Life 51: Fox Sisters

Soren was the first of the now five-person party. The immediate view of the forest area was, well, what was expected really. Opposed to the modern buildings and small skyscrapers of the other side of the island, the forest district blended in natural constructions and tree-built buildings that went all through, to the point the tram line was pretty much the only non-wooden (mostly) structure that could be seen.

The crowd was moving about as normal, no doubt because of the lull in the mess of things that had been going on before now, though from checking the tracker on that ever useful device of Soren's, the party could tell there was on abnormality in the magic signature.

"That's gotta be the portal Neria told us about." Soren murmured, stowing the device into his jacket. "Xander, Lune, you two seen it by any chance?"

"Nope, can't say. Sorry bro." Lune said.

"Same for me. Personally I prefer to avoid the Maes, especially if Yuki is in the area." Xander stated, Soren shrugging.

"Yeah but hardly anyone likes Vitch as it is." Soren remarked, noticing how Kuroka was scanning around. "You catch onto something?"

"Hmhm. Relax. If there's anyone who can catch onto ki with no problem it's me. Those three foxes are here… bad news is they're heading for that portal." Kuroka said, and as she stepped forward, with a puff of smoke she transformed into a cat, perching herself to Soren's shoulder, her split tail waving about before pointing off. "That way."

"Let's try and keep under watch first." Xander said, the others stopping from clearly being ready to just storm the gate before anything else. "I get this is something we can just be over and done with, and frankly with much better ways to do it."

"Xander it's a spat between Neria and Fuka, since when has there ever been anything besides the two just being rivals that had anything to do with a damn thing?" Soren muttered, Xander lifting a brow.

"You haven't forgotten SERAPH have you?"

"We swore we would NEVER bring that topic up!"

"I feel like we're just gonna keep learning about past incidents Soren doesn't want to talk about." Lucina remarked.

"You start racking them up the longer you're in the Association." Lune said, Xander and Soren nodding in agreement to her.

"But, sure, let's go with a quieter approach. At least see what this portal even does before blowing it up." Soren said, readjusting his gloves. "So let's not waste time and go!"

As the map had said, the place the party was looking for was close to the base of the mountain. Well away from the main climbing path, which while passing it Lucina had expressed interest in hiking the mountain at some point during this entire vacation. The place they came upon was styled like some reconstructed ruins, with a notably Japanese flair about the stylings of the place. That definitely made it hard to find an actual perch to hide on since the temple area followed the traditional, relatively flat structure these kinds of places had to them, but considering there was the thick border of trees, it negated the problem anyway.

"I thought this portal was in the open. I can't see it anywhere!" Lune was hanging upside down on a branch with her hands shading her eyes, and Soren shook his head, the girl flipping back up next to him.

"It's gonna be behind the main temple… up in the branches now!" Soren yanked Lune up with him as he did, the two peering down, and from below, they could hear someone humming along to a random tune. "Well I definitely know which sister's showing up… Mizukume."

"Wait I thought it as Fuka…"

"She uses both remember?"

"Oh yeah!"

Soren slapped a hand over Lune's mouth as the humming got closer. The individual then came clear into view from the path. A cute, appropriately foxy looking girl with tied up pink hair marked in orange fox-ears, and coming from beneath the revealing, primarily blue kimono she wore was a matching tail to go with the ears. Beneath the strands of pink hair, her gold eyes were merrily looking over the entrance of the temple, and the fox girl carried on her way, completely passing by Soren and Lune's hiding spot.

"So hey what did happen between you two when you were in SERAPH last year?" Lune asked, Soren giving her a glare. "Sorry… just curious."

"What happens in SERAPH stays in SERAPH. That is all. Now c'mon, lets go meet up with the others." Soren quietly moved off and dropped lower through the branches, dropping to the ground and moving forward, Lune follow after him as they slunk along the wall, eventually coming to a spot where Xander, Lucina, and Kuroka were waiting at the fringe of the trees near a side entrance, and from this area, the portal they'd come looking for was very well in sight of them.

The structure was round and large, covered in myriads of paper talismans and runes, and thankfully for now, totally inactive. But what had to be the true oddity of the matter was the fact it was being guarded not by the traditional lion statues… but by large-as-lions boars with stark black fur, red tusks, and glaring red eyes.

"Well… they were not kidding about the boars." Lucina gave a hum, turning as Soren and Lune approached. "Hey. Did one of 'em show up?"

