Who Needs a Princess, When You Can Have a Queen?

Silver's Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. We hope you enjoy another Reunion Chapter and a healthy dose of Exceed Fluff ;)

Chapter 17

"Oh, they're such little darlings!" It was exactly one point three-eight seconds after they walked in, according to Hibiki's calculations, that Master Bob has spotted the younger Uchihas, and commenced his customary fawning over beautiful little 'wizards'.

Hibiki had, of course, long since wrapped his head around the differences between wizards and ninja, thanks to Itachi and Shisui, and frankly, it sounded like wizards just had a lot of extra benefits regarding versatility, and how they touched energy. But it also seemed like ninjas could pick up the abilities of a wizard, if they trained hard enough. So, in reality, their systems weren't all that different.

But it was still interesting to see so many ninjas standing around in their inn, looking more than a little bewildered by the ancient, bald, chubby, crossdressing man who was cooing at them like they were the most adorable thing he'd seen since Sasuke was a child. Which, they probably were, because that was quite an attractive family, he had to admit. No wonder the three boys had fit in so well at Blue Pegasus.

Currently, Bob was smiling brightly at Kaito, since the teenager was an absolutely adorable little thing, just like his cousin, Sasuke. "Such a handsome young man, I bet the girls just ADORE you."

Kaito blinks as the strange looking man coos at him as if he was a baby. "Um yes, I guess so?" Back in the Leaf, a Civil War had been going on. So if anyone had adored him,he hadn't noticed. "I'm Kaito Uchiha. Pleased to meet you Master Bob." He might be strange, but he had also taken his cousins in when they had nowhere else to go and for that he was deserving of respect.

"Oh, aren't you jut a little sweetie." Bob's smile only grows wider. "I'm very pleased to meet you too." He turns to his own little Uchiha boys and flutters up to give Sasuke a hug. "And you did wonderfully in your match today with Eve, I'm so proud of you two."

"Thanks." Sasuke smiles at Bob and Mikoto wonders if the perky little fellow was going to get his makeup on her son. That would look rather odd to say the least. "I"m not really sure exactly how they got here, but this is at least some of our family and we were wondering, if they could stay with us."

Shisui nods at that. Deciding to vouch for the rest of their family. "We would cover whatever expenses such an arrangement would entail. Though I"m sure most of them would be interested in becoming wizards or obtaining employment." He knew that it wouldn't be cheap to house and feed this many people.

Kiyoshi wasn't really sure exactly what being a wizard meant, but he'd definitely find some form of employment. "I'm more than willing to do my fair share." After all, he had been a Jonin back in the Leaf. Surely, at least some of his skills would be useful in this new world.

"My wife and I may be elderly, but don't let our age fool you." Kenji smiles as he happily waves his cane. "I could probably knock out all of Sabertooth with this thing." To which, Aiya laughs and kisses her husband's cheek, muttering something about him being adorably ridiculous.

"Oh, what a rambunctious family!" It reminded Bob of his days back at Fairy Tail. "We can find more than enough work for your family once we go home. If they're anything like you boys, I'm sure they'll be marvelous."

"Thank you, Master Bob." Itachi sighs with relief. He'd been worried, since the addition of so many new members might be a bit daunting for the elderly guild master. But he supposed that once a Fairy, always a Fairy. Bob had never lost the spark he had from his youth in Fairy Tail. He turns to his father, the de-facto leader of the group. "We'll be returning home in a few days, just after the competition ends. The three of us have a small house near the guild hall that could fit a few more people, if we squeezed enough, but the guild also has rooms upstairs." He smiles wryly. "And a private lounge with couches more comfortable than beds."

"I see." Those arrangements sounded like they would suffice, until their family could find its feet. And though it stung his pride a little, Fugaku would accept Bob's help in finding employment, since that appeared to be the best course of action. "You are very generous."

"Oh, it's no trouble for such polite youngsters." Bob waves it off with his customary smile. "for now, relax and enjoy yourselves. You must have had a difficult trip."

