Author's Note: I do check my reader stats on AO3 and FFnet and one of the things I am always amazed by is how many of you are not from the US. I see a lot of people from Europe and other places in there reading my stuff and that makes me happy. Since I posted the last chapter things in Eastern Europe have gotten pretty dire. So I just wanted to say to all of my readers in the Ukraine and the people in Russia out there protesting this vile shit that's going on: stay safe, take care of yourselves.

With supplies purchased by Rem at the markets the previous day, Peter was able to reconstruct a near perfect replica of his web fluid. It took him a lot longer than normal, but he was sure that as he got more practice he would cut that time down. Part of his time was also spent coaching Emilia through what they were doing since she had been adamant that they she help.

The most difficult part of the whole thing was getting it into the spent web cartridge containers that he had. There wasn't going to be any funnels that small around the house and the fluid itself could only be exposed to air so long at the temperature it was at.

When he finally got them filled and set aside, leaned in, her loose silver ponytail wobbled side to side (getting her to pull her hair back had been feat that had taken some insisting on Peter's part, but it was for lab safety).

"Is that it?" Emilia asked.

"It looks like that's it!" Peter said.

Emilia clapped her hands together. "Then you're not at risk of running out of webs!"

Peter swapped the cartridges out, he still needed to test them as there was some risk that the change in ingredients had created a sort of instability. He fired a web across the room just to see that it worked. First test was down. He fired one up into the ceiling and tugged on it to see that it support his weight.

It did this without fail and the web stretched and tightened together, gaining a little length in the process. He wasn't wearing the suit right now and he would have ah and time running a diagnostic on the web shooters right now, but they seemed to be performing well. If there was ever a time to have the freedom to use as much web as he wanted it was going into this thing with the White Whale.

Things like nets and web bombs had seemed like a waste, while he still used them, he had to count on them less. With access to his web fluid again he could be back in fighting shape, at least as far as his ranged capabilities were concerned.

"Do you want to take them out for a test?" Emilia asked.

Peter stared into her big violet eyes, there was a subtle smile creeping across her face. "I'm not really sure that would be the best idea, there might be some reduction in the max weight supported by—"

"They held that bolder up before Peter, are you saying you think I'm that heavy now," Emilia bent down in front of him with a mischievous grin on her face. "Come on, you're not going to see me for a little while. This might even be the last time we're both in the capital for a long time."

"I'm going to have to come back here to get more web supplies eventually, you can come with me," Peter said.

Emilia glared at him, her hands falling on her hips and resting there.

"Look, I'm not—I don't really want to say the wrong thing and be too forward since you're like a princess and stuff, but I'm kind of afraid of dropping you on these untested webs. And I more than I don't want to see you be hurt I would hate to be the one that hurt you."

Emilia sighed. "I was going to say we could go on a quick second date before I head back to the manor, but it looks like you're dead set on turning me down."

In a flash, Peter webbed her to him, pulling her in close. "Okay, we can do this but we need to set some ground rules," said Peter.

"Oh-kay," Emilia repeated, testing the word out.

"You hang onto me tight as you can, if the web breaks I can break the fall. And second, we're going to go slower this time, I hope that's fine with you," Peter said.

"Just so long as you don't throw me up in the air and make me wet myself again," Emilia said.

"Still really sorry about that," he said. "Are you ready to go?"

Emilia nodded. The two of them walked to the window, her arms around him in such a way that it caused him to have to step awkwardly around her so that they didn't trip. When they got over to the window she was laughing, her chin tucked down against her body.

"What's so funny?"

"You told me to hold on to you tight and now you don't even seem to know what to do with me," she said.

Peter opened the window to the room. It was small but still large enough for them to go out one at a time. He climbed through first, shaking his head at her joke. And then he helped her out onto the ledge at this corner of the house. Where the had exited put them facing out to one of the lower districts of the city, but not one of the crowded ones. Emilia bound herself around resting her head on his chest.

"You ready?" He asked.

