Chapter 25 resolve
Monica knew about the plan. It had been over 2 weeks since they returned, and she was about to be debriefed, as all of the rebellions had been crushed. The moment of truth was approaching; she saw Hubert, Hinata, along with Edelgard, who were going to discuss their course of action.
"We have to make a decision tomorrow. They're going to debrief you, and there's no way we could go on without making a decision one way or the other. What will it be?" Hubert asked Edelgard.
"I've considered multiple options. I've heard yours and Hinata's about how we should approach the exposure of our enemies. What do you think we should do, Monica? Edelgard asked her for her opinion; she didn't know if she would be able to contribute. She wasn't like her beloved when it came to planning out long-term plans, nor was she like Hubert when it came to strategy, or Hinata when it came to giving advice."
"I think revealing the identity of my kidnapper would go a long way of undermining our enemies. We have to tread carefully if we make a move too fast too soon we can endanger everything that we have built up into this point."Monica gave her opinion.
"What about you?"Edelgard asked Hinata.
"I've been told everything about our enemies, how deep they are rooted within the Empire, and even in Konoha, they are dangerous. There are those in the Konoha council who are members of them, Donzo being one of them. Which I was shocked to say the least." Hinata said, still trying to wrap her head around everything that she was told.
"Yes, those who Those Who Slither in the Dark are dangerous enemies, but arguably, more dangerous enemies are the Akatsuki, who we know even less about than Those Who Slither in the Dark. The only thing I do know from my spies is that they do not like each other." Hubert said in this is obvious information tone while those who know nothing about the Akatsuki wouldn't know.
"I do think deception is still a useful tool for pitting the Akatsuki and Those Who Slither in the Dark against each other, though it isn't without its risks. So, what's the course of action we're going to take, Edelgard-sama?" Hinata asked her in a formal tone.
"I don't like it, there's no choice though we will stick to the original plan and have Monica expose Thomas the librarian. Remember tell them as little as possible, don't tell them more than you absolutely must Monica."Edelgard warned.
"Understood, my lady." Monica had mentioned before she left tomorrow, would be a game-changer. She hoped it wouldn't backfire badly. There was too much at stake. There's too much that can go horribly wrong, and she couldn't afford to fail her lady. Everything was dependent on Monica revealing the identity of her kidnapper.
After Monica left Hinata couldn't help it feel apprehension about the choices that Edelgard and Hubert were making. She knew what she got herself into when she signed the blood pact lying and hiding things from her friends and loved ones was not something she reveled in. Edelgard knew she was troubled.
"Hina Chan, are you okay?"Edelgard asked her in her native tongue.
"These people that we are forced to have an alliance with, are you sure we should be working with such people? The kind of things they have done, the experiments... I." She couldn't get the words out when Hubert gave her all the paperwork of all the atrocities that were documented. She had almost thrown up in disgust. She truly despises them and could understand why Edelgard has a difficult time trusting people.
What disgusted her more was learning that her own clan are collaborators and some of them were even members. They were like cockroaches, they were everywhere it seemed.
"I know how you feel, but we cannot break our alliance with them too soon. You said yourself that it was too dangerous." Edelgard reminded her of what her position was.
"I know we have to do what is necessary to tear down this irrational world, but how much blood do we have to spill to make that happen?" Hinata asked her friend.
Edelgard turned away ashamed.
"I don't know what I will do, but I will do whatever it takes to destroy this irrational world, to tear down the crest system that holds people down, and the system that enables it." Edelgard said with conviction, she couldn't be talked out of it. Hinata knew that, but she had friends, would she have to kill them one day?
"There has to be another way, Edel Chan. I can't bring myself to kill Dorothea Chan, Ingrid Chan, or Naruto Kun. I couldn't bear the thought of ever doing such a thing." Hinata said to her friend, revealing how she truly felt.
"I don't intend to kill unnecessarily. I will minimize casualties as much as possible if there is another way. I will pursue it if anyone can offer me a viable alternative that doesn't involve a full-scale war. Revolution is a bloody process. Knowing this, are you still willing to follow me?" Edelgard asked her.
