Wow, seems I am consistent with these way-too-long update times. Sorry again. Life, you know?


Ouch.

That was the first thought that crossed Lizzie's mind.

The second was confusion. She felt as though a hot poker was jabbing her in the back, a constant ache. Her first reaction was to find out why.

She sat up from what felt like a bed, though she was in utter darkness, so she wasn't too sure. The movement made her groan in pain as her blood seemed to catch fire.

She patted her chest and found it wrapped tightly in bandages. It was only then that it came flashing back to her. Proelium; the trial; Vash. Of course.

As she was attempting to get out of the bed, the door to the room opened, letting in a sliver of light. Someone backed in, carrying a tray. They left the door wide open, spilling light into the room and revealing that it was Vash.

Seeing her up and half out of bed, he nearly dropped the tray, eyes widening. "You're awake!"

Lizzie opened her mouth, but all that came out was a hoarse cough. She felt like screaming when her wound ignited.

"No, no, don't try to speak," Vash said hastily. "Here." He crossed the room to the curtains, opening them to let in the sun's rays. He brought the tray to the side of her bed.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, handing her the bowl of soup placed upon it.

After a few sips, Lizzie felt as though she could breathe properly again. "Like shit," she managed.

Vash nodded, looking guilty. His hand seemed to instinctively go to clutch his shoulder, which Lizzie noticed was all wrapped up. "Listen, I'm really sorry about that. I couldn't control my body."

"I know," Lizzie sighed, taking another gulp. "It's that damn Goddess' fault. How's Lili?" Her voice was punctuated with coughs.

"She's fine," Vash nodded. "I wish you could have seen her after I...well, stabbed you. She took charge, threatened Lady Proelium, and saved you from death's door."

"I'm very proud of her," Lizzie smirked. "Her standing up to old Fighting Spirit must have been quite the sight."

"It was," Vash agreed, allowing himself a small smile before regaining his melancholic look. "Look, Lizzie, I'm really sorry. I wish-"

"Vash," she interrupted. "I told you I understand, okay? You don't have to keep apologising for something you didn't do."

Vash hesitantly connected eyes with her, seeing her earnestness. "Okay, then..."

Lizzie let loose with another bout of coughing. Her shoulders sagged with a sudden onset of fatigue.

"You should rest a bit more," Vash said hastily. "You don't want to leave while you're injured, so best to recover quickly."

Lizzie opened her mouth to argue but seemed to give up halfway. "Fine," she said raggedly, relaxing herself into a more comfortable position.

Vash took the bowl away. "Someone will come to check on you later," he said gruffly. "Ah...see you, Lizzie."

She gave a sarcastic wave from the bed, immediately regretting it as he shut the door and her stab wound flared. She winced, but did not cry out. Proelium wanted fighting spirit? Well, Lizzie would give it to her. She vowed not to complain a word about her injury for the rest of the journey.

At least, that was the plan.


"Is she okay now?" Gilbert demanded as soon as Vash came back into the kitchen. "I heard voices."

They were all hunkered around the dining table, the victory in the temple a bit subdued as they awaited news on their friend.

"She's awake, at least," Vash reported, slumping into an empty chair.

Arthur scowled. "I hate this. I hate that we have to keep coming so near death in these temples, the places that are supposed to be safe havens. What a messed up world."

Francis lay a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Please do not think like that, Arthur."

Lili was still huddled in the corner of a small couch in the room adjacent to the kitchen. No one had been able to speak to her without being rejected so far.

"She blames herself," Francis whispered, glancing over at her crumpled form sadly. "She thinks that Lizzie wouldn't have been stabbed if she had not called out."

"If it's anyone's fault, it's mine," Vash said vehemently. He marched up to Lili. "Sister, please listen. Lizzie is on her way to recovering. You have nothing to worry about. Where is that spirit I know you possess?"

Lili finally raised her tear-streaked face. "All I have done as part of this team so far is nearly get my teammate killed," she choked out. "Who would want someone like that to travel with?"

"Lili," Vash said firmly. "I know I was reluctant before, but I think this journey would be good for you." He breathed deeply. "Look. Lizzie would have certainly died if you hadn't gotten all up in Proelium's face. You saved her life."

