The fourth day of their unexpected stay in St. Ursula proved to be the first quiet one for the duo. After returning the previous afternoon they were subjected to a stern scolding from Cecile, but fortunately no other consequences as the nurse was the only one who knew of their departure and was kind enough to let it slide, provided they both promise her that it would never happen again. This they promptly did, as the face the saintly nurse was giving them was actually pretty intimidating for the two who had fought ancient horrors of legend.

Currently, Rean found himself completely alone. It had taken some convincing, but he managed to convince Fie that she didn't need to wait by his bedside all the time and that he would be fine by himself for a bit. Given that she had taken her gunblades when she left he suspected she had gone to fight some monsters on Ursula Road. There was no reason for her to let her skill get rusty because she was cooped up indoors with him, after all.

It was touching and a little humerus just how much of a mother hen the normally carefree girl could be. It was actually a little stifling at times how overprotective she was being, but he didn't dare call her out on it. Mostly because he knew that had their roles been reversed he would be doing the same thing.

Still, this meant that he was completely alone in the most boring place known to man; a hospital room. He briefly contemplated taking a nap, but that wasn't something he tended to do in the middle of the day. He wasn't Fie, after all. The exquisite lute he received from Elliot was tempting, but he didn't think he was quite in the mood for it at the moment. The gift from Machias, however...


Fie let out a yawn as she made her return to the hospital. She hated to admit it, but Rean was right. She really did need this opportunity to go out and cause some havoc. She just wished she could have done more. Fighting groups of large aggressive monsters with sharp teeth and even sharper claws was good for a light exercise, but not much more.

It was almost lunch time so she decided to stop at the cafeteria and grab something to bring back and share with Rean. Thus far she had been pleased with the food the hospital offered and was looking forward to trying something else. She didn't really worry about Rean's opinion, as her partner had been a total glutton ever since he was freed to eat normal food again. Understandable given the situation, but that wouldn't stop her from teasing him about it the next time he devoured an entire meal without even checking to see what it actually was.

Detour finished, she resumed her trek back to his room. Having his room be so far up was something of a hassle, but the fact it gave them almost an entire floor of the hospital to themselves more than made up for it. A shame there were so many people outside during the day, as she was fairly certain she could leap up from the side of the building and reach the roof, even with the extra fencing they had placed, presumably to keep people or monsters from doing just that.

After a short trek, an elevator ride, another trek, another elevator ride, and one final trek, she arrived back to her home away from home. Rean didn't react at all when she burst through the door unannounced, causing her to pout as she had hoped to surprise him. As a matter of fact, he barely reacted to her presence at all, so engrossed was he in the paper in his hands.

Now she knew Rean. She would even be willing to say there isn't a single person alive that knew Rean as well as she did. So to see him engrossed while reading the Imperial Chronicle was nothing new. He was a total dork like that. What was new, however, was the dopey grin currently on his face as he read whatever it was that caught his interest so.

"Whatcha reading?" She asked when it became clear he wasn't paying the least bit of attention to her.

"The Imperial Chronicle."

That was pretty much the most useless response she had ever heard in her life. The deadpan glare she shot at him in that moment might have been her masterpiece, sculpted through years of diligent stupidity on the part of her friends and mentor figure. A shame that Rean, still engrossed in whatever article he was reading, never even looked to see it.

"Really? I never would have guessed." She groused miserably. The grin that formed on his face after that comment made her well aware of the fact that he knew exactly what he was doing, which only served to annoy her further. "Now why don't you try this again and tell me something useful for a change."

"Sorry, sorry." That jerk wasn't sorry at all. "Reading a fascinating article about 'The Hero of Erebonia'."

She blinked. Didn't Rean hate seeing those articles about himself? "Reading about yourself? Isn't that rather narcissistic of you?"

"Huh? Oh, no. The Ashen Chevalier is old news. There's a new hero now. See for yourself."

He turned the paper around to show her the front and her breath caught in her throat. Why? Because of the picture on the front page. It was a picture she was all too familiar with, as it was the same thing she saw whenever she looked in a mirror. "I think Vivi did a phenomenal job on this one." He added, taking amusement in the growing look of horror on her face.

