Chapter Twenty-Three
1.
Leonie wakes again, this time to a scratching echo behind her head. She groans as she stands, wiping the sleep from her eyes. Opens the door. Looks down. Cannot help the pleasantly surprised huff, "Is this for me?"
The calico cat cries and walks off.
A smile pulls at the corner of the human's lips. Leonie bare hand's the bird, double checking that it is dead before using magic to clean it. Once everything harmful – diseases, bacteria, critters – is zapped away, it goes into her pocket dimension storage.
She'll stand by how over-powered and terrifying a timeless storage space is. Her very strict nothing alive or holding free thought allowed rule is a personal preference rather than written into the bag. Something to add if she ever makes another one.
Leonie turns at some rustling, smile twisting to more amused as Claude sits up and runs a hand over his hair, "Who was that?"
"Just a cat," she drops on the end of the bed. "How'd you sleep?"
"Alright," he eyes her. Crest slowly filling the room again. "What happened while I was gone?"
"To put it nicely, sixty-percent of the student population turned on the Golden Deer. The other forty-percent either didn't notice, didn't care, or are our housemates."
He stares at her, searching. She waits for the obligatory 'why', but Claude proves more forward thinking with, "Is there anything that managed to get reported to Seteth?"
"There was a very public incident where a few people from the Empire yelled at Raphael. Hilda and Lorenz went straight to Seteth when only the Deer were doing anything to deescalate it. Most he could do was go at them for cruel language in the Monastery and recommend punishment to whoever their teacher will be. Before you ask, we did try the core teachers. Pettigrew won't touch paperwork he doesn't have to, Hanneman's on a research binge and only leaves his office for meals, and Manuela apparently drinks a lot in her time off. I haven't managed to catch her sober since last week."
Claude lets out a very un-noble-like curse that Leonie can't help but raise eyebrows at. "I thought the Officer's Academy was supposed to safe. At least better than picking on an entire House."
No where is safe, Leonie snorts and drops onto her back. Bounces a bit as her lips twist into something wry, "It's like all schools," she draws a line over her throat with a little choking sound. "Especially when you have the best of the best around. My thoughts are that it's like this: Eagles are the cool kids, Lions are the sporty ones, and we're the weirdos. Bottom of the school pecking order, but that means we stand stronger together. The Empire kids will turn on each other soon enough, and the Kingdom doesn't seem to have bonds unless they're forced together. When the going gets tough," she stands and stretches, flashing him a wink, "we're the ones who get things done. Now, you ready to eat? I'm starving."
Claude breaks into a grin that doesn't alight his eyes, but that's okay. He's bound for a bad next couple of days as he catches up to them. The teen takes her hand and ruffles her hair. Leonie squawks and bats him away, ducking as he says, "Of course you're hungry. Why, by the look of you, you must have been wasting away, pining for my return."
"Pining?" Leonie barks a laugh. "What romance novel did you get that from? You sound like Lorenz. Or Sylvain. And, hey, I thought you weren't going to recruit Lysithea."
His expression spasms, "Recruit her for what?"
"Getting me to eat," Leonie rolls her eyes so hard it hurts. Opens the door, only half-realizing he's paused. "Several of the Deer put together a schedule to make sure I didn't skip meals. I don't know how you did it, but tell them to ease up if they ever try it again? I would like to be able to eat outside without my motives questioned."
Claude slides up to her as they head for dinner, "But not stop it?"
"I don't turn down free food."
2.
Though most of the Golden Deer are voluntold pack mules, whatever Claude did throughout the day has guilted several Empire and Kingdom students into assisting with convoy transportation. Linden's at the front of their group, carrying Hilda. Raphael, Claude, Dedue, and Dimitri are telling exercise blunder stories as they pull or carry supplies. Caspar has pulled Lysithea into a conversation as he balances crates on both shoulders, while Ashe and Marianne are in quiet and long-pausing talk while they both carry smaller crates.
Linhardt sighs as he walks beside Leonie, hands folded behind his head, "I still don't see why we need to walk."
Because the Church are cheapskates, Leonie doesn't say as they are surrounded by Knights. They have the manpower that could use the teleportation crystals – things solely owned and managed by the Church – to get where they're needed. It isn't even far compared to how much energy it would take to transport a class around the continent map a few times. While they will be required to teleport back, it will be determined by the overall placement test rankings. The person in last place for each House will likely wait all day, just to rub salt in the wounds a bit more.
But instead of mentioning any of that, Leonie goes for, "Maybe it's a test."
"They should have a gauge on our stamina by now," Linhardt denies. "Honestly, what do they expect will happen? Anyone remotely aware of the Officer's Academy should know that the placement tests are beginning soon. Any bandits or thieves looking to prove something will be on us like starving dogs."
Leonie feels her eyebrows jump up but, by paranoia or realism, she cannot deny the truth of his claim, "I guess we'll just have to trust the Knights to protect us."
A brief look of distaste comes and goes with the scent of an overheating lightbulb, "And each other."
"Of course," Leonie steps oddly in order to get a light hip check in. Shakes off the odd scent-memory. "Anyone stupid enough to attack us is going to kiss either my fists or the ground."
It takes him a moment, and then his stiff and pale face breaks into mirthful hidden laughter. "How brutish, Leonie."
"Oh, and draining their life energy is so much better?"
"When you master Nosferatu, then you will understand."
"Agree to disagree with you there."
3.
The Knights prove to enjoy the students' baby-faced suffering by informing the whining nobles, there is no tent.
But maybe Leonie is the real villain here, seeing as the only reason she doesn't pull out any old fabrics they could use to make shelters is because then she'd have to share. With everyone.
No surprise, after everything they've been through, the Golden Deer choose to take over an area to sleep. Practically forcing themselves in the middle of all groups so that, if somebody does come to rob or murder the students, they aren't the first attacked. Leonie's curiosity is tapped when her attempt at sleeping on the edge of their group gets ruined; Claude lays his sleeping bag next to hers and everyone surrounds him with theirs.
"I'm going to be too cold," Lysithea complains, undoing the buttons holding her bag together. "Leonie, double up."
"Aye, aye, Captain," the woman drawls. She unfolds her own, buttoning it with Lysithea's. A few of the others take the idea and roll with it, but Leonie doesn't see who they are as her roll-mate slides chilled arms around her. Lysithea visibly slumps, practically passing out the moment the skin wards start messing with her Crests. Leonie mutters into white hair, "How are you doing?"
