You'll notice a change in the titles of the chapters soon.

The idea is that each of the said 'paths' will have its own chapters titled after them.

So, for Parasoul's, it'll be 'Princess Pride: X'

For Valentine and Hallow, it'd be 'Scrub & Injector: X'

For Eliza, it'd be 'Decrypted: X'

I don't want each part to take too long and I hope things will go my way.

~NRK~

When Obito finished preparing the food for their eventual guests, he'd gone back inside to get cleaned up and dressed.

Marie had been helped into a new outfit along by the newly-arrived Carol who wore a pair of dark red sweatpants and a light brown shirt that had white pinwheels along the hem, her feet covered black sandals.

When they returned, Obito wore a dark blue kimono with light blue along the borders, cuffs, and hem which sported his Uchiha emblem on the back and the black obi around his waist. His top was also loosely tied, allowing for some of his bare chest to show. Underneath he wore some black pants and his Akatsuki-brand ninja sandals.

He'd slicked back his hair into backward-facing spikes and a smooth ponytail, his forehead clear of his bangs save for one long one.

Marie, meanwhile, had been given a simple light blue yukata that sported several festive-looking skulls with one above each sleeve's cuff, several along the bottom hem, and one on the back with the Uchiha symbol in both eyeholes. On her feet were tabi socks and zori sandals while her hair was allowed to hang back in a high ponytail.

All in all, they looked more eastern than their origins would show.

"Marie, that looks so sick!" Filia said before blinking in confusion. "Wait, when did we even get that?" She wondered as Obito crossed his arms with a chuckle as Amelia looked horribly excited.

"... Wait, Amelia, please, don't-"

"You look so handsome!" She said as Marcus snorted off to the side. "W-We have to let the neighborhood see you!"

"... W-Well, it's kind of already going to happen," Obito said, getting a squeal out of her and Carol. "I can't simply hide forever, I might as well look my best while I deal with them."

"I agree!" Carol said with a wide grin as Filia nearly broke down laughing. "I very much agree!" She reiterated with a giggle. "You look so handsome, sir!"

"Thank you, Carol," Obito said with a smirk only for Amelia's phone to flash. "Huh?"

"Your smirks are your best symbol, Obito!" The man blushed with closed eyes. "And with your current looks!? Magnificent!" She said before her fingers blurred across her phone keys and ended with one last click.

"... What did you do?"

"I sent it to all my family friends."

"... A-Amelia, why?!" Obito grimaced at her only for several pings from her phone to ring out. "... Dammit."

"They all love it!" Amelia said with a bright smile as Marcus chuckled.

"That's one of the dangers, Obito, you never know what's going to happen with Amelia around," the gruff-looking man said with a smirk. "Why, some might think you wanted this to happen."

Marie blinked in confusion before Amelia took pictures of her as well, confusing the former Skullgirl. "M-Me as well?"

"Of course. I always take pictures of my family members," the mother of one said as she took several more, confusing the former terror further and these are the live journal!"

"Live… Journal?" Marie asked Obito who looked miserable. "Is that… an annoying thing, father?"

"Yes," Obito said before his own phone began ringing with notifications. "... Dammit," he looked at his phone before his face went blank. "You know, I don't need to check my phone."

Filia grinned as she ran over. "Let me check it!" She said with an open hand.

Obito considered it, for a mere moment, before just giving her his phone. "Do what you have to-"

"Damn, unc, you've got like fifty messages!"

"Dammit."

"That's three times, father."

"Yes, Marie, I've… I've realized," he said before grunting and patting her head. "It's, what, 10 o'clock? Parasoul never told me-"

"She's coming at 12!" Filia filled him in. "Yup. The Princess is asking if it's casual or informal."

"... Whichever one she wants."

"And… sent!" Filia reported with a thumbs-up. "Unc, you've got way too many messages. This one's from the Ateliers, Modests, the Denairs… O-Oh, yeah, that one's for when you wanna see in private," the blonde girl said as she swiped that one into a locked folder.

"... oh, that doesn't bode well," Obito realized with a twitching cheek before groaning into his hands as Dog came over. "Hello, Samson, Dog. How's life?"

"Simpler than yours."

"Noted."

An hour later, he nodded to the group before opening his laptop.

"Watcha doing, unc? Gonna get some last-minute pointers before talkin' to the Princess?" Filla asked as Obito snorted before opening an empty document.

"No, just seeing if my hosts are willing to meet me soon," Obito said as he typed, in large, bold, obvious letters.

WHEN DID YOU WISH TO SPEAK AGAIN?

"Aren't you hoping for a lot, though?" Marcus asked. "Who knows if they'll-"

A ding hit Obito's screen and the younger Medici smirked while his brother adjusted his glasses.

"No comment."

"You're damn right," Obito said cheekily as the females giggled. "Now, when?"

Opening up that suspicious messenger application, Obito read the details.

"They're ready whenever?" Carol read off with a blink and nervous frown. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, it'll be fine," Obito said as he got up. "I'll be sending a clone their way while the real me, myself, handles Parasoul's visit," he said as he made a Shadow Clone. "Head off."

The copy swirled into its right eye, leaving Marie to blink at the empty space where it'd just been.

"I-I forgot to ask, father, is this… normal?"

"... Debatably."

~NRK~

Valentine considered her attire before nodding to her mirror.

Wearing a longer version of her white nurse jacket, the article of clothing came down to her knees and tied at the waist by her brown belt. Underneath that she wore, to be the least bit modest, a rather tight black tank top, and white short shorts that allowed her full scope of movement.

Adjusting her eye mask, Valentine nodded to her reflection, her mouth free of its usual white face mask.

"Alright, let's meet a powerful man," she told herself with a clenched fist and a nod before blinking at what she'd just said. "Hold on, that sounded like-"

The air behind her swirled, causing her to turn around to see a body being deposited to the floor.

Getting up from his kneel, Obito and Valentine locked gazes.

"Ah, I was told you all were ready," he said with a sigh as she chuckled a bit.

Mentally? 'Brain Drain, I swear to the Goddesses!' What was that floating tin-can thinking?!

Could he, I don't know, actually ask if they were all dressed?!

What was she going to do if he came in here when she was naked?! Her value as a maiden would vanish!

She'd be tainted-Okay, maybe she was listening to way too many Dragon Empire dramas as of late.

"Sorry, my boss is an idiot," she said with a sigh and Obito raised a brow. "... Hmph, someone dressed up well, today," Valentine noted as she observed his attire.

Real-deal, Dragon Empire, clothing. She'd never really seen that many who wear the kimono outside of their capital.

Seeing it up close, on a body that seemed to fit the clothes perfectly, she grinned. "I've never seen this kind of Dragon Empire clothing before," Valentine said as she circled him, Obito raising a brow.

"Do you come from there?"

"No, I've just always had an interest in the culture," she said as she came to a stop behind him, looking at the black obi and the symbol around his waist. "A personal crest?"

"It's my family emblem."

"... Wait, aren't the only people with this symbol-"

"Valentine!" Came a voice from the door as it slammed open, getting a flat look from the room's owner. "What the hell are… What the hell are you doing?"

Hallow had done a bit to change her looks with the biggest change being that she now wore a face mask and had on a long black sweater with a pinstripe design that looked eerily like her normal belts and bandages. Beneath that were tights and some house slippers.

All in all, she looked like a normal person for as much of that Valentine would laugh at.

"Apparently, Drain Brain told him that we were ready," Valentine said with a roll of the eye and a frustrated sigh. "I thought being a robot actually made you smarter."

