The next morning, Tetora came down early, before breakfast was called. He walked into the kitchen and directly up to Purrcy, who was standing over the stove with her back to him. He slid his arms under hers to hold her around her middle. Resting his forehead against her back, he silently held her. She began purring for him, one ear directed his way. Nyanta looked over, turned off his heating element and took her cooking utensil. She gave him a fond look and turned around to hold Tetora to her shoulder, moving the two of them out of Nyanta's way so he could take her place.

Purrcy wrapped her arms around Tetora and pet his long idol-pink hair. "Ne, ne, Tetora. I'm here. I'm here. You're such a good boy." She leaned down and whispered, "And an excellent op. Thank you." He squeezed her tighter, still not unburying his face. She patted his head. "I'll be with you today. You can pet me all you want, ne?" He nodded, then finally released her and ran out of the kitchen with his head down.

Purrcy turned back to the stove without watching him go beyond the door, and her ears very forcibly didn't turn towards the sound of Shiroe's door closing. Nyanta made her pay for the utensil with a kiss before handing it back over, then took it with him. She had to give him another kiss with a hug to get it back, and he held her a little longer than he otherwise might have. When they returned to their cooking, Nyanta's grey tail curled around her black one and wouldn't let go.

-:-:-:-:-

"How far is number four along?" Shiroe asked Purrcy at the breakfast table, referencing her to-do list.

"The students should be giving me their completed code today - I expect this morning. I'll spend the afternoon grading their work. Starting tomorrow, I think Nyanta and I can focus on cooking. When that's done, we can go any time."

"Nyanta, how much longer for the cooking, do you think?" Shiroe asked.

Nyanta paused in his eating to consider it. "I'd like three days to be safe, nyan. We might be able to squeeze it into two, but it might be late nights that way."

"That's with everyone helping, isn't it?" Shiroe asked.

"Yes," Nyanta smiled.

Shiroe nodded and went back to his inner musings. "I think I'd like to allow that next day open for if there's anything left to do and packing, etc. I'll see if Calasin can have the dresses done by then. That might be a good evening to have the wedding. Then the two of you can leave the next morning."

The girls all frowned. "That's a bit much to fit the wedding preparations into the same day as the final preparations," Purrcy said.

Shiroe seemed unconcerned. "There are plenty of other people to handle that part. You only need to show up looking pretty."

"Only!" Purrcy said, "Shiroe, you do know it takes three hours or more just to get pretty, right? And most brides take all day plus half the day before."

Shiroe looked at her, irritated. "It isn't like you have nails to paint or hair to do up. And every Adventurer - particularly every female - came here looking gorgeous, whether they wanted to or not."

Purrcy leaned on her elbow, putting her chin in her hand and purred dangerously, "Why, thank you, Shiroe-kun. You might want to tell that to all the women you made me put on a display to just yesterday. They all have long, gorgeous hair they can't do anything about. Poor Elissa is going to have arthritis by the end of the day, trying to get everyone's hair done in time. My complement backfired slightly, and now they've all asked her to help them be prepared also. Or do you want to be the one to tell Rieze or Nazuna...or Akatsuki they can't? Or perhaps the Princess will be gracious enough to come in undressed hair for the sake of regional relations."

Shiroe's eyes widened just slightly and he looked at Akatsuki who was both glaring at him and looking very sheepish. She finally settled on the glare to cover her embarrassment. He groaned slightly. "Aren't there any other hairdressers?"

Purrcy went back to her breakfast coolly. "I wouldn't know, would I? And Rieze offered to do the makeup as well. I can just see her trying to get ready herself after everyone else is done...and with the new hair, too. She might just give up and stay home at that point. At least the dresses should be somewhat simple to just throw on." It was said with biting sarcasm. "I do hope someone's thought about the shoes, and underpinnings. ...Particularly mine."

"Calasin's tailor wants at least one fitting, too, just to make sure - like all good tailors would, so fit that into the plans somewhere, please. ...And Nyanta hasn't been for his measurements even. He needs to take you and Naotsugu with him. Rudy and Touya have a different task, but I don't remember anything coming out of their closets that would be acceptable for family of the groom at a wedding, so they at least need to go with you for Calasin to pick out something that coordinates acceptably, and Serera, Minori, and Isuzu also need that same level of coordinated clothing, so should also go. Gloves, please ladies. Bow ties, vests, and jackets, boys."

"I'd like to be present at least in video chat to give final approval of style. Nyanta needs to pick two more groom's men at a minimum to better balance against my number of bridesmaids and they should go for the measurements and fitting as well. I won't make him use Michael since he's my personal guard, though I won't complain either way, but if not then he wears what the boys will wear. And just who is cooking the food and setting up the stand, decorations, chairs, and banquet tables?"

She looked up at Shiroe. "You do realize that we could have just had a quiet twenty minute commitment ceremony and scroll signing in our own living room...two nights ago?" She delicately but firmly bit down on the food on her fork, chewed, and swallowed. "...Oh, yes, I forgot one last thing. At least an hour of rehearsing the going out and coming in and order of things so we don't all stumble over each other in confusion. ...I am international, after all. I haven't a clue what Japanese weddings are like. All I know is that mangaka like to romanticize American and British weddings and have just as much a clue as I do of yours. If you leave the rehearsal off the list, I'm not coming. It would be better to not show up than to make a fool of myself and shame my family."