"Yeap. Fuka… or Mizukume. Pick whoever one." Soren remarked, looking at the suspiciously quiet Kuroka, who was still in cat form on his shoulder. "Kuroka?"

"Shh. Concentrating on finding the other two." Kuroka said, leaping from Soren's shoulder and to the edge of the wall, her tail twitching in the air. "Ah, and we've got number two at the gate. C'mon, I'll cloak us, let's go in."

Kuroka moved back down to Soren's shoulder, and when he nodded to the other three, they moved into the walls, spreading out and hiding behind what they could, getting closer to the portal, all four stuck behind statues now, since the square where the portal was didn't have much of anything to actually hide behind.

"Taiga! Is the thing working again? Things have been too quiet from the other side!" Mizukume came out from the main temple and walked to the center of the square, glaring back at the guard boars as they looked at her. "Taiga! You're not napping behind there again are you?"

"Nyaaaa… I wasn't!" A sleepy voice responded. Shuffling out from behind the portal was a girl totally identical to Mizukume in basic appearance, though her hair was kept up a lot more haphazardly, and she was dressed in an orange-primary kimono with a white apron tied to the front of it, and looped around her waist were cat-paw like, clawed, large gloves. "Ish just so warm right there though…"

"I'm just worried about if you fixed the ofudas that got scratched up, not if you found a new warm spot." Mizkume stated, pointing a finger at her sister. "Are they?"

"They're fine-nyaaa!" Taiga responded, Kuroka's ears flattening, clearly taking offense to the drowsy Kitsune's mannerisms. "When are we gonna summon again? I wanna make something big to eat tonight."

"In a bit. I'm getting suspicious about that darn Empress's quiet nature as of late. After that attempted missile strike she went quiet." Mizukume muttered, turning around when a shrill laugh went through the air. "Yuki! Where the heck have you been since yesterday?"

"Gathering information my dear sister." A more elegant voice wavered through the air, and waltzing into view was a third, and again identical, fox girl. With far straighter hair that was elegantly tied into a single tail and braid, glasses loosely sitting in front of her eyes, and a black Chinese style dress that hid next to nothing from the imagination, and opposed to her sisters, her fox ears and tail were a matching shade of pink to her hair. "If you had paid a bit more attention, you'd have found out even before I did of some new arrivals. You are quite well acquainted with the group's leader… though he looks quite different than you remember."

"Eh? Ehhhh?! Danna-sama?! He's on the island?!" As Mizukume started shouting excitedly, Soren just out a hand to his face, while also ignoring that Kuroka's claws were digging into his shoulder, and Lucina had a sardonic look on, while Lune was stifling snickers.

"Calm down will you?" Yuki said, flicking out a fan. "Rather than getting on your high horse because of your ever-present fantasies, why not think of the other side? That boy is always a heap of trouble, and not to mention he recently defeated the White Dragon Emperor one-on-one… frankly speaking this entire situation of ours wouldn't last with just him alone, and that's not even getting into the rest of the group. Azazel's daughter, the Holy Karma Dragon, three sword maidens of whom one has the Durandal… basically just trouble all around."

"Well you weren't wrong, she's good at getting information." Lucina noted, Soren nodding as he gave a sigh.

"I mean, for all we know they could be over here as we speak!" Yuki added, then giving a laugh that dissuaded the sudden tenseness in the spying group. "Though that'd be laughable. There's no way they could get past out perimeter that easily. Siegreich may be smart but his skill with senjutsu is lacking."

"Glad they don't know who I am?" Kuroka mewled, Soren giving a sigh.

"You always ruin the fun." Mizukume muttered, huffing as she turned, her tail swishing through the air. "But if such is the case… hmhmhmhmmm. Perhaps causing some chaos will draw some eyes!"

"Nyaaa… Nee-chan's only hyped up now because Soren-sama's here." Taiga yawned again, then sniffed the air. "Hmmm? Why does it smell like he's around?"

"That's just silly Taiga. If someone like that was showing up, well, I'd be able to sense a power like that from miles away!" Yuki coyly replied.

"Hmmm… maybe you're right. Soren-sama's smell is a bit different… I think? Nyaaahmmm… it's been too long, did Taiga forget a smell?!" Taiga begun spinning around as she panicked, stopping when she was hit by Yuki's fan. "Auh!"

