Estelle and Rita sat together in Estelle's barely used room.

Having showered, Rita was walking around and exploring the room.

"Massive bed..." She whispered to herself.

She flipped down onto it, it was so soft she felt like she was going to sink straight through to the bottom, "Yikes," she whispered, hopping up.

"What's taking her so long?" Rita whispered to herself again.

Estelle's bathroom door was locked, and the light was on. Various noises, such as drawers opening, were the only sounds that were made.

Rita tried the bed again, starting on the tougher edge, "I guess it isn't that bad..." she pulled herself to the top corner, grabbing a fluffy pillow in the process. She laid her head on it, relaxing herself after the entire ordeal that had happened just a few hours ago.

"I suppose I'm just used to sleeping on a bookshelf," Rita told herself, "Although knowing this is Estelle's bed is very comforting..."

The mage leaned over, her hand touched a nightstand next to the bed. Out of curiosity, and boredom, she opened the drawer, containing a single book and pen.

Rita grabbed the book and opened it...

"Dear diary, I decided to purchase you out of boredom, I hope that one day I will be allowed outside of the castle, I am starting this at age 9,

Love, Estellise"

"Should I be reading this?" Rita asked herself, "I guess what's the harm?" She skimmed a few pages.

"Dear diary, I have decided to update you once a week, or possibly every other week since my life is not that interesting,

Love, Estellise"

Rita skimmed ahead a lot, wanting to get a summary before Estelle got out.

"Dear Diary, today was my 11th birthday, there was a wonderful celebration in the Royal Hall with all of my favorite foods and people... They gave me everything I wanted except freedom...

But I hold onto hope that one day I will leave the tower and explore the world.

Love, Estellise"

"Dear Diary, I finally persuaded my parents to let me have an activity! Fencing lessons, no less! I'm so excited to meet my master next week!

Love, Estellise"

"Estelle has parents?" Rita asked herself, "I thought she said they died when she was young."

"Dear Diary, my fencing instructor is strict and my fellow classmates aren't fond of me, but Sir Drake is confident in my abilities and thinks I'm a natural.

Love, Estellise"

"Dear Diary, I have spent all of my free time refining my footwork and blade work, I will finally test my skills against my classmates next month!

Love, Estellise"

"Dear Diary, I won the tournament! I beat everyone! I'm so proud of myself, but sad that I made one kid cry...

Love, Estellise"

"I guess she was a natural, then," Rita said out loud to herself.

"Dear Diary, this week was tough, I'm learning new actions and techniques every day, I've also rediscovered my love of reading, I'm learning about human biology!

Love, Estellise."

"Dear Diary, today I read a history book surrounding a legend of a powerful woman from the stars who came to earth to destroy. The legend says that the Empire and the Guilds called a truce just to battle her, but still lost.

Love, Estellise"

Rita skimmed the pages to the near end.

"Dear diary, I have just learned my childhood friend, Flynn, is being hunted by guild members, this may be my final entry as I plan to make my escape tonight and warn him

Love, Estellise"

"Wow, that must've been the day she met Yuri," Rita talked to herself before turning to the next page.

"Dear Diary, I write this on the same day as the previous entry. My escape is to be aided by a man named Yuri, who apparently had just escaped wrongful imprisonment, we fought a battle with a man named Zagi, and I am now changing into more travel/combat appropriate clothing.

Love, Estellise"

"That's amazing," Rita said, almost too loud, "But there's still one page?"

"Dear Diary, it has been forever since I've updated you, but I went on a long journey, helping people, making friends, and even meeting my fiancé, Rita, a hot headed mage from Aspio. I couldn't have asked for a better wife or better friends. My life is complete, I'm happy, and I'm glad I never lost my positive attitude.

Written with love, I close this book,

-Estelle"

"Wow..." Rita breathed, she caressed the book, it was soft and fancy, just like her wife.

The bathroom door opened, Rita panicked and shoved the book back in its drawer and hastily closed it.

"Well?" Estelle asked, "What do you think?"

Rita had panicked so much that she almost didn't notice her wife's new appearance, which featured shiny, golden streaks in her previously pure, pink hair. Her hair was also combed down, formally, less like her messy cut she sported while they went on their journey.

"Wow... that's..." Rita paused.

"What?" Estelle looked worried, "Is it not good?"

"It's amazing..." Rita told her, "But I would make one change."

"Oh? What is that?" Estelle asked, curious.

Rita reached over and ruffled her hair up, making it messy as it was once before.

"Hey.!" Estelle said, trying to make her hair sit down again, "meanie..."

Rita laughed a little, "I likes the colors, but I couldn't get on board with the straightness of it."

Estelle laid down next to Rita on the massive bed, "I just don't like being recognized."

"Oh Estelle," Rita stroked her love's cheek, "You'll always be recognizable, you're one of a kind."

