Athyra: Here's part 2! It's much longer than part1 that's why the scene was split in two parts. A reminder that this chapter is direct continuation of the previous one, and anything in italics is a flashback. As always, check out our tumblr and deviantart for artworks! Thanks for reading and any feedback's appreciated!

ghikiJ: This is a long chapter but it is also my favorite so far. We learn a lot about Rin here and the other characters. Hopefully readers won't mind the length.


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Act III - Departures

Chapter 9 - A Cat's Curiosity pt.2

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Rin's heart pounded resonantly in her ears as she ran and ran, feeling her spirit soar now that she had a definite purpose. All her life, she was forced to follow the steps meticulously planned by her father, and those bursts of rebellious acts were fleeting and promptly squashed by his oppressive commands.

For the first time ever, she found a goal she wished to reach out of her own will. Liberated, she couldn't control the big smile that adorned her childish face. How amazing it was to have an aim, a direction to sprint towards!

When she arrived at the stables, she was greeted by an affectionate neigh from a mare with sunny coat. Recognizing the friendly horse as the White Knight's mount, Rin giggled and patted Pan, earning a playful nudge.

"Ne ne, have you seen Honoka-chan or Eli-chan?"

Of course, Pan was unable to answer her, but its whinnies attracted the attention of the stable boy who promptly directed her towards the training field. Thanking the helpful attendant, Rin hurried to the spacious area with excitement added to her pace. Not only was the blonde general here, the ginger cavalry commander and raven-haired captain of the royal guard were also with her!

The three warriors had one corner to themselves, away from the other soldiers who were practicing their kata in tandem with their unit leaders. Ayase Eli seemed to be testing the mobility and range of her healed shoulder by swinging her naginata, while Kousaka Honoka and Sonoda Umi were locked in a heated spar.

Adrenaline coursed through her veins as Rin watched the incredible spectacle unfold. Honoka's usual smiles were nowhere to be seen, replaced by stark concentration while her blue eyes blazed with resolve and determination. Her slashes and thrusts were heavy and furious, thrumming with power as her bokken clashed again and again with her opponent's. Umi appeared to be as impassive as ever, smoothly parrying her partner's attacks without wasting any extra movements. She was unable to switch into offense, however, for Honoka's consecutive swings gave no breathing room. Even then, Umi kept her cool and stance fluid as she shifted lightly on her feet, exerting minimal effort to deflect each and every strike.

The orange-haired girl resisted the urge to applaud. She has always respected warriors, especially since she failed at her people's infamous archery prowess. While she somewhat made up for it by being quite deft with her tanto and wakizashi, she knew that she would be no match against true samurai like the three women before her.

It wasn't just their fighting abilities either; soldiers have told Rin of their cavalier commander's charisma, that she was able to energize her troops and lead them to victory despite the odds. Tales of General Eli's accomplishments were common at court, from her brilliant tactics to her mastery over polearms. Even without all that, the tall blonde looked like a leader already just by standing there wearing that composed smile.

The captain of the royal guard was everything Rin wanted to become, patient and focused. She still recalled the rare opportunity that she was able to witness as well as learn from these amazing warriors back at the practice range.

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"Ne Rin-chan! Wanna spar?"

The cat-like girl paused in the middle of a yawn and stretched lethargically across the tatami. The two practically became siblings since they first met, for they found so much in common that it was impossible to count. The main similarities were that they both enjoyed eating and rolling around, and they liked to have a simple time of fun and adventures. Most importantly, they have limitless energy whenever the situation called for it.

Of course, neither felt the need to muster the said energy under a drowsy afternoon sun.

"Sure, Honoka-chan! But are you sure Rin is the right person for it? Rin can't really fight…"

"Nonsense!" The ginger gave her a bright grin as she bounced to her feet, already awake from the lazy nap they shared together. "We're not really fighting, we're just playing! Besides, if we don't make some noise, Umi-chan might come here and punish me hehe…"

Rin gulped nervously, having heard numerous stories of the Oni instructor. They were currently resting in one of the buildings right by the archery range after all. Honoka was dragged here in the morning but she somehow wormed her way out of a one-on-one training session with the captain. In return though, she was supposed to be meditating with some of the fellow soldiers. The others have long since left and were doing their own routines, while the White Knight had completely fallen asleep and that was the state Rin found her when she dropped by earlier.

"Okay, w-what should Rin do then?" The princess did not have fond memories of mock-battles, but her friend's encouraging gaze gave her the motivation to do her best.

Honoka simply handed her a shinai and winked. "Whoever loses her weapon first has to treat the other to two bowls of ramen!"

Fire lit up in the girl's chartreuse eyes. "Nya! You're on, Honoka-chan!"

Following the White Knight's advice, Rin decided to treat their spar as a modified game of tag. After all, as long as she didn't get hit, she would not lose her shinai right? The bamboo sword was fun to wave around too, like how she used to do when playing with her best friend and other servants' children back in Antares. In their role-plays, she would pretend to be this dashing knight, saving Princess Hanayo from the clutches of evil demons.

