The capital of Izumo was pretty fitting to the descriptions. While they were less numerous than in Cyrkensia, there were a lot of people walking down the streets, and a lot of them had Nohrian clothing, though a few Nohrians, for whatever reason, were walking out in the open wearing Izumian clothes. While a few of the soldiers sneered in derision at them, a few others seemed to be almost envious. Most of them, after all, had plain shirts and pants on for the occasion.

For the most part though, they were enjoying each other. The inhabitants of Izumo didn't seem to mind their rather brusque manners or the way large pools of Nohrians gathered at bars and "acquired" chairs for their compatriots. Beruka could see some Izumians sitting down with the soldiers, their serene look contrasting heavily with the more rugged and battle-scarred appearance of their fellow soldiers. Some of the Nohrians bothered to talk to them, but most simply laughed as their temporary friend talked, being drunk enough to be amused by their accent or manner of speaking.

Beruka stood with her arms folded near one such bar, waiting for Selena to finish a "take-out" that she had ordered. So far, it seemed like the Hoshidan campaign involved an awful lot of drinking and shopping. Sure, there had been a fight, and they weren't deep in Hoshido anyway, but she hoped that there would be more to their trips than those almost touristic visits to other countries and cities. And while one could excuse the Nohrian soldiers's zeal as them wishing to enjoy themselves in a sunny country before engaging in the fights of their lives, the assassin still wished they would take things more seriously, especially since they would be into hostile territory immediately after Izumo, with rows and rows of Hoshidan forces waiting for them without a doubt. And she'd rather have soldiers who aren't brawling with their hang-over to help her in that case.

Selena walked back from her bar, with two wooden in hand and a smile. "Now we're ready to go shopping!" She said, triumphant, before handling Beruka her wooden cup. She peered into it to notice that her glass was full of milk, though the redhead had also decided to acquire some of it for herself. The assassin knew that Selena wasn't one to hold her liquor, as she famously demonstrated a few months before the war, so she was glad that she picked such a drink.

"Drink it up, Ber! You'll get to grow taller!" She said, and Beruka promptly lost whatever newfound respect Selena had managed to accumulate for herself within the last few seconds.

"Amusing." Lied Beruka, though she drank. She didn't feel any poison in the cup, but she knew that some poison could act slowly. Selena was a bit less paranoid than Beruka, and admired the sky and buildings while walking down the streets. Her teammate also tried, but she had something of a hard time enjoying the view. She had a hard time taking her mind off everything that happened, be it her suspicions with Kaze, or her shattered pride, or pending promotion, or… everything with Corrin. Looking down at the street, she couldn't help but be baffled at how the likes of Odin could remain so careless and even happy. The blond man could be found (and heard) at a shop, putting on masks and giving himself a different personality with each one that he put. Niles, meanwhile, quietly commented on each personality.

"AH! BEHOLD THE FOX MAN! THOUGH AM I WISE, BEWARE MY ANGER, FOR I HAVE ACCUMULATED THE EXPERIENCES OF LIFETIMES AND WILL UNLEASH MY WRATH ON THOSE WHO FAIL TO RESPECT MY MIGHT!"

"Spooky."

Odin put on another mask, depicting a woman this time. "Behold, Yuki-Onna! The frozen woman who desperately seek a lover, but is destined to kill those who would embrace her! For her icy grasp doom her victims to succumb to the cold!"

"Sounds like someone I know." Quipped Niles, as Beruka went by. He winked, and the assassin's answer was to not even turn her head in his direction.

"Asshole." Muttered Selena. "If he's getting to you, I can kick his ass."

"If I ever feel like Niles's barbs are getting irritating enough, you will need to shield him from me." Promised Beruka. "But I don't care about what he has to say. And the same should apply to you."

"Hm…" Said Selena. "You're still bothered though, anything I could do to help out my fellow retainer? For free."

Beruka prepared herself to dismiss it but realized that this wouldn't help her endeavor. And besides, it looked like Selena was somewhat aware. "Hm… You can see it?"

"Yeah. You frown just a bit more than usual and you're looking at the ground more often." Beruka corrected those mistakes promptly before eventually turning to stare at Selena.

"… Why would the restaurant allow you to fetch these cups?"

Selena sighed briefly but went on her story. "They just gave them to me. You can take your drink while walking outside and keep the cup as a souvenir, or so I've heard. A lot of the people here just gave them back, but I might keep mine. It'll be a souvenir." She eyed Beruka's cup. "Will you keep yours?"

"Why not?" Admitted the assassin. "Though I fail to understand why you would keep a souvenir. Those objects aren't particularly useful."

"Well, it's in the name. You keep them because you remember a location. I've got quite a few of those." She explained. "See, it's not about being useful. It's about remembering a place and the things that happened in it through them."

"A memento, hm…" Asked Beruka. She touched her bandana a little. It wasn't the same bandana, but she was so used to covering her forehead that she always had one. By now, only Camilla and (unfortunately) Kagero knew what laid beneath it, though she heavily suspected that Selena now did as well, or whoever happened to patch her up once the fighting stopped.

"Is your bandana one?"

"No." She said bluntly. "Perhaps I'll keep the cup."

"Heh, that works. But ya know, we could do even better with that! Huh, mind if we sit down somewhere?"

Beruka agreed, and the two women sat at the table of another bar. They seemed rather understanding about this, or were simply too busy dealing with the drunken soldiers who were pouring in. Either way, both women could easily sit down and continue their chat. The azure-haired woman couldn't help but look around everywhere though. The idea that a random Hoshidan would leap out of the crowd and attempt to stab her right in the torso was well present in her mind.

"Alright, so the idea…" Selena leaned in. "We're going to buy ourselves something like… a ring, or a necklace even!"

"Hm… a necklace would be better." Commented Beruka, taking the time to briefly ponder the question and rub her chin. "Though it depends on the situation, of course." She took the time to drink some of her milk, and Selena curiously stared at her for a small while. It was known as "keeping someone waiting", and the assassin found it surprisingly agreeable to do that. It allowed her to gather her thoughts.

