This is the final chapter of the second story arc of the Black Lion Chronicles. This version of the story is close to half of the length of the original, and when the second arc is over, it will be close to surpassing it because there will be a lot of new material. I won't spoil all the changes, but let's just say it's going to be for the better.Anyway, this will be the last chapter before things get really hectic for our characters. If you've read the original, you'll know what's going to happen: the final chapter before Destiny's Tipping Point Arc.

This particular part of the writer's note is exclusive to the version of the story. I like to address certain things that some readers may have issues with. I'm not being defensive over my story choices; it's just kind of bugging me.

I know there are those who point out that Naruto should have this and this skill, but unless I state otherwise, he doesn't. If Naruto was exactly how he was in canon, I wouldn't have a plot; the story would literally end before the pre-time skip. The power levels for these characters are not the same as they are in canon. Forget what you know about canon. Please be patient for any questions you may have. I'll answer them eventually. I should have said this earlier: if I have to say this again, I will. Unless stated otherwise, if I didn't reference anything, then it did not happen. It's as simple as that.

chapter 19 Calm before the storm

"Are you sure this is something I should be wearing?" Mercedes asked as she looked at herself in the mirror. The red dress, suggested to her by Dorothea, matched her height. Her hair was tied in a braid; she looked anything but ordinary. She looked like a noblewoman—she almost didn't recognize herself. What made her stand out even more were the earrings that Sasuke made for her. Nobody commented about them or the necklace that was out in the open. She wanted to look amazing on their date, but she didn't think they needed to go this far. Not even Hinata wore a fancy dress like the one she was wearing, and to top it all off, it exposed her cleavage. She felt exposed.

"It's not that bad, Mercedes. I think you look gorgeous," said Dorothea, proud of her handiwork. The girls were trying to help her look her best for the date, even though she felt it was not necessary. She could do this herself, but she did appreciate their efforts.

"It's not like me and Sasuke-kun are going to a ball. We're just going to the nearby village where the festival is usually held. Dimitri has told me about it; we're not doing anything special," Mercedes said.

"Trust me, he will be drooling; his mouth will drop to the ground once he sees you," said Dorothea as she finished.

"I don't know, Dorothea. I think Sasuke-san will find her beautiful no matter what she dresses in," said Hinata, supporting Mercedes and preferring to dress in simpler clothing.

"You're not wrong, Hinata-chan," said Ino, smiling at the handiwork that she helped Dorothea with.

"Aren't you and Claude going on your own date today?" asked Ingrid, who, unlike the girls, did not wear a dress; she wore blue pants, a casual shirt, and a green coat. Ingrid hated wearing dresses, while Dorothea, in contrast, wore a brown dress that went down to her knees. Dorothea and Ingrid were officially back together, and they didn't hide that they were in a relationship again—a real one, not friends with benefits.

"Oh yes, me and Claude-kun have plans to go to the festival ourselves. Though don't worry, Mercedes, we're not going to tell anyone if we see you and Sasuke," Ino said, promising to keep her relationship with him to herself, which she appreciated. She wore a purple dress that went down to her feet and exposed her shoulders. Unlike Mercedes, she didn't show cleavage.

"You know, you and Claude-san were the last thing I was expecting to see," said Hinata, surprised that Ino would take interest in Claude of all people.

"What can you say? Claude Kun is cute, he's handsome, and he's a lot of fun to hang out with once you get to know him," she said with full confidence. Unlike her infatuation with Sasuke, her interest in Claude wasn't superficial. She didn't know what triggered this interest in Claude. Mercedes didn't ask because she felt like it was nothing that she should really concern herself with; she should focus on her own date.

"Your two are going on a quadruple date with Naruto, Ingrid, Dorothea, and Hinata, correct?" Annette asked excitedly as she got fully dressed for her date with Felix. Annette, like Mercedes, wore a dress that exposed her shoulders and parts of her cleavage; though unlike Mercedes, Annette's dress went down to her knees. It wasn't as fancy looking and it was blue instead of red.

"Please don't spread this around, Ann. I kind of want to keep our relationship under wraps for now," Mercedes said, hoping that it didn't come off as her being embarrassed by Sasuke. It wasn't the case; she just didn't want the attention.

"You know, there's one thing that's really been on my mind: what is up with Byleth and Marianne? I mean, am I the only one that notices that those two spend a lot of time together?" asked Annette, who found it peculiar how much those two spent time alone. Mercedes wasn't going to judge the Black Eagles professor; it's obvious that those two have a history together dating back before they met in the monastery. As far as Mercedes was concerned, as long as he didn't do anything to hurt her, it wasn't any of her business.

"Whatever the professor does, Ann-chan, shouldn't be our concern. As long as he doesn't harm her, it shouldn't be a problem, though if he does, Hilda-san will take care of it," Hinata said, not really wanting to hear any more about her professor and his relationship with one of her friends. But there was another thing: Hilda wasn't here. Even though being around many members of her gender and commenting on their looks was something she loved doing, where was she exactly?

That was another thing Mercedes couldn't help but think about. Hilda spent a lot of time with the professor as well, though not as much as Marianne. It was still quite a bit; it was usually when Marianne was with him. Just what were they doing exactly? Now she pushed that thought aside again. Sasuke was what she should focus on now and their date. She smiled dreamily, thinking about what she would do on their date. She heard about the festival and always envisioned dancing with somebody other than Sasuke because she didn't think it would ever happen. But it was her chance, and she wanted to enjoy what time they had before the inevitable. No, she wouldn't think about that.

"You should tell us about your date tomorrow. You have a good time now," said Dorothea as she nervously left the room. So much attention she would get from the males in the monastery. No, the only one she cared about was her boyfriend; his attention was enough, not these shallow men who only looked at her as one thing. She pushed aside any dark thoughts, as she had done, and smiled. This would be a happy day no matter what the future brought.

Naruto was at the entrance with Claude, Sasuke, and Felix. Strangely enough, Shez was with them. Unlike Ingrid, Shez wore a skirt that went down to her knees; she had on a short-sleeve black shirt with a white undershirt underneath. She was definitely well-developed.

"You better keep your eyes where I can see them," Shez said dangerously.

"Oh, come on! I was just caught off guard, that's all. You don't normally dress like this," Naruto replied, which caused the girl to sigh.

"Wait, you're not on a date, are you?" asked Claude teasingly, making her turn even redder.

"Whatever, whether I'm on a date or not is none of your business! Besides, don't you have your own dates?" Shez said, leaving Claude unable to refute her, as it was true.

Sasuke was in his casual clothes, the same ones he usually wore back in Konoha. It was similar to what he wore when he first became a Shinobi, though it was a far more casual variant. Instead of dark blue like he wore before, it was a lighter blue with brown shorts and brown boots. He almost could pass for being a Konoha Ninja, minus his headband, which he had left at home.

Felix, by contrast, wore simple casual clothes: a white shirt with black pants that had no particular symbol on them. Naruto guessed it had to do with where he grew up. He would have to ask him if he ever got the chance.

Naruto was in his usual attire for a day off, though he made slight modifications to avoid embarrassing Hinata, Dorothea, and Ingrid. They had not agreed to the four-way relationship yet, which Naruto understood. They needed to figure themselves out and wanted to make their relationship work among themselves before committing to him and his girlfriend. This was okay with him and Hinata; they could still do things together and build their relationship slowly. He was grateful that what happened with Ingrid a few weeks ago did not ruin their relationship. They had not talked about it since because he felt it wasn't the right time.

The one thing that did bother him was Hinata; she was trying to hide it, but he could tell something was bothering her and there was a malevolence in her chakra—a bloodlust and a killing intent. He wanted to talk to her about it, but he did not know how to. Before he could indulge in his thoughts, his girlfriend arrived with Annette, Dorothea, and Ingrid. Where was Mercedes? Naruto thought, and then he saw a woman who was trying to hide behind Dorothea and Ino.

Naruto thought this was cute. Mercedes never acted this shy. When she reluctantly moved in front of them, he saw her trying not to faint in embarrassment.

"Careful, kit. Remember she's Sasuke's mate; keep your eyes down or she could see them," Kyubi joked.

Sasuke, as if his body was on autopilot, was locked towards her. It wasn't unnoticed by everyone how he was admiring her appearance. Naruto couldn't help but smirk; of course he would act the way he does. But then he was chastised by Kyubi.

"Those two smell like they have mated almost non-stop since they officially became mates. It's absolutely nauseating," Kyubi said, trying to be rude, but it was difficult because of the pheromones he was smelling.

"In fact, with the exception of Felix and Annette, every one of you hasn't been able to keep your hands off each other. Well, I hate to break it to you, kit, but you and Hinata have engaged the least of everyone here, other than those two I mentioned," Kyubi said, chuckling. Naruto wanted to give Hinata space after what she had learned about the man who raised her not being her father. He didn't want to force it. They still slept in the same bed; they still snuggled together. He still did everything else to be affectionate towards her in the privacy of their quarters, but that was the furthest they went. He didn't want to make love to her if she wasn't feeling it.

"I could smell it in her pheromones, kit; she desires greatly to mate with you tonight. I suggest you give her what she wants," Kyubi said as if he was reading his mind.

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked, feeling like an idiot. He didn't ask Hinata, he thought about it, and it made him feel stupid.

"You've given her space like you should, but she desires for you to mate with her and has for the past week. It's amazing how you can't smell what she desires for you. Yes, she's still feeling confused about who she is. You are her mate; you need to tend to her needs. Tonight, you should do that. You'll thank me later for taking my advice," Kyubi said as he vanished.

His girlfriend went to his side, wrapping her arms around his left arm. He would focus on making Hinata happy for now; that was what was important. That's what this day was about. Soon, they would likely go on a mission. He didn't know why, but he had a feeling, and he wanted to give her a fun time. In the corner of his eye, he saw a smile from Hinata—a warm smile. She was happy right now. Maybe he was imagining things. Then Ingrid and Dorothea came to their side for a double date. He was happy that this was what they were going to do. Even though they weren't in the four-way relationship right now, it was nice to simply enjoy each other's company.

"Going to the nearby village to go to a festival that's held every week sounds like a lot of fun. I wonder what to expect?" asked Dorothea, eager to do something different than hang out in the monastery.

"I don't know. As long as I'm with you, it doesn't matter," Ingrid said. Naruto felt happy for them, finally being back together and not caring as much about what others had to say. As much as he would like to be part of their relationship, it wasn't the time right now; they needed to sort their feelings out first.

"I wonder what kind of food they're going to have," Hinata said.

"They serve all kinds of food—at least that's what I was told by Dimitri," said Claude as the group started to walk towards their destination. The GateKeeper greeted them as they left. This was the first time they had left the monastery since the incident with Ingrid and that man who tried to kidnap her.

Naruto, looking around the area they were walking through, couldn't help but admire the beauty of the landscape. It was hard to believe there was peace here, unlike where he came from, where war could happen at any moment. He looked at the sky and saw Hitomi flying out there with her fellow Pegasus, as if she were the queen of them.

Hinata having such a Pegasus—what did it mean? He knew she had to be a princess; there was just no way she wasn't. Not because of the Pegasus, but because to him, she would always be, even if she wasn't. The group traveled for nearly an hour before they reached their destination.

Marianne was extremely nervous. Why did Hilda insist that she wear this dress and the makeup that she was putting on her? Her and Byleth were not doing anything special; they weren't going to the festival in the nearby village like her classmates were. She was just going to spend time with him outside in nature. She didn't think any of this was necessary. Her hair was not braided like it usually was; it was down to her back. She couldn't go against what Hilda was doing because she insisted that it would make her look more beautiful. Marianne didn't think she was beautiful, but Hilda continued to insist until she just gave in.

