Maelstrom of Cold Steel

by MercenaryGrax

Arriving in a new world with no memory of how he got there, Naruto is taken in by Rutger, the Jaeger King, & given a place to belong. Eventually he winds up in Class VII with his closest friend. With all the chaos in the country of Erebonia & the social divide & massive corruption throughout the country, Naruto will certainly have his work cut out for him in this new world.

11. Chapter 11

A/N - Okay, holy crap this chapter took forever to write. It ended up being 85 pages 30,374 words long when I finally finished it! This is definitely the longest chapter I have ever written. I hope you all like it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

As you'll see, the title of the chapter might confuse some people. Just keep in mind, it's not distressing, but destressing. There's a big difference between those two words! Distressing is when something causes you distress or panic or worry, stuff like that. Destressing is removing the stress you're feeling and dispelling your worries and negative feelings. Big difference!

Also, most of this chapter, or at least the first half, is all original content not in the game! So please keep that in mind as you read. I'd like to think the chapter turned out really well, so I really hope you all enjoy it.

Anywho, I'm kind of exhausted. Sooo, read on and hopefully you enjoy it!

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Chapter 11 – Destressing

As Naruto sat down on his bed, freshly changed into his pajamas, he chanced a glance at his orbal radio. Thinking on it for a bit, he considered tuning in to Abend Time to hear what Misty had to say this time. However, he shook his head and mumbled, "Not tonight. Need sleep."

Sadly, as Naruto was lying down on his bed, he let out a groan as he heard knocking on his door. Standing back up, he walked over to it and opened the door. When he saw Sara standing there, he blinked before he let her into his room. Returning to his bed, he sat down and watched her for a moment, waiting for her to speak.

Sara glanced around his room for a moment before eventually settling her gaze on her younger friend. "I'm sorry to disturb you when you clearly need your sleep. However, I wanted to talk to you for a moment. It won't take long, and I even got a present for you at the pawn shop earlier."

Naruto's brow rose and he looked into her eyes curiously. "What's up, Sara? Anything I can help you with?"

Sitting on his chair, she smiled kindly at him before saying, "Naruto, you've had a rough couple of days. I know things aren't easy on you right now, but I think you're doing the right thing. However, I need to ask. When you told your mates that there would be no sex and no cuddling, did you say anything else?"

Blinking a couple of times, the blonde shook his head and said, "Nope. I think I know what you're getting at. I never told them we couldn't hold hands, kiss, spend time together, go on dates, whatever. All I said was no sex and no cuddling. I wasn't going to be that damn cruel to them. It'd be wrong to just completely cut them off like that."

Sara nodded and said, "I agree. However, I don't think they realize that. I think they assumed that you were cutting them off completely. They're clearly afraid to so much as try and touch you in any way right now. Don't worry, I won't tell them anything and I won't correct them. I want to see if they can figure it out on their own and realize that you still love them. Right now, they just aren't thinking clearly. Ugh." Massaging her forehead for a moment, she said, "I swear, I'm not sure what has Laura feeling worse. The idea of no contact whatsoever, or the no sex part. That girl seems to crave you. It's almost creepy in a way."

Naruto chuckled and said, "Yeah. You should've seen her when I visited her at the pool today. That girl is insatiable. She was still horny, and she couldn't concentrate at all. Then she asked me if we could do it again right there in the gymnasium. I can't help but wonder if she's a secret nymphomaniac or something. I can only imagine how much the no sex rule is killing her."

The redhead palmed her face and shook her head in disbelief. "That girl has problems, I swear. Just…stay strong, Naruto. Okay?"

"Thanks, Sara. I'll stay the course. I really hope they don't end up hurting themselves somehow during the practical exam or worse, the field study. I'm really worried about them." Naruto said, staring sadly at the floor.

"I know. Anyways, here." Sara said before pulling Naruto's gift out and placing it on his desk. "It's a charm of sorts. It's supposed to bring good fortune and soothe the soul…or something like that, anyways. Just make sure to keep it here and it'll do its job. It's kind of big, so I wouldn't recommend taking it with you everywhere you go."

Chuckling a bit, Naruto got up and hugged Sara, catching her off guard. "Thank you, Sara. I'll take good care of it. Umm…would it be okay to get some sleep now? I'm barely even awake anymore."

Sara giggled a bit and hugged him back for a moment. Patting his back comfortingly, she soon stood up and walked to his door. "Good night, Naruto. Sleep well." And with that, she left his room, allowing Naruto to close the door and shut off the light.

Returning to his bed, Naruto laid down and pulled the blanket over himself. Snuggling up under it and nestling his head on his pillow, he smiled and mumbled, "Good night, everybody." It didn't take him much longer to doze off.

The Next Day

Seeing as it was now Sunday and they didn't have class on Sundays, Naruto allowed himself to sleep in for a while. When he finally woke up and left the dorm, it was shortly after 10:00 AM. Once outside, he stretched before deciding to get on with his plan for the day. Walking towards the nobles' dormitory, he shook his head in amusement. I did promise her I'd treat her to lunch, but she's probably going to consider it a date. Oh well. Might as well spend some time getting to know her a bit better. It's always nice to learn more about my friends.

As he walked, he easily sensed Fie stalking him, though he wasn't entirely sure what exactly she wanted. Still, as he passed by the park, he noticed Angelica ahead of him, following after his blue-haired mate. The violette seemed to be mumbling something to herself, though Naruto wasn't sure exactly what she was saying. Probably trying to figure out what to say to Laura. She might just need to wing it. He thought with a chuckle.

Walking past Angelica, he patted her softly on the shoulder and whispered to her, "Good luck, Angelica. Hopefully you have better luck than we have."

"Of course, Naruto. I'll catch you later. I don't want to lose sight of your girlfriend. Still trying to figure out what the heck to say to her. Meh, I'll figure it out. See you later!" she said before hurrying off after Laura as the noble began making her way onto the academy grounds.

Naruto chuckled a bit before walking across the bridge and waving to a few other students wandering around. Some were in their uniforms while others were dressed in more casual attire. One such student he saw was Colette, who was dressed in a blue dress of some kind that he didn't quite recognize. Shrugging, he simply offered her a smile and continued on his way.

Upon reaching the nobles' dormitory, he gave a quick wave to the maid, Lotte, who was once again sweeping up outside. Afterwards, he entered the dorm and proceeded towards the lobby desk where a familiar blue-haired butler was currently standing. He could easily sense Fie's confusion as she waited outside for him. I can only imagine how annoyed she's going to be when she sees me walk out of here with Ferris.

"Ah, Master Naruto. Good day to you. How can I assist you today?" Celestin, the butler, asked.

Smiling at the man, Naruto said, "I'm actually here to see Lady Ferris Florald. I did make her a promise the other day, and I intend to keep it. I think I'll wait here in the lobby while I wait."

"Of course, Master Naruto. I will inform her that she has a guest. I'm sure she'll be right down." Celestin said before he turned to go and take care of the request.

Walking over to one corner of the lobby, he took a seat on one of the sofas and pulled out one of his books that he had chosen to check out at the library. This one was a book detailing some popular vacation spots throughout Erebonia, as well as the main highlights to each of them. I doubt this will give me much information on places I'm already familiar with, but we shall see.

As he waited and read through his book, he couldn't help but wonder how Angelica was doing. Sure hope she's having better luck with Laura than we've had.

Angelica

The violette frowned as she looked at Laura. She had followed the blue-haired noble into the gymnasium, but rather than go to the locker room to get changed into her swimsuit, Laura ascended the stairs and took a seat at one of the tables on the second floor. Confused, she followed Naruto's mate and sat down across from her. "All right, you clearly knew I was following you. So why did you come here? What's on your mind?"

Laura looked calmly into Angelica's eyes and asked, "Just why were you following me, Lady Angelica? There must be some reason you would want to speak with me."

"First off, drop the Lady stuff. Second, Naruto told me what happened between the two of you. He also informed me that you are pregnant and you're having problems getting along with Fie. I told him that I'd try to talk with the two of you today. I'm hoping that I can help somehow. Naruto's really worried about you two, you know?" Angelica explained.

Laura frowned deeply and asked, "Why did he tell you such sensitive information? What we do in private is no concern of anyone else's."

Angelica sighed and shook her head. "He didn't do it with malicious intent, Laura. Naruto wanted help. He confided in Towa and me in the hopes we could offer some kind of advice or handle it ourselves somehow. Now, I'm not going to chastise you for having sex and getting pregnant. There's nothing wrong with that. What has me worried is the fact that you and Fie really aren't doing so well. Not only are you not getting along with each other, but your emotional states are causing you to lose focus in combat. The two of you could get yourselves or your classmates hurt if you don't snap out of this funk the two of you are in. So tell me what has you most troubled right now, and I'll try to help fix it. Okay, Laura?"

Laura stared down at the table and closed her eyes. Thinking it over for a time, she eventually started to talk. "I do not want my mate to be upset with me. It hurts me to think he doesn't want to be with me anymore. And, I'll admit, the fact he won't allow me to so much as cuddle with him anymore, let alone invite me into his bed for the purpose of expressing our love for one another, hurts me a great deal. I'm worried that if I so much as try to talk to him that I'll just push him further away. What if he won't even let me hold his hand anymore? Or kiss him on the cheek? Or even spend time together? I don't want him to cut me off completely like that. I already miss him so much, Angelica."

Angelica frowned in confusion before saying, "Okay, I just have to ask a few things here. First, why do you think he doesn't want to be with you anymore? Laura, the guy's head over heels in love with you. He wants to marry you and raise your children together. Hell, it sounds to me like the guy is really looking forward to starting a true family with you. Naruto's just worried that he might not be a good father to your kids. From what he told us, the poor guy's never had a father figure in his life. He doesn't know what a father is supposed to do or how they're supposed to behave. So yeah, cut the guy some slack. He's looking forward to seeing your children. So don't go thinking otherwise, okay?"

"Second, you really like sex with him that much, huh? Must've been a good time for sure, if that's the case." Angelica said with a chuckle. "Third, what the hell did Naruto say to you exactly? 'Cause all he told us was that he's cutting you two off from cuddling and sex. Did he say something else to you, or am I missing something here?"

Laura blinked in confusion for a time before asking, "He…he doesn't hate me? He really wants to have a family with me? But…" Frowning, she said, "I thought he didn't want to have these children. I was so worried about what to do. I don't want to harm my babies and I don't want to just give them up or…or anything else! I want to give birth to our children and raise them right. I…I really thought he didn't want to be with me anymore."

"Yes. When we were making love, I couldn't get enough of it. I think I went into a daze or something, because I can barely remember what happened. I was enjoying it so much, and then when we were finished, I was so confused. I was absolutely exhausted to the point I couldn't even move anymore. Then, I seduced him again the following morning. I think I might be addicted to sex with my mate." Laura admitted, blushing and poking her fingers together cutely.

"And, I don't think Naruto said anything else, exactly. I remember him saying no cuddling and no sex. He seemed so mad and so upset at the time, I kind of figured he didn't want either of us touching him anymore. I wasn't even sure what to say to him anymore. I was so scared that I was going to lose him. I just love him so much, Angelica. I know we haven't been together for very long, but I can't possibly imagine my life without him in it." Laura explained.

Angelica blinked a couple of times before saying, "You have some imagination on you. Laura, it's as I said: Naruto loves you. He could never hate you, and I highly doubt he's mad at you. And he would NEVER want to hurt you or your children. Try to have a little more faith in the guy. As for the sex? Sounds to me like you might be a teeny bit of a nymphomaniac. You're not exactly addicted to sex in general, but sex with your mate. Nothing wrong with that. Makes you kind of sexy." Winking at Laura, causing the girl to blush a bit more, the violette laughed a moment before speaking up again. "And Laura? You're being kind of stupid. Naruto didn't say you couldn't hug or kiss or go on dates anymore. He's just cutting you off from cuddling and sex. Which is obviously going to be like going cold turkey for you. It's going to be rough on you for a while, but hopefully you can work things out with Fie real soon. Can't have you going 'hungry', after all."

Laura giggled a bit before saying, "Thank you, Angelica. I'll try to believe in my mate more from now on. And a nymphomaniac, huh? Sex with Naruto is pretty addicting. It was almost the only thing I could think about yesterday. I could barely focus on my club duties or anything else that I needed to get through the day. I just wanted so much more. When Naruto came to see me in the pool, I wanted to pounce on him right there and make love right in front of everyone. It was all I could think about at the time." Seeing Angelica smirking at her, Laura blushed again before saying, "Kissing and hugs do sound really nice. I'd love to just spend some time together. But you're right. Going without sex for too long is going to be hard. But, how do I go about making up with Fie? She seems to absolutely despise me right now. I have no idea what to do."

"Well, I have an idea, but I don't know if it would help. Before you try anything though, let me try and talk some sense into Fie. Unless we can get through to her, my idea isn't going to do jack to help. If I fail, might as well get Towa to give it a try. She's so adorable that it'll be hard to resist her. If even that doesn't work, then…" Angelica said, sounding unsure at the end.

"Damn." Laura said. "I really just want us to be happy together as a family. I love Fie as if she were my actual sister. I can't take back what I did, and I wouldn't even if I could. But…she's so mad at me. She's taking out all of her frustrations and insecurities on me. And I worry that she'll start to focus her aggression on Naruto soon if she is unable to get what she desires most."

Angelica nodded and said, "That would not be good. Sadly, I can see her acting out a bit in an effort to get what she wants from him. I think it will hurt them both, but I fully expect him to turn her down if she tries anything. Fie's going to be crushed if that happens."

"Indeed." Laura said with a sigh. "Where do you think Fie is now? I assume you plan to speak with her now?"

The violet-haired noble nodded and said, "Yeah. Problem is, I don't know where she could be. Then again, she might be following Naruto around right now. Last I saw him, it looked like he was heading for the dormitories. Not sure what he'd want in those places, but…"

"Oh dear. If he tries to spend any time with another girl, Fie is bound to get jealous. This can't end well." Laura said with wide eyes.

"Tch. That wouldn't be good. You go and swim or something. I'll find Fie. If she sees you, she's only going to get more pissed off. Catch ya later, Laura!" Angelica said before hurrying down the stairs and out of the gymnasium. Please don't do anything stupid, Fie!

Naruto

Naruto couldn't help but chuckle at how excited Ferris was to see him. Standing up, he sealed away his book again and approached her. Giving her a look over, he saw that she was currently dressed in a cute, green sundress with a white hat atop her head. Smiling at her as he neared, he said, "Heya, Ferris. Figured I'd keep that promise I made you. Want to go out and enjoy some lunch together? My treat, of course."

Ferris nodded once before saying, "I'd love that! Thank you, Naruto. Umm, what brought this on, though? I thought you would have spent some time relaxing today."

Naruto folded his arms across his chest and quirked a brow. "Really? I figured you'd have jumped at the chance to spend some time with me. You wound me, dear Ferris. I thought we were friends." He teased.

Ferris blushed in embarrassment and tried to stammer out some kind of response, only for the prince to chuckle a bit. Looking into his eyes, she frowned in confusion and asked, "Umm, why do you feel the need to tease me, Naruto? That's not very nice of you."

"Sorry, Ferris. I know you were concerned about me. Yesterday was a rough day and I was pretty tired at the end of it all. I did sleep in pretty late, but I feel a lot better today than I did yesterday. Besides, I wanted to spend some time with you, Ferris. We're friends. I figured we could spend some time enjoying some lunch and getting to know each other a bit better. I would like to learn more about you, Ferris. And I'm sure you have some questions for me, as well. Sooo, would you like to spend some time with me today? As friends, of course." Naruto explained.

Ferris smiled brightly at him and said, "Of course I'd like that! I assume we're going to Kirsche's Café? Unless you wanted to visit Heimdallr for a while?"

Naruto hummed in thought for a time before saying, "Well, I'd love to visit Heimdallr with you today. I'm sure there's a number of wonderful restaurants in the capital. However, I'm afraid we have a small problem that would prevent us from doing that."

The violette frowned for a moment and asked, "What's wrong, Naruto? Did something happen?"

Naruto rubbed the back of his head and motioned towards the outside. "Fie is currently rather…upset. She's been following me today. If we go to Heimdallr, I'm sure she would follow us there. The problem is, Angelica Rogner is hoping to talk with Fie today about what happened yesterday. She can't do that if she doesn't know where Fie is." Sighing softly, he said, "I'm sorry, Ferris. Perhaps another day? Maybe when I return from the upcoming field study this weekend. I would love to explore Heimdallr with you for a while."

Ferris frowned sadly and asked, "Then…would it really be okay for the two of us to spend time together? If she's that upset…"

The blonde prince smiled at Ferris and took her hand in his. "It will be fine. I wanted to spend some time with you today, so we shall. Now come, Ferris. Let's visit Kirsche's and try to enjoy our day. Okay?"

The noble girl blushed a bit at the contact, but smiled brightly at him again and said, "Of course, Naruto. I'm looking forward to it." And whether you think of it as one or not, I definitely consider this a date!

When Naruto and Ferris walked outside and proceeded to begin their walk to the café, Fie narrowed her eyes and thought, What the hell is this about?! He's taking HER on a date?! Without talking to us first?! What is he thinking? Clenching her fists tight, she began to follow after them at a distance. I swear, if she tries ANYTHING, I'll clobber her! I refuse to let her do anything to my mate!

As he walked with his friend, Naruto was smiling and chatting away with her about some basic topics. How they were doing in their individual classes was one such topic. However, on the inside, he couldn't help but worry about Fie. Fie, please don't do anything you'll regret later. We'll talk later, but not right now.