Lili took a shuddering breath. "Please, big brother, leave me alone for a while. I have to think."

Vash opened his mouth to object, but seemed to think better of it. He made his way back to the table, shaking his head.

"The only thing left to do is wait," Ludwig sighed. "We have to get back to our schedule as soon as Lizzie recovers."

Vash looked around at the red-carpeted walls with unmasked disgust. "And then Feliks and I can get out of this dump for good."

"What a relief," Feliks added. "This place is so drab. It makes everything I wear look horrible!"

Francis observed the decor again with a wry grin. "Indeed; it does not seem to compliment anything, that is for sure."

"I'm going to bed," Arthur muttered, sliding out of his seat. "It's no use just sitting here."

"Arthur's right," Gilbert conceded, eyes heavy with concern. "Lizzie is resting. We should rest too."

Ludwig stood up behind Gilbert. "I recommend this as well. Get a good night's sleep, and we may be able to leave in the morning if Lizzie is feeling up to it."

Lili was still refusing to move. Vash went back over to her, after everyone else had left.
"Lili?" he asked softly, sitting in front of her.

She didn't respond. He could tell she was still awake, as her body still occasionally hitched with a dry sob.

He rubbed her back soothingly. "Lili. Like I said, she's making a full recovery. And do you know what she told me? She said she was really proud of you for standing up to Proelium."

Lili was still unresponsive, but her breathing slowed a little.

"What you did was the bravest thing I've ever seen," Vash continued. "I have never, in my entire life, seen someone march up to a Goddess and threaten them at sword point to heal someone. Lili, you did that. It was you who ensured that Lizzie would live; and in doing so, won the Bellator blessing. You have nothing to cry over. She'll made a full recovery. If anything, take this as a lesson to never turn you back on an opponent." He hesitated a second before offering his last bit of advice with an air of finality. "And never, ever, trust a Goddess."

Soon enough they had both fallen asleep on the couch, Lili eventually reaching over to embrace her big brother.


Arthur woke up in a dark room, momentarily confused. As he sat there, blinking the sleep out of his eyes, the past day rushed back to him and he sighed. Hopefully we'll be able to get going today, he thought. I hate being cooped up in these stupid temples.

He got up and dressed in a simple black t-shirt and some black pants that Feliks had thrown at him, gushing something about matching clothes. Honestly, Arthur didn't really care, as long as they were clean.

Exiting the room, he looked around and realised he was alone. It must have been quite early. He tread lightly across the padded carpet, keeping as silent as possible. He cherished the times he could be alone with his thoughts; waking someone up would defeat the purpose.

Making himself a kettle of the lacklustre tea that Vash had stashed away in the kitchen, he poured himself a cup and settled in a chair. Taking slow sips, he tried to clear his mind. There were two temples left. Francis was going to be alone when he took his trial, and so was Arthur. He hoped that the third sister wasn't a psycho as well - but he knew the Great Angel was nice, so he wasn't too worried about the Omnes temple.

Arthur hadn't realised how long he had been nursing the cups of tea until someone poked their head into the kitchen.

"Arthur?" Gilbert asked. "Can we talk?"

Arthur grunted conformation, gesturing to the seat opposite him.

Gilbert sat down, running his hand through his silver hair. "We're not going to leave while Lizzie's still injured, are we?" he asked.

Arthur grimaced. "It depends," he replied. "We can't afford to stay here much longer. The Docte temple is quite far away."

The Fortis nodded reluctantly. "But I don't want to cause her any additional pain, alright?"

"It's not up to me, really," Arthur scowled. "Go talk to her about it. Anyway, the plan is to leave sometime today; why don't you go check on her or something? Ask if she's up to it."

Gilbert rolled his eyes. "Fine. I'm off."

Arthur watched his retreating back. "Hmph," he said quietly, taking another sip.


A knock sounded on the door.

"Come in," Lizzie called eagerly. She was desperate for someone to talk to.

The door opened gently, a figure slipping in. Lizzie could see from the chink of light glinting off his hair that it was Gilbert.

"How are you?" he asked, going to sit on the edge of her bed.