That was putting it mildly, Mikoto thinks to herself. "We're very grateful to you for your help and for caring for our boys when we could not." There was so much that they had missed. So many years lost, but now they could work on correcting that. "My husband is right. You are very generous."

Izumi nods in agreement as she looks around curiously. "Do you really have room here for us though?" They had money, but she wasn't entirely sure their currency would be accepted here.

Sasuke nods at her reassuringly. "We have the room and if we don't, we'll make due somehow." Once a ninja, always a ninja. His family was hardly any stranger to roughing it.

"That's true." Shisui smiles at them."You must all be starving. Lets get you some food and we can begin catching up." There was still so much to tell them!

The eldest Uchiha nods her head at that. "Yes, it seems that we have much to discuss." They were now in a whole new world and cane or not, she and Kenji would likely have the most difficult time adjusting.

"Great!" Hibiki grins widely. "Well, I'm sure that we can double up to make some room. Jenny can room with me." He pecks his girlfriend on the cheek, then glances slyly at Ren. "And I'm sure that Lamia Scale would be happy to host a little sleepover, if you asked. Your fiancee's probably getting pretty lonely."

"Tch, as if." Ren's cheeks go a little red. "But I guess…I better look after her. She's pretty high maintenance, and terrorizing her whole guild with her love crap." He loved that love crap…

Fugaku raises an eyebrow at the display. If he wasn't mistaken…they were actively finding a way to make room, even at their own inconvenience. Well, perhaps not much inconvenience, since it seemed to be couples pairing off.

Itachi smirks. "Well, I'm sure that if Sasuke asked, he could easily find a bed with Fairy Tail. Their Queen is rather fond of him, after all."

Sasuke glares daggers at his brother for that. "ITACHI!" He couldn't believe that Itachi had said that in front of their parents. Hell, in front of their grandparents! "That is NOT true." Damn it. His cheeks burn red at his ultimate humiliation.

"A Queen?" Mikoto blinks. "You have royalty here?" They had Daimyos and nobles of course, but no Queens, especially not ones that were close to her son!

Aiya blinks just as confused as the other Uchiha woman. "I presume it's a nickname." Maybe. Actually, she wasn't really sure. "Though you certainly do take after your grandfather if you have already managed to charm a woman this early on."

Wait. Actually, she should probably ask. "Am I already a great grandmother?" She looks at Itachi and Sasuke rather suspiciously. Sasuke was too young for such responsibility in her mind, but he was old enough to have a baby of his own. Itachi was another matter though. He could easily have a small child by now. Maybe, even more than one.

Itachi chuckles loudly, louder than he had in years, really. "I'm sorry to disappoint you Grandmother, but no, you are not a great-grandmother yet." Though that could change, maybe…if Fairies didn't prove too difficult to catch. "Fairy Tail is another of the guilds in this kingdom. Yes, there is a royal family, but the Queen I refer to is a member of Fairy Tail's S-Class, one of their most powerful wizards."

Hibiki grins from his seat on a nearby couch, with Jenny nearly in his lap. "Erza 'Titania' Scarlet, Queen of the Fairies." He waves his hand, magic pulsing in the air as screens appear, showing pictures of the Fairy Queen. "She's the one who single-handedly defeated a hundred powerful monsters in the competition yesterday."

Honestly, there were only two people that Sasuke really wanted to kill. Those people were Minerva and Flare. "Itachi, Hibiki, shut up." Though there was a second category of people who could benefit from a Chidori to their hindquarters. Which now included, amongst others, Itachi and Hibiki!

The others in the second category were Bacchus and Sting. Gray and Ren sometimes made it into that category, though mostly he just wanted to slap them around a bit for calling him a brat. At the moment though, Itachi and Hibiki seemed bound and determined to make their way further up the list!

