Crestwood

Dimitri sat nervously across from Byleth's chair as he waited for questioning. His earlier cold expression had dissolved into fear. Byleth brought him a cup of chamomile tea. "I hope Monica isn't out in the cold right now," he said softly.

Byleth returned to her seat and organized some papers on her desk. "Honestly, Dimitri, you should be more concerned about yourself right now. Everyone knows Monica followed you around everywhere, and there's this call right before she disappeared that you lied to me about."

Dimitri stared down into his plastic cup and, in an even softer voice, said, "I didn't. I can't explain the phone record. I honestly don't remember."

Byleth sighed and set the phone records down, "Look, I can usually spot a liar, and liars can generally produce better material. I can see the circles under your eyes - I know you're not sleeping. Just go home and get some rest, okay?"

Dimitri looked up at her with surprise, "I can go?" He stood up and gave a slight bow. "Thank you, Byleth. I promise I'll try to sleep tonight." He turned to leave.

"And Dimitri?" Byleth called out as he walked away. "Maybe consider talking to an attorney."

"Oh my God, its tail is so fluffy!" Hapi giggled as she looked over a customer's shoulder at pictures of lemurs on his phone. She had never even heard of a lemur. Despite her outward cynicism, she couldn't help being drawn to stories of faraway places and adventures. Oh, to get away from this boring town and its judgy people.

"In Nepal, there's an entire temple full of them," the customer explained. "I'm saving up for a trip." He smirked, "Maybe I'll save up a little more so you can come too."

Hapi giggled again, and Ashe cleared his throat, "Hapi, I need you over here, he said."

Garreg Mach, 1180

Ashe was always helping other people. Hapi might have found it endearing if he wasn't constantly bending over backward for the Knights of Seiros. Weren't these the same people that killed his father? Weird. He cheerfully bounded up to her, and she decided to educate him on the importance of only working for pay. He was utterly confused when she tried to explain that the knights were only using him for unpaid labor. In fact, her behavior only served to remind him of one of his favorite knight stories, "The Luna Knight." She agreed to listen to it if he would accompany her to town while she ran her errands. He happily agreed.

They walked arm in arm through the Marketplace while Hapi shopped for supplies. The villagers were anxious. A group in the center was asking for volunteers to fight a gigantic wolf that was roaming the area. Ashe looked at Hapi and said, "We have to do something!" But Hapi pulled him back towards the monastery.

Crestwood

Hapi stomped up to Ashe and proceeded to chew him out for interrupting her conversation. "I can't believe you would interrupt me like that. Do you suddenly not trust me to do my job?"

Dedue retreated to the kitchen. Ashe remained cheerful and simply replied, "I want you to start working Saturday nights, Hapi."

Hapi was furious, "No, we have an agreement about Saturday nights. Those are my nights."

Ashe became excited as he explained that he wanted to train her to balance the books, learn about their suppliers, and manage reorders. None of that sounded remotely appealing to Hapi, and she interrupted him angrily, "I'm wasting my potential here, Freckles. I should be out in the world and going on adventures with my band of lemurs!"

Ashe looked dazed, "Hapi, I don't know how to respond to that."

Hapi snapped, "Well, I do - I quit!" She slammed her apron down on the counter, threw on her red hoodie, and left.

Outside Garreg Mach, 1180

Hapi managed to avoid Ashe for an entire day, but he found her as she headed out to get a bucket of water. She took off running to lose him, but he chased after her. Damn, he was persistent. When he did catch up with her, he gasped, "Hapi - why didn't you want to help those villagers? You and I could take care of a wolf, I'm sure of it!"

"Freckles, you don't want to be involved with it." He was so earnest that she couldn't be annoyed with him, "Come on, help me get some water, and we'll get you cooled off from all that running."

She lowered the bucket into the well and lifted it back up. Her eyes widened in horror as she saw the bucket was filled with red water. She tried to speak to Ashe, but he was frozen, looking out at something. She turned in the direction he was looking. In the clearing ahead, she could see the bodies of the villagers from the day before.

