This chapter primarily focuses on the house leaders, and another major change in this version of the story is the introduction of Sonia. No, she's not an original character; for those who have not read the original, she is female Byleth. The male Byleth will be introduced in the next chapter, along with Shez.
Another major change is Sakura's role at this point in the story. Instead of being the one-note punching bag, she'll be more of an actual character. Despite my dislike of Sakura, I do want to make an effort to create a better version of the character.
chapter 5 Faithful meetings
Sakura was trying not to draw attention to herself. She knew she wasn't liked by her classmates. Hinata made it no secret by treating her like a pest. This set an example to everyone. Hinata was overwhelmingly popular, and as a result, Sakura wasn't treated well. This pissed her off because she did nothing to these people. But then again, Edelgard gave her blessing. Shouldn't that have been enough? Frustrated, Sakura destroyed a practice dummy. Damn Sasuke. She couldn't believe she ever wasted her time with him. Now she regrets everything she had done. She wasted all her time pursuing him, and for what? It had been three months since she had transferred, and she was still not one step closer to getting the respect of any of her classmates.
She didn't pay attention to the footsteps behind her. When she looked around, it was Edelgard. She had to calm herself down. If there was anyone she could not want to look pathetic in front of, it was her house leader, one of the few people that respected her.
"Do you need me for something, Edelgard-sama?" asked Sakura.
"I was wondering why you haven't sparred with any of your classmates yet. You've been here for three months. I know you're capable, Sakura-san. I just want to know why," Edelgard asked disappointedly.
"It doesn't seem like anyone wants to even try to talk to me. How can I ask them for a sparring match if they won't even speak to me?" Sakura asked respectfully, trying not to anger her house leader by saying something disrespectful.
"It's because you haven't earned their respect. If you want them to stop treating you the way they have, you're going to have to go out of your way to earn their respect. You haven't done that. I'm disappointed, Sakura-san. I know you are capable. Whatever grievances you have with Hinata, you need to put them aside. You're not required to like each other. What I would like is to see everyone in this class succeed. It'd be a waste of your talent if you lingered here doing nothing. If you wish to get stronger, you have to spar with others. Casper and Petra would be open to spar with you if you just asked." Edelgard said. She wanted to kick herself. Why didn't she consider that? She feels like an idiot.
"But they prefer to spar with Hinata. Why would they want to do it with me?" Sakura asked her house leader, trying not to anger her.
"It wouldn't hurt to ask. Casper is willing to spar with anyone that's willing to spend the time to do so. Petra is open to spar with anyone as long as she's treated with respect. Ferdinand, who mistakenly thinks I'm his rival, will be open too. There are those in other houses that would be open to do so if you put forth the effort, Sakura. This is not Konoha. As long as you're willing to put the effort, if you simply ask, they will accept your offer as a way to test themselves. You're not going to get better otherwise." What Edelgard said held a lot of weight. She was never told any of this back home. Things were so different that it felt like she was on a different planet.
"Can we start with you sparring with me, then? If it's not too much trouble." Sakura turned away, embarrassed.
"Gladly. But I warn you, I will not hold back, and I won't hold back on my critiques." Edelgard said as she, with Sakura's help, cleaned the sparring arena. She picked up a wooden Axe while Sakura got into her stance with her Taijutsu stance, which was taught to her by her mentor, Tsunade.
Things were tense. Sakura did not want to leave a bad impression on Edelgard. She was cautious about charging at her head-on. She knew about Edelgard's techniques, even if she didn't know any jutsu. She was still a formidable opponent. The only other person who could even give her a fight without it being a one-sided beatdown was Hinata. As much as she hated to admit it, Hinata outclassed her, even if her confidence said otherwise.
She waited for Edelgard to make the first move. She was sweating; Edelgard was calm and confident. The moment of truth arrived, and she made her first move. Edelgard moved swiftly—she was so fast that it was difficult for Sakura's eyes to comprehend what she just saw. She moved as fast as a cheetah. Sakura had never seen someone move this fast without jutsu. She would be a dangerous enemy, especially if she were to get the same kind of training Sakura had.
Fortunately, Sakura had experience with combat, something none of her classmates had, except for those from Team 8. Edelgard appeared behind her, and Sakura couldn't believe it. She moved as fast as her legs could possibly carry her.
It was useless. When she tried to increase her speed with a technique taught to her by her mentor, Edelgard caught up to her almost instantly. What the hell was she fighting against?
Another thing that Sakura couldn't believe was that her house leader was using techniques that she shouldn't be able to use. She was employing a taijutsu technique that shouldn't be possible unless she had training. Edelgard moved faster than Sakura could with her enhanced speed and struck hard at Sakura's stomach. She almost puked; it was so painful. She had never been hit so hard and almost collapsed on the ground. Edelgard didn't relent; she struck again from behind. Sakura tried to get up using her elbows, but Edelgard stopped the match, knowing that there was no reason to continue.