Shiroe sighed. "All right. Two days for the wedding preparations and ceremony. One more for preparing to leave. Do you want that day before or after?" He was just barely shy of patronizing and she punished him with another glare.

"I wouldn't know which would be better. Ask Nyanta or decide it yourself." Her anger nearly spit the words out.

Touya sighed. He looked sadly at Minori who was sitting next to him. "I really had thought we were done with the fighting," he said quietly.

She looked back at him and softly asked, "I thought they resolved this yesterday?" He shrugged. They hadn't been there to know.

"We'll go for the measurements today and take the children while mew're in class," Nyanta said soothingly.

Purrcy looked at him with her mouth pressed thinly. "Then Michael will have to go separately. It would be better if we all just went together - again - and I graded while standing around so that I can at least veto the wild clothing the rest of you are likely to prefer. Calasin's tastes run far too extravagant for me, like Rudy's does. I much prefer understated. I'd almost give a pass to whatever Shiroe wanted, except then I wouldn't get any say at all in the whole thing, other than what I've already said."

"That's plenty," Touya muttered into his plate. Rudy hit him in the ribs with his elbow, though he was embarrassed at being called out in a rather unflattering way.

"It really isn't anything to be afraid of, Purrcy." The calm words arrested everyone's attention, and all eyes turned to Isuzu. Purrcy's ear turned away and turned back. "I know weddings can be stressful, but you have a lot of people here - not just us - who want to see that it turns out to be something you want to remember for the rest of your life. ...It really will be okay. Everyone will work hard." Isuzu gave a happy, closed-eyed smile. "I'll even play for you to dance. We'd love to see you and Nyanta dance together after it's all over."

Purrcy melted...almost to tears. Softly she said, "I would really like that, Isuzu - to get to hear you play. I haven't yet, you know." Isuzu nodded encouragingly, that she would. Purrcy sighed, looking down, then timidly reached for Nyanta's paw. "I'm sorry, everyone," she said quietly.

There was quiet for a bit, then Shiroe sighed. "Purrcy, there's one other thing." She looked up at him, wide eyed. "I've invited a delegation from the People of the Land, not just the Princess...because I want to be able to send the both of you as ambassadors on occasion to Maihama."

Purrcy's chin quivered. "Shiroe!? Not for the wedding, at least. Just the reception." She didn't get an answer and started shivering. "Please!?" He closed his eyes and turned his head away. She was gone, up the tree.

Tetora closed his eyes and sighed, dropping his head. He rose. "I'd better go this time, Nyanta," he said. Nyanta's whiskers drooped a bit, but he nodded.

-:-:-:-:-

In the darkness was the sound of quiet sobbing. "Please. I can't do this. ... Please, call me back. Don't make me do this."

A quiet chuckle with no warmth in it at all sounded. "What's the problem, mm? Surely such a thing isn't too difficult for one such as you?" The quiet sobs continued. "...Or, perhaps...it's the wrong husband? Perhaps you'd rather been handed the one in glasses?" The final word hissed.

"Mm!" A strong, but still quiet negation.

"Then what's the problem? You're getting everything you wanted, aren't you..." the voice was smooth, cajoling, menacing, "...Princess?"

The sobs began again and were left behind, alone.

-:-:-:-:-

Tetora slipped his arms around Purrcy as he lay down next to her in the back corner of the fourth floor closet. She was still shivering the dry tears of the felinoid, her ears down flat on her head, whiskers tucked in tightly to her face in extreme unhappiness. Even her golden swirls were dull and the motes mere dust. For just one poignant moment he wished he was male and she was human in form. Sometimes a woman needed to shed tears, and sometimes a man needed to be the one to comfort her. Naotsugu would be better for this moment, but it was his to do, even if it was a female body. But then, there might be one useful thing about it. His woman's body could cry...and was. Maybe surrogate tears would help a little.

He went inside and found her, since because of his tracer on her he could, and pulled her over to his body and his own tears fell harder. He hoped the body could handle two sad hearts. It wasn't perfect. She couldn't really be in his body, but he could hold her in that space. Another benefit was that in the body really, he was crying too hard to talk. In this inner space, he could actually speak to her. "Purrcy, it's okay. I'm here. Shiroe understands. We know you're doing your best. We'll do our best, too. I won't leave you alone, I promise." He felt a flick of an ear against his cheek. It was a bit tricky to balance holding her in the code realm and physically at the same time, but he managed to shift just enough he could pet her in the outer world, too. She needed that comfort also.

After a bit, she disengaged from him in the code realm and moved to sit "next" to him, hugging her legs to her chest. "It's so hard, Tetora," she said miserably. "I never knew it would be so hard to just keep living."

He pet her quietly a little longer. "You've been very strong until now, Purrcy. I - I can't imagine surviving what you've been through. I really respect your capacity to continue." He bit his lip. "Please...you can rely on me, too." His heart ached again, felt like it was being twisted and he shuddered. There was no way he could have survived what she'd already been through, what he'd seen in her history the night before. He'd have been driven mad long before this. He couldn't promise it would get better. He couldn't change where she was, but he could promise to stand with her, and not leave her alone. And he could do his best to protect and strengthen her. Right now, that meant holding her and being with her.