"Dependable," Hallow said as she strove forward and eyed Obito for a moment. "... Was he a stripper?"

"Ignore her, by the Goddesses, ignore her," Valentine said as Obito snorted and walked out. "Seriously? Stripper?!"

"Hey, he dressed up in loose clothes that look ready to fall off, what do you want from me?"

"Common sense!"

Obito walked into an apartment where the windows were covered by thick curtains and had a living room-kitchen set-up with the former on the right, at the end of the hall he was in, and the latter separated to the left of him by the strip of wooden paneling from the hallway.

Around him, and behind him, were five doors, one of which was bigger than the others, that probably led to each member of this group's team. Even now, he could feel those around him, moving towards their doors.

So, he walked into the living room-kitchen mix and waited as Hallow and Valentine bickered as they came out of the latter's room.

"Dammit, Hallow!"

"Eh," the black-covered nurse operative shrugged as they turned to see Obito standing in the middle of the divide of the mix of rooms. "Sup, Mr. Uchiha, wanna try out some new injections I made?"

"What?"

"No!"

"What 're ya doin', Vally?!" Came Patty's voice as she exited her room, an annoyed expression on her face. "Yer gonna wake up the whole damn buildin'!"

Wearing a plaid skirt and a white dress shirt, the short blonde grimaced as she adjusted her green scarf decorated with four-leaf clovers.

"Like a damn cobra!" She growled before throwing the item on the floor and stomping to the kitchen, looking at Obito, freezing, and then turning to Valentine.

"Do not look at me that way, I didn't do this, blame Brain Drain."

"... Damn, tinny!" Patty grimaced before stomping past Obito. "Fucking Brain Drain!"

"Yes?" Came the voice of their boss as he opened the door to his and Christmas's room. "Why is everyone… Ah, you came."

"Yes, he did!" Patty and Valentine shouted at him as Christmas exited the room behind her blinking husband. "Why?!"

Wearing a brown suit with a tan dress shirt, Brain Drain cupped his chin with a nod.

"... I might have forgotten he had a teleportation ability," the robotic man said as Obito chuckled.

"I doubt you'd want the attention of me walking here, would you?"

"... That's fair."

"For the love of!" Valentine grumbled as she walked towards Obito and pointed to the couches and recliners. "Thanks, boss. Please take a seat."

Christmas, dressed in a black suit with an open blazer, a white dress shirt, and the top three buttons undone, walked over in her cat house slippers.

"I'm coming!" Came a voice from the large door and it opened to reveal the large Easter.

Wearing a red dress shirt, black slacks, and a similarly-colored blazer, she wore her walrus slippers and turned to see Obito. "He's here?" She asked their boss who rubbed the back of his head.

Obito, now seated in one of the four recliners in the living room, watched as everyone else took their seats.

Brain Drain and Christmas in the recliners across from him, Valentine fighting for the seat next to him with Hallow, and Easter and Patty sat on the sole couch, the small, rough-speaking, woman sitting on the couch's arm.

"Goddess," Valentine said as she claimed the seat of the recliner, Hallow leaning back on the couch arm. "Dammit, Hallow."

"I take it you say that a lot," Obito observed.

"I do."

"Right," Obito said before turning to the group's boss. "So, a pleasure to make your acquaintance, ASG Labs Zero," the group looked shocked but he waved them off. "Dr. Avian told me about you guys already."

"Wait, how do you know… Oh, I understand," Christmas began to say before grimacing along with Valentine. "The girl…"

"Yes, Patricia is doing better these days," Obito assuaged, getting blinks from both. "While I couldn't do much I was able to give her back a few things. For now, she's actually fully capable of breathing, moving around, having fun, and being an overall menace."

"... The Avery Unit," Brain Drain realized. "Avian used that on her, didn't he?"

"I don't know specifically how but she was able to pull several things out of her hat that didn't make sense."

"Sounds about right."

"Wait, no, that doesn't," Hallow considered. "Also, I'm surprised you didn't bring your… child."

"Marie's simply not prepared for casual contact with people, yet," Obito explained. "We're working on it. For now, I'm thankful she can interact with Carol and Filia."

"Carol Wheels and Filia Medici," Christmas noted off and Obito nodded. "You don't seem to harbor any ill will towards us."

"Well, I can't really say why you wanted Carol," Obito said with one eye closed and the other one trained on Brain Drain who crossed his arms and legs with a hum "But, as your coworker's, Valentine's, earpiece I could hear, it has something to do with being an Anti-Skullgirl unit."

"... Your hearing is sharp," Brain Drain said before leaning back with a hum. "And, yes, that's why we needed her. She was a miracle of a person who was unfortunately compatible with blood of the Skullgirl."

"Wait, the blood of the Skullgirl?" Obito looked confused. "How in the world can you get blood from the Skullgirl?"

"It's a process of breaking down pieces and materials the Skullgirls leave behind," Valentine said. "With as advanced technology is in the labs, it simply requires tons of material."

"Which can be altered to break free of the current Skullgirl's, at the time, control," Brain Drain finished.

"That seems rather… impossible."

"Well, so do you," Brain Drain said, pleased with himself as Easter chuckled. "You are quite the anomaly. I didn't think someone outside of an ASG unit or the Skullgirl could be as powerful as you are."

"Hmph, I was simply born this way," Obito said with his arms crossed. "Maybe it has something to do with Lorenzo, he's been using the Life Gem for whoever knows how long, maybe it has some kind of adverse effects."

"... I actually never thought about that," Brain Drain considered with a grimace and then a sigh. "There are so many things about the Artifacts that we don't know… like, for example, your Artifact," he said intently as Obito raised a brow.

"... Ah, you mean the Uchiwa Gunbai," Obito said as he removed the item from Kamui, the chained fan dropping into his hand, much to Valentine's fascination. "This is what you mean."

"Fascinating, where did it come from?"

"Personal pocket dimension."

"... Right, is that also where the Skull Heart is?" Easter asked and Obito nodded, pulling out the Doom Capsule. "... You're an oddly powerful man," she noted with confusion.

"As I said, I don't fully get it myself… Though, well, I might have some insight into the Life Gem," Obito said, only for a microphone to pop out of the floor and float in front of him. "... Is this entire apartment like this?"

"Partially," Christmas said with some intrigue. "But, what do you mean you have insight into the Life Gem?"

"... I told you, I don't fully understand how powerful I am… but I've looked into the Life Gem," he said as his eyes shifted, Sharingan blazing bright. "And, I can tell you, it's composed of all forms of energy."

"This skill again," Valentine said as she leaned over and observed blood-red eyes with tomoe in them. "Gonna repeat Easter's words, you're oddly powerful."

"Wait, no, ignore that, go back! What do you mean?!" Brain Drain shouted. "Composed of all energies?"

"It'd be more correct to say Artifacts are composed of all forms of things," Obito said with a shrug. "The four states of matter," the group looked shocked. "Magic, technology, Theonite Resonance… and human souls," the group choked.

"What?!" Hallow nearly fell off the chair arm. "Human souls?!"

"Of course, it might be odd to think but the Skull Heart is also an Artifact, isn't it?"

"... It is," Patty said with a grimace. "And, yeah, it makes some ol' sense that it'd be made o' souls… Fucking…"

"And you're sure about this?" Brain Drain asked with a frown.

"It's what I can consider, it's not like I see souls on the regular but the energy is similar to the Skull Heart's."

"Worrying," Christmas said. "If this is true… Then these items were made with human souls as a base, most likely."

"... All known concepts," Valentine hummed. "That's an odd thing to understand, how? It's clearly got shape, the Life Gem, I mean."