Marianne was wearing a modest dress that was light blue with tinges of white on the center and back of her dress. At least Hilda wouldn't talk her into wearing something more revealing. Goodness, she didn't want anyone to look at her except Byleth. Plus, she didn't feel comfortable; she could relate to Hinata that way, how she didn't like wearing revealing clothing.

Hilda, by contrast, wasn't afraid to show skin. She was going with them this time. Marianne asked if it would be okay, and Byleth couldn't say no. Marianne didn't want Hilda to think she was neglecting her, even though Hilda already took the initiative. It was pointless, she thought; maybe she shouldn't have said anything.

"It's going to be boring, you know. We're just going to go lay on the grass and look at the sky all day. Are you sure that's what you want to do today, Hilda?" Marianne asked. Even being in her quarters, she still felt small compared to Hilda, who she always felt was so much more than she was. Hilda wasn't afraid to express herself or to tell people off if they said anything to offend her. If only she could go by her example.

"We used to do it all the time as kids. Come on, Marianne! I can never be bored when I'm with you," Hilda said as she did the final adjustments to her makeup.

"Yes, it's just, you have so many friends. Wouldn't you rather spend time with them today than me?" Marianne asked, feeling bad that Hilda was spending her day with her, even though it was ridiculous.

"Nonsense! I could spend all the time in the world with you and I would never get bored. You're my best friend, Marianne. Plus, I want to know what your boyfriend is all about. I've kept my distance up until this point, but I feel like I'm not going to be able to know him if I don't at least interact with him, you know?" Hilda said, smiling despite her reservations about Byleth.

"I appreciate you doing this; it means a lot," Marianne said to Hilda.

"I would do anything for you, Marianne, and I do mean that sincerely," Hilda said as she finished. Hilda showed Marianne's reflection in the mirror; she almost did not recognize herself. She looked far different—it was as if she was looking at a different person. There wasn't too much makeup that Hilda put on her; her hair, how it was brushed, was nothing like she imagined. She made her hair look cleaner and softer than it already was. Hilda was a perfectionist when it came to appearances. Marianne only did what was required in order to be proper for what was expected of a noble lady, but Hilda went above and beyond.

"If only the men knew who you were seeing, they would want to kill him; you're absolutely beautiful," Hilda said, admiring her work.

"I would never give them the time of day; he's the only one I will ever give myself to," Marianne said.

"I don't blame you; I wouldn't want them near you either. You deserve better than a bunch of shallow men that only look what's on the surface," said Hilda. It was no secret Hilda didn't like most of the boys that eyed her. She had her own admirers, even if there weren't as many as Dorothea or Hinata or her friend Hilda. She was grateful that they didn't approach her, thanks to Hilda driving them away.

"If you weren't already taken, I would be the one taking you out," said Hilda, which caused Marianne to blush.

"I mean that; I'm not joking. You're absolutely beautiful, Marianne," said Hilda.

"You really think that?" Marianne asked.

"Of course I mean that; he's lucky, you know," Hilda said with a note of sadness, but it disappeared as soon as it appeared, as she smiled once again.

She placed her hand on her chest where her heart is; when it came to Hilda and Byleth, it was different. They were precious to her, the most precious. She didn't know if she could choose between them if she were forced to. No, she put that thought aside. Where did that come from?

"Let's have fun today, even if it's something as simple as looking at the sky. Go ahead; I'm going to make us our lunch for the day," said Hilda as she left Marianne alone. She looked at herself in the mirror, not recognizing who she was staring at, and then got up. Marianne knew Hilda was right. She should focus on just enjoying herself for the day, not worry about the future.

She headed to the stables, not paying attention to the words of the men her age who were complimenting her looks.

"Is that Marianne? Damn, she's cute," said one of the younger students, who was at least two years younger than she was.

"Whoever is dating her is a lucky bastard," said another, who was around one year younger than she was. Most of her compliments were coming from younger men; those who were her age had more indignant things to say. Unlike the younger students, who had more innocent thoughts about her, she paid them no mind. None of them mattered; only Byleth did.

When she was at the stables, she noticed Dote speaking to Sora. They were always good friends; their horses got along perfectly.

"Yes, we are doing our usual thing again," Marianne answered a question that Sora had.

"Yes, Hilda is coming this time," Marianne said to Dote.

"Yeah, me too," Marianne replied to Dote, missing doing the simple things with Hilda. She was one of the few people that Dote didn't show hostility to; he was always friendly toward her. It was amazing. This horse had been with her for a very long time, even during the most difficult times when her parents died and when she was forcibly separated from the man she loved for years. He was there for her. Other than Hilda, he was her oldest friend, whom she wouldn't trade for anything.

At least with Hilda and her horse, she didn't have to hide who Byleth was to her. They could simply just be a couple without judgment, without worry. It would be nice if she had what other couples took for granted: to be open and not have to hide. But she couldn't ruin his reputation for anything—not even for her own selfish desires. She didn't care about herself; it was him.

She soothed the horses they would be going at any time soon they would be leaving. Luckily, the gatekeeper didn't care what she and Byleth did. She was grateful for small favors.

Neji was going to keep his distance. Following Hinata to keep an eye on her was easier said than done; he had to be at the festival without being seen, and it didn't help matters that other students were there. He saw Petra, who was looking at everything with childlike wonder, and then he saw Bernadetta, one of Hinata's friends, who was uncomfortable around crowds. She reminded him of Hinata before she gained the confidence she currently has. This will be awkward. How would he keep an eye on Hinata and her companions without being seen?

Before he could do anything, Bernadetta noticed he was there.

"I didn't expect to see you here of all places," said Bernadetta, surprised to see Neji.

"I'm just enjoying my day off," Neji said, hoping she wouldn't ask questions; Bernadetta was not someone he could lie to.

"I was told by Petra that I should leave my room; it would be a waste to be inside on a day like this," Bernadetta said, looking away, not wanting people to look at her. She had a black dress that went down to her knees, and her hair was combed; it wasn't messy like it usually was. Neji couldn't help but find her cute; he didn't even realize that until this point, seeing her up close.

"You're Hinata's cousin, right?" Bernadetta asked.

"Yes," Neji answered.

"You're not like I imagined," said Bernadetta.

"What did you imagine me being?" Neji asked curiously.

"I don't know; I thought you'd be scary, but you're not," Bernadetta said, more confidently than earlier.

"I've heard much about you. I've seen you spar with your classmates. Your spirit is nothing like I've seen from my male counterparts back home; you are interesting, Neji," said Petra. Unlike Bernadetta, she wasn't afraid to show off more skin. She wore a dress that revealed skin on her sides and a peculiar skirt. It wasn't too revealing for her to walk around in; it showed off strength and beauty in her culture.

Though she was younger than the girl by at least two years, she gave off a presence that suggested she was someone of high standing in her society. Being from Brigid at a young age, all members of Brigid society were expected to hunt, even if they were part of the royal family. No one was exempt—a stark contrast to most royal families that Neji was familiar with.

"I've seen you spar with your peers, Petra-san. You are quite a formidable opponent, especially how you were able to deal with Kakashi in the mock battle. That's no small feat; you managed to do what most of your peers back in Konoha could never accomplish," Neji said complimentarily. He actually meant it; he respected the girl's skills.

"I appreciate your praise, Neji, but that would not have been possible without Sakura and Hilda. I could not have done it alone," Petra said. It didn't matter to Neji; he recognized skill when he saw it, and the girl was clearly skilled.

Then he looked at Bernadetta; he would have to give her the same praise; it would only be fair.

"I'm not that impressive compared to everyone else," said Bernadetta. Sensing her discomfort, Neji dispelled it immediately.

"Actually, what you managed to accomplish was quite impressive. Along with Marianne-san and Hinata-sama, you managed to achieve a feat that is most impressive. You single-handedly helped win the mock battle with my cousin. Do not let anything take that away from you, Bernadetta-san," said Neji, not wanting the girl to doubt herself.

It felt awkward now; she had to admit that everyone at least had a date, but he didn't have one, and he suspected Bernadetta didn't have one either.

"Petra-san, are we still doing what we planned?" asked Lee. He was speechless; out of all the people to ask this girl out, it was Lee? Their age gap had to be at least four years, not that it was any of Neji's business.

"Sorry, Lee, I forgot," she confessed.

"It's understandable. Come on, let's explore this place together. I've been eager to come here since I arrived," Lee said as he took her by the hand. Neji couldn't believe Lee was wearing clothing that did not stand out; it was casual instead of being a bright color. It was a gray shirt with dark blue pants and sandals. When it came to girls, Lee didn't hesitate to change his attire on dates.

Neji was wearing a simple white kimono. Despite where he was, he didn't want to forget his cultural roots—the roots of his clan. Even if he did have issues with the main branch, the branch house was where he was from, and he didn't want to forget that part of himself. As they left, he noticed Bernadetta was feeling alone. Despite his mission to keep Hinata safe, he didn't see any reason why he couldn't keep the girl company in the meantime.

"If it isn't too much trouble, Bernadetta-san, could you show me around?" Neji asked. The girl was surprised that he was even asking her such a question.

"I don't mind, but I don't really know this area any more than you do," Bernadetta said, feeling foolish.

Then he saw the activities. Then he looked at the girl. There was no way he could leave her alone—not with that pleading look on her face. Damn it all, Neji thought.

"Well, we'll have to figure it out then—together, if that's okay with you?" asked Neji nervously.

"I wouldn't mind. You're not scary, Neji. I just feel extremely nervous. I'm not the most exciting person to be around," Bernadetta said.

"It's okay. I think this is a nice change of pace. Oh wait, that contest about trying to win a doll—how about we start there?" Neji offered.

"Okay," Bernadetta said, as the two walked towards the area where the contest was being held. Neji did not notice Bernadetta holding his right hand.

This was nothing like Hinata imagined. She looked at the village as she was walking with her boyfriend alongside Ingrid and Dorothea. It was nothing that she imagined when Dimitri told her about it within the first week Dimitri and Edelgard stayed at the compound. The fact that they had these kinds of festivals almost weekly was a miracle; the culture here was so lively, with multiple different people from various parts of Fodlan intermingling. There were even games played for prizes, and people she saw who went to school with her were also here. It was a popular place to go on days off.

She saw Petra and Lee participating in one of the festival's most popular attractions. It was a game where those with the most precision, rather than strength, could win a prize if they managed to hit the bullseye. Hinata could do it with ease because of her Byakugan, but that would be cheating. It wouldn't be fair, and she wouldn't use it if she were to participate.

She also saw others she did not expect. Neji and Bernadetta were there; Neji was trying to win a prize, and his determination spoke volumes. Hinata had never seen Neji truly take interest in anyone. Everyone was wondering what Neji was doing there, and a crowd gathered. Neji was focusing his chakra on his palms to get the right amount of strength necessary to hit the required score to win the prize. It was almost not fair, considering his chakra control, but she wasn't going to say anything. Seeing her friend have a smile on her face was enough for Hinata not to care.

"I did not expect to see Bernie here," said Dorothea, looking at the scene in front of them as Neji slammed the hammer on the ground. There was a pause as he hit the right spot, and everyone cheered. They had never seen such precision before.

"Which one do you want, Bernadetta-san?" asked Neji as she looked at the prizes in front of her. There were multiple choices.

"I'd like that one," Bernadetta said, pointing to the lion plushie. The lion plushie was an aquamarine color; Hinata thought it was cute. Neji pointed to the prize that Bernadetta wanted, and the handler of the contest gave it to him. Neji handed it to Bernadetta.

When he gave her the prize, Bernadetta hugged it like it was the most precious possession. Then she turned red, realizing Neji saw her cuddling it.

"I forgot there were people watching me," she said, embarrassed.

"How about we go somewhere that's not as crowded?" Neji offered. Without saying anything more, Neji took her by the hand, and they left away from the crowd. Hinata saw a smile on Naruto's face.

