Having been raised on the same island, Arisa had known of Hachinobe - no, then-Takagishi Koga for most of her life. Yet their degree of familiarity had waned in recent years. They were on amicable terms, certainly, though it was more on the level of mere acquaintanceship than friends. It was only natural given the age gap; after all, Koga had been finishing up her introductory yōgari training at sixteen when Arisa had first been brought to the shrine. It would only be a little over two years later that she would be sent to the Amatsuki clan remnant to marry the then-seventeen year old Hachinobe Mototatsu. Beyond that point, the only means by which Arisa had kept up to date with Koga's doings had been via Kurowashi-sensei, who mentioned his daughter occasionally whenever he received a letter from her overseas.

Still, Arisa had many pleasant memories of Koga. Back during her earliest days at the shrine, Koga had been the one who'd introduced her to Shiori and Suzume in an attempt to cheer her up from her homesickness. The girls struck up a fast friendship and made a habit of going over to Kurowashi-sensei's place to play, where Koga-nee would let them dress up in her hand-me-downs and - if they were lucky - even fool around with makeup if the older girl was in the mood to clean up after the mess they often ended up making.

Watching Koga now as she sat across from her on the ferry ride back to Takanotsume, Arisa couldn't help but feel a small wave of sadness as those memories flickered across her mind's eye. The wordless, apathetic courtesy conveyed through the older woman's smile and posture betrayed just how wide the rift had grown between them over the years. She found herself wondering fleetingly if Koga remembered those visits as fondly as she and Shiori did. If she even remembered Suzume - the real, living Suzume who'd smiled and laughed and cried, not the slogan, the rallying cry, the faceless talking point turned warning conveyed throughout the clan remnants in the aftermath of her death.

Outside, the sun hung low over the ocean waves, its rays slanting past the windows and illuminating a long amber stripe across Koga's countenance. As she brought one hand up to shield her face, Arisa was suddenly struck by how much paler and thinner the young mother had grown since her last visit. She recounted Tatsusada's words from before with a sinking feeling. Perhaps the journey here had been more taxing than everyone had let on...

"I'm really sorry about this," Koga was saying to Shiori, her apologetic voice tearing Arisa out of her thoughts. "You guys really didn't need to tag along..."

"Didn't need to?" Shiori let out a dismissive snort and shook her head. "Please. This is Tatsusada-kun we're talking about!"

"But weren't you in the middle of something?" Ito spoke up anxiously from her mistress' side.

"Nah. Don't worry about it, Miss," Clione said. Along with the other three Hearts, he was sitting nearby with his portion of shopping bags resting between his legs. "We were just about finished anyway."

"Yeah." Shachi leaned back and interlaced his fingers behind his back. "Hopefully Tatsusada-kun will be waiting for you at Takanotsume."

"If he isn't there, I wouldn't know what to do with myself," Koga fretted, her face scrunching up with worry. "But really, it's the only other place I can think of outside of town..."

"He was talking non-stop about Iroha yesterday," Ito supplied. "Maybe he thought he could meet her again by returning to that place."

"He was supposed to be taking his nap!"

"Kid sounds like an escape artist," Shachi said, chuckling. "Has this sort of thing happened before?"

"A few times back at home. But never in the middle of traveling!" Koga nervously twisted her hands together, eyes darting to the window. "Oh, but I do hope we find him there safe and sound. We've looked everywhere else..."

Uni reached over and nudged Clione by the shoulder.

"Might've turned out for the best that Captain had to stay behind," he said, shooting him a meaningful look over the fringe of his bandana. "If it turns out the kid ran away there, at least there's someone there to watch him."

"I don't know about that." Ikkaku frowned, folding her arms and directing her gaze out to the ocean waves. "Captain is terrible with kids. Especially clingy ones."

"Not to mention crybabies." The corners of Shachi's lips gave a minuscule twitch, as if he were actively suppressing a chuckle.

Arisa hid a wince, thinking back to the conversation she'd had with Law following Teru's call. His comment had seemed innocuous and lighthearted at the time, but in the present context it only served to fuel her worries. As long as he didn't do anything that could potentially get him kicked off the island....
"Tatsusada is usually very well-behaved," Koga explained, looking even more troubled. "But he's very shy and can be rather... capricious when it comes to the sort of people he takes to. If he's there, I hope he isn't causing your captain any trouble."

With these fears seeded fresh at the forefront of everyone's mind, the ferry forded its way across the narrow channel. The journey was short, and it was only after another fifteen minutes or so that they reached their destination and Koga's worries regarding her son's whereabouts, at least, were laid to rest.

Trafalgar Law stood watching them with sullen eyes from beneath the brim of his spotted hat as the vessel crept closer to the dock. At a first glance, he appeared to be alone. But a telltale flash of indigo hair peeking out from behind him confirmed the presence of a companion, albeit much smaller in size. Arisa leaned over the railing, feeling a torrent of relief when she caught a glimpse of Tatsusada's small, pale face before he hid behind the surgeon again.

"Ta-chan?" Koga called out. Shachi and Clione bristled, clearly startled at the sudden anger in her voice, and scrambled out of the way, shopping bags and all, as she went tearing down the gangplank for her boy. "Ta-chan!"

"Lady Koga, please watch your step -!" Ito called, scurrying after her.

"Someone's in big trouble," Uni muttered knowingly as he adjusted his bandana, coming up next to the railings with Ikkaku and Clione in tow.

"I'm just glad Captain didn't do anything drastic," Clione answered dubiously.

"Pft - he wouldn't. Not unless he had any reason to!"

Shiori leaned in between Uni and Arisa.

"Maybe you should go down there with them." She shot Arisa a knowing look when she merely frowned back in confusion. "You know, in case you need to mediate."

Of course she was right. Arisa thought for a moment, blue eyes flickering down to Koga and Ito's retreating figures as they rushed to the shore, before relenting with a small sigh. She pushed off the railing and made her way down the gangway.

"Is this your kid?" Law was asking dryly as she came within earshot. He took a step to the side, but Tatsusada frantically shuffled sideways with him in an attempt to remain hidden behind the surgeon.

"Yes, he is - oh, I'm so very sorry!" Koga bowed and motioned frantically to her son. "Ta-chan! Come over here!"

Law glanced down at the little boy peeking out from behind his coat.

"Go on, brat," he said, adjusting his grip over his nodachi sheath. "I don't have all day."

Tatsusada hesitated. He ventured a few faltering steps past the surgeon, before breaking into a run and rushing over to his mother. Koga knelt at his level, letting out a small laugh as he bashfully buried his face into her kimono.

"Oh - I was so worried! What were you thinking?!" She gave his shoulder an admonishing shake, then looked up at Law and bowed her head. "Thank you so much for bringing him here. I hope he didn't bother you at all!"