"Ooohh, does Corrin like women with necklaces?" Asked Selena, leaning against the table and smiling smugly. Beruka didn't react, only leaning back and drinking her milk again. The failure of her strategy didn't stop Selena from smiling coyly, already scheming to try to destabilize the assassin again. She made a note about warning Corrin. While the Nohrian was wise to the tricks of her colleague, she knew that the prince was bound to loudly make a scene upon hearing something like this, and for the sake of their dignities, she didn't want him to do that.

"… No." She said. "But if all else fail, a sufficiently durable necklace could be used to strangle someone." She made the motion. "And, if sharp enough, could also be used to open wounds during the attempt…."

"W-w-w-wait Ber." Hissed the young lady. "You can't say something like that in public. And c'mon, we're talking about gifts, not assassination tools! Geez!"

"It wouldn't be used as an assassination tool. There are better options for that. And it would be easy for someone to turn the necklace against me assuming that they enter the right position as well." And she smiled ever so slightly. Selena realized that she was being messed with, though the truth was a bit more complicated.

"Alright, but still. We should get ourselves something like that. We'd remember Izumo like that, but more importantly, we'd remember each other! So I think I'll pick something blue, because of your hair, and you'll pick something red, because of mine!"

"Hm… I see what you mean. However, the necklace would need to be put aside quickly." Noted Beruka. "It could be damaged or grabbed mid-battle after all, and as we'll start to go deeper in Hoshidan territory, attacks will be more and more common."

"Oh, don't worry. They could see use after the war!"

Beruka stared at Selena, in confusion. While the redhead was right to anticipate a peaceful life for herself, the young assassin would likely spend her post-war years fully assimilating into the King's shadow, and something like a necklace would not be seen worn by a member of this prestigious group. Well, the assassin, as prideful as she was in her abilities, actually didn't think much of her peacetime activities beyond her recruitment into the shadowy bodyguards of the king. She knew better than anyone else that a life could be cut short in a single instant.

"… Yeah, after the war." She mulled. "If I had one idea for a souvenir…"

Selena looked interested, but her face betrayed some apprehension as if she expected Beruka to ask her to partake in some bizarre Nohrian blood ritual meant to bond both women so that they would never forget one another. The assassin thought of asking her, as a way to "mess" with her, but she wasn't so sure of her ability to sound sarcastic, and went for an actual explanation.

"We will make ourselves gifts… from what we already have on ourselves, or what we will acquire. We will pick something that could easily remind us of one another." Declared Beruka.

Selena blinked. "I… I see. That makes sense!" She said. "And we won't need to pay, I guess. Ya know, a friend of mine did that." The redhead leaned in. "She gave me something to remember her by before I left."

"Yes. That friend." Answered Beruka. "Where do you come from, Selena? Why would a foreigner walk into Nohr to serve Lady Camilla herself?"

"Heh, do you still believe that I'm a spy?" Teased the young girl, finishing her drink. "I saved you now, c'mon."

"Yes. You did… save me." Beruka could've simply told her that it could be a ploy to gain some trust out of the assassin, but perhaps she was just being a bit too paranoid… It didn't feel right to drop her guard like that, but she knew that she would never be able to get close to others if she always thought that they planned to betray her. It was a tough situation for her to handle, since she genuinely wanted to get close (or at least, felt like she yearned to become friend with Selena) but she had already tasted the edge of betrayal. It wasn't quite easy to just trust people again.

"But I get why you're being distrustful. So, tell ya what, I'm gonna share my whole life story!" She explained. "But if you don't believe me, it's not my fault, alright?"

"If I find your story unrealistic, then I will dump water on your head." Explained Beruka. "Please, do not attempt to joke around. It is important for me to properly know your origins. So that I may be able to identify the reasons behind your arrival and also to know… you."

Selena got into position, leaning against the table and moving her hands. "I was born from the union of a perfect pegasus rider and a swordsman from up north, who overcame his fear of women thanks to-"

"Why would he fear women?"

"-Hey, it's my story, right? So anyway. My parents bonded on the battlefield while battling under the same banner, against an evil mad king." Beruka rolled her eyes at Selena's description of the foe. "Yeah, listen, subtlety isn't the bad guy's strong point. Okay, so… The good guys won. And I was born. Well, my parents had to fight off another invader but once he was done, things were alright!"

Selena stopped smiling a little, and looked down on her table, already looking more forlorn. "But then… something really bad happened. My parents died protecting me… erm… One second, please." She said, briefly contemplating her life again. Beruka had been made aware that it would be beneficial to comfort someone in that situation, so she calmly put her hand on Selena's shoulder and rubbed it slightly. The proud mercenary looked agreeably surprised. "W-whoah, erm… Thanks, Beruka. Hope that Niles won't see that."

"I will gouge out his remaining eye should it come to that." She answered. Selena looked as weirded out as she was comforted by now.

"A-alright. So… Well, me and my friends decided to… to…" The redhead blushed a little. "Timetravelbacktothepast?"

"Pardon me?"

"W-well, you heard me. Look, it's not that weird, huh? We just left a small dimension with a fish in it after all. I'm not being crazy!" She huffed. Some people behind her looked at Selena, and at least one attempted to peer into her cup. When he noticed that there was no alcohol inside, he took some steps backward.

"We decided to go back in time and prevent it all."

"Did you succeed?"

"We… kind of scattered everywhere. One friend got in contact luckily, but I waited on my own." She said. "I couldn't risk a time paradox. Time travel is weird, you know? I mean. It was tough… to just try and ignore that I was on the same continent as my parents and unable to see them, but it was for the good…"

"The good of the mission." Concluded Beruka. "Yes, it would be unfortunate if you were to accidentally erase yourself from history."

"Y-yeah. I had to wait until we were born."

"But what did you know about time travel? Were you warned that somehow disrupting the union between your parents would erase you? Did you perhaps think that the changed flow of events could somehow prevent them from encountering each other or reproducing?"

Selena almost spit the last part of her milk, her face now beet red. "G-geez, that's a bit of a weird thing to say Ber!" When she only earned a grunt in answer, Selena continued with her story. "Two years passed, and I and my friends ended up recruited in the army. I met my parents and-"

"Hid the truth?"

