabbed her club and swung, knocking the girl out cold. Her body slumped down as Mozu and Rinkah made their escape, carrying as many valuables as they could.

Leo

Hans stood in front of him, giving another shifty smile. "Hans, I hope you don't mind if I speak with you for a moment." The gruff man had been talking with Peri, one of Xander's retainers. Leo had never liked the girl, seeing her as nothing more than a demented killer. Xander always thought he could "save" her, thinking he could get her to see morality. Leo knew people like her, people like Hans, didn't change.

"Of course I don't, milord. What do you need?" Hans asked with false casualness. Leo could tell the man was nervous. Every now and then, he'd glance down at Ganglari. The dark sword still occasionally pulsed with energy, as if it was growing impatient.

"That sword, the one my father gave you. What does it do?" Leo asked. "I know what dark magic looks like, Hans. I've spent my life studying it. I'm also a good judge of character. So don't lie to me."

"It's just a sword, Lord Leo!" Peri exclaimed in her usual childish way. "Why do you have to be such a jerk, just because you didn't get to have it?" Of course, she'd claim it was jealousy. A common comeback for children.

"Silence, Peri. This matter does not concern you. If you speak again, I'll inform Xander of your behavior." Leo threatened. The blue-haired girl pouted, puffing her cheeks dramatically. Leo glanced around the remote hallway they were in, still a good ways away from the gala. He was lucky he caught the two of them talking to eachother in such an empty and distant location.

"It is true that this blade is infused with dark magic, however, I don't quite understand what makes that so suspicious. Like you said, you practice dark magic constantly, yet I still trust and respect you." Hans' lies were growing more infuriating.

"Hans, remember that you're nothing more than a prisoner on a leash. I could cut you down right now and my father wouldn't shed a tear. Knowing him, he'd congratulate me for having the nerve."

Hans made a brief chuckle. "Fine then, Lord Leo." His tone was dripping with malice. "This sword has a mind of its own, I guess you could say. Or, more specifically, minds." Leo raised an eyebrow, feeling a hint of dread begin to form in his stomach. "We raided some Hoshidan villages a while back, ones that were outside the barrier. Iago got some spies out of it, and good for him, but I got something much greater." He unsheathed the sword, showing it off to the prince. The blade looked like it was about to break, fragmented and cracked all over. Connecting it and the handle was what looked like an eye. Leo had always assumed it to be a replica, but upon closer inspection, he realized it was twitching.

"Every single Hoshidan I cut down that day had their souls stored in here." Hans sounded almost proud of the fact. "All their hatred, their malice, it fuels Ganglari. And just like anything, too much fuel used too quickly can be quite volatile." Hans let out a low laugh.

"You…you plan to attack Mikoto, don't you?" Leo asked in fury. "Using a sword driven by the minds of Hoshidans. That's how you'll attack inside of the magic barrier." He knew his father was not afraid of cowardly tactics to ensure a victory, but this was low, even for him. "I won't allow this." He drew his sword he kept at his side. He may have been more of an expert with tomes, but a blade was faster and quieter.

"That's a shame, milord. You see, King Garon told me I'm to succeed in my mission by any means necessary. Promised me freedom if I did. He didn't give any conditions." Leo readied his sword as Hans gave a maniacal smile.

"We finally get to kill someone! Yay!" Peri jumped in joy, grabbing her spear. "I usually fight on horses, but I'll make do if it means I can stab you!" She charged recklessly at Leo, fast enough to catch him off guard. He barely deflected her blow away, stepping back to create some space between him and her.

Hans capitalized on Leo's weakness, rushing past him. "Get back here!" Leo shouted, turning to face Hans. Peri thrust her spear out at him, managing to cut his side. He redirected his attention to her, swinging at her and managing to cut her arm.

"UGH! Why do the people I wanna kill always have to make it hard! Just keel over and DIE ALREADY!" Peri screamed, using both hands to thrust her spear at Leo despite her injured arm. Her spear hit his chest, but thankfully his armor saved him, now dented but intact. Leo swung again, forcing her to go on the defensive. Of course, with the mental state of a child, she thought it would be smart to hold up her spear's wooden handle as a shield.