Sakura was barely able to breathe. She had never been hit as hard as she did. She lost. She felt ashamed; she had lost so easily. She felt so weak and pathetic.
"Do you know why you lost, Sakura-san?" asked Edelgard.
She thought about it. She had underestimated her opponent, and not to mention, she had neglected her training. She had not taken the opportunity to spar with any of her classmates—people that could have helped make her stronger, even if she did lose. Naruto and Hinata had gotten increasingly stronger by sparring with their peers. Sakura didn't do anything of the sort. She was as weak and as useless as she was when she was 12. She felt like a pathetic child.
"I was neglectful of my training, and I underestimated you," Sakura answered.
"There's no shame in admitting your weaknesses. What are you going to do to rectify your mistake?" Edelgard asked.
"To swallow my pride and ask for my classmates to spar with me. To train every day and not neglect my training, and not underestimate my opponents, regardless of who they are," Sakura answered.
"Good. Here, let me help you up," Edelgard said as she offered Sakura her hand. She took it. It was painful to get up.
"It's fortunate there's still time for you to rectify your mistake. The last thing I would like is for you to be a burden on us during the Eagle and the Lion when I know you could be much more than you are," her house leader said respectfully. She was disappointed because of Sakura's potential and how she had squandered it by doing nothing. Sakura vowed she was never going to do it again.
"I don't deserve your time, Edelgard-sama," Sakura said, feeling unworthy in being in her house leader's presence.
"I would not be a good house leader if I didn't help my classmates. I have to set an example for everyone, and that includes you, Sakura. We may not be friends; I don't know if we ever will be. But that does not mean I don't want you to succeed. In the world I desire, I want everyone to have that same opportunity, even people that I may not want to be around." Edelgard was taking this time despite the fact that she didn't have to, and she may not personally like Sakura. That says a lot about her character. How much different would Sakura's life have been had she simply joined Dimitri's class just to be around Sasuke? How much time would she have wasted on petty nonsense, especially since Sasuke would never return her affections? Especially with that Mercedes woman? His eyes would always be on her. Always..
She couldn't imagine ever making that choice. It would have been foolish, and she was glad she never made that decision. She was tired of being a weak and useless fool. She wanted to take her life into her own hands, and she realized she had wasted three months by not stepping outside her comfort zone.
"I'm not going to lie; losing the way I did hurt my pride," Sakura admitted.
"A bit of humility is always good for all of us. Even I could use some humility from time to time. Take what I said into consideration. Rest today, and when you're fully recovered, go find anyone who is willing to spar with you. Even if you lose, that experience is still more valuable than doing nothing," Edelgard said, finishing her thoughts before leaving Sakura alone.
She wasn't going to lose like that again. She would challenge anyone willing to accept, and once she felt confident, she would challenge Edelgard again.
Rising to her feet, she headed to the cafeteria. She would follow Edelgard's advice and prove to her peers in Konoha that she wasn't a weak and useless girl. She vowed that one day she would gain their respect. For now, though, she was in pain and needed to eat and rest for the remainder of the day.
Sasuke was meditating in the pond where people usually fish. Luckily, there was no one there at the moment. He meditated there due to how peaceful it was; there was a lot on his mind. So much on his mind that he thought about the feelings he had for his friend. He had buried them, but when he met her again, they only resurfaced stronger.
Even though he felt like he should stay away from her, he couldn't even do that. After three months of meeting her again, their friendship continued like nothing happened. He had not talked about his feelings to anyone because he didn't want anyone to get involved.
He heard footsteps behind him he saw green haired girl.Her eyes were also green, and her hair was in a strange style compared to how Sasuke usually sees girls. Her hair was at the front, unlike most other girls, who usually wore their hair at the back. She dressed modestly, more so than most other girls he had seen. There was an otherworldly presence about her that he couldn't explain.
The girl noticed that he was watching her.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I spaced out." said the green-haired girl. How did he miss someone like this? He had been in the monastery for three months and he didn't notice a girl like this was here. There's no way someone like this wouldn't have appeared on his radar.
"It's not a problem," said Sasuke awkwardly.
"Are you Sasuke Uchiha?" asked the girl with green hair.
"Yes, I am. No offense, but I hope you're not a fan girl." Sasuke remarked. The girl giggled at that.
"Oh, I can never be a fangirl. I don't even know what that means."Another girl who wasn't a fangirl, this was something he didn't mind at all.
"What is your name?" Sasuke asked her.
"Flayn" she answered. He couldn't help but notice that this girl seemed much older than she looked; he couldn't explain why the way she carried herself, the way she spoke, seemed to be of someone much older than her 17 years.
"Something on your mind, Sasuke?" asked Flayn.
"Yeah, I was wondering why I haven't seen you before." Sasuke asked her. He noticed a girl's tense but she quickly changed her expression.
"My big brother doesn't like it when I talk to people; he's a little overprotective." She has a brother; no wonder he thought.
"Especially doesn't like it when boys try to hit on me or ask me out on dates." She giggled as if remembering all the times her brother chased away any potential admirers of hers.