"There's only so much trouble a single brat can cause," Law answered dismissively. His gaze flickered to said brat in particular, a glimmer of an unreadable expression crossing his features before he re-assumed his usual nonchalant demeanor. "Beyond disrupting my nap, he didn't get a chance to do all that much."

"I'm very sorry for this," Koga repeated. Rising to her feet, she clasped her son's shoulders and leaned in, her voice gentle but firm. "Ta-chan, you need to apologize for bothering this nice man."

Nice man. Arisa deliberately thinned her lips to keep her expression neutral. Judging by the subtle twitch in the surgeon's jaw, he'd probably taken more offense to such characterization than had Tatsusada gone and vandalized the Polar Tang.

Tatsusada nodded and bent his head in attrition, with his mother earnestly mirroring the motion. Law scoffed and glanced away, looking uncharacteristically agitated. Arisa caught the expression and raised her eyebrows when she met his gaze. Law merely narrowed his eyes back and gave his head a slight shake. After Koga had whisked Tatsusada off to Ito, Arisa sidled over to his side.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked quietly.

Law remained silent for a beat, keeping his eyes glued to the Hachinobe heir.

"Do you know why the brat doesn't speak?"

"...he doesn't speak?"

Law tore his gaze away from Tatsusada and glanced down at her.

"You didn't know?"

She shook her head slowly. Tatsusada had only been two years old the last time the Hachinobe family had visited Amenoka-ji, but she remembered he'd had no trouble talking - as well as toddlers his age could manage, anyhow.

"Tch." Another pause. When he spoke up again, it sounded like he was talking more to himself. "How bothersome. This is turning out to be much more complicated than I thought."

"...what are you talking about?" Arisa answered, frowning.

But before Law could answer, Shiori materialized in between them like a looming specter

"Both of you! Come on!" she ordered, throwing an arm over Arisa's neck. "Back to the ferry! It's an emergency!"

"Wait-!" Arisa sputtered, struggling to free herself before she could get dragged along. "What happened?"

"I completely forgot about my shift at Tsukinoya tonight, that's what!" Shiori hollered back. "Madame is gonna kill me unless I placate her with new customers!"

"Tsukinoya?" Arisa made a face. Out of the multitude of side gigs Shiori insisted on taking on (for the experience, she liked to say), her stint at Tsukinoya was probably her longest-standing for whatever godforsaken reason. Being the seedy old izakaya that it was, the food there wasn't even that particularly remarkable - not to mention that it catered to a rougher crowd, customer-wise. The aforementioned 'Madame' was also one of the few individuals in all of Hidamari Village who Shiori seemed to be genuinely intimidated by. "...didn't I tell you to quit that place months ago?"

"You wouldn't understand! Now let's go - hurry, hurry!" Shiori glanced over her shoulder to the thunderstruck Law and jabbed a finger at him. "You too! I need you to get your crew together for this. That'll amount to over twenty customers in one go; it'd be perfect! You guys like sake and karaoke, right?"

Law sweat dropped. "Karaoke?"

"Hotpot, too!" Shiori whirled upon him in full-fledged hostess mode. "Do you like hotpot? We have the best yosenabe in town -"

"Shiori, knock it off!" Arisa protested. "He's still quarantined!"

"So what? This is clearly more important!"

"Shiori - no, stop! Wait!"

──────────────────

Shiori did not wait.

In hindsight, just giving in earlier would have saved Arisa a whole lot of energy and stress. Isseki Shiori was one thing, but to argue with Shiori-chan of Tsukinoya? That was utterly impossible - especially when it came to all matters customer-related. This was precisely how the Heart Pirates found themselves crowded around four tables at the packed, seedy izakaya approximately forty-five minutes later.

"Are you sure this is okay?" Rakko asked Jean Bart. He eyed one of the neighboring tables where their captain was seated, his nose buried in the menu booklet without so much as a care in the world.

"I have no clue," came the dubious response.

"Wasn't he supposed to wait until he got permission from that Himuro guy?" Penguin added, leaning in.

"Yeah..." Jean Bart's dark eyes flickered over to Arisa and Riyu. "Though I guess that since Chidori-san accompanied him, she must have gotten the okay."

"True." Penguin followed his gaze and let out a nervous laugh. "The part timer doesn't look all too happy about this though..."

Indeed, this was precisely the case. The pair turned and sweat dropped at the sight of the part timer in question, who sat slumped over at a neighboring table, encapsulating the perfect caricature of despondency at a level which could only rival one of Bepo's depression spells. A dark cloud may as well have been hovering over her head with how gloomy she looked.

"Cheer up, aneki!" Riyu urged. She tugged at Arisa's sleeve. "C'mon, let's make the most of this while we can!"

"Riyu..." Arisa whined petulantly over the din of clattering plates and cheap folk music, raising her head off the table. Catching sight of Shiori waiting a table across the room, she narrowed her eyes and let out a childish huff. "I swear..."

"Now, now~"

"If this is what ends up getting me reassigned... I'm going to kill her...!"

Law flipped the page of the menu book, looking completely unbothered.

"I'm sure you will!" Riyu comforted patiently. She hummed along to the tune of the Tone Dial beneath her breath as she scanned the contents of the beverage menu. "And hey, I'll even help you bury the body if it comes down to it. But for now, let's take a deep breath and just enjoy ourselves while we're here, hm? Here's your water and menu! I'm getting the kushiyaki set, but the chef's special looks pretty nice too~"

Law set the menu down and calmly took a sip of water. For some reason, that was the last straw. Arisa clenched her jaw and whirled around to face him.

"You too!" she hissed.

Law frowned, the glass freezing halfway up to his face.

"What?"

"Don't play dumb now! What the hell was that all about? Why did you agree to come along when we specifically told you to wait until Himuro got back with us?"

He eyed her over the rim of his glass.

"I was hungry."

You can't possibly be serious.

Arisa squinted at him and lowered her voice.

"What do you think will happen if this gets back to my uncle?" she hissed. "What if he decides to kick you all out over this? What happens to the alliance?"

For just a split second, Law's impassive gray eyes flicked to something over her shoulder.

"We can deal with it if it gets to that point."

You'll just deal with it...? Now her annoyance was turning into confusion. Alarm, even. If there was anything Arisa had learned about the Supernova during the week or so aboard the Polar Tang, it was that he didn't take to improvisation very well under any circumstances. For crying out loud, the man insisted on making about twenty backup plans for every maneuver his crew made! For him to unexpectedly make such a risky move, and so cavalierly, too...

Is he hiding something? The possibility anchored deep into the pit of Arisa's stomach, spawning a fresh myriad of worries. She straightened in her seat and narrowed her eyes.

"Do you really think it'll be that simple?" she asked dryly, not even attempting to shield her tone from skepticism.

Law's voice remained nonchalant.