"Bored," she retorted. "The stupid stab hurts just enough that I can't do anything, but not enough to leave me incapacitated. I'm just stuck here!"

Gilbert cracked a grin. "Don't get soft," he warned teasingly. "We need your fighting skills out there. Of course, there's always me to replace you. I'm awesome like that."

Lizzie sat up straighter, eyes flashing. "Hey, I'm not soft," she protested angrily. "I could even leave today. Seriously!"

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? Prove it."

Lizzie scowled at him, and swung her legs over the side of the bed. "That's it, I'm out of here," she grunted, a flash of pain passing her face for a moment. And then she was standing; shakily, granted, but still standing.

"Whoa, don't overdo it," Gilbert said hastily, hurrying to her side. She brushed him off.

"Shut up. I can do this. Let's go see the others."

"Whatever you say," he shrugged. "You can lean on me if you want."

"As if," she snorted, taking the few steps to the door cautiously. I've been blessed with fighting spirit, she thought fiercely. I can do this.

Though her back protested with every step, she made it outside, Gilbert slowly following behind. She was still wearing her bloodstained sweatshirt from the previous day, and it was quite the sight. The entire back was stained almost black and red.

Lizzie gripped the door frame, breathing heavily. "See? Piece...piece of cake," she coughed.

"Yeah, right," Gilbert frowned. "You sure you're okay?"

Lizzie nodded resolutely. "Perfect." She made her way to the kitchen, only stopping to catch her breath twice.

Arthur was still sitting by himself, finishing up the tea, when Lizzie came staggering in. "L-Lizzie?" he said in disbelief. "What are you doing here?"

"Proving to an egotistical idiot that I'm not soft," she muttered through clenched teeth.

"Does this mean you'll be strong enough to leave today, do you think?" Arthur asked hopefully.

"Of course," she said proudly. "It's almost like it doesn't even hurt anymore."

"Brilliant!" Arthur smiled. "Although you may want to get changed. No offense, but that shirt looks like you got stabbed in it."

Gilbert laughed despite himself.

Lizzie scowled at him. "Fine. I'm sorry I walked out in bloodstained clothes after getting impaled and had the gall to offend your eyes, Your Majesty." Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

"Ah, there's the Elizabeta we all know and love," Arthur said dryly. "Alright, I'll alert Ludwig that we'll be heading out today. It's good to see you feeling better, Lizzie."

Arthur got to his feet and placed the kettle in the sink. He waved farewell and set off down one of the corridors.

Gilbert pulled Lizzie aside. "Are you actually ready, or was that an act?" he asked worriedly.

She took a deep breath. "It doesn't matter. I'm not going to hold us all back. Help me back to my room so I can get changed, will you?"

Without another word, Gilbert wrapped her arm around his shoulders and helped her walk down to her room, where her pack had been left.

"I'm good from here. Thanks," she said shortly, closing the door in his face. She sank to the ground immediately after. "Shhhhhit," she hissed, drawing it out as long as she could.


About an hour later, everyone was gathered in the kitchen again. They had eaten as well as they could, and were all packed.

"Now that Lizzie is feeling better," Arthur said, nodding at her, "we can get going. Ludwig?"

"We're going to be heading back towards Procul," Ludwig explained. "We'll have to pass through the forest again. Now, we have a choice. We can take the slightly longer route, or the direct route."

"Direct, of course. Why is that even a choice?" Gilbert asked.

Ludwig seemed a bit flustered. "Well...the longer route would bring us through Viridi, Cana, Rubra. You know, the place where Antonio, Lovino, and Feliciano live."

"Oh! Let's go there!" Francis exclaimed. "I would love to see Toni again!"

There was a general consensus of nods.

"Alright," Ludwig muttered, writing something down on his notepad he carried everywhere. "So we'll divert our course to go there. Then, it will take at least a week to travel across the entire Fortis and Docte territories. There's a mountainous place that we should probably avoid along the border, and-"

"Wait," Francis interrupted. "I think...I think we should check out these mountains."

Arthur looked at him oddly. "Why? It's not like there's anything there."

"Just a hunch," Francis murmured. "S'il vous plaît, can you at least give it a chance?"