She nodded.

Peter vaulted out over the city with as much power as he could muster. Then a straight line web aimed at the buildings below to pull himself forward and get him clear of the rock face. They fell forward, the air rushing past them so quickly that Emilia's hair tie flew out and strands of silver danced out behind them like flames.

Hard jerk to the side, the real test for the webbing wasn't sticking or hiding targets, but it was the hard gravitational force placed on it when he turned sharply or was jerked downward at a high speed. The web tugged into a thinner, tighter, longer strange in the familiar way that he was used to and they swung out of the fall.

Emilia was looking back over his shoulder now. They were lower to the ground now, the buildings here were shorter, but there was still enough for him to swing off of. People on the streets were pointing and looking, which wasn't much different than when he was back home.

The webbing seemed almost identical to his old formula, except for one thing that he had noticed so far. All of the plant byproduct in there must have given it this distinctly organic smell. It wasn't a bad smell nor was it something that he could readily identify as this thing or that. It was just a general sense he got from it.

He could feel Emilia's heart racing, her face was pressed against his neck and she watched the city zip by behind them as he raced through the city webbing his way from point to point. As time went on he got more ambitious, he could springboard off of this roof to get height, or maybe he could tether-ball his way down around a corner to fling himself upward and over the tops of some obstacles or buildings.

The gravity here was different, so he was getting more purchase off the jumps anyhow. Then he thought about the discussion about the land that he had just had the other day. If this place really was flat that could explain the abnormalities that Karen had detected. It probably could explain some other things. Though there was no telling howe the sun and moon still managed to move across the sky like they would on Earth.

Peter made for a bell tower that rose up on a hilltop. He hit it and stuck his hands to it, resting one foot against the corner so that he gave Emilia some place to hold onto him without pressing her against the brick of the tower.

"You doing okay?" Peter asked.

Emilia's cheeks were flushed with color, she brushed tendrils of hair out of her face and nodded. "Yes, I'm fine."

He repositioned so that her back was against the wall and he was looking at her. he thought maybe he had gone too fast or done some maneuver that had made her feel sick, but he trusted if there was an issue with what he was doing Emilia would let him know.

"Can we sit down in the bell tower for a little while," Emilia said. "I want to give you something."

Peter felt his own heart began to race, the world around him seemed to grow colder and the sound that was so apparent before was drained out of things. He nodded to her, and the two of them dropped down to the openings in the sides of the belfry. The tower was spacious enough that there was room to walk around the bell with ease. He placed her down and then walked out besides her.

Emilia turned to look at the bell, it's dark, shimmering surface showed the kind of wear that would come from years of being suspended from a yoke in all manner of weather. It looked as if Emilia was thinking something over, using her fixation on the bell to cover for some emotion.

Then she reached up into her hair and undid the purple ribbon that hang just below her flower hair ornament. She wrapped it around her hand loosely, closing her fingers around it to keep it safe.

"Is this what you wanted to give me?" Asked Peter.

Emilia nodded. "I know that it might not be the mostly manly accessory and you don't really have enough hair to wear it like I did," she said. "But I hope that it will bring you luck and that you'll be inclined to make it back so that you can return it to me."

"I'm going to make it back," Peter reassured her.

Emilia looked at him, and for the first time he felt the fear in her gaze. There was a part of her who thought this might be the last time she saw him. Peter closed his hands around hers, holding her until forced the ribbon into his hands. "You promise me," Emilia said.

"I promise," Peter said with zero hesitation.

There was a small gust of air, something flew past his head and circled around him. He felt little furry paws touch down on his shoulder. "Just remember the most important life less, Pete, it's okay to be a coward."

He thought for a moment that Puck was teasing him, but there was truth to that. Was it better to run and save yourself or die for no reason. Peter knew that if there was no one on the line except himself and his pride, he would just run. Any defeat could at least be a learning experience then.

"Right," Peter said. Then he glanced over at Puck. "I kind of forgot you were there."

