more-than-a-princess

[more-than-a-princess]

Who do you attract?

"Goodness, are they also gothic or possibly energetic and chaotic? I am not sure I have met a girl who plays the ukelele. I suppose the closest I can think of is Mioda-san who plays the guitar."

"But I am fairly certain she is attracted to all girls, and therefore I have no unique allure there."

[more-than-a-princess]

"Nothing makes sense anymore," Sonia lamented as she stood still, letting Cecily finish tying the lacing in the back of her gown. For simple clothes, it had taken some time, thanks to the wool stockings, additional layers of quilted petticoats, and the dagger whose holster she'd strapped to her right thigh. With the thicker fabric and various layers, plus having to sit in a carriage for several days, it was likely no one would notice unless Sonia truly needed to use it. "Nothing. Not since the Witch Cult attacked Novoselic for the first time. Magic was always this abstract thing, confined to the Kingdom of Lugunica. My yearning to travel aside, I thought everyone was content in Novoselic, a life within our borders and without the use of magic. It just seems to attract the Sin Archbishops, like moths to a flame."

"That's a change of tune for you," Cecily smirked as she tied the laces in an elegant bow before waiting for Sonia to sit in order to fix her hair. "Don't tell me you've gone off your preferred gothic novels?"

"That's different," Sonia retorted, flinching as her lady's maid began to comb and style her long hair into a tight braid. "Those have haunted manors and castles, brooding heroes tormented by a dark past that they have no choice to be constantly reminded of until the heroine peels away their melancholy with a gentle kindness and understanding. There's always a happy ending, even if the road to get there is a particularly rocky one. And the deaths they must endure are often necessary in order for them to be made stronger, together: what's happening here is pure genocide by people drunk on magic power."

"All the better that we're leaving the capital, then," Cecily replied, her smirk at her princess's preferred reading materials fading. "If you're the one the Witch Cult means to target. I'm just glad my instincts in which books to pack for you were correct: I'm not sure how I'd change it at this point, if you didn't want your gothic novels to keep you company at the Chalet."

Sonia smiled as Cecily finished: she'd woven a deep blue ribbon into Sonia's braid before coiling it elegantly at the back of her head, securing it with several pins to keep it tidy until the carriages reached their destination. "There will not be much to do there, I'm afraid, barring the books and games you have packed, or whatever else my mother feels is an appropriate channel for my attention. I doubt skiing and skating will be allowed-"

"But those are in the last carriage," Cecily finished for her as Sonia stood, both women smiling as Sonia admired her maid's work, on her hair and the quickly-arranged plans to send her to the mountains.

"Thank you. I could not have done it without you," Sonia told her warmly before reaching for the vanity table, and the thin, long item that rested upon it.

"You are most welcome, but Your Highness, are you sure that's needed? I'd think one dagger would be enough."

"You know how reluctant I am to leave my protection entirely in someone else's hands," Sonia replied simply as she adjusted the smaller blade down the center of her bodice, resting between her corset and her gown. "If I stab myself, it's a more honorable way to die than by the hands of the Witch Cult."

"But by no means less tragic. Are you sure you will be fine riding alone with, er, Lady Adelheid?" Cecily asked, managing to find the right words with some hesitation.

"The knight, regardless of name or gender, is dedicated to the singular task of my welfare," Sonia insisted, reaching for the midnight blue cloak laying on her bed, trimmed in silver scroll embroidery. "I am only seen as a princess and nothing more. As it is supposed to be."

"Of course," Cecily demurred, helping Sonia fasten the pearl-encrusted clasp as Sonia reached for the last item to be packed: a crossbow and a quiver of arrows. It would ride in the carriage beside her. "But if you need me, I shall only be a few carriages behind with the most valuable items."

* * *

"You know, I was thinking about what you told me last night, though I haven't had the opportunity to say anything after this morning's debacle," Sonia began roughly an hour into their journey. That was as long as she could keep quiet and peek out the window carefully through the velvet curtains of the carriage. It would be impolite to take out a book even in the presence of a knight, and it was far too early to unwrap the loaf of bread and the cheese, cured meats, apples, and bars of chocolate (already tested for poison). "I wonder if the reasons why your kingdom is not fond of you and why other knights loathe you is not simply because they worry you have the potential to turn on them on a whim, but because you do not feel relatable to them."

Something she too was familiar with, but likely not to Lady Adelheid's severity. The other woman sat opposite her: there wasn't enough room on Sonia's side, not with the valise, the basket of food, and the crossbow beside her. "You have so many blessings: perhaps they feel they pale in comparison. Personally, I have found it easier to befriend others when they see reason to knock me off the pedestal they have placed me upon: when I fail at something unimportant or innocuous, for example, I remind others I am simply human, just like them. It helps to ease fear and resentment. Have you ever tried something similar, Lady Adelheid?"

To be honest, Sonia wasn't even sure she was capable of such a feat. Probably tied in with the deep responsibility of being the Sword Saint, having seemingly taken it over from her grandmother. A topic too heavy to breach in a carriage when they had so many hours ahead of them and nowhere to escape the atmosphere should it turn awkward. Still, she would share more about herself if asked, and with no one else to talk to, Sonia would certainly take her up on it. She wasn't a last resort by far, but there was no one else to handle the brunt of Princess Sonia's boundless curiosity.

"You have friends, do you not? Considering you have told me that your family is rather small. What do they say on the matter? I find friends can be a great help in easing tensions like this," She offered, her weight shifting in the seat:  the carriage was now beginning to ascend some sort of hill. They couldn't possibly be in the mountains yet. "I imagine you must be acquainted at least with the potential rulers of Lugunica, considering your knighthood. Surely they may have some influence on the people on how you should be perceived and treated: sometimes it just takes the right person to endorse you and everyone else falls into line. If your family will not support you, then you must make your own family with people who do."

For over four hundred years it was the way of the world. There was little to be done other than to stand up and fight for it, centuries ago it was the dragons that rained terror onto the world, and then the first sword saint came and changed everything, he defeated the dragons and culled there numbers down, until the witches started to try and end the world and he had to stop them as well, four hundred years ago, they lost half the world to darkness, death and chaos, devoured by shadows, and one would have hoped things would have been better, but alas, in the place of dragons and witches, a new evil would rise, the witch cult and the sins, coming into the world and filling the spots left behind by the great terrors slain.

“Those are good things to hold onto, to support your friends, your family and your people, is what makes you a good person and a strong person as well. You have a gentle aura around you, as expected of a princess with noble blood.” As he bowed his head to her. “The gospels, tell them the past, the present and the future. To get one is almost impossible, they will die to protect them, and destroy them if anyone tries to get one from them, even if we did have one, they are dangerous, tainted, darkness follows them, the risks to even hold one are great, to open and read what is within, is far too dangerous, the temptation, to try and use them for good, will only destroy the person who uses them.” As he offers his warning, even he would not tempt to track one down, it is said, the leader of the witch cult, someone above the sins, gives them to them, he figured, it was most likely a witch.

Very few people within the world, can stand before a witch, and hope to survive.

As he remained still and watched her as she drank the drink, she would feel better in time, along with him being with her, she would be back to herself, the perks and benefits he gets, As Sabura called them ‘buffs’  can effect those around him, who are around him for long periods of time, he can heal himself, regenerate and go through hell and back, and continue to go, he told her before, he had so many blessings, if he where to list them, they would be here for sometime speaking about them, but nearly all of them are active, even as he stands here, he was almost, going to unlock more, depending on the situation. “You will feel better.” He nodded. “Despite rumours, the title of sword saint, can go to anyone in the world, it just happens to have remained in my family since the start.” As he let his smile spread. “My family is not as large as others, but there are a few of us, all of us knights, most of them, people don’t even know, expect for my grandfather and father, great knights and warriors, with titles and a great many victories to there names each.” As he explained to her, he did not wish to give her the history of the title of the sword saint.

How bloody, how dangerous, and how much suffering comes with the burden of the world.

“I don’t have any neighbours and my family has been separated through, issues on my part.” As he told her a little. About himself. “Many years ago, my grandmother was the sword saint, and the great whale, moved closer to the kingdom and she went to fight it and put an end to it. I was five at the time, and the world needs a sword saint, something happened and the world picked me to be the sword saint, taking the title and power from my grandmother and given it to me.” As his eyes glanced down. “I killed my grandmother, a burden I have to carry.” There can only be one sword saint, only ever one, if a sword saint dies before another is crowned, the title and power is lost, the world will be lacking a hero and it will crumble and fall into darkness, the world picked him, because he asked for it, but he didn’t know his grandmother was fighting such a great enemy, a foolish dream and request, destroyed his father, his grandfather, and ruined everything in his family, because he became the sword saint, at the cost of his grandmothers life.

“I will of course, tell you all you wish to know.” As he nodded, about his family then, about his friends, a short conversation indeed, as he had very little. His kingdom loathed him, the council hated him, the knights wanted nothing to do with him, he was so powerful, they feared him, they thought him a calamity all on his own, that he surpassed all other sword saints, that he would fall to darkness and not listen to commands, but that was never going to happen.