Crestwood

Edelgard caught up with Byleth as she walked down the street. She wanted an update on Monica and Dimitri, but Byleth didn't have very much to tell her. Byleth questioned Edelgard about her relationship with Monica, and Edelgard didn't have very much to say either. They continued to walk in silence until they saw Hapi arguing with Manuela.

"Please let me take you somewhere. It's cold. There won't be a bus here for hours," Manuela pleaded.

Manuela saw Edelgard and Byleth and begged them to talk some sense into Hapi. Then she drove away.

Hapi held her head high, "I'm leaving Crestwood. I'm sick of this town, my job, and Freckles' unbridled optimism. I'm getting on the next bus that shows up here and going wherever it takes me."

Byleth could relate as she had done the same thing many times. However, she noticed one small problem with Hapi's plan. "Buses that leave town don't really seem to be a thing here, Hapi. I've never actually seen one. Have you? Besides, I can tell you from experience that it always helps to have an actual destination in mind when you're changing towns."

Hapi raised an eyebrow, and Edelgard offered, "Come to our place, Hapi. You can warm up and figure out what you want to do next."

She looked around and shrugged, "Fine, you two. But you're not talking me out of it."

Outside Garreg Mach, 1180

Ashe and Hapi slipped into the back of the town meeting. At least five men had died last night at the hands of the wolf. The villagers argued about what to do next until a man up bragged that he could kill any beast, but the other villagers didn't believe him. Another insisted someone lured the wolf near their village, and Hapi coughed. Fortunately, another villager spoke up that no one could be that horrible. The meeting concluded without any resolution to the beast problem.

The next day, Byleth asked Hapi to tea, where she told her professor about the nearby issue with the wolf. Byleth listened intently until finally asking if a part of her also wished to impress a certain gray-headed archer while aiding the villagers. Hapi swallowed hard, "Is it that obvious?"

Byleth smiled, "I've seen the looks you give each other. If I can tell, then you two are definitely not being subtle."

"Oh, kind of like the way you and Didi look at each other?" Hapi said with a smirk. This time, Byleth choked on her tea.

"You know what, Chatterbox? I think I will kill the wolf. I can help the villagers and keep Freckles from getting himself killed. Want to come while I try being selfless?"

Crestwood

The following morning, Byleth searched again for any signs of Monica near the town line. Nothing. It was as though she stepped out of her car and vanished. She heard rustling behind her and drew her gun. Dimitri emerged from the brush and put his hands up. "I'm sorry, I thought I could come to look for her."

She put her gun down, and Dimitri came closer. He slowly put his arms around her, and she laid her head on his chest. "Look, Dimitri, I'm reasonably sure that you didn't do anything to her but being like this probably isn't the best idea." Instead of moving, he held her tighter and captured her lips in a kiss. Well, this feels better than professionalism, she thought.

Suddenly, Dimitri pulled away from her and began to walk towards the woods. "Halt! Show yourself!" he cried. Byleth called out for him, but he bolted into the woods after something.

Claude and Hapi chanced to arrive at the station simultaneously, both looking for Byleth. Since she wasn't there, they decided to hang out until she returned. While chatting, she described her situation to Claude. So, he generously helped himself to Byleth's computer and began to search for job openings that might suit the sarcastic redhead.

"Does Chatterbox really let you use her work computer?" she eyed him with suspicion.

"Oh sure, we're both civil servants and good friends."

Unsurprisingly, there weren't many openings in town. Every time Claude would suggest something, they were interrupted by the phone ringing. The noise was starting to annoy Hapi. Claude shrugged, "When Byleth isn't here, the non-emergency numbers have to go to voicemail. Byleth's currently got her hands full looking for Monica."

Hapi looked at the ringing phone for a moment and picked it up, "Sheriff's office? No, Bias, you don't have a prowler. That's just Pittacus's dog. Give him a vanilla wafer, and he'll shut up. You're welcome."

