A/N: Warning, plot armor does not exist.

Izana sat cross legged on a plush pillow, with a sort of clear ball on a pole behind him. Xander and Ryoma are a few feets away from the Duke, and barely even a foot apart from each other. The pillows then parted farther, making a circle formation. Camilla and an empty pillow is next, then Takumi and an empty beside him, 'still accommodating for the spirits, I see.' Sakura and Elise were next. Even Azura is in here, she is next to Elise. And I am in the center. I feel a sense of unease, being the literal center of attention.

Gods, I think I can even feel Hinoka and Leo looking at me. I can imagine Hinoka looking at me with a face of pure grief and betrayal, "You had me killed." , Leo would have a look of disappointment "Why are you still with that beast?" I shrink into the pillow some. 'Leave me alone.'

"Big Sister?" Sakura asks.

"Darling?" It is Camilla.

"Little sister, are you okay?" Xander.

"Sister, you are looking pale." Ryoma.

"Big Sis? Love?" Elise's voice is the one to snap me out of my trance.

"Sorry, just… uneasy with everyone around me." I flash a nervous smile.

"My apologies," Izana starts, "But I need you in the center to show that you are the both the literal and figurative link that connects us all."

'Touching, but why does that cause me so much discomfort?' I nod and take a breath to steady my nerves, "Alright, I'm ready."

He smiles, "Now, as you are all aware, I brought everyone," He pauses as he steals a glance at the two empty pillows, "mostly everyone here to hopefully bring about a peaceful end to all of this."

"Aren't you forgetting something, my little dragon?" I freeze in place as Phoenix's voice decides to echo through my head.

Then it dawns on me, the events were not one for one, but they are so similar that it has to be more than a coincidence. 'I woke up to Elise, clothed but still there and in Izumo rather than Castle Shirasagi. Everyone seemed so happy, if not that then at least tolerating, each other. We had a huge feast, and I am in the center of a circle, like Yato… and at the end… gods, Keaton!' "I need to go, now !" I hear them calling after me 'Sister! Sister!' I don't even bother wasting time opening the door, and just smash through it. The Dragonstone responds to my stress and I shift, then sniff the air. Where is he?! Physical therapy, I recognize the direction, who else? I think as I charge in that direction, shifting back so I wouldn't break the walls in addition to the doors.

It is that spear wielder… the scowl, Oboro! I slam through the room I smelled him in and… no. Takumi's retainer is nowhere to be seen. "NO!" I scream, in the center of the room, Keaton. A Beast Killer plunged in the center of his body. "NO!" I refuse it, I have to be dreaming again, I knocked my head on something… Elise used her sleep staff, anything! I walk towards the body. It has to be a replica, a fake. I fall to my knees and feel the lance… no, it is real as my Yato. My hand travels to my mate, cold, unresponsive, face down on the floor. "Gods… he's gone." And… and… "Phoenix knew about it… she must have been planning it at the table, which is why there were alone."

But… Izana had all weapons confiscated… did Phoenix bind him? So she could bring a Beast Killer in? Wait, but Phoenix complimented Keaton, she knew how important he is to me. "WHY?" My hand leaves him, and I barely can feel the hands on me. Pulling me away from the corpse. I hear words, but they fall flat… I stop caring. 'She knew how important he is, why didn't she stop her?'

Then she enters, I pick out the scent immediately, I turn to see Oboro. She has the nerve to come back and act like she is surprised? I pull all the hands off me and look straight at her. "You… bitch." I snarl at her, my Dragonstone is glowing brighter than it ever has… there is even a tinge of red in the light. 'Rend, kill.'

"What?" She asks, I can hear other people, but their voices don't matter.

"Your scent is on that Beast Killer, you murdered my mate ." 'Revenge, mutilate.'

She backs away, but is otherwise undisturbed, "I did not. I was with Kagero and Selena, we were getting our hair treated." She shows off her hair, seemingly glowing on its own, "See?"

'Kill, rip, ravage, murder.' "Everyone has scent unique to them, and you are no different." Suddenly I am thankful the weapons were confiscated, it makes me the only truly armed one here. And by the gods, was I going to use them on her. "You will pay. Life for life." I shift once more and I feel stronger than ever, my scales shifts from ocean blue to blood red, like Keaton's newer beast form. I feel magic forming, but it bounces off of me.