"Oh, I'm always here Peter. Watching you," Puck pointed his paw at Peter's eyes and then back at his own. "So you remember it."

"You two stop it or I'll find my own way down and make you work this out," Emilia said.

Peter and Puck apologized in near-unison. "Sorry."

After Peter had stowed the ribbon away they dropped back to the grounds of the building that the bell tower set on. It seemed to be some sort of temple, though the religion of this world seemed to be more of a mixture of worship of the dragon and worship of the spirits that people like Emilia called on.

"At least you're in a much better mood than you were yesterday," Emilia said.

"It's thanks to you and May," Peter said.

Emilia cracked a smile. "Having May around has been helpful," she said.

"Oh, May is the best. Like I don't know what I would do without her."

"On one hand if she's here—she's her, right, but on the other she's so insightful," said Emilia.

Puck let out a little purr. "She gives the best belly rubs too—sorry, Lia."

"Oh, it's fine. I wouldn't know about having my belly rubbed anyway," Emilia said absently. "Wait, you tricked me!"

Laughter erupted from Peter and Puck that was loud enough that people walking by just past on the nearby street looked over.

When it died down Peter sighed. "I better get you back to the manor, I'm sure Roswaal will be wondering where we got off to. Thanks for helping me finish my webs."

Emilia clasped her hands over her lap and froze there and he could tell she was holding something back. He could practically hear her biting her tongue, her feet stuck to the ground harder than even he would have been capable of with his spider powers. Maybe he should have pried it out of her and pressed the issue. But she had been so shy only four weeks ago back when he thought she was this beautiful, ethereal creature that was aloof and above him.

Now he saw her for what she was, a girl. A very cute girl who made his stomach flip and his head float, but still a girl. And he knew how fragile these things could be if you pushed them. People would say that it was better to say sorry then ask permission, but there were some things that you couldn't take back.

This wasn't their time; that was yet to come.

Wilhelm van Astrea walked out onto the front lawn of the manor, the late morning sun spilling over his back as he bent down to retrieve a wooden practice sword from the pile. He flipped it up into the air from one hand and caught it with the other and for a moment Steve thought that had saw a roughish flash of a younger man in the arrogance of the movement.

"They told me that if I wanted to practice some basics that you're the man to talk to," Steve said.

Wilhelm nodded. "I could show you a thing or three," he said as he examined the sword. "Roswaal asked where Master Peter and Miss Emilia were."

"I think he took her out for a walk, kind of," Steve said.

"Ah, the young man is in love," said Wilhelm testing the balance of the wooden blade. "I doubt that he knows how to handle what he's feeling, but he seems to be the perfect type of person for Miss Emilia. She's a kind hearted woman whose been forced into a precarious position."

Steve looked his own practice sword over. "It sounds like you speak from experience?"

"I may. Women burdened with destiny tend to attract great men, even if those men do not know what they can be."

Steve nodded like he fully got what the man was saying, but he felt that he was getting all that Wilhelm was willing to say here.

Wilhelm walked out into the yard until he was standing directly across from Steve. Ferris had explained that Wilhelm practiced in the little spacious area between the front gates of the manor and the drive. It gave him enough room for maneuvering and the grass was well maintained enough that it wouldn't rip out or turn to mud when it got a little wet.

"I would like you to show me what it is you know," Wilhelm said. Then he gestured with his wooden sword for Steve to approach.

It didn't seem all that fair, but Steve didn't want to write the old man off just yet. After all, he was younger than Steve technically.

Steve did what he remembered from what he had seen done by Clint and his sparing with Natasha. He circled around in a wide arc, trying to find a good approach angle. As he moved, Wilhelm turned sizing him up. It was clear that this was second nature to this man and from the man's last name he had already known that this was Reinhard's grandfather. According to Peter, Reinhard was every bit as impressive as others made the knight out to be.