"Right, that's why I'd say it has a solid element but I can see the fluid within it and it exudes condensed gases which allow for people to use it."

"How far can those eyes of yours even see?" Easter asked in confusion.

"I can literally see the blood cells in my own arm, trust me, I've got good eyesight."

"More like 'outrageous'," Hallow said with an excited gleam in her eyes. "I could use stuff like that for my injectors! Think of all the formulas I could use if I can see that close!"

"Hmph… it is an amazing power to have," Christmas noted as Brain Drain nodded.

"How clearly can you see them? Photo-like, slower FPS?"

"What? No, I can see it moving as fast it's supposed to-"

"Do you want to work with the labs?!" Brain Drain asked as Christmas chuckled. "T-Think about this! You have a high-powered telescope that can see things in real-time, in your eyes! Think of all the medicine you could be involved with!"

"I have considered that before," Obito said as Valentine's interests were piqued.

"Oh? Wanted to be a doctor?"

"Maybe, maybe not, just wanted to help people… but doing that on the Medici side seemed to just work out better while I was in it."

"So, what's the plan for now?" Brain Drain wondered.

"Well, for now, I've got a meeting with the Princess and the River King in thirty minutes," he said with a chuckle as they all choked. "Calm down, I'm a Shadow Clone, the real me is back at the house."

"Wait, what?" Valentine blinked before leaning in close. "As in a ninja clone?"

"Yup."

"Are you sure you don't want to join Lab Zero?" She asked with excitement as Patty snorted. "I mean, why not? We have several divisions and Hallow meeting her match sounds like a good idea."

"Bitch, where?!" Hallow said immediately. "I'll have you know I'm the Head of Drug R&D!"

Obito raised a brow. "It's not like I'm trying to do anything, I haven't even agreed to anything… But it sounds interesting," Brain Drain and Valentine leaned in. "The way things are, right now, though? I have to focus on Marie's social, and bodily, development. That and… well," he frowned, confusing the group.

"Something amiss?" Easter asked.

"Yes," Obito said. "From what Marie tells me about the Skull Heart, it has a memory bank that she could see into when she was acting as its host… And there's a woman who brought it to New Meridian."

"Who?!" Christmas said in shock. "W-We were literally considering how it got here not that long ago!"

"A woman by the name of Agatha Gloomfall… a woman in the Church of the Trinity."

The group paled.

"W-Wait, wait, the woman at the CHURCH is a part of all this?!" Valentine announced with a paler complexion. "W-Wait… How old is she?"

"... Marie didn't know," Obito said with a frown. "The Skull Heart didn't allow her to look that far back but she saw when the Contiellos were killed fourteen years ago."

"She had a hand in that?" Hallow asked. "When the news hit, it'd been said that there was simple in-fighting."

"Nope, the Medici went after them to try and get the Skull Heart."

"Damn."

"Honey?" Christmas asked Brain Drain as his mental cap whirled before he wore a frown.

"Agatha Gloomfall, it was said that she joined the Church of the Trinity give or take ten years ago… They have her down as a feral who can use magic?" Brain Drain was confused. "Why would they think that?"

"If it was ten years ago, that meant it was during the unrest with the other kingdoms," Easter reminded them. "That'd have to mean she could have snuck it in without anyone's knowledge."

"Worrying."

"She can shapeshift," Obito revealed and the group's expressions turned darker. "I haven't gone down there to find her but, for now, she's probably pretty pissed at me. I can only assume that she'll come after me and Marie eventually, one of these days."

"You seem pretty relaxed about that," Valentine said and Obito hummed. "... Another ability?"

"I can sense people," Obito explained as Brain Drain held his hands over his nose area.

"Young man, please, join. Think about the benefits, we have in-house medical and dental!"

"You have in-house dental?" Obito asked as Easter chuckled.

"I used to do some dentist work on the side."

"That sounds pretty good."

"It does, doesn't it?"

"Honey, you're glowing again," Christmas said as she pressed a button on his cheek and Brain Drain coughed into his fist, the red light in his eyes dying down.

"Apologies, my motors got a little heated," he said.

"No problem," Obito said before chuckling. "Well, anything else you wanted to know?" He asked as he returned the Doom Capsule into the Kamui Dimension. "Like I said… Actually," Obito blinked. "Do you all think you could do a full check-up for Marie?"

"... Ah, that makes sense," Valentine said with a nod. "You don't trust a single doctor in this city, do you?"

"It's not that they're not good at their work but I need this for the sake of an impartial answer to her medical questions. Things are going to be hard for her to just walk outside for a while, I'd need people who can give her regular check-ups as she grows up."

"Spoken like a true parent," Easter said with a grin. "Sure, I also have a bachelors in child psychology."

"She's a jack-of-all-trades," Christmas said with a chuckle as Easter grinned wider. "Trust us, Easter's probably the best at managing children."

"Alright, do you all have a time and place?"

~NRK~

"Alright," Obito checked the corner of his laptop, the time almost noon and so he made another Kage Bunshin. "Hopefully, the River Dragon King isn't pissed."

"Don't I know it," the clone said with a shake of the head as he walked off. "Take care, Marie."

"... Y-Yes… fathers?"

"It's fine, this is likely really weird for you," he said as he walked out the front door.

When he did, he walked down the steps of the home, ignoring the reporters in their sleeping bags and tents.

"W-Wait!"

"Sir, come back!"

"Damn sleeping bag!"

He ignored them entirely along with the gazes on the street before he jumped onto a streetlamp.

Obito quickly took off towards the River King's Casino.

~NRK~

Minette smiled as she smoothed out her dark blue cheongsam and long black skirt. Sitting down at a large table in the River King's Casino, she placed her hands on her knees before denying another waiter trying to offer her a drink.

She was almost eighteen, sure, but she wasn't a lawbreaker!

"You sure, Minette?" Came another Dagonian girl in the chair opposite Minette's. "Father wouldn't mind," she said as she held a glass-half-full of white wine.

She was not a fish Dagonian like Minette was but more a shellfish, a Nautilus which gave her her name, Nautilee.

She had a long shell atop her head that was a light tan with brown stripes on it that had her seaweed-like sandy hair coming out at the sides. This was a prevalent design about her body, as well, but her skin was white with the stripes going up to her legs and on her arms.

Her face was white around her small mouth but light tan from the middle up and she had light blue, pupilless, eyes.

Wearing a sleeveless brown dress, she had knee-high white socks and brown loafers on. Around her waist was a bow that tied at the front with a red brooch within it.

Nautilee spoke to one of her six sisters, Minette, with a casual shrug. "I'm just saying, our caretakers don't let us enjoy our adulthood!" She declared to her sibling.

With them all being part of their mother's egg sack, they were barely minutes apart in birth. Minette was the oldest while Nautilee was the second.

"I know but I don't really like alcohol. Besides, we're here to represent all our siblings."

"Hmph, I guess this was all last minute," Nautilee admitted as Minette giggled. "Fine, I'll drink for all of them!"

"W-What?! No!"

"Girls," came a voice from behind them as a person took the seat between them, a large, Dagonian, man who eclipsed them in height twice over. "Be reasonable, you're representing our family."

"Sorry, father," both of the sisters said with a bow towards the large man.

He was a large, hulking, seahorse Dagonian with a powerful set of fins atop his head leading down to his nape.

His skin was light blue and speckled by dark blue and brown spots going down from the top of his head down to his upper back. His hands were clawed with webbing between each finger and frills along the wrists.

Dressed in a black lording dress, over his shoulders was a light brown mantle that stopped at the back of his knees. His feet were covered by black martial arts flats.