"No. I told them." She said. "I had kind of a grudge against my mom, but I also really, really wanted to see her and dad. I had parental issues, yeah… You understand, right?"

Beruka thought of her dead parents, who abandoned her to the slums when she was barely old enough to stand on her two feet, and then her mind drifted towards Goulet, the man who had made her who she is, and quietly finished her drink. "Yes."

"So… It was kind of a rough start, but we eventually fixed things and we managed to stop the bad future from happening. Hurray, right?"

"Yes. Hurray."

"So I took one or two years to pause and then I… decided to explore the world." She said. "See the world, that sort of thing. I took a boat with some friends and we went to Dreiz, eventually. Once I reached Nohr, well, I just made my way to the capital. we had to take out a lot of bandits on the way and someone saw mus do it eventually, so we got noticed and were offered to join as retainers. And thus…" She pointed at her fellow retainer. "I met you."

"Me." Said Beruka, flatly. "Hm… I believe you."

"Whuh? Oh, I mean, nice!"

"Well, I do not believe your whole story, but it does appear that you hail from another continent. Which one would it be?"

"Huh, not the one with Qliphoth and all the others. I'm from a land further south. Huh, anyway, you seem to be accepting of my story."

"… Are Odin and Laslow from that continent as well? No need to look surprised. You hang out with them often and you appeared at the same time."

"Y-yeah. But don't tell them too much though, alright? It's supposed to be a secret."

"Not a single word shall be spoken to them." Answered Beruka. "And I would rather not interact with Odin regardless. I find myself at odds with his personality." Her eyes rose to stare at Selena's. "Does friendship include accepting one's more irritating personality tics and behavior?"

"Yep. Well, he's not always like that. And he's not bad a guy, right? Oh, and also, yeah, being a friend means that you will sometimes have to deal with weird behavior, and you will need to regulate it and tolerate it. Some people express themselves weirdly sometimes, because of their past, and you can't just try to repress it out of them. You just gotta accept them for who they are while also helping them regulate themselves at times. That's the gist of it!"

Selena leaned back and folded her arms. "Besides, if you ask me, he's hardly the worst, right? Look at someone like Niles or Peri. Well, especially Peri. They're crazy!" While saying this, Selena put her finger next to her head and made a spinning motion. "Especially Peri. When Odin talks about his cursed fell hand, it's just a fun thing. When she says that she's going to string people up by their innards though? She's just no kidding!"

"Niles was raised in the slums." Explained Beruka. "As much as I loathe to defend him, a life in the slums will impact someone even long after their integration in polite society. We had to kill to crawl to the top and stay there, even at a young age, and this is something that will accompany you forever, even after you've left the slums."

"Oh… I see. An-"

"Peri would've been put to death if she weren't a noble."

"Given the crazies that we have in our hierarchy… But you said we, so, did you…"

"Yes. That should be evident." Said Beruka. "But I will not tell my entire life story, Selena. I hope that you will understand that this is a rather difficult matter to aboard, and even after all these years, it is difficult for me to address it." Confessed the assassin, stumbling now and then out of embarrassment. Weak, weak, weak, she thought to herself.

"Yeah, don't worry. You'll tell me when you want to, alright?"

"Very well." Answered Beruka. "Regardless… You speak often of your friends, but why would you leave them behind to explore? I'm curious."

"Well, I had to hang out with them for a while." She crossed her arms. "Sometimes, you just need to go on with your lives and all that. Friends aren't people you just always stick around with, ya know? You find them at a crossroad, you hug, all that kind of stuff. And besides, I know I'll be reunited with them once." Selena smiled sweetly and looked up at the sky. "I promised them such, and I'm not going to let some dinky Hoshidan change that!"

"Hm… and why did you not go to Hoshido?"

"Well, a land of peace and quiet is nice, but I guess I yearned for some action." She explained. "Though it is a nice place, it's too bad that we're warring against it. I mean, sure, the people of Nohr are suffering and Hoshidans are being jerks but there must be another way, ya know?"

"Centuries of accumulated resentment, Selena." Said Beruka. "And you've seen evil men before, haven't you? Humans will slaughter each other. For glory, for money, for revenge, for land… There is no need for some higher power to exist and pull our strings when humanity itself is quite capable of intentionally harming itself."

"Y-yeah, I guess…"

Selena sighed and put her elbows on the table. Beruka paused a little, and only spoke up after a little lull.

"… So, will we go our separate ways if we survive?"

"Well, first off, neither of us is dying!" Corrected Selena, holding up her finger. "And secondly, well, we'll see but don't worry, I've still got to see the continent after all. Well, erm, hopefully Garon won't have burned everything though…" She scratched the back of her head and peered at Beruka. "… But what do you plan to do afterward?"

"I don't know." Retorted Beruka. "I will simply keep serving Lady Camilla. That is my duty. Perhaps I will try to… "hang out" with other retainers." She moved her hands to form air quotes at the end.

"Or Corrin!"

Beruka corrected immediately with a severe "Lord Corrin."

"Heh, alright. Lord Corrin."

Beruka looked at Selena and smirked slowly. "… Heh." Selena also huffed in triumph. The assassin moved her head to the left and the right slowly, still keeping that smirk, and briefly looked away.

Her decision made her notice a familiar face in the crowd: A woman, with jet-black hair, and a particular hair-bang that covered part of her face. Her expression was a neutral one, or she was too far away to spot whatever smirk she had on. She could, however, see that the ninja was staring right at her, and she didn't look nearly as shocked as the assassin, whom she taunted with a smile before bolting back into the crowd when her rival got up to approach her, moving through the crowd almost as if she could somehow pass through them.

There was something about it that interrogated her, but she dismissed it. It was likely a hallucination or it was a sign that things were about to go down yet again. But would Hoshido risk an attack on Nohrians when it was explicitly forbidden? The archduke perhaps couldn't summon the wrath of the gods for such offenses, and Hoshido had more resources than Nohr, but could they take such a hit?

She knew how vicious ninjas could be.