"Sore," Lysithea grumbles. "Nothing worse than usual. Just- I am used to returning to our room after a few hours."
"I'll carry you tomorrow," Leonie promises, rubbing small circles on the teen's back. She stares up at the stars for a lot longer than the others, but certainly does not fall asleep last. Awakes once when Claude rolls over to them in his sleep, and again when a patrolling Knight gets too close, but otherwise she gets enough sleep to function normally for the day.
When they're packing up, Claude taps her head with a book, "Here."
"Done already?" Leonie tucks the book of grievances under one arm. Her hackles rise a bit at how blank he looks, eyes drilling holes as he glances to each Deer.
"I'm a quick reader." And then he's off into the throngs of students. Leonie slips the book away in the chaos, carrying Lysithea on her back and the bedrolls to the convoy. When she asks for something to carry, the Knights refuse after a glance at Lysithea and cite some are returning to the Monastery with empty crates and barrels that stored yesterday's dinner.
Then they're off once again. A group of mostly young nobles, and yet no one tries to attack. Leonie's curious if it's the Church's reputation or reverence that's keeping everyone away.
They move to a different spot in the herd once Lysithea points someone out. She gets down from Leonie's back, together hurrying over as the woman calls out, "Hi Professor Pettigrew!"
A nearby dog gets a look at them and whines, tail drooping for a moment before pretending it never saw her. No one else notices, but Leonie has picked up on how plenty of the Church-raised animals have taken to ignoring her. Excluding the cats.
"Ms. Pinelli," the newest professor greets, voice a bit reedy. Without a suitcoat or robes it is easy to see all of the sharp angles on him. In fact, Leonie thinks he may have lost some weight. "And I don't believe we have met yet."
"Lysithea von Ordelia," the teen tips her head in greeting. "I didn't realize the professors were walking with us."
"I think Professor Casagranda is in one of the convoys," his eyes twinkle. "Professor von Essar elected to teleport to the field tomorrow. How have you been finding the walk?"
As they break into small talk, Leonie keeps focus on his tone of voice and watches for any involuntary twitches. Away from the blanket within Monastery boundaries, she can feel the bit of Crest swirling around. Whatever one he wields is weak and something Lysithea is already connected to via a different individual.
Yet, Leonie concludes, he still hasn't shown to be a bad person. In the few conversations they've had, he has been nothing but polite and helpful. It is almost too suspicious, seeing as the Librarian does not set off any alarm bells as well. He's almost too nice compared to everyone around, not a single bad quirk has stood out from this functioning adult.
No wonder he's going to leave the story, Leonie thinks mournfully as they part ways for lunch. He's either a villain or incapable of protecting himself with a personality-quirk shield.
Not that she lingers on the man's imminent departure. There's too much to do and people to chat with. Once all of the students have reached the testing field and settled for dinner, she puts it out of her mind completely as Thunder Catherine takes the stage.
"Alright, students!" she hollers, hand resting on her sword. "You all know what we're here for! Exams start tomorrow; this year it's a 1-on-1 tournament style, single loss knockout, each day focusing on one of five physical combat styles taught in the Officer's Academy."
Since some of us don't have magic, Leonie thinks, feeling a bit of relief that it won't be a problem for her. Reminds herself, three minor Crests and one Crestless are assured spots.
"Tournament brackets have been decided based on your performances these last two weeks. Tomorrow's schedule will be posted on the boards up here; if you can't find your name on one then you're in a different bracket! There's four, and if I see any sabotage, I'm going to send you packing myself! Be sure to remember your time and the number of your sparing ring. Anyone even a second late to their match will be disqualified.
"Tomorrow will be the sword tournament. Don't feel bad if you don't do well, make it up on another day. You are facing the best of your generation, so do the best yourself!" Here, Catherine breaks into a wide smile. "Congratulations on making it into the Officer's Academy! I look forward to seeing what you will all become!"
There are cheers and applause as she saunters down the stage. Leonie hangs back with a few others as the boards are mobbed. When she and a handful of Deer do go up, its to very little people pooling around and discussing bets. Uninterested, her eyes skip over the first board without her name. Then the second. She catches at the third, Hilda coming to stand beside her.
The first person she is demolishing is Avinna Usurla. Leonie follows a hunch and reads the rest of the names in her bracket. Up until the quarter finals, everyone there is someone who's publicly tried to ridicule Leonie in some form or another. Hilda gets a bye into the pre-quarter finals, but the people in her grouping are some of the first names Hilda wrote in the book of grievances back when she was in charge of it.
From the way she's frowning, Hilda seems to realize the pattern. They meet side-eyes and Leonie asks, "What do you think?"
Either a way to put us down or prove ourselves, is Leonie's opinion.
"I think…" Hilda slowly reaches to point at the bracket, "I'll be seeing you in the quarter finals."
4.
In the early rays of a new morning, Leonie stretches at one end of her chalk dust outlined, designated sparring arena. There are a few others doing the same, but it is obvious across the eight zones who is and is not a morning person.
"What's that one called?"
Leonie takes deep and even breaths, careful not to twist her head, "Three legged downward facing dog."
"I guess I can see it," continues her battle's proctor. A Knight who makes sure they fight fairly while the professors and judges watch from the stage.
Leonie's several more poses in when her opponent finally rushes over, hair wild and in a frenzy. The proctor goes over to explain the rules, meanwhile Leonie finishes and starts going through sword reps to get in the feel of her testing weapon. A training sword, old by the look and feel of it, but still some life to it.
Would rather use one of mine, she thinks sourly, but needs must.
And while she must not look too good at this, oh yes is she going to enjoy it. To first blood, yield, out of bounds, or knockout. On the stage, clipboards in hand, arrive the professors and judges. Hanneman, Manuela, and Preston. Alois, Catherine, and Shamir. Leonie's vaguely surprised the Captain of the Knights of Seiros is allows to judge this, but maybe its for the best that he's here instead of Jeritza.
The battle at the far end goes, then the neighboring one. The four battlegrounds closest to the stage complete, and then Leonie's stepping forward into hers on command. Across the arena, a shorter teenager trembles once before they ready in sync. Catherine whistles, and the two lunge forward.
Avinna makes the first swing, more of a chopping motion than anything with skill. Leonie blocks and shoves it aside, switching into a stance Jeralt taught her to catch the rattled blade with the flat of her own and knock it out of the opponent's grip. Avinna's blade goes flying.
Leonie backs up a few steps and, when the teen does nothing but gape, she asks, "Well? Are you going to get it, or do you yield?"