"We'll see," Ludwig said skeptically. "But probably not, seeing as it's rather off-course. Anyway, past the border, it should be a straight trek to the Docte temple. We'll plot our next course of action there."

"Sounds good," Arthur said, standing up.

The others got up as well, a meeting adjourned.

They all met at the doors shortly after, Vash and Feliks included.

With the dispute over the mountains, Francis found himself thinking about Matthew yet again. "Vash," he blurted out suddenly. "Do you two have companions? I couldn't help but notice that there weren't any here."

Vash's face started to turn red with anger as Feliks' eyes widened and he shook his head wildly.

"I did," Vash spoke through gritted teeth. "Quite a while ago. Until this idiot-" he turned and glowered at Feliks, who looked extremely guilty for once- "decided to mock the higher entities. Needless to say, we were relieved of our companions. We never got them back. That was a year ago, now." His voice faltered. "A whole year..."

Francis winced. "I am terribly sorry, mon ami. If it is any consolation, all six of us have also lost ours, as you can see. But there may be hope." He decided not to say anymore, lest anyone become suspicious.

They all stepped outside. Everyone's bags were packed, and there was a general feeling of relief in the air as the yawning entrance of the temple closed for good with a resounding bang of the ornate doors.

Arthur shadowed Lili as she sidled up to her brother. Observing them fascinated him; he couldn't explain it, but something about siblings just being siblings made him feel happy inside.

Lili and Vash shared one last hug.

"Be safe," he whispered in her ear as they parted. "I wouldn't be able to bear it if something happened to you."

"I will, big brother," she said determinedly. "I'll make you proud!" She ran her fingers over the bandages on his shoulder. "Take care of this, okay? Make sure it heals properly."

"I will, don't worry," Vash smiled.

Arthur watched them, allowing a small smile to grace his features for a moment, and then stepped up, laying a hand on Lili's shoulder. "It's time to go," he said softly.

Lili nodded, wiping her face quickly, "Goodbye," she sniffed.

"Goodbye, Lili," Vash managed, struggling to keep his stoic exterior.

Meanwhile, the others were giving them some space, saying their farewells to Feliks.

"Have fun with your new job!" Francis beamed. "And merci for the new clothes! You are truly a fashion expert."

Feliks smirked. "It's no problem. You guys were, like, a disaster. And I had too much stuff anyway."

Lizzie, who was leaning on Gilbert's shoulder for support again, smiled at him. "And thank you for accommodating us. It was a pleasure working with you two to achieve our goal."

Feliks shouldered his pack, flipping his hand in the air. "That was our job, after all." He hoisted up another bag. "Man, I sure wish I still had Pony. Then I wouldn't have to carry all this stuff myself."

Francis' heart clenched guiltily. Soon, he repeated in his head like a mantra. Soon. Soon.

With a last few goodbyes to the two, they set off back in the direction of Procul, the largest region, while Vash and Feliks went back off to Vitta, their small home village.


After a few uneventful hours of trekking through expansive grass fields, Lili brightened. "Oh! I know what we can do here!"

"Oh? What is it?" Arthur asked, looking around. "Just looks like grass to me."

"There's a cute little town over there," she said excitedly, pointing at a smudge on the horizon. "It's the perfect spot for a rest stop!"

"A rest stop would be appreciated," Lizzie chimed in, face a little pale. Gilbert had taken her pack from her, but she was still struggling.

"Ah, alright," Arthur shrugged. "Ludwig, how are we for time?"

"We can fit it in," Ludwig guessed, checking the map he was clutching. He checked the position of the sun. "As long as we're quick and orderly."

Francis adjusted the collar of his fancy shirt. "I think this is a good idea as well. Lead the way, Lili!"

Lili happily took the lead, bringing them to the new location. It took a while, but they finally reached it. Thankfully the heat wasn't too bad, and they were relatively comfortable for the walk.

Arthur looked around the small town in awe. "Wow, it's really bustling," he commented.

"It's a trading post for Bellators," Lili told him. "You can find many different things from the different sectors here."

"Cool!" Gilbert said excitedly. "Can we look around now that we're here, West?"

