Momo didn't want to cry. It was so weak and girlish to cry, but she was so scared when the knife glinted in the stream of moonlight that her eyes flooded instantly. She couldn't make a sound, her body wouldn't let her, all she could do was panic and wait for it to slice her open.

The assailant moved slowly, as his gloved fingers took her stiff arm, so limp to his manipulation. Her sleeve moved up and the tip of his blade touched her wrist. It dug in and sliced upward, opening up her forearm. If she could, she would have screamed. She could shed uncontrolled tears, but that was all, her body trembling despite whatever spell he had put her under.

He was so delicate and diligent though as the knife slid deep through her flesh, opening a vicious wound with an amount of blood that had her head spinning. He raised a hand over the cut already spilling blood onto the floor as mellow purple glyph formed in front of his fingers.

Violet eyes tilted down at her in the moonlight just before something blocked out the moon completely. Momo's eyes strained to her side to see what was happening and the assailant's head whipped to the window just as it flung open wide and a swift heel collided with his face. The magic disappeared and the blade clattered to the floor. Whatever had held Momo in place instantly released.

She grabbed her open arm with a wail, dropping onto her knees in the overwhelming flood of pain and fear. Her eyes were so blurred with tears she couldn't see who the newcomer was, she couldn't see what they were doing or who was winning. She heard crashes, she heard bodies hit the floor and grunts of pain and effort and finally the crack of a strong female voice cutting the air.

"Yield!" she snapped.

Momo choked on a hard sob and squeezed her eyes to clear them and see what was happening. The assailant was face down on the ground, one arm twisted back, blood dripping from his head. A knife was at his throat, but there didn't seem to be anyone holding it. There was no one there.

His arm contorted harder and he yelped as the moonlight caused a flicker of iridescent movement over the assailant.

Purple light formed at the man's fingertips, but the knife pressed harder and it disappeared.

His teeth grit hard. "I yield."

The air above him fluctuated and from it formed the hooded figure of a woman dressed similarly to him. Momo instantly backed away, crying harder, suddenly afraid that her nightmare wasn't over, but thundering footsteps were rushing her way and hope blossomed in her chest seconds later.

The door burst open and the first face she saw was that of her father, illuminated by torchlight. Armored men followed him as he rushed to Momo's side, dropping in front of her as the two hooded figures were surrounded.

"Momo?" the king gasped as one of his men took the torch from him. He took her arm and ripped fabric from his shirt, mouth agape as he quickly wrapped the open wound tightly, pressing his hands to it hard in an attempt to stop the bleeding. Her head fell to his chest as she cried harshly. She didn't see what happened to the two intruders, but she felt herself swept into large arms and the truly terrifying sound of her father shouting in rage. It took something horrible to cause that sound to escape the kind, gentle man.

The entire castle was awake and alive. Alarm bells chimed and she could practically hear the castle guard locking down the castle.

What Momo knew for certain was that she was in immense pain and that she was in her father's arms. She cried on his chest as he spoke comforting things to her. She didn't hear what they were, but she understood the tone.

When her father placed her down on the table of the castle doctor, she clung with her free hand to his shirt, shaking her head, not wanting him to leave her. He didn't, he held her head and her hand as a doctor tore off the makeshift bandage and grimaced at the mangled flesh.

"It will be fine, the cut is very precise and clean," the doctor shook it off, holding up his hands over the arm as green light started to form in glyphs over the cuts, "It's more like an incision than a stab wound, the skin will stitch back easily."

It wasn't that long, but it felt like hours. The bleeding stopped and the doctor went at her flesh with a needle and thread, sewing the cut skin back together now that he'd stopped the profuse bleeding.

Momo stopped crying and finally felt her chest begin to loosen and her breathing relax as the string was cut and the doctor applied a numbing ointment over the wound. The pain was fairly dulled, but even a glance at the damage and stitches made her sick.

Toshinori wiped her hair from her face. "What happened?"

She shook her head, throat tightening to remember it. "I don't know. I couldn't move or scream...he started cutting open my arm and he was about to use some sort of magic...and then that woman attacked him and I don't know what happened after that."

The king's face was tight and angry. "I was right to ask Toru to watch you. If she hadn't been there…"

Momo searched his face in confusion. "What? That woman was watching me?"

Toshinori straightened, still holding her hand as he breathed his own sigh of relief. "Yes and I must see that there are no other assassins in our walls. Wait here for your mother."

Momo's hand tightened in his. "Father…"

He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "You're safe, let me make sure it stays that way."

She got no further chance to argue. The king was rushing from her sight and she barely had sat up to stop him before her mother burst through the door. She was on Momo in a second, her arms taking in her daughter closely to her chest, a hand on the back of her head as though Momo were still the infant she had once held.

"You're alright?" Nemuri pulled back after a good few moments to look her over with intent eyes.

Momo nodded. "I can't really feel the wound anymore...I'm just...it was so terrifying!"

"You don't need to worry my darling, they have him and they are searching every inch of this castle," Nemuri moved to sit beside her, keeping her in at least one arm, "Thank all that is holy that we had Toru watching you."

"H-have you always had someone watching me?" Momo shook her head in disbelief, thinking of the last years of her life. Wondering how much she had been spied on or how many other assassination attempts she had never known of because of it.

"Not always," Nemuri shook her, "But since the Todoroki delegation arrived…"

Momo was taken aback, swallowing hard. "What are you saying?"

Nemuri's eyes darkened. "I'm saying we expected something might happen if we let a Todoroki into our home and thankfully we took precautions."