He felt Purrcy move and wrap her arms around his woman's body and hold him, hiding her head in his chest. Inside, she sighed and looked over at him wryly. "Okay. That is disconcerting. In here you are so obviously male."

He looked at her with wide eyes, then shook his head at her with a bit of a chuckle. "Tell me about it."

She reached out a hand to touch his cheek. "Tetora...if I can...would you want it? For you...I'd try."

He looked at her tenderly, then curled his hand and put the backs of his fingers lightly to her cheek. "I know you would." He held it for a moment, then looked up thoughtfully with a sigh. "Well, maybe when this is all done...if I'm still interested, I'll come and ask you."

"All right," she said, then dropped her hand and hugged her knees again, resting her cheek on them.

He reached out and pet her head, for a time the inner and outer comforting motions in sync. He wanted to say encouraging things to her, to tell her it would really work out okay, but he couldn't. They would try their hardest, but there were no guarantees, so he held his peace, only able to comfort her with his quiet presence. When she finally stood up to go back, he rose with her and looked her in the eye, trying to judge how she was doing. She bowed to him. "Thank you, Tetora. Please take care of me."

"You know I will," he promised. "But, I need to thank you. Thank you for teaching me what I needed to know to move forward." He bowed, one hand to his chest. "Thank you, Hahaue." There was a feather-light touch on his head, then she was gone. He rose with a sigh and returned to his body. He released Purrcy and sat up, then continued to pet her for a long time, until he had to wake her up to take her, a bit late, to her class.

-:-:-:-:-

Nyanta stayed home that morning...or he did want to. Instead he went as usual. It was about the same either way, really. When the Hackers were working, he only had to sit and watch over them. Today, though, it was particularly hard and he couldn't relax as he had before. It made him just slightly irritable and he was working on getting over that when Michael opened his eyes, sat up, and turned to face him, sitting cross legged. Nyanta's eye whiskers twitched upward.

"So...if we're doing the raid, why are we waiting a week to go out and having the wedding first, and all that? I thought it was the other way round when we left last night?"

Nyanta didn't let his emotions show. He had lots of practice with that. "Because Shiroe-ichi has decided it."

"You're willing to be left out?"

Nyanta didn't reveal anything. "Watching over my wife is nyot being left out."

Michael looked at him, taking his measure. Finally he said, "No, I suppose not. ...If you're really going to go through with it."

"I'm sure I don't know what mew mean," Nyanta's voice got calmer, a good sign he was getting angry, but Michael didn't know him. "I have already made my purromise."

Michael's eyes stayed on him a moment longer, then he shifted to lie back down again. "Well, I'm not one to tell you to do otherwise. Sometimes that's all we have, are the promises." He closed his eyes, rested his hands on his belly again, and was gone back into the code realm.

There was a soft movement to Nyanta's other side a few minutes later. He turned his head to look. Tetora was looking at him. "It's finished," he said quietly.

Nyanta held out his paw. Tetora dropped a small object into it. For a moment he covered the object and Nyanta's palm with his own hand. Nyanta "put" it into an empty box in his list. Tetora nodded, then grasped the empty paw with his own hand. Nyanta gripped him back briefly, then tipped his head in thanks. Tetora released him and returned to the code realm.

Nyanta gave a faint sigh and looked at Purrcy, resting in his lap again this morning. Gently he pet her head, then rested a paw on her shoulder and leaned his head back against the rock that was his back support to return to dozing, his ears and nose staying alert.

-:-:-:-:-

Once again, Log Horizon walked as a group into town. That's what it felt like - like they lived in a suburb, or even the country, and they had to walk into the town to get where there were crowds and people. Akiabara of Earth had been large, after all, and even then only a suburb of Tokyo. Considering the numbers of Adventurers brought to Theldesia was rather large (almost thirty thousand just in Japan, though they hadn't all been on at the time of the catastrophe), even then there weren't enough to be as many as had been in the modern city of Earth.

The outer wall of Akiba included the zone of their guild hall, set distant from the center of activities, so they technically were "living in town" and they had some protection because of it. It generally felt rather exclusive, though, and there was nothing rural about them when they did come in. Perfect poise and control, they came in from the same direction as the last two times, dressed a little more casually today, but armed. Not too unusual for Adventurers, but for the first time as this group. This time they also had Michael and Serera with them.

Purrcy and Shiroe were the center of the group again, and this time, Purrcy was on Shiroe's arm. With the word having gone out about the wedding between her and Nyanta, there wouldn't be a question as to what it meant. It also meant both Akatsuki and Nyanta had their hands free to defend if necessary. Since the Hacker demonstration, it also made perfect sense party-wise. Having the Hacker and Enchanter in the center protected them best.

This time there wasn't a comment from Purrcy on them being yakuza, though the guild all thought it for her. Being armed made it feel even more like it was so. To Rudy the word "yakuza" had come to mean "nobles", or perhaps even "royalty", since no one had explained it to him and that seemed to fit what she might usually call it. He did sense that it had some overtones of "pirate" to it, though, which confused him.