"Someone get Phoenix… and our weapons!" I hear someone shout. "It is just a warning, I know who will kill him." Gods, I could have prevented this. Keaton could have been alive. I charge and the woman dodges, everyone else leaves the room. The spear fighter attempts to flee, but I move faster than I ever have, closing the distance and blocking off the door, she slides to a stop, a face of pure terror. 'Perfect.' I move to grab her, but she manages to compose herself and dodge.

"Move! Let me in there! Close the door, I can't have any outside interruptions!" The Tactician enters. The door closes and I can feel magic as she applies something to the room. She casually strolls by me, as if I couldn't crush her with a single swipe. She has an aura of serenity around her, 'Peace, safe.'

"Phoenix? Thank the gods, help me out here, would you! I didn't kill her mate. You have that fancy magic right?"

She slowly nods, "I do." Somehow, Phoenix feels right, 'Protect, guard.'

"Well?! There's no telling when she is going to attack me!"

"There is." She tilts her head, as calm as she can be. "My little dragon…" She nearly sings, "I told you I knew who would do this… I can sense intentions better than anyone, after all." She coos.

"Phoenix? You can't be serious, this is just a sick joke, right?" Takumi's retainer is clearly panicking.

"I'm sure you feel the newfound strength in your body, right?" She continues, completely ignoring Oboro. "How much it invigorates you?" I growl a response, and she smiles, "I thought so. The offer still stands, my little dragon. Now that you feel the power, and seen that I could have helped you save him, do you reconsider your stance on it?" A dark magic flows from her to me, ' soothing, comforting' .

I slowly start to loosen up and lie down beside her. "Gods, thank you Phoenix…" Oboro sighs, "Please, don't scare me like that again. Could you get her to… you know, shift back?"

Phoenix smiles, "Absolutely." She turns towards me and pets my horns for a few seconds, "My little dragon…" the good mood vanishes in a second, "...kill." I charge, Oboro scrambles back, one swipe of my tail sends her crashing into the wall, she falls onto the floor and I grab her before she hits the ground.

"Life for life." My voice echoes deeper and slam her onto the floor so hard that it caves in, snapping her back and leaving her body curled inwards in a sickening way.

"Good girl…" My body calms down once more as another wave of dark magic blankets the room. "Come back to me." I walk back and shift back. "Now, what do you say, hm?" Her hand reaches out and touches me, "I could have, but… but I needed your cooperation, which has came a tad bit too late." She has the scent of remorse on her…

But she still is so alluring, like her dra… "I never seen you shift." I blurt out.

A gentle smile graces her face, "Is that what you want to see?" Her hand strokes my face, and her touch emits that magical warmth like in my dream and I feel my legs tremble. My breath quickens, "I'll show you it later, since it seems you have more pressing… urges to tend to, right?" She smirks as the magic she uses causes me to feel more heated, needy.

She barely has time to get her cloak off before I tackle her to the floor as she giggles, "My little dragon," She gasps as I carelessly tear through the remainder of her clothes and claim her mouth. "And you're all mine." My forked tongue slips into her mouth, 'Claim, mine .' One of my hands press her down while the other travels lower and it brushes by her core…

Then with a strength that seems impossible for a person her size, she breaks free and rolls us over so she is on top, "But," She whispers, "Let's not forget who is in charge here." Her eyes flash red and I find myself not wanting to move, "Good girl." She smirks, "Now then…" Her left hand starts emitting a soft blue glow.

More magic dances in the air as a blue mist fills the room, "...Wipe, Sleep." I succumb to the Timeless Spell and am out in seconds.

"How was I supposed to know this?" I hear someone ask. "No, Phoenix was apologizing on behalf of the Nohrians. Hinata!"

"That's right, I swear on my honor as a Samurai. She wanted to make amends, even going so far as to gift the Hoshidans some of her techniques."

"Phoenix?" I can't make out names to voices yet.

"It is as they say, yes I held some resentment for being a tracking tool, but I am mature enough to forgive them, I am able to move past such things. If I live as long as my mother, and I were to hold a grudge, then I would be holding it for over three thousand years."

"My retainers would never just attack someone, especially considering our location. Gods, I was talking to Camilla and Elise earlier today!"

"How did she get that Beast Killer, I thought all weapons were confiscated?" 'Hadronix?'

"...ironic that the one asking that, is the one the who can shove a table into her pockets." It is Takumi.

"We don't ha-have Beast K-killers where w-we are f-from." Raven, "and we have se-several beast-races."