Of course, Honoka was a far cry from the kids back then. The experienced fighter charged like a storm, making it difficult to dodge those wild slashes and wind-splitting stabs. Within moments though, Rin found herself immersed in this game as she ducked, hopped and spun to avoid her friend's attacks. She could not find any chance to even use her shinai, let alone try landing a hit. Nevertheless, she greatly enjoyed the spar since she has always loved moving around.

"Hehe, you have quite the stamina, Rin-chan! You're fast too, I can't hit you at all," Honoka looked like she was having fun too, grinning as she took a step back to regain her bearings. Seeing the opportunity, the princess let out a theatrical yowl and lunged.

The ginger easily blocked her attack with one arm and snatched the shinai out of the stunned girl's grip with the other hand.

"Nya?" Blinking in confusion, Rin could only gape as the giggling commander lightly tapped her head with the bamboo sword.

"My win~"

"Awww! That was sneaky, Honoka-chan!" Pouting, she attached herself to the older woman and tried to wrestle the weapon out of the latter's grip. "Rin wasn't prepared! You're so much stronger than Rin! Rin fights better this way anyway nya!"

The two tumbled on the ground for a while until they were both laughing breathlessly with dirt all over them. Rin was half draped over Honoka's stomach, her hands still stubbornly latched to the commander's shinai and unable to pull it away at all. Hissing competitively, the Antarean began to tickle her friend without mercy.

Though writhing and laughing, Honoka never loosened her grip on the bamboo sword. "Gomen, Rin-chan~ There's no way you can get me to give up my weapon… I got that beaten into me since I was little," she coughed, her voice mixed with amusement and pride. "Umi-chan made sure of it!"

The cat-like girl collapsed, huffing and puffing. "It...won't… budge…"

The White Knight chuckled as she pulled herself up, the shinai still in her hand. "Still, Rin-chan, your agility is really something! Sure, you lack power in your attack but that can be trained, while your dodging instinct comes to you naturally. You have quite the potential!"

"I-I do?" The Antarean sat up and peered up at her friend rather shyly. She's been reprimanded countless times for moving around too much, not once was she ever praised.

"Yup! I only got to disarm you because you came to me," Honoka gave her a thumbs-up. "That was great, Rin-chan! I had lots of fun!"

Giggling, Rin squirmed self-consciously under the ginger's sunny smile while a warm and fluffy feeling filled her chest. "Arigatou, Honoka-chan!"

"No, I should be thanking you. I haven't been able to swing my sword just for fun for a long time," the White Knight lowered her eyes morosely, though her hand tightened around the shinai's hilt. She shook her head and met the girl's worried gaze with a bright grin, making the latter wonder if she had imagined the sad look. "Rin-chan, would you like to learn more?"

"Nya? Y-You mean, how to fight or-?"

"Kendo. Simply kendo," Honoka stood up and held out her hand, which Rin accepted without any hesitation. "The way of the sword. You can use it to fight people or even kill, but you can also use it to defend your most cherished things, your world, Rin-chan. It's up to you how you want to use it."

The princess felt an unknown weight in her friend's words, but she certainly understood the latter's sentiment. "Hai! Rin wants to learn kendo nya! Rin loves Kayochin and her friends, so it would be awesome if Rin could use it to protect them too!"

The White Knight looked pleased by her answer. "That's great! I knew you would feel this way!"

"Rin loves you too, Honoka-chan!" She proclaimed without a second thought, only to scratch her cheek sheepishly. "Ah, of course Rin probably can't protect you because Rin can't surpass a real warrior… Rin will still try her best though nya!"

"Aww, you're making me all embarrassed, but I love you too, Rin-chan!" Chuckling, the older woman gave her junior a tight squeeze. "There are many people… many things I love, so I will do everything I can to protect my world. That's why I fight."

"Honoka-chan…" The orange-haired girl peered at her friend in reverence.

"Ahaha, I'm rambling too much," the cavalry commander rubbed her head, and then she stroked her chin in deep thought. "Hmm, I'm not the best teacher though, so I'll ask Umi-chan. Her father trained me, though I'm sure you wouldn't want to train under his strict regime… well, Umi-chan's not any more lax but still… what do you think?"

"R-Rin would love to train under Umi-chan!" Rin held up her arms, bouncing expectantly. "Rin heard so much about her! She uses dual swords right? Well, she did say it's not an effective way of fighting but still, it would be so cool!"

"Yep, Umi-chan can do that. Kotori-chan and I believe she was holding a sword the moment she's born," Honoka stuck out her tongue mischievously, "Hmm, yes, Umi-chan would be the best teacher. She can be scary, but it's only because she cares. I don't have discipline at all, so it's only thanks to her that I practice accordingly and become stronger."