They were met at Shopping District 8 by Nyanta's two other groomsmen picks. Shouryuu was there as a male representative of Crescent Moon League, their sister guild, and a politically correct choice. Nyanta thought he was a nice guy generally who worked hard so was fine with it. He'd also asked for Soujirou who had been a fellow Debauchery Tea Party member. It was a bit touchy as he was another guildmaster, but in the end they decided he balanced Guildmistress Marielle as a representative from the Round Table, and the alliance between West Wind Brigade and Crescent Moon to be teachers at the Academy was perhaps a strong enough link to be considered loose allies of Log Horizon.

There was also the point that everyone on the Round Table, and pretty much in town, knew that Soujirou never took sides in anything, preferring to just generally help everyone. So with those political reasons and the ties of the past they'd asked him and he'd graciously accepted. It wouldn't be wrong to say he wanted to have the opportunity to understand the Hacker felinoid a little better, either. While all the Round Table guildmasters wanted that, he had a personal reason - Nazuna and the Plague.

Nyanta stepped forward to greet the two men with a handshake for each. "Thank mew for coming to meet us here this afternoon."

"No problem," Shouryuu said. It might have been thought he would feel out of place, but like most Adventurers in guilds with high profiles, it didn't matter that it was a smaller guild. He had lots of experience in the game play, in Akiba, and with Log Horizon. Meeting them out in the open in the city center felt like a breath of fresh air. They might actually behave for once...maybe. With Purrcy with them, maybe not, but that wasn't his to deal with.

"Glad to come," Soujirou said, his handshake firm. His friendly face belied the steel in his eyes. He might get along with everyone, but if he was crossed - like if someone offended a woman of any kind - he didn't hesitate to correct. "You sure you want me to participate?"

"Yes, please," Nyanta said calmly. "It's good to have companions at one's back in battle, and at one's side in pleasant times."

Soujirou nodded. His eyes went to Purrcy, then to Akatsuki. He still hadn't been able to talk to anyone about the Mysteries, like Akatsuki had wanted him to, and he had a fair guess it was the newcomer. He'd wait, though, until the opportunity came.

Nyanta led them, followed by the rest of Log Horizon, into Shopping District 8 and straight back to the rear, most of them giving the clerk in the front pleasant nods on the way. Shiroe had informed Calasin directly after breakfast they would be arriving that afternoon, so he had already pulled out several options that he thought would properly complement the bridesmaid's clothing. The older men went directly to measurements while Tetora took Purrcy on his arm and went with Calasin, Akatsuki, Michael, and the junior members to look at the options available.

Purrcy scanned the selections, then turned to Calasin. "What, exactly, is the theme of the wedding dress?"

"Fairy Queen," he said politely and salesman smooth.

"I see," she said, slightly clipped. "And Shiroe selected that or you did?" she asked.

"Shiroe did." Also smooth, but just a hint of apology in his pose.

Purrcy's nostrils flared and she seemed to pause for a count of three before moving. She pointed to one that was a flamboyant white with gold lame accent pieces. "No." Calasin immediately removed it. She looked at Calasin again. "I don't know what you've selected for Nyanta yet, but he is a refined and cultured gentleman. Respectable formality is required for his clothing. Long tails on the jacket are acceptable. I'm sure Shiroe has selected for me the most god-awful flamboyant thing he could find with feathers three feet long attached everywhere, and I shall hate it most fiercely. You will not subject Nyanta to such indignity. With his grey, white is acceptable for his suit with a light silvery grey shirt. It would be pleasing if it were to have black as the warp to the grey weft, but it is not essential. What accent color has been chosen?"

"Gold to pull your eyes and galaxies, Lady Purrcy," he answered smoothly.

Purrcy glared at him. "If my clothes are going to have holes in all the places I have galaxies to show them off, I'll end up looking like I'm wearing rags, Calasin. I might be willing to tolerate feathers if I absolutely must, as they'll make me look like I've just had a satisfying meal of a canary, but I'll not go looking like the trap and swiss-cheese bait for the mouse."

"No, Lady Purrcy," Calasin agreed humbly.

Purrcy glared at the clothing again. "The problem with only the gold is that it doesn't work as the accent color for Nyanta. He has no gold, only silver on him."

"I've always thought Nyanta the sort to be a pinstripe man," Calasin suggested. "Would the black tie with the gold pinstripe be sufficiently toned down in the gold department to be acceptable?" He gestured to the bow ties set out. The one in question had wide black stripes with the very narrow pin-stripe being gold.

Purrcy picked it up and considered it. Finally she nodded. "It should suffice. The groomsmen should be in black tuxedos with shirts to match Nyanta's, and this tie. These with me should be in dark grey pinstripe tuxedos with gold shirts to match whatever gold you're putting in the bridesmaids clothing, and this tie. If the dark grey clashes too much, stick with the solid black. Pocket handkerchiefs may be gold for all of them except Nyanta. While it is completely out of character for the rest of the color scheme, I would personally prefer it to be a green to match his eyes. If he would like to pick a particular color perhaps that would be best. Orange is right out."

She put the bow tie down, her hand clenching once it was empty. She turned to face the men's wear options again. "Put Shiroe in a long-tail tuxedo as well, though in the black," she modified. "The grey shirt will wash him out but the black tie may help some. ...Will Guildmaster Soujirou actually be willing to shed his traditional clothing for the modern?" She looked up at Calasin, though not quite directly.