"I'm your Black lion. I made a blood pact, and I cannot go back on that. I don't go back on my word; that's not my Shinobi way. I'd betray everything that I am if I did. You're one of the people that made me who I am now. I will not betray you, Edel Chan." Hinata said with sincerity.
"I believe Naruto is loyal; he would never want to raise his hand against you, lady Hinata. I don't think you have anything to worry about." Hubert said, in one of his rare instances where he wasn't hostile to a potential traitor.
"I don't trust Kabuto I don't know why but I feel like he's here to spy on us."Hinata said to Hubert.
"Very observant, I agree. He is very suspicious, the way he acts, how polite he tends to act. It seems to be nothing more than an act. He's very guarded, I don't trust him, and I think your instincts are correct. I know Shino feels the same way, and Benedetta does too. He is suspicious, but he isn't the only one. Sai in the Golden Deer is another suspicious individual. I don't know if one or both of them are spies from the Akatsuki or Those Who Slither in the Dark. They both need to be watched."
Hinata said to Hubert with suspicion in her tone.
"Our enemies are getting bolder,"Edelgard said.
"I'm going to teach both of you the sound seal jitsu so you'll know how to use it. It's useful, especially to prevent eavesdropping." They looked surprised that she's willing to teach a technique like this and an A-rank technique.
"Such an interesting jitsu will definitely become useful." Hinata showed him the hand signs, and Hubert copied them exactly and managed to do it on his second try.
"Such an interesting technique, Lady Hinata. I hope you can serve Lady Edelgard well in the future. We should get going; we don't want anyone to be suspicious of us being here for too long." He left her and Edelgard alone.
"Did you really mean that when you said you're my Black Lion?" Edelgard asked her seriously about what she said earlier.
"I am your Black Lion, Edel Chan. I don't go back on my word, you know this about me." Edelgard reluctantly nodded.
"I know it's your Shinobi way; you don't go back on your word, and neither do I, my friend." The woman had nothing more left to say. She didn't want to leave Edelgard, hoping she wouldn't have to one day fight against her friends, especially the one friend, the closest one she could ever consider to be a brother.
"Are you sure about this?" asked Rhea.
Monica had revealed her kidnapper's identity was Tomas. It was ridiculous he served the church for over 40 years. There's no way he would do such an act. That's what she wanted to say, but she couldn't dismiss an accusation like that.
The girl Monica had a really good memory; she was able to recall anything that happened with such detail that it was impossible to refute it. She had to investigate.
"I will summon him at once, and I'll have my knights interrogate him. I will know one way or another whether his say is true." The archbishop dismissed her. She wished Jeralt was here; he would know what to do.
Couldn't depend on him though she had to find out she had a bad feeling that a potential enemy was in their midst and she had to find out one way or another if it was true. Girl was captured and was in captivity for months it's possible she could be delusional or imagined it but she couldn't disregard something like this especially now that she's having issues in abyss with Soria and not to mention Byleth she had to protect them both by any means necessary.
Knights approached her they gave their salutes as a form of respect.
"He is here"the leader of them informed her.
"Good apprehend him immediately"she ordered they left her presence she was hoping that she was wrong that this wasn't a bad omen.
Shez was on her way back from class, she couldn't help but think about what happened in the Land of Waves. The battle with Zabuza, the sword she had, which she hadn't had a chance to use in combat yet, was a powerful blade.
She felt as if she had made little progress when she noticed a commotion and saw a man who looked like an elderly person, possibly in his late sixties or early seventies, being surrounded by knights.
"You're being taken in for questioning by the Archbishop's orders." said one of the Knights men, in his early 30s.
"You beast, keep your hands off of me."
He said, with hatred she saw a dark aura in golfing; she was almost blinded by it and what she saw she couldn't believe her eyes: it was exactly like the power she had.
Then she saw a pale-skinned man who didn't even look human and he looked at them all with an inhuman hatred.
"Damn him," he said, looking at her and smiling sinisterly.
"One of us is in their ranks." She wondered what he meant by it; she was about to rush towards him to get answers, but he disappeared almost as soon as he appeared.