"Hehe, Honoka-chan really loves Umi-chan nya," Rin nodded in understanding. Sometimes Hanayo would scold her, in her gentle manner of course, for being sloppy, reckless and so on, but she fully knew it was only because the brunette cared about her.

"Of course, I love Umi-chan lots!" The ginger winked playfully and began to walk towards the shooting range, pulling the younger girl along. "Let's go find her now~ She must be practicing her archery over there, wanna see?"

"Yeah!" Rin hopped after her friend, thrilled at the prospect of watching the best bow in Kaguya. The practice range was empty save for the raven-haired archer and her sole spectator, who was leaning against the wall at the back and gazing at the captain with an unreadable look.

"Eli-chan, you're here too!" Honoka greeted the general with a barely audible whisper. Rin automatically shrank behind the White Knight, intimidated by the austere aura around the tall blonde. It was only when the older woman gave her a friendly nod that she relaxed and returned the gesture.

The three of them then fell into mutual silence as they watched the spectacle. Umi meticulously loaded her arrow, slowly but steadily pulled at the bow as she aimed. The range was so quiet that the strain of the string could be heard while she gradually tightened her hold. Rin felt her heart skipped a beat when the projectile suddenly flew, true and straight, and embedded deeply into bull's eye. The resulting thud reverberated around them, implying the power behind the shot.

The princess only remembered to breathe again when the captain began the process again. "Wooooow, that was so cool!"

"Hehe, told you!" Honoka raised her chin proudly as if she were the one getting praised, while Eli's lips curved into a soft smile.

"That's not all," the ginger continued fervently, her gaze distant as if to recall an old memory. "Remember that time at your ranch, Eli-chan? We were playing this game when the alpaca started nibbling on the feather accessory on Kotori-chan's head. Umi-chan only pointed her finger at Alpaca-san and it backed away! Kotori-chan and I named it 'Love Arrow Sho-"

Crack! Rin spun around to see the next arrow hitting the thicket far away from the round target. She found herself under the scrutiny of piercing amber eyes before they shifted towards the fidgeting commander beside her. Still, she couldn't help but cringe even though the glare wasn't directed at her.

"Would you mind repeating that, Honoka?" That was probably the most terrifying smile Rin has ever seen.

"I-I didn't say anything!" Blue eyes looked away. "It was Eli-chan!"

"W-What?" The general blinked and only chuckled when the fuming captain stared at her. "Oh come on, Umi, that was really adorable, you lil' heroine~"

"It was mortifying. Please erase that from your mind," Umi hissed through gritted teeth, cheeks darkening as she glanced at the snickering Antarean. "Do not listen to these two, Rin-hime, they always like to-"

"Love arrow-" The giggling general held up her hand with her thumb upright and index finger pointed at the blushing captain, winking playfully. "- shoot~"

"Eli!"

"Love~arrow~ shoot nya~" Rin couldn't help but copy the exact same move.

"Love arrow shoot, dual veeeeeersion!" Encouraged by two partners in crime, Honoka followed suit with both hands.

The little fiasco ended with three painful punches. Honoka was even forced to kneel while Rin had mixed feelings about her lost immunity as the princess. Eli was only spared the worst due to her still healing shoulder, but she was rubbing the uninjured side with a half-grimace and half-smile of amusement. With arms folded and cheeks still red, the raven-haired captain huffed and looked between her childhood friend and the Antarean.

"I knew Eli has been here for a while, but what brought the two of you here? What of your meditation, Honoka?"

"Errrr it went great! And then I was s-sparring with Rin-chan!" Honoka said hastily before the Oni could scold her again. "Anyway we were just wondering if you could teach Rin-chan kendo!"

Umi's anger dissipated at the unexpected request. She contemplatively gazed at the younger girl, who stood straight and smiled nervously. She hoped she did not ruin her chances to learn under the best, but it was just so tempting earlier to join the fun. She glanced at the general, who gave her a wily wink. Any uncertainty about the tall blonde vanished there and then, for there was no need to be afraid of someone just as playful as herself.

"Certainly, that could be arranged," the captain said finally, earning an eager mewl from the princess. "But first, I would like to offer instructions in archery, Rin-hime."

"Nya?!" The Antarean felt goose bumps as numerous memories of her failures flashed in her mind. Always, she was punished for shaming her people, who excelled in the art of bows and arrows. She gave Umi a bewildered, almost beseeching look, for she thought the latter understood her issue.

She tried not to cringe when the captain rested her hand on her shoulder. "You can do it, Rin-hime. What happened in the past shall not hinder your progress in the present, not if you have the will to push towards the future of your choice."

Hesitantly, she raised her head slightly to meet kind amber eyes. "Can Rin really learn to shoot? B-But Rin tried so many times …"

"Of course you can. After all, we are here to help you." She could almost hear the archer's unspoken words. We are not here to belittle you.