“We can of course learn more about one another, and hopefully, become friends.” As he smiled and turned, a bow as he left her to rest, as he would leave and make preparations to travel light, to take only what was needed and to ensure that only they would leave, and no one would be the wiser.

That night had retired to his room. He had to focus, to push away any distractions, the sounds outside, the sounds of the castle, the smells, the way the candle flickered, everything had to be pushed aside so he could perform this blessing and request. He knew it, to be something more, something greater, something that could protect everyone, something that could handle the weight of the world.

He had done this before, for missions, for quests, for adventures, he knew it, his heart was racing, his mind was racing, but he had to calm himself down, to focus on the words he had to say, the request and wish he had to perform. He had to become something else, to blend in, to not be seen, to not be recognized.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, focusing on the energy within him, the divine protection that allowed him to manipulate his very essence, to become something more, something different, something that could protect her better. He felt his body shift, his muscles shrink and conform into something softer, his skin change texture, his hair grew out and his eyes took a different shape.

When he opened his eyes again, he saw himself reflected in the mirror, and she was a vision of beauty and grace, a knight no more, but a lady of the court, her hair a fiery red that matched Sonia's, her eyes a piercing blue that could cut through any lie, her features soft yet determined. She was dressed in a white shirt that clung to her newfound curves, a green vest that highlighted the fullness of her breasts, a brown skirt that flowed down to her heel boots which went up to her knees, and a small blue neck tie that added a dash of color to her throat. She looked at herself, surprised at how natural it felt, how right it was, to be in this form.

The blessing had been more than just physical; there was an energy about her that was undeniably feminine, yet she felt as powerful as ever, maybe more so. She had been trained to be the Sword Saint, but she had learned to be something else entirely, something she had never been before: a woman. It was a strange feeling, but she knew it was necessary for their journey. She had to be someone else, someone who could blend in, someone who could protect Sonia without the burden of her title or her power. As in the morning she entered the room.

One pillow.

Two pillows.

Direct hits to her face, unlike last time …

"Ah, I see the potion worked better than I had anticipated." She said, her voice a delightful blend of mirth and embarrassment. "Please settle down and allow me to explain, Your Highness. It's a simple case of a blessing, something I learned long ago. When the need is dire, and stealth is of the essence, a change of appearance is sometimes necessary." As she bowed.

"For our journey, Your Highness, safety is what is needed, and no attention." She explained, her new voice still holding the same commanding presence it always had, despite the softer tone. "The witch cult will not expect a Sword Saint to travel in such a guise, nor will they suspect a young lady to be guarded by such a formidable knight. It is a simple deception, but one that could mean the difference between life and death. They will think I am here, and leave your family and people alone."

The knight's smile grew wider as he watched her reaction, a sparkle in his eyes that she hadn't seen before. "Please, be calm." She assured her, raising his hands in a calming gesture. "There is no evil magic, just the world granting my request." As she bowed to them.

“You may call me Adelheid van Astrea, low level knight, servant and maid.” As she only had, low level titles, and reasonability’s, in the eyes of the world, a cousin of the sword saint, that was worthless and not important, as she stepped out the room

[more-than-a-princess]

Just wanted to reiterate a few things today (that I'll reblog on Munday for visibility):

At present, I'm only writing with blogs I have current threads with. That looks like only 2-3 muns at present because they're the ones actively responding to threads, but I consider any thread that has not been officially finished or has not been discussed OOC with another mun to be over as active threads. I just don't have replies to a lot of these and, without knowing otherwise, I'm waiting on partners to respond and holding off on sending/posting memes. Even if it's been weeks/months since the thread was last updated: I still consider these active!

However, if you're a mun I'm currently threading with and you aren't enjoying/have dropped our thread on your end but you'd still like to write with me in a new thread, please message me on tumblr or discord. I'm happy to do so, but I'm holding off starting new threads with you because I still see our current thread as active.

For muns/blogs I haven't written with yet/don't have any character dynamics with yet, I'll start accepting new interactions in August. I'm old late thirties with fatigue-inducing medications, I have a busy job that requires long hours in the office most days a week, and I've got several summer university interns I need to finish mentoring in July. Once they're gone, I'll have a little more flexibility in writing with new muns!

And finally: I wish I could write with everyone, but I can't. If we're mutuals, that means I'm interested in writing with you. If we aren't, it's likely writing style, post frequency/examples, and/or muse(s) offerings that I don't think will work with mine. It's nothing against you personally, it's just limited time and what I believe I can put into my threads.

Thanks for reading!

[more-than-a-princess]

Biting? On a Sunday?

She wishes.

But only in places that are hidden by clothes

[more-than-a-princess]

Just wanted to reiterate a few things today (that I'll reblog on Munday for visibility):

At present, I'm only writing with blogs I have current threads with. That looks like only 2-3 muns at present because they're the ones actively responding to threads, but I consider any thread that has not been officially finished or has not been discussed OOC with another mun to be over as active threads. I just don't have replies to a lot of these and, without knowing otherwise, I'm waiting on partners to respond and holding off on sending/posting memes. Even if it's been weeks/months since the thread was last updated: I still consider these active!

However, if you're a mun I'm currently threading with and you aren't enjoying/have dropped our thread on your end but you'd still like to write with me in a new thread, please message me on tumblr or discord. I'm happy to do so, but I'm holding off starting new threads with you because I still see our current thread as active.

For muns/blogs I haven't written with yet/don't have any character dynamics with yet, I'll start accepting new interactions in August. I'm old late thirties with fatigue-inducing medications, I have a busy job that requires long hours in the office most days a week, and I've got several summer university interns I need to finish mentoring in July. Once they're gone, I'll have a little more flexibility in writing with new muns!

And finally: I wish I could write with everyone, but I can't. If we're mutuals, that means I'm interested in writing with you. If we aren't, it's likely writing style, post frequency/examples, and/or muse(s) offerings that I don't think will work with mine. It's nothing against you personally, it's just limited time and what I believe I can put into my threads.

Thanks for reading!

[more-than-a-princess]

Sonia Nevermind 🤝Marin Kitagawa - Two very pretty, very normie looking girls who just want to talk about their favorite anime and get annoyed when Generic Hot Guy insists 'you're an otaku, but you're actually hot!'

They both have anime plush keychains. Sonia's is just likely on the morbid side, or at least goth.

EDIT: Let's be honest, the plush keychain on Sonia's bag is probably of Castlevania's Alucard. She's so disappointed he isn't real.

[more-than-a-princess]

"Well, that is nothing unusual at least," Sonia sighed. To be fair, the killing part was unusual either but she preferred not to focus on how much the greed and ambition of others prompted them to desire her dead. "My general existence is going against someone's interests, whether it is my gender or lack of desirable skills as a princess. The only best interests I care about, though, is to support my loved ones and my kingdom: I just would rather it not be at my expense."

"But," She continued, finishing off the last of the tea in her cup and tentatively reaching for the vibrant blue beverage. "If these gospels give the Witch Cult their directions, is it not possible to simply defeat one in combat and steal the gospel for yourself, and then work to decode what their orders are? From there certainly the group could be dismantled: barring some magic spell on the book itself, of course."

If the gospels were anything like the horrid beverage Reinhard had given her, then Sonia could only assume that even just touching them without being a member of the Witch Cult led only to a fated poisoning. She coughed, her cheeks turning pink at his laughter and her body's natural inclination to spit out the potion he'd made her. "I am glad you find my reaction to your medicine so humorous," She replied dully, indicating she hardly meant it at all. "You could have warned me how terrible it was, you know. But I drank it all now, so it will be a matter of time until it works as you say it does. But," She paused as she accepted the refilled cup of tea. "How does one distinguish between the Sword Saint and an errant knight? As I said, you are rather difficult to miss in a crowd, Sir Reinhard."

The tea, and his conversation, cleansed the bitter taste of the potion from her mouth. For a moment, Sonia wished she'd had some chocolate, but she supposed a cure for her internal bruising would be far more useful. "Shouldn't your neighbors care for and look after your family as if they are their own?" She inquired, eyebrows raised. Her own family was a mess, but that was what power, wealth, greed, and lust brought on. Her talent for disguise aside, it was hardly shocking that Capella had gotten into Novoselic Castle: marital fidelity was something on display for the public and in public only, at least amongst the adults in her family. Sonia was disgusted by it all, and her mother's proclivities in particular. Still, she always supposed those unafflicted by royal duties had normal lives, full of love, support, and respect for one another. "I find it strange that you would be known and not your family. Regardless, you should be allowed to live a life you want: a normal one, as you say, without constantly needing to hide. You are human, Sir Reinhard: you deserve a life of your own, not as a Sword Saint, but something you truly want for yourself."

Finishing the last of the tea in the cup, and coincidentally the pot, she shifted her weight as gently as she could to allow him to take the tray off of her lap. "You never talk about your family, or where you come from, or your friends from your home," Sonia pointed out, reaching for a thick rope cord near her nightstand. Pulling on it, it made no sound in the room itself but shortly a bell would ring in the servants' quarters. "Perhaps you might divulge some of that with me on the journey. It will take a few days by carriage, and that doesn't account for the snow."

