Shez and Balthus clashed. Shez's blades met with the man's sliver gauntlets, sparks flying from the collision. This entire battle was taking place under the premise of a misunderstanding, but Balthus wasn't in a talking mood. He'd punch first and ask questions later. Shez realized there was no way out of this fight and decided to give it everything she had. "I don't know what you think I am, but I'm not going to lose to you!" Shez said while leaping back, only to rush forward again. She aimed a quick series of slashes with both of her swords at Balthus, aiming to use her speed to overwhelm the man.

"I know what you are!" Balthus said with a grin, using his size and surprising speed to keep up with Shez. He was bigger and stronger, which gave him an advantage over the mercenary. She was unable to land a blow against Balthus since he used his Gauntlets to defend against her attacks. "You're a bounty hunter who came for my head! I dunno who sent you, but sneaking into the monastery dressed as a student? You're pretty GOOD!" As he said that last word, his fist rocketed for Shez's stomach.

"Gh...!" Shez brought her swords up to block against the hit, but she was still skidding backwards across the ground from that impact. Shez winced, feeling her arms tingle despite the fact she managed to protect herself. Balthus was strong as all hell. "I AM a student!"

"Yeah, I bet you are!" Balthus scoffed at Shez's words. Clearly he didn't believe her or had any intention of listening to what she had to say. So, they really were going to have to settle this with their weapons. "C'mon, I hope that's not all you got! I'm just starting to enjoy the warm up!"

"This guy thinks you're out to kill him...and he's fairly strong, too. I have no idea what sort of enemies this man has made, or why he's down here, but you should be able to win!" Arval was giving Shez encouragement. Balthus clearly knew his way around a fight, but so did his partner in destiny!

"Yeah, no way I'm losing to this oversized sewer rat!" Shez began to sprint forward again, dragging her swords along the ground. Sparks flew from her blades and she was making a straight shot to Balthus.

"That's not gonna work a second time!" Balthus said while preparing to intercept Shez. Just when he thought she was about to swing, she surprised him by leaping over him with a front flip. "Huh!?" Balthus couldn't stop his own momentum, and he felt two blades cut across his back. So he let out a shout out pain and stumbled forward. He was able to turn around, only to see Shez pressing her momentum. The purple haired mercenary charged again, aiming both of her swords to slash at Balthus.

'HAAAH!" She was aiming for the finishing blow. But unfortunately for her, Balthus wasn't the type to go down so easily. Just as she swung both of her swords, he blocked them with a single arm, deflecting them due to his gauntlets. HIs other arm was reared back. "You're pretty good, but I'm better!" He aimed a focused punch at Shez's face, slamming into her cheek.

"AH!" Shez grunted as the sheer force from Balthus's punch sent Shez tumbling along the ground. She was able to catch herself, stabbing both of her blades into the ground to halt her momentum. There was a bruise on her cheek and she turned her side to spit out some blood. That was a damn good punch. "He really is tough...just who the hell is he?"

"C'mon..." Balthus said while panting a bit. The rush of adrenaline he was finally feeling kept him from feeling the pain in his back. It just fueled his desire to win this unexpected bout even more. On top of that, the wounds on his back healed a little bit after landing that punch. It wasn't healed completely, but it was noticeable enough to where it wasn't going to slow him down anymore. "Don't tell me you're running out of steam yet! You're probably the toughest one that's come for me so far. But coming for me alone? Nobody's been that lucky yet!"

"You're luck's gonna run out..." Shez said while picking herself up. This was just a brawl now. Shez wanted to win, too...

.

.

The noises that Byleth heard in the middle of the night came from Edelgard's room It came from the Princess herself due to nightmares. While the Professor had no intention of prying too much, she did attempt to get at the heart of the matter. So she invited Edelgard to just take a seat outside the dorms. They were sitting on a bench, alone in the night. "Are you okay, Edelgard...? You sounded like you were scared."

Edelgard was silent at first. This wasn't exactly something she wanted to burden or share with anyone. The only other person who was probably aware of her nightmares was Hubert, but for her sake, he acted as if things were normal. "...It's not something I want to trouble you with." Edelgard said. The fresh air was nice though, she did need it. "They're just worthless dreams of the past. Talking about them won't change anything."

Byleth could tell that this subject was touchy for Edelgard. "Well...I suppose it's not majorly my business. But I feel like I'd be a bad Professor if I didn't try to help you when needed. So...you don't have to talk to me about it right now, but I do want you to know you can come to me if you have any troubles." This was an offer she extended to all of her students, and a few of them had taken her up on it already.

"..." Edelgard felt strange. Byleth had a strange charm. Perhaps it was due to the Professor's strangeness, but she could detect no lies or trickey within her words. Byleth was truly trying to help her. With a quiet sigh, Edelgard relented. "I suppose I could try. But only on the condition that you not tell a soul."

"You have my word." Byleth gave a firm nod.