Fugaku's eyebrow rises higher as a few of the younger family members began to edge away and disperse through the inn, likely to avoid Sasuke's wrath. "Well, it seems that you certainly aim high." Though whether Itachi meant that the woman returned Sasuke's affections, or was simply fond of him was…ambiguous. Clearly, though, his son was smitten with a very powerful woman. That could end very well, or very badly. He hoped it would be the former, as he did want his son to be happy. "Does Itachi aim similarly high?"

Well Sasuke wasn't going to miss a chance to fight fire with fire! "Itachi was admiring the She-Devil's Curves quite a bit during the Beauty Contest." Serves the bastard right. "That's just a name. Mira isn't actually a Devil. She's a wizard from Fairy Tail and a model." Former model? Should he say former? Well it wasn't like she had formally quit. Nevermind. He'd just say model.

"I…see…" Fugaku glances at his wife, not entirely sure how to take such a…proclamation. It seemed that his sons were rather fond of the female wizards of this Fairy Tail guild. They must be quite something to have attracted such attention. And such nicknames.

Itachi twitches, directing a glare at his younger brother. "At least I have not been pining after her since I was a child. I do seem to recall you being rather enraptured by how much her armors revealed."

"Boys! Boys!" Oh boy. Mikoto had never suspected that she would have to break up a catfight between her two SONS, but that was exactly what she was doing. "There is no need to fight."

Fugaku shakes his head at his family's antics. It seemed that he might very well be a grandfather sooner than he expected. "I'm sure that both of these ladies are perfectly worthy of your attention. But you should behave as though you are worthy of theirs."

Hibiki's magic flashes again as he grins widely. "I have more pictures!" And this time, it is pictures of Fairy Tail's poster girl, S-Class wizard, and She-Devil. Most of the pictures were sweet and innocent, a couple of them of her in bikinis, and one of them…from her match against Jenny, when she used her most powerful Satan Soul.

The patriarch blinks at the images, a funny feeling blooming in his stomach. "Itachi…certainly has interesting taste." The elder brother flushes a light pink at the insinuation.

Shisui shakes his head at Hibiki. He was a dead man. Either Sasuke or Itachi were going to kill him. Maybe, they'd put aside their sibling rivalry long enough to team up to do it, but he knew one thing. He did not envy that man right now!

"That's one way to put it." Sasuke shakes his head. "Anyway, don't take anything Itachi or Hibiki say seriously. Ever." The last thing he needed was for them to get the rest of thier family involved in his currently nonexistent love life.

"So, then we're not talking about how Shisui wants to hook up with Fairy Tail's guild drunk, whose father is the strongest wizard Fairy Tail's got and can break buildings just by touching them?" If that wasn't a recipe for the most dangerous meet the parents situation ever, Hibiki didn't know what was.

Shisui twitches. On second thought, he would be the one to kill Hibiki. "Do you want to be ripped apart by a hurricane? Because it sounds like you do." The man had a death wish. That was the only logical explanation.

Hibiki rolls his eyes. "No, I want you all to go chase Fairies. We have a day off tomorrow, so make the most of it." He shoots them a slightly more serious look. "Members of Blue Pegasus do NOT fail to charm the object of their affections. So stop sitting around and DO something." Sheesh, was it really that complicated? Kissing Jenny was much easier. Oh…speaking of… He pulls her back into his lap, grinning away.

Honestly, what was in the water here? Fugaku could hardly believe this. His sons and Shisui were being teased about girls, all of whom seemed to belong to Fairy Tail. …Wait a minute. "First, I am forbidding the three of you from committing murder against one of your guild mates." That's what they'd called each other on the way here, right? "And second, if the three of you are too hesitant to act on your desires, then you have no one to blame for that frustration than yourselves."

"Mmm that is a bit hypocritical. You were rather shy when you were their age yourself." It was why Fugaku hadn't fathered Itachi until he was twenty-seven. "If I recall, I was the aggressor in our relationship." And some chakra cuffs had been involved, but Mikoto didn't feel like traumatizing her children too much.