"Hehe, that's right, we're behind you 100 percent!" Honoka held up her fist, looking comical yet oddly reassuring in that seiza position. "Fight-o da yo, Rin-chan!"

"Don't worry if Umi seems strict at first," Eli added, her light smile still present as she patted the backs of both Rin and Umi. "She's a big softie under that scary mask~ You can always bribe her with the sweets from the Homura."

"Yeah! Umi-chan loves my family shop's Homubuns!"

"Eli, Honoka! I am trying to have a serious conversation here!"

Before the argument could resume, Rin found herself laughing heartily much to the surprise of the three warriors. Wiping at the corners of her eyes, the Antarean princess took the offered bow from the captain and grinned earnestly. "Okay, Rin is ready, Umi-sensei!"

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Now as Rin watched Umi and Honoka spar, she felt the urge to match up against these warriors too. The amber-eyed captain indeed gave her a rigid regime but it was just as the ginger said, that the disciplined training schedule did help her improve in short span of time. While she was nowhere near the level of her teacher, she was confident that she would be able to protect her friends to some extent.

Truth be told, she missed those training sessions in spite of how rigorous they were. She never knew learning could be so fun, especially in the company of wonderful friends. Alas, due to horrid battles happening outside of the peaceful capital, they were forced to put a halt to those practices.

Rin clenched her fists determinedly. Indeed, the siege happening at Otobe was the very reason why she came here to find the general.

"Oh! It's Rin-chan! Ya~ho~!" Honoka gave her a huge wave as the girl approached them, but the momentary lapse cost her in the form of vicious stab to her ribcage. "Itai!"

"You lack diligence, Honoka!" Umi barked as she followed the thrust with a diagonal slash at the commander's shin, which the latter barely managed to parry. "You cannot afford to be distracted in battle!"

"Owieeee…. Umi-chan is mean!"

The princess rubbed her own ribs sympathetically, recalling the times she got struck by the Oni instructor. While Umi did not hit as hard as Honoka, it still really hurt. Admirably, the ginger commander seemed to have shaken off the injury and was back on the offense again. Rin hurried to the side towards Eli, in case she distracted the two fighters again.

Setting her naginata aside, the general sat down on the bench and patted the space beside her. "What brings you here, Rin?"

There have been numerous times in the past weeks when Rin found herself seeking the general's opinion, whether it was about how to counter a certain attack or about the best side dish was to a bowl of ramen. The blonde warrior was used to such random query, for she has always been the older sister figure to the others. The Antarean found it easy to just pour her questions to the experienced woman, knowing the latter would listen and offer advice accordingly.

This time it was no different. Eli patiently gazed at the fidgeting girl until she was ready to speak. "Eli-chan, you're all… getting ready to sortie right?"

"That's correct," the general smiled faintly and turned to look towards the numerous soldiers spread out in the field. "We are doing various drills today, but the collective purpose is one and the same."

"Freeing Otobe nya?"

"Liberate and protect our country, yes," the blonde's light blue eyes shifted towards the sparring pair before them, "No matter how many times it takes."

"That's incredible nya," Rin took a deep breath, readying her heart for her declaration next. "R-Rin really admires how all of you could put yourselves out there, in danger, to fight for your people. Rin has never done that, maybe because Rin hasn't felt the reason or need to do so… t-that's why, Rin wants to help Kaguya!"

"Pardon?" Eli blinked at the princess for a moment until realization dawned upon her. "You mean-?"

"Hai. Even though the alliance between Kaguya and Antares couldn't be formed, but there must be another way for Antares to lend help! Rin is at least the princess right? Rin should be able to do something! Rin just doesn't know how, and that's why Rin came here to ask you, Eli-chan. Antares has amazing archers, powerful exorcists, um we have imported rice and other produce from allied countries… so, a-any suggestions nya?"

The general appeared to be at a loss for words, though her eyes softened as she leaned back on her seat to peer at the sky.

"That's… quite the proposal, Rin, and I really appreciate the sentiment behind it. However, I do not think it is a good idea," she spoke at last, her voice gentle as if not wanting to hurt the crestfallen girl.

"H-How come?"

Eli ran her hands through her long ponytail while she carefully chose her words. "There are too much at stake, Rin. The magnitude of war is much grander than you can imagine… even now, I still wonder about it myself. I remember the first time I became a commander of my unit. I was stubborn and ambitious - I wanted to do everything only to end up with nothing. I could not accept any loss. I failed, again and again, no matter how hard I tried. I almost gave up many times, though I was able to get back on my feet…"

Rin followed the general's grateful gaze, which had returned to the two warriors, one with the sunny laughter and one with the serene smile.

"Even then, it's still difficult. Men continue to perish under my command, and I can't help but wonder what I could have done differently to prevent their deaths, to prevent the tragedies upon the families they left behind."

"That's why Rin wants to help Kaguya! If Antares' army were to join-"

"But what of your people then?" There was a severe edge to the general's voice now. "What of the soldiers who would be fighting for us, a foreign country that has nothing to do with them? There will be casualties, that is for certain."