She all but ripped the paper out of his hands in order to get a closer look. 'THE STORY OF SYLPHID' read the title, with the subheading under it reading 'From child soldier to hero, the tale of one girl who overcame the odds, snagged a Chevalier, and stopped a revolt'. And like Rean said, the name of her soon-to-be former friend was plastered under it as the author.

She continued to stare unblinking at the article, almost too afraid to read further. Sure her name had been mentioned in the news many times, either in her role as a member of Class VII or as the lover of the Ashen Chevalier, but that had been fine. She was never one to standout among her classmates and while news of her engagement to Rean had drawn lots of interest, she mostly served as an accessory to the next part of the tale of the Ashen Chevalier and the focus wasn't on herself. This however was completely different. Swallowing down the pit forming in her stomach, she decide to read further.

'One of the most frequent comments we have received since publishing our special on the recent conflict was curiosity in regards to Fie Claussell, the bracer who infiltrated the enemy stronghold, fought over a hundred enemy soldiers, and saved the man she loved. As someone who has been one of her closest friend for the past five years, I feel as if it is my duty to clear the confusion and share her tale with our readers.

Nobody, not even her, knows where she originated from. She was one of many nameless children orphaned after a conflict in a faraway land. Like many children from those days, she was taken in by one of the jaeger corps and raised by the mercenaries. It obviously wasn't the easiest life to live, but it was her life, and her family. At least it was until the leader of that corp was killed and the group disbanded, leaving the girl by her lonesome.

Fate soon intervened, and that abandoned girl found herself at Thor's Military Academy Class VII where I first met her. I remember those days well. We were in the same club together, but she barely spoke and spent most of her days sleeping. Despite that, she was always alert and I never managed to successfully prank her, despite my best efforts.

A few months into the year and her past as a former jaeger leaked out. Most of the students shied away from her and even I was somewhat wary of her, but not everyone feared her. Slowly but surely she started opening up, bit by bit, and a few people managed to worm their way into her heart.

One of them, as everyone is now well aware, was a certain young noble from Ymir. Perhaps it was due to the fact that he also was searching for his place in the world, being an adopted noble in a world where that was considered taboo, but the two got along swimmingly. They were both incredibly awkward individuals, but I recall all the times she would light up and genuinely smile whenever he came to assist her with her club activities.

Now, I don't need to tell you all about the exploits of Class VII, but you can rest assured that the young girl played an integral role in the events that ensued, both in the Civil War and the Great War. Even when members of her old jaeger corp fought against them she never backed down, fighting with all she had to protect her new family.

It was a surprise to pretty much none of us when the Ashen Chevalier confessed to his Sylphid the day before that final battle and the two have been together ever since. Although the crisis that rocked his nation has passed, they continue to serve the people of Erebonia as members of the Bracer Guild and are a common sight in the capital. Make sure to give them a shout if you see them!

Despite her many accomplishments she is still a quiet girl who loves to stay away from the spotlight. I am sure that when she ends up reading this she is going to be very unhappy with me, but I can't help myself! You deserve all the praise in the world and more. And I know Rean agrees, as he has pestered me many a time to write an article about you.

And one last exclusive piece of news. Multiple sources have confirmed to me that our heroic couple has finally set a date for their special day. I am sure all of Erebonia and beyond will celebrate their love on April 1 of next year. To most they are Sylphid and the Ashen Chevalier, members of the legendary Class VII and heroes of Erebonia, but to me they will always be Fie and Rean, two of my dearest friends. And to them I send all my love.'

Even after she finished reading the last of the words she continued to stare at the offensive article, as if hoping she could cause it to spontaneously combust. Why would Vivi, the prankster who never bothered to put in any real effort in anything besides hes pranks, write something so sickly saccharine about her? "Vivi's dead." She stated as calmly as possible, as if that did anything to hide the burning blush consuming her face.

It didn't help that Rean had been laughing at her ever since she started reading, which only served to infuriate her more. "That reminds me..." She muttered as she glared at him, causing the mirth to die on his face. "She wrote that you had been pestering her to write this article." He opened his mouth to defend himself, but she stopped him by placing a finger over his lips. "Before you begin, I want you to understand that the next words you say might very well be the final words you say if I don't like them. Now you can speak."