"Well, lucky me; I don't have any interest in you in that way." Sasuke remarked.
"Sasuke, if you don't mind my asking, are the rumors true about you and Mercedes?" Sasuke had no idea what she was talking about.
"What do you mean, what rumors?" he said, his face turning red with embarrassment.
"Maybe it's nothing, I'm not opposed to the idea love is a very complicated thing and it can't be explained. Nor is it rational." The girl was speaking as if she knew from experience; the more she spoke, the more Sasuke picked up. She was much older than she appeared.
"Love, even if what you say is true, we're friends; that will not change," Sasuke said, not wanting to hope that they could be anything more than friends. Part of Mercedes will always see him as a boy, like a little brother, not something more than that.
"It's not rational, Sasuke. It's not supposed to be there's nothing wrong with you loving her."Why was he comfortable talking about this in front of a stranger like Flayn? Something about her made him feel comfortable for some reason. In fact, he feels like he's been getting softer since he came here.
"She was wiser than her appearance indicated; she had an innocent-looking appearance, but she was anything but innocent in her eyes. He could see years of pain and loneliness; he didn't have to be a Hyuga to see how lonely this girl was.
"I noticed you were eyeing the pond over there," Sasuke remarked, changing the subject.
"Oh yeah, well you see, there are some really tasty fish I want to catch in there, but my brother won't let me fish for them."That's what she likes.
"I suppose I can catch some for you, it shouldn't be too much trouble, Flayn-san"Sasuke said the girl lit up.
"Really Sasuke, you're willing to do that?"
The girl asked him.
"yeah just let's keep this between us. I wouldn't want to be killed by your brother."The girl giggled at that.
"Of course it'll be just between us. Sasuke" Flayn smiled happily.
Sasuke asked the man if he could borrow a fishing rod, which he handed it to him. Sasuke didn't have much experience fishing; the girl sat by him as if waiting for him to give it a try. He did what his father had instructed when he was a child about fishing: he waited patiently and then a fish bit into the bait that he put on the fishing rod. He pulled it, which was a heavy one with enough force. He forced it up and it was a gigantic fish. The girl was excited.
"Thank you Sasuke, I'm looking forward to eating this. You know the rumors about you; they're not true."
He was confused as to what Flayn was getting at.
"They say you're cold I don't see that you're much more than that. Much more, I wish I could be your friend, though my brother wouldn't allow it."The girl said sadly. He felt comfortable around this girl, not in the same way he felt around Mercedes. He felt a kindred spirit. She was lonely. Would it be such a bad thing to have another friend?
It didn't matter that she was at the opposite gender; there's nothing in the law that says a man and a woman can't be friends.
"We could be friends if you want, We don't have to tell anyone." The girl looked conflicted.
"You be willing to keep it even from your"she was almost smiling when she was about to say.
"Me and Mercie we're just friends we're not"the girl giggled as if she thought it was funny.
"Oh Sasuke of course I'll be your friend though we can't tell brother of course."The day was about to end.
"I'm sorry, but I have to go now. It was nice meeting you." said Flayn as she walked away and left.
The next day
Claude was lying down on the ground in the garden, in the shade near the golden deer classroom. Reading about the history of the founding of the land of Fire, he wanted to throw his book in frustration because he couldn't concentrate, not with Ino in front of him.
"You know it's such a waste, Claude, for you to read alone when show me around the monastery. I've been here for a few months, but I barely know this place. It wouldn't be too much to ask for you to show me, wouldn't it?" Ino said.
He put away his book, knowing that he wouldn't get no for an answer.
"Why me in particular? There are others who can show you around," asked Claude. She laughed as if it was the stupidest question to ask.
"It's because you seem to know a lot. I see you read a lot of history about whatever. I can barely read any book in your language, or maybe I'm just looking for an excuse to spend time with you." Ino teased.
He would be lying if he didn't find Ino beautiful in everything she wore. Luckily, she wasn't like Hilda, who would likely get him to do something he wouldn't normally like to do.
"I don't know what interesting places I could show you around here. There's only so much I could show you around the monastery," Claude said, not understanding why she would be interested in him showing her around. Of all people, he found her intriguing in the three months he had gone to the same school with her, but he didn't think anything would come of it. The transfer students, with exceptions, didn't really show an interest outside of classes, learning about the monastery or its inhabitants.
"Well, I wouldn't mind starting to learn more about the places we visit. It may not be the most exciting thing for most people, but this place has always fascinated me, even as a child. I've heard a lot about this place from my father. The stone walls here—I can't help but think, what are they made of? The history behind this place is fascinating. I would like to learn more, and considering you read so much, I think you'd be able to tell me more than anyone." Ino didn't seem to be the person who would be interested in learning about the monastery or its history. Claude felt like a fool; he hid his true self with a smile or a sly remark, but this Ino woman had secrets herself that he was interested in learning about.
"Well, how about we start with where the statue of the saints is in the cathedral," Claude said, as he got up with minor difficulty due to how long he had been lying on the grass.