When he'd gone, Cecily, her Lady's Maid, entered, not hesitating nor questioning Princess Sonia's orders to prepare for a journey to the mountains, with simple, warm clothes and a generous amount of books and games. Outside of the holiday season, it would be terribly dull there otherwise with the frigid weather and no possibility of trips to the nearest town.

*  *  *

The potion he'd given her, being tasting awful and promising fast healing, had also given her a deep, dreamless sleep. Something Sonia was thankful for, even if she wasn't fully aware of it: the lack of nightmares ensured she ignored the first beams of morning light through the convalescing room's window, or the door opening for her knight. The words, however, were enough to lull her out of her sleep.

And well, if they didn't work, the intense gaze on her sleeping form was enough. Enough for Sonia to open one blue eye, before promptly blinking both, letting out a scream, and pulling the pillow from under her head to hurl at the strange woman who had entered her room without any sort of permission or announcement. "SHIT! INTRUDER!" Sonia cried, reaching for a second, albeit smaller, throw pillow after the first simply bounced off the red-haired woman. "GET OUT! Miss Lugunica, you fooled me once with your disguises! You shall not fool me again! GUARDS-"

Except as she looked closer, the second pillow also bouncing off the newcomer, calling for her security was a moot point. Sonia squinted into the pair of deeper, ocean blue eyes, a contrast to her own icy set, and found something familiar there. Well, if the braided red hair wasn't enough to give the secret away. "RE-REINHARD!?" She sputtered, pulling the covers up and over her chest as her gaze darted from the long, lush hair, the softened facial features, and far more prominent bust than what she remembered of Reinhard van Astrea's chest. Not that she was looking at his chest ever. Much. That often.

She figured it was far more untoward to gawk at Reinhard's newly-developed feminine breasts and so Sonia looked away, still reluctant to let go of the grip on her bedsheets that separated her nightclothes from public viewing. "Wh-what the hell is this? How are you a woman? You...you are a woman now, yes?"

Before he had a chance to answer, a rush of black skirts, a tight chestnut bun, and a pair of both fearful and determined brown eyes dashed into the room. Cecily barely had time to adjust her silver-rimmed spectacles as she grasped Sonia's hands. "You called for help, Your Highness! I am here," She assured Sonia, before turning her glare to Reinhard. Female Reinhard, otherwise known as a stranger if someone didn't take their cues from her eyes or flaming red hair. "Who are you!? You do not have clearance to enter this part of the Castle! I will have you removed immediately and-"

"Cess," Sonia gasped, gently letting go of Cecily's hands. "That...is Sir Reinhard. Of sorts. I think. Some sort of magic divine gift made him a woman, or something like that."

It was Cecily's turn to gawk at the clearly feminine Reinhard, though with more tact than Sonia had managed. "M-magic does that?" She stammered, shrinking back to share the edge of Sonia's bed with the Princess she served. Not an uncommon occurrence, from the way Sonia easily shifted aside to accommodate her. "Goodness, witchcraft truly is real."

"No, I do not think this is actually witchcraft, Cecily, not in the way we were taught of it," Sonia clarified: that involved more stakes, burnings, and broomsticks. Not the ability to change one's sex at will. Or Sin Archbishops that turned into various women and then a giant snake.

"Well, magic nevertheless," Cecily conceded. "But look at you! Your bruising must be healed, for you to move like this and divest your bed of its pillows: I hope you landed at least one shot at least."

Sonia shook her head with a sigh before looking to Reinhard. "Well, um, what should we call you, Miss?" She asked. "It doesn't seem fitting to call you Sir Reinhard anymore, considering your new circumstances. But please wait outside while Cecily readies me for the journey ahead."

He stood there and looked at her, he seemed odd to her? He was odd. He was the sword saint, and despite what is said, he was not sworn to one kingdom, but all lands, all people, his duty was to the world, how many times has he saved it, how many times has he stopped it ending, whenever things get out of control, he arrives to save the day, there was no one else who could do the things he could do, there was no one else who could carry the burden he did, being the sword saint, was a horrid life, something that no one is told about, the stories, the legends, the tales of all the others that come before him, that have becomes heroes in the eyes of the world in what they did, all of them alone, all of them fighting, all of them killing and in the end, every sword saint, died alone, somewhere in the world, in a pool of there own blood when they were not strong enough to defeat the evil before them.

Leading to him, someone who can go to hell and back.

“They want to destroy your kingdom, but more than that, you seem to be of great importance to them.” As he looked down. “They all carry small black gospels, apparently within them contain messages from the future, they take there commands from them, you have had to have shown up in one of their passages, which means in the future, you do something that is against their interests.” He said, destroying her kingdom was nothing other than entertainment for them, and killing her was their main goal. “For what you do, I cannot tell, but for them to attack you, it must be something that harms them, leading to them wishing to remove you here and now.” As he told her what he knew.

And then he chuckled at her reaction, the sound warm and comforting in the otherwise tense air. "It is an old remedy, I assure you. It will help mend your body faster than any other potion. Now, as for the identity, it is something that I have done before. I will simply be a knight-errant, travelling the lands and offering my sword to those in need." His smile grew wider at her feigned disgust. "It is quite simple. But the most important part is that we leave as soon as you are ready, Your Highness. Time is of the essence, and I do not wish for the Witch Cult to catch wind of our plans."

It was something he had done before. She was starting to see it herself, not everyone liked him, not everyone respected him, he was the sword saint. Very few laws applied to him, he didn’t answer to many kings or queens, he answered to the world itself, he protected it, he did what was needed to ensure as many people remained in peace as possible. When you have fought in the wars he has, and ended them with a swing of the sword, when you have stood before dragons, towering monsters, the worst creatures your nightmares can create, there was very little left that can scare you, which was a problem as well, as he came across often, out of touch, cold and distant, but he had to, he needed to always do the right thing, which at times, was something no one else could do, the heavy choices, the hard choices, the impossible choices.

He handed her some tea to drink, but in the morning they had to leave, the two of them, they had to leave at once and make progress, the witch cult will think she fled and he remained here, so her family would be safe, he could mask his presence, hide his scent and mane flow, lower his energy and power to a normal level so no one knows anything, it was the best choice to get her moving.

“That is true, most people within the lands know me, and my family as well, but thankfully, they only care about me and no one else. While all my family members are trained to fight, most are hardly known at all, so I have taken advantage of that and created a identity for myself that allows me to act freely, move between lands without gaining attention, a gift from the world to allow me some peace when everything has settled, to almost be normal.” As he rubbed the back of his head.

As he watched her, and smiled, a smile that was genuine, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he watched her reaction to the potion. It was a comforting sight, one that helped to ease the tension that had taken root in her chest. "You will be fine, Your Highness," he assured her, his voice low and soothing. "I will not allow anything to happen to you."

The morning dawned with the promise of a new beginning, the light seeping through the curtains and casting a warm glow upon the room. 

He entered the chamber, but he had changed, he now had long red hair pulled back into a practical braid that fell down his back, the same fiery locks that had once made him a symbol of power and hope in the eyes of the people of the world. His once muscular form had been replaced by a slender figure clad in a simple yet elegant set of traveling clothes, tailored to fit his new identity. The only reminder of his true self was the piercing gaze that remained the same, filled with determination and a hint of something she couldn't quite place. His sword was hidden as well, along with his white clothing, anything that marked him as the sword saint.

"Your Highness, it's time to rise." He said in a softer, almost feminine tone. The transformation was surprisingly convincing, his voice a gentle melody that seemed to carry the same warmth and protection as his previous form. "The journey ahead is not an easy one, but fear not, for I shall be by your side every step of the way. We need to get moving."

[more-than-a-princess]

I want - no, I need more long term, in depth ships. The kind of ships that I can’t stop thinking about. That have a real chokehold on you as an rper. Really thought out, headcanoned and plotted ships. Where we obsess over them endlessly. Go back and forth and stay up late just to read one or two more replies. Where you can get so attached to the characters involved that you can feel what they’re feeling, the good, the bad, the ugly. The kind of ships that really make the RP experience. The ones we can really develop, see grow over the months, have long angsty threads of, but also short fluffy or smutty ones as well. Or where we can post a random one liner just to mix things up here and there! Yeah, I need more ships like that. So please, like… message… send a carrier pigeon... doesn’t matter! Because as the great t.swif.t once said… it’s a need.

[more-than-a-princess]

Something something 'It's been zero days since Sonia Nevermind last engaged in Chest Discourse'-

[more-than-a-princess]

Sonia, around magic when her world never has magic to begin with: What the actual FUCK was that SHIT is this actual witchcraft is witchcraft finally proven real what the FUCK-

Sonia, around magic when it's a demon/vampire/monster/occult-related entity:

[more-than-a-princess]

Sonia Nevermind has appeared! What to do?

> Kill > Run away > Punish > Marry

This hardly seems like a fair selection of options. Who really wants to marry her, anyway?

[more-than-a-princess]

Beyond having to write a full conversation between two characters (which always takes more time for me to write), what took the most time in my reply to @quickdeaths was figuring out which character and vehicle Chiaki would choose in Mario Kart World. I'm not an avid gamer, so I had to consult gamers.