"So cute! They would make a great couple," said Ino, who thought it was adorable how Neji was acting.

"Well, I didn't see that one coming," said Claude.

"I doubt they're seeing each other. What is Bernadetta doing here anyway?" asked Ingrid.

"I think Petra-san talked her into coming here," Hinata answered.

As they were watching Lee and Petra do awkward dances, he had a difficult time keeping up.

"Oh, poor Lee! I don't see Petra offering him more than one date," said Claude, knowing where it was heading.

"Yeah, I could see that," said Ino, agreeing with him. Hinata could see it as well; they weren't in sync with how they were dancing. In Petra's culture, how someone dances says a lot about their character without them speaking, and if their spirits are compatible, from what Hinata could see, they were not. She felt bad for Lee, but then again, he wouldn't take it personally; he wasn't that kind of person. It would likely stick to being training partners, which was probably what they would be best at anyway.

"Man, there's so much to do! I don't even know where to begin," Naruto confessed, looking at all the activities.

"It's a shame Dimitri isn't here, or Edie, but that said, they don't have dates. It probably would be boring for them," said Dorothea.

"Whatever Dimitri does, it's none of our business. The mysterious girl—I wouldn't be shocked if he met her here," said Felix.

"Where is she?" asked Shez, who was looking around for someone.

"You're supposed to meet your date here? That's weird," remarked Annette. It was unusual in the culture for people to meet each other at the festival when they were on a date rather than during the festival. Hinata supposed there was a bit of reason behind that.

"I'm sorry for being late; I had a difficult time finding a dress for my height." Hinata heard a voice behind her; she looked, and it was Lysithea. She had a long gray skirt that went down to her knees; not much skin was shown. It was modest—more than what she would expect out of her classmate.

"I was worried you wouldn't come, Lysithea," Shez said nervously. She was far more nervous than Hinata would expect from the mercenary; she was concerned about her appearance. Was she good enough for her date?

"I'm not going to deny having the ability to munch on free sweets. Hopefully, it's as good as I've heard," said the girl as she took Shez by the hand, who was completely caught off guard. They left the group as if they weren't there.

"Well, that's something," said Claude, not knowing what to think about his classmate taking Lysithea out on a date.

"There's so much to do; we're not going to be able to do anything if we just stand here," said Ingrid, who wanted to finally start doing the activities that they had talked about for the past few days.

"Is it true we're going to have to swap dancing partners?" asked Naruto.

"You don't have to, but that would kind of kill the point of the festival, would it not?" said Claude. During the festival, it would be better if the partners were of the same gender; everyone participated. Hinata had never danced with members of the same gender before. There was a first time for everything; it would be a waste, and she wouldn't be able to get her mind off what she's been thinking about for the past few weeks.

She felt so exposed. Mercedes saw multiple people looking at her; she regretted her choice of outfit. So much attention! She didn't know if she wanted to dance with anyone. She felt Sasuke's hand on her, sensing her discomfort. They went to a quieter area where there weren't as many people. They bid farewell to their friends as they proceeded to their own activities. She had no idea what they were going to do. There was a nearby lake, and she wondered what Sasuke had in mind.

As they continued to walk, she heard passing comments about her and Sasuke. They said nothing until they were out of earshot. They weren't completely away from the festival, but they had found a place where they could have some privacy.

"I figured someplace quieter would be better," Sasuke said as he started to take her by the hand and out of the side of their friends' dancing. She had never imagined she would be doing this ever, except a few times with her brother when they were alone, but never with a significant other. She never imagined she would be fortunate to have someone.

"You look absolutely amazing," Sasuke said as they danced slowly. He knew what she wanted without her saying it. This wasn't the first time she and Sasuke danced; they did this once five years ago at the Konoha New Year special, the week before she left. How she remembered those times—how tightly he held her hands! It was different now. She didn't have any partners near; Sasuke was the only one out, even Naruto and Hinata danced.

Back then, the feeling was different than it was now. She towered over Sasuke then, unlike now where it was only slightly. It would only be a matter of time before he would tower over her. It's difficult to believe she used to see him as a surrogate brother, unlike how she sees him now. No words had to be said as they moved like dancers in a play. They didn't need to say anything as Sasuke grabbed her by the hips with his right hand and held her right hand with his left.

They weren't doing anything that would be considered impressive by onlookers passing them by; she didn't care. She could do more advanced movements if she wished, due to her upbringing, but she didn't care about that. She couldn't help but think about what it would be like for them to dance on water. She knew it was possible because she'd seen Sasuke walk on water before in one of his training sessions, but she was unable to do it because of her lack of training. It was childish—a reason to want to learn how to control chakra—but that fantasy she would love to indulge in at least once.

"It's childish what I want, Sasuke-kun. Do you think you could train me how to…?" She couldn't finish; she turned away in embarrassment.

"All you need to do is ask," Sasuke replied, knowing what she was requesting of him. Her heart was beating; it was a pleasant feeling—the feeling of his touch on her skin and the way he looked at her as he leaned in to kiss her. She did not care if everyone in the whole world watched; they were both in their own world. The world could end right now, and it wouldn't matter to her.

"I feel like this is a dream," Sasuke said as he reluctantly pulled away.

"It's not a dream. The earrings on my ears, the necklace on my neck—it's real. This moment we have is real. I sometimes feel like I'm living in a dream right now. I'm happy—happy as I've ever been," Mercedes said with a warm smile. The only thing that would be perfect is if her brother was with her, family once again, but she pushed that thought aside. She wasn't going to let anything ruin this day; that's not what he would want. She knew he wouldn't.

"I put my heart and soul into making those. I wanted, in a small way, to show you that there's someone…" Sasuke hesitated; he wanted to say more. She could see that.

"I wanted to show you through my actions how important you are to me. When you left, you left a gaping hole in my heart. It was difficult to go on," Sasuke said as he looked at the sunset.

"I missed you too. I prayed for you every day," Mercedes replied.

"When I was tortured for those two months, you were the one thing that was on my mind. It took everything I had not to give up and let go the pain—the torment. It almost broke me," Sasuke confessed. She rubbed his chest despite him being clothed, as if massaging his scars. It was useless, yes, but she couldn't help it.

"Sasuke Kun, I..." She didn't know how she would respond; how could she?

"My thoughts, as he was torturing me, as I screamed in agony, it wasn't revenge that pushed me. It was not being able to see you again; it was not being able to complete the gift that I had been working on." Sasuke wanted to say more; she could see that in his eyes.

"Do you think we could go where nobody can hear us?" Sasuke asked.

She couldn't say no. They walked in silence away from the crowd, heading to the nearby lake that was close to the festival. She sat near the shore, close enough for her feet to touch the water, while Sasuke sat next to her. They both looked at the sunset. She wondered what he was going to say; her heart was beating.

"Before I met you, I didn't care about anything. The one thing I cared about the most, and the only thing I cared about, was seeing Itachi dead. There was no other reason for me to live. This worthless wretch failed to protect anyone in my clan. I..." Mercedes placed her hands on Sasuke's.

"I couldn't protect them—my mother, father, my neighbors. If I had been stronger, they would be alive. If I wasn't such a worthless and weak child, I..." She saw tears fall and wiped them with her right hand.

"You were only a child; it's not your fault," Mercedes said gently. Sasuke leaned on her.

"Even before the massacre, those damn fan girls only saw one thing about me: my looks and my talent. That's it. They didn't see anything else. None of them even attempted to be my friend, even though I never desired it; they didn't even try. Even before Naruto became my friend, at least he made an effort, even if it was in a way that most wouldn't see as friendly." Sasuke said, chuckling at the memory of all their sparring sessions.

"When I met you that day, things had changed. I started to care about other things, other than revenge. It was subtle at first; I didn't know or want to acknowledge it. In the Chunin exams, I wanted to win not because I cared about proving I was stronger than everyone, but because I wanted to see you smile. You were the one that genuinely cheered me on, not because you wanted to see me beat Naruto, but because you wanted to support me. You were the only genuine supporter during those exams." She remembered those times; she hated watching them. She only watched to support her friends.

"When I lost, at the time I was disappointed, until I saw your smile, and it all evaporated. Naruto, in contrast, felt more like the loser; nobody smiled for him—well, except you know." Sasuke said, referring to Hinata.

It was at that time Ino and Mercedes had pushed Hinata to speak to Naruto, to be friends with him. He did not get the acknowledgment he wanted, but he gained something much more: friendship with the girl that is now his girlfriend. It's all because of that encouragement that day.

"A lot has changed in that time; we're not the same people we were then," Mercedes thought out loud.

"You haven't changed. You're still as kind today as you were then," Sasuke said as he leaned towards her.

"Had it not been for you, I could have been something ugly. You've saved my soul, Sasuke Kun."Mercedes thought about the months she had spent with Itachi and how close she had come to becoming a sociopathic monster. Had Sasuke been one hour later, the worst could have happened.

"I could never see you becoming a murderer. That's not who you are."Sasuke said softly why everyone had insisted that she was pure when she was anything but innocent. She would kill to protect those she loves, whether it's her brother or the man she loves. It doesn't matter. She would burn the whole world for them. She was not pure. She was far from it.

"I have a deep darkness inside of me, Sasuke Kun. I've had it with me since I've been Young. I'm kind to others because I don't want to become the monster that people are terrified of."Mercedes said, thinking about all the dark thoughts she had had throughout her childhood and most of her adolescence.

"it doesn't compare to mine. I would burn the whole world for you, Mercie."Sasuke said as they leaned closer.

"I'll hurt you in the end. I may not survive when I face Itachi. Are you sure you still want to be with me? I will cause you pain. You've been through enough. I don't want to break your heart further than I already will."Sasuke said, hesitating. She didn't want to feel the pain, but she feared being alone more.

"The amount of pain that I've been through is nothing compared to the mistake it would be if I chose not to follow my heart's desire."Mercedes could take the pain she has dealt with her whole life. This happiness she was feeling, she would rather feel even a few ounces of happiness than none at all.

"I am a wretch. I'll cause you pain, yet you still want to be with me. I have done nothing to deserve you."Sasuke said as he kissed her the sunset it was beautiful so romantic she thought.

"I'll follow you to the end I will never leave you alone again I'll protect you I promise."Mercedes said as he looked at her those eyes she knows what he was saying to her without him saying it part of her has known for the very beginning of their reunion what is true feelings were she was too scared to acknowledge them because of the pain that may come.

Being with him alone like this at the sunset was enough for her. It would be painful; he may not survive his confrontation with his brother. It will end with his death, very likely. She would like to be by his side in those moments, but she doesn't want him to die. However, she cannot talk him out of it. Itachi had to die; the death of his family and clan had to be avenged. Justice had to be given to the fallen—a strong belief pushed by followers of the goddess. She believes this herself.

Her pain doesn't matter compared to Sasuke's. She had lost her home, her friends, and her brother, but at least Emile is alive; she knows this to be true. For Sasuke, it's worse. His brother is pure evil; he has destroyed the honor of Sasuke's clan and brought his culture to near extinction. He is the last of them, which causes her even more pain and sorrow. With the death of Sasuke will be the death of the clan—everything it was, its culture, its history—gone.

"It's a beautiful sunset, isn't it?" Sasuke asked as they looked at the sun. It was beautiful. She wanted to indulge, even for this moment. There could be a future with them, but that was not likely. Still, she could dream. She could tell him right now, but she felt scared; her resolve weakened, and she couldn't get the words out of her mouth.

"I'd like to indulge; even if it's not possible, there could be a future for you and me after the academy. Are you sure you still want to be with me, knowing what could happen?" Sasuke asked again. The look on his face gave her a chance to back off, but that would be more painful for her than if she continued their relationship. She had already fallen in love with him; she couldn't leave him now—not after everything she had seen, his scars, and hearing everything he's gone through. Abandoning him was something she could not do. She would rather face heartbreak than do that.