Upon reaching the café, Naruto held the door open for Ferris before following her inside. Getting Dolly's attention, they asked to take a look at the menus. As they took a seat at one of the tables to look over the menus, Ferris frowned to herself and asked, "Is she still following us? I'm a little worried…"

Naruto frowned for a moment before he lowered his menu and made his friend do the same. Gently taking one of her hands in his, he offered her a reassuring smile and said, "If you're scared, we can stay inside and relax in here. I doubt she'll follow us in here if she wants to remain hidden. I won't let anything happen to you, Ferris. If it helps alleviate your worries any, I can explain the current situation to you? It might help ease some of the tension. Or make you slightly uncomfortable with me. I'm not sure which."

Ferris giggled a bit and said, "Now you're just trying to make me laugh. Thank you. I would prefer to remain inside, yes. And I would like to hear about what caused this situation. Is everything okay?"

Naruto smiled at her again and said, "You're welcome. Before I say anything, let's place our orders, okay? I'm sure we're both pretty hungry by now. I didn't eat breakfast, and I honestly can't remember if I bothered to eat anything last night, either. So I'm fairly hungry at the moment."

The violette frowned in confusion before nodding her head. "I see. It would seem you have much to tell me then." Flagging over the waitress, Ferris smiled politely at the woman and pointed out a few items from the menu. "Please and thank you, Dolly."

"Of course, Lady Ferris." Looking to Naruto at this point, she asked, "What would you like, Mr. Prince?"

Naruto chuckled and placed his order before handing Dolly their menus. After thanking the woman, he turned back to Ferris and rested his chin atop his steepled fingers. "Ferris, I'm sure you are curious about my unusual circumstances. Three girlfriends has to be a strange occurrence to think about. Well, there is a reason for that. Buuut, I think I'll wait to explain that until another time. Just know that it is done for a very specific reason." Seeing her about to ask a question, he reached over and poked her nose. "It's not that I don't trust you, Ferris. I just think some topics are better left undiscussed until the appropriate times."

Pouting at him, she asked, "Then what can you tell me?"

"Ferris, the first thing I would like to tell you is the truth about my ancestry. The kingdom I'm the prince of? It was destroyed before I was even born. I'm literally the last of my people. I have no home to return to and no kingdom left to rebuild. I essentially have nothing, Ferris. I have my title and name, but not much more than that. I grew up without anyone to raise me. I had to fend for myself my entire life. To put it nicely, I was an outcast in the village I grew up in. Again, that's putting it nicely. So you see, I'm really just nobody special." Naruto explained before shrugging his shoulders.

Ferris frowned and shook her head. "You're still somebody important, Naruto. Even if you have no home to return to, and your life was hard, for lack of a better term, you are still important. I'm sure the Emperor and his family would love to meet you and speak with you about what has happened. They can help you and make you feel at home in the Empire. In fact, once they realize you have no true home to return to, they might just offer you some real help. The prince of a foreign nation shouldn't have to suffer like that."

Naruto blinked a couple of times before asking, "What? They'd really want to meet someone like me? Like I said, I'm not…"

Narrowing her eyes at the prince, Ferris poked him in the chest and said, "Don't say you aren't special, Naruto Uzumaki. I think you might just be surprised at how kind the imperial family will be to you. But enough of such matters. What exactly is going on that has your girlfriend in such a state?"

Naruto frowned for a time before closing his eyes and beginning his explanation. "Ferris, Fie and I have been together for two years now. We grew close to one another during that time and eventually became a couple. Anko is the only friend I had back in the village I grew up in. Those two have been with me the longest and know pretty much everything about me by now. Then Laura sort of forced her way into our relationship, our family, and that bothered Fie. They managed to bury the hatchet and at least be civil with one another. However…"

Shrugging, the blonde said, "Fie believed that it would be in our best interest if we waited to consummate our relationship. Take it to the next level, you know? However, by the time she realized what she really wanted, it was a bit too late." Sighing, Naruto massaged the bridge of his nose for a time before continuing with his tale. "Let's just say that Laura knows what she wants and just goes for it. She snuck into my room the other night and we made love. I received a prediction from Beryl that Laura will give birth in nine months to two healthy baby boys. Normally I wouldn't believe in such a thing. However, Beryl knows everything about me. I have no idea how, but she knows things that only Fie and Anko know about me. So I believe her when she says Laura is pregnant with my children. Well…"

Ferris frowned and said, "Fie did not take it well. Not only did Laura take what Fie's been desiring all this time, but she is also pregnant with your offspring. Fie recognizes that you two are too young to be having children, but Laura doesn't really seem to care, so long as she's with you and you can be happy together. Am I right?"

Naruto quirked a brow in curiosity before saying, "You're taking this well." Chuckling softly, he nodded his head. "You're exactly right. They aren't getting along. They can't seem to work through their differences anymore, no matter what people have said to them. Anko tried, I tried, and now Angelica is trying to help them see the truth of things. If she fails, then we'll allow Towa to try. I just hope something sticks and one of us has some luck sometime soon." Shaking his head, he said, "Ferris, I decided to go a tough love approach with the two of them. I told them no cuddling and definitely no sex until the two of them can start working together again. Sadly, I'm not sure if such an approach will work. But…"

Ferris nodded and said, "You need to maintain the course. You need to remain steadfast in your resolve. But, I get the feeling they probably misunderstood what you said. If the two of them are so hurt right now, and Fie is as angry as she is, then it's highly likely that they believe you meant no contact of any kind. Period. Hopefully such a notion is knocked from their heads before the situation gets even worse." Shaking her head in disbelief, she soon smirked at him and said, "And why wouldn't I be taking this well? I care about you, dear prince. Yes, it might be a bit embarrassing to hear about your sex life, but I am trying to keep an open mind. I want to be here for you, as your friend."

"Heh. Thank you, Ferris." It was at this point that Dolly delivered their food to them. Thanking the woman, they said a quick prayer for the meal before they began to eat. After a short time, Naruto lowered his utensils and took a moment to stare at Ferris thoughtfully. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry to bring you out like this while Fie is in such a state. I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable."

Taking a moment to dab at her mouth with a napkin, Ferris smiled kindly at Naruto and said, "You don't need to apologize, Naruto. I'm really glad you invited me out for lunch. Though, perhaps we could relax in the park afterwards? I would very much like to continue our conversation. That, and I don't want our date to end too soon." Winking at him, she giggled a bit before she resumed eating her meal.

Naruto blinked a couple of times in shock. When his brain rebooted, he chuckled a bit before quietly resuming his meal. However, he soon sensed something outside that worried him. Fie, what the hell are you trying to do now?

Angelica

"Damn annoyances." The violette cursed under her breath. She had practically been accosted by a couple of young men pretty much attempting lame pickup lines. Once she had managed to ditch them, she hurried towards the shopping area, figuring that would be her best bet to finding Fie before she could act out in any way. However…

When Angelica spotted Fie starting to climb the outside of Kirsche's Café & Inn, she was initially stunned into inaction. However, realizing that she couldn't let Fie do anything crazy, the noble girl hurried forward, grabbed Fie, and hauled her backwards, away from the building.

"Let me go! He's on a date with that…that tramp! I can't let her have him! I didn't give him my permission to date other women! Let me go!" Fie exclaimed as she thrashed around in Angelica's firm hold.

Angelica blinked in stupefaction for a moment before dragging the shorter girl into the park where she pushed her down onto one of the benches. Sitting down next to her, the purple-haired girl looked hard at her and said, "Naruto isn't dating anyone, Fie. Most likely, he's just spending time with a friend."

Fie growled and said, "I heard her! She called it a date! I can't let her have him!"

Angelica shook her head in disbelief and said, "Fie, does Naruto consider it a date?" This had the desired reaction. The silver-haired jaeger blinked a couple of times before turning to look into Angelica's eyes with a stunned expression on her face. Seeing this, the violette nodded and said, "I'm pretty sure he just wanted to invite a friend out for lunch. He didn't do this to hurt you and Laura."

"But…why? Why is he so mad at me? I only want him to be happy. Laura…she…she…" Fie struggled to say anything at this point.

Reaching up, the noble patted Fie gently atop the head and smiled kindly at her. "Fie, Naruto isn't mad at you. He doesn't hate you. He knows you're trying to look out for him in your own way, but your actions and words have hurt him. He is happy with all three of you. However, the fact that you and Laura cannot get along and are being so cruel to one another hurts him more than you can imagine. He wants this family of yours to stay together. He wants you all to be happy together. Fie, you have to understand something here. Naruto knows you are having a hard time accepting what's happened between him and Laura. He's also well aware that you wanted his first time to be with you. However, he is still a man. He gave into his urges when Laura seduced him. I think that, inside, he was trying to respect your wishes to wait until you both were ready. Also, you have to keep in mind that Naruto was absolutely exhausted at the time. It had been a very long day and he was barely even awake. When Laura did what she did, I'll admit, she kind of took advantage of him. I wouldn't consider it rape, but she made it very hard for Naruto to deny her what she wanted. What they both wanted."

Angelica sighed and shook her head. "Don't get me wrong here, Fie. I'm not defending what they did. But you need to realize that sometimes, things happen, and you can't take them back. If she's really pregnant now, and I'm willing to bet she is, then you're just going to have to deal with it. It was her choice. If she wants to risk her standing in society and harm her father's reputation with her actions, that's on her. Hell, if she has to drop out of school to raise her children, then again, that's entirely on her. You also have to accept that Naruto's not just going to abandon any of you. He WILL be there for his children and for Laura. Whether you like it or not, it happened and there's no taking it back."

Looking calmly into the younger girl's eyes, Angelica said, "Fie, you also need to realize something about yourself. You've been ready for that next step with Naruto for a while now. You're a woman, just as your other friends and classmates. You're allowed to have such wants and desires. You're allowed to want to go for a ride on your hunky boyfriend. It's perfectly normal. Especially for girls our age." Giggling a bit, the noble poked Fie's cheek and said, "You're jealous of Laura for robbing you of something you wanted first. She's new to the relationship, after all. I know it's not fair to you and Anko, but damn that girl knows what she wants." Shaking her head again, she said, "Fie, there's nothing wrong with being upset. You're free to be jealous and angry and hurt all you want. However, try to think about Naruto and his feelings, okay? Heck, despite what you might think, Laura really cares about you, Fie. She wants to be your friend. Your sister in this relationship of yours. You're family now. You're going to need to forgive her at some point and truly accept her as a member of your family. She's head over heels in love with Naruto. It seems that he's all she can think about sometimes. She has this overwhelming desire to be with him as often as possible. And I don't just mean sexually. And, whether you like it or not, Naruto loves her, too. So please, before this feud of yours goes on any longer and tears your family apart, try to put aside your differences and accept each other. Okay?"

Fie frowned deeply and decided to address everything Angelica had said in order. "I never wanted to hurt Naruto. He's…he's all I have left. Or at least, he was. Then Anko came into our lives and she's like the sister I never had. I was fine sharing Naruto with her. And I thought I was prepared to share him with other girls as well, but I was just being stupid. I want to help Kurama too, but…why does it have to be so hard? I don't get it."

Sighing, Fie looked towards the café and decided to continue. "Naruto…" Frowning, she looked at Angelica and asked, "Was he really incapable of spurning Laura's advances? I…I know he's a man and he can think about stuff like that sometimes, but I thought…I thought…"

Before Fie could even attempt to continue, Angelica hugged the silver-haired jaeger against her and rubbed her back. "It's not easy to share the person of your dreams with other people, Fie. I may not know the exact circumstances or who Kurama is, but I'm sure there's a really good reason for this crazy situation you've found yourself in. It's going to be hard, but once you make up with Laura and really talk things out with her and Anko, I think you'll feel like a weight has been lifted off of your shoulders. It should be easier for you to accept that other girls like Naruto…and he might like some of them back. But, he's not going to do anything without the three of you talking it over first. He respects you three too much to do anything like that."

"As for what happened between him and Laura? It's true that he's a man, but at the same time, he did try to convince her to just cuddle and sleep together. He might not have put up much of a struggle, but again, Naruto was dead tired. It had been a really stressful day and he wasn't thinking straight. Besides that, we women have our ways of getting what we want, when we want it. I'm sure you've done something like that, as well." Angelica explained.

Fie giggled a bit and nodded her head. "I have. I once coerced him into cuddling naked. That was funny. We haven't done that often, but it was fun to tease him about it."

Angelica smirked and nudged her younger companion. "See? A man knows better than to argue when we women demand something from them. But I understand how you feel. Laura's been putting her needs and desires above Naruto's, rather than thinking about the two of them as equals in the relationship. Then again, she's a bit…awkward." She admitted with a sweatdrop. Shaking it off, she looked at Fie again and asked, "So, what do you say we go and relax for a while, huh? Maybe enjoy a nice dip in the pool? Or I can take you for a ride on my orbal bike. I tend to only give rides to the pretty ladies in my life, so you definitely count."

Fie blushed a bit, but quickly shook it off. "You're Angelica…aren't you? I've heard some interesting things about you. You're a lot nicer than I expected. But I'll have to decline the bike ride for today. I suppose a dip in the pool does sound nice, but I get the feeling there's a little more to the offer than you're letting on. Laura's there, isn't she?"

Smirk widening, Angelica said, "You really are a sharp one. I'm not sure if she's still there or not, but if she is, I was hoping you two could get to talking. Maybe bond a little. Unless that's too much to ask for at the moment?"

"Don't push it." Fie said. "I understand your points quite clearly. But it's not as easy to forgive her as you might think. Still, thanks to you, I'm a lot calmer now than I was. I just really miss him right now. I want to be the one going on dates with him again. I want to hold him and kiss him. I want him to know how I feel. But I can't do any of that right now. And it bothers me a lot."

"Wow. I swear, the two of you misunderstood what he meant BIG time. Fie, think about it. He said no cuddling and no sex. He didn't say anything else, did he?" Angelica questioned, hoping Fie would pick up on what she was getting at.

Fie blinked in confusion for a moment as she puzzled over Angelica's words. After a few minutes, it dawned on her. "Wait, I CAN go on dates with him? I can hug him? We can even kiss? But…I thought…I was so angry and frustrated…ugh!"

Angelica began to pet Fie's hair again. "It's fine, Fie. Things like this happen. It's easy for misunderstandings to occur. Anyways, why don't we talk a walk or something? I doubt you want to watch your boyfriend spend time with whoever he's with today. Especially if it's still bothering you."

Fie nodded and said, "I don't like seeing him with other girls just yet. I'm not mad anymore, but I still worry about him. And I reserve the right to get jealous from time to time, too. But you're right. Do you have a fishing pole? I'm kind of in the mood to go fishing right now."

Chuckling softly, Angelica said, "Sure. That sounds nice. Why don't you go grab your pole and meet me at the pond by the gym? We can fish there in peace for a while without anyone disturbing us."

"Sounds nice." Fie said before she stood up and smiled at Angelica. "Thanks, Angelica." And with that, she turned and hurried off towards the Class VII dorm.

Angelica stood up as well and began making her way towards her dormitory as well. Well, I made some headway. I'll let Naruto and Towa know how it went later. Might have to leave the rest up to Towa and see how she does. Glancing back towards the café, she frowned for a moment and said, "Everything will be okay, Naruto."

Naruto

Once he was sure Fie was gone, Naruto let out a quiet sigh of relief. Not sure what Angelica said to her, but I hope it worked.

As she came out of the bathroom and made her way back to the table, Ferris couldn't help but notice the relieved look on her friend's face. Smiling at him, she asked, "Is it safe to go outside now?"

Naruto took a moment to think on it before nodding his head. "Soon. Fie went back to the dormitory, but I think she's going to be heading out again soon. We might want to wait for her to go by before we head back outside. For now, I'm going to go wash up and then we should be good to go. We're going to rest in the park, right?"

"Of course." Ferris said with a beautiful smile aimed in his direction. "I hope to talk with you more and get to know each other a bit better. I hope you will tell me a little more about yourself, my mysterious prince." She teased.

Chuckling a bit, Naruto nodded before making his way to the men's bathroom. Once inside, he frowned in thought for a time as he looked at himself in the mirror. The royal family, huh? I wonder what she means. Guess I'll just have to ask her about it. She knows more about this noble stuff than I do.

Once he was done in the bathroom, he stepped back out into the main room and smiled at Ferris. "It feels like she's gone towards the school. We should be good to just relax for a while. Want to get some drinks to go?"

Ferris giggled a bit and shook her head. "While that would be nice, I'm afraid I would prefer not to for the time being. Maybe later."

"Of course. Well, let us be on our way. It'll be nice to relax for a while without having to worry about all the crazy." He joked, causing her to giggle just a bit more. Taking her hand, he led her outside and the two of them took a short walk to the park where they both sat down on a bench in the shade to try and relax and get comfortable for a while.

"So, Mr. Prince, how would you like to play this little game of questions of ours? I'm sure we have plenty to ask each other. But I get the feeling you're not going to tell me everything there is to know about you, are you?" Ferris asked somewhat teasingly.

Naruto chuckled a bit and said, "I have to keep some secrets, or else I lose all the charm of the mysterious, handsome prince." Hearing his friend giggle again, he smirked at her and said, "Seriously though, there's just so much about my past to discuss, and some things I feel are better left unsaid for the time being. I don't mind sharing some small details here and there, but some of the bigger stuff is…hard to talk about. But I'll answer what I can, okay?" Seeing her nod in response, he said, "How about we take turns asking each other questions? I know I'm curious about something you said, but I don't mind letting you go first."

"Very well." Taking a moment to compose herself, Ferris looked deep into his eyes and said, "Earlier, you mentioned that your life was hard, but that was putting it 'nicely'. Please, Naruto, tell me what it was like growing up in that village of yours. I want to hear the truth."

Naruto shrugged and said, "I don't mind giving you an answer. It's not easy to hear, though." Seeing her look, he nodded and continued. "Something terrible happened on the night of my birth. Somebody attacked the village I was born in, a place called Konohagakure. Both of my parents were killed, as well as many, many others. Unfortunately, something else happened that night, and I was blamed for everything. The council, in their esteemed wisdom, demanded that I be put to death immediately. I was barely even hours old at the time."