"The statue of the saints is an interesting choice. Okay, let's go," Ino said. As they walked past everyone who was making comments about her and Claude walking together, he ignored the comments. It would be about 30 minutes before they got to the cathedral.
The first statue of the saints was Indech. He was in a pose, reading his bow and arrow. The armor he wore in the statue was something that was not what soldiers wear in the modern era. It was hard to describe. Claude had read multiple descriptions about Indech. He wore a helmet on his head and was known to command loyalty among his men in battle.
"So that's Indech The Immovable. Wow, I wonder what he looks like underneath that helmet he wore." Ino commented in amazement. Claude couldn't help but agree. What did he look like?
"Why was he called the Immovable?" asked Ino.
"Because he would not be moved, no matter the situation. Anyone who faced him faced certain death, at least according to what I've read. He was the most skilled archer of the age, and not to mention whenever there was a debate with any of his comrades, he couldn't be swayed. Despite his stubbornness, he earned the loyalty of his men. Thousands died in his name, and thousands to this day, even in my home country, love him. His descendants are rumored to be a lot like him, though I find that hard to believe, considering a man of his reputation," said Claude. Then he looked at the other one next to him.
Macuil The Wind Caller. Not much was known about him. Even less was known than about Indech. His appearance, from the statue, his pose of holding a sword to the ground, and him wearing a robe with a hat covering his head, he had a look of bitterness and sadness on his face, not the fierce warrior that Indech was described to be.
"Wow, I've heard a lot about him. A lot of the strategies used today, even in my homeland, come from him. I never thought I would see a statue of Macuil The Wind Caller," said Ino, amazed by the look of the statue. It would look as good as new, but then again, whatever stone it was made out of must have been a material that is now lost to time. They went to the right side for the last two statues.
The first of them was Cichol, the hammer of judgment.
"Wow, I'm not going to lie, I can imagine him being handsome," said Ino.
"That's not what he looked like, at least I don't believe that. I mean, the way he's holding the spear, his appearance, I don't know. Something tells me that's not what he would look like. Also, the hat that he has on his head. It was common for the nobility of that era to wear. I can't see him fighting in that in battle," Claude said.
"Come on, Claude-kun, you know better than anyone that all of these saints look the way they do because it makes them look more saintly. I could actually see Cichol wearing this in battle, as he commands his troops. What I've read from his profile, what little exists, he was the paragon of order and discipline and was hostile to anyone that was disloyal to Seiros. He was as loyal as they come. You know, he kind of reminds me of Seteth in a way. Their personalities are similar," Ino was on to something. She knew a lot more than she let on. Why did she need him with her?
You know a lot more than you let on. Why do you need me to be with you?" asked Claude.
"Because you're one of the few people who appreciate the history here, and I've read it in depth about the saints. Since you read a lot of history, I figured I could have someone to talk to about it," Ino answered.
Then they looked at the last of the saints, which a green-haired girl was looking at the statue. She had a particular style that was strange, that Claude was not familiar with. He had seen her before from a distance.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Am I disturbing you? I'm..." asked the girl politely.
"No, actually. Do you come here often?" Ino asked the green-haired girl.
"No, but today I had an urge to look at the statue of Cethle the Benevolent," the girl answered.
"I've heard about her. The statue, when I see it in front of me, seems like she was a beautiful woman. If all I can see is your face, the stuff that she holds in her hands, I've heard it had the power to heal entire armies," Claude said, which amazed both of them with his knowledge.
"That's an exaggeration, but it was a powerful object of power that made Cethle's healing abilities even more powerful than they would be without it." Claude wanted to know more.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I've been rude up until this point, Claude and Miss Ino. I'm Flayn. I don't get a chance to talk to people often, especially about the four saints who traveled with Seiros." Flayn looked at the statues again.
"Did they exist?" Ino asked excitedly.
"They did, though many of what is written about them has been lost over time, unfortunately." Flayn said with sadness.
"That's a shame." Ino said.
"Yes, it is. A thousand years have passed, and their stories are forgotten, I mean." Claude noticed her pausing as if she said too much, and she knew it.
"I'm sorry. I spoke with that thinking." Flayn said as she left the two of them alone. Claude noticed a sadness in her eyes. Some of these things she was talking about seemed as if she was there, but that was impossible. She looked like she was no older than 17, so it couldn't be.
"I wonder why we haven't seen her before." Ino commented.
"I agree. Is there anywhere else you want me to show you?" asked Claude.
"Right now, I just want to eat something. You wouldn't mind eating at the cafeteria, would you?" Ino asked as they left the cathedral.
"Just the two of us? Won't that give people the wrong impression?" Claude asked.
"Let them think what they will." Ino said, smiling. This was not how he expected to spend his day, but he wasn't going to complain about it. Though he couldn't help but think about the girl from earlier. She knew something, and she knew she revealed too much, that's why she left abruptly. Well, he would get answers in time, one way or another.