Steve moved forward, not giving it his all, but not totally holding back either. He brought his weapon up planning to touch Wilhelm with it softly just to connect. When he swung, he found that his practice weapon collided with wood making a thunk sound. He withdrew it and dodged back as Wilhelm lashed out at him.

"They tell me you're faster than a normal man. So I won't bother going too easy on you."

The two of them rotated, rallying back and forth with their weapons with neither finding purchase on the other.

"You'll want to pay attention to where you're facing—try to force your opponent to have the sun in their eyes," he said pointing up. Even with his one finger raised he was fast enough to block Steve's next strike.

The two of them moved to one side of the yard and then the other. At one point Steve stabbed forward and Wilhelm swung for his wrist. For the first time Steve was forced to use a bit more than his normal speed to yank his arm away.

"You should avoid stabbing motions, instinct will tell you that it's a perfect angle of attack, but it leaves you vulnerable. A slower man would have been finished," Wilhelm instructed. "Try to remember the eight angles of attack."

Then Wilhelm van Astrea demonstrated the angles that a typical attack would come in from by moving his sword to correspond to all of those. "If you watch your opponents hands and how they face the hilt of their weapon you've got a better chance of seeing where they're going to go next than if you simply attempt to watch their blade.

Steve nodded. He felt that he was starting to get the hang of it and the two of them continued their practice. At some point, Steve glanced over to notice that Rem had stepped outside and was watching them from the circular driveway made of cobblestones. He couldn't tell if she had been there a while or had just come out, but he smiled over at her.

Then he felt something wooden touch his neck. Wilhelm was pointing the tip of the sword at him.

"I thought you said to avoid stabbing?" Steve asked, lowering his weapon.

"I said 'you should avoid stabbing'," the old man as he dropped his hands to his side. "Let's stop there for the day," Wilhelm said.

Steve felt like just this little bit would be a tremendous help, swords were a weapon that he wasn't used to thinking about as anything other than something to use temporary or something to defend against. Having to depend on one here would take some getting used to and just seeing someone like Wilhelm van Astrea handle a sword did wonders.

"Thanks for the less, Mister Wilhelm," Steve said.

Wilhelm held the flat side of the blade to his forehead in a salute. "It was nice sparring with someone who can actually keep up with me for a chance," he said. "Now, I had best go get some things set—Margrave Roswaal has one more joining him on the way back to his manor, it seems."

"You're going back with them?" Peter might have said that too loud and a bit too excited. Some of the birds in the nearby side garden took flight at the sound of his voice.

May chuckled before she reached up to ruffle his hair. Mock concern spread over her face. "Um, yeah—it's just on a temporary basis. I made a promise to Lady Crusch that I would help her finish her work here, but since you're helping out with the itewhay alewhay," she said this with the back of her hand cupped around her mouth, "she told me that it would be fine if I went to stay with the Margrave for a while. It's only a four hour ride, anyway."

"But I won't even be there with you," Peter said. "Not until this whole thing is over."

"Well, yeah, Peter. That's working as designed. I can get some much needed one-on-one time with Emilia here," May said.

Emilia sidled over with her bag in her hands. A moment later Wilhelm walked over and relived her of the luggage to place it in the carriage. "May said we're going to have some 'Quality Girl Time' although the exact meaning behind it has me quite flabbergasted," Emilia said. Then she glanced to Wilhelm. "Oh, thank you Mister Wilhelm."

"You're welcome, my Lady," he said from behind the carriage.

"May," Peter said pointing at his aunt. "Let me see your phone then, May."

"It's not even charged."

"I know you have some pictures in there. I just need to make sure she's not going to see them."

"Oh, those? I have hard copies in my purse for just such an occasion," May said.

"Miss Crusch," Peter called turning to Crusch. "What did your wind thingy just say? She's lying right?"

"Mister Parker, I told you about my Divine Protection in case there was some vital negotiation tactic that we needed to coordinate on short notice—not so you could exploit it in your squabbles with Miss May," Crusch said with her eyes shut and her arms folded over her chest.