She heard footsteps, she couldn't move. The words he had said: What did it mean? What did he mean? She had no idea; that's what terrified her more than anything. What was that thing she saw? It didn't even look human. Then she looked at herself. Was she human? That thought terrified her more than anything. She brushed those thoughts aside. She couldn't think of that power she has as something she was born with.
She had to get away; she ran, not even caring if she bumped into anyone. She wanted to get whatever it was that she had seen out of her mind. She didn't want to even consider the possibilities about her possibly not being human at all.
She wasn't paying attention when she accidentally ran into Lysithea, who had been knocked over. She fell over, with Lysithea falling over as well, on top of her. She wanted to move to get out, but the girl wouldn't let her go.
"Are you going to apologize for not paying attention? What the hell happened?" Lysithea said angrily to her.
She had nothing to say, what was she going to say; she's going to talk to anyone, know about what she saw and what that man said to her. She was trying to breathe, but she failed to try to appear strong. The girl noticed immediately something was wrong.
"What's wrong with you?" the girl asked annoyed.
"It's nothing," Shez said, denying her inner turmoil.
"You look like you've heard something you didn't want to hear what's going on?" Lysithea asked her not buying into her lies.
"You could never understand" Shez said, trembling.
"Well, at least explain why you ran so much that you didn't even pay attention as you knocked me over." Lysithea pointed out.
She got up and offered Lysithea her hand. She took it; it felt soft, but he looked at her face; she couldn't help but admire it. No, she disregarded that thought.
"Can you please not tell anyone what happened just now?" Shez said embarrassedly.
"I certainly don't want to talk to anyone about this episode. Can you at least tell me what happened?" Lysithea asked her.
"Not here; somewhere in private." Shez replied.
"We will do it in my room then", said Lysithea. She followed the younger girl into her room. She had no idea why she was even doing this, but she at least owed the girl some explanation for why she ran into her. She didn't realize she was holding her hand.
She opened the door to her room and when she was done she made sure to use a seal to prevent anyone from hearing what they were about to say.
"Can you let go of my hands, please?" asked Lysithea, embarrassed. When she became aware of what she was doing, she let her hand go and turned away, blushing fiercely. She took a deep breath, out of all the people she had to do this with, it had to be with her of all people, damn it.
Why does it have to be with her the girl that she had been crushing on for months?
"well I'm waiting."said Lysithea impatiently. Then she realized why she were allowed in her room and she scrambled quickly in order to save face.
"I don't know how to explain it." She confessed. "What do you mean?" Lysithea asked curious.
"I have a power that I don't know where it came from or what it is, but when I saw the man that is named Thomas, who the church was trying to apprehend earlier, I couldn't help but see the similarities between his power and mine. It was inhuman the way he looked. It terrified me, and I questioned myself, 'Am I human?' She asked aloud."
"Oh"Lysithea had no response.
"I don't want anyone to think that I'm one of them. I don't know if I am, and even if I am, does it really change who I am? I don't know anymore. I don't want anyone to think that I'm a monster because of my powers."
She didn't like being vulnerable to anyone in her time as a mercenary; she always had to be guarded. She had little time for friendships or anything that people who don't live that way of life can truly appreciate.
Opening up to others has been difficult for her. She had no idea who to confide in or who to talk to. She started to make friends in Golden Deer, but it wasn't enough. She couldn't open up to them about this.
"Whatever power you have doesn't change who you are. It's how you use that power that matters." Lysithea grabbed her hands and made her face her.
"Thank you," she said, not knowing what to say. She didn't think this girl of all people would give her the words she had just heard.
"It means a lot it's shame we're not in the same class Lysithea I think we would have made good friends." she said quietly.
"Who says we still can't do that nothing stops people from being friends if they're in different houses. Naruto has three girlfriends for crying out loud. and two of them are in different classes" Lysithea pointed out they both laughed at that.
"Naruto and Hinata are quite something compared to them. I feel so insignificant."
Shez said, looking down.
"You have your own accomplishments; you defeated one of the Seven Swordsman. That's no small feat; you should give yourself more credit." Lysithea said to her.
This girl may be harsh with her words, but she told the truth as she saw it.
"Thank you, Lysithea, for your words. Do you think we could just keep this between us?" she asked her.
"Yes, as long as you don't get reckless and pay attention." The girls laughed.