"Hey, did you see a ghost?" Questioned Selena.

Beruka took a little while before answering, being not quite sure if she wasn't hallucinating. "… No, the woman I saw is very much still alive."

Selena seemed to understand and rose from her seat as well. The serenity that Beruka had earned during her brief talk with Selena was long gone, and she lost her new smirk.

"That woman is here." Continued Beruka, slowly walking into the crowd. Selena grumbled and followed her, putting her hand right onto her arm.

"Hey, Ber!" She warned. "Don't just rush in and follow her, alright? It's not like we're exactly allowed to do that."

Beruka freed her arm. Annoyingly, Selena was right about both. Was her pride enough to overtake her common sense? Attempting to settle the score right here and now could likely be seen badly by the archduke, and it wasn't like there would be no more occasions for both women to fight… This wasn't like her. However, she had bigger things to deal with. Or, less charitably, the same pride that nearly had her engage Kagero in an impromptu round 2 didn't want her to take the time to self-reflect, as if she didn't want to acknowledge her failing any further.

"But still… Perhaps we should head back into the palace." Said Beruka.

Selena accepted the idea. "Alright, I'll warn the others."

"No. It won't be necessary. A good bunch of our fellow soldiers are too drunk to be of any help. We'll see if we can't try to warn the Archduke ourselves. Come." She waved her arm and began to make her way across the crowd. The ambiance was still peaceful, but in the past minutes, the guards were separating some Nohrian soldiers from what she recognized as Hoshidan men and women.

Amongst all the crowd noise, Beruka heard a familiar snickering. "Well, if the Hoshidans wanted to sneak in, they're done."

"… It's not that, Selena. They've been invited." Spoke Selena. "Look at how many of them there are right now."

Selena seemed to understand, and Beruka hurried on her way to the palace where the royals were supposed to be meeting Izana, though she remained cautious to avoid alerting her fellow Nohrians or her foes. Something told her that the Nohrians weren't the only ones to bring their royal family to the reunion…

"Hang on, Corrin."

…

He remembered the pain as the legendary blade Raijinto carved deeply into his flesh, shocking him with power comparable to a thunderstorm. And the conflict with Takumi in Cheve's wood, where his sword had been broken and he had learned a terrible truth, was still present in his mind, even when he had failed to address what had been said in that fateful night.

His sword had been repaired and he had grown far mightier, thanks to his training and newfound grasp on his draconic abilities, but he was still scared at the idea of facing down Ryoma and Takumi. He didn't want to show it to avoid looking weak, and he desperately wished he could get rid of that weakness, but he was also scared of the thought of killing those two, or even Hinoka, who was herself quite formidable, or even Sakura who, while not as deadly as her siblings, was a competent healer who could be targeted by a less scrupulous Nohrian…

Speaking of her, she was hiding behind Hinoka, who looked ready to defend her sister. Ryoma also moved in front of them, just in case. He was almost synchronized with Xander, who quickly walked in front of Elise. Camilla moved to the side of Corrin though, after noticing that Elise was being shielded, and Leo did likewise. Azura approached but remained behind Corrin, and in the end, Takumi alone attempted to walk up to his hated brother, stopping a few meters away from the blue-haired young man.

Everyone was surprised or upset in some manner, with only Azura and Leo keeping their cool in the middle of the rather tense situation. Izana was also unfazed by the sudden hostility, moving his head back and forth between each group of siblings.

Takumi pointed an accusatory finger at Corrin, deliberately using the arm that Corrin snapped in half quite a while ago. "You!" He said. "What are you doing here? Izana! Have you forgotten what happened the last time a Nohrian royal met a Hoshidan one on supposed neutral ground?!"

Ryoma moved to grab his brother by the collar and hold him back. "Takumi!" He said. "Though I understand your anger and surprise, we still have to show proper behavior to our host!" The lion of Hoshido turned his head to glance at the Archduke and bowed politely. "My apologies, Archduke." He let go of his brother, though he remained close, and kept his eyes off the Nohrians for now. "The war has taken a toll on us all, and with all due respect for one of your position, encountering our sworn enemies in such a place is rather… surprising."

Takumi turned to sneer at Corrin directly. "Yes, what are you even doing here? Izumo is a peaceful country. What business do you have here?" The prince frowned. "Unless… is one innocent town not enough for you, dear brother?"

Corrin prepared to speak up, but he felt a light tap on his back. Glancing back, he saw Azura, mouthing a quiet "no". Deciding to listen to her, the prince turned around again but kept his eyes off the archer.

"What scandalous insinuations." Said Leo. "Nohr has been a sworn ally to Izumo for centuries. Prince Takumi, I recommend that you gather whatever dignity you have left." He pointed to the back of the room. "And back away. You are only making a complete fool of yourself." However, Leo himself couldn't resist making a small dig. "As an archer, the idea of hanging back and leaving the actual work to others is familiar to you, is it not?"

"The word honor has no business being pronounced by a Nohrian." Answered Takumi, though his brother's insistent stare convinced him to back off.

Izana, smelling tension between the two families, stepped in the middle of the room. "Now hold your horses, my friend! I, the glorious Izana, have gathered you together for collaboration! And needless to say, cooperation doesn't really happen via insults!"

"The Hoshidans have been attacking our people while cowering behind their barrier for years, milord." Said Xander. "And while they pretend to be peace-loving, their army was surprisingly quick to swarm upon our lands to burn our cities and further ravage our weakened landscape."

"There would have been no need for a barrier if your king was a sane man." Answered Ryoma. Both he and Xander had stepped forth, but while their tone was cordial enough, it was obvious that both men were barely restraining themselves from attacking the other. "Many times by now, you have lived up to your description as glory-seeking barbarians. Should I take the time to retell the numerous nefarious deeds performed by your kingdom, prince Xander? We might be done by tomorrow."

"My father was betrayed by King Sumeragi after the war against Qliphoth." Retorted Xander. "You Hoshidans rewarded my father for his immense victory against our common enemy by stabbing Nohr in the back and ensuring that it wouldn't find a way to undo what those cursed invaders had done. Why should he accept such an odious betrayal? Why should our people be doomed to live in the blight lands when their scheming neighbors have more resources than they know what to do with? And your father thought that this wasn't enough. He went to Cheve to further conspire with them, and was intercepted by Father on the way here."