Peter's shoulder slumped slightly and Emilia leaned in to hug him. "Don't be sad," she said. "I'm sure the pictures are fine—oh speaking of which, would you like to get one for the road?" Emilia asked.

He glanced around, this would be the first time that some of the others had seen this and he hadn't charged the phone since coming out to this place. It didn't matter as much in this other world because there was no cellphone towers or WiFi constantly draining his battery. The only things his phone was good for now was watching saved videos, listening to saved music, and taking the odd picture here or there.

"This will be fun, everyone get in here," Peter said.

Wilhelm shrugged and approached, Ferris, who was nearby did too. Then he turned to Crusch. "Come on, let's see what Peter has."

Crusch followed Ferris over, May just turned and Peter and Emilia leaned in to be closer to all of them.

"What is this?" Asked Wilhelm.

"Just pose—like you're trying to pose for a picture to be painted," Emilia said before she stuck her tongue out. Puck got in on it too throwing his paws up behind her head. Peter had been working with Emilia on her selfie-ettiequte.

May pulled Peter close, but Wilhelm, Crusch, and Ferris might have read the assignment a little too literally as they locked their bodies into regal poses and their expressions were flat. The picture snapped freezing them all in time and instantly Ferris and Crusch's faces changed to ones of sheer shock.

"What did that just do," Crusch asked.

"It takes a memory of you and stores it inside the Metia," Emilia explained.

"Me-wow, that's pretty amazing," said Ferris as he pushed his way over in front of the camera and examined his face, his ears twitching side to side as he looked on.

Sam called from the steps of the house. "How the Hell is your phone holding a charge?"

"It's a Spider-Secret," Peter said. "One-vee-one me and I'll tell you."

"Oh, I'm gonna remember that, Pete," Sam said.

"Oh you're going to remember that?" Peter said.

"Yeah," pointing at him as he walked down and passed by.

"Yeah?" Just as he passed Peter turned and whispered: "Team Iron Man."

"Peter! You stop teasing, Sam, he's sensitive," May said.

"Sorry."

"It's okay."

Steve had descended the steps a moment after Sam with Bucky behind him. As Bucky and Sam were speaking with May, Steve made his way over to Emilia. "You sure you're going to be alright back there on your own?"

"If you mean with Margrave Roswaal? Yes, I assure you I can take care of myself that much, Captain Rogers," she said.

"And she's got me!" Puck proclaimed.

Steve rubbed the small flying cat. "That is true," he said. He then opened his arms and approached Emilia. "Come on," he gestured for her.

Emilia moved to hug him awkwardly, with Puck hugging one of Steve's biceps. "I'm going to see you in a few days, Captain Rogers."

"I know kid, I'll see you soon," he said to her.

Bucky stepped in to shake her hand, the entire time she was fascinated by the metal arm. She still hadn't become used to it. He and Sam said their goodbyes to her as Roswaal exited the house in a gaudy traveling suit that was fur lined and light purple, despite it being a temperate day outside at best.

"Well, it would seem that the time has come for us to take our leave of this place," Roswaal said with a theatric bow.

"Why is it again that you're deciding to head back right now instead of waiting until the business here is done?" Steve asked.

Roswaal turned to him. "It's siiiiiiiiimple really," he said. "Emilia can't be a part of the battle to come, as per the agreement with Lady Crusch. If she were not there she would be here in the city alone with nary a soul to protect her from a possible attack from the Witch's Cult or fanatical vagabond who thinks of her as connected to the Witch of Envy."

That was a pretty good reason, everyone else here was going to be at the battle. Even Rem, who was the last person out of the man with Roswaal's bags. She loaded them into the back of the carriage and stepped around to the side of the vehicle to wait her turn to speak.

Steve nodded at Roswaal's answer, seemingly satisfied. "Well, you take care then, Margrave."

"I always do, Captain Rogers," he said taking Steve's hand and shaking it.

