Kyu hummed as she sat near the pond and strummed her shamisen. Ever since she had started showing in her pregnancy, Python insisted on her staying off of the battlefield. She thought he was being a bit ridiculous. Even as bloated as she was, she was sure she could more than handle her own. But Echidna and Branch both asked her to stay behind as well, so she reluctantly gave in. It wasn't often that those two were on the same page, so maybe they had a point.

Besides, she found her free time rather relaxing. Nice weather, with the others gone it was quiet, nobody but her and the incoming new member of their little family. Speaking of which. She winced and looked down towards her stomach. "Mm, either you're closer than I thought, or you enjoy the shamisen as much as I do," she said rubbing her belly.

The baby was already such an active little thing. It was kicking more and more each day. She could already tell it was a Titan, just like them. She could just feel.

She wondered what it would look like. What it would sound like. Would it take after Python and Typhon, or would another nine-tails be born into the world? She secretly hoped it was the ladder. She loved the idea of passing down all of her traditions and such to them. She would do that either way, but still.

She set her instrument down and sighed. She really hoped they managed to wrap up this war soon. She didn't like the idea of her child being born into this conflict. Python kept insisting they switch to more offensive tactics, forcing the mewmans back and finishing them off one and for all. She thought it was a bit extreme.

But as time went on, she was slowly starting to agree. If she had to spill blood, even innocent blood, to keep her child safe… well, that was just something she'd have to do.

Hopefully it wouldn't come to that though. Typhon was sure that at some point the mewmans would learn just how outmatched they really were and would finally leave them to themselves. Some of the others were more than a little doubtful, and Python was open with just how much he disagreed with his brother. But Typhon was the one they'd all chosen to follow, so they listened.

After taking a drink of water, she reached down to grab her shamisen again, only to find it missing. She looked down confused, and sure enough, it was gone. Her eyes widened. She set it here. She knew she did. She never misplaced her shamisen. Ever.

"Looking for this?"

She looked up and then saw a cloaked figure standing across from her, holding up the shamisen. It was a woman, who had her face covered and a blade at her side. Kyu glared, her eyes turning sharp. "You filthy little…" How did she get in here? There was no way a mewman should have been able to get past their border without being noticed, let alone inside the kingdom. "Put it down, now. Then maybe I'll let you leave alive."

The woman laughed and took a step back. "I don't think so. I know all about your little magic trick. Without this, you're useless. Defenseless. Vulnerable," she said before nodding off towards the side.

Another figure stepped out. This one was a man. He was also cloaked in black, though he had his weapons out and ready to strike. Kyu let out a low growl as he chuckled. "Beast of a woman," he said pointing his sword at her. "You didn't honestly think we would sit by and do nothing while another of your foul kind would be born to this world."

Kyu huffed. "So that's what this is? An assassination attmept? How pathetic," she said getting ready to get up. She then winced and grabbed her stomach. "Uh, now? Settle down for a bit…" she muttered looking down at her belly. Was it reacting to her being on edge? Or just having another kicking fit?

"Don't bother trying to fight back. It'll be easier this way," he said as he made his way towards her. "Don't worry, you're just the first. We'll make sure the rest of those savages are next, so you and the child won't be lonely for very long." He looked excited as he loomed closer towards her. They would name him the Titan Slayer after this.

Kyu grit her teeth and brought her claw out, ready to swipe and take his head off the moment he got within her reach. But before he could bring his sword back to swing, they heard a loud bark. Nobody had time to even react to what happened next.

Orthus pounced on top of the man, a savage look in his eyes. Before he even had time to scream or call for help, Orthrus heads snapped down and chomped. He was dead before he even had a chance to struggle, but the two headed beast ripped apart what was left of him for good measure.

Kyu hummed, as the female mewman looked on in horror. The canines timing really couldn't have been better. She looked up towards her other attacker. "Orthrus, fetch." Orthrus raised his head with a growl towards the woman, who looked horrified. She quickly turned and ran off, but Orthrus quickly sped after her.

Though she managed to make it around the corner, she didn't get much further before Orthrus caught her. Kyu heard her horrified screams for a while, then heard the unmistakable sound of jaws snapping before there was silence. She waited patiently, then smiled when Orthrus came back around the corner.

The fur around his mouths were stained with blood, one of them carrying her Shamisen, while the other carried what was left of his prey. "Good boy," she said, taking her instrument back and patting him on the head. She had thought Python was being overprotective when he ordered him to stay and look after her, but it came in handy.

Orthrus painted happily at the praise, but then suddenly began sniffing. He growled and turned his head towards the distance. Kyu narrowed her eyes. It seemed like they still had more rats to deal with.