Avinna takes a step back. Then another. Hurries without turning her back and brandishes the sword in a stiff mockery of the training they've been given. "I will not lose to you."
Leonie grins. Good luck with that.
Three moves later, Avinna is on the ground with a sword tip at her throat, "Yield."
The noble swallows her pride, doesn't even think to try sweeping Leonie's legs or pushing the dull weapon away with her bare hands, "I yield."
Leonie pulls the sword away and offers a hand up. Now she gets brushed aside, the teen hurrying off in sniffles. The woman shakes her head and returns the sword to the proctor, curious as to how the other matches have gone even if they won't update soon.
Leonie's next two matches end the same, though neither of her opponents allow the sword to be knocked from their hands this time. Bernadetta made it a round before getting battered out of bounds. Two of who should the next main Eagle class end up making it to their quarter finals, with Petra beating out Ferdinand and Dorothea pushing Edelgard out of bounds in their matches. Meanwhile, Mercedes couldn't make it past the first-round while Felix dominates his bracket. Dimitri only won against Ingrid thanks to his strength, and it is looking as though the Prince and Heir of Fraldarius will be facing each other in the finals.
The Deer are doing better than expected today. Whether it's because of revenge or years of working for extra muscle, speed, or skill - or focused training and luck in Lysithea's case - everyone passes the first round before fizzling out to the other Houses.
Leonie waves as she and Hilda step onto the field together. The first Deer vs. Deer matchup, and Leonie isn't sure what to do. That hesitation will cost her, but this also isn't her tournament to win.
It isn't Hilda's either, though.
Catherine whistles and they charge forward. Hilda has the finesse of years of tutelage and super strength brought to her by her Crest. The sword may not be her advantage weapon, but no Goneril has ever grown up helpless. Hilda throws a basic strike, no openings, and Leonie takes it at an angle to try and prevent the full force. She still gets thrown back, dirt grinding under her feet as her first reaction to unsteady footing is to feel heavier. The second thought is to get lighter, using the catch in the ground to flip and plant her feet in a switch of moment.
Leonie strikes one, two, three- and is throw back. Ducks as Hilda goes for the throat and sweeps her feet. Hilda stumbles away before it connects, lunging forward with a charged moment in the air as she swings down. Leonie angles her blade, going for the opening while deflecting the attack-
Only to stumble past as the training sword in her hand breaks. There is silence as Leonie looks between the sword handle she holds and the broken wood Hilda's gaping at. Then the woman laughs, tossing down her weapon, "I yield."
Hilda squawks, "What?!"
"This is a sword tournament," Leonie's already walking off. "No sword, no way to fight back. Good luck in the semis!"
"More work?!" Hilda complains.
Lysithea joins Leonie and Raphael in cheering on their Housemates. Hilda comes to them after being defeated by Marianne, who then goes on to defeat Ignatz in the finals. Claude wins his bracket, Petra manages to trick Dorothea into stepping out of bounds and wins hers, while Felix shows no mercy in drawing first blood on his future King to win his.
There are a lot of unhappy noble losers who are only appeased with the announcement and posting of tomorrow's schedule. This, Leonie thinks as recognizes all the names in her bracket, is one I have to win. It won't matter how much she'll playdown skills in the other tournaments if she can just win this.
Every single person in the bracket is a noble with extensive lance training. Everyone, but her.
"Two cavaliers," Leonie mutters and feels no joy in what tomorrow will bring.
5.
"Hey, Ingrid," Leonie greets in the warrior pose. She moves to the next position, careful to hide her grimace at the thought of who the winner faces. Of course the next opponent gets a bye. "How are you feeling today?"
"Well, thank you Leonie," the blonde doesn't have the decency to look anything other than this will be easy. "And yourself?"
Prepared to burn some bridges, "As well as I can be. Hey, uh…" Leonie stands straight and holds out a hand, "no matter the outcome, no hard feelings?"
"Of course not," Ingrid smiles and shakes. Leonie's also very aware that this teen has never seen her use a lance before, too busy dealing with Sylvain or avoiding the area when Dimitri, Dedue, and Felix would train with her. This noble – who's repeatedly said her only goal in life is to become a Knight for the Kingdom – does not believe there is any chance she is going to lose this.
They part to their designated sides, and the fragment of Leonie that always wants to stab has thought of at least a dozen ways to knock the girl down. The orangette takes the training lance and moves in at the signal. She and Ingrid ready.
Catherine whistles.
Leonie strikes out first, hard and fast. Ingrid goes on the back foot but takes the opening. Leonie twists away, lance twisting as well and landing a wallop on the teen's arm with the shaft. Ingrid hurries back, frown marring her face as hair has loosened from her braids. Leonie doesn't stop – needs to win – and twirls the lance in another strike.
Ingrid blocks it.
Leonie uses the angle to wrap and yank the lance out of a hand. She follows through by striking the other hand with her shaft and hitting the lance away before there's any recovery.
Leonie holds out the tip, body blocking her opponent's weapon, just enough away that the horrified teen cannot grab it without Leonie reacting first, "Yield."
Something frantic passes over Ingrid's face. The girl lunges for her weapon-
-and crumples to the ground, knocked out. Once declared the victor, Leonie drops her weapon and makes sure she's not done any brain damage. Ingrid awakens in seconds after the tightly controlled Heal, eyes unfocused but not slurring, "What happened?"
"I'm sorry," Leonie tells her. Doesn't flinch as Ingrid remembers and pushes her away. The blonde staggers to her feet before storming off, hurrying away from any Knights suggesting she head to the medic tent.
Leonie heaves a sigh, head dropping back to gaze at the wonderous, sunny sky for a moment, before picking up and delivering the training lances to the proctor. She makes herself very scarce around camp, on the outskirts watching the other matches or a quick check at the brackets.
It feels too fast, entering the field once more and once again asking her opponent, "Hey, Sylvain… no hard feelings no matter who wins?"
He laughs, the heir of Margrave Gautier and next wielder of the Lance of Ruin in no way believing he is about to lose. He has likely been training to wield a lance since he could walk. Ingrid was a promised bride before her dream of Knighthood. Who is Leonie against one who lived and breathed lancing because of his birthright? "Of course!"
Whistle!
Twist. Strike!
Jab, block.
Push, twist.
Strike, redirect.
Strike, block.
Strike, block.
Strike, block.
Strike, sidestep.