He gulped nervously, as if understanding that her statement was not made in jest. "Well, um... It's actually a funny story... Haha..."

She didn't say anything, but the fact that her gunblades were now in her hands made it quite obvious to the 'hero' that his time on this planet was very limited if he kept continuing to stall.

"It's actually Sara's fault. She was the one who first suggested the idea to me. And Laura too! She was always telling me how much it annoyed her that your role in everything wasn't given as much attention as the rest of us. And plus, Vivi was exaggerating. I only mentioned it like once or twice at most!"

"Blaming everyone else? Hmm..." She hummed to herself as she observed him very carefully. Despite his honest nature and kind appearance Rean could actually tell a decent lie when pressed, but she was one of the few who would never be fooled by his deceptions. Fortunately for him... "Alright, you're telling the truth."

Rean exhaled, but Fie wasn't finished. "However! You seem to be under the assumption that I only have enough wrath in me to murder just one of you! I will hunt them all down later, but it's time for your punishment!" She prepared to strike.

Now visibly panicking, Rean said the only thing he could think of that might possibly stave off his execution. "I love you!?"

Fie paused. "Aww, that's sweet. I love you too." But the pause was brief. "Wait for me when you arrive at Aidios's side. We will be together in the next life. Goodbye, Rean." With that, she swung.

While Rean was almost completely certain she had no real intention of murdering him, the sight of one of her gunblades rapidly advancing towards his head was enough to cause him to flinch and shut his eyes. As expected, he didn't die in that instant, as instead he felt the blade pass a singe rege from his face. He opened his eyes to find his face obscured by... "Hair?" Sure enough, reaching up he found that it was indeed his hair and that his front bangs had been unevenly cut and was now extremely short.

"Mmm." Fie confirmed with a nod, grinning down at the confused swordsman. "You've gone months without getting it cut. It's annoying. Now you have to get it trimmed or go around looking like a clown."

"Really? That's it?" He asked after that complete mood change.

She shrugged. "I'm pissed, but can't really do anything about it, can I? Still gonna call Vivi and the others and give them a piece of my mind tonight..."

Reaching a hand up to his head, Rean felt around for where the hair should have been, before sighing. "You know it will be at least a week before I can go see a barber to get my hair taken care of, right? I'm gonna be stuck looking like this-" He trailed off, noticing the hopeful smile Fie was sending him. He knew exactly what she wanted him to ask, but he was skeptical. "Do you even know how to cut hair?"

"Yup!" I did it all the time when I was in Zephyr before they made me a full member. I think I did a pretty good job of it."

Ah yes, he was completely sure that group of hardened killers really cared about how they looked. More likely they just decided to humor the small girl and let her do what she wanted. But was he any different? He might not have been the hardened killer that the members of Zephyr were, but like them he didn't place much stock in his appearance. And like them he was about to humor Fie because he would never refuse such a silly request from her, especially not with that hopeful look she was giving him.

"Sure, why not?" Even if he was still unsure how he would end up looking after this, it was still worth it to see her eyes light up in joy from his agreement.

"Yay! Let's get you to the bathroom!" Not wanting to get hair in his bed, he readily complied with that request. He didn't fail to notice that the journey wasn't as hard as it had been. Doctor Seiland had told them earlier that his legs were healing remarkably well thanks to healing arts and the strong constitution unique to trained warriors. She believed that it would only be a couple more days until the casts would be coming off and he could start putting weight on them.

Once they reached their destination he sat and watched as Fie scurried around, looking for all the tools she would need for the task ahead. He wasn't sure where she got them, but it was only a few seconds later that the silver-haired girl returned with a pair of sharp looking scissors and a towel that she had him put on.

He had expected her to start right in, but he should have known better that Fie didn't do things normal. Instead the girl started circling around him like a bird of prey, searching for something that he couldn't begin to fathom. After a few seconds of this awkward silence she found whatever it was she was looking for, as her eyes suddenly narrowed in concentration and she lunged forward with the hand holding the scissors.

'Snip!'

She giggled happily as the first strand of hair left his head on its long journey to the ground. He had no idea what she found so funny, but he had no recourse but to sit there and take it. Apparently that first cut was all she was waiting for, as soon after she began cutting in earnest.