"I appreciate it." Edeglard felt like she could trust Byleth. As a Professor, she was more than reliable enough. "I dream of my older brother, paralyzed helpless...my older sister crying for help that never came, the youngest babbling words beyond meaning. I see my family dying slowly, waiting in the darkest depths for a glimmer of light." Edelgard glanced down at her lap, a breeze blowing past. "I once had eight older siblings and two younger. And yet, I am to ascend to the throne? Do you know why?"

Byleth could hazard a guess. This was only a glimpse into Edelgard's past, but she could see so much pain behind it. "...I'm sorry, Edelgard. That's horrible." She was a mercenary in the past, yes. But whatever experience Edelgard went through was far beyond anything she'd ever done to a person. "How could such a thing happen?"

How, indeed. Edelgard's mind flashed back to Kronya and Myson. "In the end, I was the only one left to inherit the throne. The darkness kept getting darker, and I was the only one who survived. Now it seems like that same darkness swallowed a friend of mine as well...so I am the only one left who can carry the Empire. Those nightmares are a reminder to never forget...to never allow such terrible things to happen again..."

"I see..." Byleth wasn't sure how to respond at first. This was a lot of information. "I'm sure you won't lose to the darkness."

"...I won't." Edelgard wasn't expecting those words. It was so hard to get a read on Byleth; her expression never changed, but the words she said were...reassuring. "It appears I shared more than I intended. But...thank you for listening, Professor Byleth."

"Mm. I don't mind listening." Byleth gives a nod. Even Jeralt would say that listening was one of Byleth's most consistent traits. "I suppose we should be heading back now..."

And yet, as Byleth said this, she and Edelgard were noticed by Ashe. "Oh, Professor Byleth...! Edelgard! I'm glad I found you..."

"Ashe? Is something the matter?" Edelgard tilted her head. She couldn't exactly ask why he was up at this hour, all things considered.

"You're up late." Byleth said.

"I...I couldn't sleep." Ashe admitted. Thinking about the situation with Lonato weighed heavily on his mind, but that didn't matter right now. "It's about Shez."

"...What about her?" Byleth suddenly stood up.

"Well, I noticed her leaving to go buy something earlier..." Ashe said. "But she hasn't come back yet. I got a little worried so I looked out to see her, and she turned a corner nearby and hasn't returned...!"

"Did she get lost again?" Edelgard pinched the bridge of her nose. "I swear, that girl..." There was a small rumble nearby. It was enough to catch their attention. "Hm?"

"Did you hear that?" Ashe looked around.

"That's a pretty loud noise for the middle of the night." Claude yawned, appearing out of nowhere. Dimitri, Hilda, and Linhardt soon followed.

"I was in the middle of getting ready to sleep through the day tomorrow..." Linhardt said while rubbing his eyes.

"We have class tomorrow." Byleth narrowed her eyes at Linhardt a bit. "...But we can discuss that later."

"I heard some kind of noise? What's going on? And can I not check it out? I'm sooooo tired." Hilda whined.

"I believe it came from that direction." Dimitiri pointed. "Ashe told me about Shez, and if that's the direction she went..." The conclusion he was beginning to draw wasn't a good one.

"If it's not one thing, it's another with that one." Sothis groaned in Byleth's head. "You should really think of investing of some kind leash for her."

"I'm not doing that." Byleth responded to Sothis. "But we should check it out. I don't want anything to happen to Shez."

.

.

The brawl between Shez and Balthus was heating up. The two of them had numerous bruises and cuts along their bodies, but both of them panting heavily from exhaustion. That said, Balthus looked a little better than Shez did in terms of injuries. Neither of them planned to give in just yet though. "Let's see how you handle this!" Shez began to dash forward, but she used her powers to warp in front of Balthus in an instant.

Balthus was clearly not expecting this kind of warp. He had no time to react and grimaced when Shez's sword cut across his side. "Fancy trick...!" Balthus retaliated with a harsh kick to Shez's stomach. That was enough to make Shez cough and stumble back. "Where'd you learn to do that?"

"I bet you'd like to know!" Not really a question Shez could answer either. But she brushed that aside and swung at Balthus once again, only for him to catch her wrists with his large hands. She didn't have the strength to break free, not when Balthus's muscles were massive. So Balthus spun Shez around and hurled her into a wall. There was a crashing sound and she yelped from how harshly her back hit that wall. "OW!" It was hard to notice, but it even looked like Balthus healed a little from throwing Shez as well...!

"LIGHTS OUT!" Balthus moved in to try and finish the fight. He brought his fist down on Shez's skull with enough impact to create a small crater. A cloud of dust emerged from that impact, but as the dust cleared, Shez wasn't there. "Huh?!"

Balthus whipped around to see Shez standing a few feet behind him. She had her special sword raised up high, a violet glow shining off of the blade. "Let's see how you handle this one! Shadow Blade!" She swung her special sword forward, a violet streak of magic cutting through the air as it raced towards Balthus. Balthus had no time to dodge and there was a small explosion upon contact. Shez held one arm in front of her eye while holding her ground, waiting to see the results. "I know that was a hit..."