Sw eep-
Sylvain gasps as he falls, releasing the lance and unseeing as Leonie bats it out of bounds.
"Yield," Leonie demands, breathing even.
Sylvain looks to the tip, pointed at his face. Looks to his lance, out of bounds. Looks into Leonie's eyes. Nods. "I yield."
Leonie drops her weapon when the proctor declares her victorious, the bloodlust she's been holding back drains out of her system. Sylvain takes the helping hand up, and proceeds to mess up her hair, "Good job, Leonie!"
"Ugk! Hey, I'm not a kid, you know!"
"But you're definitely the underdog," he tugs on her hair, laughing as she slaps his hand back. "I'm putting money on you beating His Royal Highness. Don't let me down!"
"I'm pretty sure the Goddess frowns on gambling!" but Leonie laughs with a bit of relief. From what she's seen and remembers, Sylvain isn't one to take the slow revenge route. If he had a problem with her, he would have said so.
Still, she makes herself extremely scarce between her next matchup, feeling a bit of a pit grow in her stomach as her next opponent is decided.
"So," Claude speaks aloud, proving that resting under the tree she's chosen to hide in was not a mistake, "how are you doing?"
After a pause, Leonie responds with, "I mean, I'm still in it."
He lost his second match, but he doesn't seem impressed as he looks up, "That's not what I meant."
Leonie heaves a sigh and jumps down, rocking on her feet at the landing. "It would have been better if the matchups were like yesterday."
Claude hums, "If I asked you to do something, would you do it?"
"Depends if I think the reason is good or not."
"I snuck a peek at the future tournaments." Leonie jolts at his admission. "Friday is archery, all fourteen of us are in the same bracket. Be my opponent in the finals."
Her mouth feels dry for a moment, trying to find the right words as she calculates. "Shouldn't it be you and Ignatz?"
Claude shakes his head, "Ignatz and Lysithea have it relatively easy the next two days. They should make it to quarter and semis at least. Marianne's already won a bracket, Hilda's going to win tomorrow, and Raphael the day after- what?"
Leonie purses her lips, "The other Golden Deer may not be my favourite, but you are not supposed to have favourites, House Leader. And, do you think I won't make it to the finals today?"
He opens his mouth, and then closes it. Gestures to the field, "Can you beat Dimitri?"
Leonie sniffs and pulls her gloves in an attempt to make flexing fingers look less threatening, "Your doubt displeases me."
"… I can't tell whether you are serious or not."
"Good."
Leonie walks off, ignoring his call of, "Leonie, wait-" and disappears into the crowd. He's given away more than he probably should about the next tournaments. There is already enough to worry about as she goes to her next designated area, it almost would have been nice to be surprised at what's to come. Claude needs to learn what counts as a spoiler.
The woman jolts a bit as her next opponent appears from nowhere to hug her, "Ah, hi Bernadetta. No hard feelings no matter the outcome?"
"Absolutely no hard feelings!" the teen rushes out. "None! Zero! I don't want to do this. Why I am still in the tournament? How have I made it, Leonie?"
"Because you are natural with a lance and quick on your feet," Leonie pats the purplette's head. "Be proud! You and Ferdinand are the only Eagles still in this!"
Bernadetta cries a bit, "He said I am making my House proud. I don't want my father to be happy!"
"I think he meant the Eagles."
Off on the neighboring field, Dimitri smacks Lindon out of the chalk outlined arena with one move. Everyone near just kind of… stops to stare a bit.
"Yes. No." Bernadetta mutters, eyes peeking out from behind Leonie. "No. no. no."
"Huh," Leonie swallows. Maybe Claude was onto something. If she didn't have literal years of waiting and preparing for this week, then maybe she would lose against Dimitri. However, this is something she needs to win.
If she makes it to the finals against Claude on Friday, there's no way she's going to win against the best non-magically enhanced archer in the school.
Leonie wrenches her thoughts away from the future to focus on the now as she and Bernadetta square up for their match. Her chest twists a bit, something almost like pride and sorrow pang through her. For a moment before the whistle, there's a buzz in her head.
"̸̦̑A̴̭͆l̸̙̀l̵̨̉ ̶͉́a̷̗̓t̴͓̀ ̸̺͂õ̷̞n̸̤̊c̴̡͑e̷̖͘"̵͍͂
It's gone at the signal, Leonie shifting her weight forward to lunge-
"I yield!" Bernadetta shouts, dropping her weapon. Scrambles over the area boundary. "I yield! I give! I give!"
Leonie is pretty sure her shock is mirrored by the proctor. The woman finds herself stuttering out an, "Are you sure?"
"I know what you can do!" Bernadetta waves her arms, backing up. "I know what Dimitri can do! I don't want any part of it. No, no! Good bye! Don't kill each other!"
And then the teen is gone, sprinting away with a shout that sounds a bit like, "Freedom!"
"Uh," the proctor turns to Leonie with a shrug, "congrats? You win."
"…Thanks."
Then, in an effort to avoid everyone before the semi finals, she stumbles across a crying Ingrid. Leonie sits down next to her, reluctantly handing over a clean pocket tissue and coming to terms with never getting it back.
"Thanks," Ingrid mutters before double taking. "Leonie, I-"
"Do you want to talk about?"
Ingrid looks away, fresh tears falling. "Not really."
"I'll leave if you want me to."
"…You are fine."
There are hiccups and sobs from the blonde. At one point a backstory spill about how she either gets into the main class or gets sold off by choice. Leonie isn't ashamed to admit she only listens enough to give appropriate responses. The rest of her attention is on reviewing what she's learned about Dimitri from training with him. How he moves, what sides he favours, and when he's most off-balance.
She really shouldn't have sat down for a heart-to-heart if her head isn't in it, but she also doesn't feel bad when Ingrid complains that the lance was her best skill and greatest chance to show off. One dream was always going to be stepped on in their match, and Leonie has more than her freedom to lose if she can't make it in.
"You'll have another chance to kick butt out there," the woman explains, more than a little irritated. "You did well in the sword tournament, and everyone knows you're a good rider. I think you're already set in the main Lion class, but if you really want to boost your chances then do something about it. Start practicing for one of the three tournaments left. Seriously, if you can control a horse then you can hold a training axe. Hit them hard or be smart about it. Punch someone's lights out! We are only on day two, so stop crying and figure out how you're going to win." Leonie pushes to her feet with a smile she doesn't feel, "I'm going to go dump Dimitri a** over teakettle, come watch or don't. I don't care."