Ludwig sighed. "I suppose so. Be back here by noon, everyone, but until then, feel free to explore."

"Awesome!" Gilbert cheered as he dragged Ludwig to the right, Lizzie and Francis venturing to the left.

"Aiya..." a voice near them complained. "Are you foreigners always so loud?"

Lili looked behind them in surprise. "Oh, hello, Mr Yao," she greeted.

A man with brown, tied back hair regarded them wearily. "Hello, Lili. Brought friends to find some items, aru?"

"Yes," Lili said, nodding excitedly. "We're going to look around. What do you have today?"

Yao gestured to a table with some exotic looking items on it. "Priced as marked, aru. They're from the ruins near the Ocean of Doubt up north."

As Gilbert and Ludwig examined the artifacts, Lizzie and Francis moved on to look at some pretty pieces of coloured glass window another salesman was displaying.

"On a journey?" Yao asked Arthur, who was looking around apprehensively at the surprisingly large amount of people that had quickly crowded around the stalls.

"You could say that," Arthur agreed.

Yao sighed. "Take it from me. Not all journeys are all that great, aru. But you should see them to the finish."

"Yeah," Arthur muttered. He didn't really know why this enigmatic man was giving him advice, but hey, take it when it comes, right?

Yao bowed his head, suddenly looking far older than his appearance would suggest. "I've gone on many journeys. Not all of them paid off, aru. What is your goal?"

Arthur hesitated, deciding after a split second to tell him the truth. "Um, we're the goddess' heroes. We're going to defeat the Shadow God."

Yao raised an eyebrow. "So young for such a large task," he commented. "Do you know what is in store for you?"

Arthur nodded. "I know that the times ahead will be tough, but I think we can do it."

Yao gave a dry chuckle. "You young people think you know everything," he mused. "Very well, aru. Just...watch out for that one." He pointed through the crowds at Francis, who was admiring something with Lizzie, who was leaning on a post heavily.

"Watch out for him?" Arthur asked, puzzled. Heracles had said something similar as well...

Yao grimaced, seeming to regret his words. "Never mind."

Arthur shrugged and watched as Gilbert nearly dropped one of the items for sale, earning a harsh scolding from Ludwig.

Yao seemed to be considering something. Suddenly, he met Arthur's eyes, his gaze full of resolve. "I would like you to do me a favour," he said, tone indecipherable. "You will meet my little brother when you stop at the Omnes temple. When you see him...please give him this."

He handed a sharp-creased folded piece of paper with faint markings indicating a lengthy note. Arthur took it, sensing that it had been written and rewritten several times.

Shaking his head, Yao sighed. "Haa... I'll stop bothering you. Fare well, traveller. Remember what I have told you, aru."

He waved Arthur off as a customer engaged him in conversation.

Lili, who was standing near the stall, laughed. "He's kind of strange, but he knows a lot. Some say he's been all over Terra Deaeque."

Arthur shrugged, shoving the note in his pack for later. "Anyway, we can look around until...noon, was it? Come on, let's go."

They went off to look at a stall selling herbs.


Gilbert laughed, holding up a spinning glass bauble that shone when the sun's rays hit it. "Hey West, check it out! Can I get it?"

"Where would you keep it?" Ludwig commented dryly. "Save your money for practical things, brother."

"Fine, fine." Gilbert moved on to look at some strangely scented rocks, picking one up and examining it. "West?" he asked after a second, no longer looking at the trinkets but at the sky. "What is our true purpose?"

Ludwig looked up in surprise. "I suppose it is to end this meaningless feud, Gilbert. Surely you know that."

"Yeah," Gilbert sighed. "I just got to thinking, and well, this whole thing seems kind of petty. All the Goddesses are stuck up brats, no one has seen the Shadow God for years, and the Great Angel is weakening more and more every year. Why are we even continuing this war? It seems like we should just call the whole thing off."

Ludwig grimaced. "We don't exactly have the authority to do that, you know."

"Never mind," Gilbert said moodily. "I'm thinking to much. I should have known that there is only war, and never peace. There's always going to be conflict."

Ludwig patted him on the shoulder. "Relax, brother. In the grand scheme of things, we cannot change much. But we are trying to at least make an impact, and perhaps even make this world better for future generations."