Fugaku grits his teeth. "Mikoto, you are NOT helping." He was trying to prevent a murder here!

She shakes her head in amusement. "I'm calming them down by giving them something else to focus on." She was so helping!

Sasuke and Shisui both twitch at Hibiki. "You're lucky that father said not to kill you." Sasuke twitches again. Though he knew that Shisui was struggling not to do the same.

"Well this is certainly quite the lively reunion." Kenji smiles merrily as he sits down next to his wife. "Though at this rate, Fairy Tail might as well be renamed to the Love Guild." Those pictures were rather nice, though of course Aiya was still the most beautiful woman in all the world (well both worlds) to him. Though he wondered about these inventions known as bikinis.

Bob chuckles as he toddles back over with a tray full of cocktails. "Oh, you wouldn't say that if you met them. While it's true that they value love and family more than any other guild, they're a little…on the destructive side." He remembered the mayhem that he used to help cause in his younger days. "Fairy Tail never changes. Now…" He holds up the tray to the Uchiha family, the four men looking rather miffed, and Mikoto a little too pleased with herself. "I think it's about time we started celebrating."

Izumi takes a cocktail and makes a toasting motion. "Yes, we have lots to celebrate! To family, new friends, and well magic, I guess!" Especially, if it involved the cute snow ninja. Err wizard. (Though she wasn't really sure what the difference was).

"Yes…to family." Itachi picks up one of the glasses, noting the ice lacrimas floating in it. They were going for the fun stuff tonight, then. "Even if sometimes, they make you want to strangle them." He glares slightly over at Hibiki, who takes a couple of cocktails from another tray, this one floating through the air.

Shisui nods in agreement at that as Sasuke gives Hibiki another glare for good measure. Hopefully, they'd forget about what he said. They'd just focus on Itachi and his She-Devil or Shisui's Bikini Loving Drunk. Yes, that would be better!


Fro never liked scary noises. He didn't like the dark either. But Sting was sad, and didn't want to leave his room, so Fro wanted to help. Ice cream always made him feel better when he was sad. Rogue would get it for him. But Ro was busy watching Sting. Lector was gone, Master tried to kill him, Minerva saved him, but kitty-napped him. So Fro had to help. Fro could help!

So, the little green Exceed toddles through the city, looking for a candy shop open this late. There was always one open. Who else would take care of late night candy cravings? And Sting needed something sweet. Oh! And he could get some candy for Lector when that nasty lady brought him back.

Wait a minute… Frosch blinks, looking around at the street, not recognizing anything. "Uh oh…" Was he lost again? This place didn't look familiar. Did Rogue ever bring him here? Did he go here with Lector? "Fro…is lost…?"

Akane had been exploring the city. She had a map in her hand and had always been good at reading such things. So she wasn't too worried about being in this unfamiliar place. After all, she was a ninja and even at this hour, there were a few people milling about. Someone would have to be extremely foolish indeed to pick a fight.

"What is that?" Her voice was so low that she barely heard her own words when she notices something tiny and well adorable walking around. Adorable and very, very pink with a green face? Was that a cat dressed as a frog?

This world was bizarre in some ways, but well curiosity apparently did more than just kill cats. It made Uchihas do potentially foolish things as well. "Are you alright, kitty?" She didn't know why she was talking to a cat. Well unless it was a ninja cat. Though she didn't think a ninja cat would be dressed up as a pink frog. Clearly, it had to be someone's pet though she thinks to herself as she walks over and kneels beside the adorable creature.

Trembling, the tiny, furry creature looks up at the stranger, tears filling its eyes. "Fro got lost…" Again. And now Rogue would be worried about him. Rogue always came whenever Frosch got lost.