Momo turned her arm out of her sight, mouth agape. She couldn't think of Fuyumi ever ordering something like this. The girl who missed her mother and feared for her future children. The one who had spent the day with her laughing and forming what she had believed was a friendship.

"No…not Fuyumi...she wouldn't…"

"We'll see about that," Nemuri's lip tightened and something cold ebbed off of her, "She and her party will be questioned immediately and guarded closely until we know the truth."

Momo jerked away from her mother, dropping her feet to the floor, letting out a small whimper as the reverberation went through her arm.

"Momo, sit down, you need to rest," Nemuri stood.

"It's not Fuyumi's fault," Momo shook her head, "Don't take this out on her!"

Nemuri's eyebrows went up in surprise. Her mouth opened to possibly demand her take a seat once again, but Momo had panic in her chest again and she couldn't bear the thought of laying back down. Fuyumi was being accused of doing this to her as they spoke and she couldn't let that happen.

She dodged her mother's attempt to grab her arm and force her down, taking into a run for the door.

"Momo!" Nemuri screamed after her, but stopped her chase after she was out of the room, the younger girl already too far ahead for the queen to catch up to in her full bottomed gown.

Momo's arm was against her chest and her eyes were full of tears at the return of the pain it was causing to run with such freshly sealed injuries. Her panicked determination kept her going, even the guards she passed unable to stop her before she reached the throne room. She rushed through the doors, caught immediately by the guards just inside.

"Your highness, what are you-?"

She flung out her good arm desperately and hit him in the face on accident, cutting off his question as she went wide eyed on the situation in front of her. The assassin was tied and surrounded by guards, forced on his knees at the center of the room, his hood and mask pulled away from his face. His expression seemed nearly bored and the blood dripping down his brow didn't appear to bother him. To his side stood the Captain of the guard and the woman who had saved her life, Toru, her own hood thrown back to reveal long blonde hair and a serious expression. The king stood in front of them.

But that was hardly what was so shocking. Along with the soldiers and the assailant, the room occupied Lady Fuyumi and Commander Tenya, placed as though they were being just as accused as the assassin himself and flanked by the king's soldiers. There were tears in Fuyumi's eyes and Commander Tenya was in the midst of appealing to the king.

"Father stop!" Momo shouted, "It wasn't them, don't-"

Toshinori's voice boomed like thunder as his words cut Tenya specifically. "You say you know this man and yet you want me to believe that the Todoroki house is not responsible for this?"

Momo's words stuck in her throat, shock ending her struggle against the guard's tight hand on her small wrist.

"I have seen him in Tarlson Keep, yes," Tenya admitted, "But he is a service mage! He is not one of Lord Enji's assassins!"

The assassin chuckled and a guard swiftly cracked knuckles across his face, ending the smug sound.

"What about you, do you have some excuse for this attempt on my daughter's life?" Toshinori's voice made Fuyumi flinch where she stood.

"My king, I swear I know nothing of this!" Fuyumi cried, "I beg you, please believe us, I hold Princess Momo in the highest esteem, I would never wish her harm, much less death!"

Momo choked, heart squeezing at those words from Fuyumi. It shouldn't have been the time to be moved by such a thing, but she was. To watch this play out instantly became a thousand times harder.

The king stepped towards them, a massive wall of a man. Tenya put his hand out to keep Fuyumi close at his back, his other hand hovering where his sword should have been. Toshinori was not deterred in the least, stopping close and looking down at the stricken face of the young woman, before something in his eyes softened.

"On that I do believe you, My Lady," the king sighed, "You are young and innocent...you are an easily used pawn in your father's games and I was foolish to believe he wanted peace."

The small hope in her eyes dashed quickly.

With a nod from the king, the guards rushed them and pulled Tenya from her side, restraining him quickly as the assassin laughed again.

"Your highness you must listen to reason!" Tenya demanded, "The assassin may have worked of his own accord or anothers! He was sent to Lord Enji from the Synod! Perhaps he is their assassin instead?"

"The Synod does not employ assassins," Toshinori growled, "They have no reason to harm my family. The Todorokis have every reason."

"It's not true," Fuyumi wept, stepping towards the king to appeal to him, "Why this wedding and this alliance if my father wished to assassinate the princess?"

"That is precisely the reason he would," Toshinori turned to her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, "He knows that after Momo, Togata is second in line for the throne. I have refused his every request to marry Momo to your brother so marrying you to Togata was his only recourse. And he will not have the power he wants by that union if Momo is still alive."

Momo's eyes widened to realize that marriage offers had already been sent about her and that her father had refused them. But was that reason enough to arrange an assassination?

"Why not ask the assassin himself?" Momo shouted across the room, finally jerking free of the guard's hand and running to the center of the scene. Fuyumi and Tenya looked at her and the way she held her arm with blatant shock and concern.

Momo stayed a great distance from the assassin, eyeing him with caution, but looking to her father with pleading eyes.

"Momo you shouldn't be here," the king took her shoulder, but she shrugged free.

"Ask him!" Momo shouted into Toshinori's face, shaking, but showing her resolve all the same.

The king slowly looked to the assassin, true loathing in his eyes as he took in the bored expression.

"Will you speak, assassin?"

He shrugged in response.

"Who sent you?" The king loomed close and intimidating.

"The Lord of Tarlson," he tilted his head.

"Lies!" Tenya jerked against the arms that held him to no avail.

"They wouldn't entrust such a plan with the likes of you, Commander," the assassin glanced at Tenya, "You're far too soft."