"I guess," Gilbert conceded.

The merchant that was attending the stand they were at finally noticed them after finishing his haggling with another customer. "Hello, there, gents," he said with a heavy accent. "Could I interest you in these here stones of mine? Legend tells that if you breathe in their scent for too long, you start talking real smart-like. All philosophical. Ain't that a riot?"

Ludwig gave his brother a suspicious look before turning back to the man. "No thank you," he said politely. "Actually, we'd best be going now."

The man grinned. "Your loss, then! Happy hunting."

Ludwig practically dragged Gilbert away. "Let's go somewhere quiet."

Gilbert followed, uncharacteristically silent. Eventually, his pensive face cleared. "West? What were we doing again?"

"Nothing," Ludwig sighed. "Come on. Let's find something else to look at."

"Alright!" Gilbert followed him. "Hey West, do you ever wonder how Felix is doing? Your bear, I mean, not the person."

"Every day," Ludwig admitted. "I still have no idea how I could have lost him in our own building."

"He wasn't lost," Gilbert said darkly. "He was stolen. Like Kralle. Like all of them." He punched his fist into his hand. "When I find the one who did this, I'll-"

"Peace, brother," Ludwig sighed. "We will find them. We cannot go in thinking violence is the only solution. Strategy is key."

Gilbert laughed. "Typical West. Well, still. Whoever it was better watch out."

"I find it odd that it's been affecting others, too," Ludwig said thoughtfully. "When is the last time you saw someone with their companion beside them?"

Gilbert stuck out his tongue slightly, trying to think back. "Shit, I can't even remember. Wasn't it the Nordics? Or Feli and Lovino?"

"Exactly. It's very strange," Ludwig agreed. "In my opinion, it means something is being planned. We know the final battle is brewing, because we are taking steps to initiate it. But what if the enemy isn't as dormant as we thought? There is definitely a trend between these disappearances."

Gilbert was silent for a moment. "Then I guess it's up to us to make things right," he grinned eventually, shoving his hands in the pockets of his black windbreaker. "Are you ready, West? I sense a major ass-kicking on the horizon, and I plan to be front and centre."

Ludwig allowed himself a small smirk. "Of course, brother."


"Look at this!" Francis said delightedly, showing Lizzie a jewelled flower hair pin. The small, light-orange crystals glittered in the strong sunlight.

"It's pretty," she smiled, leaning on a post for support. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths.

"How much?" Francis asked the merchant, taking out his personal wallet he had brought from home.

After negotiating with the merchant for a bit, he finally got to take the pin. "Here, this is for you!" he grinned, moving to pin it on the right side of Lizzie's hair. "It looks beautiful on you, cher."

Lizzie looked up, surprised. "Oh! Thank you, Francis!" She lightly touched the delicate pin resting above her temple.

"It is no problem at all," Francis said airily. "Actually, I think I saw a très mignon ribbon somewhere for Lili. Hers is getting rather tattered."

"What's up with the sudden generosity, Francis?" Lizzie asked, getting up to follow him. "Not that I'm complaining; I'm just curious."

"There is nothing wrong for doing something nice for a friend, oui?" Francis smiled. "Do not worry. Besides, since we are here, we might as well make the most of it!"

"I suppose," Lizzie agreed, stumbling a bit. She quickly rightened herself, not wanting to appear weak in front of anyone, least of all him.

"What colour?" Francis asked her, standing in front of a table with several pretty ribbons laid out, shimmering in the sunlight.

Lizzie went to join him, regarding them all. "This one would suit her the most, I think," she said, pointing at one that was a deep blue-violet.

"Magnificent. I'll take that one," Francis told the keeper, paying him. He placed the ribbon in a small box and tucked it in his pack for when he next saw Lili.

"Should I get something for everyone?" he asked Lizzie. "I don't like leaving anyone out, and besides, this is fun!"

Lizzie smiled wryly. "Go ahead. I still don't understand why, but knock yourself out."

Francis moved on to the next table, which had several pins with different sparkling gems. "This one would go nicely with Arthur's dark exterior," he chuckled, picking out a forest-green one. "He could pin it to his chest. What do you think, Lizzie?"

