Ok. So to those who wanted a Chapter 2… Here you go.

Also spoilers to those who haven't played the game, but no longer care.

Beta'd by Old man of the mountain


Imperial Year 1180, 20th of the Great Tree Moon


Rhea

For so long she had wished for only one thing; the return of her mother. When those bastards took her that day and defiled her body into that thing, to say she was beside herself with rage was a mild understatement. She took anyone willing to ally with her to battle against those monsters and made sure to destroy every last trace of them. After the war was over, she personally hunted down the 'heroes' who fought against her to ensure their death so they may never rise again. But there was nothing in her revenge that filled the void the loss of her mother left her. For a millennium since that day she looked and looked. She scoured many solutions for any way to bring her mother back. The Chalice of beginnings was one solution, only to fail. She had it sealed afterward due to the caution of the consequences it could hold if left alone. Then, she had placed her hopes in implanting her crest core into various vessels hoping they could be the one to bring her back. Jeralt may hide it but she knows Byleth's true mother. But this… this was something she never expected. Jack, as she called herself, bore the face of the one she loved the most. To see her brought so many memories of happier times. Tears had been threatening to spill and her facade she maintained for so long had finally cracked. How? How was it possible that she was here before her eyes? She wanted to ask. She wanted to know if she remembered her. If she was truly who she thought she was. But Jack now looks at her with those eyes. Eyes filled with resentment. She needs to say something. Anything. Please, don't make that face.

" Y-your face…" she cannot keep her mask. There is so much turmoil that speaking properly is a trial.

"Yeah, I know." she looks away, as if her appearance was disgusting for those around her.

"Why do you look away? There is nothing to be ashamed of." she risks a few steps and Jack just closes her eyes, her breathing becoming more ragged.

"I hate it." The words pierced her heart. Why? What did you endure for you to say that?

"What is wrong with it? It's beautiful. There is nothing I see that should be met with scorn." Another step closer is taken. This time Jack's body starts shivering and takes small steps away from her.

"...take it"

"I beg your pardon? I didn't hear that correctly."

"I can't take it anymore. I'm sorry but I just can't."

She puts her glasses back on and covers up her face. She tries to stop her but she can't find the words to do so. She makes her way to the entrance without stopping. She didn't even bother picking up her things as she exited through the door.

'Don't run. Please.' she wished to speak these words but they refused to leave her mouth.

All she could do was watch her without ever doing a thing. She felt lost for the first time in so many years in what to do. She couldn't even extend an arm to attempt to stop her because of the two behind her. More footsteps are heard as Jeralt's heir followed her through the door. All that is left is the 3 of them. She must regain control. She cannot allow herself to appear weak in front of him. She takes a deep breath and finally restores her mask. First this, then she may look into her.


Byleth POV

I continue to trail behind Jack as she stumbles about. Sothis is screaming at me to find out more about her but right now I can't afford to think about that. She looks ready to burst from whatever happened in the chambers. Her face. Why does her face look exactly like Sothis? The answer will come in due time but right now I need to help calm Jack down.

"Jack, wait. Slow down." Her pace still doesn't lessen. It's only until we reach the courtyard that she finally decides to lean on a pillar for support, her breathing still shaky. A quick glance shows it seems empty. I put my hand on her shoulder, unlike last time she doesn't flinch away from it. Instead, she takes my hand into hers and we wait. Moments pass and her breathing starts to get under control. This is when I take the chance to talk.

"Are you better now?"

"..."

"..."

"...No. Not really."

"Is it because-"

"Yes. It's because she saw my face. There are 2 people I have ever felt comfortable showing it to and the four of you are neither of them."

I tilt my head in confusion "I don't see what was wrong with it." Probably because I have already seen it before but still.

She gives out a hollow chuckle "I think you might be an exception Byleth, not the rule. Heh, I'm pathetic. I can face bandits without fear, stick a knife in a guy and look him in the eyes while his life fades away, but allow anyone to see under my cloth and suddenly I'm the girl who got pranked with everyone pointing and laughing at me."

"Why?"

"Why do I hate it?"

"Yes"

"...I can't say."

"But-"

"Please, I know you want to help but this is my life story I'm not willing to tell yet." She looks directly at me, the tint in her glasses suddenly vanishes to reveal her eyes. "There are things I'm ok with people about my life, but unfortunately talking about those things involve talking about one of the few things I can't. I've got marks on me that I don't mind people seeing, but the stories behind are a different thing. As things are now, I won't say anything, so don't worry about it."

Don't worry about it. My father said the same thing about the knights of Seiros and now look what happened. I was left completely unprepared for everything that was happening and now I'm hearing those words again like I am supposed to forget what happened in that room.

"I know you don't want to hear that Byleth but I can only say that because the things I'm involved with now are things you wouldn't be able to comprehend so easily."

My brows knit. How did she know?

"I told you before." as if reading my mind "You may not be able to show the emotion on your face, but your eyes say it all. For what it's worth I think you could keep a secret, but as of right now everything I tell you would go through your head."

I feel grateful she is willing to trust me, but a bit offended at that last remark. "How do you know I won't be able to understand? I have traveled across Fòdlan for a long time and learned a lot over the years."

"But until now you didn't even know who the knights of Seiros were, despite them being renowned across the entirety of Fòdlan. If you want to understand then answer this: what is a Crest?"

Her hand twitched when she spoke that word. Crest?

"What's that?"

"For one, it's the reason why I know I can't tell you yet. Secondly, it seems like you really need to talk with your old man. That's another of the most common knowledge the people of Fòdlan know about, yet the term is foreign to you. If you want me to come clean, I think you need to brush up on some things."

Her words sting but ring true. If what she says can be believed there are things my father has been keeping from me. All these secrets. What's so important about them that they can't let me know? It hurts, not knowing anything when I could possibly help.

"*sigh*" she takes the time to rub the back of her head. "Look. I know how you feel. My daddy kept secrets from me too, but one thing about him is that he admits it. I'm sure your daddy has a very good reason for keeping them, but one thing I've learned is that secrets always have a way of getting out and sometimes they can come out at the worst possible moment. Daddy at least is willing to tell me something about the subject and why it's a secret, even if it does frustrate me. "

"So what would you have me do?"

"Best thing I can really say right now is to talk to your dad. If he won't answer your biggest questions, then get him to answer some smaller ones to get him to open up a bit. From there, get the smaller answer to piece them together to get some sort of theory. Enough that you won't be so overwhelmed when the truth comes, yet at the same time you don't wanna narrow down the facts to come to the wrong conclusion. If he still won't answer, then you've got other options too. Alois talked about how he knew Jeralt from back then, maybe he can provide some insight to start with. Jeralt is pretty famous amongst the knights, maybe someone has got something that they could add. You're a smart girl Byleth, just sheltered. I know you can figure things out."

The conversation was supposed to help Jack calm down, but now it somehow turned to me and my family. I don't know if this was her intention to redirect the conversation but it's been more illuminating than I thought it would be. The bright side of this though is that she seems to have finally calmed down.

*grumble*

The noise comes from Jack. she looks down at her stomach and places her hand over it.

"With everything going on now, I guess I just haven't had the time to even grab a quick bite. Damn should've at least munched on something before that meeting."

"Would you like some of the pie I saved?"

I couldn't finish it all and kept what was leftover in my satchel. It was good, but it felt wrong to eat all of it when Jack didn't even touch it despite buying it for me.

"Nah, I got a ration bar in my baaaaa– scheisse." She just comes to a realization. I do as well.

"You left your bags back at the audience chambers."

"Annnndddd with the one person I really didn't want to leave it with. Verdammt, great going Jack, your daddy and uncle must be really proud of you now."

'Verdammt?' I internally parroted. Old Adrestian?

"Would you like me to go get it for you?"