The phone rang again, and she answered, "Tomas, no one cares that teens are snickering at the library. You should be thankful anyone goes there at all with how creepily you stare at everyone. Let the Sheriff do her actual job."

Once she hung up the phone, Claude looked at her with a glint in his eye. "That was amazing, Hapi! Want to do that all the time?"

"I can get paid to tell whiners to get over themselves all day? Sure! But I can do more than phone calls. I can organize files, glare at people – "She hesitated, "Wait, you can't hire people, can you?"

Claude smiled, "I work in the mayor's office. I can make things happen. I could really use a grilled cheese sandwich right now, if I'm being honest. If you get one for Byleth, I'm sure Byleth would agree to your hiring. You'll find that Byleth is very agreeable when you bring food."

"Done!"

Hapi bounded out of the station, and Claude received a call from Byleth in distress.

"Dimitri ran into the woods after someone. There's something wrong with him. He looked right through me. It's like - It's like he was a different person."

Outside Garreg Mach, 1180

Hapi showed Byleth the wolf tracks outside the village. Byleth used the opportunity to teach Hapi the finer points of hunting an animal, showing her the differences between foxes, dogs, and other animal prints. Byleth taught Hapi how to tell if the tracks were old or new. Soon, Hapi was able to track expertly. As they followed the tracks back towards a nearby wood, they noticed a set of human prints. These were small. There was also no blood around, so these prints couldn't belong to any of the hunters.

"Hmm," Byleth said. "Someone was here just before the wolf showed up."

Hapi's heart sank when she saw the petite human tracks.

'It's almost nighttime," Byleth declared. "We need to do something before this wolf attacks again."

Crestwood

Hapi strutted up to Ashe's counter and proudly ordered two grilled cheese sandwiches. Dedue showed no reaction, but Ashe asked who they were for. She explained that she worked now for the Sheriff's department and the Sheriff's department required two grilled cheese sandwiches. Ashe congratulated her on the new job,

Ashe's face lit up, "Hapi, that's wonderful! Congratulations!" Hapi blushed.

Dedue deadpanned, "I see. So, for your new job, you write down orders and bring them to me to cook?"

"And solve crime!" Hapi retorted.

"Two grilled cheeses coming up," Dedue replied.

Hapi was surprised to find Claude in his car waiting for her outside the diner. He still smiled, but his eyes no longer sparkled. "Change of plans, new assistant. We've got to help Byleth with a wilderness rescue. Dimitri has gone missing. Hop in."

Hapi didn't budge, "Whoa, you can't make me go from "get me a sandwich" to "search and rescue" in just one hour on the job."

Claude popped the passenger door open and said gently, "Hapi, Byleth needs help. You're stronger than you realize."

Hapi was unsure, but she hopped in the passenger seat. "Well, I'll probably screw it up, but I'm sure I'll screw it up with flair."

They found Byleth in the woods, examining some boot prints. She rose and put her hands on her hips, "Claude, why have you brought Hapi?"

Hapi turned to leave while muttering, "I knew this was a bad idea."

But Claude blocked her path and spoke to Byleth, "I hired her to be your assistant. She was managing your non-emergency calls today for you. Give her a chance."

Byleth just pinched the bridge of her nose and said, "Fine. Whatever. I need all the help I can get right now. Dimitri just started talking to someone and took off that way."

They continued through the woods until the boot prints went off the path. "Great," Byleth sighed. "How are we going to find him now?"

Hapi studied the ground carefully and then suddenly cried, "I know where he went! See how the leaves are pushed down? He's this way!" She took off after him with Byleth and Claude close behind. They followed Hapi until they saw Dimitri lying on the ground, unconscious. Blood dripped from his forehead. "Not again," cried Claude.

Byleth knelt on the ground and placed his head in her lap. She frantically patted his cheeks to wake him up. He felt ice-cold, and she cried, "Dimitri? Please wake up. Oh God, just wake up!"