"Oh hush now and stay calm. Now, if we could get thigs underway?" Yuki said, Mizukume laughing as she stepped up with a few paper talismans in hand.

"Of course! Let's make today lively! Set, and…" As Mizukume threw the talismans out, the building moment was cut short when a sound broke the air, crystalline weapons zipping through the air and smashing into the portal. The structure itself wasn't scratched in the least, but the process of activating it was interrupted. "Eh? What… what was that?"

"Well that has got to be some strong protective charms on that thing. Neria wasn't lying about it." Soren stepped out from the hiding place, spinning around a ringed knife on a finger before dismissing it with the signature fade away of his abilities. And Kuroka was just quietly remaining in cat form on his shoulder. "Hello there you three, been a while."

"Danna-sama!" Mizukume shouted joyfully, her entire outer aura changing instantly, Kuroka downright hissing at her. "Eh? What's with that cat?"

"… well this is just great." Yuki clacked her fan shut with an annoyed look, to which Soren mugged at her.

"Why is your scent different?!" Taiga meanwhile gave not a damn and got right in Soren's face, sniffing again. "It's the same but changed…"

"Well, a lot's happened to me in the past few months." Soren remarked, glancing over to see that the other three were using the distraction to edge along the perimeter. Thankfully the guard boars didn't notice them at all. "Broke a curse, changed up my Sacred Gear, gained access to nifty bloodline powers… the works."

"That sounds like an entire ridiculous series worth of things." Yuki dryly commented, her fan opened again, Soren snickering at her. "Hagh… judging from earlier you're obviously here to get our lovely portal. Let me guess Siegreich, you're here because that tiny Empress asked you too?"

"Ehhhh? Mmmphhhh! Not fair not fair! Why did the runt get to see him first?!" Mizukume whined, stamping her feet, then shifting to a look that while she was smile, it was anything but pleasant. "Now we have to escalate the war-OW!"

"Cool it." Yuki bit, her fan having whacked Mizukume clean on the forehead. "Now, okay, I'll be straight and admit this entire thing is dreadfully silly and pointless…"

"Oh y'think?!"

"Ahem." Yuki cleared her throat as Soren interrupted her. "But come now, have a sense of sportsmanship why don't you? It would just be a shame to destroy it now would it not? You've barely even seen the extent of the things that have happened here."

"Ehehehe, sorry Vitch." The moment that name came out of Soren's mouth, Yuki bit her lip in a vain effort to not lose her composure. A subtle flick of his hands, when he got a signal from the others, caused small flecks of crystalline light to move past the kitsune sisters, phantasmal weapons appearing at the guard boars and swiftly dispatching them, allowing the group to get closer to the portal. "Me and my group are here for an actual vacation. I honestly don't wanna waste any more time than we are on anything but that."

"It was Neria who started it!" Mizukume snapped, throwing an arm up. Soren just raised a brow at her. This was usual. "What with all her darn mad posturing and that gaudy sense of architecture out of a time long past! And she went totally off her rocker the other day!"

"Yeah because this mess has been making it hard to get some things in. Seriously what the hell's gone down because of this stupid portal?" Soren muttered, his eyes darting to the others. By now, Lucina, Xander, and Lune had reached the portal, and Lucina was peering out from behind the structure clearing waiting for a signal. A wave from Kuroka's tails was enough of a sign to make Lucina nod, the girl's head slipping back behind the portal.

"Lots of things" Yuki coolly replied, then giving a hum. "Also for your little friend… she's smart, but please deary, I know a nekomata when I see one. Those tails are a dead giveaway. You're a nekoshou aren't you?"

"WHAT?!" Mizukume shouted, Kuroka giving a mewling laugh.

"I wasn't exactly trying to hide now." Kuroka stepped off Soren's shoulder and switched back to her human form, smirking at the kitsune girls as she made particular note to grab Soren by the arm, Yuki smacking Mizukume with her fan when the latter nearly screeched. "And by the way, for the fun detail, I'm Soren's actual mate… well, one of them, but that's just details."

"Kaaaaahhhh?! I'll have you know in SERAPH we…" Mizukume was interrupted by Kuroka giving a smarmy laugh, the fox girl's tail bristling.

"Ararara? I'm sorry, but I remember Soren saying things that happen in this SERAPH thing don't count. So sorry but that means I win." Kuroka gave a mewling laugh, and Soren just sighed.