She doesn't see Ingrid's confused face, and as she leaves the secluded area hears, "What does that vulgarity mean?"
Eventually Leonie hears Ingrid following, so hopefully she can demonstrate it.
She holds out her hand after greeting her opponent, "No hard feelings no matter the outcome?"
He relaxes like a weight has been lifted from his shoulders. Shakes, "Of course not. May the best fighter win."
Dimitri, it seems, understands his victory isn't ascertained. Leonie almost wonders if maybe she should lose here. Maybe winning would prove she doesn't need to be in the main Golden Deer class.
In the corner of her eye, spots Claude watching. He never said Leonie would have the next three days easy.
Catherine whistles and it becomes a flurry of blows. Leonie's learned her lesson on fighting stronger opponents from facing Hilda yesterday. None of Dimitri's hits land full force on her or the training lance. On the flipside, whatever she manages to land gets pushed off or countered.
After a minute and with shaking arms, she goes the sneaky way. Plants her lance tip in the soil by his feet, tripping the prince and hurrying to smack his back with the shaft before he recovers. When he stumbles, Leonie gets a few hits to his open back that cause him to take the extra steps out.
"Dimitri Blaiddyd is out of bounds!" shouts the proctor to the near-silent pitch field. "Leonie Pinelli is the winner!"
The sudden and utter relief that hits her almost brings Leonie to her knees. She staggers over to Dimitri and reaches up to pat his shoulder, heaving out a, "Great match."
"Very much so!" he laughs and just about topples her with the return back-pat. "I look forward to facing you again! It has been a long time since I have been able to go all-out against a single person."
"Same," Leonie huffs, running a hand through her hair. Tries not to cringe when she catches some sweat. "Don't think I didn't see all those nifty moves you threw in. You've got to teach me how to pull off the backflip sometime."
"I look forward to it!"
Leonie waves to check on who will be her last opponent, but has a very good inkling that Ferdinand isn't going to make it through for the Eagles. Claude falls into step beside her, "I'm sorry I doubted you."
"I'll tell you when you shouldn't bet against me," still riding the high from the relief that her bit of an obvious but underhanded tactic worked, she flashes him a grin. "I'm pretty good about making the impossible happen with the right motivations."
"I'll keep it in mind." He gives her a moment to read the board, patting her unbruised shoulder blade in sympathy. "You never had it easy today, huh."
"Bernadetta gave up two seconds in."
Claude squeezes her hand a moment, leaning in to whisper, "That one was probably the worst."
He walks off, and Leonie can't disagree. The thought of having to go all-out against Bernadetta leaves her as ill as the thought of tearing down Lysithea.
She could do it, but there would be nothing good in her for it.
The last matchup of the day, Leonie holds out a hand to her opponent and asks, "No hard feelings, no matter the outcome?"
"Of course," Lorenz looks as exhausted as she feels. "I expect you to be at my tea party in an hour."
"Do you mind if I bring some fruits as snacks?"
"That will be fine."
They square up, Catherine whistles. Lorenz is good, but even with his bye he is unused to facing such experienced opponents with varying levels of styles and skills. Leonie's battled bears, bandits, and has cleared out at least one full graveyard being reanimated by a necromantic mage. Her stamina recovers faster than most on a good day. Lorenz was trained in the ways of an heir who is to inherit a magical staff.
Leonie learned how to survive.
After being declared winner, she helps him off the ground and holds on a bit longer to bob their hands in a shake, "Spar again sometime?"
"I should think so," he sniffs. "After this demonstration, it would be poor showing of the Academy not to teach us in the ways of cavaliers."
Leonie snorts and covers her mouth. Lorenz preens as his joke succeeds, and she softly chants, "Two cavaliers."
"Eh," Claude comes up from behind and slings an arm over each of their shoulders, "let's not get ahead of ourselves. There are still three more tournaments. You may get slotted as armored knights."
"I'll leave that to Hilda."
Lorenz looks appalled at the thought, "Or Raphael."
Later, Leonie sees her bracket for tomorrow. Her expression flattens as her thirst for bloodshed and murder rises, but all she does is return to the unofficially Gold Deer campfire and pull out a knife and whetstone. Meets Claude's curious gaze from across the flames and says, "The Friday thing. Yay or nay?"
His eyebrows shoot up, "I still want it, yes."
She nods and focuses her whole attention on sharpening her blade. Even strokes and calming breaths.
Don't think about the utter joke of a bracket.
Don't wonder if the original Leonie had to fight Dimitri today, or face Hilda first thing on the day of the axe tournament.
6.
I could win, Leonie thinks, but at what cost?
In the end, she lets Hilda knock the training axe from her hands and yields. Eventually ventures over to where Hubert watches Edelgard demolish her competition and drops a bundle of fresh apples in his arms, "Happy Birthday." Now you can be even more of an a*****e.
"How did you know it was my birthday?" he asks with narrowed snake-like eyes.
"I overheard it," Leonie waves off his suspicion. "Spoilers, but there are a few single females who are giving you scarves, pocket handkerchiefs, and hair gel later."
He hums, lips pulling back in a sneer, and for some reason the people around them shiver and inch away, "Thank you for the information."
At the end of the day, Annette, Dedue, and Caspar stand victorious in their brackets. In the last matchup, Edelgard beats Hilda with a mixture of skill and speed. If the pinkette didn't hate the princess before, the seething and complaining about her loss certainly means she does now.
It's nothing to how Leonie feels when she reads the bracket for the gauntlet tournament. If the original Leonie had to deal with this utter disgrace of matchups-
7.
In the first match of the day, Dimitri throws one full-powered punch and sends his opponent flying into the judges stands. Leonie only just managed to get her forearms up and together in time, but it still felt like something cracked. Her healing's already dealing with whatever fractures or bruising that's bound to be there by the time she's helped to her feet. For the first time this week, she lets the Knights assist her to the healing tent.
"I am so sorry," Dimitri apologizes once again, carefully hover.
"And I am okay," Leonie reassures him again. "Dimitri, you were supposed to do whatever you could to win. I should have planted my feet better. I know the kind of strength you have."
She should have increased her weight before entering the ring. By the time it kicked in, her feet were already off the ground. All the too-late weight shift did was make sure she didn't crash into the judges. Leonie went in thinking she could out-speed any of his hits, and she'll never make that assumption with his weaponless style again.
"Still, I should have-"
"Nope." Leonie cuts him off. The medic on duty takes her arms to assess what sort of spell to use. Leonie cuts him off again, "Nah uh. Take the win. I won't let you have it in our next gauntlet spar."