Ryoma made an irritated smile. By now, the entire room was silent. Both men had their arms folded now, and were pressing on their armor so hard that Corrin's superior eyesight allowed him to see cracks appearing over the metal, thanks to the sheer pressure that was being exerted on it by their fingers.

"Ah, wise of you to bring up this accident, Prince Xander! You truly demonstrated to everyone just how callous Nohrian propaganda truly is!" He almost spat. "My father intended to meet with yours to discuss new trades, but he was ambushed and murdered by him! And throughout that tragedy, our dear brother, Kamui, was kidnapped, and you and your siblings worked hard on corrupting him." The armored man's eyes briefly drifted towards Corrin. "Though, as much as he denies it, his inherent Hoshidan noblesse is still protecting him from your western barbarism… But think about it. If my father intended to plot with Cheve, why would he have taken Kamui with him? He was but a toddler at the time. Why bring along one so young for such a task?"

Xander prepared to shoot back but Izana stepped in. "Alright, things may not be quite working out. I'll tell ya though, discussing over a meal solve everything! You just can't get mad once you experience Izumo-style sushis!" The archduke took a sushi off the plate and pointed at it with a dopey smile on his face. No one reacted to it, too concentrated on the standoff to bother listening to him. Seeing the work that was ahead of him, the great Archduke expressed his frustration with a sigh. Corrin somewhat wondered how he managed to be so carefree considering his duties.

"Alright. Yes, you were all surprised, and there's a bunch of very distracting things happening! So! Let's call it quit for now! But tonight, at the feast, put on your best smiles and talk about what you have in common! Maybe you've got something in common! Like the way your two families just happen to have one elder brother, one older sister, a younger brother, and a young sister! Fate has a funny way to do things, doesn't it?"

"… Yes, Lord Izana. My apologies for the disruption." Said Xander and Ryoma, at the same time. The eccentric seer smiled.

"Here's a start! Anyway. You all have your rooms. If it were up to me, I would've made you share them but I feel like some of you would have slept outside! Hehe! Well, I wouldn't blame you. The floor outside is really nice." He pondered. "Anyway. It's taken me a lot of time and a lot of trickery to get your two armies to get in without one noticing the other! Oh, you wouldn't imagine the complexity! So please, let there be no further fighting! Think about the hard work you'd be ruining!"

The two families backed off, being lead away to their rooms. Takumi kept his glare on Corrin until both men had left the room. Xander kept his cool so far, but the younger prince could very easily tell that he was greatly upset with the situation. Being put face to face with the Hoshidans was one thing, but he knew that they probably had brought a mighty army with them. This messed up the plan: They had genuinely never expected the entire royal family to be there, all together.

The royals were introduced to their rooms, but decided to form a brief reunion in Xander's own. Out of precaution, they checked for attempted eavesdroppers.

"… I'm just as surprised as you all must be." Admitted Xander, annoyance clear in his voice though he was as impeccably composed as ever. "I never thought that Lord Izana would attempt to gather us together for impromptu peace talk…"

"He's an odd man." Said Leo. "We'll need to see if those dogs won't try anything while we're present. They could try to steal our weapon, or poison our troops, or whatever cowardly move our enemies will think of." Using his left hand to support the elbow of his right arm, Leo stroked his chin with his finger. "Hoshidan ninjas are skilled at sabotage and might manage to trick Izana and the others."

"But isn't he pal with the gods?" Spoke Elise. "He could ask them!"

"I do believe that listening to the gods can be taxing. The old texts say that their power is such that even a whisper from the divine can cause fatal damage to a human. And Hoshido has the resources to carry on, and the willingness to do anything to survive."

Elise looked troubled, though it was fair to say that all the royals were immensely confused. Even Azura, who always looked like she knew what to do, seemed to be lost in her contemplation.

"Well…" Said Corrin. "I think I'm going to try to talk with them though." All five siblings managed to simultaneously snap their heads towards him, almost bearing the same expression of shock.

"Talk?!" Said Xander. "Corrin, surely you cannot be serious! They will certainly attempt to lie to you to try and influence your morale." The oldest of the brothers rose from the seat he was sitting on. "They will attempt to demotivate you or try and find a way to hurt you through their words."

"Yes. Corrin, I know why you probably mean to talk to them, and it pains me to have to try and restrain you, but consider that they are your enemies. And we have all seen the hatred that this archer has for you. Please, reconsider your option."

The prince quietly considered his words before speaking up. "It is true, but I may never get another chance to talk to them in a quiet setting. I… I have heard things from Takumi back in Cheve, and I wish to see what Ryoma and the others have to say about this." He couldn't help but bit his lips. He wanted to just stay behind and "enjoy" the day with his true family, but he felt that fate had handed him a chance to settle things with his supposed true family, before a tragedy occurred. Because while he hoped to settle things peacefully, Corrin was now certain that some of the royal Hoshidan would die by the war's end, to his regret.

He had never been good at protecting the things he loves, after all.

"… I see. In that case, if you permit it, I'll accompany you." Said Xander. "I cannot, in good faith, allow you to talk to them on your own. As for everyone else, tread carefully. It might be useful to see if we can't have our retainers keep an eye on the weaponry or check for signs of suspicious activity."

"Got it. I'll try to help with that. There's not much to do here." Leo got up and dusted himself up. "And I've never been into lavish parties."

"Could I come with you, Leo? We never get to hang out!"

Leo looked down at Elise and waged his finger. "We're not hanging out, we're making sure we won't be sabotaged by the Hoshidans… Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt if we stayed together. It's to be sure."

"Well, I'm pairing with Azura!" Said Camilla. "We're going to see just how Izana managed to have all those bloodthirsty troops gather here and see if there's not another reason behind this!"

Azura, caught off-guard, struggled to answer. "I… I accept, Camilla." She said. "I will help you… though I hope I'll be there to provide some support to Corrin later."