Dimitri's eyes shot open, and he gasped for air while Byleth stroked his hair. He whispered, "Byleth? Hapi? What happened? I was in your office." He groaned and tried to sit up, but he wobbled, and Byleth wrapped her arms around him. His head fell on her shoulder.

"You don't remember coming here?" she asked.

"No," he said softly. Byleth cradled him until the ambulance came.

Dimitri slept in his hospital bed while Byleth held his hand and watched his chest rise and fall. She wondered why this kept happening and what he was seeing. Manuela entered with a clipboard, and she looked stumped. "He's bruised, scratched up, a little dehydrated, but I can't find anything that would cause what you described. I'm going to refer him to Seteth for further evaluation."

"How is he functional during these episodes?" Byleth asked.

"Well, people in similar states, even under sleep medication, do all sorts of things. Cooking, talking, driving a car - "

"- You just want to see if it's possible that I made that phone call without knowing. Then you're going to say I kidnapped and killed her and just don't remember it," Dimitri interrupted as he pulled his hand away from Byleth.

"Dimitri, no one is saying you did anything," Manuela said firmly.

"But it would explain why I lied about the phone call from Monica. I didn't know it happened."

"And why is my nephew being questioned when he doesn't have counsel and is in a vulnerable state?" a familiar voice snarled.

Arundel pushed himself between Byleth and Dimitri and laid a hand on Dimitri's shoulder. Byleth tried to be patient, "Arundel, we are just talking. We're actually trying to get Dimitri some help."

"Like you're helping Monica? He doesn't need your help," he retorted.

Byleth rose and poked Arundel in the chest, "And why are you even here?"

"Because I'm still his emergency contact!" Arundel snapped.

This was too much. She sighed deeply and facepalmed. "Seriously, Dimitri? You didn't update it after the last incident? What about Dedue?" Dimitri looked at Byleth sheepishly.

Arundel continued to criticize her. "Meanwhile, you're chasing a dead end here while sweet Monica is still missing."

She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at him. "There's a lot of Georgia out there, Arundel. It's going to take me a little while to search the entire thing."

He gestured to the door, "Well, you've searched this room, so you can leave it now." Byleth threw her hands up and left.

Byleth plopped down on a bench outside of the hospital and dialed Hapi at the station. She answered on the first ring. "Hey, I need you to go to the pond. The last time Dimitri did a dream walk he ended up there. I feel like there's still something there we missed. You're closer, Hapi, I need you to take my car and go search the area."

Hapi stayed silent for a moment and answered, "I'll find you someone more reliable."

"No, Hapi, there isn't time for that," Byleth replied. "Claude was right – you've got skills. Where did you even learn to track through the woods? You found Dimitri out there without a trail. You can do this."

"Ugh, fine Chatterbox. Why does everyone have all this faith in me today?" She threw on her hoodie, grabbed Byleth's keys off her desk, and headed out.

Hapi arrived at the pond and kept Byleth on speakerphone. She headed to the edge of the water and felt the sand and dirt. Something seemed off, so she grabbed a stick and started digging. It wasn't long before she hit something hard. Frantically, she searched around the object until she ultimately unearthed the thing. She put on the latex gloves that she brought from the station and lifted it out of the ground.

It was a jewelry box. "I've got something, Chatterbox!" she exclaimed.

She gently brushed the sand off the box and slowly opened it to peek inside. What she saw made her immediately feel ill. She let out a blood-curdling scream as Byleth called out to her from the phone.

Outside Garreg Mach, 1180

Byleth and Hapi continued further into the woods until they heard a growl. The wolf was as tall as a house. Its fur stood straight up along his back, and he bared his fangs at them. Hapi readied a spell, "I can do this," she said.

The wolf howled and slashed at them. Even though Byleth had her sword and Hapi cast her most powerful spells, the wolf would not go down. He knocked Hapi down with one swipe of his paw. He raised his paw again to hit her as she lay on the ground, but an arrow distracted him. There was Ashe, beaming proudly with his bow.

