Caleb and the other girls stepped out of the arcade with Caleb looking particularly out of it in a sort of trance. He wasn't exhausted, but all the flashing lights and sound took a toll on him, one that'd disappear but that left him in the trance he was. It wasn't the strangest thing, his senses are sharper than most people, but rarely did it bother him.

What did, was the smug grin Katsuragi had and the smug aura Yagyu exuded, acting like she was the one who went on the win streak against Caleb.

Considering it was getting late, the group made the decision to leave via Ikaruga reminding them of the time.

"You were getting better by the end there." Katsuragi 'assured' him with a shit-eating grin and a pat on the back.

"She's right." Asuka assured him slightly more genuinely than Katsuragi, but there were still bits of amusement in her expression. After all, she took advantage and the two played a few games.

Strangely enough, for someone who used swords, he was pretty good at the gun games. But, then again, he has thrown them around before, that needs accuracy.

"Yeah!" Hibari said, standing beside Caleb with a smile, a few new plushies in her hand. "Thanks again, Caleb."

"I just tilted it." Caleb pointed out under his breath so she wouldn't hear and give him that disappointed look she sent him when he first proposed it, because that was something he could do far easier than whatever combos Katsuragi was pulling when they were playing.

The only person he beat was Ikaruga, and she only seemed far more lost than he ever could. The crane games were no match for him. Or, the prizes weren't.

Wouldn't be the first time he did something similar and it won't be the last, but being strong enough to tilt crane games was something he was fairly happy about. Even Yagyu seemed impressed when he gave Hibari a doll he grabbed while she was looking away and he tilted the machine.

Still, "Fuck you smiling about. You lost."

Yagyu's aura dropped, her red eye narrowing at him while she leaned forward. "You did too."

Their foreheads collided, trying to push the other back and forth, "Yeah, but not to you. You lost to me." Caleb managed through grit teeth while Yagyu scoffed.

"What's that matter?" Yagyu said, "You still lost multiple times."

"You sunk enough yen to buy everyone dinner into those crane games bitch." Caleb retorted under his breath. "I'm the only reason Hibari is smiling at all."

Yagyu's expression strained from 'frustrated' to 'angry' with minute twitches, "I should turn you in, you criminal."

"Try it. I fucking dare you." Caleb challenged, the two glaring at each other and pushing against each other, aware enough to evade any people leaving the mall but still continue their stare down. It was impressive, in a way. Petty, but impressive.

Finally, when neither looked like they were going to back down any time soon, Hibari piped up. "Look!"

Caleb and Yagyu disengaged from their little competition and turned to where Hibari was pointing at with almost unnerving synchronicity. "Hm?/What?" They even said as one.

They glanced at each other but decided not to pursue it. Slowly, they returned to look where Hibari has already run off to. It was a photo booth, Caleb recognized it but has never been in one, so he was pretty curious.

Once he got close enough, Hibari latched onto his arm with a bright smile. "C'mon, let's get our picture taken!" She insisted, pulling him along while he turned to see the others.

The looked interested, except for Yagyu, who had her arm extended and her mouth gaping in shock at being abandoned so quickly by Hibari. It was amusing, so he flashed a quick smirk at her.

He could hear the other girls hold her back while the curtain closed behind them as he turned to see Hibari pouting at him. "Caleb~. Didn't I tell you to stop fighting with Yagyu?"

Caleb brought both hands up, chuckling, "Trust me, we're not fighting." He tried to assure her, but Hibari simply gave him a raised brow despite her childish pout. "Actually," he began in an attempt to change the subject to something that interested both of them, "how do these work?" he asked, inspecting the photo booth as Hibari perked up in interest.

"Right." She said, bringing out some yen and slotting it in. "There, now do you want any filters?"

"Filters?" Caleb asked and a number was counting down. "So it's a camera, huh?"

"Let's do it without~!" Hibari said, jumping up and grabbing Caleb's arm, pushing her sizable chest against it and bringing that detail to the forefront of Caleb's mind.

Meanwhile, Hibari stared up at Caleb, his handsome face and eyes, the bit of silver hair, his attitude, honesty, and more. All of it came to the forefront of Hibari's mind before she made a decision.

The camera counted down as Caleb settled on an easy smile before glancing at Hibari, who'd been staring at him for a long while.

"Chu~."