"She could have just snagged one along the way!"

"Please, stop ar-arguing!" Sakura exclaims.

"I concur," Izana, "I honestly cannot believe that someone would willingly break my most famous rule. By my ancestral bloodline, we don't even kill bandits who attempted to attack… some of my most valued workers used to be bandits!"

"S-sis… I'm sc-scared." Raven starts crying.

"Raven, pl-please don't cry…" Sakura says, "Le-let's go to the hot springs ag-again, okay? If that's al-alright with you a-all.

"Wash away all the stress until you are pruned as a raisin, if that will mean I can see your lovely smiles." The Duke again.

"When I find out why this happened… and who did this to destroy my dear Yasei..." Camilla starts. "Not even the gods will save them."

"This was supposed to be a peace meeting…" Elise comments, "But we are at each other's' throats like we're in a battlefield."

"ENOUGH!" Xander and Ryoma shout at the same time. "Er, go ahead, High Prince."

"My apologies." Ryoma replies, "Perhaps we should take a few moments to take a breath?"

"I agree, we are going to get nowhere with tensions this high." It is Xander. "And that is an order, not a suggestion."

"As is mine." The groups disperse, nearly everyone is going in a different direction.

"Ow…" I groan.

"Lady Yasei!" It is Jakob. "Thank the gods you are okay."

I raise my head, 'why does my body hurt so much?' "J-Jakob? What happened?" I attempt to stand but I fall again.

"Love!" Elise jogs to me, "You shifted into a terrifying dragon… it looked much worse than what I have seen you as before."

"I… shifted?" I look at myself, as human as I was before. Yep, ears are still pointy… my teeth are sharpened still… and I cannot will them to change, I think they are even sharper than before. 'Even more of a freak, now.' "And…?"

"You… don't remember?" Hadronix enters my view.

"No, she doesn't." Phoenix walks in, 'Calm, peace . ' My muscles relax, "And don't remind her, that amount of stress it could cause her would force another transformation… I… locked the memory away."

"Anything you want, my little dragon."

"You can do that?" My Hunter-retainer asks, "No strings attached?"

The Tactician fidgets, 'I have never seen her do that before.' "Actually… the," She clears her throat, "subjects that were part of the, um, 'scene', have been taken out with it…"

Elise gasps, "So she..."

"Shh!" Phoenix cuts her off, "Elise, Hunter. No matter what happens, never ever speak those names. I don't understand what exactly happened, but I do know that she outright resisted my first Timeless Spell, sleep." She shivers, "And that thought troubles me." I sense a layer of deceit about her, but for some reason, I find myself not caring, like I am fine with her doing as she wants.

I stayed silent, just thinking all of this over, "I won't ask." I finally speak up, "I trust you, Phoenix."

She smiles and it just warms my heart. "Thank you, Yasei." 'Safe, kind.'

She starts to walk away, "Phoenix." Hadronix starts, "I am not sure if you were told, but Monk and I are her retainers now, and Yasei heavily displayed her distaste of traveling with the Hoshidans. I will take advantage of this neutral territory and make sure we will travel with you."

Phoenix smirks, "Smart thinking, I like you." She leaves the room.

"Yaaaay! We're getting big sis back!" Elise cheers and runs towards me, "We get to be Cot Cuddlers again!" She giggles and I join in.

Hadronix gently coughs, "There is one more thing." She reaches behind my ear and grabs that… sound thing, "I noticed it malfunctioned while you were out." She pulls out some sort of metal rod with, 'Ah, forget it, I'm never going to learn all of this stuff she has and can do.' She smiles as she is done messing around with it, "There." She reaches back and places it there… then claps her hands near me.

I nod, "Thank you."

"My darling Yasei," Camilla comes up and gives her style of hug, "I heard from your lover that you have appointed your retainers."

Another nod, "Hunter is one," I reply after she releases the hug, "Monk is the other."

She smiles, "I see," She turns towards Hadronix, "And what exactly did you put on her, hm?"

"A Noise Isolating Micro Machine, it cuts out sudden spikes of noise," She replies.

The conversation continues, but it tune them out, "I'll see you again tonight, my little dragon…" Phoenix's voice enters my head once more. I sense a wave of intense curiosity from Hadronix, she is somehow managing to hold a conversation with Camilla, yet her focus seems to be everywhere except Big sister. 'Wow.'