The princess swallowed, feeling her heart drop as those words truly sank into her mind.

"Rin, this war is between Mikado and Kaguya. Antares should not be dragged into this endless chain of strife," Eli's fists clenched until the knuckles became white. "Of course, we would appreciate the extra manpower, and that was what we were hoping to gain when the marriage was first proposed. Now that the alliance is not possible, we no longer have much to give Antares, not funds or any other resources. Nothing is free after all, and Kaguya simply doesn't have anything to offer in exchange, as unfortunate as it is."

"Eli-chan…"

"And really, in a way, I'm glad that did not come into fruition. I do not want to involve your people," the general clasped her hands and rested her chin upon them. "It's best if Antares never gets to clash against Mikado."

The orange-haired girl tried to respond to that yet nothing came to mind. Everything that the blonde said made sense, full of logic and was based off of the bigger picture. Her naive ideas must have sounded so foolish to the veteran.

"If I had a choice, I would have never let them enter the battlefield," Eli whispered wistfully as she watched Honoka whine under Umi's harsh reprimands. "Sometimes, I still see the young girls who visited my family ranch, the innocent spirits who just wanted to learn how to ride a horse. I still see Kotori-hime, the sweet little bird who loves the fluffy fur of the alpacas we have; Honoka, the energetic pup who stumbles all over the place but brings laughter to us every time; Umi, the shy bunny who always hides behind me when we take her to the stables… things were so much more simpler back then. If only I were good enough-" she caught herself and chuckled awkwardly. "Gomen, I'm going off topic here."

"You care about them so much, Eli-chan," Rin stared at her lap, humbled by the thick emotions laced in the general's words. "And Rin sees your point, but w-why can't Rin contribute-? Rin may not know them as long as you do, but Rin really likes them too."

The ponytailed woman gently covered the girl's hands with her own, making the latter shy under such a warm and secure gesture. "I don't doubt that, Rin. I'm sure I speak for everyone that we appreciate your wish to help us. Thank you, truly."

"But…?" The princess said quietly, knowing that there was more.

"We do not want to see you or Hanayo become involved. It's best that Antares stays out of this war." Eli lightly squeezed her hands. "Will you trust me on this, even just a little?"

"Rin can't say no to that nya…" the young girl gave the general a faint smile. "Okay, Rin will think about this, Eli-chan. Thanks for your advice."

"Glad to be of help," the blonde let out an inaudible sigh as she patted her head. "Well… how about a spar? I'd love to see how much you have improved over the past few weeks."

Out of the corner of her eyes, Rin noticed that Honoka and Umi were about to wrap up their match so she quickly got up. She did not know how to face them, not after coming here with a grand purpose only to be shown the naivety of her idea. "Actually, Rin promised Kayochin we'd have lunch together, so maybe next time Eli-chan!"

She almost cringed as her insensitive words left her mouth. When would the next time be, if there was even one? The general merely gave her an understanding smile and let her leave in haste.

The cat-like girl practically fled from the training field, dejected and lost. What was she thinking? It wasn't as if the rest of Antares would share her opinion. Reinforcement required solidarity, so how would she raise enough support from her people, enough to join this war that did not even concern them?

Still, she could not completely erase the idea from her mind. There was no way she could just stand back without doing anything to help her friends. Nodding determinedly, she increased her pace as she headed for the clinic. Hanayo had always been smarter than her, and Maki was said to be a genius, so they should all brainstorm and come up with something!

The Antarean princess could not control the small grin at the thought of the pretty redhead, the first Kaguyan she became friends with, and the one she felt most comfortable around. Yes, the novice physician was very astute and observant, as well as attentive beneath that haughty exterior.

Most importantly, she was very kind towards Hanayo and that was what mattered the most to Rin.

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"Uuuuaaahhh! Asahi, Sasanishiki, Akebono-!"

Rin smiled fondly as a switch appeared to have flipped on for her best friend. The normally quiet and timid Hanayo was running in between the vendors, cooing and fawning over the variety of rice imported from lands far and wide. She glanced at the tall redhead and burst out giggling at the utterly befuddled expression on her pretty visage.

"Koizumi-san is like a completely different person, isn't she…?" Maki looked helpless as the overzealous brunette tugged her by the arm from stall to stall, gesturing wildly at the glossy grains of rice and listing all of its properties including taste, texture and what the best usage for each specific cultivar. Indeed, the characteristic shyness was nowhere to be found on this excited handmaiden.

"Rin likes this side of Kayochin too!" Rin chirped honestly as she hopped after them, arms folded behind her head.

Maki's brows furrowed in exasperation, but a faint smile could be seen as a beaming Hanayo handed them small samples of freshly cooked rice. From what Rin understood, this was the yearly merchant festival that Kotori-hime cheerfully mentioned. It took most of the morning for the combined efforts of Honoka and Eli to convince Umi to allow the princess to attend the event incognito, because the captain was uncertain of the security. But really, with the White Knight, the general, Umi herself and even a reluctant Nico as the escorts, Rin didn't see why the amber-eyed woman had anything to worry about.