Sighing, the prince shook his head and decided to continue. "I was put in an orphanage…where I was abused and mistreated almost every day. Nobody would adopt me, and the matron made sure to keep me as far away and out of sight as possible so nobody would even think about it. Then, when I turned four years old, I was kicked out of the orphanage. I lived on the streets for a while, scrounging around in trash for scraps of food I might be able to eat. I did what I could to survive, but I was in terrible shape. When the village leader found me, he put me in an apartment…but it was barely even livable. Still, it was a home and I had a roof over my head. I got a monthly allowance to spend on food and necessities, but I was rarely allowed into shops, and when I tried to buy anything, I was overcharged by a ridiculous amount. And when I was trying to buy food, they'd only sell me rotten food and spoilt milk for instance. Everyone in that village wanted me dead. All except for two people: Hinata Hyuga and Anko Mitarashi."

By this point, Ferris could feel tears welling up in her eyes as she held her hands over her mouth, barely able to continue listening to his tale. And yet, he continued. "I had to be very careful when out and about, especially at night. People would frequently try and kill me. They would form large mobs and chase me until I just couldn't run anymore. All for the thrill of the hunt." Shaking his head, he still continued. "Anko was my only friend in the village. It was so long ago, I can barely remember how we met to begin with. But, that's a tale for another time."

"Anyways, I thought that the Ichiraku family cared about me. They kept me fed and mostly healthy, but I was costing them a lot of business because nobody wanted to eat where the 'demon' frequented. Then there was the Hokage, the leader of the village. I was so desperate for something, anything to give me a purpose. He manipulated me and convinced me to become a warrior for the village. Putting dreams of grandeur into my head and convincing me that, if I became Hokage, people would have to respect me. Problem is, I would never have been allowed to take up the mantle of Hokage. I was just too young and naïve to realize it at the time."

"Anyways, fast forward a ways and I became a warrior. The problem is, people still wanted me to die, so they'd do whatever they could to ensure I'd die on missions outside of the village. You see, the lands I come from were called the Elemental Nations. And there was a type of cold war between the major villages. Anything could spark another war, so people had to be really careful in virtually everything they did. It was a dangerous place and there was so much violence and death. It was terrible."

Looking back into Ferris' eyes, he said, "Ferris, my whole life, they hid who my parents were from me. I just never knew. When I finally found out who my parents were, I was furious. Minato Namikaze, Fourth Hokage of Konohagakure. And Kushina Uzumaki, princess of Uzushiogakure and the last of her people. While I was an important person…they didn't want me to know that. The only person I knew I could trust was Anko. I didn't know anyone else I could turn to." Shaking his head, he looked up at the sky at a couple of birds flying about overhead. "Then came the war. So much death and pain. I fought so hard, but it wasn't easy. But, again, perhaps we can save that discussion for another time, hm?"

Seeing as the violet-haired noble was in tears now, Naruto frowned and hugged her against him. "Sorry, Ferris. I didn't mean to make you cry, but I wanted to be honest with you."

Ferris shook her head and wiped her eyes free of the tears. "It's okay, Naruto. I'm the one who asked. I assume you had something you wanted to ask me? Maybe talking about something else will help get our minds off of the negative thoughts."

Reaching up, Naruto removed Ferris' hat and began to gently run his fingers through her long, purple hair. "If that's what you'd like, then I'm happy to oblige. Just know I'm here if you need me, okay?" Seeing her nod, he smiled and decided to ask his question. "Ferris, you mentioned something earlier about the royal family getting involved with me in some way. What did you mean by that? Why would they take a special interest in me?"

Ferris giggled for a moment before saying, "I figured you would ask me about that sooner or later." Looking into his eyes, she patted his cheek before saying, "Naruto, the Emperor and his family are good people. I wouldn't be at all surprised if they ask to meet with you soon. And, if you're honest with them and tell them the truth, it is my honest belief that they will invite you into their home. You are a prince, and, as you are without a family or a home to call your own, I am positive they would gladly accept you into their family. But, that might just be speculation on my part. I guess we will have to wait and see. Buuut, don't be surprised if I'm right."

Naruto blinked a couple of times before letting out a chuckle. "I see. If you are right about that…I wonder what I'll do. I'll have to talk with them and try to figure things out if they do ask to see me. I guess all we can do is wait and see where things go from here. Anyways, did you have any more questions for me?"

"Hmm, let me think. How about…?"

Later that night

When Naruto returned to the dormitory, he blinked when he saw his three mates there waiting for him. Thinking on it for a moment, he let out a sigh and asked, "What'd I do?"

Anko couldn't help it as she began to giggle. After she calmed down, she asked, "Sooo, did you enjoy your date with Miss Noble Girl?"

Naruto facepalmed and said, "It wasn't a date. She might have treated it like one, but it wasn't. I told her the other day I'd take her out to lunch so we could get to know each other better. If we're to be friends, might as well spend some time together and learn more about each other, right? I felt bad for making her cry, though. Poor girl didn't handle my past too well when I talked to her about how I grew up in that rotten village. Still, nice girl. Definitely more understanding than I thought she'd be. And she's less of a fangirl than I thought, too." Shrugging, he looked at his mates before asking, "Fie? Laura? You two seem a little calmer. How did your day go?"

Laura smiled at her mate before chancing a glance at Fie. "Well, Angelica took us both aside and talked with us individually for a time. She was very kind and patient with the both of us. She even helped us realize some things about ourselves and our feelings for you. But…"

Fie grumbled a bit and looked away. "I still haven't forgiven her. It's not the easiest thing to do. But at least I'm not so pissed off anymore. Besides, Angelica helped us realize something. We were both being kinda stupid. We both thought you meant no contact period. No holding hands. No hugs. No kissing. We were both hurting because we completely misunderstood. So…I'm sorry, Naruto. You know I love you. More than anything."

Naruto frowned sadly at her and said, "I know you do, Fie. I love you girls, too. More than anything. I just want you girls to get along and be happy together in this relationship. We're a family now. All four of us. And I promised you three that I'd let you discuss any of the girls in my life that I care about to see if you feel comfortable inviting them into this family of ours. Why would I betray you girls and go on a date without talking with you three first?" Sighing, he massaged his forehead before saying, "I just want us to be happy together. I feel like a damn screwup lately. I feel like I've done nothing but hurt you girls and it pisses me off. I broke down in the church yesterday evening and worried Father Paulo. I couldn't even finish my prayer to Aidios. I just want our family to stay together. So please, try and work this out somehow. Even if you can't do it right now, I want you to at least try to work together. I don't want to see you girls getting hurt because you couldn't trust in each other to watch each other's backs."

Seeing the three of them flinch, the blonde sighed again before saying, "Girls, I had an interesting discussion with Ferris earlier. She seems pretty confident that the Emperor and his family will want to meet with me soon. She told me not to be surprised if they offer me a home with them. I'm honestly not sure if they'll adopt me into their family, but if they do, I have some questions I'd like to ask them first. Because I'm not doing anything if it means I'll be putting you girls at risk. So if it does happen how Ferris predicted it will, they'd better be ready to hear me out and accept you girls as well. I'm not saying they'd have to adopt you three, too. I just want to know you'll be well looked after and we can be together without some kind of negative backlash. I want your thoughts on this."

Anko took his hand and led him over to one of the couches. Sitting him down, she told Fie to sit beside him while she and Laura sat across from them. Once everybody was seated, she looked seriously into her mate's eyes and said, "Naruto, if that happens, my main concern is making sure that Laura won't suffer any kind of political backlash for getting pregnant outside of wedlock. I don't want her and her father to suffer some kind of consequences because of what's happened. And…"

Fie nodded and looked seriously at her mate. "I want to know that they won't try to break us apart. They have to accept that we're all together with you and that's not going to change. If they try to make you choose one of us…then say no. Be firm."

Laura smiled at her lover and said, "Naruto, I have to agree. But…I want you to be happy as well. If they agree to your terms…then I think you should accept their offer. You would be protected and you would have more political sway if you were adopted into the royal family. You may not be blood related to them, but you would be a prince of Erebonia. People will love you, just as you were always meant to be loved and cherished. And if we can share in your newfound happiness and continue with our happy relationship…then I'm content. We love you, Naruto. I have a feeling that they will understand our circumstances. I think they will truly accept you for who you are. I doubt they will try to tear us apart. So please, give it some serious thought. Okay?"

Fie frowned slightly, but nodded her head. "I agree with her. May not like her right now, but Laura's right. Besides, if you became a prince of Erebonia, I really think you could make a real difference in the Empire. You could work towards setting things right and really making the people happy. And, if Olivert is anywhere near as cool as he's been made out to be, then he'd probably support you and your ideas. You'd have the power to work towards a better future for everybody. So, if they are willing to accept us as part of your life, and are willing to protect us if need be…then I think you should accept their offer."

Anko shrugged and said, "It's your choice, Sweetheart. You know I'll support you either way. But living the high life does sound like a good time." Giggling a bit, she said, "If everything works out, I think we'll be in pretty good shape. If Ferris is right, then I'm really looking forward to this. But, in the end, it's your choice. Do what you think is right."

Naruto smiled and walked away from the couches before turning around and smiling at his girls. "Group hug!" he exclaimed, chuckling a bit afterwards. When they glomped onto him, he laughed and hugged them tight. "I really love you girls. If everything works out and they do want to adopt me into their family…I think I probably will take them up on the offer. Especially if it offers you girls some kind of protection. But…I also want to know what it's like to have siblings and actual caring parents. Ones that actually want me in their lives. Heh. If it does happen, I can safely say my life was never meant to be normal." At that, they all shared a laugh before they decided to spend some time together, just chatting about their days and what they wanted for the future and any other topics that came to mind.

The Next Day

Naruto and his classmates, especially his mates, weren't quite sure what to think when Fie, Anko, and Laura were each called to the Student Council office after classes had let out for the day. The day had been pretty normal thus far, thankfully. All of the usual classes, random students in their class being called on to answer questions, all the mundane, everyday school stuff. Naruto didn't mind it, and neither did Anko, surprisingly. Still… I figured Towa would want to talk to them at some point, but all three of them together? I wonder what she has in mind. Hopefully she can help sort this problem out. I'm counting on you, Towa.

"So, who do you think will be paired together in the upcoming field study?" Naruto heard Alisa ask. Looking at her, Naruto saw that she was talking to him.

Curious, the prince chanced a glance at Rean to see that he seemed curious as well. Returning his gaze to Alisa, Naruto decided to just be honest with her. "Well, knowing Instructor Sara, I'm willing to bet she'll be placing Jusis and Machias on the same team again. She wants them to work out their differences somehow, and forcing them to work together might be one of the quickest, easiest ways to go about it. I'm also pretty sure that she'll be pairing Laura and Fie together on one team. Probably on whichever team Jusis and Machias AREN'T a part of. They still have to sort out their problems with each other, too. So chances are, Sara is going to ensure they stay together until they can get along again." Shrugging, he looked to Rean at this point and said, "She'll also probably put Rean and me on a team together, too. I think she'll probably put us on a team with Jusis and Machias this time around. If anyone can get those two to see eye to eye, it's probably the two of us. Other than that? I'm not really sure who she'll put on which team."

Machias scowled at hearing this, but he couldn't refute Naruto's astute observational skills. Dammit. If he's right, then this next field study is going to be a pain in the ass, too. Worse than the last one even!

Emma smiled at Naruto and said, "I think you're probably right, Naruto." Looking at Rean at this point, she offered him a smile and said, "For what it's worth, I hope that I'm on a team with the two of you this time around. We haven't had many opportunities to spend time together, and I'm looking forward to seeing what you both can do." Looking at Naruto at this point, she said, "You're still such a mystery to all of us. And Rean…"

When Emma left her thought hanging like that, Rean wasn't quite sure what to think. Still, he shrugged it off and offered Emma a smile. "If we are on a team together this time, then I'm looking forward to working with you, Emma."

Elliot frowned as he looked between his friends. "Something tells me that we're probably not going to be on the same team this time around. So, if that's the case, good luck guys."

Before they could continue their conversation, Principal Vandyck called out over the intercom, "Naruto Uzumaki, please come see me in my office at your earliest convenience. We have some important matters to discuss."

Naruto blinked in confusion as all eyes turned to him. Looking at his friends, he shrugged his shoulders and said, "I wonder what's going on now. Guess I'll find out. See you guys later?"

Gaius smiled at Naruto and said, "Of course. Would you like to meet up at Kirsche's again? Unless your talk takes a while. In which case, perhaps we will see you back at the dorm. Either way, do take care, Naruto. We shall see you later."

"Of course. See you guys." Naruto said before he stood up, collected his things, and left the classroom while waving to his friends. Okey dokey, let's go see what Vandyck needs with me. This should be an interesting conversation.

Towa

"What is this? Couple's counseling?" Anko asked somewhat sarcastically as she stared into Towa's eyes. "Why am I even here when it's these two who can't get along?"

Towa giggled and said, "Not quite, Anko. I simply wanted to talk with the three of you. Naruto and Angie told me about what happened as well as how things went yesterday. As for you, Anko, I just wanted to make sure you were doing okay. All of this stress can't be easy on you, either." When Anko made an 'Ah.' sound and nodded her head in understanding, Towa smiled at her.

Looking at Fie and Laura, the Student Council president said, "I hear you two did very well yesterday. However, you're still having a hard time forgiving each other. Especially you, Fie. Don't get me wrong, though. I'm not going to try and force you to apologize to each other, and I'm not going to try and make you forgive each other yet, either. My concern is the fact that you're all hurting right now because of what's happened. Naruto included. I worry that this could directly affect your performance in not only the practical exam, but the upcoming field study as well. Such things can be pretty dangerous, so I just want to make sure you four can work together when needed and keep your focus in battle and on your assigned tasks."

Before she could continue talking, they heard Vandyck's announcement and they all wondered what the heck he wanted with Naruto this time. Shrugging it off, Anko looked into Towa's eyes and said, "You don't need to worry about Naruto and me. We're ninja and have been through stressful crap before. We can handle this. It's these two that I'm really worried about. Especially after their performance in the old schoolhouse the other day."

Laura nodded and said, "It is shameful to admit, but I could not keep my focus. I was…stressed and depressed on top of that. I could barely think straight. I felt so useless. It was a hard feeling and I wished dearly that I could have been useful to everyone. Especially my mate and sisters."

Fie simply remained quiet, so Towa decided to speak again. "I heard about that from Naruto. Like I said before, I'm worried about you. So please, even if you're having a hard time right now, try to work together, okay? I don't want any of you to be hurt out there. You're all my precious underclassmen and I care about all of you. I will admit, I do not know the full details of your relationship or what the circumstances are that brought all of you together into such a unique relationship, but I don't think that really matters right now. I'm sure you'll tell me in time when you feel it's the right time to do so. For now, as much as I'd like for you to apologize to each other and get along again, I can't force it. Besides, as you are right now, I doubt you'd truly mean such an apology to each other. I don't like seeing you four hurting so much."

Before Towa could say any more, Laura shook her head and said, "I would mean it." Turning to Fie, the blue-haired noble bowed her head and said, "Fie. For what it's worth, I apologize for hurting you in such a way. I don't want our family to break apart because of what has happened. I love all of you as dearly as I love our mate. You two are the sisters I never had. It brings me great joy to have a family like ours. I don't like any of us hurting so much. I don't like causing our mate such deep pain. I never meant to hurt you. I was just…eager to express my love for Naruto in a way that would mean so much more to the both of us. I did not know such an act would hurt you so much. As you said before, I have been rather selfish thus far in our relationship. I vow to think of the family as a whole from now on. And I vow to treat Naruto with the respect he deserves, as well. But, I do not regret my actions or the act we performed. I do not regret that I will be giving birth to his first children in nine months. It is what I desired, as I told him that very night. I know how worried he's been, but I truly think he'll be a wonderful father and husband. He has absolutely nothing to worry about. But…I realize how much this has hurt you three. So I apologize for hurting you in such a deep way. I want us to get along again. I want…I want to see you smile again, Fie. After all, you have such a wonderful smile."

Anko smirked as she nudged her shorter friend. "Well Fie, the ball's in your court now. Whatcha gonna do?"

Fie grumbled a bit and said, "I'm sorry, too. I said some pretty harsh things to you. Things I shouldn't have said. I'm still angry, and I'm still upset. But I recognize that I shouldn't have said what I did. I know you love our mate. I know he loves you, too. But…I can't forgive you just yet, Laura. Thanks for what you said…but…it still hurts. I want us to be a happy family, too. But it's not so easy. I thought I could handle it. I thought I had prepared myself for the idea of sharing him with other women. But I obviously couldn't. I'm jealous. It pisses me off to admit that, but I've been jealous from the start. I knew other girls would take an interest in our mate. I knew he'd develop feelings for them as well. I guess I just thought he'd be just mine for a while longer. I don't know. I want to help Kurama so bad, but it's just so hard. I knew I could share him with Anko. That was easy for me. But…"

Towa frowned sadly and said, "It's never easy to have to share the man you love, Fie. Regardless of the circumstances or how well you prepare yourself for it. Jealousy is only natural in such a situation. You just need to give it time and try to adjust to everything, one step at a time. As I said, I won't try to force you to forgive Laura right now. However, you're going to have to at some point. I know about the no cuddling and no sex rule right now. I know how much it must be hurting you. I can't see Naruto going back on his word so easily, so you're going to have to make a decision soon, Fie. You can't stay mad forever. It's only going to hurt you in the end. Okay?"