Last but not least, around his forehead, was a gold band decorated by seven red jewels and two large blue ones at the sides.

"You two are, sadly, the only ones who could make it," he said with nods to both of them, his long snout filled with teeth. "Let us not show too much bickering, yes?"

"Hm, hm," Minette giggled a bit as her sibling smiled. "Of course, father."

"Your liege!" Came a shout from their side as a clownfish Dagonian came towards them in a black suit before bowing. "He has arrived."

"Hmph, lead him in," the large Dagonian said as the staff nodded and hurried back to the doors. "And so he appears, the Hero of the Skull. Hmm."

"I spoke with him, for a time, father," Minette explained as Nautilee gasped.

"R-Really?! What was he like?"

"W-Well, he's tall, likely four feet shorter than father," the man hummed. "And he can cook really well! It's been a while since I've eaten food that was that good and not from the Dragon's Kin."

"Ah, yes, his cooking was rather impressive back some years ago," the seahorse man said as the clownfish staff returned with Obito in tow. "It's been a long time, Kamui."

"Yes, it has, Lord Umi," Obito said as he came forth and bowed at the waist, an arm on his chest and one behind his back. "It's been some time."

"Quite," the Lord Umi said as he gestured to the fourth chair of the circular table. "Come, I wish to see what the Hero of the Skull has been up to."

"?" Obito blinked as he took his seat. "Wait, who gave me that title?"

"The internet," Nautilee said as she looked him over with a giggle and a slight blush. "And the news articles quickly adopted the title."

"Hmph, I'll never understand the internet," Obito said with a shake of the head before grunting. "That said, introductions are in order. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, I'm Obito Uchiha, at your service."

"Hmm!" Minette smiled before bowing in her seat. "Minette, the first daughter of the River King. Charmed."

"Hm," Nautilee bowed as well. "Nautilee, the second daughter of the River King."

"Umi, the River King of the River King Palace within the Dragon Empire's borders," Umi said before the four's bows ended. "It's been some time, I'm surprised to learn you were of the Medici considering your manners."

"For what it's worth, a name change was necessary to enjoy any kind of vacation. At least, back when people didn't really relate me to the Medicis as much as they could in recent years."

"Yes, public opinion can be rather… aggressive," the father of seven said. "I have to be careful of even writing incorrectly or they will misconstrue it to mean I want a war or some other such nonsense."

"I've seen the threads, they're rather creative, worryingly enough."

"Duly noted."

The teens giggled. "You two seem to be on the same wavelength, father," Minette said with a smile as Umi nodded.

"When he was vacationing, after the theft, he stayed in the palace for some days. That's how I know of his cooking, he manned the kitchen whenever he could," Umi said with a smirk as Obito chuckled.

"I'd never seen so many Palace ingredients before, it was a fun time to try out what I knew," the former shinobi said as the larger man chuckled some more. "How has life been? Anything happen?"

"I feel I should be asking that question but, thankfully, things have been peaceful… for now," he said, confusing the three at the table. "... Yu Wan and Shuwen haven't told you two yet but it seems that things are heating up in the Dragon Empire. Their Emperor is… seeking to come and end Lorenzo."

Obito's eyes widened as the Dagonian nodded.

"I find it… odd that he'd be trying to come all the way here just for that, though," the king said with a frown. "Do you happen to know of any offense that your former father has done to him?"

"... Not that I'm aware," Obito said with a frown. "Lorenzo's only connection to the Dragon Empire is me and my mother. And she's not around so it's only me… Unless he's trying to gain a specific item… Oh, I really hope that's not the case."

"... An Artifact, you mean," the king said and Obito nodded.

"The Life Gem," the group balked but none more so than Minette who choked. "My father has the item and it's what keeps his youthful appearance."

"That explains that," Umi said. "Many had speculations but it's good to know, outright, that he has it. Do you think the Dragon Emperor really wants the Life Gem?"

"Being fair, it's a rather shocking item with an easy-to-use effect that's potent… So if he, say, wanted to rule for years on end…"

"He'd take it," Umi grimaced.

"Are relationships between your part of the Empire and his problematic?"

"... no, if anything, they've been rather fruitful… but this move isn't good. If we could just make sure he never finds the Life Gem, that'd be the best-case scenario."

"..." Minette swallowed before tapping on the table.

"Yes, my first?"

"... I know where it is," she whispered and the three balked.

"H-How?!" Umi said back at her with shock. "Minette, please don't tell me you stole it."

"I didn't!" She denied before hesitating. "... I-I know a set of righteous thieves who steal from people like Lorenzo… and my friend Nadia, a cat feral, has the Life Gem and is planning to pawn it off soon."

"W-We must stop her!" Umi implored his daughter as she nodded shakily, taking out her phone and calling her up. "... P-Perhaps this worked out for us? If she has it-"

"... Nadia?" Minette asked but got a busy phone tone. "... I-I don't think this is good! N-Nadia told me she was going to rest today i-if she's not answering, something happened!"

~NRK~

"You incorrigible feline!" Dahlia growled as she kicked another one of the separated limbs. "You filthy mutt! Do you understand what you've done?!" She shouted at the corpse before stomping around in a circle. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!"

How could things get worse?! She'd had her and the damn cat hid the Life Gem somehow!

She debated crushing the lowly thief's head before grimacing at the idea of all that gray matter on her heels.

She walked off, looking at her arm constantly, keeping an eye out for any wrinkle or slack in the skin.

'I don't have much time,' she knew that.

The effects of losing the Life Gem meant that, within half a year, she'd return to her actual age. While being an ASG unit gave her some good perks in the healing sector, she was still in her 50s.

She'd likely become unable to even fend off the Princess should that come to pass.

Black Dahlia never noted the blood beneath Nadia Fortune's body glowing softly as she left through the destroyed door.

~NRK~

"... Where is she?" Obito asked and Minette swallowed.

"S-She's in a broken-down building by the unfinished industrial sector."

Obito nodded before he made a clone, shocking those around.

"Go and find her," was all he needed to say before teleporting with Kamui. "I'll find her, for now, do you know anything else?"

Umi frowned. "If it's been sold then we'll need to track it down."

"As long as I know who she sold it to, I can find it easily," Obito said, confusing the group. "I also sport some hypnotic powers."

"... You are an odd man," Umi said. "You've proven to be a better acquaintance than many I've met. You're also powerful in ways that are alarming to many, I don't fully grasp the picture before me."

"Hm," Obito smiled. "It's a picture wrought through hardship and blood, trust me, it's not pretty."

"Understandable," Umi said. "How long would it take for your copy to pick up this 'Nadia' feral?"

"Well, it depends on how many broken-down buildings there are."

~NRK~

The clone frowned as he smelled the blood in the room only to blink at the sound of slight sobbing in another.

Going in… he blinked at the pieces of a body moving similar cut-up but unresponsive corpse pieces.

"Y-You guys are gonna be fine, I promise, i-it's just…" came the heat of a cat woman with tan skin, white hair, and teary blue eyes. "W-Why did it end like this?"

Obito's eyes softened at that before he leaned against the doorframe.

"Probably because Dahlia is a merciless woman with barely any morals," he said out loud, shocking the crying Nadia, causing her to freeze.

"W-Who?!" She turned her head and found Obito there. "W-What are you-"

"Minette sent me to pick you up when you didn't answer her call," the feral's eyes widened before they watered again.

"I-It's all my fault!" She cried. "I-If I didn't nab it, t-they'd all be-!"