'Snip! Snip! Snip!' Was all he heard as he remained perfectly still while the girl worked. He was slightly concerned, as she just appeared to be circling around him and cutting any hairs that personally offended her without any apparent strategy in mind, but said nothing lest he ruin her concentration. It was actually pretty adorable the few times he saw her face, as she was so focused on the task at hand that her tongue was sticking out.

They continued in silence for a while, but it was a peaceful silence and he didn't mind one bit. About fifteen minutes after she started, she finished. "Ta-da! What do you think?" She asked, gesturing towards the nearby mirror.

Curious, he inspected his own visage. "It's..."

"It's...?" Fie parroted impatiently. "It's awesome? Amazing? The best haircut you've ever gotten?" She puffed out her chest in pride at her handiwork.

"...It's a bit short." He finished at last, grinning as he watched her deflate. Really she should know better than to fish for compliments.

As fun as it was to see her pouting face, he decided to correct the situation lest she get vengeful. "Still, it's not half-bad. It's cut pretty well and it won't take long to grow back the way I like it. Thanks, Fie." He concluded with a smile, causing her to beam back at him.


Day six of his time at St. Ursula. A day he had been looking forward to for a while. What made this day so significant? Doctor Seiland had finally deemed his legs healthy enough for him to begin using them. Something which he was very excited to begin.

Fie was excited for his sake too, but her excitement was tempered by experience. "Just don't rush it." She had warned him. "I remember back in Zephyr a few jaegers who tried acting healthier than they actually were. The lucky ones merely hurt themselves in camp, but a few brought their wounds to the battlefield. Boss got so fed up that he eventually hired a professional doctor to the corp and gave him full authority over the injured."

It was the kind of good practical advice he had come to expect from her when she wasn't trying to be his own personal demon, but at the same time he couldn't help but want to push himself. It had been over a week since the train incident and he really wanted to be free of his confines. He just had to have faith that he knew his body well enough to push it without going past his limits...

The first few hours were spent doing simple leg exercises in the bed. It wasn't much, but after having not used the limbs for so long it was a strange experience for him. His legs were sore and felt stiff, but that was a far superior feeling to what he had been experiencing prior.

Once he felt comfortable enough with his own body he swung his legs out from the bed and set his feet on the ground, with Fie watching him like a hawk. Unfortunately he didn't yet have the strength to pull himself to his feet on his own, but she was there to give him a hand. She looked ready to continue supporting him but as he stood there he felt solid enough on his own two feet that he waved her off. She frowned at that rejection, but acquiesced and gave him the space he wanted.

It wasn't the most comfortable feeling standing there, but he felt confident in his strength and prepped himself for the first move. Slowly he shuffled one foot forward in an awkward attempt at a step. After that came another. He thought she might crack a joke about him moving around like an old man, but the girl remained silent as she stared at him intensely.

Growing in confidence he decided to push himself a little further. Instead of shuffling he instead lifted his left leg into the air. He wasn't even intending on taking a step, just curious to see if he could support the weight of his body on one leg.

And that's when his knee buckled and he collapsed onto the ground.

Or at least he would have if Fie hadn't been prepared for that possibility and used her supreme dexterity to catch him before he could hurt himself. It took him a second to recover from that terrifying spill. Once he did he turned his head to glance at his savior... And realized just how badly he had screwed up.

Fie was angry.

Angry might actually have been an understatement. He honestly couldn't remember the last time his lover looked so livid. And the part that made it worse? It was all because of him.

"Fie, I-"

"You absolute idiot!" She hissed at him. "Did you even listen to a word I said, or did you just decide to ignore me instead!?"

He really wished she had just let him fall, as that would spare him the guilt of having to look into her eyes, now glistening with unshed tears as she held him in her arms. "I-I'm sorry. I let myself get carried away..."

Her eyes softened. Just a little bit. "I know you did. You're a big dummy who tends to get carried away and make other people worry about you. But... "Some of the anger bled out of her eyes as she adopted a more sheepish expression. "I probably shouldn't be that mad at you. I can't imagine how much it must suck for you being stuck like this and I have a feeling that if it were me in your position I probably would have done something far stupider..."