"...I really don't think that's a good idea. While I appreciate you defending me back there, you did not earn yourself any points with the Archbishop and that will not be a good thing in the long run."

"Hmm, so what do we do?"

"We?"

"You need help, and I want to offer it."

She stares at me with widened eyes. It's as though the thought never occurred to her. Now that I can see her eyes through her glasses it becomes much easier to tell her expressions. How do they change though? Maybe now I can ask more about that.

"Did I say something wrong?" I tilt my head as I ask her.

"Did you say..." she pauses before a small laugh escapes her. It soon erupts into a full blown laugh full of mirth. What did I say wrong that was so funny? She puts her arms around her stomach and starts to hunch over.

"Hahahaha, dieses Mädchen, hahaha *inhale* phew" she lifts up her glasses for a moment to wipe some tears from her eyes. Her laughter dies down.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean anything by it. It's… haha… it's just that usually people would rather make a deal outta this situation then simply offer help. Especially since you of all people are privy to not one but 2 secrets people would go to war for in order to find out."

"I think we can say I'm not like most people."

"Yeah, and I'm grateful for it."

"So… pie?"

"...Sure, why not? There's a bench I see over there. Let's sit down and enjoy the view while we eat. "

We slowly make our way towards the bench, but first…

"How do you get your glasses to change like that?"

"Oh that… that you can thank my uncle JT for. First of all, it's actually called a visor…"

And so begin a small talk about her and what she was willing to talk about.


Rhea

The talk with Jeralt had ended and he agreed to rejoin the Knights of Seiros. She had told him to let Byleth know of the position she too was being offered before leaving. However before he stepped out, he collected young Jack's things but seemed surprised when he lifted the bags. She had wished to keep them here for inspection, but she couldn't risk it after her first mistake of forcing her to reveal her face. She doesn't regret the act as it revealed one great mystery, but she regrets that now her mother's lookalike holds a grudge against her. The moment the doors closed she held her head in her arms. She couldn't take it anymore and finally let the emotions she has been suppressing out. Tears fell onto the desk as she released the dam.

"Rhea…" Seteth had called out to her. His eyes are no longer the stern advisor but the relative she hides their relationship from the outside world.

"She bears her face Seteth. After so long… to-to see her face. How? How is this possible?"

"I don't know."

"And she said she hates it." her hands rested on the edge of her desk as she stood up. The air began to grow hot and was becoming difficult to breathe, her pupils becoming slits and a red glow shines. The wooden edges where her palms were creaked and gave way to the force she was applying to it.

"Why does she hate it? For what reason could she hate the face of the goddess? Of mother?"

"Rhea, please." Seteth was hunched over with sweat gleaming down his face with a look of pain. A hand over his chest where his heart would be.

The voice managed to bring back some of her senses. She forgets that Seteth no longer holds the same power he once did and she must control her power near him. She takes a breath and takes her seat. But gone was the regal archbishop and what now replaces her is the woman who lost everything so long ago. Her eyes, lifeless as she slumped in her chair.

"What happened? Where did she come from? Of all things we have looked out for, this would've been something that crossed our path before."

"You are correct. This is an unexpected occurrence that should've been noticed, but the fact we didn't means that something is going on behind the scenes."

Have they been too complacent? Has the enemy that hides hold more to what they initially believed? Could it be them? No. She made sure nothing was left, but recently evidence has been popping up that there is a sliver of a chance they still live. Catherine has been investigating it on her behalf but whatever happened left nothing to investigate. And then there is Jack. She proclaimed herself the proud daughter of Virgil Hoffman. Whoever this man was, he was a person of interest.

"What do we know about her?"

Seteth resumed his professional attitude and delivered his report.

"From the reports from Alois, she seems to hold an attitude very different from the common stance Fòdlan is used to. First of all, she is a bounty hunter and the reason why she was in Remire was due to Kostas and his ilk."

Rhea's brows furrowed at that.

"All by herself? That seems too reckless. What was her father thinking?"

"By her own words, she admitted it was a 'trial by fire' and this was supposed to grant her the experience needed to join her father in their hunts. Ten bounties in the kingdoms of Fòdlan and she would walk the earth to claim them, but I feel as though there is more to this."

"I believe so as well. One girl, alone, to fight brigands and thieves. There is too much that is wrong with this mission she was given. There is something missing here."

"Yes, but despite this she was able to claim 7 bounties. She did also fend off and kill 7 by herself in the battle but I have to wait for the knights left behind to report their findings before I can make any more conclusions. One thing I can offer right now is that she must've been given training so that she could do so and perform it well. But still, that only accounts for one aspect."

Rhea leans forward, her hands knit together before her face, now contemplative. .

"What else do we know?"

"In the aftermath of Jeralts fight with the bandits, she attempted to leave without ever announcing herself. Despite her outfit, she doesn't like attention. Now that we saw her face, I can possibly reason why. When Jeralt managed to convince her to join them, she instead had the trip delayed by having Alois help out with the disposal of the bodies, despite announcing himself as a knight of Seiros and his intentions."

"Does she know about her true nature?"

"I am afraid I cannot answer that. But I can say that she was earnest in her mission. She seemed to hold the safety of the village first and foremost and reasoned that since it was the students' fault, albeit unintentionally, they must help in making sure the bodies would not affect their livelihood. She herself along with young Eisner collected seven in a pile in the outskirts of the forest before Alois asserted his mission was first and foremost the safety of the students and they needed to return to the monastery. Jack seemed more concerned about the job being half finished than leaving. The captain was able to convince her by leaving some knights behind to finish the job."

"So one who respects their commitments. A noble quality found in few people these days."

"And one who loves her father, despite my reservations of his character based on Jack's attitude. She was said to have spoken fondly of him whenever brought up."

"What do we know of this Virgil? The name doesn't bring anything to mind, nor does it sound like one found in Fòdlan."

"A foreigner, most likely. If so, that may explain a few things."

"I do not like this. It seems too convenient for him to suddenly appear and have her as a daughter. If he was the one who sired her, then we need to find him and bring him in."

Seteth then furrowed his brows. He was contemplating something and it seemed he was attempting to figure out how to word his next sentence.

"Seteth?"

"He did not sire her. According to Alois, he adopted her after finding her in a state of near death. It was he who nursed her back to health and she spent almost several years with him and an uncle."

Near death. Those words rang in her mind and she replayed them the moment they entered her ears. A young girl, a girl with a possible connection to her mother, was dying, and no one knew about it. For all she knew, he was corrupting her, filling her head with thoughts that went against everything that she built. He must be found and they must learn everything they can about him. Only then can she believe in what his intentions are.

"Where did he find her?" This time the armrests on her chair were slowly meeting the same fate as the desk, but the bloodlust she was exhuming did not escape. But Seteth could only shake his head.

"That was not given. There is too little about her to make any assumptions so it is best to talk to the students and Jeralt for any information we can glean. If possible, we should try and convince Jack to tell us more about herself."

"..."

"Rhea, I know we have already damaged one bridge, but that does not mean it cannot be mended."

"You are right. However, I fear that we do not have reason to keep her here like we do Jeralt and Byleth. I have a temporary solution at hand but we need her to stay here. At least long enough to solve the mystery behind her and her father."

"I shall see if there is anything that could be done."

"We could offer her a place amongst the students."

"I'm afraid I must ask you to reconsider that notion. I already have my doubts about the teaching position you are offering you Byleth, but this would be met with too much skepticism. Not to mention those that applied and failed the exams would voice their complaints about the unfairness of the situation. Garreg Mach Monastery is supposed to be neutral to all parties and allowing an unknown individual with no background or history will certainly catch some eyes. At least with Byleth, we are one professor short but we have nothing for which to justify her attendance. Even if you force it, at the very least she needs to take the exams to prove herself worthy of attending to take away ground for opposition to stand upon. Of course, even if all of these hurdles are crossed, all of this is dependent on whether or not she wishes to attend. She wishes to keep her appearance hidden, and doing this will only drive others to look into her. We must find a compromise that will allow us to monitor her and keep her true existence hidden from outside the monastery."