"Like I told you, I won't leave your side no matter how much pain it causes me. I won't abandon you." Mercedes closed her eyes and thought about the future. She imagined Sasuke by her side as her husband after the academy, with a large family. She envisioned twins as their firstborns—girls who would have his clan's signature hair with blood-tipped ends at the back. She imagined another child, a girl with all raven hair just like her father, who would be the middle child. Then, she envisioned two sons. They would be a big happy family, and Sasuke would be at peace, and so would she. Her brother would be there, as well as their uncle. She knew this would not happen, but she could dream. Oh, she could dream.

She felt his hands clasp tightly on hers, as if he was holding on to her and not wanting to let her go. They watched the sunset together and spent the rest of their time in silence; no more words needed to be said.

Ino looked at the couple that was watching the sunset together. She was happy for them; Sasuke and Mercedes deserved to have happiness together, especially Mercedes, who had hidden her sadness with a smile throughout her time in Konoha. She had never seen Mercedes smile except when it involved Sasuke. Claude noticed her watching them.

"I never asked this, but do you know Mercedes?" Claude asked. She wondered why he had never asked her that until this point. Ino and Claude were pretty casual in their relationship; it wasn't anything serious.

"She's not my friend in the same way Hinata-chan was back then, but I always liked her. She was so nice to everyone. Part of me was jealous back then because I couldn't compare to her," Ino confessed, thinking about how beautiful many of the boys her age thought she was. She had nothing against her; she wasn't bitter. It was hard not to be jealous.

"You seem to be good friends now, though," Claude said as they danced. The moves weren't anything erotic; she wanted to take it slow before they got to the more intimate movements that she was able to do with ease. If there was one thing she was good at, it was dancing.

"I've had more opportunities to spend time with her. It's one regret I do have from when she was in Konoha—the wish I would have done more to make her feel welcomed," said Ino as she thought about those years. When she considered it, she felt immature compared to Hinata, who was arguably the most mature girl in their group.

"I hear bits and pieces about Konoha from Naruto. I can't help but think—I don't think it's a culture I would want to live in," said Claude as he looked at Sasuke and then at Naruto and Hinata.

She had no idea how to respond to that. She had never thought about it before; to her, it was the natural way of life, as natural as breathing. But in the past almost five months, she had seen a different kind of life she could have had, had she been raised in an environment where she wasn't forced to be a child soldier at a young age. Nobody in her class had ever taken a life before the incident with Ingrid. She didn't like this train of thought, but Claude wasn't the kind of person who would simply accept an unsatisfying answer to a question he asked.

When she thought about it, she didn't know how to answer any questions he could have.

"Like I've told Naruto, Ino, you don't have to hate your village. It's your home; your family is in Konoha, and so are the friends that you grew up with. There's nothing wrong with caring about the people that you grew up with," Claude said, as if he were reading her mind.

"My team is like my family. Shikamaru and Choji are some of the closest friends I have, and I feel like I've been drifting apart from them ever since I came here," she confessed, not liking where this was going.

"There are times when friends do drift apart, but that doesn't mean it's the end. Sometimes friends need to be apart from each other for a while to learn about themselves before they reconnect once again. It's not the end of your friendship with them; you worry too much," said Claude reassuringly.

"You sound so confident when you say it, Claude-kun," she said with a smile. They moved faster, as if they had an audience. Claude, like they were communicating telepathically—like they practiced—moved briefly away along with herself, as if they were reaching a long distance before they reached out again and clasped their hands. She had no idea how they were doing this. Did Claude know what she had in mind? The crowd was cheering as they continued to perform one impressive movement after another. She spun around like a ballet dancer, and in a moment reminiscent of a ballet stage play, she leaned slightly downwards as Claude supported her neck with his right hand and held her left hand with the other.

And before she knew it, he kissed her in front of everyone. Cheers erupted throughout the entire village. She was left breathless; it was unreal, but she was experiencing it.

"Not what you expected?" Claude asked, knowing what she was thinking.

"No," she confessed.

She noticed Naruto and his double dates were among the crowd. They stopped dancing momentarily to give their applause.

"Damn! I didn't expect to have such an impressive show," said Claude, surprised that their dancing got so much attention. She was surprised as well.

"I didn't think you had it in you, Claude," said Naruto, smiling boyishly.

Sensing his discomfort, she took his hand and led him to an area around the village that had far fewer people. They said nothing for a few minutes before Claude spoke again.

"I did not expect anyone to pay attention to that performance," Claude said, looking at the sunset.

"Right when I think I've figured you out, you amaze me, Claude-kun. I feel like I know even less about you. Those movements—they're not anything I've seen from anywhere," Ino said admiringly. She couldn't tell what he was thinking; in the corner of Claude's eye, she saw a twinge of loneliness, but it faded as soon as it appeared. She had seen this many times in their interactions, although she hadn't noticed it before now.

"I have many secrets that I have yet to reveal. I like to make myself a mystery; I think it makes me more interesting than if everyone knew everything," Claude said with a fake smile. He couldn't fool her; she had seen this exact kind of smile from Naruto, who hid his pain with a smile. How much alike they were, she couldn't help but think.

"I don't think you want this fun to end so soon, do you?" Claude asked. She didn't want their day to end so soon, but she didn't think she would get any answers to any questions on her mind. She put aside what she thought for now because if Claude wanted to tell her, he would when he wanted to—not before.

"Sure! How about we change it up? I mean, I've heard there's a prize that's really hard to get. I wonder if you can win it for me," Ino said, referring to the challenge of winning the hairpin that comes from the first woman emperor of the empire. It has been a coveted prize for centuries, yet nobody has been able to win it. She wondered if she could be the one to win the prize. No, she doubted she would be able to.

"Now that's a challenge I'm down for," said Claude with eagerness. The contest as a whole was about precision and absolute accuracy. Those who were trying to get the prize were only offered one chance. If they hit the bullseye at the exact center, they would win it in an instant, but what made it impossible for most of those with skills in archery was how far away the bullseye was. Unless you had the eyes of a hawk, it would not be possible for most bowmen to aim their bows and hit the bullseye on their first try. Most would be able to get it within two or three tries, but you were only offered one. After that, there would be no other try.

Claude went to the attraction, much to everyone's surprise. He was offered the bow that was presented to him and an arrow. He aimed carefully; he did not know if he would be able to make it. Another thing about this contest was that you were only allowed to try it one time in your lifetime. If you failed, they would never let you try again. Claude was aiming his bow extremely carefully, knowing this would be his only chance. This was a chance of a lifetime; he did not want to waste it. He took his time, making sure to position his aim at the right angle. If he missed even slightly, it would be over.

He felt sweat on his knuckles. One slight mistake and he would not be able to attempt this again in his lifetime. He wasn't going to waste it. Everybody else would just point their bow and fire, but Claude wasn't that person. He was patient, training for many years from his mother and his father about patience and knowing when it was the right time to let go.

Spectators were watching with interest. They knew Claude was timing his aim carefully. He had to adjust his aim a little bit to the right. No, yeah, just to the left. Damn the bullseye! Even though it was bright red, it was still difficult for him to see. You would have to have an eagle's eye in order to see exactly where it was. If there was one thing he was grateful for, it was his mother teaching him to push out all distractions and focus on the goal in front of him. He did not pay attention to the whispers or people getting impatient to let go of the arrow. Just a little bit further, Claude thought. He aimed a bit further to the right and then adjusted it a little bit to the left, and then to the center. The time window was within a few nanoseconds; if he faltered, he would miss. He finally let go. It was as if time itself slowed. He watched as the arrow, as if in slow motion, was moving towards its target. He was nervous; he wasn't sure if the arrow was going to make it, if it would actually hit its mark.

There were many archers more experienced than Claude who missed, and they were very close. The last person that attempted to do it, Claude did, was one man that came close. He was a little bit off; had they aimed slightly a little further to the left, they would have made it. That was 20 years ago. Everyone was on the edge of their seats, wanting to know if Claude would be the one to claim the prize that has been coveted for centuries. And like all the others, Claude missed by only a centimeter. He was close; he was so close. Damn it, Claude thought disappointedly. He actually believed he was going to make it.

"Such a shame, young man. You were really close. If you aimed a little bit further, you would have gotten it. You were the closest to ever do it," the old man said in amazement.

"You were so close; such a shame," Naruto said, looking at the result.

"It's okay, Claude-kun. You tried; at least that's what counts," Ino said comfortingly. He looked at the hairpin; he was so close—damn it.

"There are other things we can do. Let's focus on that. I mean, I've heard there's some really good food they've imported from Konoha," said Claude, faking a smile to try to hide his disappointment.

"Oh, there are so many foods I can recommend. Let's go to the bench over there; you'll like what I recommend, trust me," said Ino as she took Claude by the arm and they both walked towards the bench near the center of the village.

Lysithea didn't know what to say about all of the people that she was surrounding herself with and all the sweets—so many to choose from. Her date was silent as she was surfing through all of the sweets on the benches, sweets that she'd only heard of. Then she saw a kind of cinnamon roll that she'd only read about it but she had never actually seen. It was a cinnamon roll that was deep fried. Then she saw Hinata, who was next to her, with a hungry look as she gazed at the sweet in front of her.

"It looks so tasty," said Hinata, her mouth drooling.

"You really think that? It's deep fried; how could it be tasty?" asked Lysithea, unable to believe that someone like Hinata could love sweets. Lysithea had always imagined Hinata being the kind of girl who had grown beyond childish things like sweets, but here she was, looking at it with childlike wonder. This made Lysithea feel embarrassed because she felt the same way.

"I'd like to, please," said Hinata politely as the woman handed her the sweets. Hinata offered Lysithea the second one, and she felt obligated to take it to be polite. She had no idea what to say; she had not interacted with Hinata before.

"I didn't expect to see you here, Lysithea-san," Hinata said as she took a bite out of the cinnamon roll. Lysithea thought Hinata would spit it out in disgust, the deep-fried cinnamon roll. But what shocked Lysithea was how much Hinata was enjoying the sweet. Then she realized where she was and felt embarrassed for eating the cinnamon roll in the manner that she was.

"Oh my," Hinata said, embarrassedly.

Lysithea took a bite out of her cinnamon roll. It was not like she imagined; the texture was crunchy, and it was not what she thought a deep-fried cinnamon roll would taste like. She expected it to be disgusting, but it wasn't; it was the exact opposite.

"I did not expect a deep-fried cinnamon roll to taste this good," Lysithea said in disbelief.

"Neither did I, and I love cinnamon rolls," Hinata said with her girlish smile. She wasn't with her boyfriend at the moment, and it felt strange being alone with the older girl while Shez was looking to get them something to eat.

"I didn't even expect someone like you to like sweets at all," Lysithea confessed. She didn't have a good impression of the Hyuga based on what her parents had told her; they said they were all self-important people who thought others were beneath them. But Hinata was nothing like them. Lysithea could clearly see that she was the most mature of her peers from her homeland. Yet, she still had, at times, a girlish demeanor which completely threw Lysithea off.

"I love cinnamon rolls! In fact, there aren't that many sweets I don't like," Hinata confessed.

"Cinnamon rolls are not my favorite sweets, but I do like the taste of them nevertheless," Lysithea said in agreement.

"What are your favorite sweets, Lysithea-san?" Hinata asked as she was waiting for her boyfriend.

"A chocolate cupcake. I don't get to have it often, unfortunately," Lysithea replied, aware of how people looked at her as an immature child. Perception was everything, after all.

"Why?" asked Hinata.

"Because liking sweets at my age is childish," Lysithea replied.

"People's perception of us is pretty shallow. I can relate, only too well," Hinata said, as if thinking about her own experiences.

"I can make a chocolate cupcake for you. It wouldn't be too much trouble," Hinata offered, turning away, blushing. Of all the things for her classmate to offer, she felt embarrassed about a cupcake.