His cheeks redden, shoulders hiking, "Are you sure-"
"If your next words are something about how we shouldn't practice together, I am going to glue gauntlets to your hands."
The medic looks horrified that she keeps cutting off the Prince, but he smiles and laughs a bit. His hand brushes away the spaghetti hair falling into his eyes, and Leonie can hear someone behind her swooning. "Alright. Then next time, let us do it for fun."
"Sounds good." The medic casts Heal, so Leonie's own shield must have already fixed most of the damage. "Go see who your opponent is. I'll cheer you on as long as you don't fight a Deer."
He does a Kingdom bow and hurries out of the tent. The medic clucks, "Were you the one to beat him with a lance?"
"Yes."
"Tough luck."
Claude appears when they're done and, before Leonie realizes, he's running his hands up and down her arms like he's concerned, "Are you okay?"
Oh, so maybe he is concerned. "All patched up! It wasn't that bad, really. Just a hit on my reputation."
Claude grabs her hands and rests the knuckles on his forehead, heaving a sigh, "The last person Dimitri threw out of the arena broke his leg."
"Well, he's obviously not me." She wrestles a hand free to tap his head. Meets eyes. "I know how to roll with the punches."
He repeats the phrase, "That's a new one. I like it."
"So, when's your test of strength?"
"I get a bye," he doesn't ask, but lips twist into a sarcastic smile at whatever he thinks it means. "Raphael goes soon. Lysithea, Marianne, and Ignatz beat their opponents."
"Thank the Goddess that some Deer can represent."
"Don't beat yourself up about it," it comes out joking, but the grip he has as he leads her from the tent is anything but. "Beat everyone tomorrow in archery."
"Even you?"
He squeezes her hand and finally lets go, stepping away, "If you think you can beat a natural master, then sure young padawan."
Leonie breaks into a smile so real and felt deep within that she almost mistakes it for joy, "I'm older than you, Claude."
"Ah, but if one is better than the other, then age doesn't matter."
"Keep sprouting wisdom like that and they'll have you teaching seminars at the Academy."
He slings and arm over her shoulders and guides her to Raphael's match, "You couldn't pay me enough for that."
Claude only ever leaves her side for his matches, and once he and Lysithea are ousted they stick with her all day. The winners are expected for Leonie, even if it seems an upset for most of the student body. Dimitri wins his by his pure strength against Annette. Dedue wins his with speed. Raphael upsets his bracket, beating Felix and winning by being a wall of pure muscle, meanwhile Caspar overtakes everyone in his bracket with awe-inspiring skill.
The final bracket gets posted, and the Deer decide to pool resources into one last feast before they make or break hopes and dreams tomorrow.
"I can't believe," Hilda whines, "they put us all against each other like this."
Claude shrugs, "It would be unfair for the other Houses if the one known for archery were to dominate all the first-place spots."
There's some protesting and rebuttal at that, seeing how Leonie was the only non-Lion to get first place in the lance tournament. Said woman breaks in with a choking laugh, eventually able to get out, "You're joking. Bernadetta and Ashe are going to slaughter their brackets. The only person who might give Petra some trouble is Mercedes. Even the Deer here who never held a bow before the Academy are better archers than half of the students in this place."
"So it's another move against us," Ignatz mutters, blushing when he realizes the group hears him.
"Then we'll just have to give them a show," Claude smiles, and it feels like his Crest flares out in warning. He raises a glass, "To giving it our all and outlasting the haters."
"Here here!" Leonie raises hers when no one else does. Lysithea and Raphael join in, tapping glasses. She catches Claude's eye, winks and mouths, "May the best of us make it through."
He throws back his head and laughs.
8.
"You can always yield now," Claude taunts as he steps into the arena.
Leonie follows suit, slinging the bow into her fingers, "And have you hold it over my head? No thanks."
"Aw, you know I wouldn't do that to you."
"And you know I fight to the finish."
Something flashes across his face, too fast to catch. The light is gone from his eyes, "Then I guess I've got to get one of the objectives to finish it."
They ready, quivers on their backs and bows by their sides.
Whistle.
The fight lasts five minutes. Longer than anything else this tournament. Claude is a quicker draw, more accurate, but Leonie is a better dodge because she shoots less. Both can recall their arrows like they've never been shot. In such a small area, Leonie is the faster release but Claude is better at herding.
At one point, He fires into the air and Leonie lets out a string of curses that have most of the crowd recoiling. Her wasted breath gets her shot, but she determinedly figures out where he's pushing her and gets out of the trap from above. When he does it again, Leonie rolls away from where he herds her.
Only for Danger Sense to blare above her. Leonie throws herself out of the way with a shriek and takes an arrow in the chest for her troubles. It throws her back, her Faith shield healing even as Claude recalls it before it breaks. Leonie only barely manages to stay inside the boundary, but Claude has her on the backfoot for the rest of the fight.
He shoots three arrows at once, Leonie ducks to avoid but can't do anything about the fourth he fires right after. Her head jerks back, skull exploding in pain as the arrow breaks against her shield. She catches herself, blinking fast around tears and sweat to try and catch Claude's next move.
Only, nothing comes. He's smiling and the crowd is roaring. Leonie looks down, and with a groan falls back to stare at the sky so that more than just her hand is out of bounds. Claude's head appears, eyes twinkling, "Do you need to see a medic?"
"You know I don't," she takes his offered hand. "You've been holding out on me."
"Hey, can't show all my secrets."
I could have killed you at any time, Leonie thinks with an outward sigh. Never thought you'd be the one that's too trusting, Claude. "Can't hide them forever, though. I'm going to be badgering you for that sky-shot technique you have there."
"How'd you figure out I was herding you?"
"Estimated where the arrow was going to go the first time. I got sloppy the second time, wasn't following it. It won't happen again."
"Better not. Can't have my Deer falling for all the old tricks."
Before Leonie can ask about other tricks, Bernadetta's final match starts and Leonie's trying to come to terms with how she did in the tournament.
Trying to taste less ash in her mouth whenever she thinks about what she'll do if the results aren't in her favour.
9.
The Black Eagles and Blue Lions boards are swarmed with people.
There are fourteen Golden Deer. Claude offers to read them out but too many are worried at how they'll react. Leonie's one of them. It's alphabetical, she thinks when the first name is Claude. Then Gregory. Then Hilda. Ignatz, Lauza-
There. Leonie Pinelli. Flicks her gaze to the class abbreviation next to it. M.C.