The cat talked! "Oh. Well where are you trying to get to?" In third person! "I do have a map." She smiles at the frightened feline. Maybe, it was a Ninja Kitten. It looked so scared. It was hard to imagine this cat in battle. "Are you looking for your mother?" Where there were Ninja Kittens, there were Ninja Cat Mothers and well those were some of the scariest animals in all of existence! She did not want to earn the fury of a Ninja Cat Mom!

"Candy store..." Frosch gulps. "Ro's friend is sad, so Fro was getting ice cream and candy…" He just didn't think that it was going to be so hard to do it all on his own. "He's sad cause Lector's gone…"

"Well I don't know who Lector is, but the candy store is just down the street." She smiles at the cat. "I'll walk you there, if you like." She also didn't know who Ro was, but she figures that might be short for something. This creature's manner of speech was adorable and resembled a small child to her.

Frosch's eyes brighten a little as he blinks the tears away, some of them soaking into his fur. "You'll help Fro?" His tail swishes back and forth happily. Maybe he could get sweets for Sting after all!

Well it was just down the street and she couldn't in good conscience let a kitten wander around alone. "Of course. Do you want me to carry you?" It might be easier. She wasn't really sure how fast those little legs could walk.

Free cuddles? "Okay!" Frosch holds up his little arms to her, bouncing happily. He likes riding around in Rogue's arms, or on his shoulder, or on his head, though that didn't happen very much anymore. Hm…maybe he should ask Rogue to carry him around on his head more.

"You're so cute." She smiles and picks him up, carrying the little ball of fluff to the candy shop.

"Fro thinks so too!" She was really warm, she smelled good. Frosch burrows his little face against her shoulder, humming happily. "You're a nice lady. What's your name?"

Well maybe this world wasn't so bad. It seemed they had rather cute pets. "Akane." Though she could live without dragons. They were magnificent in theory, but even she didn't fancy her odds of defeating one.

"That's a pretty name!" Frosch wiggles around in her arms as they walk into the candy store. There was just so much candy here, it was amazing! He saw ice cream, that would be good for Sting, and sour candy, Rogue liked sour candy, oh and those sugar balls on sticks! Lector liked those…

Curling his little fists in determination, he wiggles himself out of Akane's arms, before bounding off between the shelves and racks. Little white wings sprout from his back as he reaches for the sugar sticks, and he floats straight up, hanging four feet in the air.

"It talks and it flies." Akane shakes her head. "Now, I've seen everything." Not to mention, the feline also apparently had one Hell of a sugar tooth. Well if nothing else, this world was an amusing one.

"For Ro…" Frosch picks up a bag of sour red candy, before swooping down to push open the door of a freezer and pull out a small container of vanilla ice cream. Sting liked vanilla, it was white. "For Sting…" Then, he whizzes over to the counter, putting down the money that he'd brought with him, some pocket money that Rogue had given him at the start of the week. He was careful about saving it, and people always gave him discounts for being cute.

Then, he flutters back over to his new friend, with his shopping in a bag. "All done."

"Wait. Sting?" She had heard that name before. "Is Sting blond by any chance?" She had watched the match between the Dragon Slayers. If she remembered correctly Sting was the blond one and he had fought for Sabertooth alongside another Dragon Slayer named Rogue. "Ro...is short for Rogue, isn't it?"

"Uh-huh…" Frosch's face falls as his wings disappear and he falls back into Akane's arms. "Master hurt them bad and tried to kill Lector, so Sting killed him. Then the lady took Lector away… So Fro is getting sweet things to make them feel better."

Oh dear Gods and Goddesses, this adorable ball of fluff was surrounded by murderers and pet snatchers! "Who is Lector and who took her?" Was Lector another Ninja Kitten? What was wrong with these people?!

"Lector is Sting's friend. Sting is Ro's friend, Ro is Fro's friend. So, Sting and Lector are Fro's friends." The little green cat sniffles softly. "Fro misses him…" And he was scared that they wouldn't see Lector again at all. "Minerva says she'll only bring Lector back if Sting wins."