Calasin paused, then said, "For Shiroe, he will wear whatever he is asked."

Purrcy pursed her lips. "No. Show me a formal Tokugawa hakama in black and gold."

Calasin blinked, then led them to traditional Japanese wear and hunted. In the end they found one that had a golden under kimono and black formal over-wear with minor gold accents that Purrcy approved of. She then had Calasin pull one out that was one step lesser in status for Touya, with the outer-wear in a dark grey instead of black, and had the younger boy take both to the measurement room for Soujirou and him to try on and have fitted immediately.

Purrcy returned them to the previous location and quickly went through the remaining options, getting rid of the shirt with the frills and finally mixing and matching until she had the shirt, vest, jacket style, and pants she wanted. "Now, those in the colors I've already said. See that the long tails of Nyanta's jacket are at the proper height in the back to not look embarrassing over his tail, as the audience is more likely to see our backs longer than any other part. Use the most recent spell for tail hole placement. If I'm the Fairy Queen, nothing less will do than the best for her Consort and their wedding court. Am I clear, Calasin?" She held him firmly with her gaze.

"Certainly, Lady Purrcy," he bowed. "Ah, do we have a date yet?"

"I'm told in either six or seven days from today, however I don't know if they've settled it just yet. It is already two weeks too long and that adds another." She turned away from him. "Show me what you have for the young ladies."

Calasin's smooth face went a bit troubled, watching after her and he looked at Akatsuki. She gave him a sympathetic look, then awkwardly patted him on the shoulder - what she could reach of it. "Stress," she said shortly. Calasin relaxed just a little and nodded understandingly. He took a breath and hurried to catch up to Purrcy and Tetora, already on their way to the women's section, the others trailing behind.

-:-:-:-:-

Touya breathed a long exasperated sigh as he trotted towards the sewing room. Under the exasperation at Purrcy's strong behavior was a bit of pleasure that she'd included his preference for samurai wear and persona, but under that was a sorrow he couldn't shake. He really did wish they could get this level done, the sooner the better. Once again, he was wishing for time to move quickly.

He really hadn't liked the last time there had been this battle between Shiroe and Purrcy and he wasn't thrilled to have it begin again. It really wouldn't do to have them at each other's throats every time they moved into position for a battle. They were certainly efficient and very productive in their individual arenas, but how could it be possible to work together if they couldn't compromise, be civil with each other, and maybe even bend a bit and be kind to each other? He really had thought that it wouldn't happen again, particularly after Shiroe returned home the night before. It was hard to swallow, especially the second time around.

He stopped outside the sewing room, gave one really good scowl, then cleared his face, took a breath, let it out, and stepped into the room as if he were entering the next room of a dungeon knowing full well it was full of kobolds...and the kobold king. He walked up to Soujirou. "Excuse me, Guildmaster Soujirou," he bowed as the man turned to answer to his call.

"Yes, young Touya?" the other asked pleasantly.

"Lady Purrcy has asked that you be fitted to this for your wedding clothing, and Guildmaster Shiroe, I'm to be fitted as well, to this other." He looked at his own guildmaster. Shiroe's eyebrow went up, but he didn't comment as of yet. Touya handed over the clothing set for Soujirou who took them, then moved to a somewhat clear table to lay them out. The other men not being measured moved to see what it was.

Naotsugu whistled. "She's got style anyway. Do we all wear this?"

Touya shook his head. "She was thinking of Guildmaster Soujirou and wished for him to be comfortable. It's the same for myself."

"That's kind of her," Soujirou said, running his hand over the overcoat. "This is the formal coat of a high official of the era. What is it you have?" He craned to look over at what Touya was holding. He obediently lay it out as well.

"Is this the color divisions she's chosen?" Shiroe asked.

"Yes. But Nyanta-san's tuxedo will be white."

"Tuxedo?" Shiroe asked in a pleasant neutral.

"Yes, sir. She has been very particular in form, style, and colors."

"Mmm," Shiroe didn't comment any more than that, but he nodded at the clothing in front of them. "And has she been considering the rest of us as well?"

"Yes, sir," Touya answered as best he could.

"And what about Rudy?"

Touya frowned slightly. "Well, she hasn't specifically called him out...it's more like she's simply included him in with the others." Shiroe nodded, not committing to anything other than it had been data added to his calculations.

Touya picked his set back up and trotted off to a changing screen and went to work to properly try on the clothes he'd been assigned. He tripped over the hem on the way to stand for the tailor, though he managed to catch himself okay. The fitting took longer than he thought, but Naotsugu had been training him for over a year to have the patience of stone. He chose to practice it again - for more than one reason.

-:-:-:-:-

Everyone was very worn out by the time they were done at Shopping District 8. Shiroe and Akatsuki stayed behind in town to have a date. Nyanta also took Purrcy to a restaurant for dinner to let the rest have a break, saying it was because they hadn't been able to have their own individual date yet, and surely one should be had before the wedding. As the rest flopped down in the couches and chairs to rest, not really able to face the kitchen on their own just yet, Minori lay her head on the table in front of her. "This really sucks," she said.

"That's my line," Touya said. "Can we just skip ahead to having it all done?"

"That's bad, to have the two of you ready to give up already," Naotsugu said kindly.