And as the dust settled, Balthus did have a gash on his chest. But he was panting heavily, giving a grin towards Shez as if it didn't hurt him. It did hurt a lot, but someone as large as he was didn't go down that easily. "...That it...?" He said through labored breaths.

"He's still standing, even after that!?" Arval was shocked. "I was worried about it...but...I think this guy has a Crest as well...! I noticed it earlier..."

"Eee...So that's why it seems like he heals whenever he hits me?!" Shez was a little mortified that Balthus was still standing even after an attack like that. But she shook it off. "No, he's definitely slowing down a little! I can finish this here!"

"Just try it!" Balthus was more than ready to finish this bout. Actually, he absolutely had to finish it soon. He felt like he was reaching the end of his rope, but he was certain the same could be said for Shez. As she approached, he prepared himself for anything. Knowing she could warp meant she could come from any direction, and that's exactly what was happening. Shez was warping all around Balthus, making it impossible for him to discern where she would strike from next.

"I have to finish this...in this next strike!" Shez thought while appearing behind Balthus. She thrust her sword forward at his back...but she suddenly found herself defending against a bolt of lightning that came from nowhere. She grunted and slid back, her visible eye closed as she tried to hold her ground. "What now...!?"

'Who dares make such a racket at this late hour!? I require my beauty sleep!" That voice belonged to Constance von Nuvelle. One hand held a fan, while the other hand was extended, sparks of lightning flickering between her fingertips.

"Geez, B. What kinda situation did you get yourself stuck in this time?" Hapi asked, arms stretched over her head. "Who is this? Have you been beating up a student?"

"No way! This chick is posing as one!" Balthus said while straightening up.

"Is that so?" Yuri Lelerc, leader of the Ashen Wolves said. He gave Shez a once over, quirking a brow in the process. "I heard there was an unusual new student in Garreg Mach, along with the Professor as well. I can only wonder how she stumbled her way into Abyss..."

"More of them!? What kind of place did I wander into...?" Shez questioned. Who were these guys!?

"It looked like you were about to lose, too." Hapi told Balthus.

"No way!" Balthus denied that statement, even though it absolutely looked like Shez was that close to running her blade through his back. He still didn't even know if she had malicious intent or not based on how hard they were swinging at each other. "Everything was going just as I wanted!"

"Worry not! If she is a threat to our little home, I shall promptly get rid of the problem posthaste! This will allow me to test out my new spell as well!" Constance said with an annoyingly high sense of excitement. Instead of lighting crackling from her hand, the air turned into a cold mist. "I was looking for a chance!"

"Shady Lady, you shouldn't..." Yuri tried to object.

"Coco, we can just..." Hapi also tried to object, but it was too late. Everyone knew that once Constance set her mind to something, especially new spells, she would see it through no matter what.

"Ohohoho! Behold, surface intruder. You have the pleasure of being the first one to witness the magical genius of Constance von Nuvelle! Be grateful for this opportunity!" And with a simple, elegant flick of her wrist, smltiple shards of ice shot out from Constance's hand towards Shez. They would pierce her if she didn't deal with them properly.

"Move...!" Arval said.

"My legs went numb during the fight..." Shez replied. Not only was she physically exhausted from such a drawn out fight, but she used her powers too much and now she ran out of steam there as well. She was going to hold her ground and brace for impact, but a wave of fire shot from behind her, instantly melting the ice. "Huh?" Shez's exhausted gaze went behind her, where she saw Edelgard, Dimitri, Claude, and Byleth. Ashe, Hilda, and Linhardt were trailing behind, allowing their House Leaders and Professor to lead the vanguard.

"Are you okay?" Byleth asked Shez. "We're going to have to have a talk about your sense of direction soon."

"..." Wow, this was embarrassing. Shez didn't think this night would be ending with needing to be backed up by the others like this. This is what she gets for ignoring Arval's advice and trying to find her way back to her room on her own. Lesson learned.

"Whatever is going on here, we're here to put an end to it." Edelgard said with a demanding tone. She wasn't sure who or what started the fight, but she intended to end it here and now.

"I'd listen to the Princess if I were you." Claude had his bow and arrow ready. "She looks pretty upset that she lost some sleep. You do not wanna be on the other side of that axe."

"The last thing we want is for this to come to blows." Dimitri didn't want a fight, but if that's what it was going to come down to...

'Huh..." What an interesting development. Yuri glanced over at his Wolves, then to Byleth and the House Leaders. "I think I just had a fun idea in mind. Hey, big guy. Can you still fight?"

'Who do you think you're asking?" Balthus was standing up straight, laughing a little despite the pain he was in.

"Good. How about we show these guys how sharp our fangs are?" Yuri drew his sword. While it initially wasn't his intention to get involved in this fight, he simply couldn't pass up a chance like this. The Ashen Wolves vs the Three House Leaders...