For a moment she can't breathe.
Main Class.
The air leaves her with the overwhelming, lung crushing relief. She could start crying, if there still wasn't a chance someone else didn't get in. Leonie starts back at the top, reading each name and matching abbreviations. Claude, Hilda, Ignatz, Lorenz, Lysithea, Marianne, Raphael-
They all made it.
They're all in.
Her relief distracts her, and then suddenly Leonie feels herself get pulled away by Dorothea, "So? How is it?"
"We're in," Leonie tells the world. Smile breaks across her face, real and maniac, "I made it- they made it!"
"Yes," Dorothea does a discreet victory dance. "Same here. Come on, we need to see Mercedes."
Their third is smiling, Annette cheering with a bashful Ashe when they arrive. Mercedes links hands with them, swinging their arms as they head for the feast table, "We did it."
"That was the most nerve-wracking reveal I've ever seen," Leonie admits. "I never want to go through that again."
"Oh?" Mercedes teases, "So you do not want to be in the end of the year tournaments?"
"Ugh, don't remind me of that now. No pressure, no worries. We are going to eat, sleep, and enjoy the fact we're about to enter the most intensive training Fódlan has to offer."
Dorothea laughs, "Nothing less than the best, ladies."
Once they've gone through the line, Leonie splits off to chat with the judges. Shamir gives her a nod, while Catherine and Alois congratulate her.
"Wasn't sure how you'd do in the lance matchup," Catherine admits. "Lions were my old house, so I admit I'm biased. Thought at least one of them would pull off the win. You and Lorenz made a great matchup in the end. Hope to see you in my sword-focused seminars, though! You were doing great on the first day! Too bad about it breaking."
"And make sure to stop by one of mine!" Alois pipes in. "You could be a great brawler from what I've seen in fight club! Don't let one bad round ruin it for you."
"I'll come by," Leonie promises. "I'm really looking forward to the lessons!"
When they break off for food, Leonie goes around congratulating everyone. Ingrid pulls her aside and admits she needed the pep talk, else she isn't sure she could have made it far enough in the gauntlets. Caspar clasps her hand, pulls her in to whisper thanks for helping Linhardt get sorted enough to pull through to the quarter finals every time. Bernadetta bursts into tears when she realizes she'll have to show up to classes now.
Everyone else gives normal thanks and congratulations in return. When Leonie sees her, Aurora brushes off the apology and says combat wasn't her focus so she's fine in the extra classes instead of main or side classes. When Leonie finally wanders back to the Golden Deer's area with a second plate of food, Claude waves her over, "I haven't been able to say congrats yet."
"Congrats to you both of you," Leonie drops down after saying her pieces to the others. "So, do I call you House Leader and Vice Leader?"
"Goddess no," Hilda moans.
"That hasn't been announced yet," Claude mutters around a skewer. "Catherine's got a speech. And, really, Hilda's only in charge when I get called for the Roundtable."
"At least that's certain. So, you want to hear who else got in?"
They gossip until Catherine's big speech. First things first, the three House Leaders. Then the woman goes on about how she's proud of them all, how the Officer's Academy is going to be like a home and family to them, and how she's sure the Goddess is smiling down upon them all.
Hilda steps on Claude's foot when he makes a noise at that last part.
"Teleportation stones have been set up," Catherine shouts across the field, "but unless you have a medical emergency you'll be here tonight. Main class, you go back at first light!"
"We get our own rooms," Leonie sighs. "Placement is worth it just for that."
"Even though you get a ground floor room?" Claude wonders not unkindly.
Leonie rolls her eyes, "Because it's so hard for assassins to reach you nobles on the second floor? Though, anyone trying to get into my room deserves the retribution."
"She and Lysithea have been checking out wards," Hilda explains. "Unfortunately, Leonie, you aren't allowed to lock the door. Officials are supposed to have constant access to our rooms for random checks. Seteth confiscated some beer my brother and his friend smuggled in when he was a student."
Good thing I never leave anything important lying around, Leonie thinks.
"What have you figured out?" Claude asks, eyes alight.
So Leonie explains what she let slip around the tea time table. Meals done and content, everyone either slowly moves closer to the fire or goes to bed. Lysithea ends up sleeping against Leonie, claiming it's quieter here nearer the treeline than the celebrations happening further in. As the only two awake this far on the outskirts of the late-night-early-morning festivities, Leonie and Claude share whispered constellation stories.
"Did you ever get lonely looking up at them?" he wonders.
"Nah," Leonie motions to the wide expanse of space. "Don't tell anyone, but it's the only romance novel trope I like."
"What one is that? Wishing on them?"
"No, not that one." She chuckles. "No, it's the one where you look at the stars and feel less alone because you hope someone else is staring at the same thing. I guess it's the commonality part of it I like. You can be complete strangers that never meet, but when you look up at the sky – at any time of day – there is never any doubt that you're not alone."
10.
"Do you think there are other people out there?" Claude asks. "In the sky, I mean."
Leonie doesn't get to answer, Danger Sense shooting off with such a spike that adrenaline and magic has her moving faster than normal human speeds. She pushes Lysithea onto Claude, whirling around and crouching without a thought. There's a glint in the air; Leonie throws out a hand and grabs, forcing it back.
She's breathing heavy at the sudden exertion, unable to hear Lysithea complaining over the blood pounding in her ears. It takes a moment to register what she's holding, "We're under attack."
Leonie meets Claude's wide eyes as Lysithea screeches, "WHAT?!"
"We're under attack," he repeats, eyes hardening and voice getting stern. "Everyone up! Wake up! Knights! We're being shot at!"
Leonie grabs another three arrows, lunging to only just grab the last aimed towards a groggy Hilda. In one motion she pulls a knife from her boots and cuts the next arrow out of the air. Her free hand alights in flames, and with a standing jump shoots a Fireball into the next arrow.
"Leonie, knife!"
With the very inappropriate feeling of tearing off a limb, she manages to toss Claude the knife and hold back the even more inappropriate you better give it back. Leonie pulls out the knife from her other boot, quick on her feet to stop or burn the now bundles of arrows being aimed around her. The Knights finally charge past, some pulling away students from the zone of embers and getting them running with orders of, "Head to the teleportation tents!"
The bandits take this moment to roar and charge out of the woods.
There are nearly a hundred of them.