Leo's blade cut right through Peri's spear, breaking it in two and continuing to land a deep blow. The girl screamed in pain, falling to the ground. He watched as she desperately tried to get up despite how much blood she was losing. "No…I won't let you kill me! I'm supposed to…be the one killing…" Her voice was growing weaker. Leo couldn't waste the time to finish her off. He turned around and sprinted away as fast as he could. He had to make it to the gala before it was too late.

Corrin

As Corrin was making idle conversation with Sakura, she found herself glancing around the ballroom, growing a bit bored of the talk. That's when she noticed a familiar face, one who she still needed to talk to. "Corrin?" Sakura asked, grabbing her attention.

"Hm, yeah?" Corrin asked, only half-paying attention, still staring over at Siegbert, watching him carefully to make sure he didn't go anywhere. There he was, meekly sitting at a table next to a few of the other Nohrian retainers.

"I just was thanking you, f-for giving me that advice on how to be brave. It really helped, and I even stood up to Kotaro! Now that he's really gone for good…I never even considered a man l-like him could die. If I can stand up to him, I can stand up to anybody, you know?" Sakura explained.

"Yeah. Right." Corrin dismissively answered. She was glad that Sakura was growing more confident in herself, but she was too distracted by Siegbert to really make a good response. She began to walk towards him, much to Sakura's meek displeasure.

Corrin cleared her throat once she knew she would be within earshot of Siegbert and the others. The group turned their heads to face her, Siegbert included. She smiled at the man. "Excuse me, I was wondering if we could talk. Alone."

The other retainers all looked at Siegbert, whose face was quickly turning as red as a tomato. One of the retainers, a redhead with pigtails, gave a smug sneer at him. "Ooh, someone's made quite the catch!" She snickered as Siegbert grew more flustered.

"Careful." Another retainer with a purple bandanna and blue hair warned. "Alone means a better chance for assassination." Her tone was flat and monotone, lacking any sort of substantial emotion.

"I'm not gonna assassinate him!" Corrin said with an innocent smile on her face. "I just wanna ask him a question."


Siegbert hit the wall hard as Corrin scowled at him. "What the hell did you wanna say to me earlier? You've piqued my curiosity."

"I-it was nothing, really! Just a silly thought!" Siegbert insisted, grunting in discomfort as Corrin tightened her grip on his arm. She didn't particularly appreciate his lie.

"Lie to me again and see what happens. You may be cute, but I've hurt far more attractive guys before." Corrin threatened, making sure she was still embarrassing Siegbert in the process. That seemed to be enough to finally make him crack.

"Okay, fine! Mikoto's in danger! I wasn't supposed to tell you, I…" Siegbert stopped. "I told you what you needed to know, Corrin." He looked away in shame.

"Thank you. See? Not so hard." Corrin let go, uninterested if Siegbert was okay. Her attention was focused on the gala as she ran down the halls of the castle. She had to let her mother know. She was so focused on getting there that she didn't even ponder on how easily the thought of Mikoto being her mother came to her. It was like it was instinct.

The doors to the ballroom burst open and Corrin dashed in, ignoring the confused glares some of the guests cast her way. She spotted Mikoto talking with Sakura and Hinoka near the center of the room and made a beeline for them. "Corrin?" Mikoto asked, noticing the worry on her face. "What's the matter?"

"We need to move, now. There's—" Corrin stopped as she heard the sound of doors slamming open even louder than when she had entered. A bald Nohrian soldier entered, holding a blade that was surrounded by red smoke. He had a smile that managed to scare even Corrin.

"Queen Mikoto, I presume?" The man asked Mikoto. "I can tell. You look like the most insufferable person in the room." The sword began to hum with energy. "Let's fix that, shall we!?" The sword glowed brighter and brighter as purple light shone from the cracks in the blade. He took the handle in both hands and thrust it into the floor. Purple lightning crackled around it, followed by a burst of light and energy that filled the ballroom, strong enough to almost knock Corrin off her feet.