He looked out of the corner of his eye and saw Naruto, Hinata, laughing with Dorothea and Ingrid. They had become good friends in the past few months. What were they laughing about?
"Do you want to bet that they'll have a harem?" Ino asked jokingly.
"I don't know. I mean, three girls into the same guy? Naruto wasn't this popular with the girls back in Konoha, was he?" Claude asked her as he took the food that was being served for the day and sat at the table.
"No, but to think it would be the diva Dorothea and Ingrid, the girl who inspires to be a knight. Quite interesting that they would have an interest in someone like Naruto." Ino said.
"If they didn't help Naruto and Hinata talk, I would have. I have ways to make things happen." Claude said with a mischievous grin.
"I don't doubt that, Claude-kun. But anyway, I'm glad you didn't. Seeing those four being friendly towards each other, it's nice that Naruto has more people that care about him." Ino said, looking at Naruto and Hinata.
"Do you know something I don't?" Claude asked.
"It's something that Naruto should tell you. I only have my theories, and I don't think spreading rumors is right, especially since Naruto is your friend." Ino said.
"Sure, though I'll likely have to wait till he's alone." Claude said. He was wondering what kind of secrets Naruto was hiding. He would like to know, and he would know one way or the other. If there is one thing Claude was good at, it was finding secrets.
"You did what?" Dorothea asked in disbelief before she laughed, and unable to stop for at least a few minutes, Ingrid did the same.
"Yeah, when I was stealing the scroll, I used the sexy jutsu on the Hokage," Naruto said, turning red talking about it so openly with his friends and girlfriend, who already knew about it but still, it was embarrassing.
"I'm sorry, but I don't know how to feel about that," said Ingrid.
"I still can't believe to this day that you did that, Naruto-kun," Hinata said, putting her hands on her face in shock that Naruto would be so bold to do that.
"Well, the sexy jutsu did work on perverts; it was useful," Naruto said.
"Well, how did you invent it?" Dorothea asked curiously.
"Yeah, I would like to know that too," Ingrid asked. Naruto knew he was on the spot; it was embarrassing. How would he tell them that it was based off Hinata, that he used her as a base?
"Well, it's kind of embarrassing," Naruto said nervously, rubbing his face with his right index finger and thumb.
"It can't be that bad, Naruto-kun," Hinata asked with that cute-looking face. It was so hard to resist. Damn it, why was he at this girl's mercy all the time? He couldn't deny her even if he wanted to.
"You should use your charms more often. Hilda's right," said Dorothea.
"He's going to spill the secrets. I know he's going to. He can't resist you, Hina," said Ingrid. It wasn't just Hinata who had him wrapped around their fingers; it was Ingrid and Dorothea as well. Though that was ridiculous, they were friends.
"I based my sexy jutsu on Hinata-chan," Naruto said. Hinata froze, hearing about that. Dorothea was laughing, and Ingrid had a look of disbelief.
"Oh my," Ingrid said.
"I am not surprised," said Dorothea when she was done laughing.
"I'm curious. What do you look like with your sexy jitsu?" asked Dorothea, which caused the girls to look at her in disbelief. Out of all the things to ask...
"Come on. Are you at least a little bit curious, Ingrid? And you, Hinaa?" asked Dorothea teasingly.
"Maybe a little bit, but that's for the bedroom, if you catch my drift," Hinata confessed.
"Oh, my precious Hime, you're making me blush," Dorothea said.
"Now that genie is out of the bottle, I am curious. Maybe we should go to Naruto's dorm to see for ourselves," said Ingrid, surprised by her own boldness.
"Three girls in my room. Won't that give the wrong impression to everyone?" Naruto asked.
"Who cares what they think."Dorothea said Hinata didn't need to say anything for Naruto too know that she agrees with her.
The girls followed Naruto to his dorm. Naruto is nervous. Why the hell did he even bring up the harem jitsu? He felt like such an idiot.
The girls sat on his bed. Dorothea was to the right, Ingrid to the left, and he was in the center. All of them were looking eagerly. He wished someone had given him some support, but no. Oh well, he thought. He did the hand signs, and then poof! His feminine form appeared in place of Naruto. It was Naruko.
It had been years since Naruko had appeared. It was strange being in this body for so long. She was around the same height as Hilda. She had a slender figure, curvy in the right places. She had a huge chest, almost as big as Dorothea's, but smaller than Hinata's.
Dorothea was the first to say something. She got up from the bed, inspecting Naruko's form. She was nervous. "I must say, Naru, you're pretty hot as a woman," Dorothea said with a lustful grin.
"I have no comment," Ingrid said, turning her face away, trying to hide the pink that appeared on her cheeks.
Hinata's expression said everything. She had the look of embarrassment and lust all wrapped into one, and he knew what she was thinking without her saying anything.
"I wonder what you look like without clothes as a woman, Naruko-chan," Hinata said as she got up from his bed and started to grope her breasts.
"Oh, my, my, precious Hime, eager to try you out. Unfortunately, this is where we'll have to depart for the day. We'll see you tomorrow," Dorothea said as she took Ingrid's hand, who looked like she was drooling at the sight of Naruko.