Seteth could only hammer in the points of logic. They need to keep her under a low profile, but she stands out too much. The students and the knights have already seen her. Plus there is the equipment on her. She had never seen anything like it in the thousand years she has lived in this world. This only added on to her father's status as a foreigner. Who is he? Where did he come from? The questions in her mind only continue to pile up and she sees only one answer in sight. This situation must be handled delicately, otherwise the answers she is looking for will forever vanish. No. Jack must stay, no matter what.

"*sigh* If I can convince her to stay even for a day, we can work out a better solution. As of right now though, recall Shamir. If all else fails, we could keep a tail on her to find out more. Additionally, we need to find out more about her father. If he found her, then maybe he can provide the answers we seek. Also find out more about this uncle she keeps talking about. Anything we can use to find a lead."

"Very well. I will have Shamir appear shortly. If nothing else, I have preparations to make. By your leave."

A bow and a turn, Seteth left her alone in the audience chamber. But much still weighed on her mind. Byleth. Jack. They were the key to her long lost answers. And she didn't want to let either of them go.


Jack POV

"And that's why daddy is considered a persona non grata in Enbarr."

"But, how did he get the cows to pull such a stunt?"

"No idea, but it will always be funny to me. So any more questions about my daddy?"

Time passed by so quickly now that I have someone to talk to. It feels nice now that someone is in on my secret and I can afford to tell a few stories about daddy and his exploits, especially in his 'Skywalker' identity. Byleth has been asking me about my equipment and daddy. Most of them I can answer easily, but others I can't say. Classified information and all that, but thankfully she's asking things that I don't have to worry about. This is the first time I think I've ever let someone this close to me.

…Do I consider her a friend? Hmmm I think I'm going to say yes to that. After everything she's done for me, it'd be weird to not think of her as one. Huh, that means she's my very first friend…neat.

"No, my curiosity about him is good for now. But I'd like to know a little more about you now."

"Me?"

"Yes, appearances aside, I've never met anyone like you."

"Hehe, I'll take that as a compliment."

"It is" she adds a nod "despite your phobia, how is it your father allowed this bounty hunting to happen? Being alone doesn't seem like a good idea."

"Oh that. That's because it's another test daddy is putting me through. He always had hidden ones in every test he gave me and this one was to force me to fight my phobias head on."

"Has it helped?"

I could only shake my head at that. Despite attempting to talk to people, it's always been in a professional fashion. No small talk or anything, but it wasn't for lack of trying. These damn things were too ingrained into me. Huh, maybe uncle was onto something when he said Byleth could be really helpful.

"I see. But I don't have to worry too much. Uncle is always watching me in case something happens."

"But… where is he?"

She begins to look around, as if my uncle was nearby. All I could do was laugh a little as she attempted to search. Should I tell her my uncle is in the skies… nah, it'll be much better to see her face when he one day shows up in person. That'll be a moment to remember.

"Warning. Motion detectors tripped. One contact approaching your position. ETA:10 seconds."

Speak of the devil… well I don't see a need to draw my weapon since it's Jeralt approaching us. Oh, he has my stuff with him. Gotta thank him for that.

"So this is where you two went."

"Yeah, sorry for bailing like that. What you saw was a secret very few people are privy to and I really don't like it when people I don't know see it."

"Yeah, with the way you left the archbishop of all people, it must be a sore topic for ya. Here's your stuff by the way. What the hell do you carry in here anyway? This isn't something the average person can carry."

"The standard kit for travelers like me. And no, the bare essentials for me don't include beauty products. Sometimes I have to walk for miles between towns so I have some sleepwear, a tent, and some mandatory hygienic supplies. Plus there are the extra sets of clothes in case the ones I'm wearing are damaged or soaked in something that I wouldn't like. And all of that is one top of the food rations, water, a set of thin body armor, and a first aid kit to patch myself up when I get injured. And that's only the stuff I lug on my back. I've still got everything on my person that's about a couple dozen extra pounds. Combine all of that and I'm basically carrying a second me on my back "

There's also my guns, the ammo and magazine cartridges for said weapons along with the different attachments I can use for them, and the weapon oil and repair kits to go with it. Throwing knives and some tripwire for the nights I sleep alone. At worst, the only leisure items I have are some books, a small journal, and a deck of cards. This in addition to a few other pieces of tech they don't need to know about. Hey, a girl's gotta keep her secrets.

"By the goddess, you really don't go unprepared do you?"

"Nope, and my uncle insisted that this was the bare minimum I would travel with. Never again will I complain about that."

It also helps that said uncle can drop off supplies no matter where I am in the world, but daddy always taught me that sometimes you can only rely on yourself at times. Tips about survival, he's the greatest expert. Tips about common sense… it's better left unsaid, but points for trying.

"Glad you have the sense to listen to your elders, unlike someone we both know."

He sent a not so subtle glance at Byleth who didn't react to the accusation.

"We've already been through the lectures, and I've never made the same mistake twice."

"But you have made stupid mistakes."

"Father…" There was something in her voice, but it was still mostly monotone. The annoyance though was still as plain as day to me.

"Ok ok, enough with the teasing. *sigh* Byleth we need to talk."

"You want me to leave the two of you alone?" Don't want to interrupt some family time.

"This isn't a private matter. I've been asked to rejoin the knights of Seiros."

Ouch. From the look on his face, that seems more like a punch to the gut than a promotion. Wait…

"If you're joining back up, what about Byleth, what about the rest of your crew?"

"It seems that Rhea is offering her a job as well. Alois had to open his mouth and recommend her for a position here. Since I've been asked to rejoin by the archbishop herself, there isn't much I can do about it. Those boys will have to carry on without me."

"As a merc?/As a servant?" We both simultaneously called out. Servant? Where did she get that one from?

"No… a teaching position as a professor."

"…"

"Hang on a second" I take off my noise cancelers and fiddle with the settings a bit, it must've been malfunctioning because I could've sworn I heard something crazy right now. Good thing no one else is nearby. After making sure everything is in working order I put them back on.

"Ok, now repeat that. For a second there, I thought I heard you say that they offered Byleth to become a teacher here."

"I did. They conveniently are one professor short and Alois thinks Byleth is perfect for the position."

"... Was Alois high when he made the recommendation?"

"High?" the Eisner family queried. Right. That term doesn't exist yet. Scheisse (shit), I hate culture clashes.

"Let me rephrase that. Was the dummkopf (idiot) drunk off something when he made the recommendation?"

Jeralt stares at me for a second. Wonder what I said that was wrong.

"No, but this is an officers academy. So Byleth certainly can teach a thing or two."

"That's not the concern I have-"

"Warning, 2 additional contacts approaching your position"

Is it Seteth and Rhea again? A man and woman sure, but very different. The woman though seems to be sauntering over to Jeralt. Oh boy.

"So you must be the new professor My, how stern and handsome you are."

Coming on strong there huh. I thought Jeralt would have experience with flirts but it seems I'm wrong. He's slowly backing up and small amounts of sweat can be seen on his forehead.

"Er, no, the one you are looking for is my daughter, right there." and didn't hesitate to throw her under the carriage too. He turns to make his exit, but before leans in towards the two of us.

"Watch out for lady Rhea, she's not someone you can trust." He murmurs low enough for only the 2 of us to hear.

I just give him the ok sign and Byleth slowly nods her head, and off Jeralt went. Should I leave too? No, I owe her enough to at least not leave her to the wolves.

The flirt from before now sports a look of wonder on her face. No surprise there.

"You? You're so young though."