That said, I generally choose Aristocrat Boo and Vacation Peach in Mario Kart World with some silly looking vehicle, and Cat Peach in the Cat Cruiser in Mario Kart 8 (which I still have on my Switch Lite and am happy to play with mutuals if you ever would like to!).

I could never write Chiaki as an actual muse I know far too little about video games.

[more-than-a-princess]

"And that is how you do a successful power slide and grab the food at the beginning of the round!" Chiaki grinned as her avatar, a Cow riding the R.O.B. H.O.G., crossed the finish line first. Sonia's own avatar followed a few paces behind in fifth place: Vampire Waluigi, riding what reminded Sonia of her holidays in Italy: the Cute Scoot. For hours, considering the amount of leftovers from the party and the takeaway order they'd made just before the rain had started, they'd driven lap after lap on the various fantastical courses. Chiaki had unlocked some things in the free roaming part of the game, completing side quests for additional vehicles and a few outfits. But she'd waited until she'd had time to play with a friend to do the Grand Prix courses, though Sonia would have never guessed she was new to it: nothing she nor the computer threw at her could touch her. As expected of the school's Ultimate Gamer.

"It is more difficult than it looks!" Sonia exclaimed with a sigh, setting down her controller as the winners list appeared on the screen. "If one is only paying attention to the track in front of them and their place in the race, it is easy to miss the various foods set up. And what a variety, too! I quite like the feature of unlocking various outfits this way: it feels far more clever and engaging than Mario Kart 8."

"I'm glad you're having a good time," Chiaki replied, using one hand to click through to the new unlocked vehicle while the other reached for another piece of karaage chicken: that hadn't managed to survive the party leftover tray, so they'd needed to order out for Sonia's comfort foods. "You seem like you needed it. I'm sorry you've been going through so much, Sonia-chan. Even if I'm not great with romance, you still can talk to me about it."

"Truthfully, I did not know it was romance until today, when everything seemingly hit me all at once," Sonia admitted, reaching for the open bag of pizza-flavored chips instead. Not that they tasted anything like pizza was supposed to, but the flavoring was delicious nevertheless. "But it doesn't matter. It can't matter: at the very least, she will be dating Aoyama Rui-san and presumably breaking up with her shortly after. And it's not like I can even be romantically linked to a woman, but even if I could? If I even tried to go out with her she would do the same to me, and she'd never speak to me again. All that pain for one perfect day: it seems like a foolish gamble."

"Ah, the Ultimate Host from 77-A," Chiaki murmured in thought. Rui Aoyama was hard to miss, from her impressively tall height to her equally impressive large personality, one that attracted girls to the club she worked at from hundreds of kilometers away, saving what little money they could make from their small towns just for the chance to drink with Rui-san for one night. "Yeah, that has to be hard. You two are, erm-"

"Polar opposites?" Sonia offered, her tone dejected. At least they had enough junk food for her stomach to regret it in the morning. "Not that it is possible anyway, but if that is the sort of girl she likes, I cannot imagine she would ever choose me and-"

But Sonia didn't have a chance to finish that thought: not when her phone notified her of a new voice message. Just as well: she'd put the ringer on silent, not wanting to take calls from home or her friends unless it was a true emergency. "Just a moment," She said, pressing the screen to illuminate it. "No one leaves voice messages unless it is important." She didn't hesitate to turn it on speaker, either: if it was Novosonian intelligence, it would have been sent through codes that Chiaki, with all of her puzzle-solving prowess, would be unable to unscramble.

But maybe she should have, as Shinobu's voice filled her phone's speaker. Chiaki set down her controller, moving to sit closer to Sonia as the two girls listened to Shinobu Yaguchi's apology. "Wow, Sonia-chan," Chiaki remarked after the phone fell silent again. "Your crush talks like she's in an old samurai movie, or the western movies with women in big dresses at balls. Beyond your family's parties, I mean." She'd had experience with those: she'd attended last year's summer ball in an appropriately formal gown, one with pockets large enough to hide a handheld console.

"It's just who she is," Sonia replied. She didn't have a better explanation than that: it was just part of Shinobu, alongside the girl's fondness for coffee and kaiju.

"But she wants to see you, though," Chiaki pressed on, pressing the 'play' button on Sonia's phone to replay Shinobu's message. "You'll reply to her, right?"

"It would be impolite if I did not," Sonia sighed, nodding. "Yes, I will send her a message back but calling her...I don't think I can do that right now. It's only after spending time with you that I feel somewhat calm, like the world isn't crashing down around me. My personal life, anyway: my schoolwork and family duties have never been better."

"Well, then say you can join her for lunch on Monday," Chiaki offered helpfully. "I know our class will understand if you want to spend time with friends outside of 77-B."

"No, that doesn't seem right," Sonia shook her head. "I invited her to the party today, Chiaki-chan. And you saw how Koizumi-san treated her and Anzu-san. I assured her that we would all be kind, welcoming, and accepting, and that clearly wasn't the case. I need to make it up to her, with something she likes. Hm...but I have given her a book, and we have shared coffee. And there are no new kaiju films playing in the theaters right now."

"Coffee, books, Godzilla," Chiaki checked off each of Shinobu's interests by raising her fingers. "What else does she like? I'm guessing shooting arrows is out of the question for hanging out."

Sonia nodded. "It would feel like schoolwork for her. But...what else...oh!" She snapped her fingers as the answer occurred to her. "She likes fish! Probably eating them, yes, but also looking at them! The aquarium!"

Chiaki smiled, nodding in return. "Yes! That's a good idea," She agreed. "And if otome games are any indication, romantic dates are usually at the movies, or amusement parks, or cafes. Museums aren't really romantic, and the aquarium counts as one! If, you know, you're sure that you want to keep your interactions with Yaguchi-san platonic."

"Mhm, I am sure," Sonia agreed absentmindedly as she begun to type away on her phone. Chiaki watched from over her shoulder, giving a small 'hm' and nod of agreement as she read Sonia's text message back.

I am so sorry I had to leave early, Yaguchi-san! After I invited you and all, and Koizumi-san and Saionji-san were very rude. But yes, my urgent matter has been handled. Still, I feel awful for inviting you, insisting that everyone would be kind and accepting and yet you encountered such bigotry from people who should know better. I would like to make it up to you, ideally by doing something you would like. I know you enjoy fish and other aquatic life, so I wondered if you would like to visit the aquarium with me this weekend? If you have time of course, and it's my treat: an apology for the mess from today. If you'd like to go, please meet me in front of the aquarium on Saturday at 12 PM (unless you prefer a different day and time!).

And once again, I'm really sorry about everything. Please don't let the transphobia of some people be how the world at large views you, or at least how I see you. You will always be a smart, strong, kind, and compassionate woman to me! I'm so glad you're my friend.

"You hesitated with the last sentence," Chiaki commented after Sonia hit send, resulting in a deep sigh from the Ultimate Princess. "It's the right way forward," Sonia muttered, reaching for the last piece of karaage chicken in the pack. "My family and country would never understand, and this way we can at least stay friends."

"That was nice," Rui said in a quiet, breathy voice after she'd pulled away, a few minutes later. "Mm," Shinobu agreed, pushing both hands through her hair and giving her head a little shake until things fell back into place as she liked. That was an understatement, really. The archer couldn't remember the last time they'd kissed someone like that, hungry and desperate to the point of breathlessness. It was stirring, such that her whole body felt on edge.

Shinobu was more grateful than ever that she'd elected to wear shorts instead of the school swimsuit, not that it did enough to hide completely the effects of Rui's handiwork. The other girl was, thankfully, content only to smirk and look self-satisfied, rather than make any kind of unnecessary comment. "Just so you're aware, Miss Aoyama, my feelings haven't changed," Shinobu murmured. "I'll go out with you only if you cut ties with the rest of your girlfriends. This doesn't change that."

There was quiet between them for longer than Shinobu expected, though she couldn't quite meet Rui's gaze to try and intuit what she might be thinking. Eventually, the silence was broken not with words, but rather a quiet laugh. "Well, easy come, easy go, right?" Rui shrugged, the smile on her face something that Shinobu wasn't interesting in studying for any artifice. "You have your way of doing things, and I have mine, so I guess we're not compatible."

"Mm." There was another period of uncomfortable silence, until Miss Aoyama gave another nod and took slow steps down the stairs and out of her sight. Once Shinobu was sure she was gone, they pushed their hair back again with a soft sigh, then started up the stairs in the opposite direction. It had been pleasant, but any hope of deterring thoughts of Sonia was dashed. Even now, with her heart still racing, the only thing the on her mind was Sonia Nevermind - her smile, the sparkle in her eyes, the sound of her laugh, the curves of her body. "So much for that," she murmured. Truthfully, she better than anyone that the rush of attraction and physical chemistry couldn't equal the suffocating insanity brought on by love.

After getting a canned coffee, Shinobu sat against the side of the vending machine, frowning. Her body was being uncooperative, and there was no way she could return downstairs until it returned to normalcy. If Miss Koizumi had been unpleasant before, Shinobu could only imagine what her reaction might be like at that sight, and while other people might be interested in pushing those buttons, Shinobu herself simply wanted to be left alone. Perhaps she'd stay just long enough to give Sonia her gratitude, and say goodbye.

