Takumi

The sun entered my room in Izumo, as my eyes cracked open, greeting the light with a squint. I sat up, looking toward the door, as it slowly slid open, with Sakura stepping through.

"Good morning sister," I yawned, rubbing my eyes, as she took a seat beside me.

"M-morning, big brother," she greeted me back, before looking ahead. "Hinata and Hana are doing better today."

"That's good, sounds like we'll be able to head out soon then." I got up, grabbing my gear, and stepped out with Sakura, noticing that everyone was already waiting. "Ah, I guess I'm late to the party, then."

Leo looked at me, placing a canteen in my hand. "Izana gave each of us a canteen, saying that hopefully it'll last each of us most, if not all, of the trek to Shirasagi."

I nodded, slinging the canteen over my shoulder. Shortly after, we headed out, preferring not to stay any longer than we needed to.

Leo

The travel lasted most of the day and was quite uneventful, until we neared the capital plaza.

"Hey! Prince Takumi, buddy!" I look over, noticing a figure running up to us. He stopped, holding his knees for a moment, panting. I walked over to him, noticing that in his golden-brown hair were two fox-like ears. I crouched before him, opening my canteen, which I had barely drank from. I handed it to him, and he looked at me, grinning, before grabbing the canteen and started to drink from it. When he finished, his grin returned. "Thanks, friend! I owe ya one!"

"Kaden?" Takumi stepped toward him. "Leader of the Kitsune Tribe, why are you here?"

His expression became serious for a moment, and he looked over at Takumi. I noticed his tail swish as he did so.

"Nohrians have started to scale the Sumera Mountains, a lot of them. I'm not sure if just the tribe can handle them, that's why I came here, to ask for help."

"We can't ignore a request like that, if they breach from up there," He cut himself off. "Let's go," He looked over to Hinata and Hana. "I'm sorry, but you two should keep going, er, Azama, could you accompany them back to Shirasagi?"

"Of course, milord."

There was no more discussion about it, we immediately headed off after Kaden, with the three of them splitting from us.

Days passed as we crossed the plains and scaled the mountains, making it to the oddly warm summit. I could already see the Kitsune Tribe there, preparing for battle, as Kaden hurried over. I sat atop my horse, watching as the first Nohrians surfaced.

I touched my hand to the blade sitting in my sheathe, and I held the tome tight in my hand, as I noticed one figure, a man with semi-long blond hair, atop his horse in his princely armor. It was my brother, Xander, whose eyes met mine with a stern look. Immediately, the soldiers and Kitsune clashed, the Kitsune transforming into enchanted, fox-like beasts. I stood at a steep ledge of the mountain, noticing Xander motioning to the soldiers around him, as if telling them to leave him be, as if he wanted to fight me himself.

I watched as he rode on his horse toward me, before dismounting, gesturing for me to do the same. I did so, all the while keeping my eyes on him.

"So we meet again, brother." He finally speaks.

"So we do."

"I would ask how you are fairing, but you seemed to have been frolicking with the Hoshidans for quite a while."

I couldn't help it. My upper lip curled up at the insult, and I managed out, "You have no idea what harm father is doing to Hoshido."

"Yet you are blind to the fact that Hoshido is hurting us as well."

"Father's too prideful to request help!" I exclaimed, putting a hand to my blade, "Hoshido has shown time and time again that they were willing to give, but Nohr only wished to take with life, and so Hoshido has become defensive."

Xander was silent as he unsheathed the fearsome blade, Siegfried, which radiated a spine chilling darkness.

"This is not just about home, you left us for individuals you had not known for but a day, and now you've pulled Elise with you."

My eyes widened, as I realized what he was accusing me of. "What- I would never do such a dastardly thing! She joined my side by choice! Open your eyes brother! There is much that you're missing."

He continued to stare me down, before narrowing his eyes. "I am missing nothing, you are the one blinded!" He lunged for me, and I barely had enough time to react, resulting in me being pushed back toward the edge. I attempted to kick forward, which caught him off-guard, and he took a step back, allowing me more space to move. He increased the distance between us, and swung Siegfried once again, a straight beam of shadow was sent toward me. I could not avoid, and the attack pierced me, and I felt like the air in my lungs was ripped out. I could not breathe for a moment, and a radiating pain extended from the center of my chest.