"If he were my father's assassin why would he tell you so?" Fuyumi cut in, desperation breaking her voice, "He's lying, My King!"

The assassin shifted in his restraints, a flicker of light glowing over him, showing that the restraints were warded against magic. His vile magic. Magic that could make her stand still and quiet while he carved her flesh.

"I never said my loyalty was to Lord Enji," the assassin rolled his eyes, "I saw an opportunity and I took it. Now I'd like you not to execute me so I'm giving you reason to keep me alive."

Momo viewed him with disgust. "What sort of opportunity?"

His eyes narrowed, again seeming nearly bored. "To assassinate someone. You would have been my first, your highness. That's why I was being so careful. I wanted to do it right."

"That spell you were about to cast did not require such a vicious wound," Toru bit at the assassin, almost surprising Momo with her voice. She was perfect for a spymaster, she seemed to disappear if eyes turned away from her even a moment. "Either you're a sadistic bastard and deserve no such mercy or you are simply sloppy."

"As I said," the assassin shrugged, "It was my first assassination, cut me some slack, spymaster." It was almost sarcastic and Momo shifted back from him, panic rising in her chest again at the way he eyed her.

The king shook his head, hand tight in his blond hair as he paced a short amount of the throne room. He was mulling over his decision, leaving the room in deep anticipation.

When he stopped he looked first to Toru. "Lock him in the dungeon with a mage guard on watch. Inform the Synod of his actions, but tell them we will not be turning him over to them. I will know more of this before he is executed by my own hand."

The assassin was pulled to his feet and roughly dragged from the throne room, despite the fact that he didn't resist. Toru was a step behind them to attend to the tasks that the king had assigned her.

Next Toshinori looked to Commander Tenya and Momo's insides clamped tight.

"Knowledgeable of this attempt or not, you are a soldier of the enemy," Toshinori's eyes were cold, unrecognizable, "You will join the assassin in the dungeons and await trial and judgment when I have finished with Lord Enji."

"My King, please…"

Toshinori spun on the white haired girl as Tenya jerked against the hands that held him.

"Please don't take this out on Lady Fuyumi!" Tenya begged, "Your highness, have mercy!"

His blue eyes were hard on Fuyumi's shrinking form. "You are my nephew's wife, I will decide nothing about you without his input. Until this is resolved you will be confined to your room under constant watch. That," he looked to Tenya's fearful expression, "will be my mercy."

Momo felt a tear hit her arm. This was all over her. And no matter if the assassin was correct or not, Tenya and Fuyumi weren't to blame. They couldn't be. She believed them and even her father didn't seem to think that either of them willfully intended this. If it was Lord Enji's doing, then why punish them?

She stood frozen as Tenya was taken away and the remaining castle guard escorted Fuyumi from the king's presence. She lingered a pleading stare on Momo, but wasn't allowed another word before she was out of their sight.

Momo's teary eyes turned up to her father, her heart in her feet at the hurt expression on his face.

"I will ride with our armies to Tarlson at noon tomorrow," he said plainly, "I have tried to make peace with Enji, but now he will have war. The fighting in Dawnfell makes the timing bleek, but he must be dealt with here and now. I will call Togata home."

"Please father...not over me…"

He brushed away one of her tears with his thumb and then took her injured hand, turning her arm up. She turned her head away and his breath came out in a shudder.

"When you have children one day you will understand, Momo," he whispered and then looked ahead, "This is the part of ruling I wanted to protect you from as long as possible."

"But Fuyumi hasn't hurt me!" Momo put her arm back to her chest, stepping away from him, "The Commander wouldn't hurt me either! Don't punish them for the faults of Lord Enji! Execute the assassin and declare war if you have to, but don't take it out on them!"

"You don't understand these things," the king said loudly, "You're still too young to know how the nasty business of ruling works."

"Then make me understand!" She practically screamed, every inch of her aching. She never yelled at her father like this. Her mother sometimes, yes, but never her father. He was never the one she would get mad at or show weakness to. This went against her very nature, but she was so on edge and so emotionally charged by what had happened tonight she couldn't hold back.

"I wouldn't be a guilless child if you would actually allow me to see the hardships and make those decisions! If they deserve to suffer for their Lord's mistakes then show me why! Show me what they have done to earn your mistrust!"

"She is a Todoroki," Toshinori silenced the room in one setence, "That is all the reason I need."

Momo bit her cheek. "She's a Mirio. She's our family now."

"That is why you aren't ready to make these decisions," Toshinori turned away from her completely.

Momo felt like a pile of bricks had been dropped on her. Her father stayed staring away, his fists tense at his sides. She couldn't speak.

"You aren't ready to lead," he said sternly, but softly, "My little girl, you don't have the heart for it…"

"Father…"

"That's not a bad thing," he sounded almost sad, "Your mother tried to make you mistrustful, but you are too much like me as a youth. You want to trust and for anyone else that would be an admirable trait. But you're a royal...everything you have someone wants and is willing to kill to get. Trusting the wrong people is how you lose the ones you love..."

Momo's hands tightened on her heart.

"...and I won't lose you too."

Finally washed clean of the blood, mud, and sweat of the battle and their journey, Shoto had changed out of his tattered Synod robes into basic breaches and a loose shirt. He cleaned his staff as best he could, but set the robes aside. There was no salvaging them after what they had been through. He felt practically naked to leave his weapon in the purchased room and to walk into the pub area without a single embellishment or symbol stating his status, but Nana's insistence that they blend in and not draw attention was more relevant than his comfort. He was noticeable enough with the natural two toned color of his hair and the cleaved, still forming scar across his face, but without Synod robes he was more of a novelty to look at instead of a suspicious presence.