Leonie curses and goes to follow the Knights into the fray. A fist closes around the back of her shirt, stopping her. Claude pulls her back with a, "You can't fight them."
"I'll be fine. You guys need to go."
It's then she notices the other Deer are gone. All that's left are stumbling kids from the Eagle and Lions, either too short or too young to keep up or handle a chaotic run in the dark.
"Do you trust me?"
Leonie meets his eyes and lies without hesitation, "Yes."
"Help with evacuation." Claude pushes her towards the retreating figures. "I'm going to cause a distraction. I'll come back."
"You better, Captain."
They take off separate ways – Claude still with her knife – and Leonie uses some magic to cause a dim Night Vision. She catches sight of the nearest student, calls out their name, and scoops them up as she leaps over a ditched sleeping bag. She shouts out assurances and helps another to their feet. Dodges a blast of fire and hollers instructions on where to go. Leonie drops off the student at the tents and turns back.
Goes to the very edge of the retreating line and carries the ones who felt most helpless.
Sweat beginning as she readies for a fifth sprint, the Golden Deer is jerked to a halt by a metal hand, "Leonie! What are you doing?!"
"I'm bringing the other students," she tells Alois over the chaos.
"The Knights have it handled! You should get back to the Monastery!"
"Knight Captain!" two people call. Dedue might arrive first, but Hubert is already shouting, "Lady Edelgard is missing!"
"What?!"
"His Highness is gone as well."
"Claude went to the forest line to go distract some of the bandits," Leonie throws in her two cents. "To give the other students some time to escape."
"And you let him?!"
"What was I supposed to do? Knock him out and drag him back here?!"
"Oh Dear Goddess," Alois groans. "The three of you, get to the Monastery now. No buts! You'll just cause more confusion running around in the dark like this. I'll take a squad and we'll find the House Leaders. They couldn't have gotten far. Go! Shoo!"
"He is correct," Dedue says, though obviously displeased. At least his resting face isn't seething like Hubert's. "We will only get in the way, especially as the fighting gets closer. Come. Our charges can take care of themselves."
Leonie mouths 'our charges', confused how she got roped into this, while Hubert seethes, "I cannot let Lady Edelgard-"
"Save it," Leonie grabs his arm in a vice grip and begins pulling. No matter how strong he is underneath the doom and gloom, Leonie is running on adrenaline and magic. "Claude won't let anything happen to either of them. You two need to get back and get your Houses under control so your Leaders have people to return to. And, if Alois finds out we stuck around to help, we'll be ousted from the Officer's Academy for insubordination in no time."
Hubert growls, and she lets him rip his arm away. "Fine. Let's go."
The three nod and start jogging for the teleportation tent. Leonie's eyes flicker to and fro to see if there's anyone not supposed to be here. Healers are rushing to work on the students caught by surprise or exhausted from the intense week. She recognizes everyone, but that doesn't mean much when she knows there are spies for every faction within the Officer's Academy. Someone is shouting directions to the evacuation tents. Leonie turns with the guys-
-it is like the world jerked to a halt. She cannot move. Cannot breathe. Cannot think. Leonie watches the frozen picture with a sense that this is wrong but also not comprehending the moment-
-syug eht htiw snrut einoeL
10.1
Her vision reasserts. Leonie stumbles but recovers fast enough to keep running with the guys, neither even noticing. Someone is shouting directions to the evacuation tents, and Leonie is holding back a panic attack by a thread.
It is a very hard thing, to not think about what just happened.
Very exhausted mages greet them in the tent, sending them back one-by-one with thirty second intervals to make sure no one is in range to get squashed by a pileup. All Leonie wants to do is find a corner and fall apart in, but Lysithea and Marianne appear to drag her where all the other Deer are stationed.
Hilda demands, "Where is Claude?"
This, Leonie can focus on. Tells them what information she knows and then, when they don't need to hear from her, she finds the nearest wall to slide down against. Leonie stares unblinking as tears start to form and fall.
It hurt.
It hurt a lot.
Leonie blacked out as time rewound, too much for her mortal and human brain to handle. She remembers, though, that little extra bit. That bit that went forwards.
Something she was never supposed to recall.
I think I'm going to be sick.
The pieces come together now that she isn't fighting to keep herself and others safe. Three House Leaders, all gone missing. Bandits. Time travel.
I'm in the Main Class.
Leonie Pinelli.
Strengths: Lances, Bows, Riding.
Weaknesses: None.
Do I like who I've become?
"Hey." She looks up. Lysithea stares down. "Are you okay?"
That remains to be seen. "I'll get there. I think it's just shock."
Lysithea frowns and comes over to pull at her arm. Leonie relents to getting pulled to her feet and pushed away from the wall. "Let's get you to a healer, then. We've already been checked over. Manuela's looking after the Eagles, so you're safe."
"T-thanks."
"Did you… did you kill someone?"
"No. Just- stopped their attacks. Helped evacuate. The bandits didn't get near me."
"I'm glad." Lysithea gives her a quick hug. "I know we'll be out there fighting one day, but I still don't want any of us getting hurt."
And when she thinks about it-
Yah.
Leonie doesn't want any of the Deer going into a battle either. They're all students. She's trained and built up stores and prepared for this for years. They deserve to be kids a bit longer, even if this world won't let them. Claude is going to have to fight for his life with the other House Leaders today if this really is the Prologue. On top of that, homework and paperwork, religion and politics.
"Maybe one day we won't have to fight," Leonie wonders, mind skipping to her final goal and the consequences it could cause. "At least, not each other."
"I pray for that every day," Lysithea mutters, as if Leonie is not supposed to hear it.
Get ready, Leonie thinks, settling on a bench as the medic checks her. Soon, Sothis will be in hearing range.
And her little host too.
A/N: This story is a year old, and it's finally hit the game's prologue.
Thank you so much for reading! A really big thank you to DestructionDragon360, ShadowWolf223, xenocanaan, Eclipse130, NihthKuro, StarShow, Faranon423, Guest, and joshiro99 for reviewing! The support truly means a lot!
Fire Emblem Three Houses has a lot of characters, and its been a fun challenge for myself to limit to only Naming any characters outside of the main cast (OCs) that have some future importance, while at the same time implying Leonie Learned Who They All Are. Another challenge I set was to spend more time on worldbuilding, and I am very glad to hear that it's working out (I say even though this chapter has minimal worldbuilding in it). Thank you very much for reading, and I hope everyone has enjoyed the story thus far.
I hope everyone is well and has a great day! Please take care