"I know that, Towa. That doesn't make it any easier, though. I think part of the problem is the fact that I know I'm too young to bear his children yet. I'm only 15 years old, after all. And…I'm small. I don't know if I could handle it yet. The fact that Laura can…can handle it so easily just…bothers me so much. I want to give him a family, too. Children that he can hold and love. But I can't right now. I want to so bad, though! I've…I've been ready to give myself to him for a while now. I was just too afraid to admit it. I didn't want to scare him. So yes, I'm really jealous of Laura. It doesn't feel fair to me. I want him to hold me…and make love to me. I want to feel what Laura felt. But I know that, until I forgive her and we make up…I won't get that chance. Naruto can be even more stubborn than I am. I don't know what to do, Towa. I want to forgive her so we can all be happy again. But I don't think I can right now. Not so long as I continue to feel like this. Still…I am sorry for hurting you, Laura. I don't like being mad at you. I don't like being jealous of you. But I can't help it. I'm kind of surprised you've forgiven me so easily. I wish it was that easy for me." Fie said as she struggled not to cry.

Laura smiled at Fie and said, "Of course I'd forgive you, Fie. I love you. You're my sister in this relationship. You mean just as much to me as Naruto does. I understand if you can't forgive me yet. If it means anything, I think that your children will be beautiful. I think you're more ready for it than you seem to think you are. But I also realize that you are young, and you are nervous about such a thing. I just want you to think on it for a time. You'll know if it's the right time or not. For now, take all the time you need, okay? But, I do want you to be able to experience the joy of making love with him. It will be more than worth it, I assure you."

Fie giggled sadly and said, "I'm sure it will be. And thank you, Laura. I promise that I'll work with you, should we be put together for the field study. I won't let my jealousy get in the way of that."

"And I shall work with you, Fie. I had already planned to. And, should anything happen, I will protect you as well. Just as I hope you will me. I think we'll be fine, Fie." Laura said.

Anko smirked and wrapped her arms around her sister mates. "I think we're all gonna be just fine. Thanks for the talk, Towa! Can we get going now? This therapy stuff is kind of uncomfortable." She teased.

Towa giggled, but shook her head. "If it's all the same to you, I'd like to continue our conversation for a little while longer. Besides, I have an offer I'd like to make you, Anko. Once we're done here, of course."

Anko blinked a couple of times, but shrugged and said, "Sure. Curious to hear what this offer of yours is. I'll help if I can."

"Glad to hear it. Now…"

Naruto

Naruto blinked a couple of times as he tried to process what Vandyck had just told him. "Wait, what? They want to see me when, exactly?"

The Principal chuckled and said, "The royal family would like to meet with you as soon as you are available. They will be coming here to speak with you next week, after you have returned and recuperated from your field study this weekend. It would seem word has already reached them in the capital. I do believe they are curious about you and what a foreign prince is doing in the Empire. I suggest you be honest with them and explain what you can to them. I am not saying to divulge all of your secrets to them, but don't feed them lies either. Do you understand, Naruto?"

Naruto nodded in understanding and said, "Of course, Sir. I won't lie to them, and I'll tell them what I feel comfortable with. I want to trust in them, Principal. I know they are good people. I've heard nothing but good things about them, as well. But…I'm really not all that special. I can't help but feel like I'll let them down in some way. Especially when they learn that I have no home to return to. I'm the prince of a dead nation, after all. I essentially have nothing to my name."

Vandyck smiled at Naruto and said, "We shall just have to wait and see then, won't we? I have a feeling they will be kind to you, Naruto. Just give them a chance. For now, I must ask: how are things going with your mates? Have things improved in any way?"

Naruto frowned and shook his head. "I am not sure, Principal. Angelica talked with the two of them yesterday. And I think Towa is talking with the three of them right now. Fie seems calmer, at least. And Laura seems to be doing a lot better, as well. I just hope that they'll be okay in the upcoming practical exam and the field study. Do you happen to know what the groups are for the field exam? I've already posited a guess to my friends about a few members for both groups, but I have no way to be sure."

Vandyck shook his head and said, "Instructor Sara has already approached me about her plans for the field study this weekend. However, I suggest you wait until Wednesday, after your practical exam is over and you have all received your assignments. I want you to gauge their reactions at that time and do what you can afterwards to prepare everyone for what's to come. It will not be easy, but I know you and the other students of Class VII will be fine. I think you should be more concerned about what to discuss with the royal family upon their arrival. Take some time to think it over and prepare yourself to answer whatever questions they may ask. If need be, discuss it with your friends and fellow classmates. You may even talk with Sara about it if you wish. Just so long as you are comfortable when the time comes to speak with the Emperor and his family."

"Of course, Sir. Thank you. Is that all you would like to speak with me about?" Naruto questioned curiously.

"Yes. You are free to go. I suggest you inform your mates about what's to come. I am positive that everything will be just fine, Naruto. Do have a good night." Vandyck said.

"Thank you, Sir." Standing up, the blonde bowed to the older man before turning and leaving the office. Once out in the hallway, he chuckled dryly and said, "I hope you're right, Principal. You as well, Ferris. I don't want my trust to be misplaced."

Later that night

"Wait. The royal family are coming here to see you? What are you going to do?" Elliot asked his friend. The entirety of Class VII, Instructor Sara included, were currently seated in the dining area of their dorm. Emma and Naruto had taken the time to cook a nice meal for everyone, so they were more than happy to spend this time together.

Naruto rubbed the back of his head and said, "Honestly? I have no idea. I'm not going to just lie to them if they have questions for me. I won't tell them everything about myself, but…I want to trust them. Principal Vandyck told me to be honest with them should they ask me certain questions. I'm sure they'll ask why a foreign prince is in the Empire, and I'll tell them the truth about that. Uzushiogakure is gone. There's absolutely nothing left. So really, I have nothing to my name. I have no people to govern. I have no real home to go back to. Hopefully that answer will suffice for them. I am here with my mates because Sara invited us here. Right now, this is our home. Though I have no idea what will come after." Shrugging, he said, "If they ask me about my mates…I'll tell them the truth. I just hope they understand."

Machias frowned after hearing the truth from Naruto. Quietly, he asked, "You really have nothing left? Why didn't you tell us?"

Naruto shrugged and said, "Because I didn't feel it was important. I'm the son of Minato Namikaze, leader of the village that betrayed us. And my mother, Kushina Uzumaki, was the last of her people. She was the princess of Uzushiogakure, thus making me the next prince. But everything was gone, and Konohagakure was an awful place. I honestly didn't think it mattered."

The green-haired teen frowned for a moment longer before saying, "I'm sorry, Naruto. I misjudged you. I didn't realize."

The blonde shook his head and said, "It's fine, Machias." Looking around at the others, he asked, "What do the rest of you think about this?"

"I figured they would want to meet you. I just didn't realize it would be so soon." Laura said. "You talked with the three of us before about your concerns, and I stand by what I said. I just hope they accept you as you are and don't judge you harshly for some reason."

Alisa shook her head and offered Naruto and his mates a smile. "I doubt they'll be so harsh. I've heard that they are good people. I think once they learn the truth that they will be very kind to Naruto. I do wonder what they will decide to do about it, though."

Rean nodded and said, "I am curious about that, as well. You will have to inform us about how the meeting goes next week, Naruto. I just hope everything works out for the best."

"Thanks." Naruto said, smiling at his friends. "Honestly, I'm more concerned about the practical exam and the field study this weekend. Hopefully things aren't as crazy as they were last month."

Elliot chuckled and said, "I guess we'll just have to wait and see. I think we'll all be fine."

Anko grinned and said, "We're gonna do great! I'm sure it'll be a lot better than last month for sure!"

Gaius chuckled a bit and said, "I hope you are right, Anko."

Wednesday – Practical Exam

The past few days had been a lot better than the weekend had been. Naruto had continued to discuss things in private with his mates regarding what was coming up, as well as the meeting scheduled for Naruto and the royal family. In truth, Naruto was rather nervous about the whole thing. He was worried about a number of things regarding that meeting, but he promised himself and his mates that he wouldn't let his nerves get the better of him.

Shaking those thoughts off, Naruto stood with his fellow classmates, waiting to hear the details of today's practical exam. He just hoped that it wouldn't be too crazy. Last month's exam was fine and tested everyone's combat links. But this time, he wasn't sure what to expect.

"All right, it's time for this month's practical exam." Sara said, getting everyone's attention. "I'm sure you don't need a refresher on how these things work, so let's just get started, shall we?" And with that, she snapped her fingers and called for another of those strange puppet-like machines.

Machias frowned as he looked at it. Even now, like the others, he still had no idea what the hell these things actually were.

Elliot spoke up at this point. "Still…not used to these things. Don't know that I'll ever be…"

"It's changed form." Fie said. Glancing at her mate, she saw that he seemed a bit puzzled by this thing as well. Just what the hell is this thing? She wondered. If even her mate was confused by this thing, then she knew none of them could figure this damn thing out.

"N-Now that you mention it, this one does look different from last month's…" Emma commented.

"Fiddling with their settings changes their appearance, too…apparently." Sara said, chuckling nervously. "I really don't know how they work…but it's not like that actually matters!"

Naruto frowned further at this piece of news. If she doesn't know what the hell these things actually are or how they work…then somebody else here just might. Somebody here obviously knows how they work and is able to tamper with them. I'm willing to bet I know just who, as well. George Nome. Shaking that thought off, he listened as Rean spoke up this time.

"You know, it's kind of discouraging when the instructor who's sending us into battle is so…unconcerned…" he said with a frown aimed in Sara's direction.

Alisa let out a sigh and shook her head. "I swear, these things will never make any sense."

"All right, enough of that. Let's begin! Rean, Alisa, Laura, Gaius. Step forward!" Sara commanded.

"Looks like we're up first." Gaius said as he readied himself for battle.

Laura nodded as she stepped forward as well. "I have every confidence in our abilities."

"Yeah, with the four of us together…" Alisa started as she stepped forward and prepped herself for battle.

"…this should be no trouble at all!" Rean finished, a confident smile on his face.

Naruto watched as Rean and his teammates prepared their equipment and their orbments for the upcoming battle. He knew they'd be fine, but he wanted to study this blasted thing and its capabilities before he took a crack at the machine. They'll be fine, but I need to learn more about these things. I doubt asking George directly will get me any answers. Still, I'm damn sure he knows something about these things. Definitely suspicious.

"Good luck, you guys!" Elliot exclaimed.

Jusis simply shrugged and folded his arms across his chest as he decided to observe the match as well. If nothing else, this will allow the rest of us to see just what we need to do to best this thing.

"All ready? Okay! Show me how it's done!" Sara exclaimed before stepping back and allowing the battle to begin. However, as one last note, she said, "If you want to get extra points, make sure to cancel at least one of your enemy's arts. Good luck!"

Heh, so that's one of the tricks to scoring well on this exam. I can do that easily. Naruto thought to himself with a confident grin on his face.

As expected, Rean and the others were able to accomplish their goal of cancelling one of its arts using Rean's Autumn Leaf Cutter craft. The puppet-like creature fell soon after to their combined assault. Once it was over, Naruto clapped for them and said, "Excellent job!"

"Well done!" Sara exclaimed proudly. "All that hard work during last month's field study and in the old schoolhouse has clearly paid off!"

Rean chuckled a bit and said, "You may be right."

"We fought well together." Gaius commented.

"Indeed. I would have no objections to another round." Laura said.

Alisa giggled nervously and shook her head. "L-Let's not and say we did, okay?"

"Okay, next team! Machias, Jusis, Elliot, Emma, Fie! Step forward!" Sara commanded as she motioned for Rean's team to step back.

Elliot looked startled and asked, "All of us, at one time?! What about Naruto and Anko?"

Emma chanced a glance at Jusis and Machias and said, "Th-That means…"

"Ugh. Let's just get this over with!" Machias exclaimed. Why does she insist on trying to make us work together like this?!

"Hmph. I don't need you telling me what to do." Jusis said.

"Wh-What was that?!" Machias yelled angrily.

Fie sighed and shook her head in disappointment. "There they go."

After the group of five stepped forward, Sara palmed her face and shook her head. After releasing a frustrated sigh, she looked at them and said, "Yes, yes, you hate each other. We get it. Are you all ready?" Hearing no objections, Sara exclaimed, "Okay. Begin!"

Once the battle got underway, Anko facepalmed and shook her head in exasperation. "Well, this isn't pretty."

Rean chuckled a bit and said, "You said it. They just can't seem to work together. At least Fie managed to cancel that thing's art. Still…"

Naruto sighed and said, "Those two are going to be such a problem until they can learn to work together. Such a pain in the ass."

Once the battle was finally over, Elliot doubled over and panted for a little while, trying dearly to catch his breath. Emma, on the other hand, held a hand to her chest and shook her head. "We even had one more member than Rean's group. That was so much harder than it should have been."

Fie shrugged and cast a side glance at the two problems in the group. "It's hardly surprising."

Sara frowned disappointedly as she looked over the group. "I knew this was going to be a struggle, but I had no idea your performance would be so…unremarkable. The three of you did just fine." She said, pointing at the two orbal staff users and Fie. "However, you two…" Looking at Jusis and Machias, she said, "I hope you two have a good, long think about what you did wrong. The battle was only as hard as it was because of the two of you, after all."

"Gah." Machias grumbled a bit, clearly not pleased at having the truth shoved right in his face like that.

Jusis just glared at Machias without a word. Useless bastard!

Rean looked at Sara for a moment before turning his attention to his teammates. "This is the first time I've ever heard her speaking so harshly. Almost…like a teacher!"

Alisa nodded and said, "Well, considering the situation, it's no wonder she's frustrated."

Motioning for Machias and the others to step back, Sara turned to Naruto and Anko and said, "All right, since you two are the last to go, get on up here and show everyone how it's done. Remember: cancel an art and then defeat the thing. Which means you two can't just destroy it outright like I know you could."

Stepping forward, Anko looked at her boyfriend and thought, I'm not sure if I have anything that can cancel an art like that just yet. Guess I'll have to think on it. Naruto seems pretty confident, though. I wonder what he'll do.

Naruto smiled at his mate and said, "Don't worry. We've got this. Just trust me."

The Snake Mistress took hold of her weapons and nodded at her mate. "I do. I'll let you cancel its art before we kick its ass. Should be fun!"

Sara smiled at the two of them before shouting, "Begin!"

Naruto didn't draw his weapon. Instead, he closed his eyes and held his hands before himself in a strange gesture. The others watched as he began to meditate right on the battlefield. What's he doing? Rean wondered.

Anko smiled at her love before watching the creature closely. When it began to move closer to her boyfriend, she rushed forward and kicked the thing backwards, away from him. "Nuh-uh! I'm not letting you get close to him that easily. Come on you stupid thing, just try to cast an art."

After a few moments of Anko having to knock the thing away from him, Naruto opened his eyes the moment it began charging up to cast an art of some kind. Seeing this, Anko quickly got out of the way and watched to see what he would do.

Focusing his power into his hands, Naruto swung his arm and sent a shockwave of energy surging forth along the ground. When it hit the machine, its art was not only canceled, but one of its arms flew off as well. Afterwards, forming a combat link with his beloved Anko, the two of them charged forward and took the thing apart, watching as it fell to the ground in pieces.

Sara and the rest of Class VII blinked in shock. After a moment, she shook it off and said, "You didn't need to dismantle the thing. Still, very good job! Seriously here though, what the hell did you just do?"

Naruto chuckled and said, "It's a craft I developed during my time with Zephyr. I figured that, if my opponents were going to try and use arts against me, I might as well devise a way to cancel them. It's just something I came up with using my power. I haven't really given it a name yet, though."

"Uh-huh." Sara said. After a moment, she shook it off and said, "Well, I'd say that concludes today's practical exam. Next, I'll be announcing the details of this weekend's field study. Each of you, please come forward and take one of these."

After receiving their assignments, Naruto looked his over and frowned in thought. Just as I suspected.

'[Field Study: May]

Group A: Rean, Naruto, Emma, Machias, Jusis, Anko

(Study Location: Bareahard, the Verdant City)

Group B: Alisa, Laura, Elliot, Gaius, Fie

(Study Location: Saint-Arkh, the Old Capital)'

Fie's probably not too happy about not being on a team with me again. But she and Laura need this. I just hope there won't be any problems. Naruto thought, his frown deepening.

Rean frowned as well and mumbled, "These assignments…"

"Bareahard and Saint-Arkh… Both very well-known cities here in the Empire." Gaius commented.

"Bareahard's the capital of the Kreuzen province in the east, right?" Elliot questioned.

"And Saint-Arkh is the capital of Sutherland in the south." Alisa said.

"Two provincial capitals. They seem like fair choices." Laura said.

Fie grumbled a bit and said, "Yeah. But…"

Emma frowned and said, "I…guess they are, but…"

Looking at Laura and Fie, Anko then turned her attention to Jusis and Machias and said, "I think that's the least of our worries right now."

"Is this some kind of sick joke?" Machias asked angrily. "Instructor, what are you trying to prove?! Do you have some sort of personal vendetta against us or something?!"

Jusis scoffed and said, "For a change, I actually agree with him. This is ludicrous. I refuse to accept these group allocations. Change them at once."

Naruto facepalmed and shook his head. "Oh, this cannot end well."

Sara looked between the two of them and said, "I don't know. They seem pretty perfect from where I'm standing. Besides, you're from Bareahard, so putting you in Group A was a no-brainer!"

"Hmph." Jusis scoffed, clearly displeased with her answer.

"Then put me in Group B!" Machias exclaimed, almost pleadingly. "I'm not thrilled at the thought of going to Saint-Arkh either, but it's better than gallivanting off to HIS hometown! Besides, everyone knows Bareahard is like a breeding ground for nobles and their dusty old ideas. The place is crawling with them!"

Sara shrugged and said, "Well, I can't deny that. Especially since that's exactly why I put you in Group A to begin with!"

Machias looked shocked and actually flinched as he took a step backwards. She can't be serious about this!