"Well I"m sure that you'll get Lector back." And that she was going to report this Minerva for stealing someone's pet. Surely, there were laws in place!

"Fro thinks so too…" He snuggles into her chest as the cool night air hits them. But he was all nice and warm, cuddled up in his pink onesie. Then, his ears twitch. "Rogue?"

Damn it! She looks around anxiously upon hearing that. Rogue was a member of Sabertooth. The most sadistic guild according to Sasuke and well, she trusted her cousin's judgment in such matters. At least, she didn't have a guild mark. He might just think she was a civilian. Which in this world, that was mostly accurate.

"Frosch!" A male voice is jut audible, calling down the street. Slightly panicked, slightly frantic, and very much worried.

"Rogue!" Frosch waves a little paw in the air. "Fro made a friend!" He shakes the bag of sweets. "And Fro has food!"

"He's alright." Akane obviously had to say something. Considering another cat had been literally catnapped, she didn't wnat the Dragon Slayer thinking she was pulling a Minerva. "He just wandered off and got a little lost."

Not quite barreling, but definitely hurrying down the street, a taller form comes into sight, black hair draped over his right eye, bandages wrapped around his head, and a cotton patch on his left cheek. More bandages peek out from inside the short, loose blue robe he wore. And he looked more than a little worried as he caught sight of the woman holding onto his precious friend. She smelled…not hostile, and Frosch didn't seem at all upset by her presence, so he slows to a walk as he approaches her, eyeing her suspiciously. "Frosch, are you alright?" He trusted him to answer the question more than her.

"Fro is okay!" His little wings pop out, and he wiggles his way out of Akane's arms again, almost hopping through the air to fall into Rogue's protective embrace. "Fro has ice cream for Sting. She helped Fro find the candy store!"

"She did?" Rogue's ruby gaze falls on her, eyeing her with just a smidge less suspicion, his whole posture relaxing a little with his little buddy back in his arms. "Why?"

This could escalate quickly. "He was lost and it was just down the block." Akane tries to smile at the very suspicious dragon slayer. "Besides, he was too cute not to help." He had good reason to be suspicious what with someone kidnapping his friend's cat and well, Rogue had obviously suffered from a beating. Fro as he called himself, had apparently been truthful in what he said. "So I'm just going to go now." This was awkward, but awkward was better than risking a fight outside a candy store.

The ruby eye narrows slightly, before falling on his little buddy, cuddling into his arms, and making a soft purring sound. "Damn it, Frosch…" It was hard to stay angry when the little guy did that. He was just so…sweet. Rogue strokes the top of Frosch's head as the pink-clad tail flicks back and forth.

That same eye travels back up to his pet's rescuer, greatly softened by his pet's presence. "What's your name?"

"Akane." There was no reason to lie. He had no idea who she was.

He nods, his sleeves concealing most of Frosch's little body. "…Thank you, Miss Akane." He turns back towards Crocus Gardens, walking slowly away from the woman. Rogue looks back over his shoulder once. "I won't forget this."

Frosch pops his head up as well, waving over Rogue's shoulder. "Bye, Pretty Lady!"

She nods at him. "Stay safe." Whether she was saying that to Fro, Rogue, or both, she didn't know. Once they were out of sight though, she decides it was in her best interest to head back to where Blue Pegasus was staying.


Itachi is the one to notice Akane returning to the inn's bar after a prolonged absence. He hadn't been worried, for he had faith in his cousin's skills, but still, if she hadn't returned before he turned in for the night, he would have gone out to look for her. Thankfully, it appeared that such an action wouldn't be necessary. "Did you enjoy your walk in the city?"

"Well mostly." Should she confess? Wait. She didn't have anything to confess too. "Though I made a rather unusual friend." She hadn't done anything wrong!

"An unusual friend?" That could mean any number of things. And considering the number of wizards in the city, more than a few being rather eccentric, Itachi wasn't sure whether or not to be worried. Maybe it was a regular citizen? "Unusual as in unlikely, eccentric, or Fairy Tail level of insane?"