Minori scrunched up her face. "I've guess I've gotten so I really look forward to peaceful mornings in the kitchen with Miss Purrcy and Nyanta-san. The days that carries on into the whole day are really fun. ...I really don't like this."

Isuzu put her hand on her friend's back and patted her a few times, but didn't say anything for a while. Then her lute was in her hand. She took her time to softly tune it and pick her first song. She chose the song she'd written for Theldesia as it's First new song. It was a song of encouragement and hope, of a will to move forward to conquer, and she felt it was very applicable to their current situation.

Touya folded his arms on the table and put his chin on them, listening to the song. When it was finished he took a deep breath and let it out. Minori traced her finger on the table, considering the words also. Isuzu kept playing, running little phrases from that song and then others over the strings.

After a bit Michael sighed and put an ankle of one foot up on the knee of the other leg and draped his arm over the back of his chair. Looking off into the distance, he said, "I'm a Monk, but Naotsugu, what's that one that Guardian's have that has to do with stone?"

Naotsugu raised an eyebrow, "Castle of Stone?"

"Yeah, that one." Michael paused a bit, then said, "It's at times like this that you use that one to stay put and do what needs to be done." All eyes, and a few heads, looked at him, but he didn't look back at them, instead the index finger of the hand draped over his chair drew a figure on the back of the chair, one he didn't look at.

Naotsugu smiled. "I think that's about right," he said in agreement. He held up his hands, putting his thumbs together pointing down and curled the fingers of both hands, putting the backs of them together. "I think we should remember it."

Tetora looked between the two Warriors, then made the same sign. "Big time," he said softly.

Touya sat up and made it, too. Minori, her hands hidden under the table also made it. It took Rudy a bit of thinking, but he figured out how to do it eventually and held it up in front of his body. Isuzu nodded, but kept playing, then launched into Wake Up, Little Suzy, but put in Purrcy's name again. It made some of them cry, but it helped. They had dinner at Crescent Moon that night to help them be distracted enough to make it through the rest of the evening, taking Marielle up on her offer extended the last time it had been like this.

-:-:-:-:-

Minori wasn't the only one with a head down on a table. Purrcy was in the same state. "What would mew like to order?" Nyanta asked her.

She shook her head. "Thank you for bringing me out. I'm sorry. I don't really feel like eating."

"Mew need to keep up meowr strength, Purrcy."

She closed her eyes and a whisker or two twitched. She rolled her head so her forehead was against the table. Slowly she reached out and grasped hold of the lower part of the side of his vest, so her hand was still below the table. "...Please forgive me, Nyanta," she begged.

He considered her, then put his paw lightly on the side of her face. "The only thing I won't be able to forgive is if mew leave me standing alone in front of Shiroe-ichi and break meowr purromise to me."

Purrcy was still, then she slightly leaned into his paw. "I understand, Nyanta," she said quietly.

He ran his paw down her head and neck. "Come, eat with me tonight," he said quietly. Purrcy took a deep breath and sat up. Together they ordered a light dinner and ate it quietly. When it was done and the table cleared for them again, Nyanta pulled out a little box and handed it to Purrcy. She looked at him curiously, but he didn't give anything away.

Purrcy opened the box and stared at it's contents. Cautiously she reached in and lifted out a gold engagement ring. "It's beautiful, Nyanta," she said quietly.

"Please wear it for me, Purrcy," Nyanta said. She looked at him, then handed the ring to him. He took her left hand in his right paw, then placed the ring on her ring finger, a fuzzy thumb and forefinger holding it to slide it into place.

She looked at his hand and smiled. "You're coming along." She held his hand in hers. The digits were still a little stubby, like the paw had elongated somewhat. "To be able to create the thumb is a big step." She looked up into his eyes and he knew he'd be seeing tears if she could cry them. "I'm very proud of you for working hard." He pulled her close to him and kissed her.

That night Purrcy held onto Nyanta tightly, shivering, for a long time before falling asleep. He held her quietly, thinking his own thoughts, petting her slowly.

-:-:-:-:-

The next day Purrcy was much calmer, and because the whole day was spent cooking, it stayed calm. The following day was the same. It felt rather like the breath before the choir begins singing, as the conductor has raised his arms and is just giving the upbeat.

As the third day set aside for cooking wore on, the cooking wound down. The younger children sent Nyanta and Purrcy away from the kitchen saying they would do the final clean up. As they went from the kitchen into the main area, Akatsuki stepped out of Shiroe's office and looked at them. "Shiroe has asked for Purrcy," she said.

Purrcy went without question, Nyanta following her. Shiroe was sitting behind his desk, working. When Purrcy walked in, he finished his current line, then looked up at her. "Purrcy, I would like to understand better how the spells of the other Classes affect the realm of the code magics. You've set it so we can see the things of the code realm as they affect this one, and the other day you showed us what the code realm looks like. Would it be possible to set an area, like for the demonstration battle, where we could have the opportunity to practice our normal formation battles but seen in the code realm? I think this will help us to better understand how we can help when we reach the Tree of Life."

Purrcy considered. "It's certainly possible, but...I should take the time to put it up properly. I assume you want it to last several hours?" Shiroe nodded. "That actually has a rather high cost, with area to be affected the second highest cost. I can set it ahead of time in the area you want, then cast it when you arrive, though there may be a residual drain to maintain it once it's up. That's a typical cost for that kind of spell, unless I take a full day or more to spend the cost ahead of time."