"I'm no army officer, so I'm not about to go telling you that my orders are absolute and such. That's much too military for my liking. But I am your instructor. And it's my duty to look out for your best interests. Which, I feel, is exactly what I'm doing here. So if you have any objections…then how about the two of you try to make me listen to them by force?" she asked with a pleasant smile on her face.

Machias looked worried about the prospect of challenging their instructor. Oh shit.

"Interesting." Jusis said before turning to Machias. Nodding to each other, they stepped forward and prepared to battle their instructor.

Naruto facepalmed again and said, "Saw this coming. She's going to kick their asses BAD."

Anko giggled and nodded in agreement. "Oh definitely. Should be fun to watch, at least."

"Y-You're not seriously going to…" Rean started to say, looking at his classmates worriedly.

"C-Come on! Don't…!" Elliot tried to plead with them.

"Heh. Male pride is so predictable. I knew you couldn't possibly turn down an offer like that. …And you know what? I wouldn't have it any other way!" Sara said as she drew her weapons: a long sword and an orbal gun.

Seeing this, the class was shocked. All except for Naruto, who had already seen just what Sara was capable of with such weapons. Yep. They're screwed.

Machias flinched again and looked worried once more. Can't back down now. Guess I'm just going to have to do this!

"What?!" Jusis exclaimed in shock.

"A-An orbal gun…and a sword?" Alisa questioned. "Those are…terrifying-looking weapons…"

"Heh. Just wait until you see what she can do with them." Naruto said, a cruel smirk on his face. "You're in for quite the shock, I assure you."

Machias glanced over his shoulder at Naruto and thought, Oh great. He sounds like he has personal experience with them. He knows something we clearly don't about our 'great instructor'.

Jusis, on the other hand, maintained a calm, cool exterior, but inside he was worried as well. Still…

As Jusis and Machias drew their weapons, Sara grinned at them and said, "That's the spirit! Rean, why don't you give them a hand? I'll gladly take on all three of you!"

Ah shit. Rean thought before he shouted, "Y-Yes, Instructor!" Stepping forward, he drew his weapon and prepared for battle. More like I'm getting ready to get my butt kicked.

Laura stared with wide eyes as they could see an aura surrounding Sara at this point. "What a powerful aura." Glancing back at her lover, she saw that he didn't look the least bit surprised. He's fought her before. He knows just how powerful she is. I definitely need to observe this fight.

"All right. It's time…for some EXTREME extra credit…" Sara said, grinning as she pointed her gun straight at Machias. "If you think you can 'convince' me to change your assignments…well, let's just see how well you measure up!" And with that, the battle was on.

Emma frowned as she watched the four of them do battle. "They can't even form combat links."

Anko nodded and said, "Of course not. Those require trust between you and your partner. You need to be able to rely on each other regardless of your differences. The three of them just don't have that right now. They aren't getting along, and they don't trust each other yet either. They can't possibly stand against her by themselves. All we can really do here is watch them get their butts kicked."

"Yep. This isn't going to be pretty." Fie said as she folded her arms across her chest and watched the fight.

The fight barely lasted two minutes, if even that. Once it was over and the three of them were laid out on the ground, desperately trying to catch their breath and nurse their wounds, Naruto closed his eyes and shook his head in disappointment. Damn shame.

"All…I feel…is pain…" Rean wheezed.

Machias could only groan in agony as he tried to force himself to sit up.

"I-Impossible…" Jusis breathed out.

Elliot looked between the three of them nervously and asked, "A-Are you okay?!"

"I had no idea she was that strong…" Alisa said in shock.

"We did." Naruto said, getting their attention. "When Sara and I had our spar last month, she was actually able to wound me. I'm afraid they never had a chance."

Everyone's eyes widened at that revelation. "N-No way…" Elliot said as he stared between Sara and Naruto in shock.

"Then she was definitely holding back in this fight." Gaius said as he stared at Sara in awe.

"Hmm… Her combat style is most unique. I couldn't even hazard a guess as to what school she represents." Laura said as she looked at Sara with a critical eye.

"I guess this means…" Emma said, looking at the three wounded classmates.

"Yup. Decision's final." Fie said with a small smirk on her face.

Sara laughed for a moment as she put away her weapons. "Well, chalk one up for the educator! Group A and Group B will be heading to their destinations this weekend as planned. Good luck, everybody! I'll be expecting souvenirs!"

Anko smirked and nudged her boyfriend in the ribs. "Guess that means you're going to have to get her something, too. I definitely like her."

Naruto chuckled and said, "I have no problem with that. Guess we'll just have to browse for a while and see what's available."

That night

Naruto and his mates were in his room again. They wanted to discuss something with their boyfriend, it would seem. "So, what's on your mind?"

"What did you mean earlier? You and Sara had a spar? How did she manage to wound you, Naruto?" Fie asked, narrowing her eyes at him dangerously.

"Ah. So that's what this is about." Naruto said as he rubbed the back of his head. "I meant what I said, Fie. I took it easy on her for a while, only using a fraction of my power…and I paid the price for it. At first, she just couldn't keep up with me and she was struggling to match my power and speed. She adjusted incredibly quickly, however. I was very impressed with her and her abilities."

Anko whistled and said, "Damn. You still won, I'm betting. But still, for her to actually match you for a time is pretty impressive."

Laura nodded in agreement. "I have not had the opportunity to see you at your strongest yet, but I know you are far more powerful than anyone could possibly know. Challenging you in such a way is a testament to Sara's skill."

"Indeed." Naruto said. "Anyways, we should probably get some sleep. I want to prepare for the field study this weekend. I think you girls should, as well. Good night."

The three young women nodded and kissed their boyfriend goodbye, one at a time, before turning and leaving his room.

Once they were gone, Naruto flopped back on his bed and let out a groan. "This field study's going to be a pain in the ass."

Saturday – 6:30 AM

When Rean came out of his room, Naruto was waiting for him in the hallway. "Sooo, finally awake, huh? The others are waiting for us. Might as well get moving."

Rean nodded and said, "Right. Any particular reason you decided to wait for me, though?"

The blonde shrugged and said, "Figured we could go downstairs together. You'd be lonely without the company."

The black-haired teenager chuckled and said, "Of course. Best friends, and all that."

"Need me to hold your hand?" Naruto teased good-naturedly.

All Rean could do was chuckle as they descended the stairs together.

Once downstairs, the two of them saw Jusis and Machias unable to so much as look at one another. Sweatdropping at this, the duo made their way up to them. Rean gave an awkward smile and said, "Morning. You two are up early."

Machias glared at Rean for a moment before turning away again. "I want to make this very clear before we leave. You are my classmate. You are NOT my friend. We may be in the same group, but I would appreciate it if you would not address me as casually as you seem wont to do."

Naruto facepalmed and shook his head in exasperation. "I was right. This is going to be a damn nightmare."

Jusis glanced at Rean and Naruto before casting a quick glare at Machias. "Our class' vice president is as stubborn as ever."

Machias turned to glare at Jusis and shouted, "Say that again! I dare you!"

All Rean and Naruto could do in response was sigh and look at each other. "You were right, Naruto. This field study's going to be hell."

It was at this point that they heard Anko yawning as she came down the stairs and approached them. Emma was right beside her. "You two are going to be like this the entire time, aren't you?" she asked as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

Emma, on the other hand, smiled awkwardly and said, "Erm… Good morning, everyone."

Turning to face them, Rean smiled and said, "Morning."

Naruto hugged his mate and kissed her lightly on the lips. "Morning, Sweetheart. Did you get enough sleep?"

Anko shrugged before giving her boyfriend another kiss. "I'm fine. I just hate having to wake up so damn early. It never feels like I got enough sleep when I have to wake up as early as we do here."

"I know that feeling." Naruto said with a chuckle before turning his attention to Emma. "Morning, Emma."

Emma smiled at them before looking at Jusis and Machias and giggling nervously. "Well, it looks like we're all gathered, then. Shall we be leaving?"

"We might as well…though there's still some time before our train leaves." Rean said before looking at Naruto. "Might as well take a look around and do some shopping if we need to."

Naruto nodded and said, "Might as well get our orbments tuned up by George while we're at it. I'd like to say goodbye to a few people, as well."

Jusis sighed and said, "That's fine."

"I have no objections, either." Machias said.

Anko stared between the two of them and shook her head. Looking back at Naruto and Rean, she shrugged and said, "Might as well get going, then."

Rean scratched the back of his head and chuckled somewhat dryly. This is going to be a long weekend…

Patting his friend on the back, Naruto said, "There, there, Rean. We'll be okay."

"Sure, Naruto." Rean said before he led the way outside. "Might as well do what we need to before making our way into the station."

Once outside, they saw the lovey-dovey couple next door speaking with one another before sharing their morning kiss. Anko cooed and said, "Awww. That's so sweet!"

Emma giggled and said, "It really is. They're like that every day. I hope to find a love like that someday."

Proceeding past them and wishing the happy couple a good morning, they entered Micht's Pawn Shop and approached the information broker. "Bareahard, huh? I hear our buddy spends quite a bit of time over there. Heh. Sounds like he's keeping himself busy. Not that he's told me any of this. I haven't spoken to him in ages… Maybe it's about time I send him a message."

Naruto blinked a couple of times in confusion before saying, "Yeaaah, we have no idea who you're talking about, old man. Anyways, hiya!"

Micht looked at the gathered group and shrugged. "Don't mind me any. I'm just talking to myself. Anyways, I heard your little group's off to Bareahard this time. Well, hats off to ya. Don't get yourselves killed or anything."

Rean leaned closer to Naruto and whispered, "Was that supposed to be encouraging?"

Naruto chuckled a bit and shrugged. "Not sure." Looking at Micht, he browsed the man's wares before shrugging and saying, "See you when we get back, Micht. Looking forward to our next chat."

"Sure thing, Mr. Prince. Enjoy your field study." Micht said with a smile before waving them off.

Leaving the shop, Anko looked at her mate and said, "That guy seems to know a lot about a lot of things. Thoughts, Naruto?"

Naruto shrugged again before leading the way towards the shopping district. "Pretty sure that guy's an information broker or something. He knows way too much to be a simple pawn shop owner."

Rean nodded in agreement. "Sounds like it. Oh well. That's not really any of our concern right now."

After walking up the steps, they spotted Edel speaking with the flower shop owner. Smiling at her, Naruto approached them and said, "Good morning, you two. Here to purchase some more flowers for the garden, Edel?"

Edel blinked and looked first at Naruto and then at the other members of Group A. "Well, good morning, Naruto. What has you up so early this morning?"

Naruto chuckled a bit and said, "Well, we set out on our field study today. We're heading to Bareahard this time."

Edel nodded and said, "I do remember Fie mentioning something like that the other day. Do take care of yourselves! And Naruto?"

"Yes, Edel?" Naruto queried.

"Let me know if you see any nice flowers. Better yet, if you can, bring home some seeds so we can plant them in the garden!" Edel said, smiling sweetly at her underclassman.

Naruto chuckled a bit and said, "Sure thing, Edel. I'll see what I can do." Patting her atop the head, he said, "See you when we get back. Have a good weekend, Edel!"

"You as well, Naruto. Bye bye!" Edel said before she turned back to the flower shop and began to browse the flowers once again.

Entering the clothing store at this point, they approached the counter and listened as Julia began to speak. "Bareahard has long been the center of fashion for nobles. Top-level designers work tirelessly on new clothing and accessories there, setting trends that spread across the nation. I've been there once before, myself. Le Sage's owner recommended I visit in order to learn more about the fashion world. And the boutiques there simply are a must. Try to see them if you get the chance."

Anko grinned and said, "Sounds awesome! I'll definitely take a look and see what's for sale. Mr. Writer here can probably afford anything I want. Isn't that right, Darling?"

Naruto chuckled nervously before saying, "Sure, Sweetie. Whatever you want."

Julia giggled and said, "Good luck, Naruto. Umm, is there anything you'd like to purchase today? I have a variety of clothes and accessories in stock!"

"Sure thing, Julia. Thank you." Naruto said before he and the others began to browse the store's inventory. After purchasing everything they wanted, they bade Julia goodbye and left the store.

Moving next door, they smiled at Tyzel and greeted her. Turning to face them, the young girl said, "Good morning! I saw a really pretty black cat this morning. She was sooo cuuuuuute!" Giggling happily to herself, she exclaimed, "Getting up early has its perks, after all!"

Emma giggled somewhat nervously to herself and said, "It sure does." Oh Celine, what are you doing?

"I've never seen a cat that pretty before. I'll need to give it some milk if I see it again!" Tyzel exclaimed again, getting their attention once more.

Chuckling a bit, Naruto said, "You do just that. I'm sure Miss Kitty will appreciate that."

"Yep! You have a good trip, Naruto! See you when you get back!" Tyzel said before turning and resuming her work.

Stepping inside the store, the party of six approached Brandon and greeted him. Smiling at them, Brandon glanced towards the door and said, "Tyzel's been getting up early and working even harder these days. She really is a good girl. She needs a treat or two for this!"

Chuckling, Naruto said, "You really love your daughter. You're a good man, Brandon."

Brandon grinned at Naruto and said, "Darn right! Anyways, good luck out there, kiddos. Make sure to be safe out there."

"Of course, Sir!" Rean said. Afterwards, they browsed Brandon's inventory and bought a few cooking ingredients before turning and leaving the store.

At this point, they walked across the way to Kirsche's and saw Crow sitting outside, enjoying a morning drink. "Hey there, Crow. Good morning." Rean greeted.

"Yo! Good to see you all ready for action this early in the morning." Crow said, grinning at his underclassmen.

Rean chuckled a bit and said, "You're up awfully early yourself, aren't you?"

Crow grinned and said, "Heh. Thought I'd set a good example as a responsible upperclassman and give you guys a heartfelt Crow send-off. You kinda look like you're in for a rough time, though."

Glancing back at Machias and Jusis, Naruto soon returned his attention to Crow and chuckled a bit. "Yeah, you could say that. Still, thanks for this, Crow."

The silver-haired teen nodded and said, "No problem. Anyways, good luck either way. Surprise me with a cool souvenir when you get back!"

Rean sweatdropped and thought, Nothing stresses him out, does it?

Crow let out a yawn and rubbed his eyes for a moment. "Man, I'm tired. Now I remember why I'm not an early riser. Maybe I should head back to the dorm and get a little more shut-eye."

Rean sweatdropped again and said, "You might want to reconsider that if you don't want to be late for class."

"Yeah, yeah. You guys should finish your rounds and then get to the station. You don't want to be late yourselves." Crow said before raising his glass to his lips and taking a sip of his beverage.

Deciding not to enter the café & inn, they turned and entered the nearby park. Sitting on one of the benches was the same black cat that Rean and Naruto recognized from before. Approaching it, Naruto said, "Hi there, Miss Kitty." Reaching out to scratch it under the chin, he quickly caught its paw when it went to swipe at him. With a smirk, he shook the cat's paw and said, "Nice to meet you. The name's Naruto Uzumaki. I'm sure we'll be great friends. Isn't that right?" Staring hard into the cat's eyes, Naruto leaned forward and whispered in its ear, "And I know you've been watching us. You're a lot more than you might seem. Do be careful not to try and scratch or bite me again. Okay, Miss Kitty?"

The cat looked warily into Naruto's eyes before slowly nodding its head in understanding. I knew it. This guy's something else. Emma, you should be careful around this one!

Machias sweatdropped and asked, "What exactly are you doing?"

Anko smirked as she stepped up beside her boyfriend and began to pet the cat's head. Staring hard into its eyes, she gave it a pleasant smile and said, "Good girl. You know better now, don't you?"

The cat looked nervously into Anko's eyes and slowly nodded its head. This one's a sadist! Emma, just who the heck are these two?!

Jusis sighed and shook his head. "You can play 'petting zoo' later. We need to hurry up, finish our rounds, and then get to the station."

"Yeah, yeah." Naruto said, waving him off. Looking back down at the cat, Naruto gave it a grin before waving goodbye and walking off.

Staying behind for a moment, Emma looked at the cat sternly and whispered, "Celine! You really need to be more careful! I have to go, but we are having a long talk when I get back!" And, before Celine could say anything in response, the big breasted girl hurried off to rejoin her classmates.

As they began to cross the bridge, Naruto glanced over the side and smirked as he saw Kenneth fishing at the small pier again. Leading the group down there, he greeted his friend with a smile. "Getting some morning fishing in, huh, Kenneth?"

The noble chuckled a bit and nodded. Glancing at his friend, Kenneth said, "You're all headed to Bareahard this month, right? I hear there's a network of waterways under the city… Can you imagine fishing down there? It sounds perfect! Now I'm getting jealous."

Jusis simply sighed and shook his head in exasperation. Seeing this, Rean whispered to Naruto, "Jusis seems a little less than pleased about that idea."

Kenneth spoke up at this point, once more getting their attention. "My brother's actually been there before. He's the one who told me about it." Chuckling a bit, he said, "Now I really want to go!"

Naruto chuckled a bit and patted his friend atop the head. "Tell you what. How about I get some fishing in while in Bareahard and tell you all about it when I get back, huh? Sounds fair, doesn't it?"

Kenneth smiled at his friend and nodded his head in agreement. "Sounds good to me, Naruto! You'd better not forget!"

"Sure thing, Kenneth. See you when we get back." Naruto said before he led the group back up the stairs.

Approaching the church, Naruto smiled when he saw Rosine sweeping outside. Upon spotting him, she smiled and said, "Oh, good morning. I see you're all up early today. You know, I plan on making my way to class after I finish sweeping. If I recall correctly, you leave on a field study today, don't you? I wish you the best of luck. From what I hear, Class VII's curriculum seems rather demanding. Oh, Aidios, may your blessings be with them…"

Naruto smiled at her in thanks and said, "Thank you, Rosine. We appreciate it." Then, leaning in close, he whispered to her, "We need to have a little chat when I get back. I'm curious about what you told your boss about me."