Hekapoo leaned against the wall nervously, wondering what was taking them so long. This was supposed to have been a quick mission. In and out. They better not have botched it up and gotten caught. Not after they and the others had roped her into this stupid thing.

She had been reluctant to carry this out for a number of reasons. Not the least of which was that assassinating a mother and unborn kid left a bad taste in her mouth. But she was the only one who could get them in and out quickly enough to carry it out. The others said that it was a necessary evil. That she'd get used to it.

She didn't know if she really wanted to get used to something like this.

It wasn't that long ago that Typhon was a member of the commission. A comrade, a close friend, practically family even. So even though the others had all been in agreement that he needed to be stopped after what happened with the Queen, she still felt hesitant about it.

She and Typhon were… close. Sure they teased each other, but he treated her… well, like a little sister. Not just a young naive little annoyance they kept around because of her abilities. They screwed around, they goofed off, they had fun. She just knew when she sided with the Queen over him, it felt like a stab in the back. And it was hard to blame him.

"I should have known…"

The redhead gasped and then ducked just an instant before the wall behind her was sliced clean in half. She jumped back, and then turned around to see Kyu riding on Orthrus back. The nine-tails glared as she raised her pick. "Don't bother looking for your little lackey's. Their dead," she said, strumming her shamisen.

Hekapoo leapt out of the way as quickly as she could, reaching for her scissors. Kyu kept on playing, and Hekapoo moved at full speed. Slices and cuts kept appearing right behind Hekapoo, going deep into the ground and wall around her.

The redhead flipped forward and tried to move in to attack, but Kyu played again, and Hekapoo was forced to jump back. This time however, a cut managed to get her across the leg. She winced and fell to the ground. "Got you…" Kyu strummed the shamisen and Hekapoo looked panicked.

Suddenly a figure swooped down between the two. Typhon held one of his wings up, blocking whenever unseen force Kyu had sent Hekapoo's away. The attack didn't seem to faze him, but a few of his feathers were ruffled. "What are you doing?!" Kyu shouted. "Orthrus!"

Orthrus rushed towards Hekapoo until Typhon spoke. "Sit." He slid to a stop, and Kyu looked down at him in disbelief. He looked over his shoulder down towards her. "Leave, now. And never come back," he said dangerously.

For a moment Hekapoo hesitated, but then she quickly swiped her scissors and scurried off. Kyu looked furious. She turned towards the king with fury in her eyes. "How could you?!" she asked. "How could you just let her go! After everything she'd done! She just tried to kill me! To kill Python's child! To kill your own flesh and blood!"

Typhon grunted. "She won't come back. She-"

"She's an enemy!" Kyu growled. "She's not your alley, your little sister, or whatever else she was before! She betrayed you, and you let her go!"

"She isn't coming back. She's a young foolish little-"

"You had the nerve to accuse Python of weakness, and then go and do something like that?" she asked. Typhon narrowed his eyes towards her, but she didn't back down. "If she comes back, if she harms even a single hair on this child's head, I will never forgive you," she warned.

Typhon looked like he was about to blow up for a moment, but then let out a breath. "If she touches the child, you can have my head," he said.

"I will hold you to that," she said, bawling her fist up.

She walked off, still fuming over what had happened. It wasn't as if she didn't understand. She knew why he'd done what he did. And in any other situation she might have sympathized with him. But this wasn't any other situation. It was her situation.

When it came to her family, she would take no risk. No chances. If that meant she had to slaughter one or two of his or her old friends, then so be it.

Typhon stood and ran a hand over his face. Orthrus walked over and nudged him, and he patted the beasts on the head. Had it been someone else, anyone else, he was sure he wouldn't have stopped Kyu. More than likely he would have killed them himself.

But Hekapoo… she was young a stupid. Too scared to rebel against the Commission, who she thought of as family. Had he been furious when she sided against him? Of course. But there was some small part of him that couldn't bring himself to think of her as an enemy. He had stepped in and saved her on instinct.

Years later he'd regret that decision. Along with many others.

A/N: I've been doing a lot of future content, so thought I'd take some time into the past! Kyu has a particular dislike of Hekapoo, and this is why. This little stung was a huge reason she and Python butt heads with Typhon. Before he left the Commission he and Hekapoo probably had the most sibling like relationship in the group. So even after they became enemies he had a hard time committing to taking her out.

Now though, he's just looking for an excuse. He probably wants to take her down the most since he actually did consider her a friend at one point as she screwed him over after sparring her. (What happened with Rosetta really did make him snap) There's a whole lotta drama going on behind the scenes!

And as for Kyu. Her title might be "The Elegant" but the moment her family is threatened that goes right out of the window. Few things worst than pissing off a mothering protecting her child. When the Titanic Ten arc comes around she's gonna be someone to fear.

Hope you guys enjoyed!