Sakura

I was forced to the background of the battle, as I heard a scaling argument above. I looked up, seeing Leo and Xander, and their blades clashing. My heart started to pound, fear rising to my throat as I saw Leo stumble for a moment.

Leo

Xander swung for me again, using the flat side of his blade in an attempt to cause severe pain with a crushing blow. I saw through this, and thrusted my blade, causing it to slip through the center of Seigfried, thus making the blades lock. I twisted, to keep the struggle going for a moment, until the blade was thrown from my hands by a strong pull by Xander. I grabbed Brynhildr, and uttered the spell I had cast thousands of times before.

The tome was unresponsive. I looked up at Xander in terror, seeing him move closer to me. I took a step back, and almost slipped, looking to see that I was on the edge which started to crumble below me. He closed in on me, and I could only recall hearing a scream, and feeling the heavy pain of something colliding with my head.

Sakura

I watched in helplessness as Leo was backed into a corner so quickly. I watched as Xander swung his blade to hit Leo straight in the head, and connected, making a sickening clang. I watched as his form seemed to try to keep balance for a moment, before toppling backward.

My eyes filled with tears and I screamed his name, the name of someone who I once could call my brother, as he plummeted down the cliff, ending up hitting a few ledges sticking out. My hair rustled in the wind as I heard heavy wings roar over head.

I watched as a Pegasus dove below Leo, the rider catching him in their arms. The Kitsune were powerful, yet they were being chipped away, and a few had been killed already. Takumi turned, seeing the aftermath, and muttered under his breath, going back to the struggling fight.

The Sky Knight landed, and dismounted from the Pegasus, walking toward me with Leo in their arms. At first I thought it was Subaki, but I realized through my tears that it was Hinoka. I hurried over, ending up tripping on a stone and tearing my shrine maiden's dress, and skinned my leg, but ignored it as I approached her.

"Is, is, is he-" I watched him for a moment, choking on my breath as I watched. Soon enough I saw his own breath hitch, causing his chest to tremble.

I was both relieved and horrified, seeing that he was still alive. I looked up, seeing Xander looking down upon us from above. He looked over to the soldiers, and called out an order unintelligible to me, but they pulled away, with Xander going with them. Was his only goal to attack his brother?

Xander

I watched as the princesses looked over my brother, a pain knotting in my heart. I slowly sheathed my blade, closing my eyes. I opened them again and looked around at the soldiers who were still fighting.

"Halt!" I barked, more stern than I intended. The soldiers stopped in their tracks. "We've accomplished what we wished, pull back." I mounted my horse, and set off to lead them, and we started our descent down the mountain. All the while I felt ill, with the pain in my heart still there. It was what I assumed was guilt.

You shouldn't be guilty, you only did what was right, I tried to assure myself, You shouldn't be feeling this way.

I remained the rest of the trek silent and distant, as I fought with my inner conscious about my actions. My doubts fought with me, not letting me forget.

Hinoka

It was almost like at that point, he was disowned by his own brother. His breathing remained a wheezing struggle, as I could only assume he had broken a few ribs through his banged up armor. Elise and his retainers hurried over, with Elise showing immense guilt as she looked him over. None of them said a word, but the melancholy in the air was obvious enough. I looked at Takumi, and moved slightly to show him, and even he seemed shocked.

"We should worry about getting home now, to get him help. Nothing else." I said, looking at him again. "It's clear that he is now rejected, and it would be our job to help him."

Takumi opened his mouth, about to say something when I interrupted once again. "He saved your life, and returned Sakura to us. The least we can do is keep him alive."

He nods, and Kaden approaches us. Behind him, the Kitsune tribe was retrieving their lost ones, and tending to one another's injuries.

"Friends, I'll join you! He gave me water when I was thirsty, and I gotta pay him back somehow!"

Even though his motive was simple and silly, I smiled, "Chieftan Kaden, that would be great, thank you for your offer."

"Just call me Kaden, buddy!"

"Alright, Kaden, thank you for your offer, and I accept it."

After that, Subaki and I prepared to head off ahead of the group, with myself carrying Leo's unconscious form with my arms and some rope, and Subaki carried Sakura. We took off, hoping to reach Shirasagi before nightfall, and before Leo's grasp slips.

(Hello again everyone! I would just like to note that I am aware that Leo's argument is incorrect, and that it was intended to be that way, just so people are aware of that fact.)