"That's enough," he said softly as he walked over before kneeling by the crying head. "We can't predict anything, we're not gods, we're simply mortals in a world of unknowns."

"Snff!"

"I… I know what you're going through. I not only lost my own loved ones when I was young but… also a dear friend," he said.

His mother had been aggressive, bright-eyed, smart, and yet kinder than he expected from the former three traits.

He'd loved her dearly and she'd been the awakening of his Sharingan.

Then he remembered Rin and knew how painful this was for the cat woman.

"... Snff, d-didn't expect a Medici to be handing out kindness, snff," Nadia sniffled as Obito sighed with a small smile.

"Do you want a grave for them?" He asked.

"... Y-Yeah b-but there are so many things I want to write… snff, so many things to style up."

Wood sprouted from the floor into the shapes of five caskets, shocking the cat woman.

"What kinds of things?"

~NRK~

Walking through the Kamui Dimension, Obito held Nadia's cut-up, but alive, body in a wooden box on his back, her head in his arms.

"W-What?!" She screamed into the ether and paled at the echo she'd heard. "W-Where are we?"

"In my pocket dimension," the copy said, getting a gawking cat person's head for his trouble. "Hmph, aren't you a little miracle, yourself?"

"... Hm, hm, hm," she giggled a bit, ears wiggling. "A-A little bit now… Thanks."

"You're welcome."

~NRK~

There was a swirl in the air and, moments later, those at the table turned to see the Obito clone coming through… with a head in his hands?!

"Nadia! No!" Minette looked ready to cry only to then pale when the head made noises. "... Oh Goddesses, she's become a z-zombie?!"

"O-Oi! I ain't no zombie!" Nadia shouted back with a grumble as Minette removed herself from behind her father, her sibling peeking out from her side. "... I-I think. Things just got… weird," she admitted, knowing to not bring the recent… travesties to light just yet. "You wanted to meet with me?"

"N-Nadia, you're nothing but a head," Minette said with a nervous swallow before Obito chuckled nervously.

"Actually… I've got the rest of her behind me… and the rest of her is very much alive," the former Medici said with a shaky smirk as some things wiggled in his closed basket.

"I'm gonna have to pull myself together somehow," the feral said as Umi just sort of looked on in shock as his daughters wore relieved smiles.

"W-Well, you're alive, yeah?" Nautilee said unsurely as Nadia's ears flapped.

"Yea, this whole situation with the Life Gem was too pricey."

"Wait, that's correct, you had the Life Gem, correct?" Umi asked and Nadia finally noticed him.

"... You're so BIG!" She said in shock as Minette giggled. "A-And Minette's only 5 '4?! Where'd it all go!?"

"H-Hey!" The minnow Dagionian blushed as Nautilee chuckled while Obito smirked. "I-I can still have a g-growth spurt!"

"You're eighteen, you don't have much time left!"

"I-I!" Minette's face went nuclear as Nadia chuckled along with her father. "I… Mmm!" She steamed with a pout.

"Hmm, it's good to see that my daughters have good people around them," Umi said with a snort. "And, while this is entertaining, we have some concerns, Ms. Fortune."

"Hmph, what about?" Nadia asked before she began to sweat. "W-Wait! No, I promise! I tell her to never follow my example all the time!"

"Snrt, I'm glad but that's not what I mean," the feral let out a breath of relief, much to his amusement. "It was actually about the Life Gem."

"W-What about it?" She asked nervously.

"It's dangerous here, in New Meridian, and I just want you to make sure it's not seen any time soon."

"Huh?"

"We fear that the Emperor is going to come here, kill Lorenzo, and try to find it," Obito explained, getting a gaping cat person's head for his trouble. "... One second," he said before his eyes flashed red.

Ms. Fortune shivered before blinking and groaning. "D-Did you just zap your conversation into my head?"

"Yes."

"... Dammit, you're weird… A-And… w-well, I have some news for you guys," the feral began.

She explained what had happened, opting out of revealing the status of the rest of her Fishbones Gang.

It was 'Fishbone' now.

"Black Dahlia, yes, she's known around almost the entirety of the Dragon Empire," Umi said. "So… you've digested the Artifact?" He looked at her mouth in confusion.

"H-Hehe, I was always told I had a large mouth," she said with a nervous chuckle as Obito's eyebrows lowered as he opened his mouth to try and say anything. "... Ta da~?"

"... I have no words," he said with a shake of the head as Minette looked at her friend's… head. "So, do you think you can pull yourself back together?" Obito asked the cat woman as she hummed.

"... I-It's kind of weird, I mean it, b-but it feels like I can. It's like my body's got magnets all over for each of my parts. I think I can if I try hard enough."

"Then you'll learn in time, that's all it'll take," he said before turning to Umi. "So, what are you thinking about? This is certainly the best way for it to stay hidden… but if Dahlia ever sees her again…" Obito didn't need to say anything.

"Well, she doesn't live near the Medicis, does she?"

"I don't," Nadia said with a frown. "S-She just knew, somehow, that we'd stolen it. She might come back, one day, but it might not be for a while if she needs to find other ways to stay as young as she is."

"That's not wrong," Obito supported the claim. "That said, Black Dahlia is strong even with her age. She used to train us by having herself cut off from the Life Gem, she's a monster no matter what."

"Damn," Nadia said.

"For now, it's good enough to know that the Life Gem is in good hands," Umi said. "For now, I'd suggest staying low, Ms. Fortune. I hope you don't mind."

"Nah… for now, I've got some things to do, yeah?" She said weakly, the king looking at her oddly before understanding dawned on her. "The Fishbone is gonna be going quiet for a while."

"Fishbones," Minette corrected and Nadia's grin grew shaky.

"Y-Yeah, I-I know."

"... I can compensate you for your efforts," the large seahorse man said. "It's also for helping out my First."

"H-Hey, Minni's a treat to have," Ms. Fortune said with a swallow. "It'd be kind of wrong to have you pay for that."

"Hmm, we'll see," Umi said as Obito sighed sadly.

"For now, was there anything else you wished to talk about, Lord Umi?"

"Hmm, for a later date. Chances are high I'll contact you when the Dragon Emperor makes his move."

"I'm open ears, I'll probably be volunteering by the Dragon's Kin, so Minette can reach me if necessary."

"I'm glad, that's also more protection," the man said. "Very well, take your time, Mr. Uchiha, we'll be in touch."

~NRK~

Obito rolled his shoulders when he felt several oncoming signatures coming in from the distance.

"They're here," he said to himself, everyone else being outside, prepping some things. "Alright, let's go talk to an old classmate," Obito hummed as he got up from the couch, hearing the fighting from outside. "They're going at it, this time, it seems," he said as he walked out the door in the kitchen in the backyard.

A wooden sword slammed into a pair of wooden gauntlets.

Carol skidded back as Filia kicked another wooden sword from the floor.

"You two have got it!" Samson refereed as Marie entertained Dog with head pats. "Filia, Delilah was a bit more fluent, you need to focus on dodging and counterattacking! Carol, she also knew to remove an opponent's weapons from them to lower their attack power! Don't let her push you back like that!"

"Got it!" The girls shouted in the affirmative only for a pair of hands to stop them, laying on their shoulders. "Huh?"

"Alright, that's enough, our guests are about to be here," Obito said as the sound of a helicopter came from overhead. "Ah, right on time," he said with a smirk as the aerial vehicle landed in the large yard. "...?" He blinked as the first person out… was Panzerfaust?

The abnormally large human was currently still wearing his helmet while his body was covered in a black skinsuit with an open yellow flora shirt over his chest and a pair of swim trunks were on his waist as he squeaked in his white flip-flops.