Honestly he could picture such a scenario in his head, but he was smart enough to not agree with her in that moment. "Maybe so, but I'm the one who did it. Thanks for catching me, by the way."

"Anytime." She frowned as Rean pulled himself to his feet, using her to support himself. "You aren't seriously gonna do this again, are you?"

"Maybe, but only if your offer of assistance still stands?"

"Hmm... Better. It seems you can learn your lesson. In that case, sure, lean on me all you like. Just know that if you fall again I'm gonna carry you back to bed like a sack of potatoes."

He knew she could too. Despite her smaller frame the girl was deceptively powerful and could lift a grown man with ease. Still, despite his earlier mishap he was still pretty confident that he could remain upright as long as she was supporting him.

And he did. But just barely. He hated to admit it, but it was harder than he had expected. Still, he was determined to carry on, even if he was more cognizant of his physical limitations. Fie had suggested the duo leave the building and relax on the roof for a while, which he had agreed to. There was just one tiny problem with the walk...

"If you move any slower I'm gonna turn into Sara before we finish!" Now that he was willing to let her support him she was finally making fun of him. Apparently when you're the fastest person alive (or at least the fastest person that Rean had met), moving at a snail's pace must feel like torture. And she let him know about it. Without end. "Are we even moving?"

"You know your constant complaints aren't helping matters at all, right?" He finally shot back after the fourth or fifth time she mocked him.

Her grin let him know that she had been waiting for that. "I know, but it's funny the way your eye twitches every time I say something." She admitted with a cheeky grin, causing him to roll his eyes in exasperation. "You shouldn't let yourself get so stressed out. Your hair will turn white if you keep it up." She gasped in mock realization. "Was that it? Was the entire Great Twilight just one big midlife crisis for Rean Schwarzer?"

He did his best to glare at the girl from his position leaning on her. "If it was it was only because I had to deal with a certain pain in the ass girl all the time."

"For shame, Rean. You aren't wrong, but no teacher should say things like that about their students. Poor Musse..."

"You're incorrigible, you know that?"

She grinned cheekily at him in return. "For your sake I'm gonna take that as a compliment. But if you must know, there's a reason I said all that."

"Oh really?" He asked, skepticism blatant in his tone. "And what possible reason do you have for being my personal demon?"

The way she giggled made it clear that she thought she knew something that he didn't, and it annoyed the hell out of him. "If you really wanna know... Take a look around."

"Huh?" Heeding her advice, he did just that. "Wait... When did we get outside?"

"I saw you struggling, so I thought a distraction might do you some good. Easier to push yourself when you aren't focused on the pain. And I got to tease you the entire trip! We all got to win!"

Damnit all. He hated when she was right like that. "If you're waiting for me to praise you you're gonna be waiting for a long time..."

She pouted in some adorable combination of consternation and annoyance. "Aww, c'mon. You know I was right. Admit it." It was a good thing his injuries had mostly all healed at his point as she poked him without thinking, before realization settled in and she looked up at him in concern.

"Or you could, oh I don't know, try positive reinforcement next time?" He shot back, both to prove his point and to reassure the silver-haired woman that he was fine. "Pretty sure if I tried to copy your methods when I was an instructor it would have ended poorly for me..." Ash would have attacked him for sure. Juna too, thinking about it. Musse would be over-dramatic and somehow turn his words against him. Kurt probably would have taken his words too seriously and redoubled his efforts. Altina... He didn't even want to think about Altina. She would have been devastated if he had said such harsh things to her, even in jest.

"Meh. Positive reinforcement is boring." She said, easily dismissing his suggestion. Realizing that they had been standing there on the roof the past few minutes, Fie pointed to a nearby bench before wordlessly dragging him with her. "Let's relax for a couple of minutes before we head back."

He hated to admit it, but he was definitely feeling the exertion from that short trip, so a rest sounded pretty good in that moment. Still... "I know you and benches. 'A couple of minutes' totally means a nap, doesn't it?" That didn't stop him from taking a seat next to her, however.

She couldn't help but avert her gaze with a tinge of red as he called her out so quickly. "I... did not!" She insisted weakly. "But now that you mention it... It would be a bit of a waste if we didn't enjoy ourselves a bit. You were able to make such a long journey that I think you're ready to resume your role as my favorite pillow."