"Alright, then let's head out, boys and girls!"

Xander and Corrin left first, and begun to head for the wing of the palace where the Hoshidans were supposed to be. Despite his determination to get some answers out of his brother, he dragged his feet a little. Confronting Sakura and Hinoka was one thing, but he outright dreaded the confrontation with Takumi, and as grateful as he was towards Xander for his decision to stick up with him, Corrin was a little bit irritated at the idea that the crown prince's presence could lower his chances of getting the truth out of his siblings since they probably wouldn't share it in front of his brother, and Xander was unlikely to just back off and leave the room.

"It's a shame that we had this trip interrupted." Said Xander. "I doubt that we'll find another occasion to rest once we really enter Hoshidan territory."

"Yeah…" Answered Corrin. He didn't blame the Hoshidans though, since they didn't know about it. "Well, we could always do something once this mess is all over, right?"

Xander smiled sadly. "Unfortunately, we'll have much on our hands even after our victory. I will need to accept my royal duties, and we will need to ensure the stability of Dreiz." He was nice enough not to slip a "remember?" afterward. Corrin nodded, though he was admittedly disappointed. A tiny voice did remind him that he agreed to it, but he still felt, for the briefest of instants, almost frustrated at the idea of having to do more things after the victory.

"But I do understand you. It is frustrating that those matters will prevent us from enjoying some time together." Xander carefully contemplated his options before speaking up again. "Perhaps if we get to the bottom of this in time, we could use the rest of the day to train, like at the Northern fortress."

Corrin's conflicted expression changed into a more joyful one as he heard the news. "That'd be great! But erm…" He checked the palace, and noticed a few servants were around. It seemed strange that such a large castle could be undermanned, but he dismissed it as Izana's odd personality. Perhaps they just basked in the sun elsewhere? It wasn't very responsible but it would be rude to disparage another culture, so the dragon prince didn't comment on it.

"While we're on the way, and I know… well, no, nevermind."

"Hm? What may be troubling you, Corrin? Do not hesitate to talk to the others or me at any time. In those trying times, we must communicate well between one another."

"You're right, but this is a pretty embarrassing question, so…"

"Don't worry. I'll be able to answer it." Answered the Prince, sounding a bit more curious than he would like to show it.

While Xander seemed unapproachable at times, he took his sibling duties rather seriously. The heir to the throne did take it upon himself to explain to a younger Corrin the biological mysteries of growing up and how exactly new Nohrians were made, though things were admittedly very awkward and Corrin needed Gunter's help to fully understand the implications of growing up. So he figured that he could talk about this subject to Xander. He could also talk to Camilla but he feared that things would get even more uncomfortable.

"So… huh, big brother." He looked around one more time and switched language just in case. "Could you give me counsels about picking up… girls?"

Xander blinked and refrained himself from blushing, understanding what his brother was talking about. He, too, proceeded to look around, fearing that his rival, Ryoma, would catch him awkwardly delivering romantic tips to his younger brother. Briefly, Corrin wondered how the Hoshidan prince would have handled the topic, and even imagined the Samurai interrupting the conversation to offer his own advice, but then he remembered that he burned that bridge.

"I… Well, if I may be honest, you may have higher priorities but I understand. At your age, there is a certain… call that is difficult to ignore." He whispered. "I will attempt to keep this between ourselves, and will reserve this for later, but if I have one information to give, confidence is appreciated in a man. It is not always the case, of course, but attempts to always look like you're in control."

He coughed a little. "… If I may ask, who is the woman that has brought your attention?" Corrin gasped. How would his brother react if he learned that Corrin was "digging" (as Nohrian soldiers would put it) Beruka, a cold assassin? He knew that she wasn't as bad as she seemed to be, and Camilla did as well, but there was some etiquette to royal romance. Even Garon, who was admittedly a very lecherous man in his younger years, mostly married nobility, and only got away with marrying a "commoner" woman, Arete, because he had the prestige, personality, and power to be unquestioned by his subjects, something that the more awkward Corrin rather lacked.

Of course, Corrin had but a single gesture to give to the crusty old nobles who would object ("How rude!" Would say Felicia), and he knew that his siblings would support him, but marrying an assassin from the slums was an odd move… Well, if she was willing to marry him of course. He wasn't entirely sure if she was into him since Beruka was skilled at concealing her emotions and wasn't the kind to delve into romantic gestures.

"… It's not Peri, is it?" Asked Xander, pulling Corrin out of his brief reverie. Corrin immediately shook his hands and head.

"No! Not Peri! She has an interesting personality but she and I disagree on a lot of things. No, it's-"

The sound of footsteps interrupted the conversation, and for now, the story of Corrin's romance vanished. Especially when the people who approached them revealed themselves: Ryoma, Takumi, and Hinoka, with Sakura missing this time. Upon noticing their brother and Xander, the three Hoshidans stopped, almost as surprised as the Nohrians. Takumi recovered quickly and moved to say something, but he wasn't as swift as Hinoka, who managed to quickly cover his mouth with her hand, hushing him with the other. He seemingly understood, but still glared at Corrin in silence. The dragon prince stared back in silence.

"Kamui." Said Ryoma. "It is… surprising to meet you here." He moved his eyes to glance at Xander. "Prince Xander."

"Prince Ryoma. Were you intending to kidnap my brother?" Asked Xander. "As you did with Azura?"

"I would never do anything that your father would look favorably upon, Prince Xander."

"Alright, cut it out." Said Hinoka, taking the reins. "We know why we're here, so let's not waste our time with insults." Corrin found some warmth in having his Hoshidan sister seemingly team up with him for the sake of the negotiation. Ryoma sighed and silently jammed his thumb at an empty room nearby, prompting the royals to enter it. However, both Nohrians did it last, and while Corrin stood in the room, the blond prince of Nohr opted to take position near a corner, close to the door. If the negotiations degenerated badly enough, he could yank his younger brother by the collar and quickly establish distance between himself and the three Hoshidans.

Hinoka stood close, at a seat close to Corrin. Ryoma sat in front of him, with a fair distance, and Takumi went at the farthest place from Corrin. If the room led to a garden, he would've probably walked into the garden itself to spectate on the conversation.