Shiroe shook his head. "As much as I'd rather you not have a drain, I don't want to wait that long. If possible, could you set it up now and let me know when it's ready? We'll come then."

Purrcy bowed, "Yes, Guildmaster Shiroe."

"Nyanta, take her to our usual in-town practice spot. Determine a suitable area for her to set it up in. Take Tetora with you."

"Yes, Shiroe-ichi," Nyanta answered.

Together the three of them walked to an unoccupied zone that included a small wooded area, like an old city park, surrounded by a few buildings. The guild used this area since it had all of the kinds of areas, to some small degree, that could be found outside the city: trees, open space, and buildings that were falling apart a bit more than normal. Having practiced there many times in the last year and a half, Nyanta and Tetora quickly marked out boundaries for Purrcy. She sat down in the middle of that area, asking them to stay outside that range until she was done. Tetora watched her and cast healing spells on her as necessary to keep her HP up during the spell creation, though it had the base code she'd already written, so the cost wasn't as high as it might have been.

When it was ready, Purrcy rose and walked to the two waiting on her. "Tell Shiroe it's done," she said as she sat back on the ground and put her head in Nyanta's lap to fall asleep. He woke her when everyone arrived dressed for battle. They spent the next two hours with Shiroe walking them through their basic forms and watching how they affected the strange landscape that appeared when Purrcy cast the spell. Being able to see it overlayed on top of familiar topography helped and it wasn't too long into the practice that they were able to get a feel for how the two overlapped.

It was interesting to them to learn what things affected the code realm naturally, and what things had to include intent to affect it. Purrcy explained that for pseudocode to affect things in the base realm it was somewhat the same. If she set a spell to just go while looking at something, it would naturally affect the code realm. If she wanted to see or affect something in the base realm, she had to either set it specifically in the code, or cast it with the intent to affect the physical. Not all things worked that way, of course. Most of the time it was in how it was coded, and that was the safer way to handle it. Then there weren't openings for errors to be made.

Because a large part of the goal in going to the Tree of Life was to see if it could be healed, they spent a fair amount of time practicing and experimenting with what healing and recovery magics worked best on the code realm to affect it with that specific question in mind. When Shiroe was finally comfortable with how the two spaces interacted, he called a halt to the activity.

As they all walked back to the guild hall, Shiroe informed everyone that the next morning they would need to be at Shopping District 8 for their final fittings fairly early in the day so as to give the tailors time to finish any last minute modifications that needed to be made. Then he looked directly at Purrcy. "You won't run away, will you?"

She tiredly looked at him, then obediently said, "No, Guildmaster Shiroe." Her ears wanted to both lie down on her head, and stand up properly and patiently.

He put his hand on her head briefly. "That's good," he praised her.

She looked down and sighed. "When will the rehearsal be?" she asked.

"In the afternoon, so that the entirety of the next day can be used to prepare for proper presentation. I have the contract ready for you to review when we return, and if you want to, the words I plan on speaking at the ceremony." Nyanta nodded his head for the both of them. "After dinner, then," Shiroe said.

-:-:-:-:-

Dinner was a quieter affair than perhaps normal since they were all tired, and after the simple review of the things Shiroe had put together, they took to their beds a little early. Purrcy slept with her back to Nyanta. For the last three nights, she hadn't slept close to him, nor had she transformed into a cat of any size, day or night. It was as if a piece of her was missing, for all that the rest of her seemed to be the same.

The next morning, Shiroe called Nyanta and Purrcy from the kitchen into his office and gave Nyanta a map and the locations of the villages of the half-beasts, or where they should be, pointing it out on his copy of the map he had painstakingly put together of Eastal. There was one for foxtails not too far out from Akiba, maybe a couple day's travel by foot, and they determined they would go there first, Purrcy training Nyanta in the basic things on the way. After that, she would begin the more in-depth training for him to understand the concept of a natural felinoid. When Shiroe and the others were ready, he would contact them and they would meet up closer to the Maze of Eternity.

After breakfast, they went one more time as a guild into town, but a little more relaxed this morning, talking in small groups. Early mornings in town were meant for business ventures, not adventures. They patiently went through their rounds in the fittings, being met by the others who were part of the wedding party coming to get fitted as well. They slipped off in groups of twos to fours when they were done until it was Nyanta, Purrcy, Tetora, and Michael who left together when they were done. They'd kept Calasin mostly at bay, not letting him say much to Purrcy that day.

"Nyanta, can I shop a bit with Tetora?" Purrcy asked, looking around the market as they came out of Shopping District 8.

"Of course," he said demurely. "We'll wait for mew at the cafe at the end of the strip."

"Thank you," she said politely.

As they separated and Nyanta and Michael continued on, Michael asked, "What do you think that's for?"

Nyanta didn't say anything for a while, then answered, "I think she wants to look for a wedding purresent? She hasn't had time yet to shop for anything. Though, I don't need anything but her."

"Mm," answered Michael, "I guess it's true that the woman does like to find something to be a surprise, and a gift from the heart."

"It is so," Nyanta agreed with quiet practicality. They reached the cafe he had in mind and settled to wait.