"We'll catch up to you, Margrave Roswaal," Peter managed. He still was unsure of how to feel about what the Margrave had done with the fire spell the previous day. So much had happened between then and now and they had hardly gotten to address it. It looked like things would have to wait a bit longer.

May kissed Peter on the cheek and she was climbing into the carriage with Roswaal's help. At least he was a gentlemen. Then Emilia stopped in front of Peter, her head lowered so that her bangs almost hid those big bright eyes of hers.

"Everything okay?" Peter asked her.

Emilia nodded, standing on the carriage steps so she was above Peter. "I just wanted to do one last thing," she said as her cheeks colored profusely. "So, please don't make this more difficult for me than it already is." She spoke fast, her words running together. Then she grabbed Peter by one hand and pressed their two hands to his chest. The other hand she put on his cheek, her fingers softly caressing the skin at the side of his face.

Then she bent down and pressed her lips to the opposite cheek. His eyes shut and he felt a warmth spread through him and there was this profound safety that washed over him. Something just clicked deep in his chest.

She spoke, her lips brushing against his skin as the words ghosted over his cheek. "May the spirits bless and protect you."

Peter wasn't sure if he had imagined the subtle change or if it were something with more meaning. Maybe it was literal and one of those little lightning bug spirits had gone inside of him. He felt it was inappropriate to ask.

There was another voice, barely a whisper and not fully audible. Peter was sure he already knew exactly what it was saying.

Emilia was standing on the steps again her hands clasped. "Bye Peter," she reached up to grab the inside of the carriage door with tears brimming in her eyes.

"Remember our promise," Peter said. "I'll see you soon."

The carriage pulled off onto the main road, given by Roswaal. Emilia and May waved out the windows on either side as they moved down the street toward the road that led to the bottom of the hill.

Steve grabbed Peter by the shoulder. "We'll see them again before you know it," he said. "Besides, they're a lot safer out there than here with us."

"Right, the sooner we get to work, the better," Peter said.

For most of the afternoon they were in the war room, as they had taken to calling it, trying to figure out exactly which place the whale would be going to next or if they could even determine for sure. There was two choices, depending on if the last sighting could even be confirmed and worse than that there might be more because if that sighting was wrong, the whole timeline would be thrown off.

There were a few new faces here for this interaction, several of them from Anastasias camp. Ricardo Welkin, a man who looked about as much like what someone would describe as hyper muscular werewolf, was Captain of the Fang of Iron Mercenary group. He was the first to really offer a suggestion as they went over the map for the umpteenth time.

"We could try and pick two of the posts and situate the army between them," he said, his voice like a rough wind blowing by. He spoke with the same accent and mannerism as Anastasia as they were from the same country.

Another new face, a Demi-human cat woman with gray hair with black streaks dyed into it spoke out. Her big red eyes moved over the map where she traced her fingers. "Hissss, this one talking about waiting until the fog shows up and then trying to pierce through and attack," there was a slight aggression in her tone as the hiss died down.

"There doesn't seem to be much of a better idea," Ricardo said.

"Chloe is right, if we're going to let it put that fog up fully before we can spot it we might as well not attack it now," Crusch said hitting her fingers on the map.

Steve nodded in agreement. "If this the same fog that causes people to lose their minds or whatever I would rather have our bearings on the battlefield before that comes into play," he said.

Peter had been quiet and listening this whole time, trying to keep his moping from really affecting the others at the table. If there were something he really needed to say he would, but he couldn't think of much that he could contribute here.

"Look, if this thing has been around four hundred years and has survived all manner of attacks, we need to do something that no one has ever tried before. And from the sound of the accounts you've been reading excerpts from the key to this is going to be attaching it before it attacks us," Steve explained.

"Captain Rogers is right," Wilhelm chimed in. "The one thing none of these survivors tales mention is the Whale being met by anyone who was prepared for it, not even in the least. People went after it, but usually it either found them or it had complete dominance of an area when they found signs of it."