He didn't like the idea of sitting around here while the elves and the Captain went off to do important things, but Nana was adamant that the best thing they could do for everyone was get back their strength and stay unnoticed until Shoto could get the Honing Stone. It brought them to a secluded table in the pub and prompted them to order a hearty meal fit for more than the thin, lanky young man and the older woman across from him. But the barkeep who viewed their order with suspicion couldn't have known just how much energy a mage drained when using as much magic as they had. Shoto had eaten some of Denki's offered rations that morning as well and he still felt like he could consume an entire cow in one sitting.

They barely talked when they got their food, so preoccupied with filling the endless voids inside of them. But over their chewing they very clearly heard what was certainly a siren call warbling over the loud, rambunctious crowd occupying the pub, catching every available ear. The tune was familiar to all, a mellow sound, strong yet mournful.

/Come to the dawn/

/Come to the keep/

/The lord awaits your vow/

/Rise to the East/

/Rise to the fight/

/The time for blood is now/

Every babe old enough to hold its own head knew the song. It was as old as Dawnfell, as old as the first summoning, but never had Shoto heard it quite like this.

/Take up the sword/

/Take on the crest/

/The Griffon leads your charge/

/Brandish your shield/

/Steel your hearts/

/To the East prepare your march/

The crowd started up singing along in many offset, unmatching tones and threatened to ruin the beautiful number. But the voice that overwhelmed all of them was strong and grabbed Shoto by the ear like a hand. The longer it continued, the more he felt the strength in the vocals and the less shouting and offkey singing he heard around it.

Shoto lifted his head from his meal, feeling very strange and very unsettled by a familiar weight in the air, a pinprick presence. His eyes darted around the room and found all eyes, including Nana's, trained to the center of the pub where a dark haired woman strummed silver notes along the strings of a lute, her lips parted to let flow the perfect melody of her voice.

/Blood Dawn do not rise/

/Blood Moon do not shine/

/Your people fear no battle, but pray you may spare/

/Look to the Crest, Griffon blazing/

/Look to your captain, Eastward gazing/

/No Demon's mercy awaits you there/

The room was so still and entranced that a pin could be heard hitting the floorboards. Shoto caught on to the peculiarity as the stanza concluded and in the blink of an eye he was on his feet, palms open, alert at the sudden indication of a threat. The minstrel was in the middle of a breath to begin her next verse, but the jarring sound of his chair moving back caught her shocked attention with a gasp and her mouth snapped shut, eyes wide on him.

The spell broke in a snap and the rambling of conversation and cups sliding on counters came back in a burst, as though they hadn't even realized that they had stopped talking and drinking in the first place. Shoto looked around in surprise, noting that even Nana seemed confused as to why he was standing defensively.

"Shoto, what are you doing?" Nana's voice made him whip around to her in a jolt of shock.

"You didn't feel that?" he shook his head and spun back on the woman who was already strapping her instrument over her shoulder and moving to vacate the area.

"Felt what?"

Shoto didn't bother to respond, just pushed through the crowd headlong for the minstrel as she made a direct line for the staircase that led up to the rooms. Her pace was quick, but his strides were longer. Nana's shouts didn't slow him down.

She broke into a run when she made it halfway up the stairs and Shoto was fast on her heels, thankful for his long legs, but even moreso for the grip of magic that he could hold in his bare hands. He wouldn't need his staff for this.

Much like the magic he had used to stop Denki from escaping the night before, he conjured a tendrils of frost to shoot out across the floorboards of the upstairs hallway and grip her feet to the floor with a thick layer of ice. She jerked her legs as hard as she could, but the ice only cracked a little, which gave Shoto plenty of time to catch up to her.

She wasn't so easily subdued though. She whipped a blade from her belt, swinging her upper body about to defend herself. Shoto hadn't actually expected it, but he managed to open a small glyph of shielding in his hands in front of himself just in time to catch the blade before it could cut his head off. It struck with a bright spark as they locked intense stares. Blue and gray fought dark brown in a tense standoff.

"How did you do that?" Shoto asked, looking her over for some enchantment or item that could explain the spell she'd cast over her audience. There was nothing on her person or in the way she defended herself that said she was a mage and he didn't know any mage that would need to use a blade, so it made sense to believe there was an enchantment involved. Perhaps her instrument.

The woman gave him an equally discerning look. "How did you notice it?" was her response.

"I asked first," Shoto pushed a little, hearing her efforts continuing to crack the ice.

"Shoto!" he heard Nana bark from the top of the stairs, "What's going on here?"

He didn't even look her way, just kept his determined stare on the minstrel. "She was using magic on all of you," he said, "She had you all enchanted."

Nana blinked at them both in confusion. "I don't remember...I…"

"Damn it," the woman hissed under her breath, "I wasn't trying to enchant anyone...I didn't realize I was doing it until I saw you looking like you were ready to kill me."

"I wasn't trying to kill you," Shoto argued.

The woman looked down at her feet and then at the stalemate they were in, of her blade pressing against his shield, before she cocked her head at him. "Then why did you chase me up here?"

"A room full of people being enchanted in an instant is fairly suspect, but I really just want to know what sort of magic that was," Shoto violently shoved the blade away and dropped the shield, stepping fully clear of her reach, "You don't feel like a mage."

"Well you definitely are," the woman frowned, jabbing the blade into the ice around her foot, instead of at Shoto, to free herself, "You aren't dressed like one, but those spells were pretty obvious. If you're trying to be incognito you aren't doing a very good job of it.. What do you want with me? Are you a Synod spy or something?"