"I've heard about your cooking. I didn't think you could cook sweets too," Lysithea said, surprised by what Hinata could do. She could ride a Pegasus; to Lysithea, she felt like she could do anything.

"Well, I'm not on the same level as Mercie-chan, but I can make a chocolate cupcake for you if you would like. It wouldn't be too much trouble," Hinata offered, giving her a chance for a free sweet.

"I can make them too, you know," Lysithea said nervously, not wanting to feel inadequate in front of this girl from another land.

"Oh, I don't doubt that at all! If we ever get the chance, I wouldn't mind us both making some together sometime. I could see it being a lot of fun," Hinata said, almost as if she had already decided they were doing it before Lysithea even had a chance to say yes or no. It'd be easy for her to have a sharp reply, but Hinata was going out of her way to be polite to her; she wasn't being patronizing. It was not what she expected.

Before she could give her answer, she heard her date speak.

" I managed to get something good for a reasonable price. It's enough for three people. What do you think?" She asked as she looked at the food. Lysithea was amazed. It did look tasty, even if a lot of it was not what you would typically eat.

"I'll leave you two alone. It was nice talking to you, Lysithea San. I hope we can do so again." Hinata said as Naruto took her by the arm.

When they were out of earshot, Shez could not help but make a comment.

"She's nothing like you imagine?" Asked Shez as they sat down at the nearby table.

She was given chopsticks is, one of those foreign foods from Ninji. Luckily, her parents instructed her to use them, and Shez was doing the same. They didn't say much so far on their date. It was so strange to call it, and it was even stranger how she didn't even ask for payment regarding teaching Shez Genjutsu. She didn't know what this feeling was, but she enjoyed it being in the older girl's company.

"No, my parents have never had a good experience with the Hyuga. They act like they're better than everyone else. They're self-important. They are some of the worst of the nobility. They would fit right at home with the empire, and they are everything I hate about the nobility." Lysithea said, thinking about her experience with the empire, and its Noble Lord putting his foot on her family's neck all because of a rebellion years ago. Her family's territory was annexed in all but name.

"I hate the empire I always have. It's one of the main reasons I didn't choose Edelgard, even if she may not be as bad as the others. I've seen too many examples of how they treat others for me to believe she would be any different." Said Shez.

"Did someone important to you die because of the empire?" asked Lysithea.

"The woman that raised me, my mother, came from the empire. She lost everything. Her entire family was destroyed due to the backstabbing nature of the nobility of the empire. She was forced to flee, and everyone in her family was." She didn't need to say anything anymore. Lysithea got the picture.

"I feel the same way about the empire. My parents have suffered so much all because they supported the Hrym revolt, and because of the fallout my family has suffered. As a result, our standing in the alliance has hurt as well." Lysithea couldn't remember anything because she was only two when it happened.

"My mother was the sole survivor of her family. She had to abandon her family name as a result. Mind, my mother was 21 when it happened." She replied. This caused her to look at her date in surprise. It couldn't be.

"Wait, your mother was 17 when she found you? How old were you?" Lysithea asked.

"I was 4 years old when it happened. Even though I was born in the Alliance, I spent the first 4 years in the Empire. She adopted me and my brother right after we were born. I don't remember much except stories," Shez said, which caused Lysithea to look in surprise.

"Your mother adopted you when she was 17?" Lysithea exclaimed. Shez's mother was the same age when she raised Shez as her own child, along with her twin brother. She had heard hints here and there that Shez once had a brother, but Lysithea never thought to ask because of how sensitive that topic was.

"My mother couldn't bear to see two children abandoned like garbage. It was raining really hard; me and my brother were newborn babies. My mother, against her own mother's wishes, took me and my brother in. She took full responsibility for us, feeding us, clothing us. She gave us the love that children needed. I don't even think about who my mother was, who gave birth to me, nor do I care. Nobody abandons their child like garbage if they truly loved them," Shez said bitterly.

"So, when the revolt happened, my mother, doing what she had always done, prioritized her children. There wasn't much time when the Empire kicked down on the Hrym estate. She barely got me and my brother out; it was a miracle we escaped with our lives. Everything that I had known up until that point in my life was destroyed. My mother took me and my brother and fled to the Alliance, so deep into its territory that nobody would recognize us. My mother changed her name and cut her hair short so nobody would recognize her. She went out of her way to remove anything that would link her to the Hrym house. There you have it; I was once part of House Hrym, though it was only briefly," Shez finished her tale.

"I only joined the Black Eagles because I needed a professor that could bring out my potential. Kakashi wasn't that person," Lysithea wanted to dispel any notion that she had joined the class for any other reason other than the professor; it had nothing to do with the house leader.

"I understand that. As unfortunate as that is, I understand," Shez said, looking away embarrassed despite the serious conversation they had earlier.

"Why are you blushing like a schoolgirl?" Lysithea asked out of curiosity. When it came to her, Shez was always nervous. It perplexed her; it wasn't like she didn't have boys that had a crush on her, even though she would never take an interest in someone like her.

"I'm not blushing like a schoolgirl," Shez said embarrassedly.

"Yes, you are. This is the longest we've ever been alone, yet you're nervous around me. Why?" Lysithea crossed her arms, long since finished with their dinner; she was waiting patiently for her date's answer.

"I'm too damn old to be acting like a schoolgirl, damn it! You're imagining things," Shez said, denying what she was implying.

"It'll be easier on both of us if you just be honest," Lysithea said.

"I don't know what to make of you. You're intriguing and..." Shez paused, not knowing how to finish.

"And what?" Lysithea asked, now getting impatient.

"Cute," Shez answered, which caused Lysithea to blush a deep shade of red. She had to cover her face; of all the things to be called, it was one thing to be called cute by a boy her age or even a boy a few years older, but by another girl—especially an older girl who looked anywhere from her early to mid-20s.

"Aren't you like 20-something?" Lysithea asked.

"I'm 17! What the hell gives you the impression I was in my twenties?" Shez asked in mild annoyance.

"That body of yours—there's no way you could be 17," Lysithea said in disbelief.

"I am 17! I get this crap all the goddamn time. Don't do that to me too, damn it!" she said, now being irritated.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to offend you," Lysithea said quickly, trying to salvage the situation.

She took a deep breath and then released it.

"I'm sorry; it's frustrating to me—my demeanor, the way I come off. I come off as older. It makes it difficult for me to connect with girls my own age," Shez said with a tinge of loneliness.

"I could relate. Everyone treats me like I'm a piece of glass, like I could shatter at any moment," Lysithea replied, thinking about the look she gets all the time from those of her peer group.

"I don't think you're fragile like glass; how you performed a few weeks ago says otherwise," Shez said, complimenting her skills.

"You're not just saying that to impress me, are you? You know I cannot stand people who patronize me," Lysithea said warningly.

"I would never praise you if I didn't think you deserved it. I don't like being patronized any more than you do; I would never do that," Shez said with a confidence she didn't really have, not of Lysithea but of herself.

They looked at everyone dancing. What would it be like to have someone dance with her? She's nothing more than a little girl compared to the other women in her peer group; even Annette looks more like a woman than she does.

She saw her date get up and offer her hand.

"I know you want to dance; I can see that in your eyes," Shez said as she offered Lysithea her hand. She thought about how it would be so bad just to forget about the ticking time bomb and just focus on the moment. That's what she thought as she felt Shez taking her hand; it felt so soft, softer than she expected from someone of her stature.

She didn't think she could dance to save her life, but at the moment, she didn't care. She just wanted to take her mind off the ticking time bomb that was her life, a secret she hadn't told anyone because she didn't want them to think of her as a piece of glass even more if they found out about her limited time on Earth and her likely dying young.

"They look cute together, don't they?" asked Dorothea as she saw Lysithea and Shez dancing. She couldn't help but think about what her and Ingrid's relationship was like when they first met, particularly when Ingrid danced with her for the first time. It was clumsy; she was nervous as well, and Dorothea instructed her every step of the way. It wasn't like Lee and Petra, who were in sync with each other. Lysithea and Shez clearly were in sync; they were just both nervous about embarrassing themselves.

"I don't think they compare to Naruto and Hinata," Ingrid said as they did their dancing routine, one they had practiced many times. It frustrated her that she wasn't in a dress; she loved Ingrid in a dress, but she respected her choice. It would be nice if, even once, they could dance together in dresses. She could imagine Ingrid looking like a princess—oh, she would be able to pull that off so well.

"You're being a little biased, aren't you?" Dorothea said, her smile always melting Ingrid's heart whenever they were alone.

"Well, nobody compares to them; they're the cutest couple here," Ingrid said, which caused them both to laugh.

"I think we're also cute. I don't know what you're talking about," Dorothea said, which caused her partner's cheeks to change to a slight shade of pink.

"I mean, I…" She wasn't able to get the words out.

"You're so cute, Ingrid. You don't even have to try." She leaned in to kiss the shorter woman, unaware of what those around them were saying.

They looked at Naruto and Hinata; they looked so peaceful and happy. Naruto was nervous—that was one thing Ingrid could tell. He was afraid of messing up.

Not wanting her partner to think she was ignoring her, Dorothea decided to focus on Ingrid for now. despite Naruto's nervousness—likely the most nervous out of anyone.

"Thank you, Hinata-chan. I'm just not experienced at this. We haven't done this since the fall festival five years ago—I was nervous even then," Naruto said. They did not know what they were talking about, but Dorothea could tell it was something different entirely from where they were at.

Not wanting her partner to think she was ignoring her, Dorothea decided to focus on Ingrid for now.

He remembered that day vividly when he thought about when he danced with Hinata for the first time. He had such a massive crush on her at the time that he didn't want to make a bad impression. He felt stupid in hindsight, considering Hinata had a crush on him as well at the time, despite being friends.

"The food around here is nothing like what I had back home," Naruto said as he and Hinata danced slowly. He had food he didn't even think was edible. He didn't know how they managed to cook it, but Naruto ate whatever he saw there. There was even ramen, though not the kind of ramen he would normally eat, but it tasted good. He didn't even know how they managed to get the ingredients for it. It mixed the local ingredients around Garreg Mach with the ingredients imported from Ninji and managed to create a kind of ramen that Naruto couldn't even imagine. It tasted good, but what caused Naruto to feel even better was being with the woman he loved. Without looking, he didn't need to know that Ingrid and Dorothea were dancing too, but they weren't ready yet for the four-way relationship.

His goal was to focus on making Hinata happy. After the revelations from a few weeks ago, she had not smiled; right now, this was the first time she had smiled in almost a month.

"I'm happy that you're with me right now," Hinata said as she looked him in the eye.

"I would do anything for you. You know I would even burn the world to the ground," Naruto said with love. He meant it; he would burn the world for her. That's how much she meant to him. Not that he wouldn't do it for Ingrid or Dorothea, but Hinata was someone truly special to Naruto, and the idea of a world without her was not something he wanted to indulge in because it was too terrible to imagine.

"I do mean that I would," Naruto said again.

"You deserve the world," Naruto said with a low whisper.

"I love you so much. I don't know what I would do without you," Naruto said as he kissed her. He didn't care what the world thought; they stopped their dancing as Hinata returned his kiss. It felt like an eternity before she pulled away.

"I don't know what I would do without you, Naruto-kun. For the past three weeks, my mind's been a mess. Everything that I thought I knew, I don't know anymore," Hinata said, referring to the revelation about Hiashi not being her father. It wasn't that she was upset that he wasn't, but it was something else. She hadn't talked to him about it, but he knew what she wanted: to have answers. Where did she come from? That was what was on her mind, and he didn't need to hear it from her lips because he could already picture her saying it.

"I'm here for you, and so is Ingrid-chan and Dorothea-chan. We're here for you; you don't have to hide anything from us," Naruto said as she buried her face in his chest.