Either way, the arrangement left a certain redhead in the company of the two curious Antareans. It wasn't intentional of course, but it was difficult to maneuver through the crowds without getting separated from the rest of the group.

Chartreuse eyes glanced at the taller girl, noting how Maki would fold her arms and looked around them from time to time, in spite of her efforts to hide her apprehension at being alone amongst all the strangers.

But she was not alone! Rin considered the redhead as her friend already, even though the latter never confirmed and expressed the same sentiment. Grinning rather defiantly, the orange-haired princess wrapped her arms around the startled novice physician.

"W-What are you doing?"

"Mou, tenshi-sensei looks so distracted… don't worry, Rin will take your mind off of whatever's troubling ya nya!"

"Like I said, stop calling me that…" Maki grumbled but allowed herself to be dragged towards the next shop, where the master chef was displaying his rather artistic slicing of ramen noodles. Rin felt her heartrate speed up as an uncontrollable smile took over her expression. This was heaven!

"Rice first, ramen next? Geez, I'm surrounded by kids," the redhead managed to retrieve her captive arm after several attempts. "Don't wander too far, stay here while I go get Koizumi-san."

"Oh no, Kayochin!" Rin snapped out of her amazed stupor and quickly skittered back to the novice physician. "Tenshi-sensei, what should we do nya?"

"Stop calling me that, and yes, you really need to stop going off on your own. Koizumi-san always has to go looking for you, I feel sorry for her," Maki scolded severely as she tried to spot their lost companion amongst the crowded festival.

Rin winced and lowered her head automatically. "R-Rin is sorry…"

"Hey, I-I didn't mean to sound harsh," the taller girl sounded surprised, "Um, raise your head? You're the Antarean princess after all, this feels weird."

"Tenshi-sensei isn't mad nya?"

"I am." Rin cringed again, but the scowl on the pretty redhead's visage softened a moment later as she awkwardly twirled a lock of her hair. "But only because you're forgetful. You make Koizumi-san worry too much. You two are … best friends right? Then you should be thoughtful of her too."

"Rin really should. Rin loves Kayochin, but Rin always acts without thinking," the Antarean nodded fervently and asked quietly. "Rin is sorry. Rin should be more thoughtful of tenshi-sensei too. Tenshi-sensei is also Rin and Kayochin's friend right?"

"...friends..."

"Nya?" Blinking, Rin finally looked up to meet the redhead's gaze. The taller girl's cheeks flushed upon eye contact and hastily turned around.

"N-Nothing. Let's go look for Koizumi-san."

"Okay!" Rin skipped up to her companion and ensnared the latter's arm again, her steps now bouncy with glee. Maki did not refute her statement, so this meant she agreed that they were friends! The two girls returned to the rice stalls, concerned when they saw that the brunette was no longer there. After asking the vendors and several passersby, they were directed towards a produce stand where the handmaiden was speaking to some fellow attendees with a worried expression. She must have been inquiring their whereabouts as well, for her face lit up with joy upon spotting them.

"S-Sensei! Rin-chan!"

"Kayochin! Rin is so sorry! Rin promises to never run off again!" The orange-haired princess tackled her best friend into a big hug, causing the later to squeak and almost lose her footing if it weren't for the nearby stranger's timely support.

"I-It's okay, Rin-chan. At least you were with sensei, I was worried you were off on your own in this big crowd."

"Who are you nya?" With her arms still secure around her best friend, Rin peered up at the three men standing behind the brunette, and then at the hand that still lingered on Hanayo's shoulder.

"Ah, these gentlemen were helping me… they led me to this produce stand, which is from the Nishikino lands," the handmaiden appeared clueless at the rather thick tension surrounding her as she smiled gratefully at the strangers.

"Thanks for helping us nya, now let's go Kayochin," Rin did not know why, but she felt very agitated by the presence of these people, in spite of their aid earlier. Indeed, she did not like how one of them was staring at her friend.

"Actually, I was thinking, why don't you join us? We're quite familiar with the festival," the said man gave them an amiable smile and gestured at the rice stalls further down. "In fact, my uncle owns that shop over there."

"Really?"

"Yes," he grinned confidently, encouraged by Hanayo's interest. "Just for you, I can arrange-"

"I think I am going to show them around my clan's shops first," Maki, who was standing a bit further back, finally spoke up in a frosty tone. "Why don't you hurry along, hmm? I have much to tell them."

"A-Ah, Nishikino ojou-san. Certainly. Pleasure to meet you all." Flustered, the three of them hurriedly bid their farewell and left the confused Antareans quicker than Rin could say nya.