"Remember Manuela, age and ability seldom go hand in hand. Salutations, my name is Hanneman, a crest *twitch* scholar and professor here at the academy."

"And I'm Manuela, a professor, physician, and songstress. It's nice to meet you."

At least I've got names for them now… wait. Manuela and Hanneman. My eyes widen as I recognize them. I look toward Manuela first.

"You're Maneula Casagranda. Of the Mittlefrank Opera company." and then I turn to Hanneman "and you are Hanneman von Essar, the scholar who wrote the borderline heretical thesis about the dangers of Crest *twitch* marriage."

Both professors seemed stunned at my declarations. Even Byelth seemed interested in hearing what I had to say.

"You know them?"

"Yeah, they are kinda famous in the musical and scientific community respectively."

"You read my thesis? My my. I must take my own advice because I never expected someone so young to read it. But please, drop the von Essar. I renounced that title years ago."

"I didn't, but my daddy did. He left some papers with your signatures over them on a table and I only got a glance at it, but he seemed interested in the topic," I face Manuela again. "And the two of us would go to the opera house every year in Enbarr to listen to the music there. I heard about you but by the time I first went there you were long gone. They talked about how your voice always drew in crowds but it's a shame I never got to hear it. I was lucky enough to listen to the 'mystical songstress' Dorothea before she called it quits too."

When I was still recovering, daddy always carried me outside every now and then so I wouldn't feel so cooped up in bed. The opera company was something he thought was something to experience one at least once. While we drew some looks, we never let it bother us for this one moment in life. I loved the voice that Dorothea had and we made it a small ritual to go every year. Even got me to try out singing for a bit, though I can't tell whether or not it was good since my only audience was a man and machine. After she left… it wasn't bad per say, but it felt like something was missing now.

"Oh, it's so nice to meet a fan of the opera. What's your name sweetie?" Despite my face being covered up it doesn't seem to bother her.

"Names Jack, short for Jacklyn. This is Byleth." I placed my hand on her shoulder while announcing her.

"Hello there."

"Well, the two of us wanted to introduce ourselves to our new colleague. Just to make sure, do you know what your job entails?" Despite her entrance, Manuela at least seems to make sure Byleth is prepared for her role. Alas, Byleth could only shake her head.

"I do not. Before the two of you showed up I didn't even know I was offered the position."

Hanneman took this chance to explain.

"Yes, we just got word of it ourselves a few moments ago. While I mean no offense, we felt as though this might have been too quick for you to comprehend and decided to help ease into it. Now for starters, what do you know about the academy and the classes?"

Byleth cocked her head to the side and seemed to ponder the question a bit before answering what little she could.

"All I know is that there are 3 classes, the Blue Lions, the Golden Deer, and the Black Eagles and the 3 students we helped are the heirs to the leadership positions of each kingdom. Other than that I fall short."

Hanneman nodded his head as he listened.

"Yes, that is more or less a good start."

Manuela took the lead in the conversation. They started to fill us in on the basics about the 3 houses that Byleth would choose to teach. The Blue Lions, led by Dimitri, mostly consisted of students from Faerghus. The Golden Deer, led by Claude Von Riegan, from the Liecester Alliance. One detail is that Pretty Boy popped up outta nowhere and was announced as heir to the house. Might need to check up on that detail. And Lastly was the Black Eagles, led by Edelgard Von Hresvelg from the Adrestian empire. It was purely coincidental that they all arrive to be students at the same year but it seems that's a good thing for them. Probably if they can be friends then war might not escalate for at least a generation or 2.

"If you are going to be the new professor, I would suggest you take the time to explore the academy. Oh by the by, should you find yourselves with the time, please find my research laboratory. As young Jacklyn said, I am an avid researcher of crests *twitch*, and I have a device that would allow me see if you should bear a crest."

I manage to resist the urge to pull out my gun and shoot him at that declaration. I'm thankful that knowing him beforehand is what gave me the strength to restrain myself. Crests. Those damn things are a sore topic for me. But I know that I can trust Hanneman to be pure in his interest in the subject because he is public about his findings. Daddy also seemed to have a better opinion on him than he does most people. Nothing like diese fickers (those fuckers)and what they did to me. Manuela interrupts my thoughts before they get darker.

"What about you dear? Are you going to be a student here?"

Let's shut that down before someone tries to make it true.

"Nope, I'm heading back out as soon as I can. I've got places to be and work I still have to do."

Byleth takes a glance at me. Please don't look at me like that. The monotone puppy eyes you're trying to give me won't work. Suddenly, for some reason she finds the pillar next to her interesting. A subtle nod comes from her. What's all that about? She now looks back at me.

"Where will you go?"

"I still have that business to attend to with Kostas. After that, I'm probably gonna meet up with daddy for a bit in the Empire and see things from there."

"Is that why you appear so …armed?" Hanneman finally decides to check out my stuff on me. She focuses on the knives on me. Ha, that's only the ones you can see. Hope i don't need to demonstrate where I keep the others hidden. But, I'm kinda getting sick of repeating myself so often.

I reiterate everything that I have said before. This time I acknowledge that everything I am doing alone is dangerous but I knew that going in and that so far I have gotten this far by myself.

"But don't you feel lonely?" Manuela's concern was showing.

"Sometimes, but for the most part, it's better that I'm alone. And I don't mean that in a self depreciative way nor in a 'I don't need anyone's help kind of way'."

Not a lie, but at the same time not the whole truth. The guns will break eardrums and usually being alone leaves the questions people will ask out of sight and out of mind. But every now and then I do wish I had someone else to talk to other than family.

After some more banter between the 4 of us, the 2 professors bid us farewell, Manuela telling me repeatedly to enjoy some company every now and then, and Hanneman letting Byleth know if she needs help, to come to him. After that, they left us alone again. This time we really don't say anything, but I want to. Saying goodbye though is gonna suck. My first friend, and I already gotta leave her behind.

"I guess this will be goodbye for now." I can't look her in the eye. Both of us are simply looking at the grass.

"Do you have to go?"

"...Yeah. Yeah I do unfortunately."

"Do you want to stay?"

"...I don't know to be honest. I don't like this place. Not because Rhea, even if it is a big factor, but because I don't think I would be too welcome here. Despite being born in Fòdlan, my daddy taught me everything I know now and most of it goes against the teachings of Seiros. They may teach that all are supposed to be equal here, but look under the surface and they can't stand anything that threatens their beliefs unless they get the guy to convert. At best, the only reason why I would be able to tolerate this place is because of you. But right now I'm on a time limit. After that's done… Maybe I'll stop by and check up on you guys every now and then."

"I see." The face stayed the same, but her eyes were so full of melancholy. Ach, du kleiner schlingel. (oh, you little rascal).

"Ok. Yeah, I'm definitely coming back. We need to get you to talk more. Something like back in the chambers. That was a good speech. If we can get you to be more expressive like that, then that would be a welcome sight to see."

"Then…"

I stand up and she does the same. This time I wanna look at her when I say this.

"Don't worry, it's a promise. Oh by the way, I should let you know now before I forget, my family knows about you. Those liebenswerte Schurken (loveable rogues)."

"Are you speaking Old Adrestian?"

Have I? Oh scheisse, I've been speaking German in my sentences again. I must really be comfortable with her around me to loosen this much up already. Well, too late now.

"Something like that. I told you my dad patched me up right? Well after being bedridden for a while I got bored and reading books did lose a bit of interest after a while. So my dad taught me various things when he could, and uncle JT was always looking after me when he wasn't there. Learning a new language was one of them."

"Ok. You were saying about your family knowing about me."

"Yeah, they know that you can touch me without me locking up soooo… they kinda…put you as a VIP for protection… and swear that your life will not end unnaturally. "

"Correction, I have stated that resources will be diverted to aid in her survival. While your interpretation is not incorrect, I must reiterate this."