"I'm a Battle Mage," Shoto said blandly, feeling Nana move to his side as the woman stepped clear from the ice and positioned herself to fend off another attack if need be.

"We aren't Synod spies," Nana assured her, diplomatically, "We're mages, but we aren't malicious, I promise. I'm curious as well who you are and what you did back there...I don't remember a thing once you started singing and I wouldn't have even considered thinking something was wrong if Shoto hadn't pointed it out. That's an incredible power you have and I'd love to know more about it."

The woman pinched her nose and shook her head. "Who even are you?"

"I'm Nana and this is Shoto," the older woman introduced them, "What's your name, dear?"

"Kyoka?"

It wasn't the woman who responded, but it was an answer all the same. All three sets of eyes flung to the staircase where their two elf companions were standing with a large bundle in their hands and gaping wide eyed at the girl pointing a long knife at the two mages. The blade lowered some in the woman's surprise, but she barely got a question out before Denki had flung his arms around her neck and was sputtering on unintelligibly. Mina dropped the bundle she was carrying and ran after him, tugging on Denki's arm to try and free the woman he'd trapped in a hug. WIld elves were so very uncouth, it seemed.

"What happened to you? Where did you go?" Denki was beaming at her, while the woman tried to get her bearings around another rib-crushing hug from the girl elf.

"You know this woman?" Shoto asked, shaking his head at the whiplash of the situation.

Denki laughed and nodded. "Yeah, this is Kyoka, we met while she was performing in Riverden and she got us out of a tight spot with a screwy mage." The blond elf elbowed Kyoka fondly as she shook her head, slipping free from Mina.

"I should have known they'd be friends of yours," Kyoka folded her arms at the elf, "You attract trouble, you know that?"

"No more than I can handle," Denki winked.

Kyoka and Mina locked eyes and raised eyebrows, less than convinced.

"I'll believe it when you learn to handle me," Mina grinned, jabbing a proud thumb at herself.

"Denki," Nana cleared her throat, catching their attentions, "Perhaps some introductions would be in order."

"Oh right," Denki rubbed his neck and gestured as he made introductions. "Kyoka, this is Nana Shimura, she was married to my father's brother a while back. And Shoto is her friend, who's kind of grumpy, but, I mean, he's nothing compared to the Captain. And this is Kyoka Jiro, she's a traveling minstrel."

"She seems to be more than that," Shoto crossed his arms, tilting his head as his expression slipped back to his usual lack thereof.

Mina's eyes widened. "You…" she made some gestures around her mouth and, though Kyoka frowned, she also nodded.

"It was an accident," she bit her cheek, "Ruined my set too. I barely got through the first song before your friend came at me all threatening like and I realized I'd enchanted everybody."

"That's pretty irresponsible," there was a smug tone in Denki's voice and he got a punch in the shoulder.

"You can talk about irresponsibility when you find my old lute."

"What sort of magic is it?" Nana recaptured their focus. If nothing else she had a talent for righting people's stray attentions.

"It's an enchantment," Mina blurted out before Kyoka could even breathe. She tapped the minstrels throat, excited. "She can make normal songs have strange powers with her magical tongue."

"That's not entirely true," Kyoka pushed her hands down, "It's my vocal chords, not my tongue."

"How do you enchant the songs?" Shoto asked, getting a prick of nostalgia to think how Izuku would be sputtering and losing his mind over meeting someone with this sort of power..

Kyoka glanced between the elves and finally shrugged, relaxing in front of the mages as she sheathed the blade and adjusted the lute on her back.

"I'm not a mage, never have been," she explained, "But a mage gave me this power. I've always been a minstrel and since I write ballads I end up meeting some interesting characters."

Kyoka's eyes darted between the elves to give example. Her hands were folded behind her and her shoulders squared. This subject was something that seemed to hold a lot of pride for her.

"One particular fellow, a mage enchanter to be exact, had learned to enchant parts of the human body."

"That's not possible," Shoto shook his head, "We were taught about enchantments and they are restricted to inanimate objects. Living material can't be enchanted."

Kyoka shrugged. "I'm no mage, I just know what I saw and what I can do because of it. He enchanted his teeth to bite through a shielding spell and enchanted his lungs to breathe underwater."

"You should hear what he did to his cock," Denki's eyebrows went up and down. This time Nana hit him across the back of the head, glaring like this disappointed aunt that she was.

Shoto's face got a little red, but he tried to shake off what Denki must have meant by that, attempting to convince himself that the mage had enchanted a rooster instead. But Mina had a curious grin on him that said he wasn't hiding his embarrassment very well and that the comment was not about a chicken..

"So you're saying he enchanted your voice?" Shoto rushed past the interjection.

She nodded. "It was a gift apparently. He said that I was a young bard with no means to defend myself against the dark world of the ether and said my voice would be my power. He put his hand on my throat and I've been able to use charm voice ever since."

"Defense against the ether?" Nana looked to Shoto with raised eyebrows, before moving to stand in front of the younger dark haired girl.

"Yes," Kyoka's eyes narrowed, "My sword won't do much against a demon without a good enchantment, so I have to trust my voice instead."

"She can lull them," Mina dropped her elbow onto Kyoka's shoulder, "They pass right out and one time she made one go crawling and screaming back to the ether to escape her magnificent voice! You're really amazing, Kyoka." Pink hair fell in a fluff on Kyoka's shoulder as the Moondance elf gushed. There was a pointed pout on Denki's face as he reached across Kyoka to shove the other elf away from the girl.