"I gotta get going; I don't want to disrupt your studies." Shez got up and before she left, Lysithea asked her a question.
" I was wondering if you could forget it." The girl said, embarrassed.
"What is it?" She asked now curious.
"Could you sleep here tonight? I don't want" the girl seemed embarrassed when she was about to ask.
"You're not scared of ghost are you?" Shez asked her bluntly.
"Ghosts don't exist," Lysithea said, trying to hide her fear of ghosts.
"I won't let anyone hurt you, Lysithea." Shez said with a warm smile, and the girl wanted to bury her face in her sheets, not wanting to show Shez her embarrassment.
This is the kind of distraction she could use right now after all that has happened; she's near the door, in a guarding position, as if she were going to protect the younger girl from a threat.
"You owe me for this," Shez said to Lysithea.
"What do you want in return?" The girl asked, as she tickled herself in bed.
"How about a date?" She joked.
" A date out of all the?"
Lysithea almost shouted, but realized where she was and buried her face in her blanket to cover her crimson face.
"It was just a joke", Shez said to Lysithea.
"You would have made a great fit in the Black Eagles. Almost everyone is either bisexual or gay." Lysithea said, embarrassed, was she really hitting on her?
"I don't hide being a lesbian, but that was just a joke." She said to the younger girl.
"Oh, so you think I'm not good enough because I'm too much like a child for your taste?" She challenged.
"Come on, don't do that" Shez said, embarrassed, trying to hide the red on her face.
"I mean we're only two years apart in age." She said, hoping to diffuse the situation.
"You're 17. I have difficult time believing that you look like you have the body of a woman in her twenties." Lysithea pointed out at her mature body.
"I went through puberty early, unfortunately a lot of lustful men who are old enough to be my father often mistaken me for a woman instead of a underage girl and actually sickens me." Shez said to her.
"I see I still find it weird."Lysithea replied.
"I still want to know, am I not good enough for you?"she was bringing the conversation back to that.
"It has nothing to do with that you're cute and."she couldn't say anymore it was embarrassing how did she get herself in the situation?
"So you're attracted to me?" Lysithea pointed out.
"Yes,"she answered.
"Why was that so hard to answer," she asked, curious.
What was she going to say that she had a crush on her when she first laid her eyes on her?
"I can't explain it; you know how attraction works. You can't explain why someone is attracted to someone else; it just happens." She felt like she was digging herself into a deeper and deeper hole. How the hell did this happen?
"Sure, I'll go out with you as long as you don't treat me like a child." Lysithea said seriously about what Shez was asking in return for her doing this task that she wanted her to do.
"We'll discuss it later. I need to get some sleep." She said, closing her eyes and drifting off to a dreamless sleep.
She welcomed the distraction, for now anything was better than the Revelation that was floating around in her mind, the possibility that she could not be human at all, that she's connected to those people with those strange powers.
She struggled to keep her eyes open as she fell asleep, thinking of the white-haired girl from the Black Eagles.
Byleth knocked on Kurenai's door. It would be a few hours before they had to go to class and teach their students, but this was the best time. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to ask what he truly needed.
He heard the door open and saw Kurenai wearing a nightgown. Then he couldn't help but notice a man on her bed, shirtless, whom he assumed was her lover.
"I'm sorry, but maybe I should come at a different time." Byleth said, embarrassed.
"It's not a big deal; we'll both have to get dressed, so what brings you here?" Kurenai asked Byleth.
"I'll go straight to the point because we don't have much time. I want you to help train me and learn anything from your homeland. I don't want to be helpless again." Byleth said, determined to learn anything he could from his peers from Konoha.
He saw her go back into her room, and he was given a piece of paper.
"First, we need to know what your chakra nature is." He didn't understand what she meant by it, so he took the paper.
Then he noticed that the piece of paper had been burnt to ash, but not until water put it out.
"A rare combination of fire and water, which are complete opposite elements. Your chakra capacity rivals that of Naruto Uzumaki." This shocked him; he had no idea what it meant.
"Well, that's not important now; you want to learn Genjutsu, right?" She asked.