"How audacious… in front of my clan's shop too..." The redhead's arms were folded as she glared after their retreating backs. Huffing, she tilted her head as she gazed at Hanayo up and down. "Are you alright, Koizumi-san?"

"E-Eh? I'm okay, thank you for asking-?" Hanayo still appeared puzzled by everything that has transpired in the last few minutes. She glanced between the frowning redhead and Rin before squeaking tentatively. "Rather, are you two okay?"

"Rin is fine nya!" The orange-haired girl jumped sheepishly, for she didn't realize that she was also glowering at the strangers even long after they were out of eyesight. "Rin promises she won't leave you unannounced! Rin will protect you nya!"

"U-um? Okay?" Hanayo looked at Maki for an explanation, only to receive an approving nod in response.

"Anyway, at least they brought you the right place," Maki unfolded her arms and leisurely walked up to the produce stand to pick up a plump tomato that was on display. "The Shitaras have the finest crops in the Nishikino lands of the west, especially their tomatoes."

"Only because of ojou-sama's continuous patronage," a short-statured girl, most likely the stall owner's daughter, smiled warmly at the redhead.

"Nonsense, Nagi-san, I have tried tomatoes from all over Kaguya, and still deem your family's the best."

Blushing, the girl squirmed under the praise and retreated inside the stall, much to the novice physician's confusion. Her father laughed heartily and offered his guests a plateful of fresh tomato slices, complete with a small jar of exotic sauce imported from foreign lands. Maki's usually austere violet eyes gleamed in childish giddiness while she munched on the juicy pieces. Rin and Hanayo exchanged a big smile as they watched the redhead savor the red fruit. While the snack indeed tasted delicious, they would rather forgo it in favor of this adorable occurrence.

"W-What?" Self-conscious, Maki put down the last piece of tomato, but her cheeks were still puffy with food.

"Tenshi-sensei loves tomatoes nya!"

"I-I 'on't-" The novice physician swallowed, face reddened in mortification, and mumbled. "Yes, I love tomatoes."

"Tenshi-sensei is so cute!" Unable to help herself, Rin lunged at the redhead, who could not avoid the embrace while holding the plate of precious tomato.

"I agree, sensei is cute," Hanayo giggled and graciously took the dish from Maki so the latter would have free hands to dislodge the affectionate princess.

"E-Even you too, Koizumi-san? Seriously, let me go!"

"Rin doesn't wanna~!" Rin snuggled even more, for she was becoming quite fond of the taller girl's scent and how nice it felt to hug her. And it wasn't as if Maki disliked the contact too, for she could have easily pushed her off, right?

"Hoshizora-hime, enough already!"

Rin flinched at the title, unused to being addressed by the redhead who tended to speak to her directly. Pouting, she peered up at the grimacing girl and still refused to relinquish her grip. "Rin! Rin is just Rin. Rin is just here at the festival with her friends, Kayochin and tenshi-sensei!"

Maki quirked an eyebrow and averted her eyes. Her silence persisted for a few moments, long enough to disconcert the cat-like girl to let go of her, fearing another reprimand.

"Call me by my name then."

"Nya?"

"Tenshi-sensei this and that… no, c-call me Maki already, both of you. We are f-friends right?" The redhead twirled a lock of her hair slowly and tried to meet their curious eyes. "I'll do the same, Hanayo, Rin."

"Maki-chan!" The handmaiden's soft expression morphed into a bright smile while the princess raised her arms into the air in a loud cheer. "Maki-chan! Maki-chan~! Maki-chaaan~!"

"S-Stop that! It's embarrassing! And quiet down, people are looking!"

"I can't help it, Maki-chan!" Rin hopped around the mortified redhead, overfilled with joy that her first Kaguyan friend acknowledged their growing bond. She latched onto the taller girl's arm while Hanayo shyly held onto the other by wordless agreement between the two Antareans. "Now, let's really celebrate this festival nya!"

Without waiting for the Kaguyan's response, the smiling pair tugged her towards various stalls that displayed items other than food. "I'm supposed to be the one showing you two around…" Maki said in exasperation but she also became immersed in the lively atmosphere after a while. The two foreigners would point out some crafts imported from their country while the local girl would give them simple backgrounds in what each land specialized, from crops to weaponry. She even mentioned the growing Ayase ranch in the Sonoda lands of the north, where the general first taught the White Knight and Captain of the Royal Guards how to ride horses. When questioned if she could ride one, she looked away and appeared to become interested in a nearby stall.

"Hmm, this is pretty nice," Maki approached a small shop that sold pretty accessories. Rin tried to peek over her shoulder, but her chin barely reached that height even when tiptoeing. There were mahogany combs, bracelets with colored glass and other small items. The novice physician was browsing through the shelf with various flower pins when her violet eyes settled upon a particularly beautiful one. Genuinely absorbed in shopping now, she began to examine the item for any defect.

"It'll look really great on Maki-chan!" Rin said encouragingly, nodding at the white apple blossom.