Hibari's warm lips rest on his cheeks once the countdown reaches one, her own eyes closed and her face flushed red from the action as the camera goes off a second later. Caleb's easy smile melting into a confused look of sheer befuddlement that was the most genuine expression he had.

Hibari could tell that he was hiding something. In their line of work, honesty wasn't a given, even the names they have might even be codenames. It's not exactly something she held against him, but from the flashes of truth she felt from the training he gave her, she felt that the feelings she has are as real as they could be.

Maybe one day, she'll be able to truly act upon the feeling she has that nearly bursts out of her chest, and maybe he'll accept. For now, this little fantasy is among his most genuine moments.

Finally, she leaned back, his eyes clear with confusion while she couldn't help but giggle.

Neither said much before they heard the other four yell in unison, "Huh!?"

The two look at each other and Hibri's eyes widen and her face explodes into red once more. "Wait, wait~." She cried, slipping out of the booth and to the outside while she flailed. Meanwhile Caleb had to take a moment to come to grips with what just happened.

Outside, he could vaguely hear Hibari have the tables turned on her, with Katsuragi calling her bold, and Ikaruga and Asuka probably gaping if the silence is anything to go by. Yagyu is probably ignored as her knees hit the ground. Or, that's what Caleb thinks.

Inwardly, he couldn't help but come to a realization. One he probably should have come to earlier.

He is weak to beautiful women. Extremely so if his memory of the past few days with the Shinobi was any evidence.

Caleb shook his head, watching a small polaroid slip down as he grabbed it and inspected it. He couldn't help but wonder who he was looking at considering how silly his expression looked. Very unlike what he usually saw in the mirror.

Shaking his head, he stepped out, all five of them whirling to him as Yagyu grabbed her umbrella and the telltale sound of steel cutting air rang out. Before she could unsheathe it completely, Ikaruga grabbed it and slid it right back into the umbrella.

Caleb passed the picture to Hibari, "Here, hope you like it." He said, giving her the picture while she grabbed it, still flushed while steam seemed to come from her head.

Before he could step out and suggest that they begin their trek back to his home, Asuka grabbed his arm, her face set into a resolute frown and her brown eyes alit with resolve. Resolve that Caleb did not want to meet since it'd be troublesome. All of it disappeared when she smiled, shaky and looking like a normal, if not beautiful girl, "Caleb, l-let's take a picture."

No.

"Sure." His body betrayed his mind, moving against his will to confirm rather than deny as he originally planned. Caleb's body reminded him of his singular weakness he's developed in his time traveling and with the Shinobi.

If what little he remembers of his parents and Reshar's journal was any evidence, it seems to be an inherited trait.

He let himself be dragged back into the booth as they prepare for the next photo. The countdown begin and this time, unlike Hibari who went bold, Asuka's face exploded into red, probably at the thought of mimicking her underclassman. So, instead of kissing him, she enveloped his arms, the softness of her chest once more permeating through Caleb's attempt at staying sane while she leaned against his shoulder and smiled softly.

For a second, Caleb wondered if this whole farce was worth it. The hatred he learned from that man and developed by him coming to mind as he stared into the camera, watching Asuka's gentle expression form while leaning against him. For a second, the darkness was dispelled as a part of him, the one that still helps out whenever he can in situations where he's needed speaks.

Yes, it is worth it.

Even if the ending isn't one he'd wish on anyone, at this moment, the smile Asuka has is enough for him to smile softly.

As soon as the shutter sound went off and the picture fell down, Asuka reaching for it before looking at it, smiling, she was pulled out with a yelp. Katusagi's blonde curtain enters the curtain from the outside, leaping and hooking her arm around his shoulder and pulling him down. "Hey, don't leave me out of this!"

Caleb couldn't help the smile that popped up nor could he evade the way her chest pressed up against him. On purpose this time, probably.

This time, Caleb was the one that paid, slipping a coin and waiting for the shutter to go off while Katsuragi pushed his cheeks against her breast, only covered with her uniform shirt and no undergarments, for some reason. She knew too as her grin became salacious for a second before returning to it's usual jovial form and bringing up a peace sign.

Once again, the shutter goes off and she tightened her grip against her breast. "Think you could get away with doing something so fun without your senpai~?"

Caleb instead gave her a flat look before standing up to his usual height, which towered over the girl as he slipped a hand around her waist. Her eyes were wide and there was a slight flush on her face while Josue slowly raised a brow and she chuckled.