-:-:-:-:-

Purrcy and Tetora headed towards the shopping district, though Tetora could tell that Purrcy wasn't really focused on the shopping. He quietly kept her company until she finally turned to him, sorrow in every line of her body. "Tetora...I can't," she finally said quietly. "I can't do it." She wrapped her arms around him and he held her tightly. When they parted, Purrcy pulled the engagement ring off her finger and handed it to him. He took it reluctantly. "Please give it to him for me," Purrcy said quietly. Tetora nodded and Purrcy was gone. He stood there for a moment, holding the ring tightly in his hand, the ring pressing painfully into his palm, his eyes watching his guild map, his heart hurting.

He walked into the outdoor seating area of the cafe alone. When Michael saw him he sat up in alarm. Tetora couldn't do anything about his red eyes, of course, so it was already given away without him saying anything. He walked up to Nyanta and held out his closed hand. "She's gone," he said simply, full of compassion.

Nyanta held out his paw and took back the gift he'd given Purrcy. He sighed. "No. I expected it," he said sadly. "She really hasn't been herself."

Michael sprang to his feet. "You're just going to let her go?"

The other two looked at him. "She's free to go," Nyanta said. "It's one of the laws of Akiba, after all. Adventurers are free to choose where they will go and who they will stay with. If she chooses to come back to me, then I will still welcome her with open arms. The last three weeks have been very difficult for her, having to stay here this long."

Michael pursed his lips and looked at Tetora. "Do you know where she's gone?"

Tetora looked at him. "Minami."

Michael swore. "Well, even if you won't go...I will."

They looked at him silently. He finally glared at them and turned and hurried off, becoming lost in the midday crowd quickly. Tetora looked back at Nyanta who was rising to his feet, a new gold earring shining in his ear. "Shall we get back and inform Shiroe-ichi?" he asked calmly, though his eyes glittered. Tetora nodded and together they set their feet walking towards the Log Horizon guild hall.

-:-:-:-:-

The woman woke up in a place she had woken up in so many times before. Her ears twitched. A silky smooth voice, the same one she always heard in this place, spoke her name. "Why have you come back? You know I'll have to punish you now?" There was a pause as if she were being given the opportunity to answer.

"You almost had everything you've been wanting. It will still be mine, only now you won't get anything. But then...you already know you don't deserve to have anything good, so it's only right that you come crawling back to the gutter, your tail between your legs. The precious Princess of the gutter is all you'll ever be able to be."

There was the sound of a step of the person turning away. "Well...enjoy your punishment, I guess." There was a command, coldly given, and just as coldly, it was carried out and her nightmares in this dark place began again.

But inside, the woman smiled. She had already lived through this much before, and this time, the other promises she'd been given were a warm light held within her. She held those two warm promises in her heart and let them comfort her. She might have returned to this pain on the outside, but soon she would be free of it and truly have everything she desired - she was sure of it.

-:-:-:-:-

"Nyanta, I still want you to go and find the foxtail village. We need to know if it's really here and has survived the cataclysm," Shiroe pushed the glasses up on his face. "The half-beasts need help if this world does eventually make all Adventurers real and it gets difficult. Please be our ambassador and see if they can at least teach us how to survive that way. If possible, perhaps they would be willing to accept those who need a place to go away from the rest of us."

Nyanta bowed. "Yes, Shiroe-ichi. I'll do my best."

"Thank you, Nyanta," Shiroe said kindly. "Take care out there."

"Of course," the felinoid said. "I will wait to hear from mew."

When he was prepared to go, the whole guild walked out of the city with him to see him off. Serera joined them, as did Marielle. The juniors all gave him hugs and Tetora did, too. "I'll keep watching over her," he promised. Nyanta gave an ear-twist of thanks.

Naotsugu's hand swallowed Nyanta's shoulder. "We'll hold down the fort."

"Keep reminding Shiroe-ichi to take rests," Nyanta answered him.

"Will do, Chief."

Nyanta looked at Akatsuki. She gave him one firm nod. He smiled, then looked at Shiroe. He held out a paw and they grasped wrists. "Good hunting."

"Same to you."

With a nod to each other, Nyanta turned away and blew on his gryphon summoning whistle. Shortly a gryphon was winging its way down to their area. Nyanta climbed on its back, waved, and he was off. They watched him fly away until he was very small in the sky.

Marielle turned to Shiroe. Serera was holding tightly to Minori's hand. "Will he be alright, really?" Marielle asked.

Shiroe looked at her with his sharp look. "It will be difficult," he admitted, "but I think he'll be just fine in the end. He's got a pretty strong support group after all."

Marielle looked around at the rest of them. "Well, that's truth, isn't it?" she smiled encouragingly at everyone. Shiroe always liked that smile. It made everyone always feel better.

He looked down at Akatsuki and offered her his hand. She looked up at him with her usual sober gaze and took his hand. "So do you, Shiroe. We're all here for you, too."

He smiled at her and answered quietly, "I know. Thank you." He squeezed her hand. She pulled on it and he leaned over. She gave him a kiss, then blushed prettily.

Naotsugu wrapped his arm around Marielle. "Well, let's get back shall we? There's a lot of work to do." They led everyone back into Akiba and the guild halls. It was time to prepare to face the next part of the dungeon.