"Ugh," she grumbled, standing and throwing the emptied can like a dart into a recycling bin. More of the time, the archer felt she'd made her peace with her body, but this truly was frustrating - as if some kind of muscle memory remembered what so often followed such fervent kissing. Well, fine. It wasn't as though she was unaccustomed to taking care of such matters herself. Clearly that would be easier than simply waiting around.

The sink in the single-occupancy bathroom was running scalding hot, but Shinobu held her hands under the water anyway. Her short nails found skin, scraping back and forth and back and forth in the soap, even as it started to hurt, trying to wash off the filth she felt. How many minutes had she been scrubbing? Three? Four? It was only when the water started to overflow the basin of the sink that she jerked back like a startled cat. With shaking fingers, she turned the handle off, before looking at her hands. They were raw and reddened around her knuckles, and the backs of her hands where her nails had scrubbed again and again and again.

Exposing them to cool air made the stinging sensation worse, but she didn't flinch. Rather, her head drooped, her hair falling in front of her eyes as she was unable to meet the gaze of her own reflection. How disgusting. Can't you control yourself? Thinking of Miss Nevermind while doing that... aren't you ashamed of yourself? Ashamed of such wretched, loathsome behavior, and targeted towards a girl who considers herself your friend, who stood up for you against accusations of exactly this sort of perversion. You really are sick.

She unlocked the door and staggered outside. It would be better just to slip out a side door and go home without another word. It would be better not to see her face - see anyone's faces. Awful, stupid, disgusting, wretched- "Shinobu-chan?" She straightened up, heart lodged in her throat, practically frozen. It was only Anzu... Well, that was fine. She could deal with Anzu, if she had to, she thought, as she slipped her hands int the pockets of her shorts.

"Hey!" Anzu slid herself into Shinobu's arms, pressing them into a light hug. "You've been up here for a while. I got a little worried about you," she admitted. It wasn't like Shinobu to take what anyone said about her too seriously, but it was obviously a pretty messy situation, especially with Sonia getting involved. "You're not sulking because of what Koizumi-san said, are you? You're way tougher than that. Although..." With a step back, she looked up to Shinobu with a small frown. Didn't she look kind of... bothered by something? "You look... bad. Are you upset, for real?"

Shinobu shook her head. "Ah... no. It's just that I feel a little lightheaded," she replied. It wasn't a lie, exactly, so nothing she had to feel guilty about. "I don't know if it was the scent of the pool chemicals, or maybe just the claustrophobia of an enclosed space, but I preferred to take a walk around the hallway until it subsided. Ah, which, it hasn't," she added. "So, I'll likely leave. Please inform Miss Nevermind and express my regrets."

"Huh?" Anzu quirked her head to the side. "Uh, didn't you talk to her?" "Hm? Not since I spoke to her downstairs." "Oh." Anzu frowned, wrinkling her nose. "She asked me where you were, so I told her you went upstairs, but she came down a minute later and said she had to go. Family emergency, or something." She gave a weak shrug, even if the frown didn't leave her face. "She seemed kinda... not her usual self. I dunno."

Shinobu swallowed. She and Rui must have just missed her, which was for the best. Surely Sonia would have been so kind about it later, speaking up in private to encourage her to pursue someone. That was simply the sort of person she was. She hadn't ever been pushy or judgmental about Shinobu's dating habits, no, but they imagined she might be their strongest supporter if she thought they loved someone. Ugh... it make their stomach turn just to think about it, the girl they were so disgustingly, hopelessly, painfully in love with smiling as she pushed them to be with someone else.

"I see." Shinobu didn't seem like her usual self either, now that Anzu thought about it. As much as she wanted to pry, she got the sense that, right now, it would just make Shinobu snap shut even tighter. She'd have to try and gently coax it out of her later. "Maybe you should text her later. If something's up, she'd probably like to hear from you. Especially if she didn't even get to say goodbye. You know she's polite like that." Shinobu nodded. "R-right. Yes, I'll do that."

It had been about six or seven passes through her drafts to be reminded of how Anzu had mocked here texts as being ridiculously old-fashioned in their length and style. In her own defense, Shinobu would say that she seldom texted anyone, so she hadn't developed proper text etiquette. Then again, she wasn't sure what to say, regardless. At least one pass at the message she wanted to say had included the truth of her feelings, before she'd deleted it and nearly thrown her phone from the balcony. There was no use saying such a thing, and to put it in a text was tactless. The timing, as well, couldn't be poorer. But then, what could she text?

What about a voice message, then? It was better than calling - at the moment, she couldn't bear the thought of hearing Sonia's voice in return, but perhaps it was still an improvement for Sonia to actually hear her words, and the sincerity behind them, even if she wouldn't say what was begging to be said. Mm, that could work. It was raining outside again, hard, to the point that Shinobu thought twice about climbing up to the rooftop. Instead, she shut the door behind her so that her words wouldn't be overhead by her father, and simply stood out on the balcony overlooking the estate, watching as heavy drops of rain plinked off the surface of the koi pond.

"Miss Nevermind," she started. "I regret not getting to offer my appreciation for the invitation, nor my regret at not saying goodbye. I wasn't feeling well, but Anzu told me that you were coming to speak with me." She shook her head. "That's... not really what I wanted to say. I heard that you left after receiving some sot of family news. I hope it isn't anything serious. But, in the event that it is... Rather, I know there's much you can't speak upon, as it relates to your family, so I understand if there's nothing you can say, but if circumstances allow and you need someone to talk to, I'm always available for you."

She swallowed. Sometimes it felt as though there was so much she wanted to say, and so little she could afford to. "Also, I should offer my gratitude for speaking to Miss Koizumi. I'm sure the conversation wasn't what one might describe as pleasant. I do appreciate you trying to speak to her. For Anzu's sake, at the very least. Mm... Ah, as well, I hope that I'll see you at school on Monday. Though, if that isn't possible, please let me know. I'll... move around dates, or rearrange my training schedule, if so required."

She paused, feeling a few drops of rain slip down the edge of the roof and drop upon her head. Her feelings were unhealthy and disgusting, and Sonia would be repulsed if she knew about them. What she'd done in that bathroom was proof enough of that. The right thing to do would be delete this message and distance herself from Sonia. And yet, it was so hard to do so, when she wanted so desperately to do anything but. "I... I really don't know how to end a message like this. Please don't inform Anzu - she needs no additional ammunition to make fun at my expense. But, if something is... amiss, or something, please do let me know if there's anything I can do. Goodnight." She clicked 'save,' and then 'send.'

[more-than-a-princess]

March 30, 1927 Journals of Anais Nin 1923-1927 [volume 3]

[more-than-a-princess]

The Royal Council, Sonia knew as she carefully removed her hand from his once more, was concerned primarily for one thing and one thing alone: that she would remain alive long enough to produce the next, hopefully male, heir to the throne. The Council was made up entirely of men, men who doubted a woman's ability to lead the country without being overwhelmed by her emotions, her inferior physical strength, her motherly duties. She had a hunch that even if she became physically scarred and horribly disfigured, as long as she could reproduce and they could find a man of a suitable upbringing to impregnate her, all would be well. Only her mother would panic, as it was the focus of her life for her daughter to obtain the most advantageous marriage possible: despite being the crown princess, she was sure that her daughter needed to retain her beauty for as long as it took to secure the union.

She used to be more optimistic about the aristocracy that made up the Council and even her own parents: but the war changed things, and Sonia couldn't share in Reinhard's optimism that they actually gave a damn about Princess Sonia as a person. No one really did, barring her cousins and occasionally her father. Her value to the world, as she knew it, was in her power, wealth, and beauty, and little else. If she wasn't so determined to leave her mark on the world, it would have been easy to ask Capella Emerada Lugunica to simply finish her off, or at least make her so undesirable as a princess that the world would be forced to acknowledge her as a person, with her own thoughts, her own feelings, her own values.

"I think moving me to the mountain chalet will at least turn their focus away from the capitol," Sonia offered between bites of stew. If anything, she needed to finish her meal in order to begin regaining some strength. "Besides: the snow will have begun to fall by this time of year. I doubt that some of the Witch Cult will want to bear the frigid temperatures for too long unless they have sufficient amounts of magic. Still, it is rather removed from the closest town: if their goal is to obtain my head, I would rather they try to achieve it without innocent people being caught in the crossfire."

She was in many ways innocent herself, but the unfortunate reality of being heir to the throne made her a target: those who sought control and the means to exert it, those who didn't believe in the idea of monarchs. All of them could, and did, target their ire towards her family. Magic abilities aside, Sonia would be hard-pressed to say which group was more lethal: her fellow aristocrats tended to doubt the lower classes' strength in numbers and their ability to bond over a common, perceived enemy.