"... there's no pool?" The large man said in horror as he fell to his knees. "No pool!"

"We have a picture of their house," Roxie said with a sweatdrop as she came out in a blue shirt and red pants that led down to brown sandals. "Panzer, we need you to be more involved than you usually are."

"Darn tootin'!" Came Molly as she exited the carrier, wearing a light green dress shirt, a black skirt, and a pair of dark brown sneakers. "Nice ta meetcha, Hero of the Skull!"

"Wait, I'm the what?" Obito made a confused sound as Marie tilted her head and Filia began to snicker. "This is… new."

"It's the populace's newest title for you," Adam said as he stepped out of the carrier in a gray long-sleeved top with a v-neck, a pair of white shorts, and some gray sandals. "As it turns out, you aren't receiving that much backlash as one might expect."

"I'm glad," Obito said as a small child and familiar… woman came out. "?" He blinked as Umbrella and Parasoul entered the yard. "... You look amazing," he said easily, shocking the others.

"!" Amelia's camera was slowly removed from the picnic table before Marcus's hand slowly pushed it back down. "H-Honey, this is-!"

"Nope."

"Real smooth," Samson praised.

"Damn," Filia said with a snort as Carol squeed.

Umbrella giggled in a yellow shirt and shorts, Hungern held over her shoulder in his folded form. "Sis is killing it today!" She narrated as Parasoul blushed.

Wearing a black halter blouse, blue jeans, and a pair of her favored black flats, Parasoul's cheeks burned a bit as she shifted her bangs out the way as her long hair…?

"Just like back then, huh?" Obito asked with a chuckle as she smiled, holding her ponytailed hair, which was over her shoulder. "Hmph, come on, we've got the space," he said as he stomped on the floor.

Quickly after, several wooden pieces of furniture, a large circular table with a decent height to it, chairs for all who were there, and several eating items appeared from the ground, shocking just about everyone.

"Rad!" Samson said, shocking the military personnel. "Oh, uh… hi?" He said.

"... I have far too many questions," Parasoul said with a shaking head as Obito chuckled.

"Alright, come, you all should get seated," he stated as he gestured to the new furniture. "Amelia, Marcus, you as wel-"

"Coming!" Amelia said with a wide grin that Filia reciprocated as the two blondes snuck over and got seated. "Why my brother was rather observant, Ms. Renoir," Parasoul blushed at the woman's grin as Molly and Roxie snickered behind their leader.

"This is hilarious, Hungern," Umbrella whispered to her Living Weapon. "I've never seen sis blush this much."

*wiggle*

"I know!" She giggled as she and the others began to get seated. "Thanks, mister! Say 'thank you', Hungern."

Obito sweatdropped at the wiggling Living Weapon. "I wasn't aware of the Renoir family's Living Weapons being so… expressive," he said, getting a small chuckle out of Parasoul as Umbrella grinned.

"Of course, Hungern's a total blabbermouth!"

*wiggle*

"See?! He can't control himself."

"He does talk a lot," Samson said as Marie nodded.

"He's very loud, too."

"And the world got odder," Parasoul said as she got seated, looking at Marie with a conflicted expression while frowning at Samson. "... I was unaware you had a Parasite."

"Samson's done well by us in the past," Obito said. "He's helped my family before as well as in recent times," Marie blushed. "He deserved at least this much."

"Yeah, uhhh… Hiya," the Parasite tried again and the reigning royalty sighed. "Uh, I take it you don't have a good history with us, Parasites."

"... It's less personal experience and simply the safety precautions told to many about your kind."

"Yeah, no, I get that," Samson said with a few strands of his hair rubbing his forehead. "Yeah, I can imagine especially with that whole thing from so far ago."

"?" Adam blinked. "... Well, you probably would know something about something so far back."

"Yeah, I mean, you all call us Parasites but that's not what we were called in the beginning," the Black Egrets looked surprised. "Hmph, after a… kind of crazy event," Samson looked annoyed. "We were kind of disowned, cast out, put in the metaphorical slammer, for being the same race as an old… 'friend' though I'd use the word annoyance, Sekhmet."

"Egyptian?"

"Yeah, we used to be all the rage back in Egypt."

"That's interesting information," Marcus said with a raised brow. "Your name certainly doesn't sound Egyptian."

"Well… How can I say it, we were from an 'Egypt'," he used twitching fur strands. "That wasn't called that back then… It was from a place where all languages were made."

"?" Parasoul frowned, hand on her chin. "A place where all languages come from?"

"Yeah, it was, originally, this place called Israel, a long-lost name from time. We're talking, everything began there but things got crazy when we came into being, we were called Theons."

"... Wait, like theonite?" Molly asked in shock.

"Oh, that runoff? Yeah."

"Runoff?" Roxie asked. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's, like, leftover stuff, yeah? The world's got all kinds of deposits and it's kind of the old world idea of our footprints."

"That sounds weird," Carol said. "But you're attached to Dog."

"... You mean the doggy?" Panzerfaust wondered as Filia grinned.

"Yup, his name is Dog," she said proudly, confusing the Black Egrets.

"... I like it!" Umbrella declared as Hungern wiggled. "Hungern thinks it's the bee's knees!"

"Thanks, bud, let me tell ya, coming up with that name was annoying," Samson nodded… somehow. "I tried to pick a name that would make sense nowadays but not be too out there!"

"I bet!" Came a mechanical voice from behind the parasite-host as Peacock tipped her hat. "Really on the nose!"

"I know, right?" Samson said with a chuckle before his 'face' twisted in confusion as the group turned to see a grinning Patricia. "... When did you get here?!"

"Ummm," Filia blinked. "You're the cartoon from the video call!"

"She is!" Carol agreed. "I-Is Mr. Gremlin h-here as well?" She asked with a nervous swallow only for Patricia to snicker.

"Nope! I came down on my own!" Peacock said as Marie came over. "Sup, Mars!" The now half-Living Weapon girl said with an excited gleam.

Marie smiled. "I know, it's been a long time… I missed you a-and-"

The two hugged and stayed that way even as a bird, dressed as Peacock was, came out of the redhead's hat.

"... Hmph," Obito chuckled. "I guess I prepared well," he said to the two seats by Filia and Carol.

"You could tell I was coming?!" Peacock asked in disbelief.

"Your form of… energy is hard to miss," Obito said with a snort before Parasoul hummed.

"I believe this is a brand new meeting for all of us," the princess said and Obito chuckled.

"Patricia Watson, at your service!" Peacock introduced herself. "Hm, hm, hm! The Big B ain't gonna be happy about this-"

"You bet I won't!" Came a voice from above as a familiar saxophone-man landed, a throbbing vein in his head and his instrument playing a heated note. "W-Why would you come down here like that?!"

"They were holding a meetin'!"

"And you just…!" Big Band groaned before turning, and bowing, to those acting as their audience. "I am so sorry for anything she's done since she got here."

"H-Hey!"

"No, I know your brand of madness, it never ends!"

"Big Band," Parasoul blinked at him. "Well, I didn't expect to see you here."

"Good afternoon to you all," the big ASG Unit said to everyone. "As I said, I'm sorry if she did so much as breathe."

"Hey!" Peacock pouted while tapping her foot. "Now that was mean."

"And now you know what it's like," Big Band said flatly before a cymbal rubbed the side of his head as he addressed Marie. "... Well, this is kind of weird for me, little lady."

Maria tilted her head. "... O-Oh, about me being the former Skullgirl?" She said with embarrassment.