Slowly, his hand slid across the waistband of her skirt, her eyes widening and her blush returning before he found what he was looking for.

"Gah!" Katsuragi yelped, her body seizing when Caleb prodded at a pressure point, causing her to fall and stumble out while Caleb chuckled.

He was about to step out, but a body hit his and forced him back in. "Ikaruga?"

The raven-haired upperclassman's face exploded into red, her blue eyes landing everywhere but Caleb's face as she stepped back and Josue did the same. Coughing into her fist, she crossed her arms, "D-Don't get…" She trailed off, probably recognizing the archetype she was about to embody before continuing, "I-I mean, I-I didn't…" Again, her tongue was frozen, not wanting to offend her underclassmen but also wanting to tell the truth.

Not in the way that her heart beat out of her chest or the way she thought he was attractive, but that she was pushed into here by Katsuragi. Her desires and education as a noble lady clashing while Caleb shook his head.

"I get it." Caleb said, an understanding smile on his face. "Katsuragi, right?"

"Right!" Ikaruga agreed with a nod, but didn't step out. Caleb inserted a coin and the countdown began.

Ikaruga looked surprised but she quickly righted herself, displaying a picture-perfect smile. A practiced one, though not one Caleb thought was exactly appropriate. Slowly, surprising her and himself, he intertwined their hands and fingers, holding hers while her face exploded into a blush, her smile becoming shier but also more genuine while she tried to sink into herself.

The shy smile was beautiful, if Caleb had anything to say about it. Especially with the good look he got at the picture that she swiped away, glancing at it before smiling shyly and stepping out.

Caleb followed, the group looking at their own, and as soon as Caleb was about to suggest they get going back home, Hibari perked up, as if realizing something. "Wait, Yagyu didn't get one."

Yagyu, who was looking over Hibari's shoulder at the picture she had on hand the same way one would a particularly abhorrent piece of trash, stiffened as the attention was on her, mostly in confusion. "But I didn't ask for one."

"But you and Caleb keep fighting." Hibari said with a pout that melts Yagyu's heart easily. Her defenses crumbling under Hibari's cuteness. "I don't want the two people I care about-."

"Yeah. You 'just' care about him." Katsuragi muttered with air quotations while Ikaruga tapped her shin with the sheathe of her blade. Katsuragi yelped at the impact while Hibari didn't hear her.

"- to fight all the time."

"But we don't fight." The two said in unison, Caleb and Yagyu glanced at each other in confusion at that moment.

"So, you can obviously take a picture together, right?" Hibari said while Caleb slowly came to a realization. She was manipulating Yagyu! Probably unconsciously too.

Yagyu doesn't like it, her expression sour, before sighing. "Fine. But," she added, her red eye gleaming, "only if Hibari joins."

"Okay~." Hibari said, humming and happy that Caleb and Yagyu will get along.

Meanwhile, Yagyu slowly pushed the handle of her folded umbrella, revealing a glint of steel while Josue reached into his Bag of Holding, brandishing the Tiger Fang, a slight growl ringing out while the two followed Hibari into the booth.

Once they slipped into the booth, Katsuragi began, "Ya know, aren't they getting along a little too well?"

"Isn't that because of Hibari?" Asuka asked, looking on a bit worried.

"Really?" Ikaruga said, turning to the other two, her picture stowed away. "I think they get along well."

"On second thought…" Katsuragi trailed off before scoffing. "Aren't they a bit familiar?"

Ikaruga glanced at her friend, their blue eyes locked, the only difference between the two is the green tint in Katsuragi's. That singular glance was enough for Ikaruga to smile softly and fondly. "Not at all."

"Huh~!?" Katsuragi said, turning to Ikaruga with wide eyes filled with confusion ad outrage. "C'mon, your attitude was like Yagyu's when we were in our first-year!"

Ikaruga whirled around raising a brow. "And yours was similar to Caleb's? Last I checked, he doesn't go around groping whoever he wants whenever!"

"But you wouldn't mind if he focused on you~?" Katsuragi asked with a teasing smile, weaving a swipe of Hien's sheathe while Ikaruga's face exploded in red.

"As if!"

"Besides, I didn't do it the first time I met you." Katsuragi pointed out.