'You're ruining the moment JT.'

"Byleth?" She isn't moving. In fact I'm waving my hand over her eyes and they are not reacting at all. Verdammt (damn it). It looks like I broke her.


A few moments of shaking and snapping later

I managed to return the life to her eyes. Actually, I'm kinda scared of them now because of how stary they became at the declaration. Now she is holding on to my shoulders and shaking me while asking more questions. I thought you were satisfied before Mädchen (girl).

"How do they know? Did you tell them? If so, How? Will I meet your father? You said before that your uncle is always watching you. Is he watching now?"

The questions keep piling on and the shaking doesn't stop. The monotone to her voice really gives off another factor of scariness to it like this is an interrogation instead of a chat. Great now a part of me is regretting the fact she can touch me if this is going to be a thing. I grab hold of her hands to stop the headache I'm getting.

"Hang on a minute. I can't say anything if you keep shaking me."

The actions cease and I can take a second to stead myself. Ugh everything is spinning now. I need a minute for this.

After a few deep breaths I'm much better now. Toll (great). I dug this hole and now I gotta fill it.

"To answer some of those questions; Yes, I told them. No, I won't tell you how yet. No, I refuse to let you see my daddy, and yes, uncle is watching right now. He has an ability that lets him see very far away from anywhere."

Again, not a lie, yet not the whole truth. But then again, how could I tell her that said ability relies on thousands of drones that are hidden across a lot of locations in Fòdlan.

"Is that why you can do this alone? Because your uncle can always see you to let him know if anything goes wrong?"

"Ja… I mean yes. Look, I'll tell you all about this at a later time after you've learned a few things about Fòdlan first. In fact we can make a deal now. Since you are taking this position, by the end of this teaching year, if I come back and find what you learned here satisfactory, then I will tell you the truth about myself, my family and why we don't easily trust people."

"Deal" Too quick. "I trust you will keep your word?"

"Always honor a contract. Once we make a deal, I will always honor my side as long as you honor yours."

"Very well then. Are you leaving now or are you going to at least say goodbye to everyone else?"

"Probably better if I leave now, less questions that are asked. And I didn't like the way Pretty Boy was eyeing up my stuff."

Guy might think he's subtle but I could see him sneaking glances. That girl too but she's much better at controlling herself. Ugh, gotta have uncle JT forward me the info we have on them. Wasn't expecting to meet royalty…ever, and now all 3 literally had shown up on the doorstep. Might as well take the time to read up on them if we ever meet again. In fact, now that I think about it, learning about the houses and their students might be something worth looking into.

"I'll go with you to the gate."

"Thanks, but no thanks. As much as I'd like that, the longer I stay near you, the more I don't want to leave you alone here."

It hurts to say that, but it's gotta be done. She just got a lot of responsibility put on her shoulders, and if I stay I risk so much trouble that the monastery will collapse under it.

"Perhaps I should go with you then."

"There is no subtlety with you is there?" I shake my head "Come on, think of it this way, the quicker I get my bounties, the quicker I can come back."

"But-"

"Up up up. No buts Mädchen. We already made a contract, and if you are willing to wait, I will definitely honor it, bar some event out of both our hands that interfere with it."

For one last time, I walk to her and envelop my arms around her. This feeling. I'm going to miss this. She returns the sentiment and we allow it to stay. Thank you Byleth. You have no true idea of what you have done for me. Now reluctantly, I let go, but Byleth I need to slightly pry her off me. I pack up my things and leave her to herself. The sad thing for me is that when I left, I kinda just needed to leave and didn't take the time to check the directions I left in, so I had my uncle fill me in on the directions. I also had him try to steer me clear of the clergy around here. Last thing I need is for them to have me arrested for being too suspicious. But to be honest this place is beautiful, it's an honest shame that I can't enjoy it because of my appearance… But I think I can live with the disappointment. I got close to the exit and thanked my uncle for his help. He said he had some urgent business with daddy to attend to so he needed to leave the call.

'Gott sei Dank (thank goodness). Almost there now.' The gate is in sight and hopefully I can get the gatekeeper to let me go without too much trouble. I approach him but the moment he turns to face me he stands at attention. Wh-

"May I ask where you are going?" Scheisse. I was right there too.

"What I originally went to Remire village for. To collect the bounty of Kostas. He's dead. Now all that's left is confirming it with the office and collecting the pay." I know who's behind me, and I really don't want to deal with her, but unfortunately I have to. She is taking a big risk doing this.

"Forgive me, but to my knowledge, wasn't Jeralt and Byleth the one who ultimately defeated him and his band?"

"I also defended the village from 7 of his goons and dealt the final blow to Kostas." I couldn't help but quip, "But you are right about that. The credit goes to Jeralt and his band of mercs. Which is why they get the money for it. I just need the proof of confirmation and then I'm gone. They need the money now they are without a leader. "

Two can play this game.

"And where will you go? The journey seems perilous for a lone woman to travel."

"Wherever the bounties take me. Wouldn't be the first time I had to walk the lonesome road. And it certainly won't be the last."

'JT, whatever you are doing, it better be extremely important right now'

I can hear the footsteps behind me. The two of us now seem to be the center of attention. Students and clergymen, all looking towards us. The footsteps grow louder until the corner of my eyes glance at the white vestments to my right. My hand slowly twitches to my holster. A healthy distance away but also close enough that the one who charges me will go down fast. 6 guards in my immediate area; 1 in front, 2 to my left, 1 to my right and the rest behind me. The fact that Rhea of all people got behind me without noticing unnerves me. She's the biggest threat right now and within arms distance. Not good.

"Yes, I heard that you were on a mission. If you wish, I can personally write up the proof myself and have the knights deliver the payment to the mercenaries below. Should you feel wary of it, you may wait here to ensure the bounty has been received and taken to the captain's men below. They served Captain Jeralt well, it would be a shame to leave them with nothing out of all of this."

'If you thought it was a shame, you wouldn't have taken both Jeralt and Byleth in the first place' I held my tongue at that. Antagonizing her in public does me no favors right now. Play it by the ear.

"Thank you for your consideration. But I feel as though a more personal touch in telling them myself would be better. After the mishap of last night, I think they deserve an explanation from someone who is acquainted with them."

A flimsy excuse at best, but right now they are slim pickings.

"Then I can have Alois be the one to tell them. He is a knight of great character and personally knew Jeralt for most of his tenure here at the monastery."

She's really backing me to a corner here. But those that find themselves backed into one can be at their most ferocious. Let's add some chaos to the mix here and throw her off. I look toward the gatekeeper.

"You. Would you mind opening the gate to let us through?" the gatekeeper seemed stunned at the sudden attention.

"Ah, but my job is to-"

"Open. The. Gate." I gathered my courage to look her in the eye. I want to test something and decide to depolarize my visor. "Would you like to join me for a small walk outside the monastery?"

I have to give her credit. The only reaction is her pupils contracting and even that is minute. Nothing like before. She turns to the gatekeeper and nods her head. The moment it cracks open I take the first steps forward. As a small gesture of goodwill, I place both my hands on the straps of my bag as I walk through the inner hallway. As I enter the tunneled area, I hear the echoing of another set of footsteps beside me. I decide to wait one more moment just in case for the gatekeeper to be a further distance before risking my next few words in the echoing underpass.

"So why do you really want me to stay?"

"I simply wish to personally thank you for-"

"Ok, enough already. We both know that's not true." She may be the archbishop, but I know that my life has a lot more value in her eyes now. I can take the chance to be a bit aggressive here. "Until you saw my face, you looked ready to execute me and Byleth in that one moment. Now suddenly you are here trying to talk me out of leaving. What's so important about me that you suddenly decide to change your tune about me?"

"..." silence huh. Well whatever secrets she has she still doesn't want to talk. I'll learn to survive the mystery.