The couple fell asleep on the soft bed, Rita gripping on to Estelle's arm so she wouldn't sink right through to the floor.

•••

Raven sat in his office at Dahngrest, his legs crossed on top of his desk.

"Can't believe they're formalizing this stupid place..."

Harry, the original Don's grandson, and now current Don, walked into his office.

Raven pulled his legs off and pretended to be harder at work, "I'm working on it, boss! Great decision you made there, formalizing a treaty between the guilds and the empire!"

Harry sighed, "You don't have to pretend, I know it's a lot of boring work and it's slow, but in the end this will all be worth it."

Harry stared out the one way window to his people, out and about, trading as usual, "It will end the violence, and we can finally live free."

"Aren't you afraid that the people will react negatively?" Raven asked him, "I mean, there are a lot of guys that would prefer violence with the knights."

"I've talked to most of the major guilds in private, they guaranteed their full cooperation," Harry reassured Raven.

"I suppose," Raven said, "But the major guilds here still make up only around a quarter of the population... what about the rest?"

"The rest will have to learn to accept it," Harry told him, "I'm sure they'll listen to reason."

"That's some wishful thinking, I suppose we'll find out quickly if it works," Raven patted the young Don on the shoulder, "And I'm always happy to help you in any way."

"Thank you, Raven," Harry said, sincerely, "I actually may need your help with something now."

"What is it you need?" Raven asked.

"One of the major guilds won't listen to me, I think you know which one, I want you to talk to them for me, perhaps recruit Karol too if you think it's wise."

"I'll do what I can, but I doubt they'll listen," Raven told him.

•••

In the deep, dark night, Judith walked from the Inn in the middle quarter, where only herself and Patty were staying for the night. Of course Rita and Estelle were in Estelle's room, and Yuri, Repede, and Karol, had gone back to Yuri's house in the lower quarter, Raven was in Dahngrest, and Flynn slept in his office.

All alone, walking the streets that are usually packed end to end with people, whether they were trying to help with the expansion of the capital, or if they were just trying to make a lunch break, it didn't matter.

The moonlit streets were her only company, she didn't want to wake Ba'ul, because even if he needed very little sleep, he still needed some. She felt lonely, out of place, it seemed everyone else had something going for them.

"Trouble sleeping?" A young, pirate accented voice asked her.

Judith turned around, only mildly startled by the child's surprise encounter, "I suppose so."

"Any particular reason?" Patty asked her.

"No," Judith lied.

"You may have the best pokerface in the world," Patty started, "But as a gambler and businesswoman myself, I can see through any lie."

Judith half smiled, proud of Patty but still feeling empty inside, she didn't respond.

"As cheesy as it may seem," Patty sat down on a bench and motioned for Judith to do the same, "We're family, we're a team."

Judith sighed and sat down, "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, we help each other," Patty's little legs couldn't reach the floor, so she slowly swayed them back and forth, "Not just in battle, but emotionally, also. How do you feel?"

Judith thought for a moment, "I feel... empty..." She paused to think more, "I think it's because everyone in the group seems to have something going on but me."

Patty looked confused, "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, you have your entire restaurant chain and you're collaborating with politicians and scientists at half my age," Judith started, "Karol and Raven both have their places in the guilds, and Flynn in the knights..."

Judith looked to the castle building, where Estelle's room resided, "And of course Estelle and Rita... they have each other..."

"Interesting how you didn't mention Yuri," Patty said.

"Oh, right," Judith remembered, "Well he has Repede... and he knows his place in the world."

"Oh, so you're lonely?" Patty asked, "But you have Ba'ul just as Yuri has Repede."

"Yes, I do," Judith looked out to the skies, "And I'm very grateful for him, but he doesn't give me purpose anymore. My two purposes in life were protecting him and destroying Blastia, then, briefly, helping you guys save the world."

"Believe me, I know how you feel," Patty sympathized, "I spent years searching to recover my memories, then I also fell head over heels for a certain charming fellow."

"Also?" Judith asked.

"Duh," Patty scooted closer and talked slightly quieter, "I also fell for a certain gentlemen named Yuri."

Judith slightly blushed, "Why would you think I like him?"

"I don't think you do," Patty told her, "I know you do."

"Oh?" Judith asked, wanting to hear her logic.

"First of all," she started, "You're incredibly flirty with him."

"I flirt with everyone," Judith defended, "It's my personality. I'm a tease."

"No," Patty refuted, "You may play with everyone, but you're more passionate and seductive with him."

"Well that's just because he teases back," Judith remembered when she had first met him, "Its fun... He's fun."

"That, and I saw how relieved you were when you found out he didn't have anything going with Estelle," Patty continued, "You were jealous."

Judith rolled her eyes, running out of defenses, "So maybe I have a little crush, but that's all it is."