"Well...it's complicated." How did she explain this? "You see I ran into a ninja cat with wings and his owner." That was the easiest way she knew how to explain everything. It was probably best to breka the news gently.

"You met an Exceed?" Itachi had met Fairy Tail's Exceeds a few times before they disappeared all those years ago. "Was it Happy or Pantherlily?" She had said 'he', so it couldn't be Carla.

"Well it was rather sad at being lost, but quite cuddly." She shakes her head. "An Exceed?" Was that what they called ninja cats here? "He said his name was Fro though." An odd name for a cat or whatever an Exceed was, but it suited him.

"Fro?" Itachi's brow furrows. That wasn't the name of any of the Exceeds belonging to Fairy Tail, he knew that for certain. And Happy and Pantherlily didn't have a habit of getting lost. Ever. "…The flying, talking cats of this world are called Exceeds, yes. And the only ones I have met personally are the three who accompany the dragon slayers of Fairy Tail." His eyes narrow in worry. "and none of them are called Fro."

She gulps nervously. Hopefully, Itachi wouldn't be too angry. "That's because Fro's owner isn't from Fairy Tail." It was ridiculous. She had returned a lost talking cat. Not betrayed her family. "He's from another guild."

"Sabertooth." Itachi sighs, checking his cousin over once more, making sure that there were no injuries. "Are you alright?" She may be his cousin, and therefore talented in her own right, but that did not mean that he wanted her to get into a skirmish with a territorial dragon slayer.

"Yes, I'm fine." She smiles at him, relieved that he was angry. "Mostly Rogue was just grateful that his Exceed was alright."

"I see." In that case, there likely wasn't anything for Itachi to worry about. Except, maybe… "Did it appear as though Rogue had been punished at all for his loss earlier today?" He wouldn't put it past Sabertooth to punish even their dragon slayers for losing.

At this, Akane sighs once again. "He had obviously been injured and fairly severely, but he was well enough to look for his pet." So the injuries weren't life-threatening at least.

Which meant that the dragon slayer SHOULD have been in bed. Itachi had once seen Natsu and Gajeel bandaged head to toe, various limbs in casts, and still walking around despite that. "Just because a dragon slayer is walking, does not mean that they're well enough to be out of bed." But still, Itachi could sympathize. After all, he would have hauled himself out of bed, injured, if it meant looking for Sasuke. And he'd done it too, just once.

"You seem to feel sympathy towards him." Akane had been under the impression that Sabertooth was a rival guild. So why did Itachi feel badly for the one called Rogue? "Well in any case, I imagine he went straight back to his team afterward."

"One can feel sympathy for their competitors. It's simply better to leave that sympathy off the battlefield." Besides, Rogue had, as of yet, done them no wrong. Itachi was not cruel enough to wish pain upon him when he'd done nothing except go along with his partner's antics.

"I suppose that was true. I was just under the impression that Sabertooth was a completely sadistic lot." That appeared not to be the chase. "Well that's good. He does look nice in his ascot!" She smiles.

Itachi resists the urge to smack his forehead. Well, he should have seen that coming. His family was stuck here now, so of course they would be looking for options here, if even just subconsciously. He just wished that she'd expressed interest in someone less…complicated. "Be careful, Akane. Dragon slayers are…unpredictable and powerful." And he really would prefer that she not risk getting too close to them at the moment.

Rogue was one thing, but Sting…he could still be a threat. Then again, until the final day was over, they both were. "Sasuke feels more strongly about Sabertooth than I do, however, they are still the competition for the next two days. Until then…I would advise that you tread cautiously. Pride can make wizards…go to the extreme."

She shakes her head. "Oh I wasn't actually going to pursue him." They were a rival guild, even if it appeared some members of the guild were viewed less negatively than others. "I was just…making an observation."

Itachi hoped so, he really did, otherwise this could get rather…messy.