"That's not the problem!" Ikaruga said, the two squabbling as Asuka tilted her head.

"What are you two talking about?" Asuka asked, Ikaruga and Katsuragi pausing their fighting before turning to Asuka with flt faces.

"Nothing." They said in unison, glancing at each other as an agreement was reached. Slipping up and letting them see their first-year pictures was enough. Telling stories of the time…

They cringed at that while Asuka watched, understanding coursing through her mind while she glanced at the photo booth.

Meanwhile, inside the booth, the trio ignore the ruckus outside. "Doesn't seem like there's enough space." Yagyu pointed out smugly, "If that's the case, then you should step outside."

For all her mastery over Shinobi matters, Caleb couldn't help but notice how Yagyu's awareness seemed to drop noticeably when it came to Hibari. "Hm?" Hibari asked, turning to Yagyu, "But you two are taking the picture, so shouldn't I step out?"

"No." Yagyu said while glancing to the side, unsure of how to turn this around while Hibari brightened.

"Then," she began, pulling Caleb into a seat before settling on his lap, to the duo's surprise, "I'll just sit here!"

Hibari smelled very nice. Hibari was very soft. Caleb's mind was filled with observation on Hibari that varied form simple ones to ones that should not be uttered. Especially since he didn't know where to put his arms. Though, Hibari fixed that, grabbing her arms and folding them around hers as she hummed happily. "What are you waiting for Yagyu? Come on."

Hibari couldn't feel it, but Yagyu's eyes looked primed to kill at any opportunity. Caleb narrowed his own eyes while she sat down beside him, their thighs and sides touching while Caleb slipped the coin and the countdown began.

Hibari grabbed Yagyu's arm, the white-haired girl blinking in surprise, glancing at it before looking at Hibari's joyful smile. It practically lit up the booth while Caleb gave a resigned smile.

Yagyu found herself unable to hide the slight smile on her own face while she looked at the camera. The shutter went off and the picture floated down. Yagyu grabbed it and stepped out first, followed by Hibari and Caleb.

"Right." Caleb said before he could hear anything about 'unfairness' or 'another picture', "It's getting late and I'm getting tired, so let's go home."

"Eh~." Katsuragi said, slumping, "But it's not even that late."

"It is." Ikaruga pointed out at the setting sun. "C'mon."

"Alright." Asuka said, nodding while she looked around.

"What's up?" Caleb asked beside her, as she turned to him.

"Oh, I'm just wondering how close I am to my parent's restaurant." She said, humming while looking around. "It's pretty far." Asuka noted while Caleb hummed.

"Your parents own a restaurant?" Caleb asked and Asuka nodded, the two falling into conversation with the others joining in until they reach Caleb's home.

As the apartment was fairly cramped, they all had to sleep on the floor, even Katsuragi insisted that he sleep on the bed. Something he relented on fairly quickly after falling onto the bed after he showered. The girls do so too, and soon, they're all asleep.

"Shihihi." Katsragi giggled under her breath from her place on the floor. After returning home nothing happened. No offer to sleep together, nothing, just Caleb offering his bed to them while he took the floor or the couch. If he did that though, it'd go against the plan Katsuragi cooked up ever since the moment they stepped into his apartment.

Caleb was hot. He was attractive and Katsuragi really liked that. So, she had a plan, probably bolder than their little grope-off at the ramen stand, though she did quite enjoy that.

Slowly, she stood up, her training as a Shinobi already making her steps naturally quiet, but now that she was actively trying, only the most experienced of Shinobi would catch he-.

She stops mid-step, a creak ringing out mid-step while she reeled. Quickly removing the leg, she looked around, the silence deafening while she could see the other girls still sleeping. Yagyu and Hibari shared the couch while Asuka, Ikaruga and her took the floor with mats they brought along with them.

After a few minutes passed, Katsuragi evades that particularly loose floorboard and-.

"Katsu-nee?" Asuka grumbled, leaning up from her position and rubbing her eyes cutely while they groggily look in her direction. "What are you doing?"

Nothing." Katsuragi said, "Just… stretching?"

Asuka's eyes blink at her, glancing at the mat where she previously was at then at her relative distance to Caleb before she managed to blink away only a bit of her exhaustion and mutter out loud. "No fair." Slowly, she got up, making her way to her with swaying steps before stepping past her and falling onto Caleb's bed. Katsuragi watched in shock while Asuka slipped the blanket over her and rested against Caleb's outstretched arm.