"Alright, as amusing as this can be… LIGHT IT UP!" Soren lifted a hand and snapped his fingers, causing the sound to reverberate through the square. On cue with it, Lucina whistled out to get attention at her, and with an amused smile on, she pressed her hand to the portal, white flames arcing across it and burning away all of the ofudas from it in seconds.

"Hey there!" Lucina hopped down from the pedestal as the flames cut off. And following suit from that, Lune and Xander shot out, Lune sticking out her tongue at the kitsune girls before whipping out her sword, the blade flashing with energy that extended it, allowing her to cleanly cleave through the stone in one move. Xander's arms both morphed into claws, and he dug his hands through the base of the portal, the kitsunes all yelling as he lifted it and toppled the portal, causing what was left of it to collapse onto the wall.

"Now let's go!" Xander shot off and jumped the wall, Lune whooping as she followed after him.

"Well, with that, see ya later! Hopefully never!" Soren gave a faux salute as he backed up, Kuroka and Lucina leaping the wall before he followed after then. And Yuki was gripping her fan so tightly with both hands she ended up snapping it in two.

"Damn him, he was just distracting us!... Taiga, why didn't you… YOU FELL ASLEEP?!" Yuki yelled as she saw that her sister had fallen asleep standing up, wavering about before flopping onto her back while giving a silly chuckle. "Shit."

"Ahhhh! What are we going to do without the portal?!" Mizukume shouted, her hands at her head. "Darnit darnit! That gives the stupid empress an edge!"

"Well if we're lucky perhaps Kishinami will keep her occupied until we can leave." Yuki muttered, her teeth gnashing together. "Kuh… I'm more offended by the fact I let him trick me like that! No… it must have also been that Nekoshou keeping the other three hidden from us."

"Tch… and she was quite the snide one as well." Mizukume bit a thumbnail, and then she started chuckling. "But… now that I know for sure Danna-sama is here… perhaps we can have some fun of our own. I don't care about attracting the attention of those with him… hohohooo… ohohohoho! Time for things to finally get fun around here."

"Ah… crud I broke my fan." Yuki just put the two pieces back together and repaired it, sighing as she looked first to her laughing sister and then to the sleeping one. "Well, they say you can choose your friends but you can't pick your family. Hagh… why is my family so strange?"


"That really was easy!"

Lune snickered as she skipped along while the party made their way on through the woods to get back to the tram station, Soren nodding to her as he put his hands behind his head.

"Thankfully. I don't think I would've been okay with any trouble. I just wanna get back to actually having a damn vacation. Thankfully the day's not over yet, still plenty of time for other things!" Soren said, Kuroka grabbing his arm.

"I wanna go to a nice restaurant. I feel like I'm owed a reward after keeping us all hidden to make this easy." Kuroka said, Soren sighing.

"Alright, we'll do that after we get back to the other side." Soren replied, then looking at Lucina as she grabbed his other arm.

"And I want a beach date after you two are done with that. An evening walk sounds nice after how much happened today." Lucina said, the three then looking forward when they heard Xander and Lune laughing.

"Well clearly we've just become fourth and fifth wheels. We'll head off so you love birds have alone time." Lune mused, chuckling with a hand at her mouth. "I'll see ya guys later! I think I'm gonna go run up the mountain!"

"I'll be off too. I've uh… got a date or two of my own to get to." Xander waved and shot off as Lune did, Soren snickering with a wide grin on.

"Ah they never change. Alright, no wasting time! Let's get back ourselves!"


"Why am I not surprised you picked a sushi place?"

"I'm a cat. Cats like fish. I like fish. Especially good sushi."

Soren just shrugged as Kuroka popped another piece from the conveyor of sushi into her mouth, the nekoshou's tail going straight as she hummed happily. That small plate then went onto the around twenty others Kuroka had nabbed.

"Well I guess I can't argue with that logic… oh, gold plate! Mine." With a quick swipe, Soren nabbed the gold plate, and as he picked the sushi piece up, one with a particularly plump piece of salmon on, he stopped when he heard a mewl, looking over to see Kuroka staring. "Don't."

"C'mon, please?"

"You got the past five gold plates that went past us. Doe eyes won't work on me."

"Come onnn!"

"Ugh… here, you get half."

"Nya!"

Kuroka got half the piece shoved into her open mouth, though she was quick to trill as she bit down, Soren chuckling as he took his own.