"I guess that's it then. Thank you for you time Lady Rhea have a pleasant-"

"Wait… please." I beg your pardon? I stop to look at her… there's nothing dignified about her anymore. Instead of the imposing witch I saw before, she now looks like daddy when he …was remembering old friends. What the hell? Does she know what I am? She has to if she's willing to beg like this.

"...If you want me to stay, I need to know why. I'm on a deadline and I would like to finish it sooner than later."

"I know but… this is a very difficult subject to approach. The amount of people who know about this information is so few they are in the single digits."

So what she's got is so secretive that only those in the highest positions of power in the church can access. Convenient. Buuuut, if I wanna learn some stuff, I gotta give a little as well.

"Then how about this, we both have information we can exchange. A question for a question. The moment we don't want to answer anymore is when I decide whether or not to take you up on your offer" life returns to her eyes as we continue our travels to the warm light outside the monastery.

"Very well. We have an accord."

I look at a small spot in the grass and walk over. I strip off my backpack and pull out the blanket I have on the underside and lay it out and wave over Rhea to sit down with me. I have a feeling this isn't going to be a short conversation so might as well feel comfy. The two of us sit side by side despite my skepticism about the distance. Oh well, time to at least tackle the elephant in the room.

"Ok then. Let me start first: why am I so important to you that you are willing to risk coming to me and making yourself look desperate in keeping me here?"

She doesn't speak at first. Guess no matter what, she doesn't wanna tell it so easily. Her eyes look down at her lap as she's contemplating her answer. She then diverted her gaze away from me as she began to speak.

"... your ears. Deep within the archives of the church, there are legends that date back to the very beginning of the Church of Seiros. As the archbishop, naturally I have access to them. When the goddess went down to earth she took on a human form to live among us and aid us in our time of need. She was a beacon of hope but one thing not known to the people, nor even the high clergy, was that she created her own people from her blood. They were revered as the children of the goddess. The first archbishop, Saint Seiros, had revelations from the goddess and learned of the existence of these people. However, she agreed to keep their existence a secret from the world. Of what was described about them, one thing that separated them from normal humans were the pointed ears they bore '' she looks at me with a small gaze of …reverence? "The same ones you bear now."

My what are found in the who now?

"So the reason why you freaked out was because I'm supposedly part of these 'children of the goddess?"

"I believe it is my turn for questions now." Damn you " But I will answer it in exchange for a second one. Yes, to meet with one is an honor only Saint Seiros herself had a millennia ago."

…She's lying. I know she freaked out for a different reason but right now she managed to make a good explanation. You don't make a face like that if it's such an honor...Damn, she's good. But it's an answer nonetheless and what she gave me is convenient because I can't confirm it. Hell it could be true too but I have no way to know it unless she gives me access… which would involve me staying here anyway.

"Now as for my question, let's start with something simple. You said your father was Virgil Hoffman. Is he a foreigner to these lands?"

Great, she wants to know about daddy.

"...Yeah. I don't know when he arrived in Fòdlan, but I know he's been here for some time to at least know the basics and everything about it."

Keep the answers vague. I'm answering her questions but if she really wants to know, she's gotta waste another question about it. She seems like she is realizing that now.

"Where did he come from? I see nothing on you that Fòdlan or anything in the nearby countries could ever produce." she scans over what I have on my person. She seems a bit more curious about my visor but then again a polarizing feature is definitely not something you see everyday. I gotta leave soon because once those knights from Remire get here, she will find out about my guns.

"Where did he come from?" I parroted, but my answer is nothing good for either of us.

"I don't know. Neither does he to be honest. All I know was that he was on a ship, and he ended up here. Ever since then he simply traveled the lands."

"He does not know his own origins?" Her eyes seem to narrow in suspicion like I am lying. Hey it's my turn now. But, I guess it's best to answer this before yet another misunderstanding occurs.

"He lost his home when he was young. As in wiped off the map, gone. In the time I've known daddy, he doesn't really like talking about his past. "

To be fair though, with the revelations that he has shown me, 5 years is too little time to get a grasp on everything he has to tell me. I still haven't finished my education they had for me because I wanted to at least have some practical experience in the outside world. Man, now I'm starting to regret that. Scheisse, I'm getting nostalgic. Gotta focus on now.

"My condolences. To lose one's home is quite a traumatic experience." Rhea's eyes seem to soften. My heart wants to believe she means it but my brain is cynical about her intentions.

"No.. it's not, but he finally was able to move past it after so long. But enough about that. My question." I should've started with this one "What will you have Byleth do here as a teacher? No offense to her but, she doesn't seem like the person who can academically help students. Practically, yes. But she doesn't seem to be knowledgeable about the education system here.

"Do you doubt my choice?" That seemed to get a rile out of her. Her eyes narrow as if challenging me. Guess what. Challenge accepted.

"I just got out of a conversation with her. She didn't know who the knights of Seiros were… nor did she know about the existence of Crests *twitch* until 5 minutes ago. So I hope you can help me understand here how someone who doesn't know the most common bits of knowledge can teach a bunch of students who have learned about this stuff since birth."

"She… she doesn't know about crests *twitch*... or the knights?" that definitely knocked the wind out of her sails. Red starts to dust her cheeks at this declaration and she doesn't want me to see her embarrassment. Well that's what happens when you just suddenly fling someone into a position without a second thought. There's this thing called an interview, you should've really tried it.

"Yeah, you are lucky Manuela and Hanneman took a moment to help her with at least some preparations for her job. She's very perceptive and can learn things easily but I would have at least let her know about what the job entailed and had a quick quiz on her knowledge before that."

"Perhaps I should get them a raise," she murmured to herself but my ears picked it up. A cough was let out to try and retain some sort of dignity. "I had believed she would be perfect for the position. I have known Jeralt a long time in his service and he was dependable for everyone. If Byleth is his child, then I have high hopes for her to follow that same path. From what I heard from Alois, the students hold much respect for her prowess and believed that if the position was to be filled, they might be more comfortable with one they fought with. However, it seems like I have underestimated how Jeralt felt about me."

That… that actually sounds like a decent answer. When fighting alongside someone, you want the guy you know the most and can click with. Still. Stupid move to just up and hire someone like that. Ugh I need to end this soon, otherwise she will succeed in keeping me here for another day.

"Ok this is your last question. Think carefully about it."

"Oh my. Tired of my presence already?" There was a certain smugness in her tone, but I'm not in the mood anymore."

"Is that your last question?" I couldn't help but snark. Though she didn't lose the look and took it in stride in fact.

"No. But I think we both know what the question is." The mood really took a dive after that. I could decline to answer it…but I can't find it in me to refuse. There's been a lot of stuff that's been dumped on me not even a day ago and now everything is weighing on me… and to be honest the thought of being banned from the place my only friend is at gets me more than I thought it would. Haaa, fuck this is going to really suck.

"My face… I hate it because of the misery it caused me my whole life." I don't bother to look her in the eye. All I do is look to the horizon as my nails start to dig into my gloved palms." I look in a mirror and all I see is something different than what I want to see. My face. My ears. I knew from the beginning I was always different, but I never knew why for the longest time."

I hate this. I'm telling her the bare minimum of everything she needs to know, but it's still uncomfortable for me. My voice seems to just lose all the energy I had moments ago and becomes hollow.

"I didn't have any parents, or any memories of them. But whenever I saw someone, they always had this look that I did something wrong. I hated it, I hated that I was different, and I hated the fact that they were so fucking judgmental about it. It was because of that I was alone until daddy picked me up."

I look at Rhea, my little speech seems to have gotten to her as her eyes are wide with shock and a hand over her mouth.

"You say I'm blessed by the goddess, but I've yet to really how. I grew up in the worst conditions I think possible. I had to hide myself from the world. I can't touch anyone directly without freaking out, bar few. I have to look behind my shoulder everywhere I go because for all I know I'm worth a good amount of coin to some deviant in the world."