Katsuragi blinked before grinning, still keeping her steps quiet while she slipped on the other side of Caleb's extended arm.

A flower in each arm indeed.

Ikaruga woke up, strangely exhausted while she went to the bathroom.. that wasn't where it usually was.

Slowly, her mind caught up and found it, a bit confused as to why and when it moved.

After finishing her business, she stumbled back to her bed, slumping on it. It was slightly bumpier than usual, but she didn't hate the feeling. It was also warmer than usual.

Hibari woke up earlier than usual, blinking as she went to look at the bed. Immediately, she began to pout at the bundle on the bed. "No fair." She muttered under her breath. Slowly getting up and joining the others on the bed.

Yagyu would wake up soon after, sighing as she spotted her on Caleb's bed before she followed.

As much as she hated it, a part of her couldn't find it in her to hate this situation too much, and for some reason, it wasn't just because of Hibari.

Caleb did not have insomnia, he had nightmares, a lot of them tended to go into downright strange places considering he already lives in a world that once had vampires, liches, and other strange things only seen in fantasy games or novels.

But, because of these strange dreams, he also knows that attacks through dreams are indeed possible and how to counter them. That said, these are dreams so generally there isn't anything to fight. The thought only making him feel slightly better of his nightmares.

The nights he has a dreamless sleep can be counted but it's not like it's the rarest thing. Last night was one such night, for some reason. At some point, he developed the ability to somewhat be able to tell how his dreams would go. He was supposed to have a nightmare, but no.

Now, while this train of thought might be strange for many, Caleb especially, but anything was better than admitting to the reality of the situation he was probably in.

He could smell it, he could feel it, and by Reshar he could feel them.

Caleb opens a singular eye, inspecting the situation he's in, with Asuka on his right arm, Katsuragi on his left, Ikaruga was curled up right above him on his chest while Hibari was resting her head on his stomach and Yagyu was beside her, her head on his thigh, probably on purpose since he can't really feel it.

They were soft, extremely so and he was the complete opposite, especially a certain feature hat had life of it's own when it comes to the morning. He'd rather not have that be a topic at any time for any reason, especially in his own home.

He closed his eyes, thinking about anything other than the warmth of the bodies around him or the roars of his hormones and draconic instincts acting in unison. Think about the darkness, fire, water, earth, the sky, something.

Speaking of fire, he has to go help out at the blacksmiths…

His thoughts were interrupted as Ikaruga hugged the back of his neck and pushed his face into her breast. Asuka and Katsuragi also pressed their chest against his sides and his hormones returned with a vengeance.

Now, this was just getting bothersome. Parts of him were hardening too much and his desires were escaping him a bit too quickly.

His cursed blood! Why is it so weak to attractive women? Why!?

Closing his eyes, he focused on his ki and a second later, he disappeared into a cloud of shadow-like energy and re-appears a second later by his closet.

Quickly, he used Shadow Jaunt a few more times to go into his bathroom and clean up before teleporting to the kitchen, writing a note for the girls and then teleporting outside.

Sighing in relief, he takes a moment to calm down, both physically and mentally, and then continues on his way to the blacksmith. Maybe, just maybe, pounding superheated steel with a hammer will help him make sense of whatever the hell is going on.

When Ikaruga woke up, she woke up to a familiar feeling, a very familiar one.

She had little opportunity to do much else but summon Hien and ram the sheathed blade into Katsuragi's sternum. The blonde coughing loudly and waking everyone as Ikaruga stood, "Katsuragi, wha-ah!"

She stepped on a piece of loose blanket, causing her to slip back and out of the bed she was on, her back hitting the floor as she groaned, holding the back of her head and curling inward.

"Huh! Wha-?" Asuka began, half-awake and in the process of getting to her feet and stepping away from her mat. "Ah!" Except she wasn't on her futon, but a bed, so the floor she was expecting to step on wasn't there and she crumpled in a heap on the floor.

Three of Hanzo's finest were down without a single movement from anyone, meanwhile, Hibari yawned cutely, stretching as she slid off the bed to the bathroom to get ready for the day.

"Wait, where's Caleb!?" Hibari yelled, walking back to the room to see Yagyu up and the other three still nursing their wounds.

Just a normal day.