Nana raised her eyebrows, impressed. "I can certainly appreciate that talent," Nana nodded, "May I ask if you're particularly busy for the next few weeks?"

Excited looks passed between the elves, but Kyoka looked confused. "I'd like to finish my gig without mages attempting to kill me to be entirely honest, but after that…" she looked around and got a small smile, "I'm always looking for new material for a good ballad, I'm guessing you have an adventure to offer? A quest of sorts?"

Shoto didn't know why he was surprised. Nana seemed to be gathering quite the band of misfits and he wasn't quite sure how to feel about it. He didn't have much time to consider it before the final, irritating piece of their part came stomping up the stairs with the uncouth pace of the brash soldier he was.

It was surprising to see Katsuki cleaned up and in fresh attire, leaving Shoto to wonder where, when, and how he'd managed that in the time he had been gone, which then made him realize that it had been at least an hour if not two since they parted ways.

To see Katsuki dressed in clothes that hadn't been dragged through dirt for a full week before being air dried and worn again was strange enough, but to see his disheveled hair under control was the most peculiar part. Looking presentable was not part of life at the encampment, which was how he had known him until now. Function above all else, even for the Captain and the Commander. But now he looked civilized...sort of like a Captain.

"What the fuck are you doing standing around-?" Katsuki cut himself off when he saw Kyoka and his face went rather blank as he blinked at her.

Nana turned towards him and smiled. "Katsuki this is-"

"I know who the fuck that is," Katsuki interrupted her, storming forward, "You've got some nerve showing back up in Dawnsend, Kyoka."

The girl as the elves on either side of Kyoka took a full step back, cautious but intrigued by the Captain's reaction. It may have been surprising that they knew each other, but the aggressive way he marched up to her like he had a less than pleasant history with the minstrel seemed normal.

Kyoka crossed her arms back at him, standing tall. She wasn't near his height, but she looked tough enough that Shoto wasn't entirely sure she'd lose outright in a fight with him.

"Oh, so you're Lord of Dawnsend now?" she scoffed, "Get over yourself, Katsuki, it's been two years."

Denki dropped an arm on Katsuki's shoulder as Mina mimicked the action with Kyoka.

"What's been two years?" Mina asked.

Katsuki's hand went to the handle of his sword. "You have exactly one second before I cut off your arm."

Denki was out of arm's reach faster than Shoto could register, the elf showing just how light footed he could be when driven.

Kyoka rolled her eyes and dropped her stance, returning to nonchalance. "Anyone else I should know about? Perhaps a Demon?"

Katsuki spun on Nana. "What is she doing here?"

"I'm meeting new people and gathering new stories, like I always have," Kyoka answered for herself, "The real question is what you're doing with these people. Don't you have a war you're supposed to be fighting?"

"I am fighting a damn war!" He shook the room with his voice, "That's why we're here and we don't need some two bit bard trailing behind us, disrupting our work with shit music and terrible poetry!"

"After what Shoto witnessed I think she can do much more than that," Nana crossed her arms at them, "She could be useful and if all she's asking in return is material for a few ballads I'm not going to turn her away."

"What use is she going to be?" The question was directed to Shoto this time, since he was the only standing witness.

"I saw her-"

"What I can do is not really important!" Kyoka quickly interjected, her demeanor turning nervous and cheeks flushing, losing that confidence she had before when she talked about her power.

Shoto raised an eyebrow at her and then glanced at Katsuki, but didn't explain any further.

"Definitely not as important as knowing what you're getting into, I agree," Nana nodded.

"And what is it I'm getting into?" Kyoka looked to the older mage.

"We're going to face the Archdemon," Shoto answered, "Nana is a Blood Mage and we believe that she can kill it. We came here to obtain a Honing Stone to find the Summoner and put an end to the Summoning."

The room got deathly quiet, everyone waiting for Kyoka's response.

"I see," she nodded slowly after thinking about it for a good while, "I'm made of questions, but I can see a good story there. Even if you turn out to be the villains it'll be worth singing about."

"Bards," Katsuki rolled his eyes.

"I'm so excited!" Mina bounced on her heels, "It'll be just like old times! Except more mages…"

Kyoka laughed. "As if you're really complaining."

Mina smirked, but Denki crossed his arms in a pout.

"Don't encourage her," Denki fussed.

With a loud scoff, Katsuki chose to ignore Kyoka and the two elves speaking in inside jokes beside them and Instead turned to Shoto, frowning as he always tended to do. He seemed to be tearing apart his appearance unhappily.

"Did the useless elves actually get the shit or-"

"Hey, we aren't useless!" Denki broke Katsuki's sentence, striding past him and knocking shoulders as he grabbed the bundle Mina had dropped. "See!"

Nana held up a hand towards him, really looking at their surroundings and jerking her head towards the room Shoto had taken when they arrived. "Not here. We shouldn't be talking about any of this out in the open."

That was easily agreed upon and the five all followed Nana behind the walls of the purchased room, annoyances forgotten for the sake of their mutual intrigue. They gathered around, but certain people kept their proverbial distances from one another as Denki opened the bundle onto the surface of one of the small beds.

Shoto's eyes went wide at the contents. Synod Master robes, a signet ring, and blank parchment marked with a High Circle seal all sat in front of him. Items that could not be found just lying about and were not purchasable at a general store.

"How did you-?"