Rhea takes this as her chance to make her case now.

"The monastery can protect you. If you allow us, we can make sure that you don't need to be afraid anymore." She's pleading with me now, her trembling hand tries to take mine but I instinctively move it away.

"I'm tired of being afraid Rhea. It's why I had daddy train me the moment I could. I don't ever want to be like that little girl who was always afraid so long ago. What I want is to take my life back into my own hands again. Besides, I don't need the monastery's or the knight's help."

My words struck a chord with her and she is not happy about it. Her eyes narrow at the accusation and now her trembling is in rage. She stood up from her spot before hounding me.

"How could you say that! This monastery has been the center of Fòdlan since its inception! It delivers the word of the Goddess and spreads hope to the people! The Knights of Seiros are the most revered knights in all the land and ride to aid those in need! They have been a shining example of hope for the people and you dare claim you don't need them or the Monastery?! They ride for the Goddess and protect those who cannot protect themselves! What can a foreigner do that the knights haven't done for hundreds of years!?" Her outbursts really hammer in how much faith she has in the church she is in charge of. She genuinely believes that the church will always be there to do what needs to be done.

I just sat there. I wasn't scared or angry about her claims, but I'm really holding myself back here from screaming at her. The bitch just insulted my father but I know from experience she's just taking her grief out. I knew it, something happened to her and it ended badly. However right now I need to give her a reality check. The knights in shining armor are here to help? Ha…what a fucking joke.

"Then where were they?" There was a blank tone in my voice. There was no accusation or any underlying motive. It was a simple, but honest question. The question snapped Rhea out of her rage. As it leaves, confusion takes its place.

"Where were the knights of Seiros when I needed their help the most?" I take my time as I stand up and take off my visor. I wanna look her directly in the eyes for this.

She tries to answer it but no words leave her mouth. She's looking down in her contemplation about this and can't find an answer for me, but I can see it's really shaken her up.

"I know about the teachings of Seiros, the words of the Goddess, and how they were to inspire people to help those who need it. The clergy were the ones to spread the word of faith, the knights helped reinforce it, and were supposed to inspire those to aid others no matter the status but also cautioned against 'heathens' who would corrupt the ignorant masses and lead them astray. So tell me this, why was it that the one who gave me back my life when it was about to end a foreigner who never heard bought into her teachings before that day? Not the vaunted knights in shining armor that were the Knights of Seiros. Not the people of Fòdlan. But a 'heathen' who took me in and never gave up on me when all the healers he went to claimed I was a lost cause."

Her eyes saucered at the information I fed her. We never had problems with them, but every time when daddy and I would walk together in a crowd, the people would always look at him with fear and trepidation. Most wouldn't even bother to give him the time of day. Like he was the freak instead of me and I was the one with the pointed ears. Yet despite all of that, he didn't shy away from it and never let it affect him. Him, uncle JT and I were happy even if it was only the three of us on our small little corner of the world. It sure was never a dull moment, but I still wouldn't trade that time for anything in the world.

"I… I" Rhea tries but she can't offer a counter argument. .The shock appeared to get to her and tears were streaming at the inability to assure me of her claims. There were no excuses nor did she try to justify herself. Just incoherent words that she's trying to bring out. The regal woman I met before, now reduced to a blubbering mess. It's truly pitiful… and doesn't suit her.

*inhale* *exhale* Come on girl. Just think of her as Byleth and maybe you can do this. I pull out a small handkerchief from one of my pouches and take a step forward.

'You can do this. You can do this.' I repeated it like a mantra. I press the small cloth gently under her left eye and wipe away her tears. She looks at me and I can't make out her expression. She's frozen in place and her eyes widen like she never had anyone do this to her, but there's something there. She doesn't resist and allows me to continue without a single word of protest. Good. So far I'm not reacting. Please let that streak continue. I switch to the other eye and repeat the process. Silence rang among the two of us and I was content at leaving it at that. As I finish wiping away the last of her tears, I take a step back. She still hasn't moved and unlike Byleth I refuse to touch her to shake her outta this. Crap what are my options.

1. I leave and possibly risk the wrath of the archbishop and the entire church against me. I end up being chased and anywhere I go I'm marked. I'm exposed and get hunted down.

2. I risk staying here and the knights that arrive report the bizarre wounds that I inflicted on them and get questioned about my weapons. I'm in the middle of enemy territory and risk uncle and daddy busting me outta here. They come down to air out the monastery. We end up exposed and the world becomes against us.

3. I decide fuck it and start blasting those who chase me no matter who it is. I get a bounty on my head and the church declares me a heretic and demands my immediate execution.

So no matter what I'm fucked here. I can't take the chance with option 1 because of the deal I made with Byleth. Two sucks but it's probably the best one I have. Three… three is the last LAST resort I would have for this situation. But what can I do? I need something to-

A hand shot out and encased my own. Rhea doesn't even seem to care as she pulls my hand and begins to press it against her cheek. Oh shi—

Huddled in a corner, I can see through the bars people arguing. On a table was another child. I don't know who she is but she's now on the floor, not moving. Her lifeless eyes staring at me. A demented old man keeps screaming something about another failure. He gestures with his fingers and two robed men drag the body away from view. Those eyes never look away from me as she is dragged out. He looks back at me, those black eyes of his piercing me. The smile he gives is anything but warm. He walks towards the edge of my cage.

"I have high hopes for you dear."

"NO" I scream out and pull my hand away. I pull a bit too hard and lose my balance, landing me on the grass. Despite the fall, my first reaction is to pull out my gun and train it on her. I'm trying to steady my breathing but it is not going well, with my only focus being Rhea. She couldn't comprehend what happened for a moment. Then she seems to finally dawn on her what her actions caused.

"Jack. I'm…I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me." she takes a step-

"BACK OFF! NOT ANOTHER STEP!" I flip off the safety and prepare to pull the trigger. My aim is shaking right now because of my hands trembling. It hurts to think. I can't calm down because my phobia is kicking in full speed. And now I just fucked myself because I pulled a weapon on the Archbishop. Daddy. Uncle. Where are you when I need you the most? For her part, she submits to my demand and stays in her spot. Our next few moments are tense, but as they continue, I can finally take in a deep breath and lower my weapon.

"Don't ever do that again." I don't look at her. My hands are still trembling. I can't get them to stop.

"I'm sorry. Even though Byleth told us, I… I didn't think it was this bad."

"Yeah… but it is. And I have to live with it until then."

"What happened to you? Who did this to you?" Fucking hell. No more questions.

"I don't wanna talk about it."

"Bu-"

"Haven't you already done enough damage today?" I snapped at her but I immediately regretted it. My words appear to be a slap to her face.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"

"No. I pushed too hard. I am to blame for what happened." Great. Now the two of us are playing the blame game. I could pack up and go right now. I have a feeling she won't stop me. But if i do that now, there's a chance I could miss out on some knowledge about what she says. What to do? If she was willing to get me at the gate, she's definitely not gonna let this action slide.

...

…Ugh. I guess this is one way to appease her for now.

"*sigh*… you've got three days." I tell her as I start to stand up. My words snap her out of her stupor. You win this round Rhea. But don't think this is the end. Besides… if what she says about the archives is true, I want to have a look at them, but I doubt she'll let me. However, if I can get to them, maybe they can help connect some of the dots daddy's been making about me.

"do-Do you mean-" Hope laced her voice as I decided to grant her request. The look on her face is one of sheer joy at my answer.

"In exchange for the 3 days I'm staying here, my stuff will remain untouched. I know the church's stance towards foreigners and heathens, but let's get this out now. I have no problems with the Church of Seiros and accept the existence of the goddess, but I would like it for them to extend the same courtesy leaving me alone. I have things that might be considered heretical but I have no intention of ever spreading that and neither does my daddy. I have my differences with the teachings but that's due to experience I have faced and not due to ignorant bigotry. As long as we can establish that from the get go, I will wait for that proof without too much a fuss."