"No, it doesn't suit someone like me," Maki replied contemplatively, her gaze still intent on the dainty flower. Seeing how lost in thought her friend was, Rin ambled towards Hanayo to see what captured the latter's attention.

"Kayochin, that's a cute scarf nya!"

"M-Maybe if I were younger…" The brunette chuckled sheepishly as she put down the item, which was embroidered with caricature of rice grains.

"But you're the youngest, Kayochin~ So it's okay nya," Rin didn't understand why the handmaiden was indecisive when it came to such matters. Hanayo always wanted to be stronger and tougher, even though the princess adored her friend the way she was. "You should just get it if you really like it!"

"Rin-chan, it's okay. It's not chilly here in Kaguya anyway." The brunette was wearing a mild smile, but their longtime friendship told Rin that the former had made up her mind.

"If you're not getting that scarf, then how about this?" Maki joined up with the two, apparently done with her shopping.

Stunned by the sudden present, Hanayo could only stand still as the redhead carefully pinned the apple blossom to her headband. Maki took a step back and looked over the flustered brunette, seemingly pleased at her purchase. "I was right, it does look good on you, Hanayo."

"Maki-chan… a-arigatou." Dazed and in disbelief at what just happened, Hanayo gingerly touched the soft ornament and smiled at the taller girl. Rin was amazed at how fitting the accessory appeared on her friend. As expected of Tenshi-sensei to have such good eye! Before she could fawn over the brunette's gift, a small item was shoved under her nose.

"Y-You're the princess and all so this is nothing to you… but I thought you might like it," Maki wasn't looking at her, but her hand remained steady as she deposited the velvety charm in the startled Antarean's palm. Wide chartreuse eyes blinked at the orange kitten, hand sewn with a comical grin and its tiny paw was slightly raised as if it were ready for a fist bump.

"Wow! Arigatou, Maki-chan!" Pleasant warmth filled her chest as she beamed over the present, "Rin will treasure it! Hehe, yes Rin will kiss it morning and good night every day and keep it close, talk to it and -"

"W-Why would you do that?" The novice physician's cheeks heated up while Hanayo cooed over the kitten ornament as well.

"Maki-chan is busy right? So Rin won't be able to talk to Maki-chan every day," Rin became a little crestfallen at that, and besides, they would not be able to stay in Kaguya for too long. She quickly shook away the depressing thought and declared cheerfully. "Therefore! Rin will think of Makki-chan as Maki-chan nya!"

"W-What the-? You gave it a na-? No that's not the point, k-k-kiss it morning… Rin!"

"Itai!"

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Rin rubbed her head subconsciously as if she could still feel the phantom pain. She did not expect a sudden head chop, but seeing Maki so abashed was worth it! Smiling giddily, she prodded the cat ornament, which was clipped to her tanto's sheathe. Being a princess, gifts of bribing nature were common at court, but this keychain was definitely different from those! The redhead picked out these lovely presents through careful selection, showing that she cared, and most importantly Hanayo was included as well. The handmaiden was always ignored by the other nobles, much to Rin's annoyance, so seeing Maki paying attention to the brunette made her very happy.

Indeed, instead of those expensive, frivolous gems that were also on display, that elegant flower pin suited her best friend more.

Rin's grin softened as she gazed at the two figures sitting on the bench outside of the clinic. Hanayo was smiling affectionately at the aloof redhead, who appeared to be fumbling over the rice balls the former had prepared in the bento boxes. In spite of all the items placed around them, Tori-chan was adamantly nestled in the brunette's lap. The royal bird was said to always rest in the stone bowl inside the apothecary, but it seemed to have found a new favorite spot after the Antarean's arrival.

What caught Rin's attention the most was the way Hanayo looked, practically glowing in simple joy. It was as if an invisible weight has lifted off of her small shoulders, that she could be a normal girl rather than being the Antarean princess' double and, most of the time, babysitter. Such revelation caused a twinge of guilt inside Rin's chest. Of course, it must have been horribly stressful for the handmaiden, running around looking after a troublesome friend like her.

Chartreuse eyes despondently shifted towards the redhead, who was saying something with a placid expression, but it must have been something funny since Hanayo had to cover her mouth to stifle her giggles. Maki looked as beautiful as the day Rin first met her, even more so now that the noble lady was smiling openly. At least, she wore a gentle expression when she thought Hanayo wasn't looking. This reminded Rin of that day in the clinic, when Tenshi-sensei wasn't aware of her true self surfacing beneath her usual stoic mask while treating her patient. She felt like she could watch over her two friends like this forever.

The orange-haired princess found her lips curving again into a resolved grin. This picturesque scene was all the reason she needed. General Eli was right in her rationale, but Rin has made up her mind here and then. This wasn't something impulsive or rebellious, but rather a true goal she wished to pursue with everything she had.

It did not matter what awaited her in her home country. She will return to Antares to request aid for Kaguya.