"So, I won't be defenseless against it again. There's a raven-haired man with a black cloak and red stripes. I feel like my senses were being messed with. I can't protect anyone if I cannot protect myself from genjutsu, especially if I don't recognize the signs when I'm being affected." The woman took everything he said as if she were thinking about something.
"This is going to be weird. It would be more effective if I taught you with the Black Lion Squad and Ingrid, but on the other hand, we don't have a teacher." He was wondering what she was getting at.
"Perhaps, until you are good enough at protecting yourself from genjutsu, it would be best to train one-on-one before classes, so you could at least get the basics. We can't have both teachers away from the class at once." Kurenai explained as if it were obvious.
"What about water and fire jutsu?" he asked.
"I could teach you water, but fire is something I'm not necessarily the best at teaching. Kakashi would likely be a better person to go to on that front." Kurenai answered.
"I will do whatever it takes to train with multiple teachers to become stronger. I'll do it." He was determined to never be helpless in front of anyone again.
"Will start training tomorrow and be here by 6:00." Kurenai ordered.
"Thank you. I won't disappoint you." Byleth left feeling better than he did previously. At least, he would get something done. At least, he would know how to protect himself against that man if he ever fought him again or any enemy with genjutsu.
"I think it would be wise to teach every student of yours how to fight against it in case you're in a situation like you were against that raven-haired man." Sothis advised.
"I don't intend to just do this for myself. I intend to have every one of my students be prepared. None of them will be helpless. I refuse to let any of them die." Byleth said with determination. He wasn't going to be helpless anymore. He wasn't going to pity himself.
He failed, but he was alive, and as long as he was alive, he was able to fix his mistakes. He will protect his precious students next time he faces the raven-haired man. He will be dead at his feet.
Haku couldn't help but admire the architecture of Garreg Mach. It was peaceful, especially where he was standing. There were two horses in the stables, as if they were talking to each other. He could understand them; however, he didn't understand animals in general.
Though he found it peaceful here when he wasn't out on missions with the knights, he stayed here to center himself. It has been a month since Zabuza died, a month since his purpose had changed; he had no idea what his purpose in life was now; he was a weapon, but a weapon without a master.
He wishes he could have just let himself die, but that would dishonor Zabuza's last wish, his wish for Haku to find another reason to live, a reason that was his own and not for anyone else. He had no idea what that would be; he heard footsteps and then turned around and saw a blue-haired girl with gray eyes and hair down.
He knew about this girl. She understood animals and talked to them, but she had a sad look on her face, unlike the usual time she came to this spot.
"I hope I'm not disturbing you." The girl asked him politely.
"You're not. It's just no other place as peaceful as this one. You understand?" Haku said to the girl named Marianne.
"Animals are easier to talk to than people."
She walked next to him, wondering what he was doing.
"How do you do it? How do you talk to animals? How do you understand them?"
Haku asked Marianne, happy to have a distraction.
"It's hard to explain. I can just understand them. It's something that I've been able to do since I was little."
The girl explained it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Horses are beautiful creatures"
Marianne walked towards her horse, the one named Dote.
"They are, but my favorite animal is a rabbit. I haven't seen them here."
Haku admitted.
"They're cute and innocent creatures, but unfortunately many of them are hunted as prey." Marianne said with sadness.
"You hate when animals are harmed, don't you, Marianne-san?" Haku asked, wanting to know more.
"I hate it. I don't think we have any reason to eat animals unless there's no other choice. I just can't do it knowing that they have thoughts of their own. They may not be as complex as humans, but I would never eat an animal if I can help it. I never will. Killing an animal is a barbaric act." She said passionately. Haku never thought of that before. Though he couldn't help but believe that there was truth to what Marianne said because he shares similar thoughts, though he has a different view, he speaks to share his own thoughts.
"When I've ever hunted animals, I made sure their suffering was quick and painless. If we have to eat one, we shouldn't prolong their suffering." Haku said, giving his own opinion about animals and killing them for food.
"I understand what you're saying, but I believe if I must kill an animal to survive, then I believe you owe it to them by looking them in the eyes as you do it, so they know why they're dying. I don't want to do it, but that's the least you can do." Marianne replied.
"You and I are more alike than I thought." Haku remarked.