Denki winked at Shoto's bewildered expression. "I told you we have connections. Recently a couple towns over there was a murder involving a Synod Master, poisoned at a friendly dinner. One of the guys we work with saw his opportunity and went for it. Scavenging something as rare as Master robes is pretty big. He had to clean some vomit off of it, but no stab holes and or blood stains, it's enough to make a man sick with jealousy. We trade a lot of favors in our business and he told me about them when we met up a couple weeks ago, so Mina and I met up with him, traded in some favors and a bit of loot and here we are. You can go ahead and thank me now."

Nana sighed and sarcastically smiled upwards. "Your father would be so proud."

"Thank you," Shoto did the polite thing, nodding gratitude for the elf's work as he took the fine material of the robes into his hands and held them up. The sleeves were wide, the length not too short as often was his problem with Synod robes. It jumped at the eye with red and blue fabric and gold embroidery. A masterful work by a Synod seamstress.

He could hardly believe that he was considering putting it on. He always imagined one day he would wear robes like this, but not for many years, not until long, grueling training had turned to many harsh years of service and his developed talent got him noticed by the High Circle.

"Do you think it will work, Shoto?" Nana asked, leaning her hands on the bed.

Katsuki picked up the ring and turned it in front of his eyes, sucking his teeth. "Shit, I think it actually might. I'd be convinced, even if he walked in with that damn baby face."

Denki looked hard at Shoto. "He doesn't look like a baby to me."

"Definitely not," Mina's added comment made Shoto shift a little farther away from her.

"Given that most Synod Masters are in their forties before they get the title, I practically do," Shoto set the robes back down and held out his hand towards Katsuki for him to give him the ring, "I'm about twenty years off the mark. Nana would be more convincing…" He almost hated to say the words, since that suggestion meant that he might be giving up his only chance to ever wear Master robes, but his pride couldn't be the deciding factor if they wanted to succeed.

Nana didn't seem to agree though. "You would have a better chance convincing a Synod Stationmaster that you're a Master than I would."

Katsuki dropped the ring into Shoto's hand and crossed his arms. "Why, you're like eighty years old aren't you?"

Nana laughed. "I'm old enough to be your mother, not your grandmother. But that hardly matters. I can't do it. I've had run-ins and gained knowledge about the Synod, but I've never lived among them. The only interaction I've experienced with a Synod Mage is a fight, save for with Shoto. It will be obvious quickly that I'm not Synod, I don't have the attitude, the heir, or the mannerisms."

"We're not all so easily typecasted," Shoto said stiffly, turning the ring in his hand.

"No, she has a point," Katsuki agreed, "You can't fake that level of jackass. You'll have to do it."

Shoto's nose lifted as he rolled his eyes, showing both disinterest and annoyance with the Captain.

"Wow, that's perfect," Kyoka nodded, "He has Synod written all over him."

Shoto ground his teeth, but forced down his frustration, running his thumb along the brocade of the robes. The bright side was that he'd get to wear these after all, but his stomach turned at the lie he would have to fabricate. Deceit was not his strong point.

"Well put it on," Denki shoved the robes towards him, "Don't we have some sort of time constraint to think about?"

Shoto moved to do so, but then stopped short, glancing over the very watchful eyes as a pink hue overcame his face.

"Oh," Nana caught onto the look and tapped the elves on the shoulders, "Let's leave so he can change."

Mina's mouth turned down, "You're no fun, ma'am."

Shoto nodded gratitude to Nana as she ushered the others out. But Katsuki stayed, slamming the door behind them.

"Get out," Shoto hissed, but Katsuki just snatched the parchment from the bed and walked to the desk at the room's corner. He lit a candle and took a quill pen in hand, sitting down facing away from Shoto.

"We don't have time for you to be a little princess," Katsuki barked, "We need a convincing letter of authorization. Dictate some shit and I'll make it look good."

It took every effort in his body not to drive a magically conjured shard through the back of his head, but the letter did need to be written before he took up this role. He mulled it over for a long time though, standing stiffly, hands in fists at his side.

"I said dictate," Katsuki growled over his shoulder, "I'll pull rank if I have to."

Shoto ground his heel as he viciously pulled his shirt over his head. "I'm not one of your soldiers."

"No, you're my prisoner, act like it," Katsuki violently tapped the pen in the inkwell.

Shoto cursed under his breath, using every ounce of restraint he had not to turn the Captain into an unidentifiable pile of smoldering flesh. Instead he took every action with violent motions, biting out each word he dictated like maybe they could cut the Captain if he tried hard enough.

"To all Masters of Gaetha's Most Valiant Synod," Shoto dictated and ignored Katsuki's scoff as he stripped out of his breaches and hurriedly grabbed the robes, hoping to cover himself before the Captain could even think to glance back. "By dictate of the High Circle, the bearer of this letter, Master Shoto of the Center Magesterium, holder of the Two Skull Signet, is hereby authorized access to all Synod resources required to meet the designs of the High Circle. Let this letter be a verdict of authorization to its holder to take action in the name of the Most Holy Synod in the effort to bring conclusion to the Summoning of the year 1209. Full cooperation is to be given until such time as these orders are retracted or the current Summoning is concluded."

Katuski took more than a few glances back at Shoto as if to be sure the mage was serious about what he was dictating. He couldn't know how much the Captain saw, but he was quick to slip on the fitted pants and the light shirt that went beneath the overlayer of the robes, losing his slim patience with each passing moment that Katsuki stifled the air with his presence.

"That bullshit will work?" Katsuki shook his head at the page he was carefully writing on.