"I wonder why they haven't gone for my father first, not that I would ever wish it," She continued, setting down her spoon when the bowl was empty. "Novoselic isn't like Lugunica: there is no dragon poised to make a pact with the maiden looking to become the new ruler: my country has one, and one the public is rather fond of. Going after me, it feels like the Witch Cult believes Novoselic in some way functions similarly to Lugunica, which is far from the truth." There was no group of magic-wielding knights, for example: just normal humans trained in combat and having pledged loyalty to their king. Reinhard in many ways was the most odd amongst them all: his oath to her life, and not her father's, was only one of the particulars, though it was one her father clearly valued by permitting him to stay.

"But I'll make the arrangements as soon as I-ARGH!" Sonia had continued before cutting herself off with a groan: she'd attempted to shift her weight to sit further up in bed, but her torso wasn't having it: not without shooting pain in her ribs that she couldn't even apply pressure to. That only made the pain worse. "...I am able to leave this bed." She concluded, torn between feeling dejected and feeling annoyed. She didn't handle feelings of uselessness well, and being bedridden certainly counted as such.

She also didn't handle his intense stare. The Knights of Novoselic knew better than to hold the gaze of their royals for longer than a moment: a prolonged stare was most inappropriate, though she wasn't surprised that such rules had either escaped Reinhard's notice or he simply didn't care. Sword Saint and all, she wondered if any rules applied to him or if he simply did as he liked: if he ever decided to defend a Sin Archbishop, it would truly throw the world into turmoil.

Sonia looked away, reaching for the glass of blue liquid on the tray: the one thing she hadn't sampled, and she doubted he'd give her any solitude until she did. "A-anyway, I am curious as to what identity you will take on during the journey to the mountains. Will it come with some sort of disguise? Your appearance, after all, is rather striking." She paused, realizing that he could interpret it as a comment of his physical attractiveness and not simply his features. "As the Sword Saint! Your family does have uniquely red hair, do they not? Like mine, and all of our blonde shades." She took a sip of the blue drink before grimacing, her brows knitting together in discomfort before forcing herself to swallow. "Oh, goodness, FUCK that is awful! This must be like the poisoned cake from before, to taste so terrible! Quick, you must watch for symptoms!"

He kneeled down before her and reached out as he would take her hand into his gloved hands and hold it for a moment, to comfort her and make sure she was not worried. The knight's grip on her hand tightened slightly at her words, and he took a moment to consider her question. The castle was indeed in no condition to serve as a bastion of protection for her. "Your Highness, I believe the mountains may be the safest place for you to recover and rebuild your strength." He said at last. "The air is cleaner, and the witch cult will not expect you there. It would be an ideal location for you to stay until the situation is more stable."

He had dealt with the witch cult beasts here, anything the sin of lust had created, in these three days he has hunted them down and eliminated them, it takes a monster to hunt a monster, and only he could do something so dangerous and walk away without even a mark on his body, but it was not the end of it, they had tried to kill her, they would try again and the second time they would not mess around, if they wanted her dead, they will stop at nothing in order to get it.

He knew that leaving her behind while he continued the fight was a difficult decision, but it was one that had to be made with the greater good in mind, as he was thinking over the choices. "The Royal Council is right to be concerned." He continued, his eyes never leaving hers. "The witch cult will not rest until they have you in their grasp. They will target your family, your people, and your lands to get to you. By moving you to the countryside, we can draw the focus away from Novoselic and give us time to hunt them down."

The thought of her being used as bait was repugnant to him, but he also understood the strategic advantage it could provide. "However, I do not think that you should be used as bait, Your Highness. That is not what you are to me, nor to your people." His voice was firm, his jaw set. "You are the beacon of hope and the future of this kingdom. Your safety is paramount."

He paused, his gaze intense as he searched her eyes. "But if you wish to accompany me, I will not stand in your way. You are more than capable of making decisions for yourself. I am here to serve and protect, not to dictate your path." He knew that she had the right to choose her own destiny, even if it meant placing herself in harm's way. “But my advice is for both of us to leave.” He would go with her, his oath was more to her life than all others, as he nodded.

“I doubt they will come anywhere close to you if they know I am with you.” As he shakes his head. “I have another identity I can use while we travel that will make things easier.” A role not of the sword saint, but of someone else, the witch cult will not go anywhere near her after what he had done, he had soundly defeated a sin of the cult and her entire chapter by himself, they will not risk another attack if he was there, only a fool would fight the sword saint in combat, so he would merely have to remove the sword saint from the picture then to ensure they will leave this kingdom and begin to look for her.

[more-than-a-princess]

[more-than-a-princess]

After a quick thank you to Anzu, Sonia was on her way. It was her fault, really, for not thinking when helping plan the event that surely Shinobu would have preferred a coffee to the sugary sodas and juices the rest of the girls enjoyed. Mahiru and Hiyoko would push for Shinobu to be made to feel different in all of the worst ways: at least in this one, something as innocuous as drink preferences, she could have helped her feel included. It wouldn't even have been that hard: in the refrigerator the Hope's Peak staff allowed her to have in her apartments, she kept a healthy stock of the canned coffees Shinobu enjoyed. When popped into a plastic bag from the convenience store or an eco tote from her own collection, she could pretend that she'd simply picked up a can on her last venture to the store as a kind gesture, and not something she had the foresight to keep on hand in her room. In case Shinobu ever stopped by on the way to visit Anzu. In case she ever needed a drink. Or anything else, for that matter.

She thought about telling Shinobu the truth, sometime before the Ji-yeon incident. But then everything happened and she thought better of it. Sonia's own preferences in coffee, as evident from their visit to the cafe Shinobu favored, likely made her friend uncomfortable enough: in the presence of real aficionados, she'd doused her own drinks in sugar and ice cream. There was much Sonia, by necessity, needed refined tastes in: but fried food and sugary coffee did not count, and she struggled with pretending that they did.

Still, she could at least apologize for the oversight and offer to treat her for her next can, if she felt so inclined to indulge. It had been awfully rude for her to leave her on her own anyway, but something needed to be done about her transphobic classmates who threatened to ruin the day. Not on Sonia's watch, at least, she thought with a decisive nod as she climbed the stairs.

And abruptly froze.

Just like she'd had every intention to mention Anzu in her defense to Mahiru, Sonia had every intention to call out to Shinobu in a combination of a greeting and apology. But unlike her confrontation with Mahiru, where her defense was filled with mentions of one friend and not the other, Sonia found herself without a voice at all. The corner she now cowered behind like a child offered just enough of a hiding place to not be immediately seen, but if she made even a hint of a sound, she'd be found out. And for once, she didn't know how to explain herself and didn't know what to ask.

What she did know was the way Shinobu's hand wove through Rui Aoyama's curls. The way she tilted her head just so, just enough for Rui Aoyama to caress her neck with every ounce of skill the Ultimate Host had surely built up from years of experience. The way Shinobu's cheeks flushed from the heat of their embrace and the way her lips had reddened from kisses that had started it all and, under Sonia's watch, soon continued with tender touches to Shinobu's face and the likely circumstances of the rest of the world fading away from the two girls. It didn't matter that it was a school stairwell with forgotten drinks: all that mattered, seemingly, as them.

Sonia clapped a hand over her mouth, halfway sliding down the wall she had to brace herself against to keep herself from collapsing to the ground. Behind her palm, her mouth struggled and strained to find what to say, what she felt. It wasn't Mahiru or Hiyoko's disgust at the affectionate display but something else: something that made her chest heave, her stomach twist and turn, with the immense need to vomit not out of repugnance but of something else.

Pain. From how much pleasure Shinobu took in it all, that Rui Aoyama seemingly had from being the one to give it, and how, despite the fact she was never supposed to be a factor of the equation, how much it hurt that she wasn't. Sonia never wanted to be the object of the Ultimate Host's affection or, perhaps more accurately, pursuit. But Shinobu...why did it have to be Shinobu? When upon seeing Rui Aoyama's lips upon hers, that Sonia wished she could be in the Ultimate Host's position instead? Kissing Shinobu with even more fervor, and having her friend relish in it?

That made her legs move, at least. Quietly yet swiftly, down the stairs and back into the main hallway of the lower floor where the pool resided. Her hand moved from her mouth to her chest, pressing firmly against where her heart beat rapidly, where she struggled to breathe. But the pressure she applied paled in comparison to the pressure upon her mind, her conscience: She wanted to kiss Shinobu Yaguchi, and the other girl did not, and would not ever, feel the same.

The bile rose up in her throat and, perhaps in the most selfish move she'd made in quite some time, Sonia had to get out. With a shaky breath to steady herself, she fixed her features into the most pleasant, unassuming expression she could before pushing open the double doors and striding to the chair she'd left the linen wrap dress she'd worn over her swimsuit. Putting her arms through the sleeves and tying the belt at the waist, she reached for both her bag and sandals before turning to a bewildered Chiaki and an apparently nonplussed Peko. "I apologize, but I must leave. Family emergency. At home," She explained, her words clipped as she swallowed the tears she wanted to shed. Not in front of everyone, she knew: how could she explain it otherwise, when she could barely understand it herself?

And while no one pressed her for more, Peko waited to speak after Sonia had disappeared through the double doors again. "That's unlike Nevermind-san. To be rude and leave without some sort of explanation."

"Mm," Chiaki agreed. She hadn't even noticed that she'd lost the level she'd been playing in the dungeon crawler game she'd been showing Peko only moments before. "Something's wrong. I'll check on her later."