Rosine's eyes widened, and she whispered back, "How do you know about that?"

Naruto smiled and poked her nose. "That's my secret to keep for now, my dear. I'll see you when I get back." Leading the way inside, he approached the Father and Sister Ornella and greeted them both.

"Naruto! You are friends with Rosine, are you not?" Sister Ornella asked. Seeing him nod at her and smile, she said, "Rosine's assistance allows me to join in with our morning prayers. She's such a big help. Oh, Aidios, please watch over us today, as you do all days."

Naruto smiled at her and said, "I'm glad to hear that, Sister. We're leaving today on our field study. I'll be sure to bring you and the Father back some souvenirs, okay?"

Ornella smiled brightly at him and said, "That sounds wonderful, Naruto. Be safe on your journey. Take care, and may Aidios always watch over you."

"Thanks, Sister Ornella." Naruto said.

Turning to the Father, they listened as he began to speak. "Over 500 years ago, the world was trapped within what we now know as the Dark Ages. This was followed by the unfettered chaos of the Middle Ages. But no matter how turbulent things were, the people lived on and formed the very foundation of the world we live in today. It's important that we learn from them. We, as people, will continue to live on, regardless of the conditions we face. Sadly, our world is filled with conflict and injustice, even in Erebonia. However, the people will always live on, no matter what they have to face. I am confident that you will do the same."

Naruto smiled at Paulo and bowed his head in thanks. "Thank you, Father Paulo. I understand what you're saying. It is my hope that we can make some kind of difference in the world someday. I'd like to think we can help make things better so the mistakes of the past will not come back to haunt us again."

Paulo smiled at his young friend and said, "I am glad to hear it. Perhaps you would like to say a prayer to Aidios before you leave on this field study of yours?"

The blonde smiled and shook his head. "I'm afraid not, Father. We need to finish our rounds and then head to the train station so we don't miss our train. I promise I'll pray for Aidios' guidance during the field study and when I get back. You have a good weekend, Father Paulo."

"Of course, Naruto. Good luck." Paulo said before watching as the party of six left the church.

Once outside again, Naruto smirked at Rosine before whispering to her once again, "See you when I get back."

Rosine simply nodded without a word and watched as her friend walked off towards the academy. Father Thomas…what should I do? I lied to you before when you asked me what troubled me. Will Naruto believe me when I tell him that I told you nothing about him? Or about Beryl?

As they prepared to enter the academy, Rean couldn't help but notice Klein sitting downstairs, just outside of the Commoners' dormitory. Getting his friends' attention, he led the way down the stairs and approached the Swimming Club Captain. "Klein, how are you? Is everything okay?"

Klein looked into Rean's eyes and said, "As soon as I heard my mom had collapsed, I was out the door and headed back home. Thankfully, it turns out that my siblings were just overreacting and it wasn't really that big of an issue. Heh. It's kind of embarrassing to admit, but when I heard she was okay, I was so relieved that I just about collapsed too. Thanks for covering that tutoring session for me, Rean. You really helped me out."

Rean smiled at his friend and said, "Don't sweat it. You had more important things to take care of. I'm just glad everything turned out okay."

Klein chuckled a bit and said, "While I didn't exactly plan on going back home, it was nice to see my mom again. Anyways, I guess I'd better get goin' to the academy. Good luck on your field study."

"Of course. You take care, Klein." Rean said before he turned and began leading the way onto the academy grounds.

As they walked, Emma smiled at Rean and said, "You did a good thing for him, Rean. I assume that was one of your assigned tasks last weekend?"

Rean nodded and said, "It was. Klein told me about what happened to his mom, so I was more than happy to cover for him. I'm just glad everything worked out for the best."

Once at the academy, Naruto led the way into the library, where they spotted Instructor Thomas off to the side. Approaching him, they saw him turn around to face them. "Ah, Bareahard! The 'Verdant City'! Loved by many, known by all! Built during the Middle Ages, the city even now retains its classic, dignified beauty. And there's no greater proof of that than the city's expertly-designed network of waterways! They just don't make waterway networks like they used to… GAH, I'm so jealous! Take me with you!"

Anko smirked at her friends and whispered, "I do believe we've just found his weak spot."

Rean chuckled dryly and whispered back, "He's got some…unique tastes, so I've got to agree…"

"I really am quite envious that you all get to go to Bareahard this month. However, I do expect you to make up for this heartache with a lovely souvenir!" Thomas exclaimed, staring pointedly at both Naruto and Rean.

Naruto chuckled a bit and nodded his head. "Sure thing, Instructor Thomas. I'll be sure to get you and the others something nice."

"Good. Good. Good luck on your field study!" Thomas said with a bright smile before he returned to his work.

Seeing as there was nobody else in the library, the party of six left and proceeded next door to the Student Union building. Approaching James, they listened as he said, "Field study today, huh? Hopefully you won't run into any giant monsters like last time, but life is full of surprises. Make sure you're ready in case it feels like handing you another. Remember: having good weapons is great, but that doesn't mean you should forget about your armor and recovery items. Make sure everyone's got equipment that's tailored to their strengths."

"Of course. Thank you, James." Rean said with a smile. Afterwards, they waved at Samantha before heading upstairs.

Proceeding into the Student Council office, Naruto and the others approached Towa and got her attention. Turning to them, she smiled brightly and said, "Angie took me for a ride the other day…on her bike, I mean." Sweatdropping at how that could have sounded, she shook it off before saying, "I'd kind of burned myself out on a bunch of work, but the ride made me feel a lot better. Which means I can get right back to making sure everyone on campus is happy today!"

Naruto smirked and poked her nose. "You're being atowable again."

Towa swatted his hand away and pouted up at him. "Stop doing that already!" When Naruto simply chuckled, she sighed before looking around at everyone. "You've got a field study today, don't you? Tell you what: you work hard out there, and I'll work hard back here!"

"Works for me!" Rean exclaimed, smiling at the Student Council president.

Looking back at Naruto, Towa said, "Be careful out there, okay? I know you've had it rough lately, but Bareahard isn't going to be like last month's field study at Celdic. Don't do anything reckless this time, okay?"

Naruto frowned and shook his head. "I can't make any promises, Towa. We have no idea what could happen this time, so we might have to do something crazy again. We'll be careful though. You have a good weekend, okay?"

Hugging Naruto, Towa smiled up at him and said, "Okay. You too." Smiling at the others, she stepped back and said, "Take care everybody!"

After leaving the office, Anko smirked at her mate and punched him lightly in the arm. "She liiikes you."

Naruto facepalmed and shook his head. "She's been worried about me lately. Ever since the whole prince thing, actually. She's a good person, and a really good friend. Besides that…" Glancing back at the office, he smiled sadly and shook his head. "Somebody else is already deeply in love with her. It would be wrong of me to come between that."

"Ah. I see. Well, we should probably get out of here and go next door. We should talk to George about tuning up our ARCUS' before finishing our rounds. Don't want to be late, after all!" Anko said before leading the way downstairs and out of the Student Union building.

Upon entering the Engineering building next door, they spotted Angelica talking with George. Smiling at the two of them, Naruto said, "Hiya, you two. How's it going?"

Turning to face them, Angelica smiled before looking into Naruto's eyes. "Looks like you've got quite the group with you today. First we have the delicate, diligent beauty with the dynamic figure and the glasses you just want to fog right up. Then there's the sexy and mysterious Miss Anko with a figure to match. Oh, if only I could add the both of you to my wonderful harem!"

Emma looked nervous as she said, "Umm…"

Anko smirked at Angelica and said, "Nuh-uh, Girlie. All of this? It's for one person only." Wrapping her arm around Naruto, she kissed his cheek before grinning at the purple-haired biker. "Besides, I know who you really want. Kind of hard to hide that kind of thing from a ninja as skilled as me."

Angelica blushed a bit, but soon chuckled. "You've got a point there, Anko. Thank you. You guys take care out there, okay?"

"Of course. Thank you, Angelica." Naruto said before whispering to her, "And good luck with Towa. You're right, she is a little naïve. Just show her how much you care and do what you can for her, okay?"

"Of course. Be careful out there, okay, Naruto?" Angelica said before giving him a quick hug.

"Thank you." Naruto said before patting her back. Once they released each other, he turned to George and said, "Anywho, hiya, George! Think you can tune up our ARCUS' real quick?"

George nodded and said, "Sure thing." Then, he yawned and stretched out for a moment. "Ugh. I ended up pulling an all-nighter since Angie demanded that I tune up her orbal bike. Again. Getting it up to the specs she wanted wasn't an easy job, believe me. That said, it should make for a great writeup for the Institute of Technology, so I can't gripe at her too much."

Naruto chuckled a bit, but didn't say anything. Instead, he heard Machias say, "Huh. That's interesting."

Whispering to his friend, Rean said, "I wonder if Machias is into all this engineering stuff."

Naruto shrugged and whispered back, "Wouldn't surprise me."

George got their attention again as he began to tinker with their orbments. "Oh, right. You're all heading off today, aren't you? Good luck out there."

"Thanks, George." Naruto said before accepting his ARCUS back from George. Once they had all finished up, he said, "Have a good weekend. See you when we get back."

After leaving the building, they walked towards the gymnasium, only to pause when they saw Alan standing outside. Approaching him, Naruto asked, "Is everything okay, Alan?"

Alan turned to Naruto and shook his head. "I've been thinking…I haven't really been doing all I can to change myself. With that in mind, I got up early and borrowed the key to the gym to get some solo practice in. I'm gonna work harder than anyone else. You'll see! I didn't stand a chance against Patrick yesterday, but after seeing what you can do, Naruto? I'm going to work harder than ever until I can give him a run for his money!"

Smiling at his younger friend, Naruto patted him on the shoulder before whispering to him, "Don't push yourself too hard. Bridget will be happy just to see you more often. You know that, right?"

Alan blushed a bit, but nodded his head. "I know. Thank you, Naruto. For everything."

"Of course. Have a good weekend, Alan." Naruto said before walking off with his team.

Walking down to the field, Naruto and the others waved to Paula and Lambert. Well, everyone except Jusis and Machias. Afterwards, they walked over to the lacrosse field and smiled when they saw both Emily and Ferris getting everything set up. Turning to them, Emily smiled and asked, "Alisa's got her next field study today, huh? It's gonna be sorta lonely for us today since she's usually there for morning practice. Don't worry, though. Ferris and I will be just fine. Just you watch!"

Naruto chuckled a bit and said, "I'm glad to hear it, Emily."

Rean said, "Wow. Alisa's really into lacrosse, huh?"

Emma nodded and said, "She's definitely not afraid of a little hard work, I'll tell you that."

After bidding Emily goodbye and wishing her a happy weekend, Naruto walked over to Ferris and smiled at his friend. "Heya, Ferris. Figured I'd say goodbye for the time being. We're off on our field study today. You take care and have a good weekend, okay? And good luck with practice, too."

Ferris smiled at him and said, "Of course, Naruto. You be careful out there, okay? I'm looking forward to hearing good things from you upon your return. And do bring me back a souvenir, please."

The blonde chuckled a bit and said, "Of course. See you later, Ferris."

"Take care, Naruto." She said before watching as Group A walked off. I hope everything goes well. I'd hate to hear something terrible happened while you were away.

Entering the main school building from the front entrance, the party entered the nurse's office and approached Instructor Beatrix. Seeing them, she asked, "Oh? Is it time for this month's field study already? Don't forget to stock up on medicine before you go. Although, in the ideal scenario, you'd have no need of it. Do be careful."

"Thank you, Instructor Beatrix." Emma said with a quick bow.

Smiling at them, Beatrix said, "I hope you return from your field study with your heads full of knowledge and your wits freshly sharpened. Please, take care out there."

"Of course. You be well, as well, Instructor Beatrix." Naruto said before Group A turned and left the office.

Moving next door into the faculty office, they approached Instructor Mary. Turning to them, she said, "Instructor Sara has been giving me pointers since I arrived at this academy. With each tip she gives me, I grow more and more confident while teaching." Giggling a bit, she said, "Although she can seem careless at times, you really can count on her. After all, Instructor Sara is as reliable as she is resolute. I am confident that she's always looking out for your entire class, even while you're away on your field studies."

Machias scoffed at this and said, "Somehow, it doesn't feel that way. Instructor Sara insists on…ugh! Never mind."

Naruto sighed and shook his head. "Sorry, Instructor Mary. Have a good weekend, okay?"

"Sure thing, Naruto. You be careful out there." Mary said with a kind smile on her face.

"Thank you. See you when we get back." Naruto said before leaving the office.

Sensing two people in the principal's office, Naruto said, "I think he's in a meeting right now. We should leave them alone." Afterwards, he glanced upwards and said, "There's a couple of people on the roof, but we really should be going. Don't want to miss our train, after all."

"It's about time." Jusis grumped.

Anko sighed and shook her head. "Try to be less of a grouch, Jusis." She said before leading the way out of the building and towards the Trista train station.

Trista Station

Upon entering the station, they spotted Group B waiting for their train as well. Approaching them, Gaius spotted them and said, "Ah, you made it!"

"Hey guys." Alisa said with a smile.

"Good morning. Are you leaving now too?" Elliot asked.

"Yeah." Rean said. "I'm hoping we'll be able to reach Bareahard before noon. Looks like you guys already have your tickets, huh?"

"Yeah. The train to the capital should be arriving any minute now." Alisa said.

"Our destination, Saint-Arkh, is about as far from Trista as yours, I believe." Laura said before glancing at Fie worriedly.

Anko frowned and asked, "Are you two going to be okay?"

Fie shrugged and said, "We'll be fine. It won't be like the old schoolhouse again. I promise. I may still be kind of upset, but we'll be fine."

"I certainly hope so." Naruto said before he hugged Laura and Fie. Kissing them both, one at a time, he said, "Just…be careful out there, okay?"

"Of course, Naruto." Laura said, smiling at her beloved.

"We'll be good." Fie said before kissing her mate again.

Getting their attention again, Emma said, "Both destinations are about five hours from Trista by express train."

"I've never ridden on a train for so long before. I'm kind of looking forward to it!" Elliot said excitedly. Then, seeing the state Jusis and Machias were in, he frowned and asked, "Guess they're the same as ever, huh?"

Alisa sighed and shook her head in disbelief. "I'm amazed they're not sick of the whole ordeal by now."

Anko nodded and chanced a glance at the duo. "You're telling me. I'm already sick of it and I haven't known the two of them as long as the rest of you. I feel like clobbering both of 'em already."

Emma giggled nervously and said, "A-Anko…please."

Anko shrugged and said, "Don't worry, I won't do anything drastic. Yet."

As Emma giggled nervously again, Gaius approached Naruto and Rean, getting their attention. "If anyone can do this, it's you two."

While Rean looked a bit confused, Naruto nodded at Gaius and said, "Don't worry, Gaius. No matter what it takes, we'll get them to see eye to eye finally. It might not be the easiest thing we've ever had to do, but we can't let them keep this up."

While Rean made a hum of acknowledgement, Gaius smiled at the both of them and said, "We couldn't make it work, but I suspect you two have a much better chance."

Rean looked a bit worried and asked, "D-Do you really think it's even-?"

Before Rean could even finish his question, a chime sounded throughout the station before the announcer said, "Passenger service bound for…Heimdallr…now arriving on Platform 2. We ask that all passengers wishing to board please wait on the platform until the train has come to a complete stop."

"Oh, that's us!" Elliot exclaimed.

"I'm afraid we've got to run." Alisa said.

"May Aidios be with you. Let's all do our very best." Laura said before looking at Fie again. May Aidios be with all of us.

"You bet." Rean said.

"Take care, everyone!" Emma said with a smile.

"See you lot later." Anko said with a grin. Then, looking at Gaius, she said, "Make sure nothing happens to those two, okay, big guy?"

Gaius nodded and said, "You have my word. Nothing shall harm them."

"Good. Good luck and be safe out there. See you guys later." Naruto said, smiling at his friends.

After watching Group B leave aboard their train, Rean turned to his team and said, "I guess we should buy our tickets and line up for the Bareahard train, then."

"Y-Yes, let's." Emma said somewhat nervously as she looked at Jusis and Machias.

"If we must." Machias said. "Though I'm loath to patronize a city so crawling with nobles."

While Jusis scoffed, Naruto approached Machias and bopped him on the head. "I have no idea what the heck happened in your past, Machias, but you're going to need to get your head in the game and focus this time. You and Jusis both. This won't be like last month's field study. I don't care what it takes, we're going to make sure you make peace with each other during this field study. You don't have to like each other, but you WILL work together. If you fail to do so this time around, I WILL kick your asses worse than Sara did."

As Machias rubbed his head in pain, Anko giggled a bit and said, "I warned you that my mate wouldn't be so nice if you were paired with him this month. Might want to get your butts in gear and start getting along, otherwise you're in for the pounding of a lifetime. And definitely NOT the good kind."

Rean sweatdropped and slumped over a bit. This is going to be ridiculous.

Approaching Matilda, she greeted them with a smile. "Good morning, Class VII. Group A is headed to Bareahard today, correct?"

"Yes, that's right." Rean confirmed.

"I believe there's a direct line that stops at Celdic, isn't there?" Emma questioned.

"Indeed, there is! Every other train heading east from here is the direct line. And the next one will be arriving soon, so I'd suggest buying your tickets now." Matilda said.

Naruto nodded and said, "Yes, please. I can pay for the six of us."

"Of course. That's six passengers for Bareahard. I'll have those tickets for you in just a moment." After Naruto paid for the tickets, Matilda handed them over before watching as the group of six walked off and boarded the train after it arrived in the station.

On the train

Once on the train, Jusis, Emma, and Anko had sat together on one seat while Rean, Machias, and Naruto sat across from them on the other side. Naturally, Naruto sat between Rean and Machias to try and ease the tension between them just a bit.

