Shambhala,1176

Almost every single Agarthan was a mage, except Kronya. She spent years underground, training to use blades. Despite her obvious skill, she was continually left in Shambhala instead of given missions above ground in Fodlan.

Their plan was stupid anyway: replace important people in Fodlan slowly, cause chaos, and then somehow take over the world. Solon was now a librarian. How was that going to help anything? Humans were weak, why not slaughter them all now?

Myson would huff and say, "This immaturity is the exact reason we don't bring you along."

At least she had been chosen to help destroy that pathetic king and his family. Their screams had been delicious. She and Chilon got to stab people with impunity while Myson, Bias and Pittacus set everyone ablaze. Even Thales was impressed with her handiwork. And best of all, when it was over, she had been the one to slit the wife's throat as she escaped with them. She thought Thales was going to take her to her daughter! The look on her face as she choked on her own blood was priceless. Why couldn't they give her more missions like this?

Crestwood

Dimitri awkwardly fiddled with his food as Monica looked at him from across the table. He reminded himself that this was the best way to gather information on Arundel and forced a smile at her. He complimented the food, and she squealed in delight. "I'm so glad you're here. There's something that I've wanted to talk to you about -" Dimitri's heart sank as he prepared to tell her that he just wanted to be friends for the fiftieth time.

"- I applied to Georgia State University. And I got in!"

Dimitri felt his heart skip a beat. Sure, he would have to find another way to gather intel, but no more Monica! "Congratulations!" he exclaimed.

She slid a small ring with pink decorations on it, "Here, I want you to have this. It's Byleth's. You should give it to her."

Stunned, Dimitri studied the little ring and wondered why it looked so familiar.

Byleth dragged the garbage can down the driveway. The Purple Hooded Stranger motored by and came to a sudden stop. She took one look around before saying, "We need to talk. Can you meet me somewhere?"

Byleth let go of the garbage can and walked over to her, "Claude says you're a writer. Why do you need to talk to me? I have a policy that I don't meet people unless they tell me who the hell they are."

She took another look around, "Let's just call me Bernie for now. Is that good enough?"

Edelgard called out from the front door, "Byleth - who are you talking to? Do they want to come inside?"

"Eep!" Bernie squeaked and rode away.

Garreg Mach 1180

Laying down in the basement of some dusty old place was not what Kronya had wanted for her next mission. At least she got to replace someone cute, and she was finally out of Shambhala. Her skin crawled when some human carried her out of the lower levels, but she pretended to be unconscious as she was told.

The monastery was crawling with disgusting humans and even worse – Nabateans. They hid their true form, and the humans were too stupid to realize there were dragons among them. Kronya hid a box of artificial crest stones under her bed and went to find Edelgard. She had to make sure that foolish girl and her ridiculous sidekick weren't deviating from the plan.

Crestwood

Arundel was quietly reading in his study when Monica returned home. She slowly walked into his office. Upon seeing her, he set down his reading glasses and snapped, "What do you want?"

Monica sat down across from him and smoothed her plaid skirt. She took a deep breath, "I've been doing a lot of thinking - and I've decided that I need to make a life for myself here instead of waiting for you to figure out a way to get us home."

Arundel turned his chair to face her fully and leaned forward. Monica continued, "So I applied to Georgia State and got in. I won't be able to start classes until next semester, but I intend to move and get situated as soon as possible. I've already found an apartment. I'm going to leave this note on Edie's doorstep, and I'm heading out tonight. I also told Dimitri that he should be with Byleth. Keeping them apart was a stupid waste of time – they clearly are made for each other."

Arundel stared at her slack-jawed.

Garreg Mach, 1180

The job had been so easy: lure the students to the courtyard and shove a crest stone into them. Now demonic beasts raged across the monastery. Unfortunately, the Fell Star Professor, her old man, the cute puppy-eyed one, and the rest of her stupid class were slaughtering her projects left and right. The old man was getting too close to figuring out her plan. Kronya realized that she could rid herself of him and mess with the Fell Star in one action.

She cheerily bounced up to the old knight and thanked him for his bravery. He stepped closer to her to admonish her for being in a dangerous place, which gave her the perfect opportunity to stab him in the back. He went down after just one stab wound. The Fell Star tried to stop her, but Thales intervened. The pouring rain and fog gave Kronya the perfect cover to escape.

Crestwood

Byleth waited for Bernie by the Crestwood wishing well. This was not what Byleth had in mind when Bernie had asked her to go for a drink. After a few minutes, Bernie pulled up. After looking around, she finally removed her hood. She was around Byleth's age with large gray eyes and cute short purple hair. She still looked extremely nervous. Byleth greeted her warmly, and she relaxed a little.