Chiaki had correctly understood that Sonia had wanted to be alone. It had taken several tries with shaky hands to get her key into her dorm apartment's lock, before shoving the door open and, just as quickly, slamming it behind her. Sandals kicked off and bag hastily tossed aside, Sonia didn't make it to the bed. She didn't even make it to the sofa. Instead, she curled up on the floor between the low table and her TV cabinet and finally allowed herself to sob.

It didn't make sense, she thought as the mascara and eyeliner she'd worn rubbed away onto her hands. She wasn't gay.

She liked boys. She'd had boyfriends: two of them, in fact, in her lifetime. Both of whom had made indelible marks upon her very soul. She liked boys. She wasn't gay.

And yet, instead of embarrassment at catching Shinobu in her lover's embrace or revulsion at two women kissing, the only thought in her mind was how she wished it were her, Not Rui Aoyama. Her.

And that was terrifying. No horror movie turned her stomach the way that realization had. In principle, there was nothing wrong with being queer: she knew that. The various pride displays in Novoselic each June with the legalization of same-sex marriage in her country in the early 20th Century was proof.

But there was everything wrong with a member of the Novoselic Royal Family, and the heir to the throne at that, being queer.

Sonia half-ran, half-stumbled, to the bathroom where the melon soda and party snacks she'd been enjoying earlier that day resurfaced, right into the porcelain toilet bowl until all that was left was dry heaving. She could rid herself of the meal she'd had but not of her feelings. Coughing, Sonia pushed herself off the tile floor to steady herself in front of the sink. She looked like a mess: red eyes from crying and burst blood vessels, chapped lips, smudged makeup and that was only on the outside. Shaking her head, she washed her face and spent several minutes brushing her teeth and tongue to rid herself of the bacteria, but a clean mouth and skin couldn't fix the problem at hand.

"I am not gay," She stated to her reflection in the mirror. If she said it as easily as stating her birthdate or the closest branches of her family tree, certainly it was believable. "No one in the Novoselic Royal Family is, or is allowed to be, gay. I like boys. I have had relationships with boys." A pause, as she breathed in and out, squaring her shoulders for the next admission. "And I am not in love with Shinobu Yaguchi."

From the way her voice cracked as she stammered, it was the least convincing part of it all. Enough for Sonia to take the nearby washcloth she'd just used and throw it at the mirror, storming out of the bathroom before collapsing, face first, onto her mattress.

That was how, nearly four hours later, Chiaki had found her. One of the few people at Hope's Peak with a key to Sonia's rooms besides Sonia herself, she'd knocked twice before letting herself in, a takeaway tray with two bubble teas and a plastic bag balanced on her opposite hand and arm. "Sonia?" She asked gently, honorifics be damned: the last time she'd found her best friend like this was the day Gundham Tanaka had, inevitably, broken her heart. And even then Sonia had raised her head with gentle sobs: now, she simply lay there, curled in the center of her king-size mattress, unmoving. Exhausted. "I thought you might be hungry, or at least like something tasty to drink. I brought you brown sugar bubble tea, your favorite."

That got Sonia's attention as she shakily pushed herself up to a sitting position. And even Chiaki, who was so often impassive unless discussing video games, couldn't hide her widened eyes and aghast expression. Sonia Nevermind, so often the most cheerful and optimistic member of Class 77-B and her closest friend, looked completely and utterly defeated. "Thanks," She choked out, throat dry, but made no move to reach for the drink. Instead, Chiaki jammed the straw through the cup's seal and pushed it into Sonia's hand.

"Is everything ok at home, Sonia?" Chiaki asked, setting the plastic bag and her backpack on the throw rug beside Sonia's bed before taking a seat on the edge. "You looked really shaken up earlier." Admittedly, she'd checked the international news briefly while in line when buying the bubble tea: no breaking headlines had surfaced about Novoselic, which meant what upset her wasn't a royal issue.

Sonia didn't answer, her mouth opening to speak before closing it again.

"Did something happen with Yaguchi-san, from 77-A?"

Sonia's fist tightened around the plastic cup, causing milky tea to splatter all over her duvet. And to her surprise, Chiaki barely reacted at all, giving Sonia a sad, sympathetic look before putting a little distance between the two of them, in order to avoid the stain. "Chiaki..." She uttered, her voice hoarse as she looked at her, eyes welling up with tears.

"You left to look for her. Did you tell her how you feel? That you like her-"

"I am not gay, Chiaki," Sonia cut her off before she could finish that sentence. For fuck's sake, was she the last person on Earth to realize she was harboring romantic feelings for a woman? "I can't be gay. Not as the Princess of Novoselic, not in my family. It goes against the rules and line of succession."

"I can't say I understand that," Chiaki admitted, her voice wavering. This was uncharted territory for them: Chiaki had opened up about how she'd met a nice boy in the Reserve Course who played video games with her and Sonia had divulged, perhaps with too much detail, about her crush and subsequent relationship with Gundham. But romance with women...that was a topic neither of them had breached. At least not where it involved either of them, at least. "But being gay, or queer, I don't think you can choose whether you are or not. You just...are. Is she the first girl you have felt this way about?"

Sonia gave a nod. "I...did not know what it was I was feeling," She murmured. "Until I saw her kissing someone else. And then all I wanted was to be the person she was kissing instead."

"I'm not an expert in dating sims," Chiaki sighed. "But I know you can't progress in the game without communicating with the chosen love interest. You should talk to her-"

"No."

"But you can't clear the current level if you don't-"

"I said NO, Chiaki!" Sonia shouted, the most she'd raised her voice since the incident with Mahiru. But instead of being mad at her best friend, her anger was internalized, exploding only when provoked. "Nothing has to change. Nothing has to change if I don't say anything. For three reasons."

"Why then, Sonia?"

"For one," Sonia began, running a hand through her already-unruly hair. Alongside so many other things she needed: something to eat, a heart transplant, the ability to turn off her feelings, she needed a hairbrush. "No one in my family can be gay, or be involved in a homosexual relationship. Marriage, as defined in my family, is between a man and a woman. Beyond the societal uproar, I'd be forced to abdicate. And I cannot do that."

Chiaki debated mentioning that they were only high school students and that the idea of marriage was something a long way off for all of them. But she remembered how the Japanese and European media alike had hounded Gundham for months, to the point where it had been difficult just to go to school, take care of his mother, and look after his animals, and he had split from Sonia despite the fact his feelings for her were still as strong as the day they'd decided to date. And promptly thought better of it.

"Two, she clearly does not see me like that, considering she was kissing Aoyama Rui-san, who is probably my polar opposite in every way," Sonia continued, "And it is not necessary to rejected verbally when I already have seen indisputable evidence that she holds no romantic feelings for me."

Chiaki swallowed her words once again. She didn't follow Sonia's logic, but it seemed counterproductive to mention it.

"And three, if somehow she did agree to date me, you know what happens to her girlfriends. Everyone knows what happens!" Sonia cried, leaning back against the headboard. "She dates them once and then cuts them out of her life completely. Is it worth destroying a friendship, much less our lives if anyone finds out, to go on a single date? If things stay as they are, it'll pass. It has to pass, and no one needs to ever know."

That part, for what Chiaki knew of Shinobu Yaguchi, she couldn't refute. Dating gossip generally didn't interest her unless it was in the context of a video game, but the Ultimate Archer had a reputation no one could ignore. That, and her propensity to beat up men on campus, from male students to her own brother. But that wasn't the point. The point was, Sonia had begun to understand what Chiaki had concluded for weeks. That some of their classmates had either riddled out for themselves or couldn't ignore: Sonia was, at the very least, not strictly heterosexual and was in no shape to handle that realization about herself.

"I'm so sorry, Sonia,"

"I want her in my life, Chiaki. I need her in my life," Sonia replied, resolute. "It has to be like this: it's better than the alternative, and at least I'm the only one who has to get over it."

Chiaki nodded. She couldn't solve this for her, and not in a night. But at least she could do what she came to do, as she reached for the plastic bag by her backpack. "I brought some of the leftover chicken and onigiri, and some of the cookies. You didn't get to eat too much earlier, you really should eat a bit." It was a strange sensation, the tables turning on both girls: so often it was Sonia nagging Chiaki to eat after gaming for hours on end. "And if you want, I have the latest Mario Kart game. I know I promised to teach you some maneuvers for you to beat Liam-kun: he was really impressed when I visited last summer, right?"

Sonia sniffled, before slowly moving to sit in the tea-soaked spot on the duvet in order to hug her. "You're the best, you know that?" She mumbled into Chiaki's shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm your best friend," Chiaki agreed, returning the hug before grabbing her backpack, retrieving both the game cartridge and her custom controller. "You eat and I'll set it up on your Switch, ok? Eat at least two of the onigiri before we do a Grand Prix: we'll try the one with Boo's Cinema."

"It will begin to rain soon." At the edge of the pool, Harumi didn't have the wrappings that usually covered her eyes, but she still kept them closed. "And it will not stop for days. They have to engage the Kanda River underwater reservoir to keep it from flood." "Ah, is that so?" Ruka tapped her pen against her waterproof notepad. "Then what about... Blackened water / When the rising of waves brings / Inauspicious signs."