"V-very well. So long as you abide by the rules of the monastery and keep those teachings to yourself, you will face no consequences or repercussions." good thing she doesn't wear make-up, otherwise the walk back is gonna raise some questions…well, more questions than before.

We reached a decent bargain. And I have some privacy now that she's willing to give it. And she gets to keep me around a bit… Hopefully they keep their agreement. If not… I have E-grenades to dissuade trespassers for a first warning.

I had Rhea stay a few extra minutes because she needed to prepare herself. While no one was around the outside, I'm sure the screaming from before might attract a few ears and we needed to get something to work. This time the truth is a pretty good thing to say. Words were spoken, a misunderstanding occurred, and then things were finally resolved. Best I can hope for now is to get everything I can under some sort of control and make sure I avoid everyone for a bit. We went back through the entrance of the gates and Seteth was waiting for us. I thought we would've had a larger crowd but it seems he had them sent away. Since he's one of the few who saw underneath I guess he too didn't want people asking questions. Small miracles. Rhea was able to explain the circumstances but Seteth seemed surprised about it. You wanted me here, why are you surprised? Regardless, Rhea had him show me to a guest room and from there I was his escort. It was a short distance away but he managed to get me to a small room on the first floor. I try to thank him, but when I turn around he has already left. He seemed really eager to not be near me. Oh well. The interior is spacious, but I don't like the way those windows give a good view of the inside. Might need to cover those up a bit. I close the doors behind me and set my stuff down next to the bed.

*grumble*

Right. That talk with Rhea took a good while and all I had today was pie. Good thing though is now that I have my backpack I have some spare food. I reach into the front pouch and pull out a small tin box. 'Franca's miracle rations' was plastered in the front. Whoever Franca was, she made a damn good MRE for traveling. I tried asking daddy what it was made out of, but he never said a word about it. I walk to the desk and begin munching down on a few of the bars. I decided to call uncle JT to update him about what's happening.

"Hey uncle, you there?" as my visor pops open a small window indicating that he was online.

"Hello Jack. How may I assist you today?"

"Nothing right now. But I wanted to let you know I'm staying in the monastery for a few days. Rhea seemed really intent on keeping me here."

"Oh dear. I hope they have not mistreated you. If so, I must have a rather cross discussion with them."

"Whoa whoa whoa. Uncle, there's no need for you to do that yet. We made an agreement and so far she is willing to respect my privacy during my stay here."

"Do you believe her?"

"Of course not. That's what the trip wire and E-grenades are for." Before I go to sleep I need to set that up. "But I really could've used your help during that conversation. There was a lot going on there."

"I'm terribly sorry for my ill-timed exit but I had noticed something when taking a closer look at Byleth. Initially I had believed that I had suffered a glitch and performed a quick maintenance upon myself to correct the error."

What's wrong with Byleth? I hope it's nothing bad.

"However upon further inspection, your father reviewed it and realized I had suffered no such malfunction. This brings quite the perspective into our view of young Eisner."

"Why? JT, what did you find?"

"You made the claim that she was a dead woman walking or a special woman. Analysis has shown that both statements are correct."

Wha-

"Her vital signs show she has no heartbeat. She is quite literally a dead woman walking."


At the same time somewhere else

?

A figure was running. He didn't seem to care about the destination as long as he was anywhere but here. His gasps echo around the poorly lit tunnels as his footsteps overtake the path. He keeps looking behind him as he flees in terror. There is nothing he sees but feels as though he is still being followed. He doesn't slow his pace and takes a turn in hopes that he could reunite with his comrades and rally a defense. Preferably soon.

'Just down this hall. Then we can strike at the bastard' He calmed himself with this remark. A sinister smile adorned his face as a modicum of courage re-entered his mind.

'Skywalker… you have traveled the skies for far too long. It's time to learn the depths of the underworld are not as free as the heavens. Today you fall.' A door finally enters his vision in the distance. He risks burning the little energy he has to pick up the pace. He opens the door and slams it with his back against it and his head down, his breath ragged. The light from the room now fills his eyes and closes them until they adjust.

"Qu-Quickly, he's behind me, now's our cha-" As he looks up, his eyes become filled with terror. Where there was supposed to be a small contingent of fighters in the room instead lay bodies of the dead. An open hallroom had been remodeled with makeshift barricades and enclosements but there was no one manning them.

"Wha-what? " he mumbled in disbelief as he paced past the barricade. From just a glance, there were so many bodies. They were laid about. Some bent over the barricades, others face down on the floor and the last of the group slumped against the wall . But from the ones he could see, they held the same horror stricken face as they lay there motionless with holes in their heads. How could this have happened?

*creak*

The noise behind froze him in fear. He slowly turned around…only to see the door ajar but nothing else. He knew the door was closed… but there was no one there to open it. He back pedaled slowly, as if a single misstep would reveal himself to the world. He kept his eyes on the door. If they opened any more, he would forgo the little stealth he had and hoped to reach the surface. But this was nothing more than a pipe dream as he bumped into something behind him.

"Hieeee!" He rotated to see…nothing. But how? He knew he touched someth-

A force that smacked against his head as it pushed him onto his back. He scrambled back as his vision was swimming. But his nightmares didn't end there. Once he gained enough of his vision back he finally noticed it. Blood. Blood from his nose was floating in the air. And that is when the illusion was broken. Gradually, a hand manifested where his blood was and there joined an arm, the legs, and finally the body. Panic gripped his heart as the silhouette finally gave form. It was the Skywalker in all of his demonic visage. The creature that had been plaguing them for the past years and ruining their operations. Thanks to this monster, they were nearly exposed time and time again. It was only due to their influence that all evidence was cleaned up before anyone important could take notice of it. But now… IT was here, and IT was standing before him.

"Y-you"

It didn't respond. All it did was take a step forward. He couldn't get up. He inched himself back using his arms and legs to increase the distance between the two of them. IT didn't stop their pace and drew closer to him. When his back finally reached the wall, he was frantically looking about for some other way to escape.

"What-what do you want?" his voice went up a few octaves in trying to deliver that statement.

"The same thing I always want. The death of every last one of you." A distorted voice replied. There was no emotion in it's tone. Only indifference.

"You'll never stop us. We are Those Who Slither in the Dark. We have survived for centuries. The Goddess could not be rid of us. Seiros could not finish us. We will rise from the ashes and reclaim our rightful place as rulers of this world.

The creature said nothing. It simply reached toward his right hip for it's weapon and aimed it towards him.

*click*

"Then when you rise, I'll be there to put you back down."

A single flash and his world went white.


End

One thing I have started to learn as a writer is trying to make the characters not too OOC. Ugh… I really hope I nailed down something that would be ok for you guys to read. As for Jack speaking German… well I thought it would honestly be something nice to add in due to the fact that most people in this world have some sort of german roots from the Von. I hope I at least got some of the phrasings right about them. I had to go to 3 different german to english dictionaries to make sure that I wasn't butchering it hard…and I still feel like its slightly butchering it. I'll include the words at the end of the chapter so at least you guys don't have to scroll back up and down to find the meaning of the words. I hope you enjoyed reading it.

So let me know what you think. Critiques. What could I do better? what made you not like it?

Also, For the record: JT is currently in the JEEVES voice pack. Which is totally why he is unfailingly polite.

Gott sei Dank= thank goodness

dieses Mädchen= this girl (specifically for females 20 and under)

Verdammt= damn it

Dummkopf= idiot

Scheisse= shit

diese fickers= those fuckers

Toll= great

Ach, du kleiner schlingel= Oh, you little rascal