"I'm paraphrasing the orders I was given when I reported to Master Ferris," Shoto slipped his arm through the sleeve, "That's how they're written. They aren't that much different than your own military orders."

"Yeah, but they don't have all that 'most holy' and 'we suck our own cocks' language in them," Katsuki half laughed.

"As if Dawnfeldens don't think just as highly of themselves," Shoto sucked air through his teeth.

"Whatever," Katsuki tapped the pen to place the final period, "Who's signing this?"

"What seal does it have?" Shoto asked.

Katsuki turned in his seat, tilting his head in a glare. Shoto jerked the front of the robes close, sealing the buttons across the chest quickly.

"How the fuck am I supposed to know?"

Hot air shot from Shoto's nose as he moved to the desk and grabbed the parchment, looking closely at the imprinted seal. It was practice of all Synod mages no matter their rank to know what seal matched what High Circle mage. Every mage needed to know and recognize what authority was being incurred at all times.

Shoto groaned and shoved it back down. "Master Sochi Tanen," he huffed.

"A friend of yours?" Katsuki asked smugly at Shoto's reaction.

"No," Shoto snatched the ring from the bed, "Just sign it."

Master Sochi was the man that led the Magesterium assignment process. He directed the Magesterium leaders in which mages would be assigned to what task, lifestyle, and proficiency. It made sense why it would be one of his letters that the elves acquired, he wrote more orders than anyone. His seal was on Shoto's Battlemage orders.

On the far end of the room were the few things that had survived the encampment. Tattered, bloody, mud soaked robes and his staff, now thankfully washed clean. He didn't imagine there would be a time that he would hold this staff and not think of how sticky with blood it had once been. But it was a strong staff, a very refined Synod item, one a Battle Master would be proud to use. Izuku had given it to him a few years back. The smaller boy had acquired it by winning a bet with one of their Masters, Izuku proving him wrong about a magical application in a scene that had the entire Magesterium talking for weeks. But it was a Battle Staff and Izuku said it was too focused on that one style to suit him and gave it to Shoto instead. Shoto had never thought much about it, but he realized now if the face of true evil infecting their world and his decision to face it, that he was immensely lucky to have it.

With his staff in hand and the ensemble complete, Shoto stepped in front of the small wall mirror by the door and caught his breath. He didn't know what to think or feel about seeing himself in Master robes. It was the fruition of his younger self's goals, but it wasn't real. And it really stuck hard that this would never be a real possibility for him. His decision to be here, to follow Nana to this fight...to possibly use Blood Magic...this would never be his reality. He knew it would be worth it, he knew he had to do this, that if he didn't the world might be lost. That this path that would lead him astray from his service and brethren was his only chance left to do something significant. The Synod had made it clear that they wouldn't give him that opportunity when they sent him unprepared to the forefront of a horribly bloody war. They rejected him from their life in the Center Magesterium with those orders, sending him to a likely death. His loyalty to them was still set deep in his heart, but if he was going to make his place in history he would have to defy them.

Shoto eyed the stripes of the scars that ran down his face, how they had started to form bright scars. He thought of the magic that had formed in his hands from the blood that had gushed from those wounds and he internally squirmed between self loathing and the double beat of his heart on a thrill he could not control. If he were a wise man he'd never entertain the idea of Blood Magic again, knowing firsthand how powerful it felt on his fingertips. But Nana's words, the importance of this quest were too good of an excuse and he dwelled uncomfortably long on the notion. On the decision that he had already arrived at. On what he would have to do.

"If you're done admiring yourself, you've got shit to do," Katsuki was suddenly at his side, slamming the parchment against Shoto's chest.

The inner dialogue was broken and he snatched the paper, looking it over to ensure it would be convincing, before folding it neatly and putting it into the breast pocket inside of the robes while Katsuki examined his appearance.

"Well it's an improvement at least," the Captain commented snidely.

With an upward appeal for some modicum of strength, Shoto shoved past him to leave, knowing now was not the time nor the place for an altercation spawned from sheer annoyance. Katsuki followed him out into the hallway as music filtered up from downstairs. Katsuki frowned, but the far too perfect voice put Shoto at ease, just as much to know how Kyoka seemed to annoy Katsuki as an appreciation for the pleasant sound it created. Especially since it lacked the twinge of magic it held before, assuring them that the girl was not putting a room full of people under her spell. An ability Shoto knew they needed to be very cautious of despite how intrigued he was by the possible applications.

They went downstairs and found that Kyoka had taken up her place at the center of the crowd again, this time capturing their attention without enchantment, including the mesmerized stares of Denki, Mina and Nana. The older woman smiled warmly at the girl, genuinely amazed at her talent as the cogs of her mind turned. He could see in her eyes how she was planning and devising uses for the newest edition to their party. Somehow so intelligent and calculated, and yet kind and welcoming. Again Shoto had to shake the feeling of how much she reminded him of Izuku.

Katsuki was the only one unimpressed with her music, crossing his arms to lean on the wall by the stairs as he flipped up the hood of his cloak, still attempting not to be noticed by the pub patrons.

"You don't like music?" Shoto raised an eyebrow at him.

"I don't like bards."

"Good to know."

Katsuki growled at his underlying meaning. "Let's just go already."

"You're coming with me?" he asked as Katsuki moved through the crowd with Shoto at his heels.

"You don't know where you're going," the Captain sighed, "Besides I have no interest in staying here."

Despite the Captain's admanent statement, Shoto couldn't help but notice that Katsuki's red eyes lingered longer than normal on the singer. But the girl was out of their minds the moment they set out into the boisterous, lively streets of Dawnsend.