Anzu only half-listened. The background girls were probably overjoyed just to have her around - actually paying attention wasn't really necessary. No, she had other things on her mind. It was shitty of her, she knew, but on some level, she got why Shinobu got harassed. She was an athlete, even if she competed only with men, and she didn't exactly look like a typical girl in build or fashion. She didn't even have any interest in boys. But Anzu? She was a girl's girl through and through. What about her could really be objectionable? She and Shinobu weren't really that alike, aside from the obvious.

It wasn't a very kind thing to think, and it made her feel worse that being bullied in the first place, though, ever a peerless actress, she didn't let it show on her face. "Oh, Sonia-san," she said, putting on a sunny smile and scarfing down a couple of sweet treats, neglecting to introduce her classmates. There was that Anzu again - driven to excess in fun and food and fucking, without much going on in her head, not someone anyone should ever worry about. "Thanks, they're tasty." She gave a small wave once she'd finished eating. "Don't worry about Shinobu-chan. I doubt she'd ever think less of you for something like that." If only she knew. "But if you're looking for her, I think she went upstairs to get a drink a minute ago."

In a pathetic, lovesick way, Shinobu found she didn't enjoy being apart from Sonia - not when the other girl was downstairs, and it would only take a few moments to get back to her side. Wasn't that part of the problem, though? This sort of attachment was unhealthy even within the bounds of a relationship, and they were not in a relationship. In a way, it was good - not pleasant, but good - to be apart from her for a short while. Her gaze lingered too long on the curve of her bust, on her hips, and on her thighs - the latter of which she was still trying not to think about doing all sorts of unspeakable things to.

With a bit more force than necessary, the archer clapped at their cheeks as they rounded the stairwell corner. Perhaps it was new for her to have romantic feelings to such an extent, and perhaps it was new for her to be so aroused alongside them, but that was no reason to act like an animal. She neither wished to make Sonia uncomfortable, nor provide Miss Koizumi any additional ammunition. She'd simply have to find some way to deal with these feelings and quash them down, if it were impossible to get rid of them all together.

"Shinobu-chan?" Turning up towards the next flight of stairs, Shinobu could see Miss Aoyama standing at the top with a drink of her own in hand and a grin upon her face, a thin hoodie zipped up over her swimsuit. I really don't have time for your antics right now, Miss Aoyama. "Aww, did you miss me that much, that you had to come looking for me? You're rather un-kittenlike, Shinobu-chan, but maybe a puppy is mo-" Having begun to walk down the steps, either to meet Shinobu or to continue past her back towards the pool, Miss Aoyama slipped, her foot missing the step and knocking her off balance. The can of soda bounced against the wall, before slowly rolling step-by-step down the stairs.

Instinctively, Shinobu raised both arms, lightly bending her knees to brace as she caught her classmate. Still, Miss Aoyama slammed into her, knocking her back hard enough for Shinobu to smack her head against the wall, and for her glasses to fly from her face. "Dammit," they grunted, vision fuzzy. At first, the blurred shape of Miss Aoyama seemed to freeze, before kneeling down to grab the glasses, and then slowly fit them back over Shinobu's ears.

Miss Aoyama was incredibly close, her face only some short distance away. To Shinobu, she seemed in some amount of surprise, such that her usually obnoxious attitude wasn't on full display. "Thanks," she managed to say, weakly rubbing at the back of her head with a small smile. "Honestly, I'm surprised you didn't move out of the way and let me fall." Shinobu scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Just how heartless do you think I am, Miss Aoyama?"

At that, Miss Aoyama gave a quiet laugh. "Well, you did tell me that you were going to kill me last year. Or, do you say that to all the girls?" Again, Shinobu rolled her eyes. "I'm glad you're feeling in good spirits. A simple expression of gratitude will suffice, and now we can both move along." "Ah, I've got it," Miss Aoyama snapped her fingers. "You just want to kill me yourself. After all, you're not going to tell me it was just an act, are you?" She was still so close, loomed over as she was - a few centimeters taller than Shinobu, which was rather rare, especially among women.

Shinobu's glare was enough for the other girl to back off, just enough for Shinobu to step past her if she wanted. Though, instead, she stayed where she was. At least she wasn't thinking about Sonia to the point of insanity. In that sense, the longer she stayed near Miss Aoyama, in this conversation, the better. "You know, Shinobu-chan, I'd like to take you out on a date. Is the problem the host thing?" Shinobu knew that much - Miss Aoyama hadn't made a secret of it in the past.

What Shinobu hadn't known, though, was how quick her heart would beat with her classmate close like this, speaking in such a whisper. Surely it had to be the adrenaline from catching her, all the chaos. "I feel as though I've made my position clear, Miss Aoyama. What you do for work is your own business, one that I'd not seek to control, no. Rather, I'm uninterested in any partner who lacks the conviction to pursue me with solitary interest. So long as you have so many girlfriends at one time, I refuse to be a number."

That answer seemed to amuse Miss Aoyama, and Shinobu could guess at what. She didn't see much difference between the two of them, with Shinobu dating so many girls in quick succession. Thankfully, she didn't bring that up, and force Shinobu to illustrate plainly the differences as she saw them. "Well, I can accept that, even if I think we'd have pretty amazing chemistry. If you change your mind, you know where to find me." Again, Miss Aoyama chuckled. "Are you interested in a teaser? As a thank you?"

Her face was close to Shinobu's again, clearly emboldened by the fact that Shinobu hadn't pushed her away, or walked off. Under typical circumstances, Shinobu would have said something unkind and left. These, however, were not typical circumstances. The fact that she could feel heat on her face was proof enough of that. And, when she thought of it, Sonia and Miss Aoyama were rather dissimilar, weren't they? Where Sonia was thoughtful and considered, Miss Aoyama was brash and impulsive. Where Sonia was sincere, Miss Aoyama always seemed to be performing. Even if Sonia were gay, and interested in her, they couldn't imagine her propositioning them like this.

And yet, clearly Shinobu was having some sort of reaction to her classmate. "What the hell, sure." She wanted to stop thinking so much about Sonia - to not have her every thought consumed by things that made her feel disgusting and predatory for even thinking them. Miss Aoyama loved women - arguably too much - and still wanted her. Shinobu didn't have to concern herself with a straight woman who was too kind to ever love her back, or the words of people like Miss Koizumi. She could just invite Miss Aoyama to touch her, and kiss her, and let everything else melt away.

Rui's eyes searched her face slowly, no doubt looking for some hesitation or reluctance, or even some sort of trickery. There's nothing of the sort, Miss Aoyama, so if you aren't all talk, then go ahead and kiss me. And kiss her she did. Rui's hand was warm on her cheek, cradling her face and directing her movements with gentle care. It wasn't a sensation Shinobu was especially accustomed to, but she didn't dislike it. Rui was obviously experienced, and there was a comfort in letting someone else lead - not having to second guess herself or wonder what the other person thought of her, or what they saw her as.

"Shinobu-chan, I..." Rui's voice was uncharacteristically soft, and lacking in that swagger that Shinobu had come to expect. "...Tell me if you don't like something. I don't want you to have a bad time." "Ah..." That, too, was unexpected. The archer was thankful to have their glasses back, not that it helped understand anything in Rui's dark eyes, or the sharp angles of her face. "Mm." If nothing else, Rui was someone she could speak her mind to. Whatever expectations she had likely aligned more closely with Shinobu's true self than the fantasies of other interested parties.

She was a good kisser. Shinobu supposed she shouldn't have expected anything else, given how experienced they both were. One of Rui's hands stayed at Shinobu's cheek, lightly guiding her, while the other pressed at the wall to keep herself steady. Rui's tongue pushed into her mouth, and Shinobu felt a shiver run down her spine. It was electric, in a way few of her uncountable kisses had been, such that she found herself pushing herself forward, a hand rested on Rui's shoulder and a hand at her waist, to kiss her more, and more deeply.

After a short time that felt longer, Rui pulled back just long enough to breathe, before setting her lips upon Shinobu's neck. "Don't leave any marks. I'm serious," Shinobu murmured. She didn't want to explain this to Anzu, or her father. Rui made some sort of noise that Shinobu supposed meant she understood, before commencing with small kisses, bites, and licks. Another chill took her, and Shinobu could feel goosebumps on her arms and the back of her neck. Unsure of what quite to do in the position, so seldom did she experience it, she mirrored what other girls had so often done to her - sliding her fingers along the back of Rui's neck, before lightly tangling them in the loose curls of her hair and pulling her closer.

Somehow, Rui's leg had moved between Shinobu's own, her knee pressing faintly up against her. It felt good. Embarrassingly good. "Nn..." It took some amount of willpower not to allow herself to press back against it. Rui, too, seemed to have noticed, although what Shinobu expected was intended as a cocky smirk was tempered by the small bead of sweat on her forehead and the faint red painted across her face. Then, Rui placed her hands on either side of Shinobu's face, holding her like she was something to be cherished or treasured - and that was nice - before bringing their lips together again. They weren't even thinking about Sonia anymore.