Third-Person POV

Sakura and Lily were amazed at how the reception hall looked. Tables were set up for the special dining hall cuisine saved only for momentous occasions like this one. The two of them quickly approached the sweets with vigor, as the lights shined bright and other students had conversations around the hall. Until the first couple decides to take to the dance floor, including Dimitri and Edelgard with their

"Felix! C'mon, dance with me, you dummy!" Annette called for the dark blue-haired swordsman, who did not wish to be there.

"(sighs) Don't you hate me or something? I really can't understand y— hey!" Felix is then pushed towards her by Saki.

"Go have fun, loverboy! Quit acting like you've got a stick up your butt, though it might be a sword instead hah hah!" She laughs even more when Felix grumbles towards her as Annette takes his hands.

"Hey, why don't you head to the dance floor too? I'm willing to be your partner, heh." Claude approaches from her left.

"Nah, I ain't one for dancing if we're not performing on or practicing for an idol show. I just came for the food and to laugh at people embarrassing themselves." Saki quickly gulped down the drink in her glass.

"Well, don't get too excited there wild gal. Hey, Teach!" Claude moved on as he spotted Byleth.

"Ah, you're looking great tonight, Ai. May I have this dance?" Sylvain smiled as Ai scoffed at him.

"Only if you can avoid stepping on my feet, I need those for idol work."

"Oh don't worry, I'll be sure to be as careful as can be." The redhead winked.

"That won't be necessary, I'll take him instead." Ingrid then grabbed Sylvain and pulled him away as Ai waved, the latter girl then turning her attention to the meat at the food table.

"Huh, that makeover session really worked wonders for you, Ingrid! Although you already looked fine as is." Sylvain complimented her as she simply brushed it off as the two of them danced slowly.

Sakura ate her cake with glee as she saw Ai walking towards her and waves.

"Mph! Ai, thish is so gud!" The egghead greeted her before swallowing.

"Yeah, I can definitely tell." The idol told her fan as she stood next to her, "You feeling alright after yesterday?"

"A bit, but I still believe that we should come back to see everyone. I wouldn't want to disappoint them, they're our friends!" Sakura answered as Ai piled her plate.

"Indeed, it would be nice to do that when we're not busy with idol work. This whole experience has been almost a year long vacation, so we most likely need to practice even harder when we return." Ai and Sakura nod at each other as the two of them continued to eat and chat with their fellow classmates.

The Prince then reentered the room after taking a breather, prompting Sakura to wave to him. After downing one more pastry, she asks him if she wanted to dance, Dimitri agrees. Ai takes a look around for a partner of her own… unfortunately the only one available was Linhardt who was finishing up talking with Tatsumi.

"So basically all you need is someone with high level magic skill that knows Warp, in addition to the Staff of Fódra. I would do it by myself, seems like a worthwhile experiment, yet it feels like I would need the help of someone else. Preferably a knowledgeable person that isn't the type that could tell the Church."

"We'll figure that part out once we find the damn staff. MAKE SURE YOU FIND THAT LIBRARIAN GUY!" The manager yells as he marches off.

"Tired of his noise, huh?" Ai walks up to Lin.

"Oh, I'm way past exhausted. I pity you for managing to stay sane with him around in your world." They both sigh.

"Anyways, so you two were talking about using the staff to send us home, weren't you? Are the instructions you gave all there was?" Ai asked him.

"All I could find in the Abyssinian Library, that's saying something considering how very little information there is in the normal library. Though that is the only fault against the former of course, since it is filled with books that you could only find there." Linhardt yawned.

"I see… regardless, thank you for assisting us." Ai bowed as Linhardt nodded, "So… in the mood to dance?"

"Well, I can dance… in theory, yet in practice…"

"Would you allow me to test that theory?" Ai smiled as she looked at Linhardt, who just accepted it.

Junko & Marianne were both standing in the corner of the hall, neither of them wanting to draw too much attention to themselves. They looked to their left to see Lily being swung around by Raphael, Tae twirling her dance partner, Dedue, around, and Yuri offering a dance to Yugiri.