A diminutive Demi-humans with light orange hair braided into pigtails and big fluffy ears raised her hand, jumping at the side of the table as she was barely high enough to see over it. "Mimi thinks that splitting the army would be the wrong idea," she said, as she was Mimi she seemed to like speaking in third person. Peter didn't really have time to question why.

"The supplies that we have are made for a kind of all out assault on the White Whale, if we're splitting into fourths or even half to try and catch it off guard we lose the other advantage that we have in this," Crusch said.

Steve looked to Crusch as if he understood. "The element of surprise."

"Everything that we have so far says that the big boy is going to make its appearance here in the next few days, so we solve the puzzle or we kiss our chance goodbye," Ricardo said.

"By all accounts, this might be an incomplete picture of the Whale's movements even in recent years," Wilhelm said.

"Well," Peter said as he moved forward so that their attention was pulled to him. "With the rough estimate here even just two or three more confirmed sightings could give us enough to go on. Is anyone who might have records on that kind of thing—maybe the Merchants in town?"

"We already looped one of the higher profile merchants in on this and Wilhelm has checked and re-checked those guilds," said Crusch.

Peter lowered his head and thought for a moment. "Did he specifically ask them for whale sightings or did he ask them for things like shipments and cargo that never arrived?"

Willhelm touched the map. "The missing people taken by the Whale might not be noticed, but the cargo would never have arrived—there would be a gap in their manifests," he said.

Ricardo's eyes widened. "Look at the big brain on Pete, here. We can just mark the routes on the map where the Whale was seen and see if they run through any of these routes here."

"Wow, father, Mimi thinks you're smart too!" Mimi shouted throwing her little arms up as if she were cheering.

This was her father? Again, Peter didn't ask questions.

"It's already late," Crusch started. "But we know what we do tomorrow, we fan out and find anything we can on missing shipments, especially ones where the people who are looking for it can't really remember who was even bringing it to them. We might as well look into the hospitality guild and mercenaries and guards too," she explained further.

"Does everyone understand?" Crusch asked.

There was a general sound of people agreeing all around the room. The mood was beginning to improve with just that one idea. As everyone was exiting the room and gathering up their things to head out, Wilhelm caught Peter by the shoulder. "Boy, may I speak to you?"

Wilhelm's tone seemed grim, but he had hardly spoken to the man since being here. It just felt like a lot of the time the two of them were tending to different tasks. He had heard that Steve and him had sparred and he had even managed to hit Steve. Peter and Wilhelm walked out into the hallway and then down to another cross section where a hall cut through the middle of the house with the one wall facing out into a small atrium.

"Sir, if I may apologize—I don't mean to undermine what you're doing here. It's just—"

Wilhelm cut him off. "I just wanted to thank you, Peter," he said with a smile, one that Peter wasn't sure that he had seen from the man this whole time that he had been around him.

"You've given this old man a chance to finally pay back a wrong that was done a long time ago," he added.

For a moment, Peter thought about the kind of things that revenge was said to lead to. This wasn't all for nothing though, the White Whale was destroying whole settlement and stopping vital trade. It had terrorized the world for four centuries.

"I'm just glad that we're finally able to stand up and stop this thing," Peter said.

Despite it being right before dinner when their meeting stopped, some information was able to trickle in that very night from the nearby merchant guilds. When dinner had finished, Steve set out from the manor on his own and headed into the area of town near the brothel. It was the last place that he had spotted the Assassin Elsa. He figured that if he stuck his neck out she would bite—or try to kiss it. Whichever mood she was in today.

It wasn't long before he heard her fall in step behind him. The click of her shoes was distinct and it seemed to drown out the other sounds around them. He let her tail him for a bit and then stopped at a corner, the misty evening fog rising up around him. "I figured I would find you here," said Steve said as he turned to look at her.

She was dressed different now, less revealing. Though her dress was still form fitting there was a fur-lined hem across the busty and she was without her little cloak instead favoring heavier red coat.

"Hmm, you came looking for me then?" Elsa said. There was a quality to her tone that said she knew something, was concealing something that she just couldn't wait to tell.