"You're welcome." Soren said, then giving a hum as he leaned on the counter. "So hey, what did you get up to while you were out during the Peace Conference?"

"Hm? I can't really say it was much of anything." Kuroka took a few more sushi plates off, checking what she'd nabbed. "I thought about checking in with my old group but decided against it. I mean, Vali was already in the city, and I don't like dealing with the monkey boy… wait… I just realized something… could those two be related to the Rhon woman?"

"If you're bringing up Artoria then you're talking about House Pendragon aren't you?" Soren said, now out of nowhere doing tricks with a butterfly knife.

"Hah, you're smart as ever, nya."

"I overheard Artoria talking about it before. Arthur and Le'Fay right? If I'm right then Arthur's got one of the Excalibur Shards and Collbrande with him, since those used to be in our custody. They went off the grid some time back from what I heard. Didn't think they'd join up with the Khaos Brigade."

"Well, I don't think I can really say we're part of it… hard to say anyone is really." Kuroka murmured, giving a sigh. "That group is full of so many people with different ideas it's barely even cohesive! The Old Devils, the Reapers, hell even the Hero Faction joined up, but all for their own reasons… Ophis really doesn't discriminate."

"Well Ophis even helped me out with that whole curse deal, so I don't know what to think about her." Soren said, Kuroka then leaning her head on his shoulder. "We should probably stop talking about this huh?"

"I don't blame you for being curious. But yes." Kuroka said, then sitting straight. "Also, I wanna thank you again for helping out Shirone like you have been… again saves me a lot of trouble. I'm sure if it wasn't for all this I'd have tried to take her back by force or something."

"Speaking of Koneko, when do you think you'll start training her? Again I'm not exactly the best mentor when it comes to Senjutsu."

"Hmm… probably after we get back. Since you put your good word in Gremory won't have any issues I'm sure… I'm also curious what my little sister wanted from you for agreeing to it."

"Ahehhehe… so am I." Soren chuckled, Kuroka nipping him on the ear again. "Hey!"

"Let's go somewhere else." Kuroka whispered, leaning on Soren's shoulder and into his ear. "I'm gonna be petty and clingy for a bit alright? I wanna rub it into the faces of those kitsune… so don't forget your mine alright, darling?"

"Maybe if you don't say it like a creep."

"Nyahaha. How'd you like my yandere play?"

"Don't do it again."

"I won't… though I am serious. I'm in the mood and wanna do it. Once you and Luci are done I'm sure Astra's gonna be keeping you up all night."

"Yeah she probably will considering how she was earlier." Soren glanced over as Kuroka laughed, then smirked. "You've got a bit of rice on your face."

"Huh? Where-nya?!" Kuroka yelped when Soren leaned over as he grabbed her chin, the nekoshou's tail going straight as he licked the piece of rice off. "I wasn't ready!"

"Well then don't react so cutely. There's a hotel not far from here. We'll finish up and go there alright?"

"Haauuu… it's unfair when you make your voice low like that."

"Hehhee, glad I'm getting better at this." Soren leaned back as he snickered, Kuroka pouting playfully at him. "Practice always pays off doesn't it."

"Hehe. I worry about Luci sometimes. You must drive her nuts talking into her ear like that huh?" Kuroka snickered herself. "Alright! Time to load up. Fish is good for the sex drive!"

"Don't say it out loud darnit."


"Pfff… hahahaha! So wait wait, it turned out the girl was an Amazon?!"

"Oh yeah. Poor son of a bitch came back to HQ like he was being chased by death itself. Turns out he went missing cause he got 'napped back to their island. And he wasn't into that so he swam all the way back to the mainland."

"Hehehe. Well points for determination then huh?"

"Well he definitely earns 'em. He's keen not to repeat the mistakes of Achilles that's for sure."

Lucina giggled again as Soren snickered. The two had been walking along the beach for a while now, with nothing but the sound of their bare feet hitting the sand the waves lapping against the shore accompanying their voices. Soren was out of his battle attire and in lighter clothes while Lucina was in a flowing sun dress and matching hat, and thankfully the breeze at the time was only slight. The entire walk too, they'd been hand in hand.

"Ahhh, this is such a good change of pace. We've done too much fighting these past few months." Lucing rolled a shoulder as she hummed, Soren nodding as he glanced upwards to the darkening sky.