"Sakura says hello, by the way." Said Hinoka. Whereas the others were in their uniforms, she was wearing an elaborate red kimono, having switched between the first meeting and this one. She wasn't the type of person who'd put on another set of clothing for vanity, so she probably meant to put him at ease by putting herself more at ease. "We couldn't quite take her with us, sorry, she's a bit shy… But she has her retainers to watch over her."

Takumi prepared to say something unpleasant again but Ryoma, his current handler, vaguely shook his head with a disapproving look, and that was enough to get him to back off.

"It's alright, I, erm, say hello too." Answered Corrin. He awkwardly shifted in his seat, crossing his legs and then uncrossing them before deciding to lean to the side. "So, how are… things?"

"… Well, there's a war." Answered Hinoka, who was only a bit less awkward than Corrin was. "Look, this is an occasion for us to talk before the actual invasion of our country starts. As much as I would like to talk of menial things, Kamui, the circumstances just don't encourage that."

Corrin put his hands on his knees. "Alright. The war… First off, I do not want to eradicate Hoshido. And I will not do anything needlessly cruel to its citizens." When Takumi scoffed, the young man grasped his knees a little bit harder but kept a straight face. "We've agreed to it along with Xander and everyone else."

"Corrin…" Said Hinoka, as gently as she could. Somehow, her demeanor was hurting him more than Takumi's remarks. She had worked her whole life to try to get him back, according to Ryoma, and he made it all useless when he switched to Nohr. But even afterward, even now that she was face-to-face with him, she was still calm with him. Somewhere in the back of his mind however, he imagined that she was just as angry with him as Takumi, and was just skilled at hiding it. When she reached out to try to touch his hand, in fact, he almost reeled, terrified at the idea that she would grasp his hand all of a sudden and hold him in place for Ryoma or Takumi to attack.

He sent the idea back where it belonged, ashamed at even thinking it, but he couldn't help but feel a bit of fear, even when her gesture was as gentle as it looked.

"Plenty of Hoshidan lives will still be lost, and the orders of your king are considered absolute. You will certainly live up to your premise, but what about the others? What about those who would set half of Cheve on fire?"

"Hans is an animal. If he steps out of line, I'm not going to let myself be walked over." Promised Corrin. "As for Garon, surely the six of us will convince him to stop."

They narrowed their eyes, and Corrin almost put his hands on his mouth, having noticed that he didn't use the proper term.

"Heh, as if the Nohrians will want to stop." Commented Takumi. "You've been taught to hate, haven't you? You hate our country because its soil is prosperous and the people are cultured. What makes you think that the average grunt will stop because he's been told to?"

"The average Nohrian is disciple-"

"Ah!" Takumi took a few steps closer, arms folded. "The average Nohrian lives in those miserable slums, in the very hearts of your decrepit cities, and has the empathy stomped out of them at an early age." He looked down upon his brother. "What makes you think that those killers will stop because of an order?"

Xander put his hand on the seat, and Corrin began to breathe just a little quicker. "The slums are a great source of shame and I will work tirelessly to erase them. But you must bring them up. Surely, you are aware of just what happened to Nohr, right? I will not blame the average Hoshidan for not knowing, but surely those born of Sumeragi are aware of Qliphoth's dark deed?"

Hinoka looked up at him, and there was fire in her eyes. "We are, but our father has tried to trade with Nohr, and look at what had happened."

"If it did happen like this, then I am regretful of what had been done." Said Xander, and Hinoka looked slightly surprised. "But my father would not throw away such an offer. Yes, his actions have been cruel, but he truly believes in saving Nohr. He would not have refused such an offer."

"Unfortunately." Said Ryoma. "Your father seems to believe that saving Nohr means destroying Hoshido. And surely you understand that I cannot let this happen. Even if we agreed, it would be too late to start discussing peace." He seemed regretful as he spoke, but regained some firmness with his last words. "Besides, the people of Nohr have triggered an explosion in our capital, and our queen has been slain. In the past, Mikoto's kind words have prevented an all-out war against Nohr, even after the cowardly ambush on our father, but this time, we just cannot allow an enemy nation to take our leaders without doing a thing to stop them. Our pride will not let us do so."

Hinoka seemed to be resigned as well. "Yes…" She said, gaining more and more firmness with each word. "Kamui, I would love to make peace, but Nohr took so many of my compatriots and family away from me that I… that I refuse to just let bygones be bygones. For our father, for our mother, for you, and for the lives taken away by Nohrian guile and weaponry, I will fight against the Nohrians. And if we ever meet on the battlefield, then I… will need to treat you as an enemy."

Corrin slowly understood just why they wanted to talk to him. It wasn't a matter of trying to figure out how to reach peace, or an attempt at establishing common ground at least. They wished to warn him. In the coming battles, should fate decide to put them against each other, and it will, then they will strike without mercy. Sympathetic he may be, at the end of the day, he's still one of the leaders behind the invasion of Hoshido, and it would be hypocritical to hold back on him considering his growing power and, above all, status.

"… I see. Well, if I were to face you in battle, know that I… wouldn't kill you." Mumbled Corrin, failing to be as confident as them. Xander glanced down at him, in surprise. "I know that this looks like an empty reassurance, and I know that things will not go back to normal afterward, but I will not have the blood of my family on my hands." He said.

Ryoma's reply was nearly as quick as he was. "If you hold back against us, you'll die." He warned. "I know that you have become stronger since our last meeting. Few could so easily corner Saizo… But I warn you, brother, we will be fighting at our best, and training as well. Do not think that you will be able to beat the likes of us while holding back."

"I see…" He said, then, an idea appeared in his head and Corrin pulled himself out of his slump. "Wait! I've got to tell you something!"

"What would that be?" Said Hinoka, a bit wary.

"The people who attacked the capital… They weren't Nohrians, I'm sure of it." Said Corrin. All three siblings frowned. "Look, do you remember that hooded man? And those figures with a purple aura?"