When the door shut behind them, Hinata locked the door and did a sound seal.
"Oh, Naruko-chan, I've always wondered what it would be like to..." Hinata was reluctant to say the word, but she thought about doing it for her.
"You want to experiment sexually, Hinata Hime, by trying out lesbian sex with my jitsu?" Naruko said, blushing with embarrassment.
"Of course, I would like to. It's not like those idiots back home can stop us anyway," Hinata said as she pushed Naruko onto Naruto's bed.
"We're going to do something different today. How would you like to be dominated by your shy girlfriend?" Hinata said with a low, sexy whisper. Naruko felt extremely wet; she replicated every part of the woman's body, even her insides.
"I don't know if I should be excited or scared," Naruko said, surprised at how feminine her voice sounded.
"Oh, you'll like it very much. I've been eager to try this technique that Ino-chan taught me after we started dating," Hinata said as she started to strip Naruko of her clothing.
"In every way, you manage to replicate the feminine form. How would you feel about experiencing what it's like when the roles are reversed?" asked Hinata as she used her technique on herself. After she took her clothes off, he saw what he never thought he would see on her—she had no idea what to think. Oh, God, Naruko thought. She would experience with her, and she, Hinata, had done on multiple occasions. She had an excited smile, eager to try it out.
"Today will be quite a day to remember," Hinata said as she and Naruko would have the wildest sex yet.
Sonia was glad to be away from the abyss, even if it was for a day. She hated staying in that place. It was like a prison. Sneaking out of the monastery was not something that was encouraged, but she had to do it every once in a while to at least see the outside world. She couldn't stay out for long because the archbishop would eventually look for her, and the last thing she wanted was to be hunted.
She was dressed like a normal village girl. She had green-blue hair and blue eyes. She wore glasses because of her difficulty seeing. She was once told that she resembled her late mother by the man who had raised her, but she didn't want to hear about that. She just wanted to see the outside world, even though she did have friends like Yuri. It was still lonely. It felt more like a prison than an actual home. She wanted to be free to walk where she wanted and do what she wanted. The small act of defiance was her way of escaping the monastery, even if it was for a day.
At the age of 20, she had always wondered who her father was. She was told that she had a twin brother who disappeared 20 years ago. She wished she could find him, but she was forbidden to leave the monastery by Rhea.
She Couldn't help but look at that town that she was walking through with a sense of wonder everything felt alien to her. Eager to look at the new scenery that she had never seen before, the foods that she had never tasted that she was smelling it was overwhelming to her.
She didn't know where to go. She didn't ask Yuri how about any of the foods that she was seeing. She only read about them. She didn't know how they tasted.
She bumped into someone who looked at her irritated at her presence.
"stupid girl watch where you're going. A men said she was not afraid of him by any stretch of the imagination. She wasn't defenseless though she did not want to attract attention.
"Please I'm not here to cause trouble." Sonia said beggingly not wanting to attract unwanted attention.
"you could make up for it with your body"said a man to her left with a look of a beast looking for prey.
"keep your fucking hands off of me." Sonia said with disgust as she pushed the man away who was trying to make his advances on her.
"Do you see this girl? She's new around here and she thinks she can deny our advances?" The men laughed. She hated these people; she wanted to wipe that smile off his face. Before she could do anything, a tall blonde-haired man tapped him on the shoulder.
"I suggest you leave the lady alone, as your advances are unwelcomed." The man said politely.
"What are you, Prince Charming? This is not your business," said the man behind him.
"Unless you want to be in pain leave, this is not worth the trouble." said the man warningly.
"This prince charming thinks he's a hero, let's teach him a lesson."The man wasted no time as he lunged at the man he had easily dodged. He then chopped him in the neck, which made the second man try to hit him by surprise. However, he kicked him in the chest, knocking him down. The third man was about to hit him with a club, but Sonia kicked him in the groin instead.
Others tried to charge at him, but they were no match other than the one that Sonia took down. The tall blonde-haired man took out all of them. He was strong; she had to admit she couldn't see his face.
"Are you okay?" Dimitri turned around, offering his hand to her. She looked at him and blushed.
"I'm fine," she said, stuttering. She never did this before. It wasn't like he was the first man she saw; she was around Yuri and Balthus on a near-daily basis.
"You're new around here, aren't you? I've never seen you here before." the man said.
"In all honesty, I've never been here before. This is the first time I feel a little lost."Sonia confessed.
"That's not a problem. I've been in this area many times. I could show you around."he offered politely.
"I'm sorry I've been rude. If we're going to travel together I might as well introduce myself. I am Dimitri, what's your name?" Dimitri asked her. She said his name slowly she liked the sound of it on her lips it sounded strong and gentle.
"Sonia."Sonia replied.
"Usually I'll go here by myself I didn't expect to run into anyone today." Dimitri said as he looked around.