"I didn't say I was opposed to the idea." He clarified, causing her to perk up. "Haven't had the chance to relax outdoors since the day you kidnapped me. Not passing up this chance."

"Glad you agree, but..." She trailed off as she guided him onto a laying position before joining him. The bench was too small for them to lie next to each other, but sleeping on top of him was perfectly acceptable too. "...Shut up. Pillows don't talk."

He did his best to keep his humor under control as he knew the already slumbering girl would complain about pillows laughing. Instead he allowed himself to relax and enjoy the moment. It wasn't the same as walking around and regaining his strength, but managing to sleep with his beloved was another sign that he was getting close to a return to normalcy and that made the moment all the more worthwhile.


This was it. The ninth and final day of their stay at the hospital. Doctor Seiland had deemed him fit enough to return home and eventually resume his bracer duties, so long as he understood that he still wasn't in peak form. Which he did, as even without practicing with his sword he could instinctively tell just how rusty his body really was.

Despite that, he was obviously excited to return home and start training his body for real. It would take a few days, but at least he would be doing something productive instead of laying around all day. And plus, Fie had made it quite clear that she would continue to stick by his side, so even the most mundane of training exercises suddenly sounded a lot better.

That is if he could convince his partner that he was ready to go. "You heard the doctor, Fie. I'm fine." He insisted as the girl continued to circle him while gazing intensely at his body.

"Mmm..." She hummed with a noncommittal tone while she continued her analysis. To make it even worse she started poking his legs and chest, seeking a reaction. He thought about shooing her away, but knew it would be easier to simply let her have her fun, so he did, even if those pokes were annoying. "Alright, you seem fine."

He rolled his eyes at her stubbornness. "You could have taken my word for it, you know. Or maybe that of the doctor?"

"Shush, you. This is important. Now that I know you're healthy I can finally fulfill the promise I made that night I rescued you."

He blinked in confusion. "What pro-"

And was interrupted as she sucker punched him in the stomach. Good thing his bed was right behind him as her blow knocked him onto his butt.

'And after that? After that I'm gonna punch you for even thinking about suggesting that I leave you.'

"You remember now, don't you?" She asked as she watched the Ashen Chevalier struggle to fill his lungs with air. "You wanted me to leave you behind!"

Since he was still unable to speak, she continued while glaring at him. "Well sorry to say, but that's never gonna happen! You're the asshole who stole my heart and you need to start taking responsibility for that. And that means you are not allowed to die until I tell you you can. Well sorry to say, but that isn't happening for a long long time. And if you do somehow end up in Gehenna I will find a way down there and drag your sorry butt right back here!"

She narrowed her eyes in annoyance when he opened his mouth in an attempt to speak. This was not the time for Rean to speak. As a matter of fact, it still wasn't time for Rean to breathe. Fortunately, she had just the solution.

Grabbing him by the shoulders she dragged him back onto his feet before smashing her lips against his. It was a rough kiss, but it succeeded in her goal of stealing his breath away. Perhaps he was too dazed or overwhelmed by the moment, but he barely responded to her actions. But that was fine with her, as she took the moment to pour all of her feelings into that moment. Her fear of losing him. The despair that nearly consumed her. And most importantly, her unyielding feelings of love towards the man who taught her how to be happy.

Although she wasn't quite ready to end the moment, Rean really did need oxygen judging by the unhealthy looking purple that was starting to color his face. So with great reluctance, she pulled away before looking at him with great warmth. "So here's what's gonna happen. We're going to continue being bracers and we'll kick Ouroboros's ass. We'll explore the world together. After that we are gonna get married. And further down the line we will settle down and have five... no, six kids together."

"Six?" Whether it was shock from her words or the fact he was pushing himself to speak through the lack of oxygen, but his reply came out as an adorable little squeak.

"Yup. You promised me a family and I think I want a big one. So I hope you're ready for that."

She was waiting for him to protest her decision, but to her surprise he merely started laughing. "Alright, alright. Six it is." He agreed easily enough once he stopped. "But before we do all that we need to start simple. So how about we go back home?"