"Obviously." Said Ryoma. "That hooded figure is a fine swordsman, if it managed to survive my wrath for so long."

"Yes, wouldn't a fighter like this be known back in Nohr? And just in general. At Cheve, in the wood, Takumi and I were attacked by similar figures. Invisible soldiers, capable of resisting death-dealing blows, wielding superhuman strength-" All, but Takumi, rose their eyebrows in a synchronized manner, a little stunned at his description of those zombie soldiers. He couldn't blame them, even if he was somewhat annoyed. Only Ryoma was present, since Hinoka had to put the survivors to safety, and Takumi was away, and the prince only clashed with the hooded man. "… They were dressed in uniforms of the two countries and seemed to be undead. Maybe those were responsible for it all?"

"Invisible zombie soldiers would have started it? Kamui…"

"Takumi will confirm that I was right." Continued Corrin, desperate to get some answers. "Right?"

He looked up at his brother, who actually seemed a little hesitant. To Corrin's horror though, the elite archer's expression hardened very quickly. "What nonsense are you talking about? You broke my arm, and I only escaped because some of my soldiers bravely delayed both you and this rabid woman."

"T-Takumi!" Said Corrin, surprised and indignant. "Y-you can't do this! You've seen it with your own eyes! Why would you lie?!" All he got for an answer was a sardonic laugh.

"Showing your true colors, brother!" Said Takumi, with a calm, if sarcastic, smirk on his face. "Do you think that Ryoma and Hinoka would've brought your lies anyway? Invisible zombies? Don't make me laugh. Those fiends were the result of some twisted Nohrian magic, the same one that fueled your old sword. If we were dealing with some third enemy, then it's mighty convenient that the Nohrians were at our frontier just after the fall of the barrier, is it not?"

"We keep our army close to the barrier to prevent a surprise attack." Piped in Xander. "And with the disappearance of Corrin, it was obvious that we'd be close to the canyon."

Takumi, however, ignored him. "And even if those fiends are not the product of some demonic sorcery… Then so what? They haven't been heard from again, and we have an enemy who's just as inhuman at our gates." Hoshido's younger prince put his left hand on his chin, while using his other hand to support his elbow, and shook his head with a sad expression on his face. "Are you that broken about the loss of Yato? Are you so convinced of your status as a chosen one that you have to invent some nebulous third faction, plotting behind the scenes to ensure our downfall? What really happened in that forest is that you attacked me, broke my arm, nearly seized my weapon and ruthlessly killed the brave men and women sent to help me, before turning your murderous gaze towards that town."

"Enough!" Yelled Corrin. "She's not a rabid woman, and I'm not the one who burnt Cheve, why can't you accept that? Listen, I know that the circumstances have been extremely hard! I can emphasize with you! But I'm not going to let you insult me any longer! If you don't have anything meaningful to say, then leave! Go back to your side of the castle or shut your mouth and stay in your corner!" Ryoma looked set to intervene but Corrin pointed at him. "But beforehand, I want to know straight out of you! In Cheve, Takumi told me about the truth. Those letters, me not being Sumeragi's child!" His finger trembled a little. "Tell me, while there's still time, about this!"

Takumi looked utterly enraged, but Hinoka got up and grabbed him by the shoulder. While her gesture was gentle, there was some firmness to it. "I'll escort Takumi back to our side. He's… See you tonight, Kamui."

"… See you tonight."

They left, closing the sliding door, and Ryoma decided to take a few steps backward, wary of being ambushed. Corrin gathered his breath, and felt Xander's hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright, Corrin?"

"Y-yes. Anyway, what can you tell me about the letters?"

"… I will tell you." Said Ryoma. "But you… you weren't supposed to know it. Well, to be more accurate, we would talk about this later, had you remained with us."

"I take it that you are not Corrin's siblings?" Said Xander, a hint of triumph in his voice.

"Yes… It is a long story, though. Listen. Mikoto is not our mother." He said. "And Sumeragi is not your father. However, you are her son, and as a result, you are a prince of Hoshido before you are a prince of Nohr." Ryoma looked away. "As for how your mother came into our lives…"

Corrin tried to sound as imperious as he did a few seconds ago, but struggled not to sound outright pleading. "Please, I just… I just want to know about my mother. I want to know how she came into the royal family, and if she ever… ever left a hint of who she used to be before. I feel like only you and a select few know this, and you're the only one who'd be willing to tell! I-I just want to know more about her…"

Ryoma allowed a hint of sadness to appear into his eyes and sat down. "Very well. I'll tell you as much as I know about your mother and origins, I-"

Before the red prince could begin, though, the door opened again and a few Nohrian soldiers entered the room. Surprisingly, they had their armor on and wielded regular, but deadly, iron spear. Even more surprisingly, Izana stood behind them, with an unsettling smirk on his face. "Ah, it looks like I'm interrupting something!" Gloated tie leader. "Ah, well, you'll be able to resume it later. Guards!"

The guards moved to surround Ryoma, and the prince moved his hand to unsheathe Raijinto… only to realize, too late, that he had deliberately put it away! The treacherous Archduke chuckled and pulled out the weapon's sheath, with the legendary katana in it. "Looking for this, my liege?"

"What is the meaning of this, Lord Izana? Are you working with Nohr?!"

Both Corrin and Xander looked back, too shocked to speak up yet. The Archduke took a few steps forward and closed the door. "Ah, ol' Izana did refuse my offer! But thankfully, I had a plan for that!"

He snapped his fingers, and purple smoke briefly surrounded him. It vanished quickly, revealing none other than the man that Corrin met in Cyrkensia: Zola!

"Greetings, Lord Corrin, Lord Xander! I do hope that you've enjoyed my acting!"

…

A/N: I'm very sorry rome, haha, but I hope that you'll like what I'm going to try.

We get a lot of talk. It's actually the longest chapter yet I think! I guess I'm just having some time on my hand, or I'm feeling inspired!

Regardless, I hope that you'll like what I've done with Izumo! Izana's fun, so I didn't change him.

Anyway, I do hope that you'll like what you read! Don't hesitate to post reviews, they're very helpful and I appreciate them!

See ya soon!