"I'm sorry for causing you an inconvenience." Sonia apologized, saying she was sorry if she had caused any inconvenience to the man in front of her.
"You're not an inconvenience. I don't mind actually being with you; it's a nice change of pace from being alone for a day," Dimitri replied in the mannerisms of a gentleman.
"I'll show you around since this is your first time." Dimitri took her hand to prevent her from getting lost. She liked the feel of his hand; it wasn't soft or hard. The feeling was so right to her that she blushed. She didn't know what this feeling was. She would ask her friends in the Abyss later about it. It was a pleasant feeling, but one she had never experienced before.
Sonia looked wide-eyed and everything she saw Dimitri had no idea how to deal with this woman she had a child like Wonder as she looked at everything around her asking Dimitri about every little activity they were doing. He looked at the teddy bear that she was eyeing she wanted it he could tell without her saying anything.
"I could win that for you, no problem," Dimitri said, which caused her to blush at wanting something so childish. He requested the hammer, and everyone was wondering what he was doing—this would be child's play. Nobody knew he was the prince, and not to mention, one of the perks of having his crest was enhanced strength. He put all of his strength into the hammer and, with a little bit of effort (because he didn't want to destroy the man's equipment), hit hard enough to win the prize but soft enough so it wouldn't damage the surrounding area.
He handed her the teddy bear. She wrapped her hands around it; it was nothing special—a brown teddy bear with pink tips on its ears. It had a feminine-looking appearance; obviously, this toy was for girls.
"Thank you, Dimitri, I…" the woman turned away, embarrassed.
"There's nothing to be embarrassed about, Sonia," Dimitri said reassuringly.
"Yeah, it's just so childish. I don't even know why I wanted this, but now that I have it, I don't know how to feel about it," she confessed.
"Have you ever been given a toy before?" Dimitri asked her, surprised that someone her age had never had anything like a toy.
"Honestly, when I was a girl, toys bored me. I preferred putting myself in books instead," the woman explained.
"Yet you look happy that you have that teddy bear," Dimitri said.
"I am. I don't know why I never cared before; I don't know," the woman said nervously.
"There's just so much about this world, the wonders, and there's so little time for them." Sonia looked at the sky, dreading the sun setting.
"Are you okay?" Dimitri asked.
"I have to go home; it's getting late," Sonia said, disappointed that it was over.
"I can walk you home," Dimitri offered.
"I appreciate that, Dimitri," said Sonia as they both left the village. He was nervous; he had not been alone with a woman like this for as long as he could remember. There was a first time for everything, he thought. Claude would laugh at him for being such an idiot. Edelgard would tease him, and so would Hinata and her boyfriend, Naruto.
"I know this is a stupid request, but could you hold my shoes for a bit?" asked Sonia. He thought it was a strange request, but he took her shoes as she took them off. What surprised him was the expression on her face when she was walking on the road.
"I know it's stupid, but the feel of the Earth on my feet is a feeling I can't describe. I like this feeling better than having my shoes on while I'm walking on the road, but I understand why," Sonia said as they continued to walk to the monastery.
"You hate wearing shoes, don't you?" asked Dimitri.
"Yes, I prefer to be barefoot. Something about the feel of the Earth on my feet—I can't describe it. I like to feel the living world around me. I feel like when I put on boots or shoes, I'm covering my feet with dead things," Sonia said. The more she told him about herself, the more intrigued he was by her. He couldn't help but find her beautiful.
He remembered his father when he described his mother, how she had a soft face with the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. Her hair was down to her back; though Sonia's hair wasn't as long as his mother's, he still couldn't help but be reminded of her in a way.
Then he saw a bird fly onto her index finger.
"Thank you. I appreciate the warning," Sonia said, which shocked Dimitri; she was talking to a bird as if she understood it.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I—" she looked away, afraid that he would consider her a freak.
"It's fine, Sonia. I just didn't expect to meet another person who understands animals. I only know one person who does, and she keeps to herself," Dimitri said, thinking about Marianne.
"You know another who can talk to animals?" asked the woman excitedly.
"She prefers to keep to herself, but I do know someone; she usually only is around a few people she feels comfortable being with," he said.
"I see. Everyone around me thinks I'm a freak, and you don't think that?" she looked at him hopefully.
"No, anyone who is able to communicate with animals like you has a pure heart," Dimitri said. They were getting close to the monastery, and then he noticed the woman's hesitation.
"We have to part ways from here, Dimitri; I can't be seen going back to the monastery from the front," she said as she reluctantly let go of his hand.," he said.
"Wait, when can we meet again?"Dimitri asked in a panic. Woman froze she didn't get far.
"I'm usually at the library's in Abyss; that's where I'll be if you want to meet me, but please come alone," the woman requested.
"Of course I will, Sonia," Dimitri said.
"Whenever you have a free day, meet me at the library there," she said as she turned her back and left. Dimitri was not only speechless but awestruck by what he had just experienced. He was glad that nobody knew about this encounter with Sonia; he would never hear the end of it from his classmates if they found out he spent his entire day with Sonia, one of the residents of Abyss.