"Heh, yeah. Being in the Association means the past near decade of my life's been almost non-stop with that. Case after case with only some breaks in between here and there once I started up. Even if it's for a week, finally being able to kick back is good." Soren said, then looking down to his free hand, transparent crystal shards appearing around it before he shut his fingers. "I still have a long ways to go though… even with the Ultima Regalia, my own powers are still weak… one of these days, we're gonna find a way into Eonis."

"You know, you always talk about it, but what's your home actually like?" Lucina asked, Soren looking up again and humming.

"Well I was young so I only remember some big places but… well, there's the capital city of course. You obviously know what the Citadel at least looks like thanks to our mental training."

"Yeah. It's name is… Signiferi. Hmm… what does that mean? It's Latin right?"

"Signiferi means Standard Bearer. Fitting name for a city that houses the royal family. Roughly I'd say that land wise the city is about as big as the Tokyo metropolitan area."

"That's huge!"

"That's not even accounting for the lower levels either. Signiferi has a few of them, though around the time I remember the old areas that they are had turned into something of a slum district. My mom was trying to do something about it, but she hadn't taken the throne yet and, well, grandpa was more concerned with the possible war… it was kind of a tense time." Soren said, Lucina humming, sensing immediately how this was a heavy topic.

"Well, what about other places? You said your mom took you our of the city a lot right? So what kind of places would she take you too?"

"Well that's a big list. First off though. I always remembered the drive over the bridge. See, Signiferi is a ways off from the mainland of Noxis, and it's connected to it by a hell of a bridge at the highway. When I was a kid it always felt massive to go across. But once your past the bridge you get into the open plains. My mom had a friend who ran a station not too far out from the city either… I think it's name was Hammerhead. It was pretty much your typical truck stop. Gas station, garage, restaurant, you name it. Let's see… there was another city along the way, forget it's name, and then some more stops along the way and a small town or two, at least for that region. A place she took us too a lot was a quay a ways off. A nice as hell place, white beach, clear water, and not to mention the seaside restaurant. Hehehe, we had a hell of a time helping mom catch this huge ass fish that was in the quay."

"Hahahaha, that sounds like quite the story. You did a lot of things like that huh?"

"Plenty of 'em. My mom was huge on fishing, and she took this cross-country trip when she was our age and noted down all the good fishing spots she found. She made sure to take me too all of them and teach me the ropes."

"She had time for that even though she was a princess?"

"Yeup."

"Hehehe… man, I really wish I could meet your mom, she sounds like she was wonderful."

"Well, she's still around, in a way." Soren said. "A… complicated way that has to do with ancestral spirits and things I frankly don't understand."

"Ahehehe, well Eonis is a place that sounds like almost an entirely separate world." Lucina said, then giving a hum. "Though it's hard for me to say my relationship with my parents was that close. I mean, don't get me wrong, mom and dad love me a lot, but they were almost always so busy I rarely had company with more than the family servants… and then Naga once she awoke. I know they tried their best, and I don't hold anything against them. And besides, if they haven't sent me to study abroad I'm not sure if we'd have met."

"Hmm… well, we probably would have at some point. But, I'm definitely glad we met sooner than later." Soren said, stopping in place, but keeping his grip on Lucina's hand, the girl's smile intensely warm as she looked at him. "Like, seriously… I'm not sure if I'd have gotten this far without you being there."

"Hey, it's like I said, I wanna be by your side, always." Lucina replied, tapping Soren on the chest. "If it's not something your strong enough to deal with one your own, then you're always going to have me and the others there to help you. That's a fact, nothing more. I love you, so, so much Soren. We all do."

"I know. And I love you too. Just as much." Soren was quiet for a moment more, and he chuckled when Lucina shut her eyes and leaned forward a bit. Replying to the silent gesture, he leaned forward and kissed her, Lucina's hand tightening on his as they stayed there like that for a few moments. When they separated, Lucina giggled again, and the two sat down at the sand, Lucina happily nuzzling into Soren's shoulder. "Sooo… I had this idea…"

"Hmm?"

"Well, y'know how Azazel kinda just arranged me and Astra out of nowhere?" As soon as that came out of Soren's mouth, Lucina immediately sat straight up, and he laughed as she saw the stars in her eyes. "Dammit Luci let me actually say it before you get ahead of me will ya? I'm trying to say that, well… definitely not now, but like, in a few years when things have hopefully settled down and it won't be as hectic… I want us to get married."