"I'm guessing you know why I came?" Steve asked.

"It sounds like you need a favor. There's a little extra jingle in your pocket there—you have work for me?" Elsa said.

"Of a sort, but I also have a question. I assume you're part of some assassin guild, you're not just an independent contractor—so what do you know of the White Whale?"

Elsa blinked, trying to conceal her shock but this was such an unexpected question that even she was having a hard time seeing where it was going. "Everyone knows of the White Whale to some degree. I've never actually seen it up close, though."

"But assassins must have come across it or not returned with not sign of why?" Steve asked.

Elsa pushed her hair back over her shoulder. "I'd rather not spend a decade as a pile of meat or a bag of grapes—so I am going to decline to answer any questions about the Organization."

"What if my next question was, how do I go about hiring you?" Steve asked.

"Are you sure that you want to be seen with me, Steve Rogers," Elsa asked. "You've got the funk of that infernal-blooded blue maid all over you," she said sniffing the air.

"You've been watching me?" Steve asked.

Elsa chuckled, walking toward the awning of a building to lead him out of the main flow of the foot traffic. "Come on now, you knew that."

"Look, I don't want yo fixated on her," Steve said, chasing after her.

Elsa turned, pushing her back against the darkened window of a storefront as people passed not even turning to look at the assassin and the man from another world talking. "I think it's a fine match, despite what you may think of me I do now how to share. You're welcome to have us both—if your little maid would allow it."

"Let's get back to the matter at hand, I want to hire you to assassinate someone," Steve said.

"Hearing you say that set my little black heart aflutter," Elsa said. "Name your target and price."

The only thing left now was for Steve to sell her on it. He still wasn't all that sure himself what they were getting themselves into. Now wasn't the time for hesitation. "You won't be working alone this time and I'm paying one hundred blessed coins, not a penny more or less."

"I don't know what a penny is, but I would say that the target must be extremely high profile for it to be worth that kind of upfront money," Elsa said.

"They are because it's the White Whale," Steve said.

"Sounds like a suicide mission," Elsa said.

Steve sighed. "Not for you, you don't exactly die when you're told," he said.

Elsa stuck one of her long, slender fingers in between her lips and bit at the tip as she thought. "The thing is that I don't think people have ever really asked me to kill a mabeast before," she started. "And this is no ordinary mabeast at that."

"You were so interested in what's inside people's stomachs, what do you think you'd find if you cut open a big, full, four hundred year old mabeast's stomach?" He asked.

Elsa's eyes came alive and flicked upwards to look into his. She held his gaze for a moment, but the rest of her face remained as nonplused as ever. For a moment she said nothing and then she took a step back, looking more reserved than previously and smiled. "I will have to think about it," her voice was flatter and more level now.

"Wouldn't expect anything less," Steve said. "We still don't know exactly where the whale is going to be or when we're going to attack—I just know that it will be soon."

She produced one of the kukri, its slender, hooked blade glowed in the light subtly. "The window of the room next to yours is fully visible from the hill top near the manor where you are staying," Elsa started.

"Which room?"

"The one to the West—place this blade on the window cill when you know more about where the Whale will be. I will have my answer then," she said handing the weapon over.

"When I know something, I'll give the signal," Steve said.

Elsa melded back into the shadow of the busy street and moved off toward the alleyway, her silken black catching the glimmer of the lights as she passed under mana crystal glow. He turned the knife over in his hands as he watched her move silently away. She hadn't tried to attack him even once this time, not even in the playful way or in an attempt to get him to punish her for it. He couldn't say something in the moment because the simple act of her noticing her behavior might cause it to change, but now she was at least showing some other side of herself.

Maybe she wouldn't become a better person ever, but if she could find a way to focus whatever drove her there was a chance. And from he had heard of the White Whale, they needed all the help they could get. Steve had every intention to leave the knife in the window the moment he knew something more.

Little did he know that he would never get the chance.