"You wish to get strong to protect someone important to you, that's why you train, that's why you come here when you're done training to rest." The girl did not rebuke what he said because he was spot on.
"I want to protect him, but with this power that I have, I don't know how to use it. I haven't been able to call upon its power since that mission. It terrifies me, but I would at least like to know how to use it." Haku wondered what she was getting at.
"What kind of power are you talking about?"he asked her. The girl was reluctant; he couldn't push it; he knew it's something personal.
"I was told that I have something called a kekkei genkai. I don't know what it is myself; it's a special ability that only those who are born with it can have." Marianne explained.
"Describe the power you have?" Haku asked her.
"When the most precious person to me and all my friends were about to be killed, I felt something in me snap; a power that I never knew I had. I unleashed a huge wall of ice, freezing everything around it, and it shattered like glass when I was done. I had no idea what it was. I still don't, and it terrifies me."
She looked at her hands, which were shaking, and wondered if it could be Haku needed to know if it's what he thought. Then he could train her.
"Can you show me?" Haku asked her. She turned away, frightened.
"I'm not going to hurt you," Haku said reassuringly to Marianne.
"Okay", Marianne said. She felt an icy chill around him, and she saw a body of water form around her hand. It was exactly like his power before it turned into ice. She had his powers, though they were different in some ways because of her having something called a crest, but it wasn't mistaken; she had the power of someone from the Yuki Clan. There was no mistake about it.
Haku effortlessly performed the same feat as Marianne, who surprised the girl.
"You have the same power as me?" Marianne asked him, surprised.
"Yes, although I wish I didn't have this power, it feels more like a curse than a blessing," Haku admitted.
"I understand only too well, but I have this power. I could protect the ones that's most important to me; I never want to be helpless again. Please, Haku, teach me what you know."
Marianne begged, with no fear in her eyes. She was more afraid of being powerless than this power they both possess.
Could this be his purpose in passing on what he knows to this girl? It would be a start, but he must test her resolve first. He can't teach this girl until he tests her resolve.
"What would you do for your most precious person Marianne San? How far are you willing to go to protect him?"Haku asked her, testing her to see if she was someone he could teach.
"I would burn the entire world down if it meant to protect him. I would become a demon, a weapon. I'll do whatever it takes to protect him. My friends. If it requires me using my curse to protect them, then so be it. I beg of you. Take me as your student, Haku-sensei." Marianne bowed as a form of respect.
He was conflicted this girl she wasn't the kind of person that reveled killing but she desires to protect those important to her. Would teaching her condemn her to the same pain that he has gone through? This girl has something that Haku never had friends a purpose in life. What if he ends up creating a monster assassin and someone more dangerous than him potentially could he really take that risk?
It was a huge responsibility. She is one of the last surviving members of his clan. Does he really want their legacy to be death and destruction? No, he wouldn't do things differently and find a different purpose. That's what Zabuza wanted him to do, and this student he would train her to protect, not to kill unless it was necessary.
"Marianne San, I don't want you to become like me. I want you to use these abilities that you have to protect those important to you. We are the last of our clan, and I want our legacy to be that of those who protect others. Marianne, this is our chance for our clan to have a second chance at standing for something other than death and destruction. What I'm teaching you, I want you to use these skills not as a weapon to be disregarded when you're no longer useful, but as a protector for those that you love. That is what I'm going to be teaching you with these abilities. I will not teach you to become another weapon."
He stopped to let Marianne absorb what he had just said before he continued.
"I don't want you to lose your humanity like I almost did. Learn from me. I have nothing back home. You have friends, and someone who loves you very much. If you don't accept these conditions, I won't train you at all. I won't unleash a monster on the world."
When he was finished, he waited for her response. This would be his final test to see if he would teach her.
"I agree to your terms, Haku-sensei" Marianne said respectfully, as if she understood what he meant.
"Meet me here at 6 AM in the morning, that's when I'll be teaching you. It's the only time that I'm available during the day. I'll teach you 3 days a week - Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. When you're not on a mission."
The girl looked at him and nodded in agreement.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Sensei." Marianne bowed and left."
Training that girl would be his purpose. He was determined to do something good, or else he would never be able to face Zabaza.