"Er-Erm… Sh-Shall we review what we know about where we're going?" Emma questioned, trying to get at least some form of communication going.

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea." Rean said. "Would you mind giving us an overview, Jusis? You're from Bareahard City, after all."

"Hmph. If that's what you want, I'll oblige." Jusis said. "But are you sure you wouldn't rather hear from the group's finest intellectual mind instead?" he questioned sarcastically. "I'm sure he'd be able to give you a far more critical analysis, without any of the pro-noble bias I'm certain to inject."

Machias turned a fierce glare on Jusis and began to growl angrily. "Are you suggesting that I allow my views to cloud my ability to see things objectively?!"

"Oh, not at all. You were intelligent enough to score second on the entrance exam, after all. And you've spent your every waking moment since with your nose glued to a textbook, studying as if your life depended on it. So I'm sure your knowledge is quite vast, in terms of book smarts…even if it is lacking in virtually every other regard." Jusis snidely replied.

"Why, you…!" Machias exclaimed as he stood up from the seat and glared down into Jusis' eyes.

Before they could continue their little tiff, Naruto closed his eyes and said, "Jusis, don't be a dick. Machias, Jusis is right about one thing. You do let your prejudice against nobles impede your judgment and it alters your ability to think objectively. So I suggest you sit down and think hard before you try and do anything stupid."

Machias looked at Naruto with an offended expression on his face. Sitting down again, he stared at the floor and clenched his fists. "I…I do not!"

"Yes. Yes, you do." Anko said as she narrowed her eyes at him. "And Jusis, you might want to pull your head out of your ass and stop antagonizing him all the time. I get it, you don't like each other. That's fine. But constantly poking the bear until it snaps at you is such a stupid way to spend your time. Now both of you stop this idiocy and let's start the damn discussion. I've never been to Bareahard, so I'd like to have as much information as possible before going into this place."

Rean frowned and said, "In a moment." Looking at Jusis and Machias, he said, "It's easy to see now why you scored so miserably in last month's field study."

Machias glared at Rean and asked, "Wh-What was that?!"

Emma looked shocked by what she had just heard. "R-Rean…?"

"Last month, Group B got an 'E' on their field study. If that had been a paper exam, it would've been a fail. And a low one, too. Do you two really want that to happen again?" Rean explained as he looked between Machias and Jusis.

"W-Well…" Machias tried to say, only to find words were failing him.

"Hmph. I hope you're not naively suggesting we just put all our differences aside and become best friends." Jusis said.

Rean looked at Naruto for a moment before turning his gaze back to Jusis and Machias. "I think Naruto said it best. You don't need to become the best of friends, nor should we try to force that on you. We were chosen to be in Class VII because of our differences, in fact. We come from different backgrounds, so naturally, we're going to have conflicting opinions and ways of looking at things. And no doubt we all have a few beliefs that we're not willing to compromise on, no matter what. But that doesn't change the fact that for the next few days, we're all part of the same group. We're all…partners."

"Rean…" Emma said, a small smile on her face.

"I was wondering what you were getting at." Jusis said.

"You have to be joking! I refuse to accept the idea that—" Machias started to say, only for Naruto to bop him on the head again. "Ow! Stop doing that to me!"

"He's not saying that we all have to be friends. We're in the same group, and we're all working toward the same objective. If you still can't accept that, then let me put it this way. We're united against a common 'enemy'—Group B—and unless we want to lose to them, we have to work together here. Do you get it now?" Naruto asked somewhat irritably.

"What…?" Machias started to ask, not quite able to understand what Naruto was saying.

Emma looked between Naruto and Rean for a moment before saying, "R-Rean? Naruto?"

Jusis shook his head in amusement before saying, "Naruto, I can understand. But you, Rean? I wouldn't have taken you to be the competitive type."

Rean said, "Of course I am! I care about winning and losing just as much as the next guy, and get just as frustrated when other people hold me back! I'm jealous of how good your grades are, for example…all five of you, in fact. I feel like I'm losing the race and have to struggle to catch up. And it was beyond frustrating when we lost against the Instructor the other day."

"Ah…" Emma said as she seemed to realize what Rean was getting at.

"I see…" Machias said.

Jusis shrugged and waited to hear what else Rean had to say.

"There's no denying that she's strong. Incredibly strong, in fact. I don't know what kind of experience or training she's been through to become that way, but it's simply a fact. I just feel like if we'd been able to work together a little better… If we'd been able to form proper combat links with one another…we may have at least evened the odds a little." Rean said, sounding disappointed in not only Jusis and Machias, but in himself as well.

Anko shook her head and said, "It would've helped, but in the end it wouldn't have made much of a difference. Sara's strong and has a lot more experience than you do. She might be strong enough to even challenge me. Still, if you'd been able to work together, you could've withstood her onslaught a little longer. You wouldn't have won, but you wouldn't have felt such an overwhelming feeling of loss."

Rean nodded and said, "I figured as much. The only person I know in our class who's stronger than Instructor Sara is Naruto. And we still don't know what he's capable of."

Emma smiled at Anko before looking at Rean. This is exactly what they all needed to hear. I'm sure of it.

At this point, they looked outside to see that they were passing by Celdic now. After watching the scenery for a brief time, Emma looked at the others again and said, "Alisa, Laura, and Elliot are all in the same group as last time. And Gaius seems like the type who can work well with anyone. Then there's Fie. Despite their problems, she and Laura are some of the strongest in the class. They'll be a tough team to beat."

Anko nodded and said, "You've got that right. If we don't get our acts together, they're bound to crush us, just like last month."

Rean nodded and said, "Yeah. They'll be able to give their absolute best no matter what comes their way. Honestly, if we don't do something about our own shortcomings, their score could easily double ours."

"Enough! I get it already!" Machias exclaimed, clearly frustrated by the whole situation. "And it's not like I have much of a choice but to go along with your 'yay team' attitude, now, do I?!"

"Indeed. I would prefer not to cooperate with this farce…but I have no intention of standing by and accepting defeat." Jusis said, unable to resist throwing in yet another barb.

"So you're saying…" Rean started, sounding hopeful.

"Until this trip is over, we will call a truce." Machias said somewhat reluctantly. Looking to Jusis, he asked, "Agreed?"

"Hmph. Very well. The very notion of working under these circumstances is ludicrous, but I am more than capable of enduring such idiocy if I must." Jusis said.

"Th-The same goes for me!" Machias said.

Naruto facepalmed and shook his head. "That really doesn't sound very convincing to me, but I guess we'll take what we can get. Just know that if you two fuck things up for us, I won't hesitate to clock the both of you. Got it?"

Emma giggled somewhat nervously as she looked at her friends. "Well, at least it seems they might actually try to cooperate with one another this time, right? That's a significant improvement over last month."

"We'll see. I hope they stay true to their word and at least try to cooperate." Anko said, narrowing her eyes on the two troublemakers of the group.

Rean looked at the two of them and asked, "This is an improvement? I shudder to think what things must have been like last time…"

As they began to pass through Celdic on the way to Bareahard, Jusis began to speak. "All right. Here's what I can tell you. Bareahard is the most important city in the eastern Kreuzen province. Its population is roughly 300,000, making it relatively large even by municipal standards. The hilly region surrounding the city is inhabited by innumerable minks, which are prized for their fur. Furthermore, the Kreuzen province as a whole is also widely renowned for the high-quality gemstones mined there."

Emma nodded and said, "Yes. Gems and fur are regarded as Bareahard's two main specialties."

"There's even a part of the city dedicated solely to those who work with them, isn't there?" Rean questioned.

Jusis nodded and said, "That would be Artisans' Street in south Bareahard, yes. Large numbers of artisans gather there to prove their worth."

"There's a shop in Heimdallr that specializes in gems produced in Bareahard as well." Machias commented. "Of course, only nobles and the ridiculously wealthy have any reason to patronize it."

"In other words, people like Naruto." Anko said with a smirk. Machias simply grumbled in response. Giggling a bit, Anko looked at her lover and said, "I bet Fie and Laura would definitely appreciate something like that."

Naruto chuckled a bit and shook his head. "Now you're just trying to take advantage of me because I happen to be rich."

"And what's wrong with that?" Anko teased, much to Naruto's amusement.

"Anyways, this brings up perhaps the most important thing to note. A fact of which you are already quite aware, but it can't be stressed enough. Bareahard is, at its heart, a city of nobles. What's been said about it in that regard is no exaggeration." Jusis said, looking pointedly at the Silent Shadow as he said this.

Before Naruto could say anything, Rean spoke up. "It's really true, huh?"

Emma frowned for a moment and said, "I've heard nobles don't actually make up the majority of the population, though."

"That's correct. However, from Artisans' Street to the enormous provincial army guardhouse…to the central plaza with its giant cathedral, to the airport designed to handle the largest of airships…Bareahard is a city that was developed with the nobility, and the Albarea household in particular, at its center." Jusis said.

"So it…really isn't an exaggeration, then…" Emma said as she turned to look at Naruto. They had all heard about his conflict with the provincial army in the previous field study, and they worried that this time something even worse might happen.

"Don't worry. So long as they don't cross us in any way or try anything stupid, I won't antagonize them. But if they do ANYTHING stupid, such as trying to arrest us or something on your father's orders, I reserve the right to kick their asses. Your father has no doubt heard all about me by now, and I'm willing to bet word has spread to the provincial army stationed in Bareahard about the Silent Shadow and how he isn't afraid to punish those asshats." Naruto said, narrowing his eyes at Jusis.

Before Jusis could reply in any way, Machias scoffed and looked hard at Jusis. "I'm surprised you're able to discuss your own family so objectively."

Jusis looked at Naruto for a moment longer before nodding in understanding. Afterwards, he turned to Machias and said, "There's no point in denying the truth. As long as we're in Bareahard, you'd be well advised to keep your usual anti-noble vitriol to yourself. Unless you fancy becoming very friendly with the provincial army, at any rate."

"I-I know that! I can hold my tongue when I have to!" Machias exclaimed.

Emma simply giggled nervously and whispered to Anko, "I certainly hope that's true. I'd rather not have to watch Naruto beat the provincial army to a pulp."

Anko smirked and said, "I'd have enjoyed watching that last month. The Silent Shadow, singlehandedly destroying the corrupt provincial army in Lunaria Nature Park." Giggling a bit, she said, "They'd be stupid to try anything again this month."

Rean whispered to Naruto and asked, "Is it bad that I'm actually seeing this as kind of encouraging? In a weird sort of way, it feels like we're…making progress…"

A short time later, as the train rolled along in the direction of Bareahard, Rean decided to chat with everyone and see how they were holding up. So, looking at Naruto first, who was currently playing his girlfriend in a game of Blade, he asked, "Are you sure you're going to be all right this time, Naruto?"

After slapping down a Bolt card, Naruto glanced at Rean and shrugged. "I'll be fine. It's Jusis' father I'm concerned about. I doubt my position as a prince will be enough to keep him from doing something stupid. Sorry to say this, Jusis, but your father's the kind of guy who has his head way too far up his ass."

Jusis sighed and said, "No, I'm afraid I have to agree with you, Naruto. I worry that he may try something foolish regarding you."

Rean sighed and shook his head. "Oh great. Let's just be careful, okay?"

"If need be, I can always just use the same technique as last month to change my appearance. So, if they start eying me suspiciously or something, I'll just disappear for a bit and turn into a girl again. Simple as that." Naruto said with a shrug before slapping down another card and chuckling when Anko lost to him.

"I swear to Aidios, one of these days I WILL beat you at a game, Naruto!" Anko said before she turned and challenged Emma to a game.

Turning to Machias at this point, he listened as the bespectacled teen said, "I hate having to cooperate with him, but I don't want to be the one responsible for losing to Group B. I suppose I'll call it a truce with you, too."

Rean sighed and thought, I'd almost forgotten that Machias had a problem with me… "Listen, I'm sorry about—"

Machias shrugged and said, "I don't actually think you're a deceitful noble sympathizer, so there's no need to say anything. But don't get the wrong idea. I'm only agreeing to a truce. I haven't completely forgiven you for what you did."

"That's more than enough. Thanks, Machias." Rean said.

"Wh-Why would you thank me?!" Machias questioned in disbelief.

Rean chuckled a bit and thought, Looks like he really doesn't hate me after all. If only I could find some way to make up with him entirely… Deciding to leave Machias alone for now, he turned his attention to Emma and struck up a conversation with her this time.

"Thank you so much, Rean. You and Naruto both. I knew Gaius was right about the two of you." She said with a serene smile on her face.

Rean blinked and asked, "What…do you mean?"

"At the station. He said, 'If anyone can do it, it's you two,' remember?"

Rean chuckled nervously and said, "I didn't do anything special, though. I just gave them my honest opinion. I think Naruto's trying hard, too."

Emma giggled a bit and said, "And that's exactly why I think you were able to successfully convince them. I guess it's up to us, now, to make sure we don't let the group down!"

"We won't. I'm sure of it." Rean said.

Machias frowned at them and asked, "What are you two whispering about?"

"Hmph. It is rather suspicious." Jusis agreed.

"N-Nothing. Nothing at all!" Rean exclaimed nervously. Emma simply giggled nervously in response.

Naruto sighed and shook his head in disbelief. "I really don't see how their conversation is any business of yours. So why don't you two play Blade together or something?"

Machias grumbled a bit, but went quiet again, not wanting to piss off Naruto and get hit again.

Emma turned to Rean again and said, "Thanks to you two, it seems as though we may be able to get through this trip without any major problems." Turning to Anko, the purple-haired girl said, "Let's do our best this time, too, Anko!"

Anko chuckled a bit and said, "Who do you think you're talking to? We'll do great! And if those two stay true to their word, I'm sure everything will be just fine."

Emma simply giggled in response before she laid down a Mirror card, causing Anko to grumble a bit. Poor Anko. She's having such a hard time at this game.

As Rean turned to Jusis this time, the blonde noble looked at him and said, "I wasn't expecting to return to Bareahard so soon."

Rean nodded in understanding and said, "It's been about two months now since we started at the academy… Guess it hasn't really been long enough yet for you to miss it, huh?"

Jusis glanced out the window and said, "Indeed. And two months is hardly enough time for anything to truly change."

Rean chuckled a bit and said, "That's very true. Still, a city full of nobles…I get the feeling I'm going to need to be a lot more conscious of the things I say and do. Although…"

Jusis glanced at Naruto and nodded his head in understanding. "Nobles do have quite a fixation with social standing and class. But you should try not to let it get to you. Just be yourself, Rean. If you exert too much energy reining in your every word and action, we won't be able to get anything done."

"That's good advice. Thanks. If you have any more like it, I'm sure we'd be really appreciative. We'll be relying on your knowledge of the city." Rean said.

Jusis shrugged and said, "You're in good hands, then. I'll be certain to make up for the humiliation we endured last month. I'll be counting on you to do your part as well, however. Let's ensure we don't get another E grade this time around."

"Of course." Rean said before turning to Anko. When she looked at him and challenged him to a game of Blade, he chuckled a bit and asked, "How are you holding up, Anko? I get the feeling you aren't too fond of nobles, either."

Anko shrugged and said, "I've never been a fan of those stuffy, stuck-up types of people. I always tried to avoid them back in the Elemental Nations. They were just so full of themselves and treated commoners like us like we were less than the dirt they walked on. I did enjoy torturing some of the pigs, though! That was always fun."

Rean chuckled somewhat nervously and said, "I see. Still, I think you'll be fine. It's Naruto I'm worried about."

Anko shook her head as she laid down a 4 card. "Naruto won't start any trouble. It's like he said. If they try anything stupid, like trying to hurt one of us or something, that's when shit will hit the fan. Otherwise, you've got nothing to worry about."

"I see. Thank you, Anko." And with that, the group of six continued to play Blade with one another and discuss more mundane topics with each other. There was no point in getting worried over what ifs and the kind of people they'd meet in Bareahard. He was sure that they would likely be just fine. At least I hope we will be.

As they grew closer to Bareahard, Machias chanced a glance out the window. "Oh…!"

Looking out the window, Jusis said, "We've passed through the granary region."

As one, the others looked out the window and smiled. "What a beautiful view." Emma said.

A short time later, they saw something else. "Look! You can see a few steeples in the distance." Rean said with a smile.

"Yep. Looks like we're nearing Bareahard." Anko said. "Shouldn't be too much longer now."

Jusis nodded and said, "Indeed. We should be there in roughly an hour now. We may yet arrive by noon after all.

Later

After pulling into the station and disembarking, they were prepared to continue on their way, only to be interrupted by the staff in the train station. "Lord Jusis!" When they approached, Naruto facepalmed and said, "Oh, this is going to be a fun field study."

Ignoring the prince, the station employee that called out to Jusis said, "Lord Jusis! Welcome back to Bareahard!"

"It's a pleasure to see you again!" another employee stated.

"Amazing." Emma whispered.

"I can't believe all the station employees would abandon their duties to come and welcome him." Machias grumbled out.

Anko chuckled a bit and said, "Looks like Jusis is a real VIP."

"I've returned here as a student of Thors Military Academy to conduct a field study. I believe you were informed that this manner of excessive welcome is neither necessary nor desired, were you not?" Jusis said, sounding quite agitated.

Naruto leaned closer to Anko and whispered, "Looks like someone's not too pleased. I wonder who's responsible for this mess if it wasn't Jusis himself?"

Anko shrugged and said, "My guess? I'd say it's either his father or that Rufus guy you told me about before."

"W-Well, yes, but…" one of the station employees said nervously.

"…you're a child of the Albarea household! If anything, we should be apologizing for not giving you an even greater welcome!" another employee exclaimed.

"Please, allow me to carry your luggage." another employee said.

"We would be honored to carry the belongings of your classmates as well. Though, may I ask which one is Prince Naruto? We were warned to treat him with the utmost respect." the fourth employee said, sounding rather nervous.