"I agree," she nodded. "It matches the colour of his eyes, too."

"Sold!" Francis declared. After buying it and wrapping it in a soft cloth for later, he kept looking. "Now, what shall I buy for dear Ludwig?"

"He would probably want something practical," Lizzie suggested.

Francis hummed in agreement, examining a table with some odd trinkets. "Excuse me, sir, what are these?" he asked politely.

"These are some fancy new devices, lad," the man explained. "Depending on where the sun is, it will tell ya the time o' day. Now isn't that useful!"

"Oooh, very," Francis beamed. "I'll take one."

With that safely packed away, he began browsing the gem pins again. "Look!" he exclaimed, gesturing at a collection of three bundled together. One was a pretty olive green, one a deep ruby red, and the last a sparkling sapphire blue.

"What's so special about them?" Lizzie asked.

Francis smiled. "Ah, I think I'm going to get them. It fits." He bought them and wrapped them up as well. "Well, that is everyone! Phew, shopping is so much fun. What would you like to do now, Lizzie?"

Lizzie looked up at the sky. "Well, it's almost noon. Want to stop for a quick drink of water somewhere and head back to the meeting spot?"

"Sounds great!" Francis smiled. "Come, I shall help you." He moved to support her.

"Thanks," she sighed. He matched her stride as she hobbled to the nearest building, which had a sign proclaiming fresh water being provided there.


Arthur nervously ran his fingers through his hair for the umpteenth time. He felt under-dressed with only a short sleeved shirt and no cloak, but he knew it was too hot for that kind of apparel. Honestly, he didn't care too much, but as long as he kept his mind on frivolous things like clothes, it distracted him from the true gravity of the situation staring them in the face. And then there was what both Heracles and Yao had said. Everything was blending together and mixing in his mind, making it hard to concentrate on any one thing.

"Are you okay, Arthur?" Lili asked. "You're sighing a lot."

"Hm? Oh, I'm fine," Arthur said dismissively.

Lili gave him a slightly disbelieving look, but let it slide. "Are you looking for anything in particular?"

"Not really." All he wanted right now was a shady place to sit, if he was going to be truthful. He never really liked crowds or shiny baubles for sale.

"Do you want to take a break, then?" she asked, seemingly reading his mind. "Here." She took his hand and pulled him to a secluded corner where people weren't crowded. "Let's rest here for a second."

"Thanks," he muttered, pressing his hands to his eyes until he saw red behind his lids. "I just need a minute to calm down. Sorry."

"It's completely fine," she assured. "By the way, I never got to properly thank you for saving me in the forest on that day. I would probably still be there, starving to death, if it weren't for you. So, thank you."

"It was nothing," Arthur murmured. "I couldn't just leave someone to die alone."

"I guess it was fortunate in the end," Lili giggled. She pulled at the sleeves of her magenta shirt. "W-when I first saw you, I thought I had already died from hitting my head," she said shyly. "You were very intimidating. But then you brought me to a safe place, and I met all of you, and you've all been nothing but nice."

Arthur managed a smile. "I'm glad you feel that way. Sorry for being so gruff with you when we first met. I'm not very good with strangers."

"Don't worry. I understand," Lili said softly. She looked up at the bright blue sky. "I already miss my big brother. Do you have anyone you miss, Arthur?"

Arthur's throat tightened. "Yes, you could say that."

"Who?" she asked. "If you don't mind telling me, that is."

"No, it's fine," he said reluctantly. "When I was younger, I had a brother named Alfred. He...well, he died. I've missed him for quite a long time."

"Oh, that's horrible!" Lili gasped. "What happened?!"

Arthur debated not telling her. But he had been holding in the story for so long, that he couldn't keep it back any longer. "You know the land that borders Domum?" he asked. "It had a name before. Now it's just called Tragoedia." A bitter laugh was forced from his throat. "Aptly named after a shadow army ran through it and massacred the entire population. Including Alfred."

Lili was looking at him with what looked like pity. Goddesses, how he hated pity. This is why he avoided telling anyone.

"Don't say anything," he said abruptly. "It was a long time ago. I'm over it now."