"Would I be wrong?" He slanted her a strange smile, one that could even be construed to be mischievous, when she didn't answer right away. "Why that face?"

"Because..." Arisa felt her eye twitch. Did she really need to spell it out for him? "...because it isn't like you at all. To be so...."

"So what?" His smile widened as she fought the urge to squirm under his gaze. "Careless?"

Arisa grumbled beneath her breath and fixed her gaze to her hands.

"...I think you know exactly what I mean."

Law let out a small chuckle.

"You always can't help but avoid being direct, can you?"

Her eyes thinned. What a jerk.

"Is she still sulking?" An empty tray in hand, Shiori came swooping in out of nowhere before Arisa could collect her wits enough to muster a retort.

"Tour Guide-ya." Law nodded in greeting. Arisa bristled further and looked away.

"She still isn't talking to you~" Riyu said in a sing-song voice.

"Awww, don't be like that." Shiori pouted. "I didn't want to do it either but you know how Madame gets!"

"Don't even try to justify yourself!" Arisa growled, her face still averted.

"Lighten up, aneki!"

"Exactly, A-ri-sa! Besides..." Law raised an eyebrow when Shiori leaned conspiratorially over their table and lowered her voice to a loud whisper. "You don't need to worry so much! I've got it all covered, alright? This is Himuro we're talking about; all it takes is one quick call and -..." she trailed off and straightened with a small snort when Arisa still didn't budge. "Fine. Keep sulking away if you want! I'll be the one left laughing when it turns out that you stressed out so much over nothing! Now -" she reverted seamlessly back to her hostess persona "- what will you all be having tonight?"

Law flipped the menu shut.

"Three grilled fish sets for Bepo and four orders of the yosenabe combo for the rest of us."

"I want the kushiyaki set with extra rice!" Riyu chimed. She surreptitiously elbowed her companion with a meaningful look. Arisa grudgingly relented and raised her chin.

"....make that two, please."

"With or without the extra rice?" Shiori asked patiently. She cleared her throat once Arisa shook her head no. "So it'll be three grilled fish, two kushiyaki, and four yosenabe combos? Perfect! And of course, drinks are on the house!" She beamed at the crew. "How do you take your sake, everyone? Hot or chilled?"

There were two qualities Tsukinoya was particularly renowned for (aside from the pretty poster girl, of course): good sake and efficiency. So while it certainly didn't take long for the dishes to start populating the tables, most of the customers were already long on their way to a good time by then.

"Shiori-chan! Get me another serving!"

"Come have a drink with us!"

"Here - extra tip!"

"Akane-chan~ It's been so long!"

"Come shake my hand!"

"Hey, Okami-san! Another beer!"

"One order of meat stew - ah, I think I'll have the oden actually..."

"Is it always so busy here?" Uni asked loudly over the din after their food arrived.

"Yeah!" Riyu gulped down an entire skewer's worth of meat and beamed proudly. "Tsukinoya's been doing great! Especially ever since Shiorin started working here - she's a great businesswoman, you know!"

Uni and Clione froze up at the unintended implication, nearly choking on their food. Ikkaku sweat dropped and looked around the jam-packed room.

"Sooo... I'm guessing that single middle-aged men are the target demographic here?" she ventured.

"How naive of you to assume that they're all single," Law stated bluntly. He only blinked in mild confusion when Arisa and Ikkaku turned to gape at him in abject horror. "...what?"

"Captain!" Ikkaku whined.

"Seriously?" Arisa echoed, shooting a warning look at Riyu as she began to take a sip of water.

"What?" The surgeon frowned. "Isn't it the truth?"

"Still!"

"...will it kill you to be a bit more discreet?"

"What do you mean by that, Mr. Dots?" Riyu jutted in innocently, her cheeks stuffed with rice. "Why would it be naive to assume that? I wanna know!"

Ikkaku visibly blanched as Arisa nearly spat out her water. Law glanced over at the Mink, looking as if he were about to answer -

"Nonono! Wait, that's enough!" Ikkaku cut in, desperately waving her hands in front of her captain to provide a brief distraction. "Redirect, redirect!"

"Eh?" Riyu made a face. "But why~?"

"Because it's boring! So boring! Let's just... ah, why don't we talk about something else, hm?"

"Yeah! Let's!" Clione chimed. "R-right, Uni?"

Arisa nodded along frantically. The sound of the bell chiming momentarily drew her attention to the front entrance. The color drained from her face when she caught the tall, gently stooped form and that unmistakable flash of indigo hair.

Law frowned when she whirled around and snatched a handful of spare menu booklets from the stand.

"Murasaki-ya. What are you -"

"Quick! Hide behind this!" Arisa ordered. The Hearts collectively sweat dropped as she set to work propping the menus up vertically on the table like a shield. She cast a furtive look over her shoulder, watching anxiously as Hachinobe Tatsuhito made his way to a spare seat at the bar and spoke to one of the other waitresses.

"Oh, is that Ta-chan...?" Riyu craned her neck to see, gnawing absentmindedly on the end of a wooden skewer stick. "Heh, that is! Don't sweat it, aneki! Shiorin said she'd take care of it!"

"Still...!"

Everyone sweat dropped further as Arisa rather childishly ducked her head behind the makeshift fortress of menus.

"Riyu," she hissed. "Do you think he's seen us?"

Ikkaku peered over the masses, squinting through the haze of tobacco smoke.

"...he definitely sees us," she deadpanned.

"Yep. Too late," Uni chimed. "He's looking directly at us."

Clione glanced down at his attire self-consciously.

"I think it was the boiler suits."

"Definitely the boiler suits..."

Law snorted in amusement and turned to partially raise his glass as a waitress passed their table.

"Waitress-ya. Refill."

Arisa groaned aloud.

Everything was going spectacularly well.

──────────────────

"Does she actually think she's doing a good job hiding herself?" Tatsuhito muttered, appalled.

Shiori giggled as she placed the sake vessel and cup on the counter.

"Here's your hot sake..." She straightened with a small grin, hugging the tray to her chest. "Now don't you go giving her grief over it. She's worked herself up enough as is!"

Tatsuhito eyed her suspiciously.

"Why didn't Himuro come back in person to relay the message?"

"Why would he when I'm just one Transponder Snail call away?" Shiori snorted dismissively. "Really - you underestimate how lazy that boy can get!"

Tatsuhito let out a small sigh and drank.

"Besides," Shiori went on, shooting a meaningful look in the direction of the Heart Pirates, "isn't it a good thing we have them all in one place like this? If you and Father are going to insist on being so paranoid, you can watch them here all you'd like."

"Who's being paranoid now?"

The two stiffened in shock and spun to behold Isseki Yanjirō's rigid countenance scowling down at them.

"Yanjirō-dono!" Tatsuhito rose to his feet, stumbling a bit in his haste, and gave a deep bow.

"Father! What a welcome surprise!" Shiori exclaimed. She hurriedly set to work wiping down the space next to Tatsuhito. "Here - have a seat! You two don't mind sitting together, do you?"

"Oh, if it doesn't bother you, sir," Tatsuhito began in a rush.

"No, I would actually prefer it this way." Yanjirō didn't even spare a glance in the direction of the pirates as he took a seat on the stool. "There was something I wanted to discuss with you."

A brief pause elapsed as Tatsuhito visibly hesitated and shared glances with Shiori. The latter drew herself sharply and straightened her posture as she turned to her father with a blinding smile. Almost imperceptibly, her fingers tightened around the edges of the tray.

"Great! What would you like, Father? The usual?"

Yanjirō nodded gruffly and waited until Shiori had disappeared into the kitchen.

"Busy day?" he asked shortly.

Tatsuhito sat rigidly in the chair, the sake cup left forgotten on the counter. Over the din of clinking chinaware and jabbering voices he found himself focusing idly to the Tone Dial recording playing in the background - a woman's voice crooning a sentimental mountain air

"Yes sir."

"I heard about the whole fiasco with Tatsusada-sama."

"Yes sir. Thankfully it's been resolved, but... I apologize on behalf of Waka-sama."

"According to Koga-dono, some of those pirates helped to find him. Hmph, how ironic!"

"That... is her opinion. Yes sir." Tatsuhito hesitated. "For what it's worth, Yanjirō-dono - we shouldn't let our guard down for a moment while they're on this island. With all due respect to the lord, I still don't think we should have taken such a risk-"

Yanjirō raised his hand, halting the younger man mid-sentence.

"Yes, I understand," he said. "Koga-dono is very impressionable. And Misokatsu's decision was... questionable. But that's not what I'm here to discuss. You know that, right?"

Tatsuhito squared his shoulders, eyes dropping into the base of the sake cup.

"The marriage alliance," Yanjirō went on. "When did Misokatsu first bring that up with you?"

When Tatsuhito didn't answer right away, the elder leaned his weight over the counter and narrowed his eyes.

"Tatsuhito-dono."

"...earlier this week," Tatsuhito answered reluctantly. "The lord requested to meet with me unexpectedly, and..."

Yanjirō settled back in the stool, folding his arms in thought.

"Was it Donabe-dono's idea?"

"The... alliance was his suggestion, yes." Tatsuhito paused, choosing his words carefully. "The lord... He was the one who recommended that...that I be the one to go to Tenkū-jō."

"Are you planning on accepting?"

"I..." The tension abruptly left the younger man's shoulders as he breathed out a small sigh. A halfhearted smile settled over his expression like a mask. "The Tenkū-jō are very generous to extend such an opportunity to a mere instructor like me. Moreso, I'm certainly very flattered that Misokatsu-sama holds me in high enough regard -"

Yanjirō's voice hardened.

"Be honest with me, Tatsuhito!"

Tatsuhito pressed his lips together, absentmindedly rotating the porcelain cup between his fingers atop the wooden surface. Only the singer's lulling timbres filled the empty stretch that followed. When he spoke again, his voice was low, defeated.

"I don't have a choice."

"Says who?" Yanjirō challenged, narrowing his eyes. "The lord clearly stated -"

"With all due respect, it isn't up to the lord," Tatsuhito broke in. He lifted his chin, making an effort to keep his voice level. "I will forever be indebted to Amenoka-ji for the generosity you've shown me over all these years. But I am still a Hachinobe of the Amatsuki clan remnant! To fill the role as an adopted bridegroom..." He took a deep breath. "That is the fate of a second born. Just as it was my brother's duty to marry Koga-sama and carry on the family inheritance."

"You don't even know the bride," Yanjirō said slowly. He watched on with keen eyes as the younger man visibly winced and looked away. "Is that what you really want?"

"But if I don't go, who will? What becomes of the alliance?"

"That's exactly my point. All I want is for you to understand the strength of your own position, Tatsuhito-dono!" Yanjirō frowned earnestly. "You're right; there is not a single person else that the lord is willing to send. If you put your foot down and refuse, this alliance is dead in the water - Uzuki Hiyamugi's stubbornness will ensure it. And perhaps that would be all for the better!"

"Sir," Tatsuhito began. "That's -"

"I'm going to be frank with you, Tatsuhito-dono." Yanjirō narrowed his eyes. "I stopped giving a damn about these alliances and hostage exchanges - all this unification bullshit - decades ago. That's something I'll never have to say aloud during those councils because the rest of them know it. The lord's biggest flaw is his own idealism. As for me... well, I've seen too much. Too many of our youth sent back here in body bags. Too many back stabbings and broken promises to know that the dream of unification is hardly worth the cost. But Amenoka-ji... and what we have built here in Hidamari... This represents our children's future. Their dreams. And I know for a fact that it is all worth protecting. Don't you agree?"

"...yes sir. I do."

"You may be a Hachinobe by name, Tatsuhito-dono, but I want you to know that everyone here considers you a child of Amenoka-ji through and through. This place will always be your home. And as an elder on the ruling council, I wholeheartedly reject the notion that we must send our children out as pawns for the sake of an unattainable pipe dream. That was my position regarding poor Suzume eleven years ago, and that is my position with you today."

Tatsuhito kept his gaze planted to the countertop as he drank again, conflict written out over his features. Watching him, Yanjirō softened his voice ever so slightly.

"I want you to stay at Amenoka-ji, Tatsuhito. Stay here and marry my daughter."

"Wha-?!" Tatsuhito nearly spat out his drink, indigo head swinging up swiftly and eyes growing wide in panic. "Yanjirō-dono! T-that's... I...!"

The older man let out a small scoff, though a twinkle of amusement was alight in his eyes as he leaned back in his stool with folded arms.

"Are you not fond of Shiori?" he prodded, crooking a brow inquisitively.

Tatsuhito flushed bright red and began to sputter.

"No, o-of course -...but I just- ! T-that wasn't w-what I -...!"

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Father!" Shiori's chipper voice sailed in from over their shoulders. Poor Tatsuhito choked again and devolved into an uncontrollable coughing fit as she leaned in between them to set a small tray on the counter. "Here's your order of hot sake -" she paused and blinked in slight bewilderment. "...what's the matter, Tatsuhito-kun? Do you want some water?"

"He'll be fine," Yanjirō broke in, a sliver of a grin capturing his expression. Producing a fan from his outer garment, he unfolded it and lazily rocked it back and forth. "Just needs a bit of air is all."

"Oh. If you say so..." Shiori shot them a puzzled look, before letting out a small giggle as her eyes flickered to the sake cups on the counter.. "You two really are alike, though, aren't you? Always ordering the same thing!"

"Shiori!" Tatsuhito protested as Yanjirō let out an uncharacteristic chuckle and leaned over to throw an arm around his shoulders.

"Did you hear that, Tatsuhito-dono?" he called out over the din, waving the fan for emphasis. "We're two peas in a pod, she says - might as well be father and son, eh?"

"Yanjirō-dono, please! Get a hold of yourself -!"

"Is he... already drunk?" Shiori tilted her chin in wonder and peered over to the mortified Tatsuhito. "Why are you both acting so strange tonight?"

"It's nothing!"

It was at that moment a separate customer's voice called out over the rabble, much to Tatsuhito's secret relief.

"Shiorin~ Come have a toast with us!"

Shiori instantly perked up and raised her voice.

"Oh - coming!" She turned and shot them one final smile. "I guess I'll catch you both later then!"

Yanjirō lazily waved his fan, watching on as his daughter hurried to another table.

"I meant every word of what I said just now, Tatsuhito-dono." He silenced Tatsuhito with a meaningful look before he could get a chance to protest. "I want you to stay here and become an Isseki. Yoshikazu-dono can already vouch for the fact that you are invaluable as an instructor for our students. And my daughter will need your support when she takes over Hidamari Village after I retire."

Tatsuhito eased in a deep breath.

"Shiori - Shiori-san... deserves to choose the person she wants to spend the rest of her life with," he began carefully. "If she wanted me, she -..." he paused and visibly faltered, before clearing his throat. "...she would have made that clear to me... a long time ago."

Yanjirō drank and shook his head, the corner of his lip twitching.

"You don't even believe in that yourself."

"It isn't up to me."

"Hmph! That's precisely the issue, isn't it. It isn't up to me - that's the two of you. So duty-bound that you won't admit the truth even if it's staring you in the face..." Yanjirō leaned in insistently when the latter fell silent. "Tatsuhito-dono. All I want is for my daughter to be happy. Do you understand that?"

This earned a reluctant nod.

"Of course, sir."

"Then think about it. Consider it as seriously as the lord's proposal." Yanjirō narrowed his eyes. "And don't for a second let your doubts about Shiori's feelings sway your judgment. Believe me when I say that your fears are completely unfounded, because they are. I know my daughter better than anyone else."

──────────────────

"Am I seeing things?" Ikkaku mumbled. She rubbed her eyes and squinted across the room. "...or am I just drunk?"

"What's the matter, nee-san?" Clione asked.

"That guy over there." Ikkaku jutted her chin towards the entrance. "The one who came in just now. Doesn't he look a bit like...?" she trailed off, lapsing deep into thought as she continued to scrutinize the hell out of the fellow in question.

Clione and Uni looked accordingly. Indeed, a new customer had just entered the establishment, his arrival heralded with enthusiastic cries of "Welcome!" from both servers and cooks alike. At a first glance there was nothing particularly striking about the man's appearance, save for the fact that he appeared almost ostentatiously overdressed for his surroundings. Yet there lingered an inexplicably peculiar aspect about his facial features which left a distinctly scholastic impression. His nose was pointed and slightly upturned, forehead high and domed, cheekbones angled and narrow, lips thin and elongated. His ears were small, rounded, and laid flat around the skull, perpetually concealed beneath soft waves of dove-gray hair. A pair of sterling-tinted eyes gleamed from behind a pair of wire-rimmed spectacles which winked in the lamplight as he slowly turned his head this way and that, carefully appraising the room as if in search of someone.

Clione scrunched up his face, thinking hard. Ikkaku was right. There was something strangely familiar about that guy - his face in particular - but he couldn't quite put a finger to it.

"No way... I can't be imagining this," Ikkkaku muttered. She tilted her head in confusion, watching on as the man draped his coat over his arm and ventured a few steps into the maze of tables.. "What the hell is Dr. Yotsuji doing on this island?"

"Yotsuji?" Uni repeated in a loud whisper. "Wait, are you talking about that Yotsuji?"

Captain, who'd finished eating more than half an hour ago, cracked open an eye from where he sat leaning against Bepo. Meanwhile, Arisa - who sat closer to the edge of the table and was definitely out of earshot - was more preoccupied with helping a waitress wipe up a spill Riyu had made on the tatami floor earlier in the evening. Said Mink was also now absent, having long grown bored enough to wander off with the hopes of coaxing Shiori into giving her free seconds on the sly.

"Yotsuji?" Bepo mumbled. "Who's that, Captain?"

"Even I've heard of him," Azarashi leaned in to whisper loudly from the neighboring table. "He's kind of a living legend in the medical community."

"Kind of?" Ikkaku wheeled around to gape at her comrade, appalled. "He's practically a wizard in internal medicine! Several of his journal articles have even been recommended by Dr. Vegapunk himself!"

"Oh yeah..." Clione rubbed his chin. "That guy! He was the talk of all the bigwig university hospitals before he left the Navy."

"He was in the Marines?" Bepo questioned.

"It's common for researchers to work for the Navy, since that's where most of the funding is," Captain explained. "It works the same way for doctors - surgeons and internal physicians alike. Working at a Government-affiliated university hospital would give you access to all the latest technology and equipment to further your career."

"That makes sense... So why'd that guy leave then?"

"No clue. All I know is that it was pretty sudden..." Uni lowered his voice even further. "Maybe he was dismissed for malpractice!"

"No way." Ikkaku rolled her eyes. "Yotsuji probably had plenty of reasons - especially since this is the Navy we're talking about! His independent research is still very highly regarded, you know."

Clione exchanged mischievous looks with Uni.

"You seem to be pretty thorough about this guy, nee-san. Are you sure you don't have a crush or somethi- ack!" He yelped and flinched away from her swat of admonishment. "Okay, okay! Jeez!"

"Are you familiar with him at all, Captain?" Bepo prodded insistently.

"I've read a couple of his papers," came the offhanded response. From the tone of his voice, it was clear that Captain had his mind elsewhere.

"Hey..." Uni nudged Ikkaku's arm. "...but doesn't it look like he's looking this way?"

That indeed appeared to be the case. Clione felt a slight twist of unease as Yotsuji's pale silver eyes swept over their table once, before zeroing back on them.

"More like directly at us, yeah..."

"Heh." For some reason, Uni didn't seem to find this development disconcerting in the slightest. Maybe the alcohol was starting to take its effect. "I would be surprised if he hasn't heard of us - we have one of the Worst Generation here with us, after all. Suppose he even views Captain as a rival!"

Law rolled his eyes.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Ikkaku scowled dismissively. But the sparkle of excitement kindled in her dark eyes betrayed her true feelings regarding such development.

Clione couldn't help but sweat drop as he shared dubious looks with Azarashi.

If this isn't the definition of starstruck, then I don't know what is...

Still, that didn't stop him from holding his breath in suspense along with the rest of the med team trio as Yotsuji (or at least the man bearing an uncanny resemblance to him; Clione still couldn't quite believe that he was there in the flesh) approached their table. Even Captain appeared to be anticipating something at very least. The expression he wore conveyed a cross between skepticism and annoyance as he eyed the stranger from beneath the brim of his hat.

But much to everyone's secret shock, the first words out of the man's mouth weren't addressed to the Surgeon of Death. Nor were they to any other member of the crew, for that matter. Instead, his attention seemed to be reserved solely to the still-oblivious Arisa, who was still preoccupied in scrubbing the sauce stain Riyu had left off the tatami floor like her life depended on it.

"...Arisa-san?"

Everyone's eyes immediately snapped over to the young woman in question, their expressions immediately falling blank in confusion.

She knows him? The famous Dr. Yotsuji...?

Arisa turned and looked up. Her face went sheet-white the moment her eyes landed on her inquisitor.

"Yotsuji!" She scrambled to her feet, rag still in hand, and bowed in deference. "I didn't know you were here!"

Yotsuji smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling pleasantly.

"Likewise," he answered. "Shiori-san gave me a call earlier, so I thought I'd drop by. How are you doing?"

"Fine." Arisa returned the smile and dipped her chin again. She hesitated, then stepped aside to lend him a proper view of the rest of the table. "Um. These are -..."

Clione tensed, readying himself to volunteer himself should a representative be needed to introduce the whole crew. But Yotsuji waved his hand dismissively.

"No need for detailed introductions. The lord explained everything to me." He bowed his head courteously. "The Heart Pirates, right?"

The med team trio mirrored the gesture - Ikkaku doing so the most enthusiastically - while Captain remained mostly impassive, peering intently into the man's face with a slightly quizzical air. Arisa forced a smile as she glanced between them. She appeared to be uncharacteristically agitated.

The doctor's sterling gaze flickered over to Captain. Clione shared glances with Uni and stiffened.

"Trafalgar Law. You gained quite some notoriety from your antics in the Summit War."

The med team trio couldn't quite keep the proud grins from breaking out over their faces. But Captain merely shrugged.

"It was just a whim."

"I didn't know you were so knowledgeable about the Worst Generation, Yotsuji," Arisa was quick to break in, wearing a terse smile.

Clione blinked, sensing a slight ripple of unease as Captain shot her an annoyed look. Her behavior was puzzling. It was almost as if she was wary of any prolonged interactions between the two doctors.

"Not really. It was just that particular story that piqued my interest." Yotsuji's eyes narrowed ever so slightly behind his glasses. "Truly, it's miraculous. Those operations must have been technically flawless for both patients to have survived their injuries."

Captain merely gave a languid smile. A familiar expression akin to the look immortalized in his wanted poster - one that probably came off as unsettling to most unsuspecting strangers. But there was a sense of earnest fulfillment there - Clione could tell that much. Because while he would probably never admit to it aloud, Captain took genuine pride in all of his surgeries, preparing for his procedures down to the most meticulous detail so that he could look back on every case he'd worked as a job well done. The operations of Straw Hat Luffy and Jinbe were no different.

"It was the most fun I'd had in a while."

Yotsuji nodded, though his cold expression betrayed the fact that the motion was done out of courtesy more than anything else. He turned to Arisa.

"...do you have a moment?" he asked, nodding towards the bar.

A peculiar expression flickered across the yōgari's face like a paroxysm. The unease written out over her features felt so real, so palpable that Clione felt another small twinge of misgiving. But she didn't protest. Pressing her lips tightly together, she turned and nodded to the rest.

"If you'll excuse me."

They watched the pair as they moved out of earshot.

"It's rude to stare, you know," Captain remarked off-handedly.

Ikkaku tore her eyes away from the two.

"I still can't believe that he's actually here! How do you think she knows him?"

"Who knows..." Clione muttered.

Uni looked around furtively, his voice turning ominous.

"Maybe they're having an affair."

Captain's eyebrows shot up. Clione nearly choked on his drink.

"An affair-?!" he sputtered. "Hey! T-t-that's just ridiculous!"

"Yeah!" Ikkaku cried, flushing beet red. "Get your mind out of the damn gutter!"

"What are they - ten, fifteen years apart at the very least? Right?" Clione found himself turning desperately to the nearest person - Captain in this case - for concurrence. The only response he received was a shrug and a slight frown which clearly screamed How the hell am I supposed to know?

"So what?" Uni shrugged as well, his tone betraying a slight exasperation akin to the manner of one washing his hands of all fault. "That's never stopped anybody."

Everyone's eyes snapped expectantly back to the bar. Yotsuji stood with his back to the counter, his tall frame dwarfing Arisa's slight stature. The music drowned out their voices, but judging by the irritated scowl etched over the doctor's expression and their body language, it was clear the two were arguing about something.

Clione flushed. With Uni's suggestion lingering fresh in everyone's minds, it suddenly wasn't all too difficult to fathom such an implication reflecting reality.

"...do you really think that is?" Ikkaku whispered.

"I don't know. Maybe we're reading too much into it..."

A ghost of a frown passing over his features, Captain leaned back against Bepo and folded his arms.

"Tch. Just ask them if you want to know so badly."

"N-no way!" the pair exclaimed in unison, flushing. "Are you crazy?!"

"Then keep the speculations to yourself." The surgeon narrowed his eyes ever so slightly. "All this gossip is meaningless and gets on my nerves."

"...Aye, aye! Sorry, Captain..."

"...aren't you curious at all, though?" Uni ventured.

Captain flicked him a cursory glance.

"None of my business," he replied shortly. After a short pause, he gave a terse nod in Yotsuji's direction. "I'm more curious to know what sort of connection Yotsuji-ya has to this place. He couldn't have gotten here without permission..." He trailed off, sinking deep into thought.

The med team trio shifted uncomfortably and exchanged glances, sensing that now was the time to quietly drop the matter. The lapse was only temporary however, with the matter emerging back into the forefront of their attention when Arisa returned several minutes later. Whatever exchange had happened at the bar, it must not have gone over particularly well because she looked unusually troubled - almost hurt, to be honest. However, she was quick to mask the expression with an apologetic smile.

"Sorry about that. Did I miss anything?"

"Nope!" Clione and Ikkaku loudly said in unison, shooting warning looks at Uni.

Thankfully, Arisa remained wholly oblivious to their antics. Her smile waning somewhat, she turned back to Yotsuji.

"Thank you for taking the time to come all the way over here," she said, bowing her head earnestly.

"No worries." The doctor shot her a terse smile as he put on his hat. "Tomorrow at eleven, then?"

Arisa gave a slight nod. Out of the corner of his eye, Clione caught a minute shift in Captain's expression - the faintest glimmer of interest.

"Good. You know where to find me."

An uneasy silence settled over the table once Yotsuji had taken his leave and Arisa sat back down. No one seemed to know quite what to say out of awkwardness, with Captain - who was still lost in thought - being the sole exception. Arisa presently looked around and cleared her throat.

"Has... Riyu still not come back?" she asked, voice artificially light. "We might need to go find her if she's still intent on harassing poor Shiori."

All eyes flickered over to the empty spot by her side.

"Oh..."

"That was right..."

──────────────────

"Ah!" Shiori let out a happy sigh and lounged back against the tiled walls, a damp folded washcloth perched atop her head. A blissful smile captured her lips as she laved handfuls of hot water over her shoulders. "There's nothing more relaxing than a nice hot bath after a day of hard work!"

"Yeah!" Riyu chimed from the other end of the massive tub, submerged up to her chin in the steam-wafted waves. "I missed this! Hot springs are the best~"

From her own corner in the massive tub, Arisa closed her eyes briefly and blew out a breath as she sank down lower, momentarily relishing in the silky warmth of the hot spring water cradling her limbs and leaching the exhaustion out of her body.

As a self-professed onsen maniac, Shiori frequented the bathhouse often and loved to drag her friends along whenever she had the chance. The place was one of the village's most popular attractions among the locals, and for little wonder too. The entrance fee was dirt cheap and due to its proximity to the mountainside, the facility was continually supplied with fresh mineral-rich water from the hot springs it was built atop. Today, the place seemed a bit less busy compared to usual, but perhaps that was due to how late it was. Shiori had gotten off her shift less than thirty minutes ago, and it was already close to eleven.

"Hey, Shiori!" Riyu called out, her figure only faintly visible through the thick steam. She pushed off the wall and sidled closer to her friend. "Buy me a beer after this!"

Arisa cracked open her eyes. According to Riyu, cold beverages were an absolute must after going to the bathhouse, and so that had become their tradition over the years.

"Eh? Haven't you had enough alcohol for the night?" Shiori asked. "What about some iced coffee? Or milk tea?"

"I'll be finneee!"

"....are you sure about that?"

"C'mon, nothing beats an ice cold beer after a hot bath!"

"If you say so.... but..." Shiori perked up. "That reminds me, Arisa! You said that you stopped drinking, right?"

Arisa glanced over to them, fighting the urge to sink deeper underwater.

"Yeah," she answered. "Riyu can have her beer. I'll just have a coffee or something."

Shiori blinked, studying her closely through drifts of steam.

"Is it supposed to be for health or something? Are you trying to lose weight?" She frowned. "Because if that's what it is-"

"No, it isn't!" Arisa's voice came out far sharper and hastier than she'd intended. Catching the confusion on her friends' faces, she hugged her knees to her chest and settled back against the far end of the tub. "Sorry. I don't know. Just... thought it might do me some good to change things around for once. It has nothing to do with health or anything like that..."

"You stopped eating certain things too, aneki," Riyu spoke up pointedly, her whiskers twitching. "I thought for sure you were going on a diet..."

Arisa shifted uncomfortably, fighting to ignore the familiar sensation of anxiety fluttering at the base of her stomach.

"Don't read too much into it," she insisted. She lowered her gaze as she sank her chin partially into the roiling water. "People's tastes change over time, don't they?"

"Hmm." Shiori narrowed her eyes. "Well, still... Be careful, alright? Maybe you aren't doing anything purposefully like you said but... Well, I hate to say it, but your arms are starting to look like toothpicks now -"

"Wow, Shiori," Arisa deadpanned.

"Wow~" Riyu parroted, wagging her eyebrows dramatically. "Rude!"

"I'm sorry! But seriously - listen! You should take care of yourself. Maybe take a page out of Kamome-dono's book over there -"

"What, I should try emulating that monster appetite?" Arisa cracked a mischievous grin.

"Oi, both of you watch your mouths!" the Mink protested, sending a light splash of water in their direction.

"But really, Arisa -" Shiori began again.

"Okay, okay," Arisa rolled her eyes. "I'll be careful. Thanks for the advice, Mom."

"...I'm just saying!"

There was a brief lull to the conversation as a pair of customers interrupted them by exiting the neighboring tub. Arisa absently laved a handful of hot water over her exposed skin, her expression growing distant.

"Shiori."

"Hmmm?"

"Why did you tell Yotsuji I was here?"

Shiori looked mildly taken aback.

"It just came up in the conversation. He was the one who asked about you." A beat. "...is there something wrong?"

Arisa fell silent again, thinking back to her conversation with Yotsuji back at Tsukinoya. The memory of his sharp words, the disappointment in his face... All of these things coalesced into a crushing weight of guilt which anchored at the base of her chest.

But Shiori didn't know any of those things. She didn't know anything about what had transpired in the last several months. Neither did Riyu. And so they would remain in the dark should Arisa have anything to say about it.

"No," she heard herself say. "Don't worry. I...um, wasn't expecting to see him today." I wasn't prepared to. "That's all."

Shiori's eyes softened in sympathy.

"I can see how it can still be difficult," she answered. "It's still only been six years since... since then..."

Six years.

Arisa nodded and assumed a reassuring smile, though the expression was anything but genuine.

If only things were so uncomplicated. If only her present worries all rooted back to the Sabaody Incident.

If only...

──────────────────

Several blocks away, Hachinobe Tatsuhito was pacing in front of the entrance to Tsukinoya like a man driven to distraction.

"What do you mean, he's too busy?" he demanded at the miniature Transponder Snail on his wrist. "The lord made it explicitly clear that I keep him updated on all matters relating to the alliance proposal -"

"Something unexpected came up," Hokyū's calm voice emitted clearly past the Snail's lips. "I'm sorry, but he won't be taking any calls tonight."

"What about tomorrow morning?"

"Still unavailable, I'm afraid." A pause. "I anticipate it will be very difficult to arrange any meetings with him over the next couple of days. The matter over here requires immediate attention."

"Can't you tell him it's urgent?" A tinge of desperation bled into Tatsuhito's voice. "Please, Hokyū-dono!"

The Snail gazed at him impassively.

"I won't make any guarantees, but I'll try. Don't let your hopes up."

The line crackled once then went dead. Tatsuhito swore beneath his breath as he lowered the Transponder Snail. Above him, the street lamp flickered and buzzed as a stray moth mindlessly fluttered about the guttering glass globe. Standing alone in that empty street, he suddenly felt very cold and tired. A

He grimaced and slowly sank down onto a nearby bench, lapsing deep into thought.

──────────────────

"Tatsuhito... might be going to Tenkū-jō?" Arisa turned and stared at Shiori in horror. "As an adopted bridegroom?"

Now freshly changed and bearing their bundle of towels and old clothes, the three had ventured across to the shop across the street to procure the aforementioned cold beverages. Riyu stood between them bouncing on her heels in excitement as she waited for her drink. Shiori merely shrugged. She pulled the tab of a beer and handed it over to the Mink.

"According to the lord, apparently," was all she said with a shrug before tilting back her own can for a drought.

"And... you're okay with it?" Arisa took a tentative sip of her coffee and stole a glance at Riyu, who was still fully preoccupied in guzzling down her drink as if it were her lifeline. The ermine Mink was possibly the only one left in their close circles who remained entirely oblivious to the fling between Amenoka-ji's youngest instructor and the heiress to Hidamari's fiefdom.

"What do you mean, am I okay with it?" Shiori blinked at her, a small smile surfacing around the rim of the can. "It isn't up to me."

"You didn't answer my question."

"Yeah. Because it isn't relevant." Shiori's face remained infuriatingly resolute. "The decision is beyond my control. All of our control. And like it or not...it's our responsibility, isn't it? This is what we signed up for when we decided to become yōgari - it's all part of the package!"

This time, Arisa couldn't help but make a face. Shiori let out an incredulous laugh.

"Don't look so flabbergasted!" she chided, tossing her head. "Tatsuhito-kun and I, we both should have been expecting it. I mean, look how old we are now! It was about time one of us was sent off; I'm just bitter that it turned out to be Tenkū-jō again, you know? First it was Taishi-kun, and now Tatsuhito-kun..." She snorted. "I'm starting to think they're plotting to poach all of our strongest assets!"

"Is that how you really feel?" Arisa slowly asked, incredulous. "That it was about time?"

Shiori let out a small feeble chuckle as they started their way down the street. It sounded as if she were attempting to reassure herself more than anyone else.

"About time - no, past it. God. Look at Lady Koga and Mototatsu-sama - how old were they when they were sent off? We're practically fossils now in comparison! If you think about it that way, you could say we're both long overdue." She paused, a her voice growing solemn. "Maybe we should be thankful... to have had the time that we did."

"Don't say that, Shiorin!" Riyu frowned. "I don't think you and Ta-chan are old at all!"

Shiori tut-tutted.

"Compared to some of the other clan remnants, we're practically ancient. Did you know - apparently the Osoegawa Uzuki are married off even younger than the Amatsuki are?"

"Really~?" Riyu blinked. "Wow! I guess I really dodged a bullet then!"

"Yeah! Though that makes a lot of sense with their constant wars. I guess you can't afford to take your time about these sorts of things when your life is slated to be so short to begin with -"

"Shiori," Arisa broke in impatiently. "Never mind that! Why does Uncle want Tatsuhito to go to Tenkū-jō?"

Shiori paused and hugged her bundle closer to her chest in one arm as she took a sip of her beer with the other.

"Well, of course it's for an alliance."

"But how does that make any sense? We've been allied with Tenkū-jō for decades."

"We are, but the Amatsuki aren't," Riyu spoke up suddenly, her brow furrowed quizzically. "Would that be the reason, then? Because Ta-chan is a part of the Amatsuki remnant and we aren't?"

Which would mean that the alliance in question would be between the Amatsuki and the Tenkū-jō Uzuki. It wasn't outside the realm of possibility, but... Arisa could only shake her head in disbelief. She could see why her great-uncle would want to facilitate such ties, but was that really worth the price of Kurowashi-sensei's protege?

"It just seems... counterintuitive to me," she mumbled. "Tatsuhito is...- was set to take over as primary instructor here after Kurowashi-sensei retired. I don't see why Uncle would be willing to give him up so easily when... When..."

"When what?" Shiori glanced at her from the corner of her eye as she drained the last of her can.

"Well, technically," Arisa began uncomfortably, "I'm also a descendent of the Amatsuki diaspora from Father's side. So I would be just as viable a candidate as Tatsuhito is -"

Shiori and Riyu stiffened and stopped short in their tracks.

"No way in hell!" they snapped in unison.

Arisa sweat dropped as she peered back at them over her shoulder.

"Don't.... don't react like that..." she muttered with a self-injured air. "I never said that I was going to volunteer..."

"Well, then you shouldn't even dare to bring it up as a possibility, aneki!" Riyu scolded. "What if the lord gets that idea?"

"That's right!" Shiori exclaimed. "Don't start getting any ideas! This responsibility was given to Tatsuhito-kun!"

"Oh." Arisa narrowed her eyes. "So you'd rather Tatsuhito go than me?"

"That's not what I said." Shiori's expression immediately turned flat.

"Then what? It's our duty, right? And besides, Tatsuhito is more of an asset to Amenoka-ji than I ever will be. So why does it make a difference between the two of us?"

"Again - that isn't up to us to decide!" Shiori huffed, sounding exasperated. "That's my whole point. Whoever the lord chooses should be the one who goes. He clearly had his reasons for asking Tatsuhito-kun, so who are we to question his decision?

"All I'm saying, Arisa, is that you shouldn't try to insert yourself into the situation out of some bizarre, misplaced sense of self-sacrifice! And... and I'm pretty sure Tatsuhito-kun would be the first to agree with me!"

The agitation in Shiori's voice was palpable. Arisa slowed her pace and shared dubious glances with Riyu. Shiori caught the look and drew herself up sharply, re-assuming her cheerful composure in an instant.

"Again with those faces!" she exclaimed. "You both shouldn't worry so much about it. We're all adults here - we can handle this! And you guys have enough on your plate already."

"If you say so..." Riyu relented. She appeared to force herself to brighten up as well, hugging her bundle closer to her chest and looking up at the night sky. A small grin curved her lips. "Ah~ But it must be pretty cool to be a pirate, don't you guys think? Not having to deal with all this drama!"

"What are you talking about?" Shiori jested back. "Hah, talk about being impressionable!"

"You think so? Hahaha!"

Arisa forced herself to smile along with them, but she couldn't help but shoot Shiori one last look out of the corner of her eye as they continued to make their way through the Hidamari Village's empty streets.

First it was Suzume.

Then Taishi. And now Tatsuhito...

...will everything really be alright?  

Translations:

Izakaya (居酒屋): Japanese style tavern. Serves alcohol and comfort food. Literal translation is "sake shop."

Kushiyaki (串焼き): Generic term for skewered meats and vegetables. (ex. yakitori)

Okami-san (おかみさん): Female proprietor. The "Madame," if you will.

Onsen (温泉): Hot spring. Also a general term for bathhouses that run on hot spring water.

Other note(s):

Bath houses, izakaya, and arranged marriages... I may have inadvertently turned this story into a parody of a Showa-era period drama. But I have zero regrets.

As for the next chapter... let's just say I've been waiting a lonnnng time to get to this point, so I'm very excited to start unpacking what I have in store for you. :)

Thanks for reading!

-shiba 

(p.s. Riyu is right. There really is nothing quite like an ice cold drink after a trip to the bath house~ ^^)