"Maybe," Patty turned to smile at her, "But you'll never know until you go for it."

"You're saying I should risk it all," Judith looked worried, "Risk my entire friendship with Yuri... for a chance that he'll like me back?"

Patty nodded, "I don't think you're risking anything, I think Yuri is a laid back and understanding guy."

"Let's say I actually do decide to follow through on this," Judith looked to her younger friend, "When would I make my move?"

"Well, he has his own room, right?" Patty asked, knowing that Karol would be staying in the room adjacent to his.

"Now?" Judith giggled like a schoolgirl with a crush, "Isn't that a bit soon?"

"Judith, come on," Patty took her hand, "It's been so long, I've lost count of the days, weeks, months, years."

Judith sighed, "You're right, I'll do it."

Judith sat up from the bench, and walked toward the long staircase to the lower quarter, her heart trembling. Patty simply smiled and went back to the inn for some sleep.

With every step, her heart raced more and more.

She approached the staircase and began her steady decent, she nearly had to close her eyes to keep a decent pace.

Her palms were sweaty, her heart was pounding so hard she felt like it was going to break her chest open.

"Am I dressed right?" She whispered to herself, checking her outfit.

She had almost forgotten what she was wearing, just some shorts and a tight T shirt, and shoes of course, it wasn't exactly her fanciest or sexiest outfit, but it was good enough for someone with her physique. Besides, this wasn't about looks, her already knew how she looked at her best and worst, this was about love.

She finally completed the staircase, now walking past the fountain, her stomach was twisting in knots. The closer she got, the more anxious, and yet relieved, she got.

She was glad she was doing this, it had been a very long time coming.

Whispers stopped her in her tracks, she hid behind a bush out of pure instinct.

The voice was Yuri, sitting on the staircase outside his own apartment complex. Sitting next to him, was a black haired, beautiful girl, wearing seductive clothing and high heels. She was brushing her hair out of her face and a laughing quietly at something he had said.

She leaned in close enough to hear them.

"Well, it didn't last long," Yuri smiled at her.

"What, could they not handle your rebel attitude?" She asked him.

"No, I left the knights," Yuri told her, "But I find it flattering that you thought I was a poor enough knight to be kicked out."

"You should," she told him, "I hate knights, they're so uptight and boring."

"Well I know a few that may surprise you," Yuri looked toward the upper quarter.

"Who? Flynn?" She asked.

"Oh, right," Yuri looked up, "I forgot it's common knowledge that Flynn is a knight now. A true hero who rose up from the curse of the lower quarter to become commandant."

"Well I know who the real, strong hero is," She said, seductively.

"The real hero is all of us, we all contributed, and none of us is stronger than the other... well Karol is sort've a kid but still we all contribute..." Yuri defended his team, "But I get the feeling that wasn't what you were going for..." He now realized what she was doing.

To Judith's horror, she leaned in for what appeared to be a kiss, their lips closed inches between them, almost touching, but Yuri stopped it.

Judith sighed in relief as he gently pushed her away.

"What is it?" The girl asked him, "Is there someone else? I said I'd wait for you when you left to become a knight and I meant it, so if there's someone else please just tell me now and rip my heart out."

Yuri sighed, "Well I-"

The bratty girl interrupted him, "I knew there was someone else, I knew a handsome, charming man like you would eventually catch the eye of someone better than me. Who is she? Some harlot poser from the upper quarter?"

"No, no, you've got it wrong," Yuri attempted to calm her down.

"So there isn't anyone else?" She asked him.

Judith watched in agonizing anticipation.

Yuri thought for a moment, but knew the longer he paused the more upset she would get. "No, no one else. Just you."

Judith's heart felt as if it were just pierced by a million white hot knives, killing her inside.

"Oh, Yuri!" The girl squeaked, happily clinging to him and locking lips with him. Yuri hesitated to kiss back, but eventually gave in. After all, she did wait years for him.

Judith couldn't bear to watch anymore, tears stroked down her face as she ran to get far enough away to let her voice ring out where no one would hear.

She rushed to an alley, where her back hit the wall and she just collapsed to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.

Patty wandered by the alley, coming to check on her, hoping to spy on any smooching, but instead she found the purple-haired half human on the ground, whimpering.

"Oh, Judith," Patty comforted, "Im so sorry."

"It's not-" Judith had to take a few deep breaths before speaking, "It's not your fault."

"That doesn't mean I can't be sorry," Patty stroked her hair and sat down next to her.

"Im never opening up my feelings to anyone ever again," Judith's words were strong, "Im going back to the way things were, they were fine how they were."

Patty knew that her friend was too emotional to mean that, so she played along. "If that's your decision and it makes you happy, then that's ok."

"You go ahead and come back to the inn when you're good and ready," Patty left her alone.

Judith cried well into the night.