"No one really gets over the death of a loved one," Lili said softly. "You may move on, and you may continue life as normal, but we always carry that burden with us. That's not always a bad thing, though. It reminds us to keep going, because they wouldn't want us to stop just because they can't anymore. Of course, that doesn't mean it's not okay to grieve. You can cry for them."

Arthur bowed his head. No one was there to comfort him after his entire family had died. No one had ever treated him with anything other than annoyance after that time. Lili's words were new. And they struck him, hard. Unknowingly, a few tears escaped his eyes and dripped to the ground, followed by more. He sat there and cried. He cried for his parents, for Alfred, and for his lost childhood. But mostly, he cried out all his pent up feelings from ten years worth of tragedy.

Lili leaned up against him and stayed silent as he sobbed.


It was noon. Ludwig, impeccably punctual as always, and Gilbert, who was tagging along with him, were both at the meeting place. No one else was, of course.

"Is it impossible for anyone to be on time?" Ludwig asked dryly. "Maybe I should start telling them that the meeting time is earlier. So when they come late, it will actually be on time."

"That probably wouldn't work either, West," Gilbert laughed. "Face it, they're always going to mess something up. Just wait patiently, and they'll come."

True to his word, soon enough, Francis and Lizzie came into sight. Francis had a noticeable spring in his step, while Lizzie was quite the opposite.

"Sorry we're late," Francis said airily. "But we had the most wonderful time, didn't we, Lizzie?"

"If you define watching two people get into a bar fight over water as wonderful, then sure."

"It was funny," Francis smirked. "Anyway, are we ready to leave? Where are Lili and Arthur?"

"Not back yet," Ludwig said through clenched teeth. "We do I even bother keeping a schedule?"

Finally, Arthur and Lili came trudging back. Arthur was silent and refused to look anyone in the face. Lili offered an apologetic smile and excuse. No one questioned them further, though Francis could have sworn he detected tear tracks on Arthur's face.

"Next stop, Viridi, Cana, Rubra," he announced. "We just have to go through the forest a little ways ahead of here. Once we get through, we should be right at the village."

"Sounds good," Gilbert said happily. "I can't wait to see Toni again. The Bad Touch Trio will be reunited!" He hi-fived Francis.

He then elbowed Ludwig. "And I bet West can't wait to see Feli again, eh?"

Ludwig scowled, face a bit pink. "I never said that."

"You don't have to! The fact that you would ever even dare change your precious course means plenty!" Gilbert snickered. He scampered ahead of Ludwig's retaliation. "Too slow!"

Arthur hung in the back, listening to their antics. Lizzie was close to him, breathing laboured, as she limped along. "Do you need help?" he asked her.
"No," she replied through gritted teeth. "Don't treat me like an invalid."

"You know, it's okay to ask for help," he said hesitantly.

"Coming from you, that's rich," she snorted. "Fine. Can I lean on you for a second while I catch my breath?"

She grasped his shoulder and rotated her own a few times, wincing as they stretched the skin on her back. She mostly kept in all her emotions, though.
"I'm good. Let's keep going," she said after a few more seconds. They set off again to catch up with the rest of the group. "Hey, Arthur?"

"Yeah?" he asked, looking down at the grass waving about.

"Were you crying?" she asked bluntly. "Your eyes are kind of red and puffy."

Arthur frowned. "It doesn't matter. Lili and I had a talk, and it was really emotional, I guess. It's nothing important."

"If you say so," Lizzie hummed. "Hey, Francis has something for you later, okay? Go ask him about it when you have the time."

"Sure," Arthur mumbled, placated for the moment.

The sun had already dropped quite low, staining the sky orange and pink, before Ludwig called for a halt. "We'll stop here for the night," he said. "We're leaving first thing tomorrow morning. Gilbert and I stocked up on as much supplies as we could in that town, so we should be okay for the journey."

"Alright," Francis said, rummaging through some of the packs. "It better not be disgusting ration food again...merde! Why do we let you two do the food shopping?!"

"Be happy with what you have, Bonnefoy. It's better than starving," Ludwig said darkly. "Now all of you eat and go to sleep. We have a long couple of days ahead of us."