"... Well, that's a part of it," Big Band said with a grunt before Peacock intrude- "No you don't!" He cut in, placing her in a giant gong. "We were made into units that could fend off Skullgirls. For one, this wasn't your fault, we just found ourselves in odd situations-"

"Yeah!" Came Peacock's voice as she peeked out from a black hole in the floor, confusing everyone. "I-I kind of got chopped up… hehe."

"... I have more questions than answers," Adam said. "No, I just have questions. H-How did you even do that? And are you planning to join the military any time soon?"

Parasoul rolled her eyes. "Adam, stand down," she said with amusement as her lieutenant scratched his cheek. "I'm sure the food's getting cold, Obito."

"Crap!" He vanished in a swirl of leaves, the door to the home flapping closed.

"... you may say it, Adam."

"More questions than answers, ma'am."

"Yes."

Parasoul hummed as she tried some of the offered dishes.

"... Your skills have grown, Obito!" She said with a smile as she ate some of the savory pancakes offered to her. "This is called… Okonomiyaki?"

"Yes. This is a pancake that's more savory than sweet," Obito explained with a chuckle as Marie chewed her food with wonder, Peacock's mini-bird copy, Avery, playing a toon on a trumpet as her… 'creator' ate with a widening grin.

"This beats anything at the lab!" The redheaded teen cheered.

"... Hmph," Big Bang slipped a piece into a processor by his chin. "... What I wouldn't give to eat again," he realized in wide-eyed wonder as a loud beeping rang from his chest. "Holy moly! That's a tune I know I would jam to!"

"... I mean, I could see what'd happen," Obito said as Big Bang choked. "Catch me one day down the line, we'll see what I can and can't fix."

"... Pal, you're really trying to become the best company I've recently had."

"Oi!" Peacock grumbled with a pout. "Rude," she said as Marie giggled.

"Ah, yes, this miraculous ability of yours," Adam considered as he ate some more of the former Medici's ridiculously good beef filets. "... Before that, in what world does food like this come from someone with as many multifaceted powers as yourself?"

"Hmph, I was bored with power and honed, nothing to really gain over the years besides control," Obito answered. "Outside of that? I had the money, and time, to pursue all kinds of hobbies in the meantime while I was growing up. Things simply grew from there."

"I can't imagine it," Roxie said before chuckling. "Damn, you make a mean beef. That said, how does you making an Artifact come into the picture?"

"Hmm, well… Oh, okay, those meetings went seemingly well," Obito began to say something only to freeze, blink, and then cup his chin. "Apologies, the clones I sent out for different meetings just popped."

"How long-range are these copies?" Adam asked with a calculative gleam in his eyes.

"As long as they have the energy within them, no matter how far, I'll get that information back."

"Are you sure you don't want to join the Black Egrets?"

"I don't know, I've got a kid to look after for now," Obito said with a snort and a chuckle as Marie hummed. "But, as I said, I might not mind separating with a few of my ideas."

"Sounds grand!" Molly said as she ate her noodles with gusto. "So, it's kind of surprising to think ma'am knew a Medici."

"It is odd, we didn't even know," Amelia said as Marcus hummed.

"From what my father had said, back then, Obito should be as well-educated as possible… I'm not sure of this but I think he might have been looking at you as… Well."

"That's… surprising," Obito considered as the group balked. "I don't see why he'd pick me over Vitale, though."

"I believe that Vitale's… ahem, 'presence' isn't up to his standards as much as Lorenzo might have adored him for his loyalty," Parasoul hypothesized. "As detestable as he is, Lorenzo does have traits that a normal woman would find attractive, I think he was just trying to find it through one of you as well."

"When I separated, he did say something about hoping one of you would grow tall," Marcus said as Obito's gaze went flat. "Look, all I'm saying is, well, despite the business he's involved with, most would want their head to have a presence."

"And you got it in spades!" Filia and Peacock declared with twin grins as Marie and Carol giggled. "We could have told you that!"

"Grand," Obito rolled his eyes. "Honestly, ignoring that. The fact I find more surprising would be how nobody knew."

"Well, father made sure that I wouldn't be bothered during my tenure," Parasoul said as she leaned back in her seat, remembering those days. "We spoke with the principals and had the staff swear to secrecy. Seeing as the students there weren't ones known to mingle with the presses, we figured it'd be a nice arrangement. What I'm more surprised by is that you were brought into class without a mention."

"Fake addresses, homes, and bloodline," Obito answered.

"Well, as you said, it's not like you were as known back then."

"Exactly."

"So how'd the meetings go, Uncle?" Filia asked eagerly. "How'd the River King like ya?"

"Well, thankfully, we met peacefully, I'm probably going to meet with him again, sometime later… and, about that, Parasoul," the princess and her sibling blinked. "About that meeting…" He explained everything he'd been told.

He'd not informed the group of the truth about the Life Gem and saved that for more private talks with the military. All he informed them of was the basics, the meeting's goal, and the future attempt.

"Really?" Parasoul frowned. "The Emperor… I think you had the right idea, I think he will come after the Life Gem, eventually."

"You think he has an agenda?" Marcus asked.

"The reconnaissance we've had in the Dragon Empire tells us that he's been rather odd about people mentioning his age in any capacity," Adam listed off, in the background Panzerfaust floated in an Obito-made pool. "He's been getting not just irate but oddly 'concerned' about his children's choices. His first prince literally just blew a lot of money at a casino and escorts, it is worrying to think about."

"He's getting impatient for them to grow up," Obito said and the gray-haired man nodded.

"He seems obsessed with his kingdom staying strong for many of his generations. Thankfully, back in the day, he seemed to calm down since we made the treaty but he's starting to return to an old pattern."

"If he's looking to end Lorenzo and gain the Life Gem, he's going to do it underhandedly, he's not told us anything about trying to come to the Canopy Kingdom," Parasoul considered with a grimace. "... This is concerning news. If he's getting so bold as to try and either sneak in some of his forces or try and have a meeting here while sneaking them in under that idea, he might be willing to try more than that. Especially if he doesn't find the Life Gem."

"Well, isn't there a way to stop him?" Amelia wondered with concern as Marie frowned. "Is there really nothing you can do?"

"... If I reveal to him that we know, he might become angry with the River King, I don't want that," the princess said. "The thing is, we also can't just let him get the Life Gem."

"Then you want him to just give in, yes?" Obito asked, getting a raised brow from his former classmate. "Say if he completely forgot it existed?"

"... Is that doable?"

"Just for the sake of consideration, Big Band, Peacock, do you two think Dr. Avian has anything that could help?"

"Well, the doc might have something but it'd be too big, too obvious," Big Band said as Peacock hummed.

"Well, I do have my Forget About It! Hammer," she said as she pulled the item out of her sleeve.

"... Right, too obvious."

"This thing could be discreet… Or is it destructive?"

"Right, not using that," Obito shook his head. "Anyway, if he doesn't, I'll handle this as well, then."

"Once more, your abilities come into play," Roxie said with a hum. "Goddesses, you're just all over, aren't you?"

"... Actually, about that," Obito began as Marie grimaced. "Marie gave us information about an odd woman who's likely to become an issue."

He informed them and their eyes widened in disbelief.

"..." Parasoul's hands gripped the table's edge as their owner began to pale only for her grip to slacken. "... I see," she said and Umbrella frowned.

"S-Sis, this is big news! There could be-"

"A monster hiding in the Church of the Trinity," Parasoul said monotonously, confusing Umbrella. "... I know… I always knew, Umbrella."

Obito's eyebrows shot into his hairline, bang twitching as he tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

"... I was there when our mother became the Skullgirl."