"No, Freckles, you don't understand. I need to be the one that kills this wolf. Please leave before it hurts you," Hapi pleaded.

But Ashe shook his head. "No, we'll do this together."

Eventually, the three of them killed the wolf with their combined strength. Hapi was the one to deliver the killing blow, and Ashe gave her a big hug afterward. Killing the wolf, however, had not relieved Hapi's burden. She pulled away from him and began to cry, "You can't be nice to me. This was all my fault."

"Hapi, that's impossible."

"No, when I sigh, I call beasts. I do my best to hold it in, but last week I thought I was far enough from the monastery, so I thought I could let it out. Now all these people are dead. You just need to stay away from me." She left to head back to Abyss.

Crestwood

Byleth stared at the opened jewelry box on her desk while Hapi stayed at the other side of the station, trying not to look at the chest. Byleth shut the box, and Hapi jumped. "Hapi, I just wanted to say that you've been extraordinary, and you've only worked half a day. You've found Dimitri, and now this. I must say, I'm impressed."

Hapi scoffed, "You shouldn't be. I'm scared out of my mind."

Byleth smiled, "But you're still here."

Garreg Mach, 1185

Ashe and Hapi were reunited after Byleth returned to the monastery on what should have been the Millennium Festival. Although Hapi tried to keep Ashe at a distance since he knew the secret of her curse, he refused to stay away. One day, he brought her a beautiful red cloak. She tried it on but was confused why he would get her something like this.

"It's special. I've spent years thinking about your - situation. I finally found an enchanter that could imbue it with magic. As long as you wear it, you can sigh!"

Hapi was stunned. No one had ever really even tried to help with her curse. Now it was over? "Well, don't just stand there, come closer!" she exclaimed.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head on his shoulder. Then she sighed repeatedly. "Damn, that feels good," she said.

Crestwood

Hapi returned to the diner and plopped down at the counter. She asked Dedue to bring her a beer. Ashe brought it out to her and congratulated her for finishing her first shift.

"This is no celebration beer. This is an "it's been a hell of a day" beer," she said as she laid her head down next to the glass.

The diner was practically empty, so Ashe walked around the counter and sat on the stool next to her. "I want to come back, Freckles," Hapi said.

Ashe laughed, "You need to give it another day, Hapi. I'm sure tomorrow will be better."

"You don't understand. I was good. I was awesome. It just turned out to be, well, gorier than I imagined."

Ashe cocked his head, "Gory? Wait, I don't want to know. But you don't like it here. What about the lemurs?"

Hapi smiled and sat back up, "Turns out, Chatterbox was my lemur. And boy, did we go on an adventure today. Taught me that I belong here." She took a deep breath. "With someone I care about."

Ashe's face turned bright red. "Me?" He stuttered for a bit but finally said, "Just for the record, I only wanted to train you on more things because I want you to be a co-owner someday. Dedue will probably open a bakery with Mercedes eventually, and, well - I want to run this place with someone I care about.

He smiled, and Hapi kissed him.

Claude convinced Dimitri to stay at his place after Manuela discharged him from the hospital. Edelgard came over to check on him. He was not in a good state, convinced that he blacked out and hurt Monica. Claude and Edelgard assured him that everything was going to be all right. There was a knock at the door, and Claude let Byleth in. She looked at the three of them sadly. Claude gestured for her to sit, but she declined. She spoke very slowly, "We found a box. It contained a human heart."

Dimitri let out a cry and burst into tears. Edelgard put her arm around him and rubbed his back. Byleth closed her eyes for a moment and continued, "We're waiting on DNA results, but there's only one missing person in town. But there's more. I dusted the box for prints and ran them against everyone in Crestwood with fingerprints on file. There was a match - "

"Just arrest me and get it over with already!" Dimitri cried and buried his head in his hands.

"They weren't yours, Dimitri." Byleth's eyes filled with tears and her voice broke, "They were yours, Edelgard."