"Yes. Yes! I don't care how many times but yes, of course!" Lucina had happy tears in her eyes as she hugged Soren, then chuckling as she pulled back. "For how happy I am… I can't help but feel like by now it was kinda a formality for us right? But… ohhh man now I've gotta start thinking about it! Even if it won't be for a while this is a thing we gotta prepare for! I'm gonna have to get Astra off her tail and think about it too. It'll have to be big… maybe a single ceremony for the both of us? Hmm but she may want a different style…"

"Ahahaha, I said in a few years. Don't start thinking about all of that now Luci." Soren replied, Lucina puffing her cheeks at him, then he started fishing around in a pocket. "And I'm not a super big guy for this but… here."

Lucina looked to her hand and then held up it when Soren slipped something on, the girl smiling at seeing the ring now on her finger, a glittering sapphire laid into the silver band.

"Ehehe, it's perfect! You know this also means you've gotta get one for Astra too right?" Lucina pointed out, Soren chuckling, producing another ring with a ruby in it.

"I got that one covered, don't worry Luci." Soren pocket the ring, and the two went back to looking at the sunset over the water, Lucina shifting to be on Soren's lap. "Hey, it's making it hard for me to see."

"Well I wanna sit here. Right now I'm the happiest girl in the world, so I get to do what I want!"

"Hehehehe. Alright, I won't complain. Besides, I like your butt anyway."

"Haa, Astra's turning you into an open pervert… not that I mind." Lucina hummed as she sank back on Soren, another quiet moment passing as the sun continued to get lower… then Lucina hummed again as she shifted her hips, Soren looking to the side while the girl produced a proud smirk. "That didn't take you long. I feel that easily."

"Well can ya' blame me?" Soren said, wrapping his arms around Lucina's waste as he sat up straighter, the girl chuckling as he started pecking at her neck. "I've got a sexy girl with curves that kill in my lap who I also just proposed to… if I didn't wanna go down right now what kinda man would I be huh?"

"Ahaha, oh come on you-ah… heyyyy, it's not fair if you start playing with my breasts like that, you know they're sensitive."

"Exactly." Soren said, grabbing at Lucina's chest through her dress. "Hmm… you got bigger again didn't you? You're not sizing them down for convenience like you were before too."

"I've come to like leaving them at their natural size." Lucina said, pressing further into Soren, only encouraging him more as she angled her head a bit, letting Soren get at the side of her neck. "This body is yours after all… I'm in the mood too… wanna go for a bit before we head back? I want you to myself before Astra gets antsy."

"Hehe, I can't say no when you've got a look like that… though, doing it on the sand doesn't sound fun." Soren gave a hum as he sat up, then he chuckled. With a snap of his fingers, a tent suddenly appeared behind them, Lucina looking around and blinking. "Just a handy spell I learned some years ago. Good for camping… or I suppose in this case a sudden urge to do the horizonal hula."

"Pffhaa... what's with that innuendo?" Lucina laughed, Soren giving a sigh. "You're a dork. So? Come on, princess carry me in! I wanna be spoiled since today's special now!"

"Hahaha… hmm, fiancé to a prince huh? I guess that'd make you a princess-to-be… hehehe, alright then." Soren hefted Lucina up in his arms, eliciting a giggle from her as he then moved into the tent, and a moment after it shut a skylight opened up.

And off in the distance, a pair of orange fox ears poked up from behind a rock.


"Well well this is quite the view from on high. Hehehe, odd that such a nice location is where they also send troublemakers."

At the very peak of the mountain, the young man from the peace conference was leaning at the viewing rail within the crowd, his hat tilted to help conceal some of his features, the scarf around his neck blowing in the wind.

"I really do like this world quite a lot. Hm?" The young man gave a hum as he felt something in the air, giving a hum. "Well well, that's an odd presence to feel near a place like this… hmph… it's a couple of days out though. Must have been drawn by the conflict from before. Ah it'll be fine. The Noxian prince and his entourage are here. I'm sure it won't even last. Hmm… perhaps afterwards I should give them all a test? Yes, that seems appropriate for where things are now. Hmhmhm, may not quite be a challenge yet but I'm sure it'll be fun. Perhaps I can edge a few of them further?"


A/N

For a volume that's supposed to be comedic that cliffhanger is something else. Hah. Either way, gonna be lotsa fun to get to the rest of what I have planned. And the Soren and Lucina bit was too damn choice, hehehehe. See ya lot next chapter!