Jusis sighed and shook his head in disbelief. Chancing a glance at Naruto, he muttered, "Sorry for this, Naruto."

Naruto facepalmed and shook his head in mild disbelief. "It's fine, Jusis." Looking at the station employees, he said, "That would be me. But, as Jusis said, we are here as students of Thors Military Academy and nothing more. We do not need any kind of special treatment."

"Be that as it may, Prince, but…" one of the station employees said, only to pause when they heard a man chuckling behind them.

"That won't be necessary." The man said, getting everyone's attention.

The station employees turned around and one of them said, "Huh…?"

"Lord Rufus?!" another one asked in shock.

Naruto watched as the man, Jusis' older brother, Rufus Albarea, approached them. Oh goodie. Rufus Albarea. Barely know anything concrete about the guy and I want to smash his face in. No idea why.

Once Rufus and his butler stopped in front of them, Jusis asked, "R-Rufus?!"

"Wha…?" Rean asked, clearly taken aback.

"My beloved brother, it's a pleasure to see you again. To think, it's been three months! Where did the time go? I wasn't expecting to reunite with you so soon, but I'm delighted to have the opportunity." Rufus said with a disarming smile on his face.

"As am I. You seem well." Jusis said.

Rufus then turned his gaze on the rest of Group A and asked, "I take it these are your fellow members of Class VII? To think, Naruto Uzumaki was a prince all this time. How intriguing."

Emma and the others were shocked, but they quickly shook it off. Instead of questioning it, Emma smiled politely and said, "Yes, that's correct."

"You know about us?" Rean questioned before glancing at Naruto. "And how do you know about Naruto already?"

Rufus simply grinned at them and said, "Of course! I've read all about you in my brother's letters. As for Prince Naruto, news travels fast throughout Erebonia. I would be surprised if there isn't a person in the Empire who is not aware of just who you are by now, Naruto Uzumaki."

Naruto let out a groan and massaged his forehead. "Wonderful. Somehow, I've become famous throughout the Empire. There go my plans to stay incognito and hidden away somewhere."

Rufus chuckled a bit and said, "My apologies, Prince Naruto." Looking around at the others, he said, "Where are my manners, though? My name is Rufus Albarea. Jusis is my younger brother. You needn't hide your shock, though. It would come as no surprise at all to learn that my brother has never once mentioned me. He is, after all, quite easily embarrassed."

Jusis sputtered a bit before saying, "Th-That's not…!"

Anko giggled and whispered to the others, "He's being toyed with."

Machias was wide-eyed as he watched the spectacle taking place before him. Whispering to his classmates, he said, "I can hardly believe my ears. What happened to the arrogant young upstart we've come to know and…mostly tolerate?"

"Ah, but I digress. This is no time for idle chatter." Rufus said, getting their attention once again. "I came to escort you to your lodgings for the weekend."

"W-Wait. You don't mean…" Jusis started to say, only to pause, unable to finish his thought.

Rufus chuckled a bit and said, "The car is parked outside." Throwing his arms out to the side, the nobleman smiled at the members of Class VII and said, "Welcome to the Verdant City of Bareahard. I hope you enjoy your stay, ladies and gentlemen of Class VII."

Following Rufus outside, they climbed inside of the orbal limousine that awaited them. Once they had started rolling, Rufus smiled as he looked at Naruto. "Before we begin, I must say that I was quite shocked to hear that the famous Silent Shadow was, in fact, a prince. Why hide yourself away like you did, Prince?"

Naruto let out another groan and shook his head. "Partly because I have no home nor kingdom to return to, Lord Rufus. In truth, it didn't matter to me. I did not feel it was important. That is all."

"I see. How interesting. Alas, I suppose that is but a trivial matter when compared to your current situation. As I'm sure you have already surmised by now, I am the one responsible for you this time around." Rufus said.

Anko narrowed her eyes at the noble, but didn't say anything yet. This guy just SCREAMS arrogant douchebag to me. What happened to Naruto and his people is anything BUT trivial dammit!

Rather than comment on the way Rufus had phrased things, Rean decided to get them back on track. "I see… So the one responsible for selecting our tasks this time around was…"

Rufus nodded and said, "Indeed. I selected them on behalf of my father. Allow me to present you with this." And with that, he handed Naruto an envelope titled 'Field Study Envelope (May)'.

"Thank you, Lord Rufus." Naruto said, bowing his head politely to the man. On the inside however, he wanted to strangle the prick for making light of what happened to his people. Keep this shit up and I won't just prank you, I'll beat you into a bloody pulp!

Rufus frowned for a moment and said, "It really is a fascinating coincidence. I never imagined my younger brother would become classmates with the son of Lord Schwarzer."

Jusis looked confused, but didn't say anything yet.

"You know my father?" Rean questioned curiously.

"Certainly. Baron Teo Schwarzer is an old acquaintance of mine. Many years ago, I accompanied him to a falconry competition held in the suburbs of Heimdallr. He taught me much about the practice and its etiquette. Why, that must have been ten years ago now. Is he doing well these days?" Rufus explained.

Rean chuckled a bit and nodded his head. "Yes, he's quite well. And still just as fond of hunting as ever."

"Splendid, splendid!" Rufus exclaimed, chuckling a bit afterwards. Then, looking at Machias, he asked, "And you must be the son of Governor Regnitz, no?"

Machias blinked in shock for a moment before nodding his head. "That's correct. I'm surprised you knew."

"Indeed. I encounter him quite often when taking care of official matters in the capital. Though our positions may be different, he has given me excellent advice in the past. I feel it must be fate that you, too, would end up in my younger brother's class. Please do try and get along with him." Rufus said, a sincere smile on his face.

"I-I…" Machias struggled to say anything, clearly unsure what he should say in this situation. "I will…consider the possibility with an open mind." He said finally, trying to be civil and diplomatic about the request made of him.

Rufus chuckled a bit and said, "Wonderful. And…" Looking at Emma and Anko at this point, he smiled disarmingly again and said, "And I would be remiss if I were not to acknowledge our two beautiful ladies. No doubt your presence brings a touch of elegance to my younger brother's academic life."

Emma looked a little nervous, but offered the man a smile and said, "I'm honored you would say so."

Anko smiled as pleasantly as she could and said, "Trust me, it's not like that. Regardless of what you might be thinking, I'm already quite happy with the man of my dreams. Thank you."

Rufus chuckled a bit and shook his head. "I did not mean you any offense, Anko Mitarashi. My apologies."

Before Anko could reply, Jusis said, "Can we please stop discussing me? And when you say lodgings, you can't possibly be referring to…"

Rufus chuckled a bit and asked, "Need you even ask? Naturally, you'll all be staying at the Albarea family mansion."

Naruto's brow twitched at this and he thought, For your sake, Rufus, you'd better be joking.

"B-But…" Jusis tried to protest, but no words would come out.

Rufus chuckled again and said, "I jest. Father's instructions were that I should do with you as I wish. So, considering the circumstances of your visit, I've had a hotel room prepared. That way you will be able to concentrate more easily on your field study, no?"

Jusis sighed, though whether it was out of frustration or relief was unclear. "Thank you. I truly appreciate it." He eventually said, sounding genuinely grateful to his older brother.

Naruto smirked a bit as he looked at his younger friend. So, Jusis doesn't like his father, it would seem. How interesting. I wonder what the story is there.

Emma whispered to the others and said, "I wonder what that was all about…"

Before Rean or the others could say anything in response, Rufus spoke up again. "I'm afraid we'll need to end our charming repartee here, however. For I can see your hotel coming into view now…"

As they pulled up to the Hotel Esmeralda, Naruto couldn't help but whistle in appreciation. "This looks like a pretty nice place."

Rufus chuckled a bit and said, "Of course." Once the limousine pulled to a stop, he waited for the butler to open the door before he stepped out and allowed the members of Class VII to do the same.

"Thank you for the escort." Rean said, bowing slightly to show his gratitude to Rufus.

"And thank you very much for arranging a hotel for us. We're truly grateful for your kindness." Emma said.

"Oh, think nothing of it. Under ordinary circumstances, I would have invited you to a banquet this evening. But unfortunately, I have business I must attend to in Heimdallr after we've finished here." Rufus said apologetically.

"In Heimdallr? Will you be going by airship?" Jusis asked.

"Indeed. I'm representing our father. Heh. Don't tell me you're going to be all lonely and blue without me!" Rufus teased.

Jusis sighed and shook his head in disbelief. "Surely you jest."

Rean and the others sweatdropped, but didn't comment on the apparent brotherly love.

Chuckling a bit, Rufus smiled at them and said, "He may not be the most affable person, but please, do try to extend your kindness to my brother. May the Goddess' blessings be with you. I pray that your field study activities are fruitful." Then, he turned to enter the limousine, only to pause and turn to Naruto. "Prince Naruto, I do feel I must apologize if my earlier statement offended you. I did not mean to make light of your plight. Do take care while you are here, Silent Shadow." And with that, he entered the vehicle again.

Watching as the limousine drove away, Naruto shook his head in disbelief before massaging his forehead again. "Jusis. Your brother is something else. I'm not sure if I want to clobber him or not."

Jusis sighed and shook his head in exasperation. "Please forgive him, Naruto. I am sure he meant you no offense."

Anko wanted to say something snide, but before she could, Machias spoke up. "So, that was Rufus Albarea. I've heard rumors about him. They say he's the ace of the Noble Faction. Meeting him in person, it's easy to see where that reputation originated."

"He seemed like a rather charming person, projecting both intelligence and kindness." Emma said, somewhat in awe of the person they had just met.

"Yeah. He made a point of showing consideration for my dad, too, even though he's a low-ranking noble." Rean commented.

Anko grumbled a bit and said, "Could've done without him insulting Naruto like that, but what's done is done, I suppose. Still, it was amusing how he effortlessly thrust Jusis into the role of cute little brother."

Jusis let out a groan and shook his head in agitation. "I would've preferred you NOT to have seen that. Though I must admit, I wasn't expecting him to leave Bareahard just as we arrived. How unfortunate…"

"Hmm…?" Rean pondered, wondering just what Jusis was getting at.

"What do you mean?" Machias questioned.

Jusis glanced at them and shook his head. "Nothing that concerns you. We should check in at the hotel and begin our work."

As they watched Jusis head inside the hotel, Machias frowned and said, "W-Wait…"

Rean sighed and shook his head. "Come on. Let's go drop off our things."

"Y-Yes, that sounds like a good idea. Though the thought of actually staying in a hotel this high class is kind of…intimidating." Emma said.

Anko shrugged and said, "Better get used to it. I'm sure wherever Mr. Prince here goes, we're bound to deal with these kinds of fancy accommodations. Guess we'll see, though." And with that, she led the way inside, where they reunited with Jusis.

Upon reaching him, they watched as the hotel staff bowed politely to Jusis and the general manager said, "It is truly an honor that our humble establishment should have the opportunity to greet a member of the esteemed duke's—"

"Spare me the formalities. We came merely to drop off our belongings, after which point we will be leaving again immediately." Jusis said sternly. "Please show us to our rooms."

General Manager Richelieu nodded in response and said, "As you wish. If you'll allow me to escort you to the western wing, then, we've a fine suite prepared for you. We have individual rooms reserved for each of your classmates as well. And, should the prince wish it, we have a special room reserved for only the finest patrons to enjoy."

Naruto's eyes widened and he was about to protest such an offer vehemently. However, Jusis beat him to it. "Wait. I believe I told you before that we're here solely for our studies. This excessive hospitality is neither required nor appreciated."

Thank you, Jusis! Naruto thought to himself with a relieved smile on his face.

"B-But, Lord Jusis, I must insist—"

"Don't make me repeat myself!" Jusis exclaimed. "We require only two rooms: one for the boys, and one for the girls." Turning to his classmates, he asked, "Will that be okay with you all?"

Seeing the pleading look on the general manager's face, Naruto chuckled nervously and shook his head. "Sorry, but I'm with Jusis on this one. I'm fine sharing a room with my friends. I don't need anything fancy just for me. Thank you for the kind offer, though."

"That works for me, as well." Rean said.

"It's more than enough." Emma said.

Anko shrugged and said, "That's fine with me. I don't have any objections."

"Hmph. Of course. We're students. We should be treated as such." Machias said in agreement.

The general manager looked between them for a moment before bowing his head. "Of course. Right this way." And with that, he led them to their rooms, pointing out the one for the girls first and then for the boys. But… "Prince Naruto. Are you absolutely sure of this? Lord Albarea informed us that you were to be treated with the highest level of respect. You were to receive the grand treatment. If we don't obey…!"

Naruto smiled at the man and shook his head. "It's fine. If he questions you about it, just inform him that it was my decision. If he has a problem with it, then he is free to take it up with me directly. Now, I would like to get settled in and then begin on our tasks. Okay?"

"O-Of course, Sir!" Richelieu exclaimed before he hurried off with his employees.

Sighing, Naruto palmed his face again before he followed the other boys into their room. "This is going to be a long weekend." He muttered, much to the others' amusement.

Later, after getting their things put away and ensuring everything was set the way they wanted it, they met outside of their rooms where Rean said, "We can finally start working on our field study tasks now, I think."

"Good. We've wasted more than enough time as it is." Machias said.

Jusis grumbled a bit before saying, "I agree. Although…" Looking at Naruto, he asked, "Do you truly think it wise to deny my father's generosity? I cannot imagine he will take it well."

Naruto shook his head and said, "I'm sure. I'm not used to the glim and glam of the high life. I prefer mingling with my comrades as one of the regular folk."

"Heh. Regular, he says." Jusis said, shaking his head in amusement.

Emma giggled a little nervously before looking at Naruto. "Let's crack open that envelope, shall we?"

"Sure thing. Let's see what we've got." Naruto said as he opened the envelope and pulled out its contents. "Let's see here…"

"-Field Study Day 1 – Assigned Tasks- Looks like we've got three tasks here. One optional and two required. Let's see what they have to say. Starting with the optional one…"

"Task – Addicted to Bath Salts

Client – Hasan Voltaire

'The Voltaire family even bathes in style, using nothing but the most fabulous bath salts…which we're unfortunately running low on. Will someone procure them for us?

If this strikes your fancy, find me on the terrace outside the Sorciere restaurant.

-Hasan Voltaire'"

Sighing, Naruto reached up and massaged the bridge of his nose in agitation. "Oh boy. That one's going to be a headache. Oh well. Let's see what's next."

"Task – Aurochs Canyon Monster

Client – Aurochs Fort

'A violent monster has been seen roving the Aurochs Canyon Path, and the Kreuzen Provincial Army would like it eliminated.

Monster: Fate Spinner

Location: Atop a cliff partway along the Aurochs Canyon Path.

Once the monster has been exterminated, please report to the soldiers at Aurochs Fort.'"

"Okay, that one's simple enough. The last one says…"

"Task – Put a Ring on it

Client – Bruc

'I'd like someone to help me find a particular semi-precious stone.

For more details, talk to me at Turner's Jewelers.'

-Bruc"

After finishing reading about the tasks, Naruto looked at the letter they were given and read it aloud. "Study area is defined as a 100 selge radius around north and east Bareahard. Each student must record his or her activities daily, to be remitted to the instructor upon request."

"One request from a noble, followed by one from an artisan… That should certainly keep things interesting." Emma said.

"Yeah. They seem to have struck the perfect balance here." Rean said.

Anko nodded along and said, "The monster one sounds interesting, at least. Guess we'll just have to wait and see how that one goes."

"What do they mean by 'report to Aurochs Fort' on this one?" Machias questioned.

"Aurochs Fort sits on the opposite side of Aurochs Canyon. It's a provincial army base originally built in the Middle Ages. The request must have come from there." Jusis explained.

"Sounds like trouble to me." Machias said before glancing at Naruto. "You sure you're going to be all right with this one, Naruto?"

Naruto nodded and said, "It should be fine. Anyways, we should probably save that one for last, just to be on the safe side."

Jusis nodded in agreement. "I'd advise that regardless. The path through the canyon is long and treacherous. We should complete our other tasks before we venture out that way, lest we run out of time."

"Yes, let's do that." Emma said.

"Works for me." Anko said with a shrug. "I'm eager to get things started!"

"Hmph. I have no objections, either." Machias said.

"All right, then. Let's get started! I'm sure Alisa and the others are working hard on their own tasks as we speak, and we can't let them beat us. So let's give this our all!" Rean said.

"Right!" Emma agreed.

"You got it, Rean!" Anko cheered.

"Of course." Machias said.

"I give you my word." Jusis said.

Once they were all ready, Naruto sealed away the envelope and said, "All right then. Let's get this started!"

---

A/N - And that's finally the end of the chapter! Sorry that took so long. lol

Anywho, a LOT happened in this chapter, as I'm sure you noticed. I also teased at an upcoming plot point that I think might be kind of fun. I'm eager to get to that point to write what that meeting is going to be like! I also made mention of Rosine and her 'boss', though I'm sure those of you who have played the Cold Steel games know what I'm talking about there. Then there's Emma and Celine! Again, those of you who have played the games know plenty about them, I'm sure. lol. If not, well, questions will be answered about all of them eventually.

Also, I still have that poll up regarding harem candidates. Remember: Emma and Alisa are not available as choices for a reason! And if you don't see a girl on the list that you want to see end up with Naruto, feel free to leave a comment or a PM informing me of who you'd like to see with him. I can't make any guarantees, but we shall see.

I also have an update at the top of my profile explaining a bit about the endoscopy appointment I had and what was found. So if you're interested, please take a look. Suffice it to say, the Hiatal hernia in my chest is large, but it's not the only thing they found.

Anyways, I really am kind of tired. I've been working on this chapter since yesterday and I only managed to finish it just a moment ago. Took forever to write the damn thing. lol.

Alrighty, not much else to say. Lemme know what you thought of the chapter! Hope you enjoyed it. :)