"Can you hold me for a while?" Hinata asked.

"Of course I can," Naruto said. They didn't move; they just stood there. Nothing mattered. The world could end, and Naruto would still feel happy because at least he had what he always wanted—well, almost everything. But time would take its course on Ingrid and Dorothea; he wouldn't rush it. He could have sworn he saw a shooting star and made a wish for everything to be all right.

Tonight, he was going to tend to Hinata's physical and emotional needs. That was his focus for today.

Dimitri was lying on the grass with Sonia, looking at the sky. It was nothing exciting by most people's standards, but that's what she wanted to do; it was something so small. Looking at the sky alone with the girl he had seen frequently since they first met, the small things they did together stood out to Dimitri. Everything Sonia and he did, she treated with a wonder that most would consider childish. The girl was sheltered; he could clearly see that, but that's what made her the most intriguing to Dimitri. He didn't have to pretend to be something he wasn't; he didn't have to be the prince. He could just simply be himself and not have to worry about the eventual responsibilities he would have to take on in the future.

His thoughts about his twin sister wouldn't leave him—the girl that he never knew, or did he? There were so many questions he wanted to ask Rodrigue. Who was Hitomi? Knowing that his father was married to three women, and that his first was Hinata's mother, was something he couldn't shake off. There was one way he could confirm it, one way or another, but he was scared that it would shatter everything he believed.

"Is something on your mind, Dimitri?" Sonia asked, sensing his discomfort.

"Yes, there's a lot on my mind. I went to the Hall of Heroes and learned that my father and my friend's mother were once married," Dimitri said, forcing the words out. It was difficult for him to even think about what he had learned.

"I'm not surprised by this; I suspected as much," Sonia said, looking at Dimitri.

"You knew?" asked Dimitri, surprised.

"I can't say I knew. I've been researching this for over a month, and I've come to this conclusion based on the evidence that I gathered." Sonia said.

"I don't have any words," Dimitri said, not knowing how to respond.

"Is that what you were about to tell me the other day?" Dimitri asked.

"No," Sonia answered.

"Then what were you about to tell me?" Dimitri pressed.

"I can't. I don't have proof, and I don't want to mislead you. I misspoke; it was fortunate Hito-san interrupted me because I don't have definitive proof. Unless I do, it would not be advisable for me to tell you," Sonia said, not budging on the subject.

He wanted to ask her, but he felt it would be fruitless. Sonia didn't like talking about something unless she had definitive proof; he wouldn't be able to talk her out of it. He would let it go for now.

"I can understand why you would want to know. I know I've always wanted to know who my father was and did my mother and he love each other? If so, why did my father leave me?" asked Sonia, looking at the sky.

"My father, I was told, was on a long mission that would take years to complete, but he's still not home. My mother died after I was born, along with my brother disappearing. I don't know where they are, but I feel like they're here. I can't explain it, but I know it," Sonia said, looking in Dimitri's direction.

"Like you want to know who your sister is, I would like to know who my brother is. I understand what you're going through, Dimitri," Sonia said with reassurance.

"There's so many secrets my father took with him to his grave. I wish I would have asked him when I had the chance," Dimitri said, thinking about everything that he thought about Hitomi. Was she his mother? Every time he attempted to ask that question after the first time, he could never get the words out of his mouth.

"The mother that raised me—I know she loved me as a mother would love her son—but I cannot help but feel like she knew deep down I wasn't hers. Like the child that she truly wanted was the child that wasn't here. I cannot help but feel like a big secret has been kept from me, and it involves the mother who raised me until her untimely death. Even my father's wife, Patricia, she wasn't like my first mother; it's hard to describe." Dimitri thought about it. He really did want to know who his mother was. When he went to Konoha with Edelgard and Monica, along with his stepmother, it changed; it was as if he had met his mother for the first time and his sister.

"The woman that raised you until her untimely death—did she love you, Dimitri?" asked Sonia.

"Yes, she treated me like her own son. I did love her; she was my mother. But I can't help in the back of my mind and think, did she truly love me because she genuinely did love me or did she love me because she was obligated to, because I was…" he didn't get a chance to even finish. He couldn't, because he thought it was terrible for him to doubt his mother's love for him.

"Whether your mother that raised you until her untimely death was your mother by blood or not, it doesn't change the fact that she loved you and you loved her. Being related by blood does not undermine or change that fact," Sonia said with a wisdom he was surprised she possessed.

"The man that raised me, he's not my father, but I still think of him as my father. Even if I meet my true father someday, that will never change. Family isn't just dictated by blood. I wouldn't trade the man for anything, and you should feel the same," Sonia said, answering a question that was on Dimitri's mind. He didn't know how she managed to do it.

"You're right, I suppose. But the way Hitomi treated me, she went out of her way to make me feel welcomed despite being a stranger. She treated me like I was her own son. She asked me a lot of things, as if she wanted to know everything she could about me. She spent all the time she could as if to make up for lost time. I can't help but feel like there's a connection there," Dimitri said, thinking about the woman who had such a lonely look on her face. The longing she had when she looked in the direction of Dimitri's homeland caught his attention. He recalled a memory that he had forgotten until he thought about it; he didn't think there was anything to it at the time.

August 24th 1173

Hyuga clan compound

Dimitri couldn't sleep; it had been two months since he arrived at the compound. He did get a chance to leave often, but only because of security reasons—the guards not wanting the prince to be kidnapped and having a political nightmare to deal with. Konoha went out of its way to make sure Dimitri, Edelgard, and Monica were protected. He wanted to look at the sky; he had an urge to do it for some reason. The 10-year-old, who was currently wearing a white kimono, was about to go to the courtyard to look at the sky until he heard a crying woman.

"I'm sorry I can't be as strong as I promised my lion. I…" Dimitri had to hide; he didn't want the woman to know he was there, but he couldn't help but listen.

"I love you so much. It's been hell. This place is a prison. Our precious child, our little sunflower, so much pain. I don't know how to go on. I have to act like our time together never happened, everything…" It was hard to hear her voice because of her sobbing. The tears baffled Dimitri; this woman that he first met was filled with sadness and despair—the complete opposite of what he was exposed to.

"Our son, oh, our son! I haven't been there for him, and I still can't. I'm stuck here. I wish you would take me away from here. I wish you would take our little sunflower. I wish we could be a family like we were supposed to."

It wasn't right for Dimitri to watch this. His father told him never to spy on others, especially during weak and vulnerable moments. But he couldn't help it; this woman was so sad. He wanted to do something. He wanted to hug her and tell her it would be okay, but what could he do?

He had to go. If he stayed, he would be noticed. He went back to his room and closed his eyes. He would forget about this moment for years until it would resurface again.

The memory came back; then, Dimitri came up with a conclusion that made the most sense and buried the thought in the deep depths of his mind because there was no other explanation that made sense—but it was true. He knows who his mother is; he had always known in the deep depths of his heart. When he first met Hitomi and Hinata, somehow he had always known. It was obvious; it truly was obvious, and he had been blind—his mother, his sister, especially his sister, hiding in plain sight.

"Are you okay, Dimitri?" asked Sonia, who had a worried look on her face.

"I'm fine," Dimitri lied. Right now, he couldn't tell anyone about what he pieced together. He could be wrong, but if he wasn't wrong, Hinata was in grave danger. He and Sonia would spend the rest of their time looking at the stars. Despite enjoying the older woman's company, he couldn't help but think in the back of his mind about when he pieced together the truth about the mother and sister he never knew existed.

Byleth looked at the sky with his girlfriend and her childhood friend. It felt so strange having another person with him; he wasn't opposed to it. It felt nice not having to be a professor or a mercenary, where he could just simply be himself—not the Ashen Demon, just simply himself. Most people he had encountered thought he was a heartless killer who didn't think anything of the people that he had killed. The truth was, he didn't understand at the time. Before he met Marianne, he didn't think of anything when he killed someone; it was part of the job. Now it filled him with revulsion. He didn't like taking lives unless there was no other choice. Marianne had killed; she hated it, but she did it to protect herself. She shouldn't be exposed to the kind of life that he had experienced. Soon, she would go on a mission with the rest of her classmates and would be forced to kill again. He hated the idea. People like Marianne shouldn't kill.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" asked Hilda as she pointed to one of the stars in the northern sky.

"It is. I can look at this for all eternity and not get bored," said Byleth, which surprised the pink-haired woman.

"I didn't think you'd be the kind of person who enjoys simple activities like this. To me, I enjoy this because it gives me an excuse not to do anything," Hilda confessed.

"Being with the two of you is enough for me to enjoy just simply looking up at the sky, not having to think about anything. I wish this could last forever," Marianne said, looking at Hilda and then at Byleth.

"I remember when we did this together. It was close to the time we first started talking. I didn't know what to do; I had no idea what kind of things you enjoyed. We just looked at the sky and talked, even if it wasn't much about what we liked and didn't like. It was at that moment I realized I do genuinely enjoy looking at the night sky. When I look at it, I can dream of something different than the life I was living," Byleth replied, leaning towards his lover.

"I remember our first time doing the very thing we are doing now. It's a memory that is forever ingrained in my soul," Marianne said.

"I never had anyone tell me they loved me before, until you did. I associate that night with the emotion. The feelings I have, I think of you. I always had, and being away from you for three years was agony. I asked every day how you were because when I look at the night sky, I'm reminded of you." Byleth knew they had an audience; if Hilda wasn't with them, he would make love to her right then and there, like they had since their reunion, but there was a time and place, and it wasn't here.

"That's romantic. I feel jealous in a way." They both looked at Hilda, who had a sad look on her face.

"I mean, I wonder what it would be like if it were me in that position," Hilda admitted. The trio looked at each other.

"You'll find love, Hilda. I know you will," said Marianne as she clasped her hands together. With the depths of their emotions, he didn't need to hear what they were both thinking to know they were really close. It almost felt wrong watching because this was a private moment between them.

"What if I don't want to find love? What if I already found it?" Hilda asked rhetorically.

"Then I would support whoever you give your heart to," Marianne said as if the matter was settled.

"You're such a sweetheart, Marianne. You deserve the world," Hilda said with a sad smile.

"It's best you allow them to deal with this themselves," he heard Sothis advise.

"I wouldn't object to including Hilda if it would make Marianne happy," Byleth said without hesitation. Marianne's happiness was what was important.

"That's kind of you, but what about her feelings? A three-way relationship would never work unless the three of you loved each other. Naruto and Hinata have a chance for a four-way relationship because their potential partners love them. I'll be very careful about this train of thought," Sothis advised, like a grandmother advising her grandson.

"I understand. I just don't want…" He had no idea what else to say because she had a point.

"Hey, there's no need for you to be having that look. Come on, professor," said Hilda as she took Byleth by the hand, along with Marianne. He was wondering what they were doing.

"Where are you taking us?" asked Marianne nervously as they moved into the woods. It was strange how someone shorter than both of them was so strong. It would be 20 minutes before they stopped moving, and then he saw the lake near the nearby village where the festival was being held.

From a distance, he could see his students happily dancing together. Hinata smiled happily as Naruto held her waist from behind. They were dancing like this for hours; from what he could tell, Hinata had a peaceful look. Then he saw his other students as well. One thing he could see was Mercedes, who was in a red dress, walking with Sasuke. Their hands were clasped tightly against each other, and he could see it in their eyes.

"Love in the pure sense. I wish I could have what Mercedes has now," said Hilda, looking at the couple. Then he realized what they were about to do and decided against watching them. No, something so intimate shouldn't be watched by others.

"We shouldn't watch this moment with them, Hilda," said Marianne in agreement. They walked back into the woods, where there was mostly silence.

"I'm sure you'll find the right person for you, Hilda," Byleth said with confidence he didn't know if he felt.