Edelgard was pacing around the room. She had not heard from her lover in months. She was deathly worried. She did not know if Monica was alive or dead. Nobody has been able to find her. Those damn monsters. She wanted to hunt them down and kill them, but what good would that do when she couldn't even find Monica? Then there was that professor she had to deal with. He was so incompetent. She wanted to get rid of him. It'd be a lot easier to get what she desired done if she didn't have to deal with such a professor. There was a way she could get rid of him, though it could put people in danger in the process, including her friends.
There was a bandit she was going to hire. She was reluctant to do so because how dangerous it was. She had to get an excuse to get out of the monastery as a way to draw suspicion away from her.
She heard a knock. She didn't need to open the door to know it was Hubert. As he entered, he looked around to make sure no one was watching.
"You should get some sleep, Lady Edelgard. It would do you no good if you got sick," her retainer said, concerned about her health. She hadn't been sleeping well lately and had become more paranoid than ever, more uncertain than ever. A childhood friend who she sees as a little sister. She isn't sure of her loyalty. She wasn't sure if she could depend on her in the future. She was reluctant to reach out because of the fear of betrayal if she were to open herself up to her.
"Is there any news on Monica's whereabouts?" Edelgard asked, hoping for something.
"I'm afraid she may be a lost cause," Hubert said in a detached manner.
"You wouldn't be saying that if it was someone you care about," Edelgard said, but then realized how insensitive that comment "I don't blame you for being angry with me but I'm telling you how it is as your retainer it's my job to tell you what you need to hear. I want to see you succeed in the world that you want to build that can't happen if I don't tell you what needs to be done." Hubert said in a kinder tone knowing her distress.
"I've lost so much I don't want to lose her," Edelgard said on the verge of tears.
"She would not want you to throw away everything for her. She knew what she was getting herself into when she got involved," Hubert reminded her.
"I know that. That doesn't mean I get to shut my emotions off and pretend that I don't care," she said quieter.
"The thing we should focus on is what we can have control over. That professor that teaches our class, getting him removed would help us with our goals. We have a perfect opportunity to remove him. There's a mission that you will be required to go on in a few days, along with three of the transfers from Konoha. That would be the perfect opportunity to scare him off or kill him. Either one works," Hubert said. This caused Edelgard to tense. This would endanger Hinata and her boyfriend.
"You worry too much, Lady Edelgard. With Naruto present, your friend will not be harmed," Hubert said reassuringly, but it didn't reassure her at all. Trust was one thing that Hinata valued more than anything. If she destroyed that trust with her childhood friend, there would be no way to regain it. She was walking on a knife's edge.
"There's a huge risk with this move, but nothing that requires a huge change occurs without a risk. What are your orders, Lady Edelgard?" asked Hubert, eagerly awaiting her orders. If she gave the order, she knew there'd be no turning back. Something told her something big would happen once she made this choice. There'd be no going back from it.
"We will do things as we originally planned. Proceed," said Edelgard. Hubert left her alone. She laid down on her bed, looking at the ceiling, wondering if there would be a chance that she could walk the path without being forced to cut people down who are important to her. Hinata, Naruto, and Sasuke—they will alter the fate of many. Edelgard had no idea why, but she felt like especially with Naruto Uzumaki, the fate of two continents will be altered someday with a choice that he will make. She doesn't know if she feels comfortable with that.
She would fight against fate regardless of who would be in her way. She hopes it wouldn't be friends, but she can't let friendships get in the way of tearing down the system that holds Crest with high esteem or the nobility.
She goes to sleep, preparing herself for a fateful encounter.
Kostas heard a knock on his door. He was annoyed; his men had better have a good reason for disturbing his sleep. He opened the door and saw a figure. It was a person in red-clad armor with black, and a mask that looked like something straight out of an opera.
"You have been hired to do a job. Whatever your employer is paying you, I'll pay you double." The Flame Emperor said. He was cautious; he had been offered a lot of gold to kill some noble brats and foreign transfer students from a continent there's no interest in setting foot in.
"If you think I'm going to tell and run so I can defend a bunch of noble brats," Kostas said, not liking the Flame Emperor's attitude.
"You would make far more money by taking my offer. You can take both, but there are specific people I want dead." The Flame Emperor said with an icy voice.
"Who do you want dead?" he asked the red-clad figure in front of him.
"Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, Edelgard von Hresvelg, and Hinata Hyuga. They are the priority. I don't care about the others; they're the only ones I care about." The Flame Emperor said in a detached tone.
He didn't like this person's tone, but on the other hand, if it gave him even more gold, he would definitely accept.
"I'll gladly do it if it gives me extra gold in my pocket. I'll do whatever you ask, assuming you don't double-cross me." Kostas said with an implied threat.
"As long as you do your job, you'll get paid." The Flame Emperor said as they left. Easy money, he thought. He doesn't care with that idiot. Once he kills those brats, he will live like a king. He smiled at how easy it will be.