No one's POV

Akame: There's a natural hot spring here.

Currently, the female of the Elite Seven were relaxing at a natural hot spring they found near the mountain of Hakurou. The boys let the girls went in first, but not before tying Guy to a tree to prove that they won't peak at them while they go take a deep.

Akame: I'm still surprise at what happened back at the river. To think that we would be ambushed by an armed group there...

Cornelia: That was the first time someone laid a trap for us. Like Father said, we're becoming targets as well.

Poney: Bring it! We'll turn the chair on them, just like this time!

Poney said with her head held high and pump her chest up, but Cornelia just correct her mistake.

Cornelia: It's 'turn the table' Poney.

Poney: Shut up, Corey! Who cares what it us?!

Poney tackle Corey into the water and the two of them had some water battle. At some point, Akame decided to joined in as they started rubbing each others body to see which one has the better character. After awhile, Cornelia decided to get up.

Cornelia: Okay, let's get out and meet back with the guys.

Suddenly, Akame had an idea as a light bulb appeared above her head.

Akame: Why don't we sneak up on them? It'll be a game to see if Ryu or the chief catch us!

Poney: Yeah, that sounds super fun! We'll call them the shrimps instead if they don't notice!

Cornelia: I'm pretty sure Ryu would make you starve if you tried...

Regardless of the warning Cornelia gave them, the three of them did in fact tried to sneak up on the boys. Keeping under the cover of the shadows, they did indeed find them where the girls had left them. And as the boys promised, they had tied Gai into the tree to make sure he didn't peep on the girls. Najasho was reading his usual book, Green was messing with the fire, while Ryu was sharpening his blade.

Gai: Sheesh, the girls take such long baths. They should be in and out in five minutes.

Najasho: No, forty-five is appropriate for a bath.

Green: Gai, that's way too short and chief, that's way too long.

Ryu: They'll finish when they want to. It was supposed to be a relaxing bath. Not trying to race to get out of the water nor trying to soak your skin until you have wrinkles.

Gai: And when's pop coming back? I want to go into town already.

Green: He said that, as a reward, he's going to let us stay at the inn that serves the local specialties.

Gai: That's right, and I heard the hot spring district has a brothel too.

Green: So that's what you're excited about...

Najasho: He never changes.

Ryu: Can we just ditch him already?

Both Najasho and Ryu just sigh at Gai's perverseness as they continue what they were doing. Little did they know, the two of them already sensed the presence of Cornelia, Poney and Akame who were trying to sneak up on them.

Poney(whisper): I don't think Chief nor Ryu had noticed us, do you?

Cornelia(whisper): If that's the case then we ought to be pretty proud of ourselves.

Ryu and Najasho just ignore the girls game and continue on with their conversation.

Gai: Hey, I really gotta take a piss, can you untie me?

Green: If I did that, you'd use the Rare Suit to spy on the girls. And I will not let you gaze upon their bodies!

Guy: We could all spy together.

Ryu: Please learn what privacy is first, you damned idiot.

Gai: Well, you can't deny that you'd want to.

Ryu: I can because I have something called common decency, thank you very much. So don't just put me on the same category as you. So go talk about something else.

Ga: Alright, fine. Then Green, why did you sound so worked up when you said you weren't going to let me peek on the girls?

Green immediately stammer because of that statement as his face turned somewhat red.

Green: Uh...

Najasho: He's not wrong, you know.

Green: I- It's just-!

Gai: Do you have a crush on one of them?!

Green: Ghn...

Ryu: Oh~ why are you so embarrassed, Green? Is not like its a secret, is it?

Both Najasho and Ryu could heard some snickering behind them. They could tell both Corey and Poney were having a hard time holding back their laughter as Akame was trying to get them to stopped. The two just shrug before focusing back to the boys.

Gai: If you're going to tell me you've got an eye on Cornelia too?! Then let's take it outside.

Najasho: We're already as outside as it gets.

Green: It's not Corey!

Ryu: I couldn't see you having a crush on Poney... as a couple I can't see you two working well. Though...

Green: No it isn't!

Najasho: Don't tell me, you just don't like the idea of Gai looking at girls?

Guy: What?!

Ryu: Phew... I misjudge you, Green.

Green: Noooooo! You skipped over the last person!

Ryu: Wait, seriously?

Green: Yes! I confess! I've started developing feelings for Akame recently...

Green said with his face turned red. Ryu, Najasho, and Green stare at him surprised at the what they just heard.

Gai: Ooo... You're pretty serious about her, judging by your face.

Najasho: This is a surprise.

Ryu: Yeah... This is literally the last thing I had in mind.

Akame who was sneaking up behind them along with Poney and Cornelia was shocked by the sudden revelation.

Akame(mind): Wait, what? Green likes me? I never knew...

Poney(whisper): Woo-hoo! Way to go, Akame!

Akame: Urk...

Poney elbowed her relentlessly with smug grins on her faces. While for Cornelia...

Cornelia: Green likes Akame... and Akame's shocked too. What's going to happen?! What's going to happen?!

Akame(mind): Wait, why is Corey getting more worked up about this than I am?

Guy: So, what is it that you like about Akame?

Najasho: We've got time to kill, so let's hear it.

Ryu: Guys, I don't think that's the brightest of-

Before Ryu could interject with the idea, Green share his secret.

Green: It's a tearjerker, so ready your handkerchiefs. It was about six months ago. I found Akame sleeping as I was going to call her for practice. But when I gazed at her I couldn't take my eyes off her. It was then that I realized I had an armpit fetish and I would snatch glimpses of Akame's armpit whenever I could. Before I knew it, I'd started to have feelings about Akame as a whole person. Brings tears to your eyes doesn't it?

Instead of the reaction he was hoping for, the other three boys reaction was something that was hard to expressed. They were stunned and gave Green a straight look.

Ryu, Najasho, Gai:...

Green: Huh?! What's with this lack of reaction?

Gai:...

Najasho: Sorry, shrimp.

Ryu: Yeah. We just have to apologize.

Green: And why the sudden apology?!

Ryu(mind): I wasn't expecting any of this curveballs... The girls spying on us probably heard everything.

With the girls. Poney and Corey both looked exhausted when they got onto the open road.

Poney: Wow... that was so shocking that we bailed... I always knew Green was a pervert!

Cornelia: He's a little more off than I thought... Armpits, seriously? Well, what do you think now that you heard how Green feels, Akame?

Akame: Nothing... regardless of his reasons, it makes me happy to hear someone saying he likes me, you know? But Green is only a good friend, and I want to stay teammates with him.

(Timeskip)

The next day arrived. Half of the Elite Seven were able to get into town while Green, Najasho and Guy were forced to stay in the mountains as a precaution yet for some reason Ryu was here with the girls. Some part of him already guessed that there was a certain bias from Gozuki, but Ryu wasn't going to be the one to voice his opinion. He'd rather not be sent to the pack of wolves right now... not after what happened last night.

Poney: Alrighty then! Let's go to the inn with great local food!

Ryu: Well someone's certainly chipper today.

Cornelia: Who wouldn't be? Still, I feel bad for Chief and the others having to stay in the mountains.

Gozuki: Sketches of those two have been passed around to spies, Ryu was smart enough to cover his face when he resurfaced to help the two of them and Guy will come by here soon enough. Still, this is a good opportunity for all of us. We'll rest for a while and figure out our next move.

Ryu: And please, don't try to eat the entire house out Akame, and then force me to cook for you.

Akame:...They're here too...

Ryu looked ahead, stopping and saw what Akame was talking about. Homeless civilians of all ages, yet some of the children still had the hope and energy to still play around.

Akame: In every town when you look closely, you see so many suffering people... starving emaciated people too. It's hard to believe life can be so difficult for some people.

Ryu: I think we were already blessed as it is. The same goes for the village near our Home.

Gozuki: There's nothing we can do about it. This is a gap between rich and poor, and you'd all know the feeling if you weren't here. You kids were sold off my your parents after all.

Ryu stopped and gritted his teeth when he heard what his Father had said. Ryu didn't get sold by his parent, but he volunteered instead. He had no choice, his little sister would be sold instead if he doesn't do it. But still, here he now had new people to live with... the Elite Seven, is his new family.

Gozuki: Even so, everyone finds the sweet side to life and carries on as best they can. If war breaks out, it's these struggling folks whose living would be destroyed first. If we can just keep the peace... The politician will do something to remedy the situation in time.

Ryu(mind): Peace huh...

Poney: Does that even matter? You're my real daddy!

Gozuki: That's the spirit.

He seemed to eye Akame for a moment, Ryu looked at her as well. It was clear that Akame had doubts in her eyes whether what they were fighting for was truly for peace or not.

Akame:...

Ryu continue to stare at her. With the way things are right now, Ryu just couldn't help but feel something was off by how these whole system works. He couldn't help but think that what they were doing was not keeping peace.

Ryu(mind): What is she really thinking? I wonder...

Gozuki: Here we are, that's the inn we'll be staying in for a while.

All of them could only stop in awe as they stared at the huge inn, but Ryu noticed some people that just appeared.

Barbara: Let's stay at this inn, Taeko.

Taeko: Okay.

When Ryu had noticed their presence, he could get an off feeling. His eyes met the gaze of the girl with the lime eyes. The girls was probably around the same age he and the others were. Ryu slowly narrow his eyes, but it was a bit unnoticeable.

Ryu(mind): Am I being too paranoid? Something... seems off here...

Ryu had an odd feeling about the girl and the old woman she was with. He wasn't sure if he should tell his suspicion to Gozuki or not, but what he was sure of was that he need to keep his guard up at all time.