"I wish I could believe you, professor, but at least you and Marianne found each other. Where does that leave me?" Hilda asked, looking at both of them.

He had no idea how to respond.

"You'll always be precious to me, Hilda, always," Marianne said softly. Part of them was considering leaving the two alone, but sleeping alone with those nightmares was something he didn't want to do; he couldn't do.

"It's such a shame we have to go back," said Marianne, knowing what time it was.

"We could continue this in my quarters," he blurted out, not realizing they were both giving him that look.

"Is that really appropriate for us to be in your quarters?" Hilda teased.

"That is if Mari doesn't mind," he said, looking at his lover.

"I wouldn't mind that," Marianne said. The trio, together, headed back. He didn't know what he was getting himself into, having two of his students—one of them his lover—in the same room, but part of him didn't care. They didn't understand his relationship with Marianne, and he wasn't going to let anyone tell them what they were doing was wrong when they didn't understand their story.

Everyone was heading back. Hinata didn't want this night to end so soon, but here it was too soon for her. She wanted to stay out for a little bit longer, just a bit longer. She looked in Sasuke and Mercedes's direction. They were still dancing even if it was on the water. How beautiful she thought they were in their own world as if nothing else mattered but them.

"We don't have to go back to our dorm, Hinata Chan. We could stay the night in the village inn." Naruto suggested as a way for them to stay out longer.

"No, I would rather have our time alone in the privacy of our quarters," Hinata said. Naruto lifted her up bridal style. She leaned close to him. She wished she could be in this fantasy of everything being all right forever, that nothing had changed. She would like to indulge in that even if it wasn't true, even if it was against reality.

It would be almost an hour before they got back. Naruto opened the door to their quarters and gently placed Hinata on their bed. Naruto locked the door and pressed his lips to hers. She felt him remove her dress and toss it to the floor. Naruto wasted no time as he sucked on her chest. He was aggressive, as if he was repressing feelings that he had had for weeks. He wanted her as much as she wanted him.

"I'm going to make you forget whatever's bothering you for tonight just pay attention to me and only me, my Hime." she couldn't reply as Naruto aggressively sucked her breast and rubbed them at the same time. She didn't know how he managed to do it. It felt amazing every time Naruto did it. Even though they had done it many times since their first time, it felt new somehow every time.

"Oh God, Nar-" she was not able to finish as liquids came out. Oh God, it felt amazing. She screamed his name loud enough for everyone here had it not been for the sound of seal jitsu.

"Oh yes, I love when you do that. What else do you want me to do, my love?"Naruto asked warmly. It was between love and lust. She wanted him to do all sorts of things to her, but she didn't want him to stop.

"Your silence tells me another story. You want me to do what I usually do, don't you? Oh, you naughty girl."Naruto said with his seductive grin.

Created multiple Shadow clones for and all. Oh, did she always love this. Getting gangbanged by Naruto's own shadow clones was hot to her, but today, she wanted to do something slightly different.

"Actually, I have something different in mind," Hinata said as she did a hand sign and did a reverse harem jitsu. Turning Hinata from her feminine form to her masculine form, he was taller than Naruto. He was around the same height as Dimitri. His muscles were lean like his peers, and Naruto knew exactly what Hinata had in mind.

"Hotaru kun you want to do what I think you want to do today?"Naruto asked him nervously.

"Absolutely, we had never had our genders reversed before when we fucked. We've messed around in this form multiple times but never in the opposite form. I want to change things up, my love."Hotaru said with his masculine voice it was deep deeper than most men that he had ever been around, even though it was difficult to hide that he was still Hinata deep down.

The shadow clones disappeared, and Naruto did his own harem jutsu, which turned him into his feminine form, Naruko, and every way they both replicated every aspect of the male and female anomaly, it would be perfect.

"How badly do you want to be fucked like a dog Naruko Chan?" asked Hotaru in his seductive whisper as he kissed Naruko on the neck.

"Fuck." he heard his lover moan.

"You love it when I do that, don't you, my little fox?" he asked seductively as he went lower and sucked her chest. He was really aggressive, even more aggressive than Naruto was towards him earlier when he was in his feminine form.

"Oh fuck, I forgot how, oh God." Naruko moaned she was more sensitive than even he was when Hinata got her breast sucked. Her liquids came out, which caused him to suck them greedily.

"How badly do you want my cock inside of you, my little fox?" Hotaru asked Naruko in a seductive whisper as he licked her ear when Hinata wasn't in her masculine form. Hotaru felt far more confident than he was when he was in the form he was born with.

"Stop teasing me, dammit," Naruko said as he went down to her vagina. Oh, there are many different things he would like to do to her. This was the first time their genders were reversed, and he was looking forward to experiencing what it was like.

He thought about doing many different positions, but he decided to do their favorite position, cowgirl, this time, with Naruko being the one on top.

He let her position herself and went slowly. He heard her moan. This wasn't the first time they did this, but this was the first time he did it as Hotaru and not as Hinata.

"Oh fuck." she moaned as she started to move her hips. It amazed him how his lover managed to replicate every aspect of the woman's body. They could both pass as the opposite genders of the ones they were born with. It was an experience that was insightful on what it was like to engage in lovemaking as a man rather than a woman.

He felt his lover bounce on him. They're both mashing their bodies against each other. It wasn't like it usually was when their positions were reversed. This was raw emotion, both love and lust.

"Oh my God fuck." Naruko moaned as Hotaru thrust inside of her. One thing that they did not know, and neither one of them wanted to take a chance, was whether it was possible for pregnancy to occur. That was something neither one of them wanted to find out, at least not right now, but oh God, it feel good. He would have to remind his lover about using the seal on herself in the future.

"Oh God fuck, it's so big." Naruko moaned as she pressed her lips on his. They had been like wild animals for over 3 weeks since they last were intimate. He was insecure. He wondered if Ingrid was a better lover than Hotaru. He thought that was ridiculous, but he couldn't help but think it, considering his lover did sleep with one of their friends, but what he felt was the opposite: her love for him did not go away.

"Oh God, Hotaru Kun, I love you., she said to him as she saw tears fall. They were both about to reach their limit. Not wanting to take a chance, he pulled out and came. He screamed, and they both collapsed.

Naruko was wondering why the harem jutsu wasn't being undone. usually, it happens when they cum. It was unusual.

He looked at Naruko in embarrassment, knowing this awkward situation they were both in.

"Looks like our harem jitsu worked in a way that none of us anticipated," Hotaru said, bearing his face in her chest and embarrassment.

"I can't believe it. I'm not going to be able to face any of my friends. It's so embarrassing." Said Hotaru looking away embarrassed. Not only was he taller than his lover, but even in his male form, there was nothing that would be able to fit.

"Well, maybe we just have to go for a few more rounds. That's what happened last time, remember?" Naruko said, thinking about the memory of that one time when Hinata used her jitsu to replicate a cock and how it took hours for it to dissipate.

"How much damn chakra did we use this time?" he asked embarrassingly out of all the things to use their chakra for sex was probably the stupidest and lamest reason.

"I don't know, we'll have to find out. I don't think we could show up in class tomorrow, especially when you can't even fit in any of the clothes that I have. You're pretty damn tall in your male form." she said as she touched his chest.

"It's so embarrassing. I'm not going to be able to face anyone. What if I'm like this forever?" Hotaru said, feeling utterly embarrassed that they were both making such amateur mistakes.

"I would love you regardless of what form you're in, whether you're Hinata Chan or Hotaru Kun. I Will always Love you." Naruko said as she kissed him on the collar.

"I don't know what I would do without you, Naruko Chan. I love you, I always have." Hotaru said as he was about to kiss her again, the jitsu was undone.

Hotaru was Hinata again. She was relieved, but then Naruko still was in her form. She wondered if the fox spirit inside of her had something to do with it. Damn pervert, she thought.

"Don't blame me, Kit. I told you to be careful about using chakra for things like sexual pleasure. Unfortunately, there's nothing that can be done. The Jitsu will be in effect for the next 5 days. I don't think you should be complaining. It's not like lesbian sex isn't as pleasurable as." He was cut off by Naruko.

"Well looks like I might have to borrow your clothes for a few days, Hinata Chan," Naruko said, embarrassed even if her girlfriend's clothes would barely fit her because of her height because she's shorter than Hinata in her feminine form.

"It's not a problem; even if it was permanent, I would still love you," Hinata said as she kissed her on the lips. She did not know what she did to deserve this woman she wasn't worthy of her or Ingrid or Dorothea they were precious to her she would do anything for them.

"I'm sorry I haven't been able to do anything for you ever since you found out about it." Naruko was gently cut off.

"I don't want to hear about him," Hinata said darkly but then realized where they were and then turned away.

"I'm sorry, it's all overwhelming to me. I don't know who I am anymore."Hinata said as she looked away from her.

"I know what you are to me you're the woman I love you're the one that was there for me when I didn't know there was somebody I don't know what I would do if you weren't here. I don't care who your father is because he doesn't defy who you are you are the woman you are because of what's in your heart not what your blood is." Naruko leaned on Hinata's forehead. She wanted her to know she would give her the world, and she meant it.

"Thank you whether you're Naruto Kun or Naruko Chan I love you no matter what form you're in," Hinata said as she kissed Naruko.

They moved positions until Naruko was on top. Tonight was the first time for everything. She wondered what it was like to do love making between two women without using a jitsu that makes a rod appear. She was going to make Hinata feel like she went to heaven. No other words were said for the rest of the night as they made love in multiple positions they didn't care if they were tired the next morning, and despite everything they'd done, her harem jutsu was still not undone she worry about it later right now her girlfriend was important.

Bernadetta was being escorted back to her quarters by Neji. He wasn't as scary as she imagined; Hinata's cousin had a softer demeanor than what was on the surface. She knew he was mainly at the festival to keep an eye on Hinata, but why? That was what she wanted to know. She should not have been alone with a boy for this long, not since that commoner boy she befriended years ago, the one her father had beaten to within an inch of his life. He was the last friend she had who was of the opposite gender. But here was another—a boy unlike the others—who, though she felt intimidated by, also made her feel safe and reassured, as if he was her protector, even though that was ridiculous.

"I know I may not have been the ideal date, Bernadetta-san. I hope that I at least managed to help you enjoy yourself," Neji said nervously. Why was he even nervous? There was nothing about her that made her scary; perhaps it was something else.

"I did enjoy myself. I didn't want to go out originally; I don't really like being around a lot of people," Bernadetta confessed.

"I'm glad! To be honest, I'm not very good at talking with girls," Neji confessed, which shocked her.

"I don't understand, Neji. Your teammate Tenten— you don't seem to have issues talking to her, nor to me. Why are you not good at talking to girls? I don't get it," Bernadetta said, hoping she didn't offend him.

"It's purely because girls are intimidated by me because of my demeanor. Even though I've gotten better over the years, what I've done years prior has not left me completely in terms of my reputation," Neji answered.

"I'm not intimidated by you," Bernadetta said, still not getting it.

"It's because you're braver than you give yourself credit for, Bernadetta San. You're a lot like my cousin was 5 years ago. You remind me of her in a way," Neji said, much to Bernadetta's shock. She couldn't be anything like Hinata; she was confident, even if she didn't start off that way when they met. She wasn't anything like her, and she felt so inadequate by comparison.

"I'm nothing like her! I'm scared. I would rather be in my room. I wish I could be like Hinata; she's so brave. I don't compare to her," Bernadetta said quietly.

"You don't have to. You're your own person. It was unfair of me to say that you remind me of her in a way, but there are differences too—differences that I don't think most would appreciate," Neji said, much to her surprise.

"What do you mean?" Bernadetta asked.

"For one, you're extremely great at stealth, and you're fast. It's difficult for me to keep up with you. You're much stronger than you look, Bernadetta San. You need to have more confidence in yourself," Neji said as he got closer to her quarters.