The two most shy members of the Blue Lions and perhaps the Officer's Academy in general simply stayed silent. You could feel the awkwardness those girls radiated, not even saying a word to each other as well. Ashe then began to walk up to his fellow silver haired companion.

"Pardon me, Junko? If it's not too much to ask, w-will you allow me to dance with you?" He bowed his head slightly towards her, the two of them blushing.

"I-I-It would be my pleasure." The Showa Idol agreed as she took his hand, leaving Marianne to feel even more lonely.

Noticing this, Sakura pointed this out to Dimitri and basically told him to "Go get her, tiger!", albeit in a more subtle way as she looked to the direction where Marianne was standing and left His Highness so he could dance with her.

She grins and gives Dimitri a thumbs up before taking a breather herself.

"Ah… this has been so much fun." She says to herself, stretching her arms upward.

This night was just a reminder that even though she wants to go home, Fódlan had almost become a second home to her. She was with her fellow Franchouchou members and many new friends, and new adventures awaited her each day. It was difficult learning how to fight and kill sometimes on missions, yet she became much stronger over time, becoming a pegasus knight even! Sakura's luck was not always the best, no matter where she is, but at least she could share the burden alongside those she cares about.

The redhead decides to walk around the monastery for a bit before joining the ball once more. Tranquil and calming was the atmosphere at night, when it was usually bustling with students, priests, and knights during the day. She was glad to experience it, even on a night like this.

Her eyes then widened to see someone entering the Goddess Tower, she heard rumors about if a couple swears a vow on the night of the ball, that the goddess grants their wish. It sounded so romantic that she loved it. She hid behind a corner before seeing who it was that decided to go up to the tower.

Bernadetta was looking around, checking to see if there was anyone around. Sakura barely missed her line of sight, so the recluse breathed a sigh of relief before walking up the steps. Sakura then begins to think to herself.

"I've actually never seen Bernadetta outside of class before, she really does seem pretty timid. Maybe I should try talking to her!"

As Sakura started to move from her spot, she then noticed a silhouette appearing to her left causing her to hide again.

The figure spooking her was her own teacher, Byleth, who also went up the stairs to the Goddess Tower.

"Hold on… if those two are alone together… what's gonna happen? Would it be okay, since Bernadetta is his student, and it could be really weird and…" But after thinking about it more, Byleth didn't look to be the type of guy to try anything like that, as far as she knows anyways.

After witnessing that, Sakura went back to the reception hall and danced the night away with her classmates.

It felt at that moment, everything felt right in the world they were transported to.

"Th-these beasts were actually other students?!" Sakura exclaimed as the black monster reverted back into a young man.

"That's why so many were missing, someone led them to the old chapel and did something to them…" Junko sadly states as the rest of the beasts began to fall.

"Man, this makes me feel even worse for doing this to them." Sylvain frowns.

"I pray that the goddess allows them to rest peacefully, and that whoever turned them into these creatures is brought to justice." Mercedes prays.

"It's probably the same people who attacked Remire. When I get my hands on them… I'll—"

"Calm yourself, Caspar, you shouldn't let your anger get the better of you." Ai tells her classmate, with Caspar's friend Linhardt agreeing as well.

Tae then begins to sniff loudly, "Grrrr…."

"Oi, Tae? What's up?" Saki asks as she looks in her direction. "Ain't that… the new girl from the Black Eagles?"

"Oh yeah, Monica, was it?" Sakura guessed as she looked to see her approach Jeralt, who joined them on their old chapel investigation.

Then suddenly they heard a blade cut through Jeralt's flesh, as he crumbled to the ground.

The zombie girls flashed back to when they first entered this world, how they were taken in by the Blade Breaker. He taught them how to defend themselves before they were enrolled in the academy, and even gave them refuge with his mercenaries. But now… that same man was lying on the ground, his son holding him close.

Tears fell from all of their faces, but not as much as their teacher's.

True despair engulfed them all.

END OF CHAPTER 31

This took a while. My apologies, but a reminder that my fics update at least once a month. Man this ended on a sour note, huh? Hopefully they will manage to move forward from their loss in due time.