Bernie set down her hedgehog backpack and removed two cups. She placed the cups on the side of the well and lowered the bucket. She then raised it back up and filled the two cups with well water. She offered one to Byleth, but Byleth wasn't sure, "You didn't make me come out all this way to contract dysentery, did you?

Bernie giggled and took a sip, "They say there's something special about this well. There's even a legend. They say that the water from the well is fed by an underground lake, and that lake has magical properties."

Byleth replied that she should have brought Claude out here if she was going to talk like that. Bernie laughed again, and Byleth hesitantly took a sip. The water was surprisingly refreshing and didn't taste like it was full of parasites. "Legend says that if you drink from this well, something you lost will be returned to you," Bernie explained.

Byleth laughed, but Bernie shrugged, "What can I say? I'm a writer - I have to keep an open mind. Either way, you have to admit that this is really good water."

The Sealed Forest, 1180

How could they be so strong? The Fell Star and that blonde boy cut their way straight through her trap. There was also a girl with orange hair who seemed really pissed about a guy named Jeralt. Guess that was the knight she killed? It wasn't like it was personal – well it kind of was - but how were these morons even a match for her?

Kronya ran as fast as she could from the raging Professor and her minions. She saw Solon up ahead. He would help her.

Crestwood

Arundel had never thought much of Monica, Kronya, or whatever the hell she wanted to be called in this horrible place. She was immature and certainly the stupidest of his Agarthans, but he never expected her to be this dense. He sputtered a bit before finally saying,

"You can't leave. There's nowhere for you to go."

She continued, "Yes, there is. Atlanta."

He leaped from his chair, and it rolled back into the wall with a bang. He stomped out from around the desk. He placed one hand on Monica's shoulder and pointed out the window with the other, "There is no out there for us. There is nothing past the city limits. Don't you see - we are an anomaly, an aberration. We don't belong here. The only reason we're even here is because that bitch Cornelia wanted to be the only ruler in Fodlan, so she added a little something extra to her curse to stick us here with the rest of these vermin. Bringing you back was probably her sick way of torturing me even further."

Monica started to cry, "You don't want me here. Everyone hates me. What else am I supposed to do, Volkhard?"

Arundel raged, "That's Lord Thales to you, Kronya! And as far as what you're supposed to do, you are supposed to keep Byleth away from the people here, especially Dimitri, while I figure out a way to get home and leave these idiots behind!"

Monica continued to cry and insist that she was going to find her own path. While listening to her become more frantic and hysterical, Arundel was struck with an idea to solve at least one of his problems in the short term. He smoothed his hair down and knelt next to Monica. He gave her a tissue and rubbed her back gently. "There, there," he said softly. "I can see that I was wrong. You're just a young woman that wants to decide her own future, just like the other people your age in this strange land. You should go to Atlanta. I think you'll find just what you're looking for."

Monica blew her nose loudly into the tissue. Arundel winced but quickly returned to what he hoped was a kind expression. Monica threw her arms around him and thanked him. Arundel gritted his teeth and returned the hug.

The Sealed Forest, 1180

Solon betrayed her. Kronya gasped for breath as he reached into her chest and squeezed on her heart. Black tendrils of magic surrounded them. Full of agony and desperation, she reached out to the Professor for help – but the Professor was just staring at them wide-eyed. She felt one last gush of pain as Solon ripped her heart from her chest.

Crestwood

Arundel helped Monica pack all her things into her car. She gave him another hug and a kiss on the cheek, which Arundel patiently endured. She hopped into the car and gave Arundel a tearful wave goodbye. He smiled and waved as she drove away. As soon as she was gone, his smile dropped into a scowl.

He walked back into his house and started a fire in his study. The crackling was soothing. He poured himself a glass of whiskey and sat down in his high leatherback chair to watch the flames. Once he settled, he pulled out Monica's note to Edelgard from his breast pocket. After some time, his phone rang. A voice on the other line said, "It's done."

He smirked and replied, "Well done, Solon. Make sure Chilon clears the area."

He gave it one last look at the letter and tossed it into the fireplace. He smiled as he sipped and watched the letter crumble and turn colors before becoming ash.

Petra took Claude just outside of town to stargaze. He was relieved that she had finally asked him out. As they reached the very spot where Claude first met Byleth, they noticed a wrecked car on the side of the road. The driver's side door was open, and the airbag had deployed, but the driver was nowhere. Claude got out his phone to call Byleth while Petra continued to look for the driver.