She felt nervous—really nervous. Why was she feeling so nervous around another boy? He was older than her by at least 2 years, yet she couldn't help but feel comfortable around him, as if he would be a guardian angel and would protect her and those like her without a second thought.

"I don't deserve your compliments, Neji, but thank you," she replied.

"With the upcoming mission, I will not likely be able to protect her. Can you do that for me, Bernadetta San? Could you protect her for me?" Neji requested. She had no idea what to say. Him trusting her to protect Hinata, her friend—she didn't know what to say. She didn't feel worthy of such trust.

"I don't know if I feel worthy of such trust. I mean, I know she's like a sister to you, but I don't think I should be trusted with something so important," she said nervously. She couldn't tell what he was thinking; she couldn't see a special expression before he turned around to face her.

"I do so because I must. You are her friend; there is nobody else I can ask. I would ask this of Marianne and Byleth, but I can't approach them, so I have to approach you. Can you do this for me? I trust you with this," Neji asked seriously. He was entrusting her to protect, essentially, a princess. This was too much, but then again, like the professor, someone believes in her. She cannot show any sign of being weak.

"I promise I'll do what I can to protect her, Neji," Bernadetta promised. She felt Neji's grip loosen as he was about to head to his quarters, but he paused to say one last thing.

"Thank you. Knowing she has friends like you and Ingrid to protect her makes me feel at ease. I have someone else I have to protect," Neji said as he left her alone. She didn't notice the redness on her cheeks. Neji—she wondered if she would get a chance to spend time with him again. Part of her hoped so. For the first time, she felt safe around another man; she felt her heart beating. She didn't know what this was—probably nothing. This would fade fast; it was a childish crush that would fade with time.

She went to her bed, lay down, and closed her eyes, and, for now, had a dreamless sleep.

She couldn't believe they were still doing it—dancing on the water. They couldn't do much because she wasn't fully trained how to walk on water, but it felt amazing. It was past midnight; they had been dancing for hours, not paying attention to what anyone thought or what anyone said. It was like one of those stories she read as a girl, but she was living this story. She didn't want to wake up if it turned out to not be real.

"It's been an amazing night tonight. I don't want it to end," Mercedes said. Sasuke looked at her with the same look that she had grown to know over the years that they had known each other.

"It has been an amazing night; it feels like a dream," Sasuke said. Neither one of them wanted to go back to shore, but it had to be done. They were far away from people—nobody could see them. There was something else she wanted.

"If the world was going to end, who would you want to be with?" She remembered being asked by Hinata when they talked about the culture. One thing that everyone did in Konoha was put the name of someone they wanted to spend their last day with. If it was the last day on this planet, who would she want to be with? She wasn't able to answer that because she had no one, but now she did have that someone.

They walked back to the monastery in silence, holding hands, not saying anything. As they walked to their quarters, they saw the gatekeeper who greeted them. She didn't know or care if the staff had caught them; tonight was the most romantic night she'd ever experienced. A childhood dream that she had always had—Sasuke had made it come true.

When they were finally in their quarters, she couldn't help but think this was where she and Sasuke slept. She only went to her own quarters on nights when they couldn't be together; it was difficult to imagine not being with him now.

They both got out of their clothes and got into their nightgowns and laid down on his bed. They were covered with Sasuke's blanket; she was leaning on his chest. Nothing needed to be said because there wasn't anything. There was a silence until Sasuke spoke.

"My mother would have liked you, and I think my father would too, given enough time," Sasuke said, thinking about his parents whom he rarely talked about.

"I wish I would have had a chance to meet them, especially your mother. She sounds like a good person. My mother told me a lot about her after I came back from Konoha," Mercedes said, thinking about the conversation they had about Sasuke's mother, Mikoto. They were friends; they weren't close like Hitomi, but they were friends. A lot of what she knew about the Uchiha clan came from her—another thing that Itachi took from Mercedes.

"I'll be facing him, and the future... I don't know if I'll survive. I will cause you pain, Mercie. I don't want you to be in pain; I don't want that for you," Sasuke said as he leaned on her.

"I won't leave your side. It would be more painful if I were to not be with you. My pain is nothing compared to yours. I cannot bear the thought of just forgetting about you. I would rather die than leave your side. I've already failed my brother; I can't bear to fail you as well," Mercedes said, thinking about what had happened. Even if he doesn't blame her, she feels responsible in some way. Those scars—it was her fault. The pain and loneliness he had felt? She couldn't do that to him again.

"Don't talk about death like that," Sasuke said, catching her off guard.

"I've already lost so much; I can't lose you too, Mercie. You are everything to me. I would burn the world for you; that's how much you mean to me," Sasuke said as he made her face him.

"I don't want to lose you. I would follow you even in death, so you don't ever have to be lonely," Mercedes said without flinching.

"You have people that love you. I don't have that. You have people to come back to; I don't," Sasuke said, looking away.

"Don't talk about death in that way. I don't want to lose you," Mercedes said.

"I recognize reality. I'm part of a dead clan; I'm the last of them. My priority is avenging them; everything else doesn't matter—not my happiness, nothing. You make me feel human, and that's what scares me, Mercie. If I lose you, I will lose whatever humanity I have left," Sasuke said. She didn't want to hear it.

"You have friends that care about you, Sasuke-kun," Mercedes said, referring to their classmates in the Blue Lions.

"I don't want to drag them down. My path of revenge has only one outcome: death. I don't want to drag them with me," Sasuke said adamantly.

"You won't push me away; I won't leave you," Mercedes said stubbornly.

"I can't talk you out of it, can I?" Sasuke asked as he played with her hair.

"No, you cannot. I don't want to lose you, but if you're going to die, I will at least be there with you in the end. I don't want you to be alone and forgotten; I couldn't live with myself," Mercedes said as she leaned on him.

"Thank you for supporting me. I shouldn't— it would be the right thing to do to get away from you because I would only hurt you, but it would hurt me even more being away from you. Being so close, I don't think I can ever ask you to leave me, no matter how much I would like you not to be in pain," Sasuke said as he kissed her. She felt everything that he was feeling: love, pain, loneliness— all these emotions. She wanted nothing more than to wipe away all the sorrow that he had been through so he would never feel that pain again.

"Those earrings? I made them so you would never forget me," Sasuke said as he felt and kissed her neck.

"I can never forget you," Mercedes said softly. They moved positions; she was on top. They both knew they would be tired the next day and likely would get reprimanded for staying out late, but at that moment, she did not care.

"I will make this night a night to remember, my angel," Sasuke said as she felt her robe fall off to the ground. She was going to live in the moment; she wouldn't think about the future—the future of pain and suffering, the suffering that would inevitably happen because of the clash of fate between her lover and Itachi.

Shez was escorting Lysithea back to her quarters. Being alone with this girl for so long made it difficult for her to even form any words. She found her intriguing, yes, but there were other things as well; she really liked her. Lysithea was hard-working, and she was mature for her age, even if she showed some signs of childishness from time to time. But Shez couldn't blame her; after all, from her experience, she could relate to being judged as a child and having people not believe her talents were real, as if she had somehow inherited them or was born with them. That was nonsense.

The two said nothing as they got closer to Lysithea's quarters.

"I had a really fun time today. I was able to be myself. Thank you, Shez. I…" The white-haired girl turned away, hiding the pink on her cheeks.

"I did as well. I wish you were in my class; it would have been a lot easier…" She had no idea what to say next. It was ridiculous; it had been a long time since she had a crush on any girl. Due to past experiences, she was reluctant to develop one because of how that experience had ended.

"I wouldn't mind doing that again, but just the two of us," Lysithea said, not realizing they were still holding hands. She didn't think about it before, but they felt so soft, so small. Instinctively, she wanted to protect her but held off against it. It was ridiculous; Lysithea wasn't some princess that needed protection.

"I wouldn't mind that either. I really like you," Shez said, turning away. The two were silent.

"I like you too. I wish…" Lysithea couldn't finish her sentence anymore than Shez could.

"We'll figure that out when we have the time. I have a feeling we're going to be going on our own missions soon," Shez said, thinking about the day after tomorrow. She couldn't help but feel like there was a destiny's tipping point and that it was about to tip. She didn't like this feeling, but she had it in her gut, and she didn't ignore these feelings when she felt them. Something was about to happen.

"Well, I do have an idea of a place we could go to. There's a bakery nearby. I mean…" Again, Lysithea was blushing embarrassingly. She wanted to eat at a bakery; there was nothing wrong with that. She wasn't a fan of sweets, but it made her happy. What was wrong with it?

"I wouldn't mind that, Lys." Shez said, not realizing she called her date by a nickname. She was about to apologize but thought better of it. Lysithea didn't get angry over such a nickname; she smiled.

"I don't mind you calling me that, just as long as you don't treat me as a child. I'm okay with whatever you call me," Lysithea said as she let go.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Lysithea said as she left. When she arrived at her dorm, she turned her back; she had nothing to say. She went to her own dorm, thinking about the events of the day. She enjoyed herself; she felt a peace the kind of peace she had never felt in her many years of travel.

Her brother Dante—she had not thought about him in years. Only recently did she begin to. Did she really deserve happiness after what had happened to him? She had no idea what to think. Then there was Byleth. Did she truly want to kill him? Was it just pride, was it revenge, or was it a bit of both? She had no idea.

She knew one thing for certain: if she was going to go through with it, she would have to go through Marianne. Could she really kill an innocent woman for her vendetta? She hadn't thought about this before; she never had to. Marianne was the love of his life. Killing her would be sufficient, but she's innocent; she did nothing wrong. But then, is she a hypocrite thinking about all the people she has killed? Did she really have any right to hate Byleth like she does? No, she couldn't indulge in that thought.

At this point, she didn't know if she truly wanted to kill him, but she knew one thing for sure: she wanted to defeat him, to surpass him, because that was the goal she had set for herself ever since she became a mercenary. She had many obstacles to overcome, and if she could overcome the people below him, she didn't have a chance in a million years to even fight him.

She went to her quarters and lay down. She closed her eyes; a destiny's tipping point was about to arrive.

Byleth felt two pairs of arms around him he didn't know how this was going to work but it did Marianne was on his right and Hilda was on his left it was amazing how the three of them could be alone in each other's company it was quite an amazing experience they didn't do anything special they just thought on his bed and went under his blanket and both of them used his body as a pillow Hilda had her eyes closed while Marianne was also asleep he thought they were both beautiful in their sleep then you realize both what the hell was wrong with him he thought.

It was amazing what they did together just simply looking at the sky and doing nothing was enough for the three of them Hilda was not only warming up to him but he found aspects of her that he thought was intriguing despite what's on the surface her using her charms to get what she wants and her being at times lazy there was far more to her she was actually a nice person that cared deeply for her friends. Perception was everything he was able to see beneath the surface sure there was some things that could annoy him at times with Hilda but Hilda herself he would like to get to know her if he's going to be with Marianne he needs to get to know Hilda more.

Usually he would get a response or a comment from Sothis she was quiet more than usual it bothered him ever since that incident a few weeks ago she has been looking for someone as if she was looking for a lost love but that was ridiculous she couldn't be any older than 12 but then again looks are deceiving she could be way older or way younger and the appearance she has is the appearance that she wants people to see. Looks are deceiving that's what his father always told him always pay attention to deception.

He couldn't help and have a feeling tomorrow something big was going to happen and it involved the house leaders the destinies of many would change for better or for worse. He would be part of it somehow he had to be prepared he couldn't be cut off guard again especially by someone like Orochimaru there was those in the Akatsuki that he had read in the bingo book who are worse he had to be prepared for anything he looked at the two girls who were asleep in his arms he would protect them along with all his students he would not allow it any of them to die not if he could have anything to say about it.

He went to sleep dreamlessly not realizing the tipping point of destiny was about to arrive.