"Wait, what?!" Umbrella gaped in disbelief. "W-Wait, I thought she was tricked by the Skullheart?!"

"... No, she wasn't," Adam said. "This monster… The princess had us looking for it for a long while after things calmed down but we never knew even when we looked around the church… and that woman was allowing us the whole time. Oh, she knew exactly what we were doing, didn't she?"

"S-She did," Molly swallowed nervously. "I… This woman can shapeshift, that's what we know, and has power beyond most beings on this planet… save for a few," the woman with glasses turned her eyes towards Obito and Marie. "At least, we're assuming she can't defeat a Skullgirl but that would still leave Mr. Uchiha as the biggest deterrent for her."

"I know," Obito said with soft eyes on the grimacing Parasoul. "I'd already agreed to this with Lab 8 but I'll be dealing with this creature when the time comes."

"... If you could," Parasoul said with a sigh and closed eyes as he nodded. "I'd be forever grateful."

"I'm happy to help. Now," Obito began as two clones came through the backdoor of the home with rather good-looking cakes in their hands… along with some wine. "I've made two cakes, one that's ice cream-based," Umbrella perked up. "While the other one is a white cake that I have some dry wine to go along with it."

When he brought both over to the table, Peacock grinned only for a cymbal to push her hat down. "H-Hey!"

"Nope, no wine for you. Enjoy the cake and don't push it," Big Band said with a raised brow at her as he let her go. "A drunk you doesn't sound like a good time. Who knows what'd come out of that weird hat of yours?"

"Hey! It'd be a good party trick!"

"No, it would not," he said as Obito gestured to a glass. "Yes, please. Ironically enough, I can drink alcohol so that makes life a bit easier to deal with."

Once everyone, of age, was given a glass and some cake, with Umbrella and Peacock getting big helpings of the ice cream one.

"I'm not really one for drinking this early into the day but it's almost three o'clock anyway," Obito said, leaning on the top of Parasoul's chair with a smirk. "I hope you all enjoyed this."

"Hmph, it's been amazing, Obito," she said with a smile as she swirled her wine a bit before chuckling as she raised it.

The others followed suit and clanks echoed all around, Obito's own being with his former classmate.

The cake was dipped into and those with their wine appreciated how well it went with it.

"Mmm," Obito chuckled as Parasoul grinned, eating and drinking in controlled amounts. "Mmm, glp, I have to say, this cake, like most of your other dishes, is fascinating," she said with a small giggle as the tastes danced on her tongue.

"I'm glad, the cake was simple but the wine was difficult," he explained. "Finding the best wine to go with this, from scratch, cake was a rather annoying matter."

"He spent close to thirty minutes testing all the wines at the store," Amelia said with a giggle as Carol's eyes shined with amusement.

"You should have seen him, the attendants were so annoyed when he left before doing the quickest heel-face turn I've ever seen since wrestling!" Filia said with a grin.

"... He bought all the wines, didn't he?" Parasoul asked with a chuckle.

"Yup!"

"Hmph, can't very well keep tasting them like I did and get away with it," Obito admitted. "That said, I can find other things to use those wines for, anyway. So, it's net-positive in the long run."

"Hmm," Parasoul smiled as she swirled her wine some more. "As always, you've looked at the long-term, huh? Need more of such people in the kingdoms considering our history."

"What kind of man would I be if I didn't look ahead?"

"Not the man you currently are," she said with a chuckle as he smirked.

Amelia and the others watched as an aura of amusement and amiability formed around the two.

"It's like watching an elite having an affair with their staff," Molly whispered as the group nodded.

"... It is, isn't it?" Adam admitted with a slump. "Defeat accepted."

"... Hmm, you know, there is this lovely young woman that the Denairs know," Amelia began with a widening grin at the man's interest.

"Ah, a target who's willing, that's a new one," Marcus said with a shake of the head as Filia and Carol snickered. "Very odd turnout."

"This cake is the bomb!" Umbrella said, ignorant to the world around her, before turning to see Obito and Parasoul. "... What the heck is she doing?" She asked Hungern who wiggled unsurely. "... Yo, sis?"

No response, much to everyone's amusement.

"Sis!" Parasoul froze mid-speak, cheeks reddening as she and Obito turned to see an eyebrow-twitching Umbrella looking at her. "Real glad you're on alert!"

"O-Oh, that is… a-ahem! Things are safe here… Umbrella," Parasoul said with a blush as Obito chuckled.

"Glad to see she has as much of a demanding presence as a Renoir can," he said cheekily as Parasoul cleared her throat some more.

"Y-Yes, she's growing well."

"Sis!"

"Yes?"

"Dang it! She's gone all goo-goo eyes!"

Obito raised a brow before coughing off to the side, cheeks red, while Parasoul blinked as she processed what had been said.

She then turned as red as her crimson locks. "U-Umbrella?!"

"You were!"

"I… apologize, for what she said," Parasoul said to Obito with embarrassment as her group began to help clean up and get back into the helicopter carrier. "She's… well, she sees what she wants to see sometimes and is stubborn to boot."

"Hmm, while not the first half, she certainly reminds me of a certain princess with the second," Obito said back to the pouting Parasoul. "Let's just say that you two are more alike than you know."

"... I fear how true that is at times," she said as Umbrella talked animatedly with the other teens and Parasite host. "... Hmm, you don't think she could come here more often, do you?"

"I'd be fine with it. I take it that she doesn't have many friends?"

"It's… well, considering I didn't exactly keep in touch with those in our high school days says a lot. Adding on that Umbrella hasn't really wanted friends before… sometimes I think she considers Hungern all she needs more than not."

"Well, I hope she can find friends with those weird like herself," Parasoul raised a brow. "I can feel it on her, Parasoul," he whispered, shocking her to no end.

"Y-You can tell?"

"Yes, though this is mostly due to my abilities. You don't have to say anything, for now, but I'm curious if nothing else."

"... You said you were going to train with Marie, yes?"

"Yes."

"Then might I suggest the Black Egrets main base? We have numerous facilities for training, some for specially gifted individuals in the art of combat."

"Like yourself," he said with a smirk as she moved some of her hair out of her face with a smile.

"Possibly."

"... I'd like that," he nodded. "Well, since we're going to be doing that starting tomorrow, do you have a preferred time?"

"... We'll be doing drills tomorrow, so come around ten," Parasoul considered, ignorant to Obito's blush and smirk. "That sounds lovely."

"It does. Now, come, I'll walk you to your vehicle," he said and she chuckled as he did.

"Sure, I-" She began to say but the peck on her lips tore any form of rational thought from her mind. "?!" Parasoul Reniors swallowed, burned neon red, and choked all in one go. "I-I-I?!"

"It's cultural to give you a gift for new 'neighbors'," he said with a chuckled as he walked away. "With Kamui, everywhere might as well be my next door."

Parasoul's soul blushed at his boldness! How could he just leave her like this with no chance for rebuttal?!

She blushed harder, walked right up to him, and grabbed his collar.

The groups around balked and whistled as the princess showed the former ninja just how 'powerful' she was.

Letting him go, Obito blushed before smirking at her.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Yes!" Amelia cheered as Marcus snorted.

Hell of a day.

~NRK~

Finally got another chapter out for this fic.

So we get the meetings, Obito's future 'occupations', his favored meeting, future friendship for Umbrella and Marie, and, finally, the couple's first kiss.

Like I said above, this won't be too long, hopefully three to four more chapters for this pairing before moving onto the next ones.

Ciao.

Words: 12.2k+

~NRK Out~