"Come on out you miserable souls!" He screamed as fog and electricity filled the air. "Blow all of these people to smithereens!" From the eye embedded in the handle of the blade, wispy figures began to emerge, pale shadows of people Corrin didn't recognize. They began to swarm the air, crying out in agony. "That's it! Do the one thing you can still do right!" The spirits began to go back to the ground, flying around the man. It was only when one grabbed his cheek, causing him to scream in pain, that his attitude changed.

"W-what are you doing!? You're supposed to be attacking the Hoshidans!" Hans exclaimed as the spirits grew closer and closer. Their wails began to resemble speech, getting louder and louder.

"It hurts…it hurts!"

"The burning won't stop, please make it stop! I want it to stop!"
"Where's my son!? I can't find my son!"

"I'm so sorry Mozu, I should have protected you! I left you behind!"

"My arm, why can't I feel it anymore!?"

"It's all HIS fault, the butcher!"

"Slaughterer!"

"Maniac!"

"MURDERER!"

The wails became joined together as every spirit began to scream in unison, chanting the same word over and over. Murderer. Murderer. Murderer. The Nohrian wasn't smiling anymore. His eyes were as wide as they could be as his body quivered from head to toe, his mouth agape. "No, get back! GET AWAY FROM ME!" The spirits converged on him, completely obscuring him. And as he let out one final scream of terror, Ganglari erupted into pure energy, sending all of its fragments straight at Mikoto.

"MOTHER!" Corrin cried out before being blown onto her back, left dazed and barely conscious. Eventually, her blurry vision became clearer. She gazed around, faintly hearing screams of panic and terror around her. Slowly, she sat up, bringing a hand to her aching forehead, bringing it down and noticing it was soaked with blood. Where…where was her mother?

Corrin got up, her bones aching and her muscles feeling like they were on fire. The ballroom was in ruins, rubble all over, with corpses dotting the area. She frantically looked around the room, desperately searching for her mother. She had to find her. She had to make sure she was safe. As Corrin turned her gaze towards the center of the ruined ballroom, she finally saw her.

There her mother was, covered in dust, bruises, and scratches, but alive. Hinoka stood beside her, in a similar state. Corrin was so glad, she was so thankful. Then, her gaze moved to the side, towards what her mother and sister were staring at. In front of them and on the ground, right where the fragments of Ganglari had been headed, was a small girl with bright red hair, laying on her back in a pool of her own blood.

Corrin's eyes widened. Her breath went sharp. Only one word was echoing through her head, piercing through any and all of her other thoughts as she took in the sight in front of her. One, single word.

Sakura.

Corrin rushed to her, getting on her knees as she looked down at her sister. Multiple fragments from the sword were jutting out of her body. Miraculously, Sakura was somehow still alive and conscious. Her breathing was short and choppy, her eyes wide and staring at the ceiling. When she finally noticed Corrin, her gaze turned to her.

"M-mother was in danger…I wanted to be brave, to s-save her…" Sakura spoke, her voice barely audible. She had taken the blow so that it wouldn't hit their mother. A sob built up in the back of Corrin's throat as she watched her sister lay there in agony. "Was I…brave?" She asked.

"Y-you were brave, Sakura! Stupidly brave! Damnit Sakura!" Corrin shouted, tears sliding down her face and dripping onto Sakura. "You're not going, you're gonna stay right here and you're gonna fight! I won't let you go!"

"Corrin, I…I know it's s-so selfish of me…" Sakura smiled gently. Her warm smile, the one that Corrin had always disregarded. It made Corrin all the more distraught. "But please, tell me…that you think of me as your s-sister." Corrin let out another sob as Sakura begged. "Even if it's only for a moment…I want to know that you see me as your sister…"

Sakura weakly brought her hand up and rested it on Corrin's. Corrin clasped her hand around Sakura's, shuddering violently as she continued to sob. "Corrin, please…was I…" Sakura didn't finish. Corrin felt the girl's arm go limp. As she moved back, bringing her hands to cover her mouth, Sakura's hand fell lifelessly to the ground below.

Mikoto stood there, motionless as she stared down at Sakura. Hinoka was already sobbing relentlessly. Takumi and Ryoma had only just found them, horror appearing on their faces as they laid eyes on their sister. Corrin, feeling emotion well up inside of her, did the only thing she could. She screamed.

Azura

She should have been there. She could have helped. Azura was supposed to be at the gala, but instead, she had skirted away from her responsibilities, instead deciding to enjoy a quiet night to herself. When she heard the explosion that night, a pit formed in her stomach. Days later, that pit was still there.

Sakura was gone. Even now Azura had trouble saying it. She really was…gone. She would never see her again. It pained her very soul just thinking about it. She tried to push it out of her mind, but whenever she talked with the others, the subject inevitably would come up. Ryoma kept telling Azura that it wasn't her fault, that there was nothing she could even have done. She knew it was a lie.

The only solace Azura found anymore was with Corrin. She often found herself visiting the crimson-eyed girl in her room, where the two would talk about various subjects and topics. It was an unspoken rule between the two of them to not bring up Sakura.

Corrin scratched idly at the bandages wrapped around her forehead as she listened to Azura tell a story about when Takumi tried to teach her to swim at a younger age. He was so insistent on being the one to teach her that it was only as he flailed in the water that she realized he hadn't even learned himself. Corrin giggled at the story, staring out of her bedroom window.

"You're thinking about the others, aren't you?" Azura asked. Corrin gave a solemn nod. Mozu, Niles, and Rinkah had vanished without a trace. A good amount of the Royal Treasury vanished with them. Corrin had seemingly been left behind. "I wish I could offer sound advice about that, but…" Azura sighed. "I can't claim to know enough to say for sure what you should expect."

"I know." Corrin quietly answered. "I know."

Late at night, Azura found herself unable to sleep. Not because of nightmares, but because there was simply too much clouding her thoughts to properly sleep. Mainly, she was thinking of her brothers and sisters.

Xander. Camilla. Leo. Elise. She had never gotten the chance to meet them. She had thrown it away due to her own fears about what would happen. She wasn't sure if Nohr even thought she was still alive. After the attack, they left without wasting much time. Azura couldn't really fault them for it; whether they were to blame or not, the Hoshidan populace became enraged at the news of Sakura's death. War seemed to grow more inevitable every day, no matter how much Queen Mikoto struggled to prevent it. And Azura knew she'd be one of the first casualties.

Why she decided to go to Corrin's room, Azura wasn't sure. She supposed she had simply grown to rely on her support by that point. She wasn't sure how she'd be able to keep going on without the conversations she had. Corrin understood her on a level that the others, regardless of their love and care for her, never would. When she talked to Corrin, she truly felt like the girl cared about her every plight and knew just why they bothered her. She had become the closest friend Azura had ever made.

So, Azura was naturally surprised when she opened Corrin's bedroom door and found her in the middle of climbing out of her window. "Corrin? What are you doing…?" Azura asked quietly, catching Corrin by surprise. The white-haired girl turned to look at her, sadness already appearing on her face. "You're…leaving. Aren't you?" Azura had a feeling somewhere deep inside of her that this moment was inevitable. Corrin wasn't one to sit and do nothing.

"…Yeah. I am." Corrin looked down at the ground, contemplating something to herself. Then, she looked up at Azura with newfound determination. "Come with me."

Azura took a moment to comprehend what Corrin had just said. "You want me to come with you?" Her mind was spinning.

"Yeah. Come with me, with us. Niles and Rinkah and Mozu are outside, ready to get me out. They came back for me, Azura." The smile on Corrin's face was one of pure joy. It warmed Azura's heart immensely to see Corrin so happy for the first time in days. "You can leave here with us."

"What do you intend to do, once you leave?" Azura asked. She started to ask herself why she was even seriously contemplating the choice. But, as she thought more…why not? She loved Ryoma, Takumi, Hinoka, and of course Mikoto deeply, but after Sakura, and now that war was fast encroaching…her safety wasn't guaranteed. Her relationship with them all could change.

"We've got enough loot from the Royal Treasury to do plenty. We're gonna go to Nohr, and we're gonna cause trouble. Maybe, if everything goes right, and with luck on our side, we can get payback for Sakura, for my dad, for everyone Garon's hurt." Azura digested the information, remaining silent. Corrin kept looking at her with eyes that said what her pride wouldn't let her. She needed Azura to come, just like Azura needed to stay with Corrin. "So? Will you come?"

Ryoma

He stood in front of his siblings and mother, holding the letter in his hands. Hinoka looked ready to collapse from the guilt that had been eating her since the night of the gala, Takumi had suffered enough migraines to go crazy, and mother…she and Ryoma had to carry the burden, so the others could recover. It was hardest for them. "This was found on Corrin's bed. It's…addressed to all of us." Ryoma cleared his throat and began to read.

Hey. I'm really sorry, about everything. I'd say everything I'm sorry for, but I've only got so much paper. I've gotta make it count. I want you to know that I do really, truthfully, think of you as my family. I just wish I'd have been able to say that to Sakura.

I'm leaving. By the time you all read this, I'll be long gone. I'm not running away. Far from it; I'm going straight to Nohr. I can't just sit around and wait for the war to start, then fight on a battlefield. That's not how I do things. I'm gonna fight on my own terms. I'm gonna fight for Sakura. I love you guys.

Oh, Azura wants to write something.

Hello. My sincerest apologies for my actions. You took me in and raised me as a part of the family, and I will never forget that. I will remain forever grateful for the kindness you showed me. However, that can only do so much good when Hoshido is in its current state. I'm no longer safe here. I'm fighting with Corrin. There, I can contribute far more.

Corrin's sorry for stealing from you, by the way. Even if her pride refuses to let her admit it. I hope to see you all again, preferably under better circumstances.

Farewell, and good luck.

Azura

Everyone had all stopped to set up camp nearby a lake. Nohr's geography was so familiar, yet so foreign to Azura. At least the lakes were like those in Hoshido. Crickets chirped, owls hooted, and fireflies were even shining above the surface of the water. As she stood at the water's edge, she heard the others chatting and talking in the distance. Likely Niles making some crude joke, with the others reacting as usual. Azura giggled at the image. A single tear fell down her cheek as she began to sing.

"Embrace the dark, you would call a home…gaze upon an empty white throne, a legacy of lies, a familiar disguise—" Azura abruptly stopped her singing, gasping as she began looking around. As the area around her seemed to be quiet and empty like usual, she started to calm down. Perhaps her anxiety was getting to her, but…she could have sworn she heard someone else singing along. She shook her head, turning and heading back to camp.

?

"You're encouraging bad luck by doing things like that." A man said quietly, sitting down on a fallen tree. He pulled down the blue cloth covering his mouth and nose. "You might be discovered."

"It's quite alright. I was gone before she even realized I was there." A softer, more gentle voice answered. "I needed to sing with her, at least once. Besides, it seems a bit strange for you to tell me not to interfere, considering what you did to Kotaro."

The man sharpened a shuriken with a tough rock, keeping a close eye on it to make sure it was perfect. "Killing Kotaro was a necessary alteration to the course of events. That's what we're here to do; change what needs to be changed. The more we interfere with their lives, the more unpredictable everything becomes. That'll make our goals exponentially harder to achieve."

"You assume the others haven't already interfered plenty. They don't share the same exact goals as us. And considering they all managed to get their hands on Dwyer's manuscript…they could have exploited the time changes in Deeprealms, just like we did. In fact, it's more than likely that they did."

"Even taking that into account, the emotional distraction that would be caused by interacting with them directly is another factor we must remember. No, it's for the best that we keep our distance."

"You're still worried, aren't you? Worried that everything will be for naught?"

"Of course I'm still worried. I'm terrified at the idea that everything we worked towards will fail in the end. Or that it'll simply end up making the situation even worse."

"Skepticism is understandable, but I feel we need to acknowledge just how remarkable it is that we've even made it this far. We're here. We sacrificed plenty to achieve our goal, but we did it. We have a chance to change things for the better. Even if it's tiny, shouldn't we celebrate that, at the very least?"

"…I suppose you're right, about that. We've obtained our chance. Though, if we want to capitalize on it, there won't be any time to celebrate."

"Of course. I merely mean to say that you should smile more, like you used to. That stern expression doesn't suit you, Kana."

"Yet you've managed to remain as